Re: Match Committee - Round 6 vs Adelaide
Originally Posted by
GVGjr
I would have thought his form last year warranted another year and now a few games into it we now seem to be saying that if he plays it's at the expense of the development of the younger players. Gia's form is pretty good, he provides leadership to a very inexperienced forward line and he sets a positive tone for the younger players to follow.
The coach was very clear that Gia would be used as a sub from time to time and even in the VFL. With that in mind rather than having a blanket decision that Gia should make way for the youngsters surely the better question is around which weeks do we give him a spell and which players comes in.
Rocco's right, Melbourne jettisoned a number of experienced players so that they could sell the members the notion that were going to fast track the development the younger guys and it actually slowed their development. They have slowed the development of a number of talented youngsters. We moved on Cross but thought the younger players needed Gia around so I think it's okay that we can use him in a variety of roles. If we need to make the hard cal on him it should be later in the year.
I'm not sure that's a fair comparison to Melbourne FC to be honest, I think it's pretty harsh on us to suggest our existance at the end of last year was even close to Melbourne-esq. Unlike Melbourne, we have a decent coach, particularly to development of players (match day stuff still needs some work) and have a generally happy and motivated playing group with off-field stability.
After Bailey, Neeld killed Melbourne, slaughtered the club. He ran players out of the club, was an average match day coach, lost the players and Melbourne off the field was in free fall and Neeld sounds like a general prick. We were not and are not at that tipping point, so to suggest moving Gia into coaching one year earlier would somehow end in under, or badly developing players is not fair to our off field brigade and on field leaders. Cross was every bit a leader and I thought his form was as good as Gia, sending Cross to that mob was heart breaking stuff -a far worse outcome than moving Gia straight into coaching.
I think everyone was surprised by Gia's contract extension. Like some, the masterplan is not always exactly apparent to me, and i'm inquisitive by nature. I'm happy to go with the flow last year, but 5 games in with the results we've had I don't see what playing him now does for the long term masterplan. In a moment/s of reflection and contemplation of the season to date, and looking forward to the remainder of the season and players we need to start playing, I just don't see what it really does now. Plus finding a spot in the 22 for Hunter, Hrovat, Dickson, Honeychurch or even Capmbell or Cordy orothers, I see Gia as the most easily replaceable player to make way for new blood.
Forget why he was re-contracted or the theories behind it, it's done and it was right at the time. But.. right now 6 rounds in, the season to date, looking forward, I don't see what he offers as a player that our future this year and beyond is best with young forwards playing for Footscray. I'm interested in the future, not the past.
Rocket Science: the epitaph for the Beveridge era - whenever it ends - reading 'Here lies a team that could beat anyone on its day, but seldom did when it mattered most'. 15/7/2023