Preview 2025 Best 22 Discussion

[DocT]

Coaches do indeed make changes to optimise the best 22 for critical games. Two irrefutable examples:

• under Lyon we did not take our best side to Tasmania, so they could be cherry ripe for the next game. That's about as disruptive as you can get.
• Geelong focused on having Ottens in form and available for the second half of the season and finals. They gambled they could make finals without him, but not win finals without him.

The word 'managed' has crept into common usage as well, and indicates not selecting a player who otherwise could have played if the stakes demanded it.

I think Fyfe and Walters should both be managed. We have seen that they struggle to play an entire season, and I think there is greater value having them later, when we fell away this year.

I like your big picture thinking wrt both players and the season.

 

[eastfreo75]

Coaches do indeed make changes to optimise the best 22 for critical games. Two irrefutable examples:

• under Lyon we did not take our best side to Tasmania, so they could be cherry ripe for the next game. That's about as disruptive as you can get.
• Geelong focused on having Ottens in form and available for the second half of the season and finals. They gambled they could make finals without him, but not win finals without him.

The word 'managed' has crept into common usage as well, and indicates not selecting a player who otherwise could have played if the stakes demanded it.

I think Fyfe and Walters should both be managed. We have seen that they struggle to play an entire season, and I think there is greater value having them later, when we fell away this year.

Great points.

Players having an interrupted preseason tend to have au underwhelming season. Maybe, it would be better in the long term to start the season later for them. Give an opportunity to have full training before they play.

Clubs tend to play players when they are ready and that might that be not a great idea long term.

Devil is detail for sure and nothing is ideal.

 

[Dale147]

 

[freo84]

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As usual Dale147 cheers for the news mate!

 

[Hamann188]

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Why did Quarters mention Raz amongst the midfield group but not MJ? Curious.

 

[Mr Cheese]

All of them. Having Aish, Banners, Switta, Ras, Draper, Fyfe and Walters as our bottom 6 or 7, not sure that’s premiership class in 2025. I Might be harsh on Switta but he needs an outstanding season from here on in.

That's as good a bottom 6 or 7 as you'll see in the league (would love a breakdown of who has better).

As someone else pointed out, only Switta is a walk-up start currently, the rest make up spots 23-29 (and you can probably add JOM there if you're including NOD as best 22). That's some serious and versatile depth. Even Reidy, I think, will have come on to at least AFL standard ruck for next year, which will allow us to hold formation and help improve Jackson's output.

Edit: Forgot about Voss; got a feeling he'll end up a good forward who we'll end up trading out for something decent or as quality cutlery in a player trade. Strong as an ox and good depth to have either way.

As for Sturt and Freddie, as others have said, they're going to benefit massively from Bolton's presence in the team. Sturt, in particular, will have a mismatch in most every game, given his combination of height, speed and marking ability and I'm expecting a huge season from him next year. As for i50 stoppage, I'd play him around the 50 arc as a shallow mop up mark who also has the speed to stop/disrupt run out of defence, or be available as a quick shallow i50 reentry point if the clearing mark is longer. Given his ball use, and ability to roost them with accuracy, I think he'd excel at this.

Freddie will just be unleashed; with him Switta, Sturt and Bolton, plus the relative speed of Amiss and Treacy as talls, we'll be the fastest end-to-end team in the comp. Look for a lot of transition Joe the gooses, or one on one mismatches next year

TLDR - We're ****ing stacked and have excellent depth in 2025. No reason why we can't go all the way.

PS - Walker is the best lockdown defender in the comp, and more than handy coming out of defence. Criminally underrated by some here. Walk up start 8 days a week.

On SM-G988U1 using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Vintage]

re walker. I really wonder if people in here watch footy sometimes.

 

[Purple Jesus]

**** me, can the season just start already?

 

[King Huskii]

My best 22/23

Ryan Pearce Walker
Clark Cox Chapman
Sharp Young NOD
Switta Treacy Bolton
Sturt Amiss Jackson

Rucks Darcy Brayshaw Serong

Int Wagner Fredrick Johnson Draper
Sub Erasmus

Emg Fyfe Aish Walters

Simpson just over Reid as he has been more productive in the training sims that I have watched. If a young gun was to.get early game time. I can't wait for both to become best 22.

Banners and O'Meara need massive pre seasons.

 

[bellie4pm]

Yes, good observations.
Obviously first prize is to play the same 23 week in week out with occasional changes for specific match-ups. The pro-side to that is connection/unity. But the concomitant con-side is rigidity. And it is obviously also impossible - s**t happens.
So team flexibility is a key part of success - especially for a team that travels far and wide and often.
I would like to see a change in match-committee mentality. Replace the best 23 concept with a best 30. Treat players missing a week as genuinely being rested for their personal good and the good of the whole. I think we'd have a stronger team overall as a result.

In terms of resting players…

Find it fascinating how many recent gf winners lose a number of games at the start of the season… then come home strong.

And how many bolters dont go on to win regardless of how strong they were during the season.

Personally believe a few of the coaches arent going hard for the first few rounds to avoid burn out later.

Way around this is team selection includes the need to rest most players at least occasionally. Two or three less games is two or three weeks more recovery during the season.

Just musings at the moment, but do think there is something in this for the dockers given our depth, our schedule and the ages of different players.

 

[88mph]

In terms of resting players…

Find it fascinating how many recent gf winners lose a number of games at the start of the season… then come home strong.

And how many bolters dont go on to win regardless of how strong they were during the season.

Personally believe a few of the coaches arent going hard for the first few rounds to avoid burn out later.

Way around this is team selection includes the need to rest most players at least occasionally. Two or three less games is two or three weeks more recovery during the season.

Just musings at the moment, but do think there is something in this for the dockers given our depth, our schedule and the ages of different players.

100%

Look at Sydney on the opposite end of the scale.