We are two games from the end of the season. Some players are locks for this side, while due to injury, some have lost their spot, meaning that there a few places in this side up for grabs. Body of work is now the determining factor for selection – even if players have missed games, they can still be selected because they’ve been so dominant when they have played.
To refresh your memories after a three-week hiatus, here’s how the post-round 18 team looked:
FB: Sam Taylor, Harris Andrews, Dan Houston
HB: Isaac Quaynor, Darcy Moore, Tom Stewart
C: Errol Gulden, Nick Daicos, Josh Daicos
HF: Christian Petracca, Taylor Walker, Toby Greene
FF: Charlie Cameron, Charlie Curnow, Tom Hawkins
Foll: Tim English, Marcus Bontempelli, Tim Taranto
Int: Jack Sinclair, Connor Rozee, Jordan Dawson, Gryan Miers, Mark Blicavs (sub)
With finals appearances on the line, many players are rising to the occasion. We have been treated, thus far, to some extraordinary football – both in terms of individual performances and team feats. This team is the result of these performances.
A big part of this team is the eye test. A smaller part is the stats. All of these players are worthy of selection.
I guess I should stop stalling and dragging this out. *cue drum roll* here’s the Mongrel Punt’s Rolling All-Australian Team following Round Twenty-Two.
FB: Sam Taylor, Harris Andrews, James Sicily
HB: Dan Houston, Darcy Moore, Tom Stewart
C: Errol Gulden, Zak Butters, Josh Daicos
HF: Christian Petracca, Taylor Walker, Toby Greene
FF: Charlie Cameron, Charlie Curnow, Kyle Langford
Foll: Tim English, Marcus Bontempelli, Tim Taranto
Int: Isaac Quaynor, Connor Rozee, Jordan Dawson, Gryan Miers, Rowan Marshall (sub)
The Changes
You’re all smart enough to work out who has been dropped, and who has bashed down the door.
Let’s start with the elephant in the room.
I dropped Nick Daicos.
Most people are currently writing a comment saying “this is the dumbest take ever!!”
“You don’t know football!”
“How can The Mongrel Punt let you write for them?!”
I often wonder about that last one, too. Here’s my reasoning: I feel like selecting him on a half-back-flank is a cop out, given he’s spent half the season as a midfielder. And, as a midfielder, he hasn’t done enough to go past some of those who have spent the whole year as a midfielder. His six-week injury, plus a few quiet games in the lead up have hurt him. If it soothes the pangs of Pies fans … we know the official team will see him selected, because they love midfielders.
The second controversial omission is Jack Sinclair. He really hasn’t done much wrong at all, and may find his way back into my side at the end of the season. The reason he’s been left out is simple: he’s spent a lot more time attending centre bounces in the last month, meaning that with Sicily coming into the side, it was between Sinclair and Quaynor … and I’ve gone with Quaynor. He doesn’t get the flowers others do, and I expect Sinclair makes the official team. We sometimes overlook the good defensive players because of stats.
Up forward, I’ve replaced Tom Hawkins. Mostly to remove a sense of #GeelongBias by having him there. If he performs over the last two weeks of the season, he likely returns to the side. For now, I flipped a coin between Nick Larkey and Kyle Langford and everything has come up Millhouse … sorry, Kyle Langford. His edge over Larkey has been his ability to bring others into the game. Larkey has had a fantastic season in a side that’s struggled. And it may be that I’ve seen more of Essendon this year, but I’ve noticed Langford more than Larkey when I’ve watched those teams.
The sub could have been a number of players. It came down to Nic Martin and Rowan Marshall. Martin has been in my side at points this year, and I’m second guessing him not still being there (someone make a case for why he gets in over Jordan Dawson/Tim Taranto and I’ll listen). I’ve gone with Rowan Marshall. He’s had a fantastic season and continues to have a considerable impact on Saints games, and looms large in their pursuit of finals. It’s an odd choice picking a ruckman as a sub, but his value around the ground justifies his selection, I think. I’m expecting him to dominate in R23, and then we’ll see what happens in R24.
The Watch List
Mostly the players to watch are one’s that have just come out of the side (the likes of Tim Hawkins and Jack Sinclair, in particular). Then there’s players like Nick Larkey and Nic Martin who are very close to selection.
Two others that are close are Hawks legend Luke Breust, and Blues defender Nic Newman. Both of these players are having a great finish to the season. Breust has had a great season in general, and could easily find his way into the side. I’ll leave Langford for now, but that forward spot is up for grabs. Some would argue that Miers shouldn’t be there based on his goal output. I’ll listen to that argument, and disagree. There’s a place for a high-half-forward who connects the play and sets up scores.
For Newman, he may find it more challenging to break in, given how settled the defense is, and how good they’ve all been. That said, season 2023 has been one for the ages, and it wouldn’t be outside the realms of possibility for someone to literally come from the clouds to find a way into the side.
That’s all for this week. Let us know your thoughts – and I’m putting a caveat on that. Don’t just list someone who should be in/out, list who they replace/replaces them and why.
Stay tuned on our socials and find out future changes.