Finding Port's Best-XXII - Part II (Round 1 Preview)

Our next game is going to be for premiership points. How great is that?! How scary is that?!  We want to play and win Finals, but can we do it? Port is a working-in-progress, AFL has made lots of changes, and anything can happen. Here is my last attempt to find our Best-XXII for the match against the Demons.

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It is not going to be easy to select the team to face the Demons at the MCG: we are changing a lot from last year – both in strategy and players; there are all the new rules to adjust; and the opponent is not supposed to be an easy one to beat.

Past season, in the Demons-Crows game, Melbourne would constantly win the center bounce, move forward, and score. It was a massacre, and it was before the 666 rule. Last week, North had a six-goal streak coming out of the center bounce. We won’t be able to overcome such deficit in the opening round. We need to be careful with our selection.

I have selected my Best-XXII at the beginning of the preseason, back in November. Now, at the brink of the season’s opening bounce, here is what I would do. I believe that Paddy plays, so the changes from my previous lineup would be:


Out: Jarrod Lienert, Hamish Hartlett, Ollie Wines, and Charlie Dixon (injured); Dougal Howard (omitted).
In: Connor Rozee, Zac Butters, William Drew, Dan Houston, and Karl Amon.

Hence, this is my Best-XXII for our Round 1 match against Melbourne:

Offense
Todd Marshall - Paddy Ryder - Robbie Gray
Justin Westhoff - Jack Watts - Brad Ebert
Midfield
Scott Lycett (R) - Tom Rockliff - Sam Powell-Pepper
Steven Motlop (W) - Travis Boak - Sam Mayes (W)
Defense
Dan Houston - Darcy Byrne-Jones - Ryan Burton
Riley Bonner - Tom Jonas - Tom Clurey

Interchange
Connor Rozee (F), Zac Butters (W), William Drew (M), and Karl Amon (D)




From our 23-man lineup in JLT 2, Lienert and Duursma would be out; with Mayes coming in. Things being equal, I would go with experience over youth. My Best-XXII from the beginning of pre-season was based on such premise. Mayes was in that lineup, and I wouldn't drop him out on form.

Having said that, my main issue with my own lineup is that I advocate making the selection also considering the opposition, but I have no clue about Melbourne. I can't name any of their players. So, I went for this generic side. 

Moreover, I am still learning about our own guys as well. That's why the lineup may be unbalanced. My original squad lost three defenders, and I am replacing with two. Houston is in for Howard; and Amon, for Lienert (as defender-winger, although a shorter one). On Amon, I thought having seen him playing at HB, but I may be mistaken.

 Besides, Hartlett’s absence would need to be cover by all the others. If that’s the case, however, wouldn't we be thin at the back? Should we replace Lienert with a defender? But, if a back gets in, who would he be – Broadbent, McKenzie, Howard? And who would get out – Mayes (since Duursma is already out for me), Drew, Watts, Amon?

My lineup is definitely not written in stone. There are plenty of unanswered questions that could change my mind. What do you think?

CARN THE POWER!!

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