Who's the next club great?

[ctqs]

It dawned on me on Sunday that after Roo goes we won't have a player who'd walk into any other team and be in our team of greatest ever. For as long as I've followed the Saints, there's always been at least one. Roo and Lenny played with Burkey, Harves and Loewe, who played with Plugger, Nicky, and Barks, who played with Carl, who played with Stewie and Doc. That chain is broken and I don't know who the next one is.

[ace]

It dawned on me on Sunday that after Roo goes we won't have a player who'd walk into any other team and be in our team of greatest ever. For as long as I've followed the Saints, there's always been at least one. Roo and Lenny played with Burkey, Harves and Loewe, who played with Plugger, Nicky, and Barks, who played with Carl, who played with Steele and Doc. That chain is broken and I don't know who the next one is.

Ross is clearly our best player but he is not yet All Australian let alone many times.
Simply we don't have one or two or three or four which s why we are not in the premiership race.
We need a few Josh Kellys.

At the moment we have a very well coached and drilled team of mediocre players.

[carn_sainter]

Ace, we are not well drilled. This has been the most disappointing part of the season for me, the number of times I have been unable to ignore how very un-well drilled we are.

I can honestly see Jade Gresham playing 300+ games. Now, he won't be in the greatest team of all time or anything like that, only because of the cream he'll be up against in the midfield, but he has the makings of a 'Franchise player' and his ability to accumulate highlights will help in this regard too.

[saintspremiers]

Once Billings gets his goal kicking sorted he should move into the category of Saints greats

[one point]

Once Billings gets his goal kicking sorted he should move into the category of Saints greats

+1

[Jacks Back]

Jack Steven has been a multiple B&F winner and, while injury cruelled him this season, is still a very good player.

[Stephen Theodore]

Once Billings gets his goal kicking sorted he should move into the category of Saints greats

+1

+1 also

[Sainter_Dad]

Billings (63 Games)
Sinclair (43 Games)
Acres (43 Games)
Gresham (39 Games)
Ross (80 Games)

WILL BE ELITE!

All have the weapons - How many teams can single out 5 players under 100 games who have been so vital to their success and who have shown the seeds of greatness?

Shouts ample that we have 3 nominations in the best 22 under 22 - not bad for a middle of the table team.

4 - MELBOURNE
4 - SYDNEY
4 - WESTERN BULLDOGS
3 - BRISBANE
3 - ESSENDON
3 - FREMANTLE
3 - ST KILDA
2 - ADELAIDE
2 - CARLTON
2 - GOLD COAST
2 - HAWTHORN
2 - RICHMOND
2 - WEST COAST
1 - COLLINGWOOD
1 - GWS GIANTS
1 - NORTH MELBOURNE
1 - PORT ADELAIDE
0 - GEELONG

[Selhurst Saint]

Billings (63 Games)
Sinclair (43 Games)
Acres (43 Games)
Gresham (39 Games)
Ross (80 Games)

WILL BE ELITE!

All have the weapons - How many teams can single out 5 players under 100 games who have been so vital to their success and who have shown the seeds of greatness?

Shouts ample that we have 3 nominations in the best 22 under 22 - not bad for a middle of the table team.

4 - MELBOURNE
4 - SYDNEY
4 - WESTERN BULLDOGS
3 - BRISBANE
3 - ESSENDON
3 - FREMANTLE
3 - ST KILDA
2 - ADELAIDE
2 - CARLTON
2 - GOLD COAST
2 - HAWTHORN
2 - RICHMOND
2 - WEST COAST
1 - COLLINGWOOD
1 - GWS GIANTS
1 - NORTH MELBOURNE
1 - PORT ADELAIDE
0 - GEELONG

You could probably add Jack Steele to that list.

[fugazi]

Webster and Newnes not far behind

[Sainter_Dad]

I think the OP was regarding a stand out talent - Every one of the players mentioned has the capacity to be very good - Billings, Gresham, Ross, Acres and Sinclair, IM(NS)HO have the capacity to be Club Greats.

[Vazelos]

None at the moment, I would say only Billings and maybe Gresham have the potential but not convinced that they will get to that level.

[parkeysainter]

None at the moment, I would say only Billings and maybe Gresham have the potential but not convinced that they will get to that level.

Same for me. I think Gresham will be better than Billings by the end of his long career at the Saints. Acres and Dunstan will get much better but not up to the level of these 2. Fingers crossed Paddy and Goddard join this group.

[Sainter_Dad]

None at the moment, I would say only Billings and maybe Gresham have the potential but not convinced that they will get to that level.

Are you not mentioning Sinclair because you think he will be better than both Billings and Gresham?

[desertsaint]

dunstan's the best of our list. will be our next lenny hayes. if any surpass him they'll be elite. doesn't have the skill of billings, or the cleanliness of sinclair, or the dash of gresham - but he has the determination and character to better them all.

[Sainternist]

Maybe it's not such a bad thing not having that one standout player touted as the club great. Whilst we've had our good share of legends of the game playing for St.Kilda since the 80s, we've had an abundance of mediocre talent to make up the numbers. What is far more ideal is having a good even spread of talent right across the board and very few players who'd struggle to get a game at other AFL clubs.

[saintsRrising]

As I posted several weeks back, the sad reality is that we will enter 2018 without one elite player based on this seasons form, let alone a great of the game.


No one is even close to be a great. There are a few that MAY become elite and Steven may recover that mantle. But much as I like Steven, he has never been in the out and out gun class.

[Junction Oval]

Unfortunately, there are no upcoming "stars" that stand out.
There are potential very good players such as Billings, Gresham, Dunstan, Acres, but there is much development still needed in them. McCartin is an unknown long term prospect, because of his injury history.

[saintsRrising]

. What is far more ideal is having a good even spread of talent right across the board and very few players who'd struggle to get a game at other AFL clubs.

Personally I believe this to be completely flawed. What Top 4 team, let alone a premiership Team, does not have top end talent?.

Even the Doggies last year who hit their best form at the right time and were somewhat Brudburyesque still had some very good players like the Bont and JJ. Would they have snagged a flag without that little bit of extra raw talent? I think not.

Where would the Cats be with Danger and Selwood? Probably not even in the 8.

With the aging of Mitchell and Hodge, the Hawks came back to the field.

[dragit]

mav

[Sainternist]

Where would the Cats be with Danger and Selwood? Probably not even in the 8.

Exactly the reason why I think Geelong is a flawed team!

[dragit]

Where would the Cats be with Danger and Selwood? Probably not even in the 8.

Exactly the reason why I think Geelong is a flawed team!

I wish we were flawed & finishing top 4 most years.

[Sainternist]

Where would the Cats be with Danger and Selwood? Probably not even in the 8.

Exactly the reason why I think Geelong is a flawed team!

I wish we were flawed & finishing top 4 most years.

That current Geelong team won't be winning premierships, though.

[dragit]

Where would the Cats be with Danger and Selwood? Probably not even in the 8.

Exactly the reason why I think Geelong is a flawed team!

I wish we were flawed & finishing top 4 most years.

That current Geelong team won't be winning premierships, though.

Finishing top 4 gives you a chance.

What are you actually suggesting here, that they shouldn't have traded in Dangerfield?

[devil saint]

dunstan's the best of our list. will be our next lenny hayes. if any surpass him they'll be elite. doesn't have the skill of billings, or the cleanliness of sinclair, or the dash of gresham - but he has the determination and character to better them all.

I'm interested to know how you can substantiate your assertion that Dunstan has greater determination or character than the other players mentioned. Do you know them? I think Sincs has shown great character and perseverance to work hard to get back into the side and maintain his position. Similarly, the determination of our champ, Jack Billings, to constantly improve and to not only meet but go beyond his own high standards, shows great character. His belief in himself is admirable, imo.