(05-26-2018, 08:40 AM)Lods link Wrote:Yep
The "Northern Blues" is a Sporting Team...
But the "Carlton Reserves" is (or would be) a development squad, where they're working on certain aspects of their game and game plans.
If the wins come that's good...but if they don't there is still a point and purpose that the players can concentrate on and gain satisfaction from.

(05-27-2018, 04:25 AM)blue4life link Wrote:And the Preston players do what exactly?
I'm OK with managing players with injury and trying players in different roles with an eye to the senior team but I believe that winning games is every bit as important for confidence and development as anything else, and that winning should always be a priority.

(05-27-2018, 04:35 AM)Lods link Wrote:But I don't disagree that the wining experience is also important.

(05-26-2018, 02:46 PM)RiverRat link Wrote:Williamson, Graham and Macreadie were done well before 1/2 time but I thought the team played quite well until very late in the 3rd term.

Of the other listed players:
- Phillips was very very good early and clearly out-pointed Leuenberger in the ruck contests but lack of interchange options meant that he and Lobbe both stayed on the field most of the game and he definitely faded.
- By comparison, Lobbe looked quite good against the Essendon 2nd and 3rd string ruckmen but was uncompetitive against Leuenberger.
- De Koning had very limited time in the ruck but already looks like a better key forward than McKay and Kerr did last year.
- Schumacher was not as impressive as he was against Frankston but still looks like a likely player.
- JGM has only improved very slightly since his first season
- Shaw has played more than 100 AFL games, which just goes to show how poor GC were - he belongs behind Mullett and O'Shea in the pecking order and some of his turnovers were very costly when the game was still close.
- Garlett looks the goods but does not work hard enough - especially when he doesn't have the ball
- Hard to believe Polson couldn't get more of the ball - I guess he was waiting for someone to give it to him b/c he didn't seem to want to try and get it himself
- SOJ can do some useful things in congested areas and seems to have decent endurance and work rate but he doesn't seem to have the speed to actually get to enough contests and certainly seems unable to separate himself from an opponent when playing forward-

Of the Preston lads:
- Penrith was noticeable with his speed and intensity, with and without the ball
- Palmer frequently got on his hands on the ball in marking contests and actually managed to hold on to several marks
- Blakey looks unfashionable but he doesn't lack for courage, intensity and daring

(05-27-2018, 05:35 AM)laj link Wrote:Given McKay is on target to scoring 40 goals from his first 20 games, to be better would terrific.

(05-27-2018, 06:36 AM)townsendcalling link Wrote:Josh Kennedy scored 11 in his first 22 games......

(05-27-2018, 04:43 AM)blue4life link Wrote:I'll go so far as to say that one of the biggest hurdles we have to jump as a club is to discard a losing mentality which has become ingrained, and that this mentality extends to supporters as well.
Plenty of people are happy with last night's result, but the game was there for the taking.

(05-27-2018, 04:25 AM)blue4life link Wrote:And the Preston players do what exactly?

Quote:I'm OK with managing players with injury and trying players in different roles with an eye to the senior team but I believe that winning games is every bit as important for confidence and development as anything else, and that winning should always be a priority.

(05-27-2018, 08:46 AM)Thryleon link Wrote:I don't disagree with any of that, but we are hardly picking our side most likely to win at AFL level and have one eye firmly on the future.

(05-27-2018, 09:42 AM)blue4life link Wrote:Who would we promote from the VFL if we were picking teams to win?
The side we had on the park last night against Geelong was very close to the best we had available.