Michael Gardiner

Munga · Post: # 714495Post **Munga** » Sat 28 Mar 2009 11:48pm

Very very happy. Unreal, we have two very good ruckmen who can hit a target and be damaging!

Sainternist · Sat 28 Mar 2009 11:50pm

Wow, he turned out to be a real revelation tonight.

And good on him too! Even though we have another 21 rounds of the h&a season left, I am feeling a lot less skeptical than I was about Gardi

Teflon · Post: # 714502Post **Teflon** » Sat 28 Mar 2009 11:52pm

saintsRrising wrote:Gardiner was very good.....and teamed with King...in this game we saw the best game by a Saints ruck duo for a very very long time.

Hear bloody hear.

Isnt it nice to have 2 quality ruckman (or even A ruckamn?) - add him and King and we have the ability to be formidable in ruck (not to mention Gardiner is VERY handy as a flexible further tall fwd option....)

Gardiner was good tonight - yep a long way to go but if he strings together enough games like tonight he will have more than re-payed the peanuts we gave to get him.

No Rodgerfox after a win? surprise, surprise....Imsure he'll get his chances to lay the boots in first loss.

Nice one Rosscoe.

Dawson 4 brownlow · Sun 29 Mar 2009 12:05am

Rated Gardiner tonight played well, 2nd best game for us

clarky449 · Post: # 714525Post **clarky449** » Sun 29 Mar 2009 12:06am

he was great

plugger66 · Post: # 714528Post **plugger66** » Sun 29 Mar 2009 12:07am

In the top 4 tonight just behind Dal, Ray and Gilbert.

Teflon · Post: # 714536Post **Teflon** » Sun 29 Mar 2009 12:15am

I think some of his skills are exceptional for a big guy...as Goddard said after the game.....he probably thinks like a midfielder (apparently they have to convince to kick less and handball more...

)

I know a couple of his bullet handpasses caught players off guard tonight....

Go you good thing - shove it up em Gards.

vacuous space · Sun 29 Mar 2009 12:30am

I didn't think we should have got Gardiner. I've been unimpressed with him over the last couple of years. I thought he should have been axed at the end of last year.

He was fantastic tonight. He fared really well against a good ruckman. If he keeps playing at that level, he's going to have a great season and go a long way toward shutting up fools like me.

To the top · Sun 29 Mar 2009 12:52am

Ignoring my previous contribution to this thread, I thought he was our best player tonight.

King was unable to jump and could not get his hands to the contest in the first quarter with the result Sydney were taking the ball away from the contests with ease - and putting it on the score board.

Enter Gardiner.

Jumped in the ruck contest, got his hands to the pill and set our mid-field alight - particularly Montagna with whom he was sensational last year.

Positioned around the ground expertly and bought St Kilda back into the game.

Was the most influential player from his entry in the first quarter until tiring in the last - when King started to jump but his tap work was not as influential as was Gardiner's and Sydney again assumed the ascendancy from the contests and started scoring again.

How many of our goals were scored when Gardiner was rucking?

SaintWodonga · Sun 29 Mar 2009 1:00am

Did Gardi kick his first goals for the Saints tonight?
I am sure he did not kick any last year...

kosifantutti23 · Sun 29 Mar 2009 1:21am

SaintWodonga wrote:Did Gardi kick his first goals for the Saints tonight?
...

No

SaintWodonga · Sun 29 Mar 2009 1:27am

kosifantutti23 wrote:
SaintWodonga wrote:Did Gardi kick his first goals for the Saints tonight?
...
No

You are right he kicked 1 in 2008 for us. Not sure who it was against. Seems like he doubled his 2008 goal total in 1 game!

Snakeman66 · Post: # 714694Post **Snakeman66** » Sun 29 Mar 2009 9:36am

SaintWodonga wrote:
kosifantutti23 wrote:
SaintWodonga wrote:Did Gardi kick his first goals for the Saints tonight?
...
No
You are right he kicked 1 in 2008 for us. Not sure who it was against. Seems like he doubled his 2008 goal total in 1 game!

Sydney Round 12. 3 goals now all v Sydney.

Legendary · Post: # 714711Post **Legendary** » Sun 29 Mar 2009 10:13am

At one stage Gardiner kicked this bullet pass to Kosi, it went about 40m and was long and low and absolutely perfect.

Great skills.

borderbarry · Sun 29 Mar 2009 10:23am

I thought he was much better value than Kingy last night. Deserves to be No.1 ruckman. Also Kosi made his presence felt around the ground when he had a run on the ball. Took some telling marks.

Teflon · Post: # 714768Post **Teflon** » Sun 29 Mar 2009 12:02pm

Gardiner had more hit outs than any ruckman on the ground and the highest to advantage at 24%.....nice work along with 15 touches and 2 goals.

IF we can keep this guy fit and King finds some touch our mids are gonna enjoy some first usage for a change....that will translate to clearances and faster movement to fwd 50....eneter Roo. Upside is all good from last night.

barks4eva · Post: # 714848Post **barks4eva** » Sun 29 Mar 2009 2:20pm

Legendary wrote:He fair dinkum destroyed Sydney.

Decisive tap outs.

Important goals.

Strong marks.

Bullet-passes around the ground.

Smart reading of the play.

Looked fit, focused and like he wanted to play footy. I thought he was definitely in our best players for the night. He rucked the majority of the second and third quarters with Kosi, with King only being used sparingly.

Outstanding game. His best for the club.

I thought he was close to best on ground, I almost had a semi, best game by a genuine ruckman this club has seen for a very long time,

did it all as mentioned above,

was on offer many times as an option, not always used, which was an oversight by the player with the ball IMHO,

ran 100 meters on one occasion and ended up taking the mark on the half forward line,

ran, marked, outmuscled the opposing ruckman, kicked goals, made defenders nervous,

oh alright, I did have a semi

I didn't know he could reach these heights again, hope he continues on like this, fantastic game

most definitely our number one ruckman without a doubt on last nights form

he was brilliant

barks4eva · Post: # 714849Post **barks4eva** » Sun 29 Mar 2009 2:23pm

vacuous space wrote: If he keeps playing at that level, he's going to have a great season and go a long way toward shutting up fools like me.

We can only hope!

vacuous space · Sun 29 Mar 2009 2:36pm

barks4eva wrote:
vacuous space wrote: If he keeps playing at that level, he's going to have a great season and go a long way toward shutting up fools like me.

We can only hope!

Instead of trashing Gardiner, I can now spend my time getting the CEO to explain why the Saints aren't training in my back yard.

evertonfc · Post: # 714873Post **evertonfc** » Sun 29 Mar 2009 2:43pm

Was superb. Great to see him playing like that. He could be a huge asset.

Saints Premiers 2008 · Sun 29 Mar 2009 2:46pm

he is a huge asset...hopefully he gets his arrogance back if he continues the good form

Sobraz · Post: # 714875Post **Sobraz** » Sun 29 Mar 2009 2:50pm

Staying injury free, he is our number 1 ruckman by a stretch....

King is a solid contributor, but Gardi can really influence a game....

The AA talk will start to heat up around round 10, and hopefully after an injury free season, he'll slip into a spot on the bench....

rixxo · Post: # 714877Post **rixxo** » Sun 29 Mar 2009 2:57pm

Definately one of the best games for Gardsy in long time took a while but im sure with the effort he put in over the pre-season we should see him play alot more like last night .Well done .

Spinner · Post: # 714944Post **Spinner** » Sun 29 Mar 2009 5:42pm

Ripper of an effort.

Personally mentioned to him that I thought his game last night was 'wicked' at the Social Club victory room.

On a different level - The bloke speaks extremely well, very articulate with his interview with Bruce Eva.....Old man is a race caller so must have inherited the gift of the gab....

Also, Zac Dawson is still the same after watching him get interviewed after the Calder Cannons premiership way back in 2003 (i think).....Very very relaxed - But plays his football in an entirely different demeanor.....very serious and focused when on the ground. Just intrigued by how off field personalities are amplified, exaggerated or completely opposite than those on field.

Solar · Post: # 715040Post **Solar** » Sun 29 Mar 2009 8:02pm

barks4eva wrote:
Legendary wrote:He fair dinkum destroyed Sydney.

Decisive tap outs.

Important goals.

Strong marks.

Bullet-passes around the ground.

Smart reading of the play.

Looked fit, focused and like he wanted to play footy. I thought he was definitely in our best players for the night. He rucked the majority of the second and third quarters with Kosi, with King only being used sparingly.

Outstanding game. His best for the club.
I thought he was close to best on ground, I almost had a semi, best game by a genuine ruckman this club has seen for a very long time,

did it all as mentioned above,

was on offer many times as an option, not always used, which was an oversight by the player with the ball IMHO,

ran 100 meters on one occasion and ended up taking the mark on the half forward line,

ran, marked, outmuscled the opposing ruckman, kicked goals, made defenders nervous,

oh alright, I did have a semi

I didn't know he could reach these heights again, hope he continues on like this, fantastic game

most definitely our number one ruckman without a doubt on last nights form

he was brilliant

see barks.... you can post some brilliant words when you want to