Locks for 2024

[Saintmike65]

Ok…home and away season is done and dusted, so who do you see as locks for round 1 2024?

[Vortex]

Hayes

[cwrcyn]

In order of preference

Wilkie
Sinclair
Marshall
King
Wanganeen-Milera
Owens
Crouch
Hill
Battle
Steele
Wood
Butler
Higgins
Webster
Windhager
Ross

That's 16 players

All other spots will be fought out between the rest

[cwrcyn]

Whoops, I forgot to add Phillipou. That's 17 players

[Vortex]

In order of preference

Wilkie
Sinclair
Marshall
King
Wanganeen-Milera
Owens
Crouch
Hill
Battle
Steele
Wood
Butler
Higgins
Webster
Windhager
Ross

That's 16 players

All other spots will be fought out between the rest

but can the players on your list stand up in finals, need to come back at the end of 2024 and have the same discussion, we need a bigger sample size starting with the first final.

need to also have more clubs in the bag than just defence, we need to be able to kick a winning score.

[Sainter_Dad]

In order of preference

Wilkie
Sinclair
Marshall
King
Wanganeen-Milera
Owens
Crouch
Hill
Battle
Steele
Wood
Butler
Higgins
Webster
Windhager
Ross
Phillipou

That's 17 players

All other spots will be fought out between the rest

But is Ross the Key to all those Locks??

[Saintmike65]

Whoops, I forgot to add Phillipou. That's 17 players

Great minds think alike…I had 16 players, leaving Webster out!
I like Jimmy but injuries over the years may have taken there toll

[cwrcyn]

Webster is still a good player. Seriously tough and brave, with decent leg speed and for the most part uses the ball well and understands what's going on around him. I think Ross is a fan. With all those injuries though, you can probably add 2 years to his playing age, making him probably a year away from coming to the end.

[Sainter_Dad]

In order of preference

Wilkie
Sinclair
Marshall
King
Wanganeen-Milera
Owens
Crouch
Hill
Battle
Steele
Wood
Butler
Higgins
Webster
Windhager
Ross

That's 16 players

All other spots will be fought out between the rest

but can the players on your list stand up in finals, need to come back at the end of 2024 and have the same discussion, we need a bigger sample size starting with the first final.

need to also have more clubs in the bag than just defence, we need to be able to kick a winning score.

On another point:-

Not really all locks - just best available at the moment.

No revelations here - you have basically listed the Round 23 team but left out:
- Clark
- Cordy
- Gresham
- Membrey
- Sharman
- Stocker

Who would be your lock for FB??
I would think if you are using a broad brush that Stocker would be there - as would Clark - and I would definitely have Membrey in there

[cwrcyn]

Full back? Based on what I've seen this year, I'd have to say Cordy, even though he's no superstar. He's tougher than Howard and more disciplined.

Fair call on Membrey. The reason I didn't have him as a lock is that Hayes, Sharman, and Caminiti are all fighting for the same spot.

[Vortex]

In order of preference

Wilkie
Sinclair
Marshall
King
Wanganeen-Milera
Owens
Crouch
Hill
Battle
Steele
Wood
Butler
Higgins
Webster
Windhager
Ross

That's 16 players

All other spots will be fought out between the rest

but can the players on your list stand up in finals, need to come back at the end of 2024 and have the same discussion, we need a bigger sample size starting with the first final.

need to also have more clubs in the bag than just defence, we need to be able to kick a winning score.

On another point:-

Not really all locks - just best available at the moment.

No revelations here - you have basically listed the Round 23 team but left out:
- Clark
- Cordy
- Gresham
- Membrey
- Sharman
- Stocker

Who would be your lock for FB??
I would think if you are using a broad brush that Stocker would be there - as would Clark - and I would definitely have Membrey in there

I use trustworthy as an attribute to answer such questions especially as a desirable attribute in a final' so on that basis maybe Members is the only player I pick from your supplementary list but I'd like to even reserve judgement ment on that until the end of this finals campaign as will be the case for all of the players fortunate enough to be selected to play in our finals apearnce this year

[Vortex]

Full back? Based on what I've seen this year, I'd have to say Cordy, even though he's no superstar. He's tougher than Howard and more disciplined.

Fair call on Membrey. The reason I didn't have him as a lock is that Hayes, Sharman, and Caminiti are all fighting for the same spot.

Hayes doesn't need to fight, he'll be first picked going forward

[Scollop]

In order of preference

Wilkie
Sinclair
Marshall
King
Wanganeen-Milera
Owens
Crouch
Hill
Battle
Steele
Wood
Butler
Higgins
Webster
Windhager
Ross

That's 16 players

All other spots will be fought out between the rest

Good list. I don't necessarily agree or disagree

Just wanted to make a comment on the 'order of preference'

I'd definitely have Pou in there as you mentioned. I'd have Steele 2 or 3 rungs higher and Crouch would be near the bottom.

[meher baba]

I'd like to think that Phillipou will need to start winning his spot in the team next season.

Windhager isn't quite a lock yet, but close.

I wouldn't see any of Webster, Battle or Higgins as locks.

Webster was great for the first half of the season but has been struggling lately. He might well be carrying an injury and that could mean that there's something in the rumour that he might retire at the end of the year.

Re Battle: there is only room for two out of Howard, Battle and Cordy and - even though many have written off Howard - I reckon he is likely to still be at the clu, and competition for back 3 spots will be intense (other than for Wilkie, of course, who will be one of the first picked if not injured). Against teams with tall foward lines, Howard, Cordy and Wilkie could work pretty well down back. Of course, if Webster does retire, there might conceivably be room for all of Howard, Cordy, Wilkie and Battle down back, although some people might consider that backline to be a little too tall.

I know that Higgins is incredibly likeable and has a great story and that many (possibly including Ross Lyon) see him as a sort of reincarnation of Milney. He has kicked more goals than anyone else this season (35 to Butler's 33, although King probably would have kicked 60+ if he hadn't been injured for much of the year), but - along with Gresham - he was our greatest butcher of goal opportunities: 25 behinds, plus plenty of shots that fell short or missed everything and, of course, the dropped mark in front of goal that gave a win to Hawthorn. Last year, I would have had Higgins a little ahead of Butler, but this year Butler was significantly ahead: 33 goals, 13 behinds and 96 tackles (as opposed to Higgins's 41 tackles).

Higgins and Gresham survive because we don't have anyone better (well, Billings might conceivably be better, but Lyon doesn't like something about him: probabaly the way he trains). Next season, perhaps Windhager could have a few games forward as part of his continuing development.

[SaintPav]

Hopefully our first round dp is ready to go from round 1 and 1 or 2 new recruits that gives the team a different feel.

[Banger9798]

Battle is a lock.
Very good defender and a possible swing man.

Hopefully we get Paddy Dow over via SOS, and have a crack at Flanders also.

[Otiman]

None. New year new season, injuries fitness and form will play a huge part.

No trades are off the table so there's also that.