Good signs for the young demons

[McLean_4_Captain]

I know everyone knows yesterday's win was great because of the youth, but i had a look at the players we did it with and was amazed by just how young it was.

I'd say that would have to be just about the youngest and least experienced team we've fielded in 10 years. The average age of the 22 players was 23 years and 52 days with an average of 58.5 games played. The oldest player was Bruce at just under 29, we had no 200-game players and just 5 players who've played more then 100 games. We had 11 players under 22, 10 of them being between 20 and 22, the one player under 20 was aussie, who is 20 in November.

Bailey has somehow managed to put a young team on the field without going for a bottoming out style youth policy, which is evident by there being no 18y.o and 1 19y.o player.

There is also Moloney (24) and Rivers (23) who are out of the side, both who could easily play for another 8+ years.

Add to this that we still have Frawley, Pettard, Morton, Grimes, Cheney, Maric and McNamara who played for sandy or sandy 2s who are all under 20 with less then 20 games experience. I see at least 5 of those players being senior regulars next year. That gives us 18 players who are currently under 22 who could all be apart of our best team.

Looking at the playing list, we look like we could have a core list (excluding Green, Bruce, Whelan, Wheatley and the injured Junior and robbo) who could play together for 8 years or more, the oldest players in this group would be Miller(just turned 25) and Davey(25 in october). Our backline looks good, our midfield is coming together as well having a few young blokes coming through and our small forwards are some of the best in the business.

If we can add a young ruckman to compliment PJ and a key forward and i might even start to dream that we could end what has been a long-cold almost 50 year drought

 

[CaptainDavey]

It was fantastic to see them stand up without a core group of senior players. Green and Bruce led the way brilliantly but when you've got McLean, Miller, Bate and Jones doing the team orientated things and showing some real leadership, it makes me think that we've got a really bright future.

The most pleasing aspect for mine was that they played for one another. If only they could produce that week in week out but they're still a bunch of kids. I'm happy with the direction we're heading on field

 

[ExTasDeeMan]

It was fantastic to see them stand up without a core group of senior players. Green and Bruce led the way brilliantly but when you've got McLean, Miller, Bate and Jones doing the team orientated things and showing some real leadership, it makes me think that we've got a really bright future.

The most pleasing aspect for mine was that they played for one another. If only they could produce that week in week out but they're still a bunch of kids. I'm happy with the direction we're heading on field

+1

If solid wins don't get you membership - that will. The most encouraging thing was when i checked these boards (and the main board) - the great support from other supporters who liked our club for their heart and tenacity. Tis games like yesterday that nets us new supporters.

 

[hulld]

Paul Johnson..........WOW!!!

This guy has talent

 

[saj_21]

Dermott Beretton made a good point on SEN friday night, saying the best way to calculate the teams avg age is to add all the players who have played a senior game this year and do not inlcude players who have not played. Becuase you could have 4 rookies that are 17 or 18 whihc brings the average down.

The thing people can get lost on melbourne is we have a lot of players at either end of the scale. Players like White, Holland and Yze 30+ and then a heap of young guys jones, wona etc.

 

[McLean_4_Captain]

Dermott Beretton made a good point on SEN friday night, saying the best way to calculate the teams avg age is to add all the players who have played a senior game this year and do not inlcude players who have not played. Becuase you could have 4 rookies that are 17 or 18 whihc brings the average down.

I didn't go to quite that length, but i did calculate carlton's team from the weekend's average age, as they are regularly talked about as the youngest team in the league.

The average age of carlton's 22 on the weekend was 23 years and 30 days, just 22 days younger then melbourne. If Judd had played instead of anderson coming in as an emergency they would've been older then our side by an average of 5 days. Their side included 2 from last years draft as opposed to us having only aussie who wasn't a bottom age rookie.

If we'd had Morton in instead say Bode, that would've dropped our average age by 39 days.

Age and games played don't mean much in the end, only who scores the most and receives the 4 points. But if you are looking to the future the fact we won with a side that was so young and that that young team fought back to achieve the win, shows such great character, it should give you hope that most of them can create our core team for the next 8-10 years.