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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.

Re: Chappell on development - "Pick 'em before you need 'em"

Reply #1
I always think you have to try kids and throw them in the deep end at times  but with common sense...Bootsma is not a key defender and never will be, playing him on seasoned KP players who outgun him in size and strength is ludicrous and not development.
He needs to play on other newbie kids of the same shape and size....its not rocket science....

Its akin to playing Menzel at CHB on Jonathan Brown what we have been doing to Bootsma...we did the same thing to Andrew Walker and had him playing on the likes of Travis Cloke and that stuffed him up for a couple of years.

Put Bootsma on a wing and let the kid develop.....he can run and carry the footy and enjoy being an offensive player....good luck to the kid and I reckon he will be a decent footballer in a few years.

Re: Chappell on development - "Pick 'em before you need 'em"

Reply #2
I agree with both of you. I saw the replay and it wasn't a pretty site. He had a tough few moments of footy he would probably rather forget. However he can only learn from his mistakes. I like the thought of him playing across the wing. he might develop His skills better and especially some marking ability. It will also do wonders for his self belief and confidence. He needs to get onto a good weights program and build on his frame over the next 3 years. 3 to 4 kilos a year and he will be a completely different unit. Lets hang on to this kid and teach him how to play the game. He looks like he lacks belief and hesitates before he goes for a tackle or makes a move based on reflex. This will come if he is mentored properly. If only we had a Peter Dean to take him under his wing.
This digital world is too much for us insects to understand.

Re: Chappell on development - "Pick 'em before you need 'em"

Reply #3
I think Watson's senior debut was against the Pies when he was put on Cloke. Cloke of course massacred him and his confidence was shattered for a long time afterwards IMO.

I'm happy to debut young guys early but play them in roles that build their confidence not shatter it. We have to be responsible and as I've ground on before, we've too often been guilty as a club of throwing even senior players to the wolves leading to them being humiliated in roles they are not suited to.
Reality always wins in the end.

Re: Chappell on development - "Pick 'em before you need 'em"

Reply #4
I always think you have to try kids and throw them in the deep end at times  but with common sense...Bootsma is not a key defender and never will be, playing him on seasoned KP players who outgun him in size and strength is ludicrous and not development.
He needs to play on other newbie kids of the same shape and size....its not rocket science....

After hearing Jamo speak on TSFS, I think to be fair to both Bootsma and MM the plan was that Boots would get to benefit from playing on an elite KF. However as Jamo says the floodgates opening through the midfield in the opening minutes made it a difficult task for even the most hardened defender so the change had to be made. Hopefully MM kept his tyres pumped and he moves on quickly because he will become a quality player for us I'm sure.
IN WADA WE TRUST

Re: Chappell on development - "Pick 'em before you need 'em"

Reply #5
Bootsma has struggled all season and I don't understand Malthouse's perseverance with him while others are dropped and/or not given an opportunity.  It may be help with development if younger players are given an opportunity and I think the sub provides the best way to do that.  Starting Bootsma on Riewoldt was folly, not to mention not giving any respect to one of the premier key forwards.

I'm not sure where Bootsma's career is going; he is not big enough for a key defensive role and, while he is not bad at spoiling, he lacks the judgement and ability to spoil effectively; how many times do his spoils end up with an opposition shot at goal?

I don't really get the comparison with Walls either.  I played against Walls at high school and he was too strong for us even though we had a couple of blokes who were his equal in height and weight.  Walls was hollow-chested but was big in the thighs and hips while Bootsma is just a skinny kid.  Walls was an incredibly courageous player who always took marks under pressure and gave as good as he got.

I'd like to see Bootsma work on his game in the NBs and earn another shot.
“Why don’t you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don’t you dig how beautiful it is out here? Why don’t you say something righteous and hopeful for a change?”  Oddball

Re: Chappell on development - "Pick 'em before you need 'em"

Reply #6
Bootsma is right footed.

The comparisons to Walls are well off the mark.

He is everyone's whipping boy because he does nothing in the seniors or twos to get a gig but gets one anyway, usually rendering us a man short and quite often getting smashed or subbed.
Ignorance is bliss.

ONWARDS AND UPWARDS!

Re: Chappell on development - "Pick 'em before you need 'em"

Reply #7
I think Watson's senior debut was against the Pies when he was put on Cloke. Cloke of course massacred him and his confidence was shattered for a long time afterwards IMO.

I'm happy to debut young guys early but play them in roles that build their confidence not shatter it. We have to be responsible and as I've ground on before, we've too often been guilty as a club of throwing even senior players to the wolves leading to them being humiliated in roles they are not suited to.

watson debuted against gcs in '11

he played ok against cloke in round 3 but lost the fight.

came back midyear against the pies and was well and truly beaten.

Re: Chappell on development - "Pick 'em before you need 'em"

Reply #8
Thanks LR - my memory isn't always the best these days. I know I was at one game where Cloke really killed him - must have been that mid year one you mentioned.
Reality always wins in the end.

Re: Chappell on development - "Pick 'em before you need 'em"

Reply #9
Bootsma has struggled all season and I don't understand Malthouse's perseverance with him while others are dropped and/or not given an opportunity.  It may be help with development if younger players are given an opportunity and I think the sub provides the best way to do that.  Starting Bootsma on Riewoldt was folly, not to mention not giving any respect to one of the premier key forwards.

I'm not sure where Bootsma's career is going; he is not big enough for a key defensive role and, while he is not bad at spoiling, he lacks the judgement and ability to spoil effectively; how many times do his spoils end up with an opposition shot at goal?

I don't really get the comparison with Walls either.  I played against Walls at high school and he was too strong for us even though we had a couple of blokes who were his equal in height and weight.  Walls was hollow-chested but was big in the thighs and hips while Bootsma is just a skinny kid.  Walls was an incredibly courageous player who always took marks under pressure and gave as good as he got.

I'd like to see Bootsma work on his game in the NBs and earn another shot.

Hard to make a judgement on what someone can and cannot do if you dont give them the chance to show you.  The reason he might be getting a game might be a variety of reasons including setting standards of what will get you a game in the ones when you are not particularly playing well, and it may be for the benefit of finding out where he needs to improve, or what his limitations might be.


"everything you know is wrong"

Paul Hewson

Re: Chappell on development - "Pick 'em before you need 'em"

Reply #10
Quote from: Thryleon
The reason he might be getting a game might be a variety of reasons including setting standards of what will get you a game in the ones when you are not particularly playing well, and it may be for the benefit of finding out where he needs to improve, or what his limitations might be.

Do we need to find out over and over again though?



Ignorance is bliss.

ONWARDS AND UPWARDS!

Re: Chappell on development - "Pick 'em before you need 'em"

Reply #11
I would hope not, but this is an important part of that post that you may have glossed over:

Quote
setting standards of what will get you a game in the ones when you are not particularly playing well
.

These factors might just be attitude, attendance, effort, hunger, and above all else, doing the team things first.

Some of the more up to it blokes might be getting a bit complacent and therefore statements are made.
"everything you know is wrong"

Paul Hewson

Re: Chappell on development - "Pick 'em before you need 'em"

Reply #12
Hard to make a judgement on what someone can and cannot do if you dont give them the chance to show you.  The reason he might be getting a game might be a variety of reasons including setting standards of what will get you a game in the ones when you are not particularly playing well, and it may be for the benefit of finding out where he needs to improve, or what his limitations might be.

Good points Thry, but Boots has been given ample opportunity to show that he's not yet up to senior footy, let alone matching up on the opposition's best forward.

He may well have a great attitude, high standards or whatever criteria may be applied but that doesn't mean he should get a game if he's not yet up to it.

Let him string together games in the NBs and show that he is ready to play at the highest level.
“Why don’t you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don’t you dig how beautiful it is out here? Why don’t you say something righteous and hopeful for a change?”  Oddball

Re: Chappell on development - "Pick 'em before you need 'em"

Reply #13
Bootsma will be a very good player for us in the long term, but FFS, play him where he can make a contribution - FB on Riewoldt was rank stupidity and served what purpose?  I agree that wing appears to be his likely spot in the seniors at this point in time.
DrE is no more... you ok with that harmonica man?