I’ve posted my thoughts on this subject regularly on this site so I won’t bore everyone with a repetitive rant but I’d be interested in other peoples opinions regarding our kids’ development so I ask the following questions.

Are you happy with the rate of the kids’ (23yo & under) development over the last 4 or 5 years?

Should some of them be further developed than what they presently are? If so, who?

Should the kids be played in the VFL until they are ready to perform at a high level in the AFL? If not, at what stage of a young players development should he be playing in the AFL?

How should the kids be developed in terms of game style? A free flowing, attacking, high scoring style of football OR a negating, defensive style that limits the oppositions scoring opportunities?

_________________
There's so much I could say...

i think the development of our young kids over the past 4 or 5 years has been really good with simpson, walker, bentick just to name a few improving out of sight.

i'd like to see players get a go in both vfl and afl as one can give you confidence and one can give you invaluable experience.

i think our kids should be developed with an attacking, free-flowing style of play like we displayed against west coast earlier this year.

i think denis has done a really good job with the young blokes and i couldnt care less if stevens or scotland or lappin or kouta dominate a game i'd rather see improvement in the youngsters.

_________________
Last edited by true_blue3 on Mon Sep 26, 1981 5:07 pm; edited 92 times in total

The young ones are travelling very nicely, but most need to work on there disposals.

_________________
"Dont count the games, make the games count"

What do people think of the theory that the development of Walker and Simpson was aided by the infamous "bigger body" trade week of 2004?

I don't necessarily believe it, but think it's an interesting theory.

_________________
Richard Pratt - A Carlton legend.

I think our development has been great. Pagan would bring all these kids up after their 'apprentership' in the VFL. Looking at the VFL, we have been on top for the past 2 years, that there should tell you something about our kids.

Hopefully they can prove something in the AFL with the likes of hartlett, flinch, aisaki, sentanta, kennedy to all be regulars after a full preseason, the list of xciting youngstars just goes on. Dont underestimate Pagans tactics, it might pay off next year or two...when their so called apprentership is over.

_________________
delist the whole carlton list

Just posted something similar in another thread but thought this one might be a better place to discuss the issue.

On the development of the kids.........................are we expecting a little to much from them?

look at last years draft.

1. Murphy - Season
2. Thomas - 4-5weeks
3. Ellis - Sidelined for at least 5 weeks
4. Kennedy - 5 weeks
7. Ryder - season

All of the above from 'Football' related injuries.

Are we asking (AND expecting) just a little too much from these kids.

Walker is just 20 and has played 50 games and people are already asking if he is ever gonna deliver?
Goddard has been criticised to all hell, and he's just over 21.
Wells is being written up in the media as 'Not Delivering', mainly because they announced him as Brownlow Medalist favourite at the start of last season.

It's bad enough that these kids have to finish off year 12 Exams and crap like that WHILST playing 40 odd games a year of under 18's football in hope that they'll get drafted.

I think Wiggens has thought me a valuable leason...................not to expect anything from a kid we picked up in the draft until at least 3 or 4 years.

So on that......................WE ARE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE SOMEBODY LIKE WALKER who at just 20 years of age, has clocked up 51 games and has carried the hopes and dreams of 50,000 + Carlton supporters.

I love seeing us 'Blood' the kids, and yeah i'd love to see us promote a rookie, but we just have to realise that these kids will be developing for atleast the next 4 years.

P.S. I've loved how Denis is using young Luke Blackwell. He may only get 60-70min of match time, but he's still got such a small frame and is so young. I think Denis has used him well.............off the bench!

_________________
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit"
- Aristotle

Who the hell plays 40-odd games of footy a year?

Development is a lot easier when you 'grow up' in a competitive side. Its the 2009 draftees that will have the luxury of less accountability. The 40-odd blokes on the list at the moment are playing for our survival. We are so far in the hole, the only way out is to win games.

Lets hope none of our current young guns forget these dark days and how so many times the system sodomised us, while spooning the rest. We might be in here ranting and raving about how unfair things are, but they just take it on the chin and get on with it.

_________________
"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter" - Winston Churchill.

In the old days kids used to be introduced into the senior team only one or two at a time.

This way they were usually surrounded by 17 or 18 mature bodies in the same team who could look after them and protect them to a certain extent out on the ground.

These days there are sometimes upwards of 6 or 7 teenagers in any particular team due to policy or injury to lists of only 38. Now they are running around on the field against not only men but men who run faster and can hit harder than in the past.

So the young guys these days have less protection from their team-mates and also have to put up with harder contact from the opposition.

Probably not a surprise that some are getting 'impact' injuries.

I imagine it would be very difficult for players to recover from serious injury in their first 2 or 3 years on a list. In fact have there been many superstars of the game who had a reasonably serious injury before say 20 years of age? Judd is probably one example of the top of my head. Would be interesting to see how many.

_________________
|♥♥♥♥♥♥| http://www.blueseum.org |♥♥♥♥♥♥|

im reasonably happy with the kids development...particuarly Simmo.

Murph is an enigma, he was always going to excel, everyone knew it.

i take the most heart from the extended development of Blackwell and Russel.

pagan resisted pressures to play these two before they were ready, and despite all the bagging on TC and in the press for not playing the kids, i think denis has brought them in at the perfect time.

however time will tell..

_________________
Back like a raging case of pubic lice

I dont agree..Pagan has been forced to develop younger player under orders rather than it being a nautral move for him to make ....we would be still looking for mature bodies to play crash/bang footy if Denis had his way...still think playing youth and developing it is a foreign concept even though Pagans U19 record suggest otherwise....

_________________
"When you have the attitude of a champion, you see adversity as your
training partner."
- Conor Gillen

I suppose when you're coaching an U19's team, you really don't have any choice but to give games to players who are... well, under the age of 19.

Very happy with the development of all the players, with the exception of Livingston - who I had high hopes for. Guys like Trent Sporn I could never see stepping up to the big league so I haven't been too suprised. I love the effort and attack on the ball that the young guys have; it has even made watching losses somewhat enjoyable. Would like to see JR return to the ants this week and be given the full game playing 50 to 50, see if he can approach it as a senior player and really dominate. Also special mentions to Wiggles and Bannister who have stepped up a notch.

I have concerns that some very basic issues which need addressing, and are evident across many players in our games, are being ignored.

If you include games like the 'Irish' tour and some kids play for their schools too.

Don't quote me but i'm pretty sure Murphy played over 30 games the year he was drafted.
Thomas too!

_________________
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit"
- Aristotle