I've tried to take my supercoach hat off and pick a team that would actually play by position. The bench are the most versatile of the players left and the Captain is the best Captain rather than best player.
Hinkley as coach, not just because Port finished on top but because they really embraced the hubs and he set his team up for success this year.
I really wanted to pick Justin Longmuir but I think Hinkley deserves it.
Only really a couple of surprises in this for me. Mainly Jack Gunston and probably Liam Ryan. Not saying they aren’t deserving but I personally hadn’t noticed that they might have had an AA type year.
Don‘t worry Jake, the SC community loves you....well at least your owners do.
Don't mean to put my Essendon hat on either but I really feel like he and Saad were better than the likes of Darcy Byrne-Jones and Darcy Moore. I'm not sure how Moore got in ahead of May to be honest. In the end I don't think Saad is best 22 but May probably was. I'd have him in over Gaff in my side up there^
Only really a couple of surprises in this for me. Mainly Jack Gunston and probably Liam Ryan. Not saying they aren’t deserving but I personally hadn’t noticed that they might have had an AA type year.
Don‘t worry Jake, the SC community loves you....well at least your owners do.
Gunston was a bit under the radar. 16 games, 31 goals, 181 disposals. Not too dissimilar to the stats of a lot of the forwards listed above. Equal 3rd in the Coleman.
Agree, his first 3 games where quiet... But since then he's been simply fantastic. Extremely stiff to not even be in the squad, but If he was in there... He'd have made my final 22 as well.
I think playing better in the 2nd half of the year is why people would pick Ryan over the others (including me) . Might be illogical to favour the second half of the year or you could say the second half of the year is more important as it's more of a reflection of a who a team really is and when the contenders really emerge. Otherwise you could say it's just recency bias. Papley started on for fire but slowed right down.
Here's a side that I think will go close to what they might announce...
Notes:
Have gone with the ruckman and three midfielders on the bench, given that the previous teams selected by the AA selectors seem to favour this, and it appears unlikely that they go with an extra defender or forward on the bench.
Bontempelli, Steele and Boak, any two of the three could start onfield. No issues with whichever way they go there. If Boak is onfield then he probably takes the Vice Captaincy.
Wouldn't be opposed at all to Jackson Macrae on a wing over Andrew Gaff, not sure if his five or six weeks early in the season on a wing will be remembered by the selection panel as enough to count as a 'winger'.
Even though they played a lot of midfield, think its fair to say they both Dangerfield and Petracca did enough work forward to have the right to spot starting on each of the half forward flanks. This fits in line with how the selectors usually go anyway, slotting a midfielder or two up forward to fit them into the side.
If I was picking a side, without thinking about what the actual AA selectors will do, I'd have an extra defender in to start on the bench, namely Brad Sheppard or Nick Vlastuin, over the extra midfielder. I would also have Nick Haynes over Darcy Moore, with any of Ridley/Ryan/Haynes/Vlastuin capable of going CHB, but I think we are destined to see two of Andrews/Moore/Weitering selected.
Like most, unsure how Steven May missed selection in the squad, he'd go damn close to making my 22. SC aside, Jake Lloyd incredibly stiff, as is Lachie Whitfield and Jarryd Lyons I think. But, you can't fit them all in I guess.
Jake Lloyd not even in the 40. Baffling🤷♂️.
I know people here refer to him as seagull, and while he may play a role where he’s often left loose out the back to mop up the scraps there is a reason for him having this role in the team, and that is he’s damn good at it. And with ball in hand there are few better decision makers and distributors of the pill in the competition
Jake Lloyd not even in the 40. Baffling🤷♂️.
I know people here refer to him as seagull, and while he may play a role where he’s often left loose out the back to mop up the scraps there is a reason for him having this role in the team, and that is he’s damn good at it. And with ball in hand there are few better decision makers and distributors of the pill in the competition