Our best 22

[2 large cokes]

With so many players actually fit for once we finally have some tough dilemmas about our best 22. players i think that are on the fringe atm are - cam bruce, jordy lisle, xav ellis, clinton young, isaac smith?, kyle cheney, shane savage, ryan
shoenmakers (not sure if fit), Rick Ladson, whitey, tom murphy, bateman (fitness?) and bruesty.

who's got thoughts on these blokes if there I'n our best 22???

looking at our team I'm thinking these blokes are all locks atm- gibson, birch, guerra, suckers, poppy, lewis, mitch, hodgey, ossie, bud, shiels, hale, burger, cyril, bailey, sewell....  any disagreements with these 16??

so i guess my questions is if you agree with my best 16 (if u don't tell me who should be out and I'n) then name 6 more blokes from
that first list of fringe players to make a full 22 giving reasons as to why u believe there I'n our best 22.



I'll start it off naming my 6. isaac - love his run and goal scoring he adds. bruest - provides another option up forward. savage - gives us a bit of x-factor when fit. xav- good user of the footy. Clinton young- still can see glimpses of his 08 glory. lastly i cant split shoey and lisle. still think were too short down back without gilham and stratts. both aren't the strongest of defenders but injury permitting I'd probably go with shoey.

[hawk_88]

To be honest I think this is a question that even Clarko doesn't know the answer too yet. I get the feeling that the next few weeks will be spent giving a few players some chances. However I will give it a go.

Bateman is an automatic selection in my opinion. Has had a couple of minor ankle injuries this year, but has been given a real rest by Clarko to make sure he is right come finals.

Savage. Offers great zip around the wings and forward flanks. Knows where the goals are and has a steady shot on goal on the run. A little up and under at times, however his pace on the flanks is very advantageous when on the rebound as he runs into the generally empty half of the ground.

Lisle. This is going far more on his Box Hill form than anything else as he has had minimal senior game time. He is very good either end of the ground, but for obvious reasons goes back for us. Good defensive skills and not afraid to take a mark as opposed to spoil every incoming ball. He does this because he is a very good leading and contested mark. Good kicking skills means he adds another bow to our offensive defending.

Ellis. Struggled with fitness most of the year but appears to have found it with some form at the right end of the year. We all know how good he is at his best.

Bruest. For me it was between Bruest, Whitecross and Smith for team balance and I have ever so slightly fallen on the side of the super sub. Moves through the midfield well but is in his element up forward. Very good goal sense and a good leading medium forward. Adds some balance to the forward line. Smith offers fantastic pace, but we aren't as lacking for pace as we were at the start of the season.

Bruce. A dark horse of the lot. Hasn't played a lot of footy this year but we know what he is capable of. Offers great flexibility as a utility but will probably start down back and be moved as needed. Will free up Burgoyne who has been playing a defensive role for the past few months to go back forward/centre as he started the season.

Shame to leave out Whitecross, Smith and Ladson who have all played very well this season. Young if fit would be in out 22 any day of the week but has really struggled all year. Just got another injury on top of the rest.