Preview Round 9: Essendon vs The Orange Team, Marvel Stadium, Saturday 11th May, 4:35pm

[boncer34]

Playing kids is all well and good so long as they're playing in the actual position they need to be in, and are in form.

GWS off a VFL bye is probably not the best time to be bringing a debutant in if you don't absolutely need to, so whilst I would have liked to see Roberts in, if he plays a solid game in the VFL this week and debuts next week against North I think it's fine. Similar for Hayes.

We're still playing a significant amount of guys U24:

1. Caldwell
2. Jones
3. Martin
4. Durham
5. Cox
6. Perkins
7. Hobbs
8. Davey

Following this game we have:

North
Richmond
Gold Coast
Carlton
Bye

My hope is that we see Roberts and Hayes put in a good game at VFL level this weekend and get a shot in that run.

Weird benchmark.

What about 22? In line with the AFLs "young" team selection of 22 under 22.

 

[Lance Uppercut]

Playing kids is all well and good so long as they're playing in the actual position they need to be in, and are in form.

GWS off a VFL bye is probably not the best time to be bringing a debutant in if you don't absolutely need to, so whilst I would have liked to see Roberts in, if he plays a solid game in the VFL this week and debuts next week against North I think it's fine. Similar for Hayes.

We're still playing a significant amount of guys U24:

1. Caldwell
2. Jones
3. Martin
4. Durham
5. Cox
6. Perkins
7. Hobbs
8. Davey

Following this game we have:

North
Richmond
Gold Coast
Carlton
Bye

My hope is that we see Roberts and Hayes put in a good game at VFL level this weekend and get a shot in that run.

I hope you're right.

I always defer to the fact that I know almost literally nothing about players, form, expectations etc, so don't have much opinion on team selection. Having said that, though, when I heard some update on recent Rising Star noms I did reflect on how we haven't had a cracker in that space for a long time. I'd like to think it's because our demographics are getting to a good spot but it's also very much because we haven't played any kids. Hard to even remember a debut, almost.

Really important to still blood young players and reward form. It's definitely a watch, for me

 

[faible]

Weird benchmark.

What about 22? In line with the AFLs "young" team selection of 22 under 22.

I picked 24 because they're still guys that have upside (especially talls) and people forget how 'young' some of those guys are. Someone like Martin probably still has more to go physically despite already being a fantastic player. It's easy to forget Caldwell is 'only' still 23 as well despite seeming to have been around for quite a while.

 

[boncer34]

I picked 24 because they're still guys that have upside (especially talls) and people forget how 'young' some of those guys are. Someone like Martin probably still has more to go physically despite already being a fantastic player. It's easy to forget Caldwell is 'only' still 23 as well despite seeming to have been around for quite a while.

Yeah.

So what about 22?

 

[boncer34]

I hope you're right.

I always defer to the fact that I know almost literally nothing about players, form, expectations etc, so don't have much opinion on team selection. Having said that, though, when I heard some update on recent Rising Star noms I did reflect on how we haven't had a cracker in that space for a long time. I'd like to think it's because our demographics are getting to a good spot but it's also very much because we haven't played any kids. Hard to even remember a debut, almost.

Really important to still blood young players and reward form. It's definitely a watch, for me

The real key is if we start to drop off again. If we fall away and we keep refusing to play the "kids" then Brad's learnt nothing.

 

[dank420_]

He only plays the kids he has to.

Bullshit.

Dropping Davey is something that would be well warranted but he’s obviously trying to get games into him.

Let’s not get sucked in to this meme.

 

[faible]

Yeah.

So what about 22?

22 or less?

Durham
Cox
Perkins
Hobbs
Davey Jnr

 

[joey_jo_jo]

Not playing a senior guy isn't proof he doesn't play kids.

Fair points about Davey and Tsatas, especially Davey. Tsatas I'd argue has been stiff at time compared to others.

I mean look I'm really only disappointed in the Hind selection, I'd agree that Brad has been better at blooding youth this year.

My main original point was its a well documented weakness of his.

He was 34 when he took on the North gig and left that gig 5 years ago. You dont think he would have learnt and changed from that experience?

 

[Cold Sober]

Experience might be the better option v GWS.

 

[boncer34]

He was 34 when he took on the North gig and left that gig 5 years ago. You dont think he would have learnt and changed from that experience?

I would hope he has. But I've also experienced how stubborn AFL coaches can be.

 

[ant555]

Not fake news. He only plays the kids he has to. Facts are we don't have 22 fit mature age players on the list at any one time so there are some that must play. Playing the kids which is referring to a development style of rewarding kids with games when form is good for 3-4 weeks for senior players whose form is bad.

Last year equal lowest amount of debuts, this year equal lowest. This is indicative of his career.

Do not agree . Have posted all of this before. Last year he played several young blokes who hd average form .
This year he has backed young blokes in key roles .

 

[ant555]

As far as Roberts and Hayes go I would like to see them play .

Hayes is unlucky as he is being kept out of the side by a bloke who has runs on the board and plays a hard team brand so it becomes unlikely he gets dropped for a zero game player unless Laverde is totally out of form which he is not or if we are on 1 win and the year is done.

Roberts has been playing well but the knock pre draft was defensive issues and they are still being sorted . Could he offer more than Hind or Davey ? Maybe he could but he has also only played 5 games of senior footy and maybe they want him to tick off a few more things in his defensive game .

Easy for us to say this bloke is better than that bloke and we may be right but we do not know the inside information and rightly or wrongly coaches have to be strong on what they are selling.

Truck paid the price for changing the message and style after one year .

 

[supportyourteam]

Looking forward to the game. Interesting to see if its Davey or Hind for the sub. Can't see it being Hobbs 2 weeks in a row. Heppell would be the other possibility. Give him a rest. Would have preferred 2 rucks. Guess it would have been considered.

 

[fairbump_playon]

I can't help it. I tried to have low hopes on this one.

But I still keep imagining a world where Essendon feels like a contender. Just imagine that!

 

[fairbump_playon]

As far as Roberts and Hayes go I would like to see them play .

Hayes is unlucky as he is being kept out of the side by a bloke who has runs on the board and plays a hard team brand so it becomes unlikely he gets dropped for a zero game player unless Laverde is totally out of form which he is not or if we are on 1 win and the year is done.

Roberts has been playing well but the knock pre draft was defensive issues and they are still being sorted . Could he offer more than Hind or Davey ? Maybe he could but he has also only played 5 games of senior footy and maybe they want him to tick off a few more things in his defensive game .

Easy for us to say this bloke is better than that bloke and we may be right but we do not know the inside information and rightly or wrongly coaches have to be strong on what they are selling.

Truck paid the price for changing the message and style after one year .

I assume the people management side is strong. Hayes and Roberts must crave selection. But if coaches are loving them up and giving them really clear pathways for getting better.. well then that's footy, really.

Become inevitable.

 

[boncer34]

I can't help it. I tried to have low hopes on this one.

But I still keep imagining a world where Essendon feels like a contender. Just imagine that!

I picked us. **** it. Tug the sash get up and about bleed red and black.

Etc.

 

[fairbump_playon]

I picked us. * it. Tug the sash get up and about bleed red and black.

Etc.

Bleed it!!!

 

[bombreys]

And if they keep winning ?
I know what you are saying but right now the group that is playing are getting the job done. Not like he is just rushing back senior guys. An easy out would have been to play Shiel and leave Davey out but Davey is still in. Hobbs is still in.
I am not sure you start messing around with what you are building while they are playing well and winning despite the fact that you could say maybe 4 or 5 will not be part of the long term future.

I get wanting to maintain some consistency with the playing group, but we aren't a perfect side. We should still be aiming to get better. Winning shouldn't automatically make guys undroppable. There seems to be an outlook that playing young guys will hurt the team.

I'm also absolutely not calling for us to bring in five 20 year olds.

But Roberts, as an example, absolutely has the form - and he would have been a like for like replacement (for Duurs). Instead, we bring in an out of form, almost 30 year old half back flanker. I can't see how it makes the team better now, nor in the future.

 

[bombreys]

We are already playing Perkins, Durham, Caldwell, Cox, Jones and Davey Jr as youngish players in a winning side, and we play Reid every opportunity we get.

Playing a debutant against the best team in it (arguably) after having not played VFL the previous week is setting them up to fail. Roberts and Hayes will get their shot.

Not this year they won't.

It's been proven form won't get Hayes in. He's behind McKay, Lav & Weideman, with Reid now coming back and Ridley due back in the next couple of weeks.

 

[faible]

Not this year they won't.

It's been proven form won't get Hayes in. He's behind McKay, Lav & Weideman, with Reid now coming back and Ridley due back in the next couple of weeks.

k.

 

[boncer34]

k.

Other than being behind Weideman how's he wrong?

 

[faible]

Other than being behind Weideman how's he wrong?

Clear statements. He won't debut this year no matter what he does says bombreys.

Not this year they won't.

It's been proven

 

[boncer34]

Clear statements. He won't debut this year no matter what he does says bombreys.

I don't interpret getting a shot as getting a debut.

 

[faible]

I don't interpret getting a shot as getting a debut.

Fortunately we can ask Grizz and bombreys to clarify what they intrepret as getting a shot.

 

[boncer34]

Fortunately we can ask Grizz and bombreys to clarify what they intrepret as getting a shot.

Absolutely.

Regardless I'm not sure how you can confidently say he's wrong. You think a debut is more likely once Reid and Ridley return?