Opinion Re-drafting Ahmed Saad

[Grav]

Would love to see him back in the Red, Black & White. Think he might just have a point to prove & could just be that X factor we need in going forward. A proven small forward who can show the young guns how to play that position.

 

[FlyingSledghamer]

Didnt he kick 40+ goals in his first season for us.
You could argue that hed be leading our goal kicking this year and we just kicked 3 goals for a whole game yesterday.
Also Cooksen made a good point about being a positive story.
Im excited to see what him an a fit templeton can do in the forward line.

 

[Rors]

Didnt he kick 40+ goals in his first season for us.
You could argue that hed be leading our goal kicking this year and we just kicked 3 goals for a whole game yesterday.
Also Cooksen made a good point about being a positive story.
Im excited to see what him an a fit templeton can do in the forward line.

28.15 from 16 games in his 1st year. 17.11 from 13 games last year

 

[Plugger35]

Sounds like some other clubs are interested in him, hopefully we get first dibs on him as we could really do with a quality small forward.

 

[Axcellence]

Didnt he kick 40+ goals in his first season for us.
You could argue that hed be leading our goal kicking this year and we just kicked 3 goals for a whole game yesterday.
Also Cooksen made a good point about being a positive story.
Im excited to see what him an a fit templeton can do in the forward line.

28.15 from 16 games in his 1st year. 17.11 from 13 games last year

Caught by the fact checker.

 

[FlyingSledghamer]

Caught by the fact checker.

Nothing gets past Svetlana factobot 3000

 

[Manimal_Dunstan]

I think it's likely.

“We think that Ahmed potentially has a bit to offer,” Richardson said on Thursday.

“He played some good footy for us – albeit a while ago now – but he has the attributes if he can get back in shape.

“It’s a bit of a challenge for him given that he’s been away from an AFL environment.

“It’s a tricky situation because he won’t be able to work with us physically in our program until after the draft so that’s going to be a bit of a challenge.

“He’ll have to make sure he works really hard on his own to get himself to the standard required for AFL footy, but that will be up to Ahmed.”

Richardson confirmed the Saints have been in contact with Saad during his time away from the game.

“There’s been a little bit of dialogue. We have to be a little bit mindful we’re not allowed to work with Ahmed at all,” he said.

“The conversations have more been from a welfare perspective to see how he’s tracking and support him in that area, but there’s no doubt he’ll certainly be in the mix.

“We can give him guidance, but we certainly can’t work with him until his ban is up."

http://www.saints.com.au/news/2014-07-17/saad-still-on-the-radar

 

[Persevering Saint]

I think it's likely.

“We think that Ahmed potentially has a bit to offer,” Richardson said on Thursday.

“He played some good footy for us – albeit a while ago now – but he has the attributes if he can get back in shape.

“It’s a bit of a challenge for him given that he’s been away from an AFL environment.

“It’s a tricky situation because he won’t be able to work with us physically in our program until after the draft so that’s going to be a bit of a challenge.

“He’ll have to make sure he works really hard on his own to get himself to the standard required for AFL footy, but that will be up to Ahmed.”

Richardson confirmed the Saints have been in contact with Saad during his time away from the game.

“There’s been a little bit of dialogue. We have to be a little bit mindful we’re not allowed to work with Ahmed at all,” he said.

“The conversations have more been from a welfare perspective to see how he’s tracking and support him in that area, but there’s no doubt he’ll certainly be in the mix.

“We can give him guidance, but we certainly can’t work with him until his ban is up."

http://www.saints.com.au/news/2014-07-17/saad-still-on-the-radar

On one hand, that was in response to a direct question from a journalist, so what else was Richo meant to say, "Nup, not interested..." ?

BUT, on the other hand, nobody forced the club to put it on their website, with a nice shiny title. There were any number of things in that interview they could have highlighted, but they chose to focus on that.

So, I'm not saying they're going to take him... but they're going to take him...

 

[Manimal_Dunstan]

On one hand, that was in response to a direct question from a journalist, so what else was Richo meant to say, "Nup, not interested..." ?

BUT, on the other hand, nobody forced the club to put it on their website, with a nice shiny title. There were any number of things in that interview they could have highlighted, but they chose to focus on that.

So, I'm not saying they're going to take him... but they're going to take him...

I don't think we are going to re-draft just based on that article, i think a few things point the way of it but we'll see or hear more soon i guess.

 

[Persevering Saint]

I don't think we are going to re-draft just based on that article, i think a few things point the way of it but we'll see or hear more soon i guess.

If you read this entire thread, you'll see I've been seeing lots of breadcrumbs leading to us redrafting him, from the second we delisted him in the first place.

 

[lewdogs]

Was there a suggestion that he's not entirely fit there?

Personally I would love to get him back and would be spewing if another club picked him up. Which in all honesty must be a potential considering he's a proven goal-kicker.

 

[Nutsngum]

Was there a suggestion that he's not entirely fit there?

Personally I would love to get him back and would be spewing if another club picked him up. Which in all honesty must be a potential considering he's a proven goal-kicker.

I have no doubt that Saad would still be really damn fit, but whether he is fit enough to go right back into AFL is another matter. I dunno if the club has tested him yet as I think they had to get ASADA permission first but they could have said.. alright you are 90% there. You still have months to go to the draft etc... so get cracking!

 

[Persevering Saint]

Was there a suggestion that he's not entirely fit there?

Personally I would love to get him back and would be spewing if another club picked him up. Which in all honesty must be a potential considering he's a proven goal-kicker.

I've heard whisperings of an, uh, "understanding" among the other clubs, who feel that the whole thing was a complete and utter farce, that they will let us take Saad back without any real competition. Yes, they're our competitors, so take that with a grain of salt - but I think they feel a collective stand against the kind of crap Ahmed had to put up with is ultimately more in their interest.

 

[StFly]

Clubs will only shaft other clubs in specific scenarios;

Direct trading - overs or nothing unless you already have a rapport in which case evens
Draft -ala West Coast the superdraft
If the player is also in it - ala Bucks, Ball and any other player that has shafted one or more clubs to go another

There may be interest in Saad from other clubs, however in the case where we move to draft him in the rookie draft, and Saad has agreed in a gentlemans agreement, no club will then draft him prior.

 

[VDS66]

If we are interested - and I hope we are - but other clubs are buzzing, then I would hope that he keeps the club informed of the interest.

I think we could really do with him. Billings aside, no one lse has really stepped up in that role this year.

Yeah yeah... Eli... etc etc... But I'd rather groom him as a midfielder with that talent. And what if eli gets injured? Oh yeah, he did... and we had no one else.

 

[Defacto]

I've heard whisperings of an, uh, "understanding" among the other clubs, who feel that the whole thing was a complete and utter farce, that they will let us take Saad back without any real competition. Yes, they're our competitors, so take that with a grain of salt - but I think they feel a collective stand against the kind of crap Ahmed had to put up with is ultimately more in their interest.

please tell me its the rookie list

i will lose my shit if its the senior list

 

[Jack Stevens]

Re: Saad's fitness, that article in the Hun on the weekend said this:

AFL multicultural manager Ali Fahour is in Saad’s camp, his Blue Rock management team is fighting hard to get Saad a second AFL lifeline and former Collingwood player Adam Iacobucci appointed himself Saad’s fitness coach.

Iacobucci, who captained Saad in the VFL, gives the 24-year-old five high-intensity sessions each week and said he already boasted an impressive fitness base.

The personal trainer and founder of Unified Fitness Systems is mapping out a plan to get Saad to elite levels by later his year.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/a...eraldSunTopStories+(Herald+Sun+|+Top+Stories)

 

[Baldur]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/a...rward-ahmed-saad/story-fni5f6kv-1227024786887

"The Bombers are exploring all options to reduce the impact of the bans, including the surprise Saad move.

The Herald Sun can reveal five clubs — including Collingwood — have shown interest in Saad, whose 18-month ASADA ban for failing a drug test expires on February 19."

Is Hun, so is dodgy. Happy for Saad that there appears to be interest. But unhappy that the cheats are sniffing around.

 

[Manimal_Dunstan]

As i've said in a couple of threads now, he should take any 2nd chance he can get but if St Kilda want him back i think he'll find his way back here.

GC, Carlscum, Collingscum, Essendope and St Kilda are the supposed 5 clubs. So it'll be interesting to see what happens with him.

 

[Jack Stevens]

As much as I'd love Saad back at St Kilda, it would absolutely hilarious if Essendon picked him up.

 

[Hayes4PM]

Personally I think bring Saad back and get him and Minchington to work together in regards to that small forward role. Templeton could as well but he's more a wing/midfield project than these 2. I think Saad and Minchi both offer more as small forwards than Milera and TDL. Admittedly we've tried Milera as a wing/half forward/midfielder as opposed to these two but I still think for list balance bringing back Saad and upgrading Minchi is a better option than having Milera and TDL on our list.

 

[Manimal_Dunstan]

Regarding Essendopes "interest"


3AW Football ‏@3AWisfootball 18s
Lloyd has spoken to Essendon officials re: Ahmed Saad: 'There's no truth at all and the officials were very disappointed with the story'

 

[SaintLex]

Yeah, i'm sure they were 'very disappointed'. Picking up Saad would probably unfairly link them with illegal supplement use and that would be a shame for an innocent club, like Essendon

 

[Mindtraveller]

Essendon can't/shouldn't recruit Saad. Would just cause another shit storm.

And then there's the on going questions
"Ahmed, and you been giving advice to the players currently serving suspension on how to cope?"

I think if both were available Salad or Minch.

I think Saad has the greater scope.

 

[BawwseTV]

Capable of a 40 goal season and still only 25 next year. No harm in re-drafting him as a rookie at least.