Does RTB need to start blooding young backmen?

[wehavethepassion]

We have gone thru three finals series where we haven't had Elvis or Johnno or both. yes Tanner Smith has had his injury issues fro 2013 & 2014 But alex pearce has been very sound for Peel.

In 2015 Elvis(if he goes on) will be 33, Johnno 30, Zac Dawson 29 and Silva 28, Duffield 30, spur 27

 

[BananaOnTheRun]

He could have done this year but they'v been mostly injured.

 

[rgauci]

Most have been injured throughout the year. Not much left in the cupboard. Another preseason will help Taberner, Smith, Pearce and Apeness. The big guys take time.

 

[Allikat]

Elvis is really the only one we have to worry about in the immediate future. The other guys still have at least a few years and that gives Freo enough time to get Smith & Pearce some time (as long as they remain uninjured long enough) and try & pick a few more up in the drafts.

 

[apuchar]

We should be more worried about when Pav retires. Without him today our forward line would have been virtually non existent. Apeness is going to have very big shoes to fill.

 

[pokerspiv]

Our backline was excellent today I thought. The only old guys there are Dawson and Duffield.

 

[free at last]

I'm sure we will next year.

 

[tacopavlich]

Dawson Silvagni and Ibbotson were actually brilliant today I thought. Our backline looked our strongest part of the ground.

 

[Kram]

Well I'm sure they will at least take another one somewhere in the draft at the end of the season.

 

[smokingjacket]

http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/lamumba-to-freo.1075681/

Couldn't help myself.

 

[James Colorado]

McPharlin has been a wonderful servant of your club; he'll be very, very difficult to replace, but I'm sure there are plans in place; Lyon's not known for having his head in the sand.

We should be more worried about when Pav retires. Without him today our forward line would have been virtually non existent. Apeness is going to have very big shoes to fill.

Pav will be impossible to replace. One of the players of his generation. I'm not sure if he gets the props he deserves here on the east coast, but I bracket him with Ablett, Judd and Goodes (the Goodes who used to win his own ball, not rely on the umpires for help).

 

[Jezzitizle]

We should be introducing them in games against weaker opposition. We are in a better position with young talent than we were a few years ago but we need to pick more. Hopefully our first rounder is spent on a tall.

 

[Righteo]

http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/lamumba-to-freo.1075681/

Couldn't help myself.

Not sure what that has to do with defenders.

If Luke hangs up the boots this year as expected and Silvagni takes his spot then Tanner and Alex will become our first picked tall defenders in case of injury/suspension so I'm sure we'll see them quite a bit next year.

 

[apuchar]

McPharlin has been a wonderful servant of your club; he'll be very, very difficult to replace, but I'm sure there are plans in place; Lyon's not known for having his head in the sand.



Pav will be impossible to replace. One of the players of his generation. I'm not sure if he gets the props he deserves here on the east coast, but I bracket him with Ablett, Judd and Goodes (the Goodes who used to win his own ball, not rely on the umpires for help).

We need someone to replace him in his position, i'm not suggesting that we will find someone as good as him though. You are correct, he is right up there with the best of them.

 

[James Colorado]

We need someone to replace him in his position, i'm not suggesting that we will find someone as good as him though. You are correct, he is right up there with the best of them.

Quality KPFs are hard enough to find, but when you're used to having someone of the Pav's quality...when he was at his absolute best a few years ago, it was almost like you had an extra player on the field. We used to have the same thing with Franklin, so at least you know that even the best players can be replaced. Bloody difficult though.

Blooding players does become more difficult when you're a genuine contender though, as you're worried that putting too much inexperienced youth into the team may interfere with successful structures and cost you a game or two that you would have won otherwise; this may be the difference between finishing first instead of third, or even missing the four altogether, and so you've harmed your chances for a premiership. However if you're not introducing new players into these successful structures, then your period of contention is only going to be two years instead of five as your quality players drop off with time. This is the difficult situation that Freo are in at the moment, trying to balance the opportunities of the short and medium terms.

Much easier to play the kids when you're losing anyway, and you've got both nothing to lose and no choice.

This is why coaches go grey early.

 

[apuchar]

Quality KPFs are hard enough to find, but when you're used to having someone of the Pav's quality...when he was at his absolute best a few years ago, it was almost like you had an extra player on the field. We used to have the same thing with Franklin, so at least you know that even the best players can be replaced. Bloody difficult though.

Blooding players does become more difficult when you're a genuine contender though, as you're worried that putting too much inexperienced youth into the team may interfere with successful structures and cost you a game or two that you would have won otherwise; this may be the difference between finishing first instead of third, or even missing the four altogether, and so you've harmed your chances for a premiership. However if you're not introducing new players into these successful structures, then your period of contention is only going to be two years instead of five as your quality players drop off with time. This is the difficult situation that Freo are in at the moment, trying to balance the opportunities of the short and medium terms.

Much easier to play the kids when you're losing anyway, and you've got both nothing to lose and no choice.

This is why coaches go grey early.

Franklin hasn't been important to Hawthorn for years. Losing him is nothing like the impact we are likely to feel when Pav retires. You still have Roughead and Gunston, not to mention Breust and Hale. We have recruited a couple of fella's we hope will fill the breach, but they seem a long way off at times.

 

[yakamoto]

Excellent summation James C. Our defence personnel should be fine for the next two or three years. No need to blow a draft chasing elusive gun talls. We lost the game in the midfield today. Keep chasing quality mids in the draft.

 

[James Colorado]

Franklin hasn't been important to Hawthorn for years. Losing him is nothing like the impact we are likely to feel when Pav retires. You still have Roughead and Gunston, not to mention Breust and Hale. We have recruited a couple of fella's we hope will fill the breach, but they seem a long way off at times.

Yeah, fair point, but Franklin was the focal point for a long time. Even in 2008 Roughy was a very handy second target though, and even in Franklin's last dominant year for us (2012), we did have those players you mentioned firing. Clarko was able to re-jig the game plan to even the spread last year, and it worked. Hopefully your recruits can get the job done, but I don't think that Freo, or anyone, will ever find an AA full-back/midfielder/forward again. Pav is one of the most versatile players I've ever seen.

 

[freoextra]

Not sure what that has to do with defenders.

If Luke hangs up the boots this year as expected and Silvagni takes his spot then Tanner and Alex will become our first picked tall defenders in case of injury/suspension so I'm sure we'll see them quite a bit next year.

Yep agree with your statements. I would actually say that I see no point in Luke continuing next year would rather see Pearce or Smith get the ten odd games. Looks like Pearce May have gone past Smith already though.

 

[James Colorado]

Excellent summation James C. Our defence personnel should be fine for the next two or three years. No need to blow a draft chasing elusive gun talls. We lost the game in the midfield today. Keep chasing quality mids in the draft.

Don't blow the draft, but make sure that you don't ignore the tall kids, or any trades that may be available. Everyone needs midfielders, but you also need at least two, preferably three KPFs; there is a certain club that got spanked on Friday who have only the one target up forward, and he was shut down, meaning that their midfielders had to not only get it forward, but do their own finishing. Shut that down as well, and the goals dry up.

But I don't think a Freo board is the place where that club will get any sympathy.

Good luck next week, Freo.

 

[mike91]

No. Look at A. Pearce and Smith's bodies, they're not ready. Hopefully Smith will be next year, given it'll be his third year.

 

[apuchar]

Tanner just keeps getting injured. I'm pretty sure if he hadn't of done his shoulder after returning from his hamstring he would have been seriously considered for the game against Sydney.

 

[Freomaniac]

I have said this before in another post and I will say it again. Johnson Turns 30 in october and I see him playing another 2 years. Dawson Turns 29 in february next year and he will play at least another 2 years. Considering freo play 3 tall defenders every week, Dawson and Johnson will take 2 spots while Tanner Smith and Alex Pearce (along with Vadeleur) to rotate that 3rd spot. If by the end of 2016 Smith and Alex Pearce have both notched up 20 games each, I am happy with that. Better than playing a couple of 18 year olds with no games under the belt.

Some times I wish freo got yeo last year, he would of been the ideal replacement for duffield. I see duffield play another 2 seasons anyway.

 

[Simmofreo]

http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/lamumba-to-freo.1075681/

Couldn't help myself.

In all fairness, no matter what anyone thinks of him we would not be concerned about our backline next year if we had Lamumba and Frawley on the way

 

[aussieviking]

I think it will be interesting to see what they do with Morobito next year. He has the size to play CHB.