Who is our most improved player?

[perfectionist]

Some candidates to get the ball rolling:

1. Sam Gilbert: his kicking has improved, his contested marking is first rate and his shear size and strength is very intimidating for most forwards.

2. Clinton Jones: his whole game has gone up a notch or two, whether its as a tagger, a role in which he does not cheat or use unfair tactics but is close checking and wins the ball on its merits, or, more and more, as a midfielder in his own right, with vital clearances and run forward.

3. Andrew McQualter: now an elite tackler, fantastic decision maker and skilled on both sides. And, he's a goal kicker.

The good news is that I'm sure there will be many other candidates put forward, a lovely position to be in.

[mightysainters]

Cougar [/list]

[saintly]

you cannot put in Ray or Zac as they are recruits from another club

but from this club i would say
Mcqualter
Milne
Schnieder
Montagna
Jones
gilbert

[matrix]

blimey
tough question

ill go with gilbert, and mini a close second

[Bernard Shakey]

Mini by a mile.

He was nothing and going nowhere before he woke up and started listening to the coach.

Now an automatic selection.

[Animal Enclosure]

I think this improvement across the board is the 2nd most rewarding thing to witness this year (behind the consistent pole axings we've been handing out!).

15 months ago the big debate on here was who had improved under the Lyon regime. I'll put my hand up & admit that I was hugely wrong on a number of fronts

*Lyon's ability to improve players & bring out the best of the guns
*McQualter- I just wrote him off, pure & simple.
*Jones- See McQualter
*Montagna- Just didn't think he'd make the step to become elite.
*Dal & Kosi- Was ready to bite the bullet & trade them (just embarrassing to say so now!)

I think the McQualter one is the one that has taught me to never write off a young player again. He's now a very important part of the side & is a very very smart AFL footballer. Well played young man!

[jonesy]

Gilbert by the flemington straight,though he was good in 07,terrible last year,but now he is All Australian.

Most overated Kosi. Has been great in a few games, ok in others,poor in plenty also. Hardly been a break out season though like many suggest,he's a great Pinch hitter,but still needs to improve his consistancy to what he is capable of

[Saintersss]

Everyone has seem to have forgotten Gardiner... So close to being delisted, now he is a vital cog.

Either him or Montagna and Gilbert. Both were decent players in previous years, but have stepped up to All Australian form. Montagna is now in the top 7 players in the league.

[Thinline]

Mini then daylight.

Gilbo has been great, but we already knew what he was capable of from 07 and (in small bits) last year.

Mini on the other hand has been consistently ruthless, skilful an passionate to a degree I never thought I'd witness.

[asiu]

agreed , porno by a mile...but the jones boy has been impressive

[AnythingsPossibleSaints]

Gardi, Clint Jones, Gilbo, Mini, Schneider, Joey, in no particular order.

[bigcarl]

i'll go CJ with a few others breathing down his neck.

this time last season many couldn't reconcile how a player with such an ugly kicking style could be considered best 22.

now he's widely recognised as one of the best shutdown artists in the game and has had his colours lowered only once this season (when he was ill with a cold a couple of weeks ago).

other candidates:

gilbert: a likely all australian this year, he has added consistency to his game. we already knew he was going to be good though.

mcqualter: the penny dropped and mini hasn't looked back. a tough customer with good skills.

dal santo: has turned it around after facing a barrage of criticism for his inconsistency last season. my tip for the brownlow.

joey: as with gilbert.

gardiner: has reminded a few of just how good a player he was at his peak.

milne: kicking goals in big games and has added a defensive aspect to his game that many thought wasn't in him.

schneider: as with milne.

[Grimfang]

Mini, Jones, Gilbert (wasn't Gilbert having injury issues last year, from memory he had an AC joint and a couple of others?) would be the front runners in the improvement stakes.

Gardi was a proven player before he came to us; he needed to overcome the injuries and escape the WA fishbowl. Now that A & B are resolved, I see him more as repaying the faith rather than having been a massive improver. (Loving having him onboard though!!)

Kosi worries me at the moment. I was looking for him to really seize the game by the scruff of the neck on Saturday. He really seems to have been lacking the spark for the last couple of rounds. Come finals, we need "Kosi the Konqueror", smashing the packs for contested grabs, bringing the ball to the ground for Yapper & Schneids and providing the target/foil for Riewoldt.

[mick13]

I think 'who is our least improved' would be easier to answer.

Every single player has stepped it up. That's why we're doing so well.

Gilbert and Schneider for mine. Mini and Jones close by.

Gardi definitely as well, he's the best ruckmen we've had since Everitt...err fk it, since Ditterich.

[Hurricane]

Very tough question, there has been so many this year but im going to ahve to go with Andrew McQualter.

From rookie list and with his career the balance to best 22 in such a short amount of time is a great achivment.

BANG BANG

[WinnersOnly]

SAINTS Team Coach Ross LYON

[spert]

Lots of players have improved due to RL implementing high standards and a structure for all players to conform to. Milne has improved his defensive game and also his consistancy, Gilbert has stepped up. McQualter was already a good player who needed a coach to use him properly. Overall, the team is the big improver.

[Moods]

Kosi worries me at the moment. I was looking for him to really seize the game by the scruff of the neck on Saturday. He really seems to have been lacking the spark for the last couple of rounds. Come finals, we need "Kosi the Konqueror", smashing the packs for contested grabs, bringing the ball to the ground for Yapper & Schneids and providing the target/foil for Riewoldt.

Thought Kosi was great against the swans. If he'd kicked straight he'd have had at least 3. Really threw himself into it. Easier to remeber Kosi' bad games, b/c they're so poor. I would have made Kosi captain last Saturday. He seems to really thrive with that responsibility, and making him skipper in 2005 for those 5 weeks was the making of him.

I'm not worried about him - just don't reckon he's as good as we all want him to be. He's a good solid FF though - much like Mooney at the cats.

[saint66au]

Hres one outta left field..

Roo

Has gone from elite champion to bona fide 100% genuine top-of-the-heap superstar...regularly mentioned alongside Ablett and Judd as the best player in the competition

[TassieJones]

Clearly Zac if he counts. I remember when we recruited him I was absolutely spewing, thought he was a complete hack who'd be delisted at years end without a game.

I'll second McQualter or Jones . Probably McQualter because Jones at least held his spot last year and showed some good signs, McQualter was mostly completely terrible and I thought he'd be delisted.

Personally I don't reckon you could count Gilbo. He was showing great signs in 07 when he got a rising star nom, and if you'd asked me then I would have said he'd be a gun in a couple of years. Had an interrupted season last year but was still disappointing, but his improvement wasn't exactly out of the blue. Blokes like him, Dal and Schneider have more been getting back to top form than coming out of nowhere.

[saints11]

CJ and Mini
Mini Was Delisted in 07 I think And This Year Has Played every game what more do I need to say
CJ's Kicking Has Improved Hugely And He is Now top 5 Taggers In the League!!

[SainterK]

Hres one outta left field..

Roo

Has gone from elite champion to bona fide 100% genuine top-of-the-heap superstar...regularly mentioned alongside Ablett and Judd as the best player in the competition

Very good point, I may side with you on this one...

[35...LEGEND]

Mini, Jones, Gilbert (wasn't Gilbert having injury issues last year, from memory he had an AC joint and a couple of others?) would be the front runners in the improvement stakes.

Gardi was a proven player before he came to us; he needed to overcome the injuries and escape the WA fishbowl. Now that A & B are resolved, I see him more as repaying the faith rather than having been a massive improver. (Loving having him onboard though!!)

Kosi worries me at the moment. I was looking for him to really seize the game by the scruff of the neck on Saturday. He really seems to have been lacking the spark for the last couple of rounds. Come finals, we need "Kosi the Konqueror", smashing the packs for contested grabs, bringing the ball to the ground for Yapper & Schneids and providing the target/foil for Riewoldt.

Prepared to give Kos the benefit of the doubt on the weekend.....took a couple of nice grab's ,but it wasn't a great day (swirly,windy condition's ) for big forwards.........most goals for both teams came from crumber/mid types.

But do agree he need's to fire up a bit heading towards finals.....because Kosi in full flight is a sight to behold and almost unstoppable.....come on Big Fella.

[SainterK]

Mini, Jones, Gilbert (wasn't Gilbert having injury issues last year, from memory he had an AC joint and a couple of others?) would be the front runners in the improvement stakes.

Gardi was a proven player before he came to us; he needed to overcome the injuries and escape the WA fishbowl. Now that A & B are resolved, I see him more as repaying the faith rather than having been a massive improver. (Loving having him onboard though!!)

Kosi worries me at the moment. I was looking for him to really seize the game by the scruff of the neck on Saturday. He really seems to have been lacking the spark for the last couple of rounds. Come finals, we need "Kosi the Konqueror", smashing the packs for contested grabs, bringing the ball to the ground for Yapper & Schneids and providing the target/foil for Riewoldt.

Prepared to give Kos the benefit of the doubt on the weekend.....took a couple of nice grab's ,but it wasn't a great day (swirly,windy condition's ) for big forwards.........most goals for both teams came from crumber/mid types.

But do agree he need's to fire up a bit heading towards finals.....because Kosi in full flight is a sight to behold and almost unstoppable.....come on Big Fella.

I will always defend the big guy, always have. If you listen to Robert Walls, you probably came to the conclusion he didn't really try. If you listen to those who made the trip down, he did. You make a good point about the conditions, 4 talls amounted to 2 goals.

[nathan000]

Gardiner hasn't improved. He always had this talent and had a better season when picked as All Australian. He has just finally starting to get some luck on the injury front, touch wood.

Not many people have mentioned Dal. Last year he was considered trade bait, he couldn't handle a tag and could only perform against much lesser teams. This year he is averaging 28.5 disposals, the highest at St Kilda, and also just under 4 tackles. He has never wracked up less then 19 disposals this year.

But the thing that has really improved has been his defensive pressure. Last year he would just jog around when he didn't have the ball in his hands, this year he is WANTING to tackle the opposition, he's running hard to create space for his team mates and he works extremely hard to pressure and force turnovers.