jarrod mullen, mitchell pearce, todd carney, peter wallace etc were all immature and inexperienced (naturally like anyone who comes to grade) but are all brilliant halfbacks today because of the backing the received. all those clubs could have easily gone with some geriatric reserve grader who was more "mature" but made the right and didn't risk losing their next superstars. let's bring back sterlo because he's more "mature".
Yeah clap clap, way to look past the point.
Mullen had Johns in his early days, Wallace has Lockyer and had Gower, Pearce has Anasta. They had support of a senior player in the halves to help them steer the side around. Carney had Jason Smith, notice how Thurston blossomed with Jason Smith at the Cowboys, Cronk had Scott Hill.
None of them were the chief playmakers in their early days, they had someone else to do that for them, a mentor. Someone like Tim Smith could probably have really used a mentor.
There are some exceptions to the rule, I think Kimmorley got away without one on field with him, so did Johns and perhaps Fittler.