Has one more year ever worked?

[EasternWest]

I can't recall any instances of when it has worked. I'm not being facetious, I just don't remember.

And before I get shouted down as a hypocrite, I was one who thought the form of Aker and Eagleton warranted another year. Johnno was a no brainer. But for various reasons, none of the three managed to deliver much.

Johnno's had a few decent games, but looks a yard off it, and because he can't create space he can't clunk 'em like he used to. Can't stay on his feet any more.

Eagles's had a few ok games, but as has always been his problem he's really gone missing in crunch games. Though he was very good in Adelaide, I'll concede that.

And Aker. Well, Aker.

I'm not potting these three guys (particularly Johnson, who's a champion and will remain so). You don't play nearly 300 to over 300 games at the top level without being pretty damn good. But keeping them on for one more year has ultimately failed, and I want to know has it ever worked?

I can only think of Stuart Dew in recent times, though his case was a little different. Thoughts? Enlightenment?

[Desipura]

Tim Watson & Shane Crawford are 2 off the top.

[bornadog]

It really has got to do with the age of a player. To many players think with their head and not their body. Once a player reaches 33 , its very difficult for their body to do what they want it to do. The body takes longer to recover not only from games, but also from injuries. Not many have gone on and done great things in their 30's.

[Doc26]

It's a list management problem when your 'one more year' categorised players are still holding down regular spots, or worse, are expected to hold down regular spots, in your best 22. We've done that better (worse) than any of the Teams we're meant to be seriously jostling with at the pointy end.

With the ever increasing pace of the game one would think that what might previously have been viewed as an acceptable risk to go around one more time might now be viewed as a flag to err on pulling down the shutter.

[Sockeye Salmon]

I can't recall any instances of when it has worked. I'm not being facetious, I just don't remember.

And before I get shouted down as a hypocrite, I was one who thought the form of Aker and Eagleton warranted another year. Johnno was a no brainer. But for various reasons, none of the three managed to deliver much.

Johnno's had a few decent games, but looks a yard off it, and because he can't create space he can't clunk 'em like he used to. Can't stay on his feet any more.

Eagles's had a few ok games, but as has always been his problem he's really gone missing in crunch games. Though he was very good in Adelaide, I'll concede that.

And Aker. Well, Aker.

I'm not potting these three guys (particularly Johnson, who's a champion and will remain so). You don't play nearly 300 to over 300 games at the top level without being pretty damn good. But keeping them on for one more year has ultimately failed, and I want to know has it ever worked?

I can only think of Stuart Dew in recent times, though his case was a little different. Thoughts? Enlightenment?

Only because you only remember the last 'one more year'.

Johnno went for 'one more year' in 2009 and was fantastic. Dustin Fletcher has gone for 'one more year' about 4 times now and is still probably Essendon's best player.

Very few players go out a year early.

[EasternWest]

Only because you only remember the last 'one more year'.

Johnno went for 'one more year' in 2009 and was fantastic. Dustin Fletcher has gone for 'one more year' about 4 times now and is still probably Essendon's best player.

Very few players go out a year early.

Very reasonable point. I'll admit I hadn't thought of it like that.

[Murphy'sLore]

Very few players go out a year early.

And if they did, how would we know?

[Greystache]

Johnson was a given, he'd barely missed a game in 16 years and finished 4th in the B&F (a little fortunately IMO but that's a different thread), no one would've predicted a crippling injury would develop basically at the start of the pre-season.

Aker I'm not sure about, his 3 years at the club were highlighted by his form dropping away as the season went on and he struggled in the finals. That would tend to indicate he was getting toward the end. Add in the issues the club constantly had with him off field and I think giving him another year was probably a strange choice.

Eagleton was ridiculous for me, he has never delivered against a good team and his finals performances against genuine contenders have been pathetic. Given the club fancied itself as a premiership chance why keep on a h&a specialist who'll most likely take the spot of a player who might lift for big finals. It's a descision that smacks of the Bulldogs history, praise h&a performances and forget about finals failures.

As Sockeye mentioned you only hear about a player going one more year when they struggle, when they're successful people tend to ask why they didn't go another.

[mjp]

As you get older, you cannot contribute in the same way - you have to move from being a core part of the side to - not the fringe, but more the cream on top of the cake.

When the side is playing well, it generally works ok. Old grizzled veteran uses their experience and wiles, makes a couple of cameos on a weekly basis and has a couple of turn-back-the-clock type games. The problem comes when the side is struggling - either for form or leadership - and the rest of the group tries to look to a veteran who is no longer what he was to lead the way. They have a lot of pride and try to do so - but this takes them away from being able to be the cream on top...and all of a sudden they are just the same footballer they always were, except slower (legs and reactions) and with reduced kicking depth and impact. This is never good.

Our mistake was not with Johnson. Or with Aker. Or with Eagleton. Or with Hahn. Or. Or. Or. Or.

It was the collective decision to keep them ALL. And then totally change our forward structure and expect everyone to magically adapt...but I have been going on about that for 12-months now so enough said.

[Sockeye Salmon]

And if they did, how would we know?

:D

Maybe if we had given Chris Grant one more ...

[Mofra]

Liberatore about 4 or 5 years in a row?

[Remi Moses]

Gee it's a bloody tough one. I thought the Eagle went one year to long but the others were playing very good footy still!Most scribes will go with the theory we've gone with to many older players but the facts are we have had so many of our "younger" players have had below par seasons it's not funny!Mitch Hahn is one for example that has fallen of the cliff at an alarming rate

[Templeton31]

THe question for the future though is should Barry have "one more year"? IIRC he is contracted for next year. Obviously happy with his form this year but would next year be "one more year"?

[Ghost Dog]

Gee it's a bloody tough one. I thought the Eagle went one year to long but the others were playing very good footy still!Most scribes will go with the theory we've gone with to many older players but the facts are we have had so many of our "younger" players have had below par seasons it's not funny!Mitch Hahn is one for example that has fallen of the cliff at an alarming rate

To not have your captain out at the sharp end of a season is tough. Imagine Carlton without Judd? Freo without Pav? Lions without Brown? Johnno has not been too bad when he has played. But his injuries, gah. That's hurt us badly this year.. Brad is a legend and deserves all the respect of club and supporters. But like any workplace, you need a strong leader on site who can lead by example. Gia has done ok, don't get me wrong. But to inspire, we badly need that at the Dogs as there is so much pessimism about.

Cooney for captain!
um, or Murph.

[Scorlibo]

Mitch Hahn is one for example that has fallen of the cliff at an alarming rate

That's a myth.

[comrade]

That's a myth.

So, which stats will you pull out to prove Mitch is actually having a career best year and our eyes are just deceiving us?

[Remi Moses]

That's a myth.

Been asleep for 12 months?
Stick a fork in him,he's done!

[immortalmike]

So, which stats will you pull out to prove Mitch is actually having a career best year and our eyes are just deceiving us?

I took it to meam he wasn't exactly all that great last year either. Which to be honest apart from the NAB games is fairly true.

[chef]

Been asleep for 12 months?
Stick a fork in him,he's done!

Yep, I agree he's finished. Sadly he was never the same player again after he did his knee against the Lions.

[Flamethrower]

It all depends on expectations. If you expect a player in the twilight of their career to be as good as they were in their prime then you are kidding yourself. A couple of examples where "one more year" has worked recently....Shane Crawford - won a flag, Warren Tredrea - won a B&F and was playing well early this year until he sufferred a career ending injury.

[Bulldog Revolution]

Almost every player who has been a gun plays one year too many

Rmember Robert Harvey wanted to go around again, before being told no by the saints



It was the collective decision to keep them ALL. And then totally change our forward structure and expect everyone to magically adapt...but I have been going on about that for 12-months now so enough said.

I dont think you have banged on about it enough, because I like you see it was the biggest problem with our team at the moment. I have a few other issues but its a major issue that puts us under the pump so often.

In 2011, and with our list management for the coming years, the issue of the forward line structure is a big issue, and I find it hard to see that we currently have a good mix up forward. We really need two Rob Murphys.