Autopsy AAMI Community Series - Game 1, 2021: Carlton v St.Kilda

[Enclosed_Animal]

Why do people keep suggesting Ross might get dropped? He was the vice captain and a lock in the side prior to bringing Crouch, Jones, Gresh, Hanners, Bytel, Hill, Clark and even Higgins into the midfield mix over the last 12 months. Was very good in our finals campaign last year too.

EFA

Not saying he will be dropped for rd 1. Just that he is in a much much deeper midfield battle, is having to learn new roles to hold his spot (which he has never really done and may or may not excel at), and in 10 years he has never fixed his issue of running forward and repeatedly hitting 9 iron kicks blindly to the opposition. Is still best 22, but far from the lock he once was. Bytel and Clark come on, and Ross struggles rotating through the HBF, suddenly his place in the side is looking pretty shaky (assuming everyone is fit). BTW, this is a good thing!

FA at the end of the year too. Like Billings, would be taking a pretty significant pay cut if he wants to stay I would have thought.

 

[ScrappyDo]

Why do people keep suggesting Ross might get dropped? He's the vice captain and a lock in the side when fit. Was very good in our finals campaign last year too.

Because he's not the vice captain any more, and he's toward the bottom of the pecking order these days.
It's gonna keep happening all year so you may as well tune out to it now.

 

[gringo2011]

FWIIW I didn't think Seb had a great game but he kept on working and turned it around with some important touches.
Much respect.

At the ground he must have looked better. He ran heaps and was always providing an option in space, he played smart often on the defensive side of contests and used the ball better. I thought it was his best game for a couple of years. He can look like he can't be bothered defending or doing the 1 percenters at times. He was the opposite in that game. I thought he was one of our best. His work rate looked Hill like.

 

[Monika72]

Ross has zero chance of missing out. Very good last night.

Ross if fit will play every game this year.

 

[Stewart66]

EFA

Not saying he will be dropped for rd 1. Just that he is in a much much deeper midfield battle, is having to learn new roles to hold his spot (which he has never really done and may or may not excel at), and in 10 years he has never fixed his issue of running forward and repeatedly hitting 9 iron kicks blindly to the opposition. Is still best 22, but far from the lock he once was. Bytel and Clark come on, and Ross struggles rotating through the HBF, suddenly his place in the side is looking pretty shaky (assuming everyone is fit). BTW, this is a good thing!

FA at the end of the year too. Like Billings, would be taking a pretty significant pay cut if he wants to stay I would have thought.

yeah mate hope he has good year just increases his value in a trade .

Pretty clear he sees pressure coming for spots .

 

[gringo2011]

yeah mate hope he has good year just increases his value in a trade .

Pretty clear he sees pressure coming for spots .

He's a FA so not really much to gain unless we can swap him with Merrett or Kelly.

 

[plugger66]

EFA

Not saying he will be dropped for rd 1. Just that he is in a much much deeper midfield battle, is having to learn new roles to hold his spot (which he has never really done and may or may not excel at), and in 10 years he has never fixed his issue of running forward and repeatedly hitting 9 iron kicks blindly to the opposition. Is still best 22, but far from the lock he once was. Bytel and Clark come on, and Ross struggles rotating through the HBF, suddenly his place in the side is looking pretty shaky (assuming everyone is fit). BTW, this is a good thing!

FA at the end of the year too. Like Billings, would be taking a pretty significant pay cut if he wants to stay I would have thought.

Well the pay cut is as relevant as I’m eating chicken and chips for lunch today. People just choose to forget he was really good in the finals last year and apart from early last year has been very good for about 5 years. And his form at hb has been good but some will see what they want to see. Anyway he starts others don’t so he ahead of them and hopefully stays there because it means he is playing well which will hopefully mean so is the side.

 

[plugger66]

yeah mate hope he has good year just increases his value in a trade .

Pretty clear he sees pressure coming for spots .

How is it clear he sees pressure. Again the same people just making things up. By the he is a free agent so he has no trade value strangely I want him to play well to help our side. Others choose other reasons to barrack which is strange.

 

[Stewart66]

He's a FA so not really much to gain unless we can swap him with Merrett or Kelly.

Hope he likes the Gold Coast.

 

[Stewart66]

He's a FA so not really much to gain unless we can swap him with Merrett or Kelly.

Actually he does similar value to Brad Crouch...

 

[CaptainRisky]

Just watched the game for the first time
Higgins is going to be a fantastic pick up for us
Butler looks like he is going to be even better than last year
Bytel can find the pill but needs to improve his kicking
Gresh makes us a lot better team
Webster still goes ok and would have a spot locked in for round one i think
Sincs played great ( Needs to do it every week though )
DMac done and dusted
McKernan more than a handy back up ( if Max could clunk them like him he would kick 50 easily )

 

[KingsRansom]

Well the pay cut is as relevant as I’m eating chicken and chips for lunch today.

What!!! No dimmies???!!!!

 

[plugger66]

Actually he does similar value to Brad Crouch...

He doesn’t. Don’t justify that you didn’t have a clue he was a free agent.

 

[tomjoad]

At the ground he must have looked better. He ran heaps and was always providing an option in space, he played smart often on the defensive side of contests and used the ball better. I thought it was his best game for a couple of years. He can look like he can't be bothered defending or doing the 1 percenters at times. He was the opposite in that game. I thought he was one of our best. His work rate looked Hill like.

I've always thought Ross gets a bit too much flak on here. He can be frustrating for sure, but I don't think you can question that he makes the most of his abilities. The guy is never going to be elite, but he can play, and contributes more often than not.

 

[plugger66]

What!!! No dimmies???!!!!

Of course dimmies and no sugar coke

 

[Tyrian Lonestar]

Just watched the game for the first time
Higgins is going to be a fantastic pick up for us
Butler looks like he is going to be even better than last year
Bytel can find the pill but needs to improve his kicking
Gresh makes us a lot better team
Webster still goes ok and would have a spot locked in for round one i think
Sincs played great ( Needs to do it every week though )
DMac done and dusted
McKernan more than a handy back up ( if Max could clunk them like him he would kick 50 easily )

Sinc's as a genuine running machine endurance player set for a big year imo with the longer games and less rotations.
Sometimes its hard to see where he fits in but the fatigue we are going to see in the second half of games is going to be a huge factor.
Tipping he'll be a regular by mid year.

 

[gringo2011]

Actually he does similar value to Brad Crouch...

We'd be better to keep him then.

 

[gringo2011]

I've always thought Ross gets a bit too much flak on here. He can be frustrating for sure, but I don't think you can question that he makes the most of his abilities. The guy is never going to be elite, but he can play, and contributes more often than not.

He had a poor 2020 but missed preseason and played strapped up.

 

[Jade Buddha]

All of our players have flaws, Ross included, what we lacked leading up until now was voice, cohesion, maturity and leadership. That is now present and as clear as the nose on your face. If players play together their faults become less visible. If they play on their own they are sitting targets.

 

[tomjoad]

He had a poor 2020 but missed preseason and played strapped up.

Most players have a down year after a B&F, be it injury or form; add to that a massive changeup in the team with style and personnel, not to mention hubs and bubbles, and you can see the odds stacked against a bloke of Seb's capabilities. Still played well when it mattered most, particularly the Richmond final. That in itself is a good sign since we're looking like a finals type team nowadays. He'll be better this year you'd think...and maybe with the guys around him and injury free...he may surprise a few.

 

[Premium]

I know it's just one preseason game but Sinclair has been hyped to have a good year from his preseason work from Ratten and going by his game against Carlton his one weakness was not getting enough of the pill could be fixed.
If he gets 20+ touches a game with his elite ball skills he is going to be one of our best players , amazing what a coach can do when you give players belief.
Our team now has all the key pieces to press for a top 4 position with multiple ball winners across the park it's going to be a interesting year.
Having guys like Crouch , Ross , Hill , Billings , Steele , Gresham , Higgins , Hunter Clark

11

Hunter Clark

Age

25

Ht

186cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.5

4star

K

9.5

4star

HB

8.0

5star

M

3.6

4star

T

2.9

4star

CL

1.3

3star

D

16.0

4star

K

9.6

4star

HB

6.4

4star

M

3.1

3star

T

2.9

4star

CL

1.9

4star

D

13.2

4star

K

6.6

3star

HB

6.6

4star

M

2.2

3star

T

2.0

4star

CL

0.0

1star

, Jones , Sinclair , Hannebery all with the ability to pickup 20+ touches a game is something we have not had for a hell of a long time which brings everyone into the game.

Having Howard , Wilkie , Coffield , Webster , Highmore , Carlisle , Frawley , Long leaves us in good shape in the backline and our forward line with Membery , King , Battle , Butler , Lonie , Higgins would put fear in any team.

My only worry is that the lack of time on field in the preseason actually getting team structure and game plan to gel could hinder us in the first few rounds until we get settled but in saying that every team has that problem.

I'm hoping we get through the first 3 to 4 rounds of the year unscathed and get Crouch and Marshall back into the 22 and really torch teams.

 

[Premium]

Most players have a down year after a B&F, be it injury or form; add to that a massive changeup in the team with style and personnel, not to mention hubs and bubbles, and you can see the odds stacked against a bloke of Seb's capabilities. Still played well when it mattered most, particularly the Richmond final. That in itself is a good sign since we're looking like a finals type team nowadays. He'll be better this year you'd think...and maybe with the guys around him and injury free...he may surprise a few.

Ross seems to have become the new whipping boy , not bad really having a best and fairest winner and natural ball winner as a whipping boy when looking back a couple years it was Weller , Newnes , Acres etc.
Just shows how much class we have in our side now.

 

[lewdogs]

Yeah Ross has been around for years of spoons and crapness but now that we are good I'm sure he'll want to head off to Gold Coast.

The bloke is a dual best and fairest winner and very important player for us. Hilarious how we underrate our own sometimes.

 

[sasaint]

I really don’t care. If Williams gets a week or gets off it doesn’t effect our club. I hope he plays against the tigers. Then they are more chance.

I don't see it that way. A off the play hit to the head should be something the MRO and the AFL work to stamp out of the game. The only way to do that is with a penalty. Williams deserves a one match penalty. It says to all the players this is not going to be accepted as part of the game. With our recent history of potenial brain injury to Saints players the club should be supporting the AFL taking a strong stand on this.

 

[jwikked]

FWIIW I didn't think Seb had a great game but he kept on working and turned it around with some important touches.
Much respect.

Personally I felt it was the best he’s looked in a while, he played like he was fighting to keep his spot, which might be true.