My best 22 & squad of 30 for round 1 2013

[milney044]

My Best:

FB: S.Dempster T.Simpkin J.Gwilt
HB: J.Geary S.Fisher A.Siposs
C: L.Montagna L.Hayes N. Dal Santo
HF: T. Dennis Lane N.Riewoldt R.Stanley
FF: S.Milne T.Lee A.Saad
Foll: B.McEvoy D.Armitage J.Steven
INT: F.Ray S.Gilbert S.Dunnell
SUB: T.Milera

Emg: S.Ross J.Newnes J.Koschitzke

Apologies to Schneider, I'm just not confident in his body any more, if fit he would take Dunnell's spot.

[Con Gorozidis]

My Best:

FB: S.Dempster T.Simpkin J.Gwilt
HB: J.Geary S.Fisher A.Siposs
C: L.Montagna L.Hayes N. Dal Santo
HF: T. Dennis Lane N.Riewoldt R.Stanley
FF: S.Milne T.Lee A.Saad
Foll: B.McEvoy D.Armitage J.Steven
INT: F.Ray S.Gilbert S.Dunnell
SUB: T.Milera

Emg: S.Ross J.Newnes J.Koschitzke

Apologies to Schneider, I'm just not confident in his body any more, if fit he would take Dunnell's spot.

I quite like this side! (I wouldn't want to be Kosi - he may even behind Hickey and Wilkes as an emergency...)
We also have Roberton not far off the pace. I'm also hoping Tezza puts some serious pressure on Steven/Armo for a starting spot next season. I think he can rotate in the midfield regularly now.

[dragit]

I'm also hoping Tezza puts some serious pressure on Steven/Armo for a starting spot next season. I think he can rotate in the midfield regularly now.

Why would he be any chance to put pressure on an inside mid for a spot?
He's played 15 games in and out of the side as a half forward, but now he can regularly rotate through the middle?
I'll have a cone… if there's any left.

[DK27]

My take on 2013 team is made up of the oldest 21 on the list. I figure the players 23 and over are on the list for a reason. They would not be there if they weren't going to play. They all have mens bodies are are ready to play. After losing Goddard from our top 5 players and Gram and Cripps from our best 22 means this team will not make the finals. To make the finals this team needs 6 or 7 from the 23 and under group to step up big time as solid best 22 players. As Plugger has mentioned elsewhere, we need some young players to step into our top 10. After the 'senior team' is a list of the most likely players to take a spot from senior players. We will see...

23 AND OVER TEAM.
Arguably, if fit, all deserve a spot in best 22.
Geary, Blake, Gwilt
Gilbert, Fisher, Dempster
Dal Santo, Hayes, Ray
Schneider, Riewoldt, Wilkes
Saad, Kossie, Milne
McEvoy, Jones, Armitage

Dennis-Lane, Milera, (Montagna SUSP)


MOST LIKELY UNDER 23 PLAYERS
Steven (Already best 22 but just needs to tidy up kicking to go top 10.)
Stanley (Best 22 when fit but needs to go from 10 touches to 15 a game to go top 10. Fitter and work harder.)
Simpkin (Best 22 now but tidy up disposal and more confidence to attack to go top 10)
Dunell (Could play 22 games; good skills, not quick.)
Roberton (same as Dunell)
Siposs (same as Dunell)
Lee (If playing well in pre season games, should play as 3rd tall forward. Could be a revelation against 3rd best defenders.)
Hickey (Looks athletic but light. Needs a year to work on his body and skills. Will play seniors at some point in 2013 to cover injuries.)
Shenton ( I like his attack on the ball and run off half back. Quicker than Dunell, Roberton, Siposs. Could surprise.)
Newnes (Improve poise from playing more games. Solid player but hard to see as top 10.)
Ross (Big bodied mid. Hope he steps up. We need one badly.)
Ledger (Could step up. Needs to improve decision making and poise from playing more games.)
Murdoch (If like his brother at Geelong could step in this year. Quick and a beautiful kick.)
About half of these players need to step up this season and some into top 10. Possible????
Others could play a bit but unlikely to be regulars.

[Con Gorozidis]

I'm also hoping Tezza puts some serious pressure on Steven/Armo for a starting spot next season. I think he can rotate in the midfield regularly now.

Why would he be any chance to put pressure on an inside mid for a spot?
He's played 15 games in and out of the side as a half forward, but now he can regularly rotate through the middle?
I'll have a cone… if there's any left.

185cm. 2nd pre-season of fitness. Late developer. Can win his own ball. Reads it well. Outstanding evasive skills. Good diposal. Strength his main weakness - but has improved in that area.

Lets see how we go on this one Dragit.

[dragit]

I hope you're right Con,

But I haven't seen much (yet) to suggest that he's ready to start regularly rotating through the midfield, they're all absolute brutes and Terry would get a towelling… maybe some time on the wing or back flank, but I can't see him under packs.

[Con Gorozidis]

I hope you're right Con,

But I haven't seen much (yet) to suggest that he's ready to start regularly rotating through the midfield, they're all absolute brutes and Terry would get a towelling… maybe some time on the wing or back flank, but I can't see him under packs.

Well i just meant 'starting' which doest mean much anyway given the rotations. Just thinking you might start with say lenny and armo in the centre with an outside like tez and then rotate with jack off the pine. anyway. I just think given his age etc hes a good chance to move into mids this year - and we dont really need another small fwd. we now have a few there - so tezza should focus on the midfield.

[AnythingsPossibleSaints]

I think Watters might have mentioned when we got TDL that his acquisition could free up some of those who played up forward this year to play on the wing (or even for him to play there himself). I imagine Terry would be front and centre to be the main one he was thinking of with that and probably Schneids as well, who has played plenty of good footy on the wing. Goddard spent a heap of time lining up on the wing this year, so there is definitely a spot up for grabs there.

[AnythingsPossibleSaints]

As of what we've seen so far and going by what they did this year, especially how they ended the season, which is the best guide we have so far. This is of course subject to change, based on who plays well and who plays where, in the preseason. If Stanley does play down back in the NAB Cup and does well there, then he gets moved back there and Lee takes his spot in the forward line, form and fitness permitting, with possibly Siposs going to the bench and Schneider starting with the green jacket on.

B: Gwilt Fisher Geary

HB: Siposs Simpkin Dempster

C: Gilbert Hayes Dal Santo

HF: Steven Riewoldt Stanley

F: Milne Wilkes Saad

R: McEvoy Armitage Montagna

I: Milera Schneider Ray Sub: Lee

E: Ledger (in for Monty in R1) Dunell Ross Newnes Roberton Curren TDL Kosi

[lefty]

Geary Simpkin Newness
Dempster Fisher Gilbert
Montagna Hayes NDS
Schneider Roo Siposs
Milne Kosi Saad

McEvoy Armo Steven

Ray, Gwilt, Stanley, sub Wilkes

Depth: Dunnell, Ross, Blake, Markworth, Ledger, TDL, Curren, Hickey, Lee, Milera, Roberton

Putting Lee at FF would be silly, he won't be big enough and would kill the poor guy. Kosi still imo can take big pack marks when he's on. Wilkes needs to improve in that area a bit more, as he too can go quiet.
I still don't think Dunnell is as good as people make him out to be, hes ok, but doesn't have that x-factor. Newness placed really well in the backline this year, he can take Grams spot imo.
I don't think Sipposs should be playing in the backline either when hes a good kick/mark. Ray deserves that spot imo.

[bigcarl]

Geary Simpkin Newness
Dempster Fisher Gilbert
Montagna Hayes NDS
Schneider Roo Siposs
Milne Kosi Saad

McEvoy Armo Steven

Ray, Gwilt, Stanley, sub Wilkes

We''re in for a world of pain if Kosi's still our best option at ff. Aside from that I quite like your team, Lefty.

[plugger66]

Geary Simpkin Newness
Dempster Fisher Gilbert
Montagna Hayes NDS
Schneider Roo Siposs
Milne Kosi Saad

McEvoy Armo Steven

Ray, Gwilt, Stanley, sub Wilkes

Depth: Dunnell, Ross, Blake, Markworth, Ledger, TDL, Curren, Hickey, Lee, Milera, Roberton

Putting Lee at FF would be silly, he won't be big enough and would kill the poor guy. Kosi still imo can take big pack marks when he's on. Wilkes needs to improve in that area a bit more, as he too can go quiet.
I still don't think Dunnell is as good as people make him out to be, hes ok, but doesn't have that x-factor. Newness placed really well in the backline this year, he can take Grams spot imo.
I don't think Sipposs should be playing in the backline either when hes a good kick/mark. Ray deserves that spot imo.

How could our mids rotate with those players on the bench. Ray maybe ok but Stanley and Gwilt as well as Wilkes as sub gives us no rotations. If we cant fit talls into the 18 then they cant play. Talls miss about 10% of the game at the most. Mids miss up to 30% and there are a heap more of them.

[St Ick]

Geary Simpkin Newness
Dempster Fisher Gilbert
Montagna Hayes NDS
Schneider Roo Siposs
Milne Kosi Saad

McEvoy Armo Steven

Ray, Gwilt, Stanley, sub Wilkes

Depth: Dunnell, Ross, Blake, Markworth, Ledger, TDL, Curren, Hickey, Lee, Milera, Roberton

Putting Lee at FF would be silly, he won't be big enough and would kill the poor guy. Kosi still imo can take big pack marks when he's on. Wilkes needs to improve in that area a bit more, as he too can go quiet.
I still don't think Dunnell is as good as people make him out to be, hes ok, but doesn't have that x-factor. Newness placed really well in the backline this year, he can take Grams spot imo.
I don't think Sipposs should be playing in the backline either when hes a good kick/mark. Ray deserves that spot imo.

How could our mids rotate with those players on the bench. Ray maybe ok but Stanley and Gwilt as well as Wilkes as sub gives us no rotations. If we cant fit talls into the 18 then they cant play. Talls miss about 10% of the game at the most. Mids miss up to 30% and there are a heap more of them.

Get with it mate, we've done altitude training now. No need for rotations...

[St Ick]

My Best:

FB: S.Dempster T.Simpkin J.Gwilt
HB: J.Geary S.Fisher A.Siposs
C: L.Montagna L.Hayes N. Dal Santo
HF: T. Dennis Lane N.Riewoldt R.Stanley
FF: S.Milne T.Lee A.Saad
Foll: B.McEvoy D.Armitage J.Steven
INT: F.Ray S.Gilbert S.Dunnell
SUB: T.Milera

Emg: S.Ross J.Newnes J.Koschitzke

Apologies to Schneider, I'm just not confident in his body any more, if fit he would take Dunnell's spot.

I quite like this side! (I wouldn't want to be Kosi - he may even behind Hickey and Wilkes as an emergency...)
We also have Roberton not far off the pace. I'm also hoping Tezza puts some serious pressure on Steven/Armo for a starting spot next season. I think he can rotate in the midfield regularly now.

I agree Con, this squad looks impressive. I still think Schneids, when fit, is an automatic selection. Milera, for all of his tricks, just has to bide his time. Having said that, Joey is suspended, so I'd like to see Newnes or Ross step it up and get names for round 1. There are going to be some good players miss out round one this year!

[Con Gorozidis]

Usually we have some ordinary players fill the 21st and 22nd spots. But next year I think some good quality players will miss out. (hopefully)

[milney044]

My Best:

FB: S.Dempster T.Simpkin J.Gwilt
HB: J.Geary S.Fisher A.Siposs
C: L.Montagna L.Hayes N. Dal Santo
HF: T. Dennis Lane N.Riewoldt R.Stanley
FF: S.Milne T.Lee A.Saad
Foll: B.McEvoy D.Armitage J.Steven
INT: F.Ray S.Gilbert S.Dunnell
SUB: T.Milera

Emg: S.Ross J.Newnes J.Koschitzke

Apologies to Schneider, I'm just not confident in his body any more, if fit he would take Dunnell's spot.

I quite like this side! (I wouldn't want to be Kosi - he may even behind Hickey and Wilkes as an emergency...)
We also have Roberton not far off the pace. I'm also hoping Tezza puts some serious pressure on Steven/Armo for a starting spot next season. I think he can rotate in the midfield regularly now.

I agree Con, this squad looks impressive. I still think Schneids, when fit, is an automatic selection. Milera, for all of his tricks, just has to bide his time. Having said that, Joey is suspended, so I'd like to see Newnes or Ross step it up and get names for round 1. There are going to be some good players miss out round one this year!

I think my side looks pretty damn impressive on paper! I love Schneider and agree when fit he is definitely in our Best 22, I hope he can prove me wrong in terms of injury/fitness because when he is at 100% he makes us a better side. Bring on 2013 I say, with this side for Round 1

[AnythingsPossibleSaints]

My take on 2013 team is made up of the oldest 21 on the list. I figure the players 23 and over are on the list for a reason. They would not be there if they weren't going to play. They all have mens bodies are are ready to play.

I think that is too simplistic. For starters, CJ, Blake and Kosi were all out of the side by the end of this year (Blakey for the last 5 or so rounds, after he came back from his injury, CJ for the last 4 and Kosi for the last 2, after being subbed off with one possie, in the 3rd last game, against Geelong) and I think it would require a pretty significant turnaround for any of them to be considered best 22 again next year, with even more on our list likely to be ready to step up and keep them out of their respective previous positions next season.

Not saying that can't happen, because it certainly can, but I think they are all likely to be spending most of the year in the VFL, as Raph, Peake and Polo did this year and will most likely just come in if we have quite significant injuries, unless they have exceptional preseasons and come out all guns blazing next year.

With CJ, for instance, Joey was seemingly being groomed to play his role by the end of the year and with Ledger coming into his 3rd season I would expect that the club will be very much looking to get senior games into him (form and fitness permitting, as with everyone) and will probably do that ahead of wanting CJ to get games, ditto Seb Ross, who we will probably want to get some games into and maybe even Curren, especially if Danmark is put onto the LTI.

With Blakey, as I said, he was playing VFL for the last 5 or so games and since then we've added Lee and Hickey to the list, who will probably make it even harder for him to get games next year. Lee coming in could push someone like Stanley or Wilkes to the backline, making it even harder for Jason to get back in, or Lee himself could possibly go back there, as he brings that extra height and leap and more attacking flair and quality kicking. Now that we have Hickey it is also pretty unlikely that Jason will be needed in the ruck next year, as Kosi may also be behind Hickey and in front of Jason if we happened to need someone in that position. It may be that Jason ends up being our no.1 option at FB, but it's not super likely at this stage, I wouldn't think (especially since he didn't even get back in when Fisher was missing at the very end this year) and if he isn't, there could be a lot in front of him in the queue for a spot.

As for Kosi, well, he started this year off very promisingly and was pretty clearly our best up forward in the preseason games and then got off to a very good start to the season, peaking in that great game he played in R6 against Hawthorn (when he was marking everything that came his way), but he was then needed in the ruck from the following week on and after that his season just gradually went off the rails and by the end he was hard to watch, until he was finally "put out of his/our misery", so to speak, half way through that Geelong game, when he was subbed off. If he hadn't been needed as insurance in the ruck prior to that I suspect that would have happened weeks earlier, as he looked like he had hit the wall in a big way by that point, even though by then he was playing almost exclusively at FF again.

So unless he had some injury that we weren't aware of (and he was apparently asked at the time and said he was as fit as he'd been in years, which was a concern) then it may just be that he's hit the wall and won't be any better next year, which means he won't be even close to getting a game, I wouldn't imagine, now that we have even more options there than we had in those last three rounds this year (Roo, who missed those games through injury, Lee and Hickey).

On the other hand, if it was playing in the ruck for much of that R7-R15 or so period that badly affected his performances up forward (as it seemed to for the similarly maligned Chris Dawes) then that might not be an issue next year, as I doubt he will be used in the ruck again (unless it's a last resort), after what it seemed to do to him this year. If he is used exclusively up forward again he may just be able to squeeze one more good-enough season out of himself, especially after being subbed off and then apparently "dropped" at the end of this year, which may have put a real rocket up him that "awakens the beast".

(It's worth remembering that he was initially named emergency for that Hawthorn game in R6, after getting suspended in R4 and missing the next week, but got a late reprieve and that seemed to be the spark for him playing the best game he had in a couple of years, so if the thought of missing out there sparked that great game he played against Hawthorn, who knows what being unceremoniously subbed off and then left out of the last two games this year will do to him for next year? It may fire him up for one last harrah and he might come out of the blocks in excellent marking form like he did this year, but if he doesn't, then I expect he will just be spending most of the season in the VFL, only coming in if we have an injury or two up forward, or about 3 in the ruck.)

As far as I was concerned, Beau Wilkes was well and truly ahead of him by the end of this season and given that Beau is actually likely to improve with more games there (I don't think he's necessarily played a lot up forward at any senior level (state or AFL) in recent years, so he ought to get better as he settles there) and is likely to be fitter next season, (as he was apparently far from fully fit this season) then I would expect that Beau ought to be given first crack next year, all things being equal.

I thought he showed a lot this year for someone new to a team (which means he has to get used to how they all play, where to lead, etc, not to mention the fact that they don't look for you as much as those they are used to having in there), who was apparently quite unfit (had a big ass, that's for sure!) and who had very little continuity of games throughout the season (would often play one week and then not the next, due to all the byes in the VFL and being emergency for St Kilda at least once (and not playing in tha VFL as a result) and getting subbed off repeatedly in the early AFL games he did play, including one when he was on fire (and then getting dropped the next week)! It was like we were trying to make it as hard as we could for him to succeed, yet he still played some very good footy at times and showed a lot of promise.

We need to start getting more games into the younger brigade, especially those that ought to be ready to go and who could stagnate if left in the state league for much longer, like Ledger, Dunell, Ross, Curren, Lee, Hickey, Roberton and I expect it will have to be at the expense of the likes of Kosi, CJ and Blake, as it was for Raph, Peake and Polo, this year.

I think we'll want only the "cream of the older brigade" playing. Only those that are clearly better than the younger alternatives will be in the best 22, I expect/hope, as we need to start bridging the gap between what we are getting out of those who are over 28 and those under 25. I expect that will only happen any time soon by the younger ones getting games ahead of those that are older, but well past their best and only borderline best 22.

[lloyd21]

Would be very surprised Roberton is not in team round 1 along with Schneider. Would doubt Milera Milne Saad Milne TDL
are in same side

[AnythingsPossibleSaints]

We missed Schneider this year and I was thinking he could pick up a lot of the slack left by Goddard and Gram going, but I think it's asking quite a lot to expect a heap from Adam next year, after he played so little footy this year. We saw with Gram this year, for example (who had had injuries last year- although he kept playing with them) that it took him quite a while this year to really get rolling and back to his best and it may be a similar thing with Adam next year. Hopefully he'll burst out of the blocks and be good from the start, but it may also be the case that he takes a while to find his feet again and make a consistent high level contribution. There is probably a wing there for him if he's good and fit enough to take it though.

[DK27]

My take on 2013 team is made up of the oldest 21 on the list. I figure the players 23 and over are on the list for a reason. They would not be there if they weren't going to play. They all have mens bodies are are ready to play.

I think that is too simplistic. For starters, CJ, Blake and Kosi were all out of the side by the end of this year (Blakey for the last 5 or so rounds, after he came back from his injury, CJ for the last 4 and Kosi for the last 2, after being subbed off with one possie, in the 3rd last game, against Geelong) and I think it would require a pretty significant turnaround for any of them to be considered best 22 again next year, with even more on our list likely to be ready to step up and keep them out of their respective previous positions next season.

Not saying that can't happen, because it certainly can, but I think they are all likely to be spending most of the year in the VFL, as Raph, Peake and Polo did this year and will most likely just come in if we have quite significant injuries, unless they have exceptional preseasons and come out all guns blazing next year.

With CJ, for instance, Joey was seemingly being groomed to play his role by the end of the year and with Ledger coming into his 3rd season I would expect that the club will be very much looking to get senior games into him (form and fitness permitting, as with everyone) and will probably do that ahead of wanting CJ to get games, ditto Seb Ross, who we will probably want to get some games into and maybe even Curren, especially if Danmark is put onto the LTI.

With Blakey, as I said, he was playing VFL for the last 5 or so games and since then we've added Lee and Hickey to the list, who will probably make it even harder for him to get games next year. Lee coming in could push someone like Stanley or Wilkes to the backline, making it even harder for Jason to get back in, or Lee himself could possibly go back there, as he brings that extra height and leap and more attacking flair and quality kicking. Now that we have Hickey it is also pretty unlikely that Jason will be needed in the ruck next year, as Kosi may also be behind Hickey and in front of Jason if we happened to need someone in that position. It may be that Jason ends up being our no.1 option at FB, but it's not super likely at this stage, I wouldn't think (especially since he didn't even get back in when Fisher was missing at the very end this year) and if he isn't, there could be a lot in front of him in the queue for a spot.

As for Kosi, well, he started this year off very promisingly and was pretty clearly our best up forward in the preseason games and then got off to a very good start to the season, peaking in that great game he played in R6 against Hawthorn (when he was marking everything that came his way), but he was then needed in the ruck from the following week on and after that his season just gradually went off the rails and by the end he was hard to watch, until he was finally "put out of his/our misery", so to speak, half way through that Geelong game, when he was subbed off. If he hadn't been needed as insurance in the ruck prior to that I suspect that would have happened weeks earlier, as he looked like he had hit the wall in a big way by that point, even though by then he was playing almost exclusively at FF again.

So unless he had some injury that we weren't aware of (and he was apparently asked at the time and said he was as fit as he'd been in years, which was a concern) then it may just be that he's hit the wall and won't be any better next year, which means he won't be even close to getting a game, I wouldn't imagine, now that we have even more options there than we had in those last three rounds this year (Roo, who missed those games through injury, Lee and Hickey).

On the other hand, if it was playing in the ruck for much of that R7-R15 or so period that badly affected his performances up forward (as it seemed to for the similarly maligned Chris Dawes) then that might not be an issue next year, as I doubt he will be used in the ruck again (unless it's a last resort), after what it seemed to do to him this year. If he is used exclusively up forward again he may just be able to squeeze one more good-enough season out of himself, especially after being subbed off and then apparently "dropped" at the end of this year, which may have put a real rocket up him that "awakens the beast".

(It's worth remembering that he was initially named emergency for that Hawthorn game in R6, after getting suspended in R4 and missing the next week, but got a late reprieve and that seemed to be the spark for him playing the best game he had in a couple of years, so if the thought of missing out there sparked that great game he played against Hawthorn, who knows what being unceremoniously subbed off and then left out of the last two games this year will do to him for next year? It may fire him up for one last harrah and he might come out of the blocks in excellent marking form like he did this year, but if he doesn't, then I expect he will just be spending most of the season in the VFL, only coming in if we have an injury or two up forward, or about 3 in the ruck.)

As far as I was concerned, Beau Wilkes was well and truly ahead of him by the end of this season and given that Beau is actually likely to improve with more games there (I don't think he's necessarily played a lot up forward at any senior level (state or AFL) in recent years, so he ought to get better as he settles there) and is likely to be fitter next season, (as he was apparently far from fully fit this season) then I would expect that Beau ought to be given first crack next year, all things being equal.

I thought he showed a lot this year for someone new to a team (which means he has to get used to how they all play, where to lead, etc, not to mention the fact that they don't look for you as much as those they are used to having in there), who was apparently quite unfit (had a big ass, that's for sure!) and who had very little continuity of games throughout the season (would often play one week and then not the next, due to all the byes in the VFL and being emergency for St Kilda at least once (and not playing in tha VFL as a result) and getting subbed off repeatedly in the early AFL games he did play, including one when he was on fire (and then getting dropped the next week)! It was like we were trying to make it as hard as we could for him to succeed, yet he still played some very good footy at times and showed a lot of promise.

We need to start getting more games into the younger brigade, especially those that ought to be ready to go and who could stagnate if left in the state league for much longer, like Ledger, Dunell, Ross, Curren, Lee, Hickey, Roberton and I expect it will have to be at the expense of the likes of Kosi, CJ and Blake, as it was for Raph, Peake and Polo, this year.

I think we'll want only the "cream of the older brigade" playing. Only those that are clearly better than the younger alternatives will be in the best 22, I expect/hope, as we need to start bridging the gap between what we are getting out of those who are over 28 and those under 25. I expect that will only happen any time soon by the younger ones getting games ahead of those that are older, but well past their best and only borderline best 22.

I am very flattered you had the time and inclination to write an essay on my post. Thank you.
Basically we agree. Your team and my 'senior, over 23' team only have 4 different players. If you read my entire post you would notice I said my 'senior' team would not make the finals and we would need 6 or 7 under 23's to step up next year. Basically, we are saying the same thing.
Of note, both Kossie and Blake started last year playing really well. For them to drop off so much you have to assume they were playing with injury even if Kossie said he was fit. Have you ever heard a player complain about being injured when they want to play? If fit and running well pre season, both should be in the team round 1. Of course if players competing for the same spot are on fire pre season, I can see both playing seconds.
Anyway, it will be interesting to see which way it goes.
Like any business, team spots should be on merit to the players who can help the team get positive results.

[The Redeemer]

Pump the games into the kids and give them prolonged periods of time in the 1's.

If they show a bit, keep them in until they tire or get injured and if the don't show too much then down to the 2's they go.

The cycle continues until we find players and then go nuts from there and buy heaps in free agency

[Kickit]

Kosi was crazygood at the start of the season, averaging 2.8 goals a game for the first 5 games, would have put him among the best scorers in the AFL. ( 5 against Collingwood !)
But how do you judge his hot patches. in 2011 he went in injured, and didn't go well for the whole season.
2010 he was knocked around by an early injury and only came good at the end of the season.
2009 he was up and down, but not much chop for finals.

I think I'd be inclined to want to keep him in the mix. Give him some early games until his form drops. Any sign of injury in the preseason , dont even think about playing him. Start the pre-season again.
After midseason send him to Arizona with a personal trainer, then give him a couple of games heading into finals. 5 goals against Collingwood in a final would be nice

[AnythingsPossibleSaints]

Our potentially stronger forward line is one of the main reasons I'm very confident that we can be better next year. This year Kosi was able to go for weeks at a time hardly getting a touch (near the end of the season) yet he kept his spot (until it finally got so bad they had to make the call), but all things being equal, I don't expect anyone up forward (tall or small, actually) will be able to get away with any such drop-offs in form next year.

This year I think he kept his spot once it became clear that he was well off the pace because by that time we pretty much only had Mac in the ruck and so we wanted Kosi for some rucking, but by the end of the year Wilkes showed that he could do that (a bit of rucking) to a decent level (thus consigning Kos to the forward line pretty much permanently, by the end of his season) and next year if we're lacking in that area we'll hopefully bring Hickey in to help out, or even Blakey. Then of course you've go that extra competition from what will hopefully be a fitter, stronger and more confident Wilkes, plus hopefully Lee (and Siposs could also play that "3rd tall" role, if he had to, as he looks to be 190cm+ now and is strong overhead and likely to be ready to step up again).

So anyone that's out of form will probably be out of there ASAP and if any of them are injured for long periods of time (like Stanley was this year, only playing half the season) they will hopefully be well replaced, better than we were able to do this year, thanks to the extra depth there.

For sometimes weeks at a time this year we were decimated (to various degrees) in either the ruck (especially when both Mac and Rhys were out), the backline (especially early, when Gwilt wasn't back yet, Fisher was out injured and Blake was needed in the ruck) or the forward line (when Stanley was injured and Kosi was needed in the ruck for significant periods- we had a really good thing going up forward before that happened), but I see us as being much better able to cover for injuries, etc. in all 3 of those areas of the ground next season, which will hopefully hold us in good stead and also create extra competition for spots, causing everyone to lift their game.

[gringo]

CJ I assume is still in our best side- he really only got left out once we were out of finals contention. Ledger was playing late because it gave him some time in the seniors. I think CJ will be straight back in round one. Blake was used as a bits and pieces player with back line duties, ruck and any other fill in we could find in between. If he plays it's as the KPB on the taller forward lines. Kosi who konows- he started well only to fall away when he rucked. I hope Terry Milera can step it up now as his fitness base must have improved and the guy has the skills to be incredible. I hope they tie him to a chair in the style of A clockwork orange and make him watch footage of Jetta from Sydney. Run off the half backline into the forward 50 and bomb away.

[AnythingsPossibleSaints]

I won't have any objections to CJ being in the team from R1 next year if he's flying/in really good form, but I do think he had dropped off quite a bit this year, when I had been hoping for an improved year from him.

He didn't seem to be as effective in his tagging role as he had been in previous years and also wasn't having the high possession games that he often had in past years, either (only one 20+ possie game after R4). They are the main positives that he brings to the table usually, but once either or both of those drop off, he doesn't have a lot more going for him, particularly with is kicking being as it is.

One thing in his favour is obviously his ability to play in the guts and win his own ball and clearances, but by next year I expect Ledger (who many of us were shocked wasn't in the side from R1 this year) ought to be well and truly ready to play more of a role in there and he also specialises in winning his own ball and clearances (but possesses a good 50m+ kick on both feet) and ought to improve more with each game and with another preseason under his belt.

So CJ will need to be in either really good ball-winning form, or else really good tagging form (or both) I expect, to find himself back in there. As I said earlier, I think it was also a bit ominous for him that Joey was being used in a tagging/run-with role in those last few weeks, including on Marc Murphy, in that last game, despite the game being a "dead rubber". BJ (who, on watching most of our games again on Foxtel in recent weeks, I realised spent a fair bit more time in the guts this year than I originally realised) being out of the side will help him though, as it opens up an extra spot in the midfield rotations.

As for Jason, he may very well find himself back in there from the start of next year, but if the rumours of someone like Rhys being tried back are correct, then it's highly unlikely that there would be room for Jason there if everyone else who generally plays back is also available, unless he's playing out of his skin.

Kosi? Unless he's absolutely flying and/or clearly the best option for his spot, then I really hope we pick the team based on who is going to make us better, not just for that week, but also going forward.

Milera will be an interesting one. I don't think he quite has the blistering speed of Jetta, but he does have some other fantastic attributes, like his ability to get through traffic like it's nothing and his generally sublime skills, plus his speed, which, while not as fast as Jetta's, I don't think, is still very good. The fact that he did spend some time in the VFL in the middle period of this year will hold him in good stead for next year though, I reckon, as I expect it will make him really hungry to play every game for 2013, and if he is able to build his tank up enough and play further up the ground more and start getting 18 possies a game, instead of 12-13, then that will be a big help, because he can be very damaging with his possies.

Dunell is another one like him who I'm really hoping will be able to build on what he did this year and take it up another notch or two in 2013. He obviously didn't play much for us in the seniors this year, but I really liked what he brought to the table when he did. He seemed to be able to come on and make an impact pretty much straight away and I was really impressed with how hard he ran and how well he seemed to just get in the right spots over and over again to get the ball.

I think he actually has really good speed for someone his height and he is capable of taking genuinely strong overhead marks and some of his handballing this year was a real feature for me as well- some really high quality stuff in close, that was worth rewinding and seeing again- one that he did over his right shoulder, to someone who was running behind him, who didn't have to break stride, was worthy of someone like Stevie J.

Like Wilkes, Milera and Saad, he is another one who will hopefully be much better off with another AFL preseason under his belt, after coming from the Ammos prior to us, last year, where I don't imagine the preseasons are remotely like the ones at AFL level. Having a couple of AFL preseasons under his belt could give him a much better chance of playing a lot more senior footy.