What am I missing?

[older saint]

I just don't get, on face value, the concept of trading Hunter Clark.

23 years old, pick 7,60 games.

For many years now the thing that St Kilda has lacked is what i call silk - class with the ball. We tried to get it with Hill, sometimes its there while others he is like the majority of players by foot - average or worse. Clark is one of the few on the list who with the ball has time, space and delivers by hand or foot much better than most of the list. He is courageous, attacks the contest hard His injuries have been impact - not soft tissue.

What am I missing. Is he lazy, is he a bad influence around the club, a trouble maker? Lazy - this can be worked out of players as they mature - Hawkins used to eat Maccas on his way home for year, Ablett Jnr first few years he was far from fit. There are plenty of examples where the penny had to drop.

He cant be on massive money so that isn't it.

To me it is a panic play, one of a few players with currency so trade out and get draft picks and start again -statement to all we are resigned tot he fact we cannot make him, and us better. As I sad at the start i am clearly missing something which exists behind closed doors, or off field which means the club is better without him. Maybe he isn't a team man, selfish and doesn't fit, cause surely we aren't that silly ?

[spert]

Very good when he has the ball, moves well, but his defensive side- work off the ball, and leg speed is not great and he needs to improve that to take another step.

[Vortex]

I just don't get, on face value, the concept of trading Hunter Clark.

23 years old, pick 7,60 games.

For many years now the thing that St Kilda has lacked is what i call silk - class with the ball. We tried to get it with Hill, sometimes its there while others he is like the majority of players by foot - average or worse. Clark is one of the few on the list who with the ball has time, space and delivers by hand or foot much better than most of the list. He is courageous, attacks the contest hard His injuries have been impact - not soft tissue.

What am I missing. Is he lazy, is he a bad influence around the club, a trouble maker? Lazy - this can be worked out of players as they mature - Hawkins used to eat Maccas on his way home for year, Ablett Jnr first few years he was far from fit. There are plenty of examples where the penny had to drop.

He cant be on massive money so that isn't it.

To me it is a panic play, one of a few players with currency so trade out and get draft picks and start again -statement to all we are resigned tot he fact we cannot make him, and us better. As I sad at the start i am clearly missing something which exists behind closed doors, or off field which means the club is better without him. Maybe he isn't a team man, selfish and doesn't fit, cause surely we aren't that silly ?

The elephant in the room is our list, even after the fab five came to the club in 2019 we have really only delayed the inevitable and that is we need to go into a rebuild of some magnitude. Hunters departure will confirm the club have recognised the list at best is a bottom 8 side and possibly could be looking at a bottom 2 finish in 2023.

The worst mistake the club could make is overrate this current list and believe we are close to becoming a sustained top 4 side. If I was Bassett I'd be engaging his best PR consultant and seek some assistance with his next letter to the members.

Ironically I wouldn’t mind betting our coach knows he needs a better list, how can he not if the man on the street can see it a mile away.

[shanegrambeau]

I just don't get, on face value, the concept of trading Hunter Clark.

23 years old, pick 7,60 games.

For many years now the thing that St Kilda has lacked is what i call silk - class with the ball. We tried to get it with Hill, sometimes its there while others he is like the majority of players by foot - average or worse. Clark is one of the few on the list who with the ball has time, space and delivers by hand or foot much better than most of the list. He is courageous, attacks the contest hard His injuries have been impact - not soft tissue.

What am I missing. Is he lazy, is he a bad influence around the club, a trouble maker? Lazy - this can be worked out of players as they mature - Hawkins used to eat Maccas on his way home for year, Ablett Jnr first few years he was far from fit. There are plenty of examples where the penny had to drop.

He cant be on massive money so that isn't it.

To me it is a panic play, one of a few players with currency so trade out and get draft picks and start again -statement to all we are resigned tot he fact we cannot make him, and us better. As I sad at the start i am clearly missing something which exists behind closed doors, or off field which means the club is better without him. Maybe he isn't a team man, selfish and doesn't fit, cause surely we aren't that silly ?

I agree with your premise, that it is perplexing.

I can only surmise that Hunter has been knocked around by his ..eh..knocks.

But I agree..we have precious few skilled players with his poise and time*.

I disagree that HIll is average or worse - he is clearly top five skill-wise for me.

*I do wonder if Hunter still has time and poise. He may have lost a few milliseconds. Too early to tell, but as you say, it is not soft-tissue problems, so fingers crossed. How does he go in time trials? I hope he has not lost his lateral vision. Concussed players sometimes get tunnel vision.

Tragedy, if he has lost his touch at this stage.

Another thing, he didn't become established as a mid. Gresh went further in that department, but I don't know if they are convinced that even he can do it as a mid either.

So is he yet another flanker? A would-be Sincs? Or another iffy mid? A would-be Gresh?

He is class and we lack class. Especially if Hill goes. Even Long had got some touch too, though he doesn't have time.

We have so many promising players that have dropped off for unforeseen reasons. Coff, Paton. Now we lose Hill and Long.

Can we bring Hanners back? lol

But the great Shane G has another brilliant idea.

How about Hunter as a crafty small forward?

[The_Dud]

You'd think we'd be doing all we could to keep highly skilled players, haven't we been burnt enough by blokes who can get the ball but then butcher it?

I fear our list will be worse off next year at the rate we're going this offseason.

[Yorkeys]

Is it just North driving this or is it mutual?
Seems odd - although Horne-Francis has been mentioned as a chance to come to Saints if move back to Adelaide doesn't happen.