Dreamers pick kids...and then...

[mjp]

I can't talk - I put Dolan in my starting side for the NM game. But so did the match committee.

Now all the talk is he should be left out this week...

I don't get this. I know it's all about integrity and stuff, but at some point if you pick a first year player to PLAY then you need to stand by them. He was picked for Round 1 and whilst his impact was minimal he wasn't 'appalling' - he simply wasn't. I don't get what's changed in a week that would lead to him being dropped? Player 'x' showed such sparkling form in a VFL practice game that he demands inclusion?

I mean, would Baker or Poulter or 'someone else' be able to do what Dolan did last week? Probs. But we've seen that...what we haven't seen is what this kid might be able to do given a chance to settle and play.

Dreamers pick kids. They are going to struggle in pressure situations, they will make mistakes and blow defensive assignments. They simply will. But if you dare to dream, then have the courage of your convictions and give them an actual GO...one and done is poor selecting.

[Pedro Sanchez]

I can't talk - I put Dolan in my starting side for the NM game. But so did the match committee.

Now all the talk is he should be left out this week...

I don't get this. I know it's all about integrity and stuff, but at some point if you pick a first year player to PLAY then you need to stand by them. He was picked for Round 1 and whilst his impact was minimal he wasn't 'appalling' - he simply wasn't. I don't get what's changed in a week that would lead to him being dropped? Player 'x' showed such sparkling form in a VFL practice game that he demands inclusion?

I mean, would Baker or Poulter or 'someone else' be able to do what Dolan did last week? Probs. But we've seen that...what we haven't seen is what this kid might be able to do given a chance to settle and play.

Dreamers pick kids. They are going to struggle in pressure situations, they will make mistakes and blow defensive assignments. They simply will. But if you dare to dream, then have the courage of your convictions and give them an actual GO...one and done is poor selecting.

I'd defintely keep him in the side. Sure he only had a few touches of the pill, but a couple were decent enough to show the potential. Had Davidson held the mark just outside the goal square it would have been a great assist and exactly what he's in the team for. Low possie games but with cut-through qaulity.

[hujsh]

The caveat I'd add is how did he pull up? It's a 6 day break playing in 33c heat and Dolan hasn't had a huge preseason to build a massive tank. I get it's round 1 but he was really struggling to see out the game from the view I had on TV. So I wonder if there's merit to bringing in someone who can run out the game?

Otherwise happy to give him a chance to settle and get a taste

[lemmon]

The caveat I'd add is how did he pull up? It's a 6 day break playing in 33c heat and Dolan hasn't had a huge preseason to build a massive tank. I get it's round 1 but he was really struggling to see out the game from the view I had on TV. So I wonder if there's merit to bringing in someone who can run out the game?

Otherwise happy to give him a chance to settle and get a taste

I see it the same way. No issues with what he did on debut and I think he genuinely is around the fringes of our best 22, but he's also played one of the most physically-sapping games you could imagine. Hot, humid, limited rotations because we were down multiple players.

The guy is also coming off a stop-start pre-season and he's a first year player who doesn't have miles in his legs. I don't see how you can play him this week unless the fitness guys are very sure he has recovered and will have strong run in his legs.

If we want to keep the same mix, I'd just swap him over with Arty and bring Dolan on as the sub. If we feel like we were an inside mid short (which I think we were) then give him a week in the twos, get Garcia in and reassess the mix against the Blues.

[mjp]

I would not make him the sub under any circumstances. I just don't think that role works for young players.

[josie]

You’ve convinced me mjp.

IIRC Bevo normally does provide at least 2 games in a row for debutantes unless they are really poor (Clarke last year) or injured.

[hujsh]

I would not make him the sub under any circumstances. I just don't think that role works for young players.

I'd maybe lean towards Artie for Dolan and Baker the sub then. Assuming we think it's asking too much for him to be 100% for Saturday.

[NAUGHTY100]

I can't talk - I put Dolan in my starting side for the NM game. But so did the match committee.

Now all the talk is he should be left out this week...

I don't get this. I know it's all about integrity and stuff, but at some point if you pick a first year player to PLAY then you need to stand by them. He was picked for Round 1 and whilst his impact was minimal he wasn't 'appalling' - he simply wasn't. I don't get what's changed in a week that would lead to him being dropped? Player 'x' showed such sparkling form in a VFL practice game that he demands inclusion?

I mean, would Baker or Poulter or 'someone else' be able to do what Dolan did last week? Probs. But we've seen that...what we haven't seen is what this kid might be able to do given a chance to settle and play.

Dreamers pick kids. They are going to struggle in pressure situations, they will make mistakes and blow defensive assignments. They simply will. But if you dare to dream, then have the courage of your convictions and give them an actual GO...one and done is poor selecting.

I have had a long time belief that new guys need to be played for at least 3 games , on the proviso that they contribute , even if it is minimal , Dloan looks like the prefect type that we need in our forward half , and sure he didnt set the world on fire with his 1st game but he showed glimpses of whats to come , he needs to stay in the side and i totally agree 1st or 2nd year players should not be subs, the sub really has no time to settle into the pace of the game , he should be switched on from the moment he comes on ,ready to contribute .

[Miti-Dog5]

Yeah agreed, I don't see the point in giving a kid a debut if you're only gonna drop him the next week. Dolan was quiet but I don't think he was bad. I'm keen to see what he's capable of once he finds his feet a bit.

[Stevo]

I can't talk - I put Dolan in my starting side for the NM game. But so did the match committee.

Now all the talk is he should be left out this week...

I don't get this. I know it's all about integrity and stuff, but at some point if you pick a first year player to PLAY then you need to stand by them. He was picked for Round 1 and whilst his impact was minimal he wasn't 'appalling' - he simply wasn't. I don't get what's changed in a week that would lead to him being dropped? Player 'x' showed such sparkling form in a VFL practice game that he demands inclusion?

I mean, would Baker or Poulter or 'someone else' be able to do what Dolan did last week? Probs. But we've seen that...what we haven't seen is what this kid might be able to do given a chance to settle and play.

Dreamers pick kids. They are going to struggle in pressure situations, they will make mistakes and blow defensive assignments. They simply will. But if you dare to dream, then have the courage of your convictions and give them an actual GO...one and done is poor selecting.

It doesn't appear like he can run out the game. I get the notion that we should stick with him but surely a fitter and more mature player could be a better fit this week?

[Mantis]

The kid couldn't run in the 2nd half... played only 60% game time and had 1 touch after 1/2 time.

We made a mistake playing him so early and we need to correct it.

[jeemak]

Well, we won and we gave him a taste. Not sure that's a mistake per se, and an even more positive view would be we were able to take a risk with one or two debutants and get over the line.

But......it was obvious he's not quite ready so we make plans for him to concentrate on in the twos and figure out who can be more impactful in the seniors this week. No harm, no foul.

[jazzadogs]

It doesn't appear like he can run out the game. I get the notion that we should stick with him but surely a fitter and more mature player could be a better fit this week?

They knew he couldn't run out the game last week but picked him anyway.

It was interesting that he was second to Davidson for average speed, so when he was on the ground he was constantly moving at a decent pace. 67% TOG, average speed of 8.4km/hr seem like good numbers.

I'm on board that he should stay in the team unless he is injured/sore after the debut, or we found that carrying him affected our interchange rotations too much.

[Rusty12]

Agree, on all of this, and still had him in my team week 1, and omitted from week 2.......
Agree, no kids as sub.
Agree, if you play them once, show some faith, play a few.
On this occasion, my concern on team balance was without Garcia coming in, maybe West more inside mid and the potential for williams to go back, did we need a Baker type in the team.
Completely okay if he plays week 2 as well.

[SonofScray]

Tend to agree.

Give him some time to settle in, we know what we are getting from the people around him that would replace him, I’d rather spend the time discovering something new.

the caveat as mentioned is, after a gruelling game on debut, he might need the rest.

[ledge]

Sometimes players are given a game then dropped just to show where they need to get to then given drive to get there .
I understand Dolan getting a game playing a side that is young as well, but against a well experienced team like Collingwood i would like a player in with some experience.
I guess it’s horses for courses at times we are a lot down at the moment we need experience.