I think that we are unlikely to play finals next year but it's possible if a few things go our way. Individual form and injuries are a large part of this. Assuming that anyone out of form or not playing their role will find themselves at Casey next year, who are the 5 players you think need to play 20+ games in 2012, and be in reasonable form if we are to be any chance of making finals?

 

For me-

1. Jamar - still our most importat player imo. Spencer may prove decent backup but I'd prefer not to take the chance. Vital for structure and gives the mids confidence. Hopefully others can learn to use him as well as Moloney does. 

 

2. Moloney - we won't be a serious premiership threat until younger players can reduce our reliance on Beamer. When Brent is our third best mid we will be a top 4 team. That won't be 2012 but we desperately need him on the park atm.

 

3. Clark - the big fella was brought in for a reason. We have a plethora of medium forwards but no one to stand under the high ball in or crash a pack. If he can manage to kick a few himself while creating opportunities around him we will finally have a functioning forward line.

 

4. Frawley - if Sellar can cement a spot in the backline it could be a massive bonus for us, but if Frawley misses a chunk of the season it would be a disaster. The lynchpin of our defence for the next 10 years, it looks solid when his name's in there and shaky when it's not.

 

5. Davey - I could have gone for Brad Green here but due to our lack of small forwards and the rumours that Aaron is being primed for that role, I gave him the nod. If he can hold down a small forward spot next year it will do wonders for our forward structure. I don't think both are crucial to our success but we need some experience on the park. We need a better contribution from our senior players all round next year.

 

Unlucky-

Grimes - love Frank, will be an A grader if he can get his body right. Would love to see him in the midfield.

Sylvia - frustrates the hell out of me; has improved recently but still needs to be more consistent. I hope Neeld can raise the bar for Col.

Green - see Davey explanation.

 

Boring selections I know, but our experienced players need to stand up and ease the pressure on the kids a bit for us to have a good year.

 

The fringe player I'd most like to see cement a spot in the 22 by seasons end would be Sammy Blease. We need pace and some outside run and he could provide it.

1. Liam Jurrah- an in form Liam Jurrah can win game off his own boots...

2. Colin Sylvia- in form for 20+ games, wouldn't that be nice...

3. Jack Grimes- 20+ games, please let that happen.

4. Mitch Clark- "09" was a good year for Mitch, hopefully he can repeat that...

5. Sam Blease- Sam's blistering speed for 20+ games next year yes please...

I am hoping for a totally different philosophy than the above. I am hoping our whole list is used and that a discipline and structure is taught and learnt, so that when one player is injured which will happen, another can come in seamlessly.

That is how Collingwood and Geelong have become what they are, and where our coach has learnt his trade.

I'd go with:

Frawley: One of the best defenders in the game. Can shut down any forward in the game when he's on.

Grimes: A full or nearly full season out of Grimes would do wonders for our chances. Not only that, but it would just be great to see him go uninjured.

Sylvia: When he's on, he is one of the best midfielders in the league. If he can be in top form for 20+ games this year, we could go a lot further than people think.

Clark: He will be the focal point of our forward line. If he is playing, it will free up a bunch of our other options (Jurrah, Watts, Howe, Petterd, etc) and we will be able to kick much higher scores than in 2011.

And finally, Liam Jurrah. He has the x-factor. One of the most skilled players in the competition, he just needs to become more competitive. He has won games single-handedly. If he can work well with the other forwards, we will become a very frightening team for opposition back lines to match up on.

Unlucky

While I think Jamar is a huge part of our team, Martin is a more than capable back-up ruck, so I wouldn't have him in my 5 most important players. I think Watts and Trengove will both have breakout years either this year or next. I hope they will make my top 5 for 2013. Moloney also deserves to be on this list, but I can't justify putting him above the others.

From what I've seen and heard of Neeld so far is that he wants a very structured and disciplined side.

The question is who will lift in this environment and become the keystones in the side?

I don't have a good answer to that unfortunately. But here's my list anyway.

1 & 2. Jamar and Moloney. Can they be counted as just one? Their work and understanding of each other has been a real standout for the last few seasons. Both quality players, but together they can take it to another level. To get a full season out of them both can only make the side better.

3. Clark. We got him for a reason. We've got no real tall target in our forward line and I think a lot of our forward structures will be built around him. Without him who will fill the void?

4. Frawley. It's funny that not so long ago we had a dearth of key defenders. Not anymore. But notwithstanding it must be recognised that Frawley is a standout in the backline. We may have options, but not of his quality.

5. I think, for me at least, the first four are a standout. But this one gets tricky. I think Davey and Jurrah will do well in the forwardline with Clark, but I'm not sure they're vital. Similarly the likes of Blease and Garland are likely to be good in our backline, but again can they be replaced? Probably. I guess when you think of modern football it must come back to the middle, or to pinch a thread title "It's the Midfield Stupid!". So who from the midfield can't we do without? Good question. I have no doubt if Sylvia can start producing on a consistent basis then it would be him hands down. But it's a big if. Watts seems to be improving his engine to have a run in the midfield, he and Trengove I'm sure will improve greatly this year. Jones is always a 125.6% guy, but just seems to be lacking that impact in games. Will a structured gameplan change that? Well, as an unabashed Jones fan, I'd say YES. But again it's a big if? Will it be a draftee? I don't know. I think this one is really open. But if I had to choose one now I'd say Bate or Bail!

It's probably easier to find 5 players who you DON'T want to see in the side.

Every team has them, the fringe players who "aren't quite right" and get a run when injuries have hit the talent which will get you into finals.

No names so back to the ones we would like to see.....

Rather than the obvious, like Jamar and Moloney, I would prefer to see the following getting 20 games:

1. Jurrah. If he plays 20 games he will kick 60 goals. Even when he was playing injured and below par in 2011 he still manages to get a couple each match. If he manages 20 games we will get a return which will provide us with the opportunity to win those marginal games which gets you into finals.

2. Watts: 2011 marked the turning point. Does this ( 2.25) remind those who saw him in action of the young Schwartz?:

Over the past 2 years he has looked like a boy who didn't know where he was going. Not now. 20 games, and like Jurrah, he will provide the output to win games

3 & 4. Tapscott & Grimes: Struggled to get the bodies right with injury. Both hugely talented and if they are getting 20 games, then the fringe players arent't getting a run.

5. Gysberts: Absolute ball magnet. Body struggled with AFL last year, but we need a class option to get the pill. Moloney can't do it all on his own. If he racks up 20 games, then the pre-season investment that Neeld & Misson are putting into him will pay dividends.

I've gone down the youth path as to be a real finals/premiership threat that's where the improvement is needed

Jack Watts

It's an obvious choice. To be a real threat Jack needs go continue his improvement!! I hope Jack takes on a KP in the forward line and shows he can be an elite player as a CHF. I hope he starts to kick multiple goals and exhort physical pressure on his opponent. I would be happy with glimpses in this area as he is probably 2 years off being consistent as a true CHF.

Sam Blease

In only 5 games he showed glimpses of BIG talent. His run and carry, disposal and attacking abilty was very good. He has areas he needs to develop and he will be all the better developing at AFL level. I see Sammy as a potential AFL A grade midfielder. The club needs A grade midfielders

Jack Trengove

The sky is the not even the limit for Jack. The stratosphere is his limit!! Needs to become another AFL A grader to takes us up the ladder. Has a perfect balance of inside/outside play and can be a goal kicker. Our most important player for the future. Probable future captain too!

Grimes

Another possible AFL A grade player. I don't care where he plays, please god just let him play!!!

Tappy

Another with huge upside. Could be another top midfielder who becomes part of a potential AFL A grade midfield. Can play forward and back too.

Special Mentions

Jamie Strauss

5 to 10 games from James with the same quality he has shown previously would be very nice indeed. He looks to be a cconfidence player with very good upside

Gysbert

Another guy with huge upside. Classy ball magnet who is a pure midfielder. Could have been in my top 5 easily (maybe should be)

Howe

Another with huge upside. Showed BIG promise - too many to choose from!!!

Forwards

Clark and Jurrah to jump off the potential list and deliver an all round game of excitement and discipline

Midfield

The only player who I can think of is Beamer. Another good season for my favorite player

Backs

Frawley and Garland are the mainstays of the backline

Leadership

Green, Davey, Jamar, Beamer, and Rivers. All 5 need to show great leadership skills for a good 2012 tilt toward finals

New Recruites

Sellar

10 very good games in the backline on the gorillas would make me very happy

Magner

I like what I have seen at VFL level. Could be a good support for Beamer and prove to be a good recruit (ready to play)

Williams

I have s good feeling. Can't explain why?

Edited January 1, 201213 yr by Demonsterative

i'd like to see 20+ games into:

Tom Mc...a bloke that size who can run like he can would be a massive assett forward or back

Grimes...like what i've seen but haven't seen enough of it

Tappy...provides the rough stuff. should look to become an enforcer down back

Petterd...is a 50 goal capable 3rd or 4th tall

Trengove...with a bit of protection will become elite this year

TMc - another one I didn't think of!! With his size, pace and motor, could he be the Goodes of the team?

Really I still want games into the young ones, but with good support around them

Me? In no particular order:

Bail - showed in 8 games (was it even that many) that he really is our #1 tagger, completely underrated.

Jamar - Without Rush we're stuffed...Spencer *shudder*

Frawley - A remotely decent Chip makes us look so much better down back

Moloney - Clearance machine with Jamar - relies on Jamar being in though

Clark - To straighten us up in the forward line.

For us to have a successful year these are the 5 players that have to play well for a majority of the year

Sylvia has shown he can be an elite midfielder that can kick goals the problem is he only shows this 2-3 times per year, if we can get 10-15 high quality games and 5 good games we are in for a good season.

Trengove He has shown us he can play, if he continues to improve which he will he can jump into that A grade midfielder

Moloney he needs to start playing well against the better teams

Jones is a very good player and will continue to get better IMO he has the ability to be an A grade midfielder

Davey I hope he plays up forward and can help to keep the ball inside our forward 50m arc

You can see from my selections that to me we need the midfield firing, we have the firepower up forward to kick winning scores if we can get the ball inside 50m arc enough times. we have a strong enough defense to stop teams scoring against us if the midfield is working. The other area is keeping the ball inside our 50m arc and that is why Davey needs to stamp himself as the small forward

Jamar

Clark

Jurrah

Grimes

Sylvia

Jamar - Gives our mids first use against most opposition rucks

Moloney - MVP of 2011, enough said really, he barks the orders in the engine room

Jurrah - Kicks goals everytime he plays

Frawley - #1 defender

Clark - should give us a more functional forward structure

Going to take a slightly different tack here:

1. Grimes: Because any season where Grimes gets on the park 20 times is simply going to be heaps better than when he doesn't.

2. Morton: Because I don't think they'll pick Morton 20 times if he's only going "so-so". To play 20 games, he'll have to be playing close to the best footy he's capable of (which is very very good), and it will mean also that the team is going so well that we can afford to play him as an attacking position.

3. Blease: Because it will mean (a) that his fitness has held out for 20 games, and (B) that using him as a crumbing forward has been an unqualified success.

4. Jurrah: Similar to Morton (and a number of others) - I simply don't think they'll pick him in 2012 unless he's doing really well, so he'll only get 20 games if he's averaging say 3 goals a game plus assists, which will be 60 goals to him plus another 40-60 to the team. Which in turn will mean either that he's learned how to star against the best defenders, or that Clark & Watts are going so well that Jurrah only gets the 3rd defender each game.

5. Strauss: Partly because he'll do better with every game, so that games 16-20 will be so much better than 1-5. And partly because he'll only get 20 games in 2012 if we play off in the Grand Final!

Yeah sure, our most important players are Jamar & Frawley. But they'll do well whether the team is going well or not, and they will always be among the first picked. The guys I've chosen will only play 20 games if 2012 turns out to be a very good season.

Watts kicking that snap, and the look on his face that followed, was probably the highlight 0f 2011 for mine