Scorps VS Tassie Sat 11th Hobart 2 pm

[Dan Warna]

i remember thinking how good is he gonna be sooner rather than later ><

then again i dont think with the exception of the 20/20 hindsighters we though t it was gonna be a 3 or 4 year wait ><

[Spinner]

I watched 2 of his 4/5 games with the scorps.....and my thoughts of him were that he was very similar (but taller) to Jeff White......a bit lean, but he had a huge leap, and was very mobile, with clean skills.....and yes he was doing very well - remember he was only 19yo when he injured his knee - and was not ready for senior footy in his first 5 games......

he has lost some mobility, and his leap is not as huge, but still good....he can stget up occasionally in the centre bounce, and given the righ run, can take a hanger.....

lacks body strength in a one on one, and struggle at boundry throw ins, without a run up....

Yeh, Sounds good....

Body strength seems to be every yound runckmans issue....I guess its the norm. Big bodys take longer to build up.....


I really think people underestimate the effects of a season ending knee injury. Especially for a ruckman. On paper its a one year injury but in reality its almost two years.

It would take at least a year to develop the fitness, strength and confidence to pick up where they left off.

So. In retrospect. Brooks is only a 21yo ruckman, playing reserves like he should be....and making great inroads into developing into a superior ruckman/utility.

[maverick]

Marto, in your opinion, can he still make it or is he gone?
I mean Rix didn't play his first game of AFL until he was 25....

[plugger66]

Funny I have seen 6 scorps games this year and Brooks would have rucked in total 30%. I must have just missed the games he rucked to get the total to 60%. By the way why did Lyon basically say he was a forward when talking about the players he could replace.

[saintsRrising]

The thing I can't understand was that Brooks came in against the Lions....played brilliantly......admittedly against weak opposition...but starred none the less.

Then the week later we don't pick him against the Dees in the Finals....just when you think he would have had some confidence....and when we were week in the ruck.

Conversely I think Brooks...who perhaps is a bit fragile may have been affected by this.....

I think his non-selection was poor.......and in particular in perhaps getting Brooks to take the next step.

[st.mart]

IMO he has already been delisted......M.Clarke, was back from injury and straight in, of Baz who was playing better....so obviously Baz has no future...as I said, disappointing.....the games where he did not ruck much....Mathhew Clarke and Michael Rix played in....barring those three, he has been the #1 ruckman

He may have a years at Tassie....star....and get picked up at 25, ala Rix...


BTW - I have heard that six players are as good as gone at St.K and are only playing the year out in the magoos

[maverick]

IMO he has already been delisted......M.Clarke, was back from injury and straight in, of Baz who was playing better....so obviously Baz has no future...as I said, disappointing.....the games where he did not ruck much....Mathhew Clarke and Michael Rix played in....barring those three, he has been the #1 ruckman

He may have a years at Tassie....star....and get picked up at 25, ala Rix...


BTW - I have heard that six players are as good as gone at St.K and are only playing the year out in the magoos

Sad if true.
I will have a stab at the 6:

Sweeney
Raymond
Brooks
Thompson
McQualter
Voss or Ferguson

[plugger66]

IMO he has already been delisted......M.Clarke, was back from injury and straight in, of Baz who was playing better....so obviously Baz has no future...as I said, disappointing.....the games where he did not ruck much....Mathhew Clarke and Michael Rix played in....barring those three, he has been the #1 ruckman

He may have a years at Tassie....star....and get picked up at 25, ala Rix...


BTW - I have heard that six players are as good as gone at St.K and are only playing the year out in the magoos

That is not true. # of the games I saw VR was the number one ruckman and he is in his first year. Brooks played and did some rucking. I am not having a go at you but have you seen all the Scorps games this year?

[Shaggy]

IMO he has already been delisted......M.Clarke, was back from injury and straight in, of Baz who was playing better....so obviously Baz has no future...as I said, disappointing.....the games where he did not ruck much....Mathhew Clarke and Michael Rix played in....barring those three, he has been the #1 ruckman

He may have a years at Tassie....star....and get picked up at 25, ala Rix...


BTW - I have heard that six players are as good as gone at St.K and are only playing the year out in the magoos

That is not true. # of the games I saw VR was the number one ruckman and he is in his first year. Brooks played and did some rucking. I am not having a go at you but have you seen all the Scorps games this year?

Brooksy has only kicked 9 goals this year ... not much more for a KPP forward. Why has been named in the best 6 of the past 9 matches?

Its a disgrace that RL thinks of Brooksy only as a KPP forward. The games Brooksy plays as a true forward he is never in the best except that one game in 2005.

[luckysaint]

BTW - I have heard that six players are as good as gone at St.K and are only playing the year out in the magoos

Which positions will be turned over/looked at?

[skeptic]

BTW - I have heard that six players are as good as gone at St.K and are only playing the year out in the magoos

Would have to be

Brooks
Raymond
Thompson
Voss
Ferguson
McQualter

[To the top]

The game in which Brooks did his knee was a TV game.

A huge leap in the middle of a pack, marked, landed awkwardly and that was that.

Had taken several big pack grabs in that match. Huge jump.

Shared rucking duties in AFL games with Maguire.

Was on a development curve, and they wanted him to play full games for a while, not 50% of games which was hindering his development. Hence in the VFL, where his form in this game would have seen him promoted.

If they delist him, they are as mad as St Kilda has normally been in the administration of the footy club.

Just look at our history!

[Dan Warna]

doc clarke wont be playing next year at st kilda.

he seems like a geniunely nice bloke and comes across as thoughtful, i dont know if that means intelligent.

would be interested to see how he goes as a ruck coach.

[Solar]

brooks just has to stay on the list unless we draft another 23-24 year old ruckman.

Kosi and Gards first rucks
Rix back up

VR and perhaps 1-2 draft pick/rookie ruckman

oh and blake.......

plus gehrig is not certain to be playing next year and watts is just getting his touch back.

For the depth of the squad brooks must be kept.

[sunsaint]

brooks just has to stay on the list unless we draft another 23-24 year old ruckman.
For the depth of the squad brooks must be kept.

I agree. As much as I have been disappointed in Brooks' development, unless we pick up a H. Macintosh in this years draft, we cant drop him. I cant remember another player on our list that has been given so much leniency.
Where does that leave us?
Gardiner may not come up next year, Clarke will be relegated to ruck coach(if he stays this side of Mt Gambier) & VR will still be several years away.
The fact is that regardless of how a few vocal people seem to regard Brooks, for the last year and half Rix has kept him out of a ruck job. Brooks might have had a few good games in the vfl this year, (& in the last Banfield said it was Clarke who dominated the ruck not Brooks) but if I remember rightly we drafted Rix from the vfl because he was the stand out ruckman at that level. Brooks hasnt even elevated himself to that status, you can understand why the club is not playing him.

So moving on to 2008, personally I would love to see, Rix / Gardiner in the ruck, with Kosi or Brooks rotating into the ruck and resting at FF, to give Fraser a break (if he plays next year)

[st.mart]

I have watched all Scorps games except vs Tassie and Bendigo.....and know two assistant coaches at Casey.....who give me a lot of inside info..

VR was the #1 Ruckman in only 2 games (Brooks was in the seniors for one, and had a week off in the other) in EVERY other game (except Sandringham - Rix, Geelong and Tassie - Clarke) Brooks has started in the centre bounce......when 3 have been available (twice) - VR has played Reserves.....

[LTN16]

From the Scorps game last weekend:

Andrew Thompson had a busy day around the ground to finish with 30 possessions: 9 kicks, 21 handballs, 10 clearances, and was the Scorpions leading possession winner for the Casey Scorpions. Brett Voss was not far behind with 29 possessions: 19 kicks, 10 handballs, 13 marks, 7 tackles, and was highly effective. David Armitage finished with 27 possessions: 18 kicks, 9 handballs, 7 marks, 11 Forward 50 entries and also did some damage around the stoppages.

Andrew McQualter finished next with 20 possessions: 8 kicks, 12 handballs, 5 marks, 3 tackles, 3 clearances. Jarryn Geary continued his good vein of form from last week to finish with 19 possessions: 10 kicks, 9 handballs, 3 tackles. Barry Brooks found the football and he finished with 17 possessions: 12 kicks, 5 handballs, 8 marks, 6 Forward 50 entries. James Gwilt on his 21st Birthday finished with 16 possessions: 10 kicks, 6 handballs, 4 tackles, 5 Forward 50 entries and toiled hard in the back line. James Wall also finished with 16 possessions: 11 kicks, 5 handballs, 4 spoils and along with Gwilt kept the back line strong. Matthew Ferguson finished next best with 15 possessions: 10 kicks, 5 handballs, 4 marks, 8 spoils.

http://saints.com.au/Season2007/News/Ne ... wsId=49083

[Dan Warna]

perhaps they are good players under game plan X but not under game plan y?

perhaps RL needs to instruct the reserves to play 'his' brand of football.

frankly I dont like it, but if it wins games then so be it.

we should have 1 philosophy to give RL a fair go.

i dont think its the right philosophy but if the players in casey are play Y brand and the seniors are playing X brand then...

[Spinner]

Funny I have seen 6 scorps games this year and Brooks would have rucked in total 30%. I must have just missed the games he rucked to get the total to 60%. By the way why did Lyon basically say he was a forward when talking about the players he could replace.

You really dont like him, do you brother?????

[Unforgiven]

Good to see the likes of Armo progressing well.