So - I read the selection thread every week with interest. I am interested in the selections. I am equally interested in peoples thoughts on the selections.

I have been coaching for (what I think is) a long time. I did my first year as an assistant in 2003 and have been running my own race since 2007. I still hate selection nights.

You have to weigh up form. Opposition structure. Opposition game-style. Size. Experience. Training form. "Character" form (yes, people go from showing good behaviours to less good behaviours just like going in and out of playing form). Time of the season (win loss). Time of the calendar (need to get experience in for next year vs now). Outside influences - in my case this always ends up being recruiters etc. THEN - there is the impact of each of those things on all of the other things.

For example - player x is out of form. But he is a generally 'good' player who might need a new look at things. So you want to move him to half back. Fine. So a defender needs to go out. Who? Clearly a half back. Well...maybe. What role in the back 6 is player x to play. What does that mean for the existing 7 defenders? What about the match-ups? etc etc.

It is chaotic. And each line coach has their say - and favourites - and you need to throw them an occasional bone as well. In the above example, the most likely change for player x coming in might be to drop player y. But he is a favourite of the backs coach who has 100% faith in his idea to 'insert unique skill of dubious value here' and he is fighting hard to keep him in. But wants instead to leave out a developing player who has shown a lot of upside but is prone to making a coach killing error (or two)...but could also be a match winner. All of which means an hour later you have somehow left out a solid citizen outside mid who never did a thing wrong because you moved the 'developing player with upside' to the mids to placate the defensive coach and now a mid had to be spat out instead...

It's really, really, really hard. And the closer to it you get, the harder it gets to manage.

Anyway...I'm sure there is a lot of "It's the coaches job just to get this right" and "How hard is it - just don't pick Gardner or Gowers" feedback to this post but...what can I tell you. I am often surprised at the selections but try not to ever get angry or upset as I am pretty confident a lot of thought and discussion has gone into it...and - after all - seeing the BEST in a player and being confident in their ability to perform despite past inconsistencies is not a bad quality.