Best 22 for 2020

[wolftone57]

I'm going to have a go:

Lloyd Rampe Brand
Dawson Aliir Mills

Naismith JPK Parker
Florent Hewett Blakey

Papley Reid Heeney
Hayward Buddy McCartin

Rowbottom, Harry C, Stephens, Gray

If Buddy is not available, consider Sinclair/Squizzy/COR depending on match ups (if COR, then I guess Dawson or Lloyd gets pushed upfield so COR can play back).

That is not a bad team. The midfield is not A grade but could become so - is a good mix of youth and experience and also of ballwinners (JPK, Parker, Hewett) with outside speed. And apart from those lining up in the middle, players like Papley, Gray, Rowbottom, Stephens, Heeney, Dawson and Squizzy (if selected) able to rotate through as well. The forward line is excellent, especially if Buddy is playing. If he isn't, we have taller and shorter options depending on match ups. The backline has lost a lot of experience but is well drilled enough to cope adequately. It might be a smidge on the shorter side but with Reid and McCartin able to swing back that should not be too much of an issue.

The amount of depth waiting in the wings (much of it raw and untested or not ready yet) is so exciting. Selection will be tough and that's a great problem to have.

You have opted for the same old midfield that was not cutting it last year. I would break the mids into three groups with Hewett, JPK and Parker in different groupings not together. This changes the whole concept of our midfield, allows for more flexibility and creates an unknown factor for opponents

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[bloodspirit]

Wolfy, I don't really know what you mean about three groups. Please can you elaborate? How would it work on the field? What are the other 2/3 'groups' doing if they are not in the midfield? How does it look when you write it down on paper? Have you posted your best 22?

The point is we have about a dozen players moving through the midfield. The ones named in the centre for the starting line up don't spend the whole game there. They are simply the most experienced, best credentialled midfielders so I've named them there in the starting line up. All of the players named in the starting midfield (excluding Naismith) can rotate forward as well. At a pinch a couple of them can also be rotated back, although the back 7 (including Harry C) are more stable/less fluid.

[wolftone57]

Wolfy, I don't really know what you mean about three groups. Please can you elaborate? How would it work on the field? What are the other 2/3 'groups' doing if they are not in the midfield? How does it look when you write it down on paper? Have you posted your best 22?

The point is we have about a dozen players moving through the midfield. The ones named in the centre for the starting line up don't spend the whole game there. They are simply the most experienced, best credentialled midfielders so I've named them there in the starting line up. All of the players named in the starting midfield (excluding Naismith) can rotate forward as well. At a pinch a couple of them can also be rotated back, although the back 7 (including Harry C) are more stable/less fluid.

If you have read anything of me before you will realise I don't particularly believe in Best 22. What I mean by 2-3 groups, you always have rotations, is this;

JPK, Rowbottom, Harry
Parker, Florent, Mills
George, Heens, Paps

This is only an example. Dawson, Blakey, Grey, Taylor, Ronke, O'Riordan etc could all rotate through there depending on who we are playing. You need to more than match up on the opposition in this day and age. You need to have the wildcards to beat them in every position or at least match them and have several clear winners who snatch the victory for you. This is all a matter of personnel and tactics.

I would probably see Grey getting a gig in the mids as an experienced mid and helping a younger mid. If you have at least one super experienced mid at each contest with the talent we have he sets the tactics and the others fall into line. George, JPK, Parker, Grey, even Heens and Paps are experienced enough to be able to set the young guys and Dawson is a natural if he plays mids. We have the chance to be totally unpredictable if the tactics change completely. We can absolutely bamboozle other coaches and teams because our mids are an unknown factor playing like this. If we continue to play JPK, Parker and Hewee we are super predictable. JPK gets most of the hitouts, Parker blocks then takes the ball, Hewee receives and delivers. When it happens the other way it is because we are getting trounced in the ruck.

The set ups up the ground and in defence need to change. There is far too much reliance on Franklin in the forward line. This needs to be addressed. It is one of the reasons we have not evolved. If we have a more sharing forward line then I believe we are capable of kicking many more goals than we do. At this stage not only are forward entries down but when we get it in there we often have it there for long periods without scoring. This is because we tend to be tunnel visioned and mostly look for Lance. There are some really dangerous players there and some of them are going to be free when the opposition go two or three to Franklin. Let's use them and be a more holistic group.

As for the backs. There is no way Gould does not get a Guernsey. He will show in the preseason games just why we wanted him so much. He will play round one. He can play tall or small. He ran off young Foot in the Match Simulation which is no mean feat because Foot is damned quick. He burned off young Bell too. This is a guy who is nearly 100 kilos who can run off a winger or quick half back or half forward. He was a wonderful intercept mark at SANFL level. He is twice All Australian Under Ager. At 191 and 98 he is certainly body ready. The backs might have two new players this season. Brand could play. That would leave Rampe to do a more attacking role. We need to get rid of the panic kick out of defence. This kills us on too many occasions. It also puts the backs under severe pressure and they do not need that. With the new players all being very good ball users and now having Gould who can kicks as long as Lance or Dawson this is going to change things up a bit. I think we will be looking for a more coordinated and cool way out of pressure situations. We need to protect the player with the ball to allow them time to dispose well. In other words, shepherd. Not something Roos or Longmire have ever been fond of unfortunately. I think if we had protected the player with the ball we may have won more premierships instead of just being competitive. I hope Johnny finds he suddenly loves the shepherd and starts implementing it. One of the reasons for the blow out in 2014 was our lack of protecting the player with the ball. They hunted us. Our backs especially deserve more. We have the makings of a really strong backline.

I look at teams we play and then make my mind as to who out-matches their opponents in what position. I think that is the more holistic approach these days. A set team is going to be predictable. Certainly you need a certain amount of stability, I mean you would not have to change the team every week or even change the core group that are walk up starters unless you rest them. which could be an option for Kennedy, Naismith, Lance, Parker etc at different times, even Rampe. Just to freshen them up and keep them really crisp for the finals.

[bloodspirit]

If you have read anything of me before you will realise I don't particularly believe in Best 22. What I mean by 2-3 groups, you always have rotations, is this;

JPK, Rowbottom, Harry
Parker, Florent, Mills
George, Heens, Paps

This is only an example. Dawson, Blakey, Grey, Taylor, Ronke, O'Riordan etc could all rotate through there depending on who we are playing. You need to more than match up on the opposition in this day and age. You need to have the wildcards to beat them in every position or at least match them and have several clear winners who snatch the victory for you. This is all a matter of personnel and tactics.

I would probably see Grey getting a gig in the mids as an experienced mid and helping a younger mid. If you have at least one super experienced mid at each contest with the talent we have he sets the tactics and the others fall into line. George, JPK, Parker, Grey, even Heens and Paps are experienced enough to be able to set the young guys and Dawson is a natural if he plays mids. We have the chance to be totally unpredictable if the tactics change completely. We can absolutely bamboozle other coaches and teams because our mids are an unknown factor playing like this. If we continue to play JPK, Parker and Hewee we are super predictable. JPK gets most of the hitouts, Parker blocks then takes the ball, Hewee receives and delivers. When it happens the other way it is because we are getting trounced in the ruck.

The set ups up the ground and in defence need to change. There is far too much reliance on Franklin in the forward line. This needs to be addressed. It is one of the reasons we have not evolved. If we have a more sharing forward line then I believe we are capable of kicking many more goals than we do. At this stage not only are forward entries down but when we get it in there we often have it there for long periods without scoring. This is because we tend to be tunnel visioned and mostly look for Lance. There are some really dangerous players there and some of them are going to be free when the opposition go two or three to Franklin. Let's use them and be a more holistic group.

As for the backs. There is no way Gould does not get a Guernsey. He will show in the preseason games just why we wanted him so much. He will play round one. He can play tall or small. He ran off young Foot in the Match Simulation which is no mean feat because Foot is damned quick. He burned off young Bell too. This is a guy who is nearly 100 kilos who can run off a winger or quick half back or half forward. He was a wonderful intercept mark at SANFL level. He is twice All Australian Under Ager. At 191 and 98 he is certainly body ready. The backs might have two new players this season. Brand could play. That would leave Rampe to do a more attacking role. We need to get rid of the panic kick out of defence. This kills us on too many occasions. It also puts the backs under severe pressure and they do not need that. With the new players all being very good ball users and now having Gould who can kicks as long as Lance or Dawson this is going to change things up a bit. I think we will be looking for a more coordinated and cool way out of pressure situations. We need to protect the player with the ball to allow them time to dispose well. In other words, shepherd. Not something Roos or Longmire have ever been fond of unfortunately. I think if we had protected the player with the ball we may have won more premierships instead of just being competitive. I hope Johnny finds he suddenly loves the shepherd and starts implementing it. One of the reasons for the blow out in 2014 was our lack of protecting the player with the ball. They hunted us. Our backs especially deserve more. We have the makings of a really strong backline.

I look at teams we play and then make my mind as to who out-matches their opponents in what position. I think that is the more holistic approach these days. A set team is going to be predictable. Certainly you need a certain amount of stability, I mean you would not have to change the team every week or even change the core group that are walk up starters unless you rest them. which could be an option for Kennedy, Naismith, Lance, Parker etc at different times, even Rampe. Just to freshen them up and keep them really crisp for the finals.

Thanks for this, wolfman. One of your best posts.

The idea of switching the players that line up at stoppages during the match already happens. That's what rotating through the midfield means as far as I can tell. Clearly JPK, Parker and Hewett go to more stoppages than other players. I think that is understandable because they are some of our best midfielders. However I think it would be a relatively low percentage of the time that they'd all be there at the same time. The stats are published somewhere - does anyone know where? I wouldn't be surprised if it is less than a quarter or even less than 20% of the time that the three of them line up at the same stoppage. The recruitment of L. Taylor and Sam Gray is precisely because they have the ability to play through the midfield (as well as forward) and because of their substantial experience. So, overall, I'm not sure you and the match committee are too far apart here.

The more radical part of your suggestion is to use an extended squad of players and rest different midfielders from game to game. I agree this would make our team less predictable. However, I'm not sure it's a good idea. It is not an entirely novel idea and has been employed in other sports so I daresay it has been considered by AFL teams. However, I'm not aware of it being used to any great effect in AFL. Generally, where good players have been rested it has been where the team is preparing to play finals and have already qualified, or it has been labelled tanking and didn't end well. So I'm hesitant to back you up on this one.

I guess there are two counter arguments: first, if you want to win, you pick your best players (with some margin for picking more fringe players based on match ups). Second, there is a value in continuity and teams that are able to pick close to the same team each week tend to do better. However, against this second point, I think if you can develop a really good team ethos and camaraderie (as Richmond seem to have done better than most) then it would mitigate against this second factor, at least to some degree. It also has the virtue of accelerating the development of more young players.

You talk about using new tactics. Each year coaches are seeking new tactics and strategems to get an advantage. It's easier to say it than do it. Most of the time the tactics employed are chosen because they are the best known. If there are better ones, then they catch on quickly once they are tried. Feedback is immediate and shows up in the W-L and points for and against columns.

Another point about being predictable. When teams are predictable it is usually because they have decided they have a best way to play and they want to stick with it. As I have heard various coaches, including Clarko, say: it's one thing to know what [the opposition] is going to do, it's another thing to stop them doing it. So, I think it's a balance between playing to your strengths and recognising the value of mixing things up. For the Swans I think the problem is not so much that the game plan is all wrong but that we just aren't one of the best teams (and, especially, midfields) going around at the moment.

It's very well to say "You need to have the wildcards to beat them in every position or at least match them and have several clear winners who snatch the victory for you. This is all a matter of personnel and tactics." I'm sure we'd all love a few more "clear winners" and "wildcards to beat them in every position" but how do we get them? We have to play with the hand we have. And there is a salary cap. And a draft. And I think, on the whole, our recruiters do better than most and deserve a lot of the credit for our success in recent times. With the exception of having some reservations about our current midfield, I'm very happy with where our list is at.

I like what you say about not over-relying on Buddy up forward. Seems to be easier when he's not playing. :P Might also be easier said than done when he's demanding the ball. But we need to focus on it. Dawson and Blakey have been good at this. Hope the other players can look past Buddy's aura too.

Gould

Regarding Gould, I agree he's a very exciting talent and pretty well ready to play and I can't wait to get him into the team and see how he goes. But who do you drop? I already feel bad leaving COR out of the team. I think Gould might have to bide his time for a short while in the NEAFL and wait for his chance. However, whenever the match committee do select him (whether round 1 or later) I'll be delighted and excited, as I always am when we give games to young talent. The wraps on him are bigger than on most. As for your comments about his performance in match simulations, I take them with a few grains of salt because you have said you are in Laos and so I infer you are deducing this from the tiny snippets we get in the videos on the Swans website which is insufficient basis for concluding he is beating Foot and Bell.

Regarding shepherding, it's always great to see. But I imagine one reason it isn't employed more often is because of the opportunity cost. By using your team mate to shepherd that's one less player out there spreading and getting into a good position to receive the ball, ideally away from congestion. It may be that we favour a style that is more accountable and involves trusting our teammates to get the job done on their own because that will overall be of more benefit to the team.

[wolftone57]

Thanks for this, wolfman. One of your best posts.

The idea of switching the players that line up at stoppages during the match already happens. That's what rotating through the midfield means as far as I can tell. Clearly JPK, Parker and Hewett go to more stoppages than other players. I think that is understandable because they are some of our best midfielders. However I think it would be a relatively low percentage of the time that they'd all be there at the same time. The stats are published somewhere - does anyone know where? I wouldn't be surprised if it is less than a quarter or even less than 20% of the time that the three of them line up at the same stoppage. The recruitment of L. Taylor and Sam Gray is precisely because they have the ability to play through the midfield (as well as forward) and because of their substantial experience. So, overall, I'm not sure you and the match committee are too far apart here.

The more radical part of your suggestion is to use an extended squad of players and rest different midfielders from game to game. I agree this would make our team less predictable. However, I'm not sure it's a good idea. It is not an entirely novel idea and has been employed in other sports so I daresay it has been considered by AFL teams. However, I'm not aware of it being used to any great effect in AFL. Generally, where good players have been rested it has been where the team is preparing to play finals and have already qualified, or it has been labelled tanking and didn't end well. So I'm hesitant to back you up on this one.

I guess there are two counter arguments: first, if you want to win, you pick your best players (with some margin for picking more fringe players based on match ups). Second, there is a value in continuity and teams that are able to pick close to the same team each week tend to do better. However, against this second point, I think if you can develop a really good team ethos and camaraderie (as Richmond seem to have done better than most) then it would mitigate against this second factor, at least to some degree. It also has the virtue of accelerating the development of more young players.

You talk about using new tactics. Each year coaches are seeking new tactics and strategems to get an advantage. It's easier to say it than do it. Most of the time the tactics employed are chosen because they are the best known. If there are better ones, then they catch on quickly once they are tried. Feedback is immediate and shows up in the W-L and points for and against columns.

Another point about being predictable. When teams are predictable it is usually because they have decided they have a best way to play and they want to stick with it. As I have heard various coaches, including Clarko, say: it's one thing to know what [the opposition] is going to do, it's another thing to stop them doing it. So, I think it's a balance between playing to your strengths and recognising the value of mixing things up. For the Swans I think the problem is not so much that the game plan is all wrong but that we just aren't one of the best teams (and, especially, midfields) going around at the moment.

It's very well to say "You need to have the wildcards to beat them in every position or at least match them and have several clear winners who snatch the victory for you. This is all a matter of personnel and tactics." I'm sure we'd all love a few more "clear winners" and "wildcards to beat them in every position" but how do we get them? We have to play with the hand we have. And there is a salary cap. And a draft. And I think, on the whole, our recruiters do better than most and deserve a lot of the credit for our success in recent times. With the exception of having some reservations about our current midfield, I'm very happy with where our list is at.

I like what you say about not over-relying on Buddy up forward. Seems to be easier when he's not playing. [emoji14] Might also be easier said than done when he's demanding the ball. But we need to focus on it. Dawson and Blakey have been good at this. Hope the other players can look past Buddy's aura too.

Gould

Regarding Gould, I agree he's a very exciting talent and pretty well ready to play and I can't wait to get him into the team and see how he goes. But who do you drop? I already feel bad leaving COR out of the team. I think Gould might have to bide his time for a short while in the NEAFL and wait for his chance. However, whenever the match committee do select him (whether round 1 or later) I'll be delighted and excited, as I always am when we give games to young talent. The wraps on him are bigger than on most. As for your comments about his performance in match simulations, I take them with a few grains of salt because you have said you are in Laos and so I infer you are deducing this from the tiny snippets we get in the videos on the Swans website which is insufficient basis for concluding he is beating Foot and Bell.

Regarding shepherding, it's always great to see. But I imagine one reason it isn't employed more often is because of the opportunity cost. By using your team mate to shepherd that's one less player out there spreading and getting into a good position to receive the ball, ideally away from congestion. It may be that we favour a style that is more accountable and involves trusting our teammates to get the job done on their own because that will overall be of more benefit to the team.

We do have the talent, even in the mids. But the trio go to stoppages together 75% of the time. This has been commented on by many commentators and ex players. Dunstall, Jude and many more have been critical of us not mixing it up and the amount of time JPK spends in the mids making our whole game more predictable.

Gould will definitely play if he gets through the pre season matches.

As for shepherding, the reasons Tigers are able to get that free run is twofold. Firstly players block fore teammates then the rest run. There are eighteen out there and they play The Swarm. That means they hunt in packs. Once they cause the turnover there are plenty of players to do the tasks needed. Shepherding and running the ball. You only need that initial block from a player that is not going to be involved in the running play, like a ruckman or key defender. That is what allows players time.

Shepherding is confined space can allow time and space for a player to get a good disposal off to a teammate.

As for stopping the opposition. I believe we have all the components necessary. We have the composition of a great midfield just not in it's current form. We don't play enough players through there for long enough. One of the factors that impressed was how unpredictable our midfield was and how well it worked with Heeney, Papley and Hewett in there in a match last year. We were getting flogged in there. JPK was not playing well and nor was Parker. At half time obviously the coaches decided to take a punt. They moved those three in there and we got three clearances for three goals. They won the clearances at around the ground stoppages as well. We kicked 5 and then moved Parker and Kennedy back in. We immediately conceded a goal. This was due to the predictability of the set ups.

Real footy is about trying things. As one coach said at three quarter time in a finals match while 5 goals down. What have we got to lose. As it turned out nothing. We won by 7 goals. Kicked 12 to nil in the last. The moves he made were pivotal. It changed he whole aspect of the midfield and forward line. We need to be daring, at first it might seem a terrible thing to do and that the coaches are leading us into oblivion, but it will eventually work. For evidence see Slingshot.

We have the players. We have the coaches. We have the support staff. All we need is the right mix, the right game plan, the ability to change tactics and the need for sustained success. I am not talking making finals, I am talking premierships.

By the way whether a small snippet or not Gould beat both speedsters to the ball. That is amazing for a bloke his size and weight. He nearly weighs as much as Lance and he is only 191 and Lance is 200cm. If he can do that at any stage, once, twice, I have seen footage of him doing it at training on multiple occasions and in SANFL games running down do called speedsters and laying a crunching tackle. I am not only going on that one piece of footage. All preseason in the tapes he has done the same not to mention SANFL

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[bloodspirit]

We do have the talent, even in the mids. But the trio go to stoppages together 75% of the time. This has been commented on by many commentators and ex players. Dunstall, Jude and many more have been critical of us not mixing it up and the amount of time JPK spends in the mids making our whole game more predictable.

Gould will definitely play if he gets through the pre season matches.

As for shepherding, the reasons Tigers are able to get that free run is twofold. Firstly players block fore teammates then the rest run. There are eighteen out there and they play The Swarm. That means they hunt in packs. Once they cause the turnover there are plenty of players to do the tasks needed. Shepherding and running the ball. You only need that initial block from a player that is not going to be involved in the running play, like a ruckman or key defender. That is what allows players time.

Shepherding is confined space can allow time and space for a player to get a good disposal off to a teammate.

As for stopping the opposition. I believe we have all the components necessary. We have the composition of a great midfield just not in it's current form. We don't play enough players through there for long enough. One of the factors that impressed was how unpredictable our midfield was and how well it worked with Heeney, Papley and Hewett in there in a match last year. We were getting flogged in there. JPK was not playing well and nor was Parker. At half time obviously the coaches decided to take a punt. They moved those three in there and we got three clearances for three goals. They won the clearances at around the ground stoppages as well. We kicked 5 and then moved Parker and Kennedy back in. We immediately conceded a goal. This was due to the predictability of the set ups.

Real footy is about trying things. As one coach said at three quarter time in a finals match while 5 goals down. What have we got to lose. As it turned out nothing. We won by 7 goals. Kicked 12 to nil in the last. The moves he made were pivotal. It changed he whole aspect of the midfield and forward line. We need to be daring, at first it might seem a terrible thing to do and that the coaches are leading us into oblivion, but it will eventually work. For evidence see Slingshot.

We have the players. We have the coaches. We have the support staff. All we need is the right mix, the right game plan, the ability to change tactics and the need for sustained success. I am not talking making finals, I am talking premierships.

By the way whether a small snippet or not Gould beat both speedsters to the ball. That is amazing for a bloke his size and weight. He nearly weighs as much as Lance and he is only 191 and Lance is 200cm. If he can do that at any stage, once, twice, I have seen footage of him doing it at training on multiple occasions and in SANFL games running down do called speedsters and laying a crunching tackle. I am not only going on that one piece of footage. All preseason in the tapes he has done the same not to mention SANFL

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If you are right about JPK, Parker & Hewett attending stoppages together 75% of the time, then I think you definitely have a point. But I am doubtful. I know the stats are out there somewhere. Hoping someone will turn them up.

Even if you're wrong about that, you have succeeded in talking me around a bit. I think I like the idea of giving more players more time on the ball and sending JPK/Parker/Hewett forward a bit more (which they are all quite competent at). However, I'm not sure if I want more than one of them in the forward line too often when we need to give the actual forwards plenty of chance to do their job. If you only have one of them in the midfield at any one time, where are you parking the other two?

Overall, it's an interesting take you have. Very modern and not old school at all, even though you often come across as more old school. Thanks, wolfie.

[stevoswan]

I think I like the idea of giving more players more time on the ball and sending JPK/Parker/Hewett forward a bit more (which they are all quite competent at). However, I'm not sure if I want more than one of them in the forward line too often when we need to give the actual forwards plenty of chance to do their job. If you only have one of them in the midfield at any one time, where are you parking the other two?

On the bench.

[bloodspirit]

On the bench.

So, Parker, JPK and Hewett each spend 2/3 of the game on the bench? Are you for serious?

[bloodspirit]

Fox have published a best 22. Compared to mine they have Lewis Taylor ahead of Sam Gray and COR ahead of Brand (which leaves us a tad undersized down back, I reckon, depending on the opposition). They haven't found a place for Gould at this stage.

SYDNEY SWANS
B: Jordan Dawson, Dane Rampe, Jake Lloyd
HB: Ollie Florent, Aliir Aliir, Callum Mills
C: Isaac Heeney, Josh Kennedy, Nick Blakey
HF: Lewis Taylor, Sam Reid, Tom Papley
F: Will Hayward, Callum Sinclair, Tom McCartin
FOLL: Sam Naismith, George Hewett, Luke Parker
I/C: Harry Cunningham, Dylan Stephens, Colin O’Riordan, James Rowbottom
EMER: Sam Gray, Lewis Melican, Will Gould, Ben Ronke

AFL 2020: Round 1 best 22s for every club, debuts, injury updates, draftees to play straight away, SuperCoach news | Fox Sports

[Melbourne_Blood]

Fox have published a best 22. Compared to mine they have Lewis Taylor ahead of Sam Gray and COR ahead of Brand (which leaves us a tad undersized down back, I reckon, depending on the opposition). They haven't found a place for Gould at this stage.

SYDNEY SWANS
B: Jordan Dawson, Dane Rampe, Jake Lloyd
HB: Ollie Florent, Aliir Aliir, Callum Mills
C: Isaac Heeney, Josh Kennedy, Nick Blakey
HF: Lewis Taylor, Sam Reid, Tom Papley
F: Will Hayward, Callum Sinclair, Tom McCartin
FOLL: Sam Naismith, George Hewett, Luke Parker
I/C: Harry Cunningham, Dylan Stephens, Colin O’Riordan, James Rowbottom
EMER: Sam Gray, Lewis Melican, Will Gould, Ben Ronke

AFL 2020: Round 1 best 22s for every club, debuts, injury updates, draftees to play straight away, SuperCoach news | Fox Sports

I like the two small forwards. I have seen a few RWO posters going with a forward line with just the one , Papley, in it and I think it’s far too tall. Hayward is not a small forward , nor is Heeney. A smaller forward line is less predictable and harder to shut down. Heck I’d like to see three smalls in there at stages this year !


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[Blood Fever]

I like the two small forwards. I have seen a few RWO posters going with a forward line with just the one , Papley, in it and I think it’s far too tall. Hayward is not a small forward , nor is Heeney. A smaller forward line is less predictable and harder to shut down. Heck I’d like to see three smalls in there at stages this year !


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No buddy?

[royboy42]

What about Bud?

[Melbourne_Blood]

Best 22 for 2020

No buddy?

I think that 22 assumes he isn’t fit for round 1.

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[O'Reilly Boy]

So, Parker, JPK and Hewett each spend 2/3 of the game on the bench? Are you for serious?

All three can rotate forward usefully, which will have implications for how we set up/select for the front half.
Watching warm-ups before games last year it seemed that the breakdown of lines was not 7-8-7 (including interchange) but 5 forwards, 10 mids, and 7 defenders, with a group from the mids rotating through the forward warm-ups one at a time. Hewitt, Parker and to a lesser extent Joey spend time forward, with Parker probably the most dangerous there. I'd rather see one of them there than Heeney, who I want to see play more inside.

[stevoswan]

So, Parker, JPK and Hewett each spend 2/3 of the game on the bench? Are you for serious?

Where do you get two thirds of the game from? Maybe I should have added "or in the forward line".....but they do deserve a rest at some point. Obviously they will all be in the middle together at times or just two of them in the middle with one resting on the bench or in the forward line or one out there in the middle with one resting on the bench and one in the forward line (or both on the bench). Many players can rotate through the middle, forward line and the bench during a game.....but they all need a rest at some point, either on the bench (proper rest) or in the forward line (partial rest). We need to mix it up a bit and the coaches will just have to work out a way to achieve it.....because it can't just fall on those three all the time and we don't want it to, because they just won't cut it.