Recruit players with SKILLS NOT ATHLETICISM

[Enrico_Misso]

The emphasis these days in the draft camp seems to be totally on stamina, speed, flexibility, spring, BMI, etc. etc.
Heaps of fitness coaches with clipboards and stopwatches all locked inside a basketball court.
Or in other words - athleticism.

So we wind up recruiting kids who can run 100m in 10.6 seconds or run 10km at a handy pace.
But they can't kick or mark and have no footy "smarts".

Peake is a good example - he can run like lightening but then in space with time to steady repeatedly kicks it 10 metres over Riewoldt's head.

Greg Williams would never have been drafted today as he would have failed most of those tests.

Our focus should be on getting players with footy nous and SKILLS.
They don't necessarily have to be kids, 20+ year old late developers with mature bodies but great skills would be fine.
Throw away the stop watches and clipboards and look for the "playmakers" in the lower leagues.

There must be more Barlows out there.

Then at least when we get the footy we have got guys that can
- set something up with quick hands/ accurate passes/ good vision
or
- finish off the good work of others by kicking goals

[bigcarl]

footballers first; athletes second. i agree

[stairwaytoheaven]

Great post , our thirteen year old son spoke of the same thing today . We need footbllers dad , guys who can kick a ball and hit a target not necessarily athletes he then went on with refering to Beams And Sidebottom.

[Enrico_Misso]

They even do tests on the character of the family, public speaking ability, personality, social awareness, emotional intelligence etc.

Yes it is a bonus to have players you can safely put in front of the media or use them to promote the club.

But for #### sake - recruit some players that can get and deliver the footy!!!!!!!

I've had it with 1.9

[plugger66]

It doesnt matter who we recruit if they are not played.

[oneteam]

footy has changed yet again. Foot skills are critical. Not just the ability to run all day.

[ace]

They even do tests on the character of the family, public speaking ability, personality, social awareness, emotional intelligence etc.

Yes it is a bonus to have players you can safely put in front of the media or use them to promote the club.

But for #### sake - recruit some players that can get and deliver the footy!!!!!!!

I've had it with 1.9

What a pity no one tested Lovett on the character of the family, public speaking ability, personality, social awareness, emotional intelligence etc.

[Beej]

They even do tests on the character of the family, public speaking ability, personality, social awareness, emotional intelligence etc.

This is actually vital IMO.

Just as important as pure talent is the ability to handle pressure/adversity.

What good is football ability if they can't do it on the big occasions and hit targets and kick big goals when it matters most? It's pointless.

Easy to play well in front of about 100 people in country Victoria but it doesn't translate to being able to do it at the MCG in the finals.

The above tests give recruiters an idea as to how they'll handle those things.

Let's face it. Yesterday when the sh1t hit the fan, we didn't want a bar of it.

[Enrico_Misso]

What a pity no one tested Lovett on the character of the family, public speaking ability, personality, social awareness, emotional intelligence etc.

Fair point - there needs to be some sort of background check.
But in Lovett's case it was all public knowledge - we should never have touched him.

[ace]

Gilbert had to be moved forward as early as the second quarter.
That robbed our defence of its' most vital player.
The one guy who can run the ball out of defence.
And the Saints could not get the ball out of defence.

Why was he moved forward?
Because one tall forward and 4 small forwards could not offer any threat to the scoreboard.
Gibert was able to threaten the scoreboard but regrettably only with behinds.

Milne and Schneider are our best small forwards but they need the other 3 remaining forwards to be able to threaten in the air, run with the ball and run to tackle.

We need at least 2 forwards who can play forward like Gilbert but kick straight.
Mini, Eddy, Geary, Steven and Armitage don't offer that.
Their tackling efforts are no longer being rewarded with free kicks.
The umpires are not paying frees for incorrect disposal when tackled any more (probably at Demetriou's instruction) so opposition defences are able to clear the ball more easily.

We wanted Lynch to fill one of these spots but so far he has only pleased the girls.

We can only hope that Tommy Walsh can improve enough to replace Kosi.
Kosi can then play second ruck.

[mad saint guy]

Agree with the OP; Jones, Eddy, McQualter, Dempster and Peake were all in the side because they can run, and that's just too many players who can't do actual damage to the opposition.

I'd love to see us look at a Shannon Hurn/Daniel Rich type of kid in the draft; someone who has already developed and can actually kick a footy.

[SaintPav]

It doesnt matter who we recruit if they are not played.

Is that a jibe at RL not playing the kids?

[Munga]

I think you almost need the comlete package these days.
Four S's

Speed
Strength
Skill
Smarts