Looks like players have been rewarded for performance in the nab, not reputation. Having said that i thought hartley did enough, but maybe its a matchup issue ? Hartley is not a top up. But he may have less of a tank than ambrose.
Some… not all. I think he has just picked the team he thinks will give him the best chance of winning the game.
Hartley and Grimley big surprise outs for me. Felt that they spent the preseason settling them into the key roles. Apparently not.
And obviously Leuenberger didn’t play NAB, sooooo, in some cases it was definitely not just NAB.
That side will compete at least. Not sure they will be cohesive enough as a unit to really threaten. But that side won’t lose through lack of effort.
Gold Coast will inflict the first of many hidings for us this year. And as long as the kids get a go I won't care. All about development.
I looked at the GC team and it looks ordinary. If we do get a hiding it would be a horrible sign but don’t think that will happen. Agree though, it’s purely development this year. Looking at it positively there are 0 expectations for us so I think it’s a real opportunity to do the best we can for our young players.
Interesting thing for me is that we have an even list of up to 35 players, without many standouts and the least 10 or 12 of that group being pretty even.
Along with the 22 picked this week, you could throw in all of Laverde, Hartley, Jamar, Grimley, Edwards, Fantasia, McKenna, Kommer, Dempsey, and when fit, Polkinghorne, Grima, and possibly Eades and Francis.
Sub any of those into the 22 and the team is neither greatly improved or weakened, just a different combination of players of a similar standard, who may or may not perform ok on the day.
In general, I would prefer to see a balanced preference given to our younger or developing players, at the expense of the top ups.
So maybe more of Laverde, Edwards, Fantasia, McKenna, and eventually Eades and Francis, included from the above.
But, as I say, a balance of not too many in one hit, and a balance of how many games physically they each should play, and their confidence levels etc. plays a part.
But always we should be looking to development rather than the best result on the scoreboard. The scoreboard doesn’t matter this year.
Edit: For those counting the numbers, the 35 above leave out Long, Wallis, Hams, Redman, Morgan, Nyuon, Michael and Ashby. Did I miss anyone else?