The Future is brighter than some might say

[inxs88]

With Tom Wilson debuting this Saturday night, it now makes 6 debutants in 9 rounds which can only serve our future prospects well. Sometimes clubs need to have the "Paula Abdul Year": two steps forward, two steps back and that might just be 2021 for the Pies.

With the likely retirements, delistings and trades of our older players:

* Greenwood: 32
* Mayne: 33 rising
* Cox: 30
* Thomas: 30 rising
* Madgen: 28

It's fair to say our list profile in terms of youth shall change markedly for 2022. So what do we have in terms of emerging talent and what parts of the ground are they likely to play in:

Defence:

Quaynor: 21 years old
Bianco: 20 "
Keane: 21 "
N Murphy: 21 "
Chugg: 19 "


Midfield:

Macrae: 19 years old
McInnes: 18 "
Poulter: 18 "
Rantall: 19 "
T Brown: 21 "
J Daicos: 22 "

Forwards:

McMahon: 19 years old
McCreery: 20 "
Henry: 18 "
Ginnivan: 18 "

Utilities:

Kelly: 20 years old
T Wilson: 24 "
Ruscoe: 19 "


Hopefully come 2022 we can add a Nick Daicos to that mid-field, a free-agent, a handy trade in plus 1-2 draftees. Additionally, with two selections in the upcoming June mid-year draft, I trust the list management team can add the best available especially given our Picks shall be high up.

So maybe as the Queen opined in 1995 that it was the year of annus horribilis. 2021 has the same vibe to it. That being said, I'm more glass half full than half empty about our ability to rebound over the next 18 months.

Thoughts?

[Piesnchess]

YEP, KEEP PLAYING THE KIDS, ONLY WAY TO GO. Keep playing as many kids as we can, they are the future now, get something positive out of this season, at least, the Club is doing the right thing, playing kids. Short term pain and losses for long term gain, thats the way.

[BazBoy]

Yep build a side NOW !!

[melliot]

Takes 2-5years to semi-rebuild. Typically and optomistically. Considering our older guns will be retired then, it will be longer IMO end.

Can be 15 years eg Lions. Blues. if you don't get it right.

[simon tonna]

Kids v men. This season will be a baptism of fire especially because the debutants are starting so far back due to COVID or long term injury.
Our old dudes are a solid bunch who play to structure well hence why we don’t get flogged regularly and this has been the way for eons. Personally I don’t give two shits about this seasons results. What I would like to see mostly is Collingwood to take the game on, leave out the duds (cox, Thomas, h e, Thomas), and to move the ball forward quicker than the team defending.
As for trades and draftees we need to heavily invest in kpp’s and midfielders to fast track a rise up the ladder.
2021 and 2022 are rebuild years no matter how people spin it.

[MatthewBoydFanClub]

Good thread and some great posts here. You don’t want to get rid of all your experience at once, but I do agree with the five mentioned. I’d be trying to convince Pendlebury, Sidebottom, Roughead, Howe and Elliot to keep going as long as possible. We have the basis of a very good team. Just a matter of pumping games of experience into the new guys and watching them mature.

[BazBoy]

By yrs end the trio Cox / Greenwood / Mayne may have served a purpose and currency now for a 75-100 gamer in the 25 yrs bracket to give youthfull experience—no names put up
Pendles and Sidey together with Howe (if he stays uninjured) -Roughy too for 2 (3 be nicer) seasons

Challenging mid 2020,s may work

[Pies2016]

Good O P. By round five, the die was cast and it was time to start afresh.

I can’t stress enough how much no footy in 2020 impacted the Vic kids development. Some will be big improvers in 2022 but history shows they won’t all make it either.
Bianco and Kelly are both good footballers but have missed big chunks of their development. You won’t get anything out of those two ( plus McInnes ) until 2022.
We will also pick up the best player in the 2021 draft. It will come at a cost but Nick will be well worth the investment. Premierships are built through the draft, not band aid top ups.
My only immediate concern is the lack of trading currency we will have at the end of this season. While Daicos is the jewel in the crown, I don’t think we will be in a position to get overly excited about anyone else.
For that reason, I think the end of 2022 will be the first time we be in a position to get busy again at the draft and trade tables. Hopefully whatever we do, will include some ready made leadership qualities.

[David]

It seems encouraging, but the reality is that we have no idea whether most of the names above will be anything. History suggests that a decent percentage of them will be gone in a year or two and that others won't make it in the long run. And our future success will depend to some extent on how successful this crop of younger players is.

The only bankable stars of the future for me are Quaynor and Daicos (and I otherwise feel like Murphy and McCreery will be regular fixtures in the side). Otherwise, some others on that list may be just as good, even better still or amount to nothing, but we just don't have the data to know either way yet.

[uuuuu..... The LoneSTAR]

Shite!!.. We're fooked!!!

[Pies2016]

[BBHS]

Agree 100% - I really like our recruiting. Excited by the players that have debuted. I think we can bounce back quickly. Maybe I'm stupidly optimistic but it sucks to be a debbie downer

[magpieazza]

Im really hoping Greenwood is fit enough to go around one more year, hes a tough nut and steadies the midfield.

Probs Mayne will need to go but we are stretched for experienced players so Thomas Cox Magden and the like will see one more year.

This mid year draft to me is a crucial one in our future bc we could address the huge gap which is the lack of players in their mid twenties and 5-7 pre seasons under their belt.

Im hopeful for our future and Wright will make things right, right?

[David]

Greenwood is closer to retirement than Mayne, imo, although I wouldn't be surprised if both of them finish up at the end of this year.

[doriswilgus]

If they both go at the end of the year,it would certainly allow us to go after a couple of decent free agents this year and next year^