Alternate 22, with a view toward a more flexible tall forward structure and a view to developing some tall forwards to play together. in the future. Hopefully we can snare a Hugh Goddard or Pat McCartin in this year's upcoming u18 ND. Cam Giles could come into calculations as the season progresses and am optimistic about his prospects. I think Waite, Henderson and Kreuzer (with Warnock rucking) would be the beginning point round 1 if all are hopefully fit then we'll see how we go.
Its a tough one. 2 x nice 50s in the ODI series a god start for Marsh but he is a bit of a lucky boy. Doolan I like too but both he and Marsh have very average records this summer with the red ball. Not the only reason to pick a bloke is because of his record but has to carry some weight surely.
I wouldn't have been unhappy with Marcus North at 6. Id be leaving Watson at 3 for this series to tell ya the truth anyway allowing possibly Haddin at 6 then Faulkner at 7 or one of the bats in Marsh or Doolan at 6 with Hadds at 7.
Taking both Pattinson and Bird I would not have done but rate them both. Would have taken just one in Patts and also Coulter-Nile.
Kruezers stats are not far off that of Dean Cox except in average marks, but he never seems to influence or win games like Cox has. He is capable of taking big marks, kicking goals unlike Warnock but never does it for 4 quarters or rarely take big marks forward that win games, wether its fitness or confidence I dont know but he should be a better player than he is given his athletic abilities and skills. Gibbs is the same.....he can pick up 30 possies but doesnt really control or win games....both players lack the intensity and imagination in their game to dominate. They are not leaders...Judd is intense and competitive for 100 minutes, he wants to win every contest and dominate and this is what separates stars from just good players like Kruezer and Gibbs...
Do you think that part of the reason why Kreuzer is struggling in the forward role is that 1. He hasnt quite been fit enough to do it properly, and 2. He is lacking confidence in his ability to perform that role?
Early doors he looked more than competant and he has really dropped off a long way from the first glimpses where normally players go from strength to strength in getting better.
Perhaps he could eventually fill the role but needs to get "on a roll" if you know what I mean.
You could be spot on here Thry as he did look very good as a young ruckman/forward. I think with Waite and henderson around him up forward he is hopefully going to be more dangerous up forward. Give him some confidence id hope like you said he certainly does need.
Ive long thought our best 3 talls to play forward are Waite, Henderson and Kreuzer and as a combination I think they would be worth a shot.
The other side of the coin is that i am now unsure of MK's body and ability up forward. I think when we have played the likes of MK, Hammer, RW206, Levi and Rowe forward they have not had the 1-2 punch of Waite and Hendo which would make a huge difference I believe to the 3rd tall/relief ruck. Hammer is now gawn, RW206 more a ruck only but as a man so tall standing in the goal square able to get some 1 on 1's (same for MK and the others mentioned) then I think they could be a nuisance with our 'main' key forward targets being Waite and Hencerson as CHF/FF and able to rotate those positions also which I think is important and underestimated.
My concern is that Waite will not last much longer and if we play the rucks as RW206/MK then we are not sure on their abilities as tall forwards, in particular MK as he would be more a 3rd tall forward/2nd ruck Id imagine in that circumstance.
Id be thinking toward the future at some stage with a combo of the new forward general in Henderson as your mainstay with support from Watson and Casboult. I think at this stage I have seem much more from Watto as a forward than a defender and Casboult, although has weaknesses, is the best out and out 'clunker' of the ball on our list and a much better grab than MK, RW206 and Rowe. Have MK as our pure ruck/follower workhorse.
Id look to this option as the season gets going after seeing who is doing what, how the team is travelling, etc.
Looking at the Herald Sun's best 22 for Carlton - we can potentially field a team with 17 of the 22 having over 80 games experience. Everitt would make that 18.
That's a pretty solid core and you are either in your premiership window when your list looks like this or you're still hanging onto players you should have delisted years ago.
The biggest worry for me is Watson. For him to come good it would be massive for our season, however, that just looks so unrealistic at this stage. Still only 21, 16 games experience - trouble with injuries and form and pace is a serious concern.
Can Everitt hold down CHB?
Can we field a potent forward line without Hendo and settle him at CHB for the year?
HS team:
B: Andrew Walker (27, 165 games), Michael Jamison (27, 111), Zach Tuohy (24, 54)
F: Jeff Garlett (24, 98), Jarrad Waite (30,168), Matthew Kreuzer (24, 105)
R: Robbie Warnock (26, 70), Chris Judd (30, 259), Marc Murphy (26, 165)
INTER: Ed Curnow (24, 51), Dennis Armfield (26, 105), Tom Bell (22, 16), Chris Yarran (22, 84)
Swinging players from backline to forward line is never a recipe for success. Mick has had a year - he should be able to settle his best team for the majority of this season.
I went with Watson in my 2nd team (had Jamison, Rowe and Everitt as my talls in my original which I am now going back to) but I do go back and forth re him as I am not convinced at all but feel he is also better suited up forward. Maybe as a 3rd tall at this stage but certainly to me looks more at home, free and natural there than down back. I reckon Everitt is a definite in our best 22, my best 18 anyway, and I have Docherty very much in the frame as a replacement for the likes of Simpson and Tuohy and moreso Tuohy as I would like to unleash the raging bulls in Tuohy and bell into the midfield and have a very much 'in your face' style in there (and all across the ground - at both AFL and VFL level).
Id be grooming Rowe to go down back and do a job as the 2nd key defenders after Jamison to play a Rory Thompson type role. Needs to work on fitness, movemnet and pace but he started that far back last year I reckon it was tough going. he did well. If we is to make it at AFL level it wont be as a tall forward/ruck IMHO. He is a fierce competitor and Id happily trial him at least down back to take on the monsters. add the taller roaming types as 3rd and 4th talls down back - Everitt and one other of Walker, Bootsma, White or McInnes.
Re Docherty, he may well begin the season in the VFL but would be inmy sqaud of 25 or 26 with an eye to see how he goes in the preseason games and hopefully he can take over from Tuohy as the team's no.1 small/medium defender. His foot skills are sublime as are Tuohy's.
Im happy to take on Jack Anthony. Hoping we also have Cam Conlon too. Getting Joel Wilkinson is a deecnt get but id be happy enough to have asked a Dacry Hourigan (SA u18) to the N.Blues and get a first hand look at him with an eye to drafting him end of this year should he do well. Id look to play him at CHB initially with the ability to swing up forward as he is a skillful and powerful young footballer. Add some mids with the ones we are losing. Would have liked to keep Marcon and realy would have liked to keep lambert, hope he stays but can understand why they want to leave. hat just means we replace them as their are alot of mids out there.
Now that we have smashed the Poms 5-0 with the same XI no less, who are the blokes you take to South Africa for the three test match series? I'm not sure how many we'll take, probably 15 or 16, so who are your men to get the job done?
At this stage I'd go with: 1. C.Rogers 2. D.Warner 3. S.Watson 4. M.Clarke (c) 5. S.Smith 6. G.Bailey 7. B.Haddin (vc/wk) 8. M.Johnson 9. R.Harris 10. P.Siddle 11. N.Lyon
We desperately need Doolan to do well. Haddin ha been superb so credit has to go to him. he has saved our skin many times. Guys like Bailey and Smith are average bats but Smith is improving somewhat but regardless needs more runs on the board. Would have loved for Bails to do better. Maybe some runs in Sydney.
Doolan Id hope goes to Sth Africa and Id like a development position there also for a bat such as Nic Maddinson for instince. Of the bowlers, injured players like Bird, Starc and Pattinson havent played enough cricket IMHO to warrant going so get them right for the next test series and the nest Aus summer of test cricket. Id take backups in Faulkner, Coulter-Nile and even Bollinger if need be - keep them all around the test team to be cover for Harris, Johnson and Siddle. Of the spinners possibly only Lyon required to go.
Don't get me wrong because I love seeing us win test matches especially against the Poms, but I've a few questions for Boof.
What about Patrick Cummins? Under an injury cloud and will only play the short game for the next 2 years.
What about Jackson Bird? Another bowler with back problems. A few in front of him.
What about James Faulkner? Injured during training for 3rd Test, could come in for Watson.
What about James Pattinson? Starting his comeback from injury - played one T20 game.
What about Ashton Agar? 14 wickets at 48, nowhere near good enough yet.
What about Fawad Ahmed? 14 wickets at 34 - miles behind Lyon at the moment.
Agree with those assessments DJC. All those players are good young cricketers, Fawad Ahmed a more mature type, but have a way to go for various reasons. Some injured and some outta form to a degree.
Better depth and quality, some way to go but hopefully general improvement, confidence and development improves also which it really should!
For the VFL affiliate, we now have Jack Anthony onboard which will be god I think - very interested to see how he goes - and possibly Cameron Conlon also as I read somewhere he had been training with the Northern Blues FC? A bigger unit down back would be nice too. Hopefully we can keep Kane Lambert, especially after losing Adam Marcon.
