It takes time for youngsters to rise
THE EXTENT of the thrashing the Gold Coast Suns copped in their first AFL match was a timely reminder a team of kids - no matter how talented - will inevitably be monstered by a team of men.

As the Suns plundered the lion's share of the nation's best young talent over the past 18 months, much of the media focus was on how they would be unbeatable in several years' time.

May as well give them the 2015-17 premiership cups now, the popular thinking went.

But Carlton's 119-point victory on Saturday night underlined it will be a fair while before the likes of David Swallow, Josh Toy, Charlie Dixon, Brandon Matera and Zac Smith can match it with the competition's big boys.

Even with the support of established senior players like Gary Ablett, Nathan Bock, Michael Rischitelli and Jared Brennan.  

Predictably, the betting markets have quickly moved to install the Suns as favourite for this year's wooden spoon, the Herald Sun reporting their odds were now as short as $1.50 with Sportingbet Australia and sportsbet.com.au.

The Suns are a least trying to put a positive spin on their false start.

Captain Gary Ablett told the Herald Sun the loss to Carlton was disappointing but understandable given the Suns' side contained 12 debutants.

Coach Guy McKenna took heart from the fact his players had put together "some exciting passages of play where the boys were actually able to play our style of football".

Ablett made it clear he thought the club was taking the long-term approach needed to ensure the premiership success most think will eventually come its way.

"The people who want to bag us should come and have a look at how the club is set up and how determined we are to do things the right way," Ablett said.  

One thing's for sure, a first-up win is no guarantee of long-term success.

Just ask the Brisbane Bears who, with a group of mature-age journeyman and discards, won their first VFL/AFL match, against North Melbourne in 1987, but did not make the finals for another eight years. 

The Suns' kids can be expected to come of age much sooner than that.

It's tough starting out in the AFL
Predictably, Karmichael Hunt was one of the most heavily scrutinised players in the aftermath of the Suns' dismal AFL dawn. After the former rugby league international's five-possession game against Carlton, The Courier Mail's Robert Craddock dubbed Hunt "the invisible man" and The Daily Telegraph marked his report card with an 'F'.

But, on Sunday, the performance of another rugby league covert, Israel Folau, eased the pressure on Hunt.

Playing for GWS against the Sydney Swans reserves in a practice match, Folau did not win a single possession and was credited - The Age's Greg Baum suggests generously - with just two tackles and a hitout.

Baum said while Folau looked the part athletically he was reactive, too stationary and, most damningly, "did not know where to go to get the ball". 

It was not a great weekend for either player, but let's not rush to judgment too quickly.

Remember, even kids who have grown up with a footy in their hands can take a while to find their feet in the AFL.

North Melbourne captain Brent Harvey was brutal in his assessment of some of his young teammates after the Roos were belted by Collingwood on Saturday. Highly-touted youngsters Lachie Hansen and Sam Wright were even named and shamed by their skipper.

Hansen and Wright both had glittering junior football careers, but both are struggling to perform consistently in the AFL.

Both Hunt and Folau should take heart from that.

Kennett wants AFL to cross the 'ditch'
Not for the first time, Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett has a vision.

He sees a new frontier the AFL can conquer. One that's not that far away. In fact, it's just across the Tasman Sea - or the 'ditch' as our neighbours prefer to call it - in New Zealand.

Speaking at Hawthorn's function before Sunday's match against Melbourne, Kennett said New Zealand was a logical destination when the AFL next decided to expand.

Kennett said New Zealand's proximity and its depth of sporting talent, many of whom need an alterative to rugby, meant it should be considered as an AFL outpost.

Kennett was talking in the future tense. About 20 years from now.

It's a long way down the track. But you suspect the game development gurus at AFL House will be looking for a new challenge by then.

However, we would issue a note of caution to the AFL. Before gazing across to the land of the long white cloud, it would be best to give Tasmania its own AFL side.

If the AFL doesn't, we can see the Apple Isle mounting a separatist revolution.  

Collingwood rotating its way to the top
Any hopes of rotation numbers falling under the new substitute rule seem forlorn after just two rounds.

Already there has been a strong correlation between high rotation numbers and victory, and the competition benchmark, Collingwood, is demonstrating just how effective a high-rotation strategy can be.

The Herald Sun reports the Magpies' use of the interchange bench this year has helped it dominate the time-on periods of games.

In round one, they outscored Port Adelaide by 36 points in time-on and, last Saturday, the Pies outscored North Melbourne by 45 points in the same period.

Even allowing for the fact Port and North have not started the season strongly, these are impressive numbers.

Ones the rest of the competition will have noted. Ones other sides will link to the Pies' high number of rotations. 

In short
West Coast vice-captain Beau Waters is likely to miss the Eagles' home clash with the Sydney Swans on Saturday night with an elbow injury, the West Australian reports.

Brisbane Lions coach Michael Voss says the club's first pick from last year's NAB AFL Draft, Jared Polec, is a "definite" chance to make his debut against Melbourne this Sunday, The Courier Mail reports.

Ricky Henderson thought it was a "joke" when he was approached by Adelaide Crows recruiter Hamish Ogilvie at a Melbourne basketball camp two-and-a-half years ago, saying he was more focused on trying to impress NBL scouts, The Advertiser reports.

Gold Coast Sun Jarrod Harbrow is expecting a hostile reception when he plays against his former club, Western Bulldogs, on Saturday at Etihad Stadium, The Age reports.

The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.

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