Team v Bulldogs late change Fisher out Delaney in.

[saintbob]

Fisher, Dempster and Gilbert will all still be around next year, none of them will retire and nor would I want them too!!

[SMS]

Great team
Love minchis skills he deserves game time
Love everything we have discovered and done this year
Sinclair - gun great signed him now lets see how minchi and co go!
Minchis work and goal was fabtastic last week.
Anyone purely judging him on one set shot have rocksfor brains.

Anyone who thinks we should have 18 - 20 year olds out there with no seniors around them have rocks for brains.
We are blooding the right way and with grand finalists (virtually back to back flag stars) to learn from the kids get so much out of all this. Instead of feeling like they have to do it all so soon. Like demons and richmond 2008/2012.
Go saints!!

We also need to start winning getting that culture back!

[Con Gorozidis]

Fisher, Dempster and Gilbert will all still be around next year, none of them will retire and nor would I want them too!!

One of them will be gone.
Would be absurd if they all stayed.

[plugger66]

Fisher, Dempster and Gilbert will all still be around next year, none of them will retire and nor would I want them too!!

One of them will be gone.
Would be absurd if they all stayed.

I don't think it matters if they all stay but 2 older guys must go IMO.

[samuraisaint]

2 older guys will go. After this year Schneider and Gilbert won't be there. But while they are, we need to play them so that the younger players don't get hung out to dry. Make no bones about it - tomorrow night's game is going to be a last man standing affair.

[samuraisaint]

Fisher, Dempster and Gilbert will all still be around next year, none of them will retire and nor would I want them too!!

One of them will be gone.
Would be absurd if they all stayed.

It'll be Sammy Gilbert. But I will always remember his amazing goal in the Grand Final 2010 which he kicked around his body, and got us going again and helped us to draw the game.

[bigcarl]

2 older guys will go. After this year Schneider and Gilbert won't be there.

Gilbert is, what, 28. I'd have thought he's got at least a couple more years in him. Very good footballer despite the occasional brain fade and the coach seems to be a big fan. I'd be surprised if he's not there next season, barring further disastrous injuries.

[skeptic]

2 older guys will go. After this year Schneider and Gilbert won't be there.

Gilbert is, what, 28. I'd have thought he's got at least a couple more years in him. Very good footballer despite the occasional brain fade and the coach seems to be a big fan. I'd be surprised if he's not there next season, barring further disastrous injuries.

At least one of them have to go

Our backline is by far the area in which we have the most room for improvement

Gilbert and Fisher are just too injury prone... Good players but barely ever on the park. Gilbert in particular, Fish is at least capable of stringing three to four at a time.
Forumites have steadily been calling for Gilbo to be traded since the end of 2011 due to concerns that he was past his best... In hindsight i believe this would have been the correct call. Big second half of the season coming up for Gilbo, playing for his career.

I would be inclined to keep Fish and trade Gilbo (at this point).

Then you have Delaney who is an honest tall but not good enough to hold the backline...

Geary is an absolute terrier but his disposal lets him down again and again... Dempster is great but is not the player he once was

Shaggy is decent but again poor disposal

Savage not damaging enough for how unaccountable he is

Looking at the list, player for player there are too many holes in players games and i would imagine that really only Delaney may still be there as a defender when we're challenging

[lewdogs]

Having listened to the coach messages, I would think Gilbert is one of the first on the team sheet and an absolute lock for next season. Richo loves his work. No way he is going anywhere next season.

Personally I agree, why get rid of a 28 yo with talent, great mark, beautiful movement, not always the best kick but in the end Gilbo brings a lot to the side. Courage for one thing.

[samuraisaint]

So, out of the players remaining from that era, Riewoldt, Montagna, Fisher, Dempster, Schneider, Ray and Gilbert would you retire at the end of the season then?

[bigcarl]

So, out of the players remaining from that era, Riewoldt, Montagna, Fisher, Dempster, Schneider, Ray and Gilbert would you retire at the end of the season then?

If they are still playing good football and their bodies are holding up why retire any of them?

Ray is 29 and a 200 gamer with a lot still to offer. Gilbert is 28 and 150 games. So neither of them.

The fact that Schneider was rookie listed for this season may be some indication of the club's thinking ... though he's been pretty good.

Fisher hamstrings starting to go says that he may be nearer the end than we would like, I guess.

Joey's 31, but his form line is pretty solid. Dempster is 30 and a reliable, experienced defender. And Rooey's Rooey.

Anyhow, the club is in good hands and I'm confident there won't be any knee jerk retiring of guys because of their birth certificates

[Con Gorozidis]

We cant keep both Fisher and Dempster next year. Simple as that. One has to go. Who stays and who goes comes down to body/injuries.

[kosifantutti]

@AFL_PKeane: AFL wishes to advise Sam Fisher has withdrawn from St Kilda team v WBulldogs tonight. Luke Delaney comes into team from outside emergencies.

[saintbrat]

@AFL_PKeane: AFL wishes to advise Sam Fisher has withdrawn from St Kilda team v WBulldogs tonight. Luke Delaney comes into team from outside emergencies.

Patrick Keane ‏@AFL_PKeane
A change to the listed 22 from outside the emergency players on match day means the club may face a sanction under AFL rules.

[Bunk_Moreland]

Schneider and probably Fisher to retire @seasons end.

Gilbo is 29, Ray 29, Riewoldt and absolute champion playing as good as he ever has. Dempster still has some footy, same with Joey.

[Con Gorozidis]

Not in the least surprised..It was plainly obvious we were erring in rushing Fisher back too soon with his history of soft tissue injuries.

[saintsRrising]

Schneider and probably Fisher to retire @seasons end.

Gilbo is 29, Ray 29, Riewoldt and absolute champion playing as good as he ever has. Dempster still has some footy, same with Joey.

Yes that is how I think it will go now too. Especially if Gilbert can stay on the park in the second half.

Draft is not deep. So 4 picks at max. Maybe only 3. Say 3, 21, 39-ish. Maybe 57.

Expect the club to see what value players may be available from other clubs. But will be a lucky dip at present on who might be available.

Simpkin definitely gone. Expect that Curren may be paid out.

Sippos etc will need to show a lot to be retained.
FA look unlikely at present.


ROOKIES: Only Sinclair to be elevated. I am not sure if Holmes can stay a rookie though???

So the club should be able to cull easily enough to make way for the one elevation and 3-5 new players.

[Con Gorozidis]

Yes Chips has been an awesome Saints player.
Yes he still good enough in theory.
But, this has to be his last year. Its time to move on from 2010. Collingwood have. Soft tissue injuries catch up with everyone in the end. No point soldiering on for the handful of games he might eek out next year.

Chips Games played:

2011- 23
2012- 15
2013- 9
2014 - 7
2015 - 8*

Its not disrespectful to say players cant go on forever.
(Although Roo looks like he might but he is super-human and doesnt count).

[Austinnn]

How would people feel about trading Dempster to a team who need a bit of backline experience for finals? Still very skilled and fit, we need to improve the backline with young players who will develop together. Not pushing for it, just a query. Flame on!

[asiu]

Not pushing for it, just a query. Flame on!

@validatingtheRite to fly a kite ... lol


Hows your Peace Manifesto goin bloke
... feels promising ?

[kazonte13]

Get Jacob Weltering and i will be happy for Fisher to hang them up .http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-06-26/w ... -afl-draft

[whiskers3614]

How would people feel about trading Dempster to a team who need a bit of backline experience for finals? Still very skilled and fit, we need to improve the backline with young players who will develop together. Not pushing for it, just a query. Flame on!

What do you propose we do with the 4th rounder we'd get for him?

[Con Gorozidis]

Rd 6 we play a younger side, we win.
Rd 13 we play an older side, we lose.

So much for 'play the older guys to develop a winning culture.'

As great a bloke as he is, what do we really get from playing Ray? Lovely guy, great club man and great courage, but his time is up as an AFL player.
Gilbo - well no surprises here. He must look a million dollars at training because the coaching staff rush him straight back in and even gave him a 'press conference' when he returned as though he is Wayne Carey or something. But most people who watch the Saints closely know Gilbo has been an average player since 2010. Terrific athlete and great on paper, but just not that smart a player. Hes not going to improve now.