Luke Ball is in!

[desertsaint]

...according to Mike Gleason of The Age.

ST KILDA midfielder Luke Ball's time in football purgatory appears likely to be at least temporarily over with the onballer almost certain to come into the Saints' team for Sunday's qualifying final.

Ball and ruckman Michael Gardiner are likely to come in to the line-up to play Collingwood, but full-back Max Hudghton's chance of a return appears slim.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/rfnews/ba ... 54032.html

[SaintWodonga]

Good news for both of them.

[SainterK]

I hope so, I miss him an awful lot....I am officially over no sentiment!

[HarveysDeciple]

I personally think that's good all round.

Ball and Gardiner in.

But Max probably hasn't forced Zac out yet.

[saintbrat]

I hope so, I miss him an awful lot....I am officially over no sentiment!

same here

maybe just a LITTLE- sentiment around the fact and tact.

BUt You Know Best Ross and SOS and TONY and TUDES

[saintbrat]

I personally think that's good all round.

Ball and Gardiner in.

But Max probably hasn't forced Zac out yet.

you leading the program with this news tonight Dasher? or parko or what ever nickname they are trying this week

[Teflon]

I just cant help but feel Max's (if fit) speed - especially closing - is very important against mid size Collingwood fwds who arent bad overhead and who will isolate a Baker type.....gonna be interesting.

[desertsaint]

I just cant help but feel Max's (if fit) speed - especially closing - is very important against mid size Collingwood fwds who arent bad overhead and who will isolate a Baker type.....gonna be interesting.

yep - 2 out of 3 aint bad, but 3 out of 3 is better!

[Eastern]

...according to Mike Gleason of The Age.

ST KILDA midfielder Luke Ball's time in football purgatory appears likely to be at least temporarily over with the onballer almost certain to come into the Saints' team for Sunday's qualifying final.

Ball and ruckman Michael Gardiner are likely to come in to the line-up to play Collingwood, but full-back Max Hudghton's chance of a return appears slim.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/rfnews/ba ... 54032.html

Pure speculation on the part of the journo !!

[claystreet]

All journo huff and puff

Still cant get over people waiting for Max to replace Zac. Whats Zac done so wrong to lose his place to an out of form Maxy?

[elphie]

i agree. certainly seems like only these changes to our team given ROSS'S comments this week in the press. and remembering how he also said the absence of BALL'S grunt in the middle last year was crucial to our finals campaign.

reading also seems to indicate GARDINER is not fully fit and we won't risk him going down early and one short in a big final.

so;

IN: BALL
OUT: WHO? surely, EDDY?

seems MCQUALTER has rightly stitched up the defensive forward position as can kick goals and tackles well. DEMPSTER is the only other fringe player who is versatile and probably will get job on a small damaging Coll. small forward (and swing to fwd line as lead-up in absence of GWILT and EDDY).

do you agree?

[bergholt]

reading also seems to indicate GARDINER is not fully fit and we won't risk him going down early and one short in a big final.

i'd suggest that, while he might not play, he'll definitely be named in the side. it's all about the ducks and drakes. mcevoy will be named emergency and if gardiner doesn't come up by sunday then he'll be in then - but not before.

[bigred]

Nice to see Mike Gleeson on our match committee.

What a load of claptrap.

[older saint]

Woods and Fraser are both fairly mobile so do not discount the option of Max coming in and Blake rucking.

[Stillwaiting]

Hope its true, but probably media speculation at this point

[Milton66]

Totally misleading thread title. ffs.

[saintspremiers]

All journo huff and puff

Still cant get over people waiting for Max to replace Zac. Whats Zac done so wrong to lose his place to an out of form Maxy?

Exactly.

Gleeson totally lost me when he even bothered to mention Rocca.

IF the Pies were stupid enough to even give a millsecond's thought to bringing in Rocca, they don't deserve to be in the finals!

[SainterK]

All journo huff and puff

Still cant get over people waiting for Max to replace Zac. Whats Zac done so wrong to lose his place to an out of form Maxy?

Exactly.

Gleeson totally lost me when he even bothered to mention Rocca.

IF the Pies were stupid enough to even give a millsecond's thought to bringing in Rocca, they don't deserve to be in the finals!

Oh, but it would be a MM masterstroke

[Unforgiven]

stitched up the defensive forward position as can kick goals and tackles well. DEMPSTER is the only other fringe player who is versatile and probably will get job on a small damaging Coll. small forward (and swing to fwd line as lead-up in absence of GWILT and EDDY).

do you agree?

Why do you think that Dempster is a fringe player? This I do not understand and have seen a few posters associated this tag with him. He has played all 8 games since comming back from his knee reconstruction and is obviously valued highly by Ross. Is the new Jason Blake in the sense that he is versatile, and for that reason, like Blake was (now strictly a defender) he is safe in our 22.

Plays up forward against the dogs and played his role, tagged Hodge against the Hawks and did a very good job, and will probably be used in a similar roll this weekend.

If we were to loose a backman, or someone like Clint, or Gwilt during a game, he would be the person most likely to patch up that position. (or maybe Bj).

[SaintHomer]

I thought lyon had said gardiner will miss again.

i'll believe any of this only when either run out on the ground

[Moods]

stitched up the defensive forward position as can kick goals and tackles well. DEMPSTER is the only other fringe player who is versatile and probably will get job on a small damaging Coll. small forward (and swing to fwd line as lead-up in absence of GWILT and EDDY).

do you agree?

Why do you think that Dempster is a fringe player? This I do not understand and have seen a few posters associated this tag with him. He has played all 8 games since comming back from his knee reconstruction and is obviously valued highly by Ross. Is the new Jason Blake in the sense that he is versatile, and for that reason, like Blake was (now strictly a defender) he is safe in our 22.

Plays up forward against the dogs and played his role, tagged Hodge against the Hawks and did a very good job, and will probably be used in a similar roll this weekend.

If we were to loose a backman, or someone like Clint, or Gwilt during a game, he would be the person most likely to patch up that position. (or maybe Bj).

Ppl think he's a fringe player b/c he's had no impact since coming into the team. He looks unsure of himself when he's got the ball, and makes critical errors. Very similar to Eddy.

Having said all that - Ross obviously does value him, and that hard running negating role is obviously under rated by supporters, but crucial to Ross's game plan. I would play Dempster b4 Eddy, but don't reckon we can afford to have too many of these types in the team unless they find the pill occasionally as well.

[Animal Enclosure]

stitched up the defensive forward position as can kick goals and tackles well. DEMPSTER is the only other fringe player who is versatile and probably will get job on a small damaging Coll. small forward (and swing to fwd line as lead-up in absence of GWILT and EDDY).

do you agree?

Why do you think that Dempster is a fringe player? This I do not understand and have seen a few posters associated this tag with him. He has played all 8 games since comming back from his knee reconstruction and is obviously valued highly by Ross. Is the new Jason Blake in the sense that he is versatile, and for that reason, like Blake was (now strictly a defender) he is safe in our 22.

Plays up forward against the dogs and played his role, tagged Hodge against the Hawks and did a very good job, and will probably be used in a similar roll this weekend.

If we were to loose a backman, or someone like Clint, or Gwilt during a game, he would be the person most likely to patch up that position. (or maybe Bj).

Ppl think he's a fringe player b/c he's had no impact since coming into the team. He looks unsure of himself when he's got the ball, and makes critical errors. Very similar to Eddy.

Having said all that - Ross obviously does value him, and that hard running negating role is obviously under rated by supporters, but crucial to Ross's game plan. I would play Dempster b4 Eddy, but don't reckon we can afford to have too many of these types in the team unless they find the pill occasionally as well.

It's the old 'he doesn't have an impact' chestnut that makes me laugh.

Dempster is not a fringe player for the following reasons;

1. He can play a variety of ROLES
2. He's 190cm, has a good tank & is physical
3. He can play shut down roles on a variety of types
4. He knows the game plan & sticks to it.
5. He's a very good kick
6. He doesn't need 25 possessions to impact a game

While the large majority of us would love to see Bally & Max back, you cannot replace a player like Dempster with either of them primarily because Sean plays a number of roles that Ross deems critical to the game plan.

I may be proven wrong at selection tonight but I'd be amazed and disappointed if I am, especially considering Collingwood's strength is it's depth of mid size onballers and forwards (precisely the type that Dempster will play on).

[Moods]

I just wish ONE of the roles he played was actually getting the pill occasionally and doing something constructive with it. He did this as well as the other roles you listed last year Animal Enclosure.

I don't necessarily disagree with you though. If he keeps one of their dangerous fwds quiet, lays 1/2 doz tackles and doesn't do much else, I will be satisfied.

[S.A Saint]

I just wish ONE of the roles he played was actually getting the pill occasionally and doing something constructive with it. He did this as well as the other roles you listed last year Animal Enclosure.

I don't necessarily disagree with you though. If he keeps one of their dangerous fwds quiet, lays 1/2 doz tackles and doesn't do much else, I will be satisfied.

well that's what he has been doing so far this year on halfbacks and other and in other positions

[spert]

Dempster is doing Ok for the team and finals experience is gold, and he can be used either end of the ground -another plus in finals and something I think RL is pretty keen on..adaptability.