Saints: Who is back and who will have a delayed start

[spert]

OK , so that's settled then.

Hunter Clark (with no f****** e) is our no.1 whipping boy now that Gears and Hanners are gone.

Hill will be a close second.

One of the real positives with RL coaching St Kilda is that we will get to find out once and for all if Brad Hill can recover the great form he displayed at both Hawthorn and Fremantle, he obviously did well under Lyon's guidance at Freo. If he does that will be a massive boost to the team's prospects....

I'm also confident that under Lyon we will find out how a handful of other "ranked" players that have not performed to what is generally regarded as their full potential, in the main Hunter Clark, Jack Billings, Nick Coffield, Jade Gresham, even (shock, horror!) Max King. Then there are the unranked players like Jack Hayes and Cooper Sharman, maybe Tom Highmore, who have shown promise but have yet to be proven capable of making best 22 consistently. Also the more experienced ones like Dougal Howard, Zak Jones, Jack Higgins, Dan Butler all of who are "alright" but lack consistency and impact; finally a couple of young ones in Leo Connolly and Matt Allison.

There's a lot to look forward to!

Don't forget that Hill played some great footy in his younger days- he is now older and a bit slower, and less likely to do any hard physical work in a game. We can't rely on older athletes to suddenly become 21 years old again.

[shanegrambeau]

I’m not worried about Hills running or his touch. They are his natural attributes and he’ll keep them. The natural attributes are last to go.
Hunter has plenty of courage too. I don’t think he’ll ever be a Bradley etc., but he could be as good as a Jack Stephen at his best.

But injury is a a concern for a number of our key players.

Ross will have to be very bossy and get some frank conversation going with the injury team. We know that the former St Kilda kept and even hired injured players.

Jack Billings has a crook back and bad hammies. Maybe he can come good. Maybe this will be his year? But if he doesn’t I think that might be it.
Jade Gresham breaks down. Has talent, but…
Higgo wasn’t the same after his concussion so that is another watch carefully
Hunter, well he is is right on the cusp..maybe he can still do it. But can a player find that will once he is in his mid 20s and has struggled and had the crap knocked out of him? Also, these guys are like 40 year olds in life experience based on footy culture. Had Hunter become a star, and then got this, you’d back him to bounce back..but he really hasn’t had the taste of glory yet. Even on a Gresham scale.
King is still on the right side of the ledger in terms of injury vs potential. If he had two consecutive injury ravaged years you would worry. Not yet.

I hope to heavens our injury list is OK

Can we call big Paddy and ask home to come back for one more year, ala Mumford?

[B.M]

Long way back from a bad back

Carlisle was never the same… you lose flexibility and agility.

I’m concerned Billings can never be fully fit again, his hammies will keep pinging… always happens with a crook back

[spert]

I’m not worried about Hills running or his touch. They are his natural attributes and he’ll keep them. The natural attributes are last to go.
Hunter has plenty of courage too. I don’t think he’ll ever be a Bradley etc., but he could be as good as a Jack Stephen at his best.

But injury is a a concern for a number of our key players.

Ross will have to be very bossy and get some frank conversation going with the injury team. We know that the former St Kilda kept and even hired injured players.

Jack Billings has a crook back and bad hammies. Maybe he can come good. Maybe this will be his year? But if he doesn’t I think that might be it.
Jade Gresham breaks down. Has talent, but…
Higgo wasn’t the same after his concussion so that is another watch carefully
Hunter, well he is is right on the cusp..maybe he can still do it. But can a player find that will once he is in his mid 20s and has struggled and had the crap knocked out of him? Also, these guys are like 40 year olds in life experience based on footy culture. Had Hunter become a star, and then got this, you’d back him to bounce back..but he really hasn’t had the taste of glory yet. Even on a Gresham scale.
King is still on the right side of the ledger in terms of injury vs potential. If he had two consecutive injury ravaged years you would worry. Not yet.

I hope to heavens our injury list is OK

Can we call big Paddy and ask home to come back for one more year, ala Mumford?

A major factor in a successful season and ultimately finals, is having a consistent group of players in the senior team. The players who have had serious injury, will sometimes never be the player they were, or may not be able to string together a series of good games due to niggling injuries. Having some guys play a couple of blinders, then play ordinary games or be in and out of the team just doesn't work going forward. Trying to back Paddy would never work- he missed games due to family issues, and due to age, just couldn't be expected to play a full season including finals at peak form. Geelong have this kind of thing all sorted, and can keep older blokes on the field.

[shanegrambeau]

Maybe DMac is now also on the injury-susceptible list given his persistent calf problems kept him off the park from his mid-season knock that should have only taken a few weeks.

So we have;
Billings
Jones
Gresham
Gresh
And maybe
DMac
and let’s hope
Marshall is OK back wise

All suspects in the chronic department.

Many others have done a hammy or calf but not chronic.

Recovering is Coff and the new SA star in the block (and everyone’s favorite bloke; Jack Hayes

We didn’t have a terrible run of injuries in ‘21 compared to some teams, so we will need everyone fully firing. If Mr Boss wants a fast running game, he gonna havta make dem boyz into Road Runner…Ok, really, we will at least have to be fit. We were last year significantly fitter than in ‘21. But we ran out of puff.

[shanegrambeau]

I’m not worried about Hills running or his touch. They are his natural attributes and he’ll keep them. The natural attributes are last to go.
Hunter has plenty of courage too. I don’t think he’ll ever be a Bradley etc., but he could be as good as a Jack Stephen at his best.

But injury is a a concern for a number of our key players.

Ross will have to be very bossy and get some frank conversation going with the injury team. We know that the former St Kilda kept and even hired injured players.

Jack Billings has a crook back and bad hammies. Maybe he can come good. Maybe this will be his year? But if he doesn’t I think that might be it.
Jade Gresham breaks down. Has talent, but…
Higgo wasn’t the same after his concussion so that is another watch carefully
Hunter, well he is is right on the cusp..maybe he can still do it. But can a player find that will once he is in his mid 20s and has struggled and had the crap knocked out of him? Also, these guys are like 40 year olds in life experience based on footy culture. Had Hunter become a star, and then got this, you’d back him to bounce back..but he really hasn’t had the taste of glory yet. Even on a Gresham scale.
King is still on the right side of the ledger in terms of injury vs potential. If he had two consecutive injury ravaged years you would worry. Not yet.

I hope to heavens our injury list is OK

Can we call big Paddy and ask home to come back for one more year, ala Mumford?

A major factor in a successful season and ultimately finals, is having a consistent group of players in the senior team. The players who have had serious injury, will sometimes never be the player they were, or may not be able to string together a series of good games due to niggling injuries. Having some guys play a couple of blinders, then play ordinary games or be in and out of the team just doesn't work going forward. Trying to back Paddy would never work- he missed games due to family issues, and due to age, just couldn't be expected to play a full season including finals at peak form. Geelong have this kind of thing all sorted, and can keep older blokes on the field.

Fair enough Spert.

But Mummy wasn’t expected to play a full season either.

Obviously, Mummy isn’t Paddy even though it sounds like a good name for a children’s book.

Said Paddy in July this year,

"My best footy, when I'm fit, is still pretty good. I'll just get through the next few weeks with the calf and re-evaluate everything. I'm looking forward to hopefully playing on.

"It hasn't been in the forefront of my mind but I'm sure over the next couple of weeks, now that I've got a little bit of time, there will be some conversations happening. I've enjoyed my time at the Saints. I've got some really close mates there and family in Bradley Hill. I'd rather not leave."


(I like the way you took the ex- out of your name, are all experts, ex-sperts? lol)

[The Fireman]

I’ll be back

[asiu]

haha

it took me nearly 18 hours

lol

but ... i 'got' it

throw a bloody party !!
bring out the amped up matchbox 'n we'll jam the evening away



(never said i was quick)

[bobmurray]

Maybe DMac is now also on the injury-susceptible list given his persistent calf problems kept him off the park from his mid-season knock that should have only taken a few weeks.

So we have;
Billings
Jones
Gresham
Gresh
And maybe
DMac
and let’s hope
Marshall is OK back wise

All suspects in the chronic department.

Gresham and Gresh, did we get a 2 for 1 deal ?

[spert]

I’m not worried about Hills running or his touch. They are his natural attributes and he’ll keep them. The natural attributes are last to go.
Hunter has plenty of courage too. I don’t think he’ll ever be a Bradley etc., but he could be as good as a Jack Stephen at his best.

But injury is a a concern for a number of our key players.

Ross will have to be very bossy and get some frank conversation going with the injury team. We know that the former St Kilda kept and even hired injured players.

Jack Billings has a crook back and bad hammies. Maybe he can come good. Maybe this will be his year? But if he doesn’t I think that might be it.
Jade Gresham breaks down. Has talent, but…
Higgo wasn’t the same after his concussion so that is another watch carefully
Hunter, well he is is right on the cusp..maybe he can still do it. But can a player find that will once he is in his mid 20s and has struggled and had the crap knocked out of him? Also, these guys are like 40 year olds in life experience based on footy culture. Had Hunter become a star, and then got this, you’d back him to bounce back..but he really hasn’t had the taste of glory yet. Even on a Gresham scale.
King is still on the right side of the ledger in terms of injury vs potential. If he had two consecutive injury ravaged years you would worry. Not yet.

I hope to heavens our injury list is OK

Can we call big Paddy and ask home to come back for one more year, ala Mumford?

A major factor in a successful season and ultimately finals, is having a consistent group of players in the senior team. The players who have had serious injury, will sometimes never be the player they were, or may not be able to string together a series of good games due to niggling injuries. Having some guys play a couple of blinders, then play ordinary games or be in and out of the team just doesn't work going forward. Trying to back Paddy would never work- he missed games due to family issues, and due to age, just couldn't be expected to play a full season including finals at peak form. Geelong have this kind of thing all sorted, and can keep older blokes on the field.

Fair enough Spert.

But Mummy wasn’t expected to play a full season either.

Obviously, Mummy isn’t Paddy even though it sounds like a good name for a children’s book.

Said Paddy in July this year,

"My best footy, when I'm fit, is still pretty good. I'll just get through the next few weeks with the calf and re-evaluate everything. I'm looking forward to hopefully playing on.

"It hasn't been in the forefront of my mind but I'm sure over the next couple of weeks, now that I've got a little bit of time, there will be some conversations happening. I've enjoyed my time at the Saints. I've got some really close mates there and family in Bradley Hill. I'd rather not leave."


(I like the way you took the ex- out of your name, are all experts, ex-sperts? lol)

[George27]

Maybe DMac is now also on the injury-susceptible list given his persistent calf problems kept him off the park from his mid-season knock that should have only taken a few weeks.

So we have;
Billings
Jones
Gresham
Gresh
And maybe
DMac
and let’s hope
Marshall is OK back wise

All suspects in the chronic department.

Gresham and Gresh, did we get a 2 for 1 deal ?

Yep - Gresh was the main trade target , and .. ham was the Bertocchi they threw in