Are our youngsters ready?

[Star]

This is an issue that divides most on this board. Some think that our kids are not up to the task of consistent senior football because of either physical or mental demands.

Me? I would rather finish bottom with a group of kids than 10th with a quite a few 'middle of the road' 23 - 28 year olds (our champions excluded).

My question (finally) is do you guys think Petrie, Harris, Smith, Junior, Watson would have been given greater opportunities (barring injury in Dylan and Jnr's case) at other clubs such as Geelong, Essendon and Collingwood?

Star

 

[Z_K]

Harris, D. Motlop and Petrie would be playing for each of those sides.

What we need right now is a receiving, hard running, highly skilled midfielder. If Ash Watson fits the bill, play the boy. He is very skinny, but his role relies on him finding space.

We currently have too many midfielders who are just good honest players. We need some polish with the footy, and in a hurry.

 

[tashibatts]

And we need a good mark, footy smart fb ..

Heheheeee.. I Know who fits that description (well that is one desecription I have heard of him, a good mark thats footy smart)

If Watson seems ready bring him in.. altho dont play him every week.. the physical demands would be to much.. his profile says hes 68kgs!!!!!

Talk about Skinny..

Altho if we can bring Watson in- then y cant we bring Hale in.. I mean everyone is complaing Hale is to skinny to play snr footy, yet now someone is suggestin we bring in Watson?

Go Roos

 

[stevo10]

Starboy, St. Kilda are playing all their young players at the moment. Aren't they successful. You have to make sure that you have the right type of mix of older, middle and youngsters in a team. I agree we need an injection of youth, BUT you can't play kids who are inconsistent at reserves level. Our reserves this year have only been fair. The only reserves player who has performed to any degree every week (as given in the reports on this forum) is Petire, who I would put in for Porter imediately.But that is another thread. One of the reasons that kids are inconsistent is the fact that to play well each week you have to be fit and strong. By this I mean both physically and mentally. Someone like Watson will be able to play well one week and struggle to come up the next because he may recieve extra attention from opposition players and not be able to handle it, have trouble concentrating for the whole game week in and out, or when you are 68kg and you take a few knocks it is hard to come up again to the same standard again the next week.

 

[Star]

Originally posted by stevo10
Starboy, St. Kilda are playing all their young players at the moment. Aren't they successful.

Steve10, ST.Kilda have had their hand forced due to injury, however, already kids such as Del Santo, Riewoldt and Milne are showing a heap of potential that from the club perservering with them.

I think the critical issue here is opportunity and those that get it, show once and for all their worth

 

[stevo10]

Agree to some extent, but Reiwolt for example has already had injury that has plagued him and he is an exceptional talent. I don't think we have any youngsters of his talent on our list. Del Santo? maybe but its really too early to make a call yet. He may drop off like many youngsters do. Milne? How old is he?

 

[windsock]

Originally posted by NorthBhoy


We currently have too many midfielders who are just good honest players. We need some polish with the footy, and in a hurry.

Hence my argument for not picking Robbins in the draft. Sure he's done nothing to suggest he shouldn't be playing senior footy, but he is just not polished and too similar to blokes we already had at the club. Trade bait to Richmond next year...

 

[NeoBlaze]

you've gotta be kidding me,...robbins trade bait??!? the last two weeks he's had around 30 possies and is growing in stature every week! sure he may not be as polished but he's doin stevo's job at the moment with distinction while stevo gets some match fitness and form going....

i agree with the school of thought tho that porter has to be dropped, he plays well when he's on the field for the whole game, and even in carlton he struggled when he was on and off the bench.....if we want to create a team for the future we have to put porter as our no.1 ruckman and leave him there, but the problem is is that burton has been playing like a star this year...

meanwhile i think blakes has to retire this year along with martyn our new kids need to bloody develop damn it! they're being wasted in teh MK's, petrie needs to move up, Mccartney needs to play back because it's the only place he plays with confidence (taking a contested mark at CHB a second after being caned at CHF sums it all up) colby to a flank on the backline and archer up forward flank with morrell at chf and d.motlop in the fwd line with his bro on the backflank and king in the forward pocket and we'll win.....and harris for grant! COME ON!!!!!!

 

[windsock]

NeoBlaze your post was nearly all sensible and well thought out. You disagree with my call to trade Robbins and that is fair enough. Then you spoil it all by saying Harris in for Grant. Your argument for retaining Robbins is that he's had 30 possies the past two weeks. Well my friend he's 10 less than Shannon Grant in the same period, but you want him dropped! Think your arguments through before you bag me!
I'll be honest in saying Shagga hasn't had the best 30 possy games you'll ever see, but at least he's running to create an option. Not every player can be a head down arse up type like Stevo. We need those link men. And Shannon isn't being played in the square enough at ball ups , the place he excelled last year.

 

[NeoBlaze]

i was having that run on feeling....and chucked that in there....i'm giving grant one more week to prove to me that he can get the possessions and do somethin with them.....his past few performances have been pretty poor....but pagan is using him in the wrong role....and does anyone get the feeling that we have so many stevo type players?

harris
stevo
robbins
grant
smith?

that's a hell of a lot and three of them all in the same lineup that's over doing it a little no?

 

[mighty mick]

d harris

watching training tonite when i spotted harris it came back to me how well he had played last yr and then for some strange reason denis seemed to put him in the bench in games and not giving him game time.

i think we must give players like this a chance full stop

 

[NeoBlaze]

my god i just realised that stuart cochrane was drafted the same year as brent harvey....and jesus look at the difference between the two! no wonder he's had so many people bag him! talk about slow developer! that was the 1995 draft he was picked up, it's his 7th year at the club! god damn he's almost a veteran!

 

[Holycrap]

Originally posted by StarBoy
This is an issue that divides most on this board. Some think that our kids are not up to the task of consistent senior football because of either physical or mental demands.

Me? I would rather finish bottom with a group of kids than 10th with a quite a few 'middle of the road' 23 - 28 year olds (our champions excluded).

My question (finally) is do you guys think Petrie, Harris, Smith, Junior, Watson would have been given greater opportunities (barring injury in Dylan and Jnr's case) at other clubs such as Geelong, Essendon and Collingwood?

Star

The harsh reality is that we are struggling with money and the question needs to be asked to all supporters is that are we prepared to finish in the bottom 3 for the next 2-3 years to receive high draft picks or do we trade away players to get these early draft picks.
Take Hawthorn for example, they tried to hang on to their champions in the early 90's for as long as they can and topped up their list with low draft picks and players from other clubs. The reason that they are where they are is because they languished down the bottom for a few years and received players such a Crawford, Hay, Holland etc.
As for our youngsters, only Pagan can decide whether to play them or not, And until then, we won't get a proper guage on how talented they really are in the big league until they string games together.
Again the question needs to asked - are you prepared to support/back the club when Pagan gives the green light to play our younger players week in week out and be prepared to take loss aka Geelong????

 

[Briedis]

Originally posted by NorthBhoy
We currently have too many midfielders who are just good honest players. We need some polish with the footy, and in a hurry.

Agree with that. Clayton is our only receiver at the moment and is playing well. We have quite a few in-and-under types. What about D.Motlop assuming that sort of role?

 

[magoo]

briedis
from what i've seen of junior, he looks a much too willing type to ever just be a receiver. he wants that ball and he'll do whatever to get it!

 

[Briedis]

Originally posted by magoo
briedis
from what i've seen of junior, he looks a much too willing type to ever just be a receiver. he wants that ball and he'll do whatever to get it!

He's a great kick though, the type we need to be a receiver.... perhaps his in and under mentallity can be coached out of him....

 

[tashibatts]

No No No.. let Jnr continue his Want of the Ball.. if he wants the ball, he'll chase to get it.. and unlike some other slack jacks (of Saturday neway) he wil chase and chase and chase until he gets the ball.. than he'll pass it off to Snr (Shannon Motlop) and run ahead of Shannon and receive the ball, that way he'll be able to want and Get the ball for himself and he'll also be able to receive..

But we need a receiver..

Go Roos
Dont Discourage a Player from Wanting the Ball and WANTING to get it himself..

 

[stevo10]

Thats why we have Watson. We need to understand people that there is a basis of a very good team about 2-4 years away. Pagan is the greatest underage coach of all time. He knows good kids and how to pace them and introduce them. That is why the likes of Choppy, Harvey, Simmo don't get too mant injuries. He has not subjected them to the big league too early.