Club Focus St Kilda 2020 - Crouch, Frawley, McKernan, Higgins, Allison, Highmore

[Lore]

AFL website has an article about players who are still out-of-contract as of yesterday. Currently no player threads for any of these in 2019.

Out of contract: Nathan Brown, Doulton Langlands, Billy Longer, Jack Mayo, Jack Newnes, Lewis Pierce, Bailey Rice, Sam Rowe, Brandon White

Captain Jarryn Geary signed a one-year contract extension during the year in typically understated fashion, while Jake Carlisle reached a trigger clause in his contract for 2020. Pre-season recruit Jonathon Marsh is another who quietly re-committed mid-season for another year. Back-up ruckmen Longer and Pierce seem unlikely to be at the Saints next season, with the former likely to retire after taking a break from the game. Pierce is yet to be cleared to train after a significant concussion but may explore his options. Newnes has a contract offer in front of him. Rowe is likely to bow out of the AFL after his 100th career game on Saturday, and Brown, Langlands, Mayo, Rice and White will have to bide their time a bit longer.

Re-sign or let go? Your club's out-of-contract players

R23 not only marks the end of the season for 10 clubs, but it’s also the last chance for many footballers to press their claims for a new contract

www.afl.com.au

 

[Lore]

Pierce, Longer, Rowe delisted

Two rucks among Saints trio cut as change gathers pace

Two ruckmen are among a trio of Saints delisted in the wake of a disappointing season

www.afl.com.au

 

[projectv]

Very few surprises there. Probably a few more they could move on as well.

 

[WWSD]

What is Ben Long’s market value?

 

[Mikevk123]

So who leaves for the saints

 

[goodie23]

What is Ben Long’s market value?

Unlikely to get shopped around, signed a three year contract extension earlier this year and too many other balls in the air

 

[WWSD]

Unlikely to get shopped around, signed a three year contract extension earlier this year and too many other balls in the air

Okay fair enough. Who of the Saints depth/fringe players are looking elsewhere for more opportunities?

 

[g_TRAIN]

Okay fair enough. Who of the Saints depth/fringe players are looking elsewhere for more opportunities?

Brandon White.

No one on the saint's board can understand why he has only played 1 game this year (where he got injured).

His form at VFL level has been excellent, he's a thumping and accurate kick, good mark, very aggressive at the man and ball type defender who averaged mind 20s possessions in the VFL this year.

Theory is his non-selection is not football related so I would assume he would be looking elsewhere. I like him and wish we gave him more opportunity this year, he certainly earned it based on form.

In the few AFL games he's played he's always been good.

 

[diddley1984]

I can see Bailey Rice trying to go somewhere else, but at best landing on a rookie list. Out of contact now.
The other one I see as interesting, is Ed Phillips. He is not knocking the door down just yet, but still developing. 1 year left on contract.

 

[g_TRAIN]

Bailey Rice too but his performance in the VFL has not been as good as White.

 

[goodie23]

Okay fair enough. Who of the Saints depth/fringe players are looking elsewhere for more opportunities?

As noted above, Brandon White may look for opportunities elsewhere. Jack Newnes is a restricted free agent with a two year contract in front of him who may look for more security and/or a fresh start. Doulton Langlands is out of contract, has pace and could appeal to a club.

 

[Atomboy]

Brandon White should definitely get picked up by another club; obviously some dislike by the coaches

 

[joop]

How White only played 1 game this year is baffling, has always played well at AFL level and was constantly in our best for Sandy. Hope someone picks him up.

 

[Tongala]

White plays a role most clubs can fill that hb role. Even the suns have that position filled.

Just on Rowe getting delisted. It must of been the most pricey one game stint ever. Payed the local club out signed him up then delisted him..

Good on the club for shopping players around there is a stack of good Sandy boys they can pick up in the 20 to 50 range

 

[joop]

White plays a role most clubs can fill that hb role. Even the suns have that position filled.

Just on Rowe getting delisted. It must of been the most pricey one game stint ever. Payed the local club out signed him up then delisted him..

Good on the club for shopping players around there is a stack of good Sandy boys they can pick up in the 20 to 50 range

The AFL compensated clubs.

 

[Mikevk123]

Out: Pierce,Longer,Rowe,Mcartin,Roberton,Rice,
Armitage,Bruce,Acres,Carlisle,White.

In:
Ryder,Keath,Hill,Tomlinson,Jones.

 

[DarkSaint]

Out: Pierce,Longer,Rowe,Mcartin,Roberton,Rice,
Armitage,Bruce,Acres,Carlisle,White.

In:
Ryder,Keath,Hill,Tomlinson,Jones.

Not a bad haul If you add one of the Crouch boys!

 

[nahnah]

What’s happening with Nathan Brown?

 

[diddley1984]

What’s happening with Nathan Brown?

Nothing yet.
Can’t imagine anything will happen until trade week.
See how the other cards fall.
If we don’t get another tall backman (Keath, B King ... ), then give him another year.

 

[Obeanie1]

Missed a key word “effective”.

If you’ve watched our games this year, you would see that our weakness is our midfield.

If Collingwoods midfield is their weakness what's their forward line?

 

[Kildonan]

Out: Picks #6, #59, 2020 2nd, 3rd and 4th round picks, Steven, Bruce and Acres
In: Hill, Howard, Ryder, Jones and Butler, pick #51, 2020 round four pick (Sydney), 2020 round four pick (Port Adelaide)

 

[Kildonan]

I agree with most of this post

So my opinion is I'd rate our trade period as such:

PLAYER NOMINATIONS: A+. For what was available and the onfield results I think we did a tremendous job in getting the names we did to nominate us

PLAYER RETENTION: B+. Held onto what we wanted. It sucks we couldn't have stuv retire a one club player. In hindsight we should have traded him last year. Would have been nice to find homes for Newnes and McKenzie. Longer was a disaster.

TRADES: C-. We did well getting the deals across the line for the contracted players but I felt we gave away what we had too cheaply. The only exception to this was the dougal and Ryder trade, which was excellent value. The rest we had to give up more to bring talent in. But when the shoe was on the other foot we let club's dictate to us what the price was for our players. The bruce and acres trades are a good example of this. Especially the bruce trade.

OVERALL LIST IMPROVEMENT: B-. I think the Ins are a big improvement. However we still haven't addressed the engine of the side. The midfield. Hill will help but he's not someone to improve the core of your side. Hes not going to drive real improvement the way a genuine inside mid will. He also doesn't have the length of tenure of someone like Clark, we really have 3-4 years max of footy here. So we will need to see improvement from within. Jones and Dougal are money ball types with high potential. Ryder is short term depth. Butler is depth with the potential to cement a spot. We've bolstered the defence with Howard which given the age of carlisle is a smart move. We've added pace and disposal to the side. Losing bruce hurts. Acres and stuv not so much. We miss a year in the draft. So really we are looking for immediate return on investment in the next 3 years at the expense of the long term. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing given how hard we've hit the draft in the past and our time out of finals. Here's to hoping we get even more aggressive with the engine of our midfield next year.

 

[Kildonan]

What I will add is that this appears to be the most targeted trade attempted by the Saints - at least since 2000 and maybe ever.

We aimed high and made good on all our targets - we were willing to pay market price for the players we went after

Our draft targets may well consist primarily of father/son selections and as such we probably will not have to pay up much for them

 

[Rooboys Rool]

I agree with most of this post

That's a good analysis, but keen to see what other Saints fans think of this year's trade period for them. As an outsider (who admittedly doesn't have a good understanding of the Saints overall list), the short and long term strategy employed by the Saints doesn't seem very clear. Looking at the trades:

Howard was a good get. Perhaps paid a little to much for a player Port told to look elsewhere, but did what needed to be done to get the deal done. But this is offset by the loss of Bruce, who I think was let go too cheaply. Overall, seems a gain for the backline offset by a loss in the forward line, for not much change overall.

Jones was a good get and didn't pay much for him. Somewhat offset by the loss of Stevens and Acres, who both were let go too cheaply, but overall a gain to the Saints there.

Ryder is cooked IMO, but still probably good depth.

Butler is probably a good pick up for a fairly low price, but not automatic best 22.

Hill is a great get and clearly the difference in the trades that will see improvement for the Saints, but the cost was very high.

Overall, it seems that the Saints paid a lot for the ins and didn't get enough for the outs. So, whilst they have definitely improved their list, it has come at a high cost. Their first two picks this year now come at 51 & 82 and next year they have no 2nd or 3rd rounder.

To me this seems more of a strategy that would be employed by a team that finished well in the 8 and were looking to take that next step to challenging for the flag.

But the Saints finished 14th, so the likely improvements are probably only going to have them pushing for the 8. Not clear where that next step will come from when they have no picks to speak of this year to come through in 2-3 years. And have little left next year for either more trades or draft picks.

Anyway, genuinely interested to hear from Saints fans (and others) on whether they think this year's strategy will ultimately lead to them challenging for a flag in the next ~5 years.

 

[Mofra]

Hill is arguably the best wingman in the competition, although his price was huge.

I suspect in coming years Saints fans will be celebrating the Dougal Howard deal hard. He's going to be a long term gun KPD and based on what he should become th saints got him for unders. That could end up being the real story of their trade period.