The advantage of a reserves team playing in September

StillAtLarge

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Thread starter #1
How important is it to have a match fit reserves team going into a finals campaign? From what I can gather there are only 3 finals sides with their reserves affiliate still playing: Richmond, Sydney and Port (The Swans will play in the NEAFL Grand Final this week).
Do these teams have a significant advantage if they progress deep into September?
 
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Crow_Magnon

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#4
I think it certainly should help. Hawthorn had Box Hill regularly playing finals in recent years, and even the Bullies had Footscray in a similar boat. Adelaide had their SANFL team in a prelim final last year, but our problem was that we didn't blood many of these guys during the H&A season, and weren't prepared to risk them in the AFL finals - leading to our keeping players in the team against Sydney who weren't fit (e.g. Jenkins). Port were able to play a large number of their AFL listed players last week too in a pretty competitive hit-out, so it should benefit them should they progress beyond this week.
 

Bokonon_

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#5
How important is it to have a match fit reserves team going into a finals campaign? From what I can gather there are only 3 finals sides with their reserves affiliate still playing: Richmond, Sydney and Port (The Swans will play in the NEAFL Grand Final this week).
Do these teams have a significant advantage if they progress deep into September?
Discuss
I think there's generally some asvantage in the "traditional" states having a stronger 2nd tier competition anyway. Even more if the reserves play on while the one's are playing.
Like the GF at the G I dont see a way to make it fair, so we take it on the chin and glance sideways at our academies in my view.
 

telsor

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#8
For Richmond it's certainly a plus.

Most notably, we have 2 probable 'best 22' players (Griffiths and Conca) recently back from long term injuries, but not match fit to play yet, so the chance to get games into them and assess their form is clearly a benefit.

Of course, there are also the 'standard' benefit of fringe players pushing for a spot and the knowledge that out of form/injured guys in the AFL team can be replaced without the uncertainty of putting a guy in who hasn't played for weeks.
 

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blitzer

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#13
I don't think it really helps that much. I think its just an indication that a side might have good depth or a healthy injury list (or good state league players). But assuming the only players getting games there are either depth players or returning from injury it probably doesn't make a huge difference to the main best 22 in the majority of cases.

So I guess I'd regard it more as a probable effect of having a good team rather than being a particular advantage.
 

Rusty Brookes

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#14
Richmond just won through to the VFL grand final with only one injury on their list. They are deadset flying. If they do happen to get injuries in the prelim, there are a number of players who can slot in who have match fitness. During our threepeat, Box Hill played in the VFL Grand Final and it allowed us to bring in replacements (eg Jonathan Simpkin in 2013).

So yes, I reckon it is an advantage and I'd be feeling pretty happy about life if I was a Tigers supporter.
 

Heisenberg_

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#15
So yes, I reckon it is an advantage and I'd be feeling pretty happy about life if I was a Tigers supporter.
It's a strange feeling to feel this good about the footy this time of the year.
Prelim final on Saturday night then go watch the reserved GF on Sunday.
Could have written your own ticket for that at the start of the year.
 

Hamingja

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#16
It helps if you get multiple injuries but then if you get multiple injuries you are probably screwed anyway. Throwing a player in here or there is not a big deal. Darcy Lang went alright last night and he hasn't played since Geelong VFL's last game 3 weeks ago.
 

Damon_3388

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#18
Could the correlation of a fit squad mean a better quality reserves team and hence playing finals in both grades?

This is a big part of Port Adelaide this year.
Was a big factor in 2014 as well, when the Power made the AFL Prelim Final, and the Magpies were SANFL minor premiers and Grand Finalists too.
 
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