Depth in 2008

[Go_Dogs]

The amount of times I've read this in a thread is getting towards unbelievable figures! Eagle has been on a downwards trend for the last 5 years. Every year the boards run hot with hope that some kid with zip experience, some potential and bucketloads of hype will displace him.

Its a statement that is true of every player on our list......lose form/fitness ect and you will be passed and replaced.

Sorry, I wasn't trying to bash Eagleton, I've been a big supporter of his over the years. Just given his attributes that make him dangerous, his kicking and leg speed/gut running are what set him apart. The older he gets, the more likely he might lose his edge in one of those areas which could affect his spot in the team.

Reid is certainly a different sort of player, and certainly not be able to play the role Eagleton does. He does however play very good, tight, contested footy and has shown he can adapt to the pace of high intensity contests. Geelong for example have quite a large number of players who are able to play the Boyd/Cross type role. So I don't see it as an issue. If every bloke we have can beat his man, we'll win a lot of games.

[LostDoggy]

i can see reid developing into a good link man role through the centre. One thing i noticed at a game last year is how well he prepares himself before he contests a mark. He seems quite solid in the air. On the downside his skills appear to be serviceable but not yet elite

[Mantis]

i can see reid developing into a good link man role through the centre. One thing i noticed at a game last year is how well he prepares himself before he contests a mark. He seems quite solid in the air. On the downside his skills appear to be serviceable but not yet elite

Kicking or handballing?

I would say from what I have seen he would be in the best 5 handballers at the club. He also has great vision which allows him to spot a free man from a congested area as evidenced by a few of his handballs in the game against Geelong which has already been mentioned in this thread.

His kicking is ok in that it is atleast on par with like players. (Cross & Boyd)

[The Pie Man]

Kicking or handballing?

I would say from what I have seen he would be in the best 5 handballers at the club. He also has great vision which allows him to spot a free man from a congested area as evidenced by a few of his handballs in the game against Geelong which has already been mentioned in this thread.

His kicking is ok in that it is atleast on par with like players. (Cross & Boyd)

I'd say he has more penetration with his kicks than Cross

I'm looking forward to a fit Sam Reid pushing for a more regular senior spot - from the pics of training, he and Ward look in great nic

[Twodogs]

I really, really like Reid's attitude. He's got that thing in him that just wont let him give up and that's a priceless ability to bring into our team. One game last year he dragged Willy over the line when pretty much everyone else had given up.


I think a never say die attitude like that can be in short supply in our team some days.

[Mofra]

I really, really like Reid's attitude. He's got that thing in him that just wont let him give up and that's a priceless ability to bring into our team. One game last year he dragged Willy over the line when pretty much everyone else had given up.

Cracker of a final kick - not sure his kicking is as bad as some suggest

[LostDoggy]

I really liked what i saw of Reid and Everitt in the last couple of games and they were stiff to get drop for finals. I think they only lost their spots was due to senior players coming back into the side.

Unfortunately i think it could be a similar story for the two of them in 2010. Which is a good problem to have as a side but individually, it would be bloody hard.

[w3design]

I hope no one got me wrong earlier. I would love to see Reidy in the team on a regular basis. I really like those GRUNT type players, and he offers the team heaps. His hands are clearly better than his kicking at this stage, and he is a footballer rather than just a good athlete playing football. Most of us here seem to want to see him in the team. But at who's expence? Who makes way for him if our senior group is in tact, ie. no one out with injury? Any suggestions guys?

[Go_Dogs]

But at who's expence? Who makes way for him if our senior group is in tact, ie. no one out with injury? Any suggestions guys?

The fact is, that on paper it's going to be hard for him to get a game.

What I hope happens is that form is more consistently rewarded and punished, now that we have more depth. If a player has a couple of bad weeks, drop him and reward someone else. No more unlimited credits in the bank.

I also wouldn't be surprised if Rocket was cooking up a bit of a horses for courses policy. Certain players will provide better match ups against certain teams, so potentially depending on who we are up against we may have certain match-ups we want, which will help spread the opportunities. Ie. Callan when we need a quick, small lock down defender, Tiller if we need a third tall down back and want Morris on a small, Reid in against a side like St Kilda or Geelong where his contested style will help etc.

Hopefully the off-season ends soon, because I will eventually drive myself insane continuously pondering such things...

[Before I Die]

What I hope happens is that form is more consistently rewarded and punished, now that we have more depth. If a player has a couple of bad weeks, drop him and reward someone else. No more unlimited credits in the bank.

I don't agree with this. Based on this approach, Skipper and O'Keefe would have been at the very least getting a senior game every third week. Yet both of them are now delisted. If VFL form was the best indicator of AFL success then we should delist a number of players and recruit Brett Johnson, Ben Jolley and Ben Davies, as they, with the two mentioned above, filled the top five places in the Williamstown B & F. Remember, some-one has to get the votes each week, regardless of how the team went overall. VFL and AFL form are both only part of the equation and stats gained are not necessarily a true indicator of contribution to team game plan.

Except for a blip at the end of 2007 I think the outcomes under Eade have been very good. We could very easily be now celebrating a premiership and the fact that we are not comes down purely to luck, not any fault of Eade or the match selection panel. I want to see more of the same next year with regard to team selection.

Injuries aside, if Everitt, Reid, Wood, Grant and Roughead want to get a game ahead of Hahn, Hill, Eagleton, Hudson, Picken or Harbrow, they are going to need to dominate at VFL level, not just be amongst the best each week, and also do everything right on the track etc.

Having said that, I think injuries (and the pre-season competition) will give these players opportunities, and then it is up to them to stake their claim at the higher level.

[LostDoggy]

I don't agree with this. Based on this approach, Skipper and O'Keefe would have been at the very least getting a senior game every third week. Yet both of them are now delisted.

I don't think he was saying that players who are performing at VFL level means automatic selection for players who aren't peforming in the seniors. If their not up to AFL standard (which i'm sure was more the case for Skipper and O'Keefe, hence why they have both since been delisted) then they don't get promoted.

But if the 2nd tier players like Reid, Everitt, Roughead etc are performing in the VFL and up to AFL standard. Then if any player in the same position isn't performing then i for one hope they get promoted.

[Before I Die]

I don't think he was saying that players who are performing at VFL level means automatic selection for players who aren't peforming in the seniors. If their not up to AFL standard (which i'm sure was more the case for Skipper and O'Keefe, hence why they have both since been delisted) then they don't get promoted.

But if the 2nd tier players like Reid, Everitt, Roughead etc are performing in the VFL and up to AFL standard. Then if any player in the same position isn't performing then i for one hope they get promoted.

That's the quandary. Does good VFL form indicate a player is up to AFL standard? It is the only indicator we the fans get to see, but the examples of Skipper and O'Keefe demonstrate that is is not necessarily enough. All season Eade was being lambasted on this board for not playing O'Keefe. It would now seem that 15 other AFL coaches agree with him. I am not saying that players cannot win a place through good VFL form, only that it has to be tandem with other indicators which unfortunately, we are not privy to.

Regarding our depth, I think it still has an aspect of "potential depth" as opposed to "real depth". To have real depth you need to have a few mature bodied, battle hardened players who have demonstrated they can compete at AFL level but are being kept out by even better performed players. Tim Callan falls into this category. Dylan Addison and Steven Tiller almost. Brodie Moles and Lukas Markovic haven't played an AFL game yet, but they are mature bodies and if they really are up to AFL standard and if one or two of our kids can force players like Hahn and Eagleton back to Willie, then we will have exceptional depth.

[Mantis]

Regarding our depth, I think it still has an aspect of "potential depth" as opposed to "real depth". To have real depth you need to have a few mature bodied, battle hardened players who have demonstrated they can compete at AFL level but are being kept out by even better performed players. Tim Callan falls into this category. Dylan Addison and Steven Tiller almost. Brodie Moles and Lukas Markovic haven't played an AFL game yet, but they are mature bodies and if they really are up to AFL standard and if one or two of our kids can force players like Hahn and Eagleton back to Willie, then we will have exceptional depth.

With restrictions on list numbers, salary caps and also the desire of players to compete at the highest level I doubt you will ever see a team with 'real depth' again or atleast at a substantial level. With the amount of $$'s on offer at the highest level I doubt you will find many players happy to bide their time in the reserve grade at a strong club when they could be playing regular senior grade footy elsewehre, especially when they are in the 22-26 (mature bodied) age group.

[LostDoggy]

With restrictions on list numbers, salary caps and also the desire of players to compete at the highest level I doubt you will ever see a team with 'real depth' again or atleast at a substantial level. With the amount of $$'s on offer at the highest level I doubt you will find many players happy to bide their time in the reserve grade at a strong club when they could be playing regular senior grade footy elsewehre, especially when they are in the 22-26 (mature bodied) age group.

Agreed. You look at the 3 players mentioned in the "real depth" category. Callan, Addison and Tiller all have to show something this year or they could be shown the door.

But then again with GC17 & GWS coming in, teams are going to lose players. So maybe these players could gain a position in a starting 22, if not at our club, elsewhere.

[Go_Dogs]

Cracker of a final kick - not sure his kicking is as bad as some suggest

When he debuted in Adelaide in 2008, I stated at the time that I thought his kicking during that match was fairly sound. I don't think he'll ever become a truly elite kick, but he's not a slouch by any means.