Opinion Best 22 in 2022

[Minga]

With Higgins returning this week, Webster the next week, and possibly Jones, Billings, Clark and Ryder in the subsequent week(s) what is our best 22 in 2022?

Could we be looking at a 100% healthy/available team (minus Coffield) by the time we play Melbourne in a couple of weeks?

Who would go out of our side for who returns? How long do we keep players like Windhager and NVM in the side for? It’s a great problem to have, and one that has no obvious answer.

At the moment I’d go with:

Wilkie / Howard / Webster
Paton / Battle / Lienert
Hill / Clark / Sinclair
Higgins / Marshall / Butler
Gresham / King / Membrey

Ryder / Steele / Crouch

Bench: Jones / McKenzie / Billings / Ross

Sub: Wood

Ideally Coffield would be in for Lienert, but it’s hard to complain when Lienert has been really top notch for us. Would love to keep NVM in, but for me it’s between him and Billings. It’s a pretty good side methinks.

 

[Sully111]

It will be really interesting to see how the team balance looks when others come back in.

 

[Jade Buddha]

We’re getting games into kids at the moment. All good and a bonus that we are winning but if we are serious about contending NWM and Windy won’t be in.
Jones, Clark and Billing’s need to come back in. They are seasoned bodies and finals can be brutal.

 

[plugger66]

We’re getting games into kids at the moment. All good and a bonus that we are winning but if we are serious about contending NWM and Windy won’t be in.
Jones, Clark and Billing’s need to come back in. They are seasoned bodies and finals can be brutal.

Exactly. They are very good players. Jones is playing vfl this week apparently. If he is on full minutes which I think he would he is straight back next week. Billings might need 2 in the reserves due to injury but then straight back. Same with Clark. You never get a best 22 but those 3 in plus Ryder and Webster. Out lienart whindhanger long wood Hayes.

 

[lewdogs]

We’re getting games into kids at the moment. All good and a bonus that we are winning but if we are serious about contending NWM and Windy won’t be in.
Jones, Clark and Billing’s need to come back in. They are seasoned bodies and finals can be brutal.

Agree with most of that but NWM looks pretty special. Would love him to stay in the 22.

 

[Tommy Wigs]

Agree with most of that but NWM looks pretty special. Would love him to stay in the 22.

Yep. Dees played some fairly young kids through finals. It’s about what they bring even if there are weaknesses or improvements to come. Would love to see Windy keep getting games.

 

[CursingFijian]

Billings, Coffield, Clark, Jones and Ryder not being available at the start of the season has put us in a great position. We have discovered that some of the younger draftees can play at the level, and we have discovered a few older talents that can make a strong contribution to the team on any given weekend.

It means that we can drop feed our best 22 players back in and if the need arises later, rest players and rotate the backup crew back in again.

It takes a squad to push deep into September and I feel cautiously optimistic that ours has developed enough belief early to overcome the inevitable list challenges this year.

 

[bird_man]

I reckon the first 21 are easy to pick then after that there might be room for a NWM or Windhager if they can perform well.

Lienart may end up out of the side if Clark goes to a back flank rather than on ball.

I don't mind Long in there as Butler isnthe only other real pressure forward

Wilkie - Howard - Webster
Sinclair - Battle - Clark
Hill - Steele - Jones
Higgins - Marshall - Billings
Membrey - King - Butler

Ryder - Crouch - Gresham

Paton, Ross, McKenzie ???