LAST week we looked at the importance of keeping your defensive unit on the field, with good results often coming from consistent stability in the backline.
This same principle applies to the entire team - if your best players aren’t always out on the field then your chances of winning will obviously be diminished.
That won’t come as a surprise to anyone, but when looking at the figures it becomes clear just how important it can be.
Looking at players used in 2010, the numbers throw up a few interesting points. The top four sides on the ladder occupy four of the top five positions in terms of fewest players used this year. The other side is Hawthorn, arguably a top four side in disguise.
Perhaps surprisingly, the Western Bulldogs have used only 32 players this year to lead the competition. Collingwood and St.Kilda have used 33 apiece, the Hawks 34 and the Cats and Swans 35.
While using the fewest number of players doesn’t guarantee you success, it sure helps. Firstly you need a list capable of playing good football - it’s no good if your top 30 players aren’t up to scratch - but keeping your best players on the field is super important in modern football.
Taking a look at the past grand finalists, the numbers become even more compelling. St.Kilda (31) and Geelong (33) were split only by preliminary finalists Western Bulldogs in 2009. Geelong even had time to blood four debutants that year.
The 2008 season saw the two Grand Finalists on top once again, with Geelong and Hawthorn using 31 players each for the year. The young Hawks fielded five first gamers that year, the Cats three.
In the Brisbane Lions’ stretch of four grand finals from 2001 to 2004, they used the fewest number of players three times - the only exception was their 2001 premiership when they used 35 players, including five debutants.
Only once in the past decade has a team used 35 players or more and won the flag, throwing down the gauntlet to teams such as Geelong (surprisingly), Sydney (who have used 35 players already), Carlton (36) and Fremantle (38) to do something out of the ordinary.
We now have a full understanding as to why football clubs spend so much hard-earned cash on their fitness departments.
Let’s look at the figures from the development clubs perspective, of which Melbourne has been a member for the past three seasons. If your club isn’t poised to challenge for top four status, does it then become incredibly important to blood as many players as possible?
Absolutely, and this is where the Dees are in a good place.
Over the past three seasons, Melbourne (117) has used more players than any other side, with other young sides Fremantle (116), Essendon (115) and Richmond (115) not far behind.
In that same period, only the Dockers have had more debutants than the Demons.
Twenty-two players have been blooded by Fremantle over the past three years. The Dees have introduced twenty-one.
No less than 38 Melbourne players have been used for senior football this season.
Another four senior listed Demons have yet to be exposed to AFL level, and the draft will see another group of youngsters pushing for selection.
To put it into perspective, current ladder leader Collingwood introduced 18 new players in the three years prior to this season, using no fewer than 37 players in the process. This year they have only used 33 players and had only a single debutant as their focus has shifted from development to the ultimate success.
The Dees have a long way to go, but hopefully they can take a similar path in the seasons ahead.
This same principle applies to the entire team - if your best players aren’t always out on the field then your chances of winning will obviously be diminished.
That won’t come as a surprise to anyone, but when looking at the figures it becomes clear just how important it can be.
Looking at players used in 2010, the numbers throw up a few interesting points. The top four sides on the ladder occupy four of the top five positions in terms of fewest players used this year. The other side is Hawthorn, arguably a top four side in disguise.
Perhaps surprisingly, the Western Bulldogs have used only 32 players this year to lead the competition. Collingwood and St.Kilda have used 33 apiece, the Hawks 34 and the Cats and Swans 35.
While using the fewest number of players doesn’t guarantee you success, it sure helps. Firstly you need a list capable of playing good football - it’s no good if your top 30 players aren’t up to scratch - but keeping your best players on the field is super important in modern football.
Taking a look at the past grand finalists, the numbers become even more compelling. St.Kilda (31) and Geelong (33) were split only by preliminary finalists Western Bulldogs in 2009. Geelong even had time to blood four debutants that year.
The 2008 season saw the two Grand Finalists on top once again, with Geelong and Hawthorn using 31 players each for the year. The young Hawks fielded five first gamers that year, the Cats three.
In the Brisbane Lions’ stretch of four grand finals from 2001 to 2004, they used the fewest number of players three times - the only exception was their 2001 premiership when they used 35 players, including five debutants.
Only once in the past decade has a team used 35 players or more and won the flag, throwing down the gauntlet to teams such as Geelong (surprisingly), Sydney (who have used 35 players already), Carlton (36) and Fremantle (38) to do something out of the ordinary.
We now have a full understanding as to why football clubs spend so much hard-earned cash on their fitness departments.
Let’s look at the figures from the development clubs perspective, of which Melbourne has been a member for the past three seasons. If your club isn’t poised to challenge for top four status, does it then become incredibly important to blood as many players as possible?
Absolutely, and this is where the Dees are in a good place.
Over the past three seasons, Melbourne (117) has used more players than any other side, with other young sides Fremantle (116), Essendon (115) and Richmond (115) not far behind.
In that same period, only the Dockers have had more debutants than the Demons.
Twenty-two players have been blooded by Fremantle over the past three years. The Dees have introduced twenty-one.
No less than 38 Melbourne players have been used for senior football this season.
Another four senior listed Demons have yet to be exposed to AFL level, and the draft will see another group of youngsters pushing for selection.
To put it into perspective, current ladder leader Collingwood introduced 18 new players in the three years prior to this season, using no fewer than 37 players in the process. This year they have only used 33 players and had only a single debutant as their focus has shifted from development to the ultimate success.
The Dees have a long way to go, but hopefully they can take a similar path in the seasons ahead.
