Max - impossible

[widereceiver]

The footy media is making me nuts this week. 8 has been a favourite at our house for ten years but I think he'll miss out this week and next.

All the people, Thomas, Alves, Warney, (MOLLY, FFS) coming out backing Max are making it impossible for him to be selected, even if RL et al are tempted.

What message would it send to the players if we were being coached by comment? I say, the hell with Max if it means we win the flag, the hell with any individual who gets in the way of our success.*

The coaches are hungry.
The players are hungry.
I am hungry.


* I suspect Max shares the same philosophy

[chook23]

Agree

Selection committe MUST pick the best team in their eyes to WIN



(media just playing the sentiment side)

[spert]

Max wouldn't be picked on form so far this year, so he probably won't get a game.

[SainterK]

Unless they believe that the selection panel will be bullied into selecting him by a public sway of opinion, they should leave it alone....doesn't do Max any favours I am sure.

[Moccha]

Molly should keep the sniffing to his own back yard!

[Milton66]

SAdly, after we win, it will continue all thru next week.

[AnythingsPossibleSaints]

All the people, Thomas, Alves, Warney, (MOLLY, FFS) coming out backing Max are making it impossible for him to be selected, even if RL et al are tempted.

Pretty much agree with that. Like with Goose earlier in the year, he almost certainly won't be picked, because the match committee will want to show everyone "who's boss" and that "we're picking the team". Even if he is far better suited to those likely to be lining up in the Bulldogs forward line this week than Zac is. And even after Ross said selection would be "horses for courses". I just hope their stubbornness doesn't cost us a flag.
Doing something that's popular doesn't make it wrong.
All those mentioned calling for Max to play love the Saints as much (if not more) than any of us and want what's best for the club. They, I and many more believe Max playing, at least this week, is in our club's best interests. I dare say none of them would suggest something that would jeopardise our chances. They're probably all as keen for us to win the flag as any of us are and maybe more.
We can win the premiership with Max in the side and as such I believe we would be wise to do so. He's given us his all for over a decade, is a "spiritual leader and inspiration" in the side and can still do the job plenty well, yet seems to have been discarded like an old pair of smelly shoes.
Like the smelly shoes, it stinks.

[widereceiver]

SAdly, after we win, it will continue all thru next week.

No, I think speculation on Roo's knee will continue but they'll have to move on from the Max issue, injury notwithstanding. That Gleeson article in the Age this morningwas a load of crap.

[ausfatcat]

I am sure Lyon will pick what he thinks is the best team, regardless of what people say in the media. I doubt Lyon pays attention to the media at all at this point.


I fail to see how commentators making the call to include Max make it impossible for Lyon to pick him?

[3rd generation saint]

Sadly, Max will only get agame if Zac or Blake get injured, which I hope won't happen.
However, I hope that RL and coaching panel can find a way to make Max a part of the Grand Final (if we get there) even if he doesn't play.

[Milton66]

I am sure Lyon will pick what he thinks is the best team, regardless of what people say in the media. I doubt Lyon pays attention to the media at all at this point.


I fail to see how commentators making the call to include Max make it impossible for Lyon to pick him?

didn't he say... it menas nothing in the Inner Sanctum?

As for Roo's knee, yup, clutching at straws for a story. Anyone would think we were back in the Plugger era.

Whilst very important, I reckon we could still win without him, unlike when Plugger was out.

[thejiggingsaint]

No one wants to see Max miss out on the chance of being a member of a premiership side, (including the Coach and his staff) the reality however is that only 22 can be selected for the game. It needs to be remembered that we are NOT contesting a GF this week, but probably the hardest one of all to negotiate a preliminary final. With the speed of the Doggies small forwards, and after the performance against Essendon, perhaps Max is not an option. I dont want to see anyone injured but if the worst happens and a defender misses out before a GF (IF we get there) then Max provides valuable cover. It appears at this stage, that this is the best he can hope for. As far as media commentators are concerned, well they all have a right to an opinion, but RL has probably seen more saints games than them, so I'll trust his judgement on team selection.

[ausfatcat]

didn't he say... it menas nothing in the Inner Sanctum?

Umm read origonal post especially this line

All the people, Thomas, Alves, Warney, (MOLLY, FFS) coming out backing Max are making it impossible for him to be selected, even if RL et al are tempted.

[Milton66]

didn't he say... it menas nothing in the Inner Sanctum?

Umm read origonal post especially this line

All the people, Thomas, Alves, Warney, (MOLLY, FFS) coming out backing Max are making it impossible for him to be selected, even if RL et al are tempted.

No no, my bad. Should not have posed it as a question.

Just repeating what Lyon said. IE outside noise won't affect the workings of the Inner Sanctum.

Cheers.

[Bernard Shakey]

All this rubbish from the media just goes to show outstanding the Saints are this year.

The media cannot find any chink in our armor, so they ask any so called St Kilda celebrity if they would like Max to play.

We are almost invincible.

[SainterK]

I wonder who will be next, Eric Bana says Max should play?

[widereceiver]

I would like Eric Guy, Jimmy Guyatt and Lance Oswald to be considered.

[True Blue Sainter]

No one wants to see Max miss out on the chance of being a member of a premiership side, (including the Coach and his staff) the reality however is that only 22 can be selected for the game. It needs to be remembered that we are NOT contesting a GF this week, but probably the hardest one of all to negotiate a preliminary final. With the speed of the Doggies small forwards, and after the performance against Essendon, perhaps Max is not an option. I dont want to see anyone injured but if the worst happens and a defender misses out before a GF (IF we get there) then Max provides valuable cover. It appears at this stage, that this is the best he can hope for. As far as media commentators are concerned, well they all have a right to an opinion, but RL has probably seen more saints games than them, so I'll trust his judgement on team selection.

But Dave, if we are going on the speed of the Doggies small/medium forwards, as you mention, then IMO that makes Max a much more sensible option than Zac and Blake. Max has the closing speed to play on someone like a Brad Johnson, Mitch Hahn or Shaun Higgins. Zac and Blake do not.

[matrix]

agreed

[degruch]

Sick to death of all this Max hype...what is it based on? Sentiment. Surely he couldn't be included without someone on our backline missing out. Given that it's currently the best backline in the history of VFL/AFL football, that's hard to justify.

I just hope all this sentiment does cloud selection judgement...sentiment sees clubs make stupid mistakes, like putting Anthony Rocca in their team.

[Behind Play]

The word I received is he will not get another game and will be coaching on the mornington peninsula next year.... will see.

[samoht]

Max is a top player and if picked it won't be on sentiment that's for sure and he can negate dangerous forwards better than anyone.

the only risk with Max is he's injury prone and i think that is the main concern going into a final.

[desertsaint]

I say, the hell with Max if it means we win the flag

NO - very poorly worded, exaggerates the situation, and disrespects max!
sorry to be pedantic, but very poorly worded!

[saintspremiers]

I'm over the whole Max thing also.

Shame they aren't talking about someone way more important to the team structure (with respect to Max of course!) in Gardy.

WHY the fork can't they talk about the real issues?

Media num-nuts at it again!

[degruch]

I'm over the whole Max thing also.

Shame they aren't talking about someone way more important to the team structure (with respect to Max of course!) in Gardy.

It hasn't helped that all these experts are pumping up his tyres so much. Max has been great, he is still a valuable player, but at this point of the season, and given the current backline's performance, you'd have to say he's not as valuable as those currently in the starting 22.

I think it's a shame it's come to this end (seemingly), I would love to see him play again, but his inclusion can't be justified IMO. HOWEVER, I'm not a selector, so who cares...watch them pick him!