The new saints trend

[joeyjohnw]

I'm sure many have noticed this- we seem to over the past couple of years picked up pairs of players that just so happen to already be good mates. Sinclair and billings, paddy and Hugh, white and rice, Gresham and o'kearney...
So what should we make of this trend? Tactical/coincidence? Good/bad?

[Gershwin]

Certainly not a bad thing but you wouldn't want to miss out on a player because you can't take a mate for him.

[WinnersOnly]

Smart recruiting I would suggest. The young players would settle in quicker with a mate by there side and the kids are not going to want to leave when they are playing with their best mates. Interesting that they have all bèen the VIC kids also, even though SA dominated the U18's last year.

[WinnersOnly]

.

[skeptic]

I had this thought as well when Rice and White turned out to be mates.

There is def something to this

I doubt we're getting into the necessary for drafting category or anything ridiculous like that but i reckon its bring taken into consideration

[Austinnn]

I'm sure many have noticed this- we seem to over the past couple of years picked up pairs of players that just so happen to already be good mates. Sinclair and billings, paddy and Hugh, white and rice, Gresham and o'kearney...
So what should we make of this trend? Tactical/coincidence? Good/bad?

Says a lot about Eli's second year that he and Mav aren't mentioned as a dynamic duo. Besties from Tassie and still housemates with Dunstan IIRC.

[saintbrat]

Many are also 'local' which can't hurt,
Or have Saints connections

[saintspremiers]

I had this thought as well when Rice and White turned out to be mates.

There is def something to this

I doubt we're getting into the necessary for drafting category or anything ridiculous like that but i reckon its bring taken into consideration

If we were planning on and then did pick up White and Rice I don't understand why we didn't also draft Mitch Brown.

Having a Brown/Rice and/or a White/Rice combo is very balanced.

[Bluthy]

Interesting pattern you've identified but I'd be pretty dubious as "mates" being a part of recruiting criteria in any way. Haven't we taken a lot of players from the Calder Canons? That would increase the chance of players being mates. Young sporting men are usually extremely gregarious. Anyone who plays in any of your teams (even for just 1 or 2 games) becomes your "mate". And they play so much junior footy in different teams (high school, TAC cup, state rep and even VFL) that any single player is going to have a wide interaction with a lot of young players, who I'm sure they would describe as a mate if they ended up at Saints together. Pies had an article on Adelaide "mates" ending up at Pies together. The same pattern would be at any club I reckon.

Unless they are actively taking player recommendations and giving them serious weighting which would be a controversial approach. Billings recommending Sinclair who was taken as a rookie so not a real risk is the only player recommendation I've heard. Just seems a result of maths and a little coincidence.

[Wrote for Luck]

my guess would be that Billings was asked about Sinclair (or spoke up about him) and Gresham was probably asked about O'Kearney but that's it. Goddard was a massive slider, and White was simply a good get, a bonus if you like. Though I guess it's not outside the realms of possibility that the club asked Rice about White when he trained with us pre draft.

[saintbrat]

the story of Jade and Nick
http://www.saints.com.au/video/2015-12- ... coast-camp

[dragit]

I would be pretty disappointed in our recruiting team if they were favouring a mate of a current listed player over just the best available.

[ripplug66]

I would be pretty disappointed in our recruiting team if they were favouring a mate of a current listed player over just the best available.

I would suggest not a hope. I know people love a story like these but its about being professional and surely we are that.

[satchmo]

I would be pretty disappointed in our recruiting team if they were favouring a mate of a current listed player over just the best available.

I would suggest not a hope. I know people love a story like these but its about being professional and surely we are that.

Absolutely. Unless...