Player positions an interesting watch

[Saintmike65]

It will be very interesting to see what our new coaching set up does with our players regarding positions that best suit the team.
D.B Cooper made an interesting call already with the scenario of Zac Jones being used as a defensive forward.
If you look at our side closely, there are a number of potential permutations regarding potential changes.
Starting with the mids..Steel, Crouch & Ross were the mainstays of our centre bounce set up this season.
Throw in Windhager instead of Ross & we start to have a bit more dynamic look.
Then using Owens, Sinclair, Gresham & Phillipou in short bursts to mix it up further.
Does RTB go with a tagger?
Do we alternate our wingman..you could argue McKenzie, Wood, Hill and NWM all should be in our 23?
Forward of centre do we go with Hayes, Sharman or even Battle to compliment King & Membrey?
Gresham & Higgins a lock for small forwards you’d think, Owens & Phillipou our hybrid forwards alternating off the bench?
Yes I’ve got Phillipou in for round 1..don’t want a thoroughbred running around for the seconds!!
In the back half, you’d reckon Wilkie & Howard the pillars..Cordy the lockdown tall?…if so what about Battle?
Is Webster still a best 22 or do we go with the speed and ball use of Connelly?
Fun times ahead!!!

[Ghost Like]

You would expect a minimum of one of Steele or Crouch will be in for every centre bounce. It will be interesting to see how many rotate through the centre square in a given match, 6? Or 8?
Even our wings can rotate, as identified we have a few with Wood, McKenzie, Hill & NWM, even Billings. Melbourne leave Langdon on all game because he can run all game and it saves them rotations. Will RTB request that level from Hill?
I imagine Cordy will be opposition specific and when he plays it will be to free Wilkie. So I imagine it will always be two of Howard, Battle or Cordy.
I can see RTB loving all of Webster, Paton and Coffield.
Sinclair can write his own ticket.
Structure wise we need 3 talls. Two are obvious being King & Membrey. I suspect Hayes will be giving first crack at being the 3rd, then Sharman.
This leaves a scrap for the smalls / HFFs - I would like Owens, Butler and Higgins.
I can see Phillipou and Hotton both playing in 2023 but more 2nd half of the season.

[Yorkeys]

It will be very interesting to see what our new coaching set up does with our players regarding positions that best suit the team.
D.B Cooper made an interesting call already with the scenario of Zac Jones being used as a defensive forward.
If you look at our side closely, there are a number of potential permutations regarding potential changes.
Starting with the mids..Steel, Crouch & Ross were the mainstays of our centre bounce set up this season.
Throw in Windhager instead of Ross & we start to have a bit more dynamic look.
Then using Owens, Sinclair, Gresham & Phillipou in short bursts to mix it up further.
Does RTB go with a tagger?
Do we alternate our wingman..you could argue McKenzie, Wood, Hill and NWM all should be in our 23?
Forward of centre do we go with Hayes, Sharman or even Battle to compliment King & Membrey?
Gresham & Higgins a lock for small forwards you’d think, Owens & Phillipou our hybrid forwards alternating off the bench?
Yes I’ve got Phillipou in for round 1..don’t want a thoroughbred running around for the seconds!!
In the back half, you’d reckon Wilkie & Howard the pillars..Cordy the lockdown tall?…if so what about Battle?
Is Webster still a best 22 or do we go with the speed and ball use of Connelly?
Fun times ahead!!!

Nice discussion StM.
Nevertheless to try to paraphrase Killa, young Phillipou while tall looks small framed in comparison to the seasoned players. Might be a tough ask playing mid in '23.

[B.M]

Phillipou
At this point in time has player SANFL u18 and a handful of reserves games

Big step up to playing AFL

I would see how he goes first at training and in the VFL

[cwrcyn]

I would expect Windhager and Owens to become mainstays of the midfield pretty soon. Gresham's speed and smarts makes him a must to spend at least half his time on ball.

We can't have them all in there, though. This puts some pressure on Ross and even Crouch to keep coming up with the goods.

Jones will be a very interesting watch. We need his speed, but we don't need his inconsistency from quarter to quarter and his occasional brain fades.

Sinclair moving into the middle seems worthwhile, but then we lose his brilliance at half back. Does Hunter Clark fill that role?

The good thing now is that we have more options. No player under 193cm will be gifted a game. They will have to fight it out for spots

[B.M]

Don’t see Sinclair moving away from HB

He was elite there

We have plenty of inside Mids

Ross and Crouch were excellent in 2022 - don’t see them shunted

They have won 3 best and Fairests between them - add Steele that is 5

[Vortex]

One wing position has already been locked down by Hill as per one of RTBs first media statements, I don't expect to see Hill move off the wing while RTB is contracted.

Connelly will struggle to get into the team, he has a real challenge to make it at the AFL level especially under RTB.

[Ghost Like]

Don’t see Sinclair moving away from HB

He was elite there

We have plenty of inside Mids

Ross and Crouch were excellent in 2022 - don’t see them shunted

They have won 3 best and Fairests between them - add Steele that is 5

Just because they have won B&Fs does not mean they cannot be moved if it means improvement to our midfield in terms of pace, goal kicking, clearances to advantage and cleaner inside 50 entries.

I see all 3 as part of our midfield rotations but I hope, come the end of 2023, they are not our #1 midfield centre clearance group or else improvement will not have been made.

[Saints58]

I would expect Windhager and Owens to become mainstays of the midfield pretty soon. Gresham's speed and smarts makes him a must to spend at least half his time on ball.

We can't have them all in there, though. This puts some pressure on Ross and even Crouch to keep coming up with the goods.

Jones will be a very interesting watch. We need his speed, but we don't need his inconsistency from quarter to quarter and his occasional brain fades.

Sinclair moving into the middle seems worthwhile, but then we lose his brilliance at half back. Does Hunter Clark fill that role?

The good thing now is that we have more options. No player under 193cm will be gifted a game. They will have to fight it out for spots

what about Clark and coffield?

[bobmurray]

One wing position has already been locked down by Hill as per one of RTBs first media statements, I don't expect to see Hill move off the wing while RTB is contracted.

Connelly will struggle to get into the team.

How will Connolly go ?

[shanegrambeau]

How do we tell if ‘22 form was a read on their true potential.

Based off ‘22,

Paton should be seconds, underwhelming
Higgins despite a bright start, also
Byrnes seconds
Highmore; nothing to judge by, so seconds
Sharman, underwhelming and played in defence but he could still shine through
Coffield and Connolly , seconds, but the cream rises and come into the team during the year
Webster, I reckon he’ll get a go, but he might go down mid year as Coff comes back in
Butler, he might get picked straight up he’s clever
Hayes, seems to be everyones’s hero, but he didn’t do anything suggesting he’s a lock..
Hero points for Wood and Battle too.. (all trio of heroes might get picked)
Windy starts
NWM seconds
DMac starts, maybe goes down as NWM comes up?
Crouch, Ross and Jones, described as one of the weakest midfields this year but they were the best we have, and still might be!
Hunter is not ready, Gresh isn’t quite big and strong enough? Injury permitting.

Reckon it might be

Webster Howard Wilkie
Battle Hayes Sincs
Hill Steele DMac
Wood Members Sharman
Gresh King Butler

Marshall, Crouch, Ross*

(Bench: a tagger,Windy a mid, a tall who can function at both ends a crumber from Sandy)

I would have kept Lienert. Oh well

* or Jones, not both. Jones can also play forward but Ross better in general play

[Saintmike65]

Don’t see Sinclair moving away from HB

He was elite there

We have plenty of inside Mids

Ross and Crouch were excellent in 2022 - don’t see them shunted

They have won 3 best and Fairests between them - add Steele that is 5

Just because they have won B&Fs does not mean they cannot be moved if it means improvement to our midfield in terms of pace, goal kicking, clearances to advantage and cleaner inside 50 entries.

I see all 3 as part of our midfield rotations but I hope, come the end of 2023, they are not our #1 midfield centre clearance group or else improvement will not have been made.

Excellent points..good teams have deep midfields with multiple rotations, Steele, Ross and Crouch will be in the mix but should no longer be the collective at the one time.

[Saintmike65]

I would expect Windhager and Owens to become mainstays of the midfield pretty soon. Gresham's speed and smarts makes him a must to spend at least half his time on ball.

We can't have them all in there, though. This puts some pressure on Ross and even Crouch to keep coming up with the goods.

Jones will be a very interesting watch. We need his speed, but we don't need his inconsistency from quarter to quarter and his occasional brain fades.

Sinclair moving into the middle seems worthwhile, but then we lose his brilliance at half back. Does Hunter Clark fill that role?

The good thing now is that we have more options. No player under 193cm will be gifted a game. They will have to fight it out for spots

Sinclair is good enough to play a dual role, even if it’s only 5-10 minutes in some quarters…surely we’ve just got to start being less predictable!

[SaintPav]

If Battle is not kept in the backline he’ll be gone in 2 years. It may even spell the end of his AFL career.

[shanegrambeau]

If Battle is not kept in the backline he’ll be gone in 2 years. It may even spell the end of his AFL career.

Care less
Worry not
About Battle

Whatever makes the team better as a whole

If we start worrying about Bartle because he’s a trier and a good bloke, then either make him Captain (aka Geary style) or drop him.

I think he’s good enough for first 22, but I don’t think he’s a KPP Centre half back ..but I am an under 15Cs footballer who learnt to mark aged 27 out the back of a factory in Fisherman’s Bend.
So what do I know?

That kind of modesty doesn’t stop any of us here,
So I ll put in my two cents for the contest.

First prize - two steamed dimmies,

[WellardSaint]

Jones is too good to be at the Zebs, he's starting 22, but his mental state might be his biggest issue.
The DFC should be his regular hangout, unless he's getting better help elsewhere.
I'd give him this year to recover, and if no improvement, trade him to GC or Norf, don't care if they give us Pick 80, just offload.
Anyway...
I trust the new coaches more than the ones who left, in respect of playing guys in their best spots.
Just hope they drop underperformers before it becomes ridiculous, like Butler last year, etc

[Sainter_Dad]

Don’t see Sinclair moving away from HB

He was elite there

We have plenty of inside Mids

Ross and Crouch were excellent in 2022 - don’t see them shunted

They have won 3 best and Fairests between them - add Steele that is 5

Just because they have won B&Fs does not mean they cannot be moved if it means improvement to our midfield in terms of pace, goal kicking, clearances to advantage and cleaner inside 50 entries.

Or even left right out - Past success in a team that was not necessarily at its peak should not count in the journey forward. Ross won it in 2017 and 2019 when we finished 11th and 14th. That is 4 years and 6 years ago

BTW - I do not value our system of voting - it rewards mediocrity

[B.M]

Ridiculous

[D.B.Cooper]

Great topic Saintmike.

I’d like to see:
Billings - half back.
Hill - wing (already speculated)
Jones - pressure forward
Gresh - high half forward
Windy & Owens - good midfield minutes with Crouch, Ross, Steele

There is always a bolter, likely from Connolly, Byrnes, Bytel, Sharman- guessing it’s Byrnes.

Left of field- Howard forward and Cordy back.

[Impatient Sainter]

The most important aspect we need to improve is our scores to inside forward 50 effectiveness. We desperately need our forward line to function a lot better than it has, we have to develop more forward marking and goal kicking power. I doubt Hayes will be ready for round 1 so early on the club will have to find a backup ruckman who can be a danger forward. Its hard to know which way RTB will go whether he will play two genuine ruckman or go with Marshall and Sharman/Wood or similiar.

If we sign up Josh Eyre he might be the answer for a couple of games until Hayes is ready? He could even give Heath a few games to see how he goes? Sharman is our most natural goal kicking tall so lets hope he can start the season with a bang.

We need to get games into our future kids Windhager, Owens & NWM should play when their form warrants. When Phillipuo is ready rotate him forward with Owens as they are both marking goal kicking options. If Gresham is fit and in form he plays as a small forward rotating with Higgins, Butler. I also believe using Jones as a defensive forward also has merit, perhaps rotate him forward with Windhager.

Midfield rotations Steele, Crouch, Ross, Jones, Windhager, Owens & Clark. Sinclair & Gresham should be used in short bursts as required.

I cant see Howard being moved from FB or Battle moving from the CHB position. I would like to see Wilkie freed up to play on the medium forwards and used more as an interceptor and rebounder. Perhaps Cordy comes in and plays that 3rd tall role in a pocket & Wilkie on the opposite flank from Sinclair.

So my side would be as follows -

Paton Howard Cordy
Sinclair Battle Wilkie
McKenzie Steele Hill
Higgins Membrey Jones
Sharman King Butler

Foll: Marshall Crouch Windhager
Inter: Coffield, Wood, Ross, Owens, Clark

Emerg: NWM, Campbell, Phillipou, Webster, Byrnes

ie:
Butler named just because of his forward pressure, but would need a good start.
Byrnes unlucky but will need to show he can rotate through the midfield.
Bytel & Crocker to put pressure on Crouch & Ross throughout the season.
Billings, Hayes & Gresham delayed return.
Heath, Phillipou, Hotton, Van Es & (Eyre?) to debut in 2023

[saintsRrising]

Does RTB go with a tagger?

He often has.

In 2023 when he wants one, I suspect it wil be Windy who was so good at the role this season.

Plus importantly Windy was not just a lock-down tagger, but was offensively still very productive.

Asa young mid, it will help to grow his game.

[CQ SAINT]

Id employ Nathan Burke to come speak to Jones. And I'd make Jones watch Burke replays and perform his role, with a first focus on one one on defence and then takeaway and spread.
Same straight ahead style, both hard as a cats head, but Burke had much more poise and vision. He might help.

[Impatient Sainter]

Does RTB go with a tagger?

He often has.

In 2023 when he wants one, I suspect it wil be Windy who was so good at the role this season.

Plus importantly Windy was not just a lock-down tagger, but was offensively still very productive.

Asa young mid, it will help to grow his game.

Windy was very effective tagging last season, I cant see that changing yet. But I would to see him share the role with Jones to give him breaks during games.

[Saintmike65]

Does RTB go with a tagger?

He often has.

In 2023 when he wants one, I suspect it wil be Windy who was so good at the role this season.

Plus importantly Windy was not just a lock-down tagger, but was offensively still very productive.

Asa young mid, it will help to grow his game.

I’d prefer a tagger with a more limited skill set eg. Clint Jones.
Windhager will be one of our key mids in my opinion..perhaps Jones, Bytel or Byrnes for the tagger role?

[Saintmike65]

The most important aspect we need to improve is our scores to inside forward 50 effectiveness. We desperately need our forward line to function a lot better than it has, we have to develop more forward marking and goal kicking power. I doubt Hayes will be ready for round 1 so early on the club will have to find a backup ruckman who can be a danger forward. Its hard to know which way RTB will go whether he will play two genuine ruckman or go with Marshall and Sharman/Wood or similiar.

If we sign up Josh Eyre he might be the answer for a couple of games until Hayes is ready? He could even give Heath a few games to see how he goes? Sharman is our most natural goal kicking tall so lets hope he can start the season with a bang.

We need to get games into our future kids Windhager, Owens & NWM should play when their form warrants. When Phillipuo is ready rotate him forward with Owens as they are both marking goal kicking options. If Gresham is fit and in form he plays as a small forward rotating with Higgins, Butler. I also believe using Jones as a defensive forward also has merit, perhaps rotate him forward with Windhager.

Midfield rotations Steele, Crouch, Ross, Jones, Windhager, Owens & Clark. Sinclair & Gresham should be used in short bursts as required.

I cant see Howard being moved from FB or Battle moving from the CHB position. I would like to see Wilkie freed up to play on the medium forwards and used more as an interceptor and rebounder. Perhaps Cordy comes in and plays that 3rd tall role in a pocket & Wilkie on the opposite flank from Sinclair.

So my side would be as follows -

Paton Howard Cordy
Sinclair Battle Wilkie
McKenzie Steele Hill
Higgins Membrey Jones
Sharman King Butler

Foll: Marshall Crouch Windhager
Inter: Coffield, Wood, Ross, Owens, Clark

Emerg: NWM, Campbell, Phillipou, Webster, Byrnes

ie:
Butler named just because of his forward pressure, but would need a good start.
Byrnes unlucky but will need to show he can rotate through the midfield.
Bytel & Crocker to put pressure on Crouch & Ross throughout the season.
Billings, Hayes & Gresham delayed return.
Heath, Phillipou, Hotton, Van Es & (Eyre?) to debut in 2023

NIce work..a tad slow in the back 6 but an easy fix with Coffield starting.
I’m confident Hayes will be right for round 1 so Sharman likely to miss.
Gresham and Higgins will be vital to our scoreboard capabilities, confident my boy Mattaes will debut, particularly with 5 on the bench..he and Owens both an aerial threat & ground ball threat!
We used to be poor overhead but have started recruiting guys that can take a grab!!