Best 22 for Rd 1

[PJ]

Minus Gwilt - our best defence

B Dempster Simp/Ferg Blake
HB Fish & Cripps Gilbert

IMO

Think there may be a chance of Ferg getting an elevation and would love to see him primed as CHB for the future.

[saintDal]

ok I guess there is no Gwilt for round one.

is that definite then? thought he'd been training with the group. all it says on the website is that he continues to work hard on his rehab program.

cant go wrong with putting a 12 month recovery period on a normal reco.

Yeah he did it in Rd 17 so we probably won't see him for a bit.

[DWOODROW]

[quote="Spinner"]FB: Clarke Wilkes Ray
HB: Gram Fisher Gilbert
C: Montagna Hayes Goddard
HF: Cripps Riewoldt Schneider
FF Milne Koschitzke Steven
R:McEvoy Dal Santo Armitage
INT: Dempster Jones Stanley

SUB: Ledger[/quote]

Nice team, although Gram will not be there and possibly Wilkes

[plugger66]

FB: Clarke Wilkes Ray
HB: Gram Fisher Gilbert
C: Montagna Hayes Goddard
HF: Cripps Riewoldt Schneider
FF Milne Koschitzke Steven
R:McEvoy Dal Santo Armitage
INT: Dempster Jones Stanley

SUB: Ledger

Nice team, although Gram will not be there and possibly Wilkes

Is Gram injured because my guess is that is the only way he will miss round one. An important ball carrier for a slow side.

[DWOODROW]

FB: Clarke Wilkes Ray
HB: Gram Fisher Gilbert
C: Montagna Hayes Goddard
HF: Cripps Riewoldt Schneider
FF Milne Koschitzke Steven
R:McEvoy Dal Santo Armitage
INT: Dempster Jones Stanley

SUB: Ledger

Nice team, although Gram will not be there and possibly Wilkes

Is Gram injured because my guess is that is the only way he will miss round one. An important ball carrier for a slow side.

Yes he has been but think he may give way for a couple of the younger players at the start of the year. Just my opinion.

[SaintPav]

FB: Clarke Wilkes Ray
HB: Gram Fisher Gilbert
C: Montagna Hayes Goddard
HF: Cripps Riewoldt Schneider
FF Milne Koschitzke Steven
R:McEvoy Dal Santo Armitage
INT: Dempster Jones Stanley

SUB: Ledger

Nice team, although Gram will not be there and possibly Wilkes

Is Gram injured because my guess is that is the only way he will miss round one. An important ball carrier for a slow side.

I think he'll be in especially if he has had a good pre season. Hopefully there is a bit of upside to Gramsy. I do reckon though that his run and carry that he was known for is not as useful in the age of the press, especially against the good teams.

[Teflon]

FB: Clarke Wilkes Ray
HB: Gram Fisher Gilbert
C: Montagna Hayes Goddard
HF: Cripps Riewoldt Schneider
FF Milne Koschitzke Steven
R:McEvoy Dal Santo Armitage
INT: Dempster Jones Stanley

SUB: Ledger

Nice team, although Gram will not be there and possibly Wilkes

Is Gram injured because my guess is that is the only way he will miss round one. An important ball carrier for a slow side.

Yes he has been but think he may give way for a couple of the younger players at the start of the year. Just my opinion.

If that occurs I'll be wrapt.

Run and carry is awesome.
Run and carry and kick to opposition/out on full not so awesome.

Skillful ball movement outside run and carry is drastically where this side needs to improve IMO and why we have recruited players with good foot skills...........we've carried to many suspect disposers of the footy for way to long.

IF Gram is pushed out and kept out by a kid for large chunks of this year Id be wrapt....although I suspect a younger body will struggle over time...

[borderbarry]

I would expect Aaron Sipposs to be there for week one, and at least on other of this years recruits beside Wilkes. Dont forget, we picked up Milera, Saad as well as Wilkes in the over age department. And I expect to see Lenny played forward, at least until he gets match fitness. Bearing that in mind, here is my latest effort.

FB. Clarke Wilkes Blake
HB. Cripps Fisher Gilbert
C. Gram/Jones Steven Montagna
HF. Hayes Reiwoldt Dal Santo
F. Milne Koschitzke Sipposs
R. McEvoy Goddard Armitage
INT. Schneider Dempster Stanley

Sub. Saad.

[Con Gorozidis]

the way i see it - wilkes is a direct replacement for tommy walsh (same size, plays fwd and back, same age).

wilkes could very well play ffwd.

we have no real replacement for zac. so we need to hope like hell that simkin and jackson ferguson make serious progress this year.

if simpkin and/or ferg come on we will be good.

[matrix]

if gram has not improved his kicking over summer then he has to go to the ressies for me

no point having run and carry only to butcher it on delivery

[SaintPav]

if gram has not improved his kicking over summer then he has to go to the ressies for me

no point having run and carry only to butcher it on delivery

Maybe that's why the opposition let him carry the ball. they are not that fussed because he most likely will end up butchering it or he has the last couple of seasons anyway.

Super skills including long pin point kicking are better than the ability to carry the ball in this day and age.

[SaintPav]

if gram has not improved his kicking over summer then he has to go to the ressies for me

no point having run and carry only to butcher it on delivery

Maybe that's why the opposition let him carry the ball. they are not that fussed because he most likely will end up butchering it or he has the last couple of seasons anyway. It also gives the opposition time to get back, get into position whatever so it becomes pretty predictable.

Super skills including long pin point kicking are better than the ability to carry the ball in this day and age.

[Old Mate]

Todays game is built around keeping possession of the pill and creating turnovers. We did it so well in 09. Gram must improve in these areas.

[bergholt]

Todays game is built around keeping possession of the pill and creating turnovers. We did it so well in 09. Gram must improve in these areas.

didn't he almost win the norm smith medal that year?

[borderbarry]

With the exception of Wilkes, will any first or second year players make the opening team this year? If not, why not?

[Old Mate]

Todays game is built around keeping possession of the pill and creating turnovers. We did it so well in 09. Gram must improve in these areas.

didn't he almost win the norm smith medal that year?

Exactly. His form has declined ever since.

[Old Mate]

With the exception of Wilkes, will any first or second year players make the opening team this year? If not, why not?

I reckon Siposs, Ledger and Cripps will get their chance. Possibly Ross. All of those players address areas that we need to improve on - another forward and midfield depth. Whether they are good enough is yet to be determined however they should at least get the opportunity.

[borderbarry]

I think Milera and Saad will be in the running as well. It is possible that there will be a new look Saints this year.

[matrix]

with pelch saying spots are won on performance we could well see a new look this year.

[SainterK]

Todays game is built around keeping possession of the pill and creating turnovers. We did it so well in 09. Gram must improve in these areas.

didn't he almost win the norm smith medal that year?

Exactly. His form has declined ever since.

Have to disagree, I thought his form was trending upwards end of 2011.

[matrix]

ya prob right K
apart from quiet rounds in 23 and 24 he seemed consistent in basic stats
dunno what the decent stats are showing

but he really needs to work on disposal for mine
he gets free, but his kicking lets him down

[SainterK]

One of, if not our best v the Swans in the finals IMO.

I'm hopeful he will pick up where he left off.

Admittedly I've been hard on him, mostly because his turnovers got pretty bad there for awhile, but I reckon he was trying really hard to lower his eyes and hit a target late...

He is the sort of player that would of suffered as a result of the style played though, let's hope it works the other way.

[SaintPav]

Todays game is built around keeping possession of the pill and creating turnovers. We did it so well in 09. Gram must improve in these areas.

didn't he almost win the norm smith medal that year?

Notwithstanding Gramsy's good game, I would have prefered that Bartel went to Gram instead of going to Lenny. Lenny would have won the North Smith and we would all be happier now.

It was a ballsy move by Bomber to put Jimmy B on Lenny and apart from our missed opportunities, that move ultimatley won them the match IMO.

[whiskers3614]

BJ's injury and the splinters in L.Ball's backside may have helped too!

[bergholt]

Notwithstanding Gramsy's good game, I would have prefered that Bartel went to Gram instead of going to Lenny. Lenny would have won the North Smith and we would all be happier now.

yeah, i seem to remember lenny dominating in the first quarter and then being shut down by bartel after that. no doubt in my mind it was the key move of the day by thompson.