Billy Longer

[Hemi Baxter]

Then 3 years at 800k with a trigger for 2 more if Billy’s still breathing.

[Viscount Jeremiah]

I'll be spewing if he gets a contract. May as well de-list him no one is going to want to pick him up

[SydneySainter]

The ruck problem is a real concern for me. How can the club not see that having four ruckmen is overkill? Billy and Hick seem to struggle to finish seasons off, and it would appear that Marshall is even a preferred forward option now. The Pierce/Marshall combo worked okay in the final six rounds, but we failed to win even one game in that time.
If Hick does go to the Eagles (Lobb may head to Freo) then maybe keeping Billy is a good thing, but my concern is that we are re-signing players, like Nathan Brown for instance, who are not going to take us to the next level (which is mid-table based on this season's results).

Apart from Lonie, who ironically may leave of his own volition anyway, I would be surprised if the club re-signed those guys coming out of contract because they have had their goes at it. A lot of the players who have already been delisted were those who didn't play much or at all this year. Changes need to come from the players who have had a lot of games over the years.

As long as both Hickey and Longer remain on our list and we continue to have this pointless "Hickey v Longer" debate, our rucks will always be a problem.

Both have strengths and weaknesses, but neither (at least as long as they are at St. Kilda) are good enough to be the no. 1 ruck.

Maybe but Billy is significantly worse than Tom

Agreed, I rate Hickey much higher that Longer, but I just don’t think either are going to get any better, certainly not while they’re wearing St. Kilda colours and certainly not while Richo is coach.

Also, this constant flip-flopping between the two on game day is becoming a farce. It doesn’t feel like we’re trying to work out who is the better no. 1 ruck option, but more like who is the least mediocre.

[Viscount Jeremiah]

The ruck problem is a real concern for me. How can the club not see that having four ruckmen is overkill? Billy and Hick seem to struggle to finish seasons off, and it would appear that Marshall is even a preferred forward option now. The Pierce/Marshall combo worked okay in the final six rounds, but we failed to win even one game in that time.
If Hick does go to the Eagles (Lobb may head to Freo) then maybe keeping Billy is a good thing, but my concern is that we are re-signing players, like Nathan Brown for instance, who are not going to take us to the next level (which is mid-table based on this season's results).

Apart from Lonie, who ironically may leave of his own volition anyway, I would be surprised if the club re-signed those guys coming out of contract because they have had their goes at it. A lot of the players who have already been delisted were those who didn't play much or at all this year. Changes need to come from the players who have had a lot of games over the years.

As long as both Hickey and Longer remain on our list and we continue to have this pointless "Hickey v Longer" debate, our rucks will always be a problem.

Both have strengths and weaknesses, but neither (at least as long as they are at St. Kilda) are good enough to be the no. 1 ruck.

Maybe but Billy is significantly worse than Tom

Agreed, I rate Hickey much higher that Longer, but I just don’t think either are going to get any better, certainly not while they’re wearing St. Kilda colours and certainly not while Richo is coach.

Also, this constant flip-flopping between the two on game day is becoming a farce. It doesn’t feel like we’re trying to work out who is the better no. 1 ruck option, but more like who is the least mediocre.

Agree the constant flip flopping isn't helping either of them build confidence. Hickey may be better off elsewhere

[takeaway]

I'll be spewing if he gets a contract. May as well de-list him no one is going to want to pick him up

Been covered earlier - Billy really only wants to play suburban footy, refuses to be traded to WA or Geelong, so he was offered 800k for 3 years by club, which he has reluctantly accepted, subject to clauses allowing him to not have to venture into either 50m arc during games, and being given 6 games off per year to play surburban footy.

Problem solved.