Preview Your best 22 2019

[Dynamics]

No room for Mainy?
Was in your top 5 on grand final day.

Poor Chris. Has a great year after copping so much grief, and still doesn't get much love from supporters.

Problem for him (and perhaps Aish) is that Beams is obviously an absolute midfield lock for us now. Sier is so highly rated by our fans with good reason and will become a certain starter, making a pretty tough inside mid pairing with Adams. If Mayne wants that spot on the wing he did well in, the dominos start falling in front of him there too. Phillips takes a spot, Stephenson will start to get a few minutes with his pace and creativity, and Beams will allow Treloar to play more outside than last season.

BUT... Watch him prove us all wrong again.

 

[hk89]

I think it's just his lack of speed. His leadership has been brilliant. Like last year it was tough at times when we had 2 if not 3 of Lewis/Vince/Jones in the one 22. Now with Vince gone it won't be as much of an issue. I reckon Jones will play more HFF or FP even with how slow he has also become. It does require like a Petracca to work on his midfield game. Lewis similar, but the other way around. Will see him taking on a medium sized forward down back.

Well I hope they can find a role for him, would have rather he retired than play out the final year of his career at Casey, but that's from a Hawthorn fan's perspective.

 

[Sprout]

Yup, a sad finish. Always thought you'd do well out of him in the first year of the contract and he'd be serviceable in the second, but that 3 years was one too long. I guess he probably wouldn't have moved for less though, given he still had a 1 year contract at Hawthorn, and I don't think we categorically ruled out another 1 year extension, just told him it wasn't a certainty. A 3 year deal versus 1 year certain with any extension uncertain was an easy choice for Lewis. Still see it as a win/win. Added some valuable experience to your list at a time you needed it, and allowed us cap space and opportunity for players like Morrison/Worpel/Howe to get games. Never fun to see a player that was a champion of your club run around in the seconds team of another club before retiring though :-(

Who knows, maybe he'll surprise and squeeze another decent year out of himself. You have enough leaders now that he probably needs to do it on form rather than 'out there for leadership'.

His performance in the prelim would be colouring some views. It was maybe his worst performance for the club and would have to be one of the worst of his career. He was very good in the EF but his final two games were pretty dire. His season overall was solid.

I'd have him in my 22 at the start of the year. His ability to keep his spot as the season progresses is in doubt but I wouldn't be putting a line through him just yet. Goody likes him.

 

[Baird]

Going with the assumption that everyone will be fit/ready to play for round 1 except Scharenberg, here is my best 22:

B: Langdon Dunn Maynard

HB: Howe Moore Crisp

C: Treloar Pendlebury Sidebottom

HF: Hoskin-Elliott Mihocek De Goey

F: Thomas Cox Stephenson

R: Grundy Adams Beams

I/C: Phillips Varcoe Sier Mayne

Wow

Who is going to be able to compete with this team next year?

 

[kangaspurs]

B: Marley Williams - Scott Thompson - Majak Daw
HB: Jasper Pittard - Robbie Tarrant - Ed Vickers-Willis
C: Trent Dumont - Ben Cunnington - Jared Polec
HF: Aaron Hall - Mason Wood - Jy Simpkin
F: Jack Ziebell - Ben Brown - Kayne Turner
FOLL: Todd Goldstein - Shaun Higgins - Ben Jacobs

I: Taylor Garner - Jed Anderson - Shaun Atley - Jamie Macmillan

E: Paul Ahern - Dom Tyson - Sam Wright - Luke McDonald
​

For the first time in a ****ing long time we actually have AFL-quality depth, which we will need if our injury record from recent times continues in 2019.

We're also a lot more balanced in the midfield, but still lack another genuine A-Grader. I'm bullish that Polec can build even further on his very good 2018 and become a really important cog for us and really, who the **** knows with Hall? Every chance he could bring back the form that saw him poll 3 Brownlow voted in 3 consecutive games, but every chance he couldn't as well. Also need Jacobs fit for the whole year if we're to push into the top 6. Arguably our most important mid. Ahern, LDU and Tyson provide talented mid depth.

The forward line definitely has goals in it, but this will be the first time in his career that Brown will have to play as effectively a lone tall forward for a whole season. This is why Waite is such a massive departure for us. He took a lot of pressure off Brown. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Frosty Miller medalist, Nick Larkey, come into that 22 early in piece to take some of the load off, but otherwise we're a bit light on for genuine KPF options.

Many North fans want to see Ben McKay come in and take over from Thompson this year, but as the incumbent, Thompson gets the first crack for now. He's actually suspended for the first game though, so if McKay takes his opportunity in round one, then that could happen sooner rather than later. Otherwise the defence is ok. Daw turned himself into an excellent intercept player last year and can only benefit from another preseason with the back 6, and we all know that Tarrant is a quality defender. If EVW can finally stay fit he provides a much needed cool head to counter the erratic Pittard and Williams, but I think it's obvious that we still lack a real class ball user coming out of the back 50. I suspect that in 2019 exiting defensive 50 will be our biggest weakness. It wouldn't surprise me to see Polec play a little off half back in 2019 for this reason.

 

[adammania9]

No room for Mainy?
Was in your top 5 on grand final day.

Every time I construct a best 22, he always ends up the 23rd man. Part of me thinks Elliott is not best 22 based on not having played a game in our new forward system, and Mayne comes in to claim his spot.

 

[1990crow]

Provided everyone is fit:

Hardwick - Frawley - Stratton
Sicily - Brand - Birchall

Big Boy - Mitchell - O'Meara
Smith - Shiels - Scully

Wingard - Roughie - Gunston
Breust - Ceglar - Puopolo

Int: Burgoyne - Impey - Worpel - Morrison

Depth: Henderson, Howe, Glass, Scrimshaw, Schoey, O'Brien, Cousins, Mirra, Langford, Nash​

Top 15 group looks good however depth inside and outside the 22 will cost the Hawks from being a true contender by the looks. Going to take 2-3 years of strong trading and talent ID to get to the top again.

 

[1990crow]

B: L.Brown ~ D.Talia ~ T.Doedee
HB: R.Laird ~ A.Keath ~ B.Smith

R: S.Jacobs ~ M.Crouch ~ B.Crouch
C: R.Sloane ~ B.Gibbs ~ P.Seedsman

HF: T.Lynch ~ T.Walker ~ J.Galluci
FF: E.Betts ~ J.Jenkins ~ S.McAdam

B: W.Milera ~ H.Greenwood ~ J.Kelly
R.Atkins

Em: Knight, Douglas, Mackay, Hartigan, Ellis-Yolmen, Fogarty, Himmelburg, Poholke, Obrien

Unknown where Picks 8, 13, 16, 21 (or if we trade up the draft order) and McPherson will fit into the scheme of best 22 after preseason and come end of season.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Top 15 group looks good however depth inside and outside the 22 will cost the Hawks from being a true contender by the looks. Going to take 2-3 years of strong trading and talent ID to get to the top again.

I see issues with our KPD and KPF stocks.

We really need Brand to kick on this season as we don't have Burton to play CHB, and we shouldn't be restricting Sicily in that position. We need to use him as the weapon he can be.

Frawley can do a job if he doesn't have to think too hard.

Roughie is done as a KPF IMO. The treatment has affected his game which is understandable (numbness in his feet, etc), and he can't handle big defenders. So ideally he'd be played as a HFF and up the ground.

I think we will rest a ruck forward to be a target, and then have the second ruck do what Gawn was doing this season - sitting in the hole in the backline. Especially if Brand isn't picked and we play Sicily at CHB.

 

[Chaisa]

B: Rampe - Grundy - Smith
HB: McVeigh - Aliir - Lloyd
C: Florent - Kennedy - Mills
HF: Hayward - Reid - Parker
F: Ronke - Franklin - Papley
R: Sinclair - Heeney - Hewett

Int: Jones - Naismith - Cunningham - Jack

Res: O'Riordan - Dawson - Thurlow - Clarke - Melican - McCartin

Depth is worrying TSTL. Our defence still looks strong on paper but it's old. Midfield massively in transition, and while we have a strong forward line on paper we don't seem to have the gameplan to utilise it. Not looking great.

 

[1990crow]

B: Rampe - Grundy - Smith
HB: McVeigh - Aliir - Lloyd
C: Florent - Kennedy - Mills
HF: Hayward - Reid - Parker
F: Ronke - Franklin - Papley
R: Sinclair - Heeney - Hewett

Int: Jones - Naismith - Cunningham - Jack

Res: O'Riordan - Dawson - Thurlow - Clarke - Melican - McCartin

Depth is worrying TSTL. Our defence still looks strong on paper but it's old. Midfield massively in transition, and while we have a strong forward line on paper we don't seem to have the gameplan to utilise it. Not looking great.

Parker needs to play midfield next season. Too good to play HF and leave someone like Hewett who isn’t cut out for full time midfield to do it.

Rampe ~ Grundy ~ Smith
McVeigh ~ Aliir ~ Lloyd
Sinclair ~ Heeney ~ Parker
Mills ~ Kennedy ~ Jones
Florent ~ Reid ~ Papley
Hayward ~ Frankline ~ Ronke
Thurlow ~ Hewett ~ Naismith
Cunningham

Not sure on Jack in 2019. Any other young mid/HFs coming through?
KPD’s? Might be an option to use McCartin as CHF and move Reid back to defence and phase out Grundy.

Looks much better on paper.

 

[Chaisa]

Not sure on Jack in 2019. Any other young mid/HFs coming through?

I'm not either, but he'll probably get first crack. Really shouldn't though.

Best guess for that would be Jordan Dawson. The other option is to move Ronke to the flank and pick McCartin, and have Mills/Hewett on the bench instead of Jack.

You're probably right re: Parker. He will still play a lot of midfield though despite being named off the HF flank, I put him there because I rate his forward game higher than our other mids (Heeney notwithstanding, who's a higher level of talent).

 

[Darkyprotector]

Lots of quality miss out in my team but not mayney

Rough head , murphy , May come from the clouds
Think with so many quality mids rotation of beams and degoey for example adds a stack of flexibility


Tougher draw But we lost Zero and have gained a stud

Maynard. Dunn. Howe
Crisp. Moore. Adams
Wells Seir. Phillips
De goey cox. Whe
Stepho. Reid. Varcoe
Grundy Sidney pendels

Beams Langdon Mayne quaynor
Adams goes back as the new rules will mean you gotta win 1 on 1s

 

[pazza]

B: Martin Gleeson, Michael Hurley, Aaron Francis
HB: Adam Saad, Cale Hooker, Conor McKenna
C: Zach Merrett, Dylan Shiel, Devon Smith
HF: David Zaharakis, Joe Daniher, Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti
F: Jake Stringer, Shaun McKernan, Orazio Fantasia
R: Tom Bellchambers, Dyson Heppell, Andrew McGrath
Int: Darcy Parish, David Myers, Matt Guelfi, Kyle Langford

Gleeson I feel is under-rated by most outside of the club, but, his return helps to stabilise the backline even more so than Daniher's return to the forward line will to that end.

Bellchambers gets assistance in the ruck with Daniher and McKernan.

Stringer showed good signs in the midfield (and occasionally in the ruck!) so he would part of a 2nd midfield rotation with Parish, Zaharakis, Myers and Langford.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

B: Brown Talia Doedee
HB: Laird Keith Milera
C: Seedsman Sloane Gibbs
HF: Lynch Himmelberg Douglas
F: Betts Jenkins Galucci
R: Jacobs MCrouch Greenwood
I: BCrouch Smith Knight Atkins

Emerg Cheney Otten Yolmen

I’d expect 5th-8th. Finished the year 6-3 post bye. Talent wise behind WC, Richmond, Melbourne and Collingwood.

Lol, we are not going to play our captain in the sanfl for the year because you hate him for tweeting Kyrios.

B: Brown, Talia, Doedee
HB: Milera, Keath, Laird
C: Seedsman, Mrouch, Gallucci
HF: Lynch, Walker, Douglas
F: Betts, Jenkins, Greenwood
R: Jacobs, Sloane, Knight
I: Smith, Brouch, Gibbs, Fogarty

Depth:
KPD - Hartigan, Otten
Def - Cheney, Kelly, McPherson
Ruck - O'Brien
Mids - Atkins, CEY, Mackay, Polholke
KPF - Himmelberg, Otten
For - Murphy, McAdam, Stengle, Davis

 

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

For us

B: Davis, Shaw, Corr, Haynes, Buntine, Taylor, Williams

M: Mummy? Ward, Coniglio, Hopper, Whitfield, Taranto,

F: Cameron, Greene, Himmelburg, Langdon, Daniels De Boer

I/C Tomlinson, Kennedy, Bonar,

Tomlinson I/C because he can play pretty much anywhere except inside mid. He will play somewhere. Assuming guys like Daniels, Bonar and Taylor come on with an off season. If not Lloyd, Reid and/or Perryman play.

Edit:Oops Kelly probably makes the cut in the midfield. De Boer forward and Buntine waits an opportunity. Kennedy to HBF.

Thank God we've traded a few to make room

 

[Sweet Jesus]

Every time I construct a best 22, he always ends up the 23rd man.

Is that surprising if you're writing the same 22 names over and over? Not exactly a cosmic riddle is it?

 

[adammania9]

Is that surprising if you're writing the same 22 names over and over? Not exactly a cosmic riddle is it?

Not sure why it’s any of your concern tbh

 

[Sweet Jesus]

Not sure why it’s any of your concern tbh

Maybe do another best 22 and see if it's different this time. You never know.

 

[The Joker]

Maybe do another best 22 and see if it's different this time. You never know.

Ive gotta give it to you, you really are a campaigner!

 

[Giant Pete]

Williams Davis Haynes
Kennedy Taylor Whitfield
Kelly Coniglio Taranto
Greene Cameron Deledio
DeBoer Himmelberg Langdon
Simpson Ward Hopper
Tomlinson Daniels Perryman Cumming

A few injuries to key players and we’re stuffed again

 

[Giant Pete]

Wow

Who is going to be able to compete with this team next year?

West Coast, Melbourne and Essendon will.

 

[tenderwarrior]

Wow

Who is going to be able to compete with this team next year?

I am sure you can think of at least one side..

 

[Blackhawk42]

B: Marley Williams - Scott Thompson - Majak Daw
HB: Jasper Pittard - Robbie Tarrant - Ed Vickers-Willis
C: Trent Dumont - Ben Cunnington - Jared Polec
HF: Aaron Hall - Mason Wood - Jy Simpkin
F: Jack Ziebell - Ben Brown - Kayne Turner
FOLL: Todd Goldstein - Shaun Higgins - Ben Jacobs

I: Taylor Garner - Jed Anderson - Shaun Atley - Jamie Macmillan

E: Paul Ahern - Dom Tyson - Sam Wright - Luke McDonald
​

For the first time in a ******* long time we actually have AFL-quality depth, which we will need if our injury record from recent times continues in 2019.

We're also a lot more balanced in the midfield, but still lack another genuine A-Grader. I'm bullish that Polec can build even further on his very good 2018 and become a really important cog for us and really, who the **** knows with Hall? Every chance he could bring back the form that saw him poll 3 Brownlow voted in 3 consecutive games, but every chance he couldn't as well. Also need Jacobs fit for the whole year if we're to push into the top 6. Arguably our most important mid. Ahern, LDU and Tyson provide talented mid depth.

The forward line definitely has goals in it, but this will be the first time in his career that Brown will have to play as effectively a lone tall forward for a whole season. This is why Waite is such a massive departure for us. He took a lot of pressure off Brown. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Frosty Miller medalist, Nick Larkey, come into that 22 early in piece to take some of the load off, but otherwise we're a bit light on for genuine KPF options.

Many North fans want to see Ben McKay come in and take over from Thompson this year, but as the incumbent, Thompson gets the first crack for now. He's actually suspended for the first game though, so if McKay takes his opportunity in round one, then that could happen sooner rather than later. Otherwise the defence is ok. Daw turned himself into an excellent intercept player last year and can only benefit from another preseason with the back 6, and we all know that Tarrant is a quality defender. If EVW can finally stay fit he provides a much needed cool head to counter the erratic Pittard and Williams, but I think it's obvious that we still lack a real class ball user coming out of the back 50. I suspect that in 2019 exiting defensive 50 will be our biggest weakness. It wouldn't surprise me to see Polec play a little off half back in 2019 for this reason.

I reckon Dom Tyson plays every week. Will be a hugely underrated recruit for you guys.
I'd drop Vickers-Willis and Pittard from that starting 22. Tyson comes in. Macmillan to back flank, McDonald comes in straight to back flank too. But depth looks a lot better for the Kangas next year that's for sure.

 

[kangaspurs]

I reckon Dom Tyson plays every week. Will be a hugely underrated recruit for you guys.
I'd drop Vickers-Willis and Pittard from that starting 22. Tyson comes in. Macmillan to back flank, McDonald comes in straight to back flank too. But depth looks a lot better for the Kangas next year that's for sure.

Yeah, I can see it happening too. Realistically, Garner almost certainly won't be fit and we're bound to get injuries. I would expect to see him play 15-20 games.

But nah, can't agree on EVW. Maybe it's because he's had a lot of injuries, or maybe not too many people have watched him outside North, but he's genuinely our best mid-size defender. He can play tall and small, and as I said he provides a much needed calm head and neat skills as well as being one of the smartest footballers on our list. He's very highly rated both at the club and among North fans on BF. He's a lock if fit.

On Pittard, I think there seems to be a lot of confidence from the club and the player himself that we can get him back to almost bis AA squad best at North. Whether that comes to fruition or not will be told in time. I think he will get first crack, but yeah, I wouldn't be surprised to see MCDonald in for him tbh. Frankly, McDonald has become a bit of a whipping boy over the last 12 months after a really promising 2017. He would need to have a big preseason and get his fitness up to scratch to be in the best 22 imo.