Preview Round 1, 2019: St.Kilda v Gold Coast - Marvel Stadium, Sunday 24th March, 1:10PM AEDT *Parker, Wilkie & Kent Debut*

[boydie]

Not slow. One played 15 out of 22. The other played nearly a half. You can get examples anyway you want to spin it. If there was perfect way every club would do it

Yep correct and now can't get a game in a bottom 4 side in his 2nd season.

Look we are getting caught up on Clark and coff but my comment was more in general that I think we are bad at blooding our kids especially seen as we have stunk in more recent years, battle I think should have played more as his game against Melbourne last year showed, RoMa could argue should have played more especially last year with no Bruce etc etc

Anyways, hopefully we get the W tomorrow against a team people are suggesting might be lucky to win a game all year.

I'll be there cheering the boys on for sure and hope everyone that can get there, gets there cause $$$$ wise the club needs decent crowds.

 

[Impatient Saint]

Gresh billings

I don't believe either will become elite midfilders. Gresham isnt quick and doesnt have the tank for it and Billings is outside only. I like that they have decided to give them minutes this year to at least develop their weaknesses. You have said before our recruiting has been some of our problem and with regards to the midfield (players) it has been the entire root cause. Having said that only rotating 4 or 5 crocks last year was disastrous.

 

[plugger66]

Yep correct and now can't get a game in a bottom 4 side in his 2nd season.

Look we are getting caught up on Clark and coff but my comment was more in general that I think we are bad at blooding our kids especially seen as we have stunk in more recent years, battle I think should have played more as his game against Melbourne last year showed, RoMa could argue should have played more especially last year with no Bruce etc etc

Anyways, hopefully we get the W tomorrow against a team people are suggesting might be lucky to win a game all year.

I'll be there cheering the boys on for sure and hope everyone that can get there, gets there cause $$$$ wise the club needs decent crowds.

They are taller players. They should develop in the seconds. We have played paddy as much as possible and it hasn’t improved him. We played dunstan all the time. Hasn’t helped him.

 

[plugger66]

I don't believe either will become elite midfilders. Gresham isnt quick and doesnt have the tank for it and Billings is outside only.

But you include long who basically never plays on the ball. Billings is outside. A winger is an outside mid. Gresh will be a very good forward and mid.

 

[gringo2011]

thought this game was televised.........seems not

Sent you a stream link

 

[gringo2011]

I just don’t get the lack of love on here for Newnes and Sinclair.

Imo they are both generally very good, both seem to be rated highly by several commentators like Gerard Healy but not on here.

We have several players in this side who have produced Didly squat so far in a saints jumper maybe just maybe there lucky to be playing and I’m not talking about dunstan or Lonie two other favourite whipping boys. Everybody has their favourites and are entitled to their opinions but do we have to constantly bag our own players?.

I think this is a decent side and I expect us to win well and anybody hoping to break into the side next week should be looking to train the house down and dominating at sandy regardless of where they were drafted.

Newnes has looked great the preseason, him ad Bruce playing the footy they were a few years ago will make a massive difference to us.

 

[Impatient Saint]

But you include long who basically never plays on the ball. Billings is outside. A winger is an outside mid. Gresh will be a very good forward and mid.

I think you will find Long will push up the ground this year as his game time and fitnesses increases. I believe he has the tools to become our version of Kelly or Edwards given time. He played midfield as a junior and for the NT Thunder.

Billings will play the wing, but he is not Brad Hill or Isaac Smith, although he covers huge distances in games you wouldnt call him an elite runner able to break games open. He is not strong over head or on the ground and basically relies on other players to feed him the ball to use his kicking. Consequently I can never see him becoming an elite midfielder (wingman) or HFF for that matter. He is another flanker or pocket player the Saints recruited believing over night they will become midfielders, it rarely happens when they dont have the back ground playing in there.

 

[gringo2011]

Correct, it’s just a coincidence that we got the two slow burns from the 2017 draft top 10.

We do every other year as well. Unfortunately most are slow burn then burn out. I don't know if it's development, drafting or what but we must have the worst record in the league, we have really only had Jack Steven hit the top 50 AFL players since we were drafting the Riewoldt era guns. Since about 2003 we really haven't had many hits. Gresham is the only player on our list I'm confident is on the trajectory even. Steele, Ross, Billings etc who knows but we are seriously unlucky

 

[borderbarry]

I suppose I am disappointed the club are playing all the same old same olds from previous seasons and not paying attention to our top ten picks from last year. How are they going to develop by not playing? It seems Richardson is following a similar path to Ross Lyon, as far as youngsters go.

 

[plugger66]

I think you will find Long will push up the ground this year as his game time and fitnesses increases.

Billings will play the wing, but he is not Brad Hill or Isaac Smith, although he covers huge distances in games you wouldnt call him an elite runner able to break games open. He is not strong over head or on the ground and basically relies on other players to feed him the ball to use his kicking. Consequently I can never see him becoming an elite midfielder (wingman) or HFF for that matter.

He was good kicking off being very close to aa 2 years ago. And I actually think he is very good overhead.

 

[BigMonty]

I think Marshall missed because we want to go in with running capability. More smalls than talls. So it was pierce vs Marshall. We went with the genuine ruck.

That's why we went with Wilkie need a tall who can play primarily in the back half ruck if required and back up if Joyce or Battle go down. Quality kick as well.

Obviously Match Committee chose those qualities as against Marshall who is a better ruck but dubious kick. BTW like Marshall and I am sure he will play this year.

Disappointed about Coff and Clarke..their time will come soon enough. Expect them to play 15 games each.

Interesting selection issues when Acres is available next week and let's say in 4 weeks Hannas Billy also are available...and Clark and Coff are playing well..... interesting selection issues then.

Good problems to have.

We really must win tomorrow and we are going with the most experienced team possible...to do so.

If we do not win then our season is almost over before it has really started and so is Richo. Young guys will get all the games they want if that happens.

Go Saints by 30 points at least.





On Pixel 2 XL using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[plugger66]

I suppose I am disappointed the club are playing all the same old same olds from previous seasons and not paying attention to our top ten picks from last year. How are they going to develop by not playing? It seems Richardson is following a similar path to Ross Lyon, as far as youngsters go.

Gresh billings paddy Steele all played pretty much when they could. Dunstan and Ross the same.

 

[VDS66]

Gresh billings paddy Steele all played pretty much when they could. Dunstan and Ross the same.

Coff has been off the boil all preseason. So just can't say to the other guys who have pushed for selection, sorry guys but he was pick 7 so he plays ahead of you.

Do we want selection integrity or not?

Clark, would seem to not be ready to play a full game in the middle, and as you say, he cant play elsewhere.

I would have thought that part of proper development was to teach them to work hard and earn their spot.

People suggesting they should play because of their pick number is ridiculous.

 

[kernelT]

Developing youngsters through the 2s can be a good thing. I remember I used to look in the paper every Sunday for the results of our seconds. A young 'Dal Santo' was in the bests every week. I thought who is this kid? Yeah, he turned out alright.

really?

Dal played 18 games in his first year, missed the first half of 03, then played nearly every single game after that.

There's something to be said for fast tracking young talent towards 50 and 100 games.

Brandon White rotting on 10 games despite showing a lot of promise.

 

[plugger66]

really?

Dal played 18 games in his first year, missed the first half of 03, then played nearly every single game after that.

There's something to be said for fast tracking young talent towards 50 and 100 games.

Brandon White rotting on 10 games despite showing a lot of promise.

Dunstan Joey. Steven you can get examples anywhere

 

[MOLTEN GANGLANDS]

They are taller players. They should develop in the seconds. We have played paddy as much as possible and it hasn’t improved him. We played dunstan all the time. Hasn’t helped him.

I agree that talls need to grow into their bodies before thrown into the deep end, but clearly senior game time has helped paddy. He's improved a lot in the past year, whether that's enough is up for debate, but he's definitely improved. It seems you made a judgement on him two years ago and reverse to entertain any new information.

Either way he should retire, still being symptomatic from a long love handle means it's time

 

[MOLTEN GANGLANDS]

Smart post

 

[plugger66]

I agree that talls need to grow into their bodies before thrown into the deep end, but clearly senior game time has helped paddy. He's improved a lot in the past year, whether that's enough is up for debate, but he's definitely improved. It seems you made a judgement on him two years ago and reverse to entertain any new information.

Either way he should retire, still being symptomatic from a long love handle means it's time

He averaged a goal a game last year with no second efforts. Has looked the same to me every year. Hope he comes good.

 

[CursingFijian]

Hind is the only one who has been held over?

 

[kernelT]

Acres 56 games in 5 years, Bont 104.

 

[BrutThough]

Acres 56 games in 5 years, Bont 104.

Bont has been a better player for 5 years and had a better run with injury.
Of course he has played more games.

 

[Mikka84]

Certainly aware there are many reasons for it, however the following makes for sore reading.

Last four years draft and rookie picks (excluding re-signing players to rookie list).

5/20 playing on Sunday

2018:
King - out
Bytel - out
Parker - in
Hind - out
Young - out
Wilkie - in

2017:
Clark - out
Coffield - out
Clavarino - out
Paton - out
Langlands - out

2016:
Long - in
Battle - in
Phillips - out
Marshall - out

2015:
Gresham - in
White - out
Rice - out
O'Kearney - out
Coughlan - out

The biggest issue we have, apart from development from what I can see, is burning these high picks. Coff and Clark still have plenty of time, but it’s hard to watch when other teams have these kids all best 22 and looking bright.

Paddy and Goddard another two. Not their fault, with injuries, but general consensus from some within in how badly we managed Paddy from early days. Not point complaining we have a big, slower style power forward, when that’s exactly what we drafted.

King our glimmer of hope. The club has put all eggs in his basket ( and the hope his brother follows suit ).

 

[VDS66]

Acres 56 games in 5 years, Bont 104.

Surely you take the piss...

 

[mightymalaka]

Hind is the only one who has been held over?

Hind in for the captain maybe?

 

[plugger66]

Understand all of that, but I disagree with the approach. I know what I’m getting from the majority of these players. 4 1/2 wins. I want to see what the others have. Obviously not Richo.

I want a win tomorrow