Paddy back ??

[Gershwin]

PADDY BACK

- Chris Cavanagh

ST KILDA forward Paddy McCartin is in line to return from a knee complaint after training strongly this morning.

The 21-year-old missed the Saints’ win over North Melbourne last Friday night but will come into consideration for this Sunday’s crunch game with Gold Coast if he gets through the club’s main training session on Thursday.

“He trained pretty well,” St Kilda veteran Nick Riewoldt told the Herald Sun.

“The boys had a good session so I’m sure he’ll come into calculations this week.

“I think he was in some reasonable form before he went out last week, doing some nice things.”

A former No. 1 draft pick, McCartin has been in and out of the St Kilda side so far this season, playing just five AFL games and five matches at VFL level.

Riewoldt said while McCartin was still learning his craft, the outlook was bright.

“We work really closely together,” Riewoldt said.

“He’s got a lot of great attributes and like any young player he’s got parts of his game that he needs to improve but he’s absolutely going to be a great player.”

[bigcarl]

Riewoldt said while McCartin was still learning his craft, the outlook was bright.

“We work really closely together,” Riewoldt said.

“He’s got a lot of great attributes and like any young player he’s got parts of his game that he needs to improve but he’s absolutely going to be a great player.”

Good, so give him some space and a chance to develop

[spert]

Need to open up the forward line- too many flying together for the ball. Should keep Paddy down near the goals and the rest of the forwards play up the ground a bit- get he ball down quickly and give Paddy a chance in one-on-ones.

[Sainternist]

Yeah need to get some proper cohesion amongst our talls up forward. Contested marks inside 50m have been quite rare this year.

Will be good to see Paddy back. I have a feeling he is about due for a big one. Playing GC presents a good opportunity for that.

[bigred]

If he was to come in, then who goes out.

Coach has said that it was doubtful that we would have Roo, Bruce, Membrey and Mcartin in at the same time.

[bigcarl]

If he was to come in, then who goes out.

Coach has said that it was doubtful that we would have Roo, Bruce, Membrey and Mcartin in at the same time.

He did say that, but he did it successfully several times last season, Riewoldt has to play up the ground or it's obviously not going to work.

Personally I don't have a problem with two key forwards, Bruce and McCartin, a medium, Membrey, and two or three smalls, as a structure.

It may not be the current paradigm to go in that tall, but there is no reason we cannot create trends rather than follow them.

If we are not going to play Paddy we might as well flog him off now for whatever we can get. I'd prefer that we stay the course and give him responsibility and game time.

[perfectionist]

If the fine had been a suspension then for sure it would have been, nick whack paddy back.

[longtimesaint]

It's a selection headache as Richo doesn't like playing four talls and you would think Roo and Bruce were certainties.
Also Membery is important as he provides more mobility and is normally a good set shot.
You would think the only one who could go out would be Lonie and he performed ok.
It would be swapping a small for a tall.

[samoht]

Paddy lives in a digital world - existing in the binary state of either Paddy Whack or Paddy Back, Rags or Riches - East or West, and never the twain shall meet.

[stonecold]

For the sake of the footy club, Nic needs to play mostly mid-field and let Paddy play and develop!!!!!

[Teflon]

McCartin needs to play - that's the future and only way to find out
Roo back or wing I'm afraid ... drifting forward occasionally

[longtimesaint]

McCartin needs to play - that's the future and only way to find out
Roo back or wing I'm afraid ... drifting forward occasionally

Does Roo have the mobility to play midfield with his knee problems?

[Joffa Burns]

Paddy back for the Zebs.
The forward line looks faster and more flexible without a Paddy.
Also superior defensively.
Plenty of good players learn their craft in the twos.
I don't believe he should displace Roo or Bruce and Membery is a totally different style of player.

[saintspremiers]

Paddy back for the Zebs.
The forward line looks faster and more flexible without a Paddy.
Also superior defensively.
Plenty of good players learn their craft in the twos.
I don't believe he should displace Roo or Bruce and Membery is a totally different style of player.

Agree.

Membrey did enough last week to get selected so Paddy in the magoos.

Dunstan had tonsilitus on Tuesday night so give him a week off to recover (plus he can't string two good games in a row!)

Equation is therefore simple:

IN: Steele, Hickey
OUT: Dunstan, Longer

[Con Gorozidis]

A fwd line of Bruce, Paddy, Membrey isnt very good.

Similar to a midfield of Dunstan, Armo, Ross.

[WellardSaint]

Paddy back for the Zebs.
The forward line looks faster and more flexible without a Paddy.
Also superior defensively.
Plenty of good players learn their craft in the twos.
I don't believe he should displace Roo or Bruce and Membery is a totally different style of player.

Agree.

Membrey did enough last week to get selected so Paddy in the magoos.

Dunstan had tonsilitus on Tuesday night so give him a week off to recover (plus he can't string two good games in a row!)

Equation is therefore simple:

IN: Steele, Hickey
OUT: Dunstan, Longer

At the risk of being abused,
I am relieved at these ins, should they occur.

Dunstan cannot play well twice, agreed,
and although Hickey has legs like matchsticks (tony74 said)
he needs to come back and prove he can offer something tangible

[SMS]

Unless we are getting rocky, kelly and lever and know this why is reiwoldt playing forward?
We need roo to play defense. Grant thomas is right. Can we get grant back. Hed have nick at chb and paddy in the goal square where he can do damage.

[SMS]

Is it just me or does it seem hickey is gone?

Im pretty sure theres been a deal done. How can he go from being songood to now so out of favor??

[Superboot]

Is it just me or does it seem hickey is gone?

Im pretty sure theres been a deal done. How can he go from being songood to now so out of favor??

He's always been a bit of a liability.

Takes the odd nice mark around the ground and has had a few successes in the ruck.

But he was completely obliterated against Brisbane, and regularly gives away stupid frees at key times or in key positions.

Neither he nor Longer are the answer.

[bigcarl]

Is it just me or does it seem hickey is gone?

Im pretty sure theres been a deal done. How can he go from being songood to now so out of favor??

My reading of it is that Richo prefers Longer because he is bigger, stronger and has more mongrel. He's right, but it is overlooking one very important factor.

One is footballer and the other is not. Nothing against Longer ... he has his strengths ... but he is averaging less than a kick per game this season. Give me someone who can get the ball every day of the week.

I don't think Hickey is gone. Sooner or later they will want to "manage" Billy.

[samoht]

Our major problem is not McCartin - or our ruck (we just need to be competitive in the ruck - I mean the Demons won the clearances by 6 last week without Gawn and after being trounced in the hitouts 19-61). The major problem is our midfield.
Ross who is starring needs support and Steven is being hard-tagged - so his influence is being negated.
Ross and Steven are our only midfielders who are capable of taking the game on. And the opposition knows that.
We desperately need another couple of these types (who take the game on) - one star outside midfielder and one star inside.

Stevens and Steele provide good tackling pressure and are good at negating, but do not take the game on - they are not doing that by over-handballing, that's for sure -
plus they are too similar.

We should be playing McCartin every week while trying to sort out our real and major problem (next year)- by recruiting a couple of star midfielders.

We are not that far from being a top team - our recruiters just need to step up to the plate next year and earn their keep. All eyes will be on them.

[spert]

Our major problem is not McCartin - or our ruck (we just need to be competitive in the ruck - I mean the Demons won the clearances by 6 last week without Gawn and after being trounced in the hitouts 19-61). The major problem is our midfield.
Ross who is starring needs support and Steven is being hard-tagged - so his influence is being negated.
Ross and Steven are our only midfielders who are capable of taking the game on. And the opposition knows that.
We desperately need another couple of these types (who take the game on) - one star outside midfielder and one star inside.

Stevens and Steele provide good tackling pressure and are good at negating, but do not take the game on - they are not doing that by over-handballing, that's for sure -
plus they are too similar.

We should be playing McCartin every week while trying to sort out our real and major problem (next year)- by recruiting a couple of star midfielders.

We are not that far from being a top team - our recruiters just need to step up to the plate next year and earn their keep. All eyes will be on them.

Spot-on..we are in dire need of a class midfielder and half forward. The two guys who we needed are now running around with Melbourne- Oliver and Petracca

[bigcarl]

Our major problem is not McCartin - or our ruck (we just need to be competitive in the ruck - I mean the Demons won the clearances by 6 last week without Gawn and after being trounced in the hitouts 19-61). The major problem is our midfield.
Ross who is starring needs support and Steven is being hard-tagged - so his influence is being negated.
Ross and Steven are our only midfielders who are capable of taking the game on. And the opposition knows that.
We desperately need another couple of these types (who take the game on) - one star outside midfielder and one star inside.

Stevens and Steele provide good tackling pressure and are good at negating, but do not take the game on - they are not doing that by over-handballing, that's for sure -
plus they are too similar.

We should be playing McCartin every week while trying to sort out our real and major problem (next year)- by recruiting a couple of star midfielders.

We are not that far from being a top team - our recruiters just need to step up to the plate next year and earn their keep. All eyes will be on them.

Spot-on..we are in dire need of a class midfielder and half forward. The two guys who we needed are now running around with Melbourne- Oliver and Petracca

Why hasn't Acres been tried in there? He takes the game on in a way that Dunstan and Steele never will. Gresham as well.

Very good post samoht. I agree with what you say.

Don't overlook the fact that the ruckman is a midfielder, however, and that a good one can provide more than just tap outs and a strong body at contests.

[WellardSaint]

He's on the extended bench
Savage, Blacres, JWeb, Lonie, Dunstan, J Steele, and Paddy.

3 to drop- Saveloy, Lonie, Dunstan (tonsilitis? says a Pizza connoisseur)