All our coaches want a piece of BJ

[Badlands]

Just read this on the AAP Newswire.
Looks like every coach wants a piece of BJ.

I'm sure story will bob up on one of the major daily's websites shortly so I'll just post an excerpt from the story and let someone post a link when it's available online.

Also - I'll happily stand corrected, but i thought he kicked four early goals against the eagles last year, rather than freo?


AFL: Saints coaches fight hard for Goddard
By Adam Cooper

"It's always interesting at match committee because (defensive
coach) Stephen Silvagni wants him in the backline, (midfield coach)
Tony Elshaug wants him in the midfield and I want him in the
forward line," Tudor told AAP.

[saintbrat]

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-sp ... -skz9.html
link to above story..

[Milan Faletic]

I'm really proud of BJ's development as an elite player in the AFL.

I must confess, I found his decision making to be slow in his early days and was one of his critics.

Dare I say it, but another one of our players shows similar signs to BJ, and that is Raph.

I think he is probably two years behind BJ and will probably not be as good as BJ but is a similar type of build and similar type of player. He needs confidence and responsibility to develop. We persisted with Blake, so I think we should persist with Raph. Blake is finally getting the recognition he deserves for his heart and soul.

I really hope Raph has an injury free year and can be a solid contributor in 2010.

[Saintsfan]

I'm really proud of BJ's development as an elite player in the AFL.

I must confess, I found his decision making to be slow in his early days and was one of his critics.

Dare I say it, but another one of our players shows similar signs to BJ, and that is Raph.

I think he is probably two years behind BJ and will probably not be as good as BJ but is a similar type of build and similar type of player. He needs confidence and responsibility to develop. We persisted with Blake, so I think we should persist with Raph. Blake is finally getting the recognition he deserves for his heart and soul.

I really hope Raph has an injury free year and can be a solid contributor in 2010.

Can't help but disagree with the Raph to BJ comparisons. Goddard was always going to become an elite player once he found a happy medium in his playing weight and muscle tone. He tried to bulk up and he came back slower and it affected his fitness. Finding your medium comes with age and Goddard is entering the prime (what should be) of his football career.

Goddard was always going to be a star. Raph not so much.

[Solar]

I'm really proud of BJ's development as an elite player in the AFL.

I must confess, I found his decision making to be slow in his early days and was one of his critics.

Dare I say it, but another one of our players shows similar signs to BJ, and that is Raph.

I think he is probably two years behind BJ and will probably not be as good as BJ but is a similar type of build and similar type of player. He needs confidence and responsibility to develop. We persisted with Blake, so I think we should persist with Raph. Blake is finally getting the recognition he deserves for his heart and soul.

I really hope Raph has an injury free year and can be a solid contributor in 2010.

Can't help but disagree with the Raph to BJ comparisons. Goddard was always going to become an elite player once he found a happy medium in his playing weight and muscle tone. He tried to bulk up and he came back slower and it affected his fitness. Finding your medium comes with age and Goddard is entering the prime (what should be) of his football career.

Goddard was always going to be a star. Raph not so much.

raph was one of the most exciting 16 year olds going around and was always seen as a future AFL player. back injuries and eplilepsy has stopped him showing his best game but those at the club rate him highly but want him to shorten the gap between his best and worst.

BJ's early form as a 18-21 year old was hurt by the coaching staff throwing him around as mr fix it. He and blake have really excelled when given a role and BJ's role is ruck rover, run everywhere, work back hard and then cause headaches with his height.

[Bernard Shakey]

Spot on Solar, about both BJ and Raph.

[na exa]

raph had his 'naturalness' programmed out of him as well... always having to 'think it'


god doesn't 'think it' anymore ... now he 'knows it' .. and plays accordingly , imo.

leads.

raph still has a huge upside.

[saintbrat]

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/g ... -slkx.html
Tudor said regardless of who played forward, the Saints needed everyone to work harder to cover the loss of their skipper, just as they did in the second half of last week's win over Collingwood.

''I've got no doubt they can do that, they're a really good group to work with, they're really dedicated to playing the way that [coach] Ross [Lyon] wants them to play,'' Tudor said. ''Even last year when we went down to Tassie and played Hawthorn with quite a few of our handy guys out, the way the boys played that game is what we expect from them.

''Anyone who pulls on a St Kilda jumper is playing that style, so we'd like to think in the next few weeks and few months we can still play that style of football.''

Tudor rated Fremantle ''a big test'' as the Dockers have improved their kicking and defensive skills in the year since the sides last played, when St Kilda won by 83 points.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/b ... 5854924761

seems like they couldn't quite decide what to head the article...

[Bardon Saint]

Goddard is the only player IMHO to be able to play fwd, mid, def at an elite level with the Saints. No other player on the Saints list has this versatility. I wish we had more of him but he is very unique. He may also be the only player in the league to be able to achieve this.

Roo is great up fwd and could probably be down back but would come unstuck with the tough stuff in the midfield. Gablett may struggle to hold a defensive position. Maybe Hodge could match God for elite versatility?? Any others?

[Solar]

Goddard is the only player IMHO to be able to play fwd, mid, def at an elite level with the Saints. No other player on the Saints list has this versatility. I wish we had more of him but he is very unique. He may also be the only player in the league to be able to achieve this.

Roo is great up fwd and could probably be down back but would come unstuck with the tough stuff in the midfield. Gablett may struggle to hold a defensive position. Maybe Hodge could match God for elite versatility?? Any others?

Good post and also the biggest improvement has been his gut running. He is what the game plan screams for, runn hard back, defend you life out then bust forward....

[sainter104]

Pavelich

[Bardon Saint]

Pavelich

Agreed. I thought that he may have been a little too big to play in the middle but he goes quite well.

[Armoooo]

Pavelich

Agreed. I thought that he may have been a little too big to play in the middle but he goes quite well.

Goodes, Hodge and Goddard at the only three in the comp IMO...

I don't think that Pav would be able to play in defence anymore... and I don't think he is 'elite' in the midfield either...

[Maguire#31]

Pavelich

Agreed. I thought that he may have been a little too big to play in the middle but he goes quite well.

Goodes, Hodge and Goddard at the only three in the comp IMO...

I don't think that Pav would be able to play in defence anymore... and I don't think he is 'elite' in the midfield either...

Disagree with all of this, sensational player in midfield, and there is no reason he couldnt play back.

[SaintSimmo]

when i first read this i thought it said all our coaches want a bj.