Under 25 Squad

[RJK Tiger]

Thought this was interesting - its our "U25" squad. Its an interesting look at where we are at and i think underlines where our focus needs to be. IMO if we can hit on 5 players over the next 2 years to add to this list - be it the draft or trade period - we will be well placed


B: Baker Balta Stack
HB: Short Miller Mansell
C: Naish. Graham. D.Rioli
HF: R-Smith Castagna Parker
F: MRJ CCJ. Chol
R: Soldo, Bolton RCD

B: Dow, Ross, , Martyn, Eggs(?)

 

[wegetpumped]

Thought this was interesting - its our "U25" squad. Its an interesting look at where we are at and i think underlines where our focus needs to be. IMO if we can hit on 5 players over the next 2 years to add to this list - be it the draft or trade period - we will be well placed


B: Baker Balta Stack
HB: Short Miller Mansell
C: Naish. Graham. D.Rioli
HF: R-Smith Castagna Parker
F: MRJ CCJ. Chol
R: Soldo, Bolton RCD

B: Dow, Ross, , Martyn, Eggs(?)

Looks exciting and Castagna The captain-coach! Rioli assistant both positions! Thank god we don't have injures imagine that team playing now?

 

[smurfin]

Dan Rioli on the wing actually makes sense to me. Has he ever been trialled there?
To me the main areas of concern are key forward(s), especially with the CCJ speculation; key defender - Miller needs a run to see if he's up to it.
Too early to know if Ralphsmith, Parker, Martyn, MRJ, Dow or even Ross or Naish will be up to standard. I'm hopeful at least half these names will make it.

 

[Rayzorwire]

Thought this was interesting - its our "U25" squad. Its an interesting look at where we are at and i think underlines where our focus needs to be. IMO if we can hit on 5 players over the next 2 years to add to this list - be it the draft or trade period - we will be well placed


B: Baker Balta Stack
HB: Short Miller Mansell
C: Naish. Graham. D.Rioli
HF: R-Smith Castagna Parker
F: MRJ CCJ. Chol
R: Soldo, Bolton RCD

B: Dow, Ross, , Martyn, Eggs(?)

It's a really solid youth brigade for a side that's contended the last 4yrs.

No harm in including an EMG line with Garthwaite, Samson, Mate, Bigoa, Cumberland, one or two might make it through and it's young depth at least.

Needs are pretty obvious to most of us...inside ball winners, a couple of classy ball users with decent athleticism and a few key position players depending on what transpires with CCJ and Chol, plus our gut feel on the likes of Mate, Bigoa and Samson's likely development curve (not to mention Soldo's future given the complications he's had).

Add in some speculative development rookie picks (small forward an obvious area to target) and as you say, we should be able to go a long way to addressing those needs over the next off-season or two, it should set us up well for another tilt at the ultimate prize.

Having some handy types plus Nank our Tank in the 26-28yo bracket is also certainly going to help us transition while the older stars fall away/retire.

Dan Rioli on the wing actually makes sense to me. Has he ever been trialled there?

One of our strengths has been having KMac and Pickett who have all the running power you'd hope from a winger, but can influence aerial contests and cause mismatches in the air 1:1 against most opponents.

I reckon we love having that as a tactical edge and it goes a fair way to explaining why we haven't trialed more players on a wing who would be suited to the role the way most sides set up.

I've advocated previously for us trying to get Chol's tank to a point we can use him on a wing for an even greater mismatch advantage, but I admit it's looking increasingly unlikely he'll be able to develop enough full game stamina to be used there for more than bursts.

 

[Dr Tigris]

It's a good solid younger group. Lot of talent and good spread. But obviously not a premiership group as it stands.

Still have another 5 years with that group. So if we can get trades/FA/drafts right we'll be there or thereabouts.

 

[Marcel Proust]

Will look better when bolton signs