If you listen to the wise men of the game speak on the subject of player development, they will invariably tell you that these days you need to get at least 50 games into the legs of your young players before they start to produce the standard of football necessary to bring success to your team.

The number of games required for bigger bodied players is even greater. I heard a discussion on radio about Tom Hawkins yesterday where it was mentioned that, in his seventh season at Geelong, he is finally living up to his potential. Yet these same pundits are passing judgement on Jack Watts in his fourth season after entering the system as a bottom aged schoolboy still doing his VCE.

What these judges have overlooked is that for all their good intentions our recruiters selected a number of players whose progress has been slowed drastically and many of these have yet to reach that 50 game mark or will only reach it well behind schedule due to injuries. There have been other reasons that have resulted in slower development of the players but the table below indicates where many of our recently recruited young players stand in terms of games actually played against the total possible games during their time at the club:-

Sam Blease 6 (68)

Lucas Cook 0 (24)

Jack Fitzpatrick 1 (46)

Max Gawn 4 (46)

Jack Grimes 34 (90)

Jordan Gysberts 18 (46)

Cale Morton 64 (90)

James Strauss 11 (68)

Luke Tapscott 15 (46)

Jack Trengove 39 (46)

Jack Watts 42 (68)

........................................

Tom Scully (gone) but with compensation picks to come.

The injuries incurred by many on this list have been either long term, multiple or both and have definitely held back the development of our playing list.

When you add those to injuries to players like Liam Jurrah, Colin Sylvia, Brent Moloney and others currently together with disappointing input from the likes of veterans in Green, Davey and Jamar, it goes some way to explaining the black hole we're in at the moment.

All clubs have injuries but I don't think anyone had anywhere near the 15 players missing last weekend.

Perhaps, some people might see this as excuse making but the figures in the table suggest we shouldn't be giving up yet on our last rebuild just yet.

If you listen to the wise men of the game speak on the subject of player development, they will invariably tell you that these days you need to get at least 50 games into the legs of your young players before they start to produce the standard of football necessary to bring success to your team.

The number of games required for bigger bodied players is even greater. I heard a discussion on radio about Tom Hawkins yesterday where it was mentioned that, in his seventh season at Geelong, he is finally living up to his potential. Yet these same pundits are passing judgement on Jack Watts in his fourth season after entering the system as a bottom aged schoolboy still doing his VCE.

What these judges have overlooked is that for all their good intentions our recruiters selected a number of players whose progress has been slowed drastically and many of these have yet to reach that 50 game mark or will only reach it well behind schedule due to injuries. There have been other reasons that have resulted in slower development of the players but the table below indicates where many of our recently recruited young players stand in terms of games actually played against the total possible games during their time at the club:-

Sam Blease 6 (68)

Lucas Cook 0 (24)

Jack Fitzpatrick 1 (46)

Max Gawn 4 (46)

Jack Grimes 34 (90)

Jordan Gysberts 18 (46)

Cale Morton 64 (90)

James Strauss 11 (68)

Luke Tapscott 15 (46)

Jack Trengove 39 (46)

Jack Watts 42 (68)

........................................

Tom Scully (gone) but with compensation picks to come.

The injuries incurred by many on this list have been either long term, multiple or both and have definitely held back the development of our playing list.

When you add those to injuries to players like Liam Jurrah, Colin Sylvia, Brent Moloney and others currently together with disappointing input from the likes of veterans in Green, Davey and Jamar, it goes some way to explaining the black hole we're in at the moment.

All clubs have injuries but I don't think anyone had anywhere near the 15 players missing last weekend.

Perhaps, some people might see this as excuse making but the figures in the table suggest we shouldn't be giving up yet on our last rebuild just yet.

Interesting post.

I maintain that clubs should always look to have a balance of tall, small, fast and tough players no matter the latest trend in how the game is played.

Exactly spot on! Have a team full of hard bodied players like Moloney, Jones & bate and see how far you get, no speed to break lines, no smarts to lift your eyes and see the open man out on the wing...balance is the essential to all things in life!

If you listen to the wise men of the game speak on the subject of player development, they will invariably tell you that these days you need to get at least 50 games into the legs of your young players before they start to produce the standard of football necessary to bring success to your team.

The number of games required for bigger bodied players is even greater. I heard a discussion on radio about Tom Hawkins yesterday where it was mentioned that, in his seventh season at Geelong, he is finally living up to his potential. Yet these same pundits are passing judgement on Jack Watts in his fourth season after entering the system as a bottom aged schoolboy still doing his VCE.

What these judges have overlooked is that for all their good intentions our recruiters selected a number of players whose progress has been slowed drastically and many of these have yet to reach that 50 game mark or will only reach it well behind schedule due to injuries. There have been other reasons that have resulted in slower development of the players but the table below indicates where many of our recently recruited young players stand in terms of games actually played against the total possible games during their time at the club:-

Sam Blease 6 (68)

Lucas Cook 0 (24)

Jack Fitzpatrick 1 (46)

Max Gawn 4 (46)

Jack Grimes 34 (90)

Jordan Gysberts 18 (46)

Cale Morton 64 (90)

James Strauss 11 (68)

Luke Tapscott 15 (46)

Jack Trengove 39 (46)

Jack Watts 42 (68)

........................................

Tom Scully (gone) but with compensation picks to come.

The injuries incurred by many on this list have been either long term, multiple or both and have definitely held back the development of our playing list.

When you add those to injuries to players like Liam Jurrah, Colin Sylvia, Brent Moloney and others currently together with disappointing input from the likes of veterans in Green, Davey and Jamar, it goes some way to explaining the black hole we're in at the moment.

All clubs have injuries but I don't think anyone had anywhere near the 15 players missing last weekend.

Perhaps, some people might see this as excuse making but the figures in the table suggest we shouldn't be giving up yet on our last rebuild just yet.

Young bodies get injured more than, mature harder bodies. Until the body is older & past it's UBD.

We have many young bodies on our list.

Outside of premiership players the Eagles also get leadership from Priddis, Rosa and Hurn. The WC recruits players have had these guys to play with and and learn from.

Ironically, West Coast recruited Rosa with a pick we gave them in exchange for Paul Johnson.

That worked out well.

Ironically, West Coast recruited Rosa with a pick we gave them in exchange for Paul Johnson.

That worked out well.

We probably would've wasted it on a 196cm kid that we wanted to turn in to a power forward, who only runs around on the wing, so I'm glad someone put it to good use...

Said the same thing a couple of weeks ago Dr, and I also added Jones and Frawley in there too.

When all these first round draft picks are aged between 23-26, we might have something special, espeically given we will continue to draft over the coming years. It's about making sure that this core group of players actually stay together, and most importantly, develop together and realise it's not just "going to happen".

I'm hopeful that the leadership of Grimes and Trengove, and with Neeld and Craig at the helm, ensure that these players work their arse off for their entire careers.

Stay together and develop together is absolutely correct

Are these guys mates coz if they are they will be supporting each other and competing with each other for success

I said on another thread that as supporters we have said that defeat is character building and this is true

If these players work hard the rewards will come because there is certainly a lot of skill there.

Ironically, West Coast recruited Rosa with a pick we gave them in exchange for Paul Johnson.

That worked out well.

Stop it..i need more pethadiene.