TOPIC:

Readily admit I aint local, but going on what I have read I will try to have a stab at EF best 22 for this year, not necessarily one that will play first up though.....McGough is out for an extended period from all reports due to a recent op.

From the backline

Cooper Chartres Bayliss

Schofield Howlett Stephen

Dalziell McGough Eardley

BOB Lester-Smith Henson

J.Bristow Perham Tropiano

Ruck: Young MacNamara ROB

Res: Peake, Boyle, Jupp, Symonds plus: Edwards, Hancock Green, Hooker, T.Bristow, Depane, Chalwell, Jansen, Bourne, Schleicher, Curley,Cronan,Dennis and Dorotich all easily could find a spot in EF league side this year.

Not overly tall, that could be EF achilles heel, saying that EF forward line was small last year and they end up 2nd on the points for list overall.

Losses I can see are all the AFL listed boys(though compared to previous years EF had only a few regulars last year in Dick,Brennan,Simpson and Sheppard), MacDougall, King, the AFL draftees and not too sure who else middle tier has moved on.

Would love to see Chalwell or Perham step up and slot into CHF, allowing Lester-Smith to play closer to goal. Green who won the colts F&B last year hopefully can make that jump from colts to senior footy, is a ball magnet, in and under sort, could cover for McGough whilst he is out. Depane and Cronan hopefully will develop as small goal kicking forwards, especially with BOB injury track record. Mids in Henson, Hancock and Boyle can continue their development into being key mids like McGough, Macnamare, ROB and Dalziell.

Eardley comes back from playing predominantly as a back pocket player in a the strong Geelong VFL side, played as a mid in his junior career at EF, so I reckon Malaxos should be looking to Eardley to bolster EF midfield brigade. Wouldn't surprise me to see Malaxos use MacNamara, Peake and Schofield as rebounding defenders throughout the season.

The defence looks solid, would love an experienced ruckman though to enable Young to play in defence to help out EF 'tall's' in Howlett, Jansen, Jupp and Chartres. The tall forward situation for EF looks thin, will be heavily reliant on Lester-Smith and BOB for goals, plus the mids to chip in with a few, plus Depane, Edwards, Bourne and Cronan as small forwards. Would be fantastic for the likes of one of Perham or Chalwell to surprise and snare 30 odd for the season, Perham did it a few years back from memory.

Up n coming colts from last year pushing for senior opportunities could be the likes of Sutton, Bourne, Fletcher,Cuneo and Solomon.....whilst in the colts last years fellas in Barone, Strnadica, Regan, Rayner, Cripps, Hodda and Green plus newbies in Tomelty, Black, Hagen, Bennett,Patat,Parish and Perry will provide the core of EF top 22 colts team.

Prediction for 2014.....cheekily I'd love to say top two.....will be working hard for top four......if the club finishes outside the four I reckon Malaxos spot will be up for grabs.......would of loved to kept Jonanthon Marsh and Aliir Alirr due to their height......can easily see the likes of Anthony, Duffy, Menagola and Brennan coming back to EF in 2015.....was going to say Hardingham but I reckon those IMI vitamins might play a part in that.

Gonna a be a strange old year watching the likes of Peel and their EF recruits cutting up EF when the Sharks meet Peel......EP height will kill EF as for the rest.....well who knows? Not long to go now....bring it on for 2014!

You are in trouble if Chartres is holding down FB. Thought Peake would be in the 18,give pace and knows where the goals are

I reckon Jansen or Jupp will probably play FB.....just put Chartres there because he is taller than these two.....would rather have Young at FB TBH.....as for Peake in the 18.....naagh too inconsistent and soft for my liking....I reckon he will be used as a burst player or as an unaccountable rebounding defender.

Geez ... Chartres holding down FB .... good luck with that Frosty - better off with Young back there and then make Chartres actually work somewhere else

rather Dannys ugly mug than Justin' Pretty Boy' Monaco's at FB Southerner....speaking of which how many reserves games will Justin play this year for SF....22?.....again!

Freezin wrote: rather Dannys ugly mug than Justin' Pretty Boy' Monaco's at FB Southerner....speaking of which how many reserves games will Justin play this year for SF....22?.....again!

And a very handy back up he is too Frosty .... and the bonus is that we get some of his smoking hot chickybabes to perve at on game day old son

Don't forget Dodd.

Howlett at FB and Dodd CHB for mine...though I do rate Juppy. Charters will struggle to make our league side and will be used more as a spare parts player I think.

The surprise you might find is BOB being used on a HBF.

I also think J.Bristow will be our #1 ruck and Youngy will play at FF. I hope Symonds can get fit and put his mind to being a top line ruckman....time will tell.

From last years colts Bourne looks the best chance of pinching a spot in the league side as a small forward. Good scratch match v Subi and showed he can read the ball very well and add that with his pace he could be the one to watch. Green was terrific last year but we have plenty of mids there already. His time will come though.

Barone unfortunately did both his ACL and medial in the colts scratchie against Subi and will miss the entire season. IMO probably our best player and would have been the captain, not to mention making the state 18's.

I think we will make the 4 and as you say Freeze, if not...Malaxos is gone.

geez how did I forget Doddy?....well there you have it...Dodd in Chartres out...pity about Barone Rock......the kid was under age last year and was picking up 20 odd possessions a game.....big loss for the colts.

Interesting re: BOB on a HBF......Malaxos must pretty confident EF will kick enough goals without him playing forward......though he did miss most of last year and EF still came second on the points for tally.....

Monaco has all the ability in the world Southerner, don't doubt that....just aint got the ticker.....I have no doubts he will lead SF reserves side to back to back flags this year...

Well a flag or two more than that has been seen at EF oval over the last 15 years.

Monaco will get some games this year for sure. I like him.

Southerner wrote:

Freezin wrote: rather Dannys ugly mug than Justin' Pretty Boy' Monaco's at FB Southerner....speaking of which how many reserves games will Justin play this year for SF....22?.....again!

And a very handy back up he is too Frosty .... and the bonus is that we get some of his smoking hot chickybabes to perve at on game day old son

Eardley had some beautiful fans when he was playing colts. Be a big drawcard if they are still around.