Luke Miles

[swannies]

Great get in the RD. My favourite player at Swan this last year, my sons are also big fans and now with Gardiner (M) and Miles we will have to start liking the saints.

Played FB in the main at Swans, but could be a flanker, as is very, very quick - 2.78 sec 20m sprint at SS in Perth and equalled the vertical jump record. Just turning 21 this month and won the B&F for Swans this year.

In the WAFL he would usually take a screamer per match, or at the very least try. Kicking may be suspect, but not in the league of Clint Jones bad. Would often go forward and kick a goal or two, from defence, so is a very attacking defender. I'm sure he'll put the work in to take his chance. Very sasd he left Swans, but these boys have to move forwards and upwards. Good luck guys and look after him well.

 

[huggy_b]

Sounds like good times ahead - possibly the Max Hudghton replacement in the next few years?

 

[Squizz]

The saints have him down as a medium midfielder, and at 185cm I can't see him playing full back. Wall had pace and was 197cm, and got the chop. Good to see the saints injecting some pace into the list though.

 

[swannies]

Sorry squizzy, just answered some other questions on your other post. I think he's 190 cm but yes, too short for FB. I've always said in the AFL system he would not be FB, but if he were freed up, as he had a large defensive load to carry at Swans, he could be a very attacking defender. Never seen him play midfield, I don't believe anyway, but that's not to say he couldn't.

 

[Gilbo19]

The saints have him down as a medium midfielder, and at 185cm I can't see him playing full back. Wall had pace and was 197cm, and got the chop. Good to see the saints injecting some pace into the list though.

Sorry squizzy, just answered some other questions on your other post. I think he's 190 cm but yes, too short for FB. I've always said in the AFL system he would not be FB, but if he were freed up, as he had a large defensive load to carry at Swans, he could be a very attacking defender. Never seen him play midfield, I don't believe anyway, but that's not to say he couldn't.

Wall needed the chop, players like him are dying in the AFL... A backman needs to do more than just shut down their opponent now, hopefully this is something that Miles could aim for....

Thanks for the infor chrsco, sounds promising, however 21 years old is a bit of a worrying sign... have to wonder how he has gone unnoticed for so long.... fingers crossed...

 

[swannies]

Thanks for the infor chrsco, sounds promising, however 21 years old is a bit of a worrying sign... have to wonder how he has gone unnoticed for so long.... fingers crossed...

The only thing I could say is that he probably developed more over the past year, as demonstrated by winning Swans B&F this year. He has ALWAYS had the athletic ability in my opinion, consistency may have been an issue when he was younger. One of the biggest leaps you will see and he is over the 190cm mark I have heard.

 

[holllywood]

"leaping" luke miles?

 

[Kildonan]

Wall needed the chop, players like him are dying in the AFL... A backman needs to do more than just shut down their opponent now, hopefully this is something that Miles could aim for....

Thanks for the infor chrsco, sounds promising, however 21 years old is a bit of a worrying sign... have to wonder how he has gone unnoticed for so long.... fingers crossed...

One of my favourite players, and one I believe is highly underestimated in his effectiveness, is Max Hudghton. His style is to shut down his opponent - and he usually is put up against the oppositions most dangerous forward - if Wall was half as good as Max he would be an excellent player.

I still believe there is a place for the Max Hudghton type defender.

The future is not cast in stone - just because a particlar style of play dominates for a while does not mean that it is the only way we can play the game. Tactics evolve and therefore individual roles change to suit the new tactics.

I only saw Wall play in one game this year and in that match he was moved forward and he even got amongst the goalkickers. So I can't say much to compare him to Max - just that I believe the Max style fullback is not an extinct species.

 

[Gilbo19]

Sorry I should have been more specific, when I said they have to do more then just shut down their opponent I meant they need to be able to shut down their opponent and not be a gumby when they find themself with the ball, while Hudghton has never been a superstar with the ball in his hand he has usually been reliable and you never really worried when the ball was in his hand...

I'm quite excited about Miles, RL seems to find a way to get the most out of players and I am hoping he can do so again, if he could turn Gwilt into a half decent full back (being slightly generous) he should be able to turn a real defender into a quality player...

 

[Squizz]

Gwilt is nowhere near our best 22. I am unable to fathom how he got a Brownlow vote, and Sam Fisher didn't.

We under-rate the worth of having a shut down player (even if he does not create).

There are too many good forwards who you can't afford to allow much of the pill.

A tall backman with a leap and closing speed (a-la-Max) is essential. Max sits on the boundary during kick ins and rarely gets it - do I care? No.

 

[Gilbo19]

Gwilt is nowhere near our best 22. I am unable to fathom how he got a Brownlow vote, and Sam Fisher didn't.

We under-rate the worth of having a shut down player (even if he does not create).

There are too many good forwards who you can't afford to allow much of the pill.

A tall backman with a leap and closing speed (a-la-Max) is essential. Max sits on the boundary during kick ins and rarely gets it - do I care? No.

I agree I would probably have him at about number 28 or 29 on our lists, I was just saying that when he was playing full back he didn't embarrass himself, and he is an outsider midfielder or a flanker at best...

He could work wonders with a real defender, I agree with your comments on Hudghton, we do need another player like that but if he has the disposal of Clinton Jones then chances are he'd end up costing us more goals then he saves through turnovers...

 

[Modra93]

Gwilt is only better than Blake IMO. Both are not up to AFL standard and never will be. Neither should ever play key position.

Gwilts biggest problem is that he has zero awareness. He has no clue where to run when to run and what to do when he gets it.

 

[Squizz]

Gwilt is only better than Blake IMO. Both are not up to AFL standard and never will be. Neither should ever play key position.

Gwilts biggest problem is that he has zero awareness. He has no clue where to run when to run and what to do when he gets it.

He should have listened to me from the stands "F@#king get rid of it!!!"

Bit tough on Blake - did well when completely undersized in the ruck, and is adjusting to role as occasional tagger and lead up forward. Lacks awareness and skill, but huge tank to run out games noting we have copped a few last quarter floggings. Agree should not play key position role.

 

[Gilbo19]

Blake is a strange one, I don't have him in my starting 22 however he should play 18+ games next year off the bench....
He really has no position, he is serviceable in every position yet excels in none...

 

[ChrisFooty]

Blake is a strange one, I don't have him in my starting 22 however he should play 18+ games next year off the bench....
He really has no position, he is serviceable in every position yet excels in none...

That quality will keep him in the team. Providing his form stays at his 2007 level, he will be a saint for another couple of years. As much as some fans may dislike this, it's going to happen.

 

[Fred]

Gwilt is only better than Blake IMO. Both are not up to AFL standard and never will be. Neither should ever play key position.

Gwilts biggest problem is that he has zero awareness. He has no clue where to run when to run and what to do when he gets it.

The fact that Blake never stops trying and goes all day makes him valuable to the team. It's not just about skill.

 

[Modra93]

If someone is a liability at there best then no matter how hard tehy 'try' they will always be a liability

 

[BrianSpeaking]

Gwilt is only better than Blake IMO. Both are not up to AFL standard and never will be. Neither should ever play key position.

Gwilts biggest problem is that he has zero awareness. He has no clue where to run when to run and what to do when he gets it.

Who cares, still won us that final in Adelaide a couple of years back, what a great memory that is. Let him drift around as a flanker, not KPP.

 

[Squizz]

And here I was thinking banger won the game for us.