AFL Hall of Famer Robert Walls says Ross Lyon needs to take a leaf out of Brad Scott’s book and start focusing on developing young talent rather than continuing to play veterans on the outer.
Scott’s Kangaroos had an overall higher average age than Lyon’s Dockers on Sunday afternoon, but Fremantle had five players over the age of 30 compared to the Roos' three.
Three out of the five players over 30 that are still getting regular games at Fremantle shouldn’t still be in the side according to Walls.
He says that Danyle Pearce and Michael Johnson have been good players for the Dockers but they are well past their best and Hayden Ballantyne was “never a very good player”.
“If there’s ever a time to make sure you start to play your young talent, it’s now, because they just haven’t stood up,” Walls told Fox Sports News’ AFL Tonight.
“Danyle Pearce was a very good player, but it’s gone past him. Michael Johnson was a very good player, it’s gone past him.
“Hayden Ballantyne, in my opinion, was never a very good player and how he’s getting a game now just staggers me.
“There’s three plus-30 year old’s that I wouldn’t play for the rest of the year.”
In comparison, Scott has culled several senior players over the last few years including AFL games record holder Brent Harvey, Nick Dal Santo, Drew Petrie and Michael Firrito.
North Melbourne are now getting valuable game time into their younger players and it is paying off for them as they are genuine finals contenders after starting the year as wooden spoon favourites.
“He (Scott) was prepared to cut players from the list at North, who a lot of people thought had another one to three years left in them,” Walls said.
“So many players, he was prepared to finish their careers — and that’s not easy for a coach to do. But he did it and he put young fellas in and those young players have now got their 40 to 50 games and they’re starting to gel as a team.”
