(03-23-2017, 11:59 PM)sydneybluesfan link Wrote:The youth vs experience argument will rage all year. My view from my playing days is you need a balance - getting physically smashed and intimidated each week, and getting smashed on the scoreboard, can scar players for life. But we need to find experienced players who can make a contribution [eg Wright] vs guys who are just making up the numbers [Thomas, Armfield, White].
We are on exactly the same page in this regard, the "Play the Kids" lobby argue that that it's better for us and them in the long run. But that is only if they aren't damaged by the process.
You get a section of the supporters who claim if they aren't up to it then you replace them. There isn't a single kid starting in the AFL who is up to getting smashed week in and week out. Playing them under such circumstances is basically damaging them for life from a Carlton perspective. Then when we discard them because they aren't the Messiah, they leave and when surrounded by some decent support they improve. Further the club just can't replace them, if they destroy them you basically burn your club's future.
We probably had one or two too many young players out there last night, and it made the whole side look unorganised. In the AFL one hesitant player can bring your team undone, we had two or three that looked completely lost last night.
We did see glimpses of what SPS and Pickett can do when we have the ball. But at the game when you can see the full field you could also clearly see what they often didn't do when Nthmond had the ball, and it wasn't pretty. But I don't hold that against them, they are just beginners.
"Ruck, ruck, ruck, ruck ....... Ruck, ruck, ruck, ruck"