The New Boys

[m.diddy]

Fiora
Ackland
McGough
Gwilt
McQualter

I think we can be proud of Beveridge once again for this blokes, they played awesome

what did you guys think>?

 

[Rough_Edges]

Fiora - Was absoloutley greaT
Ackland - Beat Spider in the ruck and had 6 or 7 kicks
McGough - Played pretty well
Gwilt - Gave us great run
McQualter - Showed signs.

So yeah, he has done well.

 

[Munga]

Fiora - GUN
Ackland - OK
McGough - Disposal let him down bigtime
Gwilt - GUN
McQualter - Solid in the backline, future midfielder, will be a GUN

 

[Kildonan]

From my thread Rd 1 Wizzard Cup v Hawthorn:

Newbies in the Saints team:

[b]Player         K  H  D M H  T FF FA  G B [/b] 
A.Fiora       15  3 17 6 0  0 0   0  1 3  
M.McGough      7 10 17 2 0  0 0   1  1 1  
J.Gwilt        8  6 14 4 0  1 0   0  0 1  
C.Ackland      7  3 10 1 16 0 1   0  0 0  
A.McQualter    3  5  7 1 0  1 1   1  0 0

Fiora did well - with a bit of luck he might have kicked three nine-pointers
McGough did well in patches
Gwilt showed enough to show he has what it takes to make it
Ackland showed enough to allay any residual fears - he can play
McQualter got a few touches and will be better for the outing

 

[SaintsSupporter]

Fiora - Did excellently, if he plays like this he'll be more than a replacement for Black.
Ackland - Beat Spider in the ruck, had 10 possies - way more than Knobel could ever do.
McGough - Did well, only had a few messups though. 17 possies is more than decent.
Gwilt - Great start, look for big things from this kid. 14 possies on debut is great.
McQualter - Definitely showed signs of talent, and hardness at the ball.

 

[Snickers]

Fiora - Did excellently, if he plays like this he'll be more than a replacement for Black.
Ackland - Beat Spider in the ruck, had 10 possies - way more than Knobel could ever do.
McGough - Did well, only had a few messups though. 17 possies is more than decent.
Gwilt - Great start, look for big things from this kid. 14 possies on debut is great.
McQualter - Definitely showed signs of talent, and hardness at the ball.

Beautifully said.

Fiora, Ackland, Gwilt, McGough and McQualter did a magnificant job.

 

[taraba]

I shall issue a word of caution about Aaron "footsteps" Fiora. When the real action starts you will see him go back into his shell and play like a rabbit frozen in headlights.

Just wait for him to make a few mistakes and drop his bundle. Wait till his opponent kicks a bag on him in an important game. It will all come crashing down around the lad yet again. It's all just a matter of time.

 

[bozza1980]

Taraba, you have seen a lot more of Fiora than I have, so I won't take you're opinion lightly.

That said though, going on the performances I have seen, last year when he played well against us and in the two practice matches so far (intra-club & wiz cup v Hawks) he has been impressive.

I have many Richmond supporter mates who are worried that he might blossom at the Saints like he was unable to at Richmond, at the minute I think they may be proven right.

Like I said it is only early days, s*#t it's only February, we will have to sit back and watch with interest to see how he goes, but I do like what I have seen.

 

[taraba]

Hey Bozza, yes after all I said about Aaron I admit I am slightly concerned we might have made a mistake letting the kid go. For all of his mistakes he did have a huge upside and he was being coached by Spud.

If you read some of my other posts on him you'd know I used to be a bit of a fan but just lost patience with the guy. To see him flourish with the Saints after all the time I had for him would be frustrating. Yet good luck to you guys. Maybe Grant Thomas is just the sort of coach he needs to restore his lost confidence. Time will tell I guess.

 

[Jabso]

My thoughts on McGough:

McGough's ball getting ability is unbelievably good. His kicking is shocking and his hands are only good in close, i.e. he can't give a long searching handball to someone on the run but he can grab the ball from the bottom of the pack, stand up in a tackle and fire off a pass in the traffic to a teammate. Finds space but is slow. You will watch him as his opponents run away from him and give him space as he is not quick enough or good enough by foot to hurt the opposition. He can only play in the midfield. Nowhere else.
With McGough he has great strengths to his game, but also great weaknesses. He is a matchwinner at his best.
McGough and Sam Mitchell are similar players.
IMO he is a better 'extractor' and a better ball getter than Mitchell, but Mitchell is far better in almost every other category so that makes him a better player. McGough is more likely to win the game for you, but he is also more likely to have a dead set shocker (which is usually for McGough about 13 disposals which may seem handy, but not when 14 of them are clangers ).

With a great midfield like the Saints he will struggle to find a spot. However with an injury or two or the retirement of Harvey you could find him a role in the centre. McGough may find a niche in becoming the 'extractor' to the likes of Dal Santo, Ball etc. However would you pick McGough, an inside player, over midfielders who are adept at both the inside game and the outside game (i.e. can get it in a pack and also execute the delivery).

 

[m.diddy]

I thiink the addition of two completely different midfielders in, McGough and Fiora it will compliment eachother, one that dishes out and gets in there for the hard ball gets but poor disposal and the other who is the receiver who has awesome skill and is quick

 

[Blues_Man]

Fiora might turn out to be another matty lappin and revel in new surroundings.
Mcgough seems to know how to get the ball but his disposal is terrible .
the mcqualter kid looks very promising .and looks like he could be anything

 

[Snickers]

Fiora might turn out to be another matty lappin and revel in new surroundings.Mcgough seems to know how to get the ball but his disposal is terrible .
the mcqualter kid looks very promising .and looks like he could be anything

Well said!

 

[harvs]

Fiora
Ackland
McGough
Gwilt
McQualter

I think we can be proud of Beveridge once again for this blokes, they played awesome

what did you guys think>?

well said milnedog

 

[sainter]

For all the negative press that McGough gets for his poor disposal and lack of pace I am astounded that not one of the other 14 clubs were prepared to give him a chance.

Last week he spent the whole of the first quarter on the bench and suddenly at half time he has 12 possessions. He's not the most naturally talented footballer but anyone that can win the ball as much as he can in heavy traffic is worth the risk.

 

[Skooks]

so hoo will ruck for u guys in 2005 then..??

 

[harvs]

so hoo will ruck for u guys in 2005 then..??

Ackland, he has done alright in the two practice games

 

[Stafford678]

fiora should be an absloute champion for you guys , he seemed to cop a bit of unfair critiscim from us tigers supporters.

i am still pist we took him over leigh brown , hes a local boy from my town woulda loved him in the team i go for and the fact he is a big KPP we need down back and same goes for Pav but i reckon pav would have ended up going fomr after the 2 years or whatever.

But back to the point, fiora will make the odd mistake every game but he will be very good for you fellas running off the wing or the back flank.

Just 1 more quick q, hows matty ferg going, he seems to struggle to get a game in the ones and when he does he dont stay there too long, too many good younger kids ahead of him? maybe he should look to be traded becuase he can bloody well play!!

 

[Munga]

Thanks for the compliment. Not sure what's the go with Fergy, he not on the injury list, and not playing in the praccie match???

 

[m.diddy]

ferg is probably just really unlucky. I would say he would be most suited to backpocket/half back flank (or so the coach probably wants him) but there are a few ahead of him such as hudghton, baker, voss, jones, fiora, gram, fisher, peckett etc but when peckett retires he may get a chance then