“Players like Ken Hall and Ben Haynes have played very well in the VFL side. We will put a player up if we pick them and they might get a chance depending on the situation with the senior team at that time. Courtney Johns might be another one depending on if we need a tall,” Sheedy said.
“It is very unfortunate for Joel. I know I got criticised for taking players on and off the ground but there are reasons for it. The commentators – Wallsy and Mike Sheahan and all the other intelligent critics of the game of footy don’t understand that there are issues we can’t talk about or explain to them. But the correct decision has been made and he has got his 20-odd games up at 19 years of age.”
Sheedy would not divulge whether the first rookie would be promoted this weekend.
“All I will say is it’s the best list we have had for a while and the 22 we pick will want to be spot on with their attitude,” he said. “And it is good to get a trial run in these conditions (wet) given that might be the case on Saturday. We might look at some smaller players with some pace about them if it is wet – Mark Mercuri and Cory McGrath would be considered. Young players like Jason Winderlich and Darren Walsh would add a lot of pace to our side. The VFL didn’t play last week so they would be fresh and we did have a pretty tough game last week.”
