hard decisions to be made about backline

[saintly]

if you do not drop Zac for max you then have 2 full backs. both play the same type of role. the saints cannot go into a game with 2 fullbacks.

[vacuous space]

I think five of our back six have been fairly constant over the first nine:

Baker - Dawson - Blake
(Midfielder) - S. Fisher - Gilbert

Again, I don't see a need to drop anybody. We have a bunch of players who can fill the sixth spot. The only questions for me are are we bringing in Max and how are we doing that? If Max comes in, and that isn't a definite right now, it's reasonable to think that Fisher will get bumped away from key defence. It's possible he could go into the sixth spot or we move one of our other defenders into a different part of the ground. Whatever happens, we'll be looking for minimal change.

I really don't see a spot for Goose in defence. Gram's shifted to the midfield this year. Dempster will have to battle with Miles for a spot when he comes back. If Max isn't coming straight in, none of those other guys will. If you're out of the side as a defender right now, you've probably got to wait your turn.

[bigcarl]

if you do not drop Zac for max you then have 2 full backs. both play the same type of role. the saints cannot go into a game with 2 fullbacks.

max can play tall or small. zac could play chb.

i just don't think zac can be excluded on current form.

[Milton66]

if you do not drop Zac for max you then have 2 full backs. both play the same type of role. the saints cannot go into a game with 2 fullbacks.

zac could play chb. max can play tall or small.

i just think zac's form has been too good for him to be excluded.

I agree. Max should never have to take the best FWD. He can play tall or short.

Zac gives us some run. Room for both IMO.

Zca & Max v Brown & Bradshaw would have been a different contest IMO.

[Saints Premiers 2008]

for mine dempster is an automatic in, he can play both tall and small and has a booming kick

maximus is obviously in

goose to play in the forward line

so the three outs of our best 22 would be gwilt, raph, somebody else as im not sure

i currently don't see how we can play both max and zac in our back 50 however there could be a match up...regardless of whether max should play on the best forward or not is not debateable...fact is he is a great stopper so he should

[Stephen Theodore]

Saints Premiers 2008 wrote:
for mine dempster is an automatic in,

Is Dempster anywhere near resuming in the Ressies ? I just cant see him as an automatic selection if our backline keeps performing the way they are.
I actually thought our backline did a terrific job on Sunday. Brown wasnt dominant, and lets not forget, they only had 16 shots at goal. In more games than not, that would preduce a score of more like 60-65 points, not the 81 that the Loins kicked.

[saint75]

I would add Max so that Fisher is freed up more. Would not drop Zac, but would drop Raph. Even though it was only Raph's first game back, he did not do enough to hold his spot. If you want to hold a spot in this team, you have to earn it. When you get the opportunity to play in the team, you have to make the most of it and as much as it pains me to say, he just did not do enough. He would have made our team easily last year on his performance last weekend, but not in this years team.

Looking at Baker and Blake, they both seem to be carrying a possible niggling injury....?? Drop one or both of them for a week and give someone else a run till they are fit again.

Definitely wouldn't drop Gwilt on the back of the game he played last weekend. He wasn't spectacular, but he did enough when it counted.

Definitely consider giving Goose a run, even just to see how he fits into the team and to see whether there is still a place for him. He has been playing exceptionally well for Sandringham so I think it is time to see whether he can take it to that next level. We need to get an idea of whether he is able to perform at the elite level, if not, he may need to go next year.

Gram is a no brainer. His run off the half back is important. He will be back and tipping a big game for him this weekend.

I think you're being hard on Raph. It takes a couple of games back at the elite level to get used to the pace of the game again. Loved his work last year and we should persist....

I am a huge Raph fan. However, that said, he didn't take his chance when he was offered it on the weekend. Take Zac for example. He was given a chance when Max went down with injury and he hit the ground running and has made an impact. So much so that quite a few believe that Max will struggle to get back into the team.

You have to take the emotion out of it. I love Raph, but he just didn't make the most of the opportunity he was given on the weekend. He was lucky to have made it into the team and when he did, he just didn't make the most of it. He played a VERY ordinary game. Granted others performances were down also, but they have the runs on the board thanks to some great games they have already played this year.

[plugger66]

I dont know if people are actually listening to RL or watching the games. He isnt going to make more than 1 change to our backline in the short term. There would have to be injury or poor form to change the best aspect of our side. At the moment we have neither. The only player that will eventually come in is Max if you count Grammy as a midfielder.

[joffaboy]

I dont know if people are actually listening to RL or watching the games. He isnt going to make more than 1 change to our backline in the short term. There would have to be injury or poor form to change the best aspect of our side. At the moment we have neither. The only player that will eventually come in is Max if you count Grammy as a midfielder.

thank God somebody is bloody well listening.

[Stephen Theodore]

saint75 wrote:
Take Zac for example. He was given a chance when Max went down with injury and he hit the ground running and has made an impact.

Agree 100%. If our backline had been struggling, I believe Maxy would have had only one game, and been rushed back in.

Zac has been a huge pickup for us, and lets be honest, Max is always going to be a soft tissue risk. I just hope that Zac can hold his form, but presently he seems to be getting better.

[Milton66]

I honestly believe that part of our success this year has been due to playing players where they can hurt the opposition the most.

This means that Blake, Zac and co have enabled Gram and BJ to play in the midfield more, and therefore given our midfield a new impetus, along with the improvement of Joey and CJ.

So any chnages to the back 6 will be weighed up against overall team balance.

The return of Max and Dempster could allow Zac to stay, and release Gram to the wing as well as Fish into the midfield.

So it's not a simple matter of saying whotoswap in / out.

It may also mean Gilbert going fwd. Who knows?

[Griggsy]

gram will probably be an in. If what the club was saying is true, that he just wasnt ready and not diciplinary he will be back in. I dont really regard this a major change to the lineup as he played all but the last game.

And I 100% agree that Max has to come in. People are kidding themselves if they think he shouldn't. His experience alone should be enough, and he was arguably our best defender last year. Imagine if he was ready for the Bombers game, have a feeling we would have won by much much more given that Maxy would have been all over that delivery.

Goose and Dempster are hard choices. I want Goose to have a run somewhere soon, forward or back. Dont want to leave it too late in the season though. And Dempster is now probably a depth player and would need an injury to break into the side. Very unfortunate, ireally liked him last season.

The Ins part are easy, its the outs that will baffle, and when it happens I'm sure many will disagree.

[joffaboy]

The Ins part are easy, its the outs that will baffle, and when it happens I'm sure many will disagree.

yeah but isn't it bloody great to be discussing who to leave out rather than who can we find to put in???

What a wonderful headache to have hey??

[SainterK]

The Ins part are easy, its the outs that will baffle, and when it happens I'm sure many will disagree.

yeah but isn't it bloody great to be discussing who to leave out rather than who can we find to put in???

What a wonderful headache to have hey??

To be honest, I am glad it's not my headache

[Milton66]

At htis rate, we could buy the West Sydney franchise and start a "B" team so that all our players get a run in the seniors.

[manoffewwords]

I wonder about giving Goose a run as a the third forward, particularly when we play a team with a couple of strong forwards like the hawks, it would mean leaving out gwilt maybe. Then if an oppsosition key forward runs riot and starts to give blake or Dawson a bath, we have the flexiability to swing down him down back.

Would be good to have a look at him. However not neccessary while we keep winning i guess.

MOFW

[saintsRrising]

I think some may have forgotten that Max played BP for many years before he played FB.

Also againts the Cats one can take Max can take moomey and Zac Hawkins.

Against the Hawks Max can stand Buddy and Zac can take Roughead.

[Milton66]

I think some may have forgotten that Max played BP for many years before he played FB.

Also againts the Cats one can take Max can take moomey and Zac Hawkins.

Against the Hawks Max can stand Buddy and Zac can take Roughead.

Yes, very true. That's exactly what Wayne would have said.

People forget that Max became FB after we lost Penny. And we haven't replaced Penny as yet.

To be able to give Max the job on the 2nd or 3r fwd is a luxury we haven't had for a while.

If anyhting MAx could do Baker's job.

Jilton66 Mudson