Too many shit trucks on our list and one eyed Saints fans. Remember when Brodie Murdoch, Josh Saunders, Tom Ledger and Eli Templeton were all going to come good and just needed time? Well there’s some more to add to that list, had enough time and haven’t proven to be quality AFL players.
Years end I think we need to move on;
Wright
Pierce
Freeman
McKenzie
Minchington
Minch and McKenzie have each played a few games that looked good but at the end of the day we’re few and far between. Why we would not look at trading in more than 1 young player (who isn’t even a starting 22 player) in the last trade period is beyond me.
At this stage White and Rice have gone past McKenzie and you would want them playing a few games this year.
Freeman is just an injury bust, fair play to recruiters taking a punt of pick 28 or whatever it was on an injured gun mid (something we’re crying out for) but times up.
Rebuild is over, should be in finals by now, last year was stagnant and this year could be going backwards. Our list managers deserve to be raked over the coals for some of their decisions and non-decisions IMO.
(Yes I am still shitty after that Friday game for anyone wondering)
Agree mate (and yes I am sh***y too). Even though I got torched for saying this a bit last year, Sandy's results bring home how little depth we actually have (separate to what people hope it will become).
After April last year we beat one full time AFL aligned side (and we had one of the AFL's shortest injury lists). In the end we finished 11th in a 14 team comp where 2 teams were not close to VFL standard. So there is nothing wrong with a bit of a cleanout (especially when players become a known quantity).
Personally I would be inclined to give anyone born post 94 (those 23 and under next year) a little more time. That might save players like McKenzie, Phillips, Lonie and Freeman (even with injuries considered).
Below is our list born 1994 and before (the known quantities I mentioned above). That is 21 players. Of that I would consider Steven, Robbo, Carlisle, Ross and Membery untouchable, and Bruce, Newnes and Webb core players. Geary is the captain so he makes the safe list too.
But that is only 9 safe out of 21. To me, any of the rest are
either tradeable, replaceable or delistable. Of course you don't move them all. We are not Melbourne. But for me that is 12 genuinely replaceable players before we even look at delisting the half a dozen or so battling to survive from the 23 and under group.
Gilbert, Sam
Armitage, David
Geary, Jarryn
Brown, Nathan
Steven, Jack
Savage, Shane
Hickey, Tom
Stevens, Koby
Roberton, Dylan
Carlisle, Jake
Weller, Maverick
Bruce, Josh
Newnes, Jack
Ross, Sebastian
Longer, Billy
Webster, Jimmy
Minchington, Darren
Wright, Nathan
Membrey, Tim
Connellan, Ray
Pierce, Lewis