Game Day JLT 2 Saints v Carlton

[Impatient Saint]

It's funny Bruce is so athletic they tend to run him ragged al over the ground, his best output was when he was still moving around the forward 50 but with in striking range. If Members and Paddy can move around the ground more Bruce becomes a very dangerous forward again. Paddy is a bit of a Cloke on goal at times it seems where the hard looks easy and the easy looks hard, they are perfect for CHF as the kicking on goal is usually in a lower percentage spot anyway and just dropping it in the hotspot is enough to help score a goal. It seems logical to me.

I think Aaron Hamill has been wanting that set up for sometime - it definitely helped Juices game!

I am another in the Longer camp - I thought Hickey looked really poor last week against Port.

 

[Sheepey]

Re watching the game I'm disappointed by Webster's disposal by foot. Like Savage he's a lovely kick, but he also has a very high clanger count which occur often when he's under no pressure. Would like for him to fix that up.

 

[Sainttony]

Geez there is going to be some intersting battles for best 22 status going in to round one. As I see it:
Acres vs Steele
Wright vs Gresham vs Loine vs Sinclair vs Long vs Minch
Sav vs Webster vs D Mac vs Gilbert
Dunstan vs Stevens
Hickey vs Longer
Of all of those battles, I think we can only really afford to play one from each line, maybe two from the small forwards line depending on structure. Really wanted Acres to stand up today but he just seems to float out of games a bit. He's got a beautiful kick when he clears out of the center though, probably provides the best centre clearences without being our best centre clearence player, if you get my drift

We need all those extra guys. Injuries, poor form etc you need 35 ready to go players.


On iPad using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[dewah07]

Sandy at 17's is juicy. Great for a potential cash out bet if sandy can find ways to kick enough goals they won't lose many

 

[Ian Dunross]

My take away -

I thought we didn't play our best, but the good thing is that we have enough weapons that we can win without playing our best. Mind you, the Sandringham VFL side would have beaten that Carlton team

Steele and Bruce BOG

Ross is super important for us, his ball use is elite

Lonie...

If I was a Saints player, I'd prefer to line up alongside Wright every time

If I was an opponent, I'd think, even if Lonie gets a lot of the ball, he's going to burn it most of the time, whereas, Wright can break lines and kick the ball 55m and hurt me in a tackle or marking contest

Need to see more of Long

I'd have Sinclair, Wright and Minchington ahead of Lonie personally. Can't fault his effort. But he is not damaging enough.

 

[Murraj1966]

Lonie just needs bulk which in essence is good because bulk can be built up but evasive skills and goal sense cannot.

In 2 years more conditioning we'll see a very different Lonie i wouldn't give up on him yet by any means

 

[George]

Is the replay up yet? Was at the game but would love to see the coverage!

Replay is UP

 

[George]

12Chill or someone else, would love a highlights package of Steele if you could!

 

[saintbill]

Just finished watching the replay, great performance. So good to see Bruce clunking grabs again. Underrated kick for goal as well when his confidence is up.

Other thoughts:

-Wright is a best 22 player. I said on here last pre-season that I thought his kicking action had improved. His ball drop looks much more stable when he has time. Only notice the shonky action when he is under pressure now. His kicking is not really an issue when he has space. Essentially there is more than enough to work with as his speed, aggression, and defensive pressure more than makeup for his disposal at this point.
-Love the look of Long.
-Love Sincs & Minchi, but think both will struggle to get a game anytime soon. Wright is a better option as per the above. Both need a dominant period in the VFL.
-Lonie is WAY behind others for a spot. Would play all of Wright, Long, Sinclair & Minchington ahead of him. I went off him a fair bit last year after watching him closely live a number of times. Tries his guts out, but he just can't adequately compete at that height. The only way he could get away with it is if he had electric speed or amazing skills. He has neither.
-Think Webster, McKenzie & Gilbert are all still probably competing for the 1 spot. IMO, I would still have McKenzie ahead. Wouldn't be dissappointed if we go with J.Webb though. Gilbert would be disappointing.
-Steele is an animal around the ball. Big big unit, who is going to fill out even more. Neat disposal, great goal-kicking routine also. An amazing bit of recruiting considering what we paid.
-Not basing this off 2 pre-season games, but also what I have seen in the past, but I see absolutely no point in playing Stevens. Strange recruiting decision IMO, probably made to look a little worse now that Dunstan seems to be in form, Armo has gotten over fitness issues & Steele looks ready to make an impact day 1. We just don't need another foot soldier who is average by foot.
-Personally, I was really happy with Acres game. I am actually not Blake's biggest fan, think he is the most overhyped player on our list. However, yesterday his disposal was very classy and it is hard to argue he is not a very nice mover in traffic.
-Longer did exactly what Longer does. Good at the ruck contest, but SFA after that. Seriously unco player in general play. His ruckwork needs to be dominant to overcome his other deficiencies. He might win the tap outs regularly but it is not like he is shoving it down our blokes throats. Very little difference between what Longer and Holmes bring to the table. Hickey all day long over these guys. I am hoping the club sees it this way, but fear they don't.

 

[goodie23]

Appreciate the link George, but that's got the first quarter twice instead of the second quarter on that replay.

 

[George]

Appreciate the link George, but that's got the first quarter twice instead of the second quarter on that replay.

Right sorry pal! I'm just subscribed to a guy who uploads games, I'll see if he reposts it and let you guys know.

 

[12Chill]

12Chill or someone else, would love a highlights package of Steele if you could!

Absolutely mate. Will try to get it up tonight or tomorrow.

 

[George]

Absolutely mate. Will try to get it up tonight or tomorrow.

Legend

 

[bird_man]

I think Aaron Hamill has been wanting that set up for sometime - it definitely helped Juices game!

I am another in the Longer camp - I thought Hickey looked really poor last week against Port.

Hickey was probably a top 5 ruckman in the comp last year, I wouldn't get too carried away with his pre season form, especially just half a game.

It is great to see Longer up and about though and he looks very promising.

 

[bird_man]

I actually thought Sinclair was pretty good yesterday. Very clean with the footy. The only thing that let him down was not taking his opportunities, kicking 1.3.

Spots for that half forward/midfield role are ridiculously tight though so he'd be disappointed he didn't end up with 3 or 4 goals, it could have shot him up the list a bit.

 

[DarkSaint]

My 2c on the game yesterday.

Billings: love the fact that he has got free reign playing on the wing. Is always at the right spots and his defensive game has gone up from last year. Get the ball in this guy's hands and we are off and firing.

Steele: The kid is a freak. If I had to compare him to former players his would be a mixture between Lenny and Armo (season15). Wait until he has a proper pre season! Likes to hit the score board which we have always lacked from midfield.

McCartin: Moved really well this game and the previous one. It's good to see him with a bigger engine this year as he was doing a great job of playing that CHF role. Only thing is when he plays deep he tends to mark the ball 45+ out instead of pushing back to the square and leading making him only 35-40 out.

Bruce: Seems to have gotten his marking back so far. Last year couldn't hold on to a contest mark for whatever reason. If he can clunk them like in 2015 then we have 55+ goals in him easily.

Wright: Not in many peoples 22 but converts all his opportunities on goal and provides that hard edge. So far his spot to lose imho.

Long: Hard tough and has got some skills. Looks a cross between Lonie and Wright and by seasons end will make the spot his own with a bit more exposure and confidence.

Negatives

Lonie: Tries his guts out and knows he is a few spots down the ladder. Harassed and tackled very well yesterday but showed poor body language a number of times when ignored.

Gresham: Has looked a bit out of touch so it might be them second year blues. Nothing to worry about there will regain it back, but not sure if he is in the round 1 team.

Stevens: Tough and hard. Disposal needs to be improved in order to be a regular 22 player. Probably still finding his feet and should come good. If it was between him and steele for a spot then it would deff go to steele thus far.

McKenzie/Webster: All need to find the ball more and provider better run and carry. Good defensive but don't offer much the other way.

My best 22

FB: Geary Brown Dempster
HB: Montagna Carlisle Roberton
C: Riewoldt Dunstan Newnes
HF: Billings McCartin Ross
FP: Membrey Bruce Weller
RR: Hickey Steven Armitage

INT: Steele Savage Gresham Gilbert

 

[saintrob]

That monster kick by Paddy though.

 

[Ian Dunross]

Armitage on tv in last quarter -

"Ben Long, he's going to be a star"

 

[Ian Dunross]

I know Wright was fresh in the second half, but reckon he was close to BOG second half

 

[aussierulesrules]

The whole Hickey v Longer situation is fascinating, especially hearing that Tom played for Sandy yesterday (which would be a strange move if he's still favoured to play in R1) and making things even more interesting is the article on Gawn in the HS today, where he says that Goodwin is leaning towards playing both himself and Spencer and having them split the rucking duties, and having Gawn play a lot of the game forward.

 

[crasha301]

Was very happy with paddy's 2nd and 3rd efforts yesterday, probably got a kick up the bum.

 

[TassieSaint]

I think Longer is a better pure ruck than Hickey, but Hickey is a more valuable player overall. However as we saw in 2015 Hickey is very ineffective playing 2nd ruck/fwd role and there's no room in our forward line anyway
Longer needs to be 1st ruck if he plays, he is useless around the ground. I can't see how they both fit in the same side.

 

[akeliz22]

 

[aussierulesrules]

I think Longer is a better pure ruck than Hickey, but Hickey is a more valuable player overall.

The thing that could really count against Hickey is the abolition of going 3rd-up.

There's a reason we used it more than most teams last year and that's because Tom isn't the most physically strong unit going around and nor is he particularly tall. As a result, he is a lot less effective in the around-the-ground ball-up's and boundary throw-ins than he probably is in the centre square bounces. Billy on the other hand is a lot physically stronger and more aggressive physically, so he's probably a lot better at the around the ground stoppages than Tom is and he's also pretty similar in the centre-bounces, so it could all come down to whether we value Tom's extra 5 or so disposals outside of the packs, or Billy's extra competitiveness in the ruck overall and more physical nature inside the packs.

I could see it being a real 50/50 call and it doesn't help Tom that his marking has really dried up of late, after it was a real strength early days in his career.

 

[StCicatriz]

Geeze steele to Ross in the clearances I could get very used too