Robbie Ando's New Article

[Johnny Roberts]

Good article!!

I have to agree that it is time to give some of the younger players a go-

(Forgetting individuals for a moment) - as a group (IMHO) our biggest defficiencies are:

1. our skill level
2. decision making (particularly under pressure)
3. maintaing performance for 4x 30+ minute quarters-

The first 2 cannot be coached at the elite level (IMO)- sure you can refine skills and peripheral vision through training, but as you see in many cases - the one's with the best "hand to eye" co-ordination can turn their hands to most sports and be successful- ie. you either have it or you don't.
(some will mention Kennelly- but he was a proven talent in soccer and Gaelic as a junior)

Therefore it is time for the swans to be bold and give a kid a run at the expense of a more experienced player. What do we have to lose? We may find a player shows more than we first expected eg. Sunny v Melb late 02 or Schneider v Carlton Rnd 1.

Worst case scenario is that the "kid" is overawred, but may also gain an insight into the "tempo" of AFL and what is required-whereas the "vet" get's a kick in the pants - stars in the 2's and returns the following week. Hypothetical I know- but these are the risks that need to be taken to rebuild.

Call it "Fear" or "Pressure to keep spots" or whatever, but we also must not forget "reward for effort"- ie. if the seniors aren't performing and the Reserves are- you need to be rewarding the players coming up for their efforts, if that is misconstrued as putting fear into the seniors then you have killed 2 birds with one stone.

NB: Looking at the Swans 30 man squad on the Footy Show last night- it seems Roosy has noted the strong performance by the reserves on the weekend.

Don't get me wrong I am not calling for 10 players to be axed this week and injuries have meant that some players had to keep their spots for team balance- but with the return of Magic and Fixter etc. I think it is time to go down the Malthouse path.

In 2000 MM would bring in 1-2 youngsters at a time for a set number of weeks - no matter how they played and then return them to the 2's. At the end of that year he got out the broom for the dead wood and kept the one's that he felt could take them fwd. As much as it pains me to say it- Collingwood now have the most exciting list of young players (almost severing tounge from biting so hard) in the AFL.

IMO the only true way to judge the "depth" of our list- is to start turning list over from now- maybe 1-2 at a time depending on team performance, but no point waiting till Rnd 19 and finishing the year off with "promise" as we have the last 2-3 years.

[Nico]

Robbie, Robbie, Robbie, please don't tout Graeme John as the Head of the AFL.

Club great, hardly.

Was a handy CHF on his day but was an appalling coach in the Gary Buckenara mould, and as an administrator at South Melbourne, well he couldn't run a chook raffle, and he didn't, because they supposedly went broke when he was there.

I would'nt expect to see him in our Team of The Century. As a matter of fact I doubt club greats like Nash and Skilton would even invite him to clean their boots.

[robbieando]

He can't be too bad if he is on the AFL commission already and is the current head of Australia Post. He has the knowledge, background and support to get the job. His only problem is his age

[bloodhound]

Johnny,
I Agree turning the kids over ala Multhouse and woods, is the way to go. Multhouses methods in this area should be writen up into a manual and handed out as mandatory reading for all first year coaches. Also rewarding good work in the seconds and at training with real time played in the 1sts keeps the dirrection and improvment of the team moving forward.

[tez]

Robbie, just a wee correction on Graeme John.

He is in fact a West Australian recruited by Sth Melbourne
from East Perth where he made his mark as a CHB.

His son Gareth played for the Sydney Swans in the early
90's and suffered a bad facial injury playing Essendon
in a Fri night game.

[Bear]

Originally posted by tez
Robbie, just a wee correction on Graeme John.

He is in fact a West Australian recruited by Sth Melbourne
from East Perth where he made his mark as a CHB.

His son Gareth played for the Sydney Swans in the early
90's and suffered a bad facial injury playing Essendon
in a Fri night game.

Just a wee wee correction... Gareth suffered a throat injury not a facial injury .

Couldn't resist.

[tez]

Bear,

You are 100% correct.