The Under 21's

[Barrels]

A fair number of posters, me included, have been rough on our list of late.

So, in an effort to counter the prevailing gloom, here's a look at our under 21 side as of the start if this year:
(nB: the players bold were 21 at the start of the year, but are 22 now)

FB: Wright // Staley // Roberton
HB: Ferguson // Lever // Webster
CR: Newnes // Ross // Markworth
RK: Hickey // Ledger // Curren
HF: Siposs // Lee // Saunders
FF: Minchington // White // Stanley
Int: Pierce // Murdoch

Wright and Roberton have been super this year
Siposs and Stanley have done well shouldering very difficult roles for blokes their age
Newnes and Ross are showing great maturity
Webster, Murdoch and Saunders have given us a glimpse or three
Hickey and Lee have shown promise despite some ups, downs and injuries

The others have either had little or no chance at league level yet... but we've all seen Spencer's goal...

Imagine if we could add one or a couple of Boyd, Adams, Dunstan or Kelly to that group...

 

[Defacto]

i'd swap stanley with staley

but other than that, not bad mate

 

[Barrels]

i'd swap stanley with staley

but other than that, not bad mate

Thanks bud

I'm just not convinced Stanley's ultimately suited to being a backman (my old lad is, keeps throwing Bob Murray and Verdun Howell at me), but if he is I'd definitely see him more as a CHB than a FB.

 

[jiles]

i know this is an extreme example but trent cotchin was 21 last year and was already dominating the game. you cant win a premiership on above average players, you need stars. just struggling to see who will take that step.

 

[mysainters]

Markworth injury really was a shame...

 

[tbarker]

i know this is an extreme example but trent cotchin was 21 last year and was already dominating the game. you cant win a premiership on above average players, you need stars. just struggling to see who will take that step.

I agree although I think you only need 1 or 2 - not a whole group of young stars. Look at the past 10 grand finals and there are plenty or recycled players and rookies who came through to play important roles. Take a look at Joey's article today - says he played 30 games in 4 years. Hardly set the world on fire and look what he has done since. With an uncompromised draft this year I hope we keep our first pick and grab a gem. Trade away the rest of the picks cause the depth aint there!!

 

[Rors]

If we can jag some players in this years draft like Collingwood 2005 with Thomas & Pendles, or West coast 2008 with Nic Nat & Shuey, we could build around these blokes in years to come.

I would also assume that next year we wont be taking a huge leap up the ladder, so another year of gun picks plus the progression of existing youngsters is key...

2016-2018 should be when we are up & about the top 4 again... In the meantime, we're in for some tough love

 

[Half Back Pocket]

I agree although I think you only need 1 or 2 - not a whole group of young stars. Look at the past 10 grand finals and there are plenty or recycled players and rookies who came through to play important roles. Take a look at Joey's article today - says he played 30 games in 4 years. Hardly set the world on fire and look what he has done since. With an uncompromised draft this year I hope we keep our first pick and grab a gem. Trade away the rest of the picks cause the depth aint there!!

i'd say pick 23/24 would snag a ripper. there are about 20-25 decent mids this year

 

[tbarker]

i'd say pick 23/24 would snag a ripper. there are about 20-25 decent mids this year

I defer to you blokes on the draft. I am going on a previous post that said it falls away dramatically after pick 15. You are thinking it runs deeper? I hope it is because we will hopefully have picks a plenty.

 

[Barrels]

I defer to you blokes on the draft. I am going on a previous post that said it falls away dramatically after pick 15. You are thinking it runs deeper? I hope it is because we will hopefully have picks a plenty.

I think both could be correct; it may well fall away dramatically after 15, but those 15 could be truly exceptional, meaning the next 10-15 could still be very good, 200-game players.

 

[hayes]

So the talent drops away after the first round. Hardly a surprise.

 

[Murraj1966]

Pick 1-5 for us, then trade to GWS a Dal/Fisher/Monty for another Pick 1-5? Then maybe a Pick 20-30 and that's 3 inside 30 who would be true quality for us and set us up for an assault in about 5 years?

 

[Defacto]

Pick 1-5 for us, then trade to GWS a Dal/Fisher/Monty for another Pick 1-5? Then maybe a Pick 20-30 and that's 3 inside 30 who would be true quality for us and set us up for an assault in about 5 years?

pick 1 for 29/30 year olds in dal/fish, thats a bit of a reach dont ya think?

 

[bird_man]

pick 1 for 29/30 year olds in dal/fish, thats a bit of a reach dont ya think?

Our only chance of getting pick one for Dal is to give them pick 5 as well.

 

[Baldur]

Our only chance of getting pick one for Dal is to give them pick 5 as well.

If pick 1 and 5 is the differnce between getting the next Nick Riewoldt or the next Andrew McDougall. Dal its been nice but the team comes first. But the problem is that all first round picks look ok. Giving away Dal to get Watts instead of Hurley, no thanks.

 

[Murraj1966]

pick 1 for 29/30 year olds in dal/fish, thats a bit of a reach dont ya think?

It was more 1 to 5, as in 1,2,3,4 or 5.

If GWS were offering pick 2 for Fish last year I couldn't see why they wouldn't splash out for Dal? They need experience far more than youth.

 

[Defacto]

It was more 1 to 5, as in 1,2,3,4 or 5.

If GWS were offering pick 2 for Fish last year I couldn't see why they wouldn't splash out for Dal? They need experience far more than youth.

no one will give up a top 5 pick for anyone above the age of 28

 

[Strahany]

no one will give up a top 5 pick for anyone above the age of 28

Don't forget Fisher's offer last year.

 

[Defacto]

Don't forget Fisher's offer last year.

rumored offer

 

[Strahany]

rumored offer

There are too many different sources to have that kind of doubt.

 

[Murraj1966]

no one will give up a top 5 pick for anyone above the age of 28

I think in this age, GWS would need an experienced quality player and they don't need more youth to add to their abundance. If they come last and get a high pick or two again, then who knows what they might offer.

 

[Strahany]

It's interesting to note that Collingwood have now had the most players make their début this year (which we will match on Sunday) with a total of 6.

Although their hand has been somewhat forced by injury, and a couple of them are mature players from the VFL, it truly is a massive difference between their attitude towards kids as a contending team, and ours under Lyon.