What Roo needs.

[White Winmar]

Being a bit under the weather today, I'm on the couch and have just watched the weekend's game again. It confirmed what I saw at the ground. No forward in the game works as hard as our skipper, for as little return. What Roo needs is to attach a couple of boots to his chest, as it seems most kicks directed to him are directed at his feet! Maybe doing this would help the players up the ground direct it to him more accurately.

Surely Roo has the most flexible hamstrings in the competition. They get a thorough workout every week. This propensity to kick it at his feet is compounded by the tendency to overcompensate and send the ball way over his head. Give him a net, or Kevin Murray's arms, to give him some sort of chance. Watching live, you can see the frustration in his expression and body language, as repeat efforts, more often than not lead to nothing. Is there a stat that shows successful completion of passes to a particular player? I'd love to see the ratio of successful to unsuccessful completion of passes to Roo and also check the distance he covers per successful lead.

Seeing he is our number one, some would say only, target up forward, I'd love to see what an afternoon of top class delivery could do for him and the team. Alas, our skills aren't up to it at the moment. Hopefully things will improve before he retires to the Texan ranch to sire lots of little ones.

[dragit]

I think our skill deficiency is compounded by the fact that we appear to go to Nick even when he isn't the best option, even when double/triple teamed… I would hate to be a young key position player alongside Nick at the moment, Rhys & Tom Lee are more worried about getting out of their skipper's way than calling for the ball themselves.

You often see Nick give team-mates a bake if they don't honour his leads, which clearly effects them.

We need to get a lot smarter in identifying the player in best position, not the best player. Far too easy for out opposition at the moment.

[CURLY]

He needs some form of protection from the umpires to be honest about it. Why do the rules change when a defender is infringing on him?

[plugger66]

He needs some form of protection from the umpires to be honest about it. Why do the rules change when a defender is infringing on him?

Yep for the first part for sure.

[CURLY]

He needs some form of protection from the umpires to be honest about it. Why do the rules change when a defender is infringing on him?

Yep for the first part for sure.

Its been as bad as youll see this year I dont know if its just they cant umpire or choose to ignore infringments against him.

[plugger66]

He needs some form of protection from the umpires to be honest about it. Why do the rules change when a defender is infringing on him?

Yep for the first part for sure.

Its been as bad as youll see this year I dont know if its just they cant umpire or choose to ignore infringments against him.

Ok.

[Stian]

He needs some form of protection from the umpires to be honest about it. Why do the rules change when a defender is infringing on him?

Yep for the first part for sure.

Its been as bad as youll see this year I dont know if its just they cant umpire or choose to ignore infringments against him.

Ok.

Now, the trouble with this is that I can't tell if you really are in agreement with Curly or you still have your tongue in your cheek

[oldie60]

Agree , but also its his selfless running that should be setting other players up by the space he creates when he works up the ground. I don't know if they lack confidence or just don't know where to go when he's not in the 50 metre arch.Movement creates movement and sometimes just leading allows someone else to slot into the spaces he creates.He is constantly competing two on one that when he works his butt off he actually evens the numbers up for the others but no one seems to take the opportunity to take advantage of this.

[White Winmar]

Spot on, Oldie. His movement and ability to attract other defenders to him, should, logically create opportunities for others. Watching the game live, I think you're right in the thought that the others simply do not run to the right spots, and lack the confidence and experience to do so. Rhys was better this week and he was hit quite a few times on the lead. It can be improved, but we need someone who can impart the knowledge and discipline to do so. Maybe Hamill needs help with teaching and implementing the right forward structures and movement.

[supersaints]

A rather simplified explanation is that he is the ONLY moving target.

Remember reading somewhere that our brain directs our eyes to any movement , the bigger the movement the less the brain directs to images moving slower. It's just natural

Need to get others leading / moving into space

[perfectionist]

Nick does make one bad error, although it maybe under instructions. His second lead (and perhaps third) is almost always wider to the boundary. His initial leads are much straighter. Then again, if they are missed, the opposition has time to get back. It would be better, in my opinion, to go to the front of the square rather than to a lead forty metres out on the boundary when other leads have been missed.

[Rosco]

yeah, probably the umpires fault.

[Scollop]

Don't like the subject heading and don't like any thread that involves hero worship or selfishness. When the youngsters are getting games and improving and guys like Savage and Mav Weller are starting to make good contributions there are many positives for the TEAM.

If Rooy gets 10 marks per game and kicks 4-2 from 6 shots at goal and is best on ground each week - how does that help our future? What's the purpose of this thread?

There have been some brilliant threads on this site with fantastic discussions about what the St Kilda FC needs to get back to being a contender.

Some of the replies here have given serious thought to the question from the op. I'd rather we focus about what's best for the team.

[plugger66]

Don't like the subject heading and don't like any thread that involves hero worship or selfishness. When the youngsters are getting games and improving and guys like Savage and Mav Weller are starting to make good contributions there are many positives for the TEAM.

If Rooy gets 10 marks per game and kicks 4-2 from 6 shots at goal and is best on ground each week - how does that help our future? What's the purpose of this thread?

There have been some brilliant threads on this site with fantastic discussions about what the St Kilda FC needs to get back to being a contender.

Some of the replies here have given serious thought to the question from the op. I'd rather we focus about what's best for the team.

So what should we do with Roo? You do realise what people say on here has no bearing at all to how the club use players?

[spert]

If I was coach, I would be playing Roo at FF at this stage of his career..no point in running him around up the ground with his rattly knees. This at least would force the players up field to focus on kicking at the goals , and we could start to rejig the half forward line, try a few options at CHF.

[wally]

Cant see Roo standing in the goal square, working.
We would need to play one on one football and actually get the ball up there, unfortuneately I don't know if we can do that at the moment.

[spert]

It would work to a certain extent- I'm thinking more about rejigging the forward line, which at the moment is a total failure. As it stands now, the forward line is Roo is running all over the shop, not kicking many goals, and being heavily tagged, and other than that, five other forwards doing very little mainly trying to keep out of Roo's way- that is not a recipe for success.

[wally]

We haven't had a 2 pronged attack since Fraser Gerihg days.
Kosi did a job I get the impression his body didn't let him do better,he got some critism but we had no other options.
Maister & Lee don't seem to be the help.
Stanley has had injuries and inconsistent plus second ruck duties.
Leigh Brown at Coll was able to play chf and second ruck and leave cloke at FF, dunno who does that now.
Could Stanley do that? and leave Roo at FF, Would Roo be patient enough to stand back and wait?
Could Simpkin or someone else do a Hamill on the HFF,again don't know if we have the talent to win enough ball without the numbers and deliver.

[bigcarl]

As it stands now, the forward line is Roo is running all over the shop, not kicking many goals, and being heavily tagged, and other than that, five other forwards doing very little mainly trying to keep out of Roo's way-

That is not a recipe for success.

Yep, that pretty much sums it up.

It's certainly not developing the next generation of forwards, plus it is so one-dimensional and predictable. I think our opponents are awake up to the tactic by now.

[plugger66]

As it stands now, the forward line is Roo is running all over the shop, not kicking many goals, and being heavily tagged, and other than that, five other forwards doing very little mainly trying to keep out of Roo's way-

That is not a recipe for success.

Yep, that pretty much sums it up.

It's certainly not developing the next generation of forwards, plus it is so one-dimensional and predictable. I think our opponents are awake up to the tactic by now.

Pretty sure if the other forwards were good enough they would get the ball kicked to them. They just dont move like Roo does. I will give up a tip that the other forwards wont improve when Roo goes. He gets the first and usally the second backman now. Stanley, Lee and the like will get them when he goes not that I think either will be there then. We do need other quality forwards.

[bigcarl]

Well I guess our young forwards are at least developing good evasive skills ... Learning how to stay out of the skipper's way

[spert]

It seems to me like the other forwards are always looking at Roo to see what to do next, and are hesitant to call for the ball- if they get in his way, he chastises them, if they don't lead up and present he also has a go at them..I think he just demands the ball from everyone including the midfield, and so many times I have seen the ball coming into our forward line, with one or two loose Saints forwards in goal kicking positions, only to see the ball carrier(sometimes in goal kicking positions themselves) ignore them and seek out wherever Roo is- covered or not. I'm sure the coach is not instructing this, but I think Roo has such a strong influence and has got in their heads, and the guys feel they must kick to him no matter what. That's why I would put him deep in the forward line, and open up options around half forward.

[plugger66]

Well I guess our young forwards are at least developing good evasive skills ... Learning how to stay out of the skipper's way

If its Rooys fault why cant these young tall forwards at least do ok at sandy? Its a myth that because Rooy is down there they dont see the ball. Yep he gets it kicked to him most of the time but watch him compared to the other forwards and see the difference in workrate or better still speak to a few onballers and ask them why they kick to Roo more often. it will be because of workrate from him and the lack of workrate from the others. Id be pretty sure Siposs, lee and Stanley have been dropped a few times because of workrate. They dont have to be like Roo but they do have to be like most other forwards in the AFL and at the moment they are nowhere near it and that wont change if Rooy isnt there.

[cwrcyn]

I have to say that for all his greatness, sometimes Riewoldt demands the ball in situations that are not beneficial, such as leading and demanding the ball into a forward pocket or calling for the ball when he has two opponents on him. The question is, is the coach very instructive on what Riewoldt does, or does Riewoldt have the control of that forward line?

[plugger66]

I have to say that for all his greatness, sometimes Riewoldt demands the ball in situations that are not beneficial, such as leading and demanding the ball into a forward pocket or calling for the ball when he has two opponents on him. The question is, is the coach very instructive on what Riewoldt does, or does Riewoldt have the control of that forward line?

Or is he still in a better psotion than the other taller forwards?