Discussion Round 1 Best 22

[CursingFijian]

Blasphemy! :O
Murdoch has a home, its called a football oval. Which he dominates regardless of what part of the ground he is in! One of the greatest and most feared Saints of all time!

Hopefully becoming a father also inspires him to knuckle down and achieve a little more success. He certainly has shown a bit in some of his games at top level, and you would have to say he is one of our more robust bodies. But seems to drift in out of the games he plays in a lot. Is that an engine size issue? Or a game understanding issue?

 

[felsty]

Hopefully becoming a father also inspires him to knuckle down and achieve a little more success. He certainly has shown a bit in some of his games at top level, and you would have to say he is one of our more robust bodies. But seems to drift in out of the games he plays in a lot. Is that an engine size issue? Or a game understanding issue?

No issues! Murdoch is King! A salt of the earth, baby making, future father son recruiting, footballing machine. KING!!

 

[aussierulesrules]

Hopefully becoming a father also inspires him to knuckle down and achieve a little more success. He certainly has shown a bit in some of his games at top level, and you would have to say he is one of our more robust bodies. But seems to drift in out of the games he plays in a lot. Is that an engine size issue? Or a game understanding issue?

I would suggest that one of the major issues that is causing that is his age and the fact that his preseason last year looked to be pretty badly affected by a back injury, which this one may have been as well. It's pretty hard to have the tank at that age to be able to not drift in and out of games if you haven't even had a full preseason yet. I think he's done pretty well to have played as many games as he has for us, especially since he's been getting thrown all over the shop at St Kilda and/or Sandy, which surely makes it harder to settle.

Personally, I would most definitely be slotting him in in the guts for Sandy and giving him an extended run there. That is the position that I think it is most important that he succeeds in for us, as he could be a serious weapon on the ball for us down the track if he happens to get to the stage of averaging mid 20's possessions.

With his height, bulk, strength overhead, versatility and kicking ability, he could be somewhat like what BJ was for us when he was playing in the midfield for the bulk of the 2009 and 2010 seasons, while perhaps being more of an "extractor" than BJ was. Not saying he's as good as BJ, because he most likely isn't, but some are a slow burn (even BJ was) and if Brodie happens to be one of those he could be something in the midfield down the track.

Membrey can play his role up forward.

 

[felsty]

I would suggest that one of the major issues that is causing that is his age and the fact that his preseason last year looked to be pretty badly affected by a back injury, which this one may have been as well. It's pretty hard to have the tank at that age to be able to not drift in and out of games if you haven't even had a full preseason yet. I think he's done pretty well to have played as many games as he has for us, especially since he's been getting thrown all over the shop at St Kilda and/or Sandy, which surely makes it harder to settle.

Personally, I would most definitely be slotting him in in the guts for Sandy and giving him an extended run there. That is the position that I think it is most important that he succeeds in for us, as he could be a serious weapon on the ball for us down the track if he happens to get to the stage of averaging mid 20's possessions.

With his height, bulk, strength overhead, versatility and kicking ability, he could be somewhat like what BJ was for us when he was playing in the midfield for the bulk of the 2009 and 2010 seasons, while perhaps being more of an "extractor" than BJ was. Not saying he's as good as BJ, because he most likely isn't, but some are a slow burn (even BJ was) and if Brodie happens to be one of those he could be something in the midfield down the track.

Membrey can play his role up forward.

All correct. Should be in the guts and be the clearance machine we know he can be! I would almost prefer him to not play any AFL and average high twenties in the guts all year for Sandy. I think he needs that more than anyone.

 

[aussierulesrules]

Yeah pretty much that, although I would like any good form to be rewarded with senior AFL games, even if he doesn't play midfield there except in bursts.

 

[hayes]

All correct. Should be in the guts and be the clearance machine we know he can be! I would almost prefer him to not play any AFL and average high twenties in the guts all year for Sandy. I think he needs that more than anyone.

If you want him to become a good VFL player then yep that would be perfect.

 

[Persevering Saint]

All correct. Should be in the guts and be the clearance machine we know he can be! I would almost prefer him to not play any AFL and average high twenties in the guts all year for Sandy. I think he needs that more than anyone.

Yeah, that's what they did with Curren and look how great that turned out. :/

 

[felsty]

Yeah, that's what they did with Curren and look how great that turned out. :/

EXACTLY!

If you want him to become a good VFL player then yep that would be perfect.

KING I SAY! KING!!!

 

[walshystkfc]

How Bout rd 1 Nab Challenge?
Assume all the draftees play?

 

[Barrels]

How Bout rd 1 Nab Challenge?
Assume all the draftees play?

FB: Simpkin / Delaney / Wright
HB: Savage / Goddard / Webster
CR: Templeton / Ross / Newnes
HF: Membrey / White / Billings
FF: Lonie / McCartin / Bruce
RK: Longer / Armitage / Weller
IC: Dunstan / Saad / Shenton / Ray / Roberton / Curren / Sinclair / Acres

 

[mad-saint-guy]

Some of the talk coming from the coaches recently has given us a few hints as to what our round one team is likely to be. Weller is a certainty, Acres and Ross very likely. Here's my stab at it (just Siposs and Gilbert unavailable)

B: Dempster, Delaney, Webster
HB: Savage, Fisher, Geary
C: Newnes, Armitage, Weller
HF: Billings, Riewoldt, Montagna
F: Templeton, Lee, Membrey

Foll: Hickey, Steven, Dunstan
Int: Acres, Ross, Wright

In contention: Bruce, Ray, Curren, Saad, Schneider, Longer, McKenzie, White
Will need improvement/injuries to be considered but are a chance: Shenton, McCartin, Goddard, Saunders, Murdoch, Minchington, Roberton, Simpkin, Pierce, Lonie

I'd really like to have another tall option (Bruce/White/Goddard/McCartin) in the side but I think they'll back in Lee and Membrey as the second tall targets. Billings and Acres are both capable of taking an overhead mark and doing damage on the scoreboard as well. Sounds like both Bruce and Lee have been training to provide the second ruck option; I doubt we'll see both Hickey and Longer unless we're up against a premier ruck duo.

 

[walshystkfc]

FB: Simpkin / Delaney / Wright
HB: Savage / Goddard / Webster
CR: Templeton / Ross / Ray
HF: Membrey / White / Billings
FF: Lonie / McCartin / Bruce
RK: Longer / Armitage / Newnes
IC: Dunstan / Saad / Shenton / McKenzie / Roberton / Curren / Sinclair / Acres

Love the look of that mate!

 

[aussierulesrules]

It's going to be interesting to see how we play it in the NAB. Do we pick a more full strength team for R1 against Brisbane and then a younger team for the game v Essendon's VFL team (plus a couple of Goddard/Chapman/Cooney/Gwilt)?

 

[Barrels]

Love the look of that mate!

Forgot Weller... Fixed.

 

[hayes]

Not really sure where to put this but Richo said on radio that we should get a pretty idea of what the team will look like in round 2 of the nab cup. So there you go.

 

[aussierulesrules]

Going by that article on Wright it seems that Webster, Savage, Roberton, Wright and Shenton might all be fighting for one spot. If so, I dare say that means that the club considers Fisher, Delaney, Dempster, Geary and presumably Gilbo are all locks, when fit and available.

 

[ike2112]

The info on Wright seems to have changed, maybe due to his injury-interrupted preseason. He got name-checked early this year (might have been by Richo) as one to move into midfield this year. But the latest Saints article shows he's fully focused on a half-back role.

 

[aussierulesrules]

I'm just glad to read that they are planning on him moving in there eventually. I think he is better suited to an inside midfield role than Newnes.

 

[ike2112]

Couldn't agree more re. Newnes. We've got ourselves a playmaking half-back not far off AA level, I'd just leave him there for 8 years. I don't think he does as well in the middle, not through lack of talent but I think his spatial awareness in the middle isn't great.

Wright is similar to Geary in many ways, I have said for a while now I feel Geary ought to be our tagger (otherwise we're waiting that engine of his) and let Wright be the small hardman defender. It looks like they might do it other way round, leave Geary at the back.

 

[aussierulesrules]

I can see Newnes being good on the wing, but I'd be pretty surprised if he was as good in the guts as he is off HB or on the wing. Just don't see it, contested ball has never been his thing. Wright on the other hand is as tough as nails and has shown right from his very first game that he has the speed and evasiveness to be able to burst his way through a pack like not many others do.

I agree with the Geary and Wright comparisons and agree that Gears seems incredibly well suited to a tagging role, although the good thing about Wright compared to Gears is that while they are both hard as a cat's head, incredibly courageous and both struggle with their kicking a bit too often, Wright is a better size (having stood right next to him at Sandringham one day I'd say he's more like 187cm), he's quicker/more explosive and is stronger overhead and I think has the potential to make it is an offensive midfield role, whereas I only see Gears having the potential to tag in there.

If they're not in our round one team I'd love to see Wright and Murdoch line up next to each other in the guts for Sandy.

 

[felsty]

I can see Newnes being good on the wing, but I'd be pretty surprised if he was as good in the guts as he is off HB or on the wing. Just don't see it, contested ball has never been his thing. Wright on the other hand is as tough as nails and has shown right from his very first game that he has the speed and evasiveness to be able to burst his way through a pack like not many others do.

I agree with the Geary and Wright comparisons and agree that Gears seems incredibly well suited to a tagging role, although the good thing about Wright compared to Gears is that while they are both hard as a cat's head, incredibly courageous and both struggle with their kicking a bit too often, Wright is a better size (having stood right next to him at Sandringham one day I'd say he's more like 187cm), he's quicker/more explosive and is stronger overhead and I think has the potential to make it is an offensive midfield role, whereas I only see Gears having the potential to tag in there.

If they're not in our round one team I'd love to see Wright and Murdoch line up next to each other in the guts for Sandy.

Murdoch. Yes. Excellent.

 

[walshystkfc]

While I wait to be smashed by the cyclone I have put together this!
Our best 22 of players with 50 games or less!


Sorry have Acres twice. Make Curren sub.

 

[Phoenix_9]

While I wait to be smashed by the cyclone I have put together this!
Our best 22 of players with 50 games or less!

Acres twice!
Longer/Curren to replace?

 

[walshystkfc]

Acres twice!
Longer/Curren to replace?

Yeahhh sorry man thru it togetherr

 

[Rors]

Still think the strongest team to put on the park will be something along the lines of:

B: Geary Delaney Dempster
HB: Gilbert Fisher Savage
C: Newnes Armitage Montagna
HF: Membrey Riewoldt Billings
F: Curren McCartin Bruce
R: Hickey Steven Dunstan
Int: Weller Webster Roberton
Sub: Templeton
Emerg: Ray Minchington White


Midfield rotations to include: Armo, Steven, Dunstan, Weller, Geary, Newnes, Montagna, Billings, Curren, Templeton & (Membrey if he's been trained for it). This is a good step, having 11 blokes than could demand midfield time. If Gears plays mid, Webster goes back. If Curren plays mid, rest Steven or Armitage in the forward pocket.

Guys like Wright, Saunders, White, Acres, McKenzie, Goddard, Murdoch etc havent done enough yet to push anyone out of this team.

Curren is in my strongest team, as he has shown time & time again that he will do anything that is required of him. Forward tag, hard midfield tag, run-with tag, inside mid, standard small forward, small defender (although that didnt work out too well ). He is the ultimate player who will sacrifice anything to be in the team & that is a great example to show on the field to a group of blokes not too much younger than he, who are arguably more talented, that this is the reward for having a great attitude to training & strong mental strength