05-17-2021, 01:03 AM
SOS once said in an interview, that it’s easy to put a side together that finishes 8th. That comment has always been in the back of my mind when looking at out playing list.
When I look at our team, we put on the ground against Melbourne I can see what he means. When we are putting players out there who were chosen as rookies / after pick 50, and leaving our high picks in the twos, I question the team selection and the coaches bias for a particular type of player.
Cottrell, Gibbons, Parks, Owies all rookie players over the past 3 years, all getting games ahead of more highly talented players. Add to that Pittonet who was taken at 50.
Look at the rookies this week,
Cottrell 15 poss, 2 tackles, 330 Mg. 79% game time while playing on the wing
Runs all day, gives his all, but disposal is average and is a straight-line player with no tricks.
Parks 5 poss, 0 tackles, 113 Mg, 77% game time, playing Back Pocket.
Lukes worst game and was shown up for what he is, a tryer at best. All he’s done of note is laid two good tackles while playing seniors. Seemed lost all day and is too easily pushed off the ball. Supposed to be an intercept marker but has only taken 2 in a game and only 1 mark this week, with plenty of ball coming down all game long to be involved.
Gibbons, 9 poss, 4 tackles, 1 goal, 160 Mg 71% game time, playing half forward.
While I realise he was the sub, Gibbons still played just under ¾ game time. Seems to be too busy telling everyone else what to do and not getting involved in the play himself.
Owies 6 poss, 7 tackles, 1 goal 2 points, 86% game time.
I actually like Owies and think he has another couple of step to go up. This game was a poor one though, good pressure, but must take a clean ball when it sits up in front of goal, and has to make the easy set shots.
When you have Dow, O’Brien, SPS, deKoning even a Ramsay, dare I say Williamson not playing seniors, you need to question quite a few things.
Are these players desperate enough to lift their games?
Is the coach only picking players who are battlers because that’s the type of player he was?
Are we putting faith into our younger players and letting them play through their mistake?
Lets face it, finals are pretty much out of the question and when we start getting players back from injury they will take the sports of the rookies, when really it should have been our young draft picks.
Put SPS on a half forward flank instead of Gibbons, at least you know he will come at the ball off half back. The look to do something with it.
Get Williamson in the backline and back him in, take away his run out at all costs attitude that seems to have taken over his game. Use his boot and natural aggression to stick a man all game long.
Use O’Brien on a wing get him running up and back, he is a genuine two way runner which we need. He is a confidence player so back him in, say Lachie he’s a block of 4 games, barring injury you will play all four and we will judge you on the four, so play through mistakes and use your one wood which is your run and link up and let’s see the skill that got you taken at 10.
Dow is a quality player who doesn’t have the coaches confidence. Look back at 2019 and Paddy was up around the 20 touches a game while Bolton was coaching, Teague takes over Paddy gets put to a flank and his production dies. He was drafted as a midfielder play him there. Look at Melbourne midfield, all capable of bursting away from the pack, us, Walsh as two on him, Cripps got caught a lot, where that’s Dows strength.
The sooner we get deKoning into the senior side the better!
When I look at our team, we put on the ground against Melbourne I can see what he means. When we are putting players out there who were chosen as rookies / after pick 50, and leaving our high picks in the twos, I question the team selection and the coaches bias for a particular type of player.
Cottrell, Gibbons, Parks, Owies all rookie players over the past 3 years, all getting games ahead of more highly talented players. Add to that Pittonet who was taken at 50.
Look at the rookies this week,
Cottrell 15 poss, 2 tackles, 330 Mg. 79% game time while playing on the wing
Runs all day, gives his all, but disposal is average and is a straight-line player with no tricks.
Parks 5 poss, 0 tackles, 113 Mg, 77% game time, playing Back Pocket.
Lukes worst game and was shown up for what he is, a tryer at best. All he’s done of note is laid two good tackles while playing seniors. Seemed lost all day and is too easily pushed off the ball. Supposed to be an intercept marker but has only taken 2 in a game and only 1 mark this week, with plenty of ball coming down all game long to be involved.
Gibbons, 9 poss, 4 tackles, 1 goal, 160 Mg 71% game time, playing half forward.
While I realise he was the sub, Gibbons still played just under ¾ game time. Seems to be too busy telling everyone else what to do and not getting involved in the play himself.
Owies 6 poss, 7 tackles, 1 goal 2 points, 86% game time.
I actually like Owies and think he has another couple of step to go up. This game was a poor one though, good pressure, but must take a clean ball when it sits up in front of goal, and has to make the easy set shots.
When you have Dow, O’Brien, SPS, deKoning even a Ramsay, dare I say Williamson not playing seniors, you need to question quite a few things.
Are these players desperate enough to lift their games?
Is the coach only picking players who are battlers because that’s the type of player he was?
Are we putting faith into our younger players and letting them play through their mistake?
Lets face it, finals are pretty much out of the question and when we start getting players back from injury they will take the sports of the rookies, when really it should have been our young draft picks.
Put SPS on a half forward flank instead of Gibbons, at least you know he will come at the ball off half back. The look to do something with it.
Get Williamson in the backline and back him in, take away his run out at all costs attitude that seems to have taken over his game. Use his boot and natural aggression to stick a man all game long.
Use O’Brien on a wing get him running up and back, he is a genuine two way runner which we need. He is a confidence player so back him in, say Lachie he’s a block of 4 games, barring injury you will play all four and we will judge you on the four, so play through mistakes and use your one wood which is your run and link up and let’s see the skill that got you taken at 10.
Dow is a quality player who doesn’t have the coaches confidence. Look back at 2019 and Paddy was up around the 20 touches a game while Bolton was coaching, Teague takes over Paddy gets put to a flank and his production dies. He was drafted as a midfielder play him there. Look at Melbourne midfield, all capable of bursting away from the pack, us, Walsh as two on him, Cripps got caught a lot, where that’s Dows strength.
The sooner we get deKoning into the senior side the better!