Our veteran quandary

[think positive]

If we'd traded Sidebottom to Essendon for a late third-rounder in, say, 2013, we simply wouldn't have this problem, now.

This is when I love your sarcasm!
And a certain someone still needs to apologise to sidey!

[RudeBoy]

If we'd traded Sidebottom to Essendon for a late third-rounder in, say, 2013, we simply wouldn't have this problem, now.

This is when I love your sarcasm!

And a certain someone still needs to apologise to sidey!

The silence is deafening.

[BenBronx]

PIES AGED 30-PLUS
Scott Pendlebury - 35
Jeremy Howe - 33
Steele Sidebottom - 32
Mason Cox - 32
Jamie Elliott - 31
Brody Mihocek - 30
Jack Crisp - 30
Tom Mitchell - 30

[Kingsofclutch]

^

Will Hoskin-Elliott 30

Wilbur is 30 now too, and for all the hate he gets he had a ripper GF, that last 90 seconds he had to fly backwards and turn his body so as not to give the free kick away but stop/spoil the ball dead, perfectly executed and like all the other times this year late in a game it's him that gets back to defend.

[RudeBoy]

The main reasons most players are done and dusted around 30 yrs is not just their accumulation of injuries, but more importantly, imo, their drop off in desire and willpower to do all the required preseason training. It's clear to me that the culture and spirit of enjoyment at our club, under the leadership of Fly, will ensure players want to play as long as they possibly can. Added to that, our elite conditioning and rehab program, enables sports science to lengthen players careers, provided they are emotionally and mentally on board. Overall, my guess is that whereas once 30-32 yrs was generally the cut-off mark for most players careers, at our club at least, this has been pushed out to around 32-34 yrs. For a select few, it may well turn out to be 35-37 yrs.

FWIW, I reckon Pendles and Sidey have another couple of Premierships in them.

[Duff Soviet Union]

^

Yeah, I remember reading Paul Licuria saying he knew it was time to retire (at 29) when he got beaten in a one on one training drill and he didn't care. In his younger days that stuff used to drive him nuts, so he knew he'd lost the desire to keep going.

[shawthing]

Sidey and Pendles are going NOWHERE!

[inxs88]

So we are now down to 9 plus 30 year olds post Adams departure. But I think there are two types of plus 30's:

1. True Veterans: year to year prospects

* Pendles: 36 next season
* Steele: 33 next season
* Howe: 34 next season
* Elliott: 32 next season

2. emerging veterans: likely to have 2+ years left

* WHE
* Mihocek
* Cox
* Crisp
* Mitchell

[Kingsofclutch]

^

If 2 veterans drop away for a McInnes and a Macrea you maintain the same average age of the team that just won a flag, adding a Schulz wouldn't hurt either as another player in the sweet spot age wise. We can manage our age as long as there is a couple of real quality walk in kids each year to replace the drop off, I'd be confident in McInnes, Harrison, Macrea, Allan and maybe Ryan over the next 2 years but we need some key positions, the cupboard is bare after Johnno, Freddy and Dean and none of them are certainties.

[BazBoy]

[inxs88]

You'd hope that WHE isn't a first choice selection next year and players like Macrae and McInnes are fighting for his spot. Adams departure you'd think is perfectly filled by Schultz.

[BazBoy]

Of Pendles ,Sidey & WHE I feel WHE is a little more vulnerable

McCrae is ready made to take his spot-or even Carmichael both being able to step in before the Allen’s etc

With Shultz Ginny McCreery Hill that makes Joe Richards job harder (he s what 24 ??)

[Kingsofclutch]

If we are still gunning for a key defender the stocks are getting low, Howard Highmore Phillips (VFL) and Eyre (VFL) don't scream walk in.

[Boot]

I know Joe Richards had an interrupted first season at Collingwood as a mature age recruit, but from the little I saw of him in the VFL he seemed to be a long way off the standard required to get a game in the AFL. I don't hold out much hope for him to be on the Collingwood list this time next year.
If he is to have any hope he would have to play the on-ball role that Fin Macrae is doing so well at in the VFL.
I would say that Trent Bianco and Trey Ruscoe are much better footballers than Joe Richards at the moment.

[BazBoy]

Fin in my opinion will be the first magoo player that cements a place