Vic Sides Can't Travel - Even Playing Field

[albyplus]

What we are finally seeing is an even playing field in the U18 Champs and the Vic sides can't handle it.
For years Vic Metro & Country have thought they were superior.
But now that they are subjected to a similar travel regime to WA and, to a slightly lesser extent, SA that false sense of security has disappeared and they can't handle it.

 

[folester41]

even though im a vic its great to see, i have a lot of respect for the interstate teams that travel to vic almost every second week.

good to prepare the boys for what they will experience in the AFL, will make them tougher and hopefully inncrease the amount of interstate players in the AFL.

 

[pieman1980]

Well maybe if there was only one vic side they would still dominate!

 

[WatchOut]

I agree with you to an extent but there has been a lot of discussion on other threads about the VM team they picked this year and even an article in the paper saying 8-9 boys in the team were simply not up to it.

Gossip around the TAC games last Saturday was that a few VM boys have done massive damage to their reputations by under performing and will most definately have a line through their names. Maybe the boys that were omitted will have the last laugh after all. Apparently Tighe is playing the best football he has ever played.

 

[ant555]

What we are finally seeing is an even playing field in the U18 Champs and the Vic sides can't handle it.
For years Vic Metro & Country have thought they were superior.
But now that they are subjected to a similar travel regime to WA and, to a slightly lesser extent, SA that false sense of security has disappeared and they can't handle it.

Depends on the year and the side picked.
Metro handled it last year when they had a good squad.

 

[ant555]

I agree with you to an extent but there has been a lot of discussion on other threads about the VM team they picked this year and even an article in the paper saying 8-9 boys in the team were simply not up to it.

Gossip around the TAC games last Saturday was that a few VM boys have done massive damage to their reputations by under performing and will most definately have a line through their names. Maybe the boys that were omitted will have the last laugh after all. Apparently Tighe is playing the best football he has ever played.

Not that sure about the coach either. I sat in front of the box at the Metro v Country game and i thought he was less than inspiring. At various stages he was asking the assistants if he could use certain players in different spots.
Sounded like he did not know the abilities of some players in his squad.

I think the Metro squad is a reflection of how the depth is in the TAC Cup this season. There have been a lot of similar style midfielders who play good honest footy and a lot less stand out mids who you would put in the Star bracket.

 

[ROYAL EAGLE]

I think its more a reflection of the quality of the Vic sides compared to previous years than anythink else.

 

[mjp]

Well maybe if there was only one vic side they would still dominate!

Maybe. But there is more too it than that - based on population and numbers playing footy, the Vic's could potentially throw three sides in.

With regards to travel, it is interesting - the Vic sides *should* have an advantage. TAC Cup sides - even before the weekly Gold Coast roundabout - have been travelling hours to play games for years...travelling up to the Mildura region to play the Pioneers has always been an overnight trip.

 

[vandelay]

It didn't stop Metro winning the carnival last year.

The major variable in a side's fortunes is the quality of their team. Metro's played with plenty of underdone players this year, and probably without the hardened bodies that Dickson made them famous for. On top of that, there isn't the talent of last year.

WA on the other hand have had a much better collection of talls to go with a very good midfield and we're yet to see a side expose them in the ruck.

 

[curiousLplater]

It didn't stop Metro winning the carnival last year.

The major variable in a side's fortunes is the quality of their team. Metro's played with plenty of underdone players this year, and probably without the hardened bodies that Dickson made them famous for. On top of that, there isn't the talent of last year.

WA on the other hand have had a much better collection of talls to go with a very good midfield and we're yet to see a side expose them in the ruck.

I heard there are a couple of players that were playing efl colts last year!! I would call that underdone, compared to the guys they are playing with. Probably having spent a few years in squads and such, would be very hard for the new guys.

 

[footyman]

I heard there are a couple of players that were playing efl colts last year!! I would call that underdone, compared to the guys they are playing with. Probably having spent a few years in squads and such, would be very hard for the new guys.

It's a good point that. Metro's squad isn't great - whether thats a selection thing or just luck of the draw this year I don't know. I think they've left a few good performers out in favour of a few guys who blew in and played a good game or two at TAC Cup level earlier in the year. And there's no doubt Rohan Welsh hasn't been able to draw that real passion which Metro sides have played with over the past decade.

One thing the travel has done twice now is exposed Vic Metro sides on Subiaco. Badly. They've been rolled by 10 goals + in both 2007 and now in 2009.

 

[curiousLplater]

It's a good point that. Metro's squad isn't great - whether thats a selection thing or just luck of the draw this year I don't know. I think they've left a few good performers out in favour of a few guys who blew in and played a good game or two at TAC Cup level earlier in the year. And there's no doubt Rohan Welsh hasn't been able to draw that real passion which Metro sides have played with over the past decade.

One thing the travel has done twice now is exposed Vic Metro sides on Subiaco. Badly. They've been rolled by 10 goals + in both 2007 and now in 2009.

I think you are being a bit harsh, I know one of the boys tried to make the TAC squad at least twice. He was not accepted, (too small). Now that he has grown to their liking he is in. This kid has the skill, but apparently never had the height. You never know where they are gonna come from!

 

[footyman]

I think you are being a bit harsh, I know one of the boys tried to make the TAC squad at least twice. He was not accepted, (too small). Now that he has grown to their liking he is in. This kid has the skill, but apparently never had the height. You never know where they are gonna come from!

I don't think I was that harsh!!! Reality is that the side is inflexible. And chosen too early. I'm sorry but some guys in that squad dont deserve to be there. And others do...

Sean Tighe's been in the Jets best for the past five weeks in a row and averaging in excess of 20 possessions and nearly three goals a game.

Paddy Liston at Sandy has been in their best over the last four weekends and has averaged over 25 possessions a game in the past month.

Serhat Temel has kicked two bags of five goals in the past four weeks. His Cannons teammate Luke Mitchell has had school footy but he should've been in there too.

The system is wrong when guys who are in form can't be recalled, and when guys who after a game or two are clearly not up to it stay in there.
Just because someone doesn't display much in Rounds 1-3 doesnt mean they should be written off. Rohan's black pen went through too many players that deserved a second chance after the first trial game.

 

[Boundary Boy]

I don't think I was that harsh!!! Reality is that the side is inflexible. And chosen too early. I'm sorry but some guys in that squad dont deserve to be there. And others do...

Sean Tighe's been in the Jets best for the past five weeks in a row and averaging in excess of 20 possessions and nearly three goals a game.


The system is wrong when guys who are in form can't be recalled, and when guys who after a game or two are clearly not up to it stay in there.
Just because someone doesn't display much in Rounds 1-3 doesnt mean they should be written off. Rohan's black pen went through too many players that deserved a second chance after the first trial game.

Agree, why couldn't Tighe be recalled? It is not as though he doesn't know the players. He spent 3 months with most of them as part of the initial VM academy of 28 players.Good article on Tighe in last week's footy record. He understood his early form was not up to it (averaging 11 possies in first three games). After getting dumped he has been great and averages 23 possies in games 4-10. All that Tighe needed was a wake up call. Why couldn't that have been delivered in the form of the VM coach sitting Tighe down and putting it on the line that if his form didn't improve he would be out or alternatively go back for the next 2-3 weeks and get some form and if you improve you'll get another go. Instead it seems the black line went through his name.

Finally, and this may sound a bit controversial, but where does this leave the TAC teams when their VM players drop back and show very indifferent form and others around them have been cranking out a string of great games. Then you watch the VM guys get called up again. Doesn't seem fair and must be tough for the TAC players to cop.

 

[yaco55]

Whether the VM selectors got the team wrong, shouldn't unduly affect non-selected players from being drafted.

After all you always find that 2 or 3 AA players aren't selected in the ND.

 

[ChipDouglas]

What we are finally seeing is an even playing field in the U18 Champs and the Vic sides can't handle it.
For years Vic Metro & Country have thought they were superior.
But now that they are subjected to a similar travel regime to WA and, to a slightly lesser extent, SA that false sense of security has disappeared and they can't handle it.

Well yes, and no. Metro won in Adelaide last year and Country won in the West which debunks your 'theory'. Results have more to do with the varying talent levels from year to year. Having said that a very talented group of Country players had an absolute stinker in SA. I do like the show going on the road though.

 

[Colin Grigson]

What we are finally seeing is an even playing field in the U18 Champs and the Vic sides can't handle it.
For years Vic Metro & Country have thought they were superior.
But now that they are subjected to a similar travel regime to WA and, to a slightly lesser extent, SA that false sense of security has disappeared and they can't handle it.

Who won the U-18 Championship last year?? The 1st time this new system was introduced??

That's right....Vic Metro

 

[missionpossible]

vic country cant shake nt at this stage, casey doesn't count as travel does it.

I assume VC will blitz them in the second half