Seb Ross

[saintbob]

Can not continue to play through the midfield, his ball use is terrible.
He is stand in captain whilst Geary is out and I believe he should also take over Geary’s spot in the backline as a lock down player.

[guitars4]

Can not continue to play through the midfield, his ball use is terrible.
He is stand in captain whilst Geary is out and I believe he should also take over Geary’s spot in the backline as a lock down player.

I agree Bob but at least he can find the footy unfortunately when he dispose's of it ,it comes straight back over his head because there doesn't seem to be a game plan that is working. I don't blame Seb I blame the coaches because he can get the ball the game plan must have been discussed before they get on the ground so unless he is deliberately flaunting the coaches instructions I can't see the blame lies with him.

[Rubyjo]

The game plan should have some structure around when Seb gets the ball so he doesn't have to bang it 50 metres everytime..

[guitars4]

The game plan should have some structure around when Seb gets the ball so he doesn't have to bang it 50 metres everytime..

Preaching to the converted mate I 100% agree

[CQ SAINT]

The game plan should have some structure around when Seb gets the ball so he doesn't have to bang it 50 metres everytime..

Preaching to the converted mate I 100% agree

His junior coaches probably should have coached that 3 step bounce out of his game too but no one has! Instinct prevails.
There is quite often a link player around him but he turns away from them, ignores them and then senses heat and bangs the thing on his boot. His uncle and his cousin were better at finding that space to make a better decision and execute the required skill.
Great athlete. Average footballer.

[skeptic]

In fairness to Seb, I think it’s also a case of tempering expectations...
If he was a 5th or 6th mid off the bench rather than one that we tend to rely on as our best his limitations become less of an issue

[Sainter_Dad]

Every time he takes that bounce, I just think that he is trying to up his 'running bounces' stat - I can see no other reason for it - he may not be so hurried if he did not include this in his 'quick break' routine.

[Sanctorum]

Agree totally with comments on Seb Ross. I have long felt that although he invariably ends up with a lot of possessions, he mostly fails to cut through with these.

Not sure if it is a weakness in the game plan as such because surely he is aware when he gets hold of the ball that his objective should be to either handball it on to another player in a better position to drive the ball forward, or hit a target himself.

Maybe these are drills that the team should be working on with greater intensity at training - it's a bit like accuracy in kicking for goal, another feature that St Kilda seems to find difficult to improve on match days lately and has nullified their dominance with so many forward entries.

[CQ SAINT]

In fairness to Seb, I think it’s also a case of tempering expectations...
If he was a 5th or 6th mid off the bench rather than one that we tend to rely on as our best his limitations become less of an issue

Exactly, he is just an average footballer.

[freely]

And the new whipping boy now we've realised how much we miss Gears and Lonie.

[Josh Battle]

Gears and Lonie hey?!! That's interesting.

I defy anyone in the media or any poster here to claim that these 2 blokes are A graders. It's harsh to say, but you'd think they should be easily be replaced in a team.

Their commitment and their genuine hunger to compete is infectious and that is what we difinitely miss. What they bring is passion for the game, passion for the contest, 100% effort and courage way way beyond their size and weight. Qualities that are not that hard to copy.

One way or another, a decent head coach should be able to motivate most of his players so that they copy these qualities.

[CQ SAINT]

The game plan should have some structure around when Seb gets the ball so he doesn't have to bang it 50 metres everytime..

I wouldnt let him kick the ball at training in match simulations. I would make him seek a handpass in every clearance drill. This handpass is going to go to the right, so I'd block his right hand side and set support up on the other side of the block. Avoiding that block is what runs us into trouble. Physically, he has managed to get clear but the opposition understand this and its incredibly predictable.

[Sainter_Dad]

I wouldnt let him kick the ball at training in match simulations. I would make him seek a handpass in every clearance drill. This handpass is going to go to the right, so I'd block his right hand side and set support up on the other side of the block. Avoiding that block is what runs us into trouble. Physically, he has managed to get clear but the opposition understand this and its incredibly predictable.

Stop making sense

[cwrcyn]

He's consistently getting high numbers in a team where hardly anyone else is capable of doing it. He's rushing his decisions at the moment, which is something he can correct. To drop him would be insanity, though. Our midfield lacks depth as it is, so to drop a guy who's averaging about 30 possessions would just out the midfield under even more pressure to deliver

[guitars4]

Seb won't be dropped & nor should he IMO. He has his limitations & is never going to be a super star but he needs some quality mids to help him out . We have too many slow inside mid's & that's not Seb's fault it's the recruiting staff . We have a list full of slow inside mids & half back flankers. We need to recruit smarter , players that fit our needs not because they come from a good family or can kick a nice drop punt.

[CQ SAINT]

I dont think anyone in his thread suggested dropping him, he should just be informed that his disposal under pressure is not acceptable and that he should stop being so eager to clear the ball by foot and instead bring other players into the game.
Too many bombs and one meter rocket handpasses under pressure that he creates for himself by hanging onto the ball too long and backtracking out of stoppages.

[Cairnsman]

In fairness to Seb, I think it’s also a case of tempering expectations...
If he was a 5th or 6th mid off the bench rather than one that we tend to rely on as our best his limitations become less of an issue

I tend to agreee Skeppas but I think you are being a little disingenuous with the 5th or 6th backhander.

Put Dan and Stuv in middle and Sebby gets off the chain.

[guitars4]

I dont think anyone in his thread suggested dropping him, he should just be informed that his disposal under pressure is not acceptable and that he should stop being so eager to clear the ball by foot and instead bring other players into the game.
Too many bombs and one meter rocket handpasses under pressure that he creates for himself by hanging onto the ball too long and backtracking out of stoppages.

Fair point well said I agree

[Josh Battle]

Would be interesting to unwind the statistics and understand the details behind his possessions

I think when Ross is under pressure he usually does a rushed handball

When Seb is kicking, most of the time I have the perception that he has time.

If I'm right and if he does have time and space when he's kicking. He has no excuse

Most teams will ony tag 1 or 2 blokes in a team. At the moment I think Gresham and Billings are the guys getting attention, so again, I reckon Ross has no excuse

[SemperFidelis]

He's consistently getting high numbers in a team where hardly anyone else is capable of doing it. He's rushing his decisions at the moment, which is something he can correct. To drop him would be insanity, though. Our midfield lacks depth as it is, so to drop a guy who's averaging about 30 possessions would just out the midfield under even more pressure to deliver

I agree with this, and with CQ Saint. It just beggars belief that a bloke who is so able at getting the pill can't dispose of it more reliably. Every time he skies the kick out of the square my head goes into my hands. He has just so much more time to get rid of it than he gives himself credit for.

[barneyboyz]

He's consistently getting high numbers in a team where hardly anyone else is capable of doing it. He's rushing his decisions at the moment, which is something he can correct. To drop him would be insanity, though. Our midfield lacks depth as it is, so to drop a guy who's averaging about 30 possessions would just out the midfield under even more pressure to deliver

He can correct it if he believes that he has a deficiency. If he doesn't believe so, then we are stuffed because if we can see it why can't his coaches? Doesn't look to me that he has been trying anything different. Interestingly, when he does kick a short distance he usually hits a target

[Viscount Jeremiah]

My biggest Issue with Seb is he doesn't win many clearances or contested possessions.

His kicking is symptomatic of the whole team at the moment, but I've actually seen him kick the ball very well in the past at times.

[barneyboyz]

My biggest Issue with Seb is he doesn't win many clearances or contested possessions.

His kicking is symptomatic of the whole team at the moment, but I've actually seen him kick the ball very well in the past at times.

Seb normally starts on the defensive side of centre bounces and the oppo ruckman usually palms the ball our way because of this. They know it's going to happen, so a trick I taught some young blokes years ago, was to have one player start slightly back (defensive side) and as soon as the ball bounces run through on the left side at speed. You can even have a HBF run through the same on the smaller grounds, but two things usually become apparent. 1. it's amazing how many times the ball comes out on that left side in a clearance, you either get it or you can defend, and 2. that player has a clear description (thought) of what he wants to do and he is then mobile

I'm not saying my ideas are going to work, but in our case we had to change it up when things weren't going well and if nothing else it eases congestion around the ball. The Saints don't seem to change much at all

[CURLY]

Tagged by Beams last Saturday so he is clearly rated both at StKilda and outside.

[minneapolis]

I think he has been instructed to kick long. And he has been trying. And it is poor coaching. His success rate for damaging possessions would be less than 25%.

He should be told to give it to a team mate. I think that he should be coached to his limitations and this is one way to do so.

I also think that we have Ross and Dunstan while other teams have Pendleberry and Sidebottom, Kelly and Coniglio, etc. Cannot win with those guys in the engine room.