Sheedy says "Window open for three years"

[Sainterone]

From the Herald-Sun

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/ ... 72,00.html



THE Saints have three years, starting now. By that, I am referring to their chance to win a premiership.

After taking Sydney's blueprint, as well as one of their men, the time has arrived for these plans to come to fruition.

Ross Lyon is the key. He recruits players who aren't wanted. Technically, it's what Paul Roos did to win a premiership.

He said, "I'll take King, Gardiner and Ray." He also had recycled players Jason Gram and Stephen Milne in his squad.

Right now, he doesn't have time to put 40 games into players. The development has been done by the previous coach, Grant Thomas, and he needs to capitalise.

If you want to nurture young kids, plan for a 10-year pathway because that's how long it takes.

They're not interested in developing Paddy Ryder in the ruck or doing what Richmond did with Brad Ottens before he left.

Most footy clubs have no idea how to create a chance for a premiership or a top-four position.

But you have to take notice of the Saints. They are trying to emulate Sydney by getting to a Grand Final and they can do it.

With their age group they are peaking.

Geelong has the best list, with a group that has been together for seven or eight years. St Kilda has 11 players in today's team who have played 100 games or more. It has 16 on its list and the injured Matt Maguire on 99 games.

Geelong also has 16. So this is St Kilda's window.

They've also got a very good footy manager in Matty Drain, who used to be my manager when I won a premiership.

He's a very disciplined, controlled footy person. And he understands the mechanism of keeping players and coaching staff on the same track.

When Essendon lost him, we lost a very important person to our footy club.

And that's why I was so disappointed Essendon didn't secure Neil Balme. The club that got him now has a window of opportunity for the next five years.

Geelong has been there twice -- won one, lost one -- and will probably beat St Kilda in the Grand Final this year.

Nothing burns in the heart more than a lost Grand Final. "Chubby Checker" turned the game and who was on him? Stuey Dew was the man who came out of retirement to lead Hawthorn to a premiership.

Imagine if Robert Harvey was still there and he could come off the bench, a la Tim Watson for the Bombers in 1993.

The big test for St Kilda will come on Sunday July 5 -- Geelong v Saints at Etihad Stadium. I implore people to not muck around. Buy tickets now. There's nine weeks to go and it will be a genuine blockbuster.

If the Saints have closed the gap on Geelong, we'll find out then. Barring injury to both sides of course, it will be a preview to the September decider. And you only get one look.

The Saints are like Sydney, the junkyard dogs. They have come a long way. The club has a great record of getting to the top four and sacking their coach within 12 months.

Let's hope we don't see a repeat. Lyon is the key and I'm confident he will pass the test. But we are in a hurry because '66 is a long time ago.

[goodie]

Is anyone else sick of all this 'window' crap?

[Sainter_Dad]

Jeldwen do doors - lets start the talk about the door still being open - Jeldwen of course!

[Mr Magic]

Jeldwen do doors - lets start the talk about the door still being open - Jeldwen of course!

Don't they also manufacture Stegbar windows?

[Sainter_Dad]

Jeldwen do doors - lets start the talk about the door still being open - Jeldwen of course!

Don't they also manufacture Stegbar windows?

Then as long as they keep giving us the money - we will need to keep that window open!

[The Saintsational Man]

Milne recycled?

I would've thought a player would've had to have played a game for another team at the top level, to be considered recycled.

Sure he played for the Essendon reserves, but I wouldn't consider him recycled.

[StSteven]

Good article though.

[ytw]

Geelong has been there twice -- won one, lost one -- and will probably beat St Kilda in the Grand Final this year.

Two implications here, or three actually.

1. Geelong will make the GrandFinal (almost agreed upon as fact)

2. StKilda will make the GF (hardly a unanimous opinion)

3. Geelong will beat StKilda in GF

Sheedy knows his stuff, but he is really pushing the boundaries in that sentence.
For some reason, I doubt that Sheedy has bet his own money on that result.

[Solar]

recycled gram and milne?

huh?

[Bowey Boy]

recycled gram and milne?

huh?

Gram played two games for Brisbane. Let through a clanger goal in one of them too !! Pretty sure he was always a Saint supporter.

I suppose Milne is kind of recycled...certainly given a second chance.

[iwantmeseats]

window schmindow, let the crap flow sheeds.

I couldnt give a rats about september at this stage, windows, who comes from where or anything like that. Its all about the bulldogs TODAY, then collingwood etc.

SOME supporters and media just cant resist getting so far ahead of the eight ball its ridiculous.

[Solar]

recycled gram and milne?

huh?

Gram played two games for Brisbane. Let through a clanger goal in one of them too !! Pretty sure he was always a Saint supporter.

I suppose Milne is kind of recycled...certainly given a second chance.

but both played enough football under thomas to not be included under the heading "lyon's recycling"

[Bowey Boy]

recycled gram and milne?

huh?

Gram played two games for Brisbane. Let through a clanger goal in one of them too !! Pretty sure he was always a Saint supporter.

I suppose Milne is kind of recycled...certainly given a second chance.

but both played enough football under thomas to not be included under the heading "lyon's recycling"

Yeah agreed - a fair observation.

[Solar]

recycled gram and milne?

huh?

Gram played two games for Brisbane. Let through a clanger goal in one of them too !! Pretty sure he was always a Saint supporter.

I suppose Milne is kind of recycled...certainly given a second chance.

but both played enough football under thomas to not be included under the heading "lyon's recycling"

Yeah agreed - a fair observation.

to be fair I have found that supporters of a club can have a lot more knowledge then a commentator who writes about all 16 teams. I would struggle to name you brisbanes depth players for instance.

I do buy the window in the sense of when you get a group of players peaking at the same time with a nice touch of a couple of older exprience and exciting youth.

I think we have that right now

[saintsRrising]

Well I am not sure how long it will last...

But yes one could say that for at least the next three years that we should be up and about......with a good chance that our team will actually improve.

Next year Max would be our only likely significant loss...
How long will King and Gardiner last?? Grdi is just shy of 30..and King is 30..so one would hope for another two seasons...with Mac then ripe and mature to be a regular..

Hayes , Milne and Baker are all basically 29....so again 2 or more seasons

However a club does not exist in a vaccum...

Will the Cats also stay strong..??

Will the Hawks keep improving...??

Will the Blues keep improving.....??? If they can build a better efence their stocks will improve...


Our list hasa good spread of younger players on it coming though.... The one big question mark is to me whether some players can grow into A grade mids in several years time to replace Hayes. Armo? Steven? Too early to know...

[Stephen Theodore]

I thought it was an excellent article, and I think most Saints fans would agree with what was wriiten. Except we'll win it in September !!

[remboy]

Is this the same three year window we had five years ago or is this a new window? When are people going to stop with this window rubbish.
Nobody knows who we are going to recruit between now and then, how the rookies will develop or how the other teams are going to go.
I think we've got a good opportunity now because, with the exception of Geelong, the rest of the competition looks ordinary (and I'm judging Hawthorn on their current form not last years).

[evertonfc]

Fair article.

Couldn't please the fans on here unless you declared we were sure things to win it.

[Sobraz]

Thought the article was a load of crap... And thats nothing to do with Sheedy saying we'll win the premiership or not..

His refering to our recycling, and through this the constant comparisons to Sydney are rubbish...

I got the indication he hardly seen one of our games all year, and wrote the article based on common talkback opinion...

The article above it in the age is a far better read....

[Richter]

I too think it's a good article. Whilst the window theory doesn't always work- I think that it is appropriate to us. When you look at our boys the best players come from very drafts of 2000- 2002. And it's exactly as GT said - we have a group of highly talented players who are all coming through together.

It has been said that the best age for a footballer to play his best football is in his mid 20s - of that group, Justin Koschitzske is the oldest at 26 and Brendan Goddard the youngest at 23. QED.

Now, off to watch the Saints smash the Dogs!

[vacuous space]

It has been said that the best age for a footballer to play his best football is in his mid 20s - of that group, Justin Koschitzske is the oldest at 26 and Brendan Goddard the youngest at 23. QED.

Out of the team that took the field last week, 16 of them are 26 years old or younger. For the others:

Baker -> Miles
Blake -> R. Clarke
Gardiner -> McEvoy
Hayes -> Armitage
King -> Koschitzke
Milne -> Steven

Then there's guys like X, Dempster and Allen to come back from LTIs.

I don't see any cause for concern, short term or long term. Sheedy seems to struggle with the idea of sustained success, probably because he couldn't sustain it at Essendon once his financial disadvantage disappeared and his stars started to leave/retire. I see no reason why we can't stay competitive well beyond three years.

[ace]

[quote="The Saintsational Man"]Milne recycled?

I would've thought a player would've had to have played a game for another team at the top level, to be considered recycled.

Sure he played for the Essendon reserves, but I wouldn't consider him recycled.[/quote]

SPOT ON

Milne played for Essendon Reserves, he was never drafted or rookied by Essendon.
Playing for the Essendon Reserves was like playing as a VFL only player for Bendigo Bombers or Sandringham Zebra now.
Unlisted Sandringham players are not St Kilda's.
Unlisted Bendigo players are not Essendon's.
Unlisted Essendon reserve players were never Essendon players.
Anyone can draft them.
Taken from right under Essendon's nose but they never claimed him as theirs and never wanted him.
Would be like someone taking Sautner as a rookie..

[battye]

Milne recycled?

I would've thought a player would've had to have played a game for another team at the top level, to be considered recycled.

Sure he played for the Essendon reserves, but I wouldn't consider him recycled.

SPOT ON

Milne played for Essendon Reserves, he was never drafted or rookied by Essendon.
Playing for the Essendon Reserves was like playing as a VFL only player for Bendigo Bombers or Sandringham Zebra now.
Unlisted Sandringham players are not St Kilda's.
Unlisted Bendigo players are not Essendon's.
Unlisted Essendon reserve players were never Essendon players.
Anyone can draft them.
Taken from right under Essendon's nose but they never claimed him as theirs and never wanted him.
Would be like someone taking Sautner as a rookie..

I thought Milne played an exhibition game for Essendon? And was on their rookie list?

[Armoooo]

Milne recycled?

I would've thought a player would've had to have played a game for another team at the top level, to be considered recycled.

Sure he played for the Essendon reserves, but I wouldn't consider him recycled.

SPOT ON

Milne played for Essendon Reserves, he was never drafted or rookied by Essendon.
Playing for the Essendon Reserves was like playing as a VFL only player for Bendigo Bombers or Sandringham Zebra now.
Unlisted Sandringham players are not St Kilda's.
Unlisted Bendigo players are not Essendon's.
Unlisted Essendon reserve players were never Essendon players.
Anyone can draft them.
Taken from right under Essendon's nose but they never claimed him as theirs and never wanted him.
Would be like someone taking Sautner as a rookie..

I thought Milne played an exhibition game for Essendon? And was on their rookie list?

As did I.

[stinger]

He said, "I'll take King, Gardiner and Ray." He also had recycled players Jason Gram and Stephen Milne in his squad. "





.....f*** me....gee the guys" a wanker..........milne recycled my arse.....


ps.....kicked our arse in the reserves grannie...then followed up and did the same thing to our firsts in london.....