Review What We Learnt: Round 7 Edition

[Saint Bostriots]

I was thinking 4 tall forwards was a bit much but you decided to go 5 in the end
Forgot about Nicky for the half forward spot. Buckets can start on the bench and rotate on. Who is another small/half forward we can squeeze in there?

Why not 6.
Hall Plugger Gehrig
Loewe Roo Hamill

 

[BrianSpeaking]

Milera be worth late 4th rounder I would have thought. Not sure there would be ton clubs after him.

Great call, however I would love to package up another pick and get a player at Port Adelaide who is originally from Torquay whose name is not Travis Boak.
Terry is a nice ordinary player, thats about all I reckon, looks better than what he is.

 

[Persevering Saint]

Terrible analogy. Hudghton and Hamill along with Lenny were my favorite players back then and i'm sure a lot of other people had much respect for Hudghton as a defender. He was nothing short of brilliant.

I agree with you - I'm not saying Hudghton was bad!

I'm saying that I often, OFTEN heard people (especially non-Saints supporters) ignoring Maxy's impact on a player when he won, and only mentioning him when he lost on an opponent. It was only late in his career (2005-2008) that people REALLY started to rate him.

Internally, as you say, plenty of people rated him. My point is, I suspect that internally, the boys are pretty excited by Stanley down back. I'm hoping he doesn't get the same unfair treatment that Maxy used to get.

 

[BrianSpeaking]

Back on topic please boys!!! I would be a prick of a mod

 

[BrianSpeaking]

How good is Seb Ross going to be? Gun!!!

 

[Persevering Saint]

But, but, but BS, he might want to go play at Essendon (because THAT'S a safe option these days!)...

 

[stkildathunda]

How good is Seb Ross going to be? Gun!!!

Absolute gun! Seems to have so much time with ball in hand. Really does remind me of Pendlebury/DalSanto

 

[BrianSpeaking]

Don't really want to have an argument over this but seriously BS you need to get over your mate Goddard being released from the club and start supporting the coaching staff in what their trying to achieve, you seem to be carrying a grudge with the coach or recruiting manager,it is old hat and Stanley helps fill a void down back.

This is a forum for healthy debate, which is what I am trying to create. No-one is un-tradeable except for the big number 12 and the champion wearing 7, so what I am suggesting is should we be looking at better options?
Rhys will never have the body mass to play on the big forwards, its just not his game, so if we could turn a pick 47 into a gun on baller who may win a brownlow who wants to come home, would we do it? I would in a heart beat.
If not, lets get creative and turn him into the greatest 202cm winger of all time.

 

[BrianSpeaking]

Absolute gun! Seems to have so much time with ball in hand. Really does remind me of Pendlebury/DalSanto

Another great call, I think he has a basketball background which must help ala Dal and Pendles. I know Howard Cotton rates him massively and he really knows his VFL footy, not bad for a Collingwood supporter. How did a player of his ilk get to mid 20's in an average draft after averaging almost 30 touches a year as a 6ft 2 mid? Mind boggling really, perhaps that was the height of recruiters looking for blokes who could run the 100 in 9.9 secs? He has Greg Williams written all over him.

 

[Persevering Saint]

Rhys will never have the body mass to play on the big forwards, its just not his game...

THIS is the interesting thing with Rhys as a backman. Hands down, I am more than confident in his ability to quell a forward running out for the lead. No worries there. His problem is when he's not running behind a leading player. THEN, he's got problems. I suspect increasingly, coaches will tell his opponent to sit in the goal square and seek to wrestle with him.

As for whether he'll find a way to solve that problem, honestly, I think we have to wait and see. Certainly, it's a big problem. But we have to assume that, when he's got more than 8 games in that role, he might learn ways to overcome that issue. He'll either go to the gym and work out a way to be stronger. Or he'll learn a trick to beat his opponent in that position.

Alternatively, he won't, and he'll fail.

None of us can say that he WILL. But he's showing enough right now to say he's pretty good, has areas to work on, and those areas CAN be worked on.

 

[NarklesHelmet]

THIS is the interesting thing with Rhys as a backman. Hands down, I am more than confident in his ability to quell a forward running out for the lead. No worries there. His problem is when he's not running behind a leading player. THEN, he's got problems. I suspect increasingly, coaches will tell his opponent to sit in the goal square and seek to wrestle with him.

As for whether he'll find a way to solve that problem, honestly, I think we have to wait and see. Certainly, it's a big problem. But we have to assume that, when he's got more than 8 games in that role, he might learn ways to overcome that issue. He'll either go to the gym and work out a way to be stronger. Or he'll learn a trick to beat his opponent in that position.

Alternatively, he won't, and he'll fail.

None of us can say that he WILL. But he's showing enough right now to say he's pretty good, has areas to work on, and those areas CAN be worked on.

Excellent post. It is no given that he will overcome his biggest problem at the moment ie. how he will deal with body-on-body situations one out. He will really have to study Dustin Fletcher's game when it comes to this as - and surely even his detractors on this thread would acknowledge - if he can add an improved one on one game to the fact that he is simply unplayable for a forward when he plays from behind and they are on a lead he is an exciting defensive prospect. With his closing speed and long arms, he will pretty much always get a fist in.

 

[hayes]

Dal to go to someone every week surely. Happy for him to go head to head with pretty much any midfielder and it gives them something to worry about as well.

 

[aussierulesrules]

I haven't read much of this thread, or the latter half of the match thread, but I gather there has been some bagging of Rhys' game last night, which I find very surprising.

Sure, he wasn't as good as he was in the earlier rounds of the season back there, when he seemed to be getting more and more confident and effective by the week, but I put a lot of that down to him being left on Cloke for far too long the week before, where you could just see his confidence draining out of him by the minute as that match went on.

I think last night will have been a stabilising night for him after his confidence took a battering last week and that he'll be back closer to his best again in the next couple of weeks.

They weren't giving Hampson the bronx cheers when he finally took a mark last night because he was giving Rhys the runaround and tearing him a new one, just quietly.

He is learning a brand new role and has done about as well as you would expect someone in a brand new role to be going at this early stage, I would have thought.

 

[Falchoon]

This might get heated, but I would take Roo over Plugger.

*ducks*

Riewoldt's work ethic has got him within cooee of Plugger's natural talent.

Pluggers football skills are miles in front.

 

[blktreacle]

I haven't read much of this thread, or the latter half of the match thread, but I gather there has been some bagging of Rhys' game last night, which I find very surprising.

Sure, he wasn't as good as he was in the earlier rounds of the season back there, when he seemed to be getting more and more confident and effective by the week, but I put a lot of that down to him being left on Cloke for far too long the week before, where you could just see his confidence draining out of him by the minute as that match went on.

I think last night will have been a stabilising night for him after his confidence took a battering last week and that he'll be back closer to his best again in the next couple of weeks.

They weren't giving Hampson the bronx cheers when he finally took a mark last night because he was giving Rhys the runaround and tearing him a new one, just quietly.

this might have been partly to blame on the injury to gilbert

 

[stkildathunda]

Another great call, I think he has a basketball background which must help ala Dal and Pendles. I know Howard Cotton rates him massively and he really knows his VFL footy, not bad for a Collingwood supporter. How did a player of his ilk get to mid 20's in an average draft after averaging almost 30 touches a year as a 6ft 2 mid? Mind boggling really, perhaps that was the height of recruiters looking for blokes who could run the 100 in 9.9 secs? He has Greg Williams written all over him.

Reckon your spot on about sprint times, so many players get overlooked cos they can't sprint fast enough. Ridiculous, stupid sports scientists. We need go back to recruiting players on football skills.

It's the same as Nathan Wright, how hell did he slip to pick 24. He's natural footballer and oozes talent & pace.

 

[BrianSpeaking]

Michael Barlow was left on the shelf because he was deemed not quick enough, what a joke, one who would have been awesome for us and was under our nose.

 

[MightySaint]

Riewoldt's work ethic has got him within cooee of Plugger's natural talent.

Pluggers football skills are miles in front.

He had everything as a forward. Huge body, quick for his size, held his marks, stupid good set shot at goal. I don't think he'd dominate as much in today's game as he would have to play away from goals but I have no doubt even in today's football he would be the best forward in the comp.

 

[aussierulesrules]

this might have been partly to blame on the injury to gilbert

I don't think the injury to Gilbo prevented us from moving Chips onto Cloke, which is what I would have done from about the time Rhys missed that short pass (probably the only one he'd missed up to that point all year) and then stuffed up that handball across the goals when he could have just handballed it through for a point, a few minutes later. It was very clear to me that he was rattled by that point and it just got worse from there. I didn't see the value in keeping him there after that, because his confidence just took a battering, not to mention that Cloke got on top and took the game away from us.

 

[Sunshine Saint]

This might get heated, but I would take Roo over Plugger.

*ducks*

Roo is sensational, but you can't compare him, or any other St Kilda forward, to Plugger. He was in a class of his own. He was not just imposing, but a threatening, hulking presence. Imagine how many goals he would kick have kicked, had he played under the current rules, on holding and chopping of arms.

He was double and triple teamed every week. Sensational pack mark, super strong lead and prodigious kick. Unlikely his goal kicking record will ever be broken.

 

[God Save Max King]

I'm watching the replay right now, it's amazing that we won despite getting smashed in the midfield.

Nick Riewoldt is still a beast, what a 1st half he had!
"Big Boy" McEvoy is an outstanding contested mark. He saved the Sainters a lot of times. Also had a HUGE 8 tackles!
Saad's defensive pressure is quite important for the Saints IMO.

 

[stkildathunda]

If we are talking about their careers at Saints only then Riewoldt. But overall Plugger is best forward game has seen.

 

[jbazzle]

In relation to Stanley, would it be possible to have him as a CHB, playing on some of the more agile forward (Buddy etc), once we get our hands on a decent KPD (Brown?)?

 

[Sheeza69]

I love Nick Riewoldt and hate Tony Lockett, but as good as Nick is Plugger was on another level in my opinion. Freaking plugger....nothing wrong with being in the top 5 saints of all time though. How is this for a forward line:

Who Cares Plugger Milney
Who Cares Doc Roo

First saw Plugger in an intra-club game at Moorabbin, you just knew he wasgoing to be special..!
How could you hate Plugger, he still loves the Saints.. Was a good move for both Plugger & the club IMO..
His trade took us to the 97 GF, which we should have won of course..!

 

[aussierulesrules]

In relation to Stanley, would it be possible to have him as a CHB, playing on some of the more agile forward (Buddy etc), once we get our hands on a decent KPD (Brown?)?

I would have thought so. Rhys smashed Jeremy Cameron a few weeks ago (who then came out and kicked 6 a couple of weeks later) and Sam Reid hardly got a touch on him in the NAB Cup game (which may have been Rhys' first ever game in defence). He seems ideally suited to the likes of them.