Opinion Best young group in 30 years

[Egga]

Midfields:

1996
Stevens
Bell
Simpson
Schwass
Rock
King
Scott

1999
Stevens
Bell
Simpson
Grant
Harvey
Abraham
Clayton

2025
LDU
Simpkin
Phillips
Powell
Scott
Thomas/ Stephenson
Lazzaro

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Simpkin, Larkey, LDU are the only three I’m totally confident in saying will become A-grade footballers.

The others are ‘potential’.

 

[Heaps of fun]

Need blokes who really stepped up under Shaw like Curtis, Kyron and McKay to keep that improvement rate going.

Yeah, that whole second rung has to set the base for performance. You can add in names like Scott, Perez and Mahony.

 

[RossHenshaw]

View attachment 1027022

Midfields:

1996
Stevens
Bell
Simpson
Schwass
Rock
King
Scott

1999
Stevens
Bell
Simpson
Grant
Harvey
Abraham
Clayton

2025
LDU
Simpkin
Phillips
Powell
Scott
Thomas/ Stephenson
Lazzaro

I know one thing for sure ....
that I’d rather watch a team with youth / good potential / hope & lose games in 2021 than how it’s been for us the last few years To watch coaches favourites (BS era especially) continue getting games ahead of youth along with the 11-12 list clogger plodders we delisted & lose nearly every week !?

 

[Egga]

At least I will glad going into to see our boys in 2021 with a team of young

I know one thing for sure ....
that I’d rather watch a team with youth / good potential / hope & lose games in 2021 than how it’s been for us the last few years To watch coaches favourites (BS era especially) continue getting games ahead of youth along with the 11-12 list clogger plodders we delisted & lose nearly every week !?

Agree. Hope >>>>>> hopeless

 

[Rad Roo]

most naturally talented, do they have the robustness like the 90s type?

 

[shinboner magic]

Need blokes who really stepped up under Shaw like Curtis, Kyron and McKay to keep that improvement rate going.

Curtis needs to be locked in the gym all summer.

 

[The Warlord]

Yeah, that whole second rung has to set the base for performance. You can add in names like Scott, Perez and Mahony.

Yep, but there's some who clearly blossomed under Shaw in a way they didn't Scott.

Bailey showed he had it before Shaw. Perez and Mahoney only knew Shaw.

McKay clearly improved under Shaw.

 

[The Warlord]

Curtis needs to be locked in the gym all summer.

No good locking him there unless he wants to use the equipment.

Shaw got that going. Curtis needs to keep that going.

 

[Egga]

most naturally talented, do they have the robustness like the 90s type?

Not even close to the physical presence of the 90s version - Archer, Martyn, Picket, Carey, Rock, Stevens, King.... But the bar is not as high today and that group would monster any 2020 team. Give the current group a few years and we’ll see.

 

[Rad Roo]

Not even close to the physical presence of the 90s version - Archer, Martyn, Picket, Carey, Rock, Stevens, King.... But the bar is not as high today and that group would monster any 2020 team. Give the current group a few years and we’ll see.

Physical presence is relative, the 90s group would get rings ran around them

 

[gokangas]

I think we all wanted change in one way, shape or form. Some players we didn’t like were dumped, some we liked were dumped, but we did get change. We have recruited small and fast, we have snagged a couple of proven talents. Potential is a horrible word but I am happy the list has potential. Noble seems to tick a few important boxes for me - maturity and an outsider - so lets all sit, support and see. I’m feeling good. Bring on 2021 and we will see the beginnings of a new generation, I hope.

 

[Waussie]

Physical presence is relative, the 90s group would get rings ran around them

The free kick count would be horrendous

 

[ferball]

Not even close to the physical presence of the 90s version - Archer, Martyn, Picket, Carey, Rock, Stevens, King.... But the bar is not as high today and that group would monster any 2020 team. Give the current group a few years and we’ll see.

Its a different game these days. Physical pressure is different, tackles can't be ridden the way they were, HTB is so much faster, the game is alot cleaner in terms of physical violence - punching and elbowing your opponent all day doesn't really happen anymore. You don't need to be tough the way players were back then. They probably get hit as hard in contests cos of the increased athleticism of the players. They could get hit harder, but not as relentless.

You can't continually elbow your opponent on the edge of the centre square as the umpire bounces the ball for example, or nail them in the solar plexus and get a few metres on them at the bounce.

 

[Tas]

I am not sure we have ever had this many high class potential mids since the 70s, but there is a big difference between potential and achieving it.