CHF

Will not keep me awake at night. we got very little from those 5 this year and do not expect that to change next season. the development/improvement has to come from others. I would not mind if some of our younger players modeled themselves on Rivers and/or Jamar. Sylvia is another matter.

A simple thing. If we improve more than the teams above us by enough then we move upthe rankings. Where is the improvement going to come from? Will it be internal development and natural improvement of individual players on the list? Will it be because we have brought better players on to the list? Will it be because of the development and understanding of the 'Game Plan'? I am of the opinion that we have a lot of upside with the present list we have with a few exceptions and that this is where the main development/improvement will come from. I have had a look at the list and have graded them on potential improvement. Gawn - If he can get over his injury and stay fit for a while I think he will offer something for us in 2-3 years time. Will not add a lot next year. Spencer - Has surprised with what he has shown in the last few games. if he can build on that he will give us improvement next year. Fitzpatrick - Needs a big pre-season to build up a bit. Will not add to overall improvement next year unless he surprises. Clarke - Missed him later half of the season and if he get a full season out of him it will be a significant improvement. Martin - He is developing well and he give us a little more next season. Jamar - If we get him on the ground and playing to reasonable standard we will get improvement. Watts - Was getting better with each game played. Will give us improvement next year. Sellar - What you see is what you get I believe. Will give us coverage and depth. Cook - See Fitzpatrick. T. McDonald - I see a big upside to this kid. Like the way he plays and will add to the overall improvement to the team next year. Frawley - Will get better each year. Rivers - What you see is what you will get next year. Morton - Don't believe he will improve. Would like to see it, he has all the tools, but I have my doubts. Dunn - Has been a victim of the lack of development at the club for junior players in the immediate past. May improve if the team around him lifts. Davis - No opinion. Bate - A bit like Dunn. Will only improve in a better team. Garland - Should improve. Will he? Howe - Good player but IMO needs proper direction and will add a lot to a properly structured team. Additional impact next year? or maybe the year after? Gysberts - Has upside but will have limited additrional improvement next year. Expect a bit more from him the season after. MacDonald - What you see is what you get. Jurrah - Anything we get out of him next year will be an improvement. If he is on the list I would expect a big season from him. Taggart - Big upside to him if he takes the proper steps. Grimes - Would think he will contribute more next season than this season. Tynan - No opinion. Sylvia - I think he is responding to Neeld's coaching and will add a greater degree of comsistancy to his game. MacKenzie - Is effective at what he does and I believe he will continue. Trengove - See Grimes Strauss - Will add to the improvement next year. lots of upside. Petterd - Don't think he will improve to be honest. Green - Thanks for the memories. Blease - Will add a lot to us over the season next year. Bail - What you see is what you get. Moloney - Had a bad year and does not seem to have adjusted to the new coaching. if he is on the list next year and he improves he will give us a lift. Do not expect to see him in the R&B. Bartram - Do not know that we will see him running around next year. Hope the injury responds. Tapscott - Natural development plus a step up? I hope so. Jones - Best season so far and would love to see him step it up a bit more. Jetta - Do not see much improvement next year to be honest. Bennell - As with Jetta Davey - Love to him improve on this season...needs to.... Of the list I can see these players being looked at as possible moves, either de-listed or traded. Green - retired Jurrah - So many question marks. Bartram - Possible move to Rookie list with his injury. Moloney - Trade? Dunn - Trade? Bate - Trade? Davis - ? Bennell - ? Morton - ? Sellar - ? I would not be surprised if there are a couple of our better players or players with clear potential being offered up at the trade table so we can get what we want to cover a few weaknesses. Gysberts? Taggart? Tapscott? Aside from the development of players I can see a general improvement with the game plan being a season older and another pre-season to work on it. These two elements are critical to our improvement relative to the other clubs. withour these we can import all the class we like but it will not give us the improvemtn we crave. Well, a long post and I am sure there are a lot that will disagree and have their own ideas. We all have opinions and this is mine.

I voted that he will make it in AFL. I recall that he was taken in the same draft as Bate and Dunn and, if I recall correctly, was around selection number 55/56. The three players were the three youngest players taken in that draft and, at the time, it was considered a good move by a number of people. However with the ND structure I believe that we lacked a viable structure for development of young players. I think this has been addressed in the last couple of years and that it will continue to be addressed in the near future. I have not seen him play recently as I am based in Europe. but I do recall his early games at the club and I thought he had ab bit to offer. Given that Dunn, bate and newton were all very young when they entered into the system and that i do not think the system was all that good at the time i would make sure these kids are given every opportunity to come good under the present structure. I would hope that Newton and the other two are given all the support the club can offer in the next pre-season and season to make sure that we see the best that they can offer before making decisions.

This one of the better threads on Newton that I have read either here or on other boards. I have not seen newton play as yet, (I am based overseas) so in all honesty I cannot comment one way or the other regarding his ability, mind-set or any other aspect of his game. What I can comment on is the last few years and and the way we have developed young players. I think this is one aspect of the club has been a success story. Rather than hold players back for no good reason the football coaches seem to have introduced the young players into the team at the right time. Jones has come in and looks like a permanent fixture. Last year Bartram's selection in round 1 surprised everyone and he stayed there the whole season. Bate and Dunn have been developed and used intelligently. Further back over ND's years a similar thing has happened. McLean and Sylvia came in and have developed well. (even given Colin's OP) Rivers and Davey were alos used well. My point is, after all the experience that the club has had with development of young players, after getting it right so many times, why would we not think they have it right with Newton. He was taken in the draft with Bate and Dunn. all three were the youngest taken in that draft and Newton was the youngest of the three. With the introduction and development of young players I will support the coaching panel.