Just some snits and giggles, but given its a bit hard to do a best 22 after winning a grand final, thought this little thought experiment could be not only a viable reality but also a chance to admire in my opinion our completely enviable depth which has us extremely well placed to go back to back this year.

As we are seeing with the womens comp, players out with 'Health and Safety Protocol' next to their name is going to happen. So for this experiment we are going choose 6 or more players from our premiership 22 (at random is the most fun) and imagine they all went to a players house for dinner together and unfortunately all got covid ruling them out for the next match. How do we restructure and who comes in. As ive been home bored in that exact situation for many days now I've done this at random at least 10 times and honestly even with up to 10 players out i've put together a 22 each time I would still feel comfrtable could beat at least 12 teams at full strength. This, obviously, pleases me no end.

Of the remaining players not in the starting 22 from the Grand Final I have no problems at all with 10 players coming in and being able to perform extremely well, these being Tomlinson, J.Smith, Hunt, Jordan, Dunstan, Chandler, Bedford, Melksham, Weidemann and Daw. Quite conveniantly that is also 3 defenders, 2 mids, 4 forwards and a ruck. But add onto that the flexibility of so many players;

Melksham could still be a break glass mid

Daw shouldn't be needed but could perform as a key forward, Petty likewise

Brayshaw clearly can head back to the centre and be replaced by a winger should we need

Nibbler is capable of extended mid minutes in a Harmes style role. In fact experimenting with him as a tagger would be successful if not exactly needed

Benny Brown wouldn't love it but if tragedy really hit and all of Gawn, Jacko and Daw went down together he could still hold his own in the ruck against a Pittonet or even Nankervis I think

 

Anyway, I found the whole exercise pretty enjoyable and figured some of you might as well in the long long wait for Rnd 1. I'll leave you with one of my harder drawn at random excercises, feel free to tear it to shreds but at least offer better options :)

 

Maxy Gawn hosted a fondue party with Salem, May, Spargo, Viney, Oliver, McDonald, Harmes, Petty and Pig Hibberd in attendance. Harmesy sneezed right into the cheese and infected the lot of them. So my team for the following week is as follows;

F.B:  J. Smith  Tomlinson  Hunt 

H.B:  Rivers  Lever  Bowey

C:  Brayshaw  Dunstan  Langdon

H.F:  Chandler  Weidemann  Pickett

F.F:  Neal-Bullen  B.Brown  Fristch

R:  Daw  Petracca  Sparrow

I:  Jordan  Jackson  Melksham  Bedford

 

Could have looked Laurie or D. Smith for a couple of spots or given Rosman a run on the wing and move Brayshaw into the guts but this would be the strongest lineup in my opinion. Melk might have to play behind the ball a bit thats all. Anyway, i still see that side beating Carlton, St Kilda, Adelaide etc even at full strength. Port or Sydney we might need them to have a star or two out as well ha ha ha. 

Anyway, hope some you find some fun with it

 

Fruitcakes. That side reminds me of 2019.

Edited February 2, 20224 yr by Queanbeyan Demon

I know it’s beside the point, but a fondue party? Are they even still a thing?

2 minutes ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

I know it’s beside the point, but a fondue party? Are they even still a thing?

Hell yeah in my house they are!

24 minutes ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

I know it’s beside the point, but a fondue party? Are they even still a thing?

Cheese, or chocolate?  Maybe since Covid there is some obscure Victorian law mandating non sharing of the fondue pots, or at least no double dipping.  A market opportunity awaits for multiple mini fondue pots for individual use. 

1 hour ago, Queanbeyan Demon said:

Fruitcakes. That side reminds me of 2019.

It's got a bunch more premiership players in it than any we fielded in 2019 😁

14 hours ago, MrReims said:

Hell yeah in my house they are!

I bet you smash out a mean Duck à l’orange, too. 
Just don’t ever invite Harmesy to any of your parties; I hear he has dreadful table manners. 

A fondue? Even if no-one sneezed, we might still have that group missing with food poisoning.

By the way, I think you've overstated the abilities of a few players, such as Chandler, Bedford, J Smith and perhaps Weideman. In addition, those first three named plus Daw and Dunstan need more time playing with the core group to be able to fit in seamlessly. 

Edited February 3, 20224 yr by La Dee-vina Comedia

1 hour ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

A fondue? Even if no-one sneezed, we might still have that group missing with food poisoning.

By the way, I think you've overstated the abilities of a few players, such as Chandler, Bedford, J Smith and perhaps Weideman. In addition, those first three named plus Daw and Dunstan need more time playing with the core group to be able to fit in seamlessly. 

No doubt, but its the reality of what is most likely to happen this season, to all clubs. We aren't talking about best case scenario here. But compared to other clubs 23-33rd players, I don't think I am overstating their abilities. Happy to be shown otherwise for the sake of debate