Jamar will be very interesting to watch against Hawthorn.

Could he go forward like he did against Carlton and kick 5?

Which Hawk will match up on him?

Carlton didn't have a big body that could go with him, neither do Hawthorn.

If it were tomorrow....

B: MacDonald - Warnock - Frawley

HB: Davey - Rivers - Bartram

C: Sylvia - Jones - Moloney

HF: Green - Miller - Maric

F: Wonaeamirri - Newton - Petterd

R: Jamar - Grimes - McDonald

I: Martin - Bennell - Scully - Trengove

E: Spencer - Dunn - Cheney

Hopefully, Bruce and Bate are fit enough come round 1. Throw Garland and Jetta in after the first few rounds, Blease and Watts showing some signs as well as LJ and Cale hopefully coming back before middle of the season and we've the makings of a good side IMO.

Jamar will be very interesting to watch against Hawthorn.

Could he go forward like he did against Carlton and kick 5?

Which Hawk will match up on him?

Carlton didn't have a big body that could go with him, neither do Hawthorn.

Totally agree about Jamar. the Hawks will be very stretched by good talls especially if it is dry.

Could be a match winning move

Very small in the forward line. However, all but one can kick straight, so that's a bonus. I'm also not sure that Joel Mac rates a spot in the starting lineup. I've only seen a little bit of him playing, but he didn't really impress me that much. I question his judgment.

If fit, he is a certainty.

Who is keeping out thats better?

Garland Warnock Rivers

Bennell Frawley Bruce

Grimes Jones Scully

Bate Miller Petterd

Davey Green Sylvia

Jamar McDonald Trengove

Maric, Martin, MacDonald, Moloney

Garland Warnock Rivers

Bennell Frawley Bruce

Grimes Jones Scully

Bate Miller Petterd

Davey Green Sylvia

Jamar McDonald Trengove

Maric, Martin, MacDonald, Moloney

Not bad.

I`d be pretty happy if we run out with this team in Round 1.

I doubt Garland will be ready unfortunately and I`d probably change Bennell for MacDonald and bring Cheney onto the bench who has performed better than Bennell this pre season IMO. Possibly Spencer in for Martin also, although the Hawks ruck stocks are worse than ours and Martin might look like a seasoned ruckman against Renouf

I'm also not sure that Joel Mac rates a spot in the starting lineup. I've only seen a little bit of him playing, but he didn't really impress me that much. I question his judgment.

Why would we draft a proven 25 year old, only to start him at Casey?

Why would we draft a proven 25 year old, only to start him at Casey?

Agree wholeheartedly

Agree wholeheartedly

Likewise. Macdonald is an automatic selection for mine.

Not bad.

I`d be pretty happy if we run out with this team in Round 1.

I doubt Garland will be ready unfortunately and I`d probably change Bennell for MacDonald and bring Cheney onto the bench who has performed better than Bennell this pre season IMO. Possibly Spencer in for Martin also, although the Hawks ruck stocks are worse than ours and Martin might look like a seasoned ruckman against Renouf

I think Martin will keep Spencer out early in the season. We'll need to use one of Martin or Garland up forward to add some height. I'm a fan of Bennell and although I love Cheney's spirit his disposal worries me. At the moment I see more upside with Bennell but that's personnel opinion. I've also got a softspot for indigenous players and what they bring to the game.

Based on our latest injury information and what we learnt from the game in Adelaide, my team for round one would now be:

B: MacKenzie Warnock Rivers

HB: Garland Frawley Bruce

C: Pettard Sylvia Trengove

HF: Davey Miller Dunn

F: Grimes Jamar Bate

Foll: Spencer Green Scully

Inter: Wonna, Martin, Maloney, James MacD

Still a pretty good side in my opinion.

What do others think?

B: MacKenzie Warnock Rivers

HB: Garland Frawley Bruce

C: Pettard Sylvia Trengove

HF: Davey Miller Dunn

F: Grimes Jamar Bate

Foll: Spencer Green Scully

Inter: Wonna, Martin, Maloney, James MacD

IN - Joel MacDonald

Out - Colin Garland (probably underdone)

I'd push Grimes up in the midfield and put Petterd in the fwd 50. Intereting that you've left out Jones but he'd probably picked before a MacKenzie or a Dunn.

IN - Joel MacDonald

Out - Colin Garland (probably underdone)

I'd push Grimes up in the midfield and put Petterd in the fwd 50. Intereting that you've left out Jones but he'd probably picked before a MacKenzie or a Dunn.

yes I left out jones quite deliberately. I think this side has better quality on ball and better speed on and off the ball. Jones to me gets caught far too often, as well as being one of the worst offenders in missing targets. Maybe a spell at Casey to work on these issues mght allow improvement in these areas and show everyone else the club is serious about improvement in these areas

IN - Joel MacDonald

Out - Colin Garland (probably underdone)

I'd push Grimes up in the midfield and put Petterd in the fwd 50. Intereting that you've left out Jones but he'd probably picked before a MacKenzie or a Dunn.

yes swapping davey and pettard could also be a possibility. Certainly take advantage of ricky's recent good goal scoring form.

IN - Joel MacDonald

Out - Colin Garland (probably underdone)

I'd push Grimes up in the midfield and put Petterd in the fwd 50. Intereting that you've left out Jones but he'd probably picked before a MacKenzie or a Dunn.

Garland will be undercooked fitness wise for rd 1 and will not play. MacDonald is a certainty. Petterd will be fwd 50 without a doubt and Davey will be up the ground. Wonna will also be underdone and will not play. Jones is in. You could play Davey on a HFF and play McKenzie. Not mad on Dunn.

MacDonald - Warnock - Rivers

Cheney - Frawley - Grimes

Scully - Jones - Davey

Sylvia - Miller - Bate

Pettard - Jamar - Green

Spencer - Moloney - Bruce

Trengrove - Garland - Wonna - Junior

Slow day at work today, so here's my attempt. I'll go through the reasoning too.

B: Rivers Warnock McDonald

HB: Grimes Frawley Macdonald

C: Sylvia Bruce Davey

HF: Petterd Bate Miller

F: Scully Martin Green

R: Jamar Jones Moloney

IC: Strauss McKenzie Spencer Trengove

EM: Cheney Maric Bennell

Note: I've treated the positioning in the same way that the clubs do when they release team lists; i.e. they might vaguely resemble how they'll line up, but really it's just plonking people anywhere.

How I picked the team:

- Wrote out the whole team list

- Put in anyone who would be an automatic selection (I had 13 people)

- Excluded anyone who is automatically not playing, i.e. the injured, the raw, and the rookies (exc. Spencer and McKenzie who I have assumed will be available through rookie promotions)

- Chose whoever I had left on merit.

I was boiled down to choosing two out of Strauss, McKenzie, Maric and Bennell, and had a really hard time doing that. I would happily raffle those positions.

I've chosen Spencer in the side as well as Martin, but I'm not completely comfortable with this choice, and I'm sure I'm going to change my mind a lot before round 1. Of the three rucks, I think Martin is the only one who offers anything other than ruck capabilities, even though he's the worst ruckman of the three. I've got a nagging feeling that this configuration result in waste, i.e. 100% of the game with at least one ruckman on the pine, therefore being short a runner. On writing this, I've changed my mind and dropped Spencer already. Argh. Given that, I'd swap Maric in for Spencer.

I've assumed Garland and Wonaeamirri will not be match fit in time for round 1.

Of the 'rest' of my list (Gysberts, Bartram, Newton, McNamara, Dunn, Jetta and Bail) - I simply had them behind the rest of the list in terms of pure selection merit.

Good side, Nasher. I think that is about right for Rd 1

Slow day at work today, so here's my attempt. I'll go through the reasoning too.

B: Rivers Warnock McDonald

HB: Grimes Frawley Macdonald

C: Sylvia Bruce Davey

HF: Petterd Bate Miller

F: Scully Martin Green

R: Jamar Jones Moloney

IC: Strauss McKenzie Spencer Trengove

EM: Cheney Maric Bennell

Looks like a good team Nasher. I'd consider bringing Cheney in for Strauss, as I reckon Cheney's shown more in the pre-season, but Strauss wouldn't be wholly undeserving.

I'm also not sold on playing Martin and Spencer alongside Jamar, but as you say it's a tough decision either way. Dropping Martin leaves us short a tall in the forward line, but Spencer can actually ruck.

Garland Warnock Rivers

Bennell Frawley Bruce

Grimes Jones Scully

Bate Miller Petterd

Davey Green Sylvia

Jamar McDonald Trengove

Maric, Martin, MacDonald, Moloney

Out Garland - Clearly not ready until round 2 - 5

In Strauss

Out Garland - Clearly not ready until round 2 - 5

In Strauss

Garland's inclusion IMO depends on what happens this weekend and next.

In choosing a team to play a depleted and somewhat ruck deficent Hawthorn i looked at 3 components to give us a winning chance

Of course we have had our own problems with Injury but we cant dwell on it now as this game is VERY important in shaping the

first part of our season

Stable Backline with the emphasis on experience

Attacking Midfield with a touch of Youth

Mobile Forward Line

BACKS - Rivers Warnock McDonald

H-BACKS Bruce Frawley MacDonald

CENTRE Grimes Moloney Sylvia

H-FWD Davey Martin Trengove

FWDS Miller Bate Green

RUCKS Jamar Jones Scully

I-C Spencer Bail Strauss Pettard

Bail can play Wing or a Defensive Flanker/Pocket

Strauss can relieve in Defence

Spencer to relief Jamar

Pettard can relieve as a Forward

If Garland was available i would play him at Full Foward replacing Bail in the Team with bate replacing Martin at CHF and Martin relieving in the Spine (possibly defence)

4 Debutants seems just right as one could get under the guard of the opposition and the enthusiasm might be contageous

among the rest of the list

Every year someone makes a great debut so why cant it be a Demon

Above all The KEY is winning the first quarter

B: Macdonald Warnock Strauss

HB: Bail Frawley Rivers

C: Sylvia Moloney Davey

HF: Petterd Miller Bate

FF: Maric Green Bruce

Foll: Jamar Grimes McDonald

Int:Scully Trengove Jones Mckenzie

Going with the one ruckman and Miller as 2nd ruck. With Brent Renouf and Skipper, not exactly a who's who of ruckman. + Martin has been disappointing. So playing short and with more runners.

Playing Bail. Last year everyone was all over Bail cause coach let it known he was the one most likely to play the most games but lasted 30 sec into a game. Didn't see him hit many targets last year but was apparently solid v dons and very good against adelaide. Plenty of run and carry which we need.

Green and Bruce forward. I've been critical of these two for their leadership and influence in games so this is an opportunity for them to lead from the front and succeed in a role where we are really hurting the most.

Maybe a change of roles for Jones. Tag Mitchell. Maybe take a leaf out of Kane Kornes. He too has massive engine, not quick, questionable footskills, racks up the disposals. Cause where is Jones career wise? Is he good enough and does he hurt teams enough as an offensive player?

Slow day at work today, so here's my attempt. I'll go through the reasoning too.

B: Rivers Warnock McDonald

HB: Grimes Frawley Macdonald

C: Sylvia Bruce Davey

HF: Petterd Bate Miller

F: Scully Martin Green

R: Jamar Jones Moloney

IC: Strauss McKenzie Spencer Trengove

EM: Cheney Maric Bennell

I like your team Nasher. I'm just swapping Maric for Spencer and rucking Martin. I unconvinced we can go with Jamar and Spencer.

I think we need to set a small defender for the future. Pace, decent overhead and a good kick a key factors. Last year's GF had Kelly and Baker doing a great job. Junior could do it but he's not the future (and he's not a good kick), Bennell hasn't inspired us defensively, Cheney may lack pace, Bartram's kicking lets him down. I'd like to slot Strauss in there. We need to get our experience into the starting midfield.

B: Strauss Warnock Rivers

MacDonald Frawley Grimes

M: Jamar Bruce McDonald

Davey Moloney Green

F: Sylvia Bate Trengove

Maric Miller Petterd

I: Martin Jones Scully McKenzie.

Going with the one ruckman and Miller as 2nd ruck. With Brent Renouf and Skipper, not exactly a who's who of ruckman. + Martin has been disappointing. So playing short and with more runners.

Playing Bail. Last year everyone was all over Bail cause coach let it known he was the one most likely to play the most games but lasted 30 sec into a game. Didn't see him hit many targets last year but was apparently solid v dons and very good against adelaide. Plenty of run and carry which we need.

Green and Bruce forward. I've been critical of these two for their leadership and influence in games so this is an opportunity for them to lead from the front and succeed in a role where we are really hurting the most.

Maybe a change of roles for Jones. Tag Mitchell. Maybe take a leaf out of Kane Kornes. He too has massive engine, not quick, questionable footskills, racks up the disposals. Cause where is Jones career wise? Is he good enough and does he hurt teams enough as an offensive player?

Agree with most of this except for miller as second ruck. he is 194cm and will get slaughtered in the ruck, even by renouf and skipper. We should play two rucks as this is one of the few areas where we can beat Hawthorn. If the hawks break even or win the ruck contest their mids will slaughter us.

I agree that Green and Bruce should spend some time forward and also, leaving the midfield spots to some of our younger players to step up into. Jones I am not sure about. Wouldn't mind him being used as a tagger, but doesn't seem to have mproved much from his first two years and i doubt he will be still at the club in a few years time unless he gets better.