im a bit confused as to why a pacy winger should have been picked over a inside mid bull midfielder (area of dire need), seeing as how we got saad and smith in the offseason and mcgrath to move into the midfield…
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The issue is that to be an AFL footballer in a major city is hard for a lot of Indigenous kids. They have to be extremely committed to making it (see Walla as a prime example). Being away from their lifestyle, family, friends and community is very hard.
The last few years a number of Indigenous players have not worked out and i suspect this is causing clubs to be careful about who they pick and whether the players involved are able to make it work.
Because at the end of the day it is up to the player to make it work. The club can set up all the right support structures and have it still not work because the player can’t cope.
BTW this happens to non-Indigenous players too but generally they are delisted and no one remembers them or cares that much.
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I don’t see it personally. There’s been plenty of indigenous players through the club in the last decade, they just haven’t been that great.
Lovett was brilliant but inconsistent and is now in a lot of trouble.
Lovett-Murray was consistent but not brilliant. A great role model until recently.
Ryder was brilliant but inconsistent and he left for $ at the back end of a front loaded contract. He’s now consistently brilliant for Port ■■■■ it.
Dempsey was brilliant but inconsistent.
Davey started out brilliantly but faded after the injury.
Eades was given an opportunity but ■■■■■■ it up.
We had a good look at Garlett but he made it very hard.
Shaun-ye was not brilliant and also inconsistent.
We put a lot of time into Walla which seems to have paid dividends for both him and the club. Massive success story.
Long has had more chances than just about anyone that I can remember. The club is really persisting with him.
Outside of Puopulo and Rioli (who seven other clubs passed on after us) which Ben specials have made it?
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You unhappy with who we chose instead?
Getting pretty sick of this rubbish.
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Nothing against Mynott as clearly still a talented kid but we just got a lighter bodied inside mid type in Guelfi, and his kicking is a strength.
Seemed an unnecessary selection IMO, especially when developing quick outside type players on our list outside the best 22 are lacking. As are strong bodied forwards mind you.
Dude, we are the only club being careful.
should’ve not traded pick 11 and get higgins for our mosquito fleet to really fly.
It’s not rubbish, there is legitimately a problem
Depends on your definition of made it
Yeah…whatever.
I’ll dm you, if you are genuinely interested.
I don’t think we are “being careful”. I think we investigated all the players available and made a choice on who best fits what we want. If there was an Indigenous player we thought was better we would have taken them. We didn’t.
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I’d be interested (genuinely) in a DM too Ben.
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To add context to your argument are you willing to list the number of indigenous players on each list of 18 AFL clubs. Without it comments like this lack meaning.
All I know is, when there’s a photo shoot with three was players for Dreamtime and two of them are Hurley and Watson, it’s possible there is an issue. Or maybe there isn’t. I don’t really know either way.
All I know is I saw “something doesn’t add up” and assumed it was going to be about the fact that the number of players we’ve drafted this year literally doesn’t add up. Silly me.
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Now redo you list with a focus on players drafted, and I want to emphasise drafted since 2008.
Now take anyone out not called Long or Tipungwuti
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Well that too!
Sure, give me a bit
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