Dempster

[ROK Lobster]

Did he do enough in 2005 to earn automatic selection in 2006?

[goswannie14]

Yes

[ScottH]

Premiership Medallion, yes.

[tantrum]

I wouldn't say "automatic" selection, no. There is always a bit of turnover from year to year, even in a premiership side and you would have to say he'd been one of the ones on the fringes.

But I expect he will improve and start getting more of the ball. But it wouldn't surprise me at all if he didn't play all 22 games in the prem. seasons and had a bit of a run in the reserves at some point in the year.

[liz]

Not yet.

If one is trying to find a spot in the team for Richards - and I suspect he'll be given close to a promise for the first few weeks, ala Craig Bolton three years ago - it is hard to find anyone to make way other than Dempster.

Also, it isn't uncommon for players to go backwards a bit after a first, breakthrough season so Dempster can't afford to take anything for granted.

That said, I'm excited to see how he develops. In fact, the prospects of a team with Moore, Malceski, Dempster, Vogels, McVeigh, Schmidt, Willoughby and, hopefully, Matthew Davis and Heath Grundy all knocking on the door of senior selection excites me almost as much as the prospect of back-to-back.

[Nico]

Re: Dempster

Originally posted by ROK Lobster
Did he do enough in 2005 to earn automatic selection in 2006?

Did you miss the finals?

[katie-scarlett]

did he not keep Cousins invisible for about 80% of the GF?

[Sanecow]

Dempster > Saddo at least.

[Charlie]

Probably not.

He's one of about ten players competing for the last four spots in the team. McVeigh, Fosdike, Doyle, Richards, Chambers, Bevan, Malceski, Moore and Vogels are the others in that group.

[easilyimpressed]

not yet, as articulated by liz and charlie

[Ruck'n'Roll]

He's improved his stamina over the summer again and had an eye operation, so I suspect that he could have a very BIG year in 2006.

[hammo]

Originally posted by liz
In fact, the prospects of a team with Moore, Malceski, Dempster, Vogels, McVeigh, Schmidt, Willoughby and, hopefully, Matthew Davis and Heath Grundy all knocking on the door of senior selection excites me almost as much as the prospect of back-to-back.

This will be the fascinating aspect of the season.

Unless there are injuries (touchwood) its hard to see how some of these guys will force themselves into the 22.

Regardless of the injury situation, the coaching staff will need to take a view to the future so getting matches under the belt of Moore, Malceski, Willoughby and Schmidt in particular will be vital this year. They won't develop much in Canberra.

How many of these guys will want to be traded at the end of the season to get more opportunities?

[Bleed Red Blood]

The South Australian clubs might make a play for Willoughby and Schmidt you'd think.

[Nico]

Originally posted by Bleed Red Blood
The South Australian clubs might make a play for Willoughby and Schmidt you'd think.

There you go. We are good at trading at draft time so this could be the ones for 2006 draft. I think Bevo might be in that mix somehow.