Another hamstring down - Jones also sidelined

[skeptic]

News seeming to be tricking through that Jones has done a hammy now too and is in doubt for round 1.

When it rains it pours I guess

Bytel May get a look in earlier than we thought


Edit
Official now
https://www.saints.com.au/news/863268?f ... jhjApgzqfs

[B.M]

Zac has had a few hamstring problems

[Ghost Like]

Sadly I'm not shocked at this one either.

[mr six o'clock]

As a Victorian in a constant state of PANIC
This news is like a dagger through my heart .

[samoht]

A chance for Mason Wood to play Jones's role?
Why not?

[Joffa Burns]

A chance for Mason Wood to play Jones's role?
Why not?

Why not?

Because he's not a midfielder, a contested ball winner or a best 22 player in the Saints squad.

[stkfc1]

Bytel may get his chance early. Not a bad thing.

[mad saint guy]

Bloody hell, seems like we could be without Crouch, Jones, Hannebery, Byrnes and Geary available for round 1. Big opportunity for some fringe players if that's the case. Assuming all are missing I'd go with this team

B: Paton, Howard, Wilkie
HB: Coffield, Carlisle, Long
C: Hill, Steele, Billings
HF: Higgins, Marshall, Gresham
F: Butler, King, Membrey

Foll: Ryder, Clark, Ross
Int: Battle, Bytel, Sinclair, Webster


Still looks pretty damn strong

[samoht]

Why not?

Because he's not a midfielder, a contested ball winner or a best 22 player in the Saints squad.

... and Guerra wasn't a half back flanker or a best 22 player with the Saints, because we had the blinkers on.
He definitely became a best 22 player in a strong Hawk side.

North played Wood as a forward --- doesn't mean we need to/have to.

We should be trying him in other positions/roles (in the match simulations).... see what he's got.
I would (no pun), if I were Ratten.

[Joffa Burns]

Why not?

Because he's not a midfielder, a contested ball winner or a best 22 player in the Saints squad.

... and Guerra wasn't a half back flanker or a best 22 player with the Saints, because we had the blinkers on.
He definitely became a best 22 player in a strong Hawk side.

North played Wood as a forward --- doesn't mean we need to/have to.

We should be trying him in other positions/roles (in the match simulations).... see what he's got.
I would (no pun), if I were Ratten..

Can't agree on any of the Guerra comments.

Guerra played as a wing and half back for his 60 odd games at Port.

He was without doubt in the best 22 at St Kilda and was delisted due to training standards and party lifestyle. If our coaching group was strong enough they perhaps could have got the best out of Guerra by making him pull his head in and trying him at half back where he excelled for the Hawks.

Wood is a 27 year old D grade AFL mid sized forward.
He has talent without doubt, but has lacked consistency and the physicality to be a quality AFL player.

Not sure in what universe replacing a starting onballer who is Ryders main go to at centre bounces with a D grade mid size forward makes sense, but in my humble opinion its not this one.

Wood is a back up forward, he is not a midfielder, a possession accumulator or a clearance player.

Just because we have recruited him doesn't automatically turn him into Nathan Fyfe or Pattrick Cripps.

[Yorkeys]

The brains trust will now be thinking: we can't rely on Jones and Hannebery to be fit for long periods so need to plan for how to use them sparingly when fit without disrupting team cohesion. Its good Clarke has developed into a mid and Gresh (fingers and toes crossed) has his back in place. Recruitment of Higgins looking better and better. Natural progression with Bytel and we can work around the fragility of the former swans.

[samoht]

[

Just because we have recruited him doesn't automatically turn him into Nathan Fyfe or Pattrick Cripps.

Obviously "our recruiting him" is not going to turn him into a Fyfe, and I'm not saying that.

All I'm saying is: given his stamina, agility, etc... he might be more than just an average forward?
What do we have to lose seeing what he's got in a match simulation - we could/should be trying him in a couple of other roles/positions where he can use his tank and running ability - to see what else he's got (if anything)?

We should be exploring this at least - I hope we are (as he's no use as an average forward).

[Saintmike65]

Won't be surprised if Gresham is a starting mid in round 1, alongside Steel & Hunter Clark.
Gresh's form in the 2 scratch matches I've seen has been brilliant, his clearance work is something we need.
Hopefully, Jones will be right for round 1 but it is a concern he's had 3 hamstring issues since being traded in.
Let's just keep our powder dry on Mason Wood, calling him a D grader is a bit harsh!

[Sanctorum]

On the other hand, the injury list is small - Geary, Byrnes, Jones, no mention of Hannebery which is a positive!

Jones may well be right for Rd 1 in 4 weeks time.

[Joffa Burns]

Won't be surprised if Gresham is a starting mid in round 1, alongside Steel & Hunter Clark.
Gresh's form in the 2 scratch matches I've seen has been brilliant, his clearance work is something we need.
Hopefully, Jones will be right for round 1 but it is a concern he's had 3 hamstring issues since being traded in.
Let's just keep our powder dry on Mason Wood, calling him a D grader is a bit harsh!

Agree on Gresham, he and Jones were excellent at clearances last year.

We have added Gresham, Clark & Crouch to the FT rotation midfield mix & potentially Higgins from last season & hopefully Jones will be OK. We now have pretty solid midfield depth.

I can't see how calling Wood a D grade AFL forward is harsh, where you you rate him?
What has he done to date at 27 YO to suggest he is better than D grade?

If he improves I'd be happy to change my tune but at this point in time a 27 YO who has played 60 odd AFL games and was delisted by a bottom 3 team is anything above D grade.

[Gershwin]

Won't be surprised if Gresham is a starting mid in round 1, alongside Steel & Hunter Clark.
Gresh's form in the 2 scratch matches I've seen has been brilliant, his clearance work is something we need.
Hopefully, Jones will be right for round 1 but it is a concern he's had 3 hamstring issues since being traded in.
Let's just keep our powder dry on Mason Wood, calling him a D grader is a bit harsh!

Gresham is definitely Ryder's preferred target. Jones would come in next. Hopefully Jones will be fit to come on from the bench in round 1.

[shanegrambeau]

Won't be surprised if Gresham is a starting mid in round 1, alongside Steel & Hunter Clark.
Gresh's form in the 2 scratch matches I've seen has been brilliant, his clearance work is something we need.
Hopefully, Jones will be right for round 1 but it is a concern he's had 3 hamstring issues since being traded in.
Let's just keep our powder dry on Mason Wood, calling him a D grader is a bit harsh!

The doomer that I am notes that he had two hammies in 2019 at the Swans...

I did some quick research. As usual two minutes worth.

He had a major ankle injury in 2016 and there is a statistically significant connection between ankle injuries in elite athletes that later cause hamstring injuries. I think they are called ‘inversion injuries’. I was already suspect last year about Jones’s hammies.

I agree, he and Hanners maybe on the rotation grill.

[skeptic]

He’s another one that they have to tread lightly with.

In soccer across Europe where they do considerably less running, hamstring injuries often follow a 6 week turn around instead of 4 as is commonly seen here.

With a guy that tearing it 2-3 times a year playing a highly fatiguing, start stop explosive game... one has to adopt a very cautious approach if you’re wanting any type of longevity from Jones.
Guy needs to properly heal, meticulously follow the prep and recovery work and he needs a rest at the earliest sign of fatigue where the chance of reinjury increases

It’s the only logical way to approach things like this.

Unfortunately however, St.Kilda like most AFL clubs seems to want to push for the quickest returns and the pattern is emerging

[shanegrambeau]

He’s another one that they have to tread lightly with.

In soccer across Europe where they do considerably less running, hamstring injuries often follow a 6 week turn around instead of 4 as is commonly seen here.

With a guy that tearing it 2-3 times a year playing a highly fatiguing, start stop explosive game... one has to adopt a very cautious approach if you’re wanting any type of longevity from Jones.
Guy needs to properly heal, meticulously follow the prep and recovery work and he needs a rest at the earliest sign of fatigue where the chance of reinjury increases

It’s the only logical way to approach things like this.

Unfortunately however, St.Kilda like most AFL clubs seems to want to push for the quickest returns and the pattern is emerging

I think Jones was picked as a gap-fill player. Someone to bridge us over after the loss of Steven, the revelation that Hanners is frail (to say the least) and a lack of midfield power , while the likes of Gresham, Hunter (maybe Billings?) get up to mid-field status.

So it’s a real shame. We need Jones fit and firing in the short term. It wouldn’t seem like the long term grooming thing for Jones.

If his hammies are going this way, it looks like a one way street. His weapon is his ‘burst away’ thing. If he is nursing a hammy, that ain’t ideal.

[shanegrambeau]

He’s another one that they have to tread lightly with.

In soccer across Europe where they do considerably less running, hamstring injuries often follow a 6 week turn around instead of 4 as is commonly seen here.

With a guy that tearing it 2-3 times a year playing a highly fatiguing, start stop explosive game... one has to adopt a very cautious approach if you’re wanting any type of longevity from Jones.
Guy needs to properly heal, meticulously follow the prep and recovery work and he needs a rest at the earliest sign of fatigue where the chance of reinjury increases

It’s the only logical way to approach things like this.

Unfortunately however, St.Kilda like most AFL clubs seems to want to push for the quickest returns and the pattern is emerging

I think Jones was picked as a gap-fill player. Someone to bridge us over after the loss of Steven, the revelation that Hanners is frail (to say the least) and a lack of midfield power , while the likes of Gresham, Hunter (maybe Billings?) get up to mid-field status.

So it’s a real shame. We need Jones fit and firing in the short term. It wouldn’t seem like the long term grooming thing for Jones.

If his hammies are going this way, it looks like a one way street. His weapon is his ‘burst away’ thing. If he is nursing a hammy, that ain’t ideal.

[BadRossco]

Shows we may need to fill the vacant spots on our list. A developing young ruckman and a quick mid would be handy.

[B.M]

I rate Jones

And I believe he’ll be back by R1

[samuraisaint]

Strain - not a tear. Four weeks off and he should be right.

We play on the 21st of March. he has to be a probable for Round 1.