Injuries!

[Impatient Sainter]

Better than expected for Hunter Clark, I thought he had dislocated his shoulder - but still a blow. Ratts quoted 6 weeks so hopefully he is right.
Per Dr Google - It takes about four to six weeks to get complete motion and a few more weeks to begin regaining strength. Recovery is variable depending upon many factors but most patients are back to full activity by three months.

I dont wish injuries on players, but the Billings injury might be a blessing in disguise. I really dont think he can apply sufficient pressure playing as a forward so it will open a spot for Byrnes or someone else.

Coffield ACL season.
Geary I have no idea how much longer his recovery from his shoulder reco will be.
Ryder achillies ??? I dont think the club have put a return date.
Hannebery no idea when he will play???
Bytel apparently had a calf strain and didnt play yesterday?

Jones - wellbeing leave?

If the club were hoping to start the season with a clean slate, things have definitely changed in the last 2 weeks.

[Gershwin]

It does look bad on paper, but I must say that other than Jones, I wouldn’t have any of those players in our top 12.

Ryder is great when he plays, but doesn’t play often enough.

Billings is in our 12 - 18 group as is Clark.

For me our best are Steele, Marshall, Sinclair, King, Howard, Membrey, Wilkie, Hill, Gresham, Crouch, Jones, Higgins and they remain pretty well intact.

It’s not all doom and gloom.

[B.M]

Billings is a big loss

A 20 possession HF is hard to find

[Devilhead]

Just add an extra 4 to each

Clark - 10 weeks
Billings - 7 weeks

[Beno88]

Two of our best performances last season were vs Sydey and Fremantle late in the year, both Billings & Clark didn't play in those matches.

[Banger9798]

Clark will struggle to get back in 6, he will have to be ready to cop impact into the recovering shoulder. It creates real weakness down the arm.
(I've done both ACs)

[Vortex]

Billings is a big loss

A 20 possession HF is hard to find

With the backline being the area of the ground we have arguably he most depth of cover, and the question of who is a like-for-like replacement for Billings, does Ratts go bold and throw Jimmy to the wing/HF area of the ground. He can win his own ball, and is a deadly accurate dispatcher by foot.

[CURLY]

Billings is a big loss

A 20 possession HF is hard to find

With the backline being the area of the ground we have arguably he most depth of cover, and the question of who is a like-for-like replacement for Billings, does Ratts go bold and throw Jimmy to the wing/HF area of the ground. He can win his own ball, and is a deadly accurate dispatcher by foot.

Reckon Jimmy gets DeGoey first game.

[older saint]

Injuries part of football. I rate both players clearly in our best team , however in regard to importance neither are top 5 .
More irreplaceable would be in order IMO:
- Howard
- Marshall
- Steele
- Membrey
- Jones

Clear very good players and a better team with them but the uniqueness and list deficiencies to me put others in front of them.

my guess line up :

B: Wilkie, Howard, Webster
HB: Sinclair, Battle. Hill
C: Wood, Crouch, Brynes
HF: Gresham, Membrey, Kent
F: Hayes, King, Butler
Foll: Marshall, Steele, Ross
INt: Paton, McKenzie, Sharman, Long

Emerg: Campbell, Milera Wanganeen, Highmore, Connolly

[samoht]

my guess line up :

B: Wilkie, Howard, Webster
HB: Sinclair, Battle. Hill
C: Wood, Crouch, Brynes
HF: Gresham, Membrey, Kent
F: Hayes, King, Butler
Foll: Marshall, Steele, Ross
INt: Paton, McKenzie, Sharman, Long

Emerg: Campbell, Milera Wanganeen, Highmore, Connolly

On paper, still a strong line up.
Billings would have been playing himself into form ... and Kent who looks fit misses the shots Billings would have missed anyway.

No excuses ... and we might get to see some of the kids. There are some positives.

[Otiman]

NWM has to be a chance to replace Billings. He is the kind of guy you want delivering into F50. With Hill on half back it could be a potent combination.

[Impatient Sainter]

What a surprise Hannebery had done a hamstring and the club failed to advise anyone? FFS the guy has played 15 of a possible 63 games over 3 years what a disaster and wasted trade/list clogger he has been.

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2022/03/07/ ... 22-season/

[D.B.Cooper]

What a surprise Hannebery had done a hamstring and the club failed to advise anyone? FFS the guy has played 15 of a possible 63 games over 3 years what a disaster and wasted trade/list clogger he has been.

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2022/03/07/ ... 22-season/

Anyone who is a realist Impatient Sainter, wouldn't even consider the possibility of Hannebery stringing games together.
If he manages to play and can still get a kick it's a bonus.
But let's be truthful, he hasn't set the world on fire when he played in 2019-2021.

Is the 2022 model even in our best 22?
Very hard to tell as he rarely plays.
Those who see him as a walk up best 22 are perhaps nostalgic and thinking of the 2015 superstar, not the motorised wheelchair version currently listed at the Saints.

Interesting to note was the posters on this site who did not have him in their best 22 for round 1.

[st.byron]

What a surprise Hannebery had done a hamstring and the club failed to advise anyone? FFS the guy has played 15 of a possible 63 games over 3 years what a disaster and wasted trade/list clogger he has been.

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2022/03/07/ ... 22-season/

This really annoys me.

“So the Saints are hopeful that he trains fully this week, he’ll have a match simulation this coming weekend, (then) VFL the week after.

“So obviously not playing Round 1 against Collingwood, but all things going well at this point.”

The club has for years been optimism-washing the fail that his recruitment has been. So he's had an unreported hamstring injury and he's once again unavailable but "all things going well at this point". What a crock of shyte.

[skeptic]

What a surprise Hannebery had done a hamstring and the club failed to advise anyone? FFS the guy has played 15 of a possible 63 games over 3 years what a disaster and wasted trade/list clogger he has been.

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2022/03/07/ ... 22-season/

This really annoys me.

“So the Saints are hopeful that he trains fully this week, he’ll have a match simulation this coming weekend, (then) VFL the week after.

“So obviously not playing Round 1 against Collingwood, but all things going well at this point.”

The club has for years been optimism-washing the fail that his recruitment has been. So he's had an unreported hamstring injury and he's once again unavailable but "all things going well at this point". What a crock of shyte.

In fairness St.B, there are fans that fall for it. Quite a few on here still think the trade was worthwhile. And no doubt a defender or two will feign outrage at your pointing out of reality FFS

[older saint]

Who do you think controls the message that gets out- one of the people significantly responsible for recruiting him!

Once he is on the field then yes would be in the best 22 , issue is clearly never on the field.

Least will get some cap relief next year when contract expires and we can hunt for a gun outside mid with pace - ( King will re-sign at GC most likely).

[Yorkeys]

By now one might have thought Club stops the Pollyanna approach, accepts Dan won't be fit to play often and leave it quiet.

Groom one of our up and comers, tell Dan no pressure to get fit, plan his post Saints era and ask him to support future fund raisers.

Must be awkward for him, not so much as to cause him to retire gracefully, but in room awkward and diversion of resources.

[st.byron]

By now one might have thought Club stops the Pollyanna approach, accepts Dan won't be fit to play often and leave it quiet.

Groom one of our up and comers, tell Dan no pressure to get fit, plan his post Saints era and ask him to support future fund raisers.

Must be awkward for him, not so much as to cause him to retire gracefully, but in room awkward and diversion of resources.

Yes I wish that too. It's only that he is contracted that's driving this nonsense. Park him and focus on one of the young guys with potential. It's worse than "Hamill - 2 weeks"

[D.B.Cooper]

Who do you think controls the message that gets out- one of the people significantly responsible for recruiting him!

Once he is on the field then yes would be in the best 22 , issue is clearly never on the field.

Least will get some cap relief next year when contract expires and we can hunt for a gun outside mid with pace - ( King will re-sign at GC most likely).

With all due respect Older Saint, what makes you think he is in the best 22?
He hasn't set the world on fire when he has played and he hasn't played consistent footy since 2026/17.
Why would a guy who has struggled with injury consistently for the last 4 years (3 with us and 1 at Swans) and managed 15 average games in the last 3 seasons be able to perform at a level to warrant best 22?

I don't know either way but I'd guess it more likely that the speed of the game has passed him by and he is very much a has been as opposed to best 22. He was elite, a full gun, but that was 6-7 years ago.

I'd like to see if he actually received any B&F votes in the 15 games he played for the club, but no idea where you would locate that.

[Toy Saint]

my guess line up :

B: Wilkie, Howard, Webster
HB: Sinclair, Battle. Hill
C: Wood, Crouch, Brynes
HF: Gresham, Membrey, Kent
F: Hayes, King, Butler
Foll: Marshall, Steele, Ross
INt: Paton, McKenzie, Sharman, Long

Emerg: Campbell, Milera Wanganeen, Highmore, Connolly

On paper, still a strong line up.
Billings would have been playing himself into form ... and Kent who looks fit misses the shots Billings would have missed anyway.

No excuses ... and we might get to see some of the kids. There are some positives.

Reckon that's a pretty average centerline/midfield, Wood, Crouch & Byrnes probably don't get a game with Dee's & Dogs.

[older saint]

Who do you think controls the message that gets out- one of the people significantly responsible for recruiting him!

Once he is on the field then yes would be in the best 22 , issue is clearly never on the field.

Least will get some cap relief next year when contract expires and we can hunt for a gun outside mid with pace - ( King will re-sign at GC most likely).

With all due respect Older Saint, what makes you think he is in the best 22?
He hasn't set the world on fire when he has played and he hasn't played consistent footy since 2026/17.
Why would a guy who has struggled with injury consistently for the last 4 years (3 with us and 1 at Swans) and managed 15 average games in the last 3 seasons be able to perform at a level to warrant best 22?

I don't know either way but I'd guess it more likely that the speed of the game has passed him by and he is very much a has been as opposed to best 22. He was elite, a full gun, but that was 6-7 years ago.

I'd like to see if he actually received any B&F votes in the 15 games he played for the club, but no idea where you would locate that.

Reasonable point, however can only go what we have seen , which i minimal . He has played well and has a nose for the ball - old school footballer not athlete. That said it is an irrelevant discussion as never fit . Another example, along with Freeman of recruiting with the belief we know better than 17 others. Hopefully we have now stopped recruiting injury prone players from other clubs, Collingwood are still laughing with what we gave up for Freeman and Sydney freed up cap space and got rid of a problem.

most injured player i can remember since Jason Cripps

[Sainternist]

Bloody Hannebery should have done the right thing and retired at the end of 2021. It is just embarrassing.