Crows 2014

[Farbs]

Andrew Capel has picked the Crows best 22 for 2014.

What are people's thoughts on this? I'd personally like to see Sam Shaw and Jarryd Lyons in there somewhere, but at who's expense? Maybe MacKay as one.

Should be an exciting year though.

BEST 22

B: Luke Brown, 21, 24 games, Ben Rutten, 30, 215 games, Rory Laird, 19, 18 games

HB: Brodie Smith, 21, 54 games, Daniel Talia, 22, 54 games, Brent Reilly, 30, 193 games

C: David Mackay, 25, 105 games, Patrick Dangerfield, 23, 109 games, Brad Crouch, 19, 14 games

HF: Richard Douglas, 26, 136 games, Taylor Walker, 23, 69 games, Tom Lynch, 23, 23 games

F: Eddie Betts, 27, 184 games, James Podsiadly, 32, 83 games, Matthew Wright, 23, 58 games

Foll: Sam Jacobs, 25, 82 games, Scott Thompson, 30, 245 games, Rory Sloane, 23, 78 games

Int: Nathan van Berlo, 27, 182 games, Josh Jenkins, 24, 28 games, Jason Porplyzia, 28, 126 games, Mitch Grigg, 20, 5 games

[Footy Smart]

Yep i think that isnt far off. Need McKay for pace and outside run Farbs. had a few injury interupted years but when fit has plenty of upside.

Porps and VB will be under pressure this year if they dont perform.

I also wouldnt mind, Lewis Johnston on a HFF and push Lynch up to a wing. Lewis tackles well so even though we are bigger up FWD he will apply pressure.

I think Otten will play over Laird also.

[Farbs]

Yep i think that isnt far off. Need McKay for pace and outside run Farbs. had a few injury interupted years but when fit has plenty of upside.

Porps and VB will be under pressure this year if they dont perform.

I also wouldnt mind, Lewis Johnston on a HFF and push Lynch up to a wing. Lewis tackles well so even though we are bigger up FWD he will apply pressure.

I think Otten will play over Laird also.

We certainly need the outside run, but MacKay hasn't got enough of the ball imo recently. He played most of the year. With an uninterrupted preseason he deserves a crack at it, but I think needs to perform early. Can push Smith up to the wing and have Shaw or Otten of HB. Think Lyons can also run a wing.

Reilly needs to get back to his form of 2012, otherwise the young fellas will overtake him.

I agree with Lewis Johnston. Lynch to a wing could work and run Crouch through the mid. Johnston will get another crack as Pods prob won't be in all season.

[Brodlach]

Smith will play wing I would have thought. I would play Laird before Reilly and I too think that Johnson deserves to be in there somewhere.

[Footy Smart]

Yep i think that isnt far off. Need McKay for pace and outside run Farbs. had a few injury interupted years but when fit has plenty of upside.

Porps and VB will be under pressure this year if they dont perform.

I also wouldnt mind, Lewis Johnston on a HFF and push Lynch up to a wing. Lewis tackles well so even though we are bigger up FWD he will apply pressure.

I think Otten will play over Laird also.

We certainly need the outside run, but MacKay hasn't got enough of the ball imo recently. He played most of the year. With an uninterrupted preseason he deserves a crack at it, but I think needs to perform early. Can push Smith up to the wing and have Shaw or Otten of HB. Think Lyons can also run a wing.

Reilly needs to get back to his form of 2012, otherwise the young fellas will overtake him.

I agree with Lewis Johnston. Lynch to a wing could work and run Crouch through the mid. Johnston will get another crack as Pods prob won't be in all season.

DMac will be right, he has shown glimpses and is in our best 22 at the start of the year IMO

Agree Smith can push up, but having Radar and him on HBF adds some rebound power. Lyons is an inside Mid so I dont really see him as wingman at AFL level.

Johnston will probably start the season with Tex taking a while to come back in. I wouldnt rush him thats for sure. If Johnston performs where does that leave Jenkins? does he become surplus and someone rucks for 5 mins a qtr to give Sauce a break?

[bennymacca]

henderson is the big one that isnt in that team that should. he was a revelation playing reilly's role when he got injured, i think that rebounding/floating half back is his role.

hard to fit him in with that team though.

definitely agree that porps will be in trouble this year unless he has a big one. same with VB.

just on that, is it time to give danger the captaincy yet? i dont think so just yet, but it cant be far away

[hawks21]

henderson is the big one that isnt in that team that should. he was a revelation playing reilly's role when he got injured, i think that rebounding/floating half back is his role.

hard to fit him in with that team though.

definitely agree that porps will be in trouble this year unless he has a big one. same with VB.

just on that, is it time to give danger the captaincy yet? i dont think so just yet, but it cant be far away

Hopefully we don't get any injuries and there will be great competition for spots. Preseason form will play a big part in the round 1 side.

Wouldn't be suprised if we win the NAB cup again this year.

Danger will either be captain this year or next. Even though he is the face of the club and does more media stuff than VB does now anyway.

[Footy Smart]

henderson is the big one that isnt in that team that should. he was a revelation playing reilly's role when he got injured, i think that rebounding/floating half back is his role.

hard to fit him in with that team though.

definitely agree that porps will be in trouble this year unless he has a big one. same with VB.

just on that, is it time to give danger the captaincy yet? i dont think so just yet, but it cant be far away

Henderson is definately in the best side.

[Interceptor]

henderson is the big one that isnt in that team that should. he was a revelation playing reilly's role when he got injured, i think that rebounding/floating half back is his role.

hard to fit him in with that team though.

definitely agree that porps will be in trouble this year unless he has a big one. same with VB.

just on that, is it time to give danger the captaincy yet? i dont think so just yet, but it cant be far away

Henderson is definately in the best side.

Was playing some very footy (stellar against Geelong) before getting injured.
Hopefully the coaching staff remember that and play him ahead of Reilly.

Edit; forgot to add that having a Danger/Sloane leadership team surely should happen, VB may struggle to make the side this year.

[Brodlach]

NVB has ruptured his achillies and maybe out for the year. He had emergency surgery today

[The Sleeping Giant]

NVB has ruptured his achillies and maybe out for the year. He had emergency surgery today

Thats good news for the Crows.

[bennymacca]

That sucks for him, achilles would be one of the worst injuries I would think.

Maybe it is time for danger capt

[carey]

Don't rate VB at all but you don't like hearing things like this happen to anyone.

[wristwatcher]

Andrew Capel has picked the Crows best 22 for 2014.

What are people's thoughts on this? I'd personally like to see Sam Shaw and Jarryd Lyons in there somewhere, but at who's expense? Maybe MacKay as one.

Should be an exciting year though.

BEST 22

B: Luke Brown, 21, 24 games, Ben Rutten, 30, 215 games, Rory Laird, 19, 18 games

HB: Brodie Smith, 21, 54 games, Daniel Talia, 22, 54 games, Brent Reilly, 30, 193 games

C: David Mackay, 25, 105 games, Patrick Dangerfield, 23, 109 games, Brad Crouch, 19, 14 games

HF: Richard Douglas, 26, 136 games, Taylor Walker, 23, 69 games, Tom Lynch, 23, 23 games

F: Eddie Betts, 27, 184 games, James Podsiadly, 32, 83 games, Matthew Wright, 23, 58 games

Foll: Sam Jacobs, 25, 82 games, Scott Thompson, 30, 245 games, Rory Sloane, 23, 78 games

Int: Nathan van Berlo, 27, 182 games, Josh Jenkins, 24, 28 games, Jason Porplyzia, 28, 126 games, Mitch Grigg, 20, 5 games

I went to 8 or 9 Crows games last year as the missus is a big fan. From what I saw and i reckon I have good analytical ability I would say Andy Otten is easily in the Crows top dozen players. He was solid in every game I saw and will be in the starting line up come Round 1. This is of course dependant on him being injury free.

[Booney]

Not a good injury for anyone, let alone someone who is constantly having his spot in the side questioned. Miss all of 2014 and van Berlo might struggle to get back in the side with the likes of young Grigg, Crouch and co. coming through.

[bennymacca]

Not a good injury for anyone, let alone someone who is constantly having his spot in the side questioned. Miss all of 2014 and van Berlo might struggle to get back in the side with the likes of young Grigg, Crouch and co. coming through.

yeah, and it would slow you down considerably too. reckon it means a lot more midfield time for matty wright as we dont really have a tagger. not sure if luke brown has a big enough tank, they could try to convert him into a tagger too, but i think wright will be a full time tagger especially now we have betts up forward.

I went to 8 or 9 Crows games last year as the missus is a big fan. From what I saw and i reckon I have good analytical ability I would say Andy Otten is easily in the Crows top dozen players. He was solid in every game I saw and will be in the starting line up come Round 1. This is of course dependant on him being injury free.

not really sure about this to be honest. i think he is pretty solid almost always, rarely has a bad game, but he doesnt really influence matches. having said that i did like when they threw him forward a few times. he did play every game last year which surprised me when i looked it up just then, and that probably proves my point somewhat about him not influencing matches.

probably the question to be asked is who do you drop out of that best side? obviously he will play a ton of games because you always have at least a few of your best 22 injured, but i cant see anyone i would drop for otten. i would certainly play smith and brown and laird ahead of him, and henderson would come into that backline before him i would think

[bennymacca]

ouch, pretty unlucky way to do it too

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl ... 6800903511

[stan]

Bad injury. Massive long road back.

[hawks21]

Bad injury. Massive long road back.

Not a nice injury at all. Roughead and Swallow are the recent players to come back from such an injury. Took Roughy a good 12 months to get back to his best.

Be interesting what we do with the captaincy now.

I would make Sloane/Dangerfield Co-Captains and keep Truck/Thommo as VC's.

[bennymacca]

I reckon they will make thommo capt and then next year change it to danger