Opinion Best team 2022

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To me it indicated that Menegola might be in trouble, rightly or wrongly. He definitely sounded like he was talking about the veterans.
I would now be more surprised if menegola made the 22 rather than miss. He was not injured in round 23 and they made the late change to omit him from the team. And with the others coming back in I can’t see them making enough changes to find him a spot.

Duncan I still expect to come back in
 
To me it indicated that Menegola might be in trouble, rightly or wrongly. He definitely sounded like he was talking about the veterans.

I reckon its oconnor but it could be menegola.
 
On the dark-and-smelly Scott said some players who've played a lot over the last couple of years are going to miss out.

My prediction is that neither Zuthrie nor Mieirs will be omitted and nor should they be. In 2011 Scott opted to leave out Milburn and Mooney, so it wouldn't be amazing if Menegola and/or Duncan and/or Kolo miss the game. O'Connor is also vulnerable but he can play on ball if required which may save him; while Henry can play back, forward or even on the ball at pinch.
Mooney and Millburn = Menegola and MOC. Mooney had the same injury problems/lack of games as Menegola that cost him. He couldn't break into the side. Milburn's form was a little patchy, maybe better than MOC but he'd played 14 games and wasn't missing any to be saved for finals.

Duncan has played 19 and all 3 missed were injury/conservative approach to prep him for finals. Averaging 23 disposals and 3 inside 50s a game between wing and half back (perfect guy to share that role with Touhy.

Kolo has played 20 games, only missing through concussion/injury. Widely acknowledged as having one of his better years, at his peak age. One of our best stoppers and will have lockdown roles each game. Never been dropped in his career.

Zuthrie plays an intercepting role similar to Stewart or Henry. He's still not out performing Touhy or Duncan who alternate on the other flank and have positional versatility. Team balance wise, he makes the most sense. Anyway, guess we'll see. I wouldn't rule out a forward being dropped (this is how vintage Scott would go).
I reckon its oconnor but it could be menegola.
Unless Miers or Rohan are chopped, I think it's both.
 

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Mooney and Millburn = Menegola and MOC. Mooney had the same injury problems/lack of games as Menegola that cost him. He couldn't break into the side. Milburn's form was a little patchy, maybe better than MOC but he'd played 14 games and wasn't missing any to be saved for finals.

Duncan has played 19 and all 3 missed were injury/conservative approach to prep him for finals. Averaging 23 disposals and 3 inside 50s a game between wing and half back (perfect guy to share that role with Touhy.

Kolo has played 20 games, only missing through concussion/injury. Widely acknowledged as having one of his better years, at his peak age. One of our best stoppers and will have lockdown roles each game. Never been dropped in his career.

Zuthrie plays an intercepting role similar to Stewart or Henry. He's still not out performing Touhy or Duncan who alternate on the other flank and have positional versatility. Team balance wise, he makes the most sense. Anyway, guess we'll see. I wouldn't rule out a forward being dropped (this is how vintage Scott would go).

Unless Miers or Rohan are chopped, I think it's both.

I think its moc and zuthrie (and i still think rohan might be the one chopped) but we will know soon enough.
 
After hearing the way Scotty talked about Rohan the other night, I have no doubt he will play, and be used as a tool to stretch Collingwood's intercept defence - if all of Moore, Murphy and Howe have a man, nobody can play loose.

It's hard finding a 22 from about 28 blokes this year, but it's a good problem to have. I think Kolo gets an extra week's rest due to Collingwoo'd smaller forwardline, keeping MOC in the side - probably to play on Elliot - and Kolo comes back after the long break to lock down on a taller forward.

I love Menegola, but he just hasn't had the match practice this year, and has looked uncharacteristically shaky with his field kicking at times (despite a few ripper trademark goals, and his ability to hit the scoreboard can't be ignored).
 
After hearing the way Scotty talked about Rohan the other night, I have no doubt he will play, and be used as a tool to stretch Collingwood's intercept defence - if all of Moore, Murphy and Howe have a man, nobody can play loose.

It's hard finding a 22 from about 28 blokes this year, but it's a good problem to have. I think Kolo gets an extra week's rest due to Collingwoo'd smaller forwardline, keeping MOC in the side - probably to play on Elliot - and Kolo comes back after the long break to lock down on a taller forward.

I love Menegola, but he just hasn't had the match practice this year, and has looked uncharacteristically shaky with his field kicking at times (despite a few ripper trademark goals, and his ability to hit the scoreboard can't be ignored).
Who is your sub?
 
After hearing the way Scotty talked about Rohan the other night, I have no doubt he will play, and be used as a tool to stretch Collingwood's intercept defence - if all of Moore, Murphy and Howe have a man, nobody can play loose.
Rohan is no shot to miss.

People that think so simply just look at stats of the past.

He is structurally important to the forward line and plays a role that not many on the list can.
 
B: O'Connor De Koning Bews
HB: Tuohy Kolo Stewart
C: Duncan CGuthrie Menegola
HF: Smith Cameron Parfitt
F: Close Hawkins Stengle
R: Stanley Dangerfield Selwood
I: Blicavs Henry Atkins ZGuthrie
E: Ceglar Holmes Miers Rohan
 
B: O'Connor De Koning Bews
HB: Tuohy Kolo Stewart
C: Duncan CGuthrie Menegola
HF: Smith Cameron Parfitt
F: Close Hawkins Stengle
R: Stanley Dangerfield Selwood
I: Blicavs Henry Atkins ZGuthrie
E: Ceglar Holmes Miers Rohan
That is the most controversial emergency list I've seen.

8 defenders, no forwards on IC, Parfitt on a forward flank.

Crazy Vossy at the PC?
 
Mooney and Millburn = Menegola and MOC. Mooney had the same injury problems/lack of games as Menegola that cost him. He couldn't break into the side. Milburn's form was a little patchy, maybe better than MOC but he'd played 14 games and wasn't missing any to be saved for finals.

Duncan has played 19 and all 3 missed were injury/conservative approach to prep him for finals. Averaging 23 disposals and 3 inside 50s a game between wing and half back (perfect guy to share that role with Touhy.

Kolo has played 20 games, only missing through concussion/injury. Widely acknowledged as having one of his better years, at his peak age. One of our best stoppers and will have lockdown roles each game. Never been dropped in his career.

Zuthrie plays an intercepting role similar to Stewart or Henry. He's still not out performing Touhy or Duncan who alternate on the other flank and have positional versatility. Team balance wise, he makes the most sense. Anyway, guess we'll see. I wouldn't rule out a forward being dropped (this is how vintage Scott would go).

Unless Miers or Rohan are chopped, I think it's both.
I can't see Rohan or Miers getting the chop. But who knows, it is final time.
 
That is the most controversial emergency list I've seen.

8 defenders, no forwards on IC, Parfitt on a forward flank.

I'll address each of your comments individually:

no forwards on interchange
Apart from Hawkins, Cameron, Stengle and Close, I don't see the need for any further designated forwards. Presumably all players who are good enough to be in the selected 22 know how to kick a ball through the two big upright posts.

8 defenders
ZGuthrie doesn't need to be designated solely as a defender.
Henry doesn't need to be designated solely as a defender (especially with Rohan not in the 22)
Tuohy, although named on the half-back flank, also doesn't need to be designated solely as a defender.

Parfitt on a forward flank
Of the 22 players, I only really see 10 to 12 of these as being specific to their nominated position. 6 defenders, ruck, 2nd ruck, 2 key forwards. And maybe also Stengle and Close. Everyone else is just a spare player who can rotate through the midfield or forward line.
 

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I think most people are in agreement as to who the top 25 players are. And barring any injuries, there will be not one but three unlucky players who will not be selected in the starting 22.
Def gonna be an unlucky one or two assuming no injuries... I'll eat my hat if Holmes is one of them.
 
Just want to re-explain something to the people that thought Rohan wasn't in best 22 and why he was very unlikely to miss.

Rohan is in the side because he is a guy that can fly and compete for the high ball + also provide strong defensive pressure.

Have a look at this image... Rohan started almost side by side with Cameron & Hawkins.

Hawkins is a tall but simply will not jump at a pack mark anymore as he prefers to wrestle and outpower his opponent. This works great when isolated 1 on 1 but if there is a 3rd man coming over to spoil... he will spoil it almost every time.

Cameron can take a pack mark, but will still not fly for everything as he sometimes stays down to crumb, or he is up the ground and isn't even near the high ball.

Most teams have a 2nd ruck that plays forward, so that player offers a high marking option... But our 2nd ruck (Blitz) plays midfield and doesn't push forward.

So if Rohan isn't in the side to compete who else do we have to fly for some f50 entries? Stengle, Miers, Close... Nah.

Rohan is a hybrid that can play in the air and on the ground (the only guy on the list that can play this role) + has a very strong body, is super fast and chases/applies pressure.

He isn't a champion and even if he doesn't mark this ball... we still need him there to try to stop the intercept grab and at least help bring it to ground.

So even if he has just an average game, the above still stands and he is in the side to play a role.


I was just very surprised that some people here that do know their footy... Absolutely misunderstood his role for the team and were happy for him to miss.

P.S he was not going to be playing that role all year to be dropped "if fit" as soon as finals started (same way as we were not going to play two rucks out of the blue)... It was just never ever happening.


Screen Shot 2022-09-05 at 9.35.59 am.png
 
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I confess to having questioned Zac Guthrie for years and for suggesting Rohan wasn't up to finals football.

Young Guthrie is looking more and more like Tom Stewart every day - takes clean grabs, dashes off and kicks well. He was outstanding in the final.

We wouldn't' have won the game without Rohan - his marking, kicking and running were superb.

I'm very pleased for both of them.
 
So if Rohan isn't in the side to compete who else do we have to fly for some f50 entries? Stengle, Miers, Close... Nah.

Maybe a simpler answer to that question is that it's preferable to
(1) kick to a player who is by themself
if not possible then
(2) kick to a player who is in a 1-on-1 contest
if not possible then
(3) kick to a pack as a last resort

Which is just a long way of saying that I don't think players should be picked solely on their abilities to take a pack mark and/or stop an intercept mark.

I was just very surprised that some people here that do know their footy... Absolutely misunderstood his role for the team and were happy for him to miss.

Nobody misunderstood his role. There are just differing interpretations of his effectiveness.

I agree with iameviljez. To expand on that further - I see Cameron, Hawkins, Stengle and Close as being higher than Rohan in the pecking order. However I don't see a need to select six designated forwards in the team. So (prior to last weekend) Rohan and Miers should not have been considered automatic selections. Instead, I see Rohan and Miers as competing with other fringe players for one of the last remaining spots in the team.

Having said all of the above - I do think Rohan played brilliantly on the weekend and I do think he should be selected for the preliminary final.
 
It's a big part of it, though. If you don't have the football, your effectiveness is limited.
It's not all about stats.
Some players do need the ball more than others to be effective.
I'd love for Rohan to have 16/18 touches every week (that would mean we have the ball forward lots)... But it's just not gonna happen.

Rohan can bring the ball to ground in marking contests... so the smaller guys can crumb.
Have a look at the image above, he is the only cat flying for it... If he doesn't, the oppo mark it and rebound, If it spills we are still a chance (even though he won't get a stat for it)... and if he marks and goals from outside 50, that's even better.

He will chase a lot harder than Miers as well and keep the ball alive until backup arrives, whilst the smaller-bodied Miers can get easily pushed aside by bigger defenders and puts up much less of a fight.
Rohan might not get a stat for that either, but it's very effective.
He also is a tricky matchup due to being able to play tallish and small.

Judging Rohan's output/effectiveness on stats or the number of times he gets the pill in his hands is just something our coaches wouldn't be doing.

Charlie Constable could rack up stats for fun but was one of the least effective players I'd seen for a long time.
 
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Amazing how one game can make a difference. Most people wanted Rohan dropped.

During the first quarter I'm pretty sure I read comments wanting Rohan & Jnr Guthrie dropped

Some players seem to be afforded leeway to have a slow/slower start to a match without receiving criticism, while others are on the receiving end after the first mistake
 

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