Leek Aleer

[footynut]

We just lost Battle, although I don't mind the idea of using Schoenmaker as his replacement, I'm not sure he's ready. However believe this could the the opportunity to build our future defence.

Perhaps we could offer a future second round??

[SteeleSaints]

I think we will be looking at all 3 x tall defenders available Aleer 23yo, Laverde 28yo & Tomlison 31yo. Any would be a reasonable, with Aleer being the youngest but proably behind the other 2 in footballing smarts. Tomlinson desparately wants out of he s*** fight, Laverde is being pushed out and Aleer is just looking for more opportunity being stuck behind 3 excellent tall defenders.

I think Tomlinson will come the cheapest trade wise, but its whether the club thinks the other two have a longer term future in the position. The club have said they want to hit this years draft so they wont be giving up picks from this year for any.

[Nick DalSanto Claus]

Forget Tomlinson and Laverde. Too old and not good enough. The club has tried the "moneyball" approach and it hasn't worked.

Aleer would at least be worth having a decent crack at. Just 23, yet to hit his prime years, and could provide value for the next 8-10 years. Enough with being a rubbish dump for other clubs' cast offs, especially the dopers.

Pick and develop our own. Patience, grasshoppers!

[SteeleSaints]

Forget Tomlinson and Laverde. Too old and not good enough. The club has tried the "moneyball" approach and it hasn't worked.

Aleer would at least be worth having a decent crack at. Just 23, yet to hit his prime years, and could provide value for the next 8-10 years. Enough with being a rubbish dump for other clubs' cast offs, especially the dopers.

Pick and develop our own. Patience, grasshoppers!

And who play CHB next year - Cordy?

[freely]

I like Sharman as a forward but hasn't the club been developing him as a replacement for Battle?

[D.B.Cooper]

Pretty sure the first choice tall defenders as it stands will be Howard & Camanitti with Wilkie of course.

Then there is Shoenmaker coming through and Cordy as back up.

The club may choose not to replace Battle with a like for like.

[bigcarl]

Forget Tomlinson and Laverde. Too old and not good enough. The club has tried the "moneyball" approach and it hasn't worked.

Aleer would at least be worth having a decent crack at. Just 23, yet to hit his prime years, and could provide value for the next 8-10 years. Enough with being a rubbish dump for other clubs' cast offs, especially the dopers.

Pick and develop our own. Patience, grasshoppers!

I’m with you. Problem with picking up a guy like, say, Bonner is that to get them to come down I suspect they promise games.

It throws the pecking order into chaos and can limit opportunities for up and comers.

We need to be a meritocracy where players are picked on form and merit. Selection integrity is paramount and I hope any ring-ins are told as much before they start.

[SaintPav]

Bonner was thrown a life line by the club after being cut by Port.

He wouldn’t have been promised anything.

[Nick DalSanto Claus]

Bonner is a prime example of a "temporary filler", who not only didn't improve our side, but actively held back younger players from getting valuable games and experience.

Imagine Garcia, Hastie and the Schoe getting extra games. They couldn't have fared worse than Bonner.

As for replacing Battle, there is already a long line of possibilities on the list. I suggest Hayes, Caminiti, Sharman, Cordy and Keeler may all end up being adequate.

We have to remember Battle is no champion. There is no way he is worth a purported 900k x 6 years. I understand why the club put a ceiling on what it was willing to pay in order to keep him.

He was a useful member of a strong, up to 7-man-defensive team. I'm sure RTB and Boris will work out a solution, if they haven't already.

They could also find a replacement in the upcoming trade and draft period. In RTB and crew I trust. There are at least a dozen players whose loss would affect us more.

[saint6709]

I hope we have a crack at getting him across

[Vortex]

Bonner is a prime example of a "temporary filler", who not only didn't improve our side, but actively held back younger players from getting valuable games and experience.

This claim assumes the younger players were earning a spot on an AFL team but not selected to allow a stop gap player to play.

I think this is still a sign our list depth is very shallow and even lacking AFL capable/ready players.

[The Fireman]

Bonner is a prime example of a "temporary filler", who not only didn't improve our side, but actively held back younger players from getting valuable games and experience.

This claim assumes the younger players were earning a spot on an AFL team but not selected to allow a stop gap player to play.

I think this is still a sign our list depth is very shallow and even lacking AFL capable/ready players.

cooper says hi

[D.B.Cooper]

Bonner is a prime example of a "temporary filler", who not only didn't improve our side, but actively held back younger players from getting valuable games and experience.

Imagine Garcia, Hastie and the Schoe getting extra games. They couldn't have fared worse than Bonner.

As for replacing Battle, there is already a long line of possibilities on the list. I suggest Hayes, Caminiti, Sharman, Cordy and Keeler may all end up being adequate.

We have to remember Battle is no champion. There is no way he is worth a purported 900k x 6 years. I understand why the club put a ceiling on what it was willing to pay in order to keep him.

He was a useful member of a strong, up to 7-man-defensive team. I'm sure RTB and Boris will work out a solution, if they haven't already.

They could also find a replacement in the upcoming trade and draft period. In RTB and crew I trust. There are at least a dozen players whose loss would affect us more.

Agree totally on Bonner and holding back games from younger players, on the other hand you have Campbell & Cordy who are break glass in case of emergency back ups.

If Tomlinson is a good clubman, dirt cheap and only there as insurance, then ok. But if he’s taking games away from Shoenmaker then no thanks.

[SinCitySainter]

We are not challenging next year so brining in anyone over 28 is not a step forward.
We have enough experienced hard bodies that we don't need more to protect the young guys.
It wouldn't protect them it just shows a lack of faith in them.
Tomlinson and Shiel stink of a short-term career protectionist policy rather than what is best for St Kilda in the long run.
Aleer on the other hand is young enough that he can develop with the other young guys and could make us stronger in the long term.

[Life Long Saint]

Bonner is a prime example of a "temporary filler", who not only didn't improve our side, but actively held back younger players from getting valuable games and experience.

Imagine Garcia, Hastie and the Schoe getting extra games. They couldn't have fared worse than Bonner.

That is the easiest thing to assess in hindsight.
We had Sinclair among others injured at the start of the season (and during the season) and needed another HBF to help out. He cost us nothing.
Early on, he had some really good games, but we knew that his disposal was iffy at times.

He did the job and is clearly no longer needed.

[Killa]

"we are not challenging next year"

Higgins, Windhager, Wanganeen-Milera, Hill, Steele, Owens, Clark, King, Marshall, Howard, Wilson, Henry, Phillipou, Wood, Sinclair and Wilkie say "Hi!!!"

As do Byrnes, Sharman and Caminiti along with any First Round draftees yet to be identified and kids including Garcia and Schoenmakers plus others.

So who or what do you want, given the evenness of the competition and that, with a difficult Draw and key injuries across the season, we finished at 11/12 with a handful of very narrow losses?

And, if that was 14/9, we would be right in the discussion having knocked off Sydney, Geelong and Carlton and being very unlucky v Port Adelaide.

There are a couple of pieces to add including key talls forward and back and ruck support for Marshall.

We may not have the hype of a Cripps type (how many do?) but we have a spread of developing talent, which we will add to.

It is a very long way from the gloom and doom of (say) NM, Richmond and West Coast - and even some Clubs reliant on ageing players.

[St Dave]

"we are not challenging next year"

Higgins, Windhager, Wanganeen-Milera, Hill, Steele, Owens, Clark, King, Marshall, Howard, Wilson, Henry, Phillipou, Wood, Sinclair and Wilkie say "Hi!!!"

As do Byrnes, Sharman and Caminiti along with any First Round draftees yet to be identified and kids including Garcia and Schoenmakers plus others.

So who or what do you want, given the evenness of the competition and that, with a difficult Draw and key injuries across the season, we finished at 11/12 with a handful of very narrow losses?

And, if that was 14/9, we would be right in the discussion having knocked off Sydney, Geelong and Carlton and being very unlucky v Port Adelaide.

There are a couple of pieces to add including key talls forward and back and ruck support for Marshall.

We may not have the hype of a Cripps type (how many do?) but we have a spread of developing talent, which we will add to.

It is a very long way from the gloom and doom of (say) NM, Richmond and West Coast - and even some Clubs reliant on ageing players.

This is a discussion for a different thread, but I think realistically we are hoping to make the 8 next year (and with how even the comp is anyone who makes the 8 could reasonably push for a flag), but with all the kids from when we (hopefully) started nailing drafts being 21 or under, we are probably only pushing for top 4 and really contending from 2026.

[Vortex]

Agree totally on Bonner and holding back games from younger players

Genuinely curious in which players DBC.

I don't have a clue myself but am tending to give RL the benefit of doubt when he says he picks sides to win, and on they basis I just assumed there weren't any younger players at Sandy who could push him out of his position and role in the team.

[D.B.Cooper]

Agree totally on Bonner and holding back games from younger players

Genuinely curious in which players DBC.

I don't have a clue myself but am tending to give RL the benefit of doubt when he says he picks sides to win, and on they basis I just assumed there weren't any younger players at Sandy who could push him out of his position and role in the team.

That’s a fair question Vortex.

Shoenmaker, Hastie, McLennan all spring to mind as capable of playing half back, but perhaps were not ready or good enough at the time.

I may be blinded by my disdain for Bonner as a player, made me want ‘anyone’ in his place.

[groupie1]

i have a sneaking suspicion they're looking at a double top.
Looked at Macrae and Houston just in case everything clicks next year, we snag one, and still have time to wait for Wilson, Pou, Schoe, and Garcia to hit their straps.

Interesting to see how we will go but I reckon we won't go pure draft this year.

"we are not challenging next year"

Higgins, Windhager, Wanganeen-Milera, Hill, Steele, Owens, Clark, King, Marshall, Howard, Wilson, Henry, Phillipou, Wood, Sinclair and Wilkie say "Hi!!!"

As do Byrnes, Sharman and Caminiti along with any First Round draftees yet to be identified and kids including Garcia and Schoenmakers plus others.

So who or what do you want, given the evenness of the competition and that, with a difficult Draw and key injuries across the season, we finished at 11/12 with a handful of very narrow losses?

And, if that was 14/9, we would be right in the discussion having knocked off Sydney, Geelong and Carlton and being very unlucky v Port Adelaide.

There are a couple of pieces to add including key talls forward and back and ruck support for Marshall.

We may not have the hype of a Cripps type (how many do?) but we have a spread of developing talent, which we will add to.

It is a very long way from the gloom and doom of (say) NM, Richmond and West Coast - and even some Clubs reliant on ageing players.

[SaintPav]

Houston is staying at Port.

[saint6709]

Leek Aleer

[BadRossco]

Aleer fits the age demographic maybe Max King down back could be even better but Aleer if he comes cheap could be better backup than Cordy and Keeler is more suited forward and helping out in the ruck although watching him at Sandy he appears to be a bit lazy.

[magnifisaint]

We are not challenging next year so brining in anyone over 28 is not a step forward.
We have enough experienced hard bodies that we don't need more to protect the young guys.
It wouldn't protect them it just shows a lack of faith in them.
Tomlinson and Shiel stink of a short-term career protectionist policy rather than what is best for St Kilda in the long run.
Aleer on the other hand is young enough that he can develop with the other young guys and could make us stronger in the long term.

What year are we meant to challenge?
We should be challenging every year.

[spert]

We are not challenging next year so brining in anyone over 28 is not a step forward.
We have enough experienced hard bodies that we don't need more to protect the young guys.
It wouldn't protect them it just shows a lack of faith in them.
Tomlinson and Shiel stink of a short-term career protectionist policy rather than what is best for St Kilda in the long run.
Aleer on the other hand is young enough that he can develop with the other young guys and could make us stronger in the long term.

What year are we meant to challenge?
We should be challenging every year.

Yeah, we have hidden behind the "development takes time", or "it was a development year", or similar cop-outs for as long as I can remember, to cover not making finals to just having a bad season. Every year should be approached with the aim to play finals- every year we need to challenge.