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The Bring Back Solly Thread

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kelvin_sheedy

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Apr 30, 2006
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Here's one from left field. ;)

How about we get Dean Solomon back to Essendon next year?

Reasons:

  • We need some hard bodies in the side to teach and protect the kids coming through.
  • Solly can crash and bash through the middle when we are light on.
  • His form and running ability last year was pretty good.
  • He's someone who deserves life membership of the club by playing 10 years.
  • He looks to have got his body right to play a more running game and not KPP as what Sheeds was trying to do.
  • We might get him real cheap (psd?) as Freo will look to rebuild and offload a lot of players.
  • He's 29 and should have 2 good years left.
Thoughts? Am I crazy?
 
kelvin_sheedy said:
Here's one from left field. ;)

How about we get Dean Solomon back to Essendon next year?

Reasons:

  • We need some hard bodies in the side to teach and protect the kids coming through.
  • Solly can crash and bash through the middle when we are light on.
  • His form and running ability last year was pretty good.
  • He's someone who deserves life membership of the club by playing 10 years.
  • He looks to have got his body right to play a more running game and not KPP as what Sheeds was trying to do.
  • We might get him real cheap (psd?) as Freo will look to rebuild and offload a lot of players.
  • He's 29 and should have 2 good years left.
Thoughts? Am I crazy?
Click to expand...

Yep, ive been trying to tell you that for 18 months now :p

Seriously though, I think we have had enough trouble with recycled players to say that this might not be the best idea.
 

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Enki said:
Yes, and here's why:

You mean like we are currently doing?
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Yes we already are and have been - Houli, Hislop, Jetta, Reimers, Dempsey, Lonergan, Ryder, Myers, Pears, Daniher, Neagle + 6 new draftees all are either getting games or will in the next two years.

The reason we kept JJ and Pev on the list is to add some hardness and experience to teach the kids. Unfortunately they are not up to it anymore but someone like Solomon can still play.

He'd compete with the likes of Slattery, NLM, Welsh for a spot and in all fairness he'll offer a bit more than them.

Even though the game has changed a fair bit one thing remains the same - the bigger bodied teams are still at the top.
 
kelvin_sheedy said:
Yes we already are and have been - Houli, Hislop, Jetta, Reimers, Dempsey, Lonergan, Ryder, Myers, Pears, Daniher, Neagle + 6 new draftees all are either getting games or will in the next two years.

The reason we kept JJ and Pev on the list is to add some hardness and experience to teach the kids. Unfortunately they are not up to it anymore but someone like Solomon can still play.

He'd compete with the likes of Slattery, NLM, Welsh for a spot and in all fairness he'll offer a bit more than them.

Even though the game has changed a fair bit one thing remains the same - the bigger bodied teams are still at the top.
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I agree with you that the kids need older players to help them learn, but JJ can do that just as well. It's true he isn't the player he once was, but neither is Solly. I loved Solly and probably overrated him back in the day just because I loved his ferocity, but like JJ he isn't as good as he once was, not to mention he gives away frees far too often (which used to be amusing when were king of the jungle but would just be annoying now).

When I compaired us to freos probable rebuilding, I wasn't implying you were suggesting we should stop playing younger players, I know this isn't what you meant. I was trying to point out that sometimes kids just need time. Sometimes you just have to accept that your team is a few years away from maturity as a whole, and many of them will get pushed around a bit. This isn't to do with learning or more experience, quite often the kids have the skills and knowledge but just don't have the body yet.

Bringing back a player almost as old as JJ isn't really worth it, as he would just be filler until our young midfielders develop, and wouldn't really change the outcome of many matches anyway, it will take require all our midfielders to get harder. IF he even had an impact (and that is an IF that usually bits clubs on the arse when picking up older players).

As for the Slattery, NLM and Welsh comparison, they are different players to Solly. That is not to say I think they are irreplaceable, but if they were replaced it would be better to just pickup someone around their age bracket (well excluding Slatts who is the youngest). Solly wouldn't be there in 2 years anyway so why not get who would be. The pro of his possibly helping kids is outweighted by the fact that he would be taking up a spot that someone who will be in our next side that tilts for the premiership could be using.

Recycling old players just doesn't have return it used to (a few exeptions withstanding).
 
maybe freo would bundle solomon up in a deal with kepler as well. he could teach ryder, daniher and CJ everything he knows about being a key position defender. :rolleyes:

seriously, solomon was a good servant of the club, but he represents a lot of what has been wrong with essendon for the last 5 years. unskillful and undisciplined. i think our kids will develop fine without him and don't see what he has to offer our club.
 
There is a 0% chance he'll come back. It would go against Knights' development plan and would limit opportunities for youngsters. I can see where you are coming from as the chances are Pev and JJ won't be at Essendon next year but it would be a great challenge for the group and hopefully by then either Hislop or Hocking (if not both) can have a good crack at that position. We also have Spike there and we all know Jobe is elite at finding the ball at stoppages.
 
I luv solly, but we don't need him back.

hislop once fit I hope will develop into a tough and skilfull inside midfielder. take over from Jj and pev and maybe even jobe.
 

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Nope, I think you have gone crazy.

Why get a player who is nearing the end of their career? I'd rather Knights look for 'hard at it' players in the next draft.
 
Do you think there will be a time that the reserve teams pick up guys like Solly to teach the senior list :eek:

I thik we did it with Blumfield? You get them down to the club, pay them a few $$ and get their benefit off the track.

where was solly from? bendigo? :eek:

make him reserves captain.
 
A definite no from me, a player that is 28+ that has a bad record regarding tribunal issues, plus moving to a club that is in it's rebuilding phase, no thanks...
 

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kelvin_sheedy said:
The reason we kept JJ and Pev on the list is to add some hardness and experience to teach the kids. Unfortunately they are not up to it anymore but someone like Solomon can still play.
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Poor Pev. The guy was in the top 20 possessions getters for the whole league last year, and he can't even get a run this season as anything other than a tagger.

But on the topic at hand, there's no way Solly would ever come back without his best mate, Tarrant. Those two are joined at the hip.
 
Don Gibson said:
Do you think there will be a time that the reserve teams pick up guys like Solly to teach the senior list :eek:

I thik we did it with Blumfield? You get them down to the club, pay them a few $$ and get their benefit off the track.

where was solly from? bendigo? :eek:

make him reserves captain.
Click to expand...

Broken Hill. Made the trip to Bendigo to play with them in the TAC Cup.
 
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