Watching the pies kids on Friday night can't help but think we have been to slow in bringing our kids into AFL.

There is a lot to be said for nurturing players through the system but can't help but think we have not pushed players such as Bode, Buckley and CJ hard enough whilst being patient for them to 'learn the ropes' at Sandy.

One thing that excites me about Bailey is his intension not to put barriers in front of the kids. With CC's astute eye and a match committee bold enough to back youth we may have a few more Bartram like debuts next year.

Yes, and now tha Daniher, Curran, Riley and Fagan are gone we will see proper player development

Yes, and now tha Daniher, Curran, Riley and Fagan are gone we will see proper player development

How do we know these guys were bad for player development?

Im not saying they were good either but as we don't have a proper insight into the clubs coaching we can't comment on this and be very accurate

Watching the pies kids on Friday night can't help but think we have been to slow in bringing our kids into AFL.

There is a lot to be said for nurturing players through the system but can't help but think we have not pushed players such as Bode, Buckley and CJ hard enough whilst being patient for them to 'learn the ropes' at Sandy.

One thing that excites me about Bailey is his intension not to put barriers in front of the kids. With CC's astute eye and a match committee bold enough to back youth we may have a few more Bartram like debuts next year.

In fairness to our coaching squad of 2007 our kids suffered from injuries as much as the rest of the list. Bartram, Pettard & Frawley missed games with injuries and our other young players in their early 20's like McLean, Rivers, Sylvia and Dunn also had injury problems of varying degrees this year. Bode had a bulging disc problem that dogged him last year and didn't clear up until earlier this year. Buckley and CJ were given ample opportunities as was Juice when he finally broke into the team. If they're all fit next year we can hopefully make some quick strides up the ladder.

this is how it is...or was.. Danniher and Riley played a very conservative and dull game. ( with built in time delay regarding any necessary moves ). The game was all but telegraphed to the opposition before the first bounce and little changed after that. They played a very conservative hand re bringing on the kids. If ever there was a now or two more weeks time type dillem of a decision.. it was nearly always the wait and see. wait and see...wait and bloody see !! Always waiting for the game to come to them, never taking the game head on and deciding its ( demons ) own destiny

In a way I agree with YM.. this will now change.

How do we know these guys were bad for player development?

Because they were the entire coaching staff

And our player development was pathetic

Simple really

( with built in time delay regarding any necessary moves )

Haha.

I think we have been a bit soft on the kids. Or maybe a bit, hmmm, not lazy, laissez faire?

Pathetically, I'll refer to Baileys's comment about 'not putting barriers in front of them'.

Telling a kid that he's basically going to spend a season 'learning the game' at Sandringham kind of puts it beyond their power to reach further.

Personally it annoys me when people just stop walking when they get on an escalator or one of those flat ones they have at airports, but it's the same with kids who get told they're on a program. Don't get me started on the fricking year 7,8,9,10,11,12,cliff... conveyor belt in the education system!

All the great players have had a voracious appetite for learning and improving throughout their career, and that has been undermined at Melbourne by what I think was an assumption of improvement over time. 'Give him a year and he'll be much better'.

Bah.

Give him a lesson, let's make him better.

Give him a goal, he'll make himself much better.

We have to give our younger players confidence, they need assurance and guidance, we need someone that can communicate effectively and they shouldn't be treated like second rate footballers. If they are treated like second rate they'll play like second rate players. Young players thrive on confidence Dale Thomas is a great example. I don't think he will be a super star but he oozes confidence and backs himself.

How do we know these guys were bad for player development?

Im not saying they were good either but as we don't have a proper insight into the clubs coaching we can't comment on this and be very accurate

since when has that ever stopped a clown from posting some outlandish statement?

My issue with the previous coaching panel is their seemingly unending ability to take a young player out of their favoured position and screw them up by trying to make them into something else. For example, Brad Green can lead well, is a great overhead mark and is a beautiful shot on goal, but foro some f^%*ing reason Daniher played him off the half back line??