Opinion Crisis Creates Opportunity

[Mr Magic]

We tried and vlas is just not good enough. Where he is now is his best spot.

I prefer Stack in defence to for similar reasons.

Apart from Rance our biggest issues are mid/forward I think. Apart from a few injuries our defence is pretty solid I think

 

[JAKLAUGHING]

- Houli is flying and you wouldn't know that he could still be going strong at say 36yo(plenty of precedents for this,) and you can be certain some of the players you have listed in your suggested team will fall by the wayside by then. Put the horse first, then the cart, let somebody outcompete Houligan for his spot or keep him where he is.

Houli Douli is at the top of his game at the moment and when playing in a fully fit Richmond side is a massive plus!
I would love to see Houli play on whilst he is in top form...and top form ought to be rewarded in my coaching book!
Not sure if Houli wants to keep on playing though rumour has it he has a lot of interests outside footy...but whatever the case Houli playing on can only be a big advertisement for his interests outside of footy! Well done Basha, finally playing well after we got the bumber out of him!

 

[_RT_]

I applaud your post, it is a well argued case. Naturally I disagree with some key parts of your plan, but no two individuals will ever have the exact same plan. Here are the main areas where my view differs from yours:

- As stated in previous posts, depending on a critical mass of injured players getting back to near their best, we would have a modest but realistic chance to win four finals, I don't think you give up that chance willingly. We were pre season favourites, and ok Rance is likely gone for the season, but we have added factors all over the paddock that could improve our side above pre season expectations.

- Houli is flying and you wouldn't know that he could still be going strong at say 36yo(plenty of precedents for this,) and you can be certain some of the players you have listed in your suggested team will fall by the wayside by then. Put the horse first, then the cart, let somebody outcompete Houligan for his spot or keep him where he is.

- After the bad foot injury I would have grave doubts Ross would get back to AFL level this season though I note Peter Burge and his team seem to have a great record of getting players back from injury in really good shape.

- Most of your post relates to sacrificing 2019 for the future. A lot of the moves you are making I might agree with at least in part if that was the correct thing to do, but as stated I don't agree with your starting premise.

- It is an excellent principle to follow to select your best team until your season is dead, then you look to the future.

I think blooding players should be dealt with on a case by case basis, but by season end we will have plenty of matches into our young players even on the current trajectory. Where we may agree is that events often show that there are more young/new players in any club's best team than seems obvious to the selectors at most points, and sometimes the youngsters just need the right opportunity and a bit of faith.

I'm not saying give up on playing and winning finals, what I'm suggesting is that we still aim for them but do so with one eye firmly foxed on the longer term future. For mine we'll be in a good place heading into 2020 by having 5-10 games into Naish, 10-15 games into Ross and 15-20 games into Garthwaite Balta Baker Bolton & Stack in particular. Not just that but using the remaining 10 games to have a look at other players in different roles as well could help set us up for the dynasty that everyone expected when 2019 started.

Our back line has been pretty solid over the last 24 months with Rance Astbury Grimes Broad Vlastuin Houli & Short as the foundation. This year we added Stack Edwards and Garthwaite to the mix, while having Rance and Short missing because of injury and Vlastuin playing up in the midfield. At times we've looked very good and more fluid in attack when we've had the run and carry of Houli Stack Edwards and Menadue. So why not try a set up with Houli Stack & Short rebounding out of the back line and removing the slower mark & kick types in Broad & Vlastuin. So when I moved Houli to the back pocket is wasn't so much to get rid of him, but to allow us to fit in the likes of Stack and Short as well and give us that extra run and carry.

I understand Ross might not come back as good as he was when he got injured, but given our history of not wheeling out guys unless they are as good as possible, so if Ross is picked then there is no reason we can't play him as we were before he was injured. With Cotchin having yet another niggle after 2 games back then why not take the chance to have Vlastuin Caddy Ross & Graham step up and carry the load in the midfield and allow us to take some of the strain off of Cotchin Martin Prestia & Lambert. As I said in the original post, imagine having the luxury of leaving Cotchin and Martin on a HFF for most of the game and still being able to, at worst, break even in the middle. As I said Cotchin in particular has been battered from pillar to post in the middle for the best part of a decade and is nearing 30, how much longer should we be asking him to carry the load. The time has come in my opinion to unearth the next group of ball winning midfielders.

Again I'm not saying we forget 2019, just take the opportunity to also put in some ground work for the 2020 season and beyond.

 

[JAKLAUGHING]

I'm not saying give up on playing and winning finals, what I'm suggesting is that we still aim for them but do so with one eye firmly foxed on the longer term future. For mine we'll be in a good place heading into 2020 by having 5-10 games into Naish, 10-15 games into Ross and 15-20 games into Garthwaite Balta Baker Bolton & Stack in particular. Not just that but using the remaining 10 games to have a look at other players in different roles as well could help set us up for the dynasty that everyone expected when 2019 started.

Our back line has been pretty solid over the last 24 months with Rance Astbury Grimes Broad Vlastuin Houli & Short as the foundation. This year we added Stack Edwards and Garthwaite to the mix, while having Rance and Short missing because of injury and Vlastuin playing up in the midfield. At times we've looked very good and more fluid in attack when we've had the run and carry of Houli Stack Edwards and Menadue. So why not try a set up with Houli Stack & Short rebounding out of the back line and removing the slower mark & kick types in Broad & Vlastuin. So when I moved Houli to the back pocket is wasn't so much to get rid of him, but to allow us to fit in the likes of Stack and Short as well and give us that extra run and carry.

I understand Ross might not come back as good as he was when he got injured, but given our history of not wheeling out guys unless they are as good as possible, so if Ross is picked then there is no reason we can't play him as we were before he was injured. With Cotchin having yet another niggle after 2 games back then why not take the chance to have Vlastuin Caddy Ross & Graham step up and carry the load in the midfield and allow us to take some of the strain off of Cotchin Martin Prestia & Lambert. As I said in the original post, imagine having the luxury of leaving Cotchin and Martin on a HFF for most of the game and still being able to, at worst, break even in the middle. As I said Cotchin in particular has been battered from pillar to post in the middle for the best part of a decade and is nearing 30, how much longer should we be asking him to carry the load. The time has come in my opinion to unearth the next group of ball winning midfielders.

Again I'm not saying we forget 2019, just take the opportunity to also put in some ground work for the 2020 season and beyond.

Agree..