GWS best 22 ?

[Football Factory]

Stumbled across this article on the net while looking for info on J.Bruce ..

Might be a complete pile of crap .. who knows ?



Fantastic picks: GWS

Date: March 16 2012

Will Brodie ( The Age )

Following the Gold Coast first year experience, it would seem wise to select the senior players at GWS in 2012, because the kids will share the games around. However, messrs Sheedy and Allan went older with their experienced types, several of whom look unlikely to play a full season â€" already Luke Power, Dean Brogan and Setanta O’hAilpin are sidelined for round one, and James McDonald, at 35, may not last the entire year. That means some of the youngsters will play more games than their Sun counterparts did last year. GWS loaded up on midfielders, and sorting out the pecking order is tough - we’ve plumped for Devon Smith, Toby Greene and Will Hoskin-Elliott to nudge ahead of Dom Tyson initially, but all of those four plus Anthony Miles and Dylan Shiel (when fit) should get plenty of games. Closely monitor the final GWS practice match - the team ought not to change too much, but there are four or five just outside that line-up sweating on an opportunity.

Best team

Tomas Bugg,  Tim Mohr, Chad Cornes

Sam Darley,  Phil Davis,  Sam Reid

Tom Scully, Luke Power, Rhys Palmer

Devon Smith, Jeremy Cameron, Curtly Hampton

Toby Greene, Israel Folau, Josh Bruce

Jonathan Giles,  Callan Ward,  Stephen Clifton

James McDonald, Adam Tomlinson, Will Hoskin-Elliot, Stephen Coniglio

Next:

Dom Tyson
Nathan Wilson
Adam Kennedy
Dean Brogan*
Dylan Shiel*
Anthony Miles
Jacob Townsend
Liam Sumner
Gerard Ugle
Adam Treloar*
Nick Haynes
Shaun Edwards
Matthew Buntine
Sam Schulz
Taylor Adams
Kurt Aylett
Tom Downie
Tim Golds
Joshua Growden
Jack Hombsch

Automatic inclusions

Tim Mohr
Chad Cornes
Phil Davis
Tom Scully
Luke Power*
Rhys Palmer
Israel Folau 
Jonathan Giles 
Callan Ward 
Stephen Clifton 
James McDonald *
Setanta O’hAilpin*

Note:
* currently injured/interrupted pre-season
- James McDonald is 35 and played amateur football last year. He will not play a full season, and how many games he will see out is anybody’s guess.

- Luke Power will miss round one after injuring his hamstring.

- Setanta O’hAilpin* has not played a pre-season game, and has never lasted a full season in a senior team. He only just scraped into the AI list by virtue of his age, body size and experience, which will hopefully spare tired young key position kids later in the season.

- Yes, Dean Brogan should not be considered an automatic selection. Joanthan Giles is making a respectable fist of first ruck duties and looks to have the constitution for a tough year on the ball after four years in the system at Port Adelaide.

- Furthermore, Israel Folau has not just taken a few strong marks in pre-season, he has shown himself to be a solid pinch-hitting ruckman, possessed of a big leap, competitive in the packs and good below his knees. There might be less of a panic to get the combative Brogan on the park now.

- All of the other senior types would have to break a leg not to play every week, ex-VFL mature-aged recruit Stephen Clifton included. He has been in and under in the vein of Gold Coast’s Daniel Harris,Sam Iles and Danny Stanley last year.

- Rhys Palmer has again had a good pre-season to tease fantasy pundits. The former Rising Star winner will get every chance to continue his ball-hogging ways in the midfield.

Fringe dwellers

Dean Brogan - will play plenty of games, but there is no need to rush him back now with Folau filling in ably as ruck back-up to Giles. Looked finished last year but has had a solid pre-season until a recent setback.
Tomas Bugg  - appears well established as a starting backline running option
Sam Darley  - has showed poise from the outset against the Bulldogs and Magpies and held up OK in the big loss to Hawthorn
Sam Reid - brave former Bulldog with a senior body and a big chance to finally consolidate his career. Signed a three year contract.
Devon Smith  - big game in week two of the NAB Cup underlined his ball-magnet nature.
Jeremy Cameron  - impressive big man who doesn’t appear overawed by huge tasks facing him as a fledgling centre half forward.
Curtly Hampton - gifted flanker with height, pace, and evasive ability. Too talented not to start.
Toby Greene  - another prolific ball-winner who turned it on in the GWS win over Gold Coast.
Josh Bruce - tall forward who competed adequately against Hawthorn when forwards got few chances.
Dom Tyson - another renowned junior midfielder, picked third in the national draft. Hasn’t torn up the NAB Cup, but has made consistent contributions. A midfield all-rounder.
Will Hoskin-Elliot - classy winger who runs hard and uses the ball well.
Adam Kennedy - utility who has a year on most of his teammates and is renowned for his athletic abilities and leadership.
Stephen Coniglio - pick two in the national draft, a midfielder who played seniors in the WAFL as a 16-year-old. Has all the tricks, and could be one of the boys who plays nearly every game, a la David Swallow for Gold Coast last year.
Nathan Wilson - half forward right in contention - see how he fares in the final practice match.
Dylan Shiel*  - another hghly rated midfielder who will miss games in the first month through injury.
Jacob Townsend - expected to need a year of development, but right in the mix after solid first two weeks in NAB Cup as a defender.
Adam Tomlinson - versatile and consistent. Has a bit more size than many competitors for a place on a flank, at 193cm and 88 kilos.
Anthony Miles - huge game against Gold Coast, but might just miss out in week one. Not picked for final practice match.
Liam Sumner - midfielder who lacks size, but defied predictions that he will spend the year in the seconds with a big game against Gold Coast with 17 touches and two goals

[jabroni]

great info

[Capper]

Nice work, but i cant see Coniglio playing ruckrover, maybe old mac don ald but not Coniglio.

For me Coniglio moves to Scully's spot, Old mac don ald to RR, Miles to bench

[Grannyboy]

Nice post, and after all of that if your picks do play a lot of games there is always the dreaded vest to look out for. I notice macca had it twice pre season, a sign of things to come?

[Grannyboy]

Any word on mr no.1 Patton, how's his progress going?

[Football Factory]

Haven't heard a thing about Patton ..feel sorry for him but i hope he misses the whole year and he is 104k next year  :)  with a full preseason behind him he will be a bargain

[mezzoculo]

Just on Townsend - although listed as a defender he played the preseason in the midfield, following the oppositions best midfielders (Ablett etc etc).

Apparently the coach loves him, so if named jump on!

[Football Factory]

Looking forward to seeing the GWS team for round 1  8) my team feels far from complete till that arrives