Now that I have calmed down a few days after the game, I am abit more positive.
If you compare us to this time 12 months ago, we were on top of the ladder, but we had no depth, and had a lot of question marks on players outside of the best 23. Most of our "depth" were solid older players like Hoskin-Elliott, Cox, Mitchell and Markov ect, but in terms of younger depth, it was pretty much Ned Long.
After carefully looking at their games, I am very confident Steele (very clean and strong aerobic running), Anderson (unique aggressiveness/attack on ball, but needs more preseasons to play >60% game time) and Steene will be in the best 23 for the foreseeable future.
On top of that, I am very confident we will add to this list over the next 12-24 months, with all of West (potential to be a very good afl player, does everything well), Hayes, Harrison, Howes all looking likely to be AFL level players, and further down the track Swadling/Saxena looking likely, although early.
Based on this, my view is that, we have very good depth (and ability to develop 15 to 23 on list players), but a lack of top liners.
Outside of full back (and maybe full forward), astute/money-ball style cheap pick ups are good, but will have less effectiveness (diminishing returns you could say) in moving the needle closer to a flag because we would be improving our depth, but not the lack of class at the top end.
For example, adding a player like Jordan Butts/Charlie Ballard clearly fills a hole in the team and brings us closer to a flag because we clearly have a need for another lockdown defender with Moore's erratic performances over the last 18 months and Howes body getting closer to the end (and that he played better as an interceptor anyway).
However, getting a player like Alex Davies (who I like) or George Stevens, while they could get games, are unlikely to improve us materially, as they would be competing with someone like Anderson.
So in summary, we need to find a way add top liners to the team in that 2 to 10 range to try and eventually replace players like Pendlebury, Sidebottom ect.
The 3 areas we are in most dire need as:
1. Complete Mid (Butters, Rowell, Merrett, instantly fill this role or you could bet on an out of form/lesser proven player like Humphrey/Soligo and hope they can become this player)
2. Key Forward (King is the obvious choice, and Jed Walter a good backup).
3. Outside Power Runner (Not a top liner yet, but think Darcy Wilson is the obvious guy to target here).
Obviously, much easier said then done, but if we can fill 3 of these holes in the team over the next 2 offseasons, then I think we are well placed (with our improved ability to develop players 15 to 23) to be competative over the next 5 years.
If you compare us to this time 12 months ago, we were on top of the ladder, but we had no depth, and had a lot of question marks on players outside of the best 23. Most of our "depth" were solid older players like Hoskin-Elliott, Cox, Mitchell and Markov ect, but in terms of younger depth, it was pretty much Ned Long.
After carefully looking at their games, I am very confident Steele (very clean and strong aerobic running), Anderson (unique aggressiveness/attack on ball, but needs more preseasons to play >60% game time) and Steene will be in the best 23 for the foreseeable future.
On top of that, I am very confident we will add to this list over the next 12-24 months, with all of West (potential to be a very good afl player, does everything well), Hayes, Harrison, Howes all looking likely to be AFL level players, and further down the track Swadling/Saxena looking likely, although early.
Based on this, my view is that, we have very good depth (and ability to develop 15 to 23 on list players), but a lack of top liners.
Outside of full back (and maybe full forward), astute/money-ball style cheap pick ups are good, but will have less effectiveness (diminishing returns you could say) in moving the needle closer to a flag because we would be improving our depth, but not the lack of class at the top end.
For example, adding a player like Jordan Butts/Charlie Ballard clearly fills a hole in the team and brings us closer to a flag because we clearly have a need for another lockdown defender with Moore's erratic performances over the last 18 months and Howes body getting closer to the end (and that he played better as an interceptor anyway).
However, getting a player like Alex Davies (who I like) or George Stevens, while they could get games, are unlikely to improve us materially, as they would be competing with someone like Anderson.
So in summary, we need to find a way add top liners to the team in that 2 to 10 range to try and eventually replace players like Pendlebury, Sidebottom ect.
The 3 areas we are in most dire need as:
1. Complete Mid (Butters, Rowell, Merrett, instantly fill this role or you could bet on an out of form/lesser proven player like Humphrey/Soligo and hope they can become this player)
2. Key Forward (King is the obvious choice, and Jed Walter a good backup).
3. Outside Power Runner (Not a top liner yet, but think Darcy Wilson is the obvious guy to target here).
Obviously, much easier said then done, but if we can fill 3 of these holes in the team over the next 2 offseasons, then I think we are well placed (with our improved ability to develop players 15 to 23) to be competative over the next 5 years.
, but I did suggest it the week he made his debut
