The Drop Matthews Petition

[LRTs Love Child]

Signed.

Unfortunately for Benny, his best days (if he had any) are behind him. He is now taking the spot of a younger player with a future.... and some football skills.

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by LRTs Love Child

OMG... the image...

[hammo]

Signed

[anne]

Mathews should be dropped as, pure and simple, he nearly cost us the game and he will eventually cost us one. No-one should be safe if they aren't benefitting the team and he is not only not helping us but he is a liability - I just can't believe Roos can't see this. And it is not as if we don't have others to bring in.

[BarneyG]

Originally posted by anne
Mathews should be dropped as, pure and simple, he nearly cost us the game and he will eventually cost us one. No-one should be safe if they aren't benefitting the team and he is not only not helping us but he is a liability - I just can't believe Roos can't see this. And it is not as if we don't have others to bring in.

Spot on anne, Matthews skills are woeful at the moment, especially his handballing, I would luv to see willoughby get a run.

[Ruda Wakening]

Originally posted by anne
No-one should be safe if they aren't benefitting the team and he is not only not helping us but he is a liability - I just can't believe Roos can't see this. And it is not as if we don't have others to bring in.

Maybe he does see it but doesn't think the ones who could come in would be any better at senior level.

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by Ruda Wakening
Maybe he does see it but doesn't think the ones who could come in would be any better at senior level.

I think this is possibly a critical aspect that people overlook.

[Gary]

Well...we better sack the lot then...seriously...we know some of them can play at senior level...but if they don't get a chance this year, they will probably be gone. I can't understand the reluctance to play them. Dempster did little apart from a great goal yesterday...doesn't seem to have a nose (or anything) for the ball. Surely it was a chance to play Vogels.

[NMWBloods]

Well that's the interesting and concerning thing. I wondered a while ago whether we'd lose a number of these young players who may look to go elsewhere.

Why is Roos not putting them up to the seniors?

Does he believe that 'his team is on the court' and he will try to keep it little changed, like Leigh Matthews for example, to snag more flags?

Does he believe the reserves players aren't really up to seniors football?

[floppinab]

Originally posted by NMWBloods

Does he believe that 'his team is on the court' and he will try to keep it little changed, like Leigh Matthews for example, to snag more flags?

Does he believe the reserves players aren't really up to seniors football?

Given his recent credits comment it doesn't matter whether the latter is true or not, certainly the selection of Dempster ahead of any of the other incumbents reinforces a confirmation of the former.

That interview with Willoughby gave some insite into the mindset of the second stringers.

There are obviously benefits to both approaches but in the situation we are now in (few injuries, a number of 21-22 yo rookies) I'd like to see a bit better balance. I really can't see it hurting to much to see a Matthews sent back to the 2's and a Schmidtt come in for min. 3 games to give the rookies some hope that it is possible to break into the 1's. At the moment it would look like there is none.

[Agent 86]

Originally posted by swantastic
cant believe you tipped against swans you always have to pick your own side.

Of course you don't. The idea of a tipping comp is to pick who you think is going to win (or if you are desperate, as I am at the moment, jag a few roughies) not who you want to win.

I thought the Roos had a chance as (1) they'd be fired up after last week's publicity & (2) the Swans always seem to save our worst performances for Manuka.

I was almost correct - but, as I said, it's one I'm happy to lose.

[SimonH]

Originally posted by Gary
... Dempster did little apart from a great goal yesterday...doesn't seem to have a nose (or anything) for the ball. ...

You might have been there and seen some stuff off the ball that failed to impress, but otherwise: you were watching a different game to me.

Forget the stats count, and forget the goal: for someone of his age & experience, he showed yet again yesterday an uncanny ability to be in the right place at the right time, keep his head, and work as part of a defensive unit (rather than playing for himself).

If you've got a video of the game, watch the last quarter and you'll find about 3 occasions (one of which was on our half-forward line) in which he was in a crunch contested ball situation, and on each occasion either won it for Sydney or prevented the Roos winning it. Much like Bucky 2005, I can't say enough great things about this kid.

The fact that he got played when a small midfielder was injured, means that Roos has a policy of playing the best available (within reason), rather than replacing midfielders with midfielders etc.

[hammo]

Originally posted by anne
Mathews should be dropped as, pure and simple, he nearly cost us the game and he will eventually cost us one. No-one should be safe if they aren't benefitting the team and he is not only not helping us but he is a liability - I just can't believe Roos can't see this. And it is not as if we don't have others to bring in.

A wake up call would do him good. Plus it would give Roos the chance to give our youngsters some seniors experience.

Outside our best 22 we basically have a squad with no senior experience.

I don't think this is healthy for our short or medium term future should we suffer a spate of injuries.

[Pommie Swannie]

Agreed. We have had a remarkable run with injuries - no doubt credit to the support staff responsible for conditioning.

However, the coaching staff need to ensure the squad is prepared for a worst case scenario. If we go in to say a preliminary final with 2 players with little or no senior experience, that's likely to hurt us much more than bringing in youngsters for games such as Saturday night.

[Gary]

SimonH...I'll have to try harder to catch him. TV doesn't always give the correct feel...but over time I haven't seen anything, "uncanny" about him. Better than his dad yes...but still to prove himself worth a spot IMO...but you have given me something to watch closer.