Our team will look vastly different

[Rubyjo]

Come the half way mark ..
Some big names will come back and give us a refreshing look heading into the pointy end of the season . Perhaps replacing some of the young warriors who have got us 3 zip..

What do you saintsaitional warriors think .
I wonder how it will play out many machinations about to unfold. Food for thought .

[st.byron]

Was thinking about this today.
King for The Hammer
Membrey for one of Higgins or Butler
Steele for Windy or Bytel or Byrnes
Hayes for Cordy

I don’t even want to drop Caminiti or Windy or Byrnes. They’ve done so well so far.

As for Billings, Zak Jones, Dmac and Coffield - do they walk right back in? I’m not sure. I think not. If so, who makes way?

[Jacks Back]

http://saintsational.net/viewtopic.php?t=105707

[Toy Saint]

Was thinking about this today.
King for The Hammer
Membrey for one of Higgins or Butler
Steele for Windy or Bytel or Byrnes
Hayes for Cordy

I don’t even want to drop Caminiti or Windy or Byrnes. They’ve done so well so far.

As for Billings, Zak Jones, Dmac and Coffield - do they walk right back in? I’m not sure. I think not. If so, who makes way?

Despite all of our injuries, only a handful will walk straight back into the team. Jack Steel a certainty, probably at the expense of Bytel. Caminiti probably makes way for King, but not if he kicks two or three goals each week. I'm not so sure RTB would drop Butler or Higgins for Membery, Philipou or Owens are the nearest like for like. And Jack Hayes would certainly need to earn his spot via the magoos.

To be brutally honest I'm not sure Zac is our best 22 these days. Personally I'd love to find a spot for Billings, he could slot in on a wing or half forward and possibly replace an injury or drop an out of form player. Coffield is an option in the back like, again a replacement for injury or form. Dmac I like, and I reckon RTB will really value this type of player. Like Hill, Mason Wood, Byrnes and Wanganeen he just runs those outside lines, which I suspect is the key to our game plan,

[repta]

We have a lot of kids playing.
They will get tired and sore and will need rests.
They will be up and down in their development enthusiasm and impact.

It is just the nature of learning the game.
We couldn't take the number of kids we have playing into the finals. The bigger bodies will rag doll them.
There will be opportunities for the players coming back as well as for the kids

[mad saint guy]

I too have a feeling that some of the injured players will have a tough time getting back into the team. Without the fitness base that comes from a full pre season and match conditioning I don't think playing our game style would be possible. Obviously some come straight in like King, Steele and Membrey but Billings, Jones, Hayes and McKenzie might all have to put in a significant amount of time at Sandy before they're considered ready to displace someone in the senior side. I don't see an underdone Billings pushing Byrnes out when he's running 18kms in a game.

TBH I'd be stoked to see this team taking the field after the bye

B: Paton, Howard, Wilkie
HB: Sinclair, Battle, Stocker
C: Wood, Steele, Ross
HF: Hill, Membrey, Higgins
F: Gresham, King, Owens

Foll: Marshall, Crouch, Clark
Int: Phillipou, Windhager, NWM, Butler


That team may still be short one tall though. Any of Caminiti, Hayes, Campbell or Cordy would be a chance to get a spot as a third tall forward/relief ruck. I wouldn't mind seeing the Hammer get some ruck time once he no longer has to be the focal point of the forward line. He's tall enough and I imagine his follow up work at ground level would be very good.

[WellardSaint]

We have a lot of kids playing.
They will get tired and sore and will need rests.
They will be up and down in their development enthusiasm and impact.

It is just the nature of learning the game.
We couldn't take the number of kids we have playing into the finals. The bigger bodies will rag doll them.
There will be opportunities for the players coming back as well as for the kids

Philipou, Owens and maybe Nas would be omitted with the note 'managed', several times during the season.
Young bodies need rest.
They haven't put on muscle yet, but eventually, they will

[Trev from the Bush]

We have a lot of kids playing.
They will get tired and sore and will need rests.
They will be up and down in their development enthusiasm and impact.

It is just the nature of learning the game.
We couldn't take the number of kids we have playing into the finals. The bigger bodies will rag doll them.
There will be opportunities for the players coming back as well as for the kids

We took two second year "kids", Neale and Breen, and two first year "kids", Davis and Payze, into the 1966 finals. Nobody rag-dolled them and they went alright .

[Otiman]

Having both King and Caminiti in the team is really powerful and will stretch opposition teams. One up and one deep. Membrey can also play that role, but I think Caminiti is worth persisting with until members is 100% fit.

[The Fireman]

dare I say it ?....Depth ?

[meher baba]

In the inconceivable event that all players were available to play against the Suns, here's a suggested team (don't worry too much about the positions I've named them in):

B: Webster, Howard, Wilkie
HB: Sinclair, Battle, NWM
C: Wood, Steele, Hill
HF: Gresham, Hayes, Owens
F: Membrey, King, Higgins
Foll: Marshall, Crouch, Ross
Int: Clark, Stocker, Windhager, Butler
Sub: Billings

That leaves Byrnes, Phillipou, Caminiti, Paton, Cordy and Coffield out of the lineup, all of whom are, if fit, clearly on the fringe of selection IMO. Caminiti looks to me to be the real deal: if he could be developed as a second ruckman, then he'd be ahead of Hayes.

In reality, Hayes, along with Jones and McKenzie, all appear to be a long way off coming back to AFL: conceivably not this year.

It's amazing how much depth we suddenly appear to have. Of course, as was often said by plugger66 (who was a silly poster but has a good understanding of football), a club's depth always looks good while it's winning games, but the perspective can suddenly change with a string of losses.

(BTW, for the very few who might be interested, plugger66 appears to have thrown all the toys out of the cot on BF after - of all things - getting upset at other posters being unduly nasty about Jake Stringer. As he will presumably never be welcome back on here, I guess we won't have any further opportunity to read what he has to say about footy: a pity IMO, but I suspect I'm in a small minority.)

[The Fireman]

I know someone that can join Plugger over there and if we want to read their babble we have the choice of visiting BF i guess.

[spert]

I reckon any players wit chronic injury issues, or are not recovering very well from serious injury, may just find themselves on the outer under Lyon. King and Membrey are probably next off the rank to get a senior game if they get fully fit, but the rest..might be a struggle

[Yorkeys]

The player that I think has most to consider is Josh Battle. As talented and brave as he is, Josh is not really big enough for a regular key position. Would not be surprised if Van Es has been marked to take over CHB. Josh then might replace Jimmy W as a regular. Can't see how Jimmy's body can keep coming back from all the punishment he gets. Higgins is vulnerable when Membrey gets fit, as long as he hasn't lost speed. Heath to take over from Cordy in due course. There is going to be an almighty scrap for places in a few months as guys recover, but new injuries always provide opportunities.

[saynta]

In the inconceivable event that all players were available to play against the Suns, here's a suggested team (don't worry too much about the positions I've named them in):

B: Webster, Howard, Wilkie
HB: Sinclair, Battle, NWM
C: Wood, Steele, Hill
HF: Gresham, Hayes, Owens
F: Membrey, King, Higgins
Foll: Marshall, Crouch, Ross
Int: Clark, Stocker, Windhager, Butler
Sub: Billings

That leaves Byrnes, Phillipou, Caminiti, Paton, Cordy and Coffield out of the lineup, all of whom are, if fit, clearly on the fringe of selection IMO. Caminiti looks to me to be the real deal: if he could be developed as a second ruckman, then he'd be ahead of Hayes.

In reality, Hayes, along with Jones and McKenzie, all appear to be a long way off coming back to AFL: conceivably not this year.

It's amazing how much depth we suddenly appear to have. Of course, as was often said by plugger66 (who was a silly poster but has a good understanding of football), a club's depth always looks good while it's winning games, but the perspective can suddenly change with a string of losses.

(BTW, for the very few who might be interested, plugger66 appears to have thrown all the toys out of the cot on BF after - of all things - getting upset at other posters being unduly nasty about Jake Stringer. As he will presumably never be welcome back on here, I guess we won't have any further opportunity to read what he has to say about footy: a pity IMO, but I suspect I'm in a small minority.)

Minority of one, I suspect.

[saynta]

I know someone that can join Plugger over there and if we want to read their babble we have the choice of visiting BF i guess.

If you mean vortex , he is already there under the name of cairnsman.

[nostalgicsaint]

Suspect injuries and form will sort this out organically but imo the below is the side post bye tweaked from above.

B: Stocker, Howard, Wilkie
HB: Sinclair, Battle, NVW
C: Wood, Steele, Byrnes
HF: Hill, Membrey, Higgins
F: Gresham, King, Owens

Foll: Marshall, Crouch, Clark
Int: Phillipou, Ross, Billings, Butler

Emg/sub. Windhager, Paton, Bytel, Hayes, Hammer, Heath

[meher baba]

I know someone that can join Plugger over there and if we want to read their babble we have the choice of visiting BF i guess.

If you mean vortex , he is already there under the name of cairnsman.

Vortex/Cairnsman has some good football knowledge too, although he sometimes struggles to resist the temptation of prodding the ants nest with a stick.

I think that for some reason I lack the gene that would make me get angry when other people fail to agree with me, and that makes me more tolerant of these types of posters. (Athough I also acknowledge that plugger66 thoroughly deserved to be banned for life from SS a few years back for reasons that had nothing to do with his views about football.)

[The Fireman]

I know someone that can join Plugger over there and if we want to read their babble we have the choice of visiting BF i guess.

If you mean vortex , he is already there under the name of cairnsman.

Vortex/Cairnsman has some good football knowledge too, although he sometimes struggles to resist the temptation of prodding the ants nest with a stick.

I think that for some reason I lack the gene that would make me get angry when other people fail to agree with me, and that makes me more tolerant of these types of posters. (Athough I also acknowledge that plugger66 thoroughly deserved to be banned for life from SS a few years back for reasons that had nothing to do with his views about football.)

his football knowledge is based on negativity and the bleeding obvious.
Feels the over-the-top need to win any debate which clogs the place up and is usually baseless jargon and then there's the prodding. Then sprouts off that he has a PhD which pretty much says it all.
just a destabilising influence over all. as popular as a wart on ass around here.
Unfortunately i don't lack that gene

[older saint]

Will be interesting -Steele, Membrey and King only locks to come in for me ( last 2 may have a run at Sandy first ).
Beyond that Billings, Coffield, Webster likely available but far from automatic selections after such a long lay off.

Mckenzie, Jones, Hayes, Allison further off again.

Form will drop off for some and there will be further injuries however you would think the guys in the most danger using this weeks teams - Cordy, Caminiti, Brynes. Young blokes will need a rest at some point probably
Back 6 looks very settled.

B: Stocker, Howard, Wilkie
HB: Sinclair, Battle NWM
C: Wood, Crouch, Hill
HF: Butler, Membrey, Owens
F: Butler, King, Gresham
Foll: Marshall, Steele, Ross

Int: Phillipou, Clark , Windy, Paton

Emerg: Cordy, Caminti, Billings, Webster/Coffield

[desertsaint]

we started the season missing 8-9 likely first team players. the good news is now likely only 3 of them would come straight back in when properly fit. the rest will need to earn their spot or get an opportunity through injury or need rest. it's a goo position to be in - even better if those returning do earn a spot.of course things always look better when you're winning but so far very happy with the performances of newbies - cami, pooi, and stockerii. mitchi and nasi look to have taken a step up in the challanging second year, and as for fringe dweller woodi - wow!

[saynta]

I know someone that can join Plugger over there and if we want to read their babble we have the choice of visiting BF i guess.

If you mean vortex , he is already there under the name of cairnsman.

Vortex/Cairnsman has some good football knowledge too, although he sometimes struggles to resist the temptation of prodding the ants nest with a stick.

I think that for some reason I lack the gene that would make me get angry when other people fail to agree with me, and that makes me more tolerant of these types of posters. (Athough I also acknowledge that plugger66 thoroughly deserved to be banned for life from SS a few years back for reasons that had nothing to do with his views about football.)

his football knowledge is based on negativity and the bleeding obvious.
Feels the over-the-top need to win any debate which clogs the place up and is usually baseless jargon and then there's the prodding. Then sprouts off that he has a PhD which pretty much says it all.
just a destabilising influence over all. as popular as a wart on ass around here.
Unfortunately i don't lack that gene

PhD? Yeah sure. Just like the 10 grand he promised to put on the bar. Just pure crap.

[ace]

Selection based on effort not reputation and seniority will be the big change.

A skillful player who normally would only put in enough effort to retain his place will now reside at Sandringham.