Now vs Later

[saintsRrising]

Now vs Later : Will the club this year focus on building a "new" team, or will they they just focus on trying to make finals?

I am expecting that a priority of Pelchen and Watters in 2013 will be to get games into our "most likely" younger players.

The question is how much of a priority. Will young players be mainly given games when they "deserve" them, or will the club take the tack of playing players who they believe have the best potential to bloom in order to fastrack their development. .

Lee and Hickey for example right here and now may not be first 22, but playing them say for 11 games each this may really push them along.

Newnes also looks ready to play a goodly number of games.

The 16 game Siposs is more advanced, but still needs to find the ball more. Playing most of the season is probably the best way for him to improve. This may mean persevering through some quieter games.

What will be most interesting though is how many other younger players they pump through the team this year, and for how many game, and hence the rate that the club is attempting to rebuild. Will it be fine-tuning, or a more major make-over? Will the club be willing to carry younger several players each week or will it be the slower 1 = 1 sub each week?

[karnak]

I think the approach should be to play the team that if we make the finals will give us the best chance of winning a couple of games!

This takes into account some improvement in younger more exciting players

As well as playing to win every week (important for any clubs long term success)


So you pick round 1 and beyond based on what you'd ideally like your rd 23 side to be! Controversial I know!

[bigcarl]

I hope we pick the best available team every week while we are even a mathematical chance to play finals.

Thankfully I feel some developing players - such as Hickey and Lee, definitely Newnes - are or will be this season among our best available.

[mad saint guy]

With the current state of the list I don't think kids need to be gifted games. Our lesser mature players aren't ahead of their younger competition. This is different to say, 2004-2006 when we had the likes of Thompson, Powell and Peckett who could probably perform better on the day than youngsters like Goddard, Montagna, Fisher etc.

Right now I'd be more confident in a team containing Hickey, Simpkin and Wright than Kosi, Blake and Jones.

[markp]

With the current state of the list I don't think kids need to be gifted games. Our lesser mature players aren't ahead of their younger competition. This is different to say, 2004-2006 when we had the likes of Thompson, Powell and Peckett who could probably perform better on the day than youngsters like Goddard, Montagna, Fisher etc.

Right now I'd be more confident in a team containing Hickey, Simpkin and Wright than Kosi, Blake and Jones.

Yup, it may well be that our best option for success now and later are the same... or at least not too dissimilar.

[paddy]

I think its definately a balancing act, we should push to play kids, but onfield struggles will see our membership numbers dwindle, which means less money for the club in dues and in sponsorship etc.

[stinger]

I think its definately a balancing act, we should push to play kids, .

basically what the coach said.....a balancing act.....they have to get kids into the side building up games and at the same time keep the fans happy by winning....

[Eastern]

Lets not forget that the "Play the Kids" mentality is almost dead in AFL football. The improvements made to player development mean that it is no longer necessary to just pump games into the kids to get them ready !!

[stinger]

Lets not forget that the "Play the Kids" mentality is almost dead in AFL football. The improvements made to player development mean that it is no longer necessary to just pump games into the kids to get them ready !!

well...that didn't seem to matter to lyon...he didn't play them anyway...ready or not.....

[Eastern]

Lets not forget that the "Play the Kids" mentality is almost dead in AFL football. The improvements made to player development mean that it is no longer necessary to just pump games into the kids to get them ready !!

well...that didn't seem to matter to lyon...he didn't play them anyway...ready or not.....

That proves how far we were behind the leading clubs with player development. We're catching up now, albeit ever so slowly !!