Changes v Geelong

[Karlostj]

There is a big difference between Mark Bolton and Solly, and Mark Johnson.
Solly and Mark Johnson have proven they are AFL quality footballers. They have both finished in the top three of the club best and fairest. Mark Bolton has not yet finished in the top 10. Solly has been in bad form and should have been dropped, but his effort cannot be questioned.

Mark Johnson played a much better game on Friday night, in fact he played a good game. He doesn't deserve to be dropped on that form, he has also earnt the right to be given the opportunity to rectify poor form in the seniors. Mark Bolton hasn't.

There is also a big difference between Bolton and Welsh, McPhee and Bradley. Welsh, McPhee and Bradley are all young players, still learning and still developing. Mark Bolton is meant to be in his prime, yet he doesn't have a position, he makes fundamental mistakes. Bolton isn't part of the future, we need to find out if the other three are.

As for Pev, he's the same as Bolton. Not part of the future. They should both play the year out at Bendigo.



I've actually never been one to bag Bolts. You won't see too many of my posts in the past bagging him. This isn't about taking an opportunity to have a crack at Bolts just for the sake of it. I've admired the bloke in the past for having a go.

But he is at the stage now (I just noticed he is 27), and so is the club, that we need to look to the future. Mark Bolton has had 9 years to prove he is up to scratch. He hasn't done that yet and I fail to see how he would show that in the remaining games this season.

You've got a point Longy. He's 27 played 100 games, his 28th year is very very unlikely to be amazingly different to the past 8 or 9 years. I feel for the bloke as he is obviously a pretty decent guy, but the fact is we've seen his best and it isn't good enough to be part of our best 22 in the future. That is a fact!

There are guys like Jolley and Reynolds at Bendigo who may be part of our future best 22, we haven't seen their best, they have further development ahead of them, so lets see just where they are and what they can do.

When it comes down to it, there are probably going to be 7 changes to the list at the end of the season. How do we find out which 7 are going to go? Do we keep a guy that has played 100 games and struggles to make the side when were on the bottom or do we keep a guy like Reynolds, who perhaps at the moment isn't as good as Bolton, but perhaps has a bigger upside in that he is only young and could get better...?

These are the things we need to consider when choosing a side this season. We also need to be careful that we select some stronger bodies to help protect the young players, but we need to determine who will be part of Essendon in 2007 and beyond!

If Reynolds, Jolley and 5 or 6 others show that they are lacking the ability to be AFL players come seasons end, then we can get rid of them and keep the known quantity in Bolton. In the end it won't really be the performances of Bolton that keep him on the list next season, it will be the performances of the young guys.

 

[Longy413]

On form this year, is he in our best 22?

I answered that earlier. We don't have a best 22.

We have about 9 or so blokes in our best 22. That is it. The rest of our list have a point to prove and could all have claims on being in the senior 22. Be it out of form senior players who have proven themselves in the past, developing kids.

Mark Bolton is 27 and is no more deserving of a spot in the 22 than anyone else outside that top 9 or so blokes. The fact that he is 27, played 100 games and is playing career best footy that is just okay is an answer in itself.

He's not helping us win games, he doesn't have a position, he is playing just okay. Others have been worse, but have proven they can play better or have improvement left in them. Mark Bolton hasn't done any of that.

Look at it this way -
What do we have to lose from not playing Mark Bolton? I'd suggest nothing.
Is Mark Bolton going to improve? I'd suggest not.
Is Mark Bolton going to play in our next Premiership side? No.

What do we have to gain from not playing Mark Bolton? The opportunity to find a player that could quite possibly move us up the ladder.

 

[Nuts4Bolts]

Fair enough. So this year from now on in about finding players rather than winning games. If that's the focus then yes, Bolton should be dropped. Throw in Pevrill and in my opnion Dean Solomon as well. I really can't see him getting back to his best and I don't think he will help us win a flag anymore than Bolton will.

 

[Longy413]

So this year from now on in about finding players rather than winning games.

Mark Bolton won't help us win games this season. Nor will he in the future.

He is playing career best footy, but is going just okay.

What is his best position? What is his role in the side? Where does he play his best footy? What is his position in the future? He's 27 and we don't know the answer to any of these questions.

Fact is, he is a depth player at best. If we have a full list to choose from he doesn't get a game. He'll be 28 next season, and he won't be in our best 22. Why keep him on the list? We shouldn't.

Now if we don't think he'll be on the list next season, why give him games this season when there are kids we need to find out a thing or two about? Especially when he isn't influencing games of footy, all he is doing it playing average footy. Peverill is very much the same. They don't add anything to the side. Lee, Jolley, Longergan, these kids might.

Dean Solomon, still adds something IMO. He is hard at the footy and the man and he protects younger players. That's important in a developing side. Bit like what Dean Wallis did for the 93 Baby Bombers. You need thugs in your side, if Bolts provided that it might cover for his short comings. He doesn't.

 

[Nuts4Bolts]

I think Bolts would be a great wingman.

 

[Longy413]

What qualities does he have that would make him a great wingman?

Better than say Courtenay Dempsey?

 

[Nuts4Bolts]

I just think that he should be stuck out on a wing and run and run and run. No-one could keep up with him and he's a hard height to match up on. Dempsey is a little boy who will be good but let's not slaughter him just yet.

 

[whirl]

Bolts will be gone at the end of this year. He can go be a great wingman elsewhere

 

[Longy413]

I just think that he should be stuck out on a wing and run and run and run. No-one could keep up with him and he's a hard height to match up on.

I don't think he has very good skills, nor does he have very good football smarts. He seems to get turned around quite easy. I would have thought he'd need both to become a great wingman.

He does have a good fitness base and he is a good height for a wingman. But he isn't a great contested mark, nor is he powerful like an Andrew Embley. So his height kind of becomes redundant. Matching up on him wouldn't matter, teams would just look to exploit him with a smarter footballer IMO.

Dempsey is a little boy who will be good but let's not slaughter him just yet.

I agree. I'm not suggesting he should be played on the wing for full games week in, week out. But players like Dempsey, Nash, Dyson etc would be much better options IMO.

 

[Stealth bomber]

Andrew Lee should play. The time is right.

1. Bradley injury cloud

2. In best for Bendigo consistently

3. Geelong not known for having a powerful forward line.

I would be very disappointed if he does not.

 

[Nuts4Bolts]

Bolts will be gone at the end of this year. He can go be a great wingman elsewhere

He'd get a game for the Crows.

 

[Stealth bomber]

He'd get a game for the Crows.

Tell us where.

B: Johncock Rutten Bassett
HB: Doughty Stevens Van Berlo
C: McLeod Goodwin Burton
HF:Thompson McGregor Reilly
F: Bode Ricciuto Hentschel
R: Biglands Edwards Shirley
INT: Massie Maric Knights Mattner

 

[Longy413]

He'd get a game for the Crows.

Who would miss out for him?

 

[Nuts4Bolts]

I would have thought he'd need both to become a great wingman.

Sorry, I should of said handy wingman. Great wasn't the right word. But anyway, I'm over it. I have no special attachment to Bolts, and if he does get dropped or traded/de-listed it won't worry me to much. I just think people should worry about the form and discipline of our other players who do have a future with us and not take the easy opton of potting Bolts.

 

[Nuts4Bolts]

Tell us where.

B: Johncock Rutten Bassett
HB: Doughty Stevens Van Berlo
C: McLeod Goodwin Burton
HF:Thompson McGregor Reilly
F: Bode Ricciuto Hentschel
R: Biglands Edwards Shirley
INT: Massie Maric Knights Mattner

Mmmmmm. Well he'd make their list and be a good emergency for a team that could win the flag.

 

[Longy413]

They also had Hart, Hudson, Clarke, Bock, Torney, Welsh and Perrie not playing. Bolts would be behind all of them.

As well as a few handy kids like Vince, Porplyzia, Douglas, Pfeiffer that can't crack a game or are injured.

 

[angus6]

out: bradley, bolton, peverill and monfries
in: lee, JJ, Campo and Lonergan

Hope Nash stays in the team. But i have a feeling he may be replaced by reynolds.

B: Slattery, Fletcher, Welsh
HB: McPhee, Lee, Lovett-Murry
C: Winderlich, Watson, Stanton
HF: Lonergan, Lucas, Solomon
F: Johns, Laycock, Heffernan
R: Hille, MJ, McVeigh
INT: JJ, Campo, Dyson, Nash

Play Slattery down back where he belongs. Leave McPhee across half back and get him to play loose lick what chad cornes use to do at port 2 years ago. Do not move him from there. Rotate the midfield of the bench and in the forward line. take scarlett away from FB. Hille will have to ruck 75% of the game and maybe at some time send Lovett-Murry forward as we know he can kick a goal or two.

 

[Nuts4Bolts]

Out - BOLTON!!! (should never be allowed to play again. Not for anyone)
Bradley
Pevrill
Solomon

In - Lee
Jolley
J. Johnson
Reynolds

 

[djharps]

Out - BOLTON!!! (should never be allowed to play again. Not for anyone)
Bradley
Pevrill
Solomon

In - Lee
Jolley
J. Johnson
Reynolds

dont think sheeds would opt for 2 real youngsters in lee and jolley to be brought in at once.. + i think its good to blood one youngster a game because all the senior boys give them their sole attention for their first performance

 

[Barts]

In: Lee, Lonergan, Jolley, Campo(if fit)
Out: Bradley, Bolton, Peverill, Monfires(for campo)

B: Welsh, Fletcher, Slattery
HB: McPhee, Lee, Lovett Murray
C: Nash, Watson, Dyson
HF: Solomon, Lucas, McVeigh
F: Laycock, Johns, MJ
R: Hille, Heffernan, Winderlich
INT: Jolley, Lonergan, Campo, Stanton

And id be looking at rotating Lucy, Hocking, Dempesy and Ryder with Lee, Lonergan and Jolley throughout the season. JJ to come back when he's ready.

 

[mcphee_is_a_gun]

Jolley must come in 17 tackles is amazing!

 

[Darealrath]

Slats got a week. Jolley would have to be close to a certainty now.

 

[Longy413]

Apparantly Slattery has been offered a week according to the CH10 news.
I have no idea what for, but that should give opportunity for both Jolley and Longergan to debut.

 

[zafa23]

Slats out for one week.

Out: Pev, Bradley, Slattery
In: Jolley, JJ, Campo(?)

 

[Karlostj]

Apparantly Slattery has been offered a week according to the CH10 news.
I have no idea what for, but that should give opportunity for both Jolley and Longergan to debut.

for an attempted strike on knights....

warranted about 120 pts I think, but then he had 90 odd points carrying over.

gave him 210 odd points, which reduced by 25% with an early plea gives him 165 points and a one week suspension.