3 or 4 players to return, cant see 3-4 to omit.

[borderbarry]

3 or 4 players to return, cant see 3-4 to omit. With Fisher, Schneider, McEvoy Stanley, and maybe Clarke, who is going to make way for them? If the selectors are fair dinkum, it will be the likes of Jones, and Gilbert, but I bet its not.

[bobmurray]

There are now 2 threads that have asked this question..should we create more threads to answer the question....

[Teflon]

Please keep Milera or Saad.........we need their pace and clean skills simply. Many times tonight they caught Swans players cold for pure speed in fwd half........

This is hard.......the way I see it this season is bringing some youth to top of queue.....fast.

1. Clarke- Im sorry cant fit him in (I think Simpkin has filled in his chance)
2. Schneider - Jones (Schneider to midfield?....could use his footskills in there...Dempster for specialist run with roles?)
2. McEvoy for Blake
3. Fisher - Gram (free Gilbert to run...cant carry to many bad kicks...some have to go)
4. Stanley for one of Milera or Saad (hate this but Stanley keeps the speed AND offers height/3 tall structure and ruck options.... and we cant carry 3 small fwds)

IF Milera could generate more posession/impact (and thats hard cause he will with game time..) then possibly he could deliver that out of the back half cause his skills are sublime and we can use them there to improve.......IF SO Geary (who has enormous courage) is under threat...Milera is a 1 grab player..

I still want Ledger in the side.........but gee....perhaps IF Schneider/Milne goes awol.....he comes in.

So, for our future overall skill/pace to improve (cause it needs to especially under pressure we saw it again early tonight) I think we are a better side with guys like those below as depth:

Blake
Jones
Gram
Clarke

[bigcarl]

I reckon Fisher is a walk up start and McEvoy, but it's hard to break team that won so well.

[hungry for a premiership]

Tough chestnut to crack, but a good chestnut to have!


Perhaps Schneider as a pinch-hitting sub, coming on for a quarter and a half for maximum impact?

[SaintPav]

I really love these threads. Where's the love for Blake after tonights game? Ledger will get his chance but he has no tank at all..

Drop Blake...LOL.....no idea...If you were at the game and saw the way he went about it ....he's 189 cm for ffs...What an effort..

[andrewg]

Gotta say gram was very disappointing again he is just so soft at the contest. Changes will be
Gram out Fisher in
Big Mac in siposs out
Stanley will miss six due to age and history with hamstrings
And that's it
If Gilbert doesn't get better he will Make way for Schneider
Clarke
Ray
Polo
Ledger all depth

[desertsaint]

no way would we drop Blake.
and why bring in Schneider?
and better than Clarke are already playing.
Chips and McEvoy if fit are certain.
If so Gram should be out, and possibly Geary/Gilbert/Cripps/Siposs

[saintspremiers]

What about Polo?!!!

[Kate]

What a fantastic problem to have. I hope our selectors are challenged with this problem for the next few years at least.

[saintspremiers]

What a fantastic problem to have. I hope our selectors are challenged with this problem for the next few years at least.

Who knows, we may lose a few players through injury the next few rounds. Makes it a whole lot easier then!

[Moods]

Game moves too quick for Clarke these days I reckon. Need quick thinkers in heavy traffic. Sadly Raph is like a rabbit in the lights. He stays out. Fisher automatically comes back in. Has to. I think Stanley as well when fit. Schneides and even big Ben may have to either wait their chance in the twos or force their way in with good form. If the team keeps up this sort of form then no-one gets dropped. THat's a big IF.

[Dan Warna]

Its not a problem we have often.
Really its a question of who steps up.
Fisher, stanley and mcevoy are the only walk up starts IMO.
even gwilt and clarke have had to earn their spot in the seniors.

[plugger66]

Gotta say gram was very disappointing again he is just so soft at the contest. Changes will be
Gram out Fisher in
Big Mac in siposs out
Stanley will miss six due to age and history with hamstrings
And that's it
If Gilbert doesn't get better he will Make way for Schneider
Clarke
Ray
Polo
Ledger all depth

Seriously people need to watch the game not think they are wtachingthe game. Gram will not be dropped next week. Gilbert may eventually get dropped but it isnt for schneider.

[Teflon]

I really love these threads. Where's the love for Blake after tonights game? Ledger will get his chance but he has no tank at all..

Drop Blake...LOL.....no idea...If you were at the game and saw the way he went about it ....he's 189 cm for ffs...What an effort..

With a fully fit side Blake aint the future and we DONT NEED him to pinch hit in the ruck. McEvoy, Stanley, Fisher, Kosi, Gwilt back in that side.....where does Blake play genius???

Blakes been great for 10 years but FFS the time to improve the skill level of the side and give some of the youth a go is now - its actually got us this far.

I was at the game dipshyte - doesnt mean I let "blind love" for the past over rule what needs to be doen for the future.

You can still wear your Blake duffle coat to the game...

[SaintPav]

I really love these threads. Where's the love for Blake after tonights game? Ledger will get his chance but he has no tank at all..

Drop Blake...LOL.....no idea...If you were at the game and saw the way he went about it ....he's 189 cm for ffs...What an effort..

With a fully fit side Blake aint the future and we DONT NEED him to pinch hit in the ruck. McEvoy, Stanley, Fisher, Kosi, Gwilt back in that side.....where does Blake play genius???

Blakes been great for 10 years but FFS the time to improve the skill level of the side and give some of the youth a go is now - its actually got us this far.

I was at the game dipshyte - doesnt mean I let "blind love" for the past over rule what needs to be doen for the future.

You can still wear your Blake duffle coat to the game...

dipshyte yourself arseh#le.. Blind love has nothing to do with it..A bit of recognition is what I meant but you're the typical asreh#le supporter bagging our players..

[Teflon]

I really love these threads. Where's the love for Blake after tonights game? Ledger will get his chance but he has no tank at all..

Drop Blake...LOL.....no idea...If you were at the game and saw the way he went about it ....he's 189 cm for ffs...What an effort..

With a fully fit side Blake aint the future and we DONT NEED him to pinch hit in the ruck. McEvoy, Stanley, Fisher, Kosi, Gwilt back in that side.....where does Blake play genius???

Blakes been great for 10 years but FFS the time to improve the skill level of the side and give some of the youth a go is now - its actually got us this far.

I was at the game dipshyte - doesnt mean I let "blind love" for the past over rule what needs to be doen for the future.

You can still wear your Blake duffle coat to the game...

dipshyte yourself arseh#le.. Blind love has nothing to do with it..A bit of recognition is what I meant but you're the typical asreh#le supporter bagging our players..

Answer the question dopey dont play the "I idolise players more than you" BS

Where you playing Blake with all those back in the side dreamer????

That's right, it's called "reading" - if you dont understand a topic dont post on the big board...maybe get mum to read them out to you first?

[saintsRrising]

and why bring in Schneider?

Smart ball user....is great for goal assists plus goals.

Good skills...and reads the play very well.

Can add to our midfield depth...and in finals you need that.

[bergsone]

Ruck combo of Blake,Kosi and Stanley anyone?.Means Ben misses

Gram for Fisher this week IMO if fish is fit

[saintsRrising]

We are finally in the excellent position of not having a bad bottom six (subject to how big our injury list is of course).

If we get full availability of players (and we may not) we are in the delicious position of omitting players not because they are poor, but because we have better options!!!!!!!!!!!!!

we may see some judicious resting of a player here or there...which will allow more players to play.

Automatic ins: Fisher, Ben, Stanley, Schneider

Maybe: Raph

Those that may go:

Said or Milera....but with their pace and skills...and that I believe both will bloom with more games I believe they will stay. Certainly one will.

Cripps, Siposs.... both are showing a lot of talent and promise, and both look to be a big part of our future. The desire to play finals may squeeze them out. The two most likely to not be playing in Sept.

Gram: cops more criticism than he deserves, and his pace is very handy in the backline. Poor kicking may see him squeezed out though.

Blake and his younger brother Geary have huge hearts and endeavour with never say die attitudes. But both just lack good disposal skills.
Simpkin. has been a stand out this year. Could well be a choice between him and Blake and so how agonising is that!!!


And those that I doubt would:

Ray: I am unabashed fan.
Gwilt: should just get better and better. Mr Calm and Cool. his kicking may see him displace Blake.
Armo: A ? at the seasons start. But while inconsistent still, he is inconsistently good rather than inconsistently average. Importantly in some games he has been playing match winning football. Looks set to get better.
Kosi: Has been solid. Importantly Watters 3 tall forward structure was really starting to fire. With Roo and Stanly complemented by Milne, Saad and Milera it looks lethal.
CJ: While his footskills are not good, he ticks all the other boxes. Taggers once looking doomed are back in fashion and he is our main midfield tagger.

[BigMart]

I think we need to keep more than 1 player under 6'2" in the back half, or we will be clumsy at ground level, and be exposed by small Fwds and pressing...

Schnieder is going to come straight in.... Not sure for who?? Cripps?

Stanley will too..... Perhaps for Siposs.

McEvoy..... Maybe, for Blake, and Blake to go back.... or does Ben get squeezed??

Fisher.... Gilbert/Blake??

Blake....... Simpkin........ Dempster
Fisher....... Gwilt........... Geary
Ray.......... Hayes.......... Goddard
Schnieder... Stanley ...... Milera
koschitzke.... Riewoldt..... Milne

McEvoy........ Dal Santo..... Jones

Armitage ...... Steven..... Montagna...... Gram...... Saad .......... Gilbert........ Clarke

Cripps...... Ledger....... Siposs

I can't do it!!!

Luckily we never have the best 22 fit!!

[bigcarl]

i'll go with minimal changes to a winning side. If they keep playing well and we keep winning, they stay in.


Obviously there is a spot for Fisher when he is ready and McEvoy probably. Schneider is quality and Stanley extremely promising.

in an ideal world we keep winning and changes are decided by availability, unless someone is patently disgustingly out of form and match ups dictate a must selection.

It's just hard to toss players out of a side that won so well

[Teflon]

It is hard but it must become a question of our next best chance at a flag - what side in the future gives us that best chance??

IMO we are not genuine flag chances right now - we are playing some good footy and at times exciting........but thats largely due to kids being played. That has to continue hence why Stanley and co are locks. So the hard question is : to improve us for the FUTURE from Marts side who doesnt make it?

IMO its down to the likes of:

Jones
Blake - next year
Geary
Clarke
Gram
Milne - next year
Ray - must continue to perform


Some of these guys are playing great footy NOW and Blakes been massive filling the ruck hole........but its not where we are heading if we want another crack. Guys like

Siposs
Ledger
Cripps
Saad
Milera

Need to be given the chance to own spots.

[BigMart]

Yes, but they do have to be better than the incumbents.....

But nothing like competition for spots to keep fringe/comfortable players up....

I think we need to strike a balance...... We need some kids to complement core players.....

Cannot have all the kids in at once, but can't have none of them in

Polo, Peake, Wilkes...... Back ups only

[bigcarl]

IMO we are not genuine flag chances right now.

Let's see where the season takes us.

I see where Lenny told the players after his 250th he still believes we are as good as anyone else in it.

If Lenny says that, then who am I to dispute it?

In fact, if Lenny says it I doubt whether any of the playing group would disagree.