Unofficial Preview Round 6: St Kilda Vs Brisbane - Westpac Stadium NZ @ 7:45 NZST

[Manimal_Dunstan]

TDL interesting.. I know he has been kicking a few, but would have thought Milera who can play a bit through the midfield unlike Dennis-Lane would have traveled over. But think it'll just be Savage for Schneider anyway.

 

[Hayes4PM]

Team dynamics were looking really good IMO so I would make few changes.

Dempster just never lets us down always plays well, Gwilt provided some penetrating kicks off the half back, Delaney and Bruce worked well together and Webster and Newnes worked really well together and seem to read each other very well. I'd leave them as is for the moment but could see Fisher coming in for Newnes who would move up onto a wing or into the middle, but I wouldn't do that for a few weeks yet.

In the middle I would change Seb Ross from the sub role as it just didn't suit him, as to who goes out that would be a matter of who is most fatigued, hard to tell but I would pick Templeton from what I've seen. Other than that Lenny, Joey, Steven, Dunstan, Curren, Ray, Jones, Geary can all rotate through the midfield as they did last week.

Up forward Rhys and Roo the 2 talls again, hopefully Hickey can go forward and kick 1 or 2 as well, Saunders and Billings up there as well. Joey, Geary and maybe Steven can go up forward a bit as well. Our forward line still has a bit of work to be done but right now this will have to do.

Schneider getting suspended is really annoying, his touches are always valuable and he is either assisting someone else in kicking a goal or kicking one himself, I actually think he has a similar Half-forward and midfield role to Cyril Rioli, lacks some speed/agility on Cyril though. I would bring in Savage as he had a good game in the VFL apparently, also the NZ factor. Say what you will but it IS important to have a NZ player running round over there on ANZAC day, it will get airtime on their TV/radio and I'm guessing he'll have a few interviews as well. Also if anything is going to spur Sav on to play a REALLY good game it would be going back over to New Zealand and playing in just the 2nd ever AFL game there at his new club.


B: Bruce Delaney Dempster

HB: Webster Gwilt Newnes

C: Ross Montagna Hayes

HF: Billings Riewoldt Savage

F: Saunders Stanley Geary

FOL: Hickey, Dunstan, Curren.

I/C: Jones, Ray, Steven.

SUB: Templeton.

 

[The Punter]

The other option is Fisher in for Schneider, with Gwilt forward...

 

[Manimal_Dunstan]

 

[bird_man]

The other option is Fisher in for Schneider, with Gwilt forward...

Gwilt isn't a forward, I'm not sure why half the board seems to think he is a swing man because he played one quarter in the forward line when we had no other options. I'd rather Fisher forward.

 

[Curious George]

Gwilt isn't a forward, I'm not sure why half the board seems to think he is a swing man because he played one quarter in the forward line when we had no other options. I'd rather Fisher forward.

And we got others that play as forwards that aren't playing atm!!

 

[Sir Skid]

Do we have a spot open to promote Weller?
Good to see him so dominant in the VFL and pushing for selection.

 

[The Punter]

I think with Pierce back in a month they are keeping options open for prolonging Templeton's availability.

 

[malevu]

I'm so pissed off with the Schneider decision in light of the Hawks-Cats game. Hawkins and Hodge both dished out stomach punches more forceful than Schneider and they have no case to answer. The very next day after the MRP hand down their decision on Schneider. C'mon.... are these guys for real or
not ?

Okay, Schneider was stupid to even give them a chance to suspend him considering how long he's been out but how about a little bit of consistency. Schneider ends up with the same time out as Glass. You've got to be joking. When you factor in things like guys throwing their elbows back into their opponents midriffs, you could suspend 10 guys a week for offences similar to Schneider. As usual we get the raw end of the deal where the MRP is concerned.

 

[Nutsngum]

I'm so pissed off with the Schneider decision in light of the Hawks-Cats game. Hawkins and Hodge both dished out stomach punches more forceful than Schneider and they have no case to answer. The very next day after the MRP hand down their decision on Schneider. C'mon.... are these guys for real or
not ?

Okay, Schneider was stupid to even give them a chance to suspend him considering how long he's been out but how about a little bit of consistency. Schneider ends up with the same time out as Glass. You've got to be joking. When you factor in things like guys throwing their elbows back into their opponents midriffs, you could suspend 10 guys a week for offences similar to Schneider. As usual we get the raw end of the deal where the MRP is concerned.

Some of the bumping decisions this week are shocking as well. The MRP are just completely unaccountable and its about time the clubs got together and demanded the AFL bring in a more consistent system.

 

[Hammers_Saints]

Anyone else on the board heading over to New Zealand for the match?

 

[Rors]

Tom Curren.....

Goes to Redden, Rockliff or Zorko? Or Hanley if he's back?

Tough one IMO

 

[Manimal_Dunstan]

Tom Curren.....

Goes to Redden, Rockliff or Zorko? Or Hanley if he's back?

Tough one IMO

If Hanley is back Eli will probably get the job like he did on Heath Shaw.

Dempster probably > Zorko
Curren > Rockliff.

 

[Hammers_Saints]

Tom Curren.....

Goes to Redden, Rockliff or Zorko? Or Hanley if he's back?

Tough one IMO

Hanley for mine, only on the basis that we went to Heppell last week instead of Jobe, who is a somewhat similar player to Rockliff in my eyes

 

[Rors]

I think with Pierce back in a month they are keeping options open for prolonging Templeton's availability.

True, however in another 6 weeks, all clubs can promote a rookie from round 11 onwards

 

[Manimal_Dunstan]

Injury update:
David Armitage (Leg) - 3-4 weeks
Lewis Pierce (Back) - 3 weeks
Sam Gilbert (Foot) - 4 weeks
Nathan Wright (Leg) - 10-12 weeks

 

[Curious George]

Anyone else on the board heading over to New Zealand for the match?

I wish I was!!

 

[Smoke_Me_AKipper]

True, however in another 6 weeks, all clubs can promote a rookie from round 11 onwards

Which is great. I would like to see what Mav Weller can do in the second half of the season. I really think he is going to be an unexpected bonus, (which is what Eli was if u think about it).

Billings & Dunstan are great. I got wood when I saw the footage of Pendlebury, I mean Acres in the VFL. And throw in Templeton and Weller. 5 players who you would think within 2 years will all be in our best 22!

Looking fwd to seeing a win in NZ which will be good for the club and it's presence over in NZ and the sponsors. This start must be having a positive effect on our memberships too.

Should be one change which will be Savage for Schneides. Fish, Longer, and TDL will be the emergencies I reckon....

 

[Hollow Knight]

Hanley and Green officially cleared to return this week, alongside Merrett. Makes it a bit more of a contest.

 

[Sainttony]

Out: Schneider
In: White

???

This might sound silly but I remember John Beveridge saying when Jimmy Gwilt was first starting and struggling in the VFL that he would be a better player at a higher standard. Perhaps Spencer is the same. For example when the ball comes to him by well placed kicks and he gets a bit of servcie he may play well rather than having to go ball hunting in the VFL 2nds

 

[Big Carl]

Anyone else on the board heading over to New Zealand for the match?

I'm heading over again, loved Wellington. Lets hope there is a big Saints contingent over there again although at this stage I am not so sure because 3 of my friends who went last year aren't trekking over again.....if that's a guide the crowd may be disappointing. Hope I am wrong. Lets also hope that the curator at Westpac Stadium doesn't over water the ground like last year. No rain in the days before the game yet after half time it was like an ice skating rink.......wasn't cold enough to make the surface dewy although the grass was too long. It seemed like as the night went on, the water worked its way to the surface if this is possible. St Kilda players the next morning at the Basin reserve couldn't believe how slippery it got.

 

[Sir Skid]

Injury update:
Nathan Wright (Leg) - 10-12 weeks

Long term injury opens the door for Mav?

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Hanley for mine, only on the basis that we went to Heppell last week instead of Jobe, who is a somewhat similar player to Rockliff in my eyes

The reason I didn't get Hanley in dreamteam/supercoach was because he was going to get tagged this year, so we better damn well tag him.

 

[Rors]

Long term injury opens the door for Mav?

Lewis Pierce may come off the LTI list after round 8, thus we may need to leave the new spot (Wright) for Templeton to stay on the senior list until after round 11 when we can upgrade another (Mav/Shenton) for 'free' so to speak

 

[RobbieMuir]

I'm heading over again, loved Wellington. Lets hope there is a big Saints contingent over there again although at this stage I am not so sure because 3 of my friends who went last year aren't trekking over again.....if that's a guide the crowd may be disappointing. Hope I am wrong. Lets also hope that the curator at Westpac Stadium doesn't over water the ground like last year. No rain in the days before the game yet after half time it was like an ice skating rink.......wasn't cold enough to make the surface dewy although the grass was too long. It seemed like as the night went on, the water worked its way to the surface if this is possible. St Kilda players the next morning at the Basin reserve couldn't believe how slippery it got.

I was over in NZ in October last year. I was sitting in a pub up north in Kerikeri drinking Red Stripe beers with some locals. Some of them were asking me about AFL and I was surprised that they knew absolutely nothing about Aussie Rules - and I mean literally nothing. They had never even seen a game on TV. They were, nevertheless, very interested in the Wellington games the Sainst are involved in for the next few years - maybe more out of curiosity than anything else - but a couple of them said they wouldn't mind seeing a live game of AFL. These guys were rugby and cricket fanatics and sports fans in general and they were impressed that AFL attracted such big crowds and they understood that AFL was the biggest sport in Australia. My impression is that whilst not that many Aussies will travel to NZ for the game, the local NZ contingent will continue to grow as they learn more about what is, let's face it, the best sport on the planet.