Team selection disection

[LP]

Cripps is a very good and very valuable player, but not in the top bracket.

Give him time B4L.

Even though Diesel was a prolific ball winner, and had extraordinary handball skills, it was probably 4 or 5 years into his career before Diesel became know for that elite kicking either side of his body.

Sam Mitchell was similar, a prolific ball winner, great with handball, not much good at kicking (probably below average) until perhaps even 5 or 6 years into his career! I know Dawks fans that had labeled him a turnover merchant and did not want him as captain when he was first named!

Cripps shows all the signs of being on the right trajectory.

AFL Coaches have a funny way of looking at this, they all share a universal outlook which you can basically summarise as follows;

"I can teach a Super Athlete to be a AFL Footballer, but I cannot teach a natural Footballer to be a Super Athlete!"

I call it the AFL coaches megalomania, it's like a disease, and they truly believe it.

I supposed that they have to believe it or they wouldn't be in the job! That perspective also explains much of the drafting and trade recruitment that occurs, they all think they can fix some players broken skills, but they cannot fix someone who doesn't have the natural physical attributes. It is a sort of common coaching arrogance they all share!

Cripps will get better, then the shortcomings will start to evaporate, the things that he lacks are all coach-able except for speed! But we know from Williams and Mitchell that speed is not a requirement. When his kicking improves they won't be able to leave him alone, they won't be able to run off him!