Jack the Giant Slayer

[bigcarl]

Glenn McFarlane
Herald Sun

IS JACK THE SAINTS’ UNLIKELY ALL-AUSTRALIAN HOPE?


By the end of Round 6 last year the two eventual All-Australian small forwards Toby Greene and Tom Papley had kicked 18 and 10 goals respectively.

After a first-round doughnut that had Nick Riewoldt and David King calling for his axing after a moment of “selfish” play, Jack Higgins might well be the best small forward at the moment with 14 goals from his five games.

He was already in the Herald Sun’s rolling All-Australian team last week but further staked his claim with yet another strong performance kicking 4.3 against the Giants.

It could have been five goals, but he selflessly handballed off to Brad Crouch who kicked the final goal in the dying moments.

Higgins had the cheek to poke some fun in Riewoldt’s direction on Fox Footy after the match: “I used to look up to Nick … not any more.”

Riewoldt and King questioned whether Higgins should have been sent back to the VFL after refusing to give a handball off to Jade Gresham at a key moment in the Round 1 loss to
Higgins said of the incident: “I learnt a lot after Round 1. I didn’t give that one off to Gresh, which I should have.

“I obviously got potted by you (Riewoldt) and David King … and that drove me even more. It’s not that I like it when people bag me but it gave me a lot of strength to carry on and try and prove you guys wrong. Obviously at St Kilda, we try to play a really unselfish game.

“Crouchy was running past me and I gave him the hands as I would expect anyone else to give it to me.”

In a funny exchange, Riewoldt was happy to “eat” his words, saying his sons had received Higgins’ signatures on their Saints’ jumpers at a recent clinic.

“They both came home with Jack Higgins’ signature on their jumpers and I said ‘I hope you didn’t say who your old man was … he might have told you to go and get stuffed’.”

Higgins added: “It’s all good mate.”

The former Tiger missed his first two shots, saying on Fox Footy: “I thought it was going to be like Sydney 2.0 (when he kicked 1.6 in Round 12 last year). I was having flashbacks to the SCG.

“But Benny Robbins, our psych guy, took me aside … I’ve done a lot of goalkicking practice and he said ‘Take a few deep breaths before you have a shot’ and I luckily got onto a few.”

Fast-forwarding a fortnight in footy is a dangerous proposition, but St Kilda’s Round 8 clash with reigning premiers Melbourne looms as an early game-of-the-season candidate.

It might also prove the catalyst for the Saints to kick off contract talks with coach Brett Ratten after the club’s 5-1 start to 2022 — their best opening to a season since 2010.

Only a clash with Port Adelaide in Cairns in between looms as an impediment to a potential 6-1 start.

RATTS

The Saints and their popular coach have been steadfast in their messaging that there is no urgency surrounding a new deal for Ratten, who is into the last year of his current deal.

That makes absolute sense, even though St Kilda president Andrew Bassat told this journalist late last year that he and the board believe Ratten could be the club’s next premiership coach.

But a giant-killing win against the (so far) undefeated Demons – or even a positive showing against the flag favourites — could expedite a conversation sooner rather than later.

Make no mistake, the Saints believe they have the right man to lead them into the future.

BATTLE SCARS

Josh Battle confessed on Friday night he hates playing in the ruck, but if he hadn’t answered his coach’s call out of necessity, the Saints might not have won a fifth straight game in 2022.

With Jack Hayes going down with a suspected ACL injury and with Rowan Marshall having “a cork on a cork” thigh, Battle had to be conscripted out of his now familiar role in defence to take on the dangerous Braydon Preuss-Matt Flynn Giants’ ruck combination.

Never mind the fact the Giants won the hitouts 77 to 19, Battle played an important role for the Saints through the middle.

He almost acted as an extra mid around stoppages and the cut under his eye by the end of the game was testimony to the way he fought it out for the sake of his team.

Ratten said Battle’s efforts – and that of those around him – to overcome adversity had a bit of an Anzac feel to the effort.

[Yorkeys]

Two guys that will never coach, Nick and Fatman King, have no hesitation in telling successful coaches what to do. Ok? Not ok? or Sowhatsville - everyone has an opinion. Most often its wrong.

In any case as Jack ran towards goal there was a 50/50 chance he would have kicked it and a 50/50 chance Gresh would have missed and a chance the hand off would have stuffed up. Hindsight hysteria come on down. He chose to kick it. If Gresh got the hand off but missed its just as likely those guys would shake heads sagely and say Jack should have taken the responsibility.

No self awareness in the media bubble? All up each other about how clever they are?

And while they appear to support various charities and mental health et al they don't see the contradiction in adding public high profile insult to a guy that would be suffering self doubt and self criticism, by saying he should be dropped.

King as we know is a fool but shameless, but has Nick forgotten his clangers which I am sure he didn't asked to be dropped for as punishment e.g. missed sitters, that GF smother in goal square.

Bit disappointed in Nick's commentary trajectory. Hope he rethinks/revises his current shtick and doesn't try to out Brown Brown or be a slimmer, tidier version of King. That pile on was over the top and Jack's performance in subsequent games has embarrassed them. Nick think for yourself, don't just accept the confected controversy the producers tell you to flog. Please, you were a breath of fresh air.

[Impatient Sainter]

In fairness to Roo - Yorkey, I think the miss came at a critical time in the game and Roo was like all of us emotionally involved. He loves the club and wanted a first up win.

[Moods]

Two guys that will never coach, Nick and Fatman King, have no hesitation in telling successful coaches what to do. Ok? Not ok? or Sowhatsville - everyone has an opinion. Most often its wrong.

In any case as Jack ran towards goal there was a 50/50 chance he would have kicked it and a 50/50 chance Gresh would have missed and a chance the hand off would have stuffed up. Hindsight hysteria come on down. He chose to kick it. If Gresh got the hand off but missed its just as likely those guys would shake heads sagely and say Jack should have taken the responsibility.

No self awareness in the media bubble? All up each other about how clever they are?

And while they appear to support various charities and mental health et al they don't see the contradiction in adding public high profile insult to a guy that would be suffering self doubt and self criticism, by saying he should be dropped.

King as we know is a fool but shameless, but has Nick forgotten his clangers which I am sure he didn't asked to be dropped for as punishment e.g. missed sitters, that GF smother in goal square.

Bit disappointed in Nick's commentary trajectory. Hope he rethinks/revises his current shtick and doesn't try to out Brown Brown or be a slimmer, tidier version of King. That pile on was over the top and Jack's performance in subsequent games has embarrassed them. Nick think for yourself, don't just accept the confected controversy the producers tell you to flog. Please, you were a breath of fresh air.

Roo was spot on. And your comments smack of being overly defensive twds Higgins. How easily we forget. Giving the ball off was the obvious play against Collingwood. It’s good he’s learned from it without being dropped, but sometimes small fwds need a wake up call.

And Roo is easily one of the best if not the best commentator in the business. Extremely knowledgeable, credible, likeable and authentic

[saynta]

Two guys that will never coach, Nick and Fatman King, have no hesitation in telling successful coaches what to do. Ok? Not ok? or Sowhatsville - everyone has an opinion. Most often its wrong.

In any case as Jack ran towards goal there was a 50/50 chance he would have kicked it and a 50/50 chance Gresh would have missed and a chance the hand off would have stuffed up. Hindsight hysteria come on down. He chose to kick it. If Gresh got the hand off but missed its just as likely those guys would shake heads sagely and say Jack should have taken the responsibility.

No self awareness in the media bubble? All up each other about how clever they are?

And while they appear to support various charities and mental health et al they don't see the contradiction in adding public high profile insult to a guy that would be suffering self doubt and self criticism, by saying he should be dropped.

King as we know is a fool but shameless, but has Nick forgotten his clangers which I am sure he didn't asked to be dropped for as punishment e.g. missed sitters, that GF smother in goal square.

Bit disappointed in Nick's commentary trajectory. Hope he rethinks/revises his current shtick and doesn't try to out Brown Brown or be a slimmer, tidier version of King. That pile on was over the top and Jack's performance in subsequent games has embarrassed them. Nick think for yourself, don't just accept the confected controversy the producers tell you to flog. Please, you were a breath of fresh air.

Good post. Great hit on intended targets,

[Waltzing St Kilda]

Don't disagree that the comments -- to drop Higgins -- were off-the-mark but please let's not introduce mental health into this.

The notion that fully grown adults have to be protected from criticism is contributing to the infantalisation of the population.

So, too, is the idea that a player can't "express diseent" over a contentious umpiring decision.

We're being turned into oversensitive but obedient children.

[Banger9798]

I think Roo has earned the right to make those calls.
Higgins should have given the ball to Gresh, and it was a bit selfish.
Didn't need to be dropped to learn his lesson and Rooey has done the job for Ratten in providing the heat.
Perfect good Cop bad cop

[Yorkeys]

Roo has retracted, has he not? Acknowledged he shot from the hip.

And constructive criticism eh, ok to point out poor judgement but publically urging a coach to drop a player - no commentator has that mandate, however decorated. It's the man's livelihood not week end touch.