Dan Hannebery - call it

[nostalgicsaint]

Has been instrumental in changing our culture. He was the first domino in our change.

[asiu]

Has been instrumental in changing our culture. He was the first domino in our change.

.word.

[skeptic]

Well several ppl here make several good points

I mean looking at his numbers, he’s been pretty consistent so far this season.
Just really hated seeing him go down like that when the game was on the line and we needed to look to our hard edged leaders for that extra 10%

Hannebery and Wilkie both went off around the same time (I think) and that coincided with Carlton starting to wrestle control back.

It’s obviously a very harsh OP but we need a guy like him in that spot when the games on the line.
Hate to have to rely on him if he’s really injury prone

[Legendary]

Hannebery helped give us the tiniest bit of relevance and credibility that we leveraged into our great trade period last year.

In my view, our 2019 trade period would not have happened if Dan hadn't come across a year earlier.

Dan was playing excellent football in the first half last night and he said very clearly that he wanted to go back out there but the doctors were being cautious with his history.

He's still got plenty of time left in his career and he's our only player over 200 games. We need experience and leadership and he provides that.

Rather than stick the boots in, let's support the guy to recover quickly and get back out there.

[remboy]

Has been instrumental in changing our culture. He was the first domino in our change.

This.

[Crossy66]

I must be missing something.

He's an excellent footballer.

Under normal circumstances, he's not a million dollar player (so to speak), but the rebuild of the club was not a normal circumstance.

It took that sort of move to start to get the place moving in the right direction.


Absolutely, 110% a great move to recruit him.

Exactly, getting him, albeit overs, got the ball rolling.... not his sydney peak but still a good contributor.

the recruiting of Zac Jones is linked to Hannebery. We had cap space we had to use and we got Sydney out of trouble, enter Zac.
Was also recruited to help develop the young players like Bytel, not hinder them, and by all accounts he has been great. Also a great onfield leader
Has started the season very well. Imho, we really havent had too many standout players this year. The performance across the group has been reasonably even.
If we continue this trajectory, I am sure we will be in the mix to land an A Grade FA over the next year or two.
Really hardpressed to find a negative since Lethlean joined us.

[samuraisaint]

He might only miss a week - and we may have a bye anyway in the next month.
When he's out there he provides value.

[Joffa Burns]

Big name former elite player who came to us when nobody else would.
Probably helped us get Zac Jones and only insiders would understand the impact he has or doesn't have on the group.

If his impact is measured solely in on-field output he's a major bust to date given the reported $ and the contract tenure. If he has helped lift the playing group and training performance and mentored young players there is value.

This is season 2 of 4?
If he has another interrupted season next year you'd hope he retires at seasons end.
If he is a serious mentor leader hopefully he moves into an assistant coaching role.

I heard Jobe Watson making comment about his running training habits, can't recall the running coach he reference but the implication was Hannebery was a great trainer.

[Yorkeys]

Harsh and unrealistic call unless there is some strong evidence Dan is not being professional (?). Injuries happen e.g. Captain my Captain, and he has come back strong. Form isn't a wave of the wand thing; bad luck hunts us all. We are going ok, enjoy, be happy as we can in restrictionville. Wish Dan a speedy recovery.

[Saintmatt]

Big name former elite player who came to us when nobody else would.
Probably helped us get Zac Jones and only insiders would understand the impact he has or doesn't have on the group.

If his impact is measured solely in on-field output he's a major bust to date given the reported $ and the contract tenure. If he has helped lift the playing group and training performance and mentored young players there is value.

This is season 2 of 4?
If he has another interrupted season next year you'd hope he retires at seasons end.
If he is a serious mentor leader hopefully he moves into an assistant coaching role.

I heard Jobe Watson making comment about his running training habits, can't recall the running coach he reference but the implication was Hannebery was a great trainer.

Good balanced post. On field - not great. Off-field - I think he's been more than fine. When no one else would come to us; he did (don't care about the money; the AFL is enforced socialism ... the worst club basically has to spend the same as the Premiership club). You've got to start the flood of recruits coming with one.

All I care about with Hanneberry is that he plays the games that really matter that we need him for. I don't feel like we need him to play every game. He's not the gut running, ball hunting monster that he was; but he's now a crafty outlet mid who distributes well and makes good decisions. He's definitely improved our midfield group.

[MC Gusto]

I have really rated his season so far. Really hope it is just awareness or a minor strain. A tear would be devastating as he’s really starting to find some consistency
His on field leadership in the middle has been great

[carn_sainter]

He's clearly a cut above pretty much everyone else in the team. His skills, touch, precision at speed under pressure.

He's also clearly a shell of his former prime self.

It's not 2014 any more, clearly, but he's still been contributing. His salary won't be too complicated if it runs out in 2022...we still don't need heaps of money until then.

15 touches from him would generally be worth 20 or more from a lot of our other players. The real concern is defensively having him exposed on the spread...hasn't happened yet but easily could

[saynta]

Hannebery helped give us the tiniest bit of relevance and credibility that we leveraged into our great trade period last year.

In my view, our 2019 trade period would not have happened if Dan hadn't come across a year earlier.

Dan was playing excellent football in the first half last night and he said very clearly that he wanted to go back out there but the doctors were being cautious with his history.

He's still got plenty of time left in his career and he's our only player over 200 games. We need experience and leadership and he provides that.

Rather than stick the boots in, let's support the guy to recover quickly and get back out there.

Great post mate. Some people are never happy.

[remboy]

All I care about with Hanneberry is that he plays the games that really matter that we need him for. I don't feel like we need him to play every game. He's not the gut running, ball hunting monster that he was; but he's now a crafty outlet mid who distributes well and makes good decisions. He's definitely improved our midfield group.

I was just wondering if they think about not playing him when we have a five day break or not playing more than four games in a row. Anything that gets him through the year. He’s definitely one that we’d want to be playing in a final.

[shanegrambeau]

Easy target, easy money. We are not bagging on towball for his hammy. Each of Hanners games have cost us 177,000 bucks just to start the game. So he's on the turf for 2,000 bucks a minute...but lest say half of that money was AFL budget "technical space". He wasn't our first choice by the looks....maybe a distant (and desperate third) and we would never have offered him a hat coin in an open market.

Seems we play better with him (from my radio!) Who was his opponent last night and who would be a best replacement for Hanners? Could Parker play as a winger? A new game plan and Sinclair? That's the bit I think about now...is he a pivotal part of the Ratt-machine?

[resaintlee]

Perhaps someone should have considered how a five day break may affect DH before picking the team

[ace]

One upside I have heard was his salary was front ended meaning he won’t cost us as much next 2 years can anyone clarify that?

Apparently, at the time we had accrued around $1.5m that with a large portion of that due to expire if not used. I'm not certain of this but it was mentioned here and in the media.
I'd imagine a fair bit of that was front ended to Hanners.
I've also been told by a club insider that his base contract was 70% of $3.2m for 4 years with a performance based trigger for the 5th year.
If this is the case, he certainly didn't meet his performance levels last year so $540k wasted but $260k saved. If he was paid 2 years base rate upfront ($1.08m) then we will owe him $1.08m for the next 2. All speculation on rumour but not totally unbelievable.
Butler, Ryder, Jones, Howard and King all came cheap, so you win some and you lose some.
As for him stifling development, perhaps Bytel or Byrnes are well placed to get some if he goes down. Risk vs reward we just about square up.
All told, I'm pretty happy with the planning, recruitment and prospects from our current position, compared to 16 months ago.

When you are outside the 8 it helps to have some old blokes on gigantic coin.
Then when you make the 8 you can use that coin to bring in elite free agents, still stay under the cap and turn that position in the 8 into a premiership.

[ace]

Perhaps someone should have considered how a five day break may affect DH before picking the team

You never know when or where your next opponent or venue will be in the covid-19 environment.
They just played the best 22.

But yes they need to not only consider if they could lose a player for a few games due to injury but the impact on the game in which he plays.
We got away with the latter this time.
3 fit players on the bench is not ideal in a game.
It now looks like we have a 9 day break followed by a 7 day break.

Do we risk Jones after 14 days ?
I hope we wait another match.

[To the top]

An excellent footballer

He was instrumental last night in the centre square with his positioning

It was no coincidence that after he left the game Carlton commenced winning the clearances and came back into the contest

We do not have another mid with his experience and skill - and it showed last night

Trust the injury is minor and he is back on the park contributing at soonest

He appeared to be moving without restriction after the game - although only walking

[sunsaint]

sitting back and reading some posts say he has improved our culture...
if some journo/tv commentator dare mention saints have poor culture they get reamed out on here
And is also dumping on the impact/control/professionalism of our two coaches Richo N Ratts
especially Richo (alhough he did require a special Richo only rule to protect him

Each player that came subsequently after DH all had their own clear and distinct reasons

[Special]

Hanners will miss 3 weeks according to the Saints app.

That’s more than a minor strain!

But he’s going to Noosa - hopefully he doesn’t behave like Tin Arse did!

[st.byron]

$4M for a passed-his-peak injury prone 28 year old.

Was a disaster from the start. No offence to DH, he’s just trying to get paid.

This. Poor decision reeking of desperation to recruit him on that contract. Maybe his off field influence has value. Maybe he was part of the reason Zac Jones or others came our way. It’s a question of value. 800k seems overs at this point.

[Nick_BlueNRG]

Sorry for the negative post but I’m fired up about this...

We are one elite mid away from being a serious premiership threat and Hannebery is not that player.

He’s been so so since he started playing again and alas he’s got another soft tissue injury tonight.

He’s on big coin to be a match winner for us and he’s a slightly better version of Dunstan with considerably less durability.

I don’t want to sink another 2-3 years into guy for 15-16 possessions games for twelve times a year.

Move him on... we’re better off without him IMO

Or we can be smart and give him 2 months off and get him cherry ripe for finals. Make him do his rehab for 3 weeks and then a 5 week pre-season.

[Teflon]

$4M for a passed-his-peak injury prone 28 year old.

Was a disaster from the start. No offence to DH, he’s just trying to get paid.

This. Poor decision reeking of desperation to recruit him on that contract. Maybe his off field influence has value. Maybe he was part of the reason Zac Jones or others came our way. It’s a question of value. 800k seems overs at this point.

Yep voice of reason
His here to play footy first - he can’t consistently do that and 800k a season for a “make us feel worthwhile” mentor is crazy coin
If you could get 15-18 games a season plus some finals you’d say great ....but not sure we’ll get that at the current rate
Clearly still a smart player

[BarryGrogan]

Poor decision reeking of desperation ....

WTF??

Of course we were desperate!!