Milera, core groups & transition phases, the way to rebuild

[hungry for a premiership]

That's now two above-average games in a row for Milera from his first two games of football.


It was an absolute joy to see him play live for the first time tonight. My observations:

-He's a great reader of the play. Knows where the ball is going to be and moves to the right spaces.
-Fantastic clean skillsDoesn't fumble. Accurate disposal. Makes good decisions. Possessions have large impact on play.
-Calm, poised, assured, level-headed temperament. Inspires confidence. Doesn't panic under pressure. Naturally smooth, pacy runner and mover.
-He does look a bit skinnier than everyone else, but the kid can tackle! Doesn't shirk a contest, applies defensive pressure, shows courage.
-The full package. A pure football player. Can take a mark, can kick a goal. Makes it look easy, effortless.

He is now my favorite player on the team. He looks like he really enjoys playing football, like he's really having fun out there, he plays with a freedom and an instinct that cuts open defenses and makes us a more dangerous team over-all. He has got "it," that intangible X-factor that from a supporters perspective brings tingles down the spine in the realization that we may be witnessing the explosive birth of another St.Kilda cult champion.

The enthusiasm he emanates spreads throughout the rest of the team, you could see it tonight, it was tangible. It spreads like Malaria.


On another note:

It was quite fascinating watching the team tonight, to see clearly how it has truly become a different team. The team has found it's identity again. Last year, it didn't really know what it was, or where it was, or where it was going. It was living in the past. Tonight, it was refreshing to clearly observe first-hand how we've gone from a team that was purely living in the present and going for broke for a premiership in the current campaign, to a team that has a firm eye on the future and isn't pinning all its hopes to a flag in the current campaign but rather is aiming to use the current campaign as a springboard to launch into future campaigns and build momentum for the next tilt. This is a transition phase, a phase between peaks. Not to say that we shouldn't try to win the premiership. You should always try to win the premiership. But we don't expect to win the premiership.

It gives me great pride as a Saints fan to see the way that that special, once-in-a-lifetime core group of guns that has carried this club for nigh on the past 10 years has now taken on the action and responsibility of mentoring and nurturing and actively helping to develop what will be the next core group of this team. Collectively, they have an absolute plethora of knowledge and experience that, if passed on to and assimilated by the kids, can be the difference between winning and losing games of football. Seeing the way that that core group is effectively giving away it's ownership of the team, the pride it is taking in building the foundation upon which the future success of the team will be built speaks volumes of their character and is a testament of their dedication to the club.

Seeing this inspires me with the the hope that the spirit of that group that took this team from the bottom of the mountain to the summit and was there at the pinnacle and could actually smell it and feel its light only to have it snatched away at the last possible gasp, twice, won't die but will live on as it is passed from the current core on to the next core and will be however a significant causal factor that contributes to finally carrying us all the way to the pinnacle, past the apex and beyond to the ultimate, unchallengable and final reality of premiership glory. The happy ending to a sad story that's been going on for 46 years.

Terry Milera to win the norm smith on the day.


Finally, anyone true supporter who honestly believes that the best way for us as a club to rebuild this team is to bottom out and be non-competitive and finish at the bottom of the ladder in order to get high draft picks is misinformed or sdelusional. The experience and wisdom that our highly valued players bring contributes to the winning ethos of a team and keeps that winning culture alive and that is far, far more valuable than the higher draft picks we'd get in exchange for them.

I like the way the club and Scott Watters are going about rebuilding the team. I like the messages we've been getting from Watter-man about the direction and goals and plan for this team. This is the correct and only way for St.Killda to successfully rebuild for another all-out tilt for the flag in another 1-4 years time playing under Watters. Build and develop the next core group by blending it into the old one, ensuring its natural and organic development, whilst the overall team always remains strong and competitive and wins games of football and plays finals and maybe even in a freak finals run or a rare patch of good form or an alignment of the football gods, maybe even this year, is still good enough to just know how to win enough games to just get it close enough to just give it a fighting chance of just doing the improbable but not impossible and just pulling a premiership out of its ass from 5th or 6th or 7th.



The story of the next core group is at a highly interesting and a highly volatile stage right now. It's infantile stages. If the ass falls out of the team, if we trade our current core away or don't play them in order to find the future core faster, then the rebuild will fail spectacularly and bang, its a decade or more of finishing down the bottom of the ladder and a culture of losing seeping in and an acceptance of living life not near the summit of the mountain where the ultimacy of premiership glory resides but way down at the bottom and in the surrounding woods where life is dull, insipid and uninspiring.



Next week vs bulldogs should be very revealing!

[Thinline]

I read some of that, got the gist...

One thing I'll say is that I now strongly believe clubs will ramp up the mature age hunt.

The Suns had a shot at the best 17 yo's in the country. Smith showed glimpses last year, has been woeful this year. Swallow is Swallow. The 'highly regarded' rest (Weller, Russell, Flanagan etc etc) barely get a kick and otherwise flounder in the magoos. Arguable that Melb and Tigers youth policies are treading water.

[gringo]

You realise you can't just stick the best young players in the land in one team and expect them to do much for at least a few years. Having our good players out there setting examples and leading from the front is invaluable.

As for Milera, spot on just so good to have someone we found come in and make an immediate impact. When you add Steven, Big Mac, Newnes, Cripps and Ledger it makes you realsie that the demise of St kilda is highly over stated.

[Cairnsman]

Interesting to see the Virus get run down when streaming out of the middle. Was that a case of nobody was in our forward line and so he slowed up and hesitated looking for an option? He is probably going to get caught like that a bit if he wins the ball and doesn't see anybody in the forward line. So what to do? In that situation at yesterdays game could he have put the after-burner on and had a shot at goal? It will be pointless having a fast and attacking player in the team if he is surrounded by slower players that aren't running forward of him. I reckon he might need a duplicate of himself in the side. Someone that can read him. Like the small Carlton forwards. Milera certainly wouldn't have worked in a Ross Lyon team so if Scott has changed the game plan does it cater for a Virus?

[hAyES]

The way we're going about rebuilding is a great way to do it. Make the young guys earn their spots and when they come in they're learning from champions like Roo, Lenny etc who still put an emphasis on winning as opposed to teams like Melbourne who forced their senior players out and gifted young guys games who think its just going to happen for them.

With things like uncompromised drafts coming up and no priority picks for tankers its going to push good players further back in the draft. Throw in teams grabbing players from VFL etc and keeping an eye on the two expansion teams for young guys they can't pay eventually and it looks like we may not have to bottom out to contend again one day.

[gringo]

Interesting to see the Virus get run down when streaming out of the middle. Was that a case of nobody was in our forward line and so he slowed up and hesitated looking for an option? He is probably going to get caught like that a bit if he wins the ball and doesn't see anybody in the forward line. So what to do? In that situation at yesterdays game could he have put the after-burner on and had a shot at goal? It will be pointless having a fast and attacking player in the team if he is surrounded by slower players that aren't running forward of him. I reckon he might need a duplicate of himself in the side. Someone that can read him. Like the small Carlton forwards. Milera certainly wouldn't have worked in a Ross Lyon team so if Scott has changed the game plan does it cater for a Virus?

Harsh marker, in his second game he got run down and he has had a couple of out of bounds, but he has adapted to the pace of AFL footy with little problem. He will start to back himself more as his confidence increases. In the SANFL highlights he does the mercurial, I expect him to get more demanding of the ball and take shots himself, to me he's just a super classy player. In the warm up he just looks like the ball is a yo yo it's just planted in his hands he will be something special IMO. I thought Saad would be the one that came in and impacted immediately but called that wrong. Saad is super defensive as a forward and maybe a longer term Milne replacement. Wilkes is killing it as a forward at VFL level as well.

[8856brother]

Was happy also that he looks quite humble. No over the top celebrations. Unlike the Blues "look at me" little midgets. He seems level headed. That first goal was something else. If he didn't get another touch I would still be thinking there's something special about Terry.

Will be exciting watching him this year.

[Junction Oval]

I like the way that he moves - great balance. It was good to see so many young guys getting a run against similar sized players.

[Cairnsman]

Interesting to see the Virus get run down when streaming out of the middle. Was that a case of nobody was in our forward line and so he slowed up and hesitated looking for an option? He is probably going to get caught like that a bit if he wins the ball and doesn't see anybody in the forward line. So what to do? In that situation at yesterdays game could he have put the after-burner on and had a shot at goal? It will be pointless having a fast and attacking player in the team if he is surrounded by slower players that aren't running forward of him. I reckon he might need a duplicate of himself in the side. Someone that can read him. Like the small Carlton forwards. Milera certainly wouldn't have worked in a Ross Lyon team so if Scott has changed the game plan does it cater for a Virus?

Harsh marker, in his second game he got run down and he has had a couple of out of bounds, but he has adapted to the pace of AFL footy with little problem. He will start to back himself more as his confidence increases. In the SANFL highlights he does the mercurial, I expect him to get more demanding of the ball and take shots himself, to me he's just a super classy player. In the warm up he just looks like the ball is a yo yo it's just planted in his hands he will be something special IMO. I thought Saad would be the one that came in and impacted immediately but called that wrong. Saad is super defensive as a forward and maybe a longer term Milne replacement. Wilkes is killing it as a forward at VFL level as well.

I wasn't marking him harsh at all. Loved his plays yesterday. The bit about him being run down was more an observation about the game plan. I wasn't at the game so it was hard to know if there were any players forward of him but from what it looked like he had nothing in front of him and was too far out to have a shot. So it raises the question about how he plays in that situation in the future. Does he look to take the players on and run into a goal or does he chip it backwards. Going away from goal usually doesn't suit a player like the Virus.

[plugger66]

Interesting to see the Virus get run down when streaming out of the middle. Was that a case of nobody was in our forward line and so he slowed up and hesitated looking for an option? He is probably going to get caught like that a bit if he wins the ball and doesn't see anybody in the forward line. So what to do? In that situation at yesterdays game could he have put the after-burner on and had a shot at goal? It will be pointless having a fast and attacking player in the team if he is surrounded by slower players that aren't running forward of him. I reckon he might need a duplicate of himself in the side. Someone that can read him. Like the small Carlton forwards. Milera certainly wouldn't have worked in a Ross Lyon team so if Scott has changed the game plan does it cater for a Virus?

Harsh marker, in his second game he got run down and he has had a couple of out of bounds, but he has adapted to the pace of AFL footy with little problem. He will start to back himself more as his confidence increases. In the SANFL highlights he does the mercurial, I expect him to get more demanding of the ball and take shots himself, to me he's just a super classy player. In the warm up he just looks like the ball is a yo yo it's just planted in his hands he will be something special IMO. I thought Saad would be the one that came in and impacted immediately but called that wrong. Saad is super defensive as a forward and maybe a longer term Milne replacement. Wilkes is killing it as a forward at VFL level as well.

I wasn't marking him harsh at all. Loved his plays yesterday. The bit about him being run down was more an observation about the game plan. I wasn't at the game so it was hard to know if there were any players forward of him but from what it looked like he had nothing in front of him and was too far out to have a shot. So it raises the question about how he plays in that situation in the future. Does he look to take the players on and run into a goal or does he chip it backwards. Going away from goal usually doesn't suit a player like the Virus.

You observed it right. No one ahead of him. That happens to every side every game with the press now. You sometimes need to look sideways but after 2 AFL games he can be cut some slack. Provides good run but like 95% of new players will have some poor ones soon and i hope the people over the moon with him dont just jump off him.

[damienc]

Great analysis and some great comments as well. I will try and resist the temptation to get carried away with the Saints.One minute exhiliration and the next maximum disappointment. But I have a feeling about this new crop and the coach. If you are right and it is a feeling I share, the 2012 Saints are a different team. Are they a better team? time and playing some hard arse clubs like Hawthorn, Collingwood, Carlton and our nemesis Essendon will be the true test and the barometer for where we are at as a football club. But, having said that there is a new group of players coming through that can get us believing again. And if they prove to be as good we all hope then 2012 is not beyond a premiership possibility IMO. Can I mention a guy who I really like who hasn't been mentioned much if at all on this site and that is Curren. He was BOG for the Zebs last week and among the best again this week. A midfielder with a lot of promise. I would be interested to know what other people think?

[Cairnsman]

You observed it right. No one ahead of him. That happens to every side every game with the press now. You sometimes need to look sideways but after 2 AFL games he can be cut some slack. Provides good run but like 95% of new players will have some poor ones soon and i hope the people over the moon with him dont just jump off him.

I don't know if it was accident or coincidence or just a few beers too many but the Essondon players (this weekend) that were around the half forward line but just out of range made it look like they were having a shot on goal and subsequently kicked it out of bounds just next to the point post. Could this be a viable tactic? Or would you get pinged for deliberate? If you can get away with it, it would be a great way to beat the press and get all of your players deep into the forward line and get a goal from the next contest.

[prwilkinson]

Terry just looks at home at AFL level. Nice to see the boys put the foot on the throat and keep it there in the second half... Ross Lyon would have tried to hold onto the 3 goals that we jumped away too in the first quarter. I hope they find a way to fit Schnider, Milne, Milera and Saad in the same team.

I liked how Stanley was there to help Roo if he was outnumbered... Last year 8/10 times it would be marked by the opposition. Yesterday Rhys or Kosi could get across and at least bring the ball to ground.

[plugger66]

Terry just looks at home at AFL level. Nice to see the boys put the foot on the throat and keep it there in the second half... Ross Lyon would have tried to hold onto the 3 goals that we jumped away too in the first quarter. I hope they find a way to fit Schnider, Milne, Milera and Saad in the same team.

I liked how Stanley was there to help Roo if he was outnumbered... Last year 8/10 times it would be marked by the opposition. Yesterday Rhys or Kosi could get across and at least bring the ball to ground.

Yep we never had big wins under RL. How lucky were we to win 19 in a row by less than 3 goals. At least we arent rewriting history.

[prwilkinson]

I also love yelling out the name Terry or Tezza.... cult hero already.

[defacto]

Interesting to see the Virus get run down when streaming out of the middle. Was that a case of nobody was in our forward line and so he slowed up and hesitated looking for an option? He is probably going to get caught like that a bit if he wins the ball and doesn't see anybody in the forward line. So what to do? In that situation at yesterdays game could he have put the after-burner on and had a shot at goal? It will be pointless having a fast and attacking player in the team if he is surrounded by slower players that aren't running forward of him. I reckon he might need a duplicate of himself in the side. Someone that can read him. Like the small Carlton forwards. Milera certainly wouldn't have worked in a Ross Lyon team so if Scott has changed the game plan does it cater for a Virus?

who knows if milera would have got a game under ross. people need to stop worrying about ross.

in regards to milera getting run down. i thought it was a great thing. not because he got caught but because he took the game on!!! i just wish stanley took some of the confidence milera has on the field. i wish milera took some of the confidence stanley has off the field.

getting caught like that is part of the learning curve. how many time has selwood, buddy etc been caught holding the ball trying to take the game on?? plenty!!!

anyone notice he dodged 3 players before getting caught by the fourth!!!! that means 3 other saints player were free, if they had run and spread and provided him with a target it would have been an easy goal.

geelongs christenson for geelong did this to perfection against collingwood in the grand final. took on 2-3 pies players regularly, took the heat, passed it on and it always ended up in a geelong goal.

plenty to get excited about!!!!!

[saintsRrising]

Milera certainly wouldn't have worked in a Ross Lyon team

????

* With Lyon arriving at Freo has he removed all their fast attacking players?

* I thought Lyon traded away pick 16 to get Lovett = close parallel to Milera (though without the issues)
* Players like Fiora (of which we had very few) who had pace and skill (ie like Milera) were repeatedly tried. Fiora's concentration lacked.
* Yes Lyon does not embrace small attacking forwards...Milne and Schneider would have never played under him.... (not)
* Cripps and Ledger last year were both getting game-time last year till injured....leapfrogging over older and slower players.
* Mature aged players recruited under Lyon tended to be given opportunity early on.


Game plans and coaches evolve...and if not they fall by the wayside.. Often they make they most of what strengths they have.

Pelchen was IMO brought in to fast-track our evolution (and quite possibly is a large reason why Lyon departed). Quite possibly faster than Lyon would have. But to state that "Milera certainly wouldn't have worked in a Ross Lyon team " is IMO pretty far-fetched.

[saintsRrising]

plenty to get excited about!!!!!

Fully agree.

Is one of the most "natural" footballers we have recruited for a while.

He reminds me of of when Dal arrived and earnt the nickname The Matrix, as he just looks to have more time than others.

Milera has "poise"...and then makes the most of it with mainly good football decisions and skills...and the pace to create opportunities as well.

Now admittedly he is 24 and so a bit older.

But he has immediately has the look of a very good player.

I remember for example seeing that in Everitt, Winmar....but also players like "Rocket" Rod Owen or the "Golden Greek" Gorozidis who didn't have the application to make the most of his abundant talent.

So yes lots to be excited about. Let us all hope that Milera leans to apply that talent week in week out. Otherwise he may be the next Fiora.

[The Redeemer]

You realise you can't just stick the best young players in the land in one team and expect them to do much for at least a few years. Having our good players out there setting examples and leading from the front is invaluable.

As for Milera, spot on just so good to have someone we found come in and make an immediate impact. When you add Steven, Big Mac, Newnes, Cripps and Ledger it makes you realsie that the demise of St kilda is highly over stated.

Let's got no nuts.

Milera looks like an above average player. He looks like one of those players that has the ball on a string and regardless of his stature can mix it with the bigger bodies.

Steven's kicking is still well below what it needs to be if he is going to become the A-grade midfielder we all hope for him in the coming years.

Big Mac still gets killed by first ruckman so he will need to consistently need to break-even against the better players as he develops. He has the potential however that was is damn dirty.

Newnes has played one game against a team of children, Gary Ablett and pretend-macho-man Campbell Brown.

Cripps looks average at the moment. Not to say that is a bad thing however I have no real idea of what he does on the field as of yet. Hopefully he develops.

Ledger looks the part although has now played 3 matches and either been the sub or subbed off in all 3. Let's not go nuts however he did not just look good in the NAB Cup, he looked right at home playing in the midfield surrounded by our quality.

Whilst it is not all bad, I do not believe it to be all good as yet.

[Con Gorozidis]

good post.
im starting to think we dont have to bottom out now.
with stanley and milera and steven etc etc. we arent going to be terrible anytime soon.
we only need a handful of new players in the next 3 years to stay up high. really just somone to replace rooey is the main issue. we have some decent replacements for most other positions now.
p.s i love tezza a lot!