- Jun 27, 2017
- 1,791
- 4,171
- AFL Club
- Brisbane Lions
Fagan biggest issue is that he doesn't trust his young players to do meaningful roles in the senior side... impacting their development. He just sees anyone outside of his 'ideal' best 16 or so as role players. Unless you are a top 10 pick you may as well just accept you'll only ever be a role player in Fagan's eyes. No meaningful minutes in the firsts and if you do you're just playing a bit part role.
Sure it's great for first year or second year players but doing this over many years isn't ideal. Give them more ownership even if for a few games a year against s**t clubs like North or Weagles. It's how you get the likes of Robertson, Tunstill, Prior, Answerth just stagnating and not improving.
I've always posted that I like Fagan as a person manager but I don't like him as a coach.
I don’t think this is necessarily true.
Kiddy Coleman started as a fringe guy and by the end of last season to this year he has 100% been the focal point of our attack out back.
Payne was a fringe player as well and by round six last year he was tasked to play on the top key forwards and was barely losing a one on one.
Wilmot has slotted in beautifully and made great impact. He and Coleman kicked out Rich.
Other young guys like Starcevich and Bailey used to be outside the core group but worked their way into it.
Answerth actually had a decent place in the side for a year but his disposal saw him lose his place to the likes of Coleman when he switched to halfback.
Robertson has had a lot of opportunities and seemed to have a spot after finals in 2022 but then we got Dunkley and Ashcroft and he lost it again.
Fletcher, like Wilmot, came in and outplayed the likes of Sharp and Prior to get the wing/halfback spot in the side.
Lohmann in his games have never seemed to outplay Charlie, Linc, Rayner and Bailey and just doesn’t seem to have the scoreboard impact.
Tunstill just seems panicked whenever I see him play in the seniors if I’m honest.
Oscar started out as a fringe player and worked his way into being first ruck.
I do think Fagan is reluctant to drop his preferred players, but I also think that those players are going to outplay their potential replacements in 75% of games played.