Round 1 Team

[NFC]

Your team:

FF: Porplyzia, Walker, Tippett
CHF: Petrenko, Hentschel, Johncock
C: Knights, Vince, van Berlo*
CHB: Reilly, Bock, Goodwin
FB: McLeod, Rutten, Stevens
1R: Maric, Thompson, Edwards
INT: Griffin, Doughty, Mackay, Cook

*= If not fit replace with Otten

I realise Shirley and Douglas will likely come in, but this is my team.

[Psyber]

Here is a more radical option aimed at providing more targets for the quick kick forward under pressure.
[Since we don't have a Fevola, I hope there'll be a lot of them this year instead of dithering around just outside range looking for a clear lead..]

FF: Porplyzia, Maric*, Stevens
HF: Gill**, Hentschel, Johncock
C: Mackay, Edwards, van Berlo
HB: Doughty, Bock, Goodwin
FB: Reilly, Rutten, Moran

1R: Griffin, Thompson, Vince
INT: Tippett, McLeod, Knights, Douglas

* In an ideal world I'd have Maric in the ruck, but, unless Sellar or Tippet steps up, I think we need his strength forward to keep pressure off Stevens and Porplyzia.
Last year I had wondered if Moran could provide the strength up forward but I am not yet convinced.
** FF, where he played against Geelong, is not Gill's position - I think he needs room to move - Hentschel too.

[bobster]

i seen it and thought i might aswell give my opinion aswell

FF:porpz# tippet walker

HF:goodwin gill jacky

C: vince thompson# edwards

HB:mcleod bock stevens

FB: moran rutten johncock

1st R: maric knights van berlo

INT: dangerfeild reilly hentschel griffen

obviously there would be alot of rotations but one id like to see is porps into the middle every now and then and i would also like to see gill have a run on the wing if hentschel came good and could hold up centre half forward. would be good to have someone that could play a similar type of game as richo on the wing. obviously wouldnt expect him to star that much tho

[NFC]

i seen it and thought i might aswell give my opinion aswell

FF:porpz# tippet walker

HF:goodwin gill jacky

C: vince thompson# edwards

HB:mcleod bock stevens

FB: moran rutten johncock

1st R: maric knights van berlo

INT: dangerfeild reilly hentschel griffen

obviously there would be alot of rotations but one id like to see is porps into the middle every now and then and i would also like to see gill have a run on the wing if hentschel came good and could hold up centre half forward. would be good to have someone that could play a similar type of game as richo on the wing. obviously wouldnt expect him to star that much tho

I would've thought he stood a chance 1-2 months ago but not now. Has had injury interrupted PS and if he can't crack into the NAB Cup side what hope is there of him lining up come Rd 1? I would like to see him play though.

[Hondo]

IMO:

FF: Porplyzia, Tippett, Gill
CHF: Vince, Hentschel, Shirley
C: van Berlo, Goodwin, Reilly
CHB: McLeod, Bock, Doughty
FB: Johncock, Rutten, Stevens
1R: Maric, Thompson, Edwards
INT: Moran, Petrenko, Mackay, Knights

- I have assumed Douglas is injured - he'd take Knights' spot up forward if he was fit (drop Otten)
- Not sure we should play Griff, Tippett and Maric together, Moran gives more flexibility
- I think Gill will be starting 22, Walker will be delayed a few games
- Petrenko will play defence I thought?
- Sorry NFC, Shirley and Doughty are important, Shirley is the team's stopper and has a great record at it. Without them the side doesn't look hard enough

[Dutchy]

Your team:

FF: Porplyzia, Walker, Tippett
CHF: Petrenko, Hentschel, Johncock
C: Knights, Vince, van Berlo*
CHB: Reilly, Bock, Goodwin
FB: McLeod, Rutten, Stevens
1R: Maric, Thompson, Edwards
INT: Griffin, Doughty, Mackay, Cook

*= If not fit replace with Otten

I realise Shirley and Douglas will likely come in, but this is my team.

still not rating Moran?

[NFC]

still not rating Moran?

Being sarcastic? He's rubbish. Soft, lazy, useless is how I would describe him.

[Booney]

Your team:

FF: Porplyzia, Walker, Tippett
CHF: Petrenko, Hentschel, Johncock
C: Knights, Vince, van Berlo*
CHB: Reilly, Bock, Goodwin
FB: McLeod, Rutten, Stevens
1R: Maric, Thompson, Edwards
INT: Griffin, Doughty, Mackay, Cook

*= If not fit replace with Otten

I realise Shirley and Douglas will likely come in, but this is my team.

still not rating Moran?

Ending every quote that in someway relates to the Roos with a of the eyes is the reason many on here will continue to underestimate them, even if just to rile you.

I would think most people would not rate Moran too highly,I for one dont.

[steakn]

from what i saw Moran is not much better than useless. Otten also made a lot of unforced errors which made him look terrible that night. Mind you, everyone bar maybe Edwards and Goodwin made a lot of errors under pressure. I thought Edwards in the last half was great.

[skipper46]

long season coming up for the cows. wooden spoon stuff!

[Psyber]

In some ways I like this variation better, except I don't know enough about current performance to make a certain choice at FF.
Walker may be the most talented, but I don't know whether he is strong enough yet, or whether to go with an uncertain big man like Sellar, Moran, or Tippett, none of whom showed enough last year, but whose size would at least divert the defenders from stifling the other forwards.
[Alternatively, find another full back and try Rutten at FF??]

FF: Porplyzia, Stevens, Walker
HF: Gill, Hentschel, Johncock
C: Mackay, Edwards, van Berlo
HB: Doughty, Bock, McLeod
FB: Reilly, Rutten, Goodwin

1R: Griffin, Thompson, Vince
INT: Maric, Knights, Douglas, Shirley

[FD88]

Moran is a strange one. Tackle him and he'll make no attempt to get rid of the ball, just collapse in a pathetic heap as we saw on Saturday (he's done it MULTIPLE times), he's not accountable enough in defense....yet he takes a strong contested grab and his ruck work is alright.

Tbh if we were talking purely about ruckmen I'd almost consider him ahead of Griffin who couldn't take a contested mark over a 178cm midfielder to save his life and hasn't exactly inspired at the centre bounces of late. Rotate Moran and Tippett while Maric carries the bulk of the workload.

[FD88]

long season coming up for the cows. wooden spoon stuff!

Losing to the best side in the competition doesn't make us the worst side. Geelong is the best opposition we'll come up against, better than us for sure; there is no getting around that. If you'd said before the game that we were going to lose by 35 points I'd have said that's about where I think we're at anyway. Last season they came to AAMI stadium and belted us off the park yet we missed the top 4 by a whisker. I'm confident we will play finals again this year.

[Sorry Dude]

Moran is a strange one. Tackle him and he'll make no attempt to get rid of the ball, just collapse in a pathetic heap as we saw on Saturday (he's done it MULTIPLE times), he's not accountable enough in defense....yet he takes a strong contested grab and his ruck work is alright.

Tbh if we were talking purely about ruckmen I'd almost consider him ahead of Griffin who couldn't take a contested mark over a 178cm midfielder to save his life and hasn't exactly inspired at the centre bounces of late. Rotate Moran and Tippett while Maric carries the bulk of the workload.

I think we need to play Maric as the #1 ruckman and have tippett and moran coming off the bench @ CHF and play hentschel as a HFF so there is not so much pressure being thrown on him straight up. and that way maric can either rest in the forward lines or have a seat on the bench and can concentrate on making his prescence felt through the middle of the ground and tippett/ moran can take forward 50 ruck contests.
griffin has had his chances albeit he had an injury prone 08 season, and IMO i dont think he has improved a hell of a lot. like mcderrmott said he is still being thrown off the ball far to easy.

[Felch]

FF Hentschel Tippett Edwards
HF Porplyzia Gill Johncock
C Goodwin Thompson Vince
HB Mackay Bock McLeod
FB Stevens Rutten Reilly
1R Maric Van Berlo Knights
Int Moran Petrenko Shirley Doughty
Emerg Griffen Walker Dangerfield

Reilly looked ok down back on Saturday night, could be worth perservering with. I reckon Doughty may drop off the pace this year. Moran a better 2nd ruck option than Griffen, IMO (although im not overly impressed with either). Gill better as lead up forward than Hentschel at this stage. Jacky unlucky, i thought he was good Sat night, looks alot stronger and ready for AFL footy.

[Dutchy]

Not sure why the connection is made with the Roos every time I post

Im interested in NFC's dislike of him even when he plays well, he was more than serviceable last year

FWIW, its quite clear the Crows need a quick small forward, something that hasnt been high on their recruiting strategy in recent years

[Hondo]

FWIW, its quite clear the Crows need a quick small forward, something that hasnt been high on their recruiting strategy in recent years

They spent a round 32ish pick on Jacky in 2007 and he seems to be coming along. Shows an investment in the role with a good draft pick.

Other young guys who could fill the role are Petrenko, Armstrong, Cook, Dangerfield or Sloane. Plus experienced guys like Porps, Douglas, Johncock, McLeod, Thompson & Edwards can do the same thing if needed.

So I don't think we are lacking in options but if we hadn't drafted tall last year a small forward would have been the least of our worries in a couple of year's time.

Besides, my theory is that these "small forwards" are midfield types aren't up to playing there at AFL level (for whatever reason). So get enough quality in the midfield and let the overflow drift forward is a reasonable strategy IMO.

Have to say your mob has a couple of good ones tho!

[Dutchy]

I think they have missed some ready to go players that have been right under their nose Stokes, Davey, Campbell, Thomas but your right maybe it isnt the recruiting maybe the game style is a more precise lead up strategy than a long kick/crumb strategy

[NFC]

Problem with Jacky is that he's not a legitimate small forward. He is a midfielder/occasional small forward. I don't expect him to be the kind of guy who can count on to kick 2-3 goals each week and apply a heap of defensive pressure.

[Tassie Blues]

long season coming up for the cows. wooden spoon stuff!

This is great can i bring this coment up in September?