Preview Round 6, 2019: St.Kilda v Adelaide - Marvel Stadium, Saturday 27th April, 4:35PM AEST

[gringo2011]

I genuinely think you and your 18 'like' mates are gonna eat your words (and likes) if/when billy gets a shot in the 1's this year.

Like mothers who find superhuman strength lifting cars off babies (that happens right?)...

footballers staring down the barrel of delistment oblivion are capable of remarkable improvement.

Billy has known he is at the last chance saloon since before preseason.
And despite popular (goldfish) opinion, billy has shown he has plenty of natural talent.

I'm predicting he will be as impressive as lonie has been in hauling himself off the scrapheap.

I don't disagree that it could work but it could be meddling with the formula that has changed the way we play for the better. It's like changing your family recipe, changing the the beef for chicken might work magic or it could be gross. Billy Longer is like old chicken that's on the point of turning right now, we could give ourselves listeria if we get it wrong.

 

[stavro#4]

Clark and Coffield are worlds apart right now; one is tearing it up in the VFL most games and has had a call up to the seniors while the other is struggling for consistency in the VFL. Can’t really lump them together just because they went in the same draft.

Sucks for Clark that Billings has done so well at his new role and Newnes is back to his old self or he might be getting some game time on a wing and in the midfield

I think as supporters it is important to consider the type of football we are playing.

We are playing tough contested football. Good clearance numbers and very hard 2 way running.

Are either of these boys going to be able to contribute consistently right NOW? No. Luckily they are here for a minimum 10 years. Remember Goddard took a few years and he reminds me of Coffield. We need to relax and take away expectation. They will both play and they will both earn it and it will be good for them.

 

[Diehard Saint]

I meant in Bruces absence not permanently. We need someone to do it with out Marshall or Battle moving out of their spots, Marsh looks underdone and Longer....well no one wants him in. Could even rest there in other games if it works.

They’ll probably use Acres forward for a lot of the game.
Has been our pinch hitter when we need him. And someone mentioned he was training mainly with the forwards at the last training. Can take a contested mark and kick a goal so probably the obvious solution for me without moving Roma.

 

[Diehard Saint]

I think as supporters it is important to consider the type of football we are playing.

We are playing tough contested football. Good clearance numbers and very hard 2 way running.

Are either of these boys going to be able to contribute consistently right NOW? No. Luckily they are here for a minimum 10 years. Remember Goddard took a few years and he reminds me of Coffield. We need to relax and take away expectation. They will both play and they will both earn it and it will be good for them.

Voice of sanity!
As long as they know this and don’t drop their heads and get demoralised, that’s where the coach’s job comes in.

 

[The_Steadier]

I don't disagree that it could work but it could be meddling with the formula that has changed the way we play for the better. It's like changing your family recipe, changing the the beef for chicken might work magic or it could be gross. Billy Longer is like old chicken that's on the point of turning right now, we could give ourselves listeria if we get it wrong.

Unfortunately meddling with a winning formula is inevitably going to be forced on us.

With paddy out, battle down back and king months off we are 1 bruce or members injury away from being forced to meddle.

It's a reality

 

[Sir Skid]

Hoping Baroose is good to go tomorrow.
Much better with him in and team is settled.

 

[WhiskySaint]

It’s already been said on here, but if Bruce is out I’d play Parker in that role. Tell him to bring the ball to ground, he’s tall enough with a good leap to do that. He also has a decent tank.

He’s about the same height as all the other options except Marshal, who must stay in the ruck IMO.

I’d bring in young to play Parker’s role and then play Parker in Bruce’s. We just don’t have a good replacement for Bruce, but I recon this is the best option.

Also imagine trying to rebound out of this forward line.

Lonie Membrey Long
Young Parker Kent

 

[Diehard Saint]

Hoping Baroose is good to go tomorrow.
Much better with him in and team is settled.

Really hope so.
I see we are bookies favourites tomorrow and I don’t like it.

 

[Sir Skid]

Really hope so.
I see we are bookies favourites tomorrow and I don’t like it.

Yep.

#keepalidonit

 

[stavro#4]

Billings has performed well in every game , so his form would be better - the thing is we need him to do it through the whole season.

There are guys I want to see put in a complete season - Acres - Gresham - Sinclair - Steele - to really announce themselves.

But Acres to me is the one who could really turn it on , he just seems to create space , opens up play and just seems to always has time.
We know Gresham is special and Steele is getting better every game.

We are in a good spot atm , just can't wait until we get Carlisle and Hannebery right.

The scary thing is that we are only scratching the surface with output on so many key players.

Battle Billings Acres Lonie Sinclair Steele Gresham Parker Dmac Webster Long Marshall Wilkie and I am going to include 26 year old BNF winning mid Seb Ross and and 25 year old Tim Membrey

With Clark Coffield Paton Austin Clavarino Bytel King Phillips White who haven’t gotten near the seniors yet.

Whilst missing Hanners Carlisle Roberton and Paddy.

 

[Diehard Saint]

The scary thing is that we are only scratching the surface with output on so many key players.

Battle Billings Acres Lonie Sinclair Steele Gresham Parker Dmac Webster Long Marshall Wilkie and I am going to include 26 year old BNF winning mid Seb Ross and and 25 year old Tim Membrey

With Clark Coffield Paton Austin Clavarino Bytel King Phillips White who haven’t gotten near the seniors yet.

Whilst missing Hanners Carlisle Roberton and Paddy.

What’s scary about it?

Seriously though, they’re mostly all around that 23 year old mark, it’s great they are coming through together, and that we have another wave coming behind them so we never have that huge gap in the list age-wise that we had before.

Picking up some mature-agers was a masterstroke, and we’ve got two adding immediately to our team with another beating down the door. Things are finally looking rosy again. I know it’s a bit of a catch phrase, but looking holistically, maybe last year was the year we had to have with overachievement of the previous two largely on the back of Roo and Joey.

 

[Joffaboy]

I think as supporters it is important to consider the type of football we are playing.

We are playing tough contested football. Good clearance numbers and very hard 2 way running.

Are either of these boys going to be able to contribute consistently right NOW? No. Luckily they are here for a minimum 10 years. Remember Goddard took a few years and he reminds me of Coffield. We need to relax and take away expectation. They will both play and they will both earn it and it will be good for them.

Good points. As the eternal optimist, I feel their development will be quicker than the likes of Gres, Billings, Acres, Lonie, Newnes etc as those guys had to develop in a team and gameplan where we were regularily getting belted

If the team continues their improvement, when these kids get their chance, they will look much better in 2020/21 Saints than the above looked 2015/2018 Saints

 

[VDS66]

Voice of sanity!
As long as they know this and don’t drop their heads and get demoralised, that’s where the coach’s job comes in.

I think demoralised is a bit strong. Disappointed that they aren't getting selected maybe.

I'm confident given the change in attitude over summer that they will be aware of what's required and will be receiving constant feedback and support accordingly.

All the talk on here about players rotting at Sandy etc is just forum hyperbole and people cracking it because a kid in another team has a good game.

Both and all players would be pretty clear on their KPIs and their spot in line.

As Stav says, we have to temper our expectations and think long term.

 

[Sir Skid]

Good points. As the eternal optimist, I feel their development will be quicker than the likes of Gres, Billings, Acres, Lonie, Newnes etc as those guys had to develop in a team and gameplan where we were regularily getting belted

If the team continues their improvement, when these kids get their chance, they will look much better in 2020/21 Saints than the above looked 2015/2018 Saints

Agree the development of the next wave of players will be faster and to a better standard as we now have a larger group of good players to learn from and watch.

 

[hayes]

Longer is not a viable option. He’s the complete opposite to what we’ve got going in there that’s working. It also turns one problem into two by taking our in form ruckmen out of the ruck. Should never be considered again.

 

[joop]

50 combined games vs 366. These matchups will be compelling viewing and our boys are going to have to play well to ensure we are in it.

Reckon the match ups with be;
Brown - Walker
Battle - Himmelberg
Wilkie - Lynch

 

[Lenny2020]

Both and all players would be pretty clear on their KPIs and their spot in line.

This is a really good point. I read some folk on here knocking a kid like McKenzie.

But he is clearly loved by the selection committee because he performs his role. If a player is back in after a week out despite serious competition for his position, he is obviously doing a good job of meeting his KPIs.

As supporters, we can’t easily see that type of stuff. But this coaching group knows what it’s doing. Trust in them, I say.

 

[AirWinmar]

Yer this Longer crap is mind boggling... some of the narratives on here really confuse the hell out of me but this one takes the cake.

We are 4-1 playing great football, finally have a ruckman who isn't a liability that looks to be a special talent and we want to bring Longer in which would curb his influence and slow his development... is this real life? Roma is thriving on his opportunity why on earth would we jeopodize that? Especially for a VFL quality footballer in Longer!

Cheers for the effort Longer. You tried mate but there's a new kid in town and the jobs his. Enjoy the VFL champ.

Id say the chances of Longer coming good are low, but if he did it would be great for us. I would tell him something like he needs at least 1 contested mark and a total of 5 marks per game 4 weeks in a row before he will be considered for the 1sts. See how he goes with that goal

 

[Sab22]

The lineup doesn't really indicate gameday match ups. Coaches will confirm it on gameday

 

[bird_man]

Billings had about 4 or 5 (maybe more) really poor games in a row. He then played a half decent game and got dropped the following week. Baffling decision by Richo.

Nothing baffling about it. He needed a rocket and got it.

He since has trained harder than ever and even sourced his own training outside of the club to make his self tougher.

He looks like hungriest player out there every week. I'm not sure that would have happened if he was allowed to keep cruising like he was.

 

[bird_man]

Lets not forget that Paton - who is currently playing great footy - was drafted the same year and has now probably gone past the pair of them.

He's a year older though so it's no huge surprise.

And I'm not sure he'd gone past Clark. Clark is clearly being developed as a midfielder and not a back flanker. It's a lot harder to hold down a spot in the midfield at 19. He's had two games in the 2's and has been named best and second best.

 

[CursingFijian]

Lets not forget that Paton - who is currently playing great footy - was drafted the same year and has now probably gone past the pair of them.

Second quarter against Hawthorn (with about 13:45 on the clock from memory) McEvoy drives the ball deep inside 50. Paton reads the flight early, runs to contact his direct opponent early, and then uses his body like a veteran to block the lead and protect the fall of the ball, where he gets a hand to it then mops up the loose ball. His opponent? All Australian Jack Gunstan.

It's the exact sort of stuff that Dempster and Fisher did for a long time down back. And I had a moment very similar to watching Fisher many years back, where I just knew this kid is going to play a lot of good footy for us and is on the cusp of becoming a household name in the footy world.

 

[gringo2011]

It’s already been said on here, but if Bruce is out I’d play Parker in that role. Tell him to bring the ball to ground, he’s tall enough with a good leap to do that. He also has a decent tank.

He’s about the same height as all the other options except Marshal, who must stay in the ruck IMO.

I’d bring in young to play Parker’s role and then play Parker in Bruce’s. We just don’t have a good replacement for Bruce, but I recon this is the best option.

Also imagine trying to rebound out of this forward line.

Lonie Membrey Long
Young Parker Kent

It would be like throwing meat into a pool full of sharks.

 

[Mikka84]

For the first time in a long time I’m generally excited for game day. That nervous wait all week and anticipation that we can match it with anyone. It feels ****ing great.

 

[DarkSaint]

Reckon the match ups with be;
Brown - Walker
Battle - Himmelberg
Wilkie - Lynch

See I would have Battle on Lynch due to his tank. Wilkie to play closer to goal on Himmelberg and help out Brown.