Who will explode in 2018

[SaintPav]

I'd like to see how Steel goes after a full pre-season under his belt.

He could be awesome.

Think Carlisle will get better as well.

[SaintPav]

I don't feel confident about any of those going up a gear next year.
Steele might get stronger in the gym over the pre-season, as he is in the ideal age to bulk up; but I don't see him exploding.

Of course you wouldn't.

You may have not noticed but players don't bulk up anymore whatever that means as it is a running game. Well maybe in 1985 they did.

[SMS]

Freeman, Mccartin, Long, White

[Joffa Burns]

Ray

Interesting, the word is he is as hard as a cats head and seriously quick as well.
Is it true he was told at training to back off as there were concerns he'd injure a team mate in tackling drills?

I don't think it will be until 2019/20 but he could be a serious player.

[SaintPav]

Freeman, Mccartin, Long, White

If that happened we'd be top 8 pushing for top 4.

[freely]

A fully fit Jack Steven will make a bit of a difference.

[saint-stu]

Would love to see Ray Connellan rebounding on the switch off half back and running wide through the clearances. The kid has some toe. Also seems capable of and committed to beating his opponent. With Roberton reaching AA status and Carlisle consistently pulling down intercept marks, Ray could provide the gun powder we need to canon off half back. This could also take some pressure off Steven.

To be honest, if White, Connellan and Freeman come on and show some effective disposal it seems Newnes, Gilbert, Weller and Geary will be counting on experience to keep there spots and Jimmy Webster will have to be very consistent.

Connellan has played better since moving back forward. I'd prefer to see him replace someone like Mav.

[Zed]

I will if we don't make the finals

I did a couple of times this year - when we lost games we should have won but let slip because of our crappy kicking - particularly for goal.

Sportsbet isn't taking odds on me exploding next year. They are only taking odds on what round it will be before I go off.

[mad saint guy]

I think we'll see Steele produce more of his dominant performances like against West Coast (26 disposals, 20 contested, 12 tackles, 10 clearances and 2 goals) and with a more mature head Acres could start really hurting the opposition. If Billings starts kicking for goal properly that is all he would need to do to become a genuine star of the comp. And if Gresh builds his tank significantly he will start tearing opposition teams apart.

[kalsaint]

I don't feel confident about any of those going up a gear next year.
Steele might get stronger in the gym over the pre-season, as he is in the ideal age to bulk up; but I don't see him exploding.

The rest could improve slightly, only if the club snags not one but two big fish.
One will make a difference.
Two biggies can have a massive impact because it will affect the whole team and the game plan can be followed much better
when 2 players are highly skilled- it has a flow-on effect.
One star will help, but the other 21 guys skill levels will suck the life out of him.

Totally agree. We need an impact player or two. The soldiers wont massively improve and were forgetting all clubs are chasing the same level of improvement so its all a relative comparison. Cant expect more than 2% betterment from our players, some will decline.

[kalsaint]

I don't feel confident about any of those going up a gear next year.
Steele might get stronger in the gym over the pre-season, as he is in the ideal age to bulk up; but I don't see him exploding.

Of course you wouldn't.

You may have not noticed but players don't bulk up anymore whatever that means as it is a running game. Well maybe in 1985 they did.

Bulking up has been a key part of development right up to 2017. The teams that start big lose weight and bring a little more endurance over each season but their basic body shape is what earns them contested footy wins.

Teams that have been successful were Lions 2001-2004, Cats 2007-2011, Swans 2012-2017 and Hawks 2010- 2017. The first three were/are big bodied teams, Hawks less so but tactically developed a pressure that worked.

[bigred]

Ross, Steven, Steele, McCartin, Sinclair, Gresh, Dunstan, Acres, Freeman, Billings, Newnes, Arma, Goddard, Bruce, Membrey, White, Battle, Mckenzie, Marshall, Weller, Billings, HIckey, Carlisle...

All need to lift.
All need to do better.

Not asking for much.

[CQ SAINT]

Would love to see Ray Connellan rebounding on the switch off half back and running wide through the clearances. The kid has some toe. Also seems capable of and committed to beating his opponent. With Roberton reaching AA status and Carlisle consistently pulling down intercept marks, Ray could provide the gun powder we need to canon off half back. This could also take some pressure off Steven.

To be honest, if White, Connellan and Freeman come on and show some effective disposal it seems Newnes, Gilbert, Weller and Geary will be counting on experience to keep there spots and Jimmy Webster will have to be very consistent.

Connellan has played better since moving back forward. I'd prefer to see him replace someone like Mav.

Fair enough. I was eluding more to a midfield role. Late in the season against Casey, he seemed to be tagging a midfielder who had gone to Casey's forward line. Ray beat him to the the ball several times and took a few sprints down the wing bouncing at least 3 or 4 times and delivering the ball neatly into the forward line.

If he is going to burst, I'd really like to see him repeat that on the big stage. If he can follow the ball, beat an opponent, not get shoved around and break through lines with pace and skill, I will be happy to see him rotate through the forward line.

[older saint]

On basis of "explosion" i will use Sinclair from 2017 as the benchmark as to me he had the biggest gains of anyone, from where he was to where he is now. Based on that I will guess Acres, - He has not been a regular senior player yet and has been building. Big pre season , bigger tank allows more time int he middle. Good kick for goal and stronger will start clunking the marks forward also.

Improvers steady - Steele, McCartin, Billings, Gresh , Long.

[dragit]

I will explode if we bring stringer in for 7 or 8 and he continues to be a lazy trash bag like he has for the past 2 years.

[dals_da_bomb]

1. Gresh
2. Bruce
3. Ross will enter beast mode.

4. This forum is Paddy isnt playing each week
5. Me because as identified i have a short temper and am a sore loser.
6. Richo

[GregPackhamsHeadband]

I will explode in 2017 if Ninthmond wins the flag!

[Sainternist]

BT's gut

Would be great to hear that moron explode. It would be just like Johnny Tapp in the 12th Man's Wired World of Sports, only better!

[stonecold]

ConnieBoy, when Mav is named in the leadership group AGAIN!!!!!

[MickThomas]

ConnieBoy, when Mav is named in the leadership group AGAIN!!!!!

and MickThomas as well...don't you forget about me!! (I think the band was named after you, stoney!!!!!)

[stonecold]

ConnieBoy, when Mav is named in the leadership group AGAIN!!!!!

and MickThomas as well...don't you forget about me!! (I think the band was named after you, stoney!!!!!)

What Band, Micheal George?????

[MickThomas]

ConnieBoy, when Mav is named in the leadership group AGAIN!!!!!

and MickThomas as well...don't you forget about me!! (I think the band was named after you, stoney!!!!!)

What Band, Micheal George?????

Lead singer Jim Kerr, former husband of Patsy Kensit, you know the band, the song was in the movie "The Breakfast Club"...
don't be obtuse

[stonecold]

ConnieBoy, when Mav is named in the leadership group AGAIN!!!!!

and MickThomas as well...don't you forget about me!! (I think the band was named after you, stoney!!!!!)

What Band, Micheal George?????

Lead singer Jim Kerr, former husband of Patsy Kensit, you know the band, the song was in the movie "The Breakfast Club"...
don't be obtuse

'The Breakfast Club' was a chick flick wasn't it, what band, Micheal George?????

[MickThomas]

ConnieBoy, when Mav is named in the leadership group AGAIN!!!!!

and MickThomas as well...don't you forget about me!! (I think the band was named after you, stoney!!!!!)

What Band, Micheal George?????

Lead singer Jim Kerr, former husband of Patsy Kensit, you know the band, the song was in the movie "The Breakfast Club"...
don't be obtuse

'The Breakfast Club' was a chick flick wasn't it, what band, Micheal George?????

"Simple Minds" and if you keep this up, we'll both get banned for a week by that gorgeous sexy redhead

[stonecold]

You need to back it off a notch or three Micheal 'George' Thomas, I've done nothing to get banned!!!!!

Stop Trolling, thanks!!!!!