Catch 22 for Seagulls

[Dale61]

Healthy Collingwood list creates headaches for coach.

Don’t they say it’s a coach’s dream to have a full list of players to choose from?

For Williamstown coach Brad Gotch, such a scenario became a nightmare when it came to selection for the round nine match against reigning premier Sandringham.

Chris Tarrant, serving a one-match suspension, was the only unavailable Collingwood player from its list of 44 players, including four rookies.

Gotch could have easily stacked the Williamstown team with Magpies, but that would have been counter-productive to the alliance.

Captain Brad Lloyd, assistant coach Rayden Tallis, as well as ex-AFL players Steven Greene, Brett Johnson and Andrew Williams would have all missed out.

As it was, Gotch had to re-jig the team that defeated Frankston in the previous round with the minimum of 10 TRUenergy VFL players. The return of Collingwood players Shane Wakelin and Simon Prestigiacomo to the AFL also meant that two players from the Magpies’ win against the Western Bulldogs dropped back to Williamstown.

Never before in the history of the alliance has Collingwood had more players available on a weekly basis.

After round eight in Williamstown’s premiership year of 2003, there was an average of 10 Collingwood players in the Seagulls’ team.

This season, that average has ballooned to 14.

Ironically, when Williamstown fielded 16 Collingwood players against the Casey Scorpions, who had just nine St Kilda-listed players, they lost.

“It’s an interesting dilemma and quite difficult,” Gotch admitted.

“There is always discussion at Collingwood about where a particular player’s development is at. It is not just a stubborn attitude that says ‘we’ve got 18 Collingwood players and we want them all to play’.”

“That is why the alliance has been great, and why so many young players stay around the club. It is a good environment, and everyone gets along well.”

Not surprisingly, there have been a few dents to player egos along the way, but Gotch credits Williamstown reserves coach Anthony Eames for keeping the list positive and playing well.

Gotch said Eames has the players, whether they be listed at Collingwood or Williamstown, ready to step up at any time. Reputations are all well and good, but even Tallis showed he’s prepared to put the jumper before his personal pride.

Tallis recently dropped himself to the reserves for two weeks because he honestly believed that Kane McKenzie warranted a place in the team above him.

Gotch keeps reminding his Williamstown boys that a minimum of 10 VFL players will be required in the team come finals time.

“I need to know who Williamstown’s best 10 players are. It’s simply up to the players to put their hand up,” Gotch said.

http://vfl.footballvic.com.au/_content/document/00047756-src.pdf

[eddiesmith]

Thanks for the article Dale

On todays performance the Willy VFL blokes look quite good, I reckon the VFL blokes won them the game and come finals it looks like they have good depth. The Rd20 Reserves game will be an interesting one as the seniors have the bye and the ressies will likely be playing for a spot in the finals for the seniors

Imagine come finals time if fully fit then Williamstown Reserves who are thrashing everyone anyway could line up with 6-8 AFL listed players if the seniors are all still playing

[Dale61]

Only if those 6-8 AFL players have qualified to play Reserves finals. Keep in mind that the 12/10 rule is in effect for the finals.

However, if CFC go all the way to the GF, every player on the list can be named, whether they have qualified or not.

[eddiesmith]

[Dale61]

The club wouldn't deny the current reserves players a chance to play in a GF, so it is quite feasible that if all three teams make the GF, several CFC listed players could miss out.

I think 13 games in the minimum for finals qualification.