Can someone explain

[meher baba]

why Newnes was selected ahead of Clarke or Polo?

Not Newnes's fault. He's a first year player, clearly not ready for AFL.

Strange selection. Hasn't helped us one bit.

[meher baba]

I take it back. Newnes is worth 20 Jason Grams. Easy.

[meher baba]

And now I have to take it back about Gram!

[trojansaint]

I think if all of our players tried as hard as Newnes, and could kick as straight then the result would be far better...

[dcstkfc]

Watters has to have a bit each-way with kids vs experience. Could've gone Polo/Clarke but Newnes will be a better player for a game like that

[Moods]

Watters has to have a bit each-way with kids vs experience. Could've gone Polo/Clarke but Newnes will be a better player for a game like that

I agree with this. As frustrating as the kids can be sometimes, I hope we persevere with them. We will have some bloody exciting wins this year along the way. Some of us need to get out of fantasy land. People were getting excited that we could be anything this year. We're a 7th of 8th side at best - this year. Next year if everyone holds up could be very interesting though.

[skeptic]

I also hope that this is the start of some gradual phasing out for players with poor disposal...

not to say that Polo shouldn't play again but he needs to really knock the door down to get his spot... show that he's worth persevering with

[saintkellerm]

Watters has to have a bit each-way with kids vs experience. Could've gone Polo/Clarke but Newnes will be a better player for a game like that

I agree with this. As frustrating as the kids can be sometimes, I hope we persevere with them. We will have some bloody exciting wins this year along the way. Some of us need to get out of fantasy land. People were getting excited that we could be anything this year. We're a 7th of 8th side at best - this year. Next year if everyone holds up could be very interesting though.

+1 it's the guys that have been there for a while which can be frustrating and the new guys can be forgiven a little easier. If mistakes r made, but I love their enthusiasm and their pace which we use to lack IMHO.

[mad saint guy]

It's good to see Watters blooding the kids but the Newnes selection baffles me. He isn't up to the level at the moment and will learn plenty playing a year of senior footy at Sandringham. He isn't strong enough to be an AFL defender yet and he's a fair way off the pace of the game. Sure, give him a taste of AFL footy every now and then but not in such crucial, high-pressure games as this one. Siposs is much more deserving of a full game and had quite an impact when he came on. I would have much preferred to have Siposs playing the full game, Raph in the backline instead of Newnes and Schneider as sub instead of Cripps.

I'm all for giving the kids a go, but only if they really do deserve it. Newnes and Cripps are being gifted games with a focus on the future at a significant expense on the present. GOPs like McQualter, Eddy, Gamble, Peake and Polo are the players that shouldn't ever be automatic selections ahead of youth and I'm glad to see the likes of Saad, Milera, Stanley, Simpkin and Siposs getting a go, but there's no way Schneider should be left out of the team and Raph's outstanding VFL form warrants selection easily over Newnes.

[SMS]

newnes, steven, armitage, mcevoy, simpkin, cripps, stanley ... we can win 2012 or 2013

[eel33]

It's good to see Watters blooding the kids but the Newnes selection baffles me. He isn't up to the level at the moment and will learn plenty playing a year of senior footy at Sandringham. He isn't strong enough to be an AFL defender yet and he's a fair way off the pace of the game. Sure, give him a taste of AFL footy every now and then but not in such crucial, high-pressure games as this one. Siposs is much more deserving of a full game and had quite an impact when he came on. I would have much preferred to have Siposs playing the full game, Raph in the backline instead of Newnes and Schneider as sub instead of Cripps.

I'm all for giving the kids a go, but only if they really do deserve it. Newnes and Cripps are being gifted games with a focus on the future at a significant expense on the present. GOPs like McQualter, Eddy, Gamble, Peake and Polo are the players that shouldn't ever be automatic selections ahead of youth and I'm glad to see the likes of Saad, Milera, Stanley, Simpkin and Siposs getting a go, but there's no way Schneider should be left out of the team and Raph's outstanding VFL form warrants selection easily over Newnes.

I'm not baffled by Newnes' selection - I think Watters sees him as a future solid HBF, who will develop rapidly, and thereby free up Gram to the wing. Gram's defensive deficiencies become less apparent, and his offensive capacity is released - a la last night in the last quarter.

[BigMart]

There are some critical games when the selection of a kids can be costly...

This was every bit the 50/50 game... The winner has a real opportunity

We could be 6/4 with GC next week, whilst keeping dangerous opponent Richmond at 4/6 two games behind... We may well have been top 4 midway at 7/4 if we had won last night

It was a dangerous selection, which hurt, because he was exposed.... I think the boy showed plenty and has a big future... But this game was not one for teaching kids.... IMO it could have set the season up...

Next week on the other hand....

[joffaboy]

There are some critical games when the selection of a kids can be costly...

This was every bit the 50/50 game... The winner has a real opportunity

We could be 6/4 with GC next week, whilst keeping dangerous opponent Richmond at 4/6 two games behind... We may well have been top 4 midway at 7/4 if we had won last night

It was a dangerous selection, which hurt, because he was exposed.... I think the boy showed plenty and has a big future... But this game was not one for teaching kids.... IMO it could have set the season up...

Next week on the other hand....

Agree with this assessment. Some will see it as a critisism of Newnes however it is not. Watters IMO is correct in identifying his potential, but it was a bit too hot for him last night, even with a low tackling Richmond.

I agree the kid has all the makings but it was a crucial game and I was baffled with this selection after Geary was ruled out.

Still i like what I see with Newnes and he has a future.

[BigMart]

Yes he does

He was beaten on physicality and experience... Not ability or softness.... At 74kg, easily pushed off it

Reason his HB/Kick ratio was out was due to lack of time and space and a bit of panic.... He will get a lot better

I think he and Ross will certainly make it from what I've seen
Add Siposs and ledger
Plus Armitage,mstanley, Steven

Probably our best group of kids..... Markworth is a smokey... Seen him play 1 half....sign as well...

[trojansaint]

He did however play most of the night on Jake King, who failed to score a goal, and had far fewer possessions. Considering the size difference that's a fairly decent result.