Comparing the 17 from Round 1 to the 17 from Round 25 from memory (always risky). Of the 17 players from Round 1, there were 11 still there for Round 25. Of the remaining 6 there were 4 that were injury replacements, Meaney replaced Crichton who was injured, Harper replaced Holland who was injured, RSmith moved to the centre replacing Montoya who was injured, Okunbor replaced RSmith on the wing and CSmith replaced Sue who was injured,
The only changes not forced by injury were RFM and CHN who swapped starting and off the bench between them. Plus the big one, JMK was promoted off the bench replacing Lichaa and Cogger came onto the bench.
Of course if he wasn't injured DWZ would have been in the team for Round 25, but he wasn't playing for us in Round 1 so not a selection change example.
In summary, anyone hanging their hat on some belief that Pay woke up by the end of the season and made wholesales changes that "most were banging on for all season" have but a single example, JMK for Lichaa. A worthwhile change most would agree, but hardly justification for the endless questions over Pay's selections which are plainly unjustified based on the facts above.
Go Dogs