New look Saints ready to deliver

[degruch]

Justr a stab at it, so correct me if I'm wrong:

McEvoy
Allen
Ferguson
Geary
Eddy
Armitage
Howard


...now I'm struggling. Steven pops to mind, but not sure he's played an AFL game yet, only NAB Cup.

Clinton Jones.

You're correct, Steven hasn't played yet.

Cheers!

[degruch]

Once again, people only see what they want to see...

Did Walls say "blood" or "debut"?

Both completely different scenarios IMO.

EG: I'd include Gwilt in the "blooded" category.

Well, I didn't really WANT to see it...it's just the facts.

'Blooded' not debut, eh? Hmmmm...how many games does one need to play to qualify as 'blooded'?

[InkerSaint]

I think Walls can be insightful, engaging and occasionally prescient as a print journalist. Remember a great article he wrote mid-2005 about us - summed up things beaudifully.

"Doubts linger over Saints", March 2005 - is that the one? Pity the Age has archived it.

[Saints43]

I challenge anyone to find a negative article Walls has written about St Kilda since he was involved in the process that picked Lyon. He was a staunch defender of our team and our coach OTC last year, even when we weren't going so well. He's barely said a bad word about the Dogs since Eade was appointed either.

Oh, so that's it. Just because he was part of the panel?

MAybe he simply didn't go off half cocked like some of our supporters who wanted RL aked last year.

So what you're saying that he only writtes good things so that he won't get egg on his face?

BTW, Eade hasn't done too badly since appointed.

He wasn't just 'part of the panel'.

The recruitment process was that a shortlist of candidates was compiled by the consultants employed to select our new coach. RL was not on that shortlist. He was brought into the interview process at the eleventh hour on the recommendation of Walls.

[saintsRrising]

3 points I take from the article:

. Now we want players with Premiership experience. I also note that he missed Farren Ray, who hasn't got this experience. That's just nitpicking though.

.

"The interesting point to note, though, is that the seven players concerned have all played in premierships or been coached by grand final coaches."

Was Eade coach of the Swans when they played in the GF with Lockett?

Zac too would come under this as he played under Clarkson.

[saintsRrising]

The thing I like about our "experienced" pick ups is that all clearly address obvious needs in the team.

Birrs did not survive...though I thought he was stiff as he last few senior games looked ok.

But I guess that whatever Lyon's instructions were that he must not have been achieving them well enough because Mini took his spot.

On Mini, it is interesting because early on when his role was changed he later admitted that he was not wiling to really embrace what was asked of him (ie tagging etc).

Now Mini has embraced what is asked..and he is playing regularly. So perhaps alesson there too that Lyon is favoring "team" players.

The dropping of Dal and Milne last season also spelled out loud and clear the importance of placing team before individual play.

[meher baba]

How on earth can any of you even dream of taking this bloke seriously?!!!

To all the posters on here who reckon that they don't mind Walls's commentary, how do you go with his suggestion that Goose was faking it and a wuss when he didn't get up and play on after BBBB Hall illegally smashed him in the guts (when, given how Staker subsequently reacted to the same strength contact to the head, the bastard should have been praising Goose for being able to return to the match at all).


Or another classic: after we were crucified by the umps against Port at AAMI in 2006, Walls came on and said "Port Adelaide deserved to win, because it's good to see every team have a win at this stage of the season".

On TV, Walls is a complete prat who often seems to say the first thing that comes into his head. In print, he is a little bit better, but he is devoid of objectivity and is congenitally unable either to criticise his friends or praise his enemies.

The Age article today is the usual load of "I love RL cause he's my mate" drivel that Walls produces from time to time.

"When RL took over as coach....he soon realised the list was on the wane". Did he? Well then, why have well over 75 per cent of the players selected to play AFL by RL over the past 2 and a bit seasons been the guys who were already at the club in 2006?

"The coach introduced eight kids to AFL football over the past two seasons."WTF????!!! BTW WJ42, the word Walls used is :"introduced" not "blooded". "Introduced" can only mean "made their debut": or alternatively (if "kids" means "young kids", "took them along to watch their first ever match").

Certainly 8 players made their AFL debuts under Lyon. One of them, Jones, is not a "kid" (he's older than half the guys who played for us in the 2005 Preliminary Final). Four more - Sweeney, Howard, McEvoy and Allen - have played a grand total of 8 games among them, and two have already been delisted: more like "speed dating" than a proper introduction.

The rest of the discussion, apart from praising Gilbert (who was recruited and made his debut under GT) as "something special", consists of a puffing up of the long list of rejects we have picked up from other clubs (without any mention being made, surprisingly, of a certain M Clarke who we took on the strong recommendation of Walls himself).

Three of these - Gardi, Dawson and Ray - are more or less praised to the high heavens on the basis of their performances in a single game (in-depth analysis that one). Three more - Begley, Schneider and Dempster - are praised more on reputation than anything they have delivered for the Saints. And the other, King, is talked of as an injury risk who has fortunately worked out so far.

Guys and gals: the man's a complete and utter goose. Come to terms with it.

[degruch]

Quick Meher Baba...to the Who thread!

[BAM! (shhhh)]

3 points I take from the article:

. Now we want players with Premiership experience. I also note that he missed Farren Ray, who hasn't got this experience. That's just nitpicking though.

.

"The interesting point to note, though, is that the seven players concerned have all played in premierships or been coached by grand final coaches."

Was Eade coach of the Swans when they played in the GF with Lockett?

Zac too would come under this as he played under Clarkson.

Indeed, Eade was that coach (always had Zac down, for all he didn't play, the mind slips back to last years winners more eaily than the coach of the team that lost the 1996 grand final).

So I guess Farren qualifies after all... let's hope he picked up a lot of the lessons leaned by Eade in his first season of coaching I tend to take far more of my hope for Ray from the Bulldogs outfit he was a part of last year... but credit where due, it's an interesting anecdote.

I'm with you on the players themselves. They address needs, I like them - but I've never been against recycling players. Provided it's done well (and it IS something I think Ross Lyon has done extremely well), recycled players are the method by which a team plugs the holes in it's list and gains the ability to ensure they're drafting the most talented possibilities to ensure success.

[rodgerfox]

Rubbished and ridiculed by many....his putting all the pieces together is now being recognised.

Recognised for a R1 win over a poor team?

Gee us Saints fans are easily pleased.

[bob__71]

To all the posters on here who reckon that they don't mind Walls's commentary, how do you go with his suggestion that Goose was faking it and a wuss when he didn't get up and play on after BBBB Hall illegally smashed him in the guts (when, given how Staker subsequently reacted to the same strength contact to the head, the bastard should have been praising Goose for being able to return to the match at all).

I think he should have made much more of an effort to get up and play on. I thought it a bit soft of one of our bigger, supposedly tougher players. And I think goose was found out somewhat on that day.

[Saints43]

To all the posters on here who reckon that they don't mind Walls's commentary, how do you go with his suggestion that Goose was faking it and a wuss when he didn't get up and play on after BBBB Hall illegally smashed him in the guts (when, given how Staker subsequently reacted to the same strength contact to the head, the bastard should have been praising Goose for being able to return to the match at all).

I think he should have made much more of an effort to get up and play on. I thought it a bit soft of one of our bigger, supposedly tougher players. And I think goose was found out somewhat on that day.

I once got hit in the solar plexus and could barely take in a breath for what seemed like five minutes. I have always assumed that's what happened to Goose that night. There's no way you could get up and run around in that state.

[bob__71]

To all the posters on here who reckon that they don't mind Walls's commentary, how do you go with his suggestion that Goose was faking it and a wuss when he didn't get up and play on after BBBB Hall illegally smashed him in the guts (when, given how Staker subsequently reacted to the same strength contact to the head, the bastard should have been praising Goose for being able to return to the match at all).

I think he should have made much more of an effort to get up and play on. I thought it a bit soft of one of our bigger, supposedly tougher players. And I think goose was found out somewhat on that day.

I once got hit in the solar plexus and could barely take in a breath for what seemed like five minutes. I have always assumed that's what happened to Goose that night. There's no way you could get up and run around in that state.

Yep but ya can try

[BAM! (shhhh)]

To all the posters on here who reckon that they don't mind Walls's commentary, how do you go with his suggestion that Goose was faking it and a wuss when he didn't get up and play on after BBBB Hall illegally smashed him in the guts (when, given how Staker subsequently reacted to the same strength contact to the head, the bastard should have been praising Goose for being able to return to the match at all).

I think he should have made much more of an effort to get up and play on. I thought it a bit soft of one of our bigger, supposedly tougher players. And I think goose was found out somewhat on that day.

I once got hit in the solar plexus and could barely take in a breath for what seemed like five minutes. I have always assumed that's what happened to Goose that night. There's no way you could get up and run around in that state.

My reaction's a bit the same.... it's one thing if you know it's coming and have a chance to tense, but if you take a solid gutshot when you're not ready for it, you're a bit busy trying to breath to worry about anything else...

[meher baba]

To all the posters on here who reckon that they don't mind Walls's commentary, how do you go with his suggestion that Goose was faking it and a wuss when he didn't get up and play on after BBBB Hall illegally smashed him in the guts (when, given how Staker subsequently reacted to the same strength contact to the head, the bastard should have been praising Goose for being able to return to the match at all).

I think he should have made much more of an effort to get up and play on. I thought it a bit soft of one of our bigger, supposedly tougher players. And I think goose was found out somewhat on that day.

Of course you are right. And as for Staker, his failure to get straight back up and play on shows that he is just a handbag carrying pillow.......

[rodgerfox]

My reaction's a bit the same.... it's one thing if you know it's coming and have a chance to tense, but if you take a solid gutshot when you're not ready for it, you're a bit busy trying to breath to worry about anything else...

That's what killed Houdini.

[spert]

It's pretty clear that under RL, players who don't put their body into the contest, will struggle to hold their place unless they do something special otherwise, like kick a bag of goals. No doubt Hawthorn's flag last year was a good case of smalls to talls going hard at the ball in contests. RL will be trying to get that midset in our team. No doubt Walls will be sitting back at the end of the season after we win the flag, smoking his pipe thinking " RL was a good choice"

[Mr Magic]

My reaction's a bit the same.... it's one thing if you know it's coming and have a chance to tense, but if you take a solid gutshot when you're not ready for it, you're a bit busy trying to breath to worry about anything else...

That's what killed Houdini.

Actually Houdini died from peritonitis caused by a ruptured appendix, many days after that 'celebrated' incident of the punch to the stomach.

[InkerSaint]

Guys and gals: the man's a complete and utter goose. Come to terms with it.

None of which means the article doesn't stand on its own merits. Although I concede that it's not so much standing, as leaning against a crumbling Wall...

Personally I think I write a better article. And I don't even pretend to be unbiased.

Yes he is selective with some of his facts, and on shaky ground with some of his principles eg. the "winning culture" premise. However the gist of the article is RL's recruiting strategy, and Walls is just summarising what keen Saints fans already know: we need more zip in the midfield, goal scoring from the mids, a reliable and stable ruck, better pressure in the forward line, support for Roo, and some succession planning for Hudghton.

Walls has certainly jumped the gun. His headline is mis-phrased: if it had read "New Saints look ready to deliver" it would have been more honest.

But, I ask, how could you not be excited by the signs shown in last week's match? Against "a poor team", as our resident grinch notes - we'll see exactly how poor soon enough. The signs look good. And I couldn't say that after last year's R1 victory against the Swans. It's about time this team had some luck, and we'll have a lot better idea if that's true in just a few hours' time.

[markp]

My reaction's a bit the same.... it's one thing if you know it's coming and have a chance to tense, but if you take a solid gutshot when you're not ready for it, you're a bit busy trying to breath to worry about anything else...

That's what killed Houdini.

Actually Houdini died from peritonitis caused by a ruptured appendix, many days after that 'celebrated' incident of the punch to the stomach.

He's gone. Move on.

[degruch]

My reaction's a bit the same.... it's one thing if you know it's coming and have a chance to tense, but if you take a solid gutshot when you're not ready for it, you're a bit busy trying to breath to worry about anything else...

That's what killed Houdini.

Actually Houdini died from peritonitis caused by a ruptured appendix, many days after that 'celebrated' incident of the punch to the stomach.

He's gone. Move on.

Houdini...2 weeks?

[markp]

My reaction's a bit the same.... it's one thing if you know it's coming and have a chance to tense, but if you take a solid gutshot when you're not ready for it, you're a bit busy trying to breath to worry about anything else...

That's what killed Houdini.

Actually Houdini died from peritonitis caused by a ruptured appendix, many days after that 'celebrated' incident of the punch to the stomach.

He's gone. Move on.

Houdini...2 weeks?

I cant wait for an excuse to use the 'that's what killed Houdini' line... I think it's a keeper........

[InkerSaint]

In fact...

I will call tonight's result: the Saints will get up.

Why?

The clue is in my front page article. Not because of any of Robert Walls' observations, although they flow on from this.

Boardroom stability.

Don't expect the wayward Saints of old.

Of course, if they lose, my article's credibility is sunk. But my calling it out, or not, wouldn't change that anyway.

It wasn't my idea or observation in the first place - it was Nathan Buckley's. I was impressed enough by his "April madness" article last year to hitch my wagon to his. And he was eerily prescient in calling a top 4 finish for Saints.

So the team will be proving both of us right or wrong.

I don't mind the company.

[degruch]

My reaction's a bit the same.... it's one thing if you know it's coming and have a chance to tense, but if you take a solid gutshot when you're not ready for it, you're a bit busy trying to breath to worry about anything else...

That's what killed Houdini.

Actually Houdini died from peritonitis caused by a ruptured appendix, many days after that 'celebrated' incident of the punch to the stomach.

He's gone. Move on.

Houdini...2 weeks?

I cant wait for an excuse to use the 'that's what killed Houdini' line... I think it's a keeper........

Rodger's best material...I can see it being used in pubs around the nation! I'll be waiting to slip in a "...and that's what killed Houdini" myself...hopefully not after someone's belted me in the guts either.

[rodgerfox]

It appears that a sense of humour is hard to find on a Friday afternoon.