On 07/04/2026 at 08:41, Adina88 said:

Exactly this. One of King's key philosophy is flexibility - our 'best 23' will change week to week, and be entirely dependent on who we're facing.

It's one of the things I'm enjoying even at this early stage. No more "Let's try Jack Billings on a wing again. It didn't work last time, but this time...?"

All I can say it's great that Sparrow's name is pooping up.

6 hours ago, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

Viney might get a few weeks at Casey to find form and match fitness, but providing he recovers from his injury he'll definitely find a way back into the senior squad sooner rather than later:

1. He's too good for VFL

2. He's too much of a competitor

3. He's vice captain and provides great physical and spiritual leadership of the side

He's too slow. We are not playing contest to contest football it's all about speed and outside run he is also not a great mark or decision maker if Steele was out, maybe but not now.

Realistically it will be a few months until the Viney dilemma surfaces and a lot of water under the bridge by then.

All else is speculation - but why not.

No way can you play Cross as a key forward Jeffo and Luker will fight that one out and as previously stated Van Rooyan needs to kick some goals

On 08/04/2026 at 12:18, DeeSpencer said:

It’s a big if but if Sparrow can routinely produce 20 touches (with decent efficiency) and 10 tackles he might offer more than Viney in this new game plan due to his outside running.

Viney and Steele in the same midfield gets us right back to a lack of speed and spread.

If by some miracle Viney was back this week fully fit I’d be rationing him and Steele plenty of half forward time so we don’t disrupt the balance. If Viney could basically play a chunk of Laurie’s half forward minutes plus a few midfield rotations when fresh we’d be maximising his skillset.

Viney would

On 31/03/2026 at 00:12, Simon Port said:

Howes Petty Lever

Bowey Turner Rivers

Lindsay Steele Langdon

Chandler Mihocek Sparrow

Fritsch Van Rooyen Culley

Gawn Pickett Windsor

Viney Langford Sharp Salem Tholstrup

I would love to see us run out with this lineup. Long term I think all of Latrelle, XT and Matthews are in the team but, for now they are all raw. The other 2 I would like in the team are Kentfield and Andy. I think Luker has the heighest ceiling of any key forward on our list and Andy could become our best lockdown small defender once he gets match fit.

Rivers to half back, Lindsay to the wing, Culley deep forward to use his aerial craft. Main 5 centre bounce attendees. Interesting to see how the midfield develops long term with Langford and Tholstrup replacing Steele and Viney long term.

Take Viney and Salem out...

On 08/04/2026 at 14:47, Dee Vinci said:

All I can say it's great that Sparrow's name is pooping up.

It's supposed to be lucky ☹️

On 08/04/2026 at 15:01, demon3165 said:

He's too slow. We are not playing contest to contest football it's all about speed and outside run he is also not a great mark or decision maker

I agree. It's possible our new game style has gone past him

3 minutes ago, lorn said:

I agree. It's possible our new game style has gone past him

Well past him...

On 08/04/2026 at 14:47, Dee Vinci said:

All I can say it's great that Sparrow's name is pooping up.

And popping up as well.

46 minutes ago, Cranky Franky said:

And popping up as well.

Oh dear oh dear.

That's a shocker.

Bordering upon accidental libel.

My apologies to all but especially to Sparrow, who has played his two best games and back to back.

If he can keep this up it will help us make it to finals.

Early days for sure , but if he can just control his bowel movements he may get even better. Na just being silly. I should show more humility after that spelling mistake that completely changed the sentence meaning.

I wonder if Tracca and Oliver were cramping his style. And I promise that is not a play on the word cramping.

My apologies again.

Keep up the great work Sparrow. Both you and Jvr are an important part of our season if you play your best we will surprise many.

Throw in that old almost 35 year old bloke with his Zimmer frame who was marking and scoring in every way possible and we might quietly sneak under the radar and make the top six.

One can dream. Also there are some great men's adult disposable undergarments out there today so everything is under control. Trust me Mr Sparrow.

Perhaps even an exceptionally lucrative sponsor deal. I mean it would have to be at least seven figures for that type of embarrassment. And here I am doing it for free. Shame on me.

Thanks CF.

Tonight's line up I think .... except someone in for Viney.

I'll let you know after win.

4 minutes ago, Dee Vinci said:

Tonight's line up I think .... except someone in for Viney.

I'll let you know after win.

Bowey will be huge in when he comes back.

Rivers is clearly best 22 as well.

On 07/04/2026 at 08:30, MrFreeze said:

I feel like you're making a new thread just to drop Petty again

Bizzare

And get in one more best 23.

1 hour ago, Petal said:

Bowey will be huge in when he comes back.

Rivers is clearly best 22 as well.

What’s going on with Rivers, is he injured or not??

Weird situation where we currently have genuine dilemmas about spots in the firsts, but could look very very thin with just a couple of injuries in the wrong parts of the ground.

On the bright side, I think our team has received the message that your specific size and shape isn't as important as what you do when you are in a given situation. We should give out the Melksham-Jetta award at the best and fairest.

That can mitigate a particular positional weakness, but not eliminate it. I'm glad we aren't giving up 15cm on Peter Wright out there on saturday, for example.

Apologies for taking the thread on a tangent, but my biggest interest in the team sheet will be how it evolves over the season and then into our 2028 premiership squad.

We might be right at the peak of a transition with both Max's on the field and effective.

We might already have our tall forwards. Surely there's at least adequacy to be found?

We're starting to look alright for small forward / half forward types, but a lot of water to go under that bridge. The interest in Bailey Humphrey makes sense as we could use a 'punch' to go with the swarm.

We have a great variety of general midfielders, wingers and flankers. We'll want to make sure the burden of physically contesting isn't place too heavily on too few, though. Fortunately it is ~relatively~ easy to acquire at least a respectable inside mid to play a role.

Our big question is for 'true' defenders. Could be looking great if X Taylor, White, Howes, Petty and Turner all kick along - that would be a very mobile, diverse and pretty tall defensive core. I love Jake Bowey and am optimistic about AMW. But with all that said, defense is where we have the most 'ifs' which need to line up at the moment.

4 hours ago, Petal said:

Bowey will be huge in when he comes back.

Rivers is clearly best 22 as well.

Thanks Petal ( that sounds somewhat patronizing ), but I completely forgot about those two. I don't know why. I think I've just been caught up with our exciting wins.

Bowey definitely.

Rivers has lost form and while successful as a mid for some time is better as a running halfback I feel.

Is there room for both..... Not sure.

But I'd definitely make room for Bowser...the personification of courage.

These are good problems to have to mull over so there's that.

I actually wouldn't mind seeing Bowey in the midfield for a brief trial. He usually comes out and wins the ball in crowded comps so it would be fascinating to see him have a stint in the middle. Bound to get a few head high frees. Or the odd furlong forward. Maybe Viney and Bowser rotating between the fwd line and centre to really mix things up and Rivers at half back for his running power and tackling prowess.

But given how well everyone is trying and playing, I'm loathe to mention anyone out.

What a cop out.

If pushed maybe, Rivers for Howes.

And for Viney ......Langford.

If we were going down the strange role of alternating Bowser and Viney in the middle and forward then........may the footy Gods forgive me, maybe Latrelle. There I said it.

I.know he's an exceptionally exciting player with uncanny skills like his cousin, but he's still very much learning his craft. He adds a great deal of speed but lacks the grunt, strength and tackling count of Viney.

Bowser isn't exactly slow and while not flashy will always like JV go in and get the ball where I feel LP is more on the peripheral of packs where he is probably more effective. Because once he gets it ....like Kp, he's off to the races.

I know I'll get shouted down for this call but it's only if I have to accommodate those other two.

Rivets for Howes isn't too tough a call. The other is. And the idea is something totally new but definitely worth a try. I think swapping JV and Bowser fwd and midfield would be like having to Kps in the middle and leave the old Tracca/ Oliver combo dead and buried.

I love Latrelle but let's not forget how good the others have and can be.

Why can't we play them all?

Stupid rules.