Team - Saints v Carlton

[AlpineStars]

Got smashed by swans in ruck and clearance.
So need to know whether Gardi is an option or not next week.

Yes we could get a home final, but the only definate is we are playing Sydney who dominated us in the ruck.

Thats what I thought, Mummy killed us and we face him again next week

[noreason41]

Smith in the emergencies.

So one and a half out of 3.

We are getting seriously close to my preferences now.

Smith must be very close - thought he may have come in for Armitage, in a like for like change....

Just because they are similar heights and weights doesn't make them like for like.

[Hurricane]

For weeks people have been saying that Ben needs help in the ruck, we need a second ruck, Blake/Kosi cant ruck ect. Gardi comes in to provide the second ruck option and people are saying we are too tall?

Cant have it both ways

BANG BANG

Shouldn't have Blake in the team then. Too much tall timber. I hope Armo gets a gig in the finals. I wouldn't be surprised if he isn't selected going on Ross Lyon's form.

At 189cm JB can play quite a few roles. I even remember him lining up on the wing a few times. He has a good engine and uses the ball pretty well. He isnt the typical lumpering backman that gets lost past defensive 50

BANG BANG

[Junction Oval]

I have a feeling that the Selectors have their eyes on Sydney/Mumford, so giving Gardi a run will show us where he is at.

The obvious move is for Macca to get ill suddenly on Saturday morning and bring in Gamble. Trouble is, if Gardy can't run out the game, we are "very" thin in the ruck !

[Old Mate]

For weeks people have been saying that Ben needs help in the ruck, we need a second ruck, Blake/Kosi cant ruck ect. Gardi comes in to provide the second ruck option and people are saying we are too tall?

Cant have it both ways

BANG BANG

Shouldn't have Blake in the team then. Too much tall timber. I hope Armo gets a gig in the finals. I wouldn't be surprised if he isn't selected going on Ross Lyon's form.

At 189cm JB can play quite a few roles. I even remember him lining up on the wing a few times. He has a good engine and uses the ball pretty well. He isnt the typical lumpering backman that gets lost past defensive 50

BANG BANG

I hear ya still don't think Blake made a good sub - same for Gards/Mac (any of the big boys)

[Old Mate]

I have a feeling that the Selectors have their eyes on Sydney/Mumford, so giving Gardi a run will show us where he is at.

...

It certainly looks that way....Winning numb 1 priority though. We have to pick a team that is in the best position to win on the day!

[Hurricane]

For weeks people have been saying that Ben needs help in the ruck, we need a second ruck, Blake/Kosi cant ruck ect. Gardi comes in to provide the second ruck option and people are saying we are too tall?

Cant have it both ways

BANG BANG

Shouldn't have Blake in the team then. Too much tall timber. I hope Armo gets a gig in the finals. I wouldn't be surprised if he isn't selected going on Ross Lyon's form.

At 189cm JB can play quite a few roles. I even remember him lining up on the wing a few times. He has a good engine and uses the ball pretty well. He isnt the typical lumpering backman that gets lost past defensive 50

BANG BANG

I hear ya still don't think Blake made a good sub - same for Gards/Mac (any of the big boys)

And fair enough too. I dont think the sub should be a tall player either. I think a small quick midfield player or small foward with pace that can break a game is the way to go. Essesndon have used the rule to the fullest.

Out of the 22 we have selected my preferance would probably be Gilbert to be the sub. But again that may leave us too tall and slow.

It is a dilema

BANG BANG

[BigMart]

Maybe gardiner will be a defensive fwd....

We have about 10 players over 190cm and most of them are slow....

[Old Mate]

For weeks people have been saying that Ben needs help in the ruck, we need a second ruck, Blake/Kosi cant ruck ect. Gardi comes in to provide the second ruck option and people are saying we are too tall?

Cant have it both ways

BANG BANG

Shouldn't have Blake in the team then. Too much tall timber. I hope Armo gets a gig in the finals. I wouldn't be surprised if he isn't selected going on Ross Lyon's form.

At 189cm JB can play quite a few roles. I even remember him lining up on the wing a few times. He has a good engine and uses the ball pretty well. He isnt the typical lumpering backman that gets lost past defensive 50

BANG BANG

I hear ya still don't think Blake made a good sub - same for Gards/Mac (any of the big boys)

And fair enough too. I dont think the sub should be a tall player either. I think a small quick midfield player or small foward with pace that can break a game is the way to go. Essesndon have used the rule to the fullest.

Out of the 22 we have selected my preferance would probably be Gilbert to be the sub. But again that may leave us too tall and slow.

It is a dilema

BANG BANG

Or Geary. He's done ok in the role - so has Raph - however will prob need those two for Betts and the other small indigenous forward (name escapes me).

[Old Mate]

Maybe gardiner will be a defensive fwd....

We have about 10 players over 190cm and most of them are slow....

Gardy on Yarran....?

[BigMart]

Hope so.....

Yarran 55 possesions

Gardiner15 marks

[plugger66]

Smith in the emergencies.

So one and a half out of 3.

We are getting seriously close to my preferences now.

Are you serious? Obviously not because you are funny.

[AnythingsPossibleSaints]

Gilbert sub, Hurricane? You've got to be kidding, he was right back to his best last week and we need his speed against Carlton. Was outstanding last week and also did a fantastic job on Judd for the first half last time (and was then taken off him for the second, for whatever reason, which freed Judd up to dominate late).

[dragit]

Surely one of Kosi, Ben, Blake or Gardiner will be a late withdrawal?
Carlton have chopped us up with pace in the past, not height, and without Waite playing they don't have a genuinely dangerous tall forward...

Maybe they are planning to send Ben to Full back to mind Kreuzer?

[MCG-Unit]

Smith in the emergencies.

So one and a half out of 3.

We are getting seriously close to my preferences now.

Smith must be very close - thought he may have come in for Armitage, in a like for like change....

Just because they are similar heights and weights doesn't make them like for like.

Well I reckon they are fairly like for like, Smith could play the defensive HF role, could rotate thru the midfield if required, and can run all game.....

[Devilhead]

But Ben is picked though and he aint a forward. We cant have Ben, Kosi and Rooy in the same gforward line.

Yet he played the majority of his junior footy as a forward

[True Blue Sainter]

What was wrong with the forward line TBS?

Nothing was wrong with it last week, in fact it functioned very well.

Kosi = 2nd ruck/FF
Roo = Roaming CHF/drop to FF when Kosi goes into ruck
Milne = crumbing forward, with occasional bursts up the ground
Schneider = crumbing forward, who would play high up as we like to use his delivery going inside 50
Armo = defensive forward with bursts in the middle and can kick a goal.

That's a really good balance there. You take out your defensive forward, and throw in a ruckman, and you become extremely top-heavy. I have a feeling that Carlton will be running the ball out of the backline with ease on the weekend.

[3rd generation saint]

I find it interesting we've selected Gardiner, though the team may not line up that way.
I'm sure RL would prefer to play Sydney at Etihad, than SCG or Olympic Stadium.
Thought Gamble or Walsh might get a run seeing Carlton are a bit short down back.

[dragit]

We've worried about going into matches with only 1 ruckmen at times this year, this week we'll have 4 options
Maybe we can do the 'third man up' thing with a genuine ruckmen, two ruckmen at every stoppage

[jays]

think we to top heavy think baker will come in for blake imo

[Hurricane]

Gilbert sub, Hurricane? You've got to be kidding, he was right back to his best last week and we need his speed against Carlton. Was outstanding last week and also did a fantastic job on Judd for the first half last time (and was then taken off him for the second, for whatever reason, which freed Judd up to dominate late).

I simply said it would be my preferance out of the 22, as his speed and drive would be super handy say early in the third when the Blues are starting to tire.

As mentioned Geary and Raph have played the role before and done ok. Essendon showed what a player with speed and skills can do when subbed on.

You dont have to agree with me

BANG BANG

[PJ]

If we are going to experiment at all with options/strategies we have 1 week left to do it in.

I think we'll just have to wait to see what the plan is before we have too many brain explosions, death threats, membership burnings and all the usually paranoia.

[saintbob]

Big Ben will get a mysterious illness, AKA rested, and either Bakes or Smith will come in.

[PJ]

Armitage will return for the first final - MG is in to experiment/tinker with the balance of talls before the real stuff begins. I actually don't think Ross cares where the final is as long as it's not at ANZ.

[Old Mate]

Armitage will return for the first final - MG is in to experiment/tinker with the balance of talls before the real stuff begins. I actually don't think Ross cares where the final is as long as it's not at ANZ.

Hope so