"Coaching To Win" VS "Playing For The Future"

[Thryleon]

GWS are the most talented side in the competition, yet they were being belted each week. Except for very rare players:

Experience >>>>>>>>>> Talent

Which is why premiership sides have a large group with 80-150 games to their name.

You therefore should consider that in where you are and where you need to be. Giving a game to Ellard who you will piff at the end of the year when it could have gone into Graham is a dumb investment when you're last.

Imagine if guys like Graham had 40 games to his  name instead of a quarter here and there... He'd be a superior player, we wouldn't be so reliant on the old guys and we may have been looking up instead of still being in free fall.

Do games automatically = growth?

I don't necessarily believe so.

If they are not done in the right way, it could (not necessarily would or will) hinder them further.  I.e.  Murphy smashed his shoulder in his first season with us.

2012, he smashes the same shoulder again when he was just at the peak of his powers.  He hasnt been the same since.

Andrew Walker had a similar issue which actually stopped him getting on the park consistently for a few years there.

At the end of the day, there is no perfect science, but simply a matter of who earned a game.

FWIW, I hope Graham gets a game soon.  Did you think Watson got a lot out of his match on saturday??  Id say no.  It might have killed what little confidence he had built over the last year or so.