by helicopterking » Mon Sep 12, 2016 1:35 pm
Now that The anger has subsided slightly
Season Wrap
Not a whole lot of positives
Josh Kennedy winning the Coleman Medal again.
Luke Shuey going from A Grade mid to A+ Gun.
The emergence of Tom Barrass.
Take note Adam Simpson.
We were forced to play Tom Barrass due to injuries last season when he wasn't ready physically, and this year the form of some other players at the start of the season saw him given the opportunity again and we reaped the rewards. This is what happens when you give kids( draft picks) a reasonable crack at it. What is the point of our draft picks we have sitting around in the WAFL, playing pretty consistent footy and not give them a crack in the big league. All this does is get them into bad habits and it doesn't allow them to experience what they need to improve on to succeed at AFL level. Its disheartening when they can't get a crack after playing some good reserves footy.
We continue to give fringe players numerous chances, when we know what they can do and where the ceiling is with them. And believe me we have a truck load of Fringe. To me, Fringe players are blokes who are not A Grade talent. They are blokes who never play great, Average to good is the best they can ever do,with a large amount of games that are Average to Poor.
Wellingham,Masten,Cripps,Hill,Butler,Hutchings,Sheed,Darling, Giles,Lycett, Brown,Schofield, Lecras,Yeo,Butler,Maginnity, Bennell, Redden, Jetta,Ellis,Duggan. Too me, these guys are not consistent enough to be rated anything else. I know they get games week in week out, but how many chances is too many. Let's put it into comparison. WC had 3 guys under 23, Bulldogs had 9. This a real concern for the future.
I can put up with a young kid coming in trying to find his feet, make a few mistakes, not get huge numbers, but show signs of improvement as the season goes on.
What I can't put up with, is players like Josh Hill, with 150+ games experience, continually stink it up, play shockingly poor games and continue to get selected. He isn't alone, but by far the worst offender.
Plain and simple we do not have enough top end talent. Kennedy,Priddis, Shuey,Gaff,Sheppard,Hurn,McGovern,Nic Nat and Barrass will be. These blokes are good- great every week, the gap between their best and worse is marginal. Maximum effort each and every week.
This is due to nothing but poor recruiting. Gave away first round picks for fringe talent.
We need to go to the draft. We need to do what we can to get the highest pick possible. Don't not trade for anyone over the age of 22. We need Mids, but are now left in tough position with Nic Nat going down, which is almost the worst thing that could have happened.
What trade potential do we have to snare a first rounder? Not much, 2nd rounders at best, unless we make the tough call on someone like Darling, but that won't happen.
The game plan, why unique can be out done, a simple shepparding the man on the mark destroyed the whole system, the 2nd year running.
If Simpson sticks with his plan and playing roster, I expect nothing but mid range mediocrity short term and for the next 10-20 years looking down the Richmond barrel.