Best XX11 for 2012

[Wazza]

My best 22 are:

Armstrong, Bird, Bolton, Goodes, Grundy, Hannebery, Jack, Johnson, Kennedy, McGlynn, Mattner, McVeigh, Mumford, O'Keefe, Parker, Reid, Richards, LRT, Rohan, Shaw, Smith, Spangher. Armstrong being the only new player.

Those I think will struggle to get a game are:

TDL - Soft
Everitt - disappointing and will have to improve a heck of a lot to get a game
Jetta - soft and just doesn't find enough of the footy.
Meredith - needs a pace infusion. has the skills but....
Moore - not good enough
White - had a million chances. doesn't read the game. Doubt he has a big enough tank.

Possibles:

This is where players must jump out of the pack to take us to the next level.

Gordon - An unknown but may find it tough with the wealth of midfielders.
Lamb - ressies watchers say he is a chance
Malceski - In my opinion is now a top up player bound to get games because of injuries.
Morton - fingers crossed
Pyke - ruck back up but you never know. He may be ready to peak
Seaby - Another ruck backup who will play games.
Walsh - Is he the saviour.

Newbies:

Brown - Unikely to play
Briggs - ditto, but a bloke I know who played with him reckons he can play. My informant is a sporting nut who thinks he could surprise. (left off the list on AFL site)
Lockyer - Wait and see. Has a pedigree
Mitchell - Probably could add to the top 22 if he is fit.

As I see it we need to have a couple of players emerge as real "finds" for us to go to top 4. No doubt there is plenty of improvement in Johnson, Parker and Reid and I have a feeling about Armstrong, but there will be injuries. So if the likes of Walsh, Mitchell and Lamb produce the goods we are a real chance.

Hey Nico just a couple of questions on your top 22,
who in your top 22 would play at FF?? my thoughts are it would have to be either White, Pyke or Seaby and none of these are in your 22.
How would you play LRT Richards Grundy and Johnson at the same time, Richards or LRT on the bench?
Was your intention just to name a top 22 without regard to positions?
I think Walsh would have to be considered in the starting 22 but I understand if he isnt in your top 22.
I liked your post which started me thinking how they would actually line up.

Cheers

waz

[Auntie.Gerald]

yep Harry "Ritchie" Cunningham for me also - the kid has talent and we need I feel another winger or flanker

for me Harry joining has put Jetts back in the ressies massively and I would still prefer to see Rohan as our next HBF that busts thru the midfield.............maybe Shaw and Rohan will alternate some game time on the HBF and WING ???

[wolftone57]

yep Harry "Ritchie" Cunningham for me also - the kid has talent and we need I feel another winger or flanker

for me Harry joining has put Jetts back in the ressies massively and I would still prefer to see Rohan as our next HBF that busts thru the midfield.............maybe Shaw and Rohan will alternate some game time on the HBF and WING ???

I have been saying this about Rohan for a while as I think he can become a hard dasher from the back flank who kicks goals. I think Armstrong fills another role altogether as a half back who is a wonderful deliverer of the ball both kicking and handball. I think he will probably play the role Mal did for a long time of setting the play from the backline. I would also have a problem with the four tall backs unless playing a side like Essendon, Carlton, Pies or Geelong.

[Doctor]

I think Nico is very close with his observations. I tend to think Pyke will play as the 2nd ruckman, as long as he continues the development he was showing last year before his untimely injury. Other than that I think the top 22 is about right.

[wolftone57]

I pretty well agree with the Good Doctor but we will see and maybe someone will surprise in the NAB cup so much that they have to pick them.

[Nico]

Hey Nico just a couple of questions on your top 22,
who in your top 22 would play at FF?? my thoughts are it would have to be either White, Pyke or Seaby and none of these are in your 22.
How would you play LRT Richards Grundy and Johnson at the same time, Richards or LRT on the bench?
Was your intention just to name a top 22 without regard to positions?
I think Walsh would have to be considered in the starting 22 but I understand if he isnt in your top 22.
I liked your post which started me thinking how they would actually line up.

Cheers

waz

Waz,

That was my best 22.

On a full forward: did we have one last year. I suspect they are going to put Walsh there in the NAB Cup with a plan to make him a permanent FF if there is such a thing.

The back 6 is interesting because if you leave out LRT we lack height, and a lot of clubs have jumped on the big bodied, power forwards bandwagon which seems to be the latest theory. I seem to think this also had its day a while ago and went by the board. Johnson starts everytime as he proved last year that he is the running link man who finds space. He showed an uncanny ability to be on his own to take a pass on the HBF. Richards plays in a confined area. That leaves Grundy who is by far the worst disposal in our backline. Hopefully they play him CHB so he doesnt get caught on the last line as happened too often last year. I guess Mattner stays in the mix and Shaw and Smith are always going to be down there although Shaw could be used further up the ground if Armstrong works out.

It appears to me that we have more depth (the dreaded word) and even better, more versatility than in the past couple of seasons.

[Captain]

We have massive depth which is a good sign.

Would love to see Walsh become that permanent full forward.

My best 22:

Smith Grundy Richards
Malceski LRT McVeigh
Shaw Goodes Jack
O'Keefe Reid Rohan
McGlynn Walsh/Morton Bolton
Mummy Kennedy Hannebery
Parker Johnson Jetta Spangher

[Wazza]

We have massive depth which is a good sign.

Would love to see Walsh become that permanent full forward.

My best 22:

Smith Grundy Richards
Malceski LRT McVeigh
Shaw Goodes Jack
O'Keefe Reid Rohan
McGlynn Walsh/Morton Bolton
Mummy Kennedy Hannebery
Parker Johnson Jetta Spangher

Its so hard to name a top 22/23 who is your 2nd Ruck?

Cheers

wazza

[Wazza]

Waz,

That was my best 22.

On a full forward: did we have one last year. I suspect they are going to put Walsh there in the NAB Cup with a plan to make him a permanent FF if there is such a thing.

The back 6 is interesting because if you leave out LRT we lack height, and a lot of clubs have jumped on the big bodied, power forwards bandwagon which seems to be the latest theory. I seem to think this also had its day a while ago and went by the board. Johnson starts everytime as he proved last year that he is the running link man who finds space. He showed an uncanny ability to be on his own to take a pass on the HBF. Richards plays in a confined area. That leaves Grundy who is by far the worst disposal in our backline. Hopefully they play him CHB so he doesnt get caught on the last line as happened too often last year. I guess Mattner stays in the mix and Shaw and Smith are always going to be down there although Shaw could be used further up the ground if Armstrong works out.

It appears to me that we have more depth (the dreaded word) and even better, more versatility than in the past couple of seasons.

Agree on the depth and versatillity best I can remember, the back six will be interesting, midfield is probably the most settled line and our forward line could turn out 3 -4 differrent combinations
I too agree LJ has to start maybe it will all come down to NAB form. Could we have LRT Richards on the pine??

Cheers

Waz

[Wazza]

Ok time to name my 22

Smith LRT Richards
Armstrong Grundy Johnson
Mattner Kennedy Shaw
O'keefe Reid Hannebery
McGlynn Pyke Mcveigh

Mumford Jack Goodes

Bolton Rohan Bird Walsh

Cheers

Waz

[wolftone57]

No place for Parker or Spang Waz

[Ruck'n'Roll]

While the backline seems pretty straitforward to me with:
3 tall backs: Out of LRT, SuperTed, AJ and Reg. &
3 small backs: Out of Smith, Rhys, Marty, Mal, Armstrong,

The forward line remains just as much of a riddle to me as it did a month ago, and with all due respect to those who have posted here since, it looks no clearer.
I have no idea what sort of structure we will adopt (please Horse can we have 3 talls up forward and 2 ruckmen this year?). And the various attempts to look beyond structure to the personel seem unconvincing. I certainly can't bring myself to insert an unblooded player into a best 22 (and I watch the ressies).