Changes vs Freo

[CHBench]

Time for new blood, says Lyon

Lyall Johnson, Sydney | June 15, 2008

A CLEARLY deflated Ross Lyon last night conceded the confidence of his St Kilda side was at its lowest ebb and foreshadowed the blooding of young players in the coming weeks.


Speaking after the Saints' 35-point loss to Sydney — in which they were a genuine chance until late in the third term, when the Swans kicked three goals to be 31 points ahead at the final break — Lyon said he could no longer continue to lose "with the same cattle".


"There's probably three stages of confidence — supreme, persevering and low. You wouldn't have to be Einstein to work out at the minute we're at low confidence," Lyon said. "We need to get into the perseverance stage and start persevering and turn it around for our supporters and each other."


Justin Koschitzke and Matthew Ferguson were late withdrawals, with the Saints further exposed up forward and in the ruck when Michael Gardiner received a hamstring injury in the third term.


Lyon said the time had come to give some youngsters a chance at senior level. "We need to blood some more. The time's come, really, for the (Ben) McEvoys and the (Brad) Howards, just kids in our seconds," he said.
"I can't accept continually losing and going with the same cattle. We'll judge everyone on the ability they had and what they delivered tonight. If you don't meet your ability, you are going to be under pressure and we're going to make some changes.


"There's only been eight players in the last three and bit years, I think we've blooded five of them. So we need to blood more. We need to get a blood transfusion into the group."


Lyon said he would not be giving up on finals, but admitted his team needed to become more flexible. "We know (Jason) Gram and Sam Fisher need to go through the midfield more and (Brendon) Goddard more. We need to become more flexible, we're very predictable, our lack of pace has been highlighted for a long time … That's the way we'll be going and we really want to build to that type of midfield."

For the Swans, the win was their fifth on the trot and while they go into next week's match against Melbourne full of confidence, coach Paul Roos told the players he wouldn't accept a backward step. "I stressed after the game how important next week is," Roos said. "If we can get over the line against Melbourne, it's a really big challenge and that'll give us six in a row."

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/time-for-new-blood-says-lyon/2008/06/14/1213321702828.html

Is that pretty much a give away for some of our inclusions next week?

Alot of kids in contention then.

McEvoy for Gards
Armitage for Harvey (Needs a rest, don't think that calf has quite healed)
Howard for Milne/Schneider

Still leaves Birss, Allen, Ferguson and Kosi still to return.

Geary could possibly be dropped, would be a shame though.

Charlie Gardiner was very good with 3 goals, doesn't warrant dropping.

 

[dan0z]

i was pleased at how we played in the third quarter, first time ive seen us have a dip while being beaten..
i totally agree with these changes though:

McEvoy for Gards
Armitage for Harvey (Needs a rest, don't think that calf has quite healed)
Howard for Milne

2 or 3 good games from milne a year is not even close to good enough he needs to go..

i really liked how mcqualter threw himself at the ball, he is a really good kick also a few passes he did to roo were perfect..

 

[Armitage2Riewoldt]

Sounds like Ross has been listening to the fans. Good on him, for once.

 

[Cruiser23]

What going on with the Gehrig situation? Is anyone going to get promoted from the rookie list because was watching the Casey game yesterday and both Robert Eddy and Luke Miles looked pretty good. Eddy was playing a tagging role but remember him being a very prolific ball winner both in the TAC cup and the Under 18 Championship.

 

[BlackGun1]

ST. KILDA VS. FREMANTLE
7:40PM, Telstra Dome​

B: Sean Dempster, Max Hudghton, Clinton Jones
HB: David Armitage, Sam Fisher, Jason Gram
C: Brendon Goddard, Luke Ball, Leigh Montagna
HF: Charlie Gardiner, Nick Riewoldt, James Gwilt
F: Jarryn Geary, Ben McEvoy, Adam Schnieder
R: Steven King, Lenny Hayes, Nick Dal Santo
INT: Andrew McQualter, Jason Blake, James Gilbert, Brad Howard
EMG: Stephen Milne, Shane Birss, ???

IN: Armitage, McEvoy, Howard
OUT: Robert Harvey (Calf), Michael Gardiner (???), Stephen Milne

Milne will be the only ommision. Haven't seen much of Brad Howard or McEvoy, so it should be interesting if they get picked.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Based on previous selections this year my best guess is:
Out Charlie Gardner , In Raph Clarke
Fiora to replace Harvey.
Rix to replace M Gardner.

Please not that this is my opinion of what the unstable selecters at StKilda would choose and should not be confused with my opinion of who should be played.

 

[Papa Juggs]

Where is the X man Clarke?

I think anybody is better than Gwilt. I was sick of him last year and he isn't up to the pressure of AFL footy.

 

[CHBench]

Word on SEN that Schneider and Dempster hamstrings along with Gards.

 

[Armitage2Riewoldt]

Out Schneider: In Howard
Out Dempster: In Miles (can he play - love to see him picked)
Out Harvey: In Armitage
Out Gardiner: In McEvoy

What I wanna see: Out Montagna: In Birss

But most likely, Raph will replace Dempster.

And none of the above will happen lol.

 

[ChrisFooty]

Raph will need to play at least one VFL match. Has not played any footy the last couple of weeks. Then again, they rushed Gilbert straight back (which im not sure was really smart)

 

[SaintsSeptember]

I would be hoping that Baker and X are close.
Armitage in.
Mc Evoy In.
Keep mini in.
Probably keep Gwilt in for another week.

When is everyone going to wake up to Milne.
You don't take him out the week after his crappy interstate game because he will probably go good at the telstra dome.
You just dont send him interstate. Dont try to work out why he cant play interstate just accept it as an "is" and select accordingly.

 

[Kildonan]

The first group make up the core of this team:

Sam Fisher
Lenny Hayes
Luke Ball
Nick Dal Santo
Brendon Goddard
Shane Birss
Leigh Montagna
Nick Riewoldt
Max Hudghton
Jason Gram
Robert Harvey
Steven King

and from this second group come most the rest of our team:

Andrew McQualter
David Armitage
Charlie Gardiner
Justin Koschitzke
Michael Gardiner
Steven Baker
Xavier Clarke
Clinton Jones
Sean Dempster
Raphael Clarke
Adam Schneider
Jason Blake

while the players in this third group have been tried and have been found disappointing:

Leigh Fisher
James Gwilt
Sam Gilbert
Stephen Milne
Aaron Fiora
Jarryn Geary
Michael Rix
Matt Maguire
Fraser Gehrig
Matthew Ferguson

 

[The Punter]

I would think Koschitzke will come in if fit, as well as Birss, Armitage & McEvoy coming in for M Gardiner, Dempster and Schneider, who all appear to be injured, as well as Geary who needs to regain some confidence in the reserves.

The Fremantle game is certainly winnable and the side picked needs to reflect this.

If Lyon is really serious about putting a line through the year and playing some kids instead of some underperforming senior players, then the main suggestions for senior players to come out would be Montagna & Blake. Milne would be hard to leave out without Schneider and X Clarke in the side.

 

[Squizz]

Wouldn't Kosi and Fergie be likely inclusions?

Think Eddy is close (has his elevation been announced?), although Miles is pushing for elevation with 3 goals last game and pretty good effort this week. Looks a very likely type and kicks the ball alot further than I thought he did.

Fiora may be given another (last) chance)?

 

[Sir Robert]

Wouldn't Kosi and Fergie be likely inclusions?

Think Eddy is close (has his elevation been announced?), although Miles is pushing for elevation with 3 goals last game and pretty good effort this week. Looks a very likely type and kicks the ball alot further than I thought he did.

Fiora may be given another (last) chance)?

Hope not!

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Raph will need to play at least one VFL match. Has not played any footy the last couple of weeks. Then again, they rushed Gilbert straight back (which im not sure was really smart)

Not that I would like to see him played, but he wasn't injured ( that we were told about ) so why would he need to play VFL before coming back in after 2 weeks off. A bit different from Gilbert who was coming back in after a 13 week injury.

If all of the injuries stay injured I would like to see:
McEvoy for Gardner ( Share ruck with Kosi) But not if King is Fit.
Birss for Harvey.
Armitage for Dempster ( Is Ferguson fit , why didn't he play?)

I think with Geary, Armitage, Gwilt, and McQualter we have enough young players in the side without going silly.

I would like to see Baker in the side if he is fit and I think C Gardiner would be the one to make room even though he did OK against the swans.

 

[Sir Robert]

Outs due to injury or form:

Schneider - Howard
M Gardiner - McEvoy
Dempster - Jarryd Allen
Harvey - Armitage
Milne - Birss
Montagna - I don't really care. This bloke needs to pull his head in. He is a joke at the moment. I think an ideal replacement would be my little sister, however somehow Leigh was drafted before her.

We will hopefully have Kosi to slot in there somewhere.

Jarryd Allen might be worthy of a place up forward (Gilbert moved back to the backline). I'd like to see him tried and Blake ommitted.

Also would be nice to see Brad Howard played whilst Schneider is injured.

I'm afraid with this youth call will see Raph played

Montagna definitely dropped. Has been a passenger for too many games this season!

And please play Goddard on the ball.

 

[MilneyLoves2Snap]

while the players in this third group have been tried and have been found disappointing:

Leigh Fisher
James Gwilt
Sam Gilbert
Stephen Milne
Aaron Fiora
Jarryn Geary
Michael Rix
Matt Maguire
Fraser Gehrig
Matthew Ferguson

Gilbert and Maguire are injured.. not disappointing

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Gilbert and Maguire are injured.. not disappointing

I have been a big fan of both these players but I found them disappointing in 2008 ( when they were not injured).

 

[TassieSaint]

Just out of interest, apart from being young what has Brad Howard done to deserve a spot in the side? I've done some reading on the Scorps and only found his name in the best once.

Anyway, changes I would like to see are
In: McEvoy, Armitage, Birss, Ferguson/Allen (or Kosi if he's not injured), (Baker), (X. Clarke)
Out: M. Gardiner (inj), Harvey (inj), Dempster, Gwilt, (???), (???)

 

[saintsownthedome]

Why would we even think about dropping Milne ? He's leading our goal kicking in 2008, but there are people calling for his head ? How much footy do you watch ?

153 games and 298 goals. How many crumbing forwards average two goals a game ? Not Leon Davis, Didak, Schneider, Motlop or Ebert. Jeff Farmer is the only one that I can think of who is up there with Milne.

He also continues to kick goals despite the facts that our new Ross Lyon gameplan makes it harder for him to find space in the forward 50, or pinch kicks from the front of packs as a small forward is supposed to.

I think he is an easy target for a lot of supporters / media trying to point a finger of blame at the club.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Why would we even think about dropping Milne ? He's leading our goal kicking in 2008, but there are people calling for his head ? How much footy do you watch ?

153 games and 298 goals. How many crumbing forwards average two goals a game ? Not Leon Davis, Didak, Schneider, Motlop or Ebert. Jeff Farmer is the only one that I can think of who is up there with Milne.

He also continues to kick goals despite the facts that our new Ross Lyon gameplan makes it harder for him to find space in the forward 50, or pinch kicks from the front of packs as a small forward is supposed to.

I think he is an easy target for a lot of supporters / media trying to point a finger of blame at the club.

If it wasn't for Milne we would be at least one game further out of the 8. I cannot think of any other player we could have included in the Richmond game that would have got us over the line like he did. I dont think anyone can claim that Milne was responsible for the losses we have had and that we would have won if not for him.

Having said that he is flawed and the selecters need to make allowances for that with the other's they select in the forward line. He should not be played out of position. His tackling is not very effective, so we need others nearby to perform this role.
He NEVER plays well interstate and perhaps he should be dropped from games that require travel.

 

[Squizz]

Just out of interest, apart from being young what has Brad Howard done to deserve a spot in the side?

Nothing yet. his kicking has improved a little, but he still doesn't use his pace to advantage. not ready for AFL.

Neither is Jarryd Allen, and to be honest McEvoy has some work still to do.

If available, this is how I'd like to see the team line up based on team need and current form:

B: Gilbert Hudghton Geary
HB: Gwilt Rix Dal Santo
C: Gram Hayes Jones
HF: C Gardiner S Fisher Blake
F: Milne Riewoldt Ferguson
R: King Goddard Armitage
I: Kosi Ball Birss McQualter

Assumed Injured : X, Baker, Gehrig, Schneider, M Gardiner, Dempster, Maguire, Harvey

 

[Sir Robert]

Just out of interest, apart from being young what has Brad Howard done to deserve a spot in the side?

Nothing yet. his kicking has improved a little, but he still doesn't use his pace to advantage. not ready for AFL.

Neither is Jarryd Allen, and to be honest McEvoy has some work still to do.

If available, this is how I'd like to see the team line up based on team need and current form:

B: Gilbert Hudghton Geary
HB: Gwilt Rix Dal Santo
C: Gram Hayes Jones
HF: C Gardiner S Fisher Blake
F: Milne Riewoldt Ferguson
R: King Goddard Armitage
I: Kosi Ball Birss McQualter

Assumed Injured : X, Baker, Gehrig, Schneider, M Gardiner, Dempster, Maguire, Harvey

Very ballsy. I like it! Only change would be Ball starting ahead of Armitage. We are in Dire Straights tho playing Gwilt, Ferguson, C Gardiner, Blake and Rix, however they are on an AFL list so they must have some talent, just no confidence.

 

[Squizz]

Very ballsy. I like it! Only change would be Ball starting ahead of Armitage. We are in Dire Straights tho playing Gwilt, Ferguson, C Gardiner, Blake and Rix, however they are on an AFL list so they must have some talent, just no confidence.

I wouldn't have played Gwilty and Chucky G against the Swans, but I can't see how you could drop them based on their performance. Mind you, I wouldn't have sent Milne up there.

My point with Ball is that one thing that worked great in the pre-season was letting him loose after half time when the play had slowed a little. Can't do it every week, but he is starting to get smashed around each week and there's only so much a guy at 83 kgs can take.

Just like the Casey game, we need to avoid taking Armo on and off the ground. This bloke needs to be given a decent run at a whole game (not 45% TOG).