No Weakness!!

[Batnoe]

We currently don’t have a weakness. In years gone past our perceived weakness was the fact that we were slow and dull. Our current game plan of hard aggressive footy makes us look a lot faster as we swarm in numbers, get the turnover and hurt them on their mistakes…

The recruiting staff sat down over the last 2 years and worked out where we needed to improve. They have always said that our midfield isn’t the problem as we have Goddard, Gram, S Fisher who can go in there in bursts which pick our speed up. Recruiting Ray was their major target. This gave Gram the freedom to play on the wing or in the middle. It gives Goddard to be the swing man and for S Fisher to play the loose man in defence to set up play. Joey and Dal Santo have always had speed so I don’t know where people say that we are too slow. Maybe it was because we didn’t play on a lot and it made us look slow but in general our leg speed is great.

The added improvement from players like Blake and Gilbert in the back line certainly help this as well as it means we don’t have to rely on playing Goddard in defence with his precise kicking. Jones is a gut runner and although his skills aren’t the best, he always makes the opposition turn it over with his constant pressure and leg speed (like Alwyn Davey)
We really targeted a 3rd tall over the draft period in Lynch, but he will take time to come good. We are now versatile enough to use Gilbert, Goddard or Maguire as the 3rd tall as all are hard at the ball and will suit our game plan well in the Fwd50.

As we stand
we have 2 tall forwards, 2 exciting smalls and some pinch hitters
Our defence is very strong, we always knew Max would find it hard to continue on with an ageing body so the recruitment of young Zac is fantastic. Our current defence without our best defender in Max is the best and only lets in 56.6 points a game. Our current defence ( Fisher, Goddard, Dawson, Gilbert are all under age 25 (Blake still has 3 or 4 years left) and Dempster and Raph to come back
Our midfield is great, we have a great mix of hard at it midfielders and some polish of others with a few swingmen that can play anywhere. Hard nuts (Ball, Hayes, Jones, McQualter, Geary) Polish mids, Joey and Dal.
Our ruckmen as we speak is our only weakness but both are All Australian ruckmen. I was thinking that if either went down we are actually well covered. We have McEvoy who is only 19 and will be a star, we have Stanley that is only light and McGrath at 208cm should become the next monster with a bit more meat. So really our rucks aren’t our weak point.

My question to you. If the draft was tomorrow, would we go for the best available, or would we go for a weakness? I cannot think of what our weakness may be.
Geelong to me are a complete team- however they don’t have a key forward. Their forwards are Lonergan, Mooney and Hawkins- all 3 are worse than our mains…

I guess the only weakness is lack of depth to key personal but all teams had this. I would love to have 2 of each player of same ability

So what would we look for in our next draft? Exciting indigenous in the mould of Rioli?

[iwantmeseats]

I am not co0mplaining, let me make that clear, but I would still like some more speed in the midfield. Additionally, you almost cant have too much depth in the midfield. Backs/fowards are looking good. But you are only ever a injury or two away. Thats the key for me to this year, injuries. We shall see.

[joffaboy]

I am not co0mplaining, let me make that clear, but I would still like some more speed in the midfield. Additionally, you almost cant have too much depth in the midfield. Backs/fowards are looking good. But you are only ever a injury or two away. Thats the key for me to this year, injuries. We shall see.

Yup agreed.

[Stephen Theodore]

Also agreed. Never enough quick midfielders, but I also believe injuries (or hopefully lack of) are the big key for us this season

[Batnoe]

Also agreed. Never enough quick midfielders, but I also believe injuries (or hopefully lack of) are the big key for us this season

So is it a quick midfielder with good skills?

Aaron Davey.. Cyril Rioli... Stephen Hill...Andrew Lovett...Shaun Burgoyne... Matthew Stokes

I certainly think that is our main weakness. I really wish X's body was consistant as he may have been our answer to our weakness. lets also hope Choo Choo can come good quickly

[samoht]

We have less weakness than most teams but are still clearly lacking -

1 a quick , line breaking midfielder with good foot skills - like a Lovett , Judd or a Leon Davis etc..

2. a classy mid sized forward .. like a Steve Johnson.

[saintly_safes]

I think our only weakness will be the ability to stay injury free & to keep tired bodies & minds fresh come finals time.

[SainterK]

I think it would be a weakness, to ever get to a state where we think we have no weakness....no offence.

[saintsRrising]

Lyon has steadilly been improving the team..

But...

We currently don’t have a weakness. ?

We do.

We have less than many...but we still have areas to improve...but the Cats are also not perfect.

Some weaknesses that come to mind:

* Medium half forward/ or mobile third tall

* Footskills..we have improved but the Cats as a team are better.

* Pace...with CJ, Gram and Ray injected into the midfield we have improved

[bergholt]

the area with least depth is the midfield. modern footy calls for eight or ten guys in the team every week who can rotate through there. currently:

hayes, ball, dal santo, montagna, goddard, jones, ray, gram, geary, mcqualter

with others contributing (schneider, s fisher, baker, gwilt) but not actually starting in the square at any bounce so not being real permanent midfielders.

so because of the numbers needed, we need a corresponding decent number out of the side pushing up to come in. at the moment we have:

armitage, x clarke, eddy, l fisher

maybe also, stretching the criteria a bit:

begley, r clarke, howard, miles, steven

not many proven performers pushing for spots in the midfield! if we lose just a couple out of there, all of a sudden there's not much depth hanging around.

plenty of kids who could turn into midfielders, but that will take time, and not all of them will make it. so we should be recruiting more midfielders.

[saintly]

another weakness is the full forward.

currently it is reiwoldt or Kosi. take those 2 out. and you have tom lynch, maybe matt maguire. but the saints have a mightly problem though if those 2 get injured

[SainterK]

another weakness is the full forward.

currently it is reiwoldt or Kosi. take those 2 out. and you have tom lynch, maybe matt maguire. but the saints have a mightly problem though if those 2 get injured

I think Ross has identified this, he played Gilbert in the forward line through the preseason comp. He has been giving Goose opportunity also in recent times, with some success. Weakness perhaps, but one that has been identified IMO.

[StSteven]

I cross my fingers and hope Rooey and Kosi can last the season for this reason. Every time either of them holds their knee, leg head, shoulder etc my heart is in my mouth.

[Milton66]

Gwilt = med fwd. comeing along nicely. How many teams have 3 major fwds? You'll find most have 2 key fwds and crumbers.

Milne, Mini, and Schneider as small fwds. Working nicely thx. Geary could also run spells in the middle.

Addition of Dawson & Dempster to come back and possibly Goose, and Max = more players freed to play midfield such as BJ, Fisher, GRam.

Goose & Gilbert capable of going fwd as key fwds.

Amazing what a bit of depth can do.

Ross has so far been proven correct in recruiting established players such as Dempster, Schneider and Ray.

Without such players, we'd be playing kids, and possibly not sitting at the top of the ladder.

Oh, and let's not forget CJ.

[Loyal]

I think it would be a weakness, to ever get to a state were we think we have no weakness....no offence.

good point.
although with that having been said these guys have surprised me.
i thought 'yeah, it would be good to get off to a good start and beat sydney win the adelaide games and see what happens...' now it's more like 'hey, win as many as possible early and get it out of the way, bring back goose for geelong and show the world - f*ck em!'

[Saint_Gooner]

another weakness is the full forward.

currently it is reiwoldt or Kosi. take those 2 out. and you have tom lynch, maybe matt maguire. but the saints have a mightly problem though if those 2 get injured

Don't forget Brendan Goddard can play at FF too. Scored 4 goals in a quarter against West Coast...

[Loyal]

an utterly ridiculous remark saintly, sorry but it proves that you may have a very limited understanding of professional football.

[aussiejones]

Strengths are many players that can come in and out of the game and contribute to the pressure. Milne is quiet or up the ground and so Schnieder swoops in with 3 or 4 goals. Roo is double or triple teamed so Kosi steps in .ans so on .
In the past we were predictable and relied on the stars , no its all in and assisting called pressure.

The game has changed from kicking to a position , rather its running and backing up . If thers no one free up the ground then posession is the name of the game until opportunities open up.

[Loyal]

good point AJ.
dont forget however that we have the 'kick to position' game aswell. that one has been in storage.
when 'kick to position' is needed 'kick to position' is used.
i think the great bulk of supporters forget that we used 'kick to position' against sydney.