Young list? Think Again

[1980GFVideo]

Carlton 22 years, 282 days
West Coast 22 years, 296 days
Geelong 22 years, 325 days
Hawthorn 23 years, 15 days
Essendon 23 years, 39 days
Bris Lions 23 years, 50 days
Collingwood 23 years, 56 days
Richmond 23 years, 59 days
Fremantle 23 years, 64 dayW Bulldogs 23 years, 107 days
Kangaroos 23 years, 152 days
Sydney 23 years, 201 days
St Kilda 23 years, 210 days
Melbourne 23 years, 227 days
Adelaide 23 years, 269 days
P Adelaide 24 years, 109 days

I know we have some young players that we are excited about but we certainly cannot claim to be a young side when you look at how we compare with the rest of the competition.

We are mid range and yet there is so much talk about this three year period of tolerance because of the need to develop youth.

I think Cambell and Richardson are going to be huge holes to fill despite thier shortfalls.

I think we often focus on the young players because they haven't had the chance to dissapoint like our older players.

At the end of thier respective careers I would be rapt if Roach Raines and Hyde reached the level of a Wayne Cambpell even though he has detractors on this site. (I am a huge fan of Cambpell but was not proud of his last year)

 

[Infamy]

We're very age heavy and youth heavy, not too much in between
I'm not sure who came up with the stat we were the youngest team, it may have been a team we put out on the day, who knows

By the start of 2006 we'll have most likely lost 4 players who are 30+ plus a couple more not far from it, which will bring the average down a fair bit.

 

[madtiger2005]

We are only 120 days older than Carlton on average. When Campbell is replaced by an 18 year old, we'll be younger than Carlton. Of course we are young

 

[SaveFeriss]

Was about to say the same thing as MadTiger, but he generously saved me from having to post

 

[duckboy]

I think the big stat being bandied about was the one about having more than half the list under 22. Remove Campbell and Stafford from the list next year and we'll easily be the youngest. You'd think Graham and Kellaway the year after too, in which case we'll need the Jack Dyer fund to build a new creche.

 

[Bentleigh]

Thats list is very miss leading. Do we really beleive Saint Kilda has the comps 4th oldest side? On paper maybe but we all know in reality the have a dynamic young core.

Richmond are in a very similar boat.

At the current we have 15 players on our list aged 19 years of age or younger;

[I]  Hartigan, Brent  19  
  Schulz, Jay  19 
  Foley, Nathen (R) 19
  Roach, Thomas   19 
  Archibald, Kyle   19 
  Pattison, Adam   19 
  Raines, Andrew   19 
  Thursfield, Will (R)   18 
  Jackson, Daniel   18 
  Gilmour, Alex   18 
  Meyer, Danny   18   
  Polo, Dean   18 
  Tambling, Richard 
  Limbach, Dean  18
  McGuane, Luke   18 
  Deledio, Brett   17 [/I]

In its most basic form proves our list is very young and promsiing. From that list you do not even have great numbers of youth but also a fair bit of talent.

 

[IDGAF]

Just means we have a few more old far ts going around .

Considering there is only a little more than a year and a half spread over the whole league , it is all much of muchness really

 

[Bentleigh]

Carlton 22 years, 282 days
West Coast 22 years, 296 days
Geelong 22 years, 325 days
Hawthorn 23 years, 15 days
Essendon 23 years, 39 days
Bris Lions 23 years, 50 days
Collingwood 23 years, 56 days
Richmond 23 years, 59 days
Fremantle 23 years, 64 day
W Bulldogs 23 years, 107 days
Kangaroos 23 years, 152 days
Sydney 23 years, 201 days
St Kilda 23 years, 210 days
Melbourne 23 years, 227 days
Adelaide 23 years, 269 days
P Adelaide 24 years, 109 days

Thats list is very miss leading. Do we really beleive Saint Kilda has the comps 4th oldest side? On paper maybe but we all know in reality the have a dynamic young core.

Richmond are in a very similar boat.

At the current we have 16 players on our list aged 19 years of age or younger (only 2 rookies);

[I]  Hartigan, Brent  19  
  Schulz, Jay  19 
  Foley, Nathen (R) 19
  Roach, Thomas   19 
  Archibald, Kyle   19 
  Pattison, Adam   19 
  Raines, Andrew   19 
  Thursfield, Will (R)   18 
  Jackson, Daniel   18 
  Gilmour, Alex   18 
  Meyer, Danny   18   
  Polo, Dean   18 
  Tambling, Richard 
  Limbach, Dean  18
  McGuane, Luke   18 
  Deledio, Brett   17 [/I]

In its most basic form proves our list is very young and promsiing. From that list you do not even have great numbers of youth but also a fair bit of talent.

Like most clubs we have a young core which we are expecting big things from.

  [I]Tuck, Shane   23 
  Pettifer, Kayne   23  
  Coughlan, Mark   22 
  Newman, Chris   22 
  Hyde, Chris   22 
  Krakouer, Andrew   22 
  Rodan, David   21 
  Moore, Kelvin   20 [/I]

Thus well over half our list is aged under 23 years of age. 24 players 23 or under, 22 layers 22 years of age or younger.

Richmond do have a very young list and a promising one. Its vital that the likes of Hyde, Tuck, Pettifer, Moore can step up and join core players and cement their spot in the sides 22.

Our leadership group is rather young with Kane Johnson, Joel Bowden and Nathen Brown all in the 27 year of age group. Mathew Richardson has just turned 30 years of age. At the least he will give us 2 more years but will provide more quailty years.

If you read our list in this context its clear we have a very promising group of kids, some solid types aged in their early 20's and a youngish leadership core.

The reason we appear to have a mid ranged list, age wise is due to the batch of players who are not up to AFL standard or comming towards the end of their carrers. At this stage it appears Campbell (32) & Stafford (31) are in their final seasons. Mark Graham will be at the club a maxium 2 years while Kellaway wil be 30 years of age as the season draws on. Both Chaffy and Gaspar are also seniors members of the squad while Simmonds is only 26.

It is the fringe players in dire trouble of being cut at the season in the likes of Hilton (26), Tivendale (26), Knobel (24), Hall (24), Morrison (24) which give a false opion where we are actully at.

 

[Darth_Tiger]

our young players are very young, and our old players are very old. with our most experienced side out on the park we wont have that many raw untried players, but with a few injuries and maybe a couple dropped for lack of form and we suddenly look very inexperienced.

 

[jezza]

I think we'll be fielding one of the older teams in the early part of the season, there's not many less than 20 that will be commanding a regular spot.

At the end of the year we'll have Campbell and most likely Stafford and Graham going, as well as some other players over 20, that will be replaced mostly by 18 year olds so it's next year I expect us to have the youngest list.

Bentleigh made some good points (yes, Bentleight!), it's the middle of our list that we are probably struggling with. However with guys like Hyde and Tuck looking like they are going to be good players and Cogs coming back, we are starting to look a bit healthier there. Would be nice to see Pettifer and Hall step up and join them.

 

[Bentleigh]

our young players are very young, and our old players are very old. with our most experienced side out on the park we wont have that many raw untried players, but with a few injuries and maybe a couple dropped for lack of form and we suddenly look very inexperienced.

it's the middle of our list that we are probably struggling with. However with guys like Hyde and Tuck looking like they are going to be good players and Cogs coming back, we are starting to look a bit healthier there. Would be nice to see Pettifer and Hall step up and join them.

I fear we may turn out into a Bulldogs type side. I remember for years they always had some good youths, even more so in the current day. However they always had outstanding older core (similar to Johnson, Brown, Bowden etc.) with mid-aged B grade players with just didnt cut the mustard.

Our middle age players are vital. Coughlan is the only A grade player. On top of that we have disposed of Ottens (24), Fiora (23) & Zantuck (23). This players where going to be important cogs in our future side for the next half dozen years.

They signs are good but lets not kid ourselfs, the real stuff hasnt started. Ever player in our mid age core range:

  [I]Hilton, Rory   25 
  Tivendale, Greg   25 
  Knobel, Trent   24 
  Hall, Ray   24 
  Morrison, Shane   24 
  Tuck, Shane   23 
  Pettifer, Kayne   23 
  Coughlan, Mark   22 
  Newman, Chris   22 
  Hyde, Chris  
  Krakouer, Andrew    
  Rodan, David   21 [/I]

We really need a handful of the above to step up with Cogs and form our future core. Ive got some sort of hope for Hyde, Newman, & Tuck.

 

[jezza]

Of those on your list there are some big question marks over most of those players, even the likes of Cogs and Rodan due to injuries.

 

[Punt_Road_Roar]

We are only 120 days older than Carlton on average. When Campbell is replaced by an 18 year old, we'll be younger than Carlton. Of course we are young

Then Kouta retires aswell and that blows your theory out of the water

 

[Bentleigh]

Then Kouta retires aswell and that blows your theory out of the water

Whilst Carlton has only Koutoufides, Camporeale, French & Lappin above 26/26 years of age Richmond has :

  Campbell, Wayne (V+)   32 
  Graham, Mark   32  
  Stafford, Greg   30 
  Richardson, Matthew   30 
  Kellaway, Andrew   29 
  Gaspar, Darren   28

The above with only a couple years left. Add to that the delisting of the Morrison, Hilton types and we'd be one of the leagues younger sides.

 

[1980GFVideo]

Wallace will replace these players with recycled players to a large extent.

He certainly hasnt any policy against going after players whos best times are over. ie Winmar.

Hes not going to leave himself with a totaly young list that is prone to demoralising losses in the latter season.

 

[Leper]

I think Cambell and Richardson are going to be huge holes to fill despite thier shortfalls.

From what I've heard old Cambo' doesn't mind having his hole filled. According to popular rumour at least.

 

[sante]

Arent we meant to be trying to get as many youngsters to 50 games ASAP? If so, a lot of our older players may be forced to retire in at least 3 years

 

[TrewTIGER]

Arent we meant to be trying to get as many youngsters to 50 games ASAP? If so, a lot of our older players may be forced to retire in at least 3 years

Sante, back in the late 80s - early 90s KB went on a youth policy with young Knights, Campbo, Gale, Maxfield, Free, etc; but neglected the experienced players to show the way. The kids that made it to 50 games are the ones we are trying to get rid of now. Lets not be in too much of a hurry to get rid of our mature players. In fact if you wanted to go back and make a best of side, less the duds like Mrakov etc., KB had a pretty talented side - they just insisted on playing the duds.

 

[Bentleigh]

From what I've heard old Cambo' doesn't mind having his hole filled. According to popular rumour at least.

I heard he could be that was inclined also..