Firstly, the season is not over. We were pathetic last night, gutless, scared, unconfident, lacking in intensity, all the above. We still have a good draw and should win 60-75% of the games coming home after the bye and make up the numbers in finals or at worst finish 9th or 10th. In the scheme of success, it doesn't really matter except for finals experience which would be nice.
Key decisions to be made going forward are really vital, and may hinge on whether we have Hardwick at the helm for much longer.
1. Play the future Premiership Players, not the short term fixes:
We've had really poor selection at the selection table this season. Foley doesn't look ready for AFL, Lonergan selection was stupid, Nahas getting games each week is a waste of time. Jackson not being accountable and the favourism is unprofessional, McGuane playing ahead of any of Griffths, Astbury, McBean, Elton surely mix it up and who knows who will unearth. McGuane isn't the answer.
Understand injuries and lack of position cover change this but there are plenty of kids that could be being developed over some "good servants" who have failed to cut it for half a decade.
2. Clear the list with the "good servants":
From the backline:
Luke McGuane
Robin Nahas
Daniel Jackson
Matthew White
Sam Longergon
Aaron Edwards
Tom Derickx
All must be off the list. Not a single one of them worries me about going to another club and blossoming so they shouldn't be playing next year. Draft some kids in, look to the WAFL, the SANFL and get some 20-24 year old types - like your Steve Morris.
3. Fill the gaps with youth and develop:
Understand that depth is our issue and most of the older heads were drafted in as rookies, but short term fixes aren't the answer. Need to get more kids in and develop them to be apart of a premership when its our time. Crazy to think this year or next year we are a chance at winning a flag so bringing in a 29 year old Edwards is strange, even stranger when you don't play him.
For mine we should be playing this side as much as possible for the rest of the year after the bye, with some games against some of the lighter sides in the AFL we should be chucking as much games into these guys as possible.
B: Newman Rance Batchelor
HF: Houli Chaplin Morris
C: Arnot Cotchin Ellis (inj = Grigg)
HF: Vlastiun Vickery Conca (inj = King)
F: Edwards Riewoldt McBean
R: Maric Deledio Martin
Int: Foley King Griffiths Grimes (inj = Dea)
Have to play Arnot from here, absolute must. McBean after the bye should be a good month of footy against teams like Saints, Brisbane, GC, Adelaide. Think we should persist with Griffiths as a swing man, can't be worse than McGuane.
I don't want to see White, Nahas, Jackson, McGuane any more, you could add King and Grigg to the list too. We've had them for what seems like a whole decade and aren't winners. They are used to losing, we need winners, or at least begin to breed some.
