Changes v Hawks

[samoht]

Rice would or should be knocking on the door, I reckon.
I was really impressed with him in the Sandy vs Richmond game last week - he is tough, strong, an excellent kick and is not slow .. in fact he has good leg speed.

I can't see why he can't perform a role in the midfield. He probably had 20 possessions - and most of them were thumping kicks - from halfback. Play him in the middle and see what happens?
I'd like to see him get 3 or 4 games in a row - I think he'll acquit himself very well.

[longtimesaint]

Do any of you posters that want radical changes ever watch the matches? -there is so much rubbish spoken.
Dropping either Webster or Gilbert is plain stupid -Webster had a quiet game and made one bad turnover but was among oukvery best the week before.
Gilbert is one of our most desperate players and does more 1%'eras than anyone.
To bring in a kid like White who is not even in the best at Sandy is laughable.
It is time to realize that we are a developing side and at this stage will not often best top four sides.
With another pre-season and further draft/trading we might be there next year.

White is in the best at Sandy and was named as such in The Age.

My best for Sandy last week were Pierce, White and Rice.

I've watched Sandy as well and it is very easy to be excited by a player performing well ,but we need to bear in mind that AFL is a huge gap from VFL.
Players need to play several good games to get promoted as you so often see players who have had dominant games at Sandy struggle when they step up.
Sinclair and Stevens would be the front runners for promotion and I would expect Hickey to return.

[MC Gusto]

I'd say Sinclair is a definite in based on the video on the saints site

[coopergrech]

IN: Koby Stevens, Jack Sinclair & Tom Hickey

OUT: LUKE DUNSTAN, Ben Long & Billy Longer

Mav Weller on the cusp for Savage or Marshall (Rookie Elevation)

[Junior]

Do any of you posters that want radical changes ever watch the matches? -there is so much rubbish spoken.
Dropping either Webster or Gilbert is plain stupid -Webster had a quiet game and made one bad turnover but was among oukvery best the week before.
Gilbert is one of our most desperate players and does more 1%'eras than anyone.
To bring in a kid like White who is not even in the best at Sandy is laughable.
It is time to realize that we are a developing side and at this stage will not often best top four sides.
With another pre-season and further draft/trading we might be there next year.

White is in the best at Sandy and was named as such in The Age.

My best for Sandy last week were Pierce, White and Rice.

100% agree with your best players. Thought the three of them were outstanding.

[lefty]

Out - Weller, Long
In - Sinclair, Savage

Weller isn't setting the world on fire in my opinion.
Also thinking we should play with 2x rucks, as Bruce can be both forward and ruck, it appears to be affecting him.

[Saint wagga]

Ins: McCartin, Hickey, Sinclair
Out: Longer, Long, Dunstan (due to popular demand - now he must go back and dominate at VFL to earn a recall)

I think If McCartin comes in, Bruce plays better and I think Roo plays better as well, overall structure. just imo

[tony74]

I reckon Jack Steele might be ready for a rest.

[desertsaint]

Ins: McCartin, Hickey, Sinclair
Out: Longer, Long, Dunstan (due to popular demand - now he must go back and dominate at VFL to earn a recall)

due to popular demand? a few overinflated opinions on a web forum? wow.

[Impatient Sainter]

I reckon Jack Steele might be ready for a rest.

If he gets dropped over Dunstan then Richo has major issues!

[saintspremiers]

I reckon Jack Steele might be ready for a rest.

He's only played 5 games FFS!

We need to win.

Resting Hickey worked well for us.

[saintspremiers]

I reckon Jack Steele might be ready for a rest.

If ge gets dropped over Dunstan then Richo has major issues!

No, it's not Richo's fault. It will be the conditioning people that he passes this buck to.

Interesting strategy - rest one good player each week and use that to blame the poor performance on.

[White Winmar]

I reckon Jack Steele might be ready for a rest.

That's a shame. I think he's been good. He'll be missed if he does get left out.

[loris]

I reckon Jack Steele might be ready for a rest.

That's a shame. I think he's been good. He'll be missed if he does get left out.

Maybe his foot is a little sore & needs management. Remember he didn't have a full pre season after his op on his foot.

[borderbarry]

OUT...Longer, Long, Dunstan,

IN.... Pierce, Rice, Sinclair.


The coach not happy with Hickey the week before. Pierce is playing well. Give him a go.

[borderbarry]

And if he is fit enough to play, put Koby Stevens in somehow. Its not as though our whole team starred against Geelong.

[longtimesaint]

Pierce is too green -McEvoy would take him apart.

[tommy54]

Sinclair must come in for Long - he's an intelligent player who uses the ball well and I cannot understand why he would be overlooked despite continuously strong VFL form. He had 13 tackles the week before as well, so he's clearly having an influence.
Hickey wasn't exactly setting the world on fire before he was 'managed', whilst Longer had a genuine crack on the weekend - surely he is worth another game whilst Hickey recaptures form in the VFL.
Agree that Dunstan might need to be dropped as well - he had 12 touches as an inside mid which is awful.

[White Winmar]

No time like the present for Lewie Pierce. He was good for Sandy on the weekend. If they're not going to bring back Tom, I think the boy deserves a shot. For a radical idea, we can use Carlisle as backup in the ruck. Lewie also offers something up forward, unlike Billy.

[Saint wagga]

I reckon Jack Steele might be ready for a rest.

I'm not too fussed if Steele is rested and I guess rotated with Dunstan, they are very similar players with similar output and impact on games so a rotation of these young guys over the next fortnight wouldn't be earth shattering, they are not match winners yet. It does seem wired so early into the season though. There is a lot to be said for continuity between mids and their rucks to gel and form cohesion, so changing for a rest before the bye seems pretty weird.

[dragit]

OUT
Topknots

IN
Marine hairdos

[desertsaint]

OUT
Topknots

IN
Marine hairdos

support the topknots exclusion for sure - looks good on vikings and samuraii and wanky on everyone else!

[WellardSaint]

what time is the team announced?

[samoht]

Pierce is too green -McEvoy would take him apart.

In what way?
Pierce stands his ground well - has big legs - and is more athletic/mobile than McEvoy.
He's certainly not going to be pushed around.

Mcevoy was regularly getting AFL games at Pierce's age.
I reckon Pierce will regularly get his 15 possessions around the ground... something Longer has not been able to achieve.

[longtimesaint]

Pierce is too green -McEvoy would take him apart.

In what way?
Pierce stands his ground well - has big legs - and is more athletic/mobile than McEvoy.
He's certainly not going to be pushed around.

Pierce will regularly get to 15 possessions around the ground... something Longer has not been able to achieve.

Just experience -this is a very important game and I don't think it's the match to bring in a young ruckman for his second match.