Best 22 for Round 1

[older saint]

Based on fitness of all ( huge if) interested in peoples thoughts on our best 22 for round 1.

Not looking at matches with opposition, more the best team we can field.

Here's my guess.

B: Geary, Fisher Dempster
HB: Webster, Goddard Roberton
C: Steven, Newness, Montagna
HF:Roo, Bruce, Billings
F:Lonie, McCartin, Sinclair
Foll: Longer, Armitage, Dunstan
Int: Hickey, Savage, Weller, Gilbert

Emerg: Ross, Membry, McKenzie.

Gone with 2 rucks but with new rules could easily see them pick one and another runner

[bergsone]

Based on fitness of all ( huge if) interested in peoples thoughts on our best 22 for round 1.

Not looking at matches with opposition, more the best team we can field.

Here's my guess.

B: Geary, Fisher Dempster
HB: Webster, Goddard Roberton
C: Steven, Newness, Montagna
HF:Roo, Bruce, Billings
F:Lonie, McCartin, Sinclair
Foll: Longer, Armitage, Dunstan
Int: Hickey, Savage, Weller, Gilbert

Emerg: Ross, Membry, McKenzie.

Gone with 2 rucks but with new rules could easily see them pick one and another runner

Wont be far of the mark imo,have Ross in there for Hickey/Longer,maybe Membury for a Sinclair/Lonie type.Good to have options but

[BigMart]

Not sure Longer has done much of a pre season?

[joeyjohnw]

Not sure Longer has done much of a pre season?

Care to elaborate?

[Toy Saint]

It would be good to sneak Blake Acres into that lineup, I just reckon there's a lot of quality about him.

I've also got a good feeling about Murdoch, I'm hoping he develops into a powerfull, goalkicking forward/mid.

[stkfc1]

Based on fitness of all ( huge if) interested in peoples thoughts on our best 22 for round 1.

Not looking at matches with opposition, more the best team we can field.

Here's my guess.

B: Geary, Fisher Dempster
HB: Webster, Goddard Roberton
C: Steven, Newness, Montagna
HF:Roo, Bruce, Billings
F:Lonie, McCartin, Sinclair
Foll: Longer, Armitage, Dunstan
Int: Hickey, Savage, Weller, Gilbert

Emerg: Ross, Membry, McKenzie.

Gone with 2 rucks but with new rules could easily see them pick one and another runner

Think Paddy might not get a start till later in the year. So Membrey goes in or maybe an ET or Acres for HF/midfield rotations. The glaring thing that stands out the most, in that team, is the serious lack of leg speed. Not sure we can have Ross, Dunstan, Weller, Armo, Newnes in the same team. To many similar types. None with serious leg speed (Weller not too bad over 20m). If Freeman turns out to be what the coaches want, one of them misses out.

[borderbarry]

Dont be surprised if Jade Gresham does do well enough in the NAB and is included in Round One team.

[Con Gorozidis]

Dont be surprised if Jade Gresham does do well enough in the NAB and is included in Round One team.

Agree, I would not be surprised is Gresham does a Lewis Taylor in his first year.

[George27]

I agree with you, Older Saint- leaving aside positions, which are a raffle. My only change would be Acres in for Hickey. The big excitement of the pre-season matches will be to watch the first - fourth year players. Will Gresham indeed be as good as Lewis Taylor ? What about White and Rice ? Which rookie will put his hand up for elevation? Which 2-4 year players will take the next step? I think this preseason brings more excitement and anticipation than we have had for the last five years.

[coopergrech]

Here's my guess.

B: Geary, Fisher Dempster
HB: Webster, Goddard Roberton
C: Savage, Armitage, Newnes
HF: Billings, Rooey, Membrey
F: Lonie , Bruce, Sinclair
Foll: Hickey, Steven, Montagna
Int: Dunstan, Gresham, Weller, Gilbert

Emerg: Longer, Freeman, Minchington

[Con Gorozidis]

Roo on the wing please.

[borderbarry]

Agreed. Roo still one of the first to be picked. Personally I would leave out Membrey, and move Savage tp the flank.

[saintbrat]

Inside footy tried for best 22


BEST 22
Backs: Jarryn Geary | Sean Dempster | Hugh Goddard
Half Backs: Jack Newnes | Sam Fisher | Dylan Roberton
Centres: Leigh Montagna | Luke Dunstan | Shane Savage
Half Forwards: Jack Billings | Nick Riewoldt | Sam Gilbert
Forwards: Jack Lonie | Josh Bruce | Mav Weller
Rucks: Billy Longer | Jack Steven | David Armitage
Interchange: Tom Hickey | Jimmy Webster | Jack Sinclair | Paddy McCartin


Read more at http://www.sen.com.au/news/02-16/best-2 ... uuv5SMA.99

[To the top]

The naming of Dempster at Full-back is interesting at least - because a Full-back Dempster is not.

We will rely on Fisher and Goddard as our 2 defensive KPP's ahead of 2017 and Carlisle.

Support would come from Delaney and Lee subject to performance.

Looking to the future, I would hope that Acres consolidates a spot - on the back of some stand out performances between injuries in the VFL last season.

I just reckon this kid is something else in the way he goes about it.

Freeman would be a bonus to the pace and disposal profile.

I would be tempted to ask Gilbert to play as the 3rd tall option in defense ahead of 2017 and Carlisle (and why Carlisle is so important even given missing this year).

So who to leave out from the Inside Football 22?

Ir would not surprise to confirm that Geary and Savage are the 2 I would offer (and for very particular reasons) along with Weller if Freeman comes up.

So Gilbert to Full-back (Goddard on "monsters" as required), Dempster to a defensive pocket, Webster to a back flank, Riewoldt to a wing, Acres to a forward flank, McCartin to CHF and Freeman to a forward pocket.

In search of pace, pace and more pace (with disposal skills to match) hopefully Gresham comes up as Lonie did last season

So, in my view, this side is only a couple of players out - in personnel at least

[Wrote for Luck]

In my opinion Gilbert along with Fisher and Dempster don't play tall well enough, and structurally our best 22 is with Goddard and Delaney playing the key spots, leaving those mentioned to fight out with other defenders (Roberton, Webster, Geary etc...) for spots.

Gilbert is a good swing man. He's had his moments playing forward and can run through the middle, getting better over head. Ultimately maybe Gilbert on one wing and Roo on the other.

Similarly structure wise we looked better in my opinion when Membrey was forward not another tall (Hickey) with Bruce and Paddy.

[To the top]

Gilbert (194 cm) has very effective closing speed and good spoiling skills (a bit like Max Hudgden (191 cm) who was a most effective KPP defender until he came across the likes of Neitz).

I am not too sure that Fisher "does not play tall well enough" because his reading of the ball is first class and a hall mark of his career.

Dempster I would agree with, hence my reference to him being named at full-back where he would take responsibility for (mainly) mobile "monsters".

It may be that, given form, Delaney is asked to "do a job" - and that is Delaney's skill, "doing a job" on a particular type of player.

Goddard is a work in progress entering Season 2 (and you would expect to see a harder, fitter body with far more endurance) so he remains on a learning curve, increased by the absence of Carlisle but to (hopefully) his and the Club's long term advantage in regards experience (and ultimately teaming with Carlisle).

How do Delaney and Goddard fit into the one side?

This is where the progress Goddard makes in terms of mobility and endurance comes into focus.

In terms of Membrey, in a couple of matches last season he "got under the guard" early and took a couple of marks - but, at the end of the day he is 188 cm (mid-field size) and can be too easily negated which he was = ineffective.

I do not hold any great hopes past energetic and servicable - and we need more than that to progress.

Hopefully, with a pre-season under his belt at last, Hickey will show what he promised in McEvoy's final season, where he surpassed McEvoy as that season wore on and made McEvoy look a "plodder" by comparison.

McEvoy was ultimately dropped, remember?

Hickey will not be a primary forward, but he can drift and "rest" forward because he is actually a very good mark - so he must attract a tall defensive attention because, close to goal, he is an option.

Not always used as is the norm (unless you are Roo!), but an option including creating a mis-match or space elsewhere by dragging opposition attention.

And, as games go on, tall players dp not get any shorter which is why Hickey was instrumental in the come back against WB.

We need Hickey fit and firing.

[saynta]

A couple of good efforts there. I can tell you one thinh though. Barring injuries, Seb will be in the 22. Coach's pet. Not that he hasn't earned it though.

[saintbob]

Ross, Acres and Gresham will play round 1.

[Con Gorozidis]

Ross, Acres and Gresham will play round 1.

Touch wood no injuries.

[Gershwin]

Can't see how we can manage without Delaney at FB. Fisher is weak as a key defender and not sure about Lee. Roberton, Dempster, Gilbert can't play key defender. Have to go with Goddard as the CHB. Big ask for a kid. Bruce is an option but would prefer to play him forward.
Our biggest weakness as far as I'm concerned.

[spert]

I reckon it's all a bit up in the air with a lot of players until we see pre-season form. We expect the most experienced core of players to be in the best 22- but it falls away after that. A few of the middle rung will really need to take a step this season.

[resaintlee]

I seem to remember back in the days of finals in '09 and '10 we had a more obvious bottom six. The players being listed above show how competitive making this year's team seems to be. I wonder how our best 22 would look if lined up (on paper) with the teams of that time?

[ripplug66]

I seem to remember back in the days of finals in '09 and '10 we had a more obvious bottom six. The players being listed above show how competitive making this year's team seems to be. I wonder how our best 22 would look if lined up (on paper) with the teams of that time?

Probably lose by 15 goals.

[St Chris]

I seem to remember back in the days of finals in '09 and '10 we had a more obvious bottom six. The players being listed above show how competitive making this year's team seems to be. I wonder how our best 22 would look if lined up (on paper) with the teams of that time?

OK Let's do this....

Inside Footy's 2016 best 22 vs. 2009 Grand Final Team

B: Geary, Dempster, H. Goddard
F: Milne, Riewoldt, Gram

HB: Newnes, Fisher, Roberton
HF: McQualter, Koschitske, Jones

C: Montagna, Dunstan, Savage
C: Ray, Hayes, Dal Santo

HF: Billings, Riewoldt, Gilbert
HB: B. Goddard, Fisher, Gilbert

F: Lonie, Bruce, Weller
B: Blake, Dawson, Baker

Foll: Longer, Steven, Armitage
Foll: King, Montagna, Schneider

Int: Hickey, Webster, Sinclair, McCartin
Int: Ball, R. Clarke, Dempster, Gardiner


So, 2016 would just about get beaten in every position.....the 2016 half back line is strong and would probably take the honours, but it's pretty barren after that.

Gilbert matches up on himself, he is arguably a better player now than in 2009??

And I would pay money to see Weller and Baker spend the day together.

It's hard to get a read on the bench? Dempster was in that bottom 6 in 2009, and Raph was just Raph. Sinclair and McCartin are only scratching the surface of their potential, but how much more we see in 2016 is anyone's guess?

[Con Gorozidis]

I would suggest Gilbert was better in 09. He averaged 4 more disposals per game and had higher ED% back then.

Hayes v Dunstan and NDS v Savage are obviously huge gaps.

Bakes would give Lonie an absolutely torrid time at this stage of Lonie's career. Bakes was still very good in 09. Also Gram was bloody good.
We would also probably try and play Weller or someone else as a defensive fwd on BJ but again BJ of 09 would just carve them up.
King and Gardner were experienced old war horses in 09 and would have monstered our two young ruckmen.

interesting exercise though. shows we have quite some way to go.