Why don't clubs tag first-gamers? Stunt their growth....

Tag Youngsters/First gamers?


  • Total voters
    18

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random260

Premiership Player
Apr 20, 2013
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I mean you see someone like Rankine having his first game, kicking 3 and getting confidence. Why do clubs allow this? I know it may seem like a dick move and may go against AFL values. But If I was a coach I would put a hard tag on a first gamer/promising first gamer. Rough them up, crush their spirits, stunt their growth and let them wither in the 2nds.

As-they-say kill it before it grows.

Take Matt Rowell for example. I would have followed these steps to stunt his potential growth and confidence. Turn him into Jack watts
1) First game: chuck a Ryan Crowley tag on him for his first game. Let him collect 8 possessions
2) Second game: chuck another hard tag on him for his second game. Let him collect <10 possessions. Build some self doubt in his mind
3) Third game: chuck another hard tag on him. Put a real dent in his confidence.
4) Fourth game: coach drops him out of B22. This should put a real cut in his confidence. He will go to the seconds. If he fails to come back to the B22 he will be effectively killed
5) Fifth game: returns to the B22. Another hard tag. Once he gets dropped again we can almost put a line through him.

So every single coach needs to pledge that they will target rookies/first gamers. The only coaches that will not agree are bottom 4 teams for obvious reason. But I see no reason why the top 8 teams can't all agree to do this. Will help maintain their standings. I know there are some young players that will always rise to the top regardless of this tactic but a good % of them will not.
 

random260

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Apr 20, 2013
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Because they don't expect them to perform that well?
That's not a good excuse. You should always assume first gamers will have a good game. If they made it to the AFL they can do well. Especially if the player is a high draft pick.

Why risk an opposing team blooding an elite future player? I'm pretty sure the first block of games for an AFL player is the most important for their development. Clubs should try to block development of the elite youth
 
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Interesting thought
Slightly twisted but I don’t mind it. Screw up a first rounders career early by dinting their confidence and making sure they don’t touch the ball in their debut, which could in turn get them dropped the next game or if they survive the next week they will be feeling even more nervous
 

random260

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Apr 20, 2013
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We all know Matt Rowell for example is going to be a star. Are we just going to allow him be a star and grow....

It's a LONG game and you only get approximately 1/17th of its value.

Especially if you tagged Smith say and Bont had 35 + 2 and you lost by 8 goals.

But long term the strategy might be effective and reap rewards
 

workhorse

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Nov 13, 2006
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Uhhhh...because first gamers generally have little impact on the game.

why put time and effort into a player that will 9 times out of 10 have less impact that most others on the ground, when each team is likely to have 3-4 top line players to tag?
 
Feb 25, 2013
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Because you're trying to predict the psychology of a player which is basically impossible.

Who's to say that he won't go back to the drawing board and word 10x as hard as he did previously to get up to scratch? All of a sudden you've created the best player in the league
 
That's not a good excuse. You should always assume first gamers will have a good game. If they made it to the AFL they can do well. Especially if the player is a high draft pick.

Why risk an opposing team blooding an elite future player? I'm pretty sure the first block of games for an AFL player is the most important for their development. Clubs should try to block development of the elite youth
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HirdyLannister

Norm Smith Medallist
Apr 26, 2013
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Interesting thought
Slightly twisted but I don’t mind it. Screw up a first rounders career early by dinting their confidence and making sure they don’t touch the ball in their debut, which could in turn get them dropped the next game or if they survive the next week they will be feeling even more nervous
Collingwood did it to Jack Watts in his first game, crushed the kid.
 

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random260

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Apr 20, 2013
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Uhhhh...because first gamers generally have little impact on the game.

why put time and effort into a player that will 9 times out of 10 have less impact that most others on the ground, when each team is likely to have 3-4 top line players to tag?

Are you sure first gamers have less or no impact? I'd love to see the statistics of how well first round draft picks perform in their first game.

Coaches care more about winning games than stunting the careers of opposition young players.

Do coaches care about developing their young players? But shouldn't that be a legitimate strategy?
 

random260

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people put bells on house cats so they can't catch birds, thinking that the bell ringing will give birds a chance to hear them and escape

turns out it just makes cats better hunters
That's true. But like you said people still put bells on cats.
 

Herne Hill Hammer

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That's not a good excuse. You should always assume first gamers will have a good game. If they made it to the AFL they can do well. Especially if the player is a high draft pick.

Why risk an opposing team blooding an elite future player? I'm pretty sure the first block of games for an AFL player is the most important for their development. Clubs should try to block development of the elite youth

In 2007 who do you tag, Ablett, Bartel, Corey or Selwood?
 

Herne Hill Hammer

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Jun 22, 2008
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We all know Matt Rowell for example is going to be a star. Are we just going to allow him be a star and grow....



But long term the strategy might be effective and reap rewards

Easy to pick out GC who were perceived as weak with no midfield depth. It makes your argument stronger.

Why didn't Brisbane tag Simpson last Thursday? Because they also had Selwood, Dangerfield, Duncan etc to consider.

What if the youngster was drafted from WA to a team outside of WA? Would you be happy for WCE to beat up on him in his first game if the club had aspirations of maybe one day luring him back to WA?
 

Tim Evans Beard

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Apr 9, 2016
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In Micheal Gardiner's first season in his 8th match the Western Bulldogs did what you suggest. Although not his first game there was a concerted effort by the Western Bulldogs to rough him up.

In a completely unrelated matter, Gardiner developed serious off-field issues after this...
 

random260

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Apr 20, 2013
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Easy to pick out GC who were perceived as weak with no midfield depth. It makes your argument stronger.

Why didn't Brisbane tag Simpson last Thursday? Because they also had Selwood, Dangerfield, Duncan etc to consider.

What if the youngster was drafted from WA to a team outside of WA? Would you be happy for WCE to beat up on him in his first game if the club had aspirations of maybe one day luring him back to WA?

Most of the time the talent (top drafts) are playing for s**t clubs so shouldn't be hard to spot them. As for the WCE example well tough. Separates boys from men. Up to the club to protect their players and the player himself. In 2007 not all the listed were debuts. Gary Ablett had his breakout already. You specifically target first year players in a bid to stunt or slow their growth long term.

No different tactic then clarko costing fev his 100. I feel like clarko would be up for it.
 
Oct 14, 2011
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Tag a guy like Rowell every week you’ll end up creating an even bigger monster eventually.

It’s like training a boxer with heavy gloves. When he eventually fights with normal gloves (no tag) god help you.
 

Schauermann

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Jun 27, 2011
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Then clubs will start to draft spuds high, talk them up as the next Ablett/Fyfe/Martin and have them draw the opposition no. 1 tagger for a year or two while their best players rip the opposition apart.
 
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