Kildonan
Premium Platinum
Lyon shouldn't gamble with Keating
Footy Goss
When Ross Lyon was named coach of St Kilda he declared securing the services of a quality tap ruckman a priority.
The former Sydney assistant got his man in former West Coast ruckman Michael Gardiner on the final day of trade week last month.
However, the acquisition of Gardiner was off-set by the departure of Cain Ackland to Carlton via the pre-season draft.
Lyon admitted the loss of Ackland had left the club undermanned, saying he was desperate to improve his ruck stocks.
Of the current big men at Lyon's disposal; Michael Rix and Barry Brooks have combined for 19 games during their time at the Saints, Justin Koschitzke managed seven games during his well documented battle with injury in '06 and Gardiner has played 18 games in the past three seasons.
When you look at those figures you can understand why Lyon has mooted the idea of securing former Brisbane Lions ruckman Clarke Keating via the national or pre-season draft.
While there is no questioning Keating's credentials as a three-time premiership player, the "September specialist" hasn't played more than 15 games in a season for the past four years.
Even during two of the Lions premiership years; 2002 and 2003, he managed only a dozen senior appearances.
Keating's ability to peak come September is all well and good for a club in premiership contention, but after failing to capitalise on two preliminary final berths in three years and a first-round exit last season, the window of opportunity for the Saints is shut.
Lyon already has two injury plagued big men in Gardiner and Koschitzke at his disposal; with the club trying to re-build he can't afford another one.
The Saints have seven selections in this month's national draft and Lyon and recruiting manager John Beveridge would be better advised to select a raw youngster ahead of Keating if they believe they need more support in the big man department.
Essendon ruckman David Hille (No. 40, 1999) and former rookie listed players Dean Cox and Aaron Sandilands are perfect examples that quality ruckmen can be found without wasting early draft selections.
Gardiner and Koschitzke, if they get their bodies right and get a full pre-season under their belt form a more than adequate ruck combination.
Meanwhile, Rix and Brooks are only 22 and 25 respectively and history shows that big men take longer to develop, so you would assume there is plenty of upside to the pair.
Securing Keating when a premiership in the next couple of years is out of the realms of possibility isn't a gamble worth taking.
Lyon should show faith in the big men already on his list and put re-building ahead of a band-aid solution in the faint hope of bringing the premiership cup back to Moorabbin for the first time since 1966.
Tony Keen
Footy Goss
When Ross Lyon was named coach of St Kilda he declared securing the services of a quality tap ruckman a priority.
The former Sydney assistant got his man in former West Coast ruckman Michael Gardiner on the final day of trade week last month.
However, the acquisition of Gardiner was off-set by the departure of Cain Ackland to Carlton via the pre-season draft.
Lyon admitted the loss of Ackland had left the club undermanned, saying he was desperate to improve his ruck stocks.
Of the current big men at Lyon's disposal; Michael Rix and Barry Brooks have combined for 19 games during their time at the Saints, Justin Koschitzke managed seven games during his well documented battle with injury in '06 and Gardiner has played 18 games in the past three seasons.
When you look at those figures you can understand why Lyon has mooted the idea of securing former Brisbane Lions ruckman Clarke Keating via the national or pre-season draft.
While there is no questioning Keating's credentials as a three-time premiership player, the "September specialist" hasn't played more than 15 games in a season for the past four years.
Even during two of the Lions premiership years; 2002 and 2003, he managed only a dozen senior appearances.
Keating's ability to peak come September is all well and good for a club in premiership contention, but after failing to capitalise on two preliminary final berths in three years and a first-round exit last season, the window of opportunity for the Saints is shut.
Lyon already has two injury plagued big men in Gardiner and Koschitzke at his disposal; with the club trying to re-build he can't afford another one.
The Saints have seven selections in this month's national draft and Lyon and recruiting manager John Beveridge would be better advised to select a raw youngster ahead of Keating if they believe they need more support in the big man department.
Essendon ruckman David Hille (No. 40, 1999) and former rookie listed players Dean Cox and Aaron Sandilands are perfect examples that quality ruckmen can be found without wasting early draft selections.
Gardiner and Koschitzke, if they get their bodies right and get a full pre-season under their belt form a more than adequate ruck combination.
Meanwhile, Rix and Brooks are only 22 and 25 respectively and history shows that big men take longer to develop, so you would assume there is plenty of upside to the pair.
Securing Keating when a premiership in the next couple of years is out of the realms of possibility isn't a gamble worth taking.
Lyon should show faith in the big men already on his list and put re-building ahead of a band-aid solution in the faint hope of bringing the premiership cup back to Moorabbin for the first time since 1966.
Tony Keen
wonder if i can get a refund on all our memberships.....dead set some of these journos write some absolut ********e
