Richardson a Swan?

[Bleed Red Blood]

Thats what I was trying to say congratulations you don't like Richo either.

[DST]

Originally posted by Bleed Red Blood
Remember 1997 we had just lost a grand final people thought if we fill up this space here with a cheap proven player ( Richardson will not come cheap) then next year we will be able to have a real go at the cup didn't happen seven years later looks like were going to be plugging holes again.

Look at Brisbane they stuck with youth let there defence build up as in Leppitch, Michael and now Bradshaw and they have three cups we don't want a plug we want something like Brisbane has and I believe give those young guys a chance as in - Dempster,LRT,James,Hunt,Malkeski and we will have a real go for at least three years.

Brisbane did exactly what you are advocating us not to do, when they picked up Mal Michael from Collingwood to bolster their defence and help Leppa out.

This notion that Brisbane stuck with youth is giving me the s***s, they rolled the dice on a number of proven players (Pike, Caracella, Michael, Lynch, B Scott etc) when they identified areas that they needed to get better at now, while younger players got the time to develop.

No one is advocating that we ditch the youth policy and trade all our draft picks for borderline proven players, just that we identify areas that can be fixed now for the advancement of the team.

I for one would be absolutely p****d off, if we did not look to trade for at least one proven player this year, preferably a CHB/FB.

We now look to have a team that is going places with plenty of young raw talent to take us further, but as you have seen with St Kilda over the last few years you can't have a team of the best 19 year olds running around and expect results or that those players will be better becuase they are playing them.

The challenge is to get a list that is a good blend of players in terms of age, experience and flexibility. If we trade to get an experienced CHB to cover the lack of a current stong marking one then that is a positive.

DST

P.S One other aspect, what of some of our players in the 27 to 30 age group. If we go all out on youth meaning we look long term 4 to 6 years ahead while not trying to better the team now you are opening yourself up to those players looking to move elsewhere for a crack at a premiership.

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by DST
Brisbane did exactly what you are advocating us not to do, when they picked up Mal Michael from Collingwood to bolster their defence and help Leppa out.

This notion that Brisbane stuck with youth is giving me the s***s, they rolled the dice on a number of proven players (Pike, Caracella, Michael, Lynch, B Scott etc) when they identified areas that they needed to get better at now, while younger players got the time to develop.

No one is advocating that we ditch the youth policy and trade all our draft picks for borderline proven players, just that we identify areas that can be fixed now for the advancement of the team.

I agree with your comments generally and think have now gone overboard on the "youth" thing. The young guys need some experience in there. We have lots of guys under 25, and a couple more key players at 25-28 would be helpful. People are even now saying that 26 is too old to recruit!!

However, I don't think you are entirely correct on Brisbane.

Mal Michael was only 23.5 when he went to Brisbane.

Lynch was 25.5.

Caracella 26.

B. Scott 22.

Pikey was a roughy, at 28, but they picked him up at #33 in the draft.

[liz]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
I agree with your comments generally and think have now gone overboard on the "youth" thing. The young guys need some experience in there. We have lots of guys under 25, and a couple more key players at 25-28 would be helpful. People are even now saying that 26 is too old to recruit!!

We also have a pretty solid core of quality players in that mid-age range - O'Loughlin, Hall, Crouch, Mathews, Schauble, Barry, Kirk. I'm amused by supporters of teams who "boast" about how young their team is - often its because they have no quality in the age range when players supposedly peak, but of course assume that all their current youngsters will be fantastic players. Our group may not all be world-beaters but they are easily top-18 players in a club that just reached a prelim final.

We've actually got a prety evenly balanced squad at the moment. Good solid core of 21-24 yos underneath this mid-age range, a handful of "veterans" who are still playing top quality football, but enough real kids hanging around on the fringes to suggest there is development to come.

The right "mid-age" player into the squad would be OK if they fill a need and don't come too expensively but I don't think we necessarily need to bolster that group for the sake of it.

However, I don't think you are entirely correct on Brisbane.

Mal Michael was only 23.5 when he went to Brisbane.

Lynch was 25.5.

Caracella 26.

B. Scott 22.

Pikey was a roughy, at 28, but they picked him up at #33 in the draft. [/B]

Goes to show how masterly some of their recruitment has been. Michael for Molloy looks inspired, as does the faith shown in Pike.

[DST]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
I agree with your comments generally and think have now gone overboard on the "youth" thing. The young guys need some experience in there. We have lots of guys under 25, and a couple more key players at 25-28 would be helpful. People are even now saying that 26 is too old to recruit!!

However, I don't think you are entirely correct on Brisbane.

Mal Michael was only 23.5 when he went to Brisbane.

Lynch was 25.5.

Caracella 26.

B. Scott 22.

Pikey was a roughy, at 28, but they picked him up at #33 in the draft.

That was exactly what I was trying to say NMWBloods.

To many people preach the mantra of youth, build you own team etc. Most of these comments come from under preforming clubs that have to justify why they are always down the bottom (is it any concidence it is always the same teams).

One facet of building a team that can play great consistent football should never be overlooked for another ie youth over experience, short term gain over long term gain etc just becuase it is your mandated objective.

As for the Brisbane comparison, I agree that the ages of the palyers were not that old, I was more using that example for the fact that Brisbane has to their advantage recruited senior expeirenced players when the need has arised.

Why people can't see the advantage of going down that path with someone like Richo, Jacobs, Solomon, Holland x2, Bradshaw is beyond me?

If Richo came to Sydney at the right price and played 4 years of good football at CHB, we can only benefit.

DST

[liz]

Originally posted by DST

Why people can't see the advantage of going down that path with someone like Richo, Jacobs, Solomon, Holland x2, Bradshaw is beyond me?

If Richo came to Sydney at the right price and played 4 years of good football at CHB, we can only benefit.

DST

Any player currently in the top dozen or so at their club would be valuable "at the right price". Thing is though, that for many of us "the right price" would be far less than their current clubs would be prepared to accept - especially Richardson.

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by DST
Why people can't see the advantage of going down that path with someone like Richo, Jacobs, Solomon, Holland x2, Bradshaw is beyond me?

If Richo came to Sydney at the right price and played 4 years of good football at CHB, we can only benefit.

I would love to see any of these players in Swans colours, but, as Liz says and you no doubt agree too DST, price is a big issue. In fact, it's just about the only issue really - the other negative comments about some of these possible recruits are really off the mark IMHO.

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by lizz
We also have a pretty solid core of quality players in that mid-age range - O'Loughlin, Hall, Crouch, Mathews, Schauble, Barry, Kirk.

Yep, I only just realised before that we have quite a few players around 25-26. I don't think it would be a problem if we recruited a couple more around that age, or even a couple of years older if they can deliver certain things for us.

[DST]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
I would love to see any of these players in Swans colours, but, as Liz says and you no doubt agree too DST, price is a big issue. In fact, it's just about the only issue really - the other negative comments about some of these possible recruits are really off the mark IMHO.

I actually think with both Brown & Stevens on the market this year and with a couple of Melbourne clubs looking for their exact type player (SnDon need a Stevens, Richmond need a Brown) that this plays into our hands a little.

It means that clubs like SnDon & Richomd need room in their caps and are willing to offload players for that sole purpose (insert Holland here), get what they can for them and then make their play for the show stoppers.

It will be much easier for both Richmond & SnDon to placate their members with the loss of Richo or Jacobs for little gain if they can hold up a Stevens or Brown as part of the deal.

It may just be the year to snap up a multi player deal that delivers an experienced player who could hold down CHB.

If you are talking about expensive as in wage wise that is not an issue for the Swans becuase we are paying below the limit and have the room to move.

DST

[penga]

richo is as accountable as kate moss is to a four 'n' twenty...

NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!!!

[Diego]

Thats two threads i have read with supporters supporting a hack to come and play for our club.

Come on folks..this is not Oct 1997.

Richo can come here on maybe 100k the max. He is not worth a cent more.

[NMWBloods]

If we have a lot of room in our salary cap, does it really matter whether we pay Richo $100K or $200K for a few years?

Who is the other hack?

[Diego]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
Who is the other hack?

http://www.redandwhiteonline.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3174

[NMWBloods]

I saw that - I thought you were referring to another hack (singular) - there are two hacks in that thread!!