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As I understand it, Ben Cunnington is contracted for next year so unless he decides to quit at the end of the year, he will be on the list in 2024. Not sure what the situation is with Liam Shiells is but his form has probably been good enough for an extension.
Potentially none of these may play on next year but in the case of Goldy, Jack and HG (not Nelson), I believe they should be offered another year, but with conditions as to what will be expected of them if they play on. In my opinion the conditions should be
1. They are in the mix to be picked in the senior team based on form and injuries.
2. When not meeting the form criteria, they should accept that they will play in the VFL team.
3. If playing in the VFL team, their role is two fold, being firstly to guide, direct, mentor our younger boys coming through; and
4. Having an expectation that, being champions of the club (Greenwood not in that category but has been a very handy acquisition over the last two years) they will lead us to a VFL flag. Not the same as an AFL Flag, but hey I wouldn't mind seeing us win a VFL Flag
Now many, if not most here will say, what a rubbish idea this is on my part, because at the very least these players will be taking up valuable list spots which should be reserved for young recruits and developing players.
In support of my argument however, below is Exhibit A, plus B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N and O.
These are our 15 years of draft picks from 2006 to 2020 inclusive. Not all were senior list players or National Draft Picks but nevertheless occupied spots on our list, without distinction. If the above players retire then on balance of probability, we will again next year have players who will occupy spots on our list without distinction.
Now granted, my argument is one that relies on hindsight and who knows which player/s will make it when they are drafted. I argue however that by and large, players who have at least reasonable careers are players drafted probably in the top three rounds of the draft. Very few have long term careers, when drafted in the lower rounds of the draft, though Nick Larkey is an exception to that theory.
So here are the Exhibits.
2006 Draft Selections
Ben Ross, Ben Hughes 14 games
2007
Ben Davies, Alan Obst, Michael Wundke, James Wilson 7 games
2008
Nathan O’Keeffe, Warren Benjamin, Marcus White, Conor Meredith 14 games
2009
Ayden Kennedy, Brayden Norris, Matthew Scott No games
2010
Cameron Richardson, Ben Mabon, Cameron Delaney 14 games
2011
Will Sierakowski, Brad McKenzie, Tom Curran, Max Warren, Brad Mangan, Malcolm Lynch 8 games
2012
Jordan Gysberts, Mitchell Wilkins, Eric Wallace, Tim McGenniss No games
2013
Joel Tippett 7 games
2014
Dan Nielson, Will Fordham 7 games
2015
Mitch Hibberd, Corey Wagner, Declan Mountford, Farren Ray 28 games
2016
Declan Watson, Josh Williams, Oscar Junker, Matthew Taylor 2 games
2017
Alex Morgan, Tom Jeffries, Will Walker, Tom Murphy, Gordon Narrier 11 games
2018
Dom Tyson, Joel Crocker, Tom McKenzie, Tom Wilkinson, Lachie Hosie 11 games
2019
Matt McGuiness No games
2020
Patrick Walker, Connor Menadue, Charlie Ham 7 games
In total those players played 130 games for our club. In contrast, Goldy and Jack have between them played 578 games for our club.
I might be wrong but I suspect between them, Goldy, Jack and HG might do more for us in 2024 than all of the players on that list did in their combined careers.
E&OE of course because I didn't do any checking of my initial assessment
Also, huge apologies to anyone who suffers from the trauma of viewing that list. It is grim reading and I particularly apologise to those who fought so valiantly for Aiden Kennedy to get a game, even just one game, if they need to go back into therapy.
Potentially none of these may play on next year but in the case of Goldy, Jack and HG (not Nelson), I believe they should be offered another year, but with conditions as to what will be expected of them if they play on. In my opinion the conditions should be
1. They are in the mix to be picked in the senior team based on form and injuries.
2. When not meeting the form criteria, they should accept that they will play in the VFL team.
3. If playing in the VFL team, their role is two fold, being firstly to guide, direct, mentor our younger boys coming through; and
4. Having an expectation that, being champions of the club (Greenwood not in that category but has been a very handy acquisition over the last two years) they will lead us to a VFL flag. Not the same as an AFL Flag, but hey I wouldn't mind seeing us win a VFL Flag
Now many, if not most here will say, what a rubbish idea this is on my part, because at the very least these players will be taking up valuable list spots which should be reserved for young recruits and developing players.
In support of my argument however, below is Exhibit A, plus B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N and O.
These are our 15 years of draft picks from 2006 to 2020 inclusive. Not all were senior list players or National Draft Picks but nevertheless occupied spots on our list, without distinction. If the above players retire then on balance of probability, we will again next year have players who will occupy spots on our list without distinction.
Now granted, my argument is one that relies on hindsight and who knows which player/s will make it when they are drafted. I argue however that by and large, players who have at least reasonable careers are players drafted probably in the top three rounds of the draft. Very few have long term careers, when drafted in the lower rounds of the draft, though Nick Larkey is an exception to that theory.
So here are the Exhibits.
2006 Draft Selections
Ben Ross, Ben Hughes 14 games
2007
Ben Davies, Alan Obst, Michael Wundke, James Wilson 7 games
2008
Nathan O’Keeffe, Warren Benjamin, Marcus White, Conor Meredith 14 games
2009
Ayden Kennedy, Brayden Norris, Matthew Scott No games
2010
Cameron Richardson, Ben Mabon, Cameron Delaney 14 games
2011
Will Sierakowski, Brad McKenzie, Tom Curran, Max Warren, Brad Mangan, Malcolm Lynch 8 games
2012
Jordan Gysberts, Mitchell Wilkins, Eric Wallace, Tim McGenniss No games
2013
Joel Tippett 7 games
2014
Dan Nielson, Will Fordham 7 games
2015
Mitch Hibberd, Corey Wagner, Declan Mountford, Farren Ray 28 games
2016
Declan Watson, Josh Williams, Oscar Junker, Matthew Taylor 2 games
2017
Alex Morgan, Tom Jeffries, Will Walker, Tom Murphy, Gordon Narrier 11 games
2018
Dom Tyson, Joel Crocker, Tom McKenzie, Tom Wilkinson, Lachie Hosie 11 games
2019
Matt McGuiness No games
2020
Patrick Walker, Connor Menadue, Charlie Ham 7 games
In total those players played 130 games for our club. In contrast, Goldy and Jack have between them played 578 games for our club.
I might be wrong but I suspect between them, Goldy, Jack and HG might do more for us in 2024 than all of the players on that list did in their combined careers.
E&OE of course because I didn't do any checking of my initial assessment
Also, huge apologies to anyone who suffers from the trauma of viewing that list. It is grim reading and I particularly apologise to those who fought so valiantly for Aiden Kennedy to get a game, even just one game, if they need to go back into therapy.
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