Blake's previous game

[saintspremiers]

Was also against Freo but in Perth.

He had a nasty knee injury but was in top form.
And many lamented his 4 week injury (that blew out a bit longer).

That match signalled our resurgence.

So all you clowns that knock him, have a look back a few months and you'll see I'm right on this.

[bergholt]

So all you clowns that knock him, have a look back a few months and you'll see I'm right on this.

agreed.

i like jb. i don't think he'll get to 200 game this year, but it would be pretty pleasing if he stayed on the list for next year and got past that mark. it's what he deserves for a decade of solid service.

[degruch]

Blake's a good inclusion, particularly given the opposition. Can't help it if some of our supporters have NFI, I guess. Personally, with his obvious replacements in Lynch and Walsh not experienced enough, I hope he's at the club next year too.

[plugger66]

So all you clowns that knock him, have a look back a few months and you'll see I'm right on this.

agreed.

i like jb. i don't think he'll get to 200 game this year, but it would be pretty pleasing if he stayed on the list for next year and got past that mark. it's what he deserves for a decade of solid service.

Rubbish. Tommy Walsh is better. I have seen him play more than 2 times and it is a significantly lower competition but he is Irish and it would be much more romantic if he got a game instead of a guy who has given his all for the club over 10 years and as pointed out his last senior game he was going very well.

Show some guts RL and play guys that probably dont deserve a game but the people want them in. Even if it is likely to be one game and we have been told here that new players should at least get 2,3 or 4 games. It isnt as if Freo are a good side. They are 8th and we are 7th. We should win easily just as they were favourites over there and won easily. Wait a minute.

[samoht]

So all you clowns that knock him, have a look back a few months and you'll see I'm right on this.

agreed.

i like jb. i don't think he'll get to 200 game this year, but it would be pretty pleasing if he stayed on the list for next year and got past that mark. it's what he deserves for a decade of solid service.

Rubbish. Tommy Walsh is better. I have seen him play more than 2 times and it is a significantly lower competition but he is Irish and it would be much more romantic if he got a game instead of a guy who has given his all for the club over 10 years and as pointed out his last senior game he was going very well.

Show some guts RL and play guys that probably dont deserve a game but the people want them in. Even if it is likely to be one game and we have been told here that new players should at least get 2,3 or 4 games. It isnt as if Freo are a good side. They are 8th and we are 7th. We should win easily just as they were favourites over there and won easily. Wait a minute.

Walsh does deserve a game at least and this week would have been perfect for him.
He seems to be continually overlooked - when everyone else has been given 2 or 3 goes.
Blake and Walsh are not necessarily mutually exclusive... and giving Walsh a game does not mean we're putting down Blake... who most would agree has been a solid player.
I reckon let Walsh have a taste at AFL level to show (him) that he's valued... it would be validating him and demonstrating that his good work at VFL level has not gone unnoticed.

[plugger66]

So all you clowns that knock him, have a look back a few months and you'll see I'm right on this.

agreed.

i like jb. i don't think he'll get to 200 game this year, but it would be pretty pleasing if he stayed on the list for next year and got past that mark. it's what he deserves for a decade of solid service.

Rubbish. Tommy Walsh is better. I have seen him play more than 2 times and it is a significantly lower competition but he is Irish and it would be much more romantic if he got a game instead of a guy who has given his all for the club over 10 years and as pointed out his last senior game he was going very well.

Show some guts RL and play guys that probably dont deserve a game but the people want them in. Even if it is likely to be one game and we have been told here that new players should at least get 2,3 or 4 games. It isnt as if Freo are a good side. They are 8th and we are 7th. We should win easily just as they were favourites over there and won easily. Wait a minute.

Walsh does deserve a game at least and this week would have been perfect for him.
He seems to be continually overlooked - when everyone else has been given 2 or 3 goes
Blake and Walsh are not necessarily mutually exclusive... and giving Walsh a game does not mean we're putting down Blake... who most would agree has been a solid player.

Firstly how many times have you seen Walsh play? Secondly Blake and Walsh are mutually exclusive in this case because only one can play this game. I dont care what anyone thinks, all our games are danger games and you need to play your most experienced players. It was good to get time into young players nut i dont think it is a coincidence that once we had a settled mature line up the club has improved significantly. If Walsh is good enough he may get a game later in the year or he has to wait until next year. If one game is the difference between him staying and going then good luck, go. Afterall I doubt he will ever be the messiah.

[samoht]

If Fremantle proves a danger game - we might as well bow out now.

Also Walsh was one of Sandy's best again last week - which doesn't seem to ever count for him - I'd hate to be in the guy's shoes as he's not getting a go.

[markp]

So all you clowns that knock him, have a look back a few months and you'll see I'm right on this.

agreed.

i like jb. i don't think he'll get to 200 game this year, but it would be pretty pleasing if he stayed on the list for next year and got past that mark. it's what he deserves for a decade of solid service.

Rubbish. Tommy Walsh is better. I have seen him play more than 2 times and it is a significantly lower competition but he is Irish and it would be much more romantic if he got a game instead of a guy who has given his all for the club over 10 years and as pointed out his last senior game he was going very well.

Show some guts RL and play guys that probably dont deserve a game but the people want them in. Even if it is likely to be one game and we have been told here that new players should at least get 2,3 or 4 games. It isnt as if Freo are a good side. They are 8th and we are 7th. We should win easily just as they were favourites over there and won easily. Wait a minute.

+1

You know it makes sense.

[plugger66]

If Fremantle proves a danger game - we might as well bow out now.

Also Walsh was one of Sandy's best again last week - which doesn't seem to ever count for him - I'd hate to be in the guy's shoes as he's not getting a go.

Well maybe i aint as confident as you but I reckon Freo is a danger game. Did they think it was when we went over there? Probably not and look what happened. As for the best at Sandy, well they are done by the drunks up the Sauntner end of the ground. And i reckon the coaches are telling him where he is at and he isnt going by the best at Sandy every week.

[joffaboy]

Why does Walsh deserve a game?

Charity?

Because people who haven't seen him play are impatient?

I just dont understand this.

Its not as if Walsh is a world beater. He is steady, has a nice kick, and seems like he will be a prospect going forward.

People have to remember that he has played less than 30 games of Australian Rules football.

Carlton burnt Setanta O'Hailpin by playing him when he wasn't ready and while he has been an OK player, he never reached his potential.

I would like to see Walsh play five + years with us in the seniors, and he needs to learn the game. he was put down back to learn how to play and has now been moved forward.

From these signs it would seem the coaching staff are happy with his progress.

Just be patient.

[samoht]

It's the Aussie tradition to get a fair go.

and if we lose to Fremantle because we played Walsh one week instead of Blake - so be it...we'll write off 2011 a week earlier.

[joffaboy]

I'd hate to be in the guy's shoes as he's not getting a go.

What shoes are they?

have you ever spoken to Walsh?

Do you know what he thinks about playing footy for a living while his mates at home are all losing their jobs as Ireland falls to pieces?

Do you think the coaching staff just ignore him and dont tell him what his status is?

Considering he is now playing up forward and Zac Dawson is a back, who do you propose the forward be that is dropped?

Lynch was already dropped for Roo. So Milne, Schneider, Kosi, Gamble?

Which role would Walsh paly if one of them was dropped? is he a goal sneak like Milne or Schneider? Can he ruck and drop back in ahole like Kosi? Can he push up and play the link man like Gamble?

Answer me Walsh's strengths as a forward and then explain why he would do a better job in the role of the player you propose to drop.

If you blithley state a play deserves a game, you have to tell us why and how he fits into the Saints structure and game plan.

Over to you.....

[plugger66]

It's the Aussie tradition to get a fair go.

and if we lose to Fremantle because we played Walsh one week instead of Blake - so be it...we'll write off 2011 a week earlier.

And why is it fairer to give Walsh a go instead of Blake?

[samoht]

JB talk is cheap - you need to demonstrate that you value a player too.

We are 2 big bodies short in the back line.,, so this week we would not be doing walsh any special favour.

[joffaboy]

It's the Aussie tradition to get a fair go.

I see so he deserves a fair go as a charity gesture?

And you want to se ethe Saints lose for this charity?

Sorry, I want to see the Saints win.

If it is for the sake of seeing Walsh play, get off your backside and get down to Sandy.

Maybe then you could answer me his strengths and weaknesses.

[joffaboy]

JB talk is cheap - you need to demonstrate that you value a player too.

So it is, can you answer me the questions I posed about Walsh in the forward line?

Considering you reckon he should play out of position (down back). Can you explain to me the advantages of his playing style as a defender over Blake?

[joffaboy]

We are 2 big bodies short in the back line.,, so this week we would not be doing walsh any special favour.

If all you want in the backline are big bodies, why not play Archer down there? or any "big body".

have you seen Walsh play down back? Have you seen Walsh play?

[Con Gorozidis]

im a big j blake fan (i once played at the beaui sharsks!) but what is the point playing blake?

we know what hes capable of. we learn nothing from the exercise. isnt it about "constant improvement" ?

if walsh is no good we can always bring the blake back against the pies.
wasted opportunity.

[samoht]

JB talk is cheap - you need to demonstrate that you value a player too.

So it is, can you answer me the questions I posed about Walsh in the forward line?

Considering you reckon he should play out of position (down back). Can you explain to me the advantages of his playing style as a defender over Blake?

Walsh can play in the backline too (probably more comfortable there).

[perfectionist]

It's the Aussie tradition to get a fair go.

and if we lose to Fremantle because we played Walsh one week instead of Blake - so be it...we'll write off 2011 a week earlier.

On that basis, we should have played him in the PF last year. It is certainly unusual for a team in the eight to "tank" with five games to go.

[degruch]

JB talk is cheap - you need to demonstrate that you value a player too.

We are 2 big bodies short in the back line.,, so this week we would not be doing walsh any special favour.

The match-ups look good to me, why do we need another big defender?

[joffaboy]

im a big j blake fan (i once played at the beaui sharsks!) but what is the point playing blake?

To win the game. Isn't that the point?

we know what hes capable of. we learn nothing from the exercise. isnt it about "constant improvement" ?

ATM Blake is a better backman than Walsh, is more flexible, and is a safer player down back.

if walsh is no good we can always bring the blake back against the pies.
wasted opportunity.

So you are advocating we dont select our best team? In effect tank? For what? To have a "look" at Walsh.

he is playing at Sandy this week. Go down there and watch him if you are that keen.

[samoht]

Remember we are only talking about giving Walsh a game....we didn't have a problem when Smith, Heyne, Siposs got 2 or 3 games in a row.

1 game !! .. to encourage the guy... and if we lose to Freo because of it - I can live with it as we won't obviously be setting the world on fire in the finals anyway.

[degruch]

Remember we are only talking about giving Walsh a game....we didn't have a problem when Smith, Heyne, Siposs got 2 or 3 games in a row.

1 game !! .. to encourage the guy... and if we lose to Freo because of it - I can live with it as we won't obviously be setting the world on fire in the finals anyway.

Those guys got a game early in the season, when I think it was safer - it's the pointy end of the season now. Also, Walsh instead of Blake - Walsh lines up on Pav? Talk about a baptism of fire!

[spert]

I wish Walsh all the best, but jeez, from what I have seen, he a long way off and at the moment a good VFL player. He may get a game this season, but now we have a sniff of finals, RL will take no risks.