VFL 2025 Sandringham Zebras

[beside the seaside]

Can we loan a ruck to another club?

We did it once with Lewis Pierce. Doesn't seem to happen much but it would really suit us.

 

[botts]

H

How well are Crows going with their off season trades - Peatling,Cumming and Neal-Bullen.
None are super stars but certainly have made Adelaide very competitive

Bigger body’s the just play a role. If we can get a couple of those we will instantly improve. We arnt that far away

 

[Darrian Barnett]

We have been pretty lucky with our high picks coming on earlier than average lately and have become unrealistic. Ed Richards is a player that followed the usual path. Took him until year 5 to step up to look like he'd be a very good player but year 7 was his real break out where he pushed a senior mid out for him.

People that whinge about Windhager and Wilson probably need to look at the way development usually tracks.

Daicos and Sheezel have ruined people's perceptions about player development.

Really frustrating that players are been written off so quickly. How many 195cm pick 60s (Scooey) have played 6 games 1/4 way into their second year?

 

[Saintos The ITK]

I’m calling it. Moose, Schoonermonster, McLennan and Keeler won’t ultimately make it.

I think you can add Hastie to that list.

 

[Teflon]

So he’s a Clinton jones type?

He ain’t Daicos

 

[Desperate saint]

Jones up to 20 (@90%) and 2 goals. Was super-stiff to have been dropped when he was.

why he was not sub when he has shown he comes on with instant impact is beyond me

 

[Teflon]

People are massively overstating how bad his kicking is. He has a lovely technique and can kick it 60m, I think people have a tendency to see a couple of bad turnovers and say "he can't kick" but then just ignore all the good kicks he does. I have no concerns about Trav he is all class, much more worried about the players that couldn't get near the ball last night.

I sometimes think opposite
People say “look at stats he went at 78%” and ignore that 2-3 times in crucial moments the turnovers
Grand finals are won on moments - take Brad Hill under any sort of pressure in a GF I would have zero confidence he’d execute
Travaglia has time it’s not diabolical but he has a weakness - so too Darcy
Sometimes we put our players up on unrealistic pedestals
Apparently Windhager was A grade if you read some comments - he isn’t , he’s a soldier can improve we’ve seen A grade in probably 2 games across his career so far
Let’s just keep it real that way we stay focussed on the gaps is my take

 

[akaifu]

I think you can add Hastie to that list.

Hastie clearly was hampered by his heavily strapped knee. Wouldn't read too much into that performance

 

[Teflon]

Look at the quality they have as support. They have Ethan Phillips, Will Hayes and Grainger-Barrass types. We have no name kids. All three of those guys are probably borderline best 22 in our AFL side and they have several other quality players in the VFL.

Stand alone isn't the answer unless we get a better VFL list to support our AFL listed guys. The salary cap is obviously a pretty loose concept at most VFL clubs because we'd be about the only one that is sticking to it. Casey, Box Hill and most other aligned clubs have a depth of talent that we don't.

At least we control that and I’d take that over cobbling something together with Sandy

 

[akaifu]

People are massively overstating how bad his kicking is. He has a lovely technique and can kick it 60m, I think people have a tendency to see a couple of bad turnovers and say "he can't kick" but then just ignore all the good kicks he does. I have no concerns about Trav he is all class, much more worried about the players that couldn't get near the ball last night.

There's a lot of confirmation bias about it with pessimistic Saints fans always finding an excuse to be upset with something good about the club - which is understandable

 

[Desperate saint]

Yep think you’re right
Had to abandon this game due to depression
Then I flick over watch Dogs v Suns and I’m left thinking….how far are we really away ??
Sandringham is a debacle
Keeler has zero appetite for the contest
Schooner can kick …not much else
McLennan tries hard lacks class
Just frustrating

agree i watched the Suns dogs game and thought the same -miles off it fortunately Ross is a very good coach

 

[akaifu]

Can we loan a ruck to another club?

Hopefully we can do it for a club that might lose their ruckman in the mid-season draft

 

[Teflon]

Who said that?

Yep
No one but if you make a point apparently it’s sacrosanct and you’re questioning the club ….how dare you!!!

 

[Teflon]

Hastie clearly was hampered by his heavily strapped knee. Wouldn't read too much into that performance

I like Hastie …there’s poise and class by foot there ….he doesn’t have that “deer in headlights “ about him
He’ll be ok but it’s just time imo

 

[SaintsofSteel]

I think we’re really underestimating how hard it is to win when you play so many ruckman. At AFL level there’s constant debates about playing two of them yet at Sandy we’re playing three AND a forward-ruck. Impossible to have any system in front of the ball or keep it in with that setup.

On the positive side the first thing you want to see when your top 10 picks go to VFL is find plenty of pill and Trav does that pretty much every time he plays down there.

Watching our young players running around they look like under developed kids playing against men. That is a common theme right through our club the sports science guys & coaches place too much credence in running capacities and not enough in body strength. Im not having a shot at these kids below, its the expectations and training regime the club puts them through.

Young key forwards like Keeler need the size/strength to hold their ground, the flow on in confidence is huge. Keeler has gone backwards this year he is playing like he is allergic to his opponents, he simply cant match it physically with his opponents so he doesnt try.

Max Heath has been at the club for 4-5 years and still lacks any core strength and still cant hold his ground in contests. He is clumsy but I think his physical development has been poorly managed by the club.

Collard is very slight but again he simply hasnt put on the size that would be expected at other clubs.

Hastie like Collard is slight but needs to add to his size and strength.

Travaglia is a match stick but must have that wiry strength - still could do with 10kgs of muscle on his frame.

Barratt was outsized last night by all of Carltons tall forwards.

Shoenmaker was at least trying, but he has no idea how to physically out position his opponents in marking contests.

Tauru didnt play but he is still way too small for the position/role he is wanting to play. He has an excuse at least having just recovered from back stress fractures.

I guess when the younger players have 26 year olds like Hunter Clark to look up to in the gym, the club standards are not that high in that regard.

 

[bergholt]

Good question. He missed the end of last year with a knee injury that lingered and lingered over summer and beyond, and since he finally returned to playing, he’s been a shadow of his former self, so you’d have to think it might not be fully recovered/healed.

I was told it's taking a long time to get him back into the headspace needed to be an AFL footballer, bit of a shame.

 

[Leigh58]

People are massively overstating how bad his kicking is. He has a lovely technique and can kick it 60m, I think people have a tendency to see a couple of bad turnovers and say "he can't kick" but then just ignore all the good kicks he does. I have no concerns about Trav he is all class, much more worried about the players that couldn't get near the ball last night.

Trav looks like he will be a good footballer

 

[Teflon]

I was told it's taking a long time to get him back into the headspace needed to be an AFL footballer, bit of a shame.

That’s not good to hear
Wonder why that is - desire ? Lost interest? Focussing on fashion ?? What is it ? He was awesome last year point of difference
Watching him last night he was a shadow

 

[beside the seaside]

Yep
No one but if you make a point apparently it’s sacrosanct and you’re questioning the club ….how dare you!!!

It's called sarcasm and taking the piss but basically he had a huge game and still gets bagged. Very happy to defend him I think he will end up a gun. When we selected him people immediately bagged him before he'd even played a game so I'm not surprised to see him get bagged after a big game, people will see what they want to see.

 

[The Jack]

Yep
No one but if you make a point apparently it’s sacrosanct and you’re questioning the club ….how dare you!!!

Yep. Spot on. A few people have noted he has an issue with his kicking that he needs to work on. Why do people take it as anything else?

 

[mad-saint-guy]

St Kilda’s recruiting is pretty suburban.

Hotton already gone. Keeler is looking like a “Buddy” White.

Everyone can read the drafting thread where they were questioning the half back selection when the team needs mids. Travaglia was known about his questionable kicking at draft time. Now the spin is that he’s going to be an inside mid.

Yeah getting pretty despondent about the next few years being the same given the first round drafting over the last few years. Only Tauru looks like a prospect. NWM is the real exception to the rule.

Scratching my head as to why Darymple went in with Travaglia still.

This is depressingly accurate. I had high hopes for Keeler but the White comparison seems spot on.

Dalrymple is well known for nailing late picks and flubbing early ones. I can't get my head around picking a scrappy half back with poor skills at pick 8.

 

[BrutThough]

Yep. Spot on. A few people have noted he has an issue with his kicking that he needs to work on. Why do people take it as anything else?

Because alongside those posts about some missed kicks, there are posts questioning why we drafted him after there were posts yesterday bemoaning that we didnt get someone else. That makes it more than just one observation about his kicking.

 

[Suburbanhack]

I’m calling it. Moose, Schoonermonster, McLennan and Keeler won’t ultimately make it.

I think you might be right. While we have found some diamonds from the rookie draft, all the aforementioned where somewhat speculative selections. Heath was a mid season rookie pick. Might sound harsh but he is a plodder who was long odds to make it. McLennan a Cat B rookie and Schoenmaker # 62. Keeler (#44) seemingly has it all - size, athleticism, can kick and take a grab but (so far) seems to lack the desire to utilise his talent.

I’m more filthy on all those the first rounders we butchered - McCartin #1, Billings #3, Clark #7 Coffield #8, Dunstan #18 and the other earlyish selections who never really looked like making the grade - Allison, Van Es , Hotton etc.

 

[aussierulesrules]

So he’s a Clinton jones type?

Absolutely not.

 

[botts]

I think you might be right. While we have found some diamonds from the rookie draft, all the aforementioned where somewhat speculative selections. Heath was a mid season rookie pick. Might sound harsh but he is a plodder who was long odds to make it. McLennan a Cat B rookie and Schoenmaker # 62. Keeler (#44) seemingly has it all - size, athleticism, can kick and take a grab but (so far) seems to lack the desire to utilise his talent.

I’m more filthy on all those the first rounders we butchered - McCartin #1, Billings #3, Clark #7 Coffield #8, Dunstan #18 and the other earlyish selections who never really looked like making the grade - Allison, Van Es , Hotton etc.

Hotton was a strange one. He had a really good under 18s year and looked like a pre first rounder. Thought we got a steal but was such a flop. Van es was just really unlucky with his ankles