Interesting review of St Kilda by a non-Saints fan.

[saintsRrising]

I read this evaluation by a BigFooty poster of St Kilda = Dan A
http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/showthread.php?t=396599

He did it in two parts...and it is a good read even if you do not agree with his evaluations or at least all of them

Last year Part ONE written on Nov 16...and then posted an update on Feb27

Part ONE- Nov 16

I tried to rate the saints from an unbiased view and wouldn't mind seeing of Saints fans agree with my evaluation.

Full backline:
Starting: Gilbert Hudgton S.Fischer
Backups: L.Fischer, Gwilt, Dempsey
- S.Fischer is fast becoming one of the best backmen in the game while Gilbert is improving very quickly. I think this is your weakest line with Max being a slightly below average Fullback. You can afford 1 injury as L.Fischer is also solid but you not a lot past him.

Improvement: Gilbert should continue to improve while having Max for more games will be very handy.
Rating C+

Half Backline
Starting: Gram McGuire Goddard
Backup: L.Fischer, Gwilt, Dempsey
This is probably your strongest line. Gram is a gun McGuire is above average CHB and Goddard if he gets over his knee is also first class. I could see all of these guys being AA at some stage in there career. Again you don't have much cover for injuries past L.Fischer. You wouldn't want more than 2 in your backline.

Improvement- Should get more out of Goose while Goddard won't be as good as 1st half of 07 but Saints will be better off than they were last half of 07.

Rating: A+

Rucks:
Starting: King, Gardiner
Backup: Rix, Kosi
King is a massive improvement on Clarke while Rix is a solid backup ruckmen. I personally think you don't want Kosi playing more than 20% game time in the ruck as he looks a match winning forward to me. However he is more than handy as a ruckmen. If Gardiner can get on the pitch he is an improvement on Rix.

Improvement - King is much better than Clarke (who does absolutely nothing around the ground) while Rix should continue to improve. Gardiner is the wild card.

Rating: C (make it C+ if Gardiner gets on the pitch regularly)

Midfielders:
Starting: Hayes, Dal Santo, Ball, Montagna Fiora Baker
Backup Harvey, Armitage, Birss, Attard
I think this is in the top 3 midfields in the competition and possibly the best. Hayes is a hard all rounder in the same mold as Bartel while Dal Santo is pure silk. Hopefully Ball can finally get over his OP and play at full capacity. Monty and Fiora are solid while I don't rate Baker that highley.

Improvement: Hayes a year on from his knee reco should return to his 06 form. Ball if injury free could be a massive plus. Armitage rotating through should give you a little more depth. I don't expect much improvement from Monty, Fiora or Baker and would only expect a reduction in game time from Harvey.

Rating: A

Half Forward line
Schneider Reiwoldt X.Clarke
Backups: Gardiner, Allen, Jones, Birss
Schneider is a 30 goal a season forward while Reiwoldt is one of the stars of the competition. Third spot is up for grabs and you may just have an extra midfielder and play a 5 man forward line. You simply can't afford to lose Reiwoldt for any length of time though.

Improvement: Schneider adds a hell of a lot to your team which was crying out for a crumbing forward. No real change other than that.

Rating: B+

Full forwardline
Milne Koschitzski Blake?
Backup: C.Gardiner, Allen, Jones, Birss, R.Clarke

Milne is another 30 goal a season which give you a 2nd prove small forward. I think Kosi is actually an improvement on Gehrig. Toward the end Gerhig was a lazy front runner who delivered only when you were winning. Kosi will turn games around IMO. Look for 60-70 goals in 08 from Kosi.

Improvement: C.Gardiner is actually a lot better than most give him credit and may cement himself as a regular this season. You have some depth up forward but can't afford to lose Kosi or Reiwoldt.

Rating: C+
Overall:
I would put you in the top 3rd best team in the league on paper and you seem to finally have your structure right.You have an excellent starting 22 with relatively poor depth (but improving). Probably a star Fullback and a quality forward utility from being flag favorites.I expect King, Schneider to start in your best 18 and Armitage to play a vit part in your midfeild rotations. I think Blake, Gardiner, Birss, Attard and Allen to push for selection and play semi regularly. Gilbert is probably the one player I see significantly improving besides those coming back from injury.

God knows you need a massive improvement from you strength and conditioning department but you seem to have made the right changes. Hopefully you settle with you game lan with Ross in his 2nd year.
Overall Rating: B+
Expected Finish: 2nd

part 2 on Feb 27

Re: Evaluation of Saints best 22

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I feel a bit cringe worthy bumping a post in an opposition board but I thought it is worth looking at again.

You would have to say that the back 6 are still the same with:
Gilbert Hudgton S.Fischer
Gram McGuire GoddardL.Fischer being the one who might push someone out. Good experience there which is ideal as kids are too inconsistent for a team shooting for a flag.

Starting:
King, Gardiner
Backup: Rix, Kosi


No change from preseason King looks first choice, Gardiner 2nd but chances of getting them on the track look a bit better. Rix is a distant 3rd. I still think you don't want more than 20% ruck time for Kosi.

Midfielders:
Starting: Hayes, Dal Santo, Ball, Montagna Fiora Baker
Backup: Harvey, Armitage, Geary, Birss, Attard

Armitage is now looking the goods and Geary is a bolter from nowhere. I would expect Harvey and Armitage to be in the best 22 and rotate through the middle at the expense of Attard and Birss.

Schneider Reiwoldt Gardiner
Milne Koschitzski Gehrig

Gehrig's return has screwed with original assessment but hasn't Charlie shown some form for you guys. I reckon he should start on the flank in you best 22 and see how he goes along side Reiwoldt.

So the team for round 1:
FB: Gilbert Hudgton S.Fischer
HB: Gram McGuire? Goddard?
C: Montagna Hayes Fiora
HF: Schneider Reiwoldt Gardiner
FF: Milne Koschitzski Gehrig
R: King, Dal Santo Ball
Int: Gardiner, Harvey, X.Clarke, Armitage,
Emg:L.Fischer R.Clarke, Geary, *Baker (excluded due to suspension)
- Maguire & Goddard may not be ready

Looks pretty good with Fischer, R.Clarke probably deserving of a regular place and X.Clarke deserving to be on the field. I think a few more people will agree with my earlier top 4 assessment with what Armitage, Geary, Eddy and Co have shown. To me it is all down to your fitness department with 3 soft tissue injuries on the weekend not a good start. Will Armitage get the role of tagger until Baker returns?

[ausfatcat]

overall very reasonable I'd say.

[midas_touch]

Quite a well written, objective evaluation there.

[Moccha]

big deal. you only heard what you wanted to hear

[plugger66]

If they said we were crap it would be a bad article. Who cares what anyone thinks.

[Huzzad]

Pretty fair article. Good to see something on here that isn't blindly rose-coloured (nothing wrong with optimism, but you do have to draw the line!)

I don't mind the idea of Armitage as tagger...could be an itneresting role. We know he can tackle, ball use needs to be consistant, but developing him as a tagger for a few rounds could be a good option, gives him game time and some tough opponants to learn from. Obviously like to take him out of that role as soon as bakes gets back, but an idea with merit.

Be stoked also if we could get 2nd place. With this list though, we should. Let's just hope the injury fairy is kind to us this year.

[Armoooo]

I like that he rates us
Other than that I'm not impressed, he has good knowledge for a team he doesn't support but he still doesn't know us well enough to be an accurate judge IMO...

[Animal Enclosure]

A reasonable overall assessment but pretty simplistic (which you would expect from an outsider).

His comments on Max & Bakes really are off the mark & who the hell is Dempsey?

Continual poor spelling of names lets the assessment down as well.

[bigred]

Overall fair assessment.

I have a much brighter view of our general depth. Especially in the backline.

This is a much, MUCH improved list on even last year.

[Armoooo]

Overall fair assessment.

I have a much brighter view of our general depth. Especially in the backline.

This is a much, MUCH improved list on even last year.

IMO our backline is our biggest strngth, even with Max and Goose and Goddard's injury troubles, we have great depth there...

[Mr X from the West]

Overall fair assessment.

I have a much brighter view of our general depth. Especially in the backline.

This is a much, MUCH improved list on even last year.

IMO our backline is our biggest strngth, even with Max and Goose and Goddard's injury troubles, we have great depth there...

You're kidding, right?

Max and Goose are injury prone and I agree with another poster that Goose has struggled with modern footy and Lyon's game plan since his return. He will need to lift big time.

We seem to rely on Sam Fisher big time....but he's more of a floater than a key position backman. Maybe Goddard can fill a hole but coming back from knee injuries is always hard and takes longer then first thought.

I don't like Baker playing back there so there is also a spot open for a quick and hard back pocket player. Who?

The shining lights are Gilbert and Gram. If Gilbert can improve further, our backline will look more rubust. Until then, it's still a bit shakey for mine....

[stinger]

well....two efforts.... still can't spell the players names....f-w.....you can stop reading after his comments on maxie......below average fullback ffs......the kid should go back to school......

[Armoooo]

Overall fair assessment.

I have a much brighter view of our general depth. Especially in the backline.

This is a much, MUCH improved list on even last year.

IMO our backline is our biggest strngth, even with Max and Goose and Goddard's injury troubles, we have great depth there...

You're kidding, right?

Max and Goose are injury prone and I agree with another poster that Goose has struggled with modern footy and Lyon's game plan since his return. He will need to lift big time.

We seem to rely on Sam Fisher big time....but he's more of a floater than a key position backman. Maybe Goddard can fill a hole but coming back from knee injuries is always hard and takes longer then first thought.

I don't like Baker playing back there so there is also a spot open for a quick and hard back pocket player. Who?

The shining lights are Gilbert and Gram. If Gilbert can improve further, our backline will look more rubust. Until then, it's still a bit shakey for mine....

S.Fisher, Gram, Goddard, L.Fisher, Baker, Dempster, Geary...
That is the way footy is going, there is no need for the monster full back, it is all about defenders that can keep their opponent quiet and form some attack of their own, something we have a lot of...

[Mr X from the West]

Overall fair assessment.

I have a much brighter view of our general depth. Especially in the backline.

This is a much, MUCH improved list on even last year.

IMO our backline is our biggest strngth, even with Max and Goose and Goddard's injury troubles, we have great depth there...

You're kidding, right?

Max and Goose are injury prone and I agree with another poster that Goose has struggled with modern footy and Lyon's game plan since his return. He will need to lift big time.

We seem to rely on Sam Fisher big time....but he's more of a floater than a key position backman. Maybe Goddard can fill a hole but coming back from knee injuries is always hard and takes longer then first thought.

I don't like Baker playing back there so there is also a spot open for a quick and hard back pocket player. Who?

The shining lights are Gilbert and Gram. If Gilbert can improve further, our backline will look more rubust. Until then, it's still a bit shakey for mine....

S.Fisher, Gram, Goddard, L.Fisher, Baker, Dempster, Geary...
That is the way footy is going, there is no need for the monster full back, it is all about defenders that can keep their opponent quiet and form some attack of their own, something we have a lot of...

On reflection, our back options are probably better than I first intimated....I'd forgotten about Geary (who looks the goods) and Dempster (although haven't seen him in action yet, I believe he's solid). Still have concerns over Goose and Max.

[Armoooo]

Yes, those two are a worry, fingers crossed they can come good, especially Goose, he was in AA form before doing his leg, and unlike most gorilla backmen he can use the ball and can have a bit of run too...

[BakesFan]

The G-Train not worthy of a mention?

Not a bad effort from an opposition supporter, I guess; but I've never really cared what opposition scum think. GO SAINTS!!!!

[saintsRrising]

The G-Train not worthy of a mention?

Not a bad effort from an opposition supporter, I guess; but I've never really cared what opposition scum think. GO SAINTS!!!!

He did mention the GTrain.. I have edited the OP do bold the dates and Gehrig to make things clearer. Cheers sRr

His review was written in two parts..one last year without the retired GTrain...

and another with him written this year.

Gehrig's return has screwed with original assessment but hasn't Charlie shown some form for you guys. I reckon he should start on the flank in you best 22 and see how he goes along side Reiwoldt. So the team for round 1:
FB: Gilbert Hudgton S.Fischer
HB: Gram McGuire? Goddard?
C: Montagna Hayes Fiora
HF: Schneider Reiwoldt Gardiner
FF: Milne Koschitzski Gehrig
R: King, Dal Santo Ball
Int: Gardiner, Harvey, X.Clarke, Armitage,
Emg:L.Fischer R.Clarke, Geary, *Baker (excluded due to suspension)
- Maguire & Goddard may not be ready

[BAM! (shhhh)]

Always interesting to see how outsiders rate those we become so familiar with.

Agree with some, disagree with others (mainly rating Hudghton below average and lack of talls down back). I think the team he lists is capable, but doubt it's the round one team... and as things evolve from round 1, doubt it becomes the best 22 we see for '08.

It's as likely as any team I've seen on Saintsational though, so well done to an opposition fan to know us well enough.

[Armoooo]

It's as likely as any team I've seen on Saintsational though, so well done to an opposition fan to know us well enough.

Yeah full credit, it's a great write up for an opposition supporter, but still I would take a non-bias saints supporter over it any day of the week.

[ttufc7]

Yeah full credit, it's a great write up for an opposition supporter, but still I would take a non-bias saints supporter over it any day of the week.

Impossible. No-one can be completely unbiased towards their own team some people would like to tell you that they are capable of it but IMO there is always going to be some form of bias in someones assesment of their own team.

Not a bad effort though for an opposition supporter. I know i could never muster up the interest to attempt something like that due to the fact that other teams dont interest me at all.

Must really love football