7 Games

[trojansaint]

This week makes 7 games in a debut season for Jack Newnes. Can't remember the last time that happened at the Saints (though I'm sure some of the learned scholars here can help me with that!).

I see that as a big step forward from the Rossy days and am already looking forward to next year.

[dragit]

Saad & Milera too… though they are mature age recruits

[trojansaint]

I stand corrected, and in record time.

[Griggsy]

Is in an improvement. However I hope our depth in addressed in the off season. We used 34 players, the 2nd least amount of players this year 2nd to Sydney. Not blaming the coaching because to be honest I'm hard pressed to pick players who had earned a shot.

[kosifantutti]

I'm not buying all this Watters is playing the kids and Lyon didn't.

Before players were sent off for surgery we played Geelong in the third last game on August 17 and had an average age of 26y 137d

Last year we played Sydney in our third last game on August 21 and had an average age of 26y 177d.

Hardly a massive difference.

[BigMart]

Young Newnes looks a player

[dragit]

I'm not buying all this Watters is playing the kids and Lyon didn't.

Before players were sent off for surgery we played Geelong in the third last game on August 17 and had an average age of 26y 137d

Last year we played Sydney in our third last game on August 21 and had an average age of 26y 177d.

Hardly a massive difference.

Yes but it would be difficult for Watters to change things in a hurry when he has inherited a list like ours, the average age of our 'core' is around 30 years old… and those guys just can't be replaced at this stage.

Also it's good to remember that all those guys from the Sydney final are another year older now, which drags the average age up a year, meaning that we have found some younger guys this year, but the average is skewed by that older core…

At any rate, what has been pleasing is that Watters has shown some faith in Rhys, Simpkin, Newnes, Saad and Milera and has been prepared to have Peake, Polo, Clarke, Gram, Jones & Ray play at Sandy.

[Griggsy]

I'm not buying all this Watters is playing the kids and Lyon didn't.

Before players were sent off for surgery we played Geelong in the third last game on August 17 and had an average age of 26y 137d

Last year we played Sydney in our third last game on August 21 and had an average age of 26y 177d.

Hardly a massive difference.

That is a decent change around actually. No change would have an older age because the core players which is the majority are all a year older. No point in playing 10 unproven players if they can't handle the lower level, especially in that game where the season was on the line against the reigning premiers

[ShanghaiSaint]

i'm a dunell fan... like what he has shown