Michael Gardiner !!

hAyES · Post: # 529532Post **hAyES** » Sun 09 Mar 2008 7:07pm

With ruckmen actually tapping it to our players this year it is going to be a huge part of our run for the top 4. After having two blokes not even be able to put a hand on the ball the last 2-3 years it's a welcome change.

mad saint guy · Sun 09 Mar 2008 8:18pm

hAyES wrote:With ruckmen actually tapping it to our players this year it is going to be a huge part of our run for the top 4. After having two blokes not even be able to put a hand on the ball the last 2-3 years it's a welcome change.

Wouldn't get carried away about the hitouts. Adelaide's young ruck division clearly beat King and Gardiner in that area.

LTN16 · Post: # 529885Post **LTN16** » Mon 10 Mar 2008 11:31am

mad saint guy wrote:
hAyES wrote:With ruckmen actually tapping it to our players this year it is going to be a huge part of our run for the top 4. After having two blokes not even be able to put a hand on the ball the last 2-3 years it's a welcome change.
Wouldn't get carried away about the hitouts. Adelaide's young ruck division clearly beat King and Gardiner in that area.

They may have beaten us in Hitouts but our Ruckmen beat them around the ground.

S.King: 11 disposals, 11 hitouts
M.Gardiner: 9 disposals, 9 hitouts

I.Maric: 1 disposal, 15 hitouts
J.Griffin: 2 disposals, 17 hitouts

What our Ruckmen lost in Hitouts we won around the ground.

yipper · Post: # 529971Post **yipper** » Mon 10 Mar 2008 2:54pm

The big factor with both King and Gardi is their size and strength. They are creating space for our midfield to work in - and some ppl have forgotten how good a midfield group StKilda has always had. Both Gardi and King have worked themselves hard in fitness and conditioning. Gardi has really come on in 3 games played. That last Q was just so important for his confidence. We really have a very good structure coming into Rd 1.

saintsRrising · Mon 10 Mar 2008 3:03pm

yipper wrote:The big factor with both King and Gardi is their size and strength. They are creating space for our midfield to work in - and some ppl have forgotten how good a midfield group StKilda has always had. Both Gardi and King have worked themselves hard in fitness and conditioning. Gardi has really come on in 3 games played. That last Q was just so important for his confidence. We really have a very good structure coming into Rd 1.

Indeed......and you only have to hear our mids talking about KG to know how much they are looking forward to playing with them.

The other important point is that our midfielders have only played with KG fora few games now......they will improve asa unite the more than play togeter and practice drills and learn to read each other.
By end of the season they should be humming along....

Solar · Post: # 529975Post **Solar** » Mon 10 Mar 2008 3:03pm

a good big man will beat a good utility as the year goes by, keep these two fit and they become vital later in the year.

Not upset that the crows youngster jumped all over them, its like the fast essendon team, they will slow down through the year with the battering that an AFL season brings