LIVE CHAT WITH CEO & SENIOR COACH

[Gangnam Saint]

Our assistant coaches are great, some of the best in the league. Adam Kingsley won assistant of the year last year (midfield coach).

I think it's just the boys needing to improve as footballers. Be smarter with the pill.

I know we have great assistants - I was trying not to be specific but actually I thought Hamill was in trouble.

 

[George]

I know we have great assistants - I was trying not to be specific but actually I thought Hamill was in trouble.

Good point - never thought of it like that. I just thought they were kids who were in awe of the moment ie bombing it in long. I think experience will play a part in their composure moving forward. It's an artform to get it into the forward 50 and hit a target these days with all the zones that are in place lol.

 

[CursingFijian]

Did something happen with the ask Luke Dunstan twitter handle? I couldn't see any responses and there was a lot of questions pertaining to...minecraft?

 

[Loyal Sainter]

Did something happen with the ask Luke Dunstan twitter handle? I couldn't see any responses and there was a lot of questions pertaining to...minecraft?

I think the questions were used in the interview video footage posted on the Saints site.

 

[The Jack Pack]

Just noticed that Richo answered some questions on Twitter so I'll post them in here.

--

What are your plans for Roo this year? More time on the wing?

Roo will still play as a forward but will spend a bit of time in the midfield.


Weller made his presence felt last year playing forward. What are your plans for Mav?

A bit of both - forward and midfield. 90 rotations means most guys will have to spend a bit of time in both positions.


Now we have lost Carlisle, do you think Delaney or Lee can step up and fill the role?

Both Delaney and Lee certainly have the opportunity to complement Fisher, Goddard, Dempster, Roberton.


How's Billings pre-season been? Will we see him play as more of a midfielder this year?

Very positive pre-season for Jack. For us to improve he will need to play more through the midfield.


What would you like to see from the St Kilda fans on game day?

Continued passion, noise and support for our team.


What role do you see Hugh Goddard playing this year?

Hugh will play as a key defender.


Do you expect Blake Acres to cement his position this year? Will he be spending time on the wing?

Blake has been one of our most impressive this pre-season, expect to see him on the inside & outside of our midfield.


What kind of training program will Carlisle undertake for 2016?

Jake has been in the system for 7 years, he will know what he has to do and will rejoin us for the 2017 pre-season.

 

[hayes]

He answered some questions on facebook as well. I'll do my best:

With the dropping of the sub rule as well as the interchange cap, a lot of teams are integrating a second ruck. Are you going to be doing the same with Longer and Hickey? Who else in the list looks likely to take that second ruck role?
Last year we used Josh Bruce when playing one ruck. It will depend on the forward play of the second ruck. We'll look at both.

Hey Richo, which three opposition players (under 22 yrs) would you love to have at st Kilda
Whitfield, L Weller and Freeman. Oops - forgot we've already got Freeman!

Hi Alan, will we see Jimmy Webster released from his defensive role a bit more this year and given a license to not only run off half back but to play up on the wing and use that deadly left foot of his?
AFL Jimmy's ability to defend and provide quality ball use from defence is very important to the team, but eventually we think he has the potential to play through the midfield.

Will nick captain again this year and what has the club been like after finding out Jake can't play a game this year?
On Nick, we are blessed with such a strong group of leaders. We're still finalising that process. The club was very disappointed for Jake, and keen to support where possible.

I think Maverick Weller could be the best third forward option playing like former St Kilda player Aaron Hamill did - with the added bonus of him being able to run a lot further towards defense than Aaron did - faster - for longer periods, AND being able to tag his opponent when necessary. He will take contested marks and marks on a lead - would you agree?
He's not as big a player as Sammy, but he certainly has a similar appetite to compete and defend. He will also be needed through the midfield. Sammy clearly couldn't do that!

Hey Richo, I like fantasy football and am keen to hear which new faces may be inline for a early season run? In particular, how's Freeman shaping up?
Given Nathan hasn't played footy for two years, we will take a long term approach with Nathan. I think Acres, Gresham are a couple of guys that are a real chance to play footy early.

Do you think St. Kilda is ready for our elite legends to retire? Or do our young players need a bit more training?
Great question. It's a problem for all footy clubs but we feel like we are heading in the right direction. Bruce, McCartin, Membrey, Goddard, Carlisle, Longer, Hickey - all young keys going well.

Do you plan on playing Nick Riewoldt further up the field this season to make room for Paddy McCartin to play alongside Josh Bruce in the Forward line or do you think all 3 can have an impact up forward at once?
I think all three boys can work effectively as forwards, but our plan at this stage is for Roo to spend a bit of time through the midfield. His ability to connect the back to the front helps us when he plays on the wing.

Hi Alan, Does having both Paddy and Nick in the forward line at the same time change the way our midfield is set up? Does having more avenues to goal make us less predictable than say in the past? Thanks for taking the time to answer.
Good teams are less predictable on entry. We want to have multiple targets. Eventually Bruce, McCartin, Riewoldt, Membrey will be a handful.

 

[jonathons11]

Richo seems really impressed with Acres.
In every one of these Q&A's they have done he has specifically picked out Acres as a player to watch

 

[King_Steele]

Richo seems really impressed with Acres.
In every one of these Q&A's they have done he has specifically picked out Acres as a player to watch

Exciting times indeed!

 

[jonathons11]

Exciting times indeed!

Sneaky Supercoach pick I think

 

[King_Steele]

Sneaky Supercoach pick I think

Gresham is locked in as my M7

144k, absolute steal.

 

[Sir Skid]

Didn't Richo nominate a couple last year then not use them anyway?

 

[St Pauls]

Didn't Richo nominate a couple last year then not use them anyway?

I think last year was Newnes, Ross and Webster. Both Ross and Webster struggled with injuries at the start of the year.

 

[CursingFijian]

Didn't Richo nominate a couple last year then not use them anyway?

From memory Richo spoke highly of Ross, Lonie and Sinclair early on last year. We didn't get to see Ross due to his hamstring injury but the other two went alright.

Having said that he never overplays them and is more inclined to be complimentary without putting the weight of expectation on the player. For example he said something last year like "We need players like Lonie to be getting their hands on the ball more often, if we are to improve." before we ever even saw him play an AFL match.

 

[Axcellence]

My read is that Lee and Delaney are backups in Richo's view - see "complement fisher, goddard, dempster and Roberton".

Interestingly, Richo said Freeman deliberately to best u22... Pumping tyres up much?

 

[crasha301]

Notice all the u22 players he wants/has have speed and a good outside game.

 

[felsty]

Notice all the u22 players he wants/has have speed and a good outside game.

Where did he say about the U22?

 

[Smoke_Me_AKipper]

Where did he say about the U22?

Hey Richo, which three opposition players (under 22 yrs) would you love to have at st Kilda
Whitfield, L Weller and Freeman. Oops - forgot we've already got Freeman!

L Whitfield and L Weller would be very handy and would mean we have one of the best young midfields going....also we'd have two Lachies to add to the 57 Jacks that we have already on the list....

 

[Persevering Saint]

Hey Richo, which three opposition players (under 22 yrs) would you love to have at st Kilda
Whitfield, L Weller and Freeman. Oops - forgot we've already got Freeman!

L Whitfield and L Weller would be very handy and would mean we have one of the best young midfields going....also we'd have two Lachies to add to the 57 Jacks that we have already on the list....

Yeah, it was a very interesting little post that one. Could it be a shopping list that Richo has given Trout? Could he be priming us for who we expect to get this year?

 

[Smoke_Me_AKipper]

Yeah, it was a very interesting little post that one. Could it be a shopping list that Richo has given Trout? Could he be priming us for who we expect to get this year?

Yes please!!!!!

Although didn't Weller sign a two year contract in the 2015 post season?

Even so Whitfield and O'Meara in the off season with Weller the year after and we would be flying, (ignoring the fact we would need at least 2 first round draft picks in the 2016 and 2017 drafts to accommodate)

 

[Persevering Saint]

Although didn't Weller sign a two year contract in the 2015 post season?

Yeah, that was my immediate thought. The only thing could be that he said he's leaving, and to make it fair on the team he's leaving (since he's going so early), he signed with Freo to give them a bit more leverage at the trading table? I'm certainly not convinced that that is the case, but it was the first explanation I could come up with for Richo's statement.

I mean, the players he picked were kinda odd - if we're just talking about the best under 22s in the comp, they aren't Whitfield or Lachie Weller: he didn't say Sheil, for example (okay, so Dylan is 22, but you know what I mean). Those two are viable TARGETS. Add the comment about Freeman at the end, which isn't an oversight (you don't have that kind of thing on a posting medium) - it's a statement: "We got him, we can get the others."[/QUOTE]

 

[Diehard Saint]

Hey Richo, which three opposition players (under 22 yrs) would you love to have at st Kilda
Whitfield, L Weller and Freeman. Oops - forgot we've already got Freeman!

L Whitfield and L Weller would be very handy and would mean we have one of the best young midfields going....also we'd have two Lachies to add to the 57 Jacks that we have already on the list....

"Oops - forgot we've already got Freeman"
Significantly pleasing sense of humour, Richo.

 

[hayes]

Whitfield is OOC this year just quietly.

 

[Smoke_Me_AKipper]

Whitfield is OOC this year just quietly.

If the club could get one player who would you get - O'Meara or Whitfield??

For mine its Whitfield as I would be worried about O'Meara's injury record....

 

[Persevering Saint]

If the club could get one player who would you get - O'Meara or Whitfield??

For mine its Whitfield as I would be worried about O'Meara's injury record....

tacogirl.gif

 

[Periphery]

Weller in a deal that sees us trade down our first pick and Sidebottom as a FA.