Depth

[Rod_]

Well apart from the "same game plan" senario, I feel that the changes in the week to week provide one positive thing, depth. Call it trials, call it forced changes (due to form) call it what you will. What we now have a few extra players that have a few senior games under their belt and now know what is expected from them. Can we gather form and get a roll on?

Our injury list is getting better by the week and hopefully we can get a greater selection option soon. (Willo and other fit again?)

We don't have a lot of "A grade players" however we are getting depth.

If these guys are required to step up later in the year or in the finals as replacements, at least they have been on the ground and understand what playing firsts is all about?

Something to aim for the next year, trade bait or spares?

The way that the Aussie cricketers (one dayers) have a list of 15 + players for a team of 11 and rotate has kept them at the top for a while? Has our fitness coach done the same to the swans having 28 + players that have first experience?

We are gathering depth and I feel that it will pay long term!

Rod_

[cruiser]

But is there sufficient quality in that depth? You say yourself that we dont have a lot of A grade players so if that's the case, can you really say we have depth? Sure, we have a few reserves players now with senior level experience but are they really senior level quality players. Sorry, maybe I'm still down on the team after last weeks effort and with that, very dissappointed with players like Schneider, Bevan, Saddington, Buchanan, Fosdike ....

[Legs Akimbo]

Originally posted by cruiser
But is there sufficient quality in that depth? You say yourself that we dont have a lot of A grade players so if that's the case, can you really say we have depth? Sure, we have a few reserves players now with senior level experience but are they really senior level quality players. Sorry, maybe I'm still down on the team after last weeks effort and with that, very dissappointed with players like Schneider, Bevan, Saddington, Buchanan, Fosdike ....

I'd be happy to give away 4 average players for 1 out and out champion.

[Rod_]

And the champ get injured for the season?

All the eggs in the one basket!

Rod_

[NMWBloods]

4 average players = finish 5th-8th

1 champion = potential for a flag

1 champion out injured for season - finish 7th-10th

I'll take the champion and the risk thanks. Choosing the safe option rarely delivers flags, either in recruiting or in games.

[punter257]

hopefully we can get this "champion" for next season
maybe we can actually be active in the trade period and make some tough decisions

[Legs Akimbo]

Yep, comes down to probabilities and you need to have a bit of luck to win a flag, or a team like Brisbane lions. Reality is the probablity of having four genuine champions in a team is pretty low unless you merge with another club or get 2-3 years of bottom finishes and get priority picks (aka St Kilda).

I think if the team has too many average players it doesn't speak well of the recruiting policy. An average players takes opportunity from a younger developing player who may be of unknown quality - i.e. future champion. Better off trading away players on the periphery or simply rotating the list to secure new low level draft picks. Over a few years, this approach will probably result in more uneven finishes, but is more likely to result in a high finish and securing a flag.

Our problem is we go for depth in mediocre players to limit risk of a low finish, which limits probability of a flag.