Let's talk about Josh Bruce.

[saynta]

He was greatly missed last year and lets face it we would probably have lost against the Suns and the drug cheats without him this year.

Sure we miss Paddy but Josh more than makes up what Paddy would be offering us.

Be nice to have both of them though, but I'm convinced we would not have had such a s*** year in 2018 if Josh had been playing.

[WellardSaint]

Last year he was lost to us.
Couldn't mark anything. Couldn't hit the side of a barn using another barn.
Something's happened, he must have gotten contact lenses.
He's a far far better player than even when Rooey was around to take the best 2 key backs.

[skeptic]

Hands down is the best forward on our list and the constant underrating of him over two years has been nauseating at times.

Only player on the list that has on multiple occasions kicked a small bag of goals in a well beaten side with the possible exception of Membrey who is less reliant on needing to pack mark

[Saintmatt]

He’s been VERY injured for the past two years. He’s now very uninjured. That’s the main difference. If he can run and jump - he’s a seriously handful.

[The_President]

Hands down is the best forward on our list and the constant underrating of him over two years has been nauseating at times.

Only player on the list that has on multiple occasions kicked a small bag of goals in a well beaten side with the possible exception of Membrey who is less reliant on needing to pack mark

Stiff on Skunk, been our best for the last 2-3 years.

[skeptic]

Hands down is the best forward on our list and the constant underrating of him over two years has been nauseating at times.

Only player on the list that has on multiple occasions kicked a small bag of goals in a well beaten side with the possible exception of Membrey who is less reliant on needing to pack mark

Stiff on Skunk, been our best for the last 2-3 years.

I don’t mean that to knock Skunk because you’re right but in terms of key forwards, which he’s not, Bruce has been our best.

There’s been a lot of McCartin, Battle, Marshall should be played ahead of him talk... which is not true

[The Fireman]

Last year he was lost to us.
Couldn't mark anything. Couldn't hit the side of a barn using another barn.
Something's happened, he must have gotten contact lenses.
He's a far far better player than even when Rooey was around to take the best 2 key backs.

haircut

[Crossy66]

Last year he was lost to us.
Couldn't mark anything. Couldn't hit the side of a barn using another barn.
Something's happened, he must have gotten contact lenses.
He's a far far better player than even when Rooey was around to take the best 2 key backs.

haircut

100%.
Btw. In the words of jack Dyer " you dont put your boy in the ruck"

[GilsAuPair]

When fit, Bruce and Membrey are two of the first 10 picked in my books.
I think Marshall should also be picked in the first 15.


Then we need to work out whether we play Billy or Lewis (or neither). But for me these 2 are last picked in the 22 (if picked at all).

[WellardSaint]

When fit, Bruce and Membrey are two of the first 10 picked in my books.
I think Marshall should also be picked in the first 15.


Then we need to work out whether we play Billy or Lewis (or neither). But for me these 2 are last picked in the 22 (if picked at all).

i like this idea, Billy or Pierce might get picked depending on who we're playing at the time, if they get picked at all.

[tedtheodorelogan2018]

Gun. Is he in AA squad form do you reckon?

[GilsAuPair]

Gun. Is he in AA squad form do you reckon?

After Rd 2?
Bit early for AA discussions.
Lets re-assess at the bye..

[The_Dud]

Great to see him looking a bit more like 2015 Bruce.

I wish they wouldn’t play him in the ruck though, play him forward permanently and hopefully this helps his goal kicking conversion too.

[Kilda]

Agreed. Don’t play him in the ruck... it’s a regressive move.

[Scollop]

Saw him on Game Day on channel 7 this morning and he looked absolutely flat and out of it. Either exhausted, sore or lacking sleep. Hopefully that type of committment doesn't get in the way of his rest and recovery

Love Joshy Bruce and what he brings to the team. Always ranked him number 1. Something else that I've seen with him over the last couple of years is maturity and leadership which has me thinking he should definitely be in the conversation as our next captain

[BringBackMadDog]

Last year he was lost to us.
Couldn't mark anything. Couldn't hit the side of a barn using another barn.
Something's happened, he must have gotten contact lenses.
He's a far far better player than even when Rooey was around to take the best 2 key backs.

Last year he played 3 games!!!! He took 12 marks and he also kicked 4 goals straight so not sure about the barn reference. We were crap last year in large part to the fact that Bruce wasn't available and he is now showing us his real worth

[Premium89]

Saw him on Game Day on channel 7 this morning and he looked absolutely flat and out of it. Either exhausted, sore or lacking sleep. Hopefully that type of committment doesn't get in the way of his rest and recovery

Love Joshy Bruce and what he brings to the team. Always ranked him number 1. Something else that I've seen with him over the last couple of years is maturity and leadership which has me thinking he should definitely be in the conversation as our next captain

Love Bruce - every time he’s on camera he does seem a little slow and cruisy(for want of a better word), just seems like the kind of guy he is, pretty laid back.
Plus he has a young child - perhaps she had a rough night’s sleep last night?

[guitars4]

Good start but he needs to work on his accuracy missed some set shots that for a key forward should have been nailed IMO

[thejiggingsaint]

Good start but he needs to work on his accuracy missed some set shots that for a key forward should have been nailed IMO

Fair enough about his need to improve accuracy..... but then the kicking has been ordinary across quite a fair proportion of the comp thus far. But see your point. With him getting more game time (hopefully) I've a feeling that the accuracy will improve, and with Membrey staying fit, we could see a vast improvement on last seasons "goals for" column

[tedtheodorelogan2018]

Imagine Max King alongside Bruce and Membrey next year (possibly a couple of games this year). Scary stuff.

Then chuck in Parker, Long and Kent. Good forward line.

[thejiggingsaint]

Imagine Max King alongside Bruce and Membrey next year (possibly a couple of games this year). Scary stuff.

Then chuck in Parker, Long and Kent. Good forward line.

As Big Kev used to say: "I'm Excited!!!!!!!"

[shanegrambeau]

Agreed. Don’t play him in the ruck... it’s a regressive move.

This!

I heard a commentator remark that with his fragile back, playing him in the ruck is a big surprise. This really scares me. If people with bad backs are vulnerable in the ruck, for heavens sake, don’t poke that bear!

I can only summise that he was made to play on the ball to release the stress of missing goals successively and being under to much pressure as a key forward.

Preserve his back please, but judging by his hanger against Essendon, that bit is going OK too!

[Toy Saint]

Agreed. Don’t play him in the ruck... it’s a regressive move.

This!

I heard a commentator remark that with his fragile back, playing him in the ruck is a big surprise. This really scares me. If people with bad backs are vulnerable in the ruck, for heavens sake, don’t poke that bear!

I can only summise that he was made to play on the ball to release the stress of missing goals successively and being under to much pressure as a key forward.

Preserve his back please, but judging by his hanger against Essendon, that bit is going OK too!

Would prefer to have another traditional 2nd ruck/forward in the lineup. Possibly Marshall.

[remboy]

Been our best tall forward since Roo retired. Hopefully people will stop asking for him to play in defence. Makes less sense than putting him in the ruck.

[skeptic]

Not playing him in the ruck is about the only thing Saintsational seems to universally agree on