Trust in your players

[Scollop]

When you bring in a guy like Mcrae into your team...it obviously means changes to the pecking order of your mids. It changes who gets to start games in the middle ...and roles have to change.

What message is Ross Lyon sending to Hunter Clark and Paddy Dow... when he doesn't trust them to be able to get the job done as supports to Jack Steele?

Our team and our list of players did ok against Sydney, Essendon, Geelong and Carlton. 3 of these teams made finals and 2 of them made top 4

To a lesser extent, could it mean that guys like Owens, Garcia and Hastie are pigeon holed and not allowed time in the guts to improve their craft?

What does it say to the trust in your listed players? What does it say to the effort and performances of the team late in the year? It's like Ross isn't giving his midfielders much credit whatsoever for our great end to the 2024 season.

The way Zak Jones performed in the last few...along with the fact that Stocker was used in the centre...along with good signs from other draftees Garcia and Hastie has me thinking we're on the right path.

We also have Henry and Windhager waiting to join this team. The improvement in Phillipou gave me optimism that we've finally got good development coaches handling the talent.

We owe it to our young stars like Nasiah, Phillipou and now Darcy Wilson to ensure that they have support in 5-6 years from now.

I understand the reasoning and the attraction to Mcrae (he's a triple All Australian -yippee 'light a candle'). I just think the recruitment of a 30 year old whose form is questionable goes against the goals outlined by the President in that letter we received in May.

[cwrcyn]

Our club's history of short term fixes has been disastrous since some of the appalling decisions made during the Stan Alves and Ken Sheldon periods.

If you can confidently predict you'll get 100 games out of a player (e.g Brad Hill, Mason Wood), then fair enough, but trading good draft picks for guys who'll mostly likely give you 50 games or less is not good planning and in the end sets you back.

[spert]

Our current midfield won't get us back into finals- it's our biggest weakness, and has been for a while. We hope Pou, Windy and maybe others will step up, but it's just hope and we need to make crucial list changes to get back deep into finals. I know they have good games here and there, but Steele, Clark, Crouch and Dow from this point are not taking us anywhere but middle rung.

[Beno88]

What message is Ross Lyon sending to Hunter Clark and Paddy Dow... when he doesn't trust them to be able to get the job done as supports to Jack Steele?

Quite simply, do better.

Both had injury challenges, both spent time in the VFL, neither would start in the middle at any other club.

Bringing in a player to create competition for spots is healthy and required. Our midfield is the worst in the league.

Would you say no to Harley Reid joining St Kilda because his arrival may cause others to believe their not trusted in their role?

[Otiman]

If we think he can bring something to the team from a playing and leadership perspective, we should.

The points made around his effect on the team are important. You want to make sure that he can have a lasting positive impact on the group.

You don't pick a player like this for a finals tilt from 12th on the ladder, you pick them for building longer term team success.

[Dis Believer]

It could say "we're know you've been doing it tough guys, and we're getting you some help!"

It could also say "this is the big league guys, pull on your big boy pants and earn your spot!!"....

[Killa]

Where is the Club announcement that McRae is being pursued?

Media speculation, probably based on the assessment that St Kilda has a need to (further) improve its mid-field resources, is taken as gospel then a tirade against Lyon.

Makes you wonder about the objective of some.

[CURLY]

When you bring in a guy like Mcrae into your team...it obviously means changes to the pecking order of your mids. It changes who gets to start games in the middle ...and roles have to change.

What message is Ross Lyon sending to Hunter Clark and Paddy Dow... when he doesn't trust them to be able to get the job done as supports to Jack Steele?

Our team and our list of players did ok against Sydney, Essendon, Geelong and Carlton. 3 of these teams made finals and 2 of them made top 4

To a lesser extent, could it mean that guys like Owens, Garcia and Hastie are pigeon holed and not allowed time in the guts to improve their craft?

What does it say to the trust in your listed players? What does it say to the effort and performances of the team late in the year? It's like Ross isn't giving his midfielders much credit whatsoever for our great end to the 2024 season.

The way Zak Jones performed in the last few...along with the fact that Stocker was used in the centre...along with good signs from other draftees Garcia and Hastie has me thinking we're on the right path.

We also have Henry and Windhager waiting to join this team. The improvement in Phillipou gave me optimism that we've finally got good development coaches handling the talent.

We owe it to our young stars like Nasiah, Phillipou and now Darcy Wilson to ensure that they have support in 5-6 years from now.

I understand the reasoning and the attraction to Mcrae (he's a triple All Australian -yippee 'light a candle'). I just think the recruitment of a 30 year old whose form is questionable goes against the goals outlined by the President in that letter we received in May.

You want to give them a participation awards as well.

[B.M]

The message it sends is

At the moment you’re NOT good enough

Either get better or play twos

[SaintWiki]

When you bring in a guy like Mcrae into your team...it obviously means changes to the pecking order of your mids. It changes who gets to start games in the middle ...and roles have to change.

What message is Ross Lyon sending to Hunter Clark and Paddy Dow... when he doesn't trust them to be able to get the job done as supports to Jack Steele?

Our team and our list of players did ok against Sydney, Essendon, Geelong and Carlton. 3 of these teams made finals and 2 of them made top 4

To a lesser extent, could it mean that guys like Owens, Garcia and Hastie are pigeon holed and not allowed time in the guts to improve their craft?

What does it say to the trust in your listed players? What does it say to the effort and performances of the team late in the year? It's like Ross isn't giving his midfielders much credit whatsoever for our great end to the 2024 season.

The way Zak Jones performed in the last few...along with the fact that Stocker was used in the centre...along with good signs from other draftees Garcia and Hastie has me thinking we're on the right path.

We also have Henry and Windhager waiting to join this team. The improvement in Phillipou gave me optimism that we've finally got good development coaches handling the talent.

We owe it to our young stars like Nasiah, Phillipou and now Darcy Wilson to ensure that they have support in 5-6 years from now.

I understand the reasoning and the attraction to Mcrae (he's a triple All Australian -yippee 'light a candle'). I just think the recruitment of a 30 year old whose form is questionable goes against the goals outlined by the President in that letter we received in May.

Sensible opinions but I'm old and the alzheimer's must be catching up with me - I didn't see where Macrae was set in concrete or that Ross Lyon was not at least allowed to have a close look at all the option.

[older saint]

message is we need more midfield depth

[cps]

Our current group of midfield players would certainly know that their performance is below that of the best midfields in the competition.

What does it say to the trust in your listed players? What does it say to the effort and performances of the team late in the year? It's like Ross isn't giving his midfielders much credit whatsoever for our great end to the 2024 season.

I'd say Ross would be looking more at the games we lost earlier in the season, especially the games where we were comprehensively beaten in the midfield.

[Otiman]

Does that mean no drafting or trading, ever?

That's the worst strategy I've ever heard.

List management is all about analysing strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities to bring talent in to improve the selected team, but also the club.

[Scollop]

What does it say to the trust in your listed players? What does it say to the effort and performances of the team late in the year? It's like Ross isn't giving his midfielders much credit whatsoever for our great end to the 2024 season.

I'd say Ross would be looking more at the games we lost earlier in the season, especially the games where we were comprehensively beaten in the midfield.

Exactly. The point I was making was that our midfield group at the end of the year was quite different to how we started the year.

First game it was Seb and Crouch in the engine room. We got close to beating Geelong at their home ground, but Crouchy was poor and Seb was very average. With Crouch injured and out of the team after that, we relied on Sebby, Steele, Windhager and Phillipou.

Seb was inconsistent. Windy the same. Phillipou was dropped to the VFL.

People are quoting stats for stoppages and clearances that do not accurately reflect the last 8 games of the year. It annoys me that people look at the midfield from the start of the year and ignore the fact that Clark and Dow made a difference when they both played. Especially Clark.

Steele took time to transition to these two after having so many different players at stoppages throughout the year. Sebby, Sinclair, Owens, Windhager, Henry, Phillipou and a few others including the first year players all spent time in the centre square. Now that we’ve found a good mix (and Pou is looking like a different player), we’re wanting to change that again - and not with a young burst strong mid or a physical player of any sort but a bloke who’s 30!!

Western Bulldogs managed to pick up Adam Treloar because Collingwood were in trouble with their cap. Treloar was on big money similar to Mcrae…BUT Treloar was only 27. The Gold Coast salary dump trade of Jack Bowes at the end of 2022 gave Geelong a nice top ten pick and a player under 25 to add to their list. Let’s see if St Kilda manage to score a good draft pick if we end up with a 30 year old to add to our list