Most Improved in 2011

[bendigo bob]

We are seeing the birth of an exciting new centre square combination this year.Our 2 most improved players this year would have to be Ben McEvoy and Jack Steven. They are developing a real understanding as a ruckman/rover combination. Macs ruck work has steadily been improving during the year and this had lead to his improved performance all over the ground. He can take a strong pack mark, has good endurance and his second and third efforts are outstanding. Young Jack is the one who I believe has stood up in Lenny's absence. He is not only doing the grunt work in and under but he is deceptively quick and knows how to kick a goal. Mac and Jack have been and I hope will continue to be allowed to develop together for the long term future of the club. Both have good skills and should even be promoted to the leadership group as soon as possible. They are part of the new broom about to sweep through the club.

[BigMart]

Ben mcevoy, armitage, steven.....all improved

[LENNY LEADS THE WAY]

Loving the Big Macs contested marks most of all. New string to the Mac bow

[skeptic]

Steven and Armitage

the guys that should have been playing all of last season but somehow many felt that Mini's selection instead was justified by stats

[mr six o'clock]

Ben mcevoy, armitage, steven.....all improved

agree

[saintsRrising]

Steven and Armitage

the guys that should have been playing all of last season but somehow many felt that Mini's selection instead was justified by stats

I thought both missed chunks of last year due to injury?...and that Steven had OP after the cats game?

But agree that Mini was lucky to get the number of games he did in 2010, after fabulous 2009.

Also agree that now is the time to groom for the future...but have no regrets over the last two year as we did everything but win two flags.


Game has evolved though...and we need to evolve too.


If our kids bloom enough to make a difference in the finals then great.

But no point limping into the 8 with a team not able to beat the best.

I would rather miss the 8 this year and get some solid games into our next gen this season, than limp into the finals with little chance of progressing over the next two years.

60-75% of our mature players will be part of our teams of 2012/2013...but we need to get experience into the 25-40% now.

[saintsRrising]

Peake's last month earns him a nomination too.

Demspter while not setting the world alight has improved and now looks to be a good option going forward.

But it is thin list of players who are player better than last year.
A small list of who is about the same, and a much bigger list of players who are worse.

[Con Gorozidis]

Steven by an absolute mile.

[QuestionOfAccuracy]

Jack Steven easily.

Honorable mentions: Ben McEvoy, David Armitage, Brett Peake and James Gwilt.

Even though Jack, Mac and Armo have all been promising, I still think Siposs is the only one of the young brigade to have shown himself to be a future difference maker in terms of catching the top teams. He has a-grade skills.

[Furphy]

Peake, who has come forward in leaps & bounds and McEvoy, whilst not setting the world on fire in the ruck, is a sesational mark in the packs and does great stuff around ground.

[Dr Spaceman]

Peake, who has come forward in leaps & bounds and McEvoy, whilst not setting the world on fire in the ruck, is a sesational mark in the packs and does great stuff around ground.

Good call on Peake.

A thread such as this will always focus on the kids but if you're talking most improved then he has to be right up there.

[IluvHarvey]

Steven and Armitage

the guys that should have been playing all of last season but somehow many felt that Mini's selection instead was justified by stats

Both struggled with injury last year. But don't let the truth get in the way of your good story!

[defacto]

how good was steven in the geelong game. he was our only player in the midfield that looked damaging.

[saintbrat]

how good was steven in the geelong game. he was our only player in the midfield that looked damaging.

Armo would have but he was kicking goals.

[gringo]

Peake and Dempster have improved heaps, Armo and Steven have both been good in snippets in their early games and again this year. Not sure they have improved as much as getting game time. Mc evoy had his best game against Geelong but hasn't improved his tap work before that. Over all probably Peake, but Jones has improved from a tagger into a more ball winner role also.

[plugger66]

Peake and Dempster have improved heaps, Armo and Steven have both been good in snippets in their early games and again this year. Not sure they have improved as much as getting game time. Mc evoy had his best game against Geelong but hasn't improved his tap work before that. Over all probably Peake, but Jones has improved from a tagger into a more ball winner role also.

Surely you are joking about Peake. Last 4 games have been good but his form last year was good enough to get into 2 GF's so he is coming off a higher base than some others. I would have Ben and Steven clearly in front of anyone else.

[Sainternist]

Ben mcevoy, armitage, steven.....all improved

agree

Me three!

[jays]

big ben stevens and peake

[Armoooo]

I don't think Peake has improved as drastically as the youngsters, he has always had that level, but consistency is his issue.

[InkerSaint]

Peake and Dempster have improved heaps, Armo and Steven have both been good in snippets in their early games and again this year. Not sure they have improved as much as getting game time. Mc evoy had his best game against Geelong but hasn't improved his tap work before that. Over all probably Peake, but Jones has improved from a tagger into a more ball winner role also.

Surely you are joking about Peake. Last 4 games have been good but his form last year was good enough to get into 2 GF's so he is coming off a higher base than some others. I would have Ben and Steven clearly in front of anyone else.

Plugger is that a figure of speech, or do you honestly think he is joking?

How about Mark Robinson. Is he joking too, or is he just a flog?

8. Brett Peake

The Renaissance Man. Has recovered a sliding career and is more than carrying his own for the Saints. Word is, not so long ago he met a bloke on a beach who had never met before, they got talking, Peake opened up about his footy and his life, and Peake's season turned around. Can't confirm, but it's believed Essendon, Adelaide, Fremantle and Brisbane have search parties looking for the man.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/tackle

[plugger66]

Peake and Dempster have improved heaps, Armo and Steven have both been good in snippets in their early games and again this year. Not sure they have improved as much as getting game time. Mc evoy had his best game against Geelong but hasn't improved his tap work before that. Over all probably Peake, but Jones has improved from a tagger into a more ball winner role also.

Surely you are joking about Peake. Last 4 games have been good but his form last year was good enough to get into 2 GF's so he is coming off a higher base than some others. I would have Ben and Steven clearly in front of anyone else.

Plugger is that a figure of speech, or do you honestly think he is joking?

How about Mark Robinson. Is he joking too, or is he just a flog?

8. Brett Peake

The Renaissance Man. Has recovered a sliding career and is more than carrying his own for the Saints. Word is, not so long ago he met a bloke on a beach who had never met before, they got talking, Peake opened up about his footy and his life, and Peake's season turned around. Can't confirm, but it's believed Essendon, Adelaide, Fremantle and Brisbane have search parties looking for the man.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/tackle

Yep but what has Robbo said that suggests he is our most improved player this year? Like I said he played in 2 GF's last year and I think in an earlier final was one of our best so he is coming off a higher base.

[bergholt]

Surely you are joking about Peake. Last 4 games have been good but his form last year was good enough to get into 2 GF's so he is coming off a higher base than some others. I would have Ben and Steven clearly in front of anyone else.

Plugger is that a figure of speech, or do you honestly think he is joking?

How about Mark Robinson. Is he joking too, or is he just a flog?

i don't mind mark robinson, but suggesting that anyone in the media is right all the time is a recipe for embarrassment. surely if he actually was paying attention to the saints he'd be writing about jack steven instead?

peake's first three games this year were mediocre, his last five have been mostly good and some very good. that's a slightly better strike rate than last year but not light years ahead - for instance, last year's prelim against geelong was one of his best games for the club. the main thing he's done this year is kick more goals which gets him noticed more.

i agree with plugger that, while peake's been better, he hasn't improved anywhere near as much as the other two mentioned.

[Dr Spaceman]

Surely you are joking about Peake. Last 4 games have been good but his form last year was good enough to get into 2 GF's so he is coming off a higher base than some others. I would have Ben and Steven clearly in front of anyone else.

Plugger is that a figure of speech, or do you honestly think he is joking?

How about Mark Robinson. Is he joking too, or is he just a flog?

i don't mind mark robinson, but suggesting that anyone in the media is right all the time is a recipe for embarrassment. surely if he actually was paying attention to the saints he'd be writing about jack steven instead?

peake's first three games this year were mediocre, his last five have been mostly good and some very good. that's a slightly better strike rate than last year but not light years ahead - for instance, last year's prelim against geelong was one of his best games for the club. the main thing he's done this year is kick more goals which gets him noticed more.

i agree with plugger that, while peake's been better, he hasn't improved anywhere near as much as the other two mentioned.

I'm not sure anyone is suggesting he has.

I suppose many like me took the "most" in the thread title to mean a group of players who "are the most improved", rather than just one player who is "the most improved".

[MCG-Unit]

Peake, McEvoy, Steven and Armitage

The OP was 'the most improved in 2011' - and Peake is that easily, no matter what happened last year....

[bigcarl]

Most improved has to be Jack Steven.

That's what can happen when there is a role up for grabs and a kid with the right stuff is persevered with.