So do we rebuild?

[Cuz2Plugger]

Under the pump next year will be Raph and X ( there comes a time), Maguire, and Begley( If he gets through to next year ).

What exactly do you mean by under the pump? Not get games? Not automatic ins? U sick of X injuries?

Did King resign for 1 year? Or am I hearing things again?

 

[SaintsSeptember]

I think we have the depth already on our list to make next years side better than this years. Unfortunately for Milne, he could have written himself into St Kilda's legend and lore on Saturday but now I just can't see him there next final series. What we do have to do is get significant game time into the younger crop of guys early. Steven, McEvoy, Armitage, and the young fowards all need to play at least 10 H&A games, so there might have to be some kind of rotation policy. McEvoy has to play top 2 ruck, he only played in winning sides this year and is the future. I can see 4 or so different names in our side next finals series.

I wouldn't complain if we used a few second choice players as first choice next year to try to get some gametime into them.
Let Milne and Raph and maybe some others spend some time in the VFL. If replacements don't fire up they can still be called up. If the replacements do a good job, welcome to the world of Shane Birss and Leigh Fisher.

Another issue is Riewoldts knee. It seems to have impact damage, since it is his main landing pad when he dives for a mark. Maybe Nick should have a longer break than some of the others. This would have the added benefit of getting some gametime into young players, and forcing the team to find ways of scoring without him.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

What exactly do you mean by under the pump? Not get games? Not automatic ins? U sick of X injuries?

Did King resign for 1 year? Or am I hearing things again?

I heard that it was a done deal that King would be offered a one year contract ( not yet offered or signed ).
Under the pump I mean.
Raph and Maguire have to be good enough to get selected and play well enough to hold their spot. ( Raph is at a prime age and should now be playing as well as he ever will , he will only get slower from now on ).
Otherwise they are list cloggers.

9, 13, 18, 8 ,0
The number of games X has managed to play over the last few years.
I think he's a great player, but unless he can stay on the ground there is no point. If he played 12 games next year but did two hamstrings in the process, would we risk him in a final?

 

[Squizz]

We have been rebuilding.

Max and Goose haven't been able to break into the team regularly. Bally has been made to work for it. Leigh Fisher hasn't had a look in. X and Woody had untimely injuries.

Ray, Schneider, and Dempster all recruited at 22-23 yo.

Rookie list used properly for a change in addition to NSW scholarships. No idea what Dawson has done wrong aside from one poor game against North and a smothered kick in the GF. That run down to spoil Ablett in the centre of the ground was great play. He's stil only 22 and will keep learning.

Simpkin is a real find, and Gaertner and McGrath could add real value in time.

Lynch had a great debut season. Steven, Armo, Gears, Eddy and Macca were close to a game every week.

Stanley could be anything, and Heyne has enough talent to impact at AFL level. Smith is a crumbing forward and did well in the VFL in his first year. Ross Tunga has kicked goals all year.

Gilbo is only 22, CJ is still improving, Gram is 25 and was one of the best on the ground, Red Bull 24, Dal 25, Mini 23.

Bakes is a footyhead and will go on.

Gardi's didn't play for 2 years, so physically he should be right to extend his career. King has been offered a contract which will give time for Macca and Stan to develop.

We will keep adding to the list, and I hope the Saints are active with getting another 20-23yo who just needs some opportunity and have another good year with the U/18 picks.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Thats why I'd be happier to trade for Everett than for Lovett.
Lovett would be a top up player and would probably retire at the same time or earlir than our current main crop of players.

Replacing Lenny will be the next huge challenge. I hope Armo is up to it.

 

[StFly]

We lose 3 games by a total of 19pts and it's time for a rebuild. Champion.

X-Factor, we need one.

Haha tell me about it, let alone it would have been even less without the goal after the siren to add to the insult, rather amazing how far people overreact to the situation.

 

[St Bongo]

We don't need a rebuild as such, the window is still well and truly open. But as some other posters have pointed out we will need to 'tweak' the list. All teams, even the best incluing Geelong have to use the draft and trades to continually try to improve their lists.
From the team that played the GF the following could be either retired/moved on/traded :

• King - will not improve any more and while both he and Gardiner are playing ones, it's delaying the development of McEvoy, Stanley and McGrath
• Raph - I love the guy but the Rooke run-down just exposed his limitations horribly.
• Blake - Love him too, been a great servant of the club and always does his job but it's just simply time.
• Milne/Schneider - Just can't play both of these guys in the same team. Too often their bad games coincide and when they are bad they are really really bad.
• Dempster - Just doesn't add anything to the team.

Our focus in the trades and draft must be pacy mids who can run and carry thru the lines and most importantly KICK GOALS. Our current mids, though classy and hard at it, don't have that capability. Based on that:

Nathan Brown - NO!
Lovett - Maybe
Peake - Maybe
Davey - Maybe

 

[we57st]

St Bongo- agree mostly with what you said, except that I think Armitage can be that classy goal-kicking midfielder we are looking for.

McEvoy definitely needs to be given games consistently to build confidence and game time and importantly he can push forward to be another marking target.

Our small crumbing forward definitely need rejigging. Milne and Schneider just can't work themselves into a game through persistence if they are having an "off" day. The way they play for free kicks all the time is also not consistent with the team's general ethos and they need to get rid of that mindset quick smart. They have leaders like Riewoldt, Hayes, Ball, Goddard etc showing them that if you put your head over the ball, you will be rewarded, and yet they still insist on begging for frees. That attitude will get you nowhere.

Overall though, I am comfortable that we will continue to be a serious flag threat for a few more years to come.

 

[Half Back Pocket]

Squiz & SS, All year I've been undecided on Bakes value in 2010 and beyond, and all year you guys have been standing by him. Sat we saw his value to the team (even if conditions suited him perfectly), and yes he will still be a valuable member of the team next season.

If we are to continue to improve next season we'll need to start imputting more game time into Macca, Armo, Gears, Jack, Lych and Heyne. This may mean more rotations out of the team, more rest for star players (hopefully not 7 in the one game), and probably less games for a few players.

A 3rd forward option who can demand the ball and/or opposition attention is crucial. All too often the ball went to Rooey with 3 opponents.

How good was Lukey's game? Surely he's shown his worth under extreme finals pressure.

 

[Squizz]

Squiz & SS, All year I've been undecided on Bakes value in 2010 and beyond, and all year you guys have been standing by him. Sat we saw his value to the team (even if conditions suited him perfectly), and yes he will still be a valuable member of the team next season.

If we are to continue to improve next season we'll need to start imputting more game time into Macca, Armo, Gears, Jack, Lych and Heyne. This may mean more rotations out of the team, more rest for star players (hopefully not 7 in the one game), and probably less games for a few players.

A 3rd forward option who can demand the ball and/or opposition attention is crucial. All too often the ball went to Rooey with 3 opponents.

How good was Lukey's game? Surely he's shown his worth under extreme finals pressure.

Bakes will occasionally get done for pace, like Campbell when we played North. But Campbell (that day) kicked one flashy goal and has 6 kicks for the game - yet Bakes was gone according to some?

Need to have a look at the role he plays (shut-down on small forward) and who would replace him. Not sure any of the young guys on the cusp of selection play that role.

In my view Rob Eddy should have been tried there, we did try Gears with limited success. Dempster can play on the taller quick forwards.

Howard has been persisted with for this reason (to be the specialist shut-down player). Obviously it is not working out.

The third tall forward is a real problem. Raph has found the ball in this role, but just isn't a reliable kick in front of the sticks.

We failed to draw players away from Riewoldt - Dempster just didn't hold his opponent's attention for long enough.

Lynch is coming on nicely, but still has a way to go.

Macca can play as a forward, but it means that Kosi would need to float much further upfield (something I have always been comfortable with).

I still firmly believe we have erred in not playing BJ as the third tall. Yes, he's a lovely kick off half back and we can probably free him up more in that role. But imagine a player that could have 6 kicks for 3 goals regularly, or could be isolated one-out in the square as a tactic (or could float up-field to get cheap kicks knowing he can impact with the depth of his kicking).

Would like to see Ball play consistently well at the Dome - was an excellent game though in conditions which suited him (and it's always good when you have players who can adapt quickly to conditions at the 'G).

 

[#32kingcuz]

Hey guys.
My folks (Saints supporters) were telling me yesterday they read in the paper (I'm pretty sure this was just an opinion piece) that St Kilda should be looking for ANOTHER tall forward. I didn't read the article, and that's all I know from it... but what do you guys think?
Are they trying to say Kosi isn't that reliable up forward (marking, goal kicking), so get rid of King or Gardiner, or both, and put Kosi in the ruck with one of your youngins? (McEvoy etc)
If so, what do you think about that? Is a new tall forward the answer?

Personally I thought the game plan on Saturday was that Rooey would be targeted by Geelong, so rely heavily on Kosi and the smalls (Schneider and Milne), although IMO they let you guys down pretty badly. I don't really believe that your list needs to be changed very much, except for maybe Raph Clarke either getting delisted or a big kick up the arse, and trying to develop a few more younger players here and there. But other than that I reckon all is well at the Saints, and that the Cats got very lucky.
All the best for next year guys.
Cheers.

 

[we57st]

We DO NOT need another tall forward.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Hey guys.
My folks (Saints supporters) were telling me yesterday they read in the paper (I'm pretty sure this was just an opinion piece) that St Kilda should be looking for ANOTHER tall forward. I didn't read the article, and that's all I know from it... but what do you guys think?
Are they trying to say Kosi isn't that reliable up forward (marking, goal kicking), so get rid of King or Gardiner, or both, and put Kosi in the ruck with one of your youngins? (McEvoy etc)
If so, what do you think about that? Is a new tall forward the answer?

Personally I thought the game plan on Saturday was that Rooey would be targeted by Geelong, so rely heavily on Kosi and the smalls (Schneider and Milne), although IMO they let you guys down pretty badly. I don't really believe that your list needs to be changed very much, except for maybe Raph Clarke either getting delisted or a big kick up the arse, and trying to develop a few more younger players here and there. But other than that I reckon all is well at the Saints, and that the Cats got very lucky.
All the best for next year guys.
Cheers.

I doubt that Kosi is in anyone's ruck plans apart from the occasional emergency. Want to swap Morton for him?

 

[#32kingcuz]

I doubt that Kosi is in anyone's ruck plans apart from the occasional emergency. Want to swap Morton for him?

Yeah I agree, just trying to figure out what that article could have been getting at. Kosi seems to get in Rooey's way enough as it is, and if they are suggesting to replace a small with another tall.. that would just be dangerous. I like your current set up, it worked well all year.
Haha nup.. Morton was our leading goal kicker this year, we need to keep as many semi-decent players as we can. You can take McMahon off ours hands though if you want, as I've heard many rumours of. I can't understand why St Kilda would want him though? He has to be one of our worst players which is saying something!!

 

[Cuz2Plugger]

One rumour is tht they want him, MacSanchez.

Trade Kosi and you might as well trade the club.

 

[Feerits Elf]

Actually... Reiwoldt and Kosi are a week short of their 27th birthday... NOW. They are effectively 28 next year by the time the season is well and truly underway.

Or alternatively, they're 27 for the entirety of the 2010 season.

Arithmetic. It ain't that hard.

Spelling Riewoldt correctly, on the other hand ...

 

[Troy_Sainter]

Lovett will definitely be a very good fit into our club. Will be great to see him in Saint colours, if he does, i reckon Milney`s the one getting replaced.

 

[Half Back Pocket]

Or alternatively, they're 27 for the entirety of the 2010 season.

Arithmetic. It ain't that hard.

Spelling Riewoldt correctly, on the other hand ...

They are 27 next week....then 28 for the majority of 2010. 1 birthday every 6 months?

 

[paul of tuval]

We DO NOT need another tall forward.

No, just one INSTEAD of Kosi

 

[It Was A Good Day]

**** rebuilding, I aint going back to the bottom.

Ruckmen - McEvoy

Mid - Armitage

KP - Lynch


All these blokes are guns and ready to go - all could have played and mixed it with Geelong on Saturday if were given more games during the year.

A fit X man will also be handy.

 

[utility]

And Raph reminds me of Jason Daniels.

Wow, that's harsh.

Bakes will occasionally get done for pace, like Campbell when we played North. But Campbell (that day) kicked one flashy goal and has 6 kicks for the game - yet Bakes was gone according to some?

Campbell was far from match fit and he's not the sort of player who gets lots of the ball either - in his 47 games he has only had 10+ kicks on four occasions. If I were a Saints supporter I'd be looking for a younger, more talented player rising up the ranks to take his spot in the team.

Not sure why anyone would suggest a rebuild - just need some decent small forwards (who deliver in finals) and a goal-scoring midfielder... maybe Gram should be moved into the midfield full-time? You'd only start rebuilding once Riewoldt retires or is physically shot.

 

[Squizz]

Campbell was far from match fit and he's not the sort of player who gets lots of the ball either - in his 47 games he has only had 10+ kicks on four occasions. If I were a Saints supporter I'd be looking for a younger, more talented player rising up the ranks to take his spot in the team.

He'd had two games with North Ballarat, so the StK game was his seventh in a row. How many _ucking games do you think he needs to get going?

Thankfully you are not a Saints supporter (or a selector).

Geez, why don't the Saints replace guys with younger, more talented players???

I'd be more worried with why Josh Gibson wants out of your club, rather than providing advice to the Saints.

 

[GO EAGLES]

Gees,

All you guys need is Cousins to split the opposition abit.

Send the opposition the wrong way abit.

But because that wont happen you need to find someone like Pendelbury, who can direct from the midfield because you have all thetough stuff covered.

 

[gilbert the best]

Haha tell me about it, let alone it would have been even less without the goal after the siren to add to the insult, rather amazing how far people overreact to the situation.

the saints could easy have won on saturday, why would you want a rebuild. stupid thread in my opinion.

 

[StFly]

Ge frig wha? What is it with people quoting me today with a "you!" as if I think soemthing stupid?

Get out of my head you damn lepprechauns!