Discussion Our Most Underrated Players

[scubaboytellem]

Who do you think our most underrated players are? Personally, I think they are;

Steven Baker (Rarely gets mentioned, but is courageous & a great stopper)

Lenny Hayes (Even though he is talked about a lot, I still think he gets enough credit, remember he had a knee reco a couple of seasons ago)

Andrew McQualter (Uses it well, tough, composed, can kick a goal)

Max Hudghton (Still one of the best defenders in the league, rarely gets a bag kicked on him)

Jason Blake (Does his job every week, no one mentions him, but he's an important part of our structure)

Clint Jones (Has tagged some great players this year, killed Didak on the weekend)

Yep.

 

[sauce_head]

Blake by far the most. He is CHB for the best defence in 40 years! And his reputation with the umpires means they always peanalise him, it is a joke. But he keeps on giving us total flexibility. Top five for marks as well! And a lot of those are ball in rather than chip around (a lot are that as well though!).

Cj is the other for me. He has come on so much this year that he is in our top 10 for importance. Getting led to the ball by the player he is tagging then running past them has done his awareness wonders. He is also so quick to push forward on a turnover and started scoring every now and then that he makes HIS man accountable. Brilliant improvement.

 

[Squizz]

Blake is certainly one - the occasional nasty blooper and his treatment by the umpires does make him a target for extra criticism at times.

I think we under-rate how important Gardi has been for our season. We no longer fear the boundary line (as was the case in previous seasons) as we have a ruck advantage against many teams. This encourages quicker ball movement with the boundary as insurance.

Baker is completely selfless, and maybe I am blinded by that (hate to see people say he's finished because some 10 possession opponent occasionally burns him off for pace).

If most supporters had their choice, Horse wouldn't get a game - but Ross sees his workrate and knows we have enough quality ball users to finish the job if we can pressure the opposition enough into turning it over.

 

[mg07]

McQualter for me, very determined player and has shown and given lots back to the club since being dropped/delisted then being picked back up.

Works very hard around the ground not only for his possesions but also 1%'s. Great shot on goal was proven in the third quarter on sunday!

He has gone from VFL regular to easily being a 1st 18 player in just one season.

I think Andrew is a great example of our workrate this year and how far we have come along since last years Prelim.

 

[krusden]

CJ - most non-supporters still see him as the ineffectual player with a lot of run he was last year rather than noticing the tags he has put on this year and the jobs he has done.

also, many non-sainters in my experience don't rate BJ as much as we do. They see our top echelon as roo/joey/lenny/kosi/bally but for me I would put BJ in there as well.

 

[Half Back Pocket]

CJ - most non-supporters still see him as the ineffectual player with a lot of run he was last year rather than noticing the tags he has put on this year and the jobs he has done.

also, many non-sainters in my experience don't rate BJ as much as we do. They see our top echelon as roo/joey/lenny/kosi/bally but for me I would put BJ in there as well.

Gram for me. Rejected by Brisbane, the saints have given him a chance and he has developed into one of the best ball-carriers in the game. Probably helps when opposition have to man up Joey, Dal, lenny and BJ giving Gram a free run.

 

[blues2010]

CJ - most non-supporters still see him as the ineffectual player with a lot of run he was last year rather than noticing the tags he has put on this year and the jobs he has done.

also, many non-sainters in my experience don't rate BJ as much as we do. They see our top echelon as roo/joey/lenny/kosi/bally but for me I would put BJ in there as well.

Watching the Saints more this year, I would say Goddard and Gilbert are two I rate highly. Been really surprised by Jones and McQualter (thought his game on the weekend was fantastic) and have always rated S Fisher but he really stepped up when needed against those disgusting animals last week.
Go all the way in 09 Saints

 

[goodie23]

McQualter - I know it's only one year, but he adds so much to our forward line. Not only does he chase, tackle and apply pressure well, he chimes in with goals frequently too. While Schneider and Milne attract attention, he keeps his head down and has been producing nicely. That set shot from the pocket on the weekend was superb.

Jones - Yes, I'm on record professing doubts in the recently resurrected Jones thread, but I'm happy to be proven wrong. Provides speed, lockdown ability and roves the periodic tap and provides a clearance. As ugly as his kicking style is (look at the Geelong goal), it still works.

Gilbert - Our supporters get it, most others don't properly. Often written off as a loose man, and is indeed an excellent third man up, but can play one on one. Has definitely benefitted from SOS's coaching, a few contests on the weekend where he pushed the boundaries of holding the man but got away with it. Runs like he's on stilts, but possesses a beautiful sidestep and capable of weighting a pinpoint pass.

 

[tim_saints]

Hudgton, Hayes, Gilbert and Jones.

They all deserve more recognition than what they attract at the moment. Especially Lenny he is top 10 midfielders in the comp easily absolute gun.

 

[Riewoldting]

Yeah I agree with all those names mentioned above. Particularly Brendon Goddard, because I know in recent years he’s beginning to get the credit he deserves, but not so long ago he was given flack for being an underachiever for a no. 1 draft pick – but if you watch him these days, other clubs are finally realising how classy and damaging he is.

 

[Armitage2Riewoldt]

When BJ wins the Norm Smith in 20 days I'm gonna go and bump every single topic pre 2006 that was made about Goddard...

Seriously, search Goddard and read some of the threads. People would spend days wiping the egg off their faces theres so much fail in them. This is the main board. Havent looked at this board.

He's become one of our best 5 players just about.

1. Roo
2. Lenny

Then raffle Dal, Joey, Goddard, Gilbert, Fisher and Kosi.

All can have a massive massive impact on a game when they're on.

FWIW I dont reckon he's underrated anymore, and everyones starting to see why he was a no.1 pick.

Gardi is underrated I reckon. If he was on the park the whole year he'd be a certain AA. Seriously when was the last time a ruckman dominated a game for us, the way he controlled that game against the Cats...something special.

 

[Plugger35]

Definitely agree with McQualter and Jones being underrated. They have been our two biggest improvers this year and showed how important they have become when they were missing during our first loss to Essendon.

They both had great games against Collingwood too. McQualter with his composure and pressure in the forward line whilst chipping in with a couple of crucial goals and Jones completely shutting Didak out of the game.

Most people outside of St Kilda wouldn't even know who they are but they are both vital to our premiership chances.

 

[SaintsManMat]

McQualter is my choice...his forward line pressure has been HUGE for us this season

 

[AFaiL]

When BJ wins the Norm Smith in 20 days I'm gonna go and bump every single topic pre 2006 that was made about Goddard...

Seriously, search Goddard and read some of the threads. People would spend days wiping the egg off their faces theres so much fail in them. This is the main board. Havent looked at this board.

He's become one of our best 5 players just about.

1. Roo
2. Lenny

Then raffle Dal, Joey, Goddard, Gilbert, Fisher and Kosi.

All can have a massive massive impact on a game when they're on.

FWIW I dont reckon he's underrated anymore, and everyones starting to see why he was a no.1 pick.

Gardi is underrated I reckon. If he was on the park the whole year he'd be a certain AA. Seriously when was the last time a ruckman dominated a game for us, the way he controlled that game against the Cats...something special.

Hehhe, i couldn't resits - had to bump now. See main board lol

Every chance we either wont make a GF, will lose, or if we win, he wont get eh NSM - bump while you can i say! lol

 

[Look2Me4Guidance]

Jason Blake for mine. Only player in the game I know who is still called by the wrong name. I have seen him called James in the paper so often, it's a joke. His usefulness is probably judged less this year because he has played back for 95% of the year instead of going into the ruck, but he is extremely versatile and could fill a void at just about every AFL club.

 

[TassieSaint]

Blake, McQualter and Hayes.

Hayes is an interesting one, gets some credit but not enough imo. Probably the second best midfielder in the competition after Ablett and easily in the top 5 players. It's not just this year either, his career stacks up well against the likes of Black and Judd, just minus the grand final success (and subsequent norm smiths)

 

[Charlotte]

I know what your all goign to say - but Raph Clarke playing in the forward line is highly underated - he hasn't done it for a very long time but he can do it and when he does do it he plays great.

 

[Squizz]

Jason Blake for mine. Only player in the game I know who is still called by the wrong name.

And Jack Stevens.

 

[Squizz]

Seriously, search Goddard and read some of the threads. People would spend days wiping the egg off their faces theres so much fail in them.

I do seem to remember he used to fall over alot, and also flapped him arms to tell other players where to go. He also had to carry all that weight when the club decided to put 10 kgs on him for a season (bizarre given his leap was his asset aside from his kicking).

Just shows how some can develop with a bit of maturity.

Given we used picks 6 & 31 for Barry Brooks and 22 for Fergie, I don't think Red Bull at pick 1 stood out particularly from that year.

 

[krusden]

I know what your all goign to say - but Raph Clarke playing in the forward line is highly underated - he hasn't done it for a very long time but he can do it and when he does do it he plays great.

i think raph has been quite good lately

 

[jake17]

not being a st kilda supporter, i really think that schneider is one of the players underrated in the team. He always kicks goals and never gets that much media afftention....agreed?

 

[sauce_head]

Nick Reiwoldt. No MVP?!!? WTF?

 

[dg102]

Can I name an over rated player?...... Na, I dont want to upset HMCaul.

 

[Look2Me4Guidance]

And Jack Stevens.

Mother Guidance does that all the time

Her best work was calling former Adelaide ruckman Rhett Biglands, Rhettlands.

 

[DarkTint]

michael gardiner was a great pickup. top ruckman. great hands and skills for a bloke his size. could be very improtant come gf day. good luck saints