B: Josh Gibson, Luke McPharlin, Mathew Scarlett HB: Sam Fisher, Ben Reid, Heath Scotland C: Marc Murphy, Sam Mitchell, Gary Ablett (VC) HF: Nathan Fyfe, Travis Cloke, Daniel Wells F: Dale Thomas, Lance Franklin, Stephen Milne R: Dean Cox, Chris Judd ©, Scott Pendlebury INT: Todd Goldstein, Nick Dal Santo, Andrew Embley, Andrew Walker (Sub) Others I considered: Drew Petrie, Ryan Griffen, Brett Deledio, Nathan Bock, Leon Davis, Scott Thompson, Adam Goodes, Ryan OKeefe The only guaranteed blokes to make the side I think will be: Pendles, Judd, Cox, Mitchell, Scotland, Cloke & Buddy. Every other spot is up for grabs in my opinion. I didn’t include Petrie as he hasn’t really kicked a bag against a top side and id have Goldstein in team as backup ruckman. Especially with sub rule these days. I know they don’t normally select players based on positions but ive tried to fill it out as close to a normal team as possible. Not sure if Walker & Milne will make the team but both deserve a spot as both the best small forwards this year and you need those goal sneaks in your team. Ive put Walker on the bench as given him the green vest
Nice work SKT. Can't argue with much of this. Reckon it's fantastic you've recognized Josh Gibson. The thing with these teams is that everyone always pots the inclusions but can't find a better replacement. I'll throw in Ballantyne as the equivalent of Milne but no better. Either way we get a brilliant small forward who's a pain in the arse. Milne's a better goalkicker but Ballantyne works better up the ground. And given you've got Thomas and Wells to work up the ground, Milne might be the best pick. (Really, that said nothing but enjoyed having a crack at both players.) For the others you've considered, I'd take Goodes ahead of Walker for that last spot. Nice team. Agree with it!!
Oh, Glass might be the other one at the expense of McPharlin, Scarlett or Reid. They're all in the mix.
Good job at selecting the team stkildathunda. It would be great to see Sam Mitchell and Stephen Milne make the 2011 All-Australian team, both players have been consistent performers for many years and have come been close to selection previously and could be considered unlucky to have not already made an AA team. Normally three key forwards are selected in the team, if the selction committee continue with this Goodes might get in ahead of Walker as Whips said. I would expect that when the team is announced they wouldn't nominate a sub from the four interchange players.
A terrific effort SKT! I think Priddis would get named in front of Embley though, and I think Stevie J will get a guernsey this year, probably taking Milne's spot I would imagine. Good to see you have included genuine backmen like Gibson and Reid, and not fill in players (ala Deledio, Gibbs - midfielders who like to get cheap kicks behind the play). I haven't seen enough of the Hawks, but might Birchall be a contender for Gibson's spot? Goodes over Walker for mine also.
I'd like to see Jamison and or Fletcher in there too, guess they have missed games though. What a midfield, Cox, Judd, Pendles, Ablett
Cheers guys. It wasnt easy ill tell you what, goodness knows how the selectors do it. I had Walker in & out of the team to be honest, reckon Milney has been more consistent so got nod.. Personally id have OKeefe over Goodes and probably Pavlich over both them. But having said that they all probably deserve a gig... @ Johnson Yea i did think about Priddis, its hard when you dont see great deal of Eagles games but from what ive seen thought Embley has been more influential? I guess the other issue is the selectors never pick a team with players playing in their positions. Wasnt it last year they had Swan in forward line, even though he never was up there!! Also after seeing Bock last night i reckon he might sneak into the team. Nearly single handily holds that defence together... Fletcher has been good but missed to many games for mine.
Last year Swan was named as ruck-rover in the AA team. stkildathunda, your thinking of 2009 when he has named at half-forward.
<blockquote>Quote from dmandrews on July 31, 2011, 20:18 Last year Swan was named as ruck-rover in the AA team. stkildathunda, your thinking of 2009 when he has named at half-forward.</blockquote> Lets hope he's named in the forward line in SC/DT next year.
Priddis over Embley. He may not seem as influential but that's because he does the hard inside stuff. #1 for handballs in the competition and #6 for tackles.
I think Griffen will get a run as a true wingman, probably at the expense of Wells with maybe Murphy going fwd, and I prefer Frawley over Gibson. The small fwds will be interesting. I rate Johnson, Lecras, and Walker ahead of Thomas and Milne. Crameri could be a smokie.