Round 1 Selections: Who misses out?

[saintsRrising]

Well Round 1 Selection is almost upon us:

So which spots are still up for grabs?

RUCK:

Hickey will have won the No 1 Ruck spot following his game against the Swans. His record last year against Gawn inspires further confidence.

BACKS:

Gilbert v Dempster v Robbo v Brownremains a battle. Which way will the coaches lean? I think Robbo is a lock and also believe that Brown will be a lock for FB. So will they go for the better defender in Demspter or the more versatile and more offensive Gilbert.

Webster v DMak v Savage. Webster has been excellent whereas DMaks kicking has been errant and so Webster gets the nod.
Joey is out and so that means that Savage will likely keep his spot down back. This gives us all of Webster, Savage and Billings to set up play out of th back half with their penetrating kicking.

MIDS:

Stevens will be regretting his choice of prawns as it denied him a chance to shine in the midfield and moreso as Steele used the game to cap off a very polished set of pre-season games.

Acres put his hand up with a last gasp game for Sandy with 38 disposals. But who can he displace? Hard to see him pushing out any of Steven, Steele, Ross, Armo, Gresham, Newnes, Dunstan, Roo or Billings. Sinclair has had a very good pre-season, but others have done better. In previous years he would be in the 22.

SMALL FORWARDS:

Weller is a lock and Wright has done enough to be the second and last small forward picked. Lonie has been ok, but ok is no longer enough and moreso as with more good mids these days we will go for an extra mid rather than a third small forward.

BIG/MEDIUM FORWARDS

Well we all know it will be Bruce, Paddy and Membrey. However Paddy's pre-season has only been ok-ish rather than setting us alive with excitement. Paddy needs to knuckle down too and ice some of those easy shots on goal that he has missed in the pre-season.

[George27]

Excellent post, SR

When I picked "my" team before JLT, I had McKenzie ahead of Webster, but agree Jimmy has gone ahead.

I also had Dempster as a lock , but not so sure now. With Jack Billings seemingly playing behind the ball, perhaps Sean will keep his spot, but agree that maybe it will be Gilbo. Agree Savage on the bench.

Steele and Wright are in for mine, so Stevens and Acres I think miss out.

Four sleeps to go - nervous already !

[Mr Magic]

Excellent thread/post sRr

I've convinced myself that we're not going to allow Watts to play as the Demons 'outlet' behind the ball and that we'll put someone on him to follow him herever he goes.
Therefore I believe Gilbert will be the one given the task as he is able to match Watts both in the air and at ground level.
That means that Dempster will miss out as I'm sure Watts will be nominated a 'forward' on the team sheet.

I think that Billings will be named as a forward along with Wright and Weller so therefore Lonie will miss out.

So my team is :-
Geary Brown, Webster
Gilbert, Carlisle, Roberton
Reiwoldt, Armitage, Newnes
Weller, Bruce, Billings
Membrey, MacCarten, Wright
Hickey, Ross, Steven
Steele, Dunstan, Gresham, Savage/Acres (1 to be left out)

[Bernard Shakey]

Excellent thread/post sRr

I've convinced myself that we're not going to allow Watts to play as the Demons 'outlet' behind the ball and that we'll put someone on him to follow him herever he goes.
Therefore I believe Gilbert will be the one given the task as he is able to match Watts both in the air and at ground level.
That means that Dempster will miss out as I'm sure Watts will be nominated a 'forward' on the team sheet.

I think that Billings will be named as a forward along with Wright and Weller so therefore Lonie will miss out.

So my team is :-
Geary Brown, Webster
Gilbert, Carlisle, Roberton
Reiwoldt, Armitage, Newnes
Weller, Bruce, Billings
Membrey, MacCarten, Wright
Hickey, Ross, Steven
Steele, Dunstan, Gresham, Savage/Acres (1 to be left out)

+1 leaving out Savage

[Stephen Theodore]

Excellent thread/post sRr

I've convinced myself that we're not going to allow Watts to play as the Demons 'outlet' behind the ball and that we'll put someone on him to follow him herever he goes.
Therefore I believe Gilbert will be the one given the task as he is able to match Watts both in the air and at ground level.
That means that Dempster will miss out as I'm sure Watts will be nominated a 'forward' on the team sheet.

I think that Billings will be named as a forward along with Wright and Weller so therefore Lonie will miss out.

So my team is :-
Geary Brown, Webster
Gilbert, Carlisle, Roberton
Reiwoldt, Armitage, Newnes
Weller, Bruce, Billings
Membrey, MacCarten, Wright
Hickey, Ross, Steven
Steele, Dunstan, Gresham, Savage/Acres (1 to be left out)

+1 leaving out Savage

Agree, and would also leave out Savage

[Toy Saint]

This team has more depth than any I can remember....

[skeptic]

Excellent thread/post sRr

I've convinced myself that we're not going to allow Watts to play as the Demons 'outlet' behind the ball and that we'll put someone on him to follow him herever he goes.
Therefore I believe Gilbert will be the one given the task as he is able to match Watts both in the air and at ground level.
That means that Dempster will miss out as I'm sure Watts will be nominated a 'forward' on the team sheet.

I think that Billings will be named as a forward along with Wright and Weller so therefore Lonie will miss out.

So my team is :-
Geary Brown, Webster
Gilbert, Carlisle, Roberton
Reiwoldt, Armitage, Newnes
Weller, Bruce, Billings
Membrey, MacCarten, Wright
Hickey, Ross, Steven
Steele, Dunstan, Gresham, Savage/Acres (1 to be left out)

+1 leaving out Savage

Agree, and would also leave out Savage

3 for leaving out Savage

[Zed]

I think your team is probably what they will go with. Hard to believe Dempster gets squeezed out. Whilst I'm a fan of Seb Ross, I don't think his preseason form rose to his usual standard and personally I'd look at giving him a run at Sandy and bringing Acres in.

[IluvHarvey]

I'm not certain that Brown will be part of the round 1 team. I just don't think the Melbourne has the need for us to play both Brown and Carlisle, so IMO Carlisle goes to Hogan.
Dempster comes in.
Apart from that I would love to see Acres in, so I think Savage is the unlucky one here.

Good Problems to have!

[saintsRrising]

I think your team is probably what they will go with. Hard to believe Dempster gets squeezed out. Whilst I'm a fan of Seb Ross, I don't think his preseason form rose to his usual standard and personally I'd look at giving him a run at Sandy and bringing Acres in.

I think that Ross along with Armo was underplayed as a mid as the coaches wanted to see how Steele and Stevens went.

[Bernard Shakey]

Excellent thread/post sRr

I've convinced myself that we're not going to allow Watts to play as the Demons 'outlet' behind the ball and that we'll put someone on him to follow him herever he goes.
Therefore I believe Gilbert will be the one given the task as he is able to match Watts both in the air and at ground level.
That means that Dempster will miss out as I'm sure Watts will be nominated a 'forward' on the team sheet.

I think that Billings will be named as a forward along with Wright and Weller so therefore Lonie will miss out.

So my team is :-
Geary Brown, Webster
Gilbert, Carlisle, Roberton
Reiwoldt, Armitage, Newnes
Weller, Bruce, Billings
Membrey, MacCarten, Wright
Hickey, Ross, Steven
Steele, Dunstan, Gresham, Savage/Acres (1 to be left out)

Pretty much spot on!