I was talking about the VFL, but you’re right about Heppell’s influence on the backline it’s an area that Ridley, Laverde, Francis and Stewart struggle from what I’ve seen/heard. Ridley needs to take ownership of his young cohort and learn from Heppell while he is still playing.
Redman and Hind are pretty vocal but playing on the smalls makes it harder for them to set up the other defenders.
Hooker and Hurley were both great in that area.
Laverde, Heppell, Stewart back
Hooker forward
Parish to the midfield finally.
Ambrose, Zaharakis out of the starting 22.
Loss of Fantasia, Saad and Daniher.
Throw in the injuries to Hurley and Shiel, the addition of Cox, Perkins, Jones and Hind - and that’s over half the team that’s changed this year. That’s a lot more than a minor shift.
Lav seems to be chirping up a bit during games, so maybe he’s one to take over that mantle. Something no doubt the club’s working on.
But yep. Fair point re VFL. Don’t really get the Ambo fwd thing, but we do have more depth back than fwd, and someone has to play fwd.
Oh, lots of little things for sure.
I mean in terms of old vs young, which seems to be the story.
I think you have completely missed my point.
I asked: “Can you name the equivalent of Zaharakis/Ambrose playing VFL in a Worsfold coached side?”
I did not ask why weren’t Zaharakis or Ambrose specifically playing VFL.
So let me be more specific…
Can you name a perennially best 22 senior player, who was out of form/underperforming/past their best, that was dropped to the VFL in favour of younger players during Worsfold’s entire tenure?
The only bloke I can think of is Myers, and he actually dropped himself.
Playing Ambrose and Zaharakis in the VFL is a massive shift, as we never saw anything like it with Worsfold.
You also reiterated your point that when we’ve had good kids fit, they’ve been given a good shot, but conveniently decided to disregard the names I brought up contrary to that. Draper, Langford and Ridley were all good kids who were fit and did not.
Yeah we’re gonna need him down back
Is he ready?
BRING HIM IN. BRING HIM IN. BRING HIM IN . (if ready)
Yep. It’s time
He’ll be ready enough by next year. A few games this year would help
Readyish but who gives a stuff. Would rather Tex kick 5 on him than Stewart.
I read your point, I don’t agree it’s relevance.
I mean, did Zaha play a single VFL game last year, did Ambo?
No?
So it’s obviously not just about who the coach is.
(And if you want to feel really silly, read some VFL Match reports from 2017)
It’s time for Reid to reemerge in the AFL. He’s improved each week in the VFL since his return and now is an opportune time for him to come in and develop his craft. We need to invest in the future and Zach Reid will be a big part of that.
I’m sure they will want to give him a kick in the seniors, but I don’t think there is any rush.
He isn’t going to do a better job than anyone in the best 22 right now.
They rushed him in last time. They might do it again
In a development year is it really about doing a better than say Stewart right away? It’s about getting him doing a better job in two years.
With Adelaide at home and Norf the next 2 weeks, it’s a good time to bring him in.
I’d consider resting Cox and bringing him in.
Shouldn’t be.
But remember the confused bollocks from Brasher before the year?
We wanted to do a lot of development and also be very competitive?
It’s never a full development year, with EFC - always a bob each way.
sigh, yep.