Young blokes to take us forward

[soupman]

Who are the young players that are going to become best 22 players and where do they sit at the moment?

As has been covered numerous times (particularly in the media) we have an ageing list. Johnson, Aka and Eagleton are all more than likely to retire this season, with Hall soon to follow. Further to this, guys like Hudson and the draft class of 1999 (Murphy, Gia, Gilbee, Hargrave and Hahn) are all players that could begin to decline and potentially retire in 3-5 years. But the question at the moment is how do we compliment this older group of players with the young players sitting on our list?

So far there have only been a couple of players in the younger age group to establish themselves in the 22, namely Callan Ward, Liam Picken and Jarrod Harbrow. For the purposes of this argument I count those players that have had considreable experience as established members of the side excluded from this thread ie. Cooney and Griffen.

So who are the player's that are going to stake a claim for a regular spot in our side this season, and can actually offer us more than a more established player. Jarrad Grant is the obvious example, but I'm interested in peoples thoughts on the potential contributions of guys like Brennan Stack, Sam Reid, Stephen Tiller and maybe even a Jarrod Boumann.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Young blokes to take us forward

I am pretty confident that Reid will force his way in, during the second half of the season.

[FrediKanoute]

Re: Young blokes to take us forward

You have to look at the following guys currently on our list being our core for the next 4 or 5 seasons:

Lake - 3 seasons
Murphy - 4 seasons
Cross - 4 seasons
Boyd - 4 seasons
Gia - 3 seasons
Gilbee - 3 seasons
Morris - 3 seasons
Hargrave - 3 seasons
Cooney - 5+ seasons
Griffin - 5+ seasons
Higgins - 5+ seasons
Minson - 5+ seasons
Picken - 5+ seasons
Grant - 5+ seasons
Everitt - 5+ seasons
Ward - 5 +seasons
Harbrow - 5+ seasons (assuming he doesn't go to GC)
Hill - 5+ seasons
Reid - 5+ seasons
Roughhead - 5+ seasons

I don't think you can really say for definite whether they other guys on our list will make it or will be a part of the team beyond the next couple of seasons.

[Bulldog Joe]

Re: Young blokes to take us forward

You have to look at the following guys currently on our list being our core for the next 4 or 5 seasons:

Lake - 3 seasons
Murphy - 4 seasons
Cross - 4 seasons
Boyd - 4 seasons
Gia - 3 seasons
Gilbee - 3 seasons
Morris - 3 seasons
Hargrave - 3 seasons
Cooney - 5+ seasons
Griffin - 5+ seasons
Higgins - 5+ seasons
Minson - 5+ seasons
Picken - 5+ seasons
Grant - 5+ seasons
Everitt - 5+ seasons
Ward - 5 +seasons
Harbrow - 5+ seasons (assuming he doesn't go to GC)
Hill - 5+ seasons
Reid - 5+ seasons
Roughhead - 5+ seasons

I don't think you can really say for definite whether they other guys on our list will make it or will be a part of the team beyond the next couple of seasons.

That's not a bad start.
20 players if we keep them all (fit/GC/GWS)

Add in
Jones
Wood
Howard and Tutt (hopefully)
Wallis and Liberatore (more than hopefully - think they can both be regulars in 2011)

Then developing on the list who might

Boumann
Cordy

and you still have
Addison
Moles
Tiller
Stack

as good depth.

[Ghost Dog]

Re: Young blokes to take us forward

IMO it would be good to give some youngsters a run now. Ideally to replace Hahn and Eagleton / stack / just for a game or two. No disprespect to these players, would still like to see them around.
I think the problem is our line up has become too predictable. Carlton dropped a few players and So did St Kilda and made them earn their spot. It was good for the dropped players and good for thoses teams.
Let's face it, they cannot do THAT much worse than these guys are at the moment.
All three look very VFL at the moment.

[Mofra]

Re: Young blokes to take us forward

I would be happy to see Jones get a debut due to Grant's suspension - give the kid a taste.
Reid will come in when he is fit, and Ward is only a few weeks away (also needing match fitness).
Roughead is developing nicely and will get games when either Hudson or Minson is rested.

[Mantis]

Re: Young blokes to take us forward

You have to look at the following guys currently on our list being our core for the next 4 or 5 seasons:

Lake - 3 seasons
Murphy - 4 seasons
Cross - 4 seasons
Boyd - 4 seasons
Gia - 3 seasons
Gilbee - 3 seasons
Morris - 3 seasons
Hargrave - 3 seasons

I think you have been very generous with a few of these players and think that more than one of these will be under pressure to remain post 2011, and depending on how the rest of the 2010 unfolds we may trade one or 2 of these out while they still hold some currency.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Young blokes to take us forward

That's not a bad start.
20 players if we keep them all (fit/GC/GWS)

Add in
Jones
Wood
Howard and Tutt (hopefully)
Wallis and Liberatore (more than hopefully - think they can both be regulars in 2011)

Then developing on the list who might

Boumann
Cordy

and you still have
Addison
Moles
Tiller
Stack

as good depth.

Not to mention any trades and draft/rookie pickups in the meantime.

IMO it would be good to give some youngsters a run now. Ideally to replace Hahn and Eagleton / stack / just for a game or two. No disprespect to these players, would still like to see them around.
I think the problem is our line up has become too predictable. Carlton dropped a few players and So did St Kilda and made them earn their spot. It was good for the dropped players and good for thoses teams.
Let's face it, they cannot do THAT much worse than these guys are at the moment.
All three look very VFL at the moment.

Stack aside, I agree. I think Stack has done fine for what is basically a first year player, he had very little game time before this year and he is finding his feet. If I can bear it with Williams, I'll bear it with Stack.

I would be happy to see Jones get a debut due to Grant's suspension - give the kid a taste.
Reid will come in when he is fit, and Ward is only a few weeks away (also needing match fitness).
Roughead is developing nicely and will get games when either Hudson or Minson is rested.

Roughead is a gem. Can't wait for the big fella to join the People's Beard. That said, I thought Minson's effort on Sunday was great, and maybe further proof of the benefit of dropping some players.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Re: Young blokes to take us forward

Stack aside, I agree. I think Stack has done fine for what is basically a first year player, he had very little game time before this year and he is finding his feet. If I can bear it with Williams, I'll bear it with Stack.

First year player?

Stack was drafted in 2006 and is already 22.

[Go_Dogs]

Re: Young blokes to take us forward

First year player?

Stack was drafted in 2006 and is already 22.

But he said, basically a first year player, in that, he hasn't played many AFL games, which I tend to think is a fair assessment.




This season we have had a number of injuries to our younger players, which hasn't helped their/our cause much. It's going to be very interesting to see what happens at the end of the year with the list, because I'm starting to think we'll look at making up to 7 changes to the senior list. We're going to have to make some tough decisions on players, but if we don't believe they are going to make the level, we need to quickly move them on and try and find some others who are going to make the required level.

[Mofra]

Re: Young blokes to take us forward

But he said, basically a first year player, in that, he hasn't played many AFL games, which I tend to think is a fair assessment.

I think that's being a bit generous to Stack. He's still spent plenty of time in the system, and hasn't missed entire seasons due injury.

Hill is younger and lighter but is a fair way ahead of him, Everitt is a young tall, is younger and ahead of him, Grant is younger, taller, and has spent less time in the system and has had injury interrupted seasons in his past three years but is miles ahead.

Even DFA who is a similar age and has obvious limitations is ahead of Stack. I'm worried.

[Mantis]

Re: Young blokes to take us forward

Even DFA who is a similar age and has obvious limitations is ahead of Stack. I'm worried.

Dylan has played 51 AFL games, Brennan has played just 8.

If Brennan had played 50 games and he still was making the same mistakes then as he is now I would be concerned.

[Go_Dogs]

Re: Young blokes to take us forward

Dylan has played 51 AFL games, Brennan has played just 8.

If Brennan had played 50 games and he still was making the same mistakes then as he is now I would be concerned.

Yep, that's the point I was trying to make.


Josh Hill and Dylan Addison both continue to make the same mistakes (I think both have improved on last year, but still have limitations that they need to continue to work on) but both have played a lot of football now. They should be more accountable in their performance than Stack, regardless of age.

As far as Stack goes, he's a young/inexperienced player, playing in a team that is struggling big time, in one of the most difficult spots on the ground (as far as being able to influence the contest and stay involved) and as such, I think he's done a serviceable job over the course of his matches.

He can lead up, he can mark, he can tackle, he can kick. He just needs to get his intensity/contested/consistency areas to improve, but those are areas that improve with age, strength and confidence in the body.

[Bornadog]

Re: Young blokes to take us forward

Dylan has played 51 AFL games, Brennan has played just 8.

If Brennan had played 50 games and he still was making the same mistakes then as he is now I would be concerned.

Agreed, forget his age at this stage. He has shown some potential and needs experience.

I loved that goal in the last quarter when he took them on and kicked the goal. He did that twice against Essendon, one was a magnificent run from the backline only to be stopped by a silly free kick behind play when Gilbee laid a shephard deemed too far off the ball (I think it was fair but the umpire disagreed) and the other one where he was running into an open goal and took one step too many. These were all very exciting to watch.

If you watch the replay, the commentators are a little critical of Stacks awareness of other players where he had chances to switch the play but took the wrong option. This comes down to experience.

[Bulldog Joe]

Re: Young blokes to take us forward

My problem with Stack is that he avoided the contest more than once.
Inexperience is no excuse for stepping aside and letting your opponent have a free run.