Playing List Management- Can we stop being run by wannabees?

[saintsRrising]

The "Leadership" (cough cough ) of Bains and Trout in recent times in the oversight of our List has been disastrous. We have gone backwards relative to other clubs, and it is how we have gone relative to other clubs that counts. Bains parting gift just befor leaving the Saints was to extend Richo's contract when it should not have been.

In 2008 Bains joined Carlton as a volunteer welfare officer under Rod Ashman but his football coup arrived when he joined St Kilda in January 2011 as the General Manager Player List and Legal Affairs.

Having basically a "footy fan-boy", but a non-football person in terms of knowledge, as a key driver of our Football List has proven to have been a ridiculous decision. An era of too many speculative picks, panicked decisions and long-terms contracts handed out to players that should have been culled or on one year contracts.

Apart from the Hawks pick swap and the Carlisle deal which in the end worked out ok (though we folded to the Dons in what we traded) the Dubious Duo overall have have done little right. I went to a briefing at the club not long after Richo joined us and in terms of the list Richo made it clear that he really had no say, just "input" (Though this is probably a good thing and so I am just revealing that Richo has had little say in what players we gain).

As footskills have become increasingly recognised and valued in recent years the Saints have continued to pick up players with poor skills. Our investment in rucks and key position players over mids has also not worked out well. Players with pace also remain few. The Saints continually seem to pounce on players that have clubs do not want.

Now no one gets all their picks/trades correct. All clubs will have some poor decisions, and players who become duds.

But good clubs get many right and have some out performs. They keep adding players that become very good to elite. That the Saints have yet to gain a player the equal of Steven since he was gained in 2008, except for possibly Carlisle, is damning.

That we have frittered away early picks on gaining Lee, Hickey, Longer and Freeman is also damning. All clubs will roll the the dice as for example the Hawks with JOM. But our dice rolling with high end picks mainly seems to end badly


We lack Skill and Leadership on our Playing List, but most of all we lack those qualities in those in charge of our Playing List. More worrying is that this is not likely to change.

Much of the talk on list is focused on a high priced FA. Well if we want to offer big $$$ to a person that would make a bigger long-term difference it should instead go on a proven expert recruiter. And by that I do not mean by poaching the assistant of an expert recruiter like when we poached the Cats assistant recruiter.

Personally I have had enough of fan-boys and coaches doing a sideways shift running our recruiting. I want a dedicated recruiter that knows his stuff, but I doubt I will see this anytime soon.

[congorozides]

Bains.
Top quality operator.
Well regarded in AFL circles.
Doing a wonderful job over at the Bulldogs now.

[cough cough]

p.s Great post. Agree 100%.

[bigred]

TLDR.
Are we stuffed?

[saintsRrising]

TLDR.
Are we stuffed?

Yes....for a while yet.

[saintsRrising]

PS: Our last trade of 2017 is going to bite us on the bum now too:

PA
Port Adelaide receives a fourth-round draft selection (No.59 at time of trade), a fourth-round draft selection (No.63 at time of trade) and a future second-round draft selection
from St Kilda

STK
St Kilda receives on-traded second-round draft selection (No.34 at time of trade) and future on-traded round-four draft selection
From Port Adelaide

So effectively we gain Pick 35 (Clavarino) for what is looking like an early 20's pick in a strong draft. The lower we finish the worse the deal is for us.

[congorozides]

PS: Our last trade of 2017 is going to bite us on the bum now too:

PA
Port Adelaide receives a fourth-round draft selection (No.59 at time of trade), a fourth-round draft selection (No.63 at time of trade) and a future second-round draft selection
from St Kilda

STK
St Kilda receives on-traded second-round draft selection (No.34 at time of trade) and future on-traded round-four draft selection
From Port Adelaide

So effectively we gain Pick 35 (Clavarino) for what is looking like an early 20's pick in a strong draft. The lower we finish the worse the deal is for us.

We are f***ed.