There was a moment in the game yesterday when Weitering had a knock.
He seemed to recover fairly quickly.
I was also thinking that Kennedy was having a good game...next minute.
We watched as several players rolled ankles at various stages.
We've built a strong team.
"Soldier out, soldier in" seems to be the ethos.
But obviously some players are more important in terms of structure.
Who do folks think are our 5 most valuable heading into what looks like a real premiership opportunity
It's not necsessarily the best players, but those who perform a role that would be hard to fill if we needed to replace them.
Obviously, at the top of the list we'll get some consensus but around 4 and 5 we may get some differing views.
Just as an example...
We have McKay- Curnow and DeKoning- Pittonet.
If one player is unavailable in either of those combinations we still have the other that can fill that role.
But that doesn't mean don't choose one or more of those players if you think they are essential and among our top 5 most valuable.
Do we have anyone who can provide what Cripps does to the same extent. (It's OK...I know the answer :D .)
And in the depth area....players like Fogarty, Saad, Cincotta give us elements that are hard to replace.
Top 5?
Top 5 is too few IMO. No matter which 5 you nominate, others who are equally valuable miss out. Also worth noting that whatever top 5 one nominates look as good as they do because the support crew around them is now up to snuff. If you pick Cripps, Weitering, Fogarty, either one of Curnow / McKay, and De Koning, that still omits Walsh, Cincotta, Newman etc. I think it's great that we have this problem. Way more than 5 "most valuable' IMO.
It's the diversity of the opinion I'm looking for without going to deep in the list....
You won't see a lot of difference with the top 2 or 3, but around 4 and 5 you may get some different names.
My top 2 in order were easy...
It's
1) Weitering
2) Cripps.
(remembering it's not the best, but most valuable)
After that I struggle a bit
I'd probably have one of the key forwards...and I'd probably go for McKay over Curnow at this stage.
Where to next I'm not sure.
Walsh, Curnow, DeKoning (we've won well without them, or without them having a lot of influence) or one of the role players that provide us with a much needed aspect we get from no other player.
No doubt. The principle is much the same as team selection for match day. The first 10/12 basically pick themselves. Nobody is seriously thinking that Cripps, Weitering, Walsh, Curnow, McKay, Acres etc. are actually competing for spots. It's really the "bottom" (I use that word without intending anything negative) half/third of the team where the MC would have some decision to make IMO.
Weitering
Saad
Walsh
Curnow
Fogarty
1. Weitering; Kemp, Young and Durdin may be able to stand a key forward but they can’t produce the leadership, generalship, reliability, decision making, and protection that Weiters provides.
2. Saad; we don’t have anyone who can provide the speed, run and carry, ball use, and team and one on one defence that Saad serves up each game.
3. Newman; Cincotta may develop into Newman’s eventual replacement but he’s not there yet. Newy’s ability to lock down an opposition gun, contribute to the team defence and distribute the ball can’t be replaced.
4. De Koning/Pittonet; O’Keeffe (injured), Young, Lemmey, Durdin and Mirkov would struggle if required to play first ruck.
5. McKay; Lemmey has promise but is a way off McKay’s scoring power and ability to have an impact up the ground. Curnow would be almost equally difficult to replace but I have McKay ahead because of his second ruck role.
As difficult as it would be to replace those named above, and Cripps and Walsh, I am sure that we would cobble something together to get by.
Most valuable
or
Least able to cover if they weren't around?
1. Weitering
2. Daylight
3. Charlie
4. Cripps
5. Saad
6. McGovern
1: Cripps
2: Walsh
3: Weitering
4: Doesnt matter
5: See 4
It's all about how many, not which one.
If you lost any one curnow, McKay, weitering, cripps walsh, Kennedy, tdk, pittonet they could be covered easily enough, for a few games. Lose 2, 3 or 4 from that list and it starts getting tougher.
Remember when hawthorn were all about Dunstall and Langford? No Dunstall, no Langford no hawthorn.
We are not there, but I'd hate to see us without a ky tall at either end (names omitted for jinx purposes).
Good jinx Lods