St Kilda's Farren Ray reborn

[fingers]

Farren Ray leads the league in midfield contested marks ....

EDDIE McGuire didn't run for cover after his team was ambushed by the Western Bulldogs in an elimination final in 2006.

The Collingwood president trumpeted: "We saw a new generation of blokes running around, (Adam) Cooney looking like (Nathan) Buckley of 10 years ago, (Farren) Ray looking like (Scott) Burns, I suppose . . . they were great."

Ray had just picked up 27 disposals and played the game of his life, but it seemed a big call at the time.

You could not deny Ray's potential as a hard-running winger, but the new Burns? Hardly. Burns was blue-collar in the extreme. Ray may have kicked two goals in that 41-point thumping, but most of the damage was inflicted away from heavy traffic.

Yet it turns out McGuire was on to something.

Ray was deemed expendable by the Dogs at the end of the 2008 season and traded to St Kilda.

There were question marks on his decision-making and willingness to get low down and dirty in the contest.

His papers were signed after a sloppy display against Hawthorn in the qualifying final.

But after only six games at the Saints, Ray is showing a Burns-like appetite for the contest.

Forget Rhyce Shaw, Ray is the mature-age recruit of the year.

Ray has long arms and has always shown an ability to take one-grab marks above his head.

But this year he is "clunking" contested grabs like a man possessed.

In 75 games for the Dogs, Ray took only 20 contested marks. In 13 outings last year, he did not take one.

This year, Ray has taken eight in six games.

To put that feat in context, Nick Riewoldt has taken 11 and Justin Koschitzke nine.

It ranks him No. 1 in the competition for midfielders - two ahead of Jimmy Bartel and Adam Goodes.

Ray has also taken a giant leap in other key indicators.

For the Dogs, he averaged 1.9 tackles a game. For the Saints, he is averaging four.

Ray's average contested possessions have soared from 2.9 a game to 6.5.

Overall, he is averaging more than 24 possessions a game with the Saints -- up from 15.

And Ray's disposal efficiency, often questioned at Whitten Oval, is also on the up, from 78.1 per cent to 80.1 per cent.

On that dirty night against the Hawks last year, Ray committed three kicking clangers. This year, he is making clear decisions and hitting targets.

Six games at the Saints is a small sample and Ray may struggle to maintain his averages, but he has become a key plank in Ross Lyon's outfit.

Not quite Scott Burns, but a more than handy player.

2009 contested marks - midfielders

Farren Ray (St K) 8

Jimmy Bartel (Geel) 6

Adam Goodes (Syd) 6

Dane Swan (Coll) 5

Paul Hasleby (Frem) 5

[perfectionist]

The only people who would be surprised by this are those who either a) don't attend or watch the games or b) if the do attend the games, spend most of the time in the bar.

[SainterK]

For mine, Rodney didn't like Farren and vice versa and it's as simple as that. In fact going by the dogs peformances at the moment, does anyone like Rocket? All this talk in the media of his whipping boys, perhaps he's negativity has an adverse impact on some players.

[Bernard Shakey]

Ray Farren decided he wasn't getting a go at doggieland and asked to be released.

We took him and he is enjoying his time at Morrabbin.

[bigred]

um...

A hell of a lot of people on here were calling him a "Poor man's Fiora" after he was traded.

And er....I was one of them.

Those stats are absolutely undeniable. Ridiculous even.

Seriously, the difference between the last six games and the entirety of his past career is just chalk and cheese.

In 75 games for the Dogs, Ray took only 20 contested marks. In 13 outings last year, he did not take one.

This year, Ray has taken eight in six games.

To put that feat in context, Nick Riewoldt has taken 11 and Justin Koschitzke nine.

It ranks him No. 1 in the competition for midfielders - two ahead of Jimmy Bartel and Adam Goodes.

Ray has also taken a giant leap in other key indicators.

For the Dogs, he averaged 1.9 tackles a game. For the Saints, he is averaging four.

Ray's average contested possessions have soared from 2.9 a game to 6.5.

Overall, he is averaging more than 24 possessions a game with the Saints -- up from 15.

That is just brilliant output.

You know how sometimes fringe players that switch clubs kick on brilliantly. In recent memory, who can we say was similar? Brett Voss maybe? But he took quite a few years to realise he was was good enough.

It's early days I know, but seriously, if he was to constantly pull those numbers, he would be pushing into the elite category.

Round 7, but he's had a great month and a half.

[Teflon]

Lyons done it again.

Taken a player that many (Mehehbablelots had him down as a wasted pick) thought was suspect, found his niche in our side and now gets the best from him.

Ditto King, Gardiner, Dempster, Attard before him - any surpise that now Gwilt, Mqualter, Raph C, Jones, Geary, Eddy are playing the footy of their lives?????

In Ross we trust.

Thank the lord no-one listens to "lord Voldemont" and his puppet Dodgy...

[saint66au]

Lyons done it again.

Taken a player that many (Mehehbablelots had him down as a wasted pick) thought was suspect, found his niche in our side and now gets the best from him.

Ditto King, Gardiner, Dempster, Attard before him - any surpise that now Gwilt, Mqualter, Raph C, Jones, Geary, Eddy are playing the footy of their lives?????

In Ross we trust.

Thank the lord no-one listens to "lord Voldemont" and his puppet Dodgy...

Is it too much to hope for that one day You'll manage to get a point across with mocking those who disagree with you?

Just a shame that some on here have to present otherwise well-thought ideas on our team and players with such a superior nose-in-the-air attitude

Back on topic..rapt to bits with Farrens season. has taken to our game plan like a duck to water

[fonz_#15]

i remember many disagreeing with us picking him up at the time..so far many would have egg on their face

[Beej]

i remember many disagreeing with us picking him up at the time..so far many would have egg on their face

I thought it was pointless to be honest.

Glad to be proven wrong, of course. Uses it ok with both feet, works hard to create an option and goes when it's his turn. Not much more you can ask.

And most importantly, the name just rolls off the tongue - Farren Ray.

[InkerSaint]

It's early days I know, but seriously, if he was to constantly pull those numbers, he would be pushing into the elite category.

I don't know that he's not already pushing for it now. He's been top 3 best on ground for us several times already.

Incredibly, some Doggies supporters still think he's worthless and will be found out once we meet some real opposition. Sounds like a recurring theme to me... this mystical fabled real opposition that used to be found throughout the land but may now only be discovered hiding in unicorn glades and under troll's bridges. I really wish we'd meet some.

[StNoodles]

Absolutely fantastic for him and the club.

He's certainly stuck it up the Bulldogs, and the cynics on here!

Let's hope he can keep it up. Consistency is what he will be judged on now that he's shown us what he can do.

[SainterK]

Just on a side note, did anyone see when Farren was on the Sunday footy show the other week?

When they asked how he was settling in at the club, Fev made some crack about "maybe if you started hanging out with the boys" I had meant to ask, did anyone know what he was on about? Or should I know better than to enquire, given most things that come out of Fev's mouth are usually not worth bothering with...

[saintsRrising]

Just on a side note, did anyone see when Farren was on the Sunday footy show the other week?

When they asked how he was settling in at the club, Fev made some crack about "maybe if you started hanging out with the boys" I had meant to ask, did anyone know what he was on about? Or should I know better than to enquire, given most things that come out of Fev's mouth are usually not worth bothering with...

Did not see it..

But Fev lives near Moorabbin and and hangs out with a lot of St Kilda players.

So maybe Ray is not hanging out??

[savatage]

Incredibly, some Doggies supporters still think he's worthless and will be found out once we meet some real opposition. Sounds like a recurring theme to me... this mystical fabled real opposition that used to be found throughout the land but may now only be discovered hiding in unicorn glades and under troll's bridges. I really wish we'd meet some.

Haha brilliant because it's true!

[Marcus1232]

Incredibly, some Doggies supporters still think he's worthless and will be found out once we meet some real opposition. Sounds like a recurring theme to me... this mystical fabled real opposition that used to be found throughout the land but may now only be discovered hiding in unicorn glades and under troll's bridges. I really wish we'd meet some.

Haha brilliant because it's true!

So in theory doggies supporters are saying they are not a chance at all some faith they show in there team

[saint vince]

Just on a side note, did anyone see when Farren was on the Sunday footy show the other week?

When they asked how he was settling in at the club, Fev made some crack about "maybe if you started hanging out with the boys" I had meant to ask, did anyone know what he was on about? Or should I know better than to enquire, given most things that come out of Fev's mouth are usually not worth bothering with...

Did not see it..

But Fev lives near Moorabbin and and hangs out with a lot of St Kilda players.

So maybe Ray is not hanging out??

Interesting hearing FEV on Footy Classified talking about playing cards with the saints boys quite often and GT saying that all the boys were always at him to get him to the saints. Then a little inside joke between GT and FEV about him nearly signing over a game of cards one night.

Great insight into how players interact away from the game.

[SuperSaint]

Fevola has always loved St.Kilda with a passion since he was a kid and if you think Ray's impact has been excellent, Fev would have been an even better player at the Saints than his career has shown to date at Carlton. There was some serious discussion to get him at the later stage of Gehrig's career and I have no doubt he would have been a fantastic acquisition for us. The guy has amazing ability and the St.Kilda connection will never leave him, as he wears his heart on his sleeve. I would have loved to see Fev at our club.

[Richter]

The guy has amazing ability and the St.Kilda connection will never leave him, as he wears his heart on his sleeve. I would have loved to see Fev at our club.

Here, here.....

[starsign]

there is a fair bit in the Fev -Saint connection
and the unforgettable Blues dissapproval of his antics after their last game /loss against us .. blind Freddy could see his great admiration for Harves as they walked off ...Shame it didnt end up with him coming over to where his heart obviously belongs....and he wouldn't he look good lining up at FF in the R,W & B at present ...wow ....icing on the cake and the Cats would be shifting bricks with that (if they aren't at present)....anyway we don't realy need him , cos we we will go all the way anyway!!!

but somehow you gotta love the guy a little cos he still unashamedly loves the Saints!