retirement

[oogabooga1]

i really don't think Matthews or Crouch will retire. if they go it will be because they have been pushed in the back.

[bennyfrou]

I reckon Crouch is an interesting case. He's played some good football over the last few weeks. But it has been good football, not great football. And it has just been for a few weeks. Not for a season. He has broken down with injury so many times over the last couple of years when he's been close to returning that there has to at least be a question mark over whether he can still play most of a season of good football.

To some extent, him playing on has to depend on spots available on the list. The issue with our younger group of players is that most of them fall into the group of showing promise, some signs of being able to carve out good quality senior careers, but with one or two exceptions, you wouldn't bank on any of them. You can make a case for giving pretty much all of them at least one more year to show whether they've got what it takes, and that includes several on the rookie list. But there isn't an unlimited number of spots on the list, and even if you assume that Everitt and Mathews will retire, and consider it likely that Davis will find himself a new home, a few more spots still need to be cleared on the list if players like Smith and O'Dwyer are to be given another year, or if the club thinks this year's draft is worth taking more than the minimum of three players.

If the club truly has decided it is time to focus on rejuventating the list, a couple of players who might otherwise be capable of one more year's decent football might have to find themselves tapped on the shoulder. It might seem tough on premiership heros like Crouch (or maybe Leo or even MickyO) but if some of those tough decisions aren't made, we'll go into next year with an even older list. The imminent retirements need to be managed so they don't all happen at the same time, especially with the talent pool to be stretched over the next four or so years.

I do see what you are saying, that with Crouch it will be more a case of making the hard decision. However, he has fought back from a nasty string of injuries after playing almost 200 games straight. The emphasis being fought back, effort, one percenters, canberra league. Could you imagine Roos tapping him on the shoulder now and saying "I know you've done a lot to get back in the team mate but I think its time to retire at year's end"?

Injuries and being injury prone are such interesting things about AFL football. And Crouch makes them more interesting for me. Here's a guy thats played almost 200 games consecutively without injury then spends the best part of 2 years injured. I don't know whether to think "well he played almost 200 on the trot - I'm sure he can do it again (not 200 but perhaps another two seasons?)". Or do I think "His career was only ever going to be about almost 200 games on the trot and a run of injuried that forced him to retire" - the everything balances itself out theory.

With an impending youth policy looming does Crouch have anything to offer the youngens on field? If not, then perhaps an off-field role should be considered.

[Bas]

Other tough calls for 2009 among the 2005 premiership class: Leo Barry, Ablett and Fosdike.

Won't happen. The only one here at risk is Fossie and only if a trade is done.

Crouch, Matthews, Everitt and Davis will be the four to go and Davis probably a third round pick to Freo.

[gossipcom]

Benny's announced it's his last season. (Courtesy of Ten News).