One last push!

[Gershwin]

If we line up like this in Round 1:

Geary, Stanley, Gilbert
Dempster, Fisher, Roberton
Montagana, Hayes, Newnes
Dal Santo, Riewoldt, Siposs
Schneider, Lee, Hickey

McEvoy, Armitage, Steven

Ray, Jones, Newnes, No. 3 draft pick

Milera, TDL, Curren, Gwilt and maybe Bruce

do we have the side for one last push for the Premiership?

This means keeping Dal Santo and Fisher who in my opinion would get a game in most other sides. And it means some good luck with injuries.

Believe me if we trade away Dal Santo and Fisher and then say goodbye to Riewoldt, Hayes, Schneider, Montagna, Jones and Dempster in the next couple of years it is going to be a very long time before we are competitive again.

I say give it one last shot!

[Wayne42]

If we line up like this in Round 1:

Geary, Stanley, Gilbert
Dempster, Fisher, Roberton
Montagana, Hayes, Newnes
Dal Santo, Riewoldt, Siposs
Schneider, Lee, Hickey

McEvoy, Armitage, Steven

Ray, Jones, Newnes, No. 3 draft pick

Milera, TDL, Curren, Gwilt and maybe Bruce

do we have the side for one last push for the Premiership?

This means keeping Dal Santo and Fisher who in my opinion would get a game in most other sides. And it means some good luck with injuries.

Believe me if we trade away Dal Santo and Fisher and then say goodbye to Riewoldt, Hayes, Schneider, Montagna, Jones and Dempster in the next couple of years it is going to be a very long time before we are competitive again.

I say give it one last shot!

Very loyal to the current playing group picking that team, unfortunately, I don't think they would make the 8 let alone win a flag...

[Devilhead]

I say give it one last shot!

I say give it 5 or 6 shots in 4 years time

Time to move on

[Spud02]

Love your optimism, but sadly we're no chance. Yes most of the talent is still there, but they're mostly in the twilight of their careers and as a group they are mentally shot. The rebuild is in full swing and I'm afraid some tough decisions on senior players are likely to be made for the sake of the next challenge.

[BigMart]

No

[saintsRrising]

We have already started the re-build, so no point turning back now.

The Die was caste the day we hired Pelchen.

[dragit]

Geary, Stanley, Gilbert
Dempster, Fisher, Roberton
Montagana, Hayes, Newnes
Dal Santo, Riewoldt, Siposs
Schneider, Lee, Hickey

McEvoy, Armitage, Steven

Ray, Jones, Newnes, No. 3 draft pick

Milera, TDL, Curren, Gwilt and maybe Bruce

I reckon one, maybe 2 players in that side will be 'elite' next year… a lot of middling talent

10th with no injuries

[FQF]

You can't be serious?

[bergholt]

do we have the side for one last push for the Premiership?

Isn't that the same team as this year, when we won five games? What am I missing?

[FQF]

do we have the side for one last push for the Premiership?

Isn't that the same team as this year, when we won five games? What am I missing?

I guess losing Milne makes all the difference

[Gershwin]

do we have the side for one last push for the Premiership?

Isn't that the same team as this year, when we won five games? What am I missing?

Not sure that we had many of them playing together at the same time. Hayes, Schneider, Gilbert, Fisher, Lee missed huge chunks of the season.

[Gershwin]

You can't be serious?

Look I'm not saying that it is the obvious way to go and I'm sure that selling Dal Santo and Fisher and bottoming out and then losing Riewoldt, Hayes etc and staying on the bottom is the 'easier' path to take under the banner of 'rebuilding' but I just don't want to put up the white flag too early.

[Munga]

If the vets were three or four year younger, yes.

[fugazi]

Stanley at FB is enough to finish off that side.

Should not go near the back line.

We are in full rebuild...2014/15. Hopefully Monty might see us back into finals footy, but no other senior player will IMO

[vacuous space]

Finals seem unlikely. A flag is a real reach. That should be the aim though, as long as we don't compromise the future. The only thing controversial about the side above is the cloning of Newnes. There's clearly plenty of spots there for younger players.

If pick 3 is Scharenberg, I'm not sure he'll walk straight in. Newnes (either one), Siposs and Stanley aren't locks either. An older player could get beaten out if a young player has a really good preseason. I'd say there are only 13 players I'd consider to be locks there and a further handful that are likely walk-ups.

[ljpoyz]

Scharenberg and Newnes will most defo be starters.

[vacuous space]

Scharenberg and Newnes will most defo be starters.

Newnes now is in a similar spot to where Siposs was 12 months ago. He seems likely, but nothing is guaranteed.

Scharenberg only starts if he's clearly ready. Unless somebody gets traded or injured, I'd rate him as extremely unlikely to make the back six. He hasn't been playing midfield at elite junior level, so I'm dubious he walks into an interchange-capped AFL midfield. I expect he plays at some point next year if we pick him, but the magic number is probably around ten games.

[bergholt]

I expect he plays at some point next year if we pick him, but the magic number is probably around ten games.

Agreed - roughly what Webster, Wright, Murdoch, Curren, Saunders and Lee played this year. That's a solid return for your first year of senior footy.

[Con Gorozidis]

Not sure that we had many of them playing together at the same time. Hayes, Schneider, Gilbert, Fisher, Lee missed huge chunks of the season.

True. We didn't get much continuity. Also Doc Plugger Stewie and Banger missed a few games too so If we could get them all on the field together we could really have a big year

[Griggsy]

My expectations of Roo will be decreased greatly this year. He will try his heart out but age has to take a toll at some point. Will just enjoy watching him the next couple years. Only way we become competitive is if he manages to kick 80% at shots on goal... then we might finish 8th.

[saintspremiers]

You can't be serious?

Look I'm not saying that it is the obvious way to go and I'm sure that selling Dal Santo and Fisher and bottoming out and then losing Riewoldt, Hayes etc and staying on the bottom is the 'easier' path to take under the banner of 'rebuilding' but I just don't want to put up the white flag too early.

Buddy, what whiskey are you drinking and how much have you drunk?

[plugger66]

The quicker we give up on even having a crack at the finals the quicker we will have a crack at trying to win the flag. That side is a top 12 side at best or even only top 14. And Dal has no hope of being at the saints next year. Still think Fisher will be though.

[QuestionOfAccuracy]

'One last push at making the finals' would probably be a more worthy/legitimate debate.

[QuestionOfAccuracy]

Newnes now is in a similar spot to where Siposs was 12 months ago. He seems likely, but nothing is guaranteed.

Newnes strung together 12 games in a row in the seniors this year (and never looked out of place), which is something Siposs has never achieved.

I'd say Newnes has surpassed Siposs in the development stakes. 2014 will be a big year for Siposs - his fourth in the system - time for him to actually cement a spot in the side.

[spert]

Looking at who is coming through up through the ranks on this season's efforts, I would have to say that Curren will definately take the next step, and Ledger if he is still at the club and possibly Siposs and Dunnell, but my jury is out on Webster, Murdoch, Wright, Ross, Shenton and a few others. Some of those show glimpses of form, but will need a huge pre-season so they can play out four quarters and start pushing hard for a senior berth.