Is there light at the end of the tunnel?

[josey]

I reckon that's about the size of it, josey. Maybe Post too. But not one* of them is an A grader ATM. We are banking on improvement and luck with injury.

And with B graders like Moore, Jackson and Muscles looking okay. Along with Graham. We've got something to go forward with.

I agree that none are at the grade yet.

In 2004 we had maybe Richo and Brown. Both flawed footballers IMO and not the type to build a team around.
We now have 4 or 5 that are showing real signs of becoming elite.

I wonder how many A graders Hawthorn had last year?Buddy, Roughhead, Hodge and Mitchell. It the quality of the 22 that got them over the line and thats the problem at Tigerland.

It isn't a lack of potential stars,its a ack of quality soldiers that is going to take time to develop.

 

[Dyer'ere]

I agree with you, josey.

We have to take four 190/90 smalls every year to build our stocks. National and rookie drafts. Currently we have about ten blokes big enough for their roles and nine of them are rovers. We are dangerously underweight, not to mention underskilled.

 

[Col.E.Kurtz]

I reckon that's about the size of it, josey. Maybe Post too. But not one* of them is an A grader ATM. We are banking on improvement and luck with injury.

And with B graders like Moore, Jackson and Muscles looking okay. Along with Graham. We've got something to go forward with.


*Really Deledio only has to pull his finger out to be an A grader. (He's close to the best kick in the world.) And yes he did get it part way out there for a while but he's still a long way off 100% commited and was too important to play football last weekend. Yet again. Let's hope the Blade does the deed if Lids won't listen up good. Bling is in a very similar position with less talent.

I think you've forgotten than we have one of those most promising medium forwards in the land, your favourite Mitch Morton.

He's coming 15 on the goal kicking list this year, pretty impressive for a guy a such a bad team.....

 

[Djevv]

I agree with you, josey.

We have to take four 190/90 smalls every year to build our stocks. National and rookie drafts. Currently we have about ten blokes big enough for their roles and nine of them are rovers. We are dangerously underweight, not to mention underskilled.

Jack, we certainly need more guys with AFL builds without a doubt. We seem to have numerous blokes who have a solid enough frame but lack size. I think this is a conditioning problem and if it is not obvious to those in charge it certainly is to the rest of us. Hopefully the review will sort this issue out. Guys the size of Polo and Macmahon after 5-8 years on an AFL list is ridiculous:

Anyway here is a list of underweight players (apart from 1st years) on the RFC list - I decide it as (height -100) - weight is >3. The number in brackets is the no. of kgs they are under.
Edwards (4)
Collins ( 8 )
McGuane (5)
McMahon (6)
Moore (6)
Morton (surprised me) (6)
Riewolt (5)
Thursfield (6)
Polo (4)
JON (6)
Putt (10)

Our list is light as a general rule with few players weights being > (height - 100). Here they are with the number in bracket being how much they are over. There seem to be many more on other lists:
Bowden (3)
Foley (2)
Jackson (2)
Richo (6)
Schulz (2)
Simmonds (2)
Tambling(1)
White(2)

Here for comparison are a few stars from other clubs - all over:
Gabblet (6)
Chapman (9)
Kelly (5)
Ottens (6)
Scarlett (2)
Maguire (4)
Milne (4)
Riewolt (3)
Buddy (5)
Mitchell (5)

 

[Forever Hoping]

Jack, we certainly need more guys with AFL builds without a doubt. We seem to have numerous blokes who have a solid enough frame but lack size. I think this is a conditioning problem and if it is not obvious to those in charge it certainly is to the rest of us. Hopefully the review will sort this issue out. Guys the size of Polo and Macmahon after 5-8 years on an AFL list is ridiculous:

There are certain body types that just won't put on the weight e.g. Michael Tuck and if Post and McMahon are liek this then they at least need to build strength which Tucky had. At the moment we have the worst of both worlds with some of our list, skinny and lacking strength. Nahas, Rioli (C) and Davey (Al) are all good examples of skinny guys who nevertheless are strong in that their tackles stick.

 

[Tango]

rioli and davey use technique not strength in their tackling, also a fair bit of speed built up and determination to boot

 

[Tygrys]

You mean after we 'tanked' in 2004 and got 5 picks in the top 20............

And therefore you really haven't listened to the arguments.

Did we really tank or just have an off year? What did we do the following year? Oh yeah that's right three lousy picks in the top fifty because we finished 10th with a bullet because we were building a 'winning culture'. It's just not about one year - it's systematic, it's sustained, it's cynical, but damn it it works. You don't recruit recycled hacks, you don't hold onto players simply for the here and now, you do whatever it takes to maximise your draft picks. Anyhow I have a choice between believing 'your' arguments or my lying eyes eg St Kilda, Hawthorn, Carlton and soon Melbourne. Again I will wait with interest as to what will be the excuses once Melbourne leaves us for dead. Hope you are working on it now...I will be very surprised if you won't be needing them.

 

[IanG]

Did we really tank or just have an off year?

Does it matter?

What did we do the following year? Oh yeah that's right three lousy picks in the top fifty because we finished 10th with a bullet

Really so what, we comprehensively *smile* up the picks we did get, more wouldn't have made a difference because we still didn't have a proper recruiting structure in place.

because we were building a 'winning culture'. It's just not about one year - it's systematic, it's sustained, it's cynical, but damn it it works. You don't recruit recycled hacks, you don't hold onto players simply for the here and now, you do whatever it takes to maximise your draft picks. Anyhow I have a choice between believing 'your' arguments or my lying eyes eg St Kilda, Hawthorn, Carlton and soon Melbourne. Again I will wait with interest as to what will be the excuses once Melbourne leaves us for dead. Hope you are working on it now...I will be very surprised if you won't be needing them.

This is why I say you haven't been listening to the arguments of the anti tankers. Its not just about having a winning culture, its about developing the proper recruiting, list mgt and development structures and resources. Its about smart recruiting, intelligent list mgt and comprehensive development. Tanking is a quick fix.

 

[Tigers2011]

Light at the end of the tunnel? Thought it was but it turned out to be a train!!

 

[Punxsutawney Phil]

There is some light at the end of the tunnel. Unfortunately, it is a very long tunnel.