Lets remove the Grandstand from Riewoldt

[St.Walker]

The weight of expectation if to much on riewoldt shoulders. No man can carry the grandstand. Let they guy be the best he can by focusing on just playing footy.

New el captian in 2012.

[perfectionist]

The toll of injuries I guess. Grab a vid of any 2004 to 2009 game and see how he could bend and pick up. I bet he can't even touch his toes now. We all know that 2009 was the year for all sorts of players and 2010 could have been a bonus. Not to be.

[Dan Warna]

YEah, a guy who shows too much courage and too much heart, lets kick him while he's down.

[Megsie]

BJ for captain. His time has come.

[Sainternist]

We are going to into Round 23 of the 2011 AFL season with the Finals at stake.

Let's focus on having our current captain lead the team until the season is out before even consider these sorts of decisions.

Or perhaps the season is over for you already?

[thejiggingsaint]

Well said Sainternist! NOW is the time to take a deep one, pick ourselves up and BACK THE SIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Furphy]

I just hope Roo's ok, he looked to be injured today & he's not someone to let on he's hurt.

[St Lenny]

I just hope Roo's ok, he looked to be injured today & he's not someone to let on he's hurt.

Spot on, seriously I had tears in my eyes, when he took that mark in the last quarter and he was stalling for time. threw the grass in the air, he NEVER does that. Didn't look good at all. Poor Roo, my heart bleeds for him.

[borderbarry]

He is so obviously carrying an injury or two. But I dont think we can line up without him. Make him Sub next week. He could be dynamic in half a game.

[SainterK]

His knee has been crook for weeks now, unfortunately just after he reinjured it, someone took a mark on him and he took the load while he was ginger...that didn't help.

Poor guy, the brain is still operating like he is 100% fit, which leads to the frustration.

[Saints Angel]

Rooey has tried to make the best of this season. He has been clearly injured for some time. Some type of surgery will await him at season's end. In the meantime lets just support the guy. He bleeds red, white and black.

[lyonhearted]

If you listen to flogs like Matthew Lloyd, Rooey's career is as good as over.
That couldn't be further from the truth; our captain is a champion and you write champion's off at your peril - he will bounce back. He's clearly injured but still giving his all. Don't knock him, support him....that's what we're supposed to do remember, we're SUPPORTers.

[Junction Oval]

Rooey is in a very difficult situation - now clearly injured, loss of confidence and form, inacurate kicking, poor incoming delivery to him.

He can only persevere, which is what he is doing.

I think that it is time for the Club to step in and release the pressure of Captaincy from him next year, so that he can concentrate on "himself."

Lenny, BJ, Dal could easily step up.

[bobmurray]

Rooey is in a very difficult situation - now clearly injured, loss of confidence and form, inacurate kicking, poor incoming delivery to him.

He can only persevere, which is what he is doing.

I think that it is time for the Club to step in and release the pressure of Captaincy from him next year, so that he can concentrate on "himself."

Lenny, BJ, Dal could easily step up.

He'll still get his mill so it shouldn't bother him too much.....

[BigMart]

BJ needs to improve his body language first....and work through a few issues himself....

How exactly is removing the captaincy going to help his game....

Whe the balls coming into the fwd line, is it even in his thoughts, that he is captain....or is he just going to watch the ball..

[Junction Oval]

BobMurrayy said :

He'll still get his mill so it shouldn't bother him too much.....

It's a bit of a tough call Bob. He has given the Club and us, the supporters, a lot over the years and he has a lot of pride about his performance - or lack of it lately. Hopefully, he can regain his form next year, but I do think that the timing will be right to relinquish the Captaincy.

[bobmurray]

Whe the balls coming into the fwd line, is it even in his thoughts, that he is captain....or is he just going to watch the ball..

he watches the ball now....leave the forward 50 in the oppositions hands or sail through for a point

[Saints Angel]

[quote="lyonhearted"]If you listen to flogs like Matthew Lloyd, Rooey's career is as good as over.
That couldn't be further from the truth; our captain is a champion and you write champion's off at your peril - he will bounce back. He's clearly injured but still giving his all. Don't knock him, support him....that's what we're supposed to do remember, we're SUPPORTers.[/quote]

Matthew Lloyd has an ego a mile long. Can stand him. think he know EVERYTHING and that his is the ONLY OpINION that Counts.

2012 will be a good year for Nick Reiwoldt.

[AnythingsPossibleSaints]

Was an interesting little article by Craig Hutchinson about Roo in the paper today, quoting what Richie Vandenberg said about Nick's body language this year: "When you're watching the game and you're watching Nick Riewoldt's body language and you see the expressions on his face and the shoulders drop, he just doesn't look like that vibrant person that he used to be out on the field. He doesn't feel like he's in control. He's just not giving the supporter any confidence. There's no, 'Hey I'm here, I'm Nick Riewoldt, look to me, you kick me the footy and I'll do the rest'. He doesn't look like that guy any more."
Now I'm not remotely interested in what any of you think about Craig Hutchinson, or Vandenberg, but the latter was an opposing captain and has seen Nick up close out on the ground, so it was interesting to hear what he said about how Nick doesn't come across the way he used to.
I've also thought in recent weeks that Nick's body language was pretty poor. Not getting to Richo levels, but starting to head in that direction a bit. He definitely needs to take a load off, one way or another.

[ralphsmith]

Does anyone close to the club know what's up with him?

Depression looks likely. As mentioned, the vibrancy, the energy, the pulse, the aura, the zest for football is gone from him.

Depression is very likely.

Hope he can recover from it as it is a debilitating problem.

[Old Mate]

He looks like the end of season couldn't come any quicker. Needs a break away from footy, get it off his mind and relax. Certainly doesn't look like he's enjoying himself on the footy field.

[bigcarl]

Rooey is in a very difficult situation - now clearly injured, loss of confidence and form, inacurate kicking, poor incoming delivery to him.

He can only persevere, which is what he is doing.

I think that it is time for the Club to step in and release the pressure of Captaincy from him next year, so that he can concentrate on "himself."

Lenny, BJ, Dal could easily step up.

Agree. And give him another key forward down there ... Walsh ... to spread the load.

Lenny skipper for a final crack at it IMO.

Riewoldt would hate it and see it as a failure, but down the track he'd be thankful.

[desertsaint]

won't see roo being roo this year. didn't see it most of last year.
carried himself to the finals in 2009.
don't know if we'll see him dominate consistently again.
needs to be managed much better and needs a change and a rest.
won't get it yet.

[dcstkfc]

He'll still get his mill so it shouldn't bother him too much.....

You've got to be joking? You reckon Rooey wouldn't give up three quarters of that for a premiership?



Yeah it's all about the money for Roo, he doesn't care at all...

[dcstkfc]

Does anyone close to the club know what's up with him?

Depression looks likely. As mentioned, the vibrancy, the energy, the pulse, the aura, the zest for football is gone from him.

Depression is very likely.

Hope he can recover from it as it is a debilitating problem.

We should be careful when making such calls from a distance, but it wouldn't shock me.