Team Depth - Best substitutes

[SaintsSeptember]

The Saints have had been very lucky with injury so far this year, to the point where some of us are concerned that our second tier players are not getting a game. But is our depth really good all around.

I am interested in which players would be likely to come in in the case of injury.

My thoughts are:

Tall Forward
Choice 1: Maguire, 2, Lynch 3, Heyne
alternative - Goddard, Gilbert
Left of field - Fisher , Dawson

Ruck - 1: Macca 2 or 3: Kosi or Blake ( depends on match ups ).

Key Backs: 1 Hudgeton
Alternative: Fisher, Goddard

Small Forward
Choice 1:Armitage , 2: Steven, 3 Eddy
Alternative: Gram
Left of field : Ross T

Inside Mid:1 Armitage, 2Eddy
Alternative: Gram

Outside Mid 1 Armitage 2 Eddy 3 Steven
Alternative : Gilbert , Clarke
left of field : Eljay

Defenders : Depending on match ups - Dempster, Fisher , Begley, Miles. Depending whether we want speed or braun. Begley may be the pick of the bunch.
Alternatives : Gwilt

To me the tall defender position is where we have the worst coverage and we are forced to use Sam Fisher regularly in a role which does not maximise his usefulness.
All in all we are not looking too bad though.

 

[HoldenMCaulfield]

This is difficult to predict as we have a number of players that can play different positions (or, in the case of Blake, every position), but I'd see the most likely replacements (using the Brisbane game as the basis) :

Tall Defenders : Hudghton / Maguire / (Dempster)

Small Defenders : Gram / Miles / Eddy / L Fisher / Begley / (Dempster)

Midfield : Gram / Eddy / Armitage / L Fisher / Steven

Tall Forwards : McEvoy / Maguire / Lynch

Small Forwards : Armitage / Steven

Ruck : McEvoy / Stanley

I doubt that anyone else would get a game this year (unless things go horribly wrong). Lynch is probably closest from the group of youngsters, but I would not recommend to be too hopeful this year. Their time will come. For most of them at least - I fear that Connors will not be a senior player next year (but maybe a rookie a la Howard) and Allen may be unlucky if he can't get back from his injury in time. Having watched a few Sandringham games this year, I'm most excited about Stanley (very tall yet very mobile and athletic - our future ruck division after the King / Gardiner era certainly looks bright).

I'd love to see Tungatalum, but I doubt he'll be promoted this year (it will be interesting to see how long Allen and X Clarke will stay on the long term injury list - I suppose that Dempster will come off shortly). If (and I don't see a reason for this at this time) we were to promote another rookie (in addition to Dawson and Miles), I guess it would be Howard.

 

[John Bonney]

While i readily agree with your accurate analysis regarding our players 'in waiting" i think another consideration exists with Armitage.
He was selected in the 2006 All Australian team on a half back flank and was considered by fine judges in the system a match winner playing there.
Since he has been drafted he has been pigeon holed as an inside mid-fielder and forward line player.
Baker IMO is going from bad to worse and must be on very shaky ground,perhaps Armitage could be a substitute for him.

 

[Squizz]

Will be interesting to see how Woody and Seany D come back, as they were certainly on the fringes of the best 22.

Armo is very capable, although I'm not sure where he's at. Has the attributes but not sure whether he's fit enough to play the Saints game-style (but this can change over a summer if he wants it).

Begley is an interesting one - good runner, but not a consistent ball-winner.

Leigh Fisher plays the hard running/tackling game - whilst he's slipped in the pecking order in the right circumstances he can still do a job.

Macca better not stop developing - cause he will be overtaken by Stanley who will keep improving (huge talent). Ooh Aah may make it with his height and ability to run.

Jack has been a bit of a disappointment - still only 19, but would have thought he'd be making more of an impact at VFL level. Maybe they are giving him some different roles to work on his overall game (that I'm not factoring in).

Gaertner looks OK to me as a future tall defender and Miles is doing a pretty good job on the medium forwards (although still learning for mine).

Lynch will be a good player if he can keep the injuries at bay. Not this year though.

We've obviously had a good run with injury which means the depth hasn't been tested. With Goose, Max, Gram and Rob Eddy on the cusp we seem to have some quality coverage.

But if he start having to rely on Macca, Armo and Miles all in the same team I'm not sure whether we can maintain the current high standards.

 

[Squizz]

I fear that Connors will not be a senior player next year (but maybe a rookie a la Howard)

Seems I'm too slow with my write-ups when Holden is sniffing around

Connors is an interesting one - flashes in and you think "wow" but then isn't maintaining the intensity and doesn't break tackles. Could probably cut him some slack and give him another pre-season. But there's alot of competition for spots with the improvement of Rob Eddy, Mini, CJ, and Gears along with the recruitment of Ray and the full return from injury of Ball and Bakes.

Heyne is another one. Seems that sort of finisher you like to have in your team but at this stage doesn't have the workrate of an AFL player. Seems to be in direct competition with Lynch as a 6'2 half-forward (Lynch has a very good engine and will improve quickly once he fills out).

 

[HoldenMCaulfield]

I take that as a compliment, Squizzy...

I would also like to see Connors given another year - after all, many (e.g. L2M4G) see him as a cult hero. He has not had a lot of opportunities to present himself due to his shoulder injury and I think he only played a handful of games for the Casey reserves last year and has recently also been relegated to the Sandringham reserves. Lyon mentioned him a few times (mainly last year though), so I would hope that he (at least) gets another chance on the rookie list next season.

I would definitely see Heyne as one of the youngsters who should make it. He certainly has the talent, but will probably need a kick in the bum at some stage to realise that talent isn't everything if you want to be an AFL player. Some will get the message, others won't. Armitage will feel it first.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Will be interesting to see how Woody and Seany D come back, as they were certainly on the fringes of the best 22.

Armo is very capable, although I'm not sure where he's at. Has the attributes but not sure whether he's fit enough to play the Saints game-style (but this can change over a summer if he wants it).

Begley is an interesting one - good runner, but not a consistent ball-winner.

Leigh Fisher plays the hard running/tackling game - whilst he's slipped in the pecking order in the right circumstances he can still do a job.

Macca better not stop developing - cause he will be overtaken by Stanley who will keep improving (huge talent). Ooh Aah may make it with his height and ability to run.

Jack has been a bit of a disappointment - still only 19, but would have thought he'd be making more of an impact at VFL level. Maybe they are giving him some different roles to work on his overall game (that I'm not factoring in).

Gaertner looks OK to me as a future tall defender and Miles is doing a pretty good job on the medium forwards (although still learning for mine).

Lynch will be a good player if he can keep the injuries at bay. Not this year though.

We've obviously had a good run with injury which means the depth hasn't been tested. With Goose, Max, Gram and Rob Eddy on the cusp we seem to have some quality coverage.

But if he start having to rely on Macca, Armo and Miles all in the same team I'm not sure whether we can maintain the current high standards.

I rate Dempster quite highly but on paper he really dosn't get much more of the ball than Begley did at Brisbane. Has a few seasons experience so I really don't know if we can expect much more ( in terms of improvement ) from him. Probably a bit more physical than Begley, so it's probably horses for courses.
To me Woody has been more about hope than results. Has been OK at VFL but not shown so much at AFL yet. I'm thinking that Lynch may be pushing for first available spot in the forward line by the time Allen gets back, not sure if he could work as a back. I'm also not really rapt in the idea of Macca as a forward.

The one thing I like about Armitage is that he kicks goals. Most of the others on our list seem to make hard work out of it.
Fitness is one reason I wouldn't like him in the back line, and the fact that it will be hard for him to kick goals , we probably have plenty of others who can play in the back. I believe that if he was in the forward line the team would score more. Maybe him and Heyne need to spend some time training with Jonesy next summer.

I don't mind Leigh Fisher, he was not one of the ones I was swearing at during the 2006 and 2007 seasons. But I guess he hasn't the run and carry of someone like Geary. Could probably play a similar role to Dempster , but Dempster is Ross Lyons mate.

Agree we would be a weaker team with Macca , Armitage , and Miles.
Though I would rather play Macca as a second ruck ( with King or Gardi doing as much time on ground as possible ) than ruck with Kosi. In fact I would rather ruck with Blake than with Kosi. Kosi in the ruck stuffs up the forward line.

 

[bubblegoose]

I just gotta say thanks to you blokes who get along to the Sandy games, and are happy to share your thoughts & insights on our blokes playing for the Sandy teams. I cant get along to these games, so without your write ups & 'form guides' these blokes would just be player's names off just over the horizon.

 

[Look2Me4Guidance]

It would have to be a horses for courses approach for mine.

When looking at depth and possible ins/outs I like to look at how the current 22 would stack up against the best team, which is Geelong at the moment.

As I mentioned on another thread I think Dempster would be a great inclusion to play on a Steve Johnson, at this stage at the expense of Raph. However I'd probably prefer Raph this weekend due to him being more creative with the ball. However I would take Gram if he were available.

I noticed someone mentioned before about Sammy Fish having to play a legitimate KP back roll which reduces his effectiveness. That's true on one hand, but the bloke is a bloody good defender.

I'm sure we could argue certain moves until the cows come home which makes this board so great, but I would argue that any VFL player would have to string a minimum of 4 very good games together to usurp anyone in the seniors (injury excused), especially whilst we're winning.

 

[dg102]

Isnt it great that Dempster is back and sooner than expected I would have thought. Just another very good utility adding to our depth. I really rate Dempster, he was playing his best footy ever in 2nd half of last season and I would easily have him in our best 22 if fully fit.
Interesting we have a capable full list back line in reserve with Dempster, Hudgton, Maguire.

 

[Signd Sealed Saint]

It looks good but Dempster's gonna be in consideration for a stopping back. When he and Max comes back it frees up Fisher to play loose man. Look at what he did against Port, one of the best players on the ground that day.