When North Melbourne finally secured the services of Jared Polec in last season's trade period, Port threw Jasper Pittard in for nothing.
"List clogger" "Can't kick to save his life" "Butchers the ball at every opportunity" "Hack down back" ... and the list of comments goes on and on and on.
Fast forward to the end of round three and he's been a shining light.
Pittard is playing consistently good, efficient football.
On paper, he's travelling at an average 85 per cent disposal efficiency across the three games.
In the flesh, he's loving every moment of his second lifeline.
Seems to constantly be in the right spot at the right time. Taking an extra moment to make smarter decisions. Is the first player to run over to his teammates when they've had a good moment.
That isn't the Jasper Pittard we signed up for?
Despite the many assumptions, Jasper Pittard is not the problem.
Neither is Dom Tyson. He too, has played three solid games and is another one earning his spot in the side.
But because he's like for like with Ahern, too many are unfairly calling for his head.
Rather call for the likes of Luke McDonald and Jy Simpkin (and yes, I know that most of you have) but replacing Tyson with Ahern will still leave an under performing McDonald (for example) in the side
See what I mean?
Mason Wood, his awful attitude and calf awareness were dumped after round one and until he has a blinder in the VFL, I’m happy to keep him out of the side.
Paul Ahern needs to play. He won’t be the difference, but he will make a difference.
Nick Larkey also must play. I do feel for Tom Campbell as his heart is in it. All you have to do is watch his post goal celebration in the last quarter against Brisbane to see how much it means to him. But we need more than effort.. we need a second forward more than we need a second ruckman. And for those watching close enough, you'll know the need for Larkey in the side is greater than any other player at this moment.
I know we all had a big love for Jarrad Waite and knew the importance of him in our side, but I think many forget how much better Brown played alongside his partner in crime.
At the halfway mark of last season, they were the best forward duo in the competition with 50-odd goals between them. Ben Brown is a low key guy and performs better when the attention is off him, or at least shared with someone else. Right now, that guy is Nick Larkey.
Brown is struggling without a second forward and our midfielders are struggling just the same.
The starting positions at centre bounces were introduced to increase goal scoring yet we have registered just 32 for the season. The lowest, Adelaide has scored 29. We aren't far off.
Year after year, Brad Scott has struggled to pull the trigger at selection.
And while I think we finally need some action, there is a bigger problem than that at selection table.
The game plan, or lack of, is the real problem.
Does anyone actually know what the game plan is? Because I don’t.
There are plenty of talented players still in the side and unfortunately, I don’t know if one or two changes at selection but no changes to the game plan will solve our problems.
At the moment, it appears we are going with one extreme or another.
Either sucking the pace out of the game completely, looking very slow, stagnant and lethargic or we are over possessing the ball by hand and missing easy targets.
When the boys run, they look exciting and can get the ball down the ground at lightening pace but every single time they always seem to go for one too many handballs because the player in possession is lacking confidence in their own decision making or skills.
Players look timid and too scared to take the game on.
What was the point injecting pace into the side through the likes of Polec and Hall if they don't have license to use it?
The other issue is centre clearances.
We aren't winning them.
The 6-6-6 is making it a lot easier for sides to expose our depleted defence.
It's been an atrocious start, it really has. And while I call upon Brad Scott to make some statements at selection, I urge him to sort out this game plan and what it is we are actually trying to achieve.
Because whatever it is, it isn't working.
