MELBOURNE TEAM FOR ROUND 1, 2014

[Dees2014 2,377]

Yeah, I might be putting too many hopes on one preseason, but I think he can do it. Enough to be first choice ruck anyway.

Don't know how many traing sessions you have seen, but I saw a lot of our preseason last year. Gawn hardly trained at all, mostly ran laps, and did light ball work with the injured group. However, when he was put into the fit group about maybe 7 or 8 rounds in, he is a very impressive trainer, a good runner for such a big guy, and a great overhead mark. Max is a potential gem. If he really does a full preseason, he will have a breakout year and potentially have the sort of impact on a game that Jeff White used to have, although a very different type of big man. Sandilands is perhaps a better comparison, but clearly not in his league, at least not yet.

I personally think he has that sort of potential (and size). I don't think spencer has anywhere near that potential, but is an honest footballer, so is a handy backup.

I'm predicting now Jamar will be traded this coming week for a trade in the 40s, or an experienced mid. Brisbane I think is the logical destination so he can be reunited with Maloney - a powerful combination in their day.

[Pitchy 196]

FB: Terlich T Mac Garland
HB: Blease Frawley Grimes
C: Watts Viney Tyson
HF: Howe Hogan Trengove
FF: Fitz Clark Kent
Foll: Gawn Jones Vince
Bench: Michie, Tapscott, Toumpas, (Pick 9)
Emerg: Dawes, Clisby, McKenzie

Part of me thinks Blease as creative half back could be
the making of him. No instinct for defence but forward is harder so
Roos can teach defence. If not him then Toumpas HBF ala Gibbs.

How about that? Looks v strong down back. Need a quality small forward
(Barry, Jurrah - Pick 2 PSD!). Midfield is still average for now but can be competitive, could add Cross in as well?

I put Dawes 4th best tall and therefore out of the team. But he will be a solid, if expensive, replacement if one of our more talented talls goes down.

[rpfc 27,448]

Dawes will ease Hogan's entry to AFL.

I would play him and make him do the bullocking work.

Protect the investment (and capitalise on him) a little hey?

[rpfc 27,448]

Dawes will ease Hogan's entry to AFL.

I would play him and make him do the bullocking work.

Protect the investment (and capitalise on him) a little hey?

[beelzebub 22,225]

Ok...best line up in 2014 , not necessarily the 'starting' line up, i.e may not be round 1

McDonald Garland Terlich
Grimes Frawley Toumpas

Watts Jones Michie
Vince Clark Trengove
Dawes Hogan Howe

Foll:Spencer Viney Cross

Int: Freeman Tyson Kent
Sub: wtfk ( it changes )

[Dees2014 2,377]

FB: Terlich T Mac Garland

HB: Blease Frawley Grimes

C: Watts Viney Tyson

HF: Howe Hogan Trengove

FF: Fitz Clark Kent

Foll: Gawn Jones Vince

Bench: Michie, Tapscott, Toumpas, (Pick 9)

Emerg: Dawes, Clisby, McKenzie

Part of me thinks Blease as creative half back could be

the making of him. No instinct for defence but forward is harder so

Roos can teach defence. If not him then Toumpas HBF ala Gibbs.

How about that? Looks v strong down back. Need a quality small forward

(Barry, Jurrah - Pick 2 PSD!). Midfield is still average for now but can be competitive, could add Cross in as well?

I put Dawes 4th best tall and therefore out of the team. But he will be a solid, if expensive, replacement if one of our more talented talls goes down.

I like the idea of playing Hogan at CHF. Apparantly he has an outstanding engine and of course is a brilliant mark and kick. Also a good runner. Seems like perfect CHF, and as such complements our emerging mid field. I'd play Clark at FF, and Dawes in the pocket, with Howe in the other pocket, with Bleese and Trengove on the flanks. Impressive forward line which will very difficult to match up on. I look forward to this year seeing our oppositions' discomfort.

[beelzebub 22,225]

2014..its hard not to agree but in his first year, as almost ridiculous as this sounds I chose to ring him with experienced players. Hogan will make for a devastating lead up forward. The minute Hogan moves, Howe and Dawes become goal square target. if Clark wished to exert influence on game and move around a bit then everyone can cover the next position.

Ought to be interesting which ever way

[old55 21,288]

I'm not sure that our dealing is complete yet - there's plenty of water to flow under the bridge - so best 22 is up in the air.

[jabberwocky 2,301]

I don't like doing this before seeing some preseason form, there are always bolters and sliders.

I am pretty satisfied that we will have significantly more grunt around the football, and with that we should see an entirely different chemistry as a team. IE players that were somewhat useful may be scrapped and some who have not been able to get into the game may end up important.

We still need class and pace, whether that surfaces somewhat from within the list, or whether we pick it up over the next couple of drafts it will be something we need to find to compete with the top teams.

[stevethemanjordan 6,952]

Enjoying reading some of the prospective best 22's here.

As for pick 40 for us, I'm crossing my fingers we pick Chris Cain up.

That would top off an unbelievable trade period, (on paper), but I believe it will bring about significant change.

I've posted this in other threads but Cain is a mature age VFL listed player who is very classy and in my eyes will be the 'pick' of the mature age recruits. For varying reasons, he was never able to get on a list but as we've all seen, some mature aged players just need that chance and change. Similar build to Magner but not in ability. Cain is a natural footballer with elite skills and hands in close. Classy mid and a smart footy brain. The bonus is that he has a hardened body and I've known since playing with him through the ranks that he'd be able to make the cut at AFL level. Similar footy smarts to someone like Mitchell.

If we get him, (and Cross), this is the following injection of mids we'd have to choose from:

Michie

Vince

Howe

Viney

Trengove

Watts

Cross

Tyson

Cain

Toumpas

Pick 9

Kent

That's an unbelievable upgrade of talent on our list and there's still a great balance of contested ball winners. Huge depth change having brought in those players and all of which have fantastic skills and footy brains, (with the exception of Cross maybe)

That leaves McKenzie, Bail, Matt Jones, Jetta, Blease, Strauss, Nicho, Tapscott, Taggert really battling hard to get a game and will only be a positive for the development of these players. It means we'll have to have these types playing at the top of their game for Casey and doing it consistently before being given a game. I'm sure you can swap some of the names listed here for the ones above but I've chosen the ones above because of their ability as well rounded players as apposed to the ones listed in this paragraph. Unlike last year, we've actually added talent and ability to our midfield as well as creating fantastic depth.

I want Cain. I want Cross. I'll be buying all demondlanders a beer if it happens.

Edited October 21, 2013 by stevethemanjordan

[stuie 7,374]

I'm not sure that our dealing is complete yet - there's plenty of water to flow under the bridge - so best 22 is up in the air.

My impression is we're done instigating (aside maybe from Cross), but we've got open ears if anyone wants to make a pitch.

[stuie 7,374]

Michie

Vince

Howe

Viney

Trengove

Watts

Cross

Tyson

Cain

Toumpas

Freeman

Kent

Nice.

[jackaub 1,402]

B: Colin Garland Tom Mcdonald Mitch Clisby

HB: Lyndon Dunn James Frawley Jimmy Toumpas

C: Jack Watts Dom Tyson Viv Michie

HF: Jeremy Howe Chris Dawes Jack Trengove

F: Jesse Hogan Mitch Clark Dean Terlich

FOL: Mark Jamar Bernie Vince Nathan Jones

I/C: Jack Viney Jordie Mckensie Jack Grimes

SUB: Dean Kent / Michael Evans / Matt Jones

Strauss is a better defender than Jimmy T but Jimmy will go past him in one season.

McKensie is a stopper who can play well and I think will again - and no-one in the team is better at it. Also, i find the notion that only trengove was hurt by Neeld to be offensively stupid. Great character, this kid.

Dean Terlich is not a great defender but wins the footy, likes roughing blokes up - so I think he can be turned into a very effective defensive half-forward. He has enough defensive mindset to do that job and would then go and win the footy and demand that his defender be accountable. His disposal is not good enough under pressure coming off half back.

Jack Trengove could be a very effective half forward. He is a good mark, has a great tank, is a good kick and positions himself very well. He is not a midfielder in the true sense but he could be a great link man and again demand accountability.

I want Hogan playing close to goal, with Clark and Dawes drawing men up the field. I am looking forward to the hulk being double-teamed and still plucking them.

As much as I struggle with it, Dunn is better overhead and a better kick than Jackie Grimes. He is a more able defender. Jimmy T is a better kick than Grimes. We must stop turning the ball over off halfback.

Evans has a great tank and finds the footy - which puts ahead of strauss, blease, tapscott, taggert, kent etc. Kent as the sub risks hampering his development, but this is a best squad. I'd see that position rotating with form and injuries TBF.

The mids concern me as we lack polish - and I'm to be convinced that Watts can engage enough in combative football to be an effective mid.

At last somebody sees the deficiencies in Grimes game He has not been coached well and needs serious application Not in midfield and not Captain. I dont think there has been enough delivered by Jack given how he is valued

[Binmans PA 26,033]

I don't like doing this before seeing some preseason form, there are always bolters and sliders.

I am pretty satisfied that we will have significantly more grunt around the football, and with that we should see an entirely different chemistry as a team. IE players that were somewhat useful may be scrapped and some who have not been able to get into the game may end up important.

We still need class and pace, whether that surfaces somewhat from within the list, or whether we pick it up over the next couple of drafts it will be something we need to find to compete with the top teams.

That's another thing that is worrying me most about our list this coming season. Unless our disposal by foot increases ten fold or our fitness goes through the roof, we may have a very lean season. Hawthorn has their sublime kicking to prevent them from being beaten by pace on the outside. Sydney have their gut-running and some line-breakers to get outside of a slower team like the Hawks. We turn it over far too often by foot, lack fitness and foot speed. I don't want to be a pessimist, but those three factors equate to danger. A clearer, more definable game plan will help, as will belief in our players from the coaching staff, but it can only bridge so much.

[Binmans PA 26,033]

At last somebody sees the deficiencies in Grimes game He has not been coached well and needs serious application Not in midfield and not Captain. I dont think there has been enough delivered by Jack given how he is valued

Without stepping Tim's toes, I think a few of us have been aware for a while that Grimes is limited player. His foot skills are ordinary and his decision making heightens that. I'm not saying there's no scope for him to improve, but I would hope that we recruit someone that supersedes Grimes as a HBF. For the moment, I would prefer Jimmy Toumpas delivering the ball off half back.

I think eventually, if Grimes is to make it, he'll have to develop a clearance-winning ability. Players like Sewell, Cross and even Priddis have shown the football world that you don't necessarily have to be the most talented, to be an important midfield contributor. These players have exemplified a tireless commitment to improving and getting the best out of themselves. Grimes certainly has these attributes, so I won't write him off becoming an important cog just yet.

[beelzebub 22,225]

Why does everyone want Grimesy to be a mid ?. He is ( when fit ) better than a halfway decent back flanker... leave him there

[What 18,810]

Why does everyone want Grimesy to be a mid ?. He is ( when fit ) better than a halfway decent back flanker... leave him there

His mid days are over, hes definitely going to the half back line where he dominates

Great news for the team

[jackaub 1,402]

Exactly he was moved into the midfield with Jack T because we had no body else

I would much prefer Grimes at the bank flank but his disposal must improve

He has been turnover King recently with poor kicking and poor vision and bad decisions

He will be a victim if he doesn't improve

[Binmans PA 26,033]

He's not a dominant or better than half way decent option though. He butchers the ball at HB. Just as Terlich does. People have finally realised this of Terlich. How many more turn overs is it going to take for people to realise it of Grimes?

[jabberwocky 2,301]

It is amazing how poorly skilled a team bereft of confidence look.

[Binmans PA 26,033]

He's not a dominant or better than half way decent option though. He butchers the ball at HB. Just as Terlich does. People have finally realised this of Terlich. How many more turn overs is it going to take for people to realise it of Grimes?

[Biffen 12,323]

B:Terlich,Chip,Jetta

HB:Evans TMac Grimes

C:Howe Watts Blease

HF:Trengove Dawes Toumpas

F:Hulk, Mitch Garlett*

FOLL:Gawn,Vince Jones(Jazzy)

INTER: Fitzy,Strauss,M Jones,Tapscott.

Emerg Michie,Spencer.

*dreams are free

[What 18,810]

B:Terlich,Chip,Jetta

HB:Evans TMac Grimes

C:Howe Watts Blease

HF:Trengove Dawes Toumpas

F:Hulk, Mitch Garlett*

FOLL:Gawn,Vince Jones(Jazzy)

INTER: Fitzy,Strauss,M Jones,Tapscott.

Emerg Michie,Spencer.

*dreams are free

Dom Tyson and Colin Garland say hi

[Biffen 12,323]

Dom Tyson and Colin Garland say hi

An embarrassment of riches.

My mistake on Humphey(hes so quiet sometimes).

Revised: Garlett ,Strauss out.

Ins:Tyson for Garlett

Garland to HBF

Evans to bench.

Even better.

[stuie 7,374]

B:Terlich,Chip,Jetta

HB:Evans TMac Grimes

C:Howe Watts Blease

HF:Trengove Dawes Toumpas

F:Hulk, Mitch Garlett*

FOLL:Gawn,Vince Jones(Jazzy)

INTER: Fitzy,Strauss,M Jones,Tapscott.

Emerg Michie,Spencer.

*dreams are free

Really? Spencer as emergency when you already have Dawes, Clark, Hogan, Gawn, and Fitzy in the same 22? Better hope it doesn't rain...