Toast Welcome Ryan Abbott

[StCicatriz]

St Kilda signs delisted Geelong ruckman Ryan Abbott as a delisted free agent

Active Saints hand AFL lifeline to delisted ruckman

www.foxsports.com.au

Delisted Geelong ruckman Ryan Abbott has received an AFL lifeline from St Kilda.
Foxsports.com.au can reveal the 28-year-old met with senior coach Brett Ratten earlier this week after meeting with list manager James Gallagher last week, before the Saints signed him as a delisted free agent on Friday afternoon.

St Kilda acquired All-Australian ruckman Paddy Ryder from Port Adelaide during the trade period and are set to pair the veteran with rising star Rowan Marshall, who finished second in this year’s Trevor Barker Award.

But after cutting former first-round pick Billy Longer and Lewis Pierce at the end of August, the Saints have turned to Abbott to improve their ruck depth ahead of 2020, with basketball convert Sam Alabakis the only other ruckman at Moorabbin.

St Kilda pro scout Stephen Lennie monitored Abbott’s progress throughout the year where he starred in the VFL but could only add one senior game to the four he played in 2018, despite Geelong’s unstable ruck situation.

Geelong had committed to putting Abbott on their rookie list if he didn’t find a home before the National Draft.

The 200cm, 100kg ruckman will start training at RSEA Park on Monday.

 

[Ratcat]

Should've been given more opportunity, he can play.

 

[Joffaboy]

Like the small slap to Geelong here. Don't think there will be any goodwill trading after they smart arsed us over Steven.

We take their ruck backup with no bye your leave and now their rucks are skinny as AF.

Good work Gallgher

 

[Sir Skid]

Like the small slap to Geelong here. Don't think there will be any goodwill trading after they smart arsed us over Steven.

We take their ruck backup with no bye your leave and now their rucks are skinny as AF.

Good work Gallgher

Good work Saints.
Love it after the slimy act they pulled.

There goes Gallagher on his way past the Cattery

 

[StFly]

 

[CursingFijian]

<<The 28-year-old, who played five games across three seasons on the Cats' list, will join on his existing one-year contract with triggers for a second season in 2021.>>

Somebody please tell me that this means Geelong are paying his wage. Then I could tell the wife I don't actually need a Christmas present this year, because Gags already gave me one.

Good pick-up. I think there have been a few who have predicted his signing. Did we intentionally leave it to the last minute and therefore reduce the Cats capacity to pick up another ruck via DFA? He is still on the Cats official team list along with Oscar Brownless, who they both expected to crossover to their rookie list.


Welcome to the Saints Ryan.

 

[mightymalaka]

All we need to do now is secure Costello and then we shall know
As to Who will be on First when it comes to the ladder! Hey....Yeah you know that's gold!







Ok i apologise on behalf of all folk who appreciate good humour!
There are no excuses to justify such disgraceful behaviour!

 

[tomjoad]

It's the least we can do to those scumf*cks after Steven. We needed a ruck, we got one, well done to Gags and the gang. Now back to draft picks and the fantasy of a future brownlow mid who slides to pick 81.

 

[NextYearPlease]

Checked out the Geelong board. Doesn't sound like he will be missed. Oh, well he's ours now. Some have said he will never play in the ones, if that's the case then he has been a perfect insurance policy that we never had to make a claim on and it means that Roma and Ryder have had a good injury free year.

 

[Crusty Undies]

Don't see a difference between him and Pierce if I'm being honest. No wage diff, no skill diff, Pierce younger for what it's worth.

 

[OxSaint]

Don't see a difference between him and Pierce if I'm being honest. No wage diff, no skill diff, Pierce younger for what it's worth.

Pierce might have been a concussion case. Either he decided it’s time or the club didn’t want to risk carrying him for another year if he was a chance of being unavailable for long periods of time

 

[Wintle]

Don't see a difference between him and Pierce if I'm being honest. No wage diff, no skill diff, Pierce younger for what it's worth.

Pierce out injured for most of the season with concussion which must have been significant. Doubts that he would ever play senior football again.

 

[Ratcat]

Checked out the Geelong board. Doesn't sound like he will be missed. Oh, well he's ours now. Some have said he will never play in the ones, if that's the case then he has been a perfect insurance policy that we never had to make a claim on and it means that Roma and Ryder have had a good injury free year.

Like l said, he for some reason was over looked but can play.
Rucks aren't a prioritized item at Geelong.

 

[ScrappyDo]

Don't see a difference between him and Pierce if I'm being honest. No wage diff, no skill diff, Pierce younger for what it's worth.

Pierce been stinkin it up for yonks now. For the sake of a freshening up of the list, what's to lose...

 

[George]

How did we do anything to get a one up on Geelong if Abbott was delisted?

 

[saintkildaman]

How did we do anything to get a one up on Geelong if Abbott was delisted?

Haha was thinking the same, some serious salt getting around.

 

[CarnTheSAINTERS]

Really underrated player. Great pickup.

 

[diddley1984]

How did we do anything to get a one up on Geelong if Abbott was delisted?

The reasoning for the “one up” calls is because Geelong had committed to picking Abbott up in the rookie draft. He still has a year to go on his contract at Geelong.
The other reason is that Geelong have limited opportunities to replace the hole in the ruck department (now that this DFA period has finished) which is already thin.
What people don’t seem to remember is that there is another DFA period coming up after the draft. Not to mention the supplementary selection period. There are lots of ways to get uncontracted players onto a list now.

 

[sammm]

Don't see a difference between him and Pierce if I'm being honest. No wage diff, no skill diff, Pierce younger for what it's worth.

Pierce had concussion and couldn't get on the park at all

 

[sammm]

Pierce might have been a concussion case. Either he decided it’s time or the club didn’t want to risk carrying him for another year if he was a chance of being unavailable for long periods of time

As well he had been on the list for 6 years

 

[Tasmanian saint]

Haha was thinking the same, some serious salt getting around.

Geelong were planning on redrafting him !

 

[George]

The reasoning for the “one up” calls is because Geelong had committed to picking Abbott up in the rookie draft. He still has a year to go on his contract at Geelong.
The other reason is that Geelong have limited opportunities to replace the hole in the ruck department (now that this DFA period has finished) which is already thin.
What people don’t seem to remember is that there is another DFA period coming up after the draft. Not to mention the supplementary selection period. There are lots of ways to get uncontracted players onto a list now.

But Geelong wouldn't have had a problem with another team picking him up knowing it would be a possibility once they delisted him. If they wanted him they could've re-signed him.

 

[gringo2011]

How did we do anything to get a one up on Geelong if Abbott was delisted?

There were suggestions that Brownless and Abbott were delisted with promise of being rookied.

 

[Mick42]

Don't see a difference between him and Pierce if I'm being honest. No wage diff, no skill diff, Pierce younger for what it's worth.

Pierce was horrible

 

[Crusty Undies]

Pierce was horrible

So is Abbott, that's why he couldn't get a game in a team with no real ruckman.