Opinion It's time St Kilda and Riewoldt moved on in different direction

[stkildathunda]

Nick Riewoldt is one of St Kilda’s greatest players of all time, and one of the AFL’s great centre half forwards, but it is now become time St Kilda and Nick Riewoldt move on and go a different direction.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realise St Kilda is currently in the middle of a serious rebuild that will take couple years to get out of. Whilst the Saints have given plenty of AFL games in 2014 to their young defenders, rucks and midfielders, it’s the forward line that is still the major area of concern and is scarily dependent on Riewoldt. So far in 2014 Riewoldt has kicked 32 goals with the next best Jack Billings on 8. Yes that is correct, Nick Riewoldt is the only player to hit double figures this year and what is more of a concern is fact 6 of top 8 goal kickers are midfielders.

It is becoming clear that St Kilda will not be able to develop any forward whilst Riewoldt is in the forward 50 demanding the ball at every opportunity and players are always looking for him and ignoring open players free in much better positions. It’s not just the young players that are scared to not pass to Riewoldt, even the more senior guys like Lenny Hayes will always look to hit up Roo.

The Saints are rebuilding, and as good a servant Riewoldt has been the tough decisions have to be made. He has 1 maybe 2 years left in the game, yet the Saints have no forward coming through to replace him. Are they going to wait til he’s retired to rebuild in this area?

What’s the solution? Well basically it’s time St Kilda look at moving Riewoldt permanently onto the wing, ala Mathew Richardson in his last years, and ban him from going into the forward 50 and play Rhys Stanley, Tom Lee and Arryn Siposs as their 3 prong forward line. This will give the young guys time to develop and the club will actually get to see if they are up to the standard. How can you judge players when one forward demands the ball 90% of the time and the others are blatantly ignored?

Yes Stanley/Siposs have had their chances and haven’t shown much as forwards, but with 10 games left in the year its perfect opportunity to let them have good run of games and see how they go as the vocal point of forward line. What do the Saints have to lose? They are last on the ladder and are staring down the barrel of their 27th wooden spoon. They have only kicked 22 goals in last 3 games. It’s time they got serious with the rebuild and work on all areas and not just keeping the senior guys happy. Footy is a ruthless game and the club needs to be ruthless and not stroke the ego of players.

The other solution will be much less popular one. To help the rebuild the Saints should approach teams near top of ladder and see what they have to offer for the services of Riewoldt. What club that is close to premiership wouldn’t want player of his calibre. It could be a win-win like what we saw with Brian Lake and the Western Bulldogs. Riewoldt gets premiership that he deserves and Saints get high draft pick (or pick upgrade) and get some more talented kids into the system.

 

[Winmar2Lockett]

Wing? yes

Traded? Ridiculous. Burn the place down & don't bother starting again.

 

[Manimal_Dunstan]

Fair opinion i think..

Thunda suggesting we play Stanley and Siposs am i seeing right?

It's also 27th spoon we are looking at

But yeah i think it's time we try something different like that Richo idea, trading? will be unpopular but i think there is more chance of Riewoldt retiring. Highly doubt he'll be traded though.

I also don't think Riewoldt is the whole factor in our forwards, our midfield isn't great and rarely many of them are good kicks. Our entry's inside 50 are shocking

 

[God Save Max King]

Thunda I can see where you're coming from, but the time to move Riewoldt on has now passed. No club would pay for a high pick for Nick, and we wouldn't want to move him on for a lower selection.

As for the development of forwards, that's a good point, but I don't think our forwards aren't developing because of his demands to get the ball. I think our forwards aren't developing because, well, they're not really... good. Itf we need to get him off our list to fix the issue of the Saints kicking to him too much, our coaches are extremely bad at what they are paid to do, extremely bad.

As for moving him onto the wing, I like that idea, a LOT. Riewoldt will be most valuable presenting away from goals and ensuring that we have a target rebounding out of 50, because no-one else has the running ability to get up the ground like he does.

 

[stkildathunda]

Fair opinion i think..

Thunda suggesting we played Stanley and Siposs am i seeing right?

It's also 27th spoon we are looking at

But yeah i think it's time we try something different like that Richo idea, trading? will be unpopular but i think there is more chance of Riewoldt retiring. Highly doubt he'll be traded though.

Oh whoops you are right! Fixed! 27 is alot

Thunda I can see where you're coming from, but the time to move Riewoldt on has now passed. No club would pay for a high pick for Nick, and we wouldn't want to move him on for a lower selection.

As for the development of forwards, that's a good point, but I don't think our forwards aren't developing because of his demands to get the ball. I think our forwards aren't developing because, well, they're not really... good. Itf we need to get him off our list to fix the issue of the Saints kicking to him too much, our coaches are extremely bad at what they are paid to do, extremely bad.

As for moving him onto the wing, I like that idea, a LOT. Riewoldt will be most valuable presenting away from goals and ensuring that we have a target rebounding out of 50, because no-one else has the running ability to get up the ground like he does.

I dont actually think we should trade him, that was just another option I added to give it some variety.. I probably have put high(ish) pick. Like 3rd round upgraded to 1st round for team that finishes in top 4.

 

[Hammers_Saints]

Put him on a wing, yes. Trade him, no. He's arguably our greatest player of all time. We can't trade him.

 

[hayes]

I see where you're coming from and I'm as frustrated by his constant demands for the ball as everyone else but he's just simply untradeable. We just need to get him out of the forward line. Going to have a high draft pick which will most likely be a key forward, they need to learn from Riewoldt.

 

[Manimal_Dunstan]

Move him to the wing, he wins a brownlow.

 

[stkildathunda]

As for the development of forwards, that's a good point, but I don't think our forwards aren't developing because of his demands to get the ball. I think our forwards aren't developing because, well, they're not really... good. Itf we need to get him off our list to fix the issue of the Saints kicking to him too much, our coaches are extremely bad at what they are paid to do, extremely bad.

I do agree with you there that our forwards coming through probably aren't actually any good but it's hard to know when they aren't given fair crack or opportunity. I know Tom Lee hadnt been in good form for most of year in VFL, but so hadnt few other players that got given games. He also had worse form last year before he got game and look at how he ended season.

 

[sverik25]

I couldn't take seeing Roo wearing different colours on the field. Those sort of things would disenchant a lot of the supporter base.

I can understand playing him on the wing, but the club would become a farce of the highest order if he was traded.

 

[St Kilda Death]

See if ross would send a first round pick?
Let him win a flag with freo. They would if they got him!

 

[Saintos The ITK]

Play him on the wing, Sippa, Lee, Stanley, Milera, Joey, Simpkins forward.
Give it 4 or 5 games like that.
What have we got to lose?
It can't make our season any worse.
Our next capitan should be a midfielder.

 

[Manimal_Dunstan]

Does anyone really think Nick would want to be traded and begin at a new football club at age 33? i doubt it very much, he would retire and move to texas or something before playing at another football club instead of St Kilda IMO.

 

[joop]

I saw the heading for this thread and cringed, but couldn't agree more with putting Riewoldt on the wing. Have Lee, Stanley and Siposs as the targets instead of trying to kick it to Roo every bloody time.
Unfortunately Richo isn't bold enough to make a decision like that.

 

[sauce_head]

Who cares about wooden spoons? Last, third last, who cares? Id happily have 127 wooden spoons so far if it meant we had another premiership or two.

As for Nick, wing - yes, trade - no. Imagine trading Reiwoldt. We'd have to have a first five pick in the draft as a minimum and he's not worth that to any other club. One team player - our most successful player in terms of best and farest should not end his career in other colours, even if an appropriate trade could be arranged.

 

[Manimal_Dunstan]

FF: Arryn Siposs, Tommy Lee, Darren Minchington
HF: Jack Billings, Rhys Stanley, Daniel Markworth
C: Nick Riewoldt

No chance but i'd seriously consider trying that, gives Minchington last chance to save his career also.

Or:
FF: Tom Lee, Spencer White, Arryn Siposs
FF: Jack Billings, Rhys Stanley, Daniel Markworth

Another no chance, especially White anyway. But as said above what do we have to lose?

 

[L_W_P]

Move him to the wing, he wins a brownlow.

If he follows Richo then he will finish 3rd behind a ,numpty top draft pick who will then become very mediocre through injury.

Dusty Martin for Brownlow 2015??

 

[stkildathunda]

I saw the heading for this thread and cringed, but couldn't agree more with putting Riewoldt on the wing. Have Lee, Stanley and Siposs as the targets instead of trying to kick it to Roo every bloody time.
Unfortunately Richo isn't bold enough to make a decision like that.

Yeah don't think Richo has the balls to make that big decision just yet, which is a shame.

 

[stkildathunda]

FF: Arryn Siposs, Tommy Lee, Darren Minchington
HF: Jack Billings, Rhys Stanley, Daniel Markworth
C: Nick Riewoldt

No chance but i'd seriously consider trying that, gives Minchington last chance to save his career also.

Or:
FF: Tom Lee, Spencer White, Arryn Siposs
FF: Jack Billings, Rhys Stanley, Daniel Markworth

Another no chance, especially White anyway. But as said above what do we have to lose?

I dont mind that first option to be honest. Minchington has been getting better each game and could be solution to our small forward issue at moment.

 

[Manimal_Dunstan]

I dont mind that first option to be honest. Minchington has been getting better each game and could be solution to our small forward issue at moment.

He is the only small forward we really have also it would be good to see him do similar to Cam Shenton.

 

[cuzo]

It is worth trialling Riewoldt on a wing, no way in hell that we'd trade arguably our greatest ever player. Give Lee and Stanley a chance in the key forward posts, I would also like to see Markworth (although he's not a kpp) and White get a crack too.I liked the look of Bruce up in the forward line, maybe a chance of trialling him up there. If they aren't working out we will have to wait until this draft to get a gun key forward, hopefully two.

 

[BrianSpeaking]

I can write this response because I know you don't care and won't take it personally, but please Thunda, that is vomit worthy crap, all of it.
In regards to the spoon, what a load of hogwash, the draft era has seen us be one of the more successful clubs, playing off in 4 Grand Finals.
Anything before then depended on how much cash you had to buy players ala the EPL and NBA.
Stanley???? Sipposs?????? Michington????? * me.
Enjoy Nick whilst you can, because once he's gone we will all be the poorer for it.

Trevor Barker>Nick Riewoldt>no-one else gets close.

 

[stkildathunda]

Please Thunda, that is vomit worthy crap, all of it. In regards to the spoon, what a load of hogwash, the draft era has seen us be one of the more successful clubs, playing off in 4 Grand Finals.
Anything before then depended on how much cash you had to buy players ala the EPL and NBA.
Stanley???? Sipposs?????? Michington????? * me.

Obviously the point about the spoon gone over your head mate. It was more point that we are down bottom of ladder and nothing will change that this year. We have nothing to lose by playing guys on our list and seeing if they can actually perform.

So you dont think players always kick it to Roo? Our development of forwards is going well?

But then again guess we can continue to stroke the ego of the senior guys and let them dictate everything...

 

[ike2112]

I think there's even a chance they play him at the back towards the end of the year or 2015.

The thing is, whilst he's up forward he is in the team to kick goals. The best players want the ball when it's important. The way we've been playing, every kick into the 50 is important. So you can't fault him really for doing what he's been doing. He does however take advantage of his position and demand the ball from the kids at times when he shouldn't.
I have noticed Lenny too has an over-tendency to kick to him, but that's Lenny kicking in his trademark low-trajectory leading kick, which goes to someone running hard off the forward line. His own style of f50 entry has developed over 12 years to work in synchronicity with Roo's style of lead. So it's hard for him to change what he has worked so hard to make automatic.

But Roo is a leader of the club, of the players. He has to play every game of his career for St Kilda and he has to play every game that his knee allows.
Look back at the Melbourne win in week one - he was the one leading the charge. Not leading the line (although he was) but leading by keeping the effort and intensity of others high, keeping the positive attitude high and rallying everyone after every passage of play. Him and Geary (I think people grossly underestimate the effect Geary has on teammates) were leading the league in high-5s and ass-pats through week 5.
However like other top players in any sport, when you work harder than almost anyone to be at the peak of the sport, when the team around you is struggling and there's constant mistakes and defeats, it is one of the hardest things not to have even a wee bit of a sulk about it.

 

[VDS66]

Reality is that we do not have any decent forwards to speak of. If you think Lee/ Stanley and Sipposs are the answer then you are asking the wrong question.

The other reality is that since 2004, we hardly had any decent picks, and those that we did, we threw away with stupid selections. And salary decisions from previous admins out us in a precarious position which made it next to impossible to recruit a partner for him. Ball and Kosi were being paid way over their worth. We had Allen, but he had to quit because of injuries.

The reason why we kick it to Roo is because he works his bloody arse off making multiple leads.

But it is now what it is and cannot be undone. You cannot blood a replacement until you have one on your list and we do not.

Roo is a legend of the club and has taken massive cuts to stay loyal to us. Cut him and you will destroy the club. Sure, play him on a wing, but Plan B is pathetic.

Silly argument IMO.