After a long off-season, Far-West Footy is back. We need time to get back on track, so the first post is on preseason mode. Nothing too serious, but an exercise to find what would currently be our Best-XXII. Feel free to criticize it!

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With all settled and done, we have 46 players in our roster. I have broken down the squad by age groups and realized that 22 of our players will be 24 years old or older by the end of the next season.





Twenty-two is a full team, and, surprisingly, our oldest players fit into one smoothly:





Offense

Charlie Dixon - Paddy Ryder - Robbie Gray

Justin Westhoff - Jack Watts - Travis Boak

Midfield

Scott Lycett (R) - Tom Rockliff - Brad Ebert

Steven Motlop (W) - Ollie Wines - Sam Mayes (W)

Defense

Jarrod Lienert, Hamish Hartlett - Darcy Byrne-Jones

Tom Jonas - Matthew Broadbent - Tom Clurey





Interchange: Jack Trengove (D/M), Sam Gray (F), Trent McKenzie (D), Karl Amon (W)





Since I was at it, I've fielded another side with the youngest players as well:





Offense

Billy Frampton - Peter Ladhams - Todd Marshall

Aidyn Johnson - Kane Farrell - Xavier Duursma

Midfield

Sam Hayes (R) - Sam Powell-Pepper - Joel Garner

Conor Rozee (W) - Joe Atley - Zak Butters (W)

Defense

Dan Houston - Cameron Hewett - Ryan Burton

Dougal Howard - Riley Bonner - Riley Grundy





Interchange: Willem Drew (M), Jake Patmore (M), Tobin Cox (F/M), Boyd Woodcock (F/M), Martin Frederick (D), Kai Pudney (D)





Once this was done, two questions popped into my mind:





* Who among our U24 players would have the best shot at a spot in out Best-XXII?

In: Marshall, SPP, Howard, Burton, and Bonner.





* Who among the older players would most probably lose his place?

Out: Trengove, S.Gray, McKenzie, Amon, and Broadbent.





That's how I came up with my own Best-XXII:





Offense

Charlie Dixon - Paddy Ryder - Robbie Gray

Justin Westhoff - Jack Watts - Travis Boak

Midfield

Scott Lycett (R) - Tom Rockliff - Brad Ebert

Steven Motlop (W) - Ollie Wines - Sam Mayes (W)

Defense

Dougal Howard - Hamish Hartlett - Darcy Byrne-Jones

Riley Bonner - Tom Jonas - Tom Clurey





Interchange: Todd Marshall (F), Sam Powell-Pepper (M), Ryan Burton (W), and Jarrod Lienert (D).





This team is surprisingly tall, after years of watching us going small. It is not that I have changed old smalls for young talls, except Sam Gray for Todd Marshall. Our squad may have grown taller this off-season, although I would need to check that.





This team would not be set on stone, even if I were Port's head-coach. Besides, I am all in favour of player rotation. Unfortunately, Hinkley is not. Still, for a first attempt I am fine with it.





Now, we just need a gameplan that is actually fitting to the players we have. The ball is with the coaches. Let's see what the preseason reserves for us.



