jimmae wrote:
I know I'm being harsh with labelling it stupidity, but there are some mystifying decisions being made.
Bringing in guys like Joseph & Davies were about adding yet more defensive pressure and backing their game to grow with more space and better targets to kick to. There are plenty of other names who could have come in under that theory, but we've ignored them over this second half of the year and left ourselves short-handed up forward regularly because of it.
I'm happy to admit they've been impressive and have definitely improved on what they showed last season, but against a finals quality unit in Hawthorn they looked very average. Would others have faired better? We don't really know, there are several players who have been ready to make an appearance that simply haven't, and there are others who have been shafted in the name of development or a marginal performance gain that could evaporate in the space of a couple of games.
And so began the tales of Bower, Setanta & Lucas' 2011.
Never let the facts get in the way of a good story Jim.
Davies and AJ came back in when the likes of Laidler, JR, Curnow, Duigan, Carrots etc were injured/out of form. Both Davies and AJ were showing some form at the time and deserved a shot. Both run hard and straight and lay tackles and physical pressure. Both have good speed.
Back when they came in the likes of Santy, Bower and Lucas were struggling with form and/or injury so weren't considered. AJ and Davies have both been solid/serviceable over the past few games playing their roles.
We have been short handed up forward over the past 5 weeks because of the injuries to Bower, Waite, Hammer, White and Jamo. Obviously T-Bird has been a stop gap and Special K is struggling for real touch at the moment. The games we have lost over the past 7 weeks have been more about commitment and intensity for 1/2 a game at a time.
Who are these mysterious 'several players' that have been waiting to make an appearance who haven't? Watson? Austin? Kerr? Twomey? Houlihan?
Regards Cazzesman