Lid on 2018 - have we gone to soon? Nervously hanging out for Friday

We are or would be playing all of these players when fit and in best form:

Zerrett, Raz, Langford, Laverde, McKenna, Parish, Francis, McGrath.

Although not all teenagers, these are our current crop of young guns and conceivably will all play in the same side when fit and in reasonable form.

These players are still brand new and will most likely be introduced this year, and Mutch is on the cusp.

Mutch, Begley, Clarke,

Draper will probably get a go next year after a full pre-season getting his body ready (or earlier if the wheels are off and/or injuries hit). Similar scenario although different circumstances for Ridley.

Long, Morgan and Redman aren’t getting a game because they haven’t shown enough good form - we shouldn’t gift games, we didn’t do it last year and they should get games if they show form this year, especially Long because his list spot is on the line and probably Morgan too.

These are all our young players and they will get played when they show enough to warrant it. Senior spots shouldn’t be wasted if there is still significant development to be had at VFL level, as this will likely be more beneficial - or at least if they can’t show it at VFL level there is no reason to assume they will show it at AFL level.

Mature players recruited since 2013 who are/could/might not be a part of our future:

Walla, Ambrose, Hartley, Brown, Bird, Stewart, Green, Dea and McNeice

Stop gap ruck recruits: Smack, Leuenberger (to give Disco some credit, he did tell Rory Lobb he was going to draft him, only for Zerrett to unexpectedly slip through to pick 26).

The glue bridging 2016 to 2017 - Kelly (future performance coach?)

The 28 players above are the sum total of all of our remaining recruits since the end of 2013. There are only 16 players still on the list recruited before this (the 10 + Zakka, Goddard, Bags, Joe, Gleeson and Jerrett). I still think this is a hell of a four years worth of recruits and we still need some more (one more ruckman for 1), but this is way above our average in the pre saga period, and I am still looking very much forward to the rest of 2017 as well as 2018 and I do think Worsfold is doing very similar to last year, developing our young talent in the AFL side when they earn the opportunity and honouring our experienced players with opportunities when they warrant them as well.

This could still be interesting by the second half of 2017 and certainly will be in 2018 and beyond.

I really don’t see who is missing out (unjustifiably).

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Well we’re simply not, and I dispute we “would be” under almost any circumstances. The only one who’s missed any time injured is Laverde; plenty of the rest have played plenty of VFL.

Are we any chance to get that young Parish brother? Maybe Woosha playing Hocking/Howlett etc is a masterstroke.

Well we have played Zerrett, Raz, McKenna, Parish, Francis and McGrath in the past 2 weeks and Langford was a fixture until the week before, but wasn’t playing well enough (I did mention form as a criteria).

Francis, McKenna and McGrath have been in and out in recent weeks for reasons of suspension or resting, but all could play this week, with only Langford missing due to form and Lav because of injury.

That is 6 of our youngest players playing at the moment and Langford isn’t playing as well as last year currently and is probably being groomed for a new role which he needs to learn more about in order to be competitive (or go back to being mainly a forward which is putting him in competition with Francis for a place).

You can argue that McKenna and Francis could have been played earlier, but I am talking about now. Woosha said all things being equal he would favour the younger players and I think he has done this. After the trauma of the Adelaide game, I think he realised he needs the pace of McKenna and the explosiveness of Francis in order to make up ground in the medium term. He also wants the movement of Brown (when he can have it) and McNeice.

I can’t see how you can argue that Woosha isn’t trying to develop this side, but he needs to try out various combinations to work out what he has and what works best and if there was much to play for in 2017.

If there is, I think that now, he is mainly going to try to achieve it with 1993 style tanking (ie: by playing younger players like Francis, McKenna, and soon Mutch into to side when they are showing a bit of form) with rotations of experienced players as well.

In 2018 there won’t be many 30 YO plus players left at the club, and our next batch of youngsters will be starting to claim their spots.

I don’t think it’s attacking - it’s a footy forum. We’re discussing the team who played ■■■■ and trying to work out why they’re playing ■■■■. Things will be said.

Other than that - fair comment.

We will beat geelong. Can see it happening.

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WTF is wrong with you, I’ve seen multiple positive posts from you lately

Fun fact, we’ve only won in Melbourne this season when I’ve been there. GET ME OVER

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I SAW IT ON FACEBOOK, IT MUST BE TRUE

Legit we’re due for an upset. Happens once or twice a season. Before the bye would be nice.

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Hahaha. Saw stevo spouting this on the news. Dunno where to begin.

Not wrong. But I can see Dangerfield and Selwood going absolutely HAM this week and us getting done by 10 goals also

we can only pray

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Me too!

The only question is: which year?

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3614

So…your’e an optimist?

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You want the lid off thread

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Well, we were upset when we lost to Carlton. We were upset the way we lost to Freo. That’s 2 before the bye, I reckon we can squeeze in a couple more before the bye rounds as well

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You can keep saying the same small handful of names.

Fact is almost every other club has a longer list of kids and young players they’re playing every other week

Of the selected 22s on the weekend, we had the 4th oldest behind Geelong, WCE and Hawthorn. The week before we were 5th oldest with St K also older.
That’s not a club throwing even half a toe in the rebuild. Of course we’re playing pick 1 & pick 5 mids, they’re in our best side - proves nothing.
We need to see guys like McKenna, Mutch and Langford and Begley have extended runs. Cos I can reel off 4-6 guys from each week’s side who have no future at all.

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As someone else posted, Essendon seem to rest more players than any other club.

How long before there’s a Thursday night announcement "40+ listed players will be rested this week and Essendon have regretfully informed (insert oppostion club name here) that they are unable to field a side in Round xxx.