Rumour Bluemour Discussion XXXVI - 'Loopy' Season in full swing

[Yubby]

There are several factors at play here.

Firstly, Walsh didn't start season 2023 until round 5, and missed a chunk of the preseason, so he wasn't exactly fit and firing.

Our list is someone unbalanced because we have the amount of top end talent that we do. Cripps, Walsh, Weitering, Curnow, Harry and TDK are all very top level talent and as such are high money earners.

The effect of this is its very hard to have as big a spread of B and B+ players when you are carrying the salaries of 6 A+ players.

So to balance this out and try to acquire depth we need to bring in drafted players, who are on a 3 year locked base salary. This gives us balance of adding depth and smoothing the salary, so when the older players come to the back end of their contracts we will have some money to resign the younger guys.

As mentioned before, the combination of 4 x 24-27 year old fringe players would have an average salary of 500k each or 2million. Where as 4 draftees have a base of around 150k + 5k per game played. So lets say around 670k a year. That opens up close to 1.4 mil in the cap. Pretty significant.
The other point to this is, 23-26 year old players do not want to play VFL football at all, and whilst you need a full 44 player squad to succeed, its simple not possible to do it with a list of players all the same age. You either can't afford it or you have a large amount of disgruntled seasoned players not getting AFL games.
This was shown by losing players like Dow, Fisher and Setterfield recently, whilst not world beaters, they know they can get AFL games at other clubs.

So constant rejuvenation is essential not only because it helps build a balanced TPP but also it allows more harmony within the club.

Re Kennedy, he is stuck in a hard place, he knows he will always be on a bubble of getting the midfield minutes he wants, and whilst he has the ability to play multiple roles, it might not necessarily be what he wants to do. Especially if there are other clubs out there that are offering him that main inside mid role.

Now to Motlop versus Owies. If you actually have a look at their career averages, the are very similar. Motlop is 7 years his junior and is more of a traditional small forward. This year he had no luck with injuries, but last year he showed he is very much up to being a high level small forward.
Owies is a warrior and has worked so hard, but he is more the type of undersized forward that gets a large amount of his goals from set shots, not nearly as much of a crumbing threat as Motlop.
Club believes Moir will surpass Owies in the near future as this type of player. And as mentioned before, we have in fact offered Owies a contract, but we have been blown out of the water by other clubs. Is he really the player we need to get in a bidding war and end up paying overs for?
Durdin I have hope for, he's shown me enough to be given a crack. Fantasia I cannot justify in anyway. Maybe its his surname. It's just to Carlton.

Our depth is both the hardest and easiest thing to measure. Over the last few seasons we've had that bad a run with injuries that we have played 40, 37 and 37 players across the last 3 years. To put that in perspective, Sydney had played 31 different players this year.
So on that statistic and our ladder finishes I believe it shows our depth is in a good spot.

Finally, and most worrying for me is it appears that we have played some of our better football when we've been missing a chunk of key players. I think this is the most telling thing of all and goes to your point number 4. When we have the most choices available player wise, we play our least creative football, I find it hard to believe it is personal based, as at different stages is has been different core players out. So in my opinion, our go to game strategy leaves is our biggest flaw. This is where our biggest improvement will come from, a much more flexible, creative and fluid game style. This should be our my targeted area over the off season.

So if one can't be bothered reading all of that, sorry I got carried away a bit, your point 4 is our biggest issue and I believe that is seriously hampering your point 1.
The other ones I think have been improving year on year for the last 4 years.

Great insight, thanks for sharing. Do you know what the club is doing to improve your response to point 4? To improve the game plan? I worry about this when I hear how stubborn and inflexible Voss is

 

[myblueroan]

I’m not in the group we need more stars.. But I really hoped we were going to address a small forward or two, a KPD to work with Weitering and a midfielder with pace, while going to the draft…

Doesn’t look like we’re going to do any of this, except hit the draft…

Instead of telling Kennedy and Owies to explore their options, those that actually kick goals… Why aren’t we telling Motlop, Durdin, Fantasia the same thing…

Not sure Houston is a star?

Not likely to get Trac...

Durable experienced players that improve what we've had. As you said A KPD and pace out of the middle.
Forwards...I think with Fog and Zac and Moir we'll be good..although I'm not sold at all with Zac purely because he is not durable.

 

[bluebunz]

Not sure Houston is a star?

Not likely to get Trac...

Durable experienced players that improve what we've had. As you said A KPD and pace out of the middle.
Forwards...I think with Fog and Zac and Moir we'll be good..although I'm not sold at all with Zac purely because he is not durable.

All Australian & top 5 kick for accuracy in the comp? Yes please.

 

[swuzzlebubble]

Finally, and most worrying for me is it appears that we have played some of our better football when we've been missing a chunk of key players

As to why we play better, potentially is that the replacements are more focused on their role which indicates the game style is sound.
But as to why we lose mojo, imo, we've mishandled the reintegration of key players. Rushing back underdone 'names' at the expense of guys who've performed their role well.

 

[Blue_Fusion]

There are several factors at play here.

Firstly, Walsh didn't start season 2023 until round 5, and missed a chunk of the preseason, so he wasn't exactly fit and firing.

Our list is someone unbalanced because we have the amount of top end talent that we do. Cripps, Walsh, Weitering, Curnow, Harry and TDK are all very top level talent and as such are high money earners.

The effect of this is its very hard to have as big a spread of B and B+ players when you are carrying the salaries of 6 A+ players.

So to balance this out and try to acquire depth we need to bring in drafted players, who are on a 3 year locked base salary. This gives us balance of adding depth and smoothing the salary, so when the older players come to the back end of their contracts we will have some money to resign the younger guys.

Don't forget Williams' salary too...

 

[Coona Blues]

Don't forget Williams' salary too...

Williams salary is an issue, but nit one we can afford to fret over. He plays a position of need and is best 22 every day of the week. His lack of continuity has irked many, but a fit Zac Williams makes us substantially better. He hits targets more often than not by foot, as well as having great goal sense.

If he reaches a decent level of fitness under Inness, he will also provide the ability to go back or even pinch hit through the middle. At the moment, he is our best small forward option, even half fit. Get Fog fit for the pressure (possibly Cotts too) and some continuity for Durds and Mots and we have a functioning group of small forwards. The ongoing lack of continuity does lend itself to adding a premium option through the draft.

Zac’s salary is an issue, but we are not getting a club to take it on with his recent output. We can’t afford to offload him for outgoing picks, nir can we afford to lose his in field influence. While he did initially turn up overweight when recruited, there were some extenuating family circumstances taking his focus. I do not know how his rehab efforts and fitness focus has been of late, so it is impossible to pass judgement. He seems very invested, so I prefer to give him the benefit of the doubt until evidence to the contrary surfaces.