Looking Good in April - Worried?
Moderators: Saintsational Administrators, Saintsational Moderators
Looking Good in April - Worried?
There's no doubt we're looking pretty great at the moment. Commitment, workrate and hardness are exceptional. The only problem with this is that it seems unlikely that we can keep up this pace all year. I'd like to believe that we've turned a mental corner, and we may well have, but it's a long season.
So the question for me is: how much do we still have in the locker? Here's ten players who I can see keeping us improving.
1: Xavier Clarke: Maybe this year his perennial promise will come through? Our current game style (tough, hard-running) suits him down to the ground, and he's in form in the twos. Touch wood, but this could be his year.
2: Nick Riewoldt: Blondie's obviously a little underdone (4 marks a game?) so imagine how much better the forward line will look when he's fit and firing!
3: Max Hudghton: All respect to Zac but Maxy's still the man for a stopping job. Can only strengthen our backline - which has been good already.
4: Brendon Goddard: Has done his job without standing out. (3 marks in two games?) He's got at least a few three-vote games in him. We're unlikely to lose when he gets three.
5: Robert Eddy: The kid was pretty solid last year and can't be worse after another pre-season. Like X, fits the current game style well.
6: Lenny Hayes: OK on Friday but he's still our best midfielder so has much more in him.
7: Leigh Fisher: Another who works for this style. I thought he was gone last year, but if Ross kept him on then he just needs a little luck this year to have a real impact.
8: Jason Gram: He's been OK in the middle, but has a couple of outstanding three goal games coming when not paid respect by the opposition.
9: Clinton Jones: He's been given shut-down jobs, and performed well. When he's let off the leash he can pop up for twenty-five touches and a couple of goals.
10: David Armitage: Hopefully?
So the question for me is: how much do we still have in the locker? Here's ten players who I can see keeping us improving.
1: Xavier Clarke: Maybe this year his perennial promise will come through? Our current game style (tough, hard-running) suits him down to the ground, and he's in form in the twos. Touch wood, but this could be his year.
2: Nick Riewoldt: Blondie's obviously a little underdone (4 marks a game?) so imagine how much better the forward line will look when he's fit and firing!
3: Max Hudghton: All respect to Zac but Maxy's still the man for a stopping job. Can only strengthen our backline - which has been good already.
4: Brendon Goddard: Has done his job without standing out. (3 marks in two games?) He's got at least a few three-vote games in him. We're unlikely to lose when he gets three.
5: Robert Eddy: The kid was pretty solid last year and can't be worse after another pre-season. Like X, fits the current game style well.
6: Lenny Hayes: OK on Friday but he's still our best midfielder so has much more in him.
7: Leigh Fisher: Another who works for this style. I thought he was gone last year, but if Ross kept him on then he just needs a little luck this year to have a real impact.
8: Jason Gram: He's been OK in the middle, but has a couple of outstanding three goal games coming when not paid respect by the opposition.
9: Clinton Jones: He's been given shut-down jobs, and performed well. When he's let off the leash he can pop up for twenty-five touches and a couple of goals.
10: David Armitage: Hopefully?
- mightysainters
- SS Hall of Fame
- Posts: 1986
- Joined: Tue 16 Mar 2004 2:21pm
- Has thanked: 28 times
- Been thanked: 52 times
No worries right now
Our midfield is A Grade opposition don't know who to tag and is setting the game up for us especially with the new element of every players attack and hardness on the ball
A Grade midfielders:
Goddard (they know and tag him heavily now)
Dal Santo (No tag or sometimes tagged has torn it up)
Hayes (When back to full form will give opposition massive headaches)
Monty (Been damaging due to no tag)
Ball (Master extractor makes him A Grade as teams try and tag)
Next liners
Gram, Ray have been providing the speed in the midfield we sorely needed as the second tier midfielders...
Baker absolutely lifted the team with attack and intensity
![Wink :wink:](./images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)
A Grade midfielders:
Goddard (they know and tag him heavily now)
Dal Santo (No tag or sometimes tagged has torn it up)
Hayes (When back to full form will give opposition massive headaches)
Monty (Been damaging due to no tag)
Ball (Master extractor makes him A Grade as teams try and tag)
Next liners
Gram, Ray have been providing the speed in the midfield we sorely needed as the second tier midfielders...
Baker absolutely lifted the team with attack and intensity
- desertsaint
- Saintsational Legend
- Posts: 10404
- Joined: Sun 27 Apr 2008 2:02pm
- Location: out there
- Has thanked: 186 times
- Been thanked: 701 times
Re: Looking Good in April - Worried?
got your joneses mixed up - sounds like aussie!bergholt wrote: 9: Clinton Jones: When he's let off the leash he can pop up for twenty-five touches and a couple of goals.
"The starting point of all achievement is desire. "
- saintfreddy
- Club Player
- Posts: 252
- Joined: Mon 22 Mar 2004 7:19pm
- Location: Sunshine West
-
- SS Life Member
- Posts: 3303
- Joined: Tue 23 May 2006 6:14pm
- Location: East Oakleigh
- Has thanked: 1 time
- Been thanked: 40 times
Im err, cautiously optimistic. While very impressed and happy with the endeavour and the in and under in close stuff and all that...
I still feel our wins are covering up some disposal issues that are not a million miles from Richmonds standard. It has GOT to be fixed pronto or else any top 8 teams ARE going to walk all over us.
I still feel our wins are covering up some disposal issues that are not a million miles from Richmonds standard. It has GOT to be fixed pronto or else any top 8 teams ARE going to walk all over us.
Re: Looking Good in April - Worried?
desertsaint wrote:got your joneses mixed up - sounds like aussie!bergholt wrote: 9: Clinton Jones: When he's let off the leash he can pop up for twenty-five touches and a couple of goals.
so was i right? 25 touches, and if he hadn't kicked badly, woulda had two goals. and this was despite having a shut-down job!
- starsign
- Club Player
- Posts: 1854
- Joined: Sat 12 Apr 2008 8:45am
- Has thanked: 2 times
- Been thanked: 24 times
Spot on bergholt!desertsaint wrote:
bergholt wrote:
9: Clinton Jones: When he's let off the leash he can pop up for twenty-five touches and a couple of goals.
got your joneses mixed up - sounds like aussie!
so was i right? 25 touches, and if he hadn't kicked badly, woulda had two goals. and this was despite having a shut-down job!
I gave him my BOG 5
i was a liitle bemused by RL's warmish post game appraisal (which reminded me very much of Jeansie) when clearly the vast majority of Kerrs possessions were handballs under pressure and nothing like his usual high number of damaging passes into 50, let alone the goals he generally snags