Changes for the start

[PJ]

Predictions on who's going to get the first round nod ahead of last years brigade

Gamble - would have to be the most obvious

Archer - if elevated could be back up for Macca

Stanley - if Archer isn't elevated

Raph - Looks ready to resume - too good to be left out

Armitage - will get first shot

Other possibilities - Smith, Cripps, Lynch, Ledger - have to say not likely though.

Gone missing or not currently in form - Heyne, Polo (injured), Winmar

[Megamaguire]

I mostly agree. Raph in and ready stiffens our backline, Archer may well get a big chance in the big game too.

Armitage, Gamble, Lynch and Ledger could get the nod too.

MCG - GO SAINTS!

[Thinline]

Armitage a definite.

I think Archer will get a go ahead of an underdone Stanley.

Clarke will take an underdone Dawson's spot, but Blake will play deep in defence.

Gamble a certainty.

That's how I see it panning out at this stage.

[widereceiver]

I don't understand the persistent over-optimism on this site regarding Armo. I hope he comes good for all of our sakes. That means coming good - not that he is good or anything like a walk-up start.

[suss]

I'd be surprised to see Archer ahead of Stanley. Archer has more game time under his belt but Stanley is a better forward and ruck alternative. He also provides defensive pressure that Archer provides (or Kosi for that matter) and he gets a game this week so he shouldn't be too underdone.

Clarke and Gamble should play. I'm less sure on Armitage. Ledger seems like he'll be the first of the kids to play but I'm tipping it won't be too early in the year.

[borderbarry]

Cripps in the last game had 9 possessions, and I dont believe he had a lot of game time. The STats used to show TOG Time on Ground, but I cant find them nowadays. Anyone have any idea where to look?

[SaintPav]

There will be no major surprises.

Gamble - YES

Raph - YES

Armitage - YES

Lynch - a chance

Stanley - probably not

Archer - would be very surprised

[borderbarry]

Three to come in. Apart from Kosi who will miss?

[chook23]

Three to come in. Apart from Kosi who will miss?

schneider....suspended

[Go Sainters Go]

The changes from GF2 for Rd 1 v Geelong (ie the best 22)

In = Raph, Armitage, Gamble, Archer, Lynch.
Out = Eddy, Kosi, Peake, McQualter., Schneider (susp)

[saintsRrising]

The changes from GF2 for Rd 1 v Geelong (ie the best 22)

In = Raph, Armitage, Gamble, Archer, Lynch.
Out = Eddy, Kosi, Peake, McQualter., Schneider (susp)

Your ins and outs would slow down the team.

A touch more overall pace and zip may be desired.

I think Stanley is more likely than Archer.

Steven and Smith would be in the mix too.

Dempster may have a question mark if they decide to include say Steven or Smith instead.

[plugger66]

I must watch different games but from what I have seen if Archer plays then we are in trouble. These are practice games and he struggled to influence them. All I can really go on is last year in fair dinkum stuff and he played nearly as much in Sandy seconds than firsts. I rather Blake or underdone Stanley.

[saintslegendLH]

I must watch different games but from what I have seen if Archer plays then we are in trouble. These are practice games and he struggled to influence them. All I can really go on is last year in fair dinkum stuff and he played nearly as much in Sandy seconds than firsts. I rather Blake or underdone Stanley.

exactly, the main thing that gave away that we didn't really care about the nab cup was, trying to play the whole night with 2 191cm ruckmans, we lost almost all clearances and tap outs, archer is not a ruck option and it was only an experiment by ross, in my opnion archer will end up as a backman that can go forward.

For me:
Armitage in
raph in
gamble in
simkin/walsh in. the reason why i say simkin is that, in my opinion if rhys is not match fit, then blake will take the second ruck job, leaving a chb spot open, perfect for a simkin/walsh

[Cairnsman]

Stanley is in for sure.

Eddy will play in round one for sure and if he responds to that subtle motivational exercise they gave in the off-season he will improve dramatically this year.

Armo in also

[plugger66]

Stanley is in for sure.

Eddy will play in round one for sure and if he responds to that subtle motivational exercise they gave in the off-season he will improve dramatically this year.

Armo in also

Has Eddy even played a game. And with injuries to talls I doubt they will promote a small rookie.

[Cairnsman]

Stanley is in for sure.

Eddy will play in round one for sure and if he responds to that subtle motivational exercise they gave in the off-season he will improve dramatically this year.

Armo in also

Has Eddy even played a game. And with injuries to talls I doubt they will promote a small rookie.

Well that just shows you how much I know.

[PJ]

exactly, the main thing that gave away that we didn't really care about the nab cup was, trying to play the whole night with 2 191cm ruckmans, we lost almost all clearances and tap outs, archer is not a ruck option and it was only an experiment by ross, in my opnion archer will end up as a backman that can go forward.

I think actually you'll find they credit Archer with 18 hit outs.

I'm not all that sure Ross will go with Blake as second ruck it kinda leaves us exposed in a few areas. The prefered option was a mobile forward/ruckman - If Stanley is down on game time and Archer doesn't get promoted we are really exposed.

[Teflon]

[quote="saintslegendLH

exactly, the main thing that gave away that we didn't really care about the nab cup was, trying to play the whole night with 2 191cm ruckmans, we lost almost all clearances and tap outs, archer is not a ruck option and it was only an experiment by ross, in my opnion archer will end up as a backman that can go forward.

For me:
Armitage in
raph in
gamble in
simkin/walsh in. the reason why i say simkin is that, in my opinion if rhys is not match fit, then blake will take the second ruck job, leaving a chb spot open, perfect for a simkin/walsh[/quote]

I agree with this.

If Archer is in as back up ruck Rd 1.....we are in strife. We were slaughtered in the ruck the other night.

My only concern on the above is....have we added/got enough "zip" with those ins? I think quality-wise it improves from where we have been.

Eddy wont play.

[saintslegendLH]

[quote="saintslegendLH

exactly, the main thing that gave away that we didn't really care about the nab cup was, trying to play the whole night with 2 191cm ruckmans, we lost almost all clearances and tap outs, archer is not a ruck option and it was only an experiment by ross, in my opnion archer will end up as a backman that can go forward.

For me:
Armitage in
raph in
gamble in
simkin/walsh in. the reason why i say simkin is that, in my opinion if rhys is not match fit, then blake will take the second ruck job, leaving a chb spot open, perfect for a simkin/walsh

I agree with this.

If Archer is in as back up ruck Rd 1.....we are in strife. We were slaughtered in the ruck the other night.

My only concern on the above is....have we added/got enough "zip" with those ins? I think quality-wise it improves from where we have been.

Eddy wont play.[/quote]

In my opinion eddy will be moved into a 'new' role, probably hbf/mid at sandy, if he peforms well he will be promoted back, if not, he won't be at st kilda much longer.

[avid]

For me:

Out of our best 22: Kosi, Gardner, Schneider

(Not even in our best 22: McQualter, Dempster, Peake.)

In: Gamble, Armitage, Clarke, Smith, Dawson Stanley/Archer

gram, jones, mcevoy, dawson, hayes, clarke, baker, montagna, riewoldt, gamble, goddard, gilbert, armitage, ray, fisher, dal santo, blake, gwilt, smith, milne. plus either stanley or archer.
that's only 21. who've I missed??

one of mini, dempster or peake, i suppose. But I'd prefer Jack Steven.

[Moccha]

Is Winmar still injured?

Has he got the talent?

[Con Gorozidis]

suspension aside - and assuming hes back inside the "tent" - youd think stanley will just have to be a certainty with kosi and gardi out and archer really a 193cm fwd and not even a ruckman.

out: kosi, schneids, eddy
in: stanley, armo, ?

mcqualter,bakes and peake are all no certainties.

leaves steven, ledger, cripps and smith as real possibilities to play round one.

might even come down to how they perform this week in coffs or even in a sandy praccy game.

[saintspremiers]

If Archer gets a game in round 1 I will be in shock.

He's clearly not ready yet.

Stanley is a much better bet IMO.

Raphael you can pencil in as a definite starter.

He's always been in our best 22.

[gringo]

Archer got done over by Bellchambers in the ruck but showed heaps around the ground over the last few weeks. He would be in over Stanley who is really just a tall forward who can't hold his marks also. At least Archer is a big unit he can bash into the ruck a bit more. he may practice the role designed for Kosi.

Armo isn't getting much love from the coaching panel in interviews, I can't tell if they will play him or not.

I wouldn't be surprised if one of Crocker or Cripps, Ledger etc. got a go just to freshen the team up, but unlikely. Jack Steven would be as likely as any of them.

Raph will be in but not for Zac, he isn't a full back. More likely to play for Gilbert in the backline. He usually plays if injury free. Fisher may or may not need a couple of weeks for his minor injury.

[bergholt]

I wouldn't be surprised if one of Crocker or Cripps, Ledger etc. got a go just to freshen the team up, but unlikely. Jack Steven would be as likely as any of them.

surely alistair smith would be more likely than any of the names you've mentioned here? he's actually played in all the nab cup games.