2023

[older saint]

As cricket season rapidly approaches we look towards 2023.

While many here will have wild ideas about who should go and what we could get for them t he reality is what we have to trade isn't selling high, the demographic of the list says we are on an up slope as opposed to a slide (see WC), and that moving players that fans see as not up to it or too error prone can sometime rip the fabric out of the group.

That said as I see it we do not have any players which will bring in a first round draft selection which we would want to trade. Billings and Gresham have been mentioned however at best 2nd rounder and I wouldn't trade Gresham as we dont have many with his skill set. ( unless indications are he wants to leave in FA).
Billings may get you a later second round pick then the question becomes what does that look like, what do we save $ wise, how will that be used and what does it do to the fabric of the group?

Jones is tradeable but I only see a 3rd rounder and salary cap relief coming back for him. he is out of contract too.

We have too many defensive HBF - Webster/Highmore/Paton/ Coffield/now Sharman as well as attacking guys - Sinclair, Clark, so may see something happen here. Keep Coffield - Highmore/ Webster/\Paton for the right deal?

There are also the players which are not good around the club, poor work ethic or better off without regardless of talent. Not sure if we have nay of these but usually they are the ones when they get traded fans go why would they trade him ( except for McEvoy which was just dumb).

Therefore we need to be smart with our selections and also target specific players for specific roles, and look at what is available FA.

Pick 11 ( allowing 2 FS) should be off limits - unless packaged to improve the position. We need top end talent- unfortunately the academy kid is too good - pity the Ugal Hagan rules didn't apply now.

De Goey the player we need, DeGoey the person not so sure. To me he is exactly where Dusty was in around 2015 - full of talent but not committed. DeGoey could become a Dusty type player OR he could be Jake Stringer . Then there is the off field stuff although if he goes the Dusty path that stuff disappears somewhat as he is committed.

Hannebery- IF he gets through next week I would consider a contract with base salary and games incentives. Reality is if he is delisted we get a pick 70 something which without a ridiculous amount of luck will be no good. Hanners would cost bugger all this way and unlike the last 4 years we get the upside even if he costs more as it means he is playing.

Ryder - 1 year deal

Delisting :
Kent
Joyce
Geary
Campbell ( with potential to add as mature age if Heath not ready)
Allison - pay out his final year has shown nothing in 2 years. What a wasted pick.

Out of contract:
- Long ( re sign- never thought I would say that )
- Highmore - re sign 1 year deal
- Wood - Re sign
- Bytel - Re sign
- Brynes - re sign 1 year deal
- Lienert - probably keep as depth

Needs:
Another tall defender . Could be developing player or veteran to do a Nathan Brown type role. Joyce gone and we saw what happened when Dougs went down.
Stating the obvious good ball users
Time - games and pre seasons in to these younger guys - Windy, Ownes, NWM, King, Brynes, Bytel, Sharman,

As said i thing there are 13 players on the list which will be there for the next push for finals. we need to add to this .

[Sainter_Dad]

De Goey the player we need, DeGoey the person not so sure. To me he is exactly where Dusty was in around 2015 - full of talent but not committed. DeGoey could become a Dusty type player OR he could be Jake Stringer . Then there is the off field stuff although if he goes the Dusty path that stuff disappears somewhat as he is committed.

I have a hot rumour that St Kilda is more looking to De Goey - the person in making decisions

Hannebery- IF he gets through next week I would consider a contract with base salary and games incentives. Reality is if he is delisted we get a pick 70 something which without a ridiculous amount of luck will be no good. Hanners would cost bugger all this way and unlike the last 4 years we get the upside even if he costs more as it means he is playing.

Word is that he has done enough to get 12 months onvastly reduced money (from what I believe is $400K this year)

Ryder - 1 year deal

IMHO - Not so sure about this one - thinking maybe as a ruck coach etc.

[Wayne42]

I think we need to keep Campbell, Ryder is too injury prone as he enters footballing old age and Heath seems to be a long way off at present.

[Banger9798]

Keep both Ryder and Campbell

[cwrcyn]

We barely have any players with decent trade currency. Why get rid of a decent B Grader for a speculative pick? You're likey to end up with a net loss.

Get one or two free agents and stick to the draft. Picks 10 and 28 should net at least one decent player, hopefully two

[saintsRrising]

We barely have any players with decent trade currency. Why get rid of a decent B Grader for a speculative pick? You're likey to end up with a net loss.

Agree.

We do not have any tradeable players who could gain a high return that we can afford to lose.

We may a have several who would get token picks in return. So why bother unless we were going to genuinely delist this season anyway.

Get one or two free agents and stick to the draft. Picks 10 and 28 should net at least one decent player, hopefully two

Yes this is about all we can do.

Unfortunately our form in the second half of the season may well have greatly reduced our attractiveness to very good FA's.

[Impatient Sainter]

De Goey the player we need, DeGoey the person not so sure. To me he is exactly where Dusty was in around 2015 - full of talent but not committed. DeGoey could become a Dusty type player OR he could be Jake Stringer . Then there is the off field stuff although if he goes the Dusty path that stuff disappears somewhat as he is committed.

I have a hot rumour that St Kilda is more looking to De Goey - the person in making decisions

Hannebery- IF he gets through next week I would consider a contract with base salary and games incentives. Reality is if he is delisted we get a pick 70 something which without a ridiculous amount of luck will be no good. Hanners would cost bugger all this way and unlike the last 4 years we get the upside even if he costs more as it means he is playing.

Word is that he has done enough to get 12 months onvastly reduced money (from what I believe is $400K this year)

Ryder - 1 year deal

IMHO - Not so sure about this one - thinking maybe as a ruck coach etc.

I hope you are on the money re De Goey?
Hannebery would want to be on base payment plus games $$$, otherwise why bother?
I agree on Ryder its time for him to give it away, particularly if we can find another ruckman somewhere?

[Beno88]

I’m concerned St Kilda aren’t on a rise or a slide.

For the 6th time in 7 years we will win between 9-12 games.

Under Brett Ratten, we have beaten all 17 teams, and we’ve also lost to all but Gold Coast & Hawthorn.

We’ve been as high as 2nd and as low as 16th.

We’ve spent 30 weeks in the top eight, 8 weeks in the top four… but played just one finals series (in a shortened season).

In 2019 we lost three games by under 3 goals, and missed the finals by three games.
In 2021 we lost five games by under 3 goals, and missed the finals by one game.
In 2022 we lost three games by under 3 goals, and will miss the finals by one or two games.

In 2021 we averaged 74 points a game.
In 2022 we average 74 points a game.

Our accuracy in 2021 was 52%.
Our accuracy in 2022 is 52%.

We are so close to being a very good football team. But it seems we have a core group who are too accustomed to being ordinary.

I am not suggesting trading these players, but are Membrey, Ross, Webster, Billings, Gresham, McKenzie, Long and even Sinclair too accepting of failure?

It seems regular practice that half a good season is enough. And regular non-effort embarrassments are acceptable.

Not much has to change, but something has to change.

[Saintmike65]

I’m concerned St Kilda aren’t on a rise or a slide.

For the 6th time in 7 years we will win between 9-12 games.

Under Brett Ratten, we have beaten all 17 teams, and we’ve also lost to all but Gold Coast & Hawthorn.

We’ve been as high as 2nd and as low as 16th.

We’ve spent 30 weeks in the top eight, 8 weeks in the top four… but played just one finals series (in a shortened season).

In 2019 we lost three games by under 3 goals, and missed the finals by three games.
In 2021 we lost five games by under 3 goals, and missed the finals by one game.
In 2022 we lost three games by under 3 goals, and will miss the finals by one or two games.

In 2021 we averaged 74 points a game.
In 2022 we average 74 points a game.

Our accuracy in 2021 was 52%.
Our accuracy in 2022 is 52%.

We are so close to being a very good football team. But it seems we have a core group who are too accustomed to being ordinary.

I am not suggesting trading these players, but are Membrey, Ross, Webster, Billings, Gresham, McKenzie, Long and even Sinclair too accepting of failure?

It seems regular practice that half a good season is enough. And regular non-effort embarrassments are acceptable.

Not much has to change, but something has to change.

Excellent post..one of the best I’ve read!!