Ladies and Gentlemen - Introducing Your 2007 Best 22

[tom9779]

Gumbleton could play back, but I reckon Sheedy will want to play him up forward.

I reckon he will be the next big power forward in the game.



Backline will be held together next year with Michael,Fletcher, Mcphee, Welsh. And I think someone like Lee and Cole will get some game time off half back.

Gumbleton will play alongside Johns, Lucas, Lloyd and a couple of quick crummers in the forward line.(probably Lovett/Alvey, maybe even Jetta, though I think Jetta will go into the middle)

At 23 Alvey will definetly be expected to step up this year.

[antcl]

In my view the people nominating Fletcher to play CHB are full of it. If he could play CHB, he'd have done so previously when the opposition's gun forward was killing us there, and he was on the hack they played at FB.

So I think the best team depends a lot on whether Lee can step up to play CHB. If so, then CHB isn't a problem, or less of one. If not, the best 22 must include Lucas playing at CHB.

For development reasons, I hope Lee is given CHB first next year (or even Bradley/Gumby). But if I wanted to make finals next year, the team I'd hope to play at the start of the season would be:

FB: Welsh Michael Fletcher
CHB: McPhee Lucas NLM
C: Campo Watson Nash
CHF: Lovett Johns Bradley
FF: Hird Lloyd Monfries
ONB: Hille JJ Stanton

INT: Laycock Dyson Peverill McVeigh

I can't see any of the new kids pushing their way in yet, although I would hope that Davey can soon. He's 22, so if he doesn't immediately step up he will be running out of time to do so.

Apologies to Slattery, Cole, Dempsey & Lonnergen. Hopefully those guys will be putting pressure on the best 22 to perform.

[tom9779]

In my view the people nominating Fletcher to play CHB are full of it. If he could play CHB, he'd have done so previously when the opposition's gun forward was killing us there, and he was on the hack they played at FB.

So I think the best team depends a lot on whether Lee can step up to play CHB. If so, then CHB isn't a problem, or less of one. If not, the best 22 must include Lucas playing at CHB.

For development reasons, I hope Lee is given CHB first next year (or even Bradley/Gumby). But if I wanted to make finals next year, the team I'd hope to play at the start of the season would be:

FB: Welsh Michael Fletcher
CHB: McPhee Lucas NLM
C: Campo Watson Nash
CHF: Lovett Johns Bradley
FF: Hird Lloyd Monfries
ONB: Hille JJ Stanton

INT: Laycock Dyson Peverill McVeigh

I can't see any of the new kids pushing their way in yet, although I would hope that Davey can soon. He's 22, so if he doesn't immediately step up he will be running out of time to do so.

Apologies to Slattery, Cole, Dempsey & Lonnergen. Hopefully those guys will be putting pressure on the best 22 to perform.

I think Hislop has the body to handle AFL footy and wouldn't be suprised to see him get a go.

Also Gumbleton made the senior WA state side. I reckon he will also be in our 22 next year..... be interesting too see who we field during preseason.

Can't wait for the Sydney/Dons clash at North Sydney this year.......

Davey will be expected to make seniors at some point. He is ready to go from all reports.

[antcl]

I'd expect some of the new kids to get games next year, just as Dempsey, Lonnergen & Ryder got about 15 games between them this year.

I wouldn't expect that at the end of the year, on their form in 2007 that they would be considered in our best team for the year.

Obviously they can prove me wrong, and as I mentioned I hope Davey does because if he doesn't he'll be running out of time. But Davey, Hislop & Gumby all played senior football in either the SANFL, VFL or WAFL, so all are chances to get game time.

[antcl]

Hell, just realised I left MJ out!

Put MJ in the forward pocket, Monfries to the bench, McVeigh to the back pocket and Welsh out of the side.

[gringo]

No,Sheedy will play Gumbleton on the top gun CH Forwards, the Treadreas, the Browns and then maybe even on a Hall, destroy the kid, just like he's done with Bradley just so that Fletcher, McPhee and now probably even a Michael can run around the backline playing the loose man/link up role that Sheedy seems to love, all three looking like champs and getting plenty of possies, meanwhile the team will be losing thanks to the dominance of the gun Forward playing on Gumbleton...yeah great coaching Sheeds.
You know I've just read the latest Bomber Mag. Read what the Pres, the CEO and most importantly the coach had to say and nowhere did anyone mention our worst season on record having anything to do with the coach or coaching methods. The only exception being GOD's piece where he blamed himself for the move he made on Betts the day we drew with the scum. Well done Gary, you were the only one willing to take ownership for your own poor deecision.

If this is the way the new season is going to be approached...a sad case of not being able to see the forest for the trees, then don't be expecting too much. Like I've said before, the first place a manager or coach should look when things are going wrong is in the mirror... it seems to me that there must not be too many mirrors at Essendon or in the Sheedy household either.

Kepler Bradley is heading into his fourth year of AFL footy. The only problem with playing KB on the opposition's gun forwards is that KB is fantastically useless as an accountable defender and as a footballer generally.

Fletcher was thrown to the wolves much earlier than KB and although he got flogger from time to time, you could see straight away he was going to be a gun defender.

The coaching wasn't too bad this year. Unfortunately, the players on our list just aren't up to it at the moment.

[Windy_Hill]

Kepler and Chook are at serious risk of joining the Pantheon of Essendons Wasted First Round Draft Picks

We can just about start to put a team together

Bolton
McAlister
Bradley
S Harvey


Lets hope Paddy and Gumby buck the trend

[antcl]

You forgot Davies.

And I suspect Winderlich will be soon added to that list.

[Rossoneri]

Davies wasnt a first roudner was he?

[gottalovett]

i also think that davey will get a go as will hislop in our 22

[ealesy]

Davies wasnt a first roudner was he?

yeah he was. something like pick 17 in 2001.

Remembering that I think at least St Kilda if not another team were being rewarded for gross mediocrity that year!!!

[antcl]

No, Harvey was in 2001.
Davies was our first pick in 2000, and St Kilda had picks #1 & #2 due to the priority picks, so our pick was #17.

[Rossoneri]

Werent we banned from the 2000 draft?

[Madden]

I would doubt very much that any of those draft picks will start in Rd 1. Don;t think many of them will get many games thoughout the year - particularly Gumby, who will need time to bulk up, and practice playing on men in the VFL.

[Ossie]

B: M.Johnson Fletcher McVeigh
HB: McPhee Michael Lovett-Murray
C: Camporeale Watson Dyson
HF: Johns Lucas Monfries
F: Lovett Lloyd Hird
R: Hille J.Johnson Stanton

I: Gumbleton Laycock Winderlich Nash

[tom9779]

Here is my team(mods pls delete other locked thread)

Obviously pre season will decide the team, but this is the team I would love to see go around for a couple of weeks.

Fletcher Michael Welsh
M Johnson, McPhee, NLM
Lovett,Watson,Camporeale
Gumbleton, Lucas, Johns
Jetta,Lloyd, Hird

Foll: Hille, J Johnson, Hislop

Bench: Peverill, Laycock,Lee,Monfries, Winders?


at least 3 of our draftees getting blooded nice and early, experience down back, and up front.

Reasoning for having Gumbleton straight in, is because he would attract the third defender from the opposition, ease him into the big time.

I like having Jetta around Hird/Lloyd for most of the game, and from what I have read of hislop he is cut in the same mould as JJ, so put em together as well.

Our midfield group should be one to watch...don't know who is going to be a part of it.

[F111]

The best team for 2007 will evolve over the season.

The best 22 available in round 1 won't be the same 22 at round 10 or 20.

I'd love a crystal ball.