Time for youth says Choco

[Ford Fairlane]

Choco's called off the finals (well for us anyway. Apparently they're still on for some other teams). We're not smiling and there's an empty feeling and we're devastated. And gown up docs, we're sending a few your way (not in the public health system of course where they've all resigned so as to improve conditions).

Heads will roll and kids will play. These events are not necessarily mutually exclusive.

Time for youth: Choco

PORT Adelaide coach Mark Williams says the Power are committed to playing the kids after "officially" bowing out of the finals race with a four-point loss to Richmond on Saturday afternoon.

The game against Richmond was considered a 'must-win' if the Power were to sneak into eight spot and the loss has reinforced the need for Port Adelaide to revert back to the rebuilding process it initiated at the end of 2006.

"For the seventh time this year, we've lost by 17 points or less, which has destroyed any chance of us making the finals. I officially call that off. We have no chance," Williams said after the game.

"It was nice to think that we gave ourselves a chance to win [against Richmond], but we didn't take it. I know our supporters will be devastated by it and certainly we are. There are no smiles and it's a very empty feeling, but it's the truth and that's where we sit.

<snip>

Williams said the club would look at putting several players under the knife in the coming weeks with Peter Burgoyne (hamstring), Steve Salopek (Achilles strain) and Chad Cornes (knee/calf/finger) joining the injury list on Saturday afternoon.

"As a club, although we're pretty shattered and disappointed about the result, we're pretty firm and focused on the fact that we're going to give people opportunities to develop," he said.

"We will certainly start taking a long-term view on our selection, which may or may not mean that older players won't play. Right now it's a little emotional and too close to the result to come to that, but we must make sure that we know exactly our list at the end of the year and exactly who we're keeping and who we're not.

More here... (http://www.portadelaidefc.com.au/tabid/6038/Default.aspx?newsid=61934)

[*PAF]

...
"[In the first 13 rounds] You continually look at picking the absolute best side with the aim of playing in the finals.
...
And this has been an area he has cocked up since he became head coach.

Probably part of the reason we got done in 2002 and 2003.
He has always picked what he considers to be the best side based on past performances and not current form. That is why he will play a player for 25 games in a year and then delist them a couple of weeks later without notice.

2002 and 2003 were so close that a single player could have made all the difference between winning and losing.
2005 was the pits and this year has not been too far behind.

[Ford Fairlane]

Exactly. Didn't we play the youth 2 years ago? Then stopped? Do we have to be in crisis before we bring more young players through? Is it that difficult to ease them in thru some transition planning? Are these rhetorical questions?

[PAFCsince1870]

And this has been an area he has cocked up since he became head coach.

Probably part of the reason we got done in 2002 and 2003.
He has always picked what he considers to be the best side based on past performances and not current form. That is why he will play a player for 25 games in a year and then delist them a couple of weeks later without notice.

2002 and 2003 were so close that a single player could have made all the difference between winning and losing.
2005 was the pits and this year has not been too far behind.

2005 pales in comparison in terms of badness to this year for me :(

We flat out suck.

It's nice to hear talk of youth but what can I see that could excite me that I haven't seen yet besides Thomson spend a whole game in the guts?

Stewart and Krakouer will come in but we've already seen what they can do for now. Maybe they will be given more prominent roles.

White down back, Cockshell up forward, Deluca in the ruck? Meh.

Who else do we really have that would be remotely ready? Our 2007 draftees are nowhere near it, maybe Farmer at a stretch.

[Santos L Helper]

"Dead man walking."

[bomberclifford]

...Are these rhetorical questions?

yes.

[Ford Fairlane]

I think I read during the week that we've used the least number of players of any club this season (28) despite being 4-8 (before yesterday's debacle). As *PAF wrote, he picks players on the basis of what he considers to be the best side on reputation, not what actually is. And it doesn't matter if players are rolling around in a wheelchair, they're up for selection. We make the Australian cricket team look like a heartless supermodel that dumps on a whim.

Isn't it odd that our best efforts since the 04 flag have come about when Choco's been backed into a corner to freshen the side up and introduce players that he considers aren't ready under his five year plans?

[Natman]

Exactly. Didn't we play the youth 2 years ago? Then stopped? Do we have to be in crisis before we bring more young players through? Is it that difficult to ease them in thru some transition planning? Are these rhetorical questions?

I guess we stopped playing youth because of lack of injuries and 'misleading' success last season. At the time it would have been a reasonable judgement by the club that we were on the right track - but in hindsight, maybe they (and some of us) were drunk with success.

It's obvious now that we have to do it, but who and how many at any one time? Are we ruthless enough to say thanks for the memories to Willo, Lade and PB and drop them straight away? We've not done that before, particularly to such long term well serving players - it will be a difficult time for the club and selectors for the last part of the season.

If a change in game plan and physical development of our players does not also happen, then there must be significant changes to the coaching and support staff. There should be evidence of this happening by the end of this season and fully in place next year. On the topic, don't expect a change in senior coach before 2009.

[Ford Fairlane]

The topic wasn't about changing the coach ... there's a few of those already. ;)

[Sandola]

Exactly. Didn't we play the youth 2 years ago? Then stopped? Do we have to be in crisis before we bring more young players through? Is it that difficult to ease them in thru some transition planning? Are these rhetorical questions?

Not exactly rhetorical, but redundant, maybe: they're all pretty well covered in your sig.

[DJ Dupree]

Obviously, because of my living arrangements, I sometimes show interest in the local sides.

Logically, this leads me to, once or twice, show interest in Port.

Now this 'we must play youth' thing that's happening now. What's with that? I was under the impression that the 'revolution' was already in full swing. I thought the youngsters, over the past 2 years, were getting games, at the expense and at the 'putting under pressure of' the older players.

So, who is there to drop, and what youngsters are there left? Did we see the extent of the revolution last year? Are the 'kids waiting in the wings' actually any good? I don't see anyone tearing it up in the SANFL.

It just seems like the team Port have on the park is the future already, and that they're just struggling with attention/expectation from last year. The key isn't to drop them and play other youngsters, in my opinion. They just need to be lined up, against the wall, and told to harden the fck up plain and simple.

Sorry for showing such an interest in your team

Regards,

"Sick of seeing a grumpy fiances' family"

Adelaide.

[relapse]

I agree with the above poster.

I only know the Port squad superficially, but as Port supporters are making the point of playing the kids, but at the expense of who ?? Really besides P Burgoyne and Lade where else can you cut ??? Or do you rob peter to pay paul as in drop younger players for other younger players ???

I know that Chad can now rest for the end of the year, but other than that Tredders is going alright, Wilson still needs time to get his fitness back and Brogan is playing well in the ruck. Patience is needed for guys like Pearce, Westoff, Surjan etc and dropping them and bringing in someone else will hinder their development.

Port's squad at the moment consists of a smallish group of good quality experienced players together with great mid 20s talent and then a big group of youngsters. I just cant see where the movement will come from to bring in the kids so to speak unless the youngsters who are already playing are dropped.

[Macca19]

Weve got plenty of youth in the side currently as it is. Our entire defence is made up of guys under 23, with the exception of Peter.

Id like to see Deluca come in. Westhoff has to come back in. One of Cockhshell & Willits needs to come in and have a chance to save their careers and show us if they are up to it, regardless of SANFL form.

As a couple have eluded to, we are quite young as it is already. Some players that will need to be dropped or moved to a different position will be youngsters.

Id happily drop Shaun back to the Magpies.

[Asgardian]

Senior Burgs looks like he'll miss a few, I'd also drop Wilbur. Let Chad go get his knee done, Sal will miss a few with injury.

That'd be enough changes for one week for me

[hereselmo1]

Yeah i think we do have lots of youth in the team but the real issue is that several of the older guys we have are much older.

The bulldogs recuiter was on radio a couple of weeks ago and said that player are at their best from 23-28 years of age. The problem we have is that most of our squad fall either before or after that age.

We need to give a few guys a go, be harsh on players who arent doing what is expected (develop a successful "culture") and give the rest time to develop.

[portentous]

So why do we drop young guys and keep older players in the side based on past performances rather than current form?

See the thing is, if we'd been picking the side based on form, it'd still be young. We've been carrying senior players not younger ones. I reckon we'd be higher on the ladder, rather than lower, if we'd had LESS senior players than we've had thus far this season.

P Burg, Lade, Wilbur, Chad all shouldn't be out there IMO.

[PJ Power]

The four older guys who should be rested for the remainder of the season have been mentioned by other posts - Chad, Peter, Lade and Wilbur.

I still struggle to come to grips with how quickly Wilbur returned to AFL action after such a long lay-off, when we had Lower and others running around playing good SANFL footy for weeks.

There are a few younger guys too, who should be made to look behind their shoulder from time to time. Generally, I think we got it right with dropping Pearce when we did, Westhoff and Surjan. It's a pity that Pettigrew and Chaplin get to play without much pressure on their spots. Rohde mentioned pre-game yesterday that there have been a few defenders who have leaked goals in recent matches, but other than Surjan they didn't have much competition for their positions. i.e our tall backs.