1 minute ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

Vince's second half in 2016 was poor. There may be good reasons for that and if he's back to (or near) his best he needs to play, but not in the backline. He looks out of place there. But I fear that age might have caught up with him in which case he may struggle for game time.

Vince plays at his best when he tags and somehow manages to get over 30 possessions a game in the process, that's how I'd play him.

14 hours ago, Deeztroy said:

This is a AFL.com peice from the Dees website but I do agree with it. Obviously you could swap some positions around but I reckon the 22 are right. Some people have Pedo over Weids but I think we need to get more games into Weids.

B: Neville Jetta, Tom McDonald, Michael Hibberd
HB: Jayden Hunt, Oscar McDonald, Christian Salem
C: Dom Tyson, Nathan Jones, Bernie Vince
HF: Dean Kent, Sam Weideman, Christian Petracca
F: Jeff Garlett, Jesse Hogan, Jack Watts
R: Max Gawn, Jordan Lewis, Jack Viney
INT: Jake Melksham, Angus Brayshaw, Clayton Oliver, Cam Pedersen
EMERG: Tomas Bugg, James Harmes, Sam Frost

This looks good, but is one tall player short in the back line. Most teams havd 3 players over 195cm playing as forwards and having Jetta, Hibberd, Hunt and Salem just makes the backline too short. Frost in, Salem to the bench, and we drop Pedo. It is all getting confusing because dropping Pedo means Frost has to take a duty in the ruck which is not optimum. 

As for Brayshaw, I am a huge fan and reckon he has more upside in 2017 than most on our list. His inside work is very good and he loves a tackle but it is his outside run and carry that sets him apart. Also,  he is one player who can kick at full pace on both sides of his body. He compliments Oliver perfectly. 

To answer the opening poster, if Melksham plays a single game ahead of Oliver or Brayshaw I would be bitterly disappointed. Ditto for Petracca and Stretch as well.

Surely Stretch in the 22 before Kent, play Vince at HFF and Stretch on the wing, also can't see Weideman and Pederson together in the 22. For me Harmes or maybe Bugg into the 22, and Pederson as the Emergency.

Frost will be in the backline with both Macs, I think Hibberd will be on half back and Salem on wing.

17 hours ago, Danelska said:

I fear for AVB

Depth!

17 hours ago, Steve13 said:

I have been looking at best 22s for the upcoming season. With the addition of Lewis and possibly Melksham to the midfield group, is there room for both Gus and Clarry in the side?

I'm interested in people's thoughts regarding our starting midfield...

I think young players will continue to be rotated through the midfield as they have been, the more they produce both in terms of minutes and touches, the less that Jones, Lewis and Vince will appear in there.

I don't think either Oliver or Brayshaw are inked in for best 22 in 2017 and nor should they be, they haven't yet showed the level of WIWO consistency to earn that right, along with most of the young brigade.

2 hours ago, poita said:

To answer the opening poster, if Melksham plays a single game ahead of Oliver or Brayshaw I would be bitterly disappointed. Ditto for Petracca and Stretch as well.

Poita would you play Oli or Gus off half back or back pocket ahead of Milky? I wouldn't, but that's just me.

2 hours ago, poita said:

To answer the opening poster, if Melksham plays a single game ahead of Oliver or Brayshaw I would be bitterly disappointed. Ditto for Petracca and Stretch as well.

I understand the sentiment, but 'playing the kids' is one of the reasons we got ourselves into this ten year hole.  I too would like to see both Gus and Clarrie play every game, but only if they earn it over their senior team mates.  Both these young players have had their issues with weight and fitness so hard work needs to drilled into them rather than being gifted matches due to their (undeniable) talent. 

4 hours ago, Clint Bizkit said:

Vince plays at his best when he tags and somehow manages to get over 30 possessions a game in the process, that's how I'd play him.

The best he did this was without doubt against Dangerfield a couple of years ago.

I still scratch my head when I think of Round 23, 2016, when the opening bounce saw Viney go to Danger, and Brayshaw go to Selwood (after Viney smashed Selwood the year before when we beat them).  I'm in no doubt that game was a Roos reality check for some players, and will not be convinced otherwise!

4 hours ago, Demon Jack said:

Depth!

True that...

 

23 hours ago, Deeztroy said:

This is a AFL.com peice from the Dees website but I do agree with it. Obviously you could swap some positions around but I reckon the 22 are right. Some people have Pedo over Weids but I think we need to get more games into Weids.

B: Neville Jetta, Tom McDonald, Michael Hibberd
HB: Jayden Hunt, Oscar McDonald, Christian Salem
C: Dom Tyson, Nathan Jones, Bernie Vince
HF: Dean Kent, Sam Weideman, Christian Petracca
F: Jeff Garlett, Jesse Hogan, Jack Watts
R: Max Gawn, Jordan Lewis, Jack Viney
INT: Jake Melksham, Angus Brayshaw, Clayton Oliver, Cam Pedersen
EMERG: Tomas Bugg, James Harmes, Sam Frost

Would love that team Rd1

8 hours ago, Maldonboy38 said:

This looks good, but is one tall player short in the back line. Most teams havd 3 players over 195cm playing as forwards and having Jetta, Hibberd, Hunt and Salem just makes the backline too short. Frost in, Salem to the bench, and we drop Pedo. It is all getting confusing because dropping Pedo means Frost has to take a duty in the ruck which is not optimum. 

As for Brayshaw, I am a huge fan and reckon he has more upside in 2017 than most on our list. His inside work is very good and he loves a tackle but it is his outside run and carry that sets him apart. Also,  he is one player who can kick at full pace on both sides of his body. He compliments Oliver perfectly. 

Interesting the the two sides that played in the GF last year did not play 3 x 195cm defenders. A recent comment from Gawn on a video on MFC website where he mentioned the competition between Frost and OMac for a spot in the team took my ear. I suspect we will play with T-Mac and one of Frost/O-Mac only most weeks.

They both make us better, Oliver has freakishly clean hands in the contest and is a beast and brayshaw is all class and tackles as hard as anyone both will play. 

Gus in particular is having a ripper pre season and is set for a huge year 

If Oliver doesn't get his commitment to the top level right he won't get near the midfield rotation. Gone are the days were a player can smash tinnies and dimmies and get a game.

Really hoping he figures that out soon.

Brayshaw has good footy smarts. He will find his was into the team.

23 hours ago, Deeztroy said:

This is a AFL.com peice from the Dees website but I do agree with it. Obviously you could swap some positions around but I reckon the 22 are right. Some people have Pedo over Weids but I think we need to get more games into Weids.

B: Neville Jetta, Tom McDonald, Michael Hibberd
HB: Jayden Hunt, Oscar McDonald, Christian Salem
C: Dom Tyson, Nathan Jones, Bernie Vince
HF: Dean Kent, Sam Weideman, Christian Petracca
F: Jeff Garlett, Jesse Hogan, Jack Watts
R: Max Gawn, Jordan Lewis, Jack Viney
INT: Jake Melksham, Angus Brayshaw, Clayton Oliver, Cam Pedersen
EMERG: Tomas Bugg, James Harmes, Sam Frost

I think Stretch will be in the side. 

I think Hibbard and Melksham both have to line up in our backline. these guys will give us real drive out of the backline. It would come down to Salem, Hunt or Jetta looses their spot.

I am chuffed that for once we have really problems in deciding our team because we have depth in virutally all areas. Leaves us in a great position.

Melk and Hibby both play backline, Salem plays wing or mid bursts, Gus and Oliver will be huge factors if we are to play finals as Oliver is a freakish talent in congestion and Gus has Class written all over him. I don't think the 2 are competing for the same spot at all 

1 hour ago, chook fowler said:

I think Stretch will be in the side. 

Absolutely.  Still horribly underrated around these parts.  To be fair, he has probably earned his spot ahead of Gus and even Oliver at this stage.  He was the more consistent of the three last year and, while I don't mean to sell Oliver or Gus short, Stretch had a terrific second half to the year.

It's a great conundrum to have, though.

1 hour ago, Adzman said:

If Oliver doesn't get his commitment to the top level right he won't get near the midfield rotation. Gone are the days were a player can smash tinnies and dimmies and get a game.

Really hoping he figures that out soon.

Is this based on hearsay, or fact?

10 hours ago, poita said:

To answer the opening poster, if Melksham plays a single game ahead of Oliver or Brayshaw I would be bitterly disappointed. Ditto for Petracca and Stretch as well.

Suspect you under-rate Melksham. He is a very good player.

As is Stretch.

They're both best 22.

Petracca has talent to burn but he still needs to prove himself.

Finally we have some genuine depth and some selection headaches each week.

 

It called depth, something we haven't had for a while.

10 hours ago, Clint Bizkit said:

Is this based on hearsay, or fact?

Fact is he returned to preseason out of shape (overweight), and had an off field misdemeanour do being over the limit (P plater so nothing too sinister)

His commitment only comes into question with those two things. From all other reports he is working hard, and obviously wants to play footy. 

I like Gus. I really do. There were times in 2015 that I saw him create something out of nothing. Speed, evasiveness, long, pin point kicks to Jeffy or Hoges. I think he has a higher ceiling than most at the club. Don't get me wrong... I see great things in a lot of the kids at our club, but Gus has something that makes me think he will be an absolute champion... Simon Black style... when he's a little bigger, older and wiser. A real footballers footballer, and we are lucky to have him.

22 minutes ago, Uncle Fester said:

I like Gus. I really do. There were times in 2015 that I saw him create something out of nothing. Speed, evasiveness, long, pin point kicks to Jeffy or Hoges. I think he has a higher ceiling than most at the club. Don't get me wrong... I see great things in a lot of the kids at our club, but Gus has something that makes me think he will be an absolute champion... Simon Black style... when he's a little bigger, older and wiser. A real footballers footballer, and we are lucky to have him.

My favourite part of this list is there are strong cases for each of Gus, Oliver, CP5, Hogan, Gawn, Tyson and Viney being out best player in the next 5 years. I'd like to see Salem play a full season because he has the skills to get right up this list also. But for now I agree. Gus has the most immediate upside for me.