Your NAB Cup team

[kelman]

Saw this on the main board. More interesting if you justify your selections rather than just list all the kids.

Here is what i would hope for:

B: Pratt Perry Gibson
HB: Firrito Brown Watt
C: Smith Harris Trotter
HF: Ch. Jones Petrie Urch
FF: Harding McIntosh Thurley
R: Hale Harvey Wells

Int: Grima McConnell Swallow Riggio Green Moran

Regulars excluded: Archer, Grant, Rocca, Thompson, Simpson, Sinclair, Makepeace, Rawlings, Hay

Thinking:

- Obviously give the the young guys who are unlikely to play much senior footy throughout the year a taste of the big time (Moran, Swallow, Riggio)

- Give the young guys who will be given the chance to step up in 06, first crack to impress (Smith, Trotter, Perry, McIntosh, Ch. Jones, McConnell, Grima, Urch)

- Make it an opportunity for our young established players (Wells, Harris, Hale, Brown, Petrie, Firrito, Pratt) the chance to take on further repsonsibility without the support of the more senior players - these guys would effectively be the leadership group - while B. Harvey would take the captaincy given he is our best player but is still young.

-Some of the new players coming into the team will be bursting to impress at their new club and wioll provide balance to the team (Thurley and Green) while others who have had injury concerns should be nursed until the season proper (Hay and J.Rawlings).

- Test some furtue positional possibilities. Try Mcintosh as a dedicated forward and Petrie back at CHF. It would be interesting to see how Petire does against less senior backline competition. May give us an idea if he is just at a certain stage in his development, but is still able to demonstrate the tools needed to play CHF or if he seems lost at sea. Rotate Petrie, mcIntosh and Hale through the ruck, with Hale also floating down as a permamnent forward. Give Perry another crackj as a key position bckman. if he does well, bring him into the real season into the less pressure filled position fo third foward.

 

[Scottroo]

Trotter Hay Brown
Smith Watt Perry
Wells Harris Rawlings
Jones Jones Grant
Thurly Thompson Harding

McIntosh Grima Harvey

McConnel, Green, Rawlings, Firrito, Urch

 

[Ausgard]

Trotter Hay Brown
Smith Watt Perry
Wells Harris Rawlings
Jones Jones Grant
Thurly Thompson Harding

McIntosh Grima Harvey

McConnel, Green, Rawlings, Firrito, Urch

I'd be happy with this except that I would have Hale as the #1 ruck and McIntosh on the bench.

The "Musts" should be Grima, Trotter, Smith, Urch, McIntosh, Thurley, McConnell - at the very least 4 of these

Not so much that they are "Kids" but that they are the ones who need to step up and take the place of at the very least Stevens and Piccione.

 

[windsock]

The "Musts" should be Grima, Trotter, Smith, Urch, McIntosh, Thurley, McConnell - at the very least 4 of these

Add Perry (in his fourth year) and Jones (third) to this list.

 

[Firrito24]

B: Trotter - Brown - Urch
HB: Sinclair - Perry - Smith
C: B.Rawlings - Wells - Firrito
HF: McConnell - Thompson - Grant
F: Thurley - Chad Jones - Corey Jones
FOLL: Hale - Harris - Harvey
INTER: McIntosh - Green - Petrie - Makepeace - Grima - Harding

Regulars to be rested: Hay, Simpson, Archer, Rocca, Jade Rawlings (may not be a regular), Watt (not rested, just not selected)

* Trotter, Urch, Sinclair, Green & Makepeace to alternate as small defenders

* Brown & Perry to be tall defenders, with Smith & Petrie alternating as 3rd tall

* Rawlings, Wells, Firrito, Harris, Harvey, Urch & Grima in midfield rotation

* Thompson & Jones as tall forwards, with McIntosh & McConnell rotating as 3rd tall

* Small forward rotation between Jones, Grant, Thurley, Harding & Harvey

* Ruck rotation between Hale, McIntosh and possibly The Chad

* Harvey, Grant & Thompson to share leadership roles

 

[Ausgard]

Add Perry (in his fourth year) and Jones (third) to this list.

Chad Jones Fair enough but Perry mustn't be a favourite of the coach

I mean we lose Colbert (and to a lesser extent Baird) but gain Rawlings, Hay and Green.

Perhaps Laidley doesn't think he will take the next step with so many drafted into his position

 

[Re-roun]

Regulars excluded: Archer, Grant, Rocca, Thompson, Simpson, Sinclair, Makepeace, Rawlings, Hay

Big Money at stake in this comp.

Do you really think the club can afford not to play these guys!!
A great financial plus if we can go a long way.

 

[Tas]

Big Money at stake in this comp.

Do you really think the club can afford not to play these guys!!
A great financial plus if we can go a long way.

I think there is more motivation in not playing in B-grade venues for practice games if you lose.

I think the only serious money is from winning the competition, that would require going in with the best team and not something i think is desirable. It would be good to see if any of the younger players that have put in a big pre-season are ready to take the next step, we know the senior group can play.

We have turned over a fair number of players, we need to know where the new players are at prior to the season starting.

 

[year of the roo]

Chad Jones Fair enough but Perry mustn't be a favourite of the coach

I mean we lose Colbert (and to a lesser extent Baird) but gain Rawlings, Hay and Green.

Perhaps Laidley doesn't think he will take the next step with so many drafted into his position

Joel is rated pretty highly by Laidley, don't worry about that. I think what Laidley is doing is trying to get some real depth in KP stocks down back, because if you look at each of them individually, they all have massive question marks over them.

Brown - poor year last year, but managed some excellent football early. Has also played good footy forward and on the ball. Question marks over his pace, consistency and where his best position actually is. Rumours of an injury last year.

Hay - has had a few ordinary years in an ordinary side, can he produce his best of 5 years ago now that at 26 he is reaching his prime? Injury concerns too.

Watt - plenty of years in the system, has had a lot of faith shown in him but despite some strong performances against big names, often stuggles against lesser names. Matthew Croft's demolition of him still vivid in the memory. Can he continue to improve?

J.Rawlings - has come crashing down in the past 2 years from being an elite KPP to being lucky to still be playing AFL. Best appears behind him, plenty of injury concerns too. Can he hit some form now that he is finally where he wants to be?

Perry - yet to play a game despite some solid performances for Port and in the Wizard Cup. Still young, but going into his 4th year needs some runs on the board.

Green - played only 3 games last year, and not many more the year before. Not really a KP option anyway.

We now have options, which is vital, as none of these guys are certainties to be regulars next year and into the future.

 

[year of the roo]

Big Money at stake in this comp.

Do you really think the club can afford not to play these guys!!
A great financial plus if we can go a long way.

That will be the primary focus from our club, whether you like it or not. We will certainly play kids where possible, but we will not see a team of 24 players all aged under 25.

We will play our best side, but I imagine that side will still have a number of kids in it.

 

[hurricane]

It's all very well to play lots of kids, but unless there is an experienced senior core for the side to structure around, the entire team will flounder. You don't learn much about a youngster when the entire team is getting thrashed due to lack of team cohesion on the ground... you learn far more when you see whether they can slot well into an existing structure.

At least two, possibly three of Simpson/Grant/Harvey/Archer must play for this reason.

 

[Benno_900]

B: Sinclair - Hay - Perry
HB: J.Rawlings - Brown - Trotter
C: Urch - Harvey - Firitto
HF: Co.Jones - Ch.Jones - Grant
F: McConnell - Thompson - Thurley
R: Hale - Harris - Wells
INTER: Smith - Gibson - Swallow - McIntosh - Green - Grima

 

[Dingster]

That will be the primary focus from our club, whether you like it or not. We will certainly play kids where possible, but we will not see a team of 24 players all aged under 25.

We will play our best side, but I imagine that side will still have a number of kids in it.

Agreed and it's probably the right option. Play a competitive side and hopefully progress as well as gradually introducing the kids. I'll spew if Pez doesn't get a game though.

 

[year of the roo]

Agreed and it's probably the right option. Play a competitive side and hopefully progress as well as gradually introducing the kids. I'll spew if Pez doesn't get a game though.

Yep, there is no point in having all these great kids with some games under their belts if you don't have a team to put them in. Unfortunately, our finances have to come first for the time being.