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BOMBERS CONTINUE TO PROMOTE YOUTH
Promotion of talented youth has been the hallmark of Kevin Sheedy’s time as coach at Essendon. In the early 80s it paid dividends for the club and again the in early 90s. Of course there have been many given the chance at senior level that haven’t gone on but there is only one way to find out. And again in season 2002 the Bombers have been pro-active in finding out about their untried youngsters. Six have made their debut and only three clubs can better that number.
Promotion of talented youth has been the hallmark of Kevin Sheedy’s time as coach at Essendon. In the early 80s it paid dividends for the club and again the in early 90s. Of course there have been many given the chance at senior level that haven’t gone on but there is only one way to find out. And again in season 2002 the Bombers have been pro-active in finding out about their untried youngsters. Six have made their debut and only three clubs can better that number.
Of course injuries and performance can leave selectors with no choice but the hasn’t always been the case at Windy Hill this season. Joel Reynolds, James Davies, Andrew Welsh, Ted Richards, Ken Hall and Shane Harvey have all been given a taste of AFL football this season. Some have played more than others but at least both the club and the player know where they now stand.
Here is a breakdown of clubs and the number of debutants they have had to this stage of the season.
Adelaide 3 Brisbane 2 Carlton 5 Collingwood 3 Essendon 6 Fremantle 7 Geelong 8 Hawthorn 8 Kangaroos 1 Melbourne 2 Port Adelaide 3 Richmond 4 St Kilda 4 Sydney 4 West Coast 3 Western Bulldogs 5
That is a total of 68 players who have made their AFL debut at the completion Round 15 this season. Of this group of players six are under 18, 19 are under 19, 24 are under 20, 11 are under 21 and seven are under 22. Nathan Saunders of the Western Bulldogs was 26 when he made his debut.
The cult movie Sound of Music and AFL Football would seem to have little in common. The splendid voices of the Von Trapp Family bouncing around the hills of Austria are a long way from the swearing, cursing, grunting and groaning we hear from both sides of the fence at the MCG every Saturday afternoon. But rumour has it that some Essendon players are set to unite the two at the upcoming Michael Long Celebration.
