Changes for Round 4 v Freo (mostly due to suspension)

[plugger66]

Injury list as of Monday April 13th, 2009:


Jarryd Allen - Torn hip muscle, indefinite
Raphael Clarke - Hamstring, 1 week
Sean Dempster - ACL, indefinite
Max Hudghton - Calf, 1 week
Jack Steven - Ankle, available


he's getting closer
http://www.saints.com.au/injuries/tabid ... fault.aspx

Have a feeling it is a lot longer.

[remboy]

If that's the case, no change this week, then hopefully will be right for the following week with Dawson to make way. X will have to bide his time.

[PJ]

Wouldn't mind seeing X in for Geary but I'm pretty sure that's not gonna happen. St.Kilda = Australian cricket team (selection wise)

[saintly]

No change. Gwilt saved his arse on Saturday and Geary has put in two good games in a row. No one will be dropped from a side that wins like that.

i'm starting to feel sorry for the reserve players who can't get a game in the semiors. like X or orhters who are playing well.

on the one hand its loverly situation. but it must be hard on the reserves.

[bergholt]

i'd love to get xavier back into the side; i think he suits this style of game really well, being a hardnut and a good runner with an eye for goal. but who can possibly go out?

options are, in order, with average stats:

gwilt: 17.0 disp, 4.3 marks, 1.7 i50s, 0 goals, 2.3 tackles
blake: 20.0 disp, 8.7 marks, 0.7 i50s, 0 goals, 2.0 tackles
schneider: 13.0 disp, 4.3 marks, 1.7 i50s, 1.0 goal, 3.7 tackles
geary: 12.3 disp, 5.0 marks, 2.3 i50s, 0.7 goals, 5.3 tackles
mcqualter: 14.3 disp, 1.3 marks, 2.0 i50s, 0.7 goals, 3.7 tackles
ray: 22.0 disp, 6.0 marks, 3.0 i50s, 0.3 goals, 5.0 tackles

the most important stat to look at here is tackles, as that's what ross likes - it's a simple game the way he plays it. gwilt and blake are playing similar positions, utility forward and back, and neither are really getting into the game.

i love blake for his effort, but i'm not sure he has a spot in our best 22 at the moment, mainly because of his relatively poor disposal. but he does give another tall option in the backline.

gwilt is improving, but so is the team, and i don't think he's improving as fast as those around him. a bit of a downhill skier; only playing well because in these sort of team performances, everyone looks good. i can't see him being in a potential st kilda premiership team.

yes, they're slightly different players, but i'd drop gwilt for x.

that said, i'd be surprised if there were any changes this week. rossy hates to change a winning team.

[saintspremiers]

Injury list as of Monday April 13th, 2009:


Jarryd Allen - Torn hip muscle, indefinite
Raphael Clarke - Hamstring, 1 week
Sean Dempster - ACL, indefinite
Max Hudghton - Calf, 1 week
Jack Steven - Ankle, available


he's getting closer
http://www.saints.com.au/injuries/tabid ... fault.aspx

Have a feeling it is a lot longer.

How long?

Sounds like it's been a bit hush-hush, as we are being fed more BS.

That's OK.

[Saintersss]

i'd love to get xavier back into the side; i think he suits this style of game really well, being a hardnut and a good runner with an eye for goal. but who can possibly go out?

options are, in order, with average stats:

gwilt: 17.0 disp, 4.3 marks, 1.7 i50s, 0 goals, 2.3 tackles
blake: 20.0 disp, 8.7 marks, 0.7 i50s, 0 goals, 2.0 tackles
schneider: 13.0 disp, 4.3 marks, 1.7 i50s, 1.0 goal, 3.7 tackles
geary: 12.3 disp, 5.0 marks, 2.3 i50s, 0.7 goals, 5.3 tackles
mcqualter: 14.3 disp, 1.3 marks, 2.0 i50s, 0.7 goals, 3.7 tackles
ray: 22.0 disp, 6.0 marks, 3.0 i50s, 0.3 goals, 5.0 tackles

the most important stat to look at here is tackles, as that's what ross likes - it's a simple game the way he plays it. gwilt and blake are playing similar positions, utility forward and back, and neither are really getting into the game.

i love blake for his effort, but i'm not sure he has a spot in our best 22 at the moment, mainly because of his relatively poor disposal. but he does give another tall option in the backline.

gwilt is improving, but so is the team, and i don't think he's improving as fast as those around him. a bit of a downhill skier; only playing well because in these sort of team performances, everyone looks good. i can't see him being in a potential st kilda premiership team.

yes, they're slightly different players, but i'd drop gwilt for x.

that said, i'd be surprised if there were any changes this week. rossy hates to change a winning team.

Blake is a negater. He takes one of the best opposition forwards. Max has pretty poor disposal as well, but it doesn't matter because he stops one of the best forwards.

But I really want X in the team, because I think he is a very good player and should be put in this week for McQualter/Geary. McQualter/Geary have been good, and I don't want them to be dropped, but X is just too good of a player and one of Geary or McQualter have to be dropped for him.

[bergholt]

But I really want X in the team, because I think he is a very good player and should be put in this week for McQualter. McQualter has been good, and I don't want him dropped, but X is just too good of a player and McQualter is really the only option.

like i said, have a look at the tackle stat. we're getting plaudits from across the footballing world for our pressure and hardness, and mcqualter's a big part of that. ross will love the fact that he's averaging 3.7 tackles a game and he'll stay in the side until those numbers fall off. like eddy last year - he wasn't the most skilled player but averaged 3.8 tackles a game to be third on the list and so kept his spot.

and mcqualter's chipped in with a couple of goals. i can't see him losing his spot any time soon.

[older saint]

The only guy I could see clarke coming on for is Schnieder.
Forget reputations, Geary and Mcqualter have earnt their spots in the team.

[ace]

NO CHANGE

St Kilda players are saints so no suspensions.

[hotdish]

Would love to see "no change" for this week. Let X have some more practise in the VFL, don't see any other players pushing for spots this week realistically.

[bendigo bob]

cant see x coming in for geary as geary is harder at the man and ball. x doesnt nail enough tackles he gets brushed aside too easily. i thought gwilt still looks a bit out of his depth. was responsible for some turnovers when under pressure and still didnt look sure of himself. think he will stay until raph is ready to come back or maxy.

[spert]

A team that wins by 97 points is a well balanced team and shouldn't be changed. X shouldn't come in for say a Kosi..if anything McEvoy would be the logical selection, as Freo would find it harder to match up against a tall forward rather than a smaller mid. Let's hope no-one gets rubbed out, but the more X proves himself in the VFL, the better it is for us.

[saintly]

A team that wins by 97 points is a well balanced team and shouldn't be changed. X shouldn't come in for say a Kosi..if anything McEvoy would be the logical selection, as Freo would find it harder to match up against a tall forward rather than a smaller mid. Let's hope no-one gets rubbed out, but the more X proves himself in the VFL, the better it is for us.

noone has been been rubbed out. therefore no change. feel sorry for X and others. but ...

[Foz]

Agree, no change especially with Gwilt doing okay.

Pressure seems assured in coming weeks though - X, Max and Raph would come back at their best.

Jack Steven, the forgotten one and Armo waiting in the wings for midfield / fwd rotations. Eddy in that mix.

Goose, Begley and Macca if a spot opens up with injuries.

[saintbob]

Only one change for mine, X in for McQualter.

[saintbrat]

Only one change for mine, X in for McQualter.

even though mini managed to tackle cox out of the ball in the first qu last week- no mean feat for one of the smallest on the field against one of the '' giants'

[Unforgiven]

Im not too sure that it's wise to make changes to a team that won by 97. This week I wouldn't, if it aint broke, don't fix it.

Though the other side of the coin is, that for example Xavier Clarke is defenitly a better quality player than Geary,McQualter, would it be wiser to have X in instead of one of these? or harsh, considering neither have really put a foot wrong thus far.

Either way, It's a healthy competitive issue to have, hopefully will bring out another level in those playing for Sandringham.