Re: Western Bulldogs plan slow start
Originally Posted by
Swoop
It does pose an interesting question, with a few ageing players in the side and the idea being thrown up last year without success - What are people's thoughts on resting players at different stages throughout the season in order to get them to peak in September? When push comes to shove how much confidence do we really have in our 'depth'?
Obviously there are a fair few factors to take into account such as both team & individual form, injuries, depth player availabilties as well as opposition & matchups to name a few. Geelong successfully were able to provide certain players an opportunity to rest during the season and it helped come September, one argument that you could mount and Eade has been on record in saying that as a side we rely on everyone performing, we don't have the ability to coast through games without an even contribution. No doubt the biggest danger is to tamper with players form and potentially see them out of touch but I certainly look at Aker last season and think he was someone that could have benefited with a break leading into September.
I'm not sold on the depth at the moment, to be honest. If we had players banging on the proverbial door to be selected, it would be different, but in 2009, it didn't seem as though many at Willy were putting their names forward (from accounts, GO'K was doing O'K (geddit?), then they gave him the royal A!) Grant showed he clearly wasn't up to it (at that point) and some others struggled to even play Willy seniors. Maybe the drafting strategy this year (with several "experienced" players drafted/rookied) could change things. THe initial plan in '09 was to give rests to some of the older brigade, and poor form put an end to that.
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