Aaargh!!! Bloody hell. Talk about getting off track.
This whole thread is about our lack of KPP's to replace 33yr old players who are more than likely going to retire at the end of the year. And even if they don't, then who is going to take their place?
It's got nothing to do with where we are on the ladder now. The whole idea of a good squad is that it needs to be balanced and ours is not.
We have an abundance of midfielders. Some that are trying to be made into something they were not drafted as(Sheridan-half back), some that continue to play well in WAFL but can't get a game at the top level(Weller, Blakely, Langdon), some that are consistently in the best for Peel but can't get off the rookie list(Ballard).
So what have we got to take over from Pav and AA Luke?
Pearce-19 yrs old and still finding his way. In fact we recruited him as a young backman but because we've got no big forwards we're trying to throw him up there.
Apeness-20 yrs old and unproven. Potential but unproven and out all year injured
Tabener- 20 yrs and also still finding his way. Not kicking goals at WAFL level.
Smith-20 or 21 yrs old. Off rookie list and hasn't looked like getting a an AFL game.
Moller 20 yrs old. Recruited as a ruckman and trying to be made into a forward with little success. Highly likely to be delisted.
Vandeleur-20 yrs old. Plays in the back line with little influence. Highly likely to be delisted
Hurley-!9-20 yrs old? Irishman in first year of playing AFL. Definitely a long term prospect.
That's it. So please don't tell me we have prepared well for the future. As for the "well there was no-one else worth getting in those drafts" believers here's some for you that were taken after our first choice, and they don't include any in the years we took Hill, Morabito and Michael Apeness as our first choice.
Hurn Henderson Ward Hooker Trengove Litherland Grundy Frost
Birchall McEvoy Westhoff Talia McKernan Jaensch Paparone Bruce
Patfull Tarrant Reid Vickery Broadbent McGovern Shaw Hobsch
Garland Taylor Thompson Schoenmakers Darling McInness Membrey Lever
Goldsack Rance Wood Lynch Howe Blicavs Oxley Goddard
Yeah, sure there might be some there you think aren't that good or aren't getting regular games due to being in a side with strong KPP's and there's probably more missing, but the point is a 13-14 yr age gap between our outgoing best backman and forward and new blood with virtually nothing in between(Silvagni, Dawson)is poor planning.
Like having an apprentice and a retiree in your workplace with virtually nothing in between.
So if you disagree who do you see replacing our two greats, who are both now very suspect injury wise, and also taking into consideration that we apparently can't convince anyone to come here.?
