Paul Wheatley

[Guest fitness]

I often hear our coaches and administrators stressing the need to blood players and put game time into them to biuld up their strength, confidence, ability, etc. It is a sound philosophy.

Which is why I am completely bemused by what I can sense is a chorus of people on this message board calling for the delisting of Paul Wheatley at the end of the 2009 season.

He is a player who, granted, has taken time to develop, probably more time than most AFL players are offered. He is now into his ninth season, has played 132 games and in my opinion undoubtedly made significant improvements to his game in 2008 - he is a booming kick, a solid mark and a very dependable half-back flanker or wingman.

Wheatley is 28 years old. 28.

Am I wrong in thinking that the reason we want to blood games into all our youngsters is that hopefully they will become solid citizens during their peak years of football, just like Paul Wheatley has now become?

I think he has a huge amount still to offer for many more years at the club. But perhaps I am alone in this line of thinking. Or are there others out there in agreement with me on this?

Look forward to people's thoughts.

[H_T 2,941]

Thank's for your post Paul and welcome to Demonland.

Keep playing well at Casey and I'm sure you'll get in through the ever revolving door into the Melbourne side.

Cheers.

PS. Keep working on your booming kick you super-goal freak!

:D

[Mousey 47]

I think he will get picked this week against the Lions.

Still has something to offer but needs some games at the end of this year to prove that he deserves another contract going forward next year

[Little Lucifer 2]

You are right he is a great player dogged by injury this year. If you chuck out the all the players they want to get rid of we would have a team of young players left who would get their attitude kicked down big time purely because of the lack of some steady guiding by senior players. You will find that some of the supporters on this website are very fickle with their allegiance to players and the club, so much so I suspect they are not even melb. fans. Just look at the stuff written about Colin Silvia for example over the past couple of years. Their comments go up and down better that the big dipper at Luna park.

[titan_uranus 23,249]

I think he will get picked this week against the Lions.

Still has something to offer but needs some games at the end of this year to prove that he deserves another contract going forward next year

I doubt you'd hold that view if you'd seen his efforts at Casey so far (of course, I'm assuming that you haven't...).

He isn't doing enough to warrant senior selection, and Bailey seems to prefer to play those who are in form.

[Carn dees 108]

Personally i really rated wheats but injury has dogged him, i hope he gets another chance before the end of the year if not he will probably be delisted.

I love his quick its a pretty good weopon

[Rogue 585]

I like Wheatley and was happy when he was given more scope to be offensive in recent times.

However, his kicking isn't as reliable as some make out and he's fairly injury-prone.

He's also not particularly physical and thus isn't really suited to playing a defensive role, IMO.

We could do worse than have him on the list but with many young guys vying to play a running back/receiver role I think his time at the Dees is probably limited.

[deanox 9,006]

IF wheatly can find form and get back in the side, it will do him no harm. At 28 he probably has another 3-4 years left on the list, especially given that pace has never been one of his major assets, rather his long kicking, which probably won't diminish.

Whether he stays on or not comes down to a couple of things such as how many of the other older players are moved on/retire i.e. robbo, wheelan, mcdonald, as we do want to keep some experience around, and how many of the younger players have done their dash and the club has decided they won't make it?

you may not want to get rid of all your experience, but experience doesn't really help you the side when it is playing for casey. other developing clubs may have had experienced players around to help out (read crawford, dew etc) but players like that own their positions. They are quality players who not only lead through age and behaviour, but lead with performances. We don't have senior players who do that. And I am not sure that 'experience' is important if it isn't good enough to get a game.

It wouldn't surprise me if we are behind some of these sides in the rebuild due to the fact that our leaders, seniors, and experienced players, don't have the quality of some of these other clubs (lloyd, lucas, fletcher, johnson, akermanis, eagleton, brown didak, fraser, johnson, presti).

[RalphiusMaximus 6,005]

I've always liked Wheatley, but once again what we need to ask is will he play in our next premiership? This is what the experts are talking about when they use terms like "list cloggers." He is a player who has come along nicely, is reasonably popular with the fans and can certainly hold a spot in the current team. However, he will never be a significant contributor to our next premiership and sadly that is the basis on which all of our list must be judged.

[Doggo 32]

Thank's for your post Paul and welcome to Demonland.

Keep playing well at Casey and I'm sure you'll get in through the ever revolving door into the Melbourne side.

Cheers.

PS. Keep working on your booming kick you super-goal freak!

:D

LMAO

I like Wheatley and was happy when he was given more scope to be offensive in recent times.

However, his kicking isn't as reliable as some make out and he's fairly injury-prone.

He's also not particularly physical and thus isn't really suited to playing a defensive role, IMO.

We could do worse than have him on the list but with many young guys vying to play a running back/receiver role I think his time at the Dees is probably limited.

Agree with you Rogue.

I've always enjoyed his long booming kicks, but unfortunately his kicking efficiency isn't anywhere near as good as some would have u believe, and too often last year his disposals consisted of mainly "short and wide" kicks. He seems to be constantly injured or in the rehab group during preseasons, he's not the strongest one-on-one player or even a particularly good overhead mark given his height (189cm but plays small), and guys like Grimes, Davey, Cheney, Bennell, Strauss etc, are all capable of playing his running back role now, and for many years to come.

Unfortunately, the future doesn't look too bright for Wheaters. I think he'll have to be playing some amazing footy for the remainder of 09 at Casey if he wants to remain on the list next year.

[rpfc 27,692]

I have nothing against the guy but circumstances have made it difficult for him to be offered another contract.

We have to have three deletions, I think 5 or 6 would be the go this November and the older you are the less chance you have of staying on the list.

[dee-luded 2,958]

I often hear our coaches and administrators stressing the need to blood players and put game time into them to biuld up their strength, confidence, ability, etc. It is a sound philosophy.

Which is why I am completely bemused by what I can sense is a chorus of people on this message board calling for the delisting of Paul Wheatley at the end of the 2009 season.

He is a player who, granted, has taken time to develop, probably more time than most AFL players are offered. He is now into his ninth season, has played 132 games and in my opinion undoubtedly made significant improvements to his game in 2008 - he is a booming kick, a solid mark and a very dependable half-back flanker or wingman.

Wheatley is 28 years old. 28.

Am I wrong in thinking that the reason we want to blood games into all our youngsters is that hopefully they will become solid citizens during their peak years of football, just like Paul Wheatley has now become?

I think he has a huge amount still to offer for many more years at the club. But perhaps I am alone in this line of thinking. Or are there others out there in agreement with me on this?

Look forward to people's thoughts.

Please tell me who you would let go @ 2009 seasons end to keep up the list rebuild?

Am looking forward to your outs then.

[Jaded No More 60,159]

For anyone who wants him in the team, who would you drop out of the backline in order to give him a game?

[dee-luded 2,958]

I think he will get picked this week against the Lions.

Still has something to offer but needs some games at the end of this year to prove that he deserves another contract going forward next year

Agreed 'mousey', I think he could be in for, hopefully Morton, Who IMO needs a stint @ Casey.

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

I don't like jumping on the back of players, reading the bulltish about PJ, Bate, Morton etc etc on this site over the last 12 rounds has meant I have no taste left for it, but in this case I have to pipe up.

Wheatley has played 2, maybe 3 ok seasons. He has never been anything more than serviceable. The only reason they kept him on through his lean patches was because he has a booming 60 metre kick. He's no leader, no presence on match day, no presence in the media...

IMO, if we are to move forward, Wheatley is in the gun to be shown the door. If he were to be a part of our rise up the ladder it wouldn't be because he's a leader in the way Green is. It'd be because he's a mature-bodied player and because we have no accurate kicks. Is that cause enough to keep him, and lose, say, Whelan or Robbo instead as part of our 5-6 names we'll be losing?

I'd rather a 29 year old Whelan (as rough as he's been this year) or a 30 year old Robbo than Wheatley.

[gOLLy 401]

I don't like jumping on the back of players, reading the bulltish about PJ, Bate, Morton etc etc on this site over the last 12 rounds has meant I have no taste left for it, but in this case I have to pipe up.

Wheatley has played 2, maybe 3 ok seasons. He has never been anything more than serviceable. The only reason they kept him on through his lean patches was because he has a booming 60 metre kick. He's no leader, no presence on match day, no presence in the media...

IMO, if we are to move forward, Wheatley is in the gun to be shown the door. If he were to be a part of our rise up the ladder it wouldn't be because he's a leader in the way Green is. It'd be because he's a mature-bodied player and because we have no accurate kicks. Is that cause enough to keep him, and lose, say, Whelan or Robbo instead as part of our 5-6 names we'll be losing?

I'd rather a 29 year old Whelan (as rough as he's been this year) or a 30 year old Robbo than Wheatley.

Sorry Dappa I usually agree with lot of what you say but not on this one. We can get another 3 great years out of Wheatley. I also think hes been more than servicable

[Doggo 32]

I could see him playing another year or two and being of some use. Just not at MFC.

If he were to be delisted come seasons end, I wouldn't be completely surprised if another side pick him up and try to utilise his 'super-boot' like the Hawks did with Dew. Maybe a side like Sydney might pick him up to play that Kennelly role, given he's left, and Malceski has shown nothing like his pre-knee injury form. Paul Roos has also been known to pick up 'servicable' type older players (Rhys Shaw, Everitt, etc etc). At 28, Wheaters might seem a good fit. Possibly.

I think a future at MFC seems very unlikely, as does a trade, unless it were a 4th rounder or later.

[Eastie Boyz 0]

Paul Wheately.

Still has lots to offer

For Sandy

[praha 10,575]

No no no no no no no.

We already have enough older, experienced players in the team. It's either Wheatley or Whelan. One or the other. Not both. We already have Bruce, Green and Miller, with Whelan and McDonald (bar last week) and now you want to add Wheatley? What purpose would that have? How would we benefit? You'd have to drop one of Grimes or Martin, and I'd much rather Whelan in the team than Wheatley.

I've said before how having players like Miller, Wheatley, Robbo and even McDonald in the team don't benefit us at all. Green, Bruce, Davey, Brock and Sylvia SHOULD be enough when it comes to leadership and experience, but they haven't been. They need to step up. IMO, drop Whelan and Miller, keep McDonald out and focus on the next core group of leaders and make them lead the way. They really haven't been able to because hacks like Miller are clogging up positions, and McDonald is in the team purely because he is captain - he offers nothing statistically to the game.

Martin needs to be played as a forward. I don't want Bailey to make the same mistake with him as Daniher did with Green. Green could have been a 60+ goals per year player, but Daniher was just too stubborn (and we also had Neita).

As long as no young players are sacrificed to bring in older players, I'm happy. I don't want to see Wheatley brought in for an omitted young player.

[Doggo 32]

Paul Wheately.

Still has lots to offer

For Sandy

You mean Casey?

[dee-luded 2,958]

You mean Casey?

Maybe he meant Sandy,? future tense?

[Je Roos Salem 661]

I agree that Wheatley should be playing. Just because he has had a couple of injuries this year all of a sudden people were saying how crap he was and how he should be delisted etc. Wheatley had a good 2008 season and should definitely return to the senior side as soon as possible. I think Wheatley just needs to get out on the field and I think we are in desperate need of some older spiritual leaders.

[dee-luded 2,958]

No no no no no no no.

We already have enough older, experienced players in the team. It's either Wheatley or Whelan. One or the other. Not both. We already have Bruce, Green and Miller, with Whelan and McDonald (bar last week) and now you want to add Wheatley? What purpose would that have? How would we benefit? You'd have to drop one of Grimes or Martin, and I'd much rather Whelan in the team than Wheatley.

I think Whelan is a player I'd like to keep for next year, either listed, or as a mentor, ass' coach.

Both Green & Wheatley were born in 1981 (28 this year), & Whelan & Bruce were born in 1979 (30 this year).

[Carn dees 108]

I agree that Wheatley should be playing. Just because he has had a couple of injuries this year all of a sudden people were saying how crap he was and how he should be delisted etc. Wheatley had a good 2008 season and should definitely return to the senior side as soon as possible. I think Wheatley just needs to get out on the field and I think we are in desperate need of some older spiritual leaders.

Agree.

[Carn dees 108]

I've always liked Wheatley, but once again what we need to ask is will he play in our next premiership? This is what the experts are talking about when they use terms like "list cloggers." He is a player who has come along nicely, is reasonably popular with the fans and can certainly hold a spot in the current team. However, he will never be a significant contributor to our next premiership and sadly that is the basis on which all of our list must be judged.

If right now we played only players who wil play in our next premiership..... god help us we'd get no were.

We need experience to win and these older players are what keeps these younger kids inline and create that winning environment wich is what we lack now and thats good senior players.