Let's be realistic about free agents!

[leighsaintsince66]

I do not want to be negative. I want to be realistic...I look back at the period between 2004-2005 when the Saints had several A and B, or at least potential emerging A graders. These included Robert Harvey, Fraser Gehrig, Aaron Hamill, Nick Riewoldt, Lenny Hayes, Austinn Jones, Justin Koschitske, Stephen Milne, Nick Dal Santo, Max Hudghton, Luke Ball, Xavier Clark, Matt Maguire, Brendon Goddard and Leigh Montagna. We couldn't quite get a premiership, even with those stars at the time (some were injured of course at crucial times). In my view our current list has nowhere near as much talent as the above group, although the list of 2017 probably has more structural depth. Even if we managed to snare both Josh Kelly and Steven May to complement our current list, it would be unlikely that these additions would add more value than many of the above. I truly hope that I am proven wrong!

[dragit]

I don't think it's a good idea to be realistic, we currently have a team on top of the ladder that has had 19 top ten & 28 first round picks in the last 6 years… plus a handful of stars that they have added without trading.

Let's keep adding good players whenever we can.

[magnifisaint]

It's all about luck and good management.

[saintsRrising]

I do not want to be negative. I want to be realistic...I look back at the period between 2004-2005 when the Saints had several A and B, or at least potential emerging A graders. These included Robert Harvey, Fraser Gehrig, Aaron Hamill, Nick Riewoldt, Lenny Hayes, Austinn Jones, Justin Koschitske, Stephen Milne, Nick Dal Santo, Max Hudghton, Luke Ball, Xavier Clark, Matt Maguire, Brendon Goddard and Leigh Montagna. We couldn't quite get a premiership, even with those stars at the time (some were injured of course at crucial times). In my view our current list has nowhere near as much talent as the above group, although the list of 2017 probably has more structural depth. Even if we managed to snare both Josh Kelly and Steven May to complement our current list, it would be unlikely that these additions would add more value than many of the above. I truly hope that I am proven wrong!

What has your post content got to do with your post's topic title? Kelly and May are not FA's. Also why not post what you did in the Kelly and May thread as it seems to be on them and not on Free Agents?

[WellardSaint]

these guys may end up being A-Grade...
Carlisle, Gresh, Blake, Steele,
Freezer, Billings, Webster...

Stuv is already there. Seb is knocking on the flamin door and will be.

Paddy- way too early to call, Skunk- in a parallel universe, but NO never A Grade

We need a nice big forward next year to fill in for lack of output of Josh "Titanic" Bruce (set sail with big fanfare, sunk without trace)
and to give Paddy time to develop.

We also need maybe 2 elite mids as well.

just my 2 dinaro

[meher baba]

Re the OP: people forget that Joey wasn't a regular first-team player in 2004-05 and BJ and Maguire were still developing, as was Chips.

We undoubtedly had a great team in 2004 and were incredibly unlucky not to make the GF. Would we have beaten the Lions? We'll never know.

Injuries stuffed us in 2005. The umps got us in 2009 and the bounce of the ball for Milne did for us again in 2010.

I have a fair bit of faith in our current lineup. We just need to get the forward line right. And snare one or two top class recruits from other clubs (midfield or forward line). Then we'll be serious contenders.

[stonecold]

Re the OP: people forget that Joey wasn't a regular first-team player in 2004-05 and BJ and Maguire were still developing, as was Chips.

We undoubtedly had a great team in 2004 and were incredibly unlucky not to make the GF. Would we have beaten the Lions? We'll never know.

Injuries stuffed us in 2005. The umps got us in 2009 and the bounce of the ball for Milne did for us again in 2010.

I have a fair bit of faith in our current lineup. We just need to get the forward line right. And snare one or two top class recruits from other clubs (midfield or forward line). Then we'll be serious contenders.

Stop with the common sense please, no place for that here!!!!!