Guess who's back!!!

[stkildathunda]

ST KILDA ruckman Michael Gardiner will, for the first time this year, join the Saints' main group at training this week.

Gardiner has been sidelined since last year's drawn Grand Final with a persistent knee injury.

He has spent the entire year to date in the injury rehab group but St Kilda elite performance manager David Misson confirmed Gardiner would commence training with the full group on Wednesday.

"Big Gardy will do his first session with the group [on Wednesday]. He will do a couple of weeks training with the team and be available to play as well," Misson told saints.com.au.

http://www.afl.com.au/tabid/208/default.aspx?newsid=115745

 

[Armitage2Riewoldt]

The first time this year we'll be welcoming back someone aged over 21?

 

[saintkildaman]

Yes! Let the Gards unleashed!

 

[dg102]

Gardiner 2-3 weeks away. Geary 2-3 weeks away

 

[Highlander35]

Aaron Hamill, 2 weeks?

 

[Plugger35]

Will be good to have him back.

Going to be interesting to see how they work the ruck set up with him and McEvoy. I think we can probably play both given that both McEvoy and Gardy can play forward as well which ruckmen need to do in today's game.

Aaron Hamill, 2 weeks?

Still a few weeks away I think, should get back about the same time as Xavier Clarke.

 

[thomas_m18]

I reckon we can play both too, but who where? Would the first ruckman be McEvoy, who will be the long term player and will carry our ruck division for years to come, or will it be Gardiner, who may not have the fitness to do it long-term but has a better tap record?

Maybe Macca plays as the first ruck, and Gardiner plays predominantly forward with stints in the ruck, at least until Gardiner gets a proper fitness base back.

Oh, and if Gardiner comes back and plays well, it's hard to see Kosi regaining his spot any time soon.

 

[stkildathunda]

If Gardiner comes back i still think we have to look at the future and keep Ben as our number 1 ruckman and play Gardiner at FF and that impact 2nd ruckman, like Geelong did with Ottens in 09.

McEvoy has done a very servicable job up until now and is getting better with every game he plays, why stuff that up now?

Lets be honest Gardiner is probably a better choice FF then Kosi, Stanley or Archer at moment.... Has shown he can kick goals.

 

[thomas_m18]

I would consider giving Gardiner the top jobs for the elite tap ruckman such as Jolly and Sandilands (not that it matters against the latter), but I agree that Macca should be given the #1 gig most games, mainly for our future's sake. If we're in finals this year, just play the best ruckman as the #1, whoever that will be.

 

[stkildathunda]

I would consider giving Gardiner the top jobs for the elite tap ruckman such as Jolly and Sandilands (not that it matters against the latter), but I agree that Macca should be given the #1 gig most games, mainly for our future's sake. If we're in finals this year, just play the best ruckman as the #1, whoever that will be.

But what ever we do dont drop Macca from this years Grand Final team not sure he'd be around the club again if it happened 2 years running

 

[Armitage2Riewoldt]

But what ever we do dont drop Macca from this years Grand Final team not sure he'd be around the club again if it happened 2 years running

Don't think anyone would care if we won the flag this year.

So in the interests of my sanity and lifetime happiness. Macca, please be dropped from the winning Grand Final side this year

 

[Squizz]

Has shown he can kick goals.

Only when playing in the ruck. No question he has a good sense of when to slip his opposing ruckman, but Gardi has struggled as a lead-up forward when tried in the past.

Macca probably has been able to clunk a few when played out of the goalsquare.

But Gardi will need plenty of time in the VFL, and after that Macca might be needing a rest anyway.

 

[goodie23]

Yeah! Gardzilla!

 

[Look2Me4Guidance]

Gardimonster featuring bad ass black mouthguard.

 

[DalSainter]

big ben is our 1st ruck now too late for gardy

 

[IllBeTheJudge]

big ben is our 1st ruck now too late for gardy

Let me just say, that I think your name should be DalSainto
poor form

jk

 

[TTTT]

if the coaching staff strongly feel that stkilda can challenge for the flag next year then id prefer that they keep gardiner on ice for the rest of the season, keep him training with the rest of the group give him a big pre season then unleash him rd 1 2012. if deep down they dont then id give him a few farwell games towards the end of this season then move him on.

 

[saintkildaman]

Mate thats stupid. He is 30+, you cant wait around, we have to play him ASAP.

 

[thomas_m18]

I'm not sure he'll last another year to be honest. This might be all he's got. I'm not sure he's going to want to do another preseason in the state he's in.

 

[Armitage2Riewoldt]

Did say it's the best he's been feeling since 2009. And he was in some tremendous form.

Many opposition supporters on here rated our ruck duo of Gardi and King as one of the best in the competition, and it's not surprise we did as well as we did with them in the side, week in, week out.

King was phased out well, while bringing in McEvoy. But Gardi's injury in GF1 was probably the worst thing that could have happened to us. And I'm surprised it's not talked about as much as some of the shizzle that we had to get through leading up to the '97 granny. If people think Spida could have made a 5 goal difference... I think Gardi could have made a 1 point difference in the last 2 quarters...

But yeah, I think we had to bring Macca in too quickly. And another year of him under Gardi's wing would have been for the best. With him taking on the world next year as our number 1 ruck.

But who knows, hopefully he'll look back on this year as the one which kick started his career as our number 1 ruckmen for the next decade

Back to Gardi, I do hope he can go around again, and I think a number of us expected him to pull the plug in...jeez, 2008? A rumour went around that a big guy gatherered the troops in the seconds to say something (announce retirement) and every thought it was Gardi...turned out to be Rix lolol.

So who knows, if he gets his body right he should be fairly fit, physically. I mean, he's missed about 5 years of games just about. Which should make him...25-26, so I'd like to think that he's in his peak right now (and for a couple more years )

 

[thomas_m18]

So who knows, if he gets his body right he should be fairly fit, physically. I mean, he's missed about 5 years of games just about. Which should make him...25-26, so I'd like to think that he's in his peak right now (and for a couple more years )

How old does that make Raph Clarke then? 19?

 

[Armitage2Riewoldt]

He's about 21 I think.

His brother is due in early September I've heard.

 

[saintkildaman]

Did say it's the best he's been feeling since 2009. And he was in some tremendous form.

Many opposition supporters on here rated our ruck duo of Gardi and King as one of the best in the competition, and it's not surprise we did as well as we did with them in the side, week in, week out.

King was phased out well, while bringing in McEvoy. But Gardi's injury in GF1 was probably the worst thing that could have happened to us. And I'm surprised it's not talked about as much as some of the shizzle that we had to get through leading up to the '97 granny. If people think Spida could have made a 5 goal difference... I think Gardi could have made a 1 point difference in the last 2 quarters...

But yeah, I think we had to bring Macca in too quickly. And another year of him under Gardi's wing would have been for the best. With him taking on the world next year as our number 1 ruck.

But who knows, hopefully he'll look back on this year as the one which kick started his career as our number 1 ruckmen for the next decade

Back to Gardi, I do hope he can go around again, and I think a number of us expected him to pull the plug in...jeez, 2008? A rumour went around that a big guy gatherered the troops in the seconds to say something (announce retirement) and every thought it was Gardi...turned out to be Rix lolol.

So who knows, if he gets his body right he should be fairly fit, physically. I mean, he's missed about 5 years of games just about. Which should make him...25-26, so I'd like to think that he's in his peak right now (and for a couple more years )

Kosi said that aswell and look what happened with him....

 

[Plugger35]

Mate thats stupid. He is 30+, you cant wait around, we have to play him ASAP.

Agree, as soon as he is right to go and gets a game or two of VFL under his belt he should come in.

Who knows, if he can play out the rest of the year well and his body is in good enough shape maybe he will consider playing on an extra year. He is only 31 now which isn't too old for a ruckman.

McEvoy is improving but Gardiner is still a better ruckman at present. Not saying he should be pushed aside for Gardiner but maybe going back to playing a more secondary ruck/key forward role.

 

[AP Erebus]

Aaron Hamill, 2 weeks?

I still laugh at this joke.