Creative changes for next year

[Pure_Ownage]

Scott interviewed today.
http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2010/11/24/228395_news.html

Among other things he says:

Every player we play through the year will be there on merit

Music to my eyes...it sounds like we won't play youngsters for the sake of it (good) but they'll get more opportunities than they would have under Bomber, and Scott has an open mind, so if they perform they might actually stay in.

As he calls for, hopefully the players buy in to the fact that competition for spots (which we didn't really have last year) is actually a good thing for the group and the club.

EDIT: Proboy beat me to the punch

 

[year of the cat]

I wonder whether we see one or two older players pull the pin before the year ends? Interesting times ahead.

 

[DanA]

I completely agree with all of your points.

The Taylor Hunt one I would like to highlight. For sure we need more run off halfback, but moving Varcoe there is probably not the ideal solution (well ideally we need Varcoe everywhere but anyway), Taylor Hunt provides the run that a Varcoe move would, and uses the footy well. Yes he needs to earn his spot and keep it on form, and if he does he should play 22 games...if someone needs to be pushed out, so be it, and Scott should make it perfectly clear to them over summer.

On the bolded stuff I agree, there are guys who are going on (probably because they were too attracted by the prospect of trying to win another flag that they wouldn't hang them up) who shouldn't be, so the real question now is whether Scott and the rest of the MC have the courage to use them as depth players only, ala Collingwood 10. Our season will be much better off for it if we do, as will our future.

The players to come in and out you've highlighted are probably the key ones.

The other ones I'd add as possible are:
Outs:Lonergan, Josh Hunt, Ling (if he runs as crippedly as he did in 10)

Ins: Gillies/Drum, Motlop (a must once he builds up his body), Christensen

Hawkins is also by no means an automatic selection but I agree he needs to be given first crack with Mooney in the VFL, and we should only swap them back the other way if Hawkins breaks his body again, or form becomes woeful.

I think someone people are misinterpreting the meaning of this thread. I wasn't suggesting these changes as a this is what we should do next season. It was more a for discussion in the boring preseason when nothing happens. What are some creative plan B moves we could make ala Gilbert to HF. Truth is I want none of the changes I suggested to happen but I think they might be interesting to try in the NAB cup.

One minor criticism I had of Bomber was he never mixed things up. We were predictable with no surprise tactics and no plan B.

The one suggestion I'd really like to see is Taylor Hunt tried out as a tagger. We need to prepare for life after Ling and he could be perfect in that role. We know he can play halfback and that's probably where he belongs long term but spending a bit of time as a tagger (if only for the NAB Cup) can only help his development.

The idea behind Mooney at CHB was more as cover. I don't think we have a lot of depth down back in the tall department and it might be nice to have the option of Mooney/Hawkins should injuries occur. Certainly not first choice and not a long term solution but might tie us over for a week or two in an injury crisis. The game against Hawthorn when Taylor and Scarlett where injured where we were forced to put Scarlett back on the field comes to mind.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

I wonder whether we see one or two older players pull the pin before the year ends? Interesting times ahead.

Put simply no, unless we are no chance of making finals.

If you look at the Collingwood example, only OBree retired early, and that was because he got offered a well paid coaching job. The others didn't announce their retirements and kept playing VFL because they knew they were a chance to play finals, and potentially a flag, if the guys that replaced them got injured. Guys like Mooney, Milburn etc, would do the same. I have no doubt that if they spend six weeks in the VFL that privately they will decide to retire at year's end, but in the meantime they'll stay on. No player's going to give up a chance at a flag regardless of how remote it may be.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

The one suggestion I'd really like to see is Taylor Hunt tried out as a tagger. We need to prepare for life after Ling and he could be perfect in that role. We know he can play halfback and that's probably where he belongs long term but spending a bit of time as a tagger (if only for the NAB Cup) can only help his development.

I would suggest that this is why we drafted Guthrie

But yes, we still need to think about what we do in the short term, and THunt might be a good fit there. I'm all for any position that helps him become a regular senior player next year.

 

[maxy87]

Just on the topic of Collingwood not playing their older players and opting for youth, is it conceivable that this was the only option left for Malthouse: to create a running, zone style game with younger players that have the legspeed and durability to pull it off? In other words, for years now Collingwood have consistently fallen short with their team that consisted of O'Bree, Lockyear, Presti etc. so it would've been much easier to keep these guys out of the side as soon as the younger players showed the promise they did under the new game style. On the other hand, it would be much harder to leave out tried and proven premiership players which was the case at Geelong last year. Hindsight is always 20-20 vision..

So perhaps the biggest change creatively will be the gamestyle we employ which will hopefully involve more use of the longer kick out of defence instead of a cluster of handpasses. This is especially crucial against teams such as the Magpies. I think this was the biggest issue we had. This year the side showed glimpses of what it could evolve into had a bit more pace and ball carry been injected into the psyche of the group (ie T Hunt, Motlop briefly, Duncan, Varcs)

So in light of my current incessant rant, I would definitely play T Hunt off half back, Varcs on a wing, perhaps Mackie on another wing and Duncan off a HFF. Dont mind the idea of J Hunt giving people a few bruises in the forward pocket either but I dont like the idea of changing a player's role simply to keep them in the team when somebody else could play that role more effectively.

This could also be a big year for Menz and also Hogan rotating between midfield and up forward..

Man im excited! I would love to watch an internal trial game if there is ever one