Saintsational Fan Forum - A passionate community of St Kilda Football Club fans discussing news, history, players, trade rumours, results, AFL stats and more.
WinnersOnly wrote:Having watched Armo closely last week he wont play round 1 on that form! His biggest issue is his lack of pace and or acceleration - he is the complete one paced player eg Stevie Powell and will continue to struggle with the pace of the game. I hate to say it but I think Ross LYON was completely right with Armo, he doesn't have the tools to play in the modern games midfield.
Yeah & Lukey Ball has hardly got a kick after he left us… too slow. Lyon doesn't have a brilliant track record in this department - sorry.
Maybe it's not Armo's fault at all, maybe it's purely because he has the worst no 1 ruckman in the league trying to feed him the footy hey?
WinnersOnly wrote:Having watched Armo closely last week he wont play round 1 on that form! His biggest issue is his lack of pace and or acceleration - he is the complete one paced player eg Stevie Powell and will continue to struggle with the pace of the game. I hate to say it but I think Ross LYON was completely right with Armo, he doesn't have the tools to play in the modern games midfield.
Yeah & Lukey Ball has hardly got a kick after he left us… too slow. Lyon doesn't have a brilliant track record in this department - sorry.
Maybe it's not Armo's fault at all, maybe it's purely because he has the worst no 1 ruckman in the league trying to feed him the footy hey?
B: Dempster, Blake, Ray
HB: Goddard, Fisher, Gilbert
C: Montagna, Hayes, Gram
HF: Schneider, Riewoldt, Steven
F: Milne, Kosi, Siposs
Foll: McEvoy, Dal Santo, Jones
Inter: Peake, Ledger, Armitage
Sub : Saad or Cripps
Emerg: Stanley, Polo, Simpkin
As much as I would like to put more youngsters in, you can't see who of the old stagers you could leave out. Peake the only maybe. Blakey to play his 200th. Not sold on Wilkes after Friday night. Emergencies for balance, forward, back & mid.
don't mind blake at all - vital until others show their hand. peake shows bits but just isn't quite up to standard in a genuine contending team.
really like armo's agression, but must show something more this year. bazza's take looks close, but may run steven through the middle and have saad on the bench - geary as super sub.
"The starting point of all achievement is desire. "
WinnersOnly wrote:Having watched Armo closely last week he wont play round 1 on that form! His biggest issue is his lack of pace and or acceleration - he is the complete one paced player eg Stevie Powell and will continue to struggle with the pace of the game. I hate to say it but I think Ross LYON was completely right with Armo, he doesn't have the tools to play in the modern games midfield.
Yeah & Lukey Ball has hardly got a kick after he left us… too slow. Lyon doesn't have a brilliant track record in this department - sorry.
Maybe it's not Armo's fault at all, maybe it's purely because he has the worst no 1 ruckman in the league trying to feed him the footy hey?
SainterK wrote:Funny what different people see, I thought Armo was one of our best in the second game.
Just happy to see him back where he belongs.
To be honest, I thought he was going at about half pace. Had some bursts but again it is NAB cup. A long season ahead. New recruits couldn't give two sh*ts what game it is they are going to be busting a gut to play well. None of the older or more senior players really stood out and realistically is was to see who had some skills from the younger / new recruits.
If Dave played like that in the season proper then would warrant some harsh criticism. Also it was two halves. When players start running out full games week after week and if they are able to perform at that level week in week out is the key.
I was impressed with Ledger and SAAD.
Didn't even see Ross, thaught Milera was Mcqualter for about 5 mins when I first saw the number then realised they were from different ethinicity. Sipposs did well and the new long haired fella playing forward did some alright things as well.
SainterK wrote:Funny what different people see, I thought Armo was one of our best in the second game.
Just happy to see him back where he belongs.
To be honest, I thought he was going at about half pace. Had some bursts but again it is NAB cup. A long season ahead. New recruits couldn't give two sh*ts what game it is they are going to be busting a gut to play well. None of the older or more senior players really stood out and realistically is was to see who had some skills from the younger / new recruits.
If Dave played like that in the season proper then would warrant some harsh criticism. Also it was two halves. When players start running out full games week after week and if they are able to perform at that level week in week out is the key.
I was impressed with Ledger and SAAD.
Didn't even see Ross, thaught Milera was Mcqualter for about 5 mins when I first saw the number then realised they were from different ethinicity. Sipposs did well and the new long haired fella playing forward did some alright things as well.
agree. only the youngsters give two hoots about the nab. and that shenton kid has a good crazy hair do!
WinnersOnly wrote:Having watched Armo closely last week he wont play round 1 on that form! His biggest issue is his lack of pace and or acceleration - he is the complete one paced player eg Stevie Powell and will continue to struggle with the pace of the game. I hate to say it but I think Ross LYON was completely right with Armo, he doesn't have the tools to play in the modern games midfield.
Yeah & Lukey Ball has hardly got a kick after he left us… too slow. Lyon doesn't have a brilliant track record in this department - sorry.
Maybe it's not Armo's fault at all, maybe it's purely because he has the worst no 1 ruckman in the league trying to feed him the footy hey?
Armo's a hack
Dave or his brother?
I think Armo is cemented into round 1. It is interesting though, looking at the names of the 'kids', who misses out to fit in Ledger, Saad, Cripps, Simpkin, Siposs, Stanley, Milera, I'm glad I'm not a selector!
Last edited by St Ick on Thu 01 Mar 2012 6:19pm, edited 1 time in total.
Strength through Loyalty
Go those mighty Sainters!!
B: Dempster, Simpkin, Gilbert
HB: Goddard, Fisher, Ray
C: Montagna, Armo, Cripps
HF: Schneider, Riewoldt, Hayes
F: Milne, Kosi, Steven
Foll: McEvoy, Dal Santo, Jones
Inter: 3 out of Siposs, Ledger, Gram, Blake and Wilkes
Sub : Saad, Stanley or Milera (impact players)
Emerg from: Stanley, Peake, Polo and Clarke
Hopefully see guys like Ross and Winmar pushing for selection later in the year.
Tall Defenders: Simpkin, Blake
Medium Defenders: Fisher, Gilbert
Small Defenders: Dempster, Cripps
Tall Forwards: Riewoldt, Koschitzke
Medium Forwards: Siposs
Small Forwards: Milne, Schneider, Saad
Ruckmen: McEvoy (Wilkes to cover for Kosi/Blake as 2nd ruckman)
Midfielders: Dal Santo, Montagna, Goddard, Hayes, Steven, Ray, Armitage, Peake
B Dempster Simpkin Gilbert
HB Fisher Blake Cripps
C Dal Santo Goddard Montagna
HF Siposs Riewoldt Schneider
F Milne Koschitzke Saad
Foll McEvoy Hayes Steven
Int Ray Peake Wilkes Armitage
What I'd like to see:
FB: S.Dempster T.Simpkin J.Geary
HB: J.Cripps S. Fisher S.Gilbert
C: L.Montagna J.Steven B.Goddard
HF: A.Schneider N.Riewoldt A.Siposs
FF: S.Milne J.Koschitzke A.Saad
R: B.McEvoy N.Dal Santo T.Ledger
I/C: L.Hayes D.Armitage S.Ross R.Stanley
ROBERT HARVEY A.K.A The Great Man, Banger, Harves, Ol' Man River...
384 games, 4 B&F's, 3 EJ Whitten Medals, St.Kilda Captain, 2 Time Brownlow Medalist, 8 Time All Australian, 2nd Highest Brownlow votes poller.... The greatest of ALL TIME!!
In terms of new players come round 1, I'd be looking at Sippos, Ledger, Saad and Simpkin (or Wilkes) as the certain changes to the regular 22 that took the field last year...
It is essential IMO that at least these 4 are given the first crack at it, assuming they continue the same sort of form they showed last week and stay injury free... Cripps would be close also...
Obviously Lenny comes in for Polo...
Simpkin for Dawson
Ledger for Geary
Sippos for Raph (irrespective of position)
Saad for Peake
.... are the changes I'd make from the losing team against Sydney in the elimination final...
Blake and Jones on shaky ground from that point onward..
Having now seen the replays, I now feel still not capable of submitting a side based on what's been on show till this weekend past - but I'm bored so I will anyway...
With thanks to Spinner's initial post, and with locks in bold, positions fluid:
Ray/Geary Simpkin/Wilkes Gram CrippsFisher Gilbert Montagna Hayes Goddard Schneider Riewoldt Saad Siposs Koschitzke/Stanley/Wilkes Milne McEvoy Dal Santo Steven Jones Armitage Ledger Dempster
Next (in no order): Ross, Milera, Blake, Polo, Peake, Winmar.
Want to see more of (to see where at) Wilkes (think he was ignored on the lead a few times, nearly took some good marks, etc - therefore should settle and get better over the NAB Crap thingee), Newnes, Markworth, Shenton.
Rest Ben till round 1, use very sparingly Roo, Hayes, Goddard, Sam F, Dal, Milney (unless needed to mentor Saad).
Last edited by Dave McNamara on Thu 01 Mar 2012 1:25pm, edited 2 times in total.
It's Dave, man. Will you open up? I got the stuff with me! -------Who?
Dave, man. Open up ------------------------------------------ -----Dave???
Yeah, Dave. ---------------------------------------------------------Dave's not here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOiG1hAr ... detailpage
skeptic wrote: ↑Tue 30 Jan 2024 8:07pmCongrats to Dave McNamara - hereby dubbed the KNOWINGEST KNOW IT ALL of Saintsational
With a midfield consisting of the likes of Lenny, Joey, Dal, BJ, Steven, Gram and possibly Ledger and Schneider, it makes me wonder if we have room in the side for both CJ and Armo now. Both of them are usually good to very good, when played in the midfield, but are of much less use/value elsewhere and neither are particularly good kicks (especially CJ).
I think there are hopefully better options than Armo up forward now (where he played for most of the second half of last season), like Steven (who might be spending a fair bit more time there, now that Lenny is back in the midfield) and possibly Saad and Siposs, who are probably more likely to score more goals (especially Saad) or use the ball much better (Siposs). So unless he is playing in the middle most of the time, I find it hard to see a spot for him, unless he really steps it up this year.
At the moment, I see CJ as the better option on ball, because he can shut someone down exceptionally well and also tends to get more of the ball than Armo, as well. Even though it was only a NAB Cup game, CJ reminded me the other night of just how good he can be at getting the ball in close and also how good his follow up and link work and second and third efforts can be. He just gives 120% and goes again and again and again, if he doesn't get it done the first time, or if someone needs his help. That sort of attitude and energy is invaluable and he has it like few others. He is also very tough and tackles hard, like Armo. Even though CJ can really butcher the ball (especially when he tries to kick it too hard), I think until Armo starts getting 30+ possies fairly often, like CJ can when he's in good form and fit (both of which he looks to be at the moment, after having an interrupted pre-season last year) I would be going with CJ, when we have our full midfield list to choose from.
With so much need for good kicking in the AFL at the moment, and with neither of them much value anywhere but on the ball, I'm not sure it's going to be in our best interests to have both in the team at once, unless the likes of Ledger, Cripps, Saad and Siposs don't come on as we hope they will, or unless both of them play exceptionally well.
If R1 was this week, I reckon this is about what I'd hope to see:
B GILBERT BLAKE GRAM
HB DEMPSTER FISHER GODDARD
C MONTAGNA HAYES LEDGER
HF SIPOSS RIEWOLDT SCHNEIDER
F MILNE KOSI STEVEN
R MCEVOY DAL SANTO JONES
I RAY CRIPPS PEAKE
S SAAD
E ARMO STANLEY GEARY CLARKE WINMAR MILERA POLO SIMPKIN WILKES ROSS GWILT
Now that I've done that team there could be room for Armo on the bench, rotating through the middle, but it will depend on how the likes of Ledger and Cripps (who are quicker and better kicks) go between now and then, unless we want another big body in there, or Armo really kicks ass in the next few weeks.
Question marks over the whole Blake v Wilkes v Simpkin thing for full back, as well. I'm not sure I'd want to have more than one of them in the team at any one time and I wouldn't mind seeing Blake get first crack at it. One last roll of the dice. If that doesn't work, that might be it for him, unless he's able to hold down CHB and they prefer him there to Fisher. Would need to see more of Blake (of right now, to see if he's still up for it), Simpkin and Wilkes to be more clear on all that. At the moment it's just a guess and I'm not mad keen on any of them for FB. Just hoping that one of them will really grab it by the balls.
Also not sure whether there's room for all of Roo, Kosi and Stanley in the forward line, so I'm looking forward to seeing how Stanley and Kosi go in the next few weeks. I hope they both demand a spot. We will benefit greatly if one of them has a really good season.
It's also fantastic to see 10 (plus Gwilt) not in that 22 that I wouldn't be unhappy to see in there in round one. If any of those 10 were named, I'd be perfectly OK with that. That is more good depth than we've had in a long, long time.
Con Gorozidis wrote:
agree. only the youngsters give two hoots about the nab. and that shenton kid has a good crazy hair do!
Not so sure about that. Up close it looked to me like the likes of CJ, Ray, Polo and Peake were really putting in and with good reason. I dare say they all know they're possibly touch and go, with regards to being in the side for round one and with a new coaching group watching on, would have wanted to really put their hands up and make good "first impressions" with good performances. Sammy Gilbert was another that looked to be really putting in, probably wanting to also make a good impression and put last year behind him and remind everyone (and maybe even himself) that he can in fact play good footy.