Wins vs. development?

Yes, I know wins are important, but are they more important at this stage, than our team development?

Do we throw everything into winning regardless

There are a few (drama queens) who say this is a must win or that is a must win, or it will be season over.

Before the season started, I recon our only realistic chance of winning something worthwhile is the CC, and we have not even had the draw yet.
Come the play offs, does it matter that much, if we finish 8th rather than 6th, as long as we have a team that has made true progress, and can and will make a good account of themselves.

My fear is that fans will start and put pressure on Gentle, and he then takes decisions he would not have made, if not under pressure.

It is a personal view, and I know many will disagree

Well I don't see we have a choice between wins & development at the moment. With no halfbacks & an underperforming squad we don't have the luxury of thinking we will win. By development I take it you mean throwing in all the youngsters & not playing Galea etc who are getting plenty of stick? I think the youngsters who are ready & good enough to have a long term future in SL have already featured this season Lineham etc. Playing Nicklas & Kent would not improve is as a team & would not develop them into top players just because they were playing SL for us at this stage.

When a team is winning its easy to throw plenty of young players in at once.

In professional sport, winning is all that matters.

Agreed. Winning should never be sacrificed for anything else. That is the whole point of everyone turning up every week. Obviously the bigger clubs blood their youngsters in the so called 'easier' games and occasionally they come unstuck and I have no doubt the coach thinks, oh $h1t!!

In Fridays squad we have
Lineham, Crooks, Green, Bowden, Arundel

All with limited SL experience, all still learning the game and likely to make the odd mistake, we need as much experience around the park as possible to stand a chance against most SL opposition never mind the Derby

The only other youngsters who may have been able to step in are Shaul (no SL experience) & Nicholas but PG has already said they are both injured.

I'd like to see Shaul given a chance but not untul Holdsworth, McD, Ellis & Yeamo are back, he may get a run in the CC if we get lower league opposition

But isn’t that the reason we have had many years of failure?

Neglecting building a strong foundation, and then left panic buying over paid crocks to fill the gaps, all for the cause of short term success.

Gentle should stick to his principles, he has the back of AP for the long haul so he shouldn't be swayed by fans. If it was a CC semi or playoff match then maybe that's different. It's only a derby.

gentle has shown he's willing to give young players a chance so I think it's more that no one is available (fit) or that he deems tehy aren't ready yet

Its certainly a difficult one. The sensible person in me says build for the future and wait for the results. But the club is a business. AP has invested heavily and imho after another pre season of hype and excitment (I don't buy into it before anyone says more fool you) those investing in the club can not afford another poor season. For everyone that passes by and while we are in the grip of a strong recession it can only mean dwindling income. I do not think AP is rich enough to stomach that for too long.
We have not achieved the pass sales that were wanted this year. If we fail again this season we are not going to get better sales next year. That I fear can only mean one thing and thats cuts and the marquee signings will not materialise.

Chciken and egg I fear.