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All the AFL lists are finalised for 2018, and now is the time to start investigating what each club’s best team looks like.
This analysis won’t factor in injuries or early season suspension, as it is looking at the best team from the list they have. This is my take on Collingwood’s best 22; you can read my previous analyses on Adelaide, Brisbane and Carlton.
Collingwood’s best 22
B: Tom Langdon, Lynden Dunn, Tyson Goldsack
HB: Brayden Maynard, Darcy Moore, Jeremy Howe
C: Daniel Wells, Jordan De Goey, Taylor Adams
HF: Steele Sidebottom, Ben Reid, Will Hoskin-Elliott
F: Alex Fasolo, Mason Cox, Jamie Elliott
Foll: Brodie Grundy, Adam Treloar, Scott Pendlebury
I/C: Travis Varcoe, Levi Greenwood, Tom Phillips, Jack Crisp
Depth: Sam Murray, Jarryd Blair, Matt Scharenberg, James Aish, Chris Mayne, Callum Brown, Josh Daicos, Kayle Kirby, Tim Broomhead, Rupert Wills, Jaidyn Stephenson, Brayden Sier, Ben Crocker, Josh Smith, Tyler Brown, Sam McLarty, Nathan Murphy, Josh Thomas, Adam Oxley, Max Lynch, Flynn Appleby, Jack Madgen, Brody Mihocek
(AAP Image/Julian Smith)
Defence
The defence is likely to be the major talking point in the Pies’ best 22, with many of them ex-forwards. Lynden Dunn takes full back after an impressive 2017 season from the 30-year-old and also given they don’t have much key position depth.
It has been made public that Darcy Moore is training with the defenders and will be trained to play there, which will also add flexibility to the team given Ben Reid has the ability to play as a defender as well as a forward.
Tyson Goldsack appears to be underrated in the footy industry given he too can play as a forward or defender and has plenty of courage, as shown when he played with basically one arm for half a game against Fremantle last season.
Jeremy Howe was unlucky not to be an All Australian and mark of the year winner following a career-best season, so he gets a spot on the half back flank. Tom Langdon has had a couple of injury-plagued seasons in the last few years, but if he is available, he will take up a position in the best 22.
Brayden Maynard had a fantastic third season and looks primed to take a spot on the half back flank in the starting 18 and rotate through the midfield with Taylor Adams, Daniel Wells, and Scott Pendlebury, who all contain the ability to play across the half back line.
(AAP Image/Dean Lewins)
Midfield
On paper the midfield may be one of the best in the AFL, and it’ll looks fantastic when they’re all up and firing, especially Daniel Wells. Brodie Grundy had a career-best season statistics-wise last year and coach Nathan Buckley plans to rotate him through the forward line along with Mason Cox and Darcy Moore, so he takes the number one ruck spot.
Former Giants stars Adam Treloar and Taylor Adams take a spot as an on-baller and on the wing respectively given both are heading into their prime years, and Adams had a career-best year last year. You would expect both to back it up.
Skipper Scott Pendlebury had his season cut short by injury in 2017, but he was playing fantastically before the injury and managed to line up for Australia in one of the International Rules Series games.
Jordan De Goey paid the Pies following his early season suspension for offseason behaviour. He’ll be expected to follow that up and produce a strong 2018 season. Veteran Daniel Wells demonstrated on several occasions throughout his ten games last year that he has the ability to turn games in favour of the Pies with his silky skills.
(AAP Image/Julian Smith)
Attack
Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley has already stated his plan to team Brodie Grundy and Mason Cox together, rotating them through the forward line and the ruck. New 100-gamer Alex Fasolo gets into the left forward pocket as a small forward following a strong season last year.
Pies tattoo artist Jamie Elliott is an electrifying small forward at the best of times and gets a spot based on the x-factor that he provides. Steele Sidebottom was the 2017 Copeland Trophy winner and is a lock in the Pies best 22 given he can rotate between the forward line and the midfield and create some flexibility.
Ben Reid starts at centre half forward as he can rotate into defence throughout games with Darcy Moore and allow flexibility. Will Hoskin-Elliott was a surprise packet for the Pies after being traded from the Giants and had a career-best year. Collingwood will be hoping he can improve again next year, seeing as he will 24 years old at the start of next season.
(AAP Image/Dean Lewins)
Interchange
Veteran Travis Varcoe struggled last year with injury but seems likely to still be in the Pies’ best 22, but I couldn’t find a spot for him starting on the ground, so I put him on the interchange, which once again provides flexibility across the team with Varcoe able to play in any position.
Levi Greenwood showed his importance to the team as a tagger last year, which is why he gets a spot on the bench. Tom Phillips had a career-best year last year, collecting 380 disposals across 18 games in his second year. Jack Crisp has been an incredibly consistent midfielder for the Pies and has played 66 consecutive games to date.
The unlucky players
Sam Murray is highly rated by the Collingwood recruiting staff, and that was shown by the fact they traded a second-round pick in next year’s ‘super’ draft. Pies supporters will be hoping that he pushes for games next year.
Matt Scharenberg has had plenty of injury troubles throughout his career but played ten games last year and looks primed to receive opportunities.
Father-son pick for 2016 Callum Brown played five games with promise in his first year and will be hoping for some more opportunities next year.
First-round pick Jaidyn Stephenson has plenty of x-factor and talent and will be hoping for a couple of games here and there in his first year.
Josh Smith has shown plenty of potential across his 31 games and will be hoping to get enough games to play his 50th next year.
Josh Thomas played the final nine games of the season last year and looks likely to gain plenty more opportunities next year, but he is not quite in the best 22. If you could pay 25 players on a team each week, Thomas would likely be there.
Brody Mihocek has been hyped up as great depth after being drafted as a mature-aged rookie, and if there are injuries to key position players, expect Mihocek to play in seniors.
What do you think, Roarers? Do you agree on the Pies best 22?
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