My Best 22

[JABBER]

My Best 22

B S Fisher M Hudgton X Clarke
Hb J Steven S Gilbert R Clarke
C F Ray L Hayes J Gram
Hf N Heyne N Riewoldt A Schneider
F T Lynch J Koschitzike S Milne
R S King B Gooddard L Ball
I B Mc Evoy N Dal Santo L Montagna D Armitage

goose and baker come in when fuly fit
interchange players play through midfield
C Jones and J Blake just missed out

[Spinner]

Spinner's Best 22

FB: Gilbert Hudghton R Clarke
HB: S Fisher Koschitzke Blake
C: X Clarke Hayes Gram
HF: Montagna Goddard Ray
FF: Armitage Riewoldt Milne
R: King Ball Dal Santo

INT: Schneider Gardiner Maguire Baker


>Goddard at CHF allows room for Riewodlt to lead out of the square. Koschitzke and Reiwoldt within the same forward line becomes too one-dimensional and crowded.
>Baker to tag in the middle.
>Remaining forward pocket for resting midfielder.
>Koschitzke to be the pillar of strength at CHB. (very important position, underrated in today's game)
>Goddard to play tall or small making it near impossible to match up on.
>Ray, X Clarke, Gram and Montagna to address the 'lack of pace' myth of recent time.

[plugger66]

My Best 22

B S Fisher M Hudgton X Clarke
Hb J Steven S Gilbert R Clarke
C F Ray L Hayes J Gram
Hf N Heyne N Riewoldt A Schneider
F T Lynch J Koschitzike S Milne
R S King B Gooddard L Ball
I B Mc Evoy N Dal Santo L Montagna D Armitage

goose and baker come in when fuly fit
interchange players play through midfield
C Jones and J Blake just missed out

Yes no doubt you should leave out Blake as he has been in the top 10 the last 2 B&F. Also Lynch deserves his spot as his for this year has been excellent and the same with Heyne's one game.

[WayneJudson42]

Spinner's Best 22

FB: Gilbert Hudghton R Clarke
HB: S Fisher Koschitzke Blake
C: X Clarke Hayes Gram
HF: Montagna Goddard Ray
FF: Armitage Riewoldt Milne
R: King Ball Dal Santo

INT: Schneider Gardiner Maguire Baker

Apart from Armo.. I like it. Woud Dempster fit in when fit again?

[fonz_#15]

My Best 22

B S Fisher M Hudgton X Clarke
Hb J Steven S Gilbert R Clarke
C F Ray L Hayes J Gram
Hf N Heyne N Riewoldt A Schneider
F T Lynch J Koschitzike S Milne
R S King B Gooddard L Ball
I B Mc Evoy N Dal Santo L Montagna D Armitage

goose and baker come in when fuly fit
interchange players play through midfield
C Jones and J Blake just missed out

Yes no doubt you should leave out Blake as he has been in the top 10 the last 2 B&F. Also Lynch deserves his spot as his for this year has been excellent and the same with Heyne's one game.

and sam gilbert has been excellent at CHB in the past

[JABBER]

I would love to have Blake in but you cant put them all in.I think the Clarke brothers will produce something special this year in memory of their father.Farren Ray is very good footballer he can play in most positions very good around goal remember he was a number 4 draft pick.Sean Dempster would be in my side if he was fit.To improve on last year 4th we must play the kids

[goodie]

FB: Maguire Hudghton S. Fisher
HB: Begley Blake Ray
C: Montagna Ball Gram
HF: X. Clarke Riewoldt Goddard
FF: Gilbert Koschitzke Milne

R: King Hayes Dal Santo

Interchange from: Schneider Gardiner Jones Dempster R. Clarke Baker Steven

Unlucky: Armitage Eddy Geary Gwilt

[bigcarl]

FB: Baker, Hudghton, X. Clarke
HB: Gram, Maguire, R. Clarke
C: Blake, Hayes, Gilbert
HF: Milne, Riewoldt, Dal Santo
FF: Koschitzke, Goddard, Schneider
R: King, Ball, Montagna

Inter: S. Fisher, Jones, Ray, Heyne

[To the top]

I do not subscribe to R. Clarke or S, Fisher playing too deep in defence.

They are both creative, attacking players and to have them too deep in defence with the attendant negating duties (aka Max) is a waste of some of the best talent we have.

In terms of the debate about Blake, Baker, Milne etc. etc. these players have not taken us to a premiership in long and distinguished careers - and that is where the challenge is for St Kilda in 2009 (and onwards) - to introduce talented youth not just for 2009 but for ensuing years.

Hopefuly the likes of a Jack Steven can say "Hey boys, you have had your time, you have not delivered and now it is my turn - so sit on the sidelines and watch what I can deliver and achieve".

We obviously can not go back to the 2008 and prior "model", because that has not worked.

We have to improve and the most beneficial way to achieve that is to have competition for spots - and no-one apart from the upper echelon guaranteed of selection.

So the pressure is on the 150 game plus players like Blake, Baker and Milne.

I hope that, in 2009 and onwards, they are under real pressure to get a game in the league side.

[borderbarry]

Plugger, I dont mean to be picky but, what do you mean Lynch deserves his spot as his form this year has been excellent? I saw the intra-club practise match, and the NAB match, and he did not play in either game. Where have you seen him display his form?

[Ralphy]

Plugger, I dont mean to be picky but, what do you mean Lynch deserves his spot as his form this year has been excellent? I saw the intra-club practise match, and the NAB match, and he did not play in either game. Where have you seen him display his form?

he was being sarcastic

[bigcarl]

I do not subscribe to R. Clarke or S, Fisher playing too deep in defence.

They are both creative, attacking players and to have them too deep in defence with the attendant negating duties (aka Max) is a waste of some of the best talent we have.

In terms of the debate about Blake, Baker, Milne etc. etc. these players have not taken us to a premiership in long and distinguished careers - and that is where the challenge is for St Kilda in 2009 (and onwards) - to introduce talented youth not just for 2009 but for ensuing years.

Hopefuly the likes of a Jack Steven can say "Hey boys, you have had your time, you have not delivered and now it is my turn - so sit on the sidelines and watch what I can deliver and achieve".

We obviously can not go back to the 2008 and prior "model", because that has not worked.

We have to improve and the most beneficial way to achieve that is to have competition for spots - and no-one apart from the upper echelon guaranteed of selection.

So the pressure is on the 150 game plus players like Blake, Baker and Milne.

I hope that, in 2009 and onwards, they are under real pressure to get a game in the league side.

i agree with what you're saying in the general sense that we have to keep bringing the kids through.

i'm not certain that either blake or milne should be the ones in the gun, though.

baker might be, depending on how he comes back from his injuries. x-man's probably in a similar spot.

from what i can see blake is one of the most respected players we have, both among his teammates and the coaching staff. he can play (and has played) in just about every position and makes a fair fist of most.

and i wouldn't be giving milne's spot to steven just get. wait until we can be guaranteed he can kick 50 plus for the season.

[To the top]

Big Carl, too hung up on pre-conceptions and "favourite" players without dissecting why we have been also rans over the past 5 years when we really should have pinched at least one on the back of Riewoldt, Koschitzke, Ball, Goddard etc. etc. etc.

We have not pinched one because we have not been able to put enough class on the field with those guys.

IF you are going to have a favourite you defend no matter, and where you become precious when they are questioned, it should be Riewoldt because he (with the retirement of Harvey) is THE player who deserves to be defended on the basis of class and effort.

I come from the view that you do not have favourite players because you are only ever as good as your last game.

What you can do is defend a player who is subject to criticism - like R. Clarke who, on the back of his performance in that excellent final win in Adelaide when he had only a few games under his belt and held down CHB in the wet playing in front, showed he had a talent many overloked for one reason or another including that R. Clarke is creative and was not receiving the support he deserved from team mates. That turned around, as I expected it would so I defended him on here.

That is not to say he is a "favourite" player, merely that the critical comment was, in my view, misplaced.

And the same with his brother, who can play.

I have a view that Gardiner in the ruck and around the ground is central to our 2009 season - not that he is a favourite but he has the body, the hardness, the intent and the mongrel - and we need those attributes in our team.

Might have stuffed up a few disposals the other night trying to set things up in difficult conditions but, hey, he got the pill which is the first criteria.

The rest will come with an experienced footballer.

[BallBanger]

My Best 22

B S Fisher M Hudgton X Clarke
Hb J Steven S Gilbert R Clarke
C F Ray L Hayes J Gram
Hf N Heyne N Riewoldt A Schneider
F T Lynch J Koschitzike S Milne
R S King B Gooddard L Ball
I B Mc Evoy N Dal Santo L Montagna D Armitage

goose and baker come in when fuly fit
interchange players play through midfield
C Jones and J Blake just missed out

Yes no doubt you should leave out Blake as he has been in the top 10 the last 2 B&F. Also Lynch deserves his spot as his for this year has been excellent and the same with Heyne's one game.

and sam gilbert has been excellent at CHB in the past

Don't see fonz (self acclaimed) plugger putting forward their best 22...
Quick to shoot down jabber and of course theirs would be bigger and better..

[bigcarl]

Big Carl, too hung up on pre-conceptions and "favourite" players without dissecting why we have been also rans over the past 5 years when we really should have pinched at least one on the back of Riewoldt, Koschitzke, Ball, Goddard etc. etc. etc.

no, nothing to do with favourites.

just defending

1) the best-performed small forward in the competition last season (in a team that already struggles to kick enough goals)

and

2) an unfashionable workhorse who was forced to hold down chb due to injuries and was roundly applauded for his efforts.

if there's a kid on our list who can do what they do better, then i'm all for it.

but as of this moment i don't see one.

[Armoooo]

Here's my .02

FB: Baker Hudghton Maguire
HB: S.Fisher Blake Dempsters
C: Gram Goddard Montagna
HF: Dal Santo Riewoldt Schneider
FF: Steven Koschitzke Milne
R: King Hayes Ball
I/C: X.Clarke Gilbert R.Clarke (Armitage/ Eddy/ Jone)

[WayneJudson42]

The key to these potential line ups as I see it is who is going to be rotated through the middle.

If we play both ruckmen, then you have 3 spots left on the bench.

Of those, you'd like to think X, but does he have the fitness to do it yet? I'm not convinced and he may have to prove himself before he gets a regular spot.

Raph won't be rotated IMO, so that leaves Ray, Armo? and who else?

A tall back 6 that includes Goose, Max and Blake works for me.

Dempster gets a HBF and Baker a possible BP. So where do you put Gilbo? weill he play as 3rd FWD?

Then you'll have at least 1 tagger's spot up for grabs from Mini, CJ and L Fisher.

You've still got Eddy to come back, as well as Geary pushing... and Steven I reckon will get a run up fwd.

The great psoitive that I see and it goes to TTT's pov is that we are at a stage where we are being forced to leave out regular players from 2008... which can only be good for the team, IMO.

[Teflon]

Big Carl, too hung up on pre-conceptions and "favourite" players without dissecting why we have been also rans over the past 5 years when we really should have pinched at least one on the back of Riewoldt, Koschitzke, Ball, Goddard etc. etc. etc.

We have not pinched one because we have not been able to put enough class on the field with those guys.

IF you are going to have a favourite you defend no matter, and where you become precious when they are questioned, it should be Riewoldt because he (with the retirement of Harvey) is THE player who deserves to be defended on the basis of class and effort.

I come from the view that you do not have favourite players because you are only ever as good as your last game.

What you can do is defend a player who is subject to criticism - like R. Clarke who, on the back of his performance in that excellent final win in Adelaide when he had only a few games under his belt and held down CHB in the wet playing in front, showed he had a talent many overloked for one reason or another including that R. Clarke is creative and was not receiving the support he deserved from team mates. That turned around, as I expected it would so I defended him on here.

That is not to say he is a "favourite" player, merely that the critical comment was, in my view, misplaced.

And the same with his brother, who can play.

I have a view that Gardiner in the ruck and around the ground is central to our 2009 season - not that he is a favourite but he has the body, the hardness, the intent and the mongrel - and we need those attributes in our team.

Might have stuffed up a few disposals the other night trying to set things up in difficult conditions but, hey, he got the pill which is the first criteria.

The rest will come with an experienced footballer.

Agreed. WE MUST improve and IMHO the best way to do this is on the back of identifying youth with ability. I think Stevens has and I also want to see Armitage putting heat on for a spot big time this year.

To be candid Id love to see Baker/Maguire have stellar years returning to their glory days....it rarely happens.

[PJ]

There's a fair few people with S. Fisher in the back pocket...What the???
If anything he'll be headed in the other direction.

B: Maguire? Max Bakes
HB: S. Fisher Blake R.Clarke
C: Ray Dal Gram
HF: Milne Roo Heyne
F: Kosi Goddard Schneids

R: King Ball Hayes

Int: Gilbert, Montagna, L. Fisher, J Steven

Not sure if X is ready yet or Bakes for that matter but reports seem to have him up and around. Would like to see how he's going before giving him a guernsey.

Goddard to alternate into the mids with Gilbert to the forward possy.

Maguire may be a bit sus at present but he can give S fisher extra cover with punch from behind and I think he's versatile enough to go forward or back.

With Bakes and L. Fisher in it covers tagging and defensive back up.

S. Fisher & Ray could alternate allowing Sambo to go forward of the wing.

Shame about Eddy hope his knee comes good soon although I still don't have him in best 22.

[mightysainters]

FB: Baker Hudghton Dempsters
HB: S.Fisher Blake Dal Santo
C: Gram Goddard Montagna
HF: Gilbert Riewoldt Schneider
FF: Armitage Koschitzke Milne
R: King Hayes Ball
I/C: Maguire R.Clarke, Ray, Jones

Goddard is our best kick in the team most creative leaving him at full forward would be robbing peter to pay paul, our midfield depth is weak enough and without him would be one of the worst going around

Hayes, Monty, Ball, Dal with Gram and Armo rotating through that is the order of our midfielders overall may sound good in 2003 but 5 years later isn't good enough.
But with BJ he adds skill, poise and creativity to it giving us Goddard, Hayes, Monty, Ball, Dal with Gram and Armo bit more depth and potency (although still behind Hawthorn, Geelong and perhaps Bulldogs).

Sammy Fisher freed up on a back flank is essential for the success of the saints so it's imperative Blake plays a negating role on the big CHF's did a great job last year and proved me wrong about him.

Left our X Clarke because he isn't good enough his injuries have hampered any type of progression physically and mentally. Eddy and Jones were a toss up as fit defensive forwards which every team has.

[fonz_#15]

FB: Baker, Hudghton, X. Clarke
HB: Gram, Maguire, R. Clarke
C: Blake, Hayes, Gilbert
HF: Milne, Riewoldt, Dal Santo
FF: Koschitzke, Goddard, Schneider
R: King, Ball, Montagna

Inter: S. Fisher, Jones, Ray, Heyne

you been on the sauce mate?; Sammy Fisher on the bench? he is our B&F winner and a great user of the footy.

i know your opinion of BJ, but he needs to play midfield if we are to be a chance.

[fonz_#15]

My Best 22

B S Fisher M Hudgton X Clarke
Hb J Steven S Gilbert R Clarke
C F Ray L Hayes J Gram
Hf N Heyne N Riewoldt A Schneider
F T Lynch J Koschitzike S Milne
R S King B Gooddard L Ball
I B Mc Evoy N Dal Santo L Montagna D Armitage

goose and baker come in when fuly fit
interchange players play through midfield
C Jones and J Blake just missed out

Yes no doubt you should leave out Blake as he has been in the top 10 the last 2 B&F. Also Lynch deserves his spot as his for this year has been excellent and the same with Heyne's one game.

and sam gilbert has been excellent at CHB in the past

Don't see fonz (self acclaimed) plugger putting forward their best 22...
Quick to shoot down jabber and of course theirs would be bigger and better..

i havent seen yours either, and yes mine would be better, because i actually watch the team play.

[plugger66]

I do not subscribe to R. Clarke or S, Fisher playing too deep in defence.

They are both creative, attacking players and to have them too deep in defence with the attendant negating duties (aka Max) is a waste of some of the best talent we have.

In terms of the debate about Blake, Baker, Milne etc. etc. these players have not taken us to a premiership in long and distinguished careers - and that is where the challenge is for St Kilda in 2009 (and onwards) - to introduce talented youth not just for 2009 but for ensuing years.

Hopefuly the likes of a Jack Steven can say "Hey boys, you have had your time, you have not delivered and now it is my turn - so sit on the sidelines and watch what I can deliver and achieve".

We obviously can not go back to the 2008 and prior "model", because that has not worked.

We have to improve and the most beneficial way to achieve that is to have competition for spots - and no-one apart from the upper echelon guaranteed of selection.

So the pressure is on the 150 game plus players like Blake, Baker and Milne.

I hope that, in 2009 and onwards, they are under real pressure to get a game in the league side.

In case you havent realised only 20 players have taken us to a premiership. Those players you mentioned will play we just need more out of other players like our 2nd and 3rd year players as well as Kosi and one or two other experienced players.

[plugger66]

My Best 22

B S Fisher M Hudgton X Clarke
Hb J Steven S Gilbert R Clarke
C F Ray L Hayes J Gram
Hf N Heyne N Riewoldt A Schneider
F T Lynch J Koschitzike S Milne
R S King B Gooddard L Ball
I B Mc Evoy N Dal Santo L Montagna D Armitage

goose and baker come in when fuly fit
interchange players play through midfield
C Jones and J Blake just missed out

Yes no doubt you should leave out Blake as he has been in the top 10 the last 2 B&F. Also Lynch deserves his spot as his for this year has been excellent and the same with Heyne's one game.

and sam gilbert has been excellent at CHB in the past

Don't see fonz (self acclaimed) plugger putting forward their best 22...
Quick to shoot down jabber and of course theirs would be bigger and better..

Dont waste my time with best 22 because they never happen. Just pointing out to others what will not happen.

[bigcarl]

Sammy Fisher on the bench? he is our B&F winner and a great user of the footy.

i know your opinion of BJ, but he needs to play midfield if we are to be a chance.

not meant as a sledge on fisher, whom i rate very highly.

as for bj, we need goals and a lot more potency in attack if we are to be a chance.

i thought he really gave us something when moved forward in the second half on saturday and was the key to our resurgence.

obviously the coach is mindful that he can play forward because bj was the first guy he turned to. i think it's an experiment worth continuing, though perhaps not for 120 minutes of every game.

btw, the OP is My Best 22. This is mine. Where is yours?