Our Best 22 + the Dirty Dozen = Flag!

[Sir Alan of Didak]

B. Shaw Brown Maxwell
HB. Toovey Reid O'Brien
C. Ball Swan Thomas
HF. Fasolo Lynch Sidebottom
F. Goldsack Cloke Krakouer

Rucks: Jolly, Pendlebury, Beams

Inter: Blair, Young, Macaffer

Sub: Didak

Emerg: Keefe, Johnson, Elliot

Surplus: Russell, Seedsman, Hudson, Clarke, Grundy, Williams, Paine, Sinclair, Kennedy

It's just struck me how powerful we are going to be in 2013. Paying $10 for the flag (same as Carlton), we are clearly "overs" when you consider that we have "at a minimum" 34 players who can all be expected to do well at senior level (excluding our rookies). Should we stay relatively injury-free, I'm very excited about our prospects this year. I also feel that our depth (on all lines) is the equal to - if not better - than premiership favourite Hawthorn's and slightly better than West Coast and Sydney's. In my opinion, the premier will come out of only one of these four sides. Up to this point then, we must say well done to Bucks and the recruiting team. Hopefully, players like Cloke + Thomas can have better years and players like Ball, Macaffer, Krakouer and Keefe can get back to their best after serious knee injuries. I am confident that they all will. Structurally, I am tipping Luke Ball to become our cheif "tagger", in games where we choose to go with one. In this case, Swannie or Beams can always start (or go to) a wing/half forward flank. I'm inclined though to leave Beams in the guts for the next 8 years, after his "break out" season in 2012...he will be a champion of the club and win 2 more Copeland's. Macaffer is important too, as he can play tall or short and as a mobile Centre Half Forward in times where Lynch is either off the field, or giving Jolly a chop out in the ruck. The 22 I mentioned could be a fraction short. Put another "tall" in our best 22 though and we lose vital "run" late in games. Goldsack and Maxwell's output then, may well be an "underrated" key to our chances in 2013. Maxwell must not leak goals...Keefe is the most unlucky player not to have cracked a starting spot. Reality is, we WILL have injuries and the listed "dirty dozen" (emergency + surplus players) at one point or another will have to stand up...and they will. Round 1 v North Melbourne...bring it on. Round 2 v Carlton...let's not even go there. To all of you who fancy a flutter, put $110 on Collingwood to win the flag and make a juicy $1,000 profit at the end of the season. 2013 WILL be the year of the MAGPIE!

[neil]

No

No such thing as a best 22
Best 32 wins GF's

[Sir Alan of Didak]

Pretty much what I was saying. Have another read!

[Tannin]

That's pretty close, Sir Alan. And as you say, there are a few players outside that 22 who should certainly be in it if only there was room. I reckon Russell for one will storm back into form at his new club and prove impossible to leave out, and we always underestimate the immortal BJ, you'd reckon he's hold his place; Elliot is another one who must be very close, and then there is ....

Yep. Good post.

[stui magpie]

I don't go in for best 22 because as has been said we probably have/need a best 30.

However, I reckon that starting 18 you have are the 18 players that if fit and available for selection would play each week. That 18 are pretty much automatic selections. I can't see a single one of them who would miss.

That takes us to the 4 on the bench and where the debate IMO starts. There would be at least 10 players with a decent claim on one of those 4 spots and I daresay we will see a few moving through there.

[sixpoints]

A great side, I agree its our best, and with a bit of luck.......
But I have one observation (it's not a concern, but it is something I noticed.) Of that 22, all but 5 played in the 2010 GF.
The only newbies are; Blair, Fasolo, Krakouer and the yet to debut Lynch & Young. That's a pretty static side given 3 years later. Don't get me wrong, I reckon it's a terrific side, but we will need our young ones to really push up hard. If Keeffe, Grundy, Kennedy, Sinclair, Elliot, Paine improve then we will be bloody hard to stop.

[laird]

[sixpoints]

Yes Laird you are right. My mistake.
So now it's only 4 changes in 3 years. Maybe I'll just chill out and forget about it.

[VicParkTragic]

[themonk]

I have a feeling many will disagree but I wouldn't have Maxwell in our best 22.

He has been important in terms of leadership & experience to our backline but his skills are ordinary and I hope someone will take the next step this year and push him out, possibly Keefe.

[neil]

[swoop42]

You can add J.Thomas, Witts and Seedsman to your emergency list as well.

JT in particular will surprise many in the football world this season if he can remain fit IMO.

[Mossi]

[Sir Alan of Didak]

Oops...I completely forgot Seedsman, so make that a squad of 34. I have edited my original post to include the Seed. As for JT and JW, I really do hope that they can push themselves in to the mix. JT will be delisted at the end of the year if he can't, whilst JW will be given another year or two to develop you would think. Unfortunately, I have never seen either of them play, unlike Grundy and Kennedy who's "highlights packages" (albeit in junior football) have me salivating...

[Sir Alan of Didak]