Opportunities in the best 22

Football Discussion Trade week Duursma head in
1

I’ve seen a bit of “we get XYZ marginal player, they’ll get lots of game time with us”, or “the youngsters will be able to develop in the firsts”. Isn’t this a load of crap? I mean, if we say we’ll play with 4 talls between rucks and forwards, and ALL the bench goes to small mids/forwards, then there are 12 positions in the team for small midfielder and forward options.

We’ve already got Watson, Goddard, Heppell, Stanton, Zaha, Myers, Hocking, Colyer, Zerrett and Howlett as pretty certain starters. That’s 10 spots. That leaves two spots for developing youngsters. Like Laverde, Langford, McKenna, Jerrett, Fantasia, Edwards, NOB, etc. TWO. Now, there will be a few injuries, but the hope/plan is that its less than previous years, isn’t it? And of course, Dempsey and Cooney will also be fighting for slots.

So does anyone else think other fringe players will be looking at our side and going “hell no”. Even besides the SAGA, if they pay attention to the opportunities Edwards, Aylett, Giles have had they’d be pretty worried.

And is anyone else concerned about how the hell we develop our next side if some of those older guys don’t make way for young blood to be tried out, and get experience? If we are planning on some of those guys having youngsters win games based on development and not merit - shouldn’t we be letting them know, and possibly trading them?

Just seems like a bad situation all round, and EFC is blindly running down a very dark path.

2

This was not meant to be a REBUILD EVERYTHING thread, unlike yaco implies. It was meant more to explore the juxtaposition that people want some shiny youth, they want to give some fringe players a chance (both of which I agree with), but nobody seems to want to push anyone out of the side (or the list), and thinks these new kids will get plenty of game time. I was curious if it was just me who thought these desires are at odds (and is worried about it) or if others disagreed.

3
Ants puts in a power of work on here and goes to a lot of trouble to actually put together well constructed and reasoned posts which many find thought provoking. He clearly cares enough about the club and wants it to succeed so give it a spell. Blokes that just dismiss him as negative are being lazy and are giving nothing to what is a forum to discuss our clubs fortunes.

I ‘liked’ your post, because I agree in part. What I don’t (and never will) agree with, is generalising that our club is farked. And that gets bandied around, in various ways, on this site far too often for a fan site. You can be constructive without using inflammatory statements like
“Just seems like a bad situation all round, and EFC is blindly running down a very dark path.” The only purpose that serves., is the OP’s purpose - which comes across as self-congratulatory and smug at the expense of EFC.

Ironically, at the start of this season I was writing long posts on why we should make the top 4 ....

Maybe the last bit was a bit negative. But I do worry what the clubs plans are to win a premiership. I wonder if they’re aiming just on 2016 and finals. I also think we’ve got some good young youth, but I don’t want to wait 4 years to find out I’m wrong (when it would be too late) because they haven’t had AFL game time aka Kav, Dal, Browne, Hams.

I understand what you’re saying, but don’t get why you are so ‘worried’. There are great people working on it. Whether you end up being wrong, right or more than likely… partiality right, the best a club can do is employ the best people for the job and continuously monitor and reassess them. Analyse to your heart’s content (you’re good at it) but don’t forget that a sport is meant to be enjoyed.

4
Always great to have someone start a post that is straight out negative and pessimistic.
yet missing the irony that you actually have to look for negative and pessimistic from your own viewpoint in others words first and foremost.

If you weren’t looking for the post to be those traits, maybe they wouldn’t be, but oh no i know your response to my post already it’ll just parrot the above sentiments, cos ultimately that’s all you see and look for in others.

Of course you would support him, it is your favourite past time. “Oh look Essendon sucks, I am so delighted, now I can moan and feel great all at the same time.”

5
Can we put a lid on Ants?? More long winded negative invective than anyone since Tony Abutt Rabid.
You must just kill at parties!!
6
Ants puts in a power of work on here and goes to a lot of trouble to actually put together well constructed and reasoned posts which many find thought provoking. He clearly cares enough about the club and wants it to succeed so give it a spell. Blokes that just dismiss him as negative are being lazy and are giving nothing to what is a forum to discuss our clubs fortunes.

I ‘liked’ your post, because I agree in part. What I don’t (and never will) agree with, is generalising that our club is farked. And that gets bandied around, in various ways, on this site far too often for a fan site. You can be constructive without using inflammatory statements like
“Just seems like a bad situation all round, and EFC is blindly running down a very dark path.” The only purpose that serves., is the OP’s purpose - which comes across as self-congratulatory and smug at the expense of EFC.

Ironically, at the start of this season I was writing long posts on why we should make the top 4 ....

Maybe the last bit was a bit negative. But I do worry what the clubs plans are to win a premiership. I wonder if they’re aiming just on 2016 and finals. I also think we’ve got some good young youth, but I don’t want to wait 4 years to find out I’m wrong (when it would be too late) because they haven’t had AFL game time aka Kav, Dal, Browne, Hams.

It’s self evident that the club is going into a rebuilding phase - The club will hit the draft hard in 2015/2016 - Then it’s a matter of recruiters selecting good AFL players, Coaches developing the players and Worsfold developing a winning game plan.

How long this will take is unknown - We’ve been effectively rebuilding since the StKilda loss.

7
Ants puts in a power of work on here and goes to a lot of trouble to actually put together well constructed and reasoned posts which many find thought provoking. He clearly cares enough about the club and wants it to succeed so give it a spell. Blokes that just dismiss him as negative are being lazy and are giving nothing to what is a forum to discuss our clubs fortunes.

The issue is that Ants has written the same post ( with cuts and edits ) many times and it ends up in a number of threads.

8
Ants puts in a power of work on here and goes to a lot of trouble to actually put together well constructed and reasoned posts which many find thought provoking. He clearly cares enough about the club and wants it to succeed so give it a spell. Blokes that just dismiss him as negative are being lazy and are giving nothing to what is a forum to discuss our clubs fortunes.

I ‘liked’ your post, because I agree in part. What I don’t (and never will) agree with, is generalising that our club is farked. And that gets bandied around, in various ways, on this site far too often for a fan site. You can be constructive without using inflammatory statements like
“Just seems like a bad situation all round, and EFC is blindly running down a very dark path.” The only purpose that serves., is the OP’s purpose - which comes across as self-congratulatory and smug at the expense of EFC.

Ironically, at the start of this season I was writing long posts on why we should make the top 4 ....

Maybe the last bit was a bit negative. But I do worry what the clubs plans are to win a premiership. I wonder if they’re aiming just on 2016 and finals. I also think we’ve got some good young youth, but I don’t want to wait 4 years to find out I’m wrong (when it would be too late) because they haven’t had AFL game time aka Kav, Dal, Browne, Hams.

9
Ants puts in a power of work on here and goes to a lot of trouble to actually put together well constructed and reasoned posts which many find thought provoking. He clearly cares enough about the club and wants it to succeed so give it a spell. Blokes that just dismiss him as negative are being lazy and are giving nothing to what is a forum to discuss our clubs fortunes.

I ‘liked’ your post, because I agree in part. What I don’t (and never will) agree with, is generalising that our club is farked. And that gets bandied around, in various ways, on this site far too often for a fan site. You can be constructive without using inflammatory statements like
“Just seems like a bad situation all round, and EFC is blindly running down a very dark path.” The only purpose that serves., is the OP’s purpose - which comes across as self-congratulatory and smug at the expense of EFC.

Yeah I take your point. Perhaps some of the wording there may be a touch inflammatory and in THIS particular case I have faith that Worsfold and the new regime he will steer will give guys on the fringe more and more games to develope the next crop. Even if that means guys like Howlett, Stanton and co have to really earn their spot. And there will always be injuries. Plus the sub rule going can only help exposure and development of the next rung.

So in this particular instance I don’t think it’s a huge issue but generally speaking I think we shouldn’t be so quick to just label Ants as negative when clearly he is just another passionate bomber fan who might just come at it from a slightly different angle but ultimately love the club just as much.

Anyway I’ll shutup now. He doesn’t need me to defend him. Just thought his contributions were pretty solid on here.

10
2016 slogan... "EFC - "Blindly running down a very dark path."

Or … “How fuckedup are we?”

When you think about it - it really doesn’t matter how dark the path is if you’re blind.
So no points for logic, either.

11

2016 slogan… "EFC - “Blindly running down a very dark path.”

Or … “How fuckedup are we?”

12
Ants puts in a power of work on here and goes to a lot of trouble to actually put together well constructed and reasoned posts which many find thought provoking. He clearly cares enough about the club and wants it to succeed so give it a spell. Blokes that just dismiss him as negative are being lazy and are giving nothing to what is a forum to discuss our clubs fortunes.

I ‘liked’ your post, because I agree in part. What I don’t (and never will) agree with, is generalising that our club is farked. And that gets bandied around, in various ways, on this site far too often for a fan site. You can be constructive without using inflammatory statements like
“Just seems like a bad situation all round, and EFC is blindly running down a very dark path.” The only purpose that serves., is the OP’s purpose - which comes across as self-congratulatory and smug at the expense of EFC.

13

Ants puts in a power of work on here and goes to a lot of trouble to actually put together well constructed and reasoned posts which many find thought provoking. He clearly cares enough about the club and wants it to succeed so give it a spell. Blokes that just dismiss him as negative are being lazy and are giving nothing to what is a forum to discuss our clubs fortunes.

14

I think good development is more than a matter of playing a shitload of youngsters. It’s about where you platy them, and what kind of roles they have. I think if we’re smart about how we use our older guys we can develop our squad without ripping out the heart and soul of our club.

For a start, of the players you listed (Watson, Goddard, Heppell, Stanton, Zaha, Myers, Hocking, Colyer, Zerrett and Howlett) I’d say that the ‘certain starter’ status of Stanton, Zaha, Hocking, Myers and Howlett (in particular) is a long way from guaranteed. Woosha has basically nothing to lose next year, he’ll cut hard.

That said, I think we can give games to a number of experienced players while rebuilding the middle of the ground (which I’m certain Worsfold will be very agressive about).

Watson can (and should) spend more time forward. He’s 31 next year and Woosha would have to be loco to start a rebuild based on him spending 90% of his minutes in the middle. He can and should run through the middle, but he can help out a lot up forward.

Goddard, get him in the back line (see M.Body for the dogs). Tighten him up. Make him accountable ala V. Collingwood.

Stanton is a full year younger than the other two (at their age it counts) but less tricks. Expecting him to still play a pretty critical role in the middle next year but hopefully younger players start winning more of the ball.

Zaha averaged less than 20 touches a game this year. If he lifts he’ll get midfield time but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him spending more time forward like he did early in his career. He hasn’t come on as a player in the way we’d hoped, but he is (and always has been) a genuine weapon along the half forward line.

Myers, his own body won’t guarantee him a game. Still our best clearance player and is in the rebuild window age wise. Should be played if fit.

Hocking. 28 next year but is a smart player. Can be a bit of a ‘mister fixit’ for us while the young guys develop.

Colyer. 24. Career year. Gun. Play him all teh times.

Zerrett. 20. See above.

Howlett. Will be a 27 year old fringe player. Is backup and can play a role but is miles away from a certain starter.

tl:dr

Not sure how much of a point I made, but I think by simply cutting down the time Goddard/Stanton/Watson spend in the guts we’ll have PLENTY of opportunities for young player to come through.

Woosha has nothing to lose and knows that his judgement comes in 2018 not 2016.

15

I see Watson, Goddard, Heppell, Stanton, Zerrett and Colyer as the midfield locks. Myers and Hocking are important for hardness in the middle. The other 4 spots should be up for grabs IMO and they should go to the best performers over preseason who fit into the roles of fast (by foot and evasion or by accurate disposal) and good goal sense. Hopefully we start to see some of the next generation come through which is why people like to hope the likes of Fantasia, Langford, Laverde, McKenna and Edwards break into the side and we see a faster, exciting brand of footy. The new coach has pretty much said he’s looking for exactly that.

16

“We’ve already got Watson, Goddard, Heppell, Stanton, Zaha, Myers, Hocking, Colyer, Zerrett and Howlett as pretty certain starters.”
That’s our best midfield at present, fair enough, 7 of them slow(highlighted) and only one genuine line breaker in Colyer.
I suspect it will look very different in 2 years time.

17

Lol.

18

Let’s not just throw the “negative” word out there to discredit someone who is thinking in the right direction and not blinded because someone puts on red and black. This club is in dire straits and was a few straight kicks off the wooden spoon, but, hey let’s put on the rose coloured glasses, back our favourites because they wear the colours and imagine next year will be better by magic.

19

…“but, hey let’s put on the rose coloured glasses, back our favourites because they wear the colours…”

Ahm…hello?
WTF do you think supporters do, actually?

20
Always great to have someone start a post that is straight out negative and pessimistic.
yet missing the irony that you actually have to look for negative and pessimistic from your own viewpoint in others words first and foremost.

If you weren’t looking for the post to be those traits, maybe they wouldn’t be, but oh no i know your response to my post already it’ll just parrot the above sentiments, cos ultimately that’s all you see and look for in others.