Pick your best 22 of 2024 - Part 1 - Pre-season

[DJC]

I think Young is more than likely to play FB round 1 unless Sam Durdin has a real good preseason series of practice games.
Marchbank did ok playing his role in the finals but he is undersized to take on a player like Lynch.
Young has a chance to reestablish himself in the team with Weitering out short term and Jack out for the season given he can play
back, ruck and even go forward if required and it will be a big year for him imo.

I’ve got Young in my 22 based on the premise that last season was an aberration and playing on Harry and Charlie at training would make him stronger … if it doesn’t kill him ?

[kruddler]

Just for comparison, this is Rohan Connolly's version of our best 22:

B: Caleb Marchbank, Jacob Weitering, Nic Newman
HB: Sam Docherty, Brodie Kemp, Adam Saad
C: Blake Acres, Patrick Cripps, Matt Cottrell
HF: Matthew Owies, Harry McKay, Jesse Motlop
F: Jack Martin, Charlie Curnow, Mitch McGovern
R: Tom De Koning, Adam Cerra, Sam Walsh
Inter: George Hewett, Marc Pittonet, Zac Williams, Ollie Hollands
Emerg: Matthew Kennedy, Alex Cincotta, Lachie Fogarty, David Cuningham

For a start, Doc won't play in defence and Gov is unlikely to play as a forward.

The most telling part of Connolly's analysis is, "With the likes of Orazio Fantasia, Boyd, Lewis Young, Elijah Hollands, Lachie Cowan and Corey Durdin missing out on a spot in their best 26, the Blues’ depth for 2024 looks healthy."

What is telling about Gov to the forward line is that we have a lot of medium sized defenders, Kemp, Marchbank and McGovern (to go with Weitering and even Young) but we don't have any medium forwards now that Silvagni has gone down. Martin is a marking target of sorts, but is more of a taller small who i'd much rather have crumbing than contesting marks.

I reckon i floated similar either this stage last year or the year before for the same reasons.