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Topics - kruddler

196
Robert Heatley Stand / R4 - WORST on ground vs Demons
Some big changes were made after last weeks loss. I expect some more changes after this week. Who put in a poor performance today and might be in the VFL next week?
201
Robert Heatley Stand / R1 - WORST on ground
OK, so we have to take the good with the bad. I've done the best on ground, so here is where it gets nasty, who were our worst on ground last night against Port.

Try to be honest in your appraisal and not simply pick your most hated player every week. Choose based on their latest performances only.
202
Robert Heatley Stand / R1 - BEST on ground
OK, so i wanna try something a little different. Lets try and find out who were our best 3 players last night.

You get to vote for 3 players who you think deserved some recognition for their efforts compared to the rest of the team.

Have at it...
205
Robert Heatley Stand / Chappell on development - "Pick 'em before you need 'em"
On Triple M a few weeks ago they had former Australian Cricket Captain Ian Chappell on and he was talking about development of the Australian Cricket team. What he said was rather generic and could certainly be applied to any sporting organisation out there. Specifically ones struggling with development.

Now i was only half listening but one thing that he said stood out, and it stood out because it reminded me of Mick Malthouse and how he goes about picking the sides.

When it comes to developing the kids and bringing in a succession plan for players who may be getting on a bit he said you must...
"Pick 'em before you need 'em"

Players need to know what they will be getting themselves into. They need to have an idea of what the step up in class is, so they can work towards it in their training and mental preperation. I subscribe to this theory. I think Geelong and Collingwood have done this brilliantly over the years.

Now I was a fan of giving players like McInness, Casboult, McCarthy and Mitchell a game early in their career to give them a taste. Many argue that they didn't DESERVE a game, and this is true, but this is about development and sometimes 'gifting' players a game is the best thing for them.

So, this leads me to everyones favourite whipping boy of late. Josh Bootsma.

I think this is clearly a case of 'pick em before you need em.'
Physically, he is not ready. Still too skinny. That will come.
Mentally, he is getting there, but confidence is a fickle thing.

Yes, he was getting towelled up by Riewoldt early yesterday. Mick recognised this, made the change, we got the win, no damage done. Bootsma got some experience, we got a win. WIN-WIN.

Everyone is critical of Mick for picking Bootsma, but i think this is crucial to his development. He is an incredibly good spoiler of the ball and has a terrific left hoof on him. There are signs there that he should be persisted with.

By picking him before we need him, we are fast tracking his development. So when a player like Jamison, McInness, White, Watson goes down, we have someone who knows exactly what to expect at AFL level and will be focussed on doing his job, rather than being a deer in headlights because its his first game.

Mick has been chastised for a lot of his selections this year. Going by this theory though, he is advancing the list and its development quicker than most, a trait his former side in Colingwood was given kudos for.
Mick has now played 37 players from our list and debuted the likes of Cachia, Buckley, Menzel and Graham along the way.

I hope we continue to pick em before we need em and in doing so become a solid list of 35+ players who are AFL ready and ready to go at the drop of a hat. Bootsma included.