More new blood?

[Charlie]

Perhaps someone who regularly gets to training/reserves games can help with this.... can we expect to see anymore debuts this year? I've heard good things about Thewlis and Malceski... are they a chance? They sound a bit more physically developed than McVeigh and Dempster. What about Daniel Hunt? He's been left behind a bit by the other players drafted in 2001 - excluding Ricky Mott. Schneider, LRT and Powell have all played this year and made it clear that they are going to factor in our long term future. What about Hunt?

Anybody on the rookie list looking like a chance? McGlone is probably too thin, but had some raps on him when he came up... what about Crawford? Bevan?

[chammond]

Playing first year players always smacks of desperation to me . . . a bit like promoting players straight off the rookie list into the seniors.

With the way the team is going at present, I'd be disappointed if the 2002 draftees were put under unnecessary pressure, especially when players like Buchanan, Ablett and Stevens are begging for an opportunity to show that they should be kept on the list next year.

Mind you, I'd certainly like to get a look at Hunt to see if he could be the key defender everyone seems to think we need. I think it's only injuries that have put him behind Powell and LRT in the running.

[Charlie]

Playing first year players always smacks of desperation to me . . . a bit like promoting players straight off the rookie list into the seniors.

Yeah... that's probably true. But Thewlis especially sounds ready physically... and has been in good form for the ressies going by reports. So... if he's ready, and if there's space, we should give him a go.

[Jimmy C]

While I think that its great to see how the kids can perform at senior level, I wouldn't like to see it happen if they're not ready yet. I think that much of what we've seen from the kids thus far has been really promising. I imagine Roos will continue to rotate the younger players for the sake of developmental experience and to see who's ready to gel in with the game-plan.

Imagine how difficult selection would be if all of Doyle, Saddington, Fixter, Seymour and (at a massive drug-induced level) Frosty were all fit and in top playing form.

[dimelb]

Roos has said he wants to keep introducing younger blokes to AFL. He's done so well up to now that I'd like to see him keep on going, maybe rotating a few through the twos to keep up match fitness. Let's see a bit more of Powell and Sunny as well as any other likely lads - we're in a position where it can all be a bonus. And the biggest single factor come finals time is simply who's fit. If the load can be spread around we're that much better off.

[TheHood]

It's all about depth for 2004 and beyond. Roosy wants to create a very strong list of maybe 28 players that would play seniors in anyone's team.

Do you recall the great teams of the 90s and the types they used to play off the bench? For us, how handy is it to replace an injured Mick O'Loughlin with an equally dangerous Adam Schneider? Or an injured Leo Barry with a daring spoiler like say Mark Powell?

Formerly we might replace an injured half forward with Andrew Bomford (JOKE JOKE JOKE)! The times are changing for the better.

The most impressive thing is that these young fellas have been introduced to AFL level in meaningful short spurts and without the pressure of doing it in a losing team. I really rate Macca and Waitey at Carlton but these poor sods have had to do it really tough because of lack of experienced personel in a mostly losing squad!

If Dempster or Thewlis are ready for a run, I have complete faith the coaching staff won't let them drown in the deep end at the expense of the team.

[penga]

out with the duds, in with the rookies... GREAT way to do it! we are now inventing, rather than reinventing...