Lyon sniffing around

[supersaints]

Excuse the post and copy

It is understood that a handful of Lyon’s former St Kilda dominators Brendon Goddard, Leigh Montagna and Nick Dal Santo are in the firing line for a possible reunion with their old coach over in the west.

The re-modelled Dockers under Lyon have made it abundantly clear they are searching for a power forward and have been linked with attempts to lure brute force Collingwood gun Travis Cloke for next year.

But it has also emerged that Lyon and his football advisors want an injection of nippy on-ballers to run the football through heavy traffic and into open forward line scoring chances.

St Kilda's looming salary cap squeeze with so many top stars out of contract, further enhances likes of Lyon's former Saints stars as likely recruiting targets.

Even though the hard-nut Saints have recovered from Lyon's unsavoury departure with a return to the top eight after two months under new coach Scott Watters and are serious finals contenders, they face certain losses among some their stars at season's end.

Goddard and Montagna are most likely to emerge as prime candidates to leave the Saints.

They are out of contract at the end of this season with no immediate apparent prospects of announcing new deals with the Saints.

Dal Santo, 28, would need to be traded to switch clubs with his Saints contract intact until the end of next year.

It is understood that at least one St Kilda big name is growing in his concerns that Saints officials are yet to initiate talks on any new deal.

Gritty defender Sam Gilbert, 25, is another top Saint who is out of contract at the end of the current season and likely to attract significant interest from clubs looking for versatile big defenders.

The nippy Montagna, 28, looms as the most likely to slot into Fremantle’s midfield.

His pace and slick ball-use alongside emerging Freo on-ballers Stephen Hill, Michael Barlow, David Mundy, Nat Fyfe and Anthony Morabito, when the gifted teenager eventually resumes from his full knee reconstruction, is a crucial ingredient desperately needed by the Dockers and especially at their home ground at Subiaco.

Fremantle’s desperate need for some midfield reinforcements was totally exposed in the Docker’s second-half capitulation to staunch rival West Coast in Perth in Sunday's Western Derby 35.

West Coast completely obliterated the Dockers around the ball in heavy congestion to slam on 10 goals to Fremantle’s none from deep into the second term to when the game was secure a minute into the final quarter and a 54-point lead.

Goddard, 27, has constantly been linked with a possible departure from the Saints at the end of his current contract.

The tough all-rounder consistently gets connected with a possible move to new franchise Greater Western Sydney on a lucrative contract or to an outfit where Goddard might achieve premiership glory in the closing stages of his playing days.

Dal Santo would need to be part of an amicable swap to proceed with any prospect of reuniting with his former coach.

Lyon was also still contracted for another season with the Saints when he walked out last September and revealed that he had not received any extension offer from club management until just days before his explosive departure.

Saints management appears to have already braced for potential loss of a big name and even the prospect of another switch from a gun to re-acquaint with their highly regarded old coach at Fremantle.

Saints chief executive Michael Nettlefold conceded late last year that players will be tempted to move on the back of Lyon’s controversial walkout that rocked AFL circles immediately after losing an elimination final to Sydney.

“When a coach leaves it's not unusual to lose people and when a new coach comes, there is every chance he might want to facilitate change anyway,'' Nettlefold said at the time.

St Kilda’s delicate juggling act with a host of accomplished stars coming out of contract is expected to escalate into a major story through the AFL community as the 2012 season approaches conclusion.

The Saints salary cap problems have been well documented through AFL circles with mounting anticipation that at least one big and probably even two top servants will be squeezed out at the end of this season.

Approaching free agency movements will further complicate St Kilda’s negotiations with any of the Saints heading into new deal discussions.

St Kilda has the biggest list of any club of players open to movement through the league’s new free agency regulations.

The Saints have 10 of the 81 players listed as either restricted or unrestricted free agents.

A restricted free agent can move to a club of his choice if a contractual offer cannot be match by his existing club, while an unrestricted player can move to a new employer without any limitations in the crossover.

The brilliant Goddard is a restricted agent, while Montagna will be completely free to move to a club of his choice after his unbroken decade of Saints service.

Fiery veteran small forward Stephen Milne, powerhouse big man Justin Koschitzke, defender Jason Blake, James Gwilt, Raphael Clarke, Montagna and popular champion Lenny Hayes are Saints heading for unrestricted free agent status at the end of the season.

[ozrulestrace]

Let's hope they all watched the Dockers' woeful game yesterday.

I don't think they would want to fly west and play that rubbish.

But then again maybe the mining millionaires can get their cheque book out again, just like they did for Ross.

[saintbrat]

As I posted in another thread- they need to get their facts correct and sportsnewsfirst need to check with more than the player managers they have as their sources- who are working for their own advantage....

[Legendary]

That sounds like it was written by the website "Sports News First"

I haven't checked but I am assuming it's the source.


If that's the case, then it has slightly more credit than the turd I saw a dog leave on the beach yesterday morning, but significantly less credit than my friend's Polish speaking grandmother talking about astro physics.

[To the top]

So Freo are such a pathetic side that they need to attract St Kilda west?

Funny, I thought Lyon was jumping to go to a premiership contender!

[Con Gorozidis]

scoff
the only one i reckon might be tempted would be schneids

[SainterK]

Chris Pelchen and Ameet Bains maintain there is no issue with the cap now, that they fixed it...

[plugger66]

Round 9 and you can bet most if not all is rubbish probably including we will be right with the salary cap.

[st_Trav_ofWA]

Lazy reporters .. Ross has indicated that the Freo midfield needs a rebuild after getting smashed by WCE .. This lazy reporter is just putting 2and2 and comming up with 40 !?!?!? Ross will go chasing the Dean Polos or jesse smiths not the goddards or montagnas

[supersaints]

Lyon probably wants to use Zac as a trade in!

[Leo.J]

Most of these guys apparently had an issue with moving to Seaford...

Good luck getting them to Fremantle.

[stkildathunda]

That sounds like it was written by the website "Sports News First"

I haven't checked but I am assuming it's the source.


If that's the case, then it has slightly more credit than the turd I saw a dog leave on the beach yesterday morning, but significantly less credit than my friend's Polish speaking grandmother talking about astro physics.

Correct, its written by Kim Hagdorn form SportsLiesFirst... So basically what it means is EVERY player mentioned will remain at Saints next year

[Old Mate]

scoff
the only one i reckon might be tempted would be schneids

Really? Schneider is extremely close with a lot of the core players. I can't see him going anywhere. Kosi and Monty likewise. IMO Gilbert and Goddard the most likely to leave.

[plugger66]

scoff
the only one i reckon might be tempted would be schneids

Really? Schneider is extremely close with a lot of the core players. I can't see him going anywhere. Kosi and Monty likewise. IMO Gilbert and Goddard the most likely to leave.

Why? Arent they close to the core group?

[defacto]

Lazy reporters .. Ross has indicated that the Freo midfield needs a rebuild after getting smashed by WCE .. This lazy reporter is just putting 2and2 and comming up with 40 !?!?!? Ross will go chasing the Dean Polos or jesse smiths not the goddards or montagnas

lol it would be hilarious if ross did steal more saints players/ it just shows he keeps referring to the past rather than the future. just shows he still cant develop from within. rather he needs to trade in.

would be great for us and terrible for freo. if they do get our stars they will pay overs. we will be compensated and will pick up quality kids in a super draft.

club before player

[plugger66]

Lazy reporters .. Ross has indicated that the Freo midfield needs a rebuild after getting smashed by WCE .. This lazy reporter is just putting 2and2 and comming up with 40 !?!?!? Ross will go chasing the Dean Polos or jesse smiths not the goddards or montagnas

lol it would be hilarious if ross did steal more saints players/ it just shows he keeps referring to the past rather than the future. just shows he still cant develop from within. rather he needs to trade in.

would be great for us and terrible for freo. if they do get our stars they will pay overs. we will be compensated and will pick up quality kids in a super draft.

club before player

Got to say i wouldnt see anything funny at all if he got a star player or two off us.

[Old Mate]

scoff
the only one i reckon might be tempted would be schneids

Really? Schneider is extremely close with a lot of the core players. I can't see him going anywhere. Kosi and Monty likewise. IMO Gilbert and Goddard the most likely to leave.

Why? Arent they close to the core group?

Were Goddard and Gilbert at Lenny's wedding? What about Schneider, Kosi and Monty?

[st_Trav_ofWA]

Kim Hagdon must also be remembered for his great article in 2007 where he declared Peter Sumich will be the coach of Geelong after bomber gets the chop midseason ... Worth pointing out this was 5 weeks into the geelong winning streak that claimed them the 07 flag ...

[defacto]

Lazy reporters .. Ross has indicated that the Freo midfield needs a rebuild after getting smashed by WCE .. This lazy reporter is just putting 2and2 and comming up with 40 !?!?!? Ross will go chasing the Dean Polos or jesse smiths not the goddards or montagnas

lol it would be hilarious if ross did steal more saints players/ it just shows he keeps referring to the past rather than the future. just shows he still cant develop from within. rather he needs to trade in.

would be great for us and terrible for freo. if they do get our stars they will pay overs. we will be compensated and will pick up quality kids in a super draft.

club before player

Got to say i wouldnt see anything funny at all if he got a star player or two off us.

mate the players he can get his hands on are replaceable:
- goddard
- montagna
- gram
- clarke
- gilbert

we have to stop moving heaven and earth and sacraficing our cap to pay overs for players. if freo want them they will have to pay more than overs to drag them out of melbourne

[stkildathunda]

Kim Hagdon must also be remembered for his great article in 2007 where he declared Peter Sumich will be the coach of Geelong after bomber gets the chop midseason ... Worth pointing out this was 5 weeks into the geelong winning streak that claimed them the 07 flag ...

I dunno last year when he announced Ross Lyon would be named as coach of Melbourne was a ripper Or that Goddard was gone. Or... well we could keep going all night

[plugger66]

Really? Schneider is extremely close with a lot of the core players. I can't see him going anywhere. Kosi and Monty likewise. IMO Gilbert and Goddard the most likely to leave.

Why? Arent they close to the core group?

Were Goddard and Gilbert at Lenny's wedding? What about Schneider, Kosi and Monty?

BJ was but I didnt know that decided if they were close or not to others in the core group.

[Leo.J]

Kim Hagdon = Joke

[SainterK]

Why do people assume that because Ross and Zac left, that some other guys will as well?

They weren't really 'St Kilda' people in the truest sense of the word, Zac was at his second club already, and Ross is kind of strange when it comes to 'loyalty' because he admits he doesn't preach it or subscribe to it.

[st_Trav_ofWA]

I don't think Freo will get any star from anywhere ... Ross will do a sweep of the list at years end and he will need fast results from the Freo board so expect him to fill up with "role" players who will follow his plan to the letter he will get players on the outer with their clubs who need a second chance and will work hard for him ... A Star player will be too hard to bring over and sell the game plan to .. Especially a forward .. Can you imagine Ross trying to sell Freo and his game plan of defend clog and keep it close to a power forward like Cloak ??

[jays]

Lol