Re: Post Game Pain: Carlton vs Port Adelaide
Reply #105 –
But Ray we've been through those drafts before and didn't really miss too much remembering they were compromised drafts, other than the obvious ones ie Darling. But that should have no bearing on our ability to run out games.
Yes they do have bearing. Watson should be holding down a key position, Lucas should be doing a Lions share of the ball carrying and Bootsma should also be contributing. Bring in those three plus the two we lost mid pre or mid season and we look fresher. Buckley even with his carry. The same people are being asked to run 15km per game every week with little relief. I know it's their job, but the good teams drafted well and bought the younger players in with talent.
We have bought in three first year players this year and if anything the others have had to work harder to "look after them".
As Mick has stated we have NO DEPTH and that is because of the lost three year in the draft.
All picks between 10-20 should be 150 gamers if you get your recruiting right.
Sure they were compromised drafts but these guys were still rated the 20th and under best players that year, even with GC and GWS getting many picks.
You cannot tell me that the year Watson was chosen we didn't get a single player capable of having a successful AFL career?
Ask Lucas how being such a low pick has effected Nate Fyfe (20), Lewis Jetta (14), Daniel Talia (13), Jasper Pittard (15), Ryan Bastinac (21), Jake Carslile (24), Travis Colyer (26), Mitch Duncan (28) or Jack Guston (29). It was almost harder to miss a 150 gamer than get one.
2009, 2010, 2011 drafts are the reason we are suffering at the moment through lack of depth and quality.
Absolutely, irrefutably correct. We are now paying for the abject failure of this appalling recruiting period in terms of being exposed for having 'no depth'. Had we even achieved a 35-40% success rate from those years we'd be at least 5 or so blokes better off. From that horrible period we only have Meat (and only just), Tuohy and Rowe who are regulars. During this period we recruited 20+ blokes and have barely a 10% success. Howling failures (a few of which were our big KPP hopes - including Watson), to name just a few, include - Lucas, Davies, Tiller, Kerr, Donaldson, McCarthy, Mitchell, McInnes, Carter, Bray, Lodge, Hill, Stanton etcetera!
We have to factor this reality into our disappointment. We're still paying for the sins of the past. Another good recruiting year this year and next, and our progress will at least be competitive... and from there, who knows. I fully expect us to be better next year, much better. And if we're not... then I would expect the guts to be ripped out of the coaching dept. The current coaching group, IMHO, have next year to prove themselves. A couple should go this year, if for no other reason than to inject some youthful passion into the group.