Will be interesting to see if Young and Miller both play. Not too many sides play two negating defenders, so not sure if there is room in the side for both.
Miller is athletic enough to play chb. Probably the one who has to take Amarty. Young seems a decent fit for McClean and Grimes to McDonald.
Worst comes to worst we throw Balta back.
Not one senior player dropped
kids taking the wrap for there poor form.
People know the last 3 or 4 seasons ive been adamant we play kids over oldies and that has not changed.
I still say its time to get games into as many kids as possible regardless of current form. We need to find out who is worth keeping.
Truth is most of our kids are not producing enough to demand or warrant constant selection when they have got games.
Yes i agree with the sentiment, older players are putting in horrid performances as well and are keeping their spots.
I agree It is here where we are constantly going wrong. Surely for where we are at on the clock the kids have to get priority.
Play a poor performing senior or play the under performing kid that is where we are at. This is what its come to.
For where we are at, imo we are not going to make the 8, and even if they some how manage that miracle they are not going to win anything. Most likely bottom 6 is the reality imo.
Rather than play older blokes who we can already make a call on who consistenly fall below the required standard, back the kids in and find out what they are made of. Yep it will probably mean a few beltings.
Trouble is we can honestly ask what quality juniors do we have? that is kids aged 18 - 21. We have just 12 and all of them fall into the
0 - 20 games played bracket.
Imo At this stage only Gibcus does not have question marks about him and a few others do look likely who have good attributes for the game. Kids like Sonsie Clarke Brown McAuliffe and others should be given every opportunity to play seniors.
The next tier is our 22 - 24 year olds. This is where our problems begin.
You can say only Balta is high quality to date. With only Ross being able to properly establish himself.
Even he has people, me included questioning what his role is. Is it wing or is it mid. Does he do enough in either Role. They are the only two who have 50 plus games to their names from this group..
Ralphsmith Koschitzke and Mansell are the only others who have managed to reach 30 games thats just 5 of 13 and the latter three have huge question marks about them going by most discussions around here.. The obvious question is are we putting games into blokes who will take us nowhere or even make it?
This is supposed to be the group who are most expected to push out the mature players and vets and most are struggling to establish themselves.
Imo the 22 - 24 group is the one we need to focus on. The following unlike the juniors don't have a lot of time.
Okay 22 - 24 yr olds
MRJ - 29 games.
OH-B - 0 games.
Colina - 0 games
Dow - 20 games.
Mansell - 34 games
Ralphsmith - 32 games
Ryan - 16 games
Miller - 26 games
Cumberland 18 games
Koschitzke 48 games plus 1 with us
Coulthard 4 games.
Leaving Balta and Ross from this group none have managed to establish themselves as permanent fixtures in the seniors.
They all have serious questions about their long term viability. All are at an age/development where they should be getting regular games or are absolutely banging the door down and neither is really happening.
A genuine question. If the 11 players in the list were cut, say over the next two seasons. who could honestly say they would be surprised given form consistency and obvious deficiencies.
Atm imo at best we have depth or role players who we should be aiming for upgrades on.
Any way this week.
B: Vlastuin - Young - Grimes
HB: Rioli - Miller - Mansell
C: Pickett - McAuliffe - Broad
R:Nankervis - Martin - Bolton
HF: Campbell - Balta - Sonsie
F: Naismith - Lynch - Cumberland
Int: Taranto - Ross - Baker - Short - Lefau.