plugger66 wrote:Out this season will be G, M clarke, Voss and Thommo retired. Delistings will be Raymond, Sweeney, Brooks and Ferg is in trouble. 7-8 out 2 promoted to main list. Not sure who they will be. One preseason pick and 4-5 draft picks.
Fascinating info, if correct (and it usually is from this source).
I can't really argue with the delistings other than Brooks. Raymond is a no brainer, Sweeney might have been worth giving another year, but he really isn't the type of player we need more of at the club. Ferguson didn't show anything in the two games he played: although I can be accused of bias, I think Gwilt offers a lot more in the long term.
It will be good if Voss chooses to retire with honour: but, if so, why wasn't he given a run against the Tiges as well?
In terms of the ruck, it looks as if we will be going into 2008 with Gardi or Kosi as #1 (perhaps swapping back and forth between the ruck and FF), with Rix available to be called up in emergencies. I reckon there is a strong chance that Blake will be our permanent #2 ruck: I don't know how B4E is going to cope, but there you go. Presumably efforts will be made to bring van Rheenan on with an eye to playing seniors in 2009. In my mind, this would be a better total strategy than attempting to trade for another ruckman (because capable ruckmen are a limited commodity, very few seem to come on the market who haven't got problems on or off the field or both). But I can't personally see much downside in hanging onto Brooks for another season or two: if he does come good, he will be worth all the waiting. But perhaps RL isn't as patient as me.
Presumably CJ will be one of the two promoted rookies: groan, and I guess RL will be looking for more athletes in the draft. Given his love for CJ, he presumably is more interested in their athletic ability than in whether or not their skills are in the upper category. If you are only looking for athletes who can sort of play football, then you can probably use 5-6 draft picks even in a weak draft.
Lyon strikes me as being a guy with a strong preference for players whom he can train to do exactly what he wants out on the field. Players like Attard, Blake, Fiora, Fish, Chips, CJ, Joey, maybe Birss and Baker seem to fit clearly into this category. And, of course, the likes of Riewoldt, Lenny and Harves (and Hamill, if he ever returns) are good enough to adapt to any style of play you want. I think RL began the season thinking that Thommo and McQualter could fit into the style he wanted, but became disappointed in them and discarded them. He has clearly never rated Voss or Ferguson and is pretty sceptical about Armitage. I also assume that BJ and Max will command permanent spots once they regain fitness.
Lyon doesn't mind a few more unpredictable players dotted through the squad - Kosi, Milne, X, Raph - but the emphasis will always be on disciplined team play rather than creativity and improvisation.
Not my preferred style to watch, but - if it works properly - it could be pretty damn effective.
"It is useless to attempt to reason a man out of a thing he was never reasoned into."
- Jonathan Swift
