Patience

[redandblack]

This is part of a "Detective Bloodhound' article on the West Adelaide web site about having the patience to develop good players.

Which players from your team are rewarding the patience shown in them? In other words, which players took a long time to develop, but are now good league players?



Shannon Green took a ‘hanger’ at Prospect on Sunday. It was an exclamation mark that emphatically ended a sentence that said “I’m a quality league footballer”. It had been a long time coming for Shannon, but his football journey had been similar to that of several of the team-mates who shared a great win with him that day.

Building a good football team from the remnants of a poor list is a daunting task. You have to make decisions about footballers, you have to decide what your team needs in terms of talent, positions and character and you have to have the courage to make calls on those players who aren’t going to take you forward. The Bloodhound loves what I’m seeing in the development of our team. I’m loving the results of having faith in your beliefs and faith in those you believe in and I’m enjoying seeing potential transforming into performance.

I watched our defence against North on Sunday. As Shannon Green took that unexpected ‘speccy’, he was part of a defence that Andrew Collins had constructed almost from scratch. I saw a defence built around 2 experienced players of the highest class and character, surrounded by 4 players who were rewarding the faith that had been shown in them. Shannon Green had come through our underage grades and had experienced a rough pathway on his way to dominating that contest. Daniel Caire was another underage product, but his talent and application had seen him become one of those rare players who had quickly cemented their senior spot after debuting. Kurt Thompson, given a task against a better-known, taller opponent, not only carried out that task, but gave so much more. Kurt’s been at Westies for a while and your Bloodhound confesses that although there have been times I’ve held my breath when he’s about to dispose of the footy, I love watching him play. Tall defenders who can run are not only hard to find, but also mighty useful when you’re picking a side.

The fourth defender in that group was Steve Morris. I don’t need to tell you how he played, because we all enjoyed what we saw. Steve’s always been hard at the footy and a total team man, but when he started, many of us would have liked to see him get a bit more of the ball to complement the aggression. Well, he got the footy 27 times on Sunday and I savoured every possession for its skill and excitement. I thought back to a game at Unley Oval when Steve’s early career suffered a major injury blow and it made it all the better.

Your Bloodhound was a happy man in the rooms after the game. It didn’t escape my notice that another one of the celebrating onlookers was another defender, Ben Fisher, now an established player, but one who well understood what so many of his emerging team-mates had been through.

Our defence was supreme, as it has been most of the time now. It hasn’t happened by accident. Judgement calls have had to be made and the results are there to be seen. There has been an even more important ingredient, though, in making those judgement calls work.

After the game I was excited and proud. I was excited by what I’d seen and I was grateful to a team that had made all of us proud to support West Adelaide. I knew we’d have a huge challenge with a very, very different 21 players next week at Unley, but I resolved to remember that one extra important ingredient, whatever the result.

The virtue of patience.

The patience to allow a player to become a quality league footballer.

[The Sleeping Giant]

Tim Delvins and Cohen Thiele from North.

[Big Phil]

This season Tom Dunne from Central would be a prime example.

In previous years, maybe a Brayden O'Hara and back in the early 2000's a lad named Heath Hopwood.

[smac]

Brad Currie showed a fair amount of patience as well Phillip. Was justly rewarded for sticking around too!

[Big Phil]

Brad Currie showed a fair amount of patience as well Phillip. Was justly rewarded for sticking around too!

Yes, of course, how could I forget number 48, sorry Roberto Agreed with the rewards for effort as well, he was a pretty underrated player outside of the CDFC.

Also, Lee Spurr is probably another good example - dominated the reserves for a couple of seasons, even considered going home to Qld (actually had a going away party !!)

[Dutchy]

Ty Allen played a stack of ressie games before becoming a league regular

[The Sleeping Giant]

Have the players mentioned improved, or the standard of football dropped?

[Big Phil]

Have the players mentioned improved, or the standard of football dropped?

Possibly a little from column A and a little from column B mate

[Dogmatic]

This season Tom Dunne from Central would be a prime example.

In previous years, maybe a Brayden O'Hara and back in the early 2000's a lad named Heath Hopwood.

Richie Cochrane

[Jimmy]

This season Tom Dunne from Central would be a prime example.

In previous years, maybe a Brayden O'Hara and back in the early 2000's a lad named Heath Hopwood.

Richie Cochrane

How many ressies games did richie play, he pretty much walked into the league side after maybe a year in the 2's if at???

[Dogmatic]

This season Tom Dunne from Central would be a prime example.

In previous years, maybe a Brayden O'Hara and back in the early 2000's a lad named Heath Hopwood.

Richie Cochrane

How many ressies games did richie play, he pretty much walked into the league side after maybe a year in the 2's if at???

At least 74

[CUTTERMAN]

While he hasn't made certain his regular spot in Sturts side John McDonald's last two games back have been pretty good but maybe going missing for patches. He as a very young footballer looked the goods but failed to cement a spot and played some shockers when he did get his chances. I thought after years of reserves football he would've given up or moved but he's stuck around and hopefully things are now paying off for himself and the club.

[bloods08]

Another one for us would be Aaron Fielke