Originally Posted by
liz
In recent past years I've thought that there were 15 or 16 players locked into the best 22 at this time of year, with the remaining 6-7 places up for grabs. I'm even less certain this year who our best 22 is. I think there's a lot to train for over the pre-season for a big chunk of our squad.
The players I'd lock into our best 22 at this stage are:
Kennedy, Parker, Franklin, Rampe, Heeney, Mills, Jones, Lloyd, Hewett and Smith. Some might argue over Smith but we don't have anyone else in the squad who has shown any ability to play his role. And I know there are some who wouldn't have Jones (and maybe even Mills) as certain starters, but for me they are.
The rest have competition, some with just a small group of players, others with a larger group.
I think Cunningham is more likely to be in the starting team than not. He's quick, reasonably consistent and can play a variety of roles. On the other hand, he probably doesn't have the same scope for improvement as some of the younger players. If he's overtaken for a spot in the best 22, I see that as a sign the team has strengthened considerably.
Similarly I see Papley as on the cusp of being a certain starter (when fit) but the return of some talls and the introduction of Menzel might result in a different looking forward line. In which case, the smaller forwards (Ronke, Papley, Haywood) might be fighting for fewer spots. Which of them can provide most flexibility? And make a mark when rotating through the midfield?
I don't see Rampe, Aliir, Melican and Grundy all lining up in the same team. I have Rampe as a certainty but the others I think are competing for two spots. If Melican and Aliir can keep Grundy out of the side, that's a good sign. But I'm not writing the wily veteran off yet. The younger players need to do enough to push him out.
I haven't seen enough of Clarke or Thurlow at their previous clubs to know where to place them. But I suspect Clarke most likely finds his way into the best 22 as the one most able to contribute in the role Hanners played. I have no expectations that Clarke will reach the heights of a younger Hannebery but hopefully he can contribute more than the 2018 Hannebery was able to.
Dawson and O'Riordan are two who I would love to force their way into the best 22 by the time the season rolls around. They don't have enough runs on the board to be slotted in now, but I think both can bring something to the team that it lacked last year. I think we'll be a better team if they are regulars in the side next year. In the case of O'Riordan, that probably means he needs to force out McVeigh. That's a tough thing to expect of him.
Florent is one player I think has the capacity to most improve the side but I expect a gradual improvement over the next two or three seasons, rather than a sudden elevation into a top flight player. I hope he's well and truly in the best 22 but he might be competing with Clarke, Cunningham, Jones and maybe some others.
Similarly, I'm a huge fan of Ronke and see him as a midfielder in the long term, not a small forward (albeit a midfielder who can contribute on the scoreboard). In an ideal world, he would have played a dozen or so games last year, not the majority of the season. It was a big workload for a young player and he was clearly sore by the end of the year. I don't see it as a bad thing if he spends some time in the NEAFL next year, developing his on-ball craft. Alternatively, we could see him with some midfield tagging roles next year. He has the pace and the tenacity. Just as it did with Jack (who I see as his role model), tagging might help him understand where to run to win the ball and to learn the midfield craft off some of the best midfielders in the competition. And it might free up Hewett to focus more on winning the ball at stoppages (where he's already the second best in the team, I believe).
I can't see Reid, Sinclair and Naismith all in the same team (unless Buddy is injured). But there are a few ways a couple of them could be used in the team. It will be nice if the coaches have some options next season. And Cameron could challenge them for a spot.
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