Certified Legendary Thread Nathan Freeman Updates

[Dr Spaceman]

Those Hamill comments are laughable. When did tackling become such a priority?

 

[Trojan_Saint]

Freeman actually did lay a few tackles. It was evident in channel 9s interview with him last night.

Yep. I watched the game on 7. Saw two tackles and a couple of other pressure acts- forcing blokes over the boundary etc. Hamill must have sneezed each time and missed them.

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[BigMonty]

Yep. I watched the game on 7. Saw two tackles and a couple of other pressure acts- forcing blokes over the boundary etc. Hamill must have sneezed each time and missed them.

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Just play the Kent.
Come on you know it makes sense

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[BrutThough]

All eyes on Richo today. Just do it.

 

[The Punter]

Herald-Sun reporting this morning it is unlikely due to a backlog of other players to return.

 

[Dr Spaceman]

Herald-Sun reporting this morning it is unlikely due to a backlog of other players to return.

Yeah, and we have to pick the team that gives us the best chance of winning...

Blah, blah, blah.

I don't care

 

[BrutThough]

Herald-Sun reporting this morning it is unlikely due to a backlog of other players to return.

The only person who should come straight back in is Webster.

I know we like seeing Hunter play, but if him missing another week means Freeman gets a game, then thats fine. He does a few nice things a game but he can wait a week before coming back.

 

[Saintbloke]

Basically our season is shot and has been for ages. Only a few players deserve a spot in our senior team, so let's keep trying the untried out at least.

 

[George]

8 hours left! Main session right now.

 

[Mikka84]

Basically our season is shot and has been for ages. Only a few players deserve a spot in our senior team, so let's keep trying the untried out at least.

Not basically.. Our season is most certainly shot. We have literally nothing left to achieve this season.

We're not winning our remanding few games to give us confidence into next season, so surely we try some more kids.

 

[GTrains Mullet]

Hey guys heading to Bunnings now to grab the pitchforks and torches.

Meet you a RSEA park say 6.25?

 

[Stjonesy]

We do not gift games to players at stkilda even if they get leather poisoning in the vfl, we just don't do it. I mean, it's not as if we'd gift a guy two games who was plucked out of an Irish hurling team two years ago who is clearly not at vfl standard, we wouldn't do that

 

[MOLTEN GANGLANDS]

if the big freeze doesn't get selected im calling the club

 

[BrutThough]

Not basically.. Our season is most certainly shot. We have literally nothing left to achieve this season.

We're not winning our remanding few games to give us confidence into next season, so surely we try some more kids.

His non selection will be worse this week considering Sydney, whose season hangs by a thread, have taken a risk and selected a guy who hasnt played since 2012, and Adelaide, who can still make finals if they win this week, take a risk selecting a guy coming back from an ACL.

But us, who have been out of finals calculations since rd2, keep making boring, safe selections and cant take a risk on a guy who keeps racking it up in the VFL each week and has definitely earned his chance to play AFL.

 

[Mikka84]

His non selection will be worse this week considering Sydney, whose season hangs by a thread, have taken a risk and selected a guy who hasnt played since 2012, and Adelaide, who can still make finals if they win this week, take a risk selecting a guy coming back from an ACL.

But us, who have been out of finals calculations since rd2, keep making boring, safe selections and cant take a risk on a guy who keeps racking it up in the VFL each week and has definitely earned his chance to play AFL.

Couldn't agree more.

 

[SaintSteele9]

Fingers crossed for him tonight.

 

[Ekomaira]

even if he's not selected tonight, don't get too upset. he's not far away

I want him to play too but don't go too over the top!

 

[bird_man]

I'd be surprised if he is selected. You would think if the club had a chance to make a big deal about a great story they would have milked it for what it's worth, exactly like Sydney did yesterday.

 

[gringo2011]

Its a joke - Freeman never laid a tackle - well have a look at last weeks game and the week before
Savage - 0
Membery - 1
Lonie - 1
Carlisle -1
Newnes - 1
Coffield - 1
Dunstan - 1

the week before
Savage - 1
Hickey - 0
Carlisle - 0
Clark - 1
Steven - 1
Armitage - 1
Membery - 0
McKenzie - 1
Phillips -1

Savage is the classic his last 6 games - 1 - BYE - 1 - 1 - 3 - 1 - 0 against GWS
and he is a defender

He's not a normal defender though. People don't get how footy has changed. He's there to run the ball out and move the ball forward. He is the opposite to a defensive forward, he is literally an offensive defender. Same as people used to criticise Joey playing that role. He's meant to spread off the back of any play and be the dish off to guy.

Geary is a small defender who plays tight, as is Rice, White etc. Brown is a one on one defender, Carlisle is not. That's just not the modern game and not a measure.

If Freeman is playing outside mid, tackles aren't as important because again you are there to spread into space and be the dish off option not sit on a player. Inside mids can e measured on tackles because if you aren't winning the ball yourself, you should be making life hard for a player who did win it.

 

[Gangnam Saint]

Struggling to believe he's not getting a game coz of his tackle count. This is silly.

Play the guy. He has the form to warrant selection, if he's not prepared to defend and is exposed then drop him.
No stronger message than that.

 

[Enclosed_Animal]

We do not gift games to players at stkilda even if they get leather poisoning in the vfl, we just don't do it. I mean, it's not as if we'd gift a guy two games who was plucked out of an Irish hurling team two years ago who is clearly not at vfl standard, we wouldn't do that

Since Richo has started (and even in the Lyon days) selection has nothing to do with VFL form. Seriously zip. If Freeman has done nothing else, he has highlighted the massive disconnect between our VFL and AFL teams.

Seen a fair bit of VFL (perks of living around the corner). If VFL form was being rewarded then Hickey, Rice, Lonie and White would have played a lot more games. Austin would have played earlier too.

And BTW for all the Gilbo bashers, he provides really really excellent leadership and presence at VFL (something blokes like Armo, Savage and Longer don't necessarily do). Would keep him just for that if he was willing to!

On the flip side: McKenzie, Phillips, Battle and Long would have played much less (apart from a couple of decent Phillips games earlier this year they hardly get a kick at VFL level). Wright and Joyce wouldn't have played at all (barely VFL standard).

If you were selecting on form right now, Freeman and Goddard would both be playing. But we don't select on VFL form!!

Oh and I get smashed every time for saying this but our depth / development sucks. The non aligned teams we beat (because they are barely VFL standard).

But in the last 33 weeks of VFL footy (since April last year) we have won 3 games against AFL aligned sides. Just 3 (Cats by 2 points, Dogs 12 points and Cats by 27 points)! We haven't even beaten Carlton for two years and they really suck.

And its not necessarily the Sandy boys fault as everyone likes to assume. I stopped writing VFL reports because people didn't want to hear this. But I think at last the supporter base is actually starting to realise that what is going on with our development is absolutely stuffed!

 

[kernelT]

I'd be surprised if he is selected. You would think if the club had a chance to make a big deal about a great story they would have milked it for what it's worth, exactly like Sydney did yesterday.

Hopefully they are going to play him but just want to keep it low profile to protect him from the build up, fingers crossed anyway.

 

[XhazzafootyX]

Almost cruel if he doesn’t play this weekend

 

[sammm]

Almost cruel if he doesn’t play this weekend

Especially there is a bye for the vfl team

 

[Pumpkin Head 25]

even if he's not selected tonight, don't get too upset. he's not far away

I want him to play too but don't go too over the top!

I think the anger around the Freeman decision (or lack of) is more reflective of the perceived wider selection issues at St Kilda. The general view is that the Match Committee have made a number of "safe" selections during the back end of the year and no real understanding from the supporter base as to why we aren't playing kids who a) are performing well at Sandy or b) have question marks over their ongoing future at the club.

Personally I don't see what we have to lose by giving the likes of Freezer and Goddard a run of 4 games to finish the season. If the club isn't sure whether they are up to it, it should give a good guide to answering that question. If they are intending on offering them another contract, it will give the boys a bit of a taste of senior football (granted Goddard has experienced it before) and potentially benefit them over pre-season, with a view to cement their spots next year.

I personally feel that given the match committee (most notably Richo) have significant pressure over their future at St Kilda, they have more incentive to pick "safer" teams that they feel are more likely to win. In my opinion a short term focus, that is of detriment to the long term future of the club.