Stand the Test wrote: I reckon time for a change at the bottom.
We do not do anything particularly different from any other club at the top - certainly we don't do anything worse. We have made profits for the last 20 years and have money in the bank despite our lack of on field success - who else could have done that? It wouldn't have happened without someone knowing what they are doing.
We have recruited really well al things considered - we've recruited Sandover Medallists, State players, Butcher Medallists etc. Those guys don't come to the club without someone working hard and doing plenty right behind the scenes -and of course you've got to have the money to pay them.
If we had a better zone things would be sweet.
Now is not the time to jump off - we have given 100% in most of our games but our depth is a problem. If you can add some recruits to the mix next year - and we have a good record here - then anything could happen.
STT. I know for a while you have been mentioning the zone. I can understand that Perth might not have as much talent in their zone as another WAFL club.
From speaking to various people at clubs throughout their junior catchment zone the club does not do enough to engage the kids or the clubs themselves. Was only speaking to an amateur club the other week who was saying that the club operates more in a what can you do for us method rather than what can the PFC do for you. This has been happening for well over 10 years that I know of.
Another instance was that when 16/17 year olds were trying out for the colts program, they were informed via text message whether or not they had made the cut. To me that's not very professional. How hard would it have been to take the kids aside and speak to them individually for 5 or so minutes about their deficiencies and why they weren't making the squad. Tell them to work on it during the season back at their junior or amateur club and come back next pre season.
We have in my opinion had some players (especially over the last 10-12 years that I have been following the colts program more closely) play for us that showed signs of potential. Now obviously not everyone is going to make it but I personally don't think we have developed our own kids in our own backyard that well over the years. Unlike this year, I don't think you would have seen the Ninyette's, Roe's, Scotney's, Narrier's, Johnson's etc.... all getting exposed to a large chunk of senior football in the one season. Not just playing one or two games and then sent back to toil away in the reserves. As I've said on here before what difference would it have made over the years to back a young kid in and play him for the rest of the season. Sure we may have finished a couple of spots higher on the ladder but we still wouldn't have made finals and that has to be the aim each and every year.
Yes we have been able to recruit reasonably well over the years but never once at the same time. Talking about success you only have to look at the teams constantly up the top of the WAFL ladder and see how many 100 game players that they have had over the last 15-20 years. I think Perth would be lucky to have five 100 game players over that time.