All things equal and on what we've see so far this year,and all players being available, pick your best side in position , as if they were playing for your life/or a Grand Final tomorrow. ( I've left out Brayshaw and Vandenberg because we haven't really seen any form this year.)

Garlett.  Hogan.  Kent

Pederson. TMac.  Petracca

Watts.     Viney.    Hunt

Hibberd.  Frost.   Salem

Lewis.    OMac.    Jetta

Gawn.  Oliver.     Jones

Vince. Tyson  Stretch. ANB

Emg - Harmes. Spencer Melksham 

I like it. There's 15 names that will be in every team anyone puts here. Garlett, Hogan, Tmac, Petracca, Watts, Viney, Hunt, Salem, Hibberd, Lewis, Jetta, Gawn, Oliver, Jones, Vince. Might be a couple of Tmac haters, but they're bonkers.

I put Frost in almost in pen. He's been awesome. Getting the most out of himself now. OMac hasn't been as good in terms of form but he's only going to get better. Personally I have Tyson as well. He's very much in bad form, a lot would drop him, but I'm confident he'll get a spring back in his step, and as the year wears on his bigger body and hardness will help.

That leaves Pedo, Kent, Stretch and ANB in yours.

Pedo is in. When Gawn comes back, he's our second forward. All he does is produce. Weed's gonna be a good player, but for 2017 Pedo's best 22. He's more than earned it. And playing him as second ruck frees up Watts.

The other three names are in and out as per the opposition, and will be where this thread is discussed. Stretch, Kent, Melksham, Hannan, JKH, Weed, ANB, AVB, Bugg, Benken, Trenners, Wagner, Harmes, and the occasional game with Spencer.

Bloody hell when you say it like that. That's a huge list to draw upon that changes best 22 for those last 3 spots. For me, I take ANB for the extra midfield rotation. Kent for the up and back leading. And AVB when he comes back and is up and running. Targets inside fifty who get open and win the ball... that's one of our biggest problems. Failing that, I'd take Stretch as that running player with good skill to occupy a wing and HB. In games like the Crows game where we have 1,2 or 3 players behind the ball, Wagner comes in for one of Kent, ANB and AVB. Hannan unlucky.

Jetta OMac Salem

Hibberd TMac Frost

Hunt Jones Lewis

Petracca Hogan Kent

Garlett Pedo Watts

Gawn Oliver Viney

Tyson, AVB, Vince, ANB

Em: Stretch, Spencer, Hannan

 

Aaaah. That makes for good reading.

How important is form? Frost and Pedo wouldn't have cracked any best 22s outside of demonland at the start of the season, but it would be hard for the journalists to not include them on recent form. Hopefully some of our lesser known players start getting the recognition they deserve (and the commentary can perhaps learn their names)

Having Gawn out has almost been a blessing in disguise as in finding out more about strengths and weaknesses of certain players when under the pump, and should makes us stronger long term.

Hey Dappa. You left out J Lewis?

You can't have AVB in any side over the last 2 years.

Very tough, but here it goes;

FB: J. Smith, Frost, Jetta

HB: Hunt, T. McDonald, Hibberd

C: Vince, Jones, Tyson

HF: Petracca, Hogan, Kent

FF: Watts, Pedersen, Garlett

FOLL: Gawn, Oliver, Viney

INT: Brayshaw, Lewis, Salem, Stretch

EMERG: Harmes, O. McDonald, Neal-Bullen

Still think Brayshaw is best 22, but obviously he's some time off while Stretch works on a few things at VFL level.

Shout out to Bugg, Vandenberg & Melksham who I think still have roles to play as handy depth players. Potentially Kennedy also.

Weideman still needs more time.

FB: JSmith, Frost, Jetta

HB: Hunt, TMac, Hibberd

C: Vince, Jones, Salem

HF: Petracca, Watts, Kent

FF: Pedersen, Hogan, Garlett

FOLL: Gawn, Oliver, Viney

INT: ANB, Lewis, Tyson, Stretch

FB   Smith*  Frost   Jetta

HB  Hibberd  Tmac    Hunt

C    Salem   Jones    Lewis

R/R  Viney  Gawn   Oliver

HF   (1)   Hogan   Petracca

FF   Watts  Pedo*   Garlett

 I/C   Vince Tyson  (2)   (3)

It’s up to these guys to make a claim on the final spots: Harmes ANB Kent Stretch Bugg Hannan Kennedy. If it were a grand final tomorrow – Harmes, Kent and Bugg.

* Smith an unusual selection but there’s something about the balance of that back-six which excites me. Wagner unlucky and obviously we have Lewis and Salem rotating down back.

** Haven’t seen Pedo this year as a primary forward with Hogan, Watts and Gawn around so it remains to be seen if this will work.

i'm another who believes that in the less than 20 minutes of evidence smith is in our starting 18, let alone our best 22. looked good in the air, composed with the ball, and strong in the contest. a lot to like.

based on saturday you can't possibly argue that you don't want vince manning up on the oppo's key mid. (straight to ziebell next week.)

i loves jones coming in off the square against the crows and i think that outside / inside role suits him perfectly and lewis is the same.

i'd say bugg is offering a lot at the moment, and there's just that certain 'something' about hannan that's really exciting when he gets the ball - he's creative, and very quick. 

no melksham, no brayshaw, no weideman, no vandenberg - all who i had in my 'hopeful they'll gel and be awesome starting 22' before the season commenced.

B: Jetta - Frost - Smith
HB: Hunt - T. McDonald - Hibberd
C: Salem - Vince - Jones
HF: Petracca - Watts - Lewis
F: Pedersen - Hogan - Garlett
Foll: Gawn - Oliver - Viney
I/C: Tyson - Kent - Hannan - Bugg 
Emerg: Stretch - O. McDonald - Neal-Bullen

  On 15/05/2017 at 12:37, goodwindees said:

Hey Dappa. You left out J Lewis?

You can't have AVB in any side over the last 2 years.

Oops. Right you are. I did some shuffling cos I didn't like TMac forward in a team sheet (pinch hitting though, definitely), and somehow forgot to slot Lewis in again. I thought that 22nd players seemed easier to pick than usual. Lewis to the wing, Vince to start on the bench, and Stretch to emergency.

Yes. Yes I can have AVB in the side for this year's 22 games and for last. Just cos he got hurt doesn't mean he suddenly got crap. Very important player for us. Hard body, marking target, versatile. He's all the things Kent, JKH and ANB can't or won't provide regularly. I worry about how much we'll get out of him this year given he hasn't had time to get fit. But I suspect the club will give him every chance to come back and play 5-8 games towards the end as our younger players will start to tire seriously. Tracca particularly was cramping for whole minutes at the death this week. If he needed to go out for example, I'd be fine bringing in AVB. Provides a marking target, hard as the day is long and can be a ball magnet.

  On 15/05/2017 at 14:24, DemonAndrew said:

i'm another who believes that in the less than 20 minutes of evidence smith is in our starting 18, let alone our best 22. looked good in the air, composed with the ball, and strong in the contest. a lot to like.

based on saturday you can't possibly argue that you don't want vince manning up on the oppo's key mid. (straight to ziebell next week.)

i'd say bugg is offering a lot at the moment, and there's just that certain 'something' about hannan that's really exciting when he gets the ball - he's creative, and very quick. 

no melksham, no brayshaw, no weideman, no vandenberg - all who i had in my 'hopeful they'll gel and be awesome starting 22' before the season commenced.

Cracker.

Smith did 90% of his proving to me in JLT1. Standing behind the goals and hearing the old timers ask the 20-somethings who number 30 was, then proceeding to "educate" them that he's been the best player out there that day. Taking a look at what little we've seen, he is seriously impressive. And he's a massive unit. I think he'll scare opposition forwards with his desperation.

Was it last year or the year before I remember he'd been running with players having low possession games, then came out and had 36 then 42 in back to back weeks, beating teams off his own boot? I think he actually sort of did that mid season in both '15 and '16. I'm happy for Goody to do any damn thing he wants with Bernie. I know it won't happen, but privately I want to see him roaming the arc dobbing them from 55. Maybe when Max gets back to dish off.

Totally forgot Bugg. Went back and decided to leave it. I do love him though. Hard for him to be in and out of the side, but I guess every good team has those types.

You forgot OMac. Not a fan? I suspect he'll be in your best 22 for a number of years before long. And yeah... those 4 names not in, and it's not even that disappointing. We have serious depth now.

Grand final week will be nervy enough without the thought of Omac lining up against the GWS or West Coast talls.

Mine is a bit different but 

Smith.     Frost.    Jetta 

hunt.      Oscar.      Hibberd 

Vince.     Oliver.     Lewis 

Salem T McDonald.  Petracca 

watts.        Hogan.       Jeffry 

gawn.        Viney.        Jones 

Tyson.  Stretch.   Vandenberg.  brayshaw 

  On 15/05/2017 at 20:13, Abe said:

Mine is a bit different but 

Smith.     Frost.    Jetta 

hunt.      Oscar.      Hibberd 

Vince.     Oliver.     Lewis 

brayshaw.   T McDonald.  Petracca 

watts.        Hogan.       Jeffry 

gawn.        Viney.        Jones 

Tyson.  Stretch.   Vandenberg.  Melksham 

Abe, by not Salem in your 22 you have gone completely Ken Bruce. Hibberd and Salem distributing off half back was a thing of beauty against Adelaide. In the top-five first picked in my opinion.

 

  On 15/05/2017 at 20:26, dee-tox said:

Abe, by not Salem in your 22 you have gone completely Ken Bruce. Hibberd and Salem distributing off half back was a thing of beauty against Adelaide. In the top-five first picked in my opinion.

 

Knew I forgot someone, thanks mate 

I forgot about Joel Smith who I rate very highly, and Bugg who showed on Saturday night the kind of energy he brings to the team.