Mini

[plugger66]

Mini was a good attacking small-mid, with good smarts who had his natural game destroyed by Lyon- I wish him well at his next club.

He destroyed it that much that he only played in 3 GF's in 2 years. Also wasnt this the same guy that they thought 4 years ago wasnt good enough to keep. It seems to me RL made his career, not destroyed it.

[Schillaci]

Played some good games. Many poor ones.
Seemed to be a coaches favourite in 2010 .
He did win us that tight game against the bulldogs (in 2010 I think).
Not sure if he could help out with the gc suns. Good luck to him if he makes a go of it.

My sentiments too.

[meher baba]

I was sorry to see him "retired" by Lyon on finals night. He always seemed reasonable value to me, although 2010 was a poor season for him. He looked to be getting some form back before he was injured this year.

I wonder whether, if Lyon hadn't already sacked him, the new management might have considered keeping him on

Pretty sure the new management had a lot to do with him going.

If you mean Pelchen, I suppose you're right. But Mini barely played a game since Pelchen came to the club. So how did he develop his opinion of Mini? Through reading Saintsational?

[plugger66]

I was sorry to see him "retired" by Lyon on finals night. He always seemed reasonable value to me, although 2010 was a poor season for him. He looked to be getting some form back before he was injured this year.

I wonder whether, if Lyon hadn't already sacked him, the new management might have considered keeping him on

Pretty sure the new management had a lot to do with him going.

If you mean Pelchen, I suppose you're right. But Mini barely played a game since Pelchen came to the club. So how did he develop his opinion of Mini? Through reading Saintsational?

He seemed to develop an opinion about others who didnt play many either. Mini was always in trouble because of his age and the fact he played only a couple of games this year. All i am saying is Pelchan would have had a lot of influence on him going. Pretty much the same as RL and of course Saintsational. I now understand why Zac is gone but I am confused how Raph is still there.

[ando051]

I was sorry to see him "retired" by Lyon on finals night. He always seemed reasonable value to me, although 2010 was a poor season for him. He looked to be getting some form back before he was injured this year.

I wonder whether, if Lyon hadn't already sacked him, the new management might have considered keeping him on

Pretty sure the new management had a lot to do with him going.

If you mean Pelchen, I suppose you're right. But Mini barely played a game since Pelchen came to the club. So how did he develop his opinion of Mini? Through reading Saintsational?

I did see Pelchen doing his job and watching Sandy later on in the season.

The question that would of been asked about Mini would of been. Is he in our best 22? Most likely not. Will he improve? Most likely not. So we might as well develop a kid for the future.

Ralph is still there because there is no one ready to fill his spot we have stocked up on young midfield/small forwards and forgot about the back line. Cuz of Cuz will fill his spot in the future.

[dcstkfc]

Was very good value in 09 but ultimately having been a dead-eye dick all year he let us down on Grand Final day with a horror miss.

Carried to the 2010 finals, his tackling quality dropped off and he didn't have enough else going for him to keep a size.

Very good user of the footy and from all my interactions with him a good bloke. GC would be silly to pick him up though.

He should go to Port or similar in the VFL.

[Little Dozer]

One of the main reasons we failed to win the 2009 and 2010 GF's. VFL grade player, no hope of playing another AFL game.

[Con Gorozidis]

Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't lyon have him in the leadership group in 2010?
That lyon was one crazy koot...

[degruch]

He destroyed it that much that he only played in 3 GF's in 2 years. Also wasnt this the same guy that they thought 4 years ago wasnt good enough to keep. It seems to me RL made his career, not destroyed it.

Given that he came to the club as an under 18 champ, I highly doubt RL had anything to do with making his career. Seems that having got there, the desire left Mini, he's now finding it again, faced with the fact that his career may now be over. He may just be an ordinary AFL player, there are ordinary players on any GF team, so 3 GF's in 2 years doesn't say too much.

Mini, a reasonable defensive forward...unfortunately, going into 2011 is seemed an unfashionable position post-Saints Footy.

[plugger66]

He destroyed it that much that he only played in 3 GF's in 2 years. Also wasnt this the same guy that they thought 4 years ago wasnt good enough to keep. It seems to me RL made his career, not destroyed it.

Given that he came to the club as an under 18 champ, I highly doubt RL had anything to do with making his career. Seems that having got there, the desire left Mini, he's now finding it again, faced with the fact that his career may now be over. He may just be an ordinary AFL player, there are ordinary players on any GF team, so 3 GF's in 2 years doesn't say too much.

Mini, a reasonable defensive forward...unfortunately, going into 2011 is seemed an unfashionable position post-Saints Footy.

My point was he was delisted and given another chance and with that other chance he played in 3 GF's. Not many players do that.

[degruch]

He destroyed it that much that he only played in 3 GF's in 2 years. Also wasnt this the same guy that they thought 4 years ago wasnt good enough to keep. It seems to me RL made his career, not destroyed it.

Given that he came to the club as an under 18 champ, I highly doubt RL had anything to do with making his career. Seems that having got there, the desire left Mini, he's now finding it again, faced with the fact that his career may now be over. He may just be an ordinary AFL player, there are ordinary players on any GF team, so 3 GF's in 2 years doesn't say too much.

Mini, a reasonable defensive forward...unfortunately, going into 2011 is seemed an unfashionable position post-Saints Footy.

My point was he was delisted and given another chance and with that other chance he played in 3 GF's. Not many players do that.

Very true...point taken.

[evertonfc]

Honestly, his 2009 season was so good - look at his stats.

345 possessions, 22 goals, 112 tackles.

What went wrong?

[BigMart]

Team defenses......and he was being more negative to his direct opponent, and became offesively poor.....

The best way for a forward to negate a defender is

A) get into dangerous positions and kick goals

B) chase the defender around

[vacuous space]

What went wrong?

Our forward line really suffered after 09. The only player who has really improved since then is Schneider, and that's mostly due to increased time up the ground.

For all the complaining about Eddy and Mini that went on, none of the several options that were tried this year looked particularly better - and our attacking numbers did not improve. Gilbert and Gamble were supposed to be the difference. Now Gamble's gone and Gilbert's gone back to the defence. This year it's Cripps, Saad and Siposs. We'll see if any of them are actually an improvement.

Mini was far more attacking than he gets credit for. He didn't like kicking for goal, but he always liked setting up a teammate. He could win the ball at ground level and didn't turn over the ball a lot. He played really well as an onballer for Sandy, but was passed over in favour of Dean Polo when a spot opened up.

I think he'd be a great fit for a young team. At worst, you get a viable backup with some solid experience and great character. Who knows what the upside is? He played some great footy as a mid at a lower level.

[SainterK]

He was a forward, but it had the word 'defensive' in front of it....

Has to kill off any instinct eventually, surely

[Scoop]

Mini had one good year....2009...good defensive forward, who also kicked goals....

After that.....not so good and goals dried up.....had no other strings to his bow....

[The Redeemer]

He destroyed it that much that he only played in 3 GF's in 2 years. Also wasnt this the same guy that they thought 4 years ago wasnt good enough to keep. It seems to me RL made his career, not destroyed it.

Given that he came to the club as an under 18 champ, I highly doubt RL had anything to do with making his career. Seems that having got there, the desire left Mini, he's now finding it again, faced with the fact that his career may now be over. He may just be an ordinary AFL player, there are ordinary players on any GF team, so 3 GF's in 2 years doesn't say too much.

Mini, a reasonable defensive forward...unfortunately, going into 2011 is seemed an unfashionable position post-Saints Footy.

No way he lost his desire to play at AFL-level.

He was internally rated as a leader of the club...

[degruch]

He destroyed it that much that he only played in 3 GF's in 2 years. Also wasnt this the same guy that they thought 4 years ago wasnt good enough to keep. It seems to me RL made his career, not destroyed it.

Given that he came to the club as an under 18 champ, I highly doubt RL had anything to do with making his career. Seems that having got there, the desire left Mini, he's now finding it again, faced with the fact that his career may now be over. He may just be an ordinary AFL player, there are ordinary players on any GF team, so 3 GF's in 2 years doesn't say too much.

Mini, a reasonable defensive forward...unfortunately, going into 2011 is seemed an unfashionable position post-Saints Footy.

No way he lost his desire to play at AFL-level.

He was internally rated as a leader of the club...

So what explains the drop off in performance the last 2 seasons? Mini never lived up to his potential as a player, although he might have been a great club man, hence the leadership role. But if he was highly rated as a leader, why did the club 'retire' him?