So Smith is out for the rest of the season and his future will be discussed in due course. It's looking increasingly that we will have 4 significant retirements by season's end (Reg, Smooch, Macca, KJ).............
So Smith is out for the rest of the season and his future will be discussed in due course. It's looking increasingly that we will have 4 significant retirements by season's end (Reg, Smooch, Macca, KJ).............
I can't see Horse letting all four retire. Reg, obviously but I reckon it will be left up to Macca and this in turn will determine Smooch and Kizza. If Macca does retire I can't see Kizza retiring as Horse always talks about balance which I can understand as it is a legacy issue to pass on lessons learnt to young players. BTW I am loving Dawson's work but sometimes wonder why he was left to the NEAFL for so long as think he is learning more on the job than in the lower league. He is a keeper and we cannot lose him at the end of the year.
I’m not sure I accept the implication we are winning because Jones isn’t playing. You could apply similar sophistry to JPK too.
There’s no way Melbourne are going to hand over pick 3 for Jones, no matter how many steak knives players you chuck in to “sweeten” the deal.
I do agree our ruck ”department” needs to be rationalised and streamlined. Hopefully we’ll see both Naismith and Cameron play a few games after the bye.
Cunningham is required player based on his age and experience in a very young side.
One possible reason why Dawson wasn’t getting a game was because he was down the pecking order behind players who've now left the club.
I do get the importance of experienced players to the side, but only if their form warrants it. The only player who that applies to is Macca. I think retaining Kizza would 100% stop a younger better player getting AFL experience.
KJ out of contract, long time out of form is a definite retirement. Macca with continuing soft tissues injuries surely can't go on.
We're going ok now without Reg, KJ, Macca & Smith plus other senior injuries so maybe none of those four will be on the list in 2020.
Prefer Kizza to impart his knowledge in a coaching capacity, not clogging up our list, taking valuable game time from our youngsters and using up valuable cap space. If anyone stays on, it should be Smith given we have no genuine small lock down defender, as long as he can make a full recovery. Having a year off might actually extend his career.
I'm with you. Kizza definitely retires. Macca almost certainly too given his age and recurrent soft tissue injuries. The time has come to move on without them on field.
Macca is the better bet for a coaching role than Kizza but maybe we can find things for them both to do.
Don't think any of them go around again next year.
Grundy already gone
Jack no longer best 22
Smith could go around again, but may not want to go again at age 31 (just turned) after 12 months out.
McVeigh could stay on form, but the injuries are hitting him pretty hard
Respect them all as champions of our club, but probably best that we move forward with the new generation now.
In the scheme of things are these players ( and you can include Hannabury to the list ) paying the price of our long reign at the top ? I mean their bodies are obviously letting them down and they are all on the downward slide form wise. Their ages ( apart from McVeigh ) don't appear to be a problem compared to other players in the league so perhaps their heart & soul efforts in the past have caught up with them. Hope Kennedy has a year or two left.
Think our grinding game style, extra games every year (finals!) and our tendency to play senior players through injury has definitely contributed, however I don't think our retirements/older players are significantly worse than other teams.
I'm really interested to see how Hanners fares now that he's had the chance to give his body a break, I'm hoping he can return back to his pre 2016 form (although not against us!). If he can, then its probably a black mark against our medical team.
Our injury list is equal worst with Tigers, Saints and Suns all on 14. Plus of course Tippett and Grundy.
With all due respect to Jack. I think he is on the sidelines due to the concussion he got in his last game. He really hasn't had a chance to get back to form. As far as Macca goes he is now getting repeated soft tissue injuries that will probably see him retire at years end. I think he might be the heir apparent to Longmire.
Bookmarks