stanley or kosi for round 1

[Wrote for Luck]

Rickabee - 100% spot on! I believe every player has their ideal position in a team, the challenge for coach and player is to find it. Still tingling that maybe Gwilt has found his. Stanley will need to buff up over the next year or two to protect himself. It's all very find & friendly in scratch matches.

We have Geary and Eddy who can play HFF too! But where would you play Dempster?

[saintspremiers]

"we are February Premiers, therefore Stanley must play round 1"

Children, those of you who adhere to the above quote need to have a rethink.

All we have done is play praccy matches......they mean NOTHING.

Ross will let Stanley develop, just as he has let McEvoy, Stevo and Armo develop last year in the ressies.

We are not on the bottom on the ladder and desperate to "play the kids" like some teams.

[samoht]

Ross can let Stanley develop slowly - but he can do that by playing Stanley on the half forward flank, a position which is also known as "starvation corner".

The half forward flank is not a key position - it's a position that usually gets bypassed so the pressure is off (relatively speaking) and Stanley will get the third best tall - at least this will move one tall away from Riewoldt and take some more pressure off Riewoldt.

We cant afford to put all the pressure on Riewoldt again this year against 2 or 3 tall defenders - we need to change things this year and the sooner this is done the better !

We are getting the ball inside 50 more than our opponents are but then it's been largely up to Riewoldt as usual - and our efficiency is suffering.

Luckily Milne pulled one out of the bag last week - but this wont happen in the finals.

We need some more options and to be less predictable.

Stanley whilst not a perfect fit for the mid size half forward flank player we lack (he is quick but will lack agility) - nevertheless he is the best prospect yet for that position - he will demand a good tall defender and take some pressure away from Riewoldt.

Whilst Ross is not desperate to rush Stanley - he should nevertheless be desperate to take some pressure off Riewoldt and Stanley can by drawing a tall 190 plus defender away.

[bigcarl]

We cant afford to put all the pressure on Riewoldt again against 2 or 3 tall defenders - we need to change things this year and the sooner this is done the better

my concern, too.

we looked to have this chronic problem licked for most of last season, but as soon as september came around ... hey presto, it's kick-it-to-roo.

perhaps ross has plans involving goddard.

that would work in one sense but would leave us a little light on around the ground. imo, and i'm not sure we can afford that.

[Thinline]

"we are February Premiers, therefore Stanley must play round 1"

Children, those of you who adhere to the above quote need to have a rethink.

All we have done is play praccy matches......they mean NOTHING.

Ross will let Stanley develop, just as he has let McEvoy, Stevo and Armo develop last year in the ressies.

We are not on the bottom on the ladder and desperate to "play the kids" like some teams.

You'd think Stanley was 14 the way some people are carrying on...

The guy looks fit, his body looks strong, he is performing at the standard in as much as we can tell, and we could do with another fwd target who is more mobile than Kosi, a welcome distraction from Riewoldt and somewhat a larger presence than Milne and Schneider.

Give him a go, I say.

[samoht]

we looked to have this chronic problem licked for most of last season, but as soon as september came around ... hey presto, it's kick-it-to-roo.

Come September at least 2 of our 3 small forwards are rendered ineffective and Kosi has a quality tall opponent that usually has his measure - so it'll all be up to Riewoldt as per usual.

Something has to be done and the half forward flank is there for Stanley's taking in my opinion - after all no one who is a marking tall has settled there and made it his position.

Go Stanley - and I agree with thinline he's not a 14 year old boy, he's 90 kg plus - give the kid a go Ross !.

[gringo]

Kosi looked slow and didn't chase, Stanley comes in and grabs anything that goes near him. Tackles with hammil like ferocity, I was nearly ready to write off Kosi on the small amount of game time we saw, but in the cold light of day I still think stanley is a year off a real contribution to the team.

Kosi is a really good focal point and takes some of the heat off Roo. That said I cant wait to see walsh, Kosi and Stanley pushing each other for positions in the future.

It will be an interesting year for Kosi, if he doesn't fire he is being pushed for a position from the young guys (mc evoy, Stanley etc.) hope he doesn't become another L.Ball.

[bigred]

Lols...

This thread is great...

Kosi will play. Full stop.

Stanley will play this year...at some stage.

Gotta say that I am looking forward to it...

[markp]

No one is suggesting he play all 22 rounds.

But the kid looks to be an amazing talent....

And right now if I had to choose, I reckon I'd rather Stanley on our list than Kosi.

Give him more game time over the next couple of weeks, and if he stands up and demands to be played ahead of others.... you play him.

[Burkey 1]

The only thing that worries me about Kosi is something Ross said during saturdays telecast, that being Kosi is at CHF to put some miles into his legs, isn't that what Pre season is for ??? Has Kosi had an injury that has prevented him from running, does anybody know ???

It's a bit of a worry so close to the start of the season and Ross is already a bit worried about his fitness levels !

Any way I am hoping he does have a super season as he really needs it I think.

[Thinline]

The only thing that worries me about Kosi is something Ross said during saturdays telecast, that being Kosi is at CHF to put some miles into his legs, isn't that what Pre season is for ??? Has Kosi had an injury that has prevented him from running, does anybody know ???

It's a bit of a worry so close to the start of the season and Ross is already a bit worried about his fitness levels !

Any way I am hoping he does have a super season as he really needs it I think.

I heard he'd had a real good pre-seaso on the track. Maybe they just want him fitter still. More mobility would no doubt help, and if increasing his base fitness does that, then RL's comments make sense.

[matrix]

pretty sure on the coverage they said he ran a 10.28 around visy parks time thingy practice run they do.
it was darcy from the bulldogs who mentioned it i think and he said thats an exceptionable time for a big man. (kozi)

[fingers]

The only thing that worries me about Kosi is something Ross said during saturdays telecast, that being Kosi is at CHF to put some miles into his legs, isn't that what Pre season is for ??? Has Kosi had an injury that has prevented him from running, does anybody know ???

It's a bit of a worry so close to the start of the season and Ross is already a bit worried about his fitness levels !

Any way I am hoping he does have a super season as he really needs it I think.

I don't think you should read that as worried about Kosi's fitness. Game miles are very different to running miles. And we know that Kosi needs time to find his groove. He is being played up the ground to get game time and ball time. That's all.

On another note....Why do we insist on jumping on every little comment?

[Batnoe]

No one is suggesting he play all 22 rounds.

But the kid looks to be an amazing talent....

And right now if I had to choose, I reckon I'd rather Stanley on our list than Kosi.

Give him more game time over the next couple of weeks, and if he stands up and demands to be played ahead of others.... you play him.

Well it's funny cause we have both.. Let's use them both

[plugger66]

we looked to have this chronic problem licked for most of last season, but as soon as september came around ... hey presto, it's kick-it-to-roo.

Come September at least 2 of our 3 small forwards are rendered ineffective and Kosi has a quality tall opponent that usually has his measure - so it'll all be up to Riewoldt as per usual.

Something has to be done and the half forward flank is there for Stanley's taking in my opinion - after all no one who is a marking tall has settled there and made it his position.

Go Stanley - and I agree with thinline he's not a 14 year old boy, he's 90 kg plus - give the kid a go Ross !.

Yep Stanley, kosi and Rooy on GF day would have been a great targets. A HFF is an onballer. That is how they play. How would Stanley go in packs and with the ball below his knees. He would struggle.

[Animal Enclosure]

Only watched the game on IQ last night so have a been a bit behind the Stanley adoration (although his game last week had me very excited).

Without going overboard I can't remember a young St Kilda player creating such excitement. While we were all pumped about the development of the kids recruited from 2000-2005, there wasn't a player from that set that was 200cm, took hangers and ran like the wind.

I think we all saw a glimpse of potential that could be seriously scary.

Realistically Rhys won't be in the team come round 1 at this stage. While Kosi has been a bit disappointing, he has the runs on the board & Ross is all about structure and team balance.

I think I replayed that chase & tackle & the snap about 20 times!

Yes it was a cameo but what an impressive cameo it was.

[meher baba]

Without going overboard I can't remember a young St Kilda player creating such excitement.

Well, personally, I was far more excited about both Riewoldt and Kosi the first times I saw them play than I was about Stanley.

So far I've seen enough to convince me that, with some more development, Stanley could become a quality ruckman with an exciting and dangerous element of speed around the ground and the ability to pop up and kick some goals.

I just don't think anyone could possibly have any idea yet if he could make it as a KPP forward (or back for that matter). The sort of forward work that Kosi and Riewoldt (and Jonathan Brown and others) undertake is a relentless and physically draining slog which requires toughness, endurance and courage way beyond that of the average footballer. And, then, when they have a set shot, they need to catch their breath, gather themselves mentally, and slot the ball through under often enormous psychological pressure.

I (and most of the rest of the football world) knew from the start that Riewoldt was a player who could excel in this most pressured and demanding of roles. Likewise Brown.

Stanley has played a couple of cameo roles as a forward. He has done well, but I didn't see him get smashed in the guts or across the head by an opposing defender "going for the ball". I didn't see him run himself into the ground for the best part of four quarters chasing down ill-directed passes from the midfield. I didn't see him under pressure to kick a goal from a set shot that could make a difference to a result in a game that mattered.

He looks really promising, but please everybody try to keep it real.

[Solar]

The only thing that worries me about Kosi is something Ross said during saturdays telecast, that being Kosi is at CHF to put some miles into his legs, isn't that what Pre season is for ??? Has Kosi had an injury that has prevented him from running, does anybody know ???

It's a bit of a worry so close to the start of the season and Ross is already a bit worried about his fitness levels !

Any way I am hoping he does have a super season as he really needs it I think.

I don't think you should read that as worried about Kosi's fitness. Game miles are very different to running miles. And we know that Kosi needs time to find his groove. He is being played up the ground to get game time and ball time. That's all.

On another note....Why do we insist on jumping on every little comment?

agreed, and it's a situation the coaches seem to be focused on through out the season. Kosi can get lost while playing at CHF, is a touch player and thus needs to spend some time running around in either the ruck or CHF.

Stanley is an interesting one. I would have him as a smokey for round 1 except that he only played 1 quarter on the weekend. That screams "doesn't have the tank for this level yet!" an thus he looks set to be unleashed in the second half of the year.

My interest is how we develop the rest of our rucks? We have a couple of rookie rucks and macca but if stanley develops into a forward then perhaps we need to look at bringing 1-2 more rucks into our system in the next two drafts.

Healthy situation IMO

[Bernard Shakey]

Stanley trained with the magoos today. We may have seen the last of him in the preseason.

[Cro]

pretty sure on the coverage they said he ran a 10.28 around visy parks time thingy practice run they do.
it was darcy from the bulldogs who mentioned it i think and he said thats an exceptionable time for a big man. (kozi)

I thought he was talking about Ben.

[bigcarl]

Stanley trained with the magoos today. We may have seen the last of him in the preseason.

ah, okay. that's a shame. i thought he made a real impact when he came on saturday night and was hoping he'd get the chance to continue to press for selection. he'll be back.

[Rickabee]

It will be interesting some day in the future to play Stanley on Scarlett as Scarlett will have trouble marking over him and he will NOT be able to run off him as he has done to Gehrig and Kosi in the past. He would be well & truly tackled. Jusy a thought to savour?

I still just want to see Stanley get more game time (& Lynch & Heyne & even Tommy Walsh) so we can all make our assessments of his agility and if he has the "tank" for a full match. These are impoartant unanswered questions for me at the moment and I hope that those in Melbourne can provide more feedback on these aspects. From the reading I have done I'd suspect he may have some aerobic capacity if he has been training over the summer with Rooey??

[saintsRrising]

Ok..just watched the replay. I listened to the game on Sat as I was involved with a community group.

Schneider was a more complete player..and Mini was Mini do lots of hard things that don't get noticed.

Milne was again a more complete player and while not as busy as against the Pies was still all class.

Stanley has to take one of their places.....

Kosi was not as bad asa number on this forum made out. Yes he could of been cleaner, but he contested hard and often.

Stanley oozed class...but ask yourself this. How many times did he touch the ball? That to me indicates that he needs gametime to learn to read the play better.

[bigcarl]

Ok..just watched the replay. I listened to the game on Sat as I was involved with a community group.

Schneider was a more complete player..and Mini was Mini do lots of hard things that don't get noticed.

Milne was again a more complete player and while not as busy as against the Pies was still all class.

Stanley has to take one of their places..

how did you rate dempster's game?

[Spinner]

Ok..just watched the replay. I listened to the game on Sat as I was involved with a community group.

Schneider was a more complete player..and Mini was Mini do lots of hard things that don't get noticed.

Milne was again a more complete player and while not as busy as against the Pies was still all class.

Stanley has to take one of their places.....

Kosi was not as bad asa number on this forum made out. Yes he could of been cleaner, but he contested hard and often.

Stanley oozed class...but ask yourself this. How many times did he touch the ball? That to me indicates that he needs gametime to learn to read the play better.

Kicked a goal from memory, and was instrumental in that tackle slinging the player by the jumper....Also took a good contested mark in traffic....

Stanley was a sub until three quarter time.....