How is everyone feeling about Roo playing?

[bigcarl]

I am super confident that the side he is returning to, is much better than when he last played.

Yep, and we'll be too smart to fall back into old habits. That hamstring injury that we all cursed at the time could be the making of our second premiership.

[Buckets]

Im nervous as all hell! I just know i will have my heart in my mouth everytime he goes for the ball!

[TazzieSaintGirl83]

Im nervous, but I always get nervous before a saints game no matter when, where or who.
Im also so stoked and excited, I cant wait to see our big blonde captain out there again.
I know they wouldnt let him play if he wasnt right but I will still be holding my breath a little the first few times he goes after the ball. All in all Im stoked he is back.

GO SAINTS

[Thinline]

I expect the usual performance from Nick. Anything else is not acceptable to him, or to me.
You need to understand we are talking about the best player in the competition and I can assure you he's ready to go. I don't understand all the apprehension.

Find myself agreeing with you a lot lately.

If the doc says 'go' then 'go's' fine by me.

Am really curious to see how we adjust to having him there again.

[saintly]

I expect the usual performance from Nick. Anything else is not acceptable to him, or to me.
You need to understand we are talking about the best player in the competition and I can assure you he's ready to go. I don't understand all the apprehension.

unless you know him personally and are good friends of his, you cannot assure us of anything.

[Gabba]

I expect the usual performance from Nick. Anything else is not acceptable to him, or to me.
You need to understand we are talking about the best player in the competition and I can assure you he's ready to go. I don't understand all the apprehension.

unless you know him personally and are good friends of his, you cannot assure us of anything.

To assume he is match fit is ludicrous, he may be able to do the exercise but he will be very rusty when it comes to skills.

[Bernard Shakey]

I expect the usual performance from Nick. Anything else is not acceptable to him, or to me.
You need to understand we are talking about the best player in the competition and I can assure you he's ready to go. I don't understand all the apprehension.

unless you know him personally and are good friends of his, you cannot assure us of anything.

To assume he is match fit is ludicrous, he may be able to do the exercise but he will be very rusty when it comes to skills.

Wanna bet? He may be rusty, but I bet his skills are just the same as before the injury. We are talking about Roo, not any ordinary player.

[desertsaint]

we don't need him - should be developing our youth.
sell him to gc for picks 1, 2, & 3.

[saintnick12]

I must admit to being nervously excited.

In a way, I hope we can stitch the game up early and don't have a situation where we need him to make the difference.

How much game time will he get?

Will he start on the bench?

Will he start at FF or CHF?

Will he start on a wing?

What will be an acceptable performance?

If we lose, will the media savages go at us?

God forbid, what if he does a Richo and re-injures it?

If he fires and kicks 4 or 5, will our flag odds shorten dramatically?

Interested in people's thoughts.

I've been asking myself all the above questions too.

I'm sad I'm not there for his first game back, but given that I get to see him most weeks when he's playing I'll cop that.

I believe he has been ready for a few weeks and has already been held back by the club. Nick has declared himself fit at least the last two weeks, and been held back.

I'm hopeful, as MF said, that we can have the game sown up fairly early to allow him to play less game time and less pressure later in the game when he is likely to be fatigued. As many reports have said, this is the most dangerous time for him.

I don't think playing his first game back in a top four clash against the pies was really a good idea, so if ready I think tonight was a better idea. I'm sure marketing wise next week would be better, but its about what's best for ROO and the club. Also a few others in this thread have suggested we hold him back for this week and next, meaning his first game would have been the following week - a big Friday night game against the Hawks - and make no mistake...the hawks are coming - so that game wouldn't have been an ideal first game either. It doesn't get any easier from here...all games are now critical in the lead in to finals and in attempt to finish top two, and if possible, top.

I believe the club has done everthing it can and that NIck has done everything he can to be right, but as James Hird's article today suggests, its about getting his mind around it now. That's one of Roo's big strengths so I've no doubt he'll be fine. I'm thinking 60-70% game time (less than the predicted 80% if we are winning), and a few goals. Lets say 3 - I'll be happy with that Realistically though, I'll just be happy if we win the game and he gets through unscathed.

I'll be nervous every time he goes for the ball, particularly the first few times and also very late in the game. But I'm so excited to see him back.
He is destined to be our next premiership captain.

[iwantmeseats]

I couldnt give brass razoo how many goals he does or dosent kick. I just want a few touches with 80% game time, and a leisurely walk off the ground with no injury feeling great. How one could want or expect more than that is beyond me.

[saintnick12]

I couldnt give brass razoo how many goals he does or dosent kick. I just want a few touches with 80% game time, and a leisurely walk off the ground with no injury feeling great. How one could want or expect more than that is beyond me.

Not sure if that was aimed at me, but I was joking with the three goals comment...hence the . As I said, I'll be happy if he gets through unscathed...and we win the game.