In response to Danny Boys request for feedback for a Ghost article a week ago or so, I posted a reply that I believe may just be the answer to resolve the debate whether we should be playing the kids or sticking with the more experienced players.

I have given this subject a lot of thought and have amended my original thoughts a bit:

I believe that it is all about team/list balance. There is no doubt that the future is the kids, but logic tells me that we can't play them all at once.

Kids need game time to acquire confidence, whether that is in the VFL or in the AFL. How do the MC choose which is the best for their development? I have a simple plan that I am sure will work:

1. Pull the following fringe youngsters aside together: Davies, Russell, Hartlett, Blackwell, Kennedy, Bower, Edwards, Raso, Setanta, Aisake, Smith, Batson, Jackson & Flint (some injured and some rookies, so subject to restrictions).

2. Tell them this: "OK, guys we are embarking on a new and exciting phase of the club. We are going to treat the rest of this season as a transition period. We really want to know who is going to make it and who isn't. Only you can tell us that. This is our plan for the rest of the season: When you are in the top 3-4 of possession winners at VFL level for 3 consecutive matches, we will reward you with elevation to the AFL for a minimum of 3 matches where you will get a minimum of 40 minutes total of ground time each match. If you are in the top 15 of possession winners over this period, you will be retained in the 22 for the balance of the season".

3. This way the kids have a real and clear incentive to bust their gut to stand out in the VFL and if they get elevated they know they will get ground time to stake their claim.

4. Now only a handful will make the step up and only a few will stay there, but at least we will know who amongst them is prepared to work to succeed.

5. I’m betting at seasons end there will be at least 6 newly upgraded players to add to the likes of recently upgraded kids who are just about permanent: Walker, Murphy, Simpson, Betts, Bentick & Carrazzo. That would give us half a team of kids and half a team of experienced but generally young players.

6. The rest subject to retirements, trades and drafting might be made up of this solid core: Stevens, Fevola, Waite, Whitnall, Fisher, Thornton, Lappin, French, McLaren, Houlihan, McGrath, Scotland, Wiggins, Saddington, Livingston, Bryan & Prendergast. I'm tipping 10 of these at the most will be left on the list.

7. Now with astute trading for extra picks and sensible drafting we can add a couple of ready to play lads in the upcoming draft and with luck will snare a ready made hard body in the PSD maybe Fabian Deluca/Meeson/Maric etc. and we are starting to get some real balance.

8. Our top 25 may look a little like this going into 2007, subject to who we get in the drafts: (Lots of wishful thinking here).


Backs:...Carrazzo, Thornton, Setanta,

H Back: Walker, Hartlett, Bower,

Centre: Simpson, Murphy, Russell

H Forw: Waite, Kennedy, Stevens

Forw:....Betts, Fevola, Whitnall

Follo:....F. Deluca, Bentick, Blackwell

Inter:....Fisher, Gibbs, Flint, Hurley

Emerg:..Gumbleton, Collard, Jetta


I don’t know about you guys, but IMHO, the Future is KIDS!!

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2002:> "In their Masters Chambers
They Gathered for their Feast
They Stabbed us with their Steely Knives
But They Just Can't Kill The Beast!" <2016

THE BLUEBAGGER BEAST IS BAACKK!!