Loving our ins for the last two times

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saintsRrising
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Loving our ins for the last two times

Post: # 1684965Post saintsRrising »

If there was an aspect of concern with our progress this year, it was the lack of games being racked up by our youngest players.

So it is "pleasing" to note that the last two Thursdays with season on the line games, that at the selection table that our selectors have looked to the youth and our future.

Long and DMak last week, and Battle this week, makes for exciting times for our future.

Finals this year is important, but more important is building the team for our window over the next block of years. And the lack of games by many of our youngest players was a concern to me, and well behind all other teams.

Now admittedly we did trade for the young Steele who has played most games, and of course our 2016 First Rounder (ie if used that pick probably would have played some football by now in the firsts) was traded for multiple picks including the Hawks first pick this year.

But even so I think that we are still a little low on total number of games played by our youth this season. Rice is probably the young play who has been the unluckiest not to have played this year as all in all he has had an excellent year at Sandi. Part of the reason for that is he has ben playing as a backman, and that our backline has been our best performing unit this year.

White did start the season in ordinary shape and form, and so that has not helped.

Freeman is making steady progress and arguably could of debuted. But I do understand the clubs caution and his non-selection to date is probably very much a decision to prioritise the clubs's future over this season.

Goddard has been enormously unlucky with injuries. And Paddy has had a number of issues and most notably repeated concussions.

Sinclair has certainly seized his re-selection and is a much busier and more well rounded player now than he was in his first season with us. Can't wait to see him paired with Freeman on the other wing :wink:


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borderbarry
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Re: Loving our ins for the last two times

Post: # 1684986Post borderbarry »

I have also been pleased with the last two weeks selections.
Now over the next two weeks I want to see Rice and FReemo selected, then Marshall and one of the Irishmen. Then I know we are on track.


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Re: Loving our ins for the last two times

Post: # 1684990Post meher baba »

As I have posted often enough before, I would always far prefer to see experienced players with hardened bodies selected for crucial games. I was happy enough to see the seasoned Savage come in for Webster, which worked pretty well. I'm pretty sure Acres would have offered more than DMac last week, but of course it didn't matter.

But, looking ahead to tonight's game, I feel that we have too many iffy players for such a key game. DMac looked pretty raw last week, Long went ok but didn't totally convince me, and Battle is a big gamble IMO: he will be physically and mentally attacked from the opening bounce. I hope Richo knows what he's doing here.

He's a very good coach IMO, but he does seem to have an unusually strong aversion to selecting players out of position as a stopgap. I reckon most AFL coaches would have gone for Acres or Dunstan ahead of Battle tonight, and shuffled things around.

Anyway, I sincerely hope he's right and I'm wrong.


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Re: Loving our ins for the last two times

Post: # 1684991Post meher baba »

borderbarry wrote:I have also been pleased with the last two weeks selections.
Now over the next two weeks I want to see Rice and FReemo selected, then Marshall and one of the Irishmen. Then I know we are on track.
On track for what? To miss the finals?


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Re: Loving our ins for the last two times

Post: # 1684993Post St Chris »

We've moved beyond gifting games to youngsters. If you want to play for St Kilda, you bust your butt in the VFL and force your way in - no token games anymore. Leave that to the Carlton's and Brisbane's of the world. We've done that for the last 5 years or so and now have a list of guys with AFL experience as depth players. Think about the guys rated the 22-30 spots on our list, they have built quite a lot of AFL footy in the last few years - Dunstan, Hickey, McKenzie, Wright, Michington etc.

I like seeing Freeman having to bide his time. He will get into the side, and once he is there, he will have no doubt he deserves it because of the work it's taken to get there. Same with Rice. Getting the work done on the track, then playing good footy in the VFL, is the way to earn your way in.

Battle tonight is a little bit different - but the reasons are clear - its a structural move. I don't mind that, we've tinkered with our forward line too much this season (mostly due to Roo's limitations and the need to get Paddy on the park) but now it's gelling, why muck around with it structure again.


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