The Playing Rookies Thread

[Mat0369]

Guys like Edwards, Dalgleish, Oxley don't really interest me at all

I'm really trying to focus on getting rookies who have the best chances of holding their spot and making money.

In years gone by we pick a rookie because they are named rd1, only to have them get dropped shortly after and I don't want another Georgiou scenario down back, which is why most of these guys don't interest me even if they play

Hamling reminds me of Laidler last year. Could be a surprise who holds his spot and plays a bit, but could get dropped.

At this stage Saad and McIntosh are the only 2 I'm comfortable in picking because I think their long term prospects are the best

@Mat, I'm not touching Smedts or Bews. Goodes is our man for a cheap defender

I'm hoping I can start Goodes at D5, with Brown Saad and McIntosh, but I am also wondering if we need to go deeper and start Goodes at D6 and then just having 2 of Brown, Saad or McIntosh on the bench

I wouldn't be touching Bews or Smedts either, just figured I would list the names. The 4 that look to be decent options for me are Saad, McIntosh, Hamling and Brown. Other then that it is a bit of Russian Roulette

[Bully]

Would it be fair to say that most of us think Saad and McIntosh are the only 2 def rookies who seem like playing round 1?

I know Hamling and Goddard are a chance (Hopefully Goddard comes in later to give us a downgrade target) but I don't think we could actually pick either of them to start the season

With that being said, I'm confident Saad will hold his spot for a while, but what are we thinking about McIntosh?

Could we get away with fielding Saad or N Brown, and have McIntosh on the bench too, or should we go deeper down back, pass on McIntosh and just have Brown and Saad on the bench?

I had a look at the Tiges best 22 the other day and they have maybe 1 or two spots available  that aren't in Green with Newman out (depending if they play both Hunt and Pettard). You would think he would be in contention for one but it might depend on how serious the heart thing is.

Edwards is the other with Dalgleish if the Dons get a few suspensions but the job security is poor.

I have noticed a bit of talk on Oxley but I don't know how he would fit in since I haven't looked at the Pies 22 that closely. Smedts/Bews are the other two at about 200k but I don't think Bews will score well and Smedts is to big a risk.

I was contemplating going with 2 rookies on the field if Hamling gets named. It means I will field Saad/McIntosh, save a ton of dough and then have Hamling and Brown on the bench. I would rather do something like that then fork out 120k more for someone like Macmillan who might average 20-30 points more but that 120k could mean I can afford Jack Steven in the mids and have a back up plan for Bellchambers

Very ballsy move and something I may consider if Goodes doesn't make the cut. It could be a winning move or could end in tears, however to win this risks must be taken.

I would pick McIntosh over Hamling but that's personal preference, I think both have looked really good and could feasibly play a string of games early. Hamling was sub last week but still managed to put up a very decent score. I'm strongly considering both at this stage along with Saad. Nathan Brown is still a good pick but he doesn't excite me in the slightest. Mature age players from the Cats are generally worth their keep.

Hamling is key position right? I remember hearing they don't want Morris playing on the key position guys anymore which is a reason they went and got him. Rough has one spot locked down and you would think it is between Talia and Hamling for the other one

Yes but a mobile one at that, he isn't your typical dour stopper. This is where he holds more appeal than someone like Brown. Former second rounder too, he comes with decent pedigree.

[Mat0369]

Yes but a mobile one at that, he isn't your typical dour stopper. This is where he holds more appeal than someone like Brown. Former second rounder too, he comes with decent pedigree.

If the Dogs are serious about not playing Morris on the talls anymore this could potentially open a spot for him taking the 3rd tall. It would allow Morris to play as a medium/small defender and that in turn will free up Bob at HB to do as he pleases. Beveridge being a former Hawks assistant could go that route. The Hawks backline has a lot of guys that I would say are of a bigger size but are versatile. It will be interesting to see what some of the Dogs fans think but you don't want to compromise the run out of the back half by playing to many guys that can't rebound out of defense.

[Bully]

Yes but a mobile one at that, he isn't your typical dour stopper. This is where he holds more appeal than someone like Brown. Former second rounder too, he comes with decent pedigree.

If the Dogs are serious about not playing Morris on the talls anymore this could potentially open a spot for him taking the 3rd tall. It would allow Morris to play as a medium/small defender and that in turn will free up Bob at HB to do as he pleases. Beveridge being a former Hawks assistant could go that route. The Hawks backline has a lot of guys that I would say are of a bigger size but are versatile. It will be interesting to see what some of the Dogs fans think but you don't want to compromise the run out of the back half by playing to many guys that can't rebound out of defense.

Would be a viable option as a third tall, he's not overly bulky and doesn't mind running off his man. Be interesting to see how the Doggies use him.

[Ricochet]

Woah are you really looking at fielding 2 rookies in defence Mat?

[Mat0369]

Woah are you really looking at fielding 2 rookies in defence Mat?

Yup. The guys under 250k are going nowhere near my team and then you have to get up to around 270 before you have Roberton (questionable JS and maybe 70 average early), Macmillan (potentially good JS but lockdown roles) or Pearce (how he fits into the Freo 22 and potential tagger with Crowley now out). I don't really want to spend 300k at D5 with someone like Hendo when we don't know how he will score with Jaensch in the side. So I have to pay 300k for a guy I don't see as a keeper when I can pick almost 3 guys for the same price to rotate through the position and use the cash on other lines. Defenders generally score the least amount of points, if I can use the cash to get in a higher scoring player on another line then I will take it. It could be the difference between Swan and Bartel

[Ricochet]

Yeh but are there even enough rookies to do it? Excluding Goodes, there's McIntosh who has vest written all over him if he even makes their 22, NBrown locked in for JS reasons, Saad locked, and then who else? Could you really field Hamling?

[GoLions]

Yeh but are there even enough rookies to do it? Excluding Goodes, there's McIntosh who has vest written all over him if he even makes their 22, NBrown locked in for JS reasons, Saad locked, and then who else? Could you really field Hamling?

I think I could justify this.

In previous years, R4 would've been a loophole guy. Can't really do that now with only 1 ruck on the bench. So let's go ahead and move that loophole legend allllll the way over to D8 over here. But where did our original D8 go, you ask? WHY, IT'S OVER HERE AT M11.

PROBLEM flowerING SOLVED.

[Mat0369]

Yeh but are there even enough rookies to do it? Excluding Goodes, there's McIntosh who has vest written all over him if he even makes their 22, NBrown locked in for JS reasons, Saad locked, and then who else? Could you really field Hamling?

Lets look at it this way, I am picking Brown to play when someone like McIntosh gets the vest (which I think will go to Lloyd early). I will take the 40-50 from Brown and also field Hamling when I have to for roughly the same. I think I would prefer those scores which would be 20-30 points less then Macmillan and I can use the cash (147k from Macmillan to Hamling) which I can use elsewhere to maybe turn NVB into Wells who I trust more

[meow meow]

Yes but a mobile one at that, he isn't your typical dour stopper. This is where he holds more appeal than someone like Brown. Former second rounder too, he comes with decent pedigree.

If the Dogs are serious about not playing Morris on the talls anymore this could potentially open a spot for him taking the 3rd tall. It would allow Morris to play as a medium/small defender and that in turn will free up Bob at HB to do as he pleases. Beveridge being a former Hawks assistant could go that route. The Hawks backline has a lot of guys that I would say are of a bigger size but are versatile. It will be interesting to see what some of the Dogs fans think but you don't want to compromise the run out of the back half by playing to many guys that can't rebound out of defense.

If we're bringing the Hawks into this:

Lake = Roughead
Spang/Chip = Talia
Stratton = Morris
Gibbo = Wood
Burgoyne = Bob
Hodge/Mitchell = Boyd

That's our back 6. We'll go with 7 defenders at least, but Hamling won't get a place in the team ahead of JJ or Biggs since they can also play midfield. I can't see how Hamling makes the 22.

Forgot about Birchall. And Suckling. Both attackers with good kicks. Makes Hamling even more unlikely when you factor that in.

[Bully]

Yeh but are there even enough rookies to do it? Excluding Goodes, there's McIntosh who has vest written all over him if he even makes their 22, NBrown locked in for JS reasons, Saad locked, and then who else? Could you really field Hamling?

Lets look at it this way, I am picking Brown to play when someone like McIntosh gets the vest (which I think will go to Lloyd early). I will take the 40-50 from Brown and also field Hamling when I have to for roughly the same. I think I would prefer those scores which would be 20-30 points less then Macmillan and I can use the cash (147k from Macmillan to Hamling) which I can use elsewhere to maybe turn NVB into Wells who I trust more

Not a bad philosophy, something that I will consider provided Goodes doesn't get up. However when you have a potential keeper going for 245k it's pretty hard to refuse. Big day tomorrow, could be the answer to many back line woes.

[Mat0369]

If we're bringing the Hawks into this:

Lake = Roughead
Spang/Chip = Talia
Stratton = Morris
Gibbo = Wood
Burgoyne = Bob
Hodge/Mitchell = Boyd

That's our back 6. We'll go with 7 defenders at least, but Hamling won't get a place in the team ahead of JJ or Biggs since they can also play midfield. I can't see how Hamling makes the 22.

But you need your Suckling/Birch type players as well which would probably be where Biggs and JJ come in. I also would have thought that Wood would be two short to play the Gibbo role of play on the 3rd tall and zone off.

Having said that and as I mentioned earlier, I figured if Hamling was to get a game it would be due to one of Talia/Rough not being able to get up which might shoot my 2 rookie starters to bits

[meow meow]

If we're bringing the Hawks into this:

Lake = Roughead
Spang/Chip = Talia
Stratton = Morris
Gibbo = Wood
Burgoyne = Bob
Hodge/Mitchell = Boyd

That's our back 6. We'll go with 7 defenders at least, but Hamling won't get a place in the team ahead of JJ or Biggs since they can also play midfield. I can't see how Hamling makes the 22.

But you need your Suckling/Birch type players as well which would probably be where Biggs and JJ come in. I also would have thought that Wood would be two short to play the Gibbo role of play on the 3rd tall and zone off.

Having said that and as I mentioned earlier, I figured if Hamling was to get a game it would be due to one of Talia/Rough not being able to get up which might shoot my 2 rookie starters to bits

Wood is a supreme athlete and anything he lacks in height he makes up for with his leap. He towelled up Tippett in one match despite giving away 15 cms. Plus it's pretty difficult to measure up to the Hawks team so of course we're going to be lacking in one area at least!

[meow meow]

Big day tomorrow, could be the answer to many back line woes.

What's so special about tomorrow?

[Spite]

Big day tomorrow, could be the answer to many back line woes.

What's so special about tomorrow?

Final day for rookie upgrades, so hes hoping goodes gets the nod