Richmond champion Kevin Bartlett says using youth as an excuse for poor performances should not be tolerated in the AFL.
Coaches of sides who lose repeatedly often refer to the excuse of having a young team, but Bartlett is sick of hearing it.
“I can understand rebuilding, you’ve got to get some young kids into your side, but I think it can be a cop out,” Bartlett said on KB and the Doc.
“It’s not a child minding centre.
“If you want to go and play all young kids and if you want to strip it back, well you’ve got to take the whacks over the head and you can’t use it as an excuse for poor performances.”
Bartlett says blaming the younger players on a list for losses is not a valid reason.
“It upsets me all the time when I hear people talk about, you know, ‘we’ve got too many young kids’ or ‘we’re playing the kids’, or ‘the game is too long so let’s shorten it so the young kids can play’," he said.
“I’ve said it again today, it’s not a child minding centre.
“We’ve got to realise this is it.
“This is the best competition you can play.
“This is the crème de la crème.
“It’s all hands on decks … no excuses.”