Opinion Commentary & Media II

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So the PODs are:
Scott Thompson
Ryan Clarke
Marley Williams
Sam Wright
Ben Jacobs
Billy Hartung
Mason Wood
Jarrad Waite
Jy Simpkin
Kayne Turner

Not exactly a bunch of kids.
And I think that is the point - we have replaced the ageing group in 2016 with largely seasoned players, 1-2 early picks and some mid ranged purchases.

Media experts assumed that as we got rid of the 'big 5' back in 2016 that we replaced them with kids - we did not.

We have put out a mature experienced side week in week out in 2018 - with minimal injuries and with some great output by Waite and Thommo we are comfortably in the top 8 sides in the comp.

The issue for us is how high up we can go in 2018.
 
Talking Footy followed by On The Couch followed by Footy Classified. Let's see how much love we get. My body is ready.
Talking Footy/ AFL360 (run both at the same time) , On the Couch then Footy Classified
 
And I think that is the point - we have replaced the ageing group in 2016 with largely seasoned players, 1-2 early picks and some mid ranged purchases.

Media experts assumed that as we got rid of the 'big 5' back in 2016 that we replaced them with kids - we did not.

We have put out a mature experienced side week in week out in 2018 - with minimal injuries and with some great output by Waite and Thommo we are comfortably in the top 8 sides in the comp.

The issue for us is how high up we can go in 2018.

But also worth noting, the the older players in that list Waite, Thommo and Wright have young players to replace when they move on.

It's a good spread of ages of replacements which also should keep us improving over the longer term.
 
Ross Lyon should take leaf out of Brad Scott’s book, says Robert Walls



CARLTON premiership great Robert Walls has implored Fremantle coach Ross Lyon to take a leaf out of counterpart Brad Scott’s book and make bold calls on veteran players for the benefit of the Dockers’ future.
Scott’s North Melbourne side pulled away from Lyon’s Dockers on Sunday afternoon, kicking five goals to two in the final term to run away with a 28-point victory at Optus Stadium.

While the Kangaroos had a higher average age than the Dockers, the latter side played five players over 30 (Aaron Sandilands, Michael Johnson, Danyle Pearce, David Mundy and Hayden Ballantyne), whereas North — a team pushing for a finals berth — had just three.

Scott was part of a courageous decision-making process at North in 2016 that led to a quartet of veterans — Brent Harvey, Nick Dal Santo, Drew Petrie and Michael Firrito — not being offered new contracts, despite arguably having more to give.

But two seasons on and Scott’s tough calls are beginning to appear justified after initial backlash, with the Kangaroos sitting fifth with a healthy percentage.

Conversely, with the 13th-placed Dockers (4-6) unlikely to feature in this year’s finals series, Walls said the time had come for Lyon to be brutal at the selection table and prioritise youth over veterans.

Walls added that Pearce and Johnson were past their best, while Ballantyne was “never a very good player”.

“If there’s ever a time to make sure you start to play your young talent, it’s now, because they just haven’t stood up,” Walls told Fox Sports News’ AFL Tonight.

“Danyle Pearce was a very good player, but it’s gone past him. Michael Johnson was a very good player, it’s gone past him.

“Hayden Ballantyne, in my opinion, was never a very good player and how he’s getting a game now just staggers me.

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Luke McDonald of the Kangaroos spoils Hayden Ballantyne of the Dockers.Source: Getty Images
“There’s three plus-30 year olds that I wouldn’t play for the rest of the year.”

Walls paid tribute to Scott and his bravery to “stick to his values and beliefs” at the end of 2016.

“He was prepared to cut players from the list at North, who a lot of people thought had another one to three years left in them,” Walls said.

“So many players, he was prepared to finish their careers — and that’s not easy for a coach to do. But he did it and he put young fellas in and those young players have now got their 40 to 50 games and they’re starting to gel as a team.”
 
Talking Footy followed by On The Couch followed by Footy Classified. Let's see how much love we get. My body is ready.
I’ve put aside exactly 3 minutes 43 seconds to watch GR’s editing of these 4 shows into North discussion. Then I will prepare myself to actually enjoy the 6 seconds of them saying something we didn’t already know.

Wouldn’t it be great to get an in depth 10 minute synopsis on why we are performing so well. I’m not holding my breath.
 
I’ve put aside exactly 3 minutes 43 seconds to watch GR’s editing of these 4 shows into North discussion. Then I will prepare myself to actually enjoy the 6 seconds of them saying something we didn’t already know.

Wouldn’t it be great to get an in depth 10 minute synopsis on why we are performing so well. I’m not holding my breath.

We wouldn't even get that if we won the flag.

'...Now let's talk about North. Geez they were good weren't they? Yeah they were, but how poor were Richmond?'

*spend next 15 minutes providing reasons why Richmond lost up to and including the fact that Rance had to man up, Riewoldt's head exploded due to an ego overload and Cotchin was suspended a week due to murdering a WC player the week prior*
 
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Wallsy loves Ballantyne, :p

“Hayden Ballantyne, in my opinion, was never a very good player and how he’s getting a game now just staggers me.

It’s a stupid comment.

Ballantyne kicked 49 goals in 2014, that’s pretty good going for a small forward.
 
Campbell Brown may chin McClure before the show ends.

Campbell Brown would rocket to legend status for mine if he did that
 
A must sign now. Cam Joyce and the boys just need to get it done. Especially if we plan on bringing in a free agent as we will lose him for nothing.


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I have always found it odd on here that people wanted to trade Atley just as he is entering what should be his prime football years.

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