Great expectation - new draftees

Geek · geek Joined: 06 Apr 2006 Location: Jacana

Nice post JW.

I still think that draftees need to be exposed to AFL and early. The difference with me and many in the public is that I don't expect them to do that well. Ideally, they would pull a Langdon and we'd all be stoked but realistically, I'm just looking for a few glimpses of what the player could become.

You have to give them a taste and not just a quarter or two as sub. All that does is show them the tempo that the game is played at. It doesn't give them a chance to settle into the tempo and it doesn't show them a glimpse of what is required to back it up week after week. The recovery, the eating, the training, the sleep.

Once they get a look at all that, then fine, send them back to the magoos to work on stuff for a while if they need to. To use your uni analogy, a bit like regular work experience. So that when the time to step up occurs, it is a natural, almost seamless thing.

What the public needs to do is stop writing them off after a couple games as is its wont. Pride is an important thing to any man but to young men it's crucial. Cut them down too ruthlessly and they'll all turn out like Jack Watts.

swoop42 · Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2015 1:33 pm

No one expects young players to come in and dominate straight away but that doesn't mean they can't make valuable contributions some weeks and not others.

Plenty of senior players do just that and make a career of it.

RudeBoy · Joined: 28 Nov 2005

It's all a balancing act, between picking the best team each week and exposing young players to senior footy to assist their development. Remember, contrary to the opinions of outsiders - including we Nicksters - Bucks and the players are aiming to play finals footy this year, which means we have to win at least 12 games. We are already playing a host of young players in Grundy, Langdon, Frost, Broomhead, Oxley, Crisp, Ramsay and Karnezis. While we supporters are impatient to see the likes of Moore, De Goey, Freeman, Scharenberg and Marsh play senior footy, I'm sure most of these will get their opportunities at some stage during the season. Remember, we also have Witts and Reid available, and it's hard to envisage them both not being in our best 22.

jackcass · Joined: 01 Mar 2005 Location: Bendigo

jackcass · Joined: 01 Mar 2005 Location: Bendigo

Geek · geek Joined: 06 Apr 2006 Location: Jacana

Good point. But due to the draft, the best kids are drafted to basket cases

Pies2016 · Joined: 12 Sep 2014

J W, this is a brilliant O P. I was considering doing something similar but you have nailed it. Just to add to your comments, the TAC game is very different. They limit the number of forwards allowed in their own 50. They ( coaches ) are encouraged to play one on one footy and tags are frowned upon.
The kids simply have no idea when they come into their first year of AFL.
They are required to become " situational " players the moment they join an AFL club and this takes time. In the course of one pre season, they go from hunting the footy at every chance to learning two completely different roles depending on which team has possesion. This doesnt happen overnight. Modern footy is about zones, grids, occupying corridors etc. if one link in the chain breaks down, you are exposed very quickly.
Its easy to say the kids should get some senior exposure to give them a taste but no coach will do that if they think the kids dont fully understand all aspects of the game plan.
Its the same reason why the club keeps going back to our favorite whipping boys. We mightnt think they are any good ( even though they are premiership players ) but they know their roles back to front and sometimes that means more than debuting a kid because supporters are impatient.
If the kids are any good, they will play soon enough but dont gift them a game until they are ready in body, mind and situation.