budzy wrote:
Pagan & the club are not listening to the majority of their supporters.
We been listening to you supporters for the last 3 years - talking up Pagan like he was the second coming. NOw everyone is screaming "play the kids" because the undersized Blackers was released back into the VFL pool. What happened to "play the kids" when that dud Martyn was getting a free ride to his 300th game? It was all "play the old gorilla" back then.
THe Youth Policy is about sound recruitment of youth through the draft, rookies and the PSD followed up by subsequent focused development of these players by the best means possible.
Part of that development is VFL - a fair way below AFL standard but well above schoolboy footy and quite frankly, if a player is struggling or just getting by in VFL, then he is NOT ready for AFL. Russel, to name one, was finding his feet in the big-time footy thing in his first year and consequently did not get a run in the Ones. This is NORMAL. He got a run earlier this year, probably undeserved based on form, and since going back has shown good form and is more ready now to have another crack. The club has told us this will happen in the second half of the season. This seems fair to me as long as the club is saying to the players - "show us good form in the VFL and we'll give you a decent run in the AFL."
Wallsy went on about Richmond's first 4 picks in 2000 but he, as usual, contrdicts himself when he refers to our development of Russel and Harlett. All these 2000 Richmond recruits were given reasonably normal development phases- Pettigrew, their first pick at about nine, played 7 games in his first year and no more then 10 games in his next three seasons before getting a full season in 2004; Hyde, got no games in his first season and two and six in 2001/02; Kracker was gradually developed over three/four years; Raines played one and six in his first two seasons; Tuck, rejected from Hawthorn, two games; and Coglan five in his first and a full season in his second. I assume that when they weren't playing Ones, they were learning their trade in the VFL. Please explain how this is vastly different from what Carlton has done with Russel and others?
My problem with development, in this current era and taking in our 2000 draftees, has been the focus on re-treads, a questionable young player development program, a shit game plan that even senior players struggled with, a draconian coach, a lot of bum-time on the bench, player discontent, turmoil in the club, etc have all contributed to the under-development of our youngsters. It may be my imagination but the good form of the a fair few of the Tiger youngsters mentioned above coincided with the arrival of a new coach and a new, modern approach to the game.
We are three years late with some kind of focus on youth but I don't disagree with Pagan's recent statements about throwing the kids in the deep end. And with the style of footy Carlton are playing, that's a very deep end. Walls, based on his Brissy experience, may say play the kids, but lets have a look at some of the kids he had on his list. They made the grade despite Walls. Hopefully some of our youngsters can do the same with their coach.
One thing I do agree with Walls on, is the appointment of a specialist youth development coach - preferably not an old fud from the early 80s.
As for the supporters, I rest easy knowing that 99% of supporters have absolutely nothing to do with the running of the club.
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FAQ
. Either of Ivan Maric (pick 40) and Fabian Deluca (pick 35) would have been handy. 
