Positives
Young players coming on further: ZMerrett, Fantasia, AMT, Daniher, McKenna, Gleeson, McGrath
Some Banned players coming back and playing good footy: Hurley, Heppell,Hooker
Negatives
Some young players not coming on: Francis, Laverde (injury excuse), Langford, JMerrett, Redman, Morgan
Draftees (McGrath aside) not getting 1st exposure, which is probably more of a Coaching issue playing under performing formerly banned players.
Banned mid aged players coming back and being poor: Colyer, Myers
Unconvincing game plan reminiscent of Matt Knights.
Going to make finals so gets a pass. Some of the negatives could still turn around.
Francis, Langford & Redman have looked good at VFL level. We are being very patient with them (whilst we can), but expectations will be they cement starting 22 spots in the next 12-18 months. All still under 21.
Same applies with last years draftees. Begley could have come in 6-7 weeks ago. But we kept his face pressed at the window. Then he makes his debut and was hardly done by to not get the RS nod. Mutch is in the same boat. Kid looks ready. Clarke & Ridley will take longer. Ridley had a back injury and he needs to build the body to play defence. Clarke is Jobe mk2. Finds the ball inside and is good with his hands. Kicking needs a bit of work.
i'd add Bellchambers to the returning players in good form. Honestly had zero hope he'd return to be a regular.
Everything else is right.
The Knights criticism of Woosha is a bit over the top though. We lose clearances and stoppages too easily, which means the game plan has a fatal flaw. We could have 5 goal leads in the quarters and they are easily sapped if the opposition gets a run on from the middle.
In his defence, we don't have the personnel to fix that. We need a prolific stoppage/tackling mid. Josh Kelly is the ideal recruit, but unlikely we get him. Laverde, Begley & Langford are the bigger bodied types who can play midfield (as well as forward) but they aren't fully developed yet.
So we either wait or play guys like Watson & Myers.
The failed recruitment of these inside mids from 2010-2012 has hurt. Kavanagh, O'Brien, Browne, Ashby - probably needed at least one of these guys to pan out to pair with Heppell.
Or not overlooked Parker for Steinberg....