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saynta wrote: ↑Fri 10 Sep 2021 7:43pm
Alabakis and Cox are/were on a par if Alabakis had the same opportunities standing in front of 1st grade footballers.
But both turned out duds and have been or soon will, be delisted by their respective clubs.
I can’t recall Alabakis dominating a Preliminary Final. By all reports he couldn’t get a kick in the VFL.
I think Cox would make a good cheap backup.
Agree
IMO the comparison is laughable
One has played 56 games and got about 60 goals… has a highlight reel albeit a not so impressive one. Known to be a decent contested mark.
The other hasn’t taken a contested mark in the VFL reserves, never looked like debuting and was out behind Hunter by a long long way
I’m not opposed to taking a punt on an athletic tall, preferably one that has just come out of the U18 comp or is plying his trade in the SANFL which seems to be a good comp to source late maturing talent.
Question - was Alabakis an athletic tall ?. I’ve never seen him so curious to know if he was considered a good athlete . I seem to recall he came last in the time trials ?. If so, apart from being very tall, why did they take a punt on him ?
Life is never more fun than when you're the underdog competing against the giants.
Clav gone: sad but good decision. (Alabakis, just an easy decision.)
Clav had plenty of time and opportunities to show if he was up to it. Plenty of good will and support. Just not up to finals standard. Was well paid for his efforts.
Another sign our guys in charge are now hard nosed.
Its not how Clav might compare with others on the list one on one or if he is useful "depth"; he was not strong enough in the contest, not clever enough, not nimble enough, not versatile, not improving quick enough, so what's left. Good footballer but not good enough.
Opens up an opportunity to recruit someone who is. As mentioned, I like this new no nonsense approach after all the nonsense of the last decade.
Yorkeys wrote: ↑Sat 11 Sep 2021 3:04pm
Clav gone: sad but good decision. (Alabakis, just an easy decision.)
Clav had plenty of time and opportunities to show if he was up to it. Plenty of good will and support. Just not up to finals standard. Was well paid for his efforts.
Another sign our guys in charge are now hard nosed.
Its not how Clav might compare with others on the list one on one or if he is useful "depth"; he was not strong enough in the contest, not clever enough, not nimble enough, not versatile, not improving quick enough, so what's left. Good footballer but not good enough.
Opens up an opportunity to recruit someone who is. As mentioned, I like this new no nonsense approach after all the nonsense of the last decade.
let's hope then they got rid of their remaining nonsense last off season, i mean, Frawley, McKernan, Hunter, knocking off at midday, strange fitness campaign, getting excited about Hanners winning a time trial, which was the only thing
he did until August to name a few.
The Saints are under review, will it make any difference to the underachievers ?
Maybe we should look at Lewis Young of the Bulldogs he still doesn't have a contract he is 22 years old played 24 games is a KPB 201cm and 100kg
He is a forward who got transferred to defence and bulldogs played him last week in the ruck.
Also Hayden Mclean from swans is 197cm is KPP or ruck and 22 years old.
Saints58 wrote: ↑Sat 11 Sep 2021 5:45pm
Maybe we should look at Lewis Young of the Bulldogs he still doesn't have a contract he is 22 years old played 24 games is a KPB 201cm and 100kg
He is a forward who got transferred to defence and bulldogs played him last week in the ruck.
Also Hayden Mclean from swans is 197cm is KPP or ruck and 22 years old.
I think once the Saints have had a good look at Lewis Young they will offer Hunter another year.
It's a wait and see with McLean, Horse likes him so if they have any coin left after mortgaging the SCG to keep Parker they might re-sign him.
Or someone else will, probably.
The Saints are under review, will it make any difference to the underachievers ?
I thought Clavarino really looked like he had the makings.
I think he only needed experience and confidence -- more games and I felt sure he would emerge.
I'm very sad about that one.
Was a bit sad about losing Austin the year before too.
Now our succession order of promising tall defenders has stopped dead. Howard and .........
I didn’t think Clav was going to make it - just seemed to lack some presence on the AFL field ( didn’t see much of him at vfl level and all on the TV)
Having said that I’m surprised to see him go -
With the departure of Carlisle and Frawley ( who did nothing but were ‘on paper’ this year) we are seriously undermanned for kpd’s. - Howard & ??
As I posted at mid season draft if Clav was on the probable chopping block why didn’t they roll the dice on a minimum contract for someone like Schlensog ?
You would hope they have a plan and I can only assume they don’t think Clav is good enough to even be a back up - he would have needed a huge preseason improvement you would think to be an asset to the list but he definitely needs to be replaced by someone of trade age not an 18 year old at the draft unless they are somehow ready to step up and perform at a top level at afl level
Steven May is 193cm at best and he is a very good Key Defender so i'm no longer sure what the best height for a KPD is.
Just to add more confusion Dane Rampe is a Key Defender for the Swans, he is only 189cm, he teamed with McCartin for the
majority of the year before the Swans added Melican to their defence. Melican is 193cm.
The Saints are under review, will it make any difference to the underachievers ?
Such a shame, I already know there will be a thread next season bemoaning our lack of size in key defenders, leading to why we cannot develop young defenders.
All the best Clav & thanks for working through some fairly cruel injuries & two bizarre pandemic years.
I remember a few years ago several posters on here saying a ruck was the worst they'd ever seen....best on ground four times for his two clubs since leaving us....
