Best 17 for me when everyone is fit and available for 2019 and best replacement options)
1. Widdop (Field, Dufty or Norman if its suits balance of team better on the day)
2. Dufty (Pearson, Aitken)
3. Lomax (Aitken, Herbert)
4. Aitken (Lomax, Lafai)
5. Lafai (Pearson, Perarra)
6. Norman (Widdop, Field)
7. Hunt (Norman, Field)
8. Vaughn (Lawrie, Graham, K.Sims,Latimore)
9. Mc Inness (Allgood, Hunt)
10. Graham (Vaughn, K.Sims, Latimore)
11. Frizzel (Leilua, K.Sims, Host, )
12. T.Sims (K.Sims, Leilua, Debelin ,Host
13. Debelin (Frizzel,Leilua, McInnes)
14.. Leilua
15. K.Sims
16. Lawrie
17. Field
18, Latimore
That team is defensively solid, has room for any covering all conceivable scenarios injury wise. The best part is that their are so many pockets of attack in the starting 13, we should have no problem racking up scores even on good teams if their off. Fullback as a ball player and kicking option, Dufty is still a ball runner and if his defence improves, because the game is faster that it was 2 years ago, the obsession with wingers having to always be built like props isn't relavent.
The Bench to me was a struggle, it needs to have an impact forward, with the skill and power to take advantage of fatigue which will be more prevelant again in 2019. We lacked an impact from our bench that could slot into the backline and terrorise fatigued players but also slot in to key position in the halves and not loose anything kicking wise. So for me, Luch and Field are essential however if anyone else shows they can fulfill those roles i'd give them some bench time. The other two bench spots will alway be covering the engine room with Fresh legs and not loose momentum So K.Sims and Lawrie are front runners
Kicking wise, we would have 3 very good general play kickers starting and Field showed a great composed boot in a few games particularly against Tigers Rnd 23 2018. Also three top class Goal Kickers starting, plus Field is a decent goal kicker off the bench. T.Sailor seems a prospect, probably needs more physical development first but i'm open to see him step up if he is ready. Nicols to me doesn't off anything much, just another safe cover option like Kurt Mann so i don't see much game time in FG this year unless their is a spate of injuries. I would try Klune before him anyway. Nothing against K.Mann but he was only ever a fill in who covered lots of positions, he provided no real attacking threat and not an organiser. I would like to see McInness be benched or play lock and let Hunt go to hooker for games mid-year particularly as he is solid, defends well but not anywhere near the threat in attack.
If we want to take advantage of one of the best quality squads we have had since 2011, picking safe options may have been good to 'hold the fort' in previous years, but it means not being a serious contender for the title. I also think just copying what others are doing instead of matching them in the basics but having a X-Factor edge that could be the difference in September has to be always behind the Team Selections every week. I have also factored in Mary likes to keep the same blokes their unless injuries intervene so I figure covering all bases, being defensively sound across the board, balance of skills, (ball players and ball Runners), have a wide range of good quality options for kicking and ball playing which will mean the slumps won't occur, because it's harder to shut down 3 or 4 points of attacking threat than 1 or 2. Also important to have that threat continue off the bench. Bring on 2019, also hope Mary and Ben are on the same page as what I am getting at even if they have a few different names, it;s the roles and the skills of the players in those roles and how they come together.
