You really only need to see what Lake helped Hawthorne achieve in my book if they add even 3% that can be a massive difference than waiting the 2 or 3 years to develope a younger player.
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You really only need to see what Lake helped Hawthorne achieve in my book if they add even 3% that can be a massive difference than waiting the 2 or 3 years to develope a younger player.
Umm.
My comment about age was related to McKernan. Surely we aren't comparing Breust and McKernan as if they are part of the same football universe?
Age DOES matter when it comes to bringing guys in - but bringing in someone with a high pedigree and a clearly defined role is different to bringing in an ageing battler to perform a non-specific 'backup' role...
There is certainly a clear difference in discussion about McKernan and Breust from my perspective. Hopefully I can explain it better
I agree 100% about McKernan who is a decent forward who can hold a mark but he would never push Bruce or Naughton out of a spot in our team. He would be a depth player nothing else for us and with a reduced list size and given his age he probably isn't going to get any better so to me he is an easy pass.
Smith and Breust, as you point out, are very different players who are a lot better than decent and I would think they would both command a senior spot in our team because they can fill specific roles for us.
If you believe our 'window is open' then players of that quality are worth considering and their age is somewhat a secondary consideration especially if you believe you could get 2 or 3 years out of them.
I'd would have been open to considering Smith and Breust but less so with McKernan based on the reasons above
Excellent chat everyone but this is no place for intelligent conversation so as they prepare to own another trade period can we resume roasting Essington please?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfWQ...nnel=Herbatron
When looking at older players, we should be placing a heavy weighting on their ability to show our younger players the 'right' way to play a position - i.e. Breust would do wonders for the development of Weightman, Cavarra, West etc. Goldstein would do the same for English. I was keen on Burgoyne for the same reason.
I don't know. Essendon are a basket case, we aren't. It's amazing the difference it can make when you have something to play for. McKernan is a talented player and that talent can sometimes rise when it has competition. When it is just a case of going through the motions then not so much.
Lots of players who have looked ordinary at poor clubs with bad cultures have blossomed when a more successful club takes them on. Im not saying that McKernan is a superstar but he'd be handy to have if Naughton missed v the Saints.
Speaking of which what's the story with Josh Schasche? He'd be handy for structure if Naughton missed even though they play a fairly different role/gamestyle.
Can Lewis Young play forward? I guess he's as close to a swingman as we currently have on our list.
Hopefully Schasche can come up after missing the scratch match and rescue his career with a sterling 4 match finals series that makes him into the confident AFL player we all want him to become. Assuming Naughton misses of course.