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Recruiting - where did it all go wrong

spirit of norm smith
in Melbourne Demons

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Have to clarify the Tim Lamb performance on trades (Jason Taylor does the drafting).

Pre Tim Lamb. Hibbo. Melksham. May. Lever. Langdon. Brown.

Since 2021… Dunstan, Grundy, Hunter, Schache, Daw, Billings, McAdam, Fullarton, Campbell, Sharp (tbc)

None are either still on the list or not in the best team or regular players. A huge flaw. Sure they cost us 2nd, 3rd and 4th rounders. Unsuccessful.

Recruiting injury prone or end of career players … Hunter. Billings Campbell McAdam.

Other clubs have added players that are regulars and strong contributors. I dare say every club except the Dees in the past 2-3 years

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    It all went wrong when Goodwin failed to see the changing trends of football in the 22 season and onwards Stevie Wonder could see we needed outside pace in the midfield and move the ball with quick pace and skill instead still wanted to play the inside contested ball down the line football and blind faith that it would work. Our forwards line has struggled by this ball movement and will continue to do so until they get some help on how to get separation skills running patterns and body use against their opponents, they also need to stop allowing the backmen to easily transfer the ball out of the back half with ease thus allowing the transfer of the ball across the H/B line while everyone is on one side of the ground, it is damm frustrating to see the ball move towards the forward line and all you see is opposition numbers by 2 and 3 players.

    Max unfortunately cannot jump at centre bounces anymore and is unable to give advantage to most of the time and therefore is a libility but he is great around the ground he needs help and not just JVR, Viney, Oliver gets shown up when it's not contested all the time and are just chashing stops now does Goodwin go for broke and introduce a new midfield and forward line and stay the course or just go the same i guess we will find out tomorrow

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    The recruiting might have been OK but it is the development that has let us down. This has been an ongoing issue for all this century starting with Brad Green and Cameron Bruce who, after 2000 finals were expected to be dominant, remained good players but whose careers did not develop much more.

    Players in other teams seem to have a breakout period and then go on. Our players, with the exception of Maxie, do not. Captains such as Grimes, Trengove, Jones did not become dominant (i know injury intervened with Grimes and Trengove, but still) and now Oliver and Petracca have not improved but remain stuck as really good players but rarely dominate as they should.

    We have a chance with Bowey, McVee, Rivers, JVR, Windsor and, perhaps too late, Sparrow to develop a new generation of dominant players. But are we up to it? Is it coaching or game plans, I don't know. I occasionally get the feeling that our game style restricts the players innate abilities. Letting Langdon loose to run and run and run in 2021 worked. Let's try more such experiments.

    Sadly I do not consider Goodwin a development coach so he will need some help should he remain. But it has to start now.

    And by the way, Neal-Bullen would have been the best tutor for the young forwards.

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    Apparently we are interested in Nathan Krueger which would be his third team. I think our recruiters are bordering mental with the current team, let alone adding that pleb.

    can we seriously not find any new talent instead of always going to old and broken players?

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    Recruiting. Just stating the facts !!!

    Here are players recruited to new clubs since 2021 (last 4 years) and in their current teams best 23 (or played on the weekend). Dees are the outlier … with one!!

    Crows. ANB, Cumming, Peatling, Rankine, Keane, Dawson 6

    Cats Stengle Bailey Smith Henry Bowes Bruhn* 5

    Swans Grundy Jordon Hamling Adams 4

    Pies Cameron Lipinski Schultz Hill Mcstay Perryman Houston* 7

    Kangas Daniel Stephens Tucker Darling Parker Fisher Logue Konstanty 8

    Suns Long Noble Rioli 3

    Blues Cerra Hewett McGovern Saad Haynes Acres 6

    Eagles Graham Baker Hunt Flynn Owies 5

    Dogs Kennedy Harmes Lobb Bramble Jones 5

    Lions Dunkley AhChee Fort McKenna Day 5

    Bombers Shiel Setterfield McKay Duursma Prior Gresham Caldwell* 7

    Dees Sharp 1

    Tigers Hopper Taranto 2

    Dockers Clark Sharp Bolton Omeara Jackson* 5

    Giants Hogan Stringer Bedford 3

    saints Wood Hill Stocker Macrae Henry Jones 6

    Power JHF Sweet Richards Rioli Allir Ratugolea Lukosius 7

    Hawks Meek Amon Battle Barrass Impey Chol Ginnivan D’Ambrosio 8

    Edited by spirit of norm smith
    I

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