LJ ready for senior selection.

[ShockOfHair]

So this weekend its Roos, Horse and Maxfield vs Choco, Laidley and Hocking.

Back to topic: I can't wait to see LJ either. The club website ran a story on him a month ago with him acknowledging he had to knuckle down at training, so it looks like he's doing that.

But if he's ready, and Bradshaw is fit, who does he replace?

[RogueSwan]

But if he's ready, and Bradshaw is fit, who does he replace?

Goodes??
Put him back on the ball?
But then you don't want to drop any of our mids do we? Kirk, B1, McV, Hanners, Kennedy, Bird, Jack,Pebbles????
Tricky one, can he and Goodes both work the CHF? But then that would give us 4 tall in Bradshaw, White, Goodes and LJ.
Obviously I don't have an answer

[aardvark]

I know Braddy cost us nothing but in hindsight he has cost us the opportunity do develop a young forward and set Jesse back a fair bit in his development. I can't see him playing past this year with his knees the way they are.

[Big Al]

Totally agree! Spot on and I tried to start a similar thread to this! Wake up selectors! Playfair offers us nothing. I bet LJ kicks more goals than Playfair in his first match!

Yeah why not. Playfair offers us nothing so let's a bring in a kid that might not be ready for a senior game. That's never gone wrong in the past has it.

[JudesaGun]

Would love to see him get a call up this week... why wait??!!

[jono2707]

I think Playfair has done ok for us in the games he's played this year. Just ok, but then he was always in the squad for depth, with the plan being to throw him in if we had a need for an experienced hand in the forward line. I haven't had great expectations from him but I think he has played his role pretty well considering he's never going to be a matchwinner.

Goodsey aside, it looks like the team structure up forward has been planned around two talls, with the coaching staff seeking a mix of class and experience (Bradshaw) and youth and potential (Jesse). Bradshaw goes out so Henry comes in - I assume the coaching staff wanted a somewhat experienced older hand in with the still developing Jesse. My take on it would be that if Jesse goes down then perhaps LJ might get a run, but I can't see the current structure allowing LJ and Jesse as the two talls up forward.

So by my thinking LJ might get a run at some stage this year but only by replacing Jesse (be it through injury or form). Long-term (ie beyond 2010) it would be great to see both Jesse and LJ develop nicely but I don't think we'll see them together in the team anytime soon.

[Brettb]

It may have gone wrong in the past, but it has certainly gone right too on many occasions.

For every Jack Watts, there is a Michael Hurley or Matthew Kreuzer who it worked a dream for. In fact a better example might be Justin Westhoff, who exceled in his first year, as a skinny kid.

Jack Watts has rarely exceled at reserve level, so I don't think he is a great example (as others have stated)

[Melbourne_Blood]

The swans are notorious for holding kids back, where as other clubs just throw them straight into senior footy, and for the most part it works. This year has been a little different however with Rohan, Jets and Heath all making debuts ( and Hanners last year). While i understand it's deifferent for a KPP, know ones expecting him to come in and play CHF. Why not let him roam around a forward flank ? There is no evidence to suggest a young player will come on faster in the reserves than in the seniors. You could fairly argue that the opposite is true. Particularly with the reserves comp the swans play in. It's a massive step up to AFL level and the only way to get used to that is by being exposed to it

[Vonsteinman]

Thankfully the coaches and selectors take a little more into account than just saying, "Well, why not??"

[Jewels]

Thankfully the coaches and selectors take a little more into account than just saying, "Well, why not??"

Some sanity at last.......

[jono2707]

Particularly with the reserves comp the swans play in. It's a massive step up to AFL level and the only way to get used to that is by being exposed to it

The sooner we get into a decent reserves comp the better - our young-uns should be playing in the VFL or an equivalent to get them exposed to a decent level of footy...

[Hartijon]

It may have gone wrong in the past, but it has certainly gone right too on many occasions.

For every Jack Watts, there is a Michael Hurley or Matthew Kreuzer who it worked a dream for. In fact a better example might be Justin Westhoff, who exceled in his first year, as a skinny kid.

Jack Watts has rarely exceled at reserve level, so I don't think he is a great example (as others have stated)

My sentiments too.Good post and good answer to the conservatives who are happy with Playfair in a key goal kicking position keeping a promising kid out,despite the fact he doesn't kick goals and nobody is crumbing his inept attempts to mark. We beat Essendon despite his efforts not because of them. An enthusiastic kid is exactly what we need there and how could he do worse? The ball comes straight back from the FF position every time.,no goals are kicked from the set play of the FF, lead ,mark and kick, few goals are crumbed. Those who say Playfair is doing a job ,what exactly is the job he is doing?
LJ..its time!!!!!! TDL as well ,we need a straight kicking support in the FP.

[Melbourne_Blood]

Maybe they take too much into account ? They can't know what will happen when he steps out onto the field.

If his form and fitness warrants selection he should be selected. I don't know if it has yet, but i hope when it does there won't be any hesitation in kicking Playfair back to the two's and bringing in LJ.

[Melbourne_Blood]

The sooner we get into a decent reserves comp the better - our young-uns should be playing in the VFL or an equivalent to get them exposed to a decent level of footy...

Here Here!

[royboy42]

I might be just hanging onto the thread by a thread, but I noticed that Dipper played 99 in the ressies before they thought he was good enough. Didn't seem to hurt his senior career much!
And the swans DID say LJ needs 3 or so good perfs in the 2s. Hardly knocking on the door!