Analysis The D Word

[AB_Blue]

Depth is like a box of chocolates......


The lower into the box you go the more of a chance you'll find a marshmallow.....but you could also find a caramel swirl....mmmmmm caramel swirl

 

[Tony Lynn 15]

heres TL15 answering a question from stan gable...

Classic Booger!

 

[LordLucifer]

You need at least thirty players that can play serious AFL football and then you want to have the right types to cover some that may go down.
I'd say we have about 20-22 for now and many, many unknowns, including; Smith, Sumner, Jaksch, Plowman, DVR, Whiley etc.

30 readymade & capable senior players is the right number, we just don't have 20-22 right now IMO.

We currently have around 10-12 players who genuinely fit the brief with another 6-8 who we anticipate will come on and make it (eg. some of the GWS guys). We then have another 6-8 who are young newbies who we just don't know whether they will or they won't.

 

[blue gunslinger]

We'll know our depth is sufficient when we can have two guns out of our side and not miss a beat and not feel the need to use it as an excuse...

Definition of a gun?

 

[Jabba73]

Definition of a gun?

BB is a gun.

Being a slinger of guns should qualify you to know. Incidentally, coming from WA does not fully qualify someone for gun status. It is only part of the equation.

 

[TheCoach16]

Definition of a gun?

Murph and Cripps...
Kruezer and Weitering...

 

[BALKAN]

When Armfield is our best player on the field and we still win by 10 goals

 

[Tony Lynn 15]

Spent the day at Healesville Sanctuary...the news is not good for you Thy!!

 

[thylacine60]

what the ****? when did all this happen?

 

[HBF]

When Armfield is our best player on the field and we still win by 10 goals

At CHB of course.

 

[Robbo's my hero]

Spent the day at Healesville Sanctuary...the news is not good for you Thy!!

View attachment 229149

Not all bad. The dive entry looks pretty good.

 

[Chalky Blues]

Does anyone else think Buckley would be better played as a FP/HF putting pressure on opposition sides getting out of forward 50?
I just don't think we can play him as a defender anymore

 

[thylacine60]

The D word?

De clutter been doing it all day

you mean dumping shit

 

[ShanDog]

you mean dumping shit

Speaking of, I am about to go take a d-word.

BRB on my mobile in 2 mins.

 

[thylacine60]

 

[Styxx]

Particularly with the newer guys to the club, a lot of what we can discuss about depth is pure guess work.

We won't know what dent a Plowman, Sumner, Gorringe type will make to our list until we use them. Same with Clem, Churnow and McKay etc.

If a player has done the work Bolts requires to deserve an oppotunity he will give them it whether or not we have any desire to see them or not (read Jones, Tutt, Thomas) if they fail they won't last and someone else will take their spot.

As far as I see this year is a no lose situation.

 

[Blue and Silver]

Alright depth, let's take a look:

Definite best 22 players approx:

M. Murphy
B Gibbs
K. Simpson
M. Kreuzer
P. Cripps
S. Kerridge
B. Boekhorst
S. Docherty
J. Weitering
N. Graham
A. Everitt
E. Curnow
D. Thomas
M. Jamison
L. Casboult
Z. Tuohy

(16)

Fringe:

D. Buckley
J. Lamb
S. Rowe
K. Jaksch
L. Plowman
J. Tutt
M. Whiley
C. Smith
D. Armfield
C. Curnow
M. Dick
A. Phillips
D. Gorringe
C. Byrne
S. White
M. Wright

(16)

Development/Outer Fringe

J. Silvagni
H. McKay
L. Jones
D. Viojo-Rainbow
L. Sumner
C. Sheehan
J. Foster
D. Cuningham
B. Gowers
C. Wood
A. Gallucci
J. Glass-McCasker
M. Korcheck

(13)

So right now our fringe is, in my opinion lacking and I am hopeful that some of our development/outer fringe types show some big efforts to replace the current "next in line"

 

[Jabba73]

14 of the 16 definite best 22 players led us to last place on the ladder. Only 3 or 4 would be walk up starts at more than 10 other clubs. The rest of them need to become our fringe or take their game to another level before role players can be considered depth.

Until then, we will not be serious contenders and the fringe players we have do not give us true depth on the list, as they are playing roles beyond their capacity.

 

[thylacine60]

We need players who have the skills, mindset and club-love when the game is slipping away under an avalanche of opposition pressure and goals who can say - this isn't going to happen. We need those players.

 

[Beer n Skittles]

Does anyone else think Buckley would be better played as a FP/HF putting pressure on opposition sides getting out of forward 50?
I just don't think we can play him as a defender anymore

He played there against the Tigers & struggled

 

[ParapMarkets]

He played there against the Tigers & struggled

Your avatar is a classic!

 

[Soapy V]

are we talking about de-finals after our effort against tiggers

 

[Beer n Skittles]

Your avatar is a classic!

Thanks. Cotchin really brings out the best in his critics & opponents

 

[Faz 2000]

Is depth as simple as guys who are good AFL-level contributors can't get a game?

I think the Best 22/Fringe/Development tiering is a good way to look at it too, but there's a swag of Best 22 players listed there that wouldn't be Best 22 in other teams and are not proven AFL players.

 

[1981]

I think depending on the poster, Depth can have different meanings.
Depth to me is players who can actually play seniors to a reasonably good level.
Accordingly I am not sure I would say we have substantially more depth than in the past, because I think a lot of the players we have added are inexperienced/unproven (even the GWS boys).
Byrne is a classic example. A lot of posters probably see him as a player who adds to our depth chart. But IMO he doesn't, not until he shows he can play consistent decent footy at senior level.
I'd like to think this time next year we will have a lot more depth, as players we blood this year prove they can play at the highest level.