Grant Thomas was a genius!

[whiskers3614]

Don't hit me too hard, I know how many goals he has kicked but Milne is our Leon Davis in big games.(withou Davis' ability to go back)

[meher baba]

I didn't think Milne was that bad tonight.

[Verdun66]

Don't hit me too hard, I know how many goals he has kicked but Milne is our Leon Davis in big games.(withou Davis' ability to go back)

You're an idiot. Barrack for someone else.

[dragit]

He was wrong about something else though… Ruckmen are important 12 hit outs to 43.

[Verdun66]

He was wrong about something else though… Ruckmen are important 12 hit outs to 43.

Game was right there. No doubt about it.

[james rose]

Pretty good against Carlton etc I thought. Wasn't bad tonight.

[BigMart]

Milney was very poor tonight....

He made poor decisions with the footy, and was two grabbing

Big call this

But I reckon he will play Ressies next week, Schnieder will come in..... Watters is not happy with some of Stephens mistakes and inconsistent pressure...

His pressure tonight was generally good, except a couple of treadmill chases

[OneEyedSainter77]

He was wrong about something else though… Ruckmen are important 12 hit outs to 43.

Game was right there. No doubt about it.

Disagree. Jack R was the difference in the last term running into THREE open goals. Bloody ridiculous.

[rexy]

Not Milnes best game. was disappointed with his poise at two important moments, one the dribbler from the pocket and the other the snap, had more time on both occasions. Big call to drop him for Schneider unless Schneiders form was amazing in the 2s!

[8856brother]

Don't hit me too hard, I know how many goals he has kicked but Milne is our Leon Davis in big games.(withou Davis' ability to go back)

Always thought you half an idea. Anyway??????

[sainterinsydney]

Milne let us down--once again. I mean, seriously, Gram stood up when we need him to kick the goal, but Milne just lets you down, time and time again.

[SydneySainter]

Milne was poor. Got plenty of the ball, but didn't convert. When Milne has a bad game, people alway harp back to whole 'GT was right', ignoring the fact that he's played close to 250 games, kicked over 500 goals and is an All-Australian. To say he doesn't lift for big games is forgetting his final series on 2010 and his game against the Blues two weeks ago.

GT failed to get consistency out of Milne, whereas Lyon helped him get the best out of himself. As for Watters, not sure how Milne responds to him yet.

[Moods]

Milne was poor. Got plenty of the ball, but didn't convert. When Milne has a bad game, people alway harp back to whole 'GT was right', ignoring the fact that he's played close to 250 games, kicked over 500 goals and is an All-Australian. To say he doesn't lift for big games is forgetting his final series on 2010 and his game against the Blues two weeks ago.

GT failed to get consistency out of Milne, whereas Lyon helped him get the best out of himself. As for Watters, not sure how Milne responds to him yet.

Agreed. Good post

[dcstkfc]

Missed a few he'd usually get. But has won us plenty of those sort of games in the past. Coming towards the end, but still very good v Carlton and Sydney

[plugger66]

Milney was very poor tonight....

He made poor decisions with the footy, and was two grabbing

Big call this

But I reckon he will play Ressies next week, Schnieder will come in..... Watters is not happy with some of Stephens mistakes and inconsistent pressure...

His pressure tonight was generally good, except a couple of treadmill chases

That is up there with the best. Milne will not play in the seconds next week and neither he should. This post is leading.

[Scollop]

When the heat was on and we needed something, tiprat just made poor decisions. SW doesn't normally throw his head back in the coaches box... but with 5 minutes to go and the saints down by less than a goal, I saw it happen tonight. Milne couldn't stick to the basics. Not one, but 2 opportunities went through Milneys hands and to see the footy turned over and with about 4 minutes left, Tiges took it up the other end, scored, went 2 goals up, and that was the ball game!! Milne just loses 'composure' too often and SW mentioned that word to the boundary line commentator straight after he finished addressing the squad at 3/4 time.

Scott couldn't make a decision on his own about who was going to be the captain of the Saints in 2012. He had just arrived so the board, the CEO, the players etc.. all had an input and it wasn't easy to just override everyone. I reckon he's earnt the right to drop whoever he wants by now. I don't think he'll play Milne in the magoos, but nothing wrong with giving him a week off...He can call it general soreness or say that they have a niggle... or just plainly say we are resting them. I reckon after he does it to tiprat, it'll be easier to rest others down the track...Also, I reckon he'll have more input when the captain is chosen for 2013 and it won't be Rooy

[The Redeemer]

Don't hit me too hard, I know how many goals he has kicked but Milne is our Leon Davis in big games.(withou Davis' ability to go back)

How many times has he actually won us games?

He stood up in both the 2009/2010 finals series at various times and played a great part in a few wins.

So shoosh. The theory is now a tad out-dated.

[ShanghaiSaint]

love this place, one minute Milne is the best what a player make the man in bronze. week later drop him trade him, he's crap. I watched a few other players miss sitters last night.. can't blame Milne for it all.

[Old Mate]

His position will always draw criticism, always has. If you make errors at critical moments in games that's what will happen. Was very poor. Saad and Milera offer more versatility. I wouldn't be surprised to see Milne dropped in the next few weeks for Schneider.

[Scollop]

love this place, one minute Milne is the best what a player make the man in bronze. week later drop him trade him, he's crap. I watched a few other players miss sitters last night.. can't blame Milne for it all.

No, we don't blame Milne for it all. those fumbles and attempts to score by Milne in the dying minutes did cost us, but he's not the only reason we lost. Injuries to rucks, Chips out, Blake unable to help out back, and Gears out of the team when he would've been a good match-up for Nahas all cost us. Some of the momentum swings early when Roo missed easy shots and we couldn't get a breakaway gap against them and put scoreboard pressure leading up to half time also cost us.

[matrix]

ill have 20 bucks on milne not playing ressies next week

[Majority]

20 bucks?

If you are wrong, and Milne is selected in the seniors.
Where does the person who bets with you Matrix, collect the money?

In a car park, or in a disused warehouse?

[SaintPav]

When the heat was on and we needed something, tiprat just made poor decisions. SW doesn't normally throw his head back in the coaches box... but with 5 minutes to go and the saints down by less than a goal, I saw it happen tonight. Milne couldn't stick to the basics. Not one, but 2 opportunities went through Milneys hands and to see the footy turned over and with about 4 minutes left, Tiges took it up the other end, scored, went 2 goals up, and that was the ball game!! Milne just loses 'composure' too often and SW mentioned that word to the boundary line commentator straight after he finished addressing the squad at 3/4 time.

Scott couldn't make a decision on his own about who was going to be the captain of the Saints in 2012. He had just arrived so the board, the CEO, the players etc.. all had an input and it wasn't easy to just override everyone. I reckon he's earnt the right to drop whoever he wants by now. I don't think he'll play Milne in the magoos, but nothing wrong with giving him a week off...He can call it general soreness or say that they have a niggle... or just plainly say we are resting them. I reckon after he does it to tiprat, it'll be easier to rest others down the track...Also, I reckon he'll have more input when the captain is chosen for 2013 and it won't be Rooy

Do you just make this stuff up?

You're totally wrong on him not wanting Roo to be captain and wrong as well about why he put it up for a player vote.

Watters basically said that he wanted Roo to be captian. The vote around the leadership was about starting fresh, giving players a say and giving the leadership team confidence in the process. It wasn't about Watters not being able to make a decision. Roo isn't perfect, but he is a very good captian and he will be captain as long as he wants to be.

I much prefer this approach than what the Dees did.

[Scollop]

Ok, I take that and I agree with nearly everything you said except the part where you think he will be captain as long as he wants to be.

[To the top]

True Milne has had an extraordinary career with 250 games and 500 goals.

But he is now 32 years old - is an outside player significantly relying on either shifting his opponent under the ball to create space to run into behind or positioning off the contest with his hand in the air looking for the give.

Very occasionally leads, also very occasionally marks overhead.

Can sometimes body to mark on his chest.

Is usually negated against sides with the depth to put players such as O'Brien on him.

Has minimal defensive skills including because he does not have the pace you normally expect a player of his size to survive on.

I would have appealed to Sheedy's need for romance and publicity and seen what was on offer from GWS.

Too late now though.

Where the problem for Milne comes from now is the arrival of Saad and Milera and what they are bringing in taking St Kilda to contemporary and frenetic football - and the very fact that they were recruited (and Lovett before that) means a deficiency of some magnitude was identified around the reliance on Milne as a small forward.

Under normal circumstances you would expect to see Riewoldt and Koschitzke in our forward half - then Stanley up there doing what he does.

So that is 3 - and if we play a 6 man forward structure currently Saad and Milera are in.

That leaves 1.

Then there is Sippos to consider - and any evolving mid-fielder looking for opportunity but unable to displace our current mid-field crop (eg Ledger, Cripps and others).

So who misses out?

Unfortunately, in all pursuits you are only as good as your last game or your last decision.

At 32 years of age Milne is now more critically judged - and he is now compared to what others are bringing to the forward line in terms of frenetic.

Exclusively being a small forward also works against Milne.

In the first quarter against Sydney he was very, very poor - then snagged a couple of goals to redeem himself because that is what you get.

The goals cover a multitude of deficiencies.

Against Richmond he was similarly very, very poor in the first quarter - and then missed goals meaning virtually no impact on the match.

There is nothing new in this - it is only that some others are now asking the obvious question.