1 hour ago, adonski said:

That's a juicy tid bit out of the swamp, did they delve anymore into why Lindsay was so highly rated by the Pies?

The only other comment was that if they didn't get Houston they would have tried to facilitate a move up the draft for Lindsay.  It's just how they rated him in this draft.

19 minutes ago, Gator said:

The only other comment was that if they didn't get Houston they would have tried to facilitate a move up the draft for Lindsay.  It's just how they rated him in this draft.

From the small amount I've seen I can understand why.

Some interesting line ups suggested in this thread.

In terms of debutants I have little doubt Langford and XL will be in our best 22 (when xl is over his pcl).

Jefferson will get his shot early I suspect.

And I reckon AJ is a very good chance to be in the round one team - goody really wants a second ruck to chop out maxy and whilst Roo can do the job i suspect AJ might get a shot at the role.

I realise you can't pick everyone, but I'm surprised so many people don't have tmac in the their best 22.

He was arguably our best defender last year. Tailed away near the end of the season, bur barely missed a game and came off an interrupted preseason.

In the two training sessions I've been to tmac has been a real stand out. In ripping nick and looks very, very focused. 

I can't see him not being in the round one team down back.

29 minutes ago, binman said:

Some interesting line ups suggested in this thread.

In terms of debutants I have little doubt Langford and XL will be in our best 22 (when xl is over his pcl).

Jefferson will get his shot early I suspect.

And I reckon AJ is a very good chance to be in the round one team - goody really wants a second ruck to chop out maxy and whilst Roo can do the job i suspect AJ might get a shot at the role.

I realise you can't pick everyone, but I'm surprised so many people don't have tmac in the their best 22.

He was arguably our best defender last year. Tailed away near the end of the season, bur barely missed a game and came off an interrupted preseason.

In the two training sessions I've been to tmac has been a real stand out. In ripping nick and looks very, very focused. 

I can't see him not being in the round one team down back.

Unsure how this will work with the announcement of Petty returning to D50. Seems too tall with all four of Lever, May, Petty + Tmac.

9 hours ago, rjay said:

From the small amount I've seen I can understand why.

He's a very Pies style of player with his speed and versatility 

If we have no injuries, I think Rivers will need to play at half back. There are only 240 playing minutes for centre midfielders and Petracca (50), Oliver (60), Viney (50) and Kossie (40) will take the bulk of those. We like to play a defensive line up with 7 players and we haven’t historically had midfielders rotate to half back. So Rivers would need to play half forward for a quarter of the game if he were to also play as a midfielder. We also probably need to find a spot for Langford, who really looks most suited to be a central midfielder. I am not really a fan of Oliver or Viney playing too many minutes forward, as they don’t really have the pace or skill.

I like the expected move of Windsor to half back. I see him taking Salem’s role in defence and being or loose man at around the ground stoppages. I think Salem is well past his prime and we need a more dynamic player in that role. I think a defence of May, Lever, TMac/Petty, Rivers, Bowey, McVee and Windsor would be fantastic so long as May can still be a top liner.

The forward line is a bit more of an unknown. The midfielders will share about 80 minutes (out of 480 total forward minutes). JVR, Fritsch and Chandler will almost definitely play. And I think Turner is likely but he will need to compete with Melksham, Jefferson and Johnson. Petty may also go forward if we decide that TMac is too good to be left out (which I think he is). And as much as Melksham does not have the size of the other key forwards, I think our forward line functions better with him in it. And Fritsch is really best used as our deepest forward, so we need to consider him as a key forward and pick other tall forward that are mobile enough to play up the ground

Langdon will take one wing, while Sparrow, Sharp, Woewodin, Brown, Langford, Tholstrup, Billings, Laurie, McAdam, Spargo and Lindsay are all in the mix to play in wing and/or forward/midfielder roles.

7 minutes ago, RedFox said:

Unsure how this will work with the announcement of Petty returning to D50. Seems too tall with all four of Lever, May, Petty + Tmac.

Tmac played his best footy last year as basically tall half back flanker, and i reckon that's the role he'll play this year - which is perfect position for him wit his excellent foot skills and vision. 

He looks like he has really trimmed down and looks more like an elite cyclist than key defender. 

19 minutes ago, binman said:

Tmac played his best footy last year as basically tall half back flanker, and i reckon that's the role he'll play this year - which is perfect position for him wit his excellent foot skills and vision. 

He looks like he has really trimmed down and looks more like an elite cyclist than key defender. 

TMac really played CHB. I think we would be too slow and susceptible to the ground ball if we had May, Lever, TMac and Petty in the same side (particularly if conditions are not perfect).

The Cats have played with more tall defenders than most sides in recent years but they don't have Max Gawn and play home games on a very narrow ground.

I’ll have a crack at mine, why should Werridee have all the fun?

B:     Bowey        May            Salem

HB:  McVee         McDonald   Lever

C:     Langdon    Oliver          Windsor

HF:   Petracca    Turner        Pickett

F:      Chandler    JVR           Fritsch 

R:      Gawn         Rivers        Viney

Int:    Tholstrup     Petty       Langford

          Johnson

S:      Lindsay

Emg:  Sparrow    Campbell   Spargo

May look a bit top heavy, however it would allow us to rotate the talls to ensure we always have options. Johnson would second ruck and Petty could be swung back or forward depending on match ups. We would also be able to sub off a tall at 3 quarter time and bring on a small without effecting team structures.

If a wet day then you swap one of the talls out for Lindsay and move sparrow to sub.

Edited December 24, 2024Dec 24 by DistrACTION Jackson

2 hours ago, Fat Tony said:

TMac really played CHB. I think we would be too slow and susceptible to the ground ball if we had May, Lever, TMac and Petty in the same side (particularly if conditions are not perfect).

The Cats have played with more tall defenders than most sides in recent years but they don't have Max Gawn and play home games on a very narrow ground.

No he didn't (play chb).

Tmac is not great one on one, and when he was forced to play as a key defender (eg when Lever or may was out, or for match up) he was exposed a bit.

17 hours ago, Gator said:

B: McVee, May, Lever

HB: Windsor, Petty, Salem

C: Langdon, Oliver, Sharp

HF: Chandler, van Rooyen, Langford

F: Fritsch, Turner, Pickett

FOLL: Gawn, Petracca, Viney

IC: Rivers, Bowey, Lindsay, Tholstrup

Melksham/McDonald/Sparrow/Johnson/Brown/Howes/Moniz-Wakefield/Woewodin/Hore all thereabouts.

Obviously not a round one team with the Pickett inclusion, just a preference for best.

A 5th interchange would have been ideal to include a second ruck like Johnson as a chopout for Gawn.  I'm OK with van Rooyen having short bursts, as he's good at it.

With others such as McAdam, Spargo, Campbell and Sestan we have more depth this year (subject to injury).  Casey should be a lot stronger.

I'm hoping van Rooyen, soon to be 22, can have a break out in his 4th year on the list.  It's the same year a 21 year old Jack Riewoldt showed what he'd become.

I hope Langford and Lindsay show they're worthy of a round 1 berth.  And at 22 Sharp should be ready to become a permanent AFL player.  It's the same age Ed Langdon broke through at Freo.

As a side note, a mate of my Brother is friends with the outgoing Collingwood recruiter Derek Hine.  Hine considered Lindsay the slider of the draft.  They rated him very highly and had him as a top 5 pick on their rankings.

As a second side note, there are 7 left footers in the above team, which I very much like.

I like your line up but I'd definitely want someone who can play tall as sub. A medium like Melksham or Hore might suffice.

I think Lindsay will struggle to be ready R1 having missed pre-Christmas in rehab but hopefully he's established in the 22 by mid year.

Looking at the lists it's very clear to me that our biggest need is another dynamic goal kicking small forward. Kossie moving to midfield is good but it leaves the cupboard bare. I like Chandler but I think he'll play higher up the ground like ANB did. We've got Mentha and maybe AMW if we switched him forward again, not enough IMO. I'd be trying to trade in an established player, maybe someone like Rachele.

5 hours ago, binman said:

Some interesting line ups suggested in this thread.

In terms of debutants I have little doubt Langford and XL will be in our best 22 (when xl is over his pcl).

Jefferson will get his shot early I suspect.

And I reckon AJ is a very good chance to be in the round one team - goody really wants a second ruck to chop out maxy and whilst Roo can do the job i suspect AJ might get a shot at the role.

I realise you can't pick everyone, but I'm surprised so many people don't have tmac in the their best 22.

He was arguably our best defender last year. Tailed away near the end of the season, bur barely missed a game and came off an interrupted preseason.

In the two training sessions I've been to tmac has been a real stand out. In ripping nick and looks very, very focused. 

I can't see him not being in the round one team down back.

The question is can you fit lever, may, petty and tmac in the same backline? 

3 minutes ago, Oxdee said:

The question is can you fit lever, may, petty and tmac in the same backline? 

No

13 minutes ago, Oxdee said:

The question is can you fit lever, may, petty and tmac in the same backline? 

Yes, if tmac plays as a half back flanker, which is essentially the role he played last year. 

Forget his height, he is an exceptional athlete (who has xlearly trimmed down), though not super quick, with elite endurance and is easily one of our best field kicks - good attributes for a half back flanker.

12 minutes ago, binman said:

easily one of our best field kicks

Stop stirring the pot 'bin'...

1 hour ago, rjay said:

Stop stirring the pot 'bin'...

Well, I think he is, but given I think we are a very poor kicking team that doesn't necessarily mean I think he is a good kick.

2 minutes ago, binman said:

Well, I think he is, but given I think we are a very poor kicking team that doesn't necessarily mean I think he is a good kick.

We have some very good field kicks though. McVee, Bowey, Salem, Chandler, Fritsch, Rivers and Kozzy come to mind who would all be better than Tmac. Plus add Langford and Lindsay who should be above average type kicks.

4 minutes ago, DistrACTION Jackson said:

We have some very good field kicks though. McVee, Bowey, Salem, Chandler, Fritsch, Rivers and Kozzy come to mind who would all be better than Tmac. Plus add Langford and Lindsay who should be above average type kicks.

Not to quibble, but I said he was one of our best, not the best.

That said, of that list in my humble opinion only Mcvee and Bowey are better, he's on a par with salo, koz and fritter and he's is a better field kick than Chandler and Rivers.

Barely missed a target last year, which given how often we turned the ball over is gold for a defender.

1 minute ago, binman said:

Not to quibble, but I said he was one of our best, not the best.

That said, of that list in my humble opinion only Mcvee and Bowey are better, he's on a par with salo, koz and fritter and he's is a better field kick than Chandler and Rivers.

Barely missed a target last year, which given how often we turned the ball over is gold for a defender.

I personally think Chandler is underrated for his kicking and Salem at his best is very good (think GF Salem). I get your point though and I agree we aren’t a great kicking side, but I think that’s more to do with who gets the ball for us more than personnel

This is a team based on attack and may not work every week, but would utilise Trac and/or Langford to play tall if we want to keep the three marking players forward when Max is off.

McVee May Salem

Lever Petty Windsor

Langdon Oliver Sharp

Spargo Turner Viney

Fritsch JVR Kozzy

Max Trac Rivers

Chandler Lindsay Langford Bowey

Sub. TMac

Backs: McVee, May, Salem, Lever, Petty, Windsor, Bowey, Lindsay

Mids: Oliver, Windsor, Viney, Kozzy, Trac, Rivers, Langford, Lindsay 

Rucks: Max, JVR and Turner

Forwards: Spargo, Turner, Viney, Fritsch, JVR, Kozzy, Trac, Chandler, Langford

4 minutes ago, Adam The God said:

This is a team based on attack and may not work every week, but would utilise Trac and/or Langford to play tall if we want to keep the three marking players forward when Max is off.

McVee May Salem

Lever Petty Windsor

Langdon Oliver Sharp

Spargo Turner Viney

Fritsch JVR Kozzy

Max Trac Rivers

Chandler Lindsay Langford Bowey

Sub. TMac

Backs: McVee, May, Salem, Lever, Petty, Windsor, Bowey, Lindsay

Mids: Oliver, Windsor, Viney, Kozzy, Trac, Rivers, Langford, Lindsay 

Rucks: Max, JVR and Turner

Forwards: Spargo, Turner, Viney, Fritsch, JVR, Kozzy, Trac, Chandler, Langford

1 x Kolt short

2 hours ago, binman said:

Yes, if tmac plays as a half back flanker, which is essentially the role he played last year. 

Forget his height, he is an exceptional athlete (who has xlearly trimmed down), though not super quick, with elite endurance and is easily one of our best field kicks - good attributes for a half back flanker.

As a half-back he has to mind small to medium size forwards.  He'll be torched on ground balls.  Notwithstanding your opinion, the balance just looks terrible to me.

He can either get picked as a tall, or he can't.  Up to him.

11 minutes ago, adonski said:

1 x Kolt short

He's not in my best 22 at the moment. It's between Spargo and Kolt for the half forward spot. Chandler potentially as well, but I rate Charlie higher than both as it stands.

10 minutes ago, Gator said:

As a half-back he has to mind small to medium size forwards.  He'll be torched on ground balls.  Notwithstanding your opinion, the balance just looks terrible to me.

He can either get picked as a tall, or he can't.  Up to him.

Well he wasn't picked as a tall last year - in the sense that he only played man on man on a big on a small number of occasions and was basically a floating flanker for 90% of the year - but whatevs

Edited December 24, 2024Dec 24 by binman

The question is less about May, Lever, TMac & Petty because 1 of them will be on the bench….. but rather who misses out from Salem, McVee, Windsor, Bowey, Rivers, Howes, AMW,  Woewodin,