Rebuild?

[Groucho]

Is it time to write off the year and just start playing the young guys until we find a combination that can be competetive? I know Denis thinks the psyche of the team is the problem but the facts are ,as a team, we're not doing the fundamentals on the field. The problem with playing the young guys,and telling them "you're in for the next 10 weeks", is what long term damage it could do to their confidence if they're getting belted every week. We did do this in 1984,when we finished second last, and made the finals in 1985 when some of the younger guys blossomed,but others did fall by the wayside. The problem is we probably do have to turn it around in a year as we can't afford the luxury of "doing a Collingwood" and take 5 years or more to do this. I say yes,play the L.Smith's,Petrie's,Lasscock's,Jonses' etc and see how they come up,trade aggressively and,with Carey going onto the veterans list freeing up considerable money,go for a high profile uncontracted player and turn it all around. Despondency and anger aren't what's needed,method and planning and ,above all,our continued support,is.

 

[choppy]

I agree with giving the youngsters a go but a side with the following players

Stevens
Archer
Carey
Simpson
Grant
Blakey
Picket
Colbert
Harvey
King
McCartney
McKernan

should have enough experience to prevent the blowouts we have been recieving. It is above the shoulders. I have not written of the season yet. The above players should make a good nucleas with the younger players being tried around them. The above players are not showing the leadership and playing to the level that they are capable of.

Yes some of them of played one good game or good quarters but as a collective they have not.

 

[THE ICON]

But wait........There`s more!

You still have to come

WINNIE THE PUSHOVER
MIGHTY MUMBLE LIPS
SICKY RICKY
BURGER KING
JOE THE GADGET MAN
SPOILER

Will that get rid of the CHRONIC DEPRESSION?

Ha Ha Ha Ha

THE ICON

 

[Shinboners]

Originally posted by choppy:
I agree with giving the youngsters a go but a side with the following players

Stevens, Archer, Carey, Simpson, Grant, Blakey, Pickett, Colbert, Harvey, King, McCartney, McKernan

should have enough experience to prevent the blowouts we have been recieving. It is above the shoulders. I have not written of the season yet. The above players should make a good nucleas with the younger players being tried around them. The above players are not showing the leadership and playing to the level that they are capable of.

Yes some of them of played one good game or good quarters but as a collective they have not.

Exactly right Choppy. We need the experienced players on the field to show the talented younger players the ropes, but those experienced players will need to show some leadership on the field.

The frustrating thing is that in each of the games, we did have a chance. 10 minutes into the 3rd vs Essendon, we were within 4 goals, but lost by 85 points. Against Brisbane, we were within 7 points, but lost by 10 goals. And against the Swans, we were within 2 goals early in the 3rd only to get blown out of the water by 80.

Either we're not fit enough (which shouldn't be the case) or the team as a unit really do believe that they've now run their race and aren't able to compete with the other teams anymore.

If North are to solve their problems, we should look towards Carlton and how they've used their older players (Bradley, Ratten, Silvagni, McKay, Rice) to maximise their abilities while also guiding their younger kids. It wasn't so long ago that Carlton were in a slump, but they worked themselves out of it. Apart from some threats from Elliot, they simply ignored the press and got on with the job of fixing up the team. We have to have faith that Pagan is doing the same thing and (as hard as it will be considering our success over the Pagan years) we have to be patient with that.

 

[Back Seat Of A Taxi]

Why don't we know how to hit a target? Our field kicking is terrible.

 

[True_Roo]

Pagan has proven that he works very well with youngsters. His under 19's record is second to none. Perhaps it is time to give more youngsters a go.

 

[Rooboy 96]

Choppy and Shinners agree with both of you... what I liked the most was when Shinners said... ignore the press and get on with the job... loved it... pitty the press is pre-occupied with us...

 

[Yianni]

I agree with Back Seat of a Taxi. Our field kicking IS terrible. It is terrible because the players have never really had to do it much as they have been told to bomb long.

Why is it that so many people seem reticent to acknowledge that this team DOES have some problems.

The field kicking was always a problem, even when we were doing well, for the simple reason that it was a skill that wasn't being used. Watch Essendon play. Most of their players can hit a lead from 50 metres away, which means that their player doesn't have to take a contested mark. It's a good skill to have.

 

[Shinboners]

Originally posted by Yianni:
I agree with Back Seat of a Taxi. Our field kicking IS terrible. It is terrible because the players have never really had to do it much as they have been told to bomb long.

Why is it that so many people seem reticent to acknowledge that this team DOES have some problems.

Those of you who have been on this board for a long time will know that there have been plenty of comments here about the shocking state of our field kicking.....it just seems to be so bleedin' obvious that it's no longer worth mentioning for the umpteenth time.