Opinion St Kilda - Where Are They At? - Part 2

[Sarcoidevo]

I hope we can give ZB to St Kilda as I want the saints to succeed

Give? ..... you won't have a choice where he goes

If he does choose the Saints he will be handy pinch hitter off the bench

 

[Hydatina Physis]

Wish the club the best in 2026. Saints winning the flag would be mint.

 

[Count_Zero]

Let’s not kid ourselves. Let’s.

The Saints drafted horrendously for years which led to huge gaps in its list. They’ve had to now overpay a bundle of players to fill those gaps to push the list. This works in the short term. It is not a long term list strategy.

What you’re conflating is Saints dollars with real life dollars. Just because the Saints are willing to spend $1.7m on TDK and $2m to RETAIN a player already on their list, doesn’t mean that’s fair value for that player in a system that has a cap ceiling.

I actually agree with what the saints are doing as a short term measure to compete given their drafting inadequacies. And I’ve said this MANY TIMES.

However, you will never compete long term with this strategy.

Now saints fans SHOUT ME DOWN for pointing out this reality. But I will not be SILENCED and continue to advocate for a strong St Kilda. For the BENEFIT of the entire AFL.

Unfortunateltly the AFL does step in and help us when we are struggling with retaining players. Would be nice to be given 500k to retain Nas who was a uncontracted player and could have gone home to Port/Crows but hey lets miss the point and continue to manipulate the narrative.

How far back do you go to say we have been recruiting poorly? 5 years? 10 years?
Is this the same strategy that Hawks did as well? Draft younger players and bring in ready made players atound those kids? Cant be that bad that Hawks have played in a prelim last year.

 

[projectv]

If you have to offer 1.7 M to entice a non A grade player to your club something is very wrong. Or 2 M to retain a player.

Port offered Nas more money.

 

[Sarcoidevo]

Port offered Nas more money.

Completely ignored by many

 

[jumperfan]

Completely ignored by many

Doesn't suit their narrative so that fact may as well not exist in their world

 

[Milanista28]

I like that they're shooting their shot. I'm pretty sure Essendon (Likely others also) will put up a crazy offer to Zac Bailey

33

Zac Bailey

Age

26

Ht

181cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.7

3star

K

6.9

3star

HB

5.9

4star

M

3.0

3star

T

2.2

4star

CL

0.9

3star

D

12.9

3star

K

7.3

3star

HB

5.6

3star

M

3.9

4star

T

2.4

3star

CL

0.7

3star

D

13.4

4star

K

6.6

3star

HB

6.8

5star

M

3.2

4star

T

2.8

5star

CL

0.6

3star

, what choice do we have?

 

[Old navy]

Port offered Nas more money.

You always have to offer more money to pull a star player out of another club see TDK.

Retaining a player should always cost you way less.

 

[projectv]

You always have to offer more money to pull a star player out of another club see TDK.

Retaining a player should always cost you way less.

So you agree with what I said. Thanks.

 

[projectv]

I like that they're shooting their shot. I'm pretty sure Essendon (Likely others also) will put up a crazy offer to Zac Bailey, what choice do we have?

Essendon won't cop the same shit because they're a big club.

 

[Milanista28]

Essendon won't cop the same shit because they're a big club.

Depends on the player I guess, we copped it for McKay.

 

[projectv]

Depends on the player I guess, we copped it for McKay.

Fair point.

The criticism for the TDK contract I can understand.

But anyone having a go at us giving Nas a blank cheque has never watched him play.

 

[Milanista28]

Fair point.

The criticism for the TDK contract I can understand.

But anyone having a go at us giving Nas a blank cheque has never watched him play.

You guys didn't have a choice with Nas, he makes any club relevant, had to keep him at any cost.

 

[KissKiss]

They are probably doing the right thing to try and break out of no man's land.

Question will be are the right players being brought in? At the moment the midfield and back line looks in good shape. But I do have more questions on a King less forward line with a Ross gameplan. Will this be enough of a goal threat?

 

[Toffee Lion]

They are probably doing the right thing to try and break out of no man's land.

Question will be are the right players being brought in? At the moment the midfield and back line looks in good shape. But I do have more questions on a King less forward line with a Ross gameplan. Will this be enough of a goal threat?

TDK & JSOS were Free Agents (I know Flanders was traded in for a high price) but I agree with your point and again as I've said earlier in this thread, St.Kilda has every right to splash the cash how they best see fit and Fagan's comments were off the mark. I'm not sold on Ross as a coach in the modern era but their list is developing nicely.

My belief is that Fagan wanted to bite back to all the talk coming out of St. Kilda (From Bassat & Ross) but he did it the wrong way and rightfully got roasted.

The Saints have kicked up a stink about the system BUT are trying to operate in a way to get back to relevancey, so kudos and best of luck to them.

 

[aussierulesrules]

Cohesion may be an issue. They've already had one contracted player demand more money after the ridiculous contracts offered to middling prospects. The club caved of course despite not needing to.

Can only imagine the locker room chat internally.

They sure looked like a disgruntled group the other night, winning at the other teams home ground by 70 points, in super-greasy conditions, that they are far more used to than we are.

 

[Cyclops]

The club has taken a risk with Lyon again and recruited a bit wildly, but its at least rolling the dice.

I dont hold a brief for St Kilda, but they are heavily disadvantaged and other clubs are advantaged (mine more than nearly everyone).

If they grind away and play percentages they will end up like Port maybe or like North at worst.

High risk high reward play from the Saints. For mine Flanders and Silvagni really change things. Maybe TDK is a star. I dont think so but at the very least he brings in punters.

Even Lyon (who is strongly dislike) is playing more attacking footy.

They're taking a shot. They cant play by the numbers because the numbers are stacked against them.

 

[aussierulesrules]

You guys didn't have a choice with Nas, he makes any club relevant, had to keep him at any cost.

And this was a reasonably unique situation in that he probably would have signed for a lot less if there wasn’t so much of a pull for him to go back to where most of his family and friends are.

Had he been from Victoria I dare say he would have signed early in the year (before he entered midfield beast mode) and potentially for around $1.3mil PA.

The only reason he was contemplating leaving was to go home. Otherwise loads of other clubs would have been in the hunt for his signature.

 

[HereIGoAgain]

In two years NWM will be in Tassie. Saints fans want to hope they can contend this season and next because it is not too often a potential top five calibre player appears on your list and I doubt their chances without him.

 

[Scotland]

The Saints are where they are because the last time they were at the bottom they drafted poorly. Billings, McCartin and trading for Carlisle didn't pan out, then trading pick 10 in 2016 for two top 10 picks in 2017 was good business but Clark and Coffield haven't done that much either.

Since Max King in 2018 and NWM in 2021 they've generally been better in that area, but the point remains they had their time getting top 10 picks 2013-2017, didn't nail them as well as other teams and subsequently didn't improve as much as they hoped. I don't particularly rate them but they made the finals in 2020 and 2023 and their picks were 20 and 17, which is fine. Teams having top 5 picks at the bottom then top 5 picks at the top (or in St Kilda's case, 6th or 7th) makes a mockery of having a draft system.

 

[My Tilly]

Biggest improvers for me.
Certainty for finals and should genuinely compete for top six.

Gun young list in Windhager, Owens, Phillipou, Garcia, Caminiti, W-Milera.
The inclusion of De Koning will alter their midfield ascendancy.

 

[KissKiss]

Biggest improvers for me.
Certainty for finals and should genuinely compete for top six.

Gun young list in Windhager, Owens, Phillipou, Garcia, Caminiti, W-Milera.
The inclusion of De Koning will alter their midfield ascendancy.

My only question is the forward line. Without King is there enough goal scoring threats?

 

[Mat Mann]

My only question is the forward line. Without King is there enough goal scoring threats?

Was hoping Max would be back, but that's where Marshall plays his role. Doesn't have to kick bags every week, just needs to be tall and bring the ball to ground ala McStay, Hipwood etc.. Sharman and Owens are good enough to consistently hit the scoreboard, esp if they are not getting the best defender. Higgins will benefit from Marshall the most imo, and Hall, Phillapou, Ryan and Wilson are good enough to bag a few from the HFF/Mid role.

I don't think its a weakness liek it was last year, may not be the best in the comp, but it's sufficient

 

[Verdun]

NWM is over paid - real threat to the competition having to pay others from other clubs what they deserve.

You know the players who are actually good.

 

[Mynamesinuse]

Where did Boxshall Hall Garcia come from?

Amazing depth of youth.


Marshall/TDK Pou NWM Flanders Windhager Macrae Wilson Sinclair that’s a top end midfield