Depth Issue

[Rory Walkerfield]

For the first time in my living memory as a crows fan (which includes their entire history I'm that old ), we currently have depth that extends beyond the 22. There has always been low hanging fruit in our starting 22 that you would readily cull if there were a quality replacement available.

Now I'm not suggesting we are a top 4 side, but we have a good spread of talent that we haven't had before. We still lack a couple of elite mids before we are a contender.

I expect this post to offend the Lyon, CEY etc fans out there but they are good break glass in case of emergency depth in my view.

Today in the SANFL we'll have CC, Knight, Menze, and Henderson (I know he has his critics) all capable of slotting straight into the 22 yesterday and performing just as well. Assuming all 4 get through and play well, what do we do?

Rather than leaving these guys in the SANFL until poor form or injury forces changes, is there an opportunity to have a bit of a rotation system where we make a couple of unforced changes each week so that guys who are a little sore can freshen up? Or does this idea have the hallmarks of the Australian cricket team rotation system that saw the Aussies lose all form?

This is an interesting dilemma.

 

[GreyCrow]

Good points. Good post. Great problem to have.

I am in two minds on rotations. I don't like them just to get someone in , I guess I would use them to give someone a rest. ie last year against Melbourne with the Bye coming up I wanted to give Dangerfield a rest as he looked very sore. I see a player like Thompson maybe having a rest week in the same way.

I think that if any player is sore , No matter the status , we have the coverage to rest them. Its a long season and you want to be able to say come round 22/23 that you still have the same depth and same problems

 

[Scorpus]

Don't rotate.

In the event of a loss or an extraordinarily bad performance in a win, drop the weakest performing player for the best guy in the SANFL (roles permitting).

However I'd make sure anyone coming from the SANFL has played consistently for a few weeks

 

[1970crow]

I am seriously looking forward to us having to send a player to the SANFL despite having played a good game. I think that we're very close to being in that position right now.

 

[Mike Smyth]

Menzel, Cameron, Knight, Otten, Grigg are all capable of holding their own at this level and Deer, ROB, Hampton, Gore, Doeder and Wigg are unknowns.

 

[Carmo]

For the first time in my living memory as a crows fan (which includes their entire history I'm that old ), we currently have depth that extends beyond the 22. There has always been low hanging fruit in our starting 22 that you would readily cull if there were a quality replacement available.

Now I'm not suggesting we are a top 4 side, but we have a good spread of talent that we haven't had before. We still lack a couple of elite mids before we are a contender.

I expect this post to offend the Lyon, CEY etc fans out there but they are good break glass in case of emergency depth in my view.

Today in the SANFL we'll have CC, Knight, Menze, and Henderson (I know he has his critics) all capable of slotting straight into the 22 yesterday and performing just as well. Assuming all 4 get through and play well, what do we do?

Rather than leaving these guys in the SANFL until poor form or injury forces changes, is there an opportunity to have a bit of a rotation system where we make a couple of unforced changes each week so that guys who are a little sore can freshen up? Or does this idea have the hallmarks of the Australian cricket team rotation system that saw the Aussies lose all form?

This is an interesting dilemma.

good post, I agree we do have depth now and yes, we may lack some elite performers (for the moment, not saying more won't come from the current squad - in fact I expect its almost certain several WILL come from the current squad) but our bottom end (out to about 32) is very level (and above the acceptable minimum).

That means, unless we have injuries to our several current elite (Edit: A grade is probably a better term for them than elite) players, we can have a number of injuries but put out a team that will perform to the level of the weekend. More than ever, the performance level of your best 32 determines how you go, not best 22, over a season.

Also means we'll have trade currency at the end of the season too.

Crows getting themselves into a good position really.

Regarding bringing players in, I've always said that as coach you reserve the right to decide the last two on things other than form. The best 20, yep def form, the last two, no, they can be in for other reasons. For example, lets say we keep the same team this week and atkins plays almost the same, quiet for a half, mid teens disposal with high effectiveness whilst being required to clamp pretty strongly on his direct opponent. How do you know that Riley Knight wouldn't get 30 disposals, 2 goals, high effectiveness and clamp on his opponent? There's only two ways to get good comparisons between players, play them both in SANFL doing identical role or take it in turns in AFL, adjusting for how the team as a whole goes. You need the turnover to resolve these issues. Admittedly, sooner or later injuries will allow it as well. I just think not forcing it if there is a good case is a lack of courage as well.

 

[The Sloane Ranger]

Menzel, Cameron, Knight, Otten, Grigg are all capable of holding their own at this level and Deer, ROB, Hampton, Gore, Doeder and Wigg are unknowns.

Hampton can hold his own IMO

 

[Rory Walkerfield]

Good points. Good post. Great problem to have.

I am in two minds on rotations. I don't like them just to get someone in , I guess I would use them to give someone a rest. ie last year against Melbourne with the Bye coming up I wanted to give Dangerfield a rest as he looked very sore. I see a player like Thompson maybe having a rest week in the same way.

I think that if any player is sore , No matter the status , we have the coverage to rest them. Its a long season and you want to be able to say come round 22/23 that you still have the same depth and same problems

Yeah, I like this thinking.

I would be giving Milera two or three rests throughout the year, McGovern a couple too. Even the rat given he hasn't played a lot of afl.

 

[Bonkers000]

I wouldn't rotate just anyone. thompson and milera are probably the obvious ones that will need a rest. Perhaps give sauce a break when we're playing Essendon or Melbourne. Other than that our depth players will have to bide their time.

 

[Stiffy_18]

We have depth in some areas of the ground but are very thin in others.

 

[CrowsB4hoes]

I wouldn't rotate just anyone. thompson and milera are probably the obvious ones that will need a rest. Perhaps give sauce a break when we're playing Essendon or Melbourne. Other than that our depth players will have to bide their time.

God know. We don't want to give clubs like Melbourne a sniff. They are very losable games.

 

[Bonkers000]

God know. We don't want to give clubs like Melbourne a sniff. They are very losable games.

If we have one player out, playing teams tipped for the spoon and lose, we have major problems.

 

[Scorpus]

We have depth in some areas of the ground but are very thin in others.

We are weakest in key forwards and, to a lesser extent, key defenders. We're alright in most other areas.

 

[Hank93]

Depth is good, but it's not exactly being tested when you have two blokes on the injury list.

 

[Mike Smyth]

Love your avatar. Milera, Atkins and Lever love the candy.

 

[Brentmeister]

This helps:


Let's see how we go when injuries inevitably happen.

 

[Rory Walkerfield]

We have depth in some areas of the ground but are very thin in others.

Yeah I was thinking aboit this this morning. Reckon it's a key reason (apart from his ability) why we're seeing McGovern get a game. I feel a little easier even after two games in the event we have to go without either tex, JJ or lynch

 

[Doctor B]

TEAM
B: Andy Otten (22), Luke Carey (59), Jake Kelly (47)
HB: Ricky Henderson (45), Sam Shaw (34), Nathan van Berlo (7)
C: Harrison Wigg (35), Mitch Grigg (8), Riley Knight (3)
HF: Jonathon Beech (1), Harry Dear (38), Charlie Cameron (23)
F: Keenan Ramsey (46), Luke Lowden (40), Troy Menzel (32)
FOL: Reilly O’Brien (43), Jarryd Lyons (31), Dean Gore (36)
INT (from): Cam Ellis-Yolmen (28), Hugh Greenwood (20), Tom Doedee (39), Brock Castree (58), Matthew Spencely (50)

Todays seconds team. Depth is very good.

 

[SydCrow]

Still worried about KPD depth. Otten is about it. Plenty of third talls and rebounders.

 

[ltdamn]

Our ruck depth is alarmingly absent, and our KPD depth is questionable. The rest is pretty good.

Inevitably the younger players like Atkins, Milera just won't have the physical attributes to last an entire year in the AFL at peak level. They will need to be replaced at some point in the season or rested to avoid burning out.

 

[little graham]

TEAM
B: Andy Otten (22), Luke Carey (59), Jake Kelly (47)
HB: Ricky Henderson (45), Sam Shaw (34), Nathan van Berlo (7)
C: Harrison Wigg (35), Mitch Grigg (8), Riley Knight (3)
HF: Jonathon Beech (1), Harry Dear (38), Charlie Cameron (23)
F: Keenan Ramsey (46), Luke Lowden (40), Troy Menzel (32)
FOL: Reilly O’Brien (43), Jarryd Lyons (31), Dean Gore (36)
INT (from): Cam Ellis-Yolmen (28), Hugh Greenwood (20), Tom Doedee (39), Brock Castree (58), Matthew Spencely (50)

Todays seconds team. Depth is very good.

I'm not sure about that. Is there any KPP's ready to go?

 

[pjcrows]

Hope to see O'Brien get a run mid-season (not based on form or injury to Sauce). If he is going to be Sauce's backup/long term replacement/sidekick he'll actually need some games.

Sauce is our most important player so his backup is just as important.

 

[1achie]

Still worried about KPD depth. Otten is about it. Plenty of third talls and rebounders.

Very true, and quite obvious when watching the SANFL game today - especially the 3rd quarter when Butcher got on a roll.

 

[Paladin]

Very true, and quite obvious when watching the SANFL game today - especially the 3rd quarter when Butcher got on a roll.

Yeah what happened to Shaw? He is clear next in line (undersized but can do the job) unless he injured himself? Hope the hammies are ok.

 

[1achie]

Yeah what happened to Shaw? He is clear next in line (undersized but can do the job) unless he injured himself? Hope the hammies are ok.

I missed that part... It's hard to watch a game in full with an 18 month old running around destroying the house!
Butcher certainly made the most of our undersize backline when their midfield got on top in the 3rd and took several strong marks. He still can't kick for shit though.