FWIW - From the backline: Daryl Timms takes a look at Melbourne's best 22 in 2014

Not a bad side think will be close to selected one.

I think ruck and forward pocket main areas of contention - love to have some excitement with j k h.

Maybe Blease with spark off bench.

Yeah Its not bad for the HS. Pretty close I reckon too.

I'm shocked by how few of those players I'm thinking "erm... probably shouldn't be playing AFL games just yet / ever"

dare i say, we may actually have an o.k team?

good god, perhaps i've had too much beer on christmas.

i laughed at Mark Jamar being the ruck, no Gawn and Fitzy in the team. and Blease as a forward pocket and Strauss somehow in the team when hes nowhere near our best 22

Terrible effort from the Hun, but what do you expect

I guess it's all just opinion but most of it I reckon is about right. The truth is we don't know how things will shape up for round one because there are a couple of unknowns in there that could make an impact.

Interesting to see the wraps on JHK, he seems to be exciting not just dees fans but earning some rep in the media.

I guess it's all just opinion but most of it I reckon is about right. The truth is we don't know how things will shape up for round one because there are a couple of unknowns in there that could make an impact.

Interesting to see the wraps on JHK, he seems to be exciting not just dees fans but earning some rep in the media.

I think it's more likely that the media are getting some of their info through sites like Demonland and formulating their "opinions" based purely on that.

Blease - 10 games (actually 31)

Strauss - 6 games (actually 24)

i laughed at Mark Jamar being the ruck, no Gawn and Fitzy in the team. and Blease as a forward pocket and Strauss somehow in the team when hes nowhere near our best 22

Terrible effort from the Hun, but what do you expect

Barn dee could get a job with Rupert.

To quote ;"Pfffffffft."

Kent, Clisby and the Fitz as emergencies

Kent, Clisby and the Fitz as emergencies

The good part of it is that third rate media hacks at a rag like the HS will have zero effect on our selections and nurturing of young talent. We should all encourage more of this as it will hopefully lull our opposition into a false sense of security!!!

Well - we can only hope.

To be fair, I think it's a pretty good assessment of where we're at (ie, it's hard to know really - on paper, we've got a pretty good list and a proven coach - against that we're coming off only 2 wins and an astonishingly bad percentage).

One take out for me is that we have added some really good players to the list and, Sylvia aside, we have also exited players who were no longer/never in our best 22. The list now seems to have a good overall balance to it - experience to inexperience, and mids to talls etc.

Re-signing Watts, landing Vince, Cross, Michie and Tyson (and possibly Riley) all equal top work IMO. Not only do we now have an engine room, but it should also give us more effective half back and half forward lines given that players such as Grimes, who are not genuine mids, can now play roles to which they are more suited.

In short, it was a really good trade/draft period for us. I'm quietly optimistic about 2014.

And, for that, I thank Paul Roos and Peter Jackson.

Fair effort from Timmsy but, my team is a little different.

B: Terlich McDonald Dunn

HB: Grimes. Frawley Garland

C: Watts Vince Toumpass

HF: Howe. Dawes. M.Jones

FF: Hogan. Clark. Blease

R: Jamar. Trengove. N.Jones

I: Viney. Gawn. Tyson Cross

To be honest, I found it hard to assess from the 22 alone, if the "left overs" aren't included it can be hard to realise who is missing. Anyway, here is my "best 22" dependent on injuries. Emergencies are also injury dependant and subject to change.

FF: Clark - Hogan - Kent

HF: Trengove - Dawes - Howe

C: Vince - N Jones - Watts

HB: Grimes - McDonald - Toumpas

FB: Dunn - Frawley - Garland

R: Gawn - Cross - Viney

I: Tyson, M Jones, Michie, Clisby

E: (From) Jamar, Fitzpatrick, McKenzie, Evans, Terlich, Bail, Byrnes, Blease

Others: Barry, Hunt, Kennedy-Harris, Nicholson, Pedersen, Riley, Salem, Spencer, Strauss, Tapscott,

Terlich is my smokey. Deserves a run but is loose and history says Roos doesn't like him. I think that is enough talls but some may like one more; I think one of Dunn or Howe will start on the bench but for the purpose of naming that's what I did.

If any of the "others" play, either we are in massive [censored], have lots of injuries or they have come on better than anyone expects.

Edited December 27, 201311 yr by deanox

To be honest, I found it hard to assess from the 22 alone, if the "left overs" aren't included it can be hard to realise who is missing.

Others: Barry, Hunt, Kennedy-Harris, Nicholson, Pedersen, Riley, Salem, Spencer, Strauss, Tapscott,

Terlich is my smokey. Deserves a run but is loose and history says Roos doesn't like him. I think that is enough talls but some may like one more; I think one of Dunn or Howe will start on the bench but for the purpose of naming that's what I did.

If any of the "others" play, either we are in massive [censored], have lots of injuries or they have come on better than anyone expects.

I would be surprised if, by the latter part of next season Salem was not in our best 22. And from the glowing reports, Kennedy-Harris may well be in there as well.

Of the other "others" it will be interesting to see the progress of Barry, while Hunt and Riley are more long term prospects

So progress by some others should be a positive showing the team is moving in the right direction.

I would be surprised if, by the latter part of next season Salem was not in our best 22. And from the glowing reports, Kennedy-Harris may well be in there as well.

Of the other "others" it will be interesting to see the progress of Barry, while Hunt and Riley are more long term prospects

So progress by some others should be a positive showing the team is moving in the right direction.

Yeah I agree 100%. I did intend that for the early stages of the year; ie if Salem or Barry are in the mix round 1 they will have come on better than expected. As you said reports for JKH have been great but will be interesting to see how he goes on field in the pre season and early rounds.

Do you have any thoughts on the 22 + named, or reckon it is about right?

Terlich's 2013 stats: 3rd in disposals, 2nd in marks and 5th in tackles, should get a game

Terlich's 2013 stats: 3rd in disposals, 2nd in marks and 5th in tackles, should get a game

Who would you drop from the 22 to put Terlich in?

They are good stats btw, thanks for digging then up.

I agree he always looked the goods and hos stays back that up. I loved his attack all season but when I watched replays and highlights I regularly observed simple errors in his defending that resulted in opposition goals. Lots of them.

Whether it was turning away from his player at a contest, losing his player around a pack, joining a group tackle and letting the ball spill free to his now-loose opponent etc. Little mistakes that directly allowed opposition goals.

If he can eradicate these mistakes I think he is a certain starter and think he has all the other tools to make it, but with a few new additions to our midfield, I think he may be squeezed out if every player on the list is available for selection.

Yeah I agree 100%. I did intend that for the early stages of the year; ie if Salem or Barry are in the mix round 1 they will have come on better than expected. As you said reports for JKH have been great but will be interesting to see how he goes on field in the pre season and early rounds.

Do you have any thoughts on the 22 + named, or reckon it is about right?

I like the team you named and am glad to see young Kent in there. I was impressed with his efforts towards the end of last season and think he has a real future.

My one worry with your and other teams is the inclusion of Michie. Is he a really good prospect? Remember we got him for next to nothing. And had he been that good surely Fremantle would have kept him. And yes I followed the trading and drafting thread and know the general background to the deal but even still would he be more worthy of a place in the 22 than (say) Evans.

Following year after year of getting real steals that didn't work out I hope Michie, Tyson, Vince and Cross work out for us!

i laughed at Mark Jamar being the ruck, no Gawn and Fitzy in the team. and Blease as a forward pocket and Strauss somehow in the team when hes nowhere near our best 22

Terrible effort from the Hun, but what do you expect

They have had a quick look at the list and recognised the name Jamar.....and haven't watched MFC at all in 2013 (not that I blame them, really). Ppoor "journalism".

i laughed at Mark Jamar being the ruck, no Gawn and Fitzy in the team. and Blease as a forward pocket and Strauss somehow in the team when hes nowhere near our best 22

Terrible effort from the Hun, but what do you expect

It's not as silly as it sounds. Jamar might still be our best tap ruckman and knowing Roos that will be his number 1 priority from a ruck. He might well give Gawn the long build up to make sure he's a sound AFL ruck. Remember how young Gawn is for an AFL ruck still.

It makes sense to squeeze Fitzy out when you have Clark, Dawes and Hogan. I see Dawes, Fitzy and Hogan sharing games at times (Presuming Clark is fit and firing) but I prefer Dawes and Hogan.

Strauss and Blease are classic Roos reclamation projects. Of course there are what we all would consider better players on the list but imagine if Blease turned in to Lewis Jetta and Strauss turned in to Nick Malceski. That's probably the thinking. Now I'd prefer Mitch Clisby as a good honest back pocket rather than Strauss and a few other players in stead of Blease but I can understand it. Potential always has to be consider in best 22 and Roos has stated he isn't keen to play kids so the bolters in to round one could be guys like Blease and Strauss.

I like the team you named and am glad to see young Kent in there. I was impressed with his efforts towards the end of last season and think he has a real future.

My one worry with your and other teams is the inclusion of Michie. Is he a really good prospect? Remember we got him for next to nothing. And had he been that good surely Fremantle would have kept him. And yes I followed the trading and drafting thread and know the general background to the deal but even still would he be more worthy of a place in the 22 than (say) Evans.

Following year after year of getting real steals that didn't work out I hope Michie, Tyson, Vince and Cross work out for us!

I thought Kent showed good promise last year. He seemed to read the ball well of packs and in play so would like to see him spend some time in a crumbing sort of role. He may be overtaken by JKH or other mids who start forward.

RE Michie, I based his selection on the bench on the following: pure mid so we don't have many of, chased hard by Roos likely with the promise of expectation of game time, and reasonably highly rated prospect.

Evans or McKenzie could both get a run ahead of him. Bit I think if we have all players fit for selection he may be the preferred starter. He doesn't have the runs on the board that those two do but he also doesn't have their previously exposed flaws.

It's not as silly as it sounds. Jamar might still be our best tap ruckman and knowing Roos that will be his number 1 priority from a ruck. He might well give Gawn the long build up to make sure he's a sound AFL ruck. Remember how young Gawn is for an AFL ruck still.

It makes sense to squeeze Fitzy out when you have Clark, Dawes and Hogan. I see Dawes, Fitzy and Hogan sharing games at times (Presuming Clark is fit and firing) but I prefer Dawes and Hogan.

Strauss and Blease are classic Roos reclamation projects. Of course there are what we all would consider better players on the list but imagine if Blease turned in to Lewis Jetta and Strauss turned in to Nick Malceski. That's probably the thinking. Now I'd prefer Mitch Clisby as a good honest back pocket rather than Strauss and a few other players in stead of Blease but I can understand it. Potential always has to be consider in best 22 and Roos has stated he isn't k

en to play kids so the bolters in to round one could be guys like Blease and Strauss.

I really see Fitsy as a CHB rotating thru the ruck with Tom mac as Full back. He is a good mark and athletic and it frees up Frawley and Garland.

I think it's more likely that the media are getting some of their info through sites like Demonland and formulating their "opinions" based purely on that.

Isn't that the same source you use ?