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21
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: Name your team for Opening Round
Last post by Lods -
Quote from: Blue Moon – on
My philosophy is that they would not recruit someone unless they were planning to play them. So all our recruits will play except for Reidy unless Pittonett is injured. Also this thread is name the team for the opening round.
I also look at who is not going to play, but are good enough, and I have broken that into two groups, younger guys coming through and more senior guys.
Senior guys who will miss out are Fogarty, McGovern, Acres, Kemp, Haynes, Carroll, Boyd and Cottrell. If O'Farrell wasn't injured L.Young would miss out. If E.Hollands is on the list he would be on this list. If White is on the list, he would be on the next list.
The young guys who will miss out are Wilson, L.Camporeale, B.Camporeale, Charleson, Evans and F.Young.
What this tells me is the depth of the side is fine but until the season starts we won't know about the quality. At this stage I am not convinced about the quality.

That's fair enough.
It is very much a wait and see.
I agree with the point about draftees.
The club sees something that could benefit the side.
It's not like they've thrown a dart and the player it's landed on is the one we get.
There's been a bit of thought, and observation, gone into it  and while it might not be obvious to us, there would be a reason we've taken them on.
22
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: Name your team for Opening Round
Last post by Blue Moon -
My philosophy is that they would not recruit someone unless they were planning to play them. So all our recruits will play except for Reidy unless Pittonett is injured. Also this thread is name the team for the opening round.
I also look at who is not going to play, but are good enough, and I have broken that into two groups, younger guys coming through and more senior guys.
Senior guys who will miss out are Fogarty, McGovern, Acres, Kemp, Haynes, Carroll, Boyd and Cottrell. If O'Farrell wasn't injured L.Young would miss out. If E.Hollands is on the list he would be on this list. If White is on the list, he would be on the next list.
The young guys who will miss out are Wilson, L.Camporeale, B.Camporeale, Charleson, Evans and F.Young.
What this tells me is the depth of the side is fine but until the season starts we won't know about the quality. At this stage I am not convinced about the quality.
23
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: Name your team for Opening Round
Last post by Lods -
I couldn't do it
I tried, but I couldn't do it.
Someone had to miss out
I just couldn't pick one. ::)

So I picked two... :D  :D
(and the chances of making a mistake and including someone twice are pretty high, so feel free to point that out. I have a few reserves)

Team 1
Boyd, Weitering, Cowan
Saad, Haynes, Wilson
L Camporeale, Hewett, Hollands,
Cottrell, McKay, Hayward
Evans, Moir, Motlop
Pittonet, Lord, Cerra

Team 2
Carroll, Young, Newman
Florent, Dean, McGovern
Chesser, Cripps, Acres
F Young, Kemp, Fogarty
Ainsworth, OKeefe, Williams
Reidy, Walsh, Smith

Interchange from- Charleson, Byrne, Monahan B, Camporeale, Ison, Duffy
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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: Name your team for Opening Round
Last post by kruddler -
Every year we get sucked into included all our recruits into our best 22 (23) and every year we get disappointed.

I can't see how someone like cheeser gets a game in our side after only managing 4 in a very poor Eagles side in 2025... and not much more in years before that. Even if it's simply down to injury history.
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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: Name your team for Opening Round
Last post by Thryleon -
Quote from: JonDorotich – on
Newman, Weitering McGovern
Saad Haynes Florent
Cottrell Cripps Chesser
Ainsworth McKay Motlop
Hayward Kemp Williams

Reidy Hewett Walsh

Cerra, Smith, Cowan, Carroll

Side looks well balanced however it’s clear that unless one of McGovern, Haynes, Dean or Kemp stands up as a key defender we’ll be exposed.  Other concerns are our ability to defend clever/strong small forwards & the durability of Cottrell & Chesser who could provide much needed pace.

All of Cripps, Weitering, Smith, Hewett, Walsh, Kemp, McKay, Cerra, Hayward, Saad and possibly McGovern have the ability to make the AA squad so let’s hope we see at least half of them get there.

Unlucky not to make the side  - Okeefe (could swap with Kemp), Dean (could swap with Haynes or McGovern), Lord, Pittonet, Acres, Boyd, Hollands, Moir & Evans

Hey dorotich you're short one on the interchange
26
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: Name your team for Opening Round
Last post by PaulP -
Forwards :
McKay
Motlop
Williams
Hayward
Kemp
Moir

Mids + Ruck :
Pittonet
Cripps
Hewett
Walsh
Cerra
Smith

Defenders :
Weitering
Newman
Haynes
Dean
Florent
Cowan

Interchange : Evans, Byrne, McGovern,  O Hollands, Ainsworth

You could select a few combinations and still have a decent team. I found it tougher to select a starting line up than I have in several years.
28
The Sports Desk / Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread
Last post by LP -
The media are jumping on Stokes pitch criticism, but he is speaking with a forked tongue.

Stokes and his coach know all too well that to have any chance of winning a series let alone the odd test, the Bazball regime needs dead flat pitches. So what do the media and public expect, to hear him praising pitches with a bit of bowler assistance?

Bazball is basically cross bat cricket, deviation, turn or variable bounce are it's natural enemy.

The tragedy of the MCG Test is that the Aussies went soft letting the Poms win against the trend, they've used the pitch criticism as cover for their own abhorrent lacklustre play! When stoicism was needed to crush the opponents hope, we folded and left the doors open.
29
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: Name your team for Opening Round
Last post by LP -
I doubt OH falls behind Chesser or Cottrell in the pecking order, Carroll might struggle.

So much depends on our game plan for 2026, it must surely change but to what exactly, we have no idea as yet!

Plus, there going to be an extra bench spot for 2026 so I'm sure one of them will be a ruck or KPP?
30
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: Name your team for Opening Round
Last post by JonDorotich -
Newman, Weitering McGovern
Saad Haynes Florent
Cottrell Cripps Chesser
Ainsworth McKay Motlop
Hayward Kemp Williams

Reidy Hewett Walsh

Cerra, Smith, Cowan, Carroll

Side looks well balanced however it’s clear that unless one of McGovern, Haynes, Dean or Kemp stands up as a key defender we’ll be exposed.  Other concerns are our ability to defend clever/strong small forwards & the durability of Cottrell & Chesser who could provide much needed pace.

All of Cripps, Weitering, Smith, Hewett, Walsh, Kemp, McKay, Cerra, Hayward, Saad and possibly McGovern have the ability to make the AA squad so let’s hope we see at least half of them get there.

Unlucky not to make the side  - Okeefe (could swap with Kemp), Dean (could swap with Haynes or McGovern), Lord, Pittonet, Acres, Boyd, Hollands, Moir & Evans