This thread deserves a best 44.

B: HIBBERD, MAY, LEVER

HB: BOWEY, PETTY, SALEM

C: LANGDON, PETRACCA, BRAYSHAW

HF: NEAL-BULLEN, MCDONALD, PICKETT

F: FRITSCH, B.BROWN, SPARGO

FOLL: GAWN, OLIVER, VINEY

IC: HARMES (CENTRE), SPARROW (HALF FORWARD), RIVERS (HALF BACK), JACKSON (RUCK)

SUB: DUNSTAN (CENTRE)

 

CASEY

B: D.SMITH, TURNER, J.SMITH

HB: HUNT, TOMLINSON, MCVEE

C: HOWES, DUNSTAN, BAKER

HF: MELKSHAM, VAN ROOYEN, CHANDLER

F: BEDFORD, WEIDEMAN, M.BROWN

FOLL: DAW, JORDON, LAURIE

IC: ROSMAN (WING), WOEWODIN (WING), MONIZ-WAKEFIELD (HALF FORWARD)

Edited January 21, 20223 yr by WERRIDEE

2 hours ago, WERRIDEE said:

This thread deserves a best 44.

B: HIBBERD, MAY, LEVER

HB: BOWEY, PETTY, SALEM

C: LANGDON, PETRACCA, BRAYSHAW

HF: NEAL-BULLEN, MCDONALD, PICKETT

F: FRITSCH, B.BROWN, SPARGO

FOLL: GAWN, OLIVER, VINEY

IC: HARMES (CENTRE), SPARROW (HALF FORWARD), RIVERS (HALF BACK), JACKSON (RUCK)

SUB: DUNSTAN (CENTRE)

 

CASEY

B: D.SMITH, TURNER, J.SMITH

HB: HUNT, TOMLINSON, MCVEE

C: HOWES, DUNSTAN, BAKER

HF: MELKSHAM, VAN ROOYEN, CHANDLER

F: BEDFORD, WEIDEMAN, M.BROWN

FOLL: DAW, JORDON, LAURIE

IC: ROSMAN (WING), WOEWODIN (WING), MONIZ-WAKEFIELD (HALF FORWARD)

Swap Jordon for med sub and Dunstan for mid duties with Majak and Laurie.

Taj Will I hope be played on the ball but he is a versatile option.

Love JVR on the forward line!!

10 hours ago, Red and Blue realist said:

Great all round post CHF, I think there's one area that wasn't addressed and that's small lock-down defenders. You've covered off on the running backs and some of them play a hybrid role in that regard, but we've have Nev retire and moved on Lockhart.

I know our style of play means we haven't had to rely on a small defender but this was one area that I thought we were struggling with - being vulnerable when the ball hit the ground in our defensive 50, especially in a 'chaos ball' way - this was until Bowey came into team, which gave us much quicker ground coverage. However, I don't think he's a lock-down defender and I'm not certain we'll need one all the time, but I'm wonder if this is one area teams might try and exploit us, of course that's easier said than done, but Collingwoods win over us was mainly due to a 'chaos ball' type approach into their Fwd50, low and hard in rather than deliberate and direct.  

Actually Rand B realist I was at that game and clearly Cwood's win was largely due to their DELIBERATE and DI RECT low and hard approach into their forward line. Nothing chaotic about it.same  game plan that Buckley upset us with in the last round in 2017, and caused us to miss the Finals.

Be interesting to see if McRae learns from Buckley when we play them.

Bowey should solve our small defender problem as Salem can also do that role if necessary and maybe Hunt. 

But those wanting May Lever Petty AND Tommo all in defence EACH  WEEK have it wrong, occasionally yes if needed.

Our  balance is best suited with 3 talls plus a selection of Riv Hibbo Salo Hunt and Bowey and I imagine others like Deakyn Smith and Judd McVee will aspire to join the AFL's best defence of the last 50 years.! 

No holes in this Dyke like defence.!!! 

16 hours ago, Red and Blue realist said:

Great all round post CHF, I think there's one area that wasn't addressed and that's small lock-down defenders. You've covered off on the running backs and some of them play a hybrid role in that regard, but we've have Nev retire and moved on Lockhart.

I know our style of play means we haven't had to rely on a small defender but this was one area that I thought we were struggling with - being vulnerable when the ball hit the ground in our defensive 50, especially in a 'chaos ball' way - this was until Bowey came into team, which gave us much quicker ground coverage. However, I don't think he's a lock-down defender and I'm not certain we'll need one all the time, but I'm wonder if this is one area teams might try and exploit us, of course that's easier said than done, but Collingwoods win over us was mainly due to a 'chaos ball' type approach into their Fwd50, low and hard in rather than deliberate and direct.  

We have been opened up a few times by ground balls in our defensive 50. If I recall correctly goody referenced  that in an interview as the reason why we brought Bowey into the team.

We have a pretty damn good defensive system (stating the obvious) but again Cameron kept the lions in it all on his own and showed other teams that the way to open us up is to get the ball in there quickly and bring it to ground. I’m hoping that Bowey’s natural improvement with experience will help in this area. I think we risk too much by changing the height balance to have more coverage on the ground.

22 hours ago, DeeSpencer said:

Key back: May, Lever, Petty, Tomlinson, J. Smith*, Turner
Medium back: Hibberd, J. Smith*, Hunt, Rivers*
Small back: Salem, Rivers*, Bowey, Hunt, D. Smith, McVee, AMW?

On ball: Oliver, Petracca, Viney, Harmes, Sparrow, JJ*, Dunstan, Woey?
Wing: Langdon, Brayshaw, JJ*, Baker, Howes, Rosman
Ruck: Gawn, Jackson, Daw

Key forward: Brown, McDonald, Weideman, M. Brown, JVR
Medium forward: Fritsch, Petracca*, Melksham
Small forward: ANB, Pickett, Spargo, Chandler, Bedford, Laurie

1. Tall depth. A ruck, a ruck/forward, and another key defender would all be ideal.

2. A specialist speed machine winger. We've added Rosman and kept Baker but we might have to go again. Howes is probably more as cover for Gus than for Langdon. James Jordon probably doesn't get enough credit as being a very serviceable wing option as well but he's more in between.

3. Half forwards with some size. One of the trickiest spots to fill on the ground. Need to run like an elite mid and chase and tackle like a small. But our small forwards are exactly that - small. Ideally we'd have another 185cm+ forward with some aerial ability to provide a match up concern to the opposition.

4. A mid sized stopping defender. We do have options but a gun defender with the right mix of size, speed, athleticism would be a nice addition to take over from Hibbo.

 

4. A mid sized stopping defender. We do have options but a gun defender with the right mix of size, speed, athleticism would be a nice addition to take over from Hibbo.

I thought J  Smith was this position unfortunately he has trouble getting on the park!

i havent seen much said about Turner and as he came from the Ovens  & Murray I have a  interest in what the thoughts on him are. With limited Casey games this year can he be truly judged as yet as a future backman.

 

 

21 hours ago, BAMF said:

Depth will be key this season. Very happy we still have Melksham on the list. Hopefully he has something to prove and is busting his backside to get back to that 2018 form.

As for list depth, I think others have covered it already but I will add... We need young tall depth. I don't want Jackson forced to take the number one ruck role next year. I'm not sure I want him to ever take it really. He could be an absolute nightmare matchup as that 2nd ruck/ Tall forward/ Mid /Xfactor/Freak that I don't want locked down as number 1 ruck.

I'm a little disappointed we didn't pick up another promising Ruck at the draft, but it's barely worth thinking about.

I agree that the one spot we really need to work on is a back up / eventual successor tap ruckman.  Other than that JT seems to have all bases covered, at least for now.

57 minutes ago, demons123452000 said:

i havent seen much said about Turner and as he came from the Ovens  & Murray I have a  interest in what the thoughts on him are. With limited Casey games this year can he be truly judged as yet as a future backman.

 

 

From the rare times we got to see him for Casey, Turner looked really assured down back. The club must see potential in him as he was re-signed, whilst our other midseason draftee Declasse was delisted. We are well stocked down back, but I fear Covid ball will hit most teams at some stage, so he may get a gig in the seniors at some stage. 

Great post and comments all round. Whilst Rosman is and Howes will be developed as wingers I still think outside run needs more depth. This is probably validated by us retaining Baker for a further season. 

With TMac, Weid and JVR we have options of varying experience for the roaming tall forward role but not really for the long ball other than Brown and Majak as plan B. LJ may fit either but who knows where he will land as he develops. Another long ball tall forward should be on the radar as they take time to develop and can be hit and miss. I can see Gawn playing the role more as he ages and still would not be surprised to see Petty play time there at some stage in his career. 

Mid sized leading forwards is our biggest gap for mine. If Fritsch goes down we are really lacking in this area other than the veteran Melksham (M Brown at a stretch). Howes may develop here and Trac can play that role when forward but we are lacking. 

 

 

Edited January 22, 20223 yr by Lil_red_fire_engine

3 hours ago, FlashInThePan said:

Cameron kept the lions in it all on his own

Sure did, and i dont have a problem with that provided there was no other lion matching camerons effort.  He kicked 5 and we won by 34 points.

The Dees didnt lose their nerve when Charlie was hot; we stuck to our game plan.

2 hours ago, mo64 said:

From the rare times we got to see him for Casey, Turner looked really assured down back. The club must see potential in him as he was re-signed, whilst our other midseason draftee Declasse was delisted. We are well stocked down back, but I fear Covid ball will hit most teams at some stage, so he may get a gig in the seniors at some stage. 

With great respect to both Daniel and Kyle I believe that if their ages were reversed we would have gone for the younger player every time.

Only my observation as  it would not have worried me if we resigned both.

Look at the training photos from yesterday and go back to Mid year 2021and see the difference in Turner. Big and more bulk no puppy fat now with a real footy players body to compete with.Also he has been doing running with Spargo extra workout so is very serious about this opportunity.

Kerping the pressure on all the larger defenders is a good game to play and he deserves recognition for this alone.

4 hours ago, Kent said:

4. A mid sized stopping defender. We do have options but a gun defender with the right mix of size, speed, athleticism would be a nice addition to take over from Hibbo.

I thought J  Smith was this position unfortunately he has trouble getting on the park!

This just might be his year !! See his training photos looks by far the fittest ever and deserves a change of luck with his body. Time will tell but I am backing him in after 4 years of frustration !!!

Such is our culture and competitiveness for spots.