2018 Best 22

[bloodspirit]

sen.com.au have published a 2018 best 22 for the Swans: 2018 AFL Preview | Sydney?s Best 22. It's a pretty uninspired, conservative selection. I think they are clearly mistaken in selecting a side with neither Melican nor Aliir - at least one of these two players will be part of our best 22. Those they have missing out include: Melican, Aliir, Sinclair, Dawson, COR. The interchange is Newman, Towers, Florent, Hayward. One of these will have to miss to make room for Melican/Aliir - judging by last year, most likely to be Florent. But if he excels at pre-season then could be someone else. Really do feel confident about our list this year. Good depth.

[liz]

I think Nick Smith might be quite upset at being left out of the group of designated "stingy defenders", though Mr Sicari does credit him (and others) with being able to switch into that role, if needed.

[Nico]

Noteable ommiasion also is a player the coaches seem to like to include in our 22 for balance / matchups

Harry Cunningham

What?s everyone?s thoughts re Cunningham?

Not good enough. Not hard enough. Only gets a touch against the bottom teams. Doesn't get his shorts dirty. If we have few injuries then I will be a monkey's uncle if he gets a game.

[Nico]

Not good enough. Not hard enough. Only gets a touch against the bottom teams. Doesn't get his shorts dirty. If we have few injuries then I will be a monkey's uncle if he gets a game.

There was a thread about VFL/AFL jargon a while back. Here is another one. "Good AFL players go where angels fear to tread".

[RogueSwan]

Definitely good enough and hard enough, as he showed last year before his injury. Not that anything less than being the Dangerfield will change your mind Nico

[Ludwig]

Noteable ommiasion also is a player the coaches seem to like to include in our 22 for balance / matchups

Harry Cunningham

What?s everyone?s thoughts re Cunningham?

Stop Trolling Nico!

Harry's progress has been held back by missing too many training sessions due to visiting children in hospital. I've suggested that Matt Ling be slowly groomed to take over some of Harry's responsibilities, but not groomed by Jordan Foote. Jordan can drive Matt to hospital and wait in the car until he's done.

I think he's a good player to be in that 23rd-28th group on the list. You wouldn't particularly worry if he were in the team for a given game. But, unless something suddenly clicks with him, if he is in our best 22 this season, I don't think the team will have progressed as much as we hope it might. Marsh and Robinson are another couple in this category - competent and good depth but not able to really impose themselves on games, or even periods of games.

Very much agree with this assessment as to where the 2 Harrys an Robbo stand in the pecking order.

Not good enough. Not hard enough. Only gets a touch against the bottom teams. Doesn't get his shorts dirty. If we have few injuries then I will be a monkey's uncle if he gets a game.

Nico and Nephew

[dejavoodoo44]

[/QUOTE]
Are you sure that isn't the two latest appointees to the AFL tribunal?

[stevoswan]

Are you sure that isn't the two latest appointees to the AFL tribunal?

I think that's Mike Fitzpatrick's send off. Mike's at the front and that's Gil in the background.....looking confused as ever.

[dejavoodoo44]

I think that's Mike Fitzpatrick's send off. Mike's at the front and that's Gil in the background.....looking confused as ever.

Perhaps Gil can't quite place where that stench is coming from?

[stevoswan]

Perhaps Gil can't quite place where that stench is coming from?

.....and now that stench comes from him but he still can't work it out!

[AB Swannie]

I reckon we will see the following as our best 22:

B: Nick Smith, Heath Grundy, Dane Rampe
HB: Jake Lloyd, Lewis Melican, Zak Jones
C: Dan Hannebery, Josh Kennedy, Callum Mills
HF: Isaac Heeney, Sam Reid, Oliver Florent
F: Will Hayward, Lance Franklin, Tom Papley
R: Kurt Tippett, Luke Parker, George Hewett

I: Nic Newman, Aliir Aliir, Jordan Dawson, Matt Ling

Based on the pre-season so far or at least best early season 22 to be:

B: Nick Smith, Heath Grundy, Dane Rampe
HB: Jake Lloyd, Lewis Melican, Callum Mills
C: Dan Hannebery, Josh Kennedy, Zak Jones
HF: Isaac Heeney, Sam Reid, Oliver Florent
F: Will Hayward, Lance Franklin, Tom Papley
R: Sam Naismith, Luke Parker, George Hewett

I: Gary Rohan, Dean Towers, Aliir Aliir, Kieran Jack

Fox, Newman, Sinclair would be emergencies.

I?d prefer to keep McVeigh on the sidelines ready to play if and when injuries, niggles hit.

[liz]

I can't see them going in with Reg, Aliir and Melican. Not with Rampe too. In theory Rampe could be freed up to be more rebounding with three genuine talls, but he's so good as the general in defence, even when also playing on someone much bigger than he is, that it seems a waste to sacrifice run for additional height.

I used to marvel at how good Craig Bolton was as a one-on-one defender while also organising and rebounding. I remember the games just after he injured himself for the final time. Our defence looked so shambolic. Rampe is the current day Bolton. He may not be quite as good as Bolton on the bigger forwards but he's a better kick. And to think he came to us via the circular route and the rookie list. We have many very valuable "diamonds from the rough" on our list at the moment but he's the most valuable of the lot.

[AB Swannie]

I can't see them going in with Reg, Aliir and Melican. Not with Rampe too. In theory Rampe could be freed up to be more rebounding with three genuine talls, but he's so good as the general in defence, even when also playing on someone much bigger than he is, that it seems a waste to sacrifice run for additional height.

I agree with your assessment on Rampe. He is a super player. I actually see him as the McVeigh replacement. He can play a role similar to what Hodge did for the Hawks.

[liz]

I agree with your assessment on Rampe. He is a super player. I actually see him as the McVeigh replacement. He can play a role similar to what Hodge did for the Hawks.

But he doesn't need to be a McVeigh replacement. I reckon what he already does in the backline is more valuable than McVeigh's recent role. That isn't intended to denigrate McVeigh but it does recognise that his recent role is designed to make the best use of his remaining strengths while leaving his loss of pace not too exposed. Sometimes it has been exposed and he's been moved during a game. But his main weakness over the last two to three years is his physical durability. He's just not been there as much as we (and he) would like.

Rampe is already as good an organiser as McVeigh. Maybe he doesn't quite have the McVeigh's vision of what is available up the ground but his reading of what is coming towards him is superior. He's quicker. He's taller and plays even taller than his height. And while his short kicking may not have McVeigh's finesse, his long kicking has more penetration.

I know I don't need to persuade you on Rampe's merits. I'm just arguing that becoming a "McVeigh replacement" is a backward step (for him and the team), based on McVeigh's recent role.

[AB Swannie]

I know I don't need to persuade you on Rampe's merits. I'm just arguing that becoming a "McVeigh replacement" is a backward step (for him and the team), based on McVeigh's recent role.

You are probably right. What a nice position we are in though. It is so so tough to pick a side right now without leaving out genuine first graders. For this reason, I?m hoping that Hanners, Grundy, McVeigh et al are not rushed back into the side and are given all the time they need to be ready.