Team v Giants

[desertsaint]

i just pine for the days we had a decent mark in the team. just yesterday we had two of the best marks in the comp - well we actually had THE best mark in Roo, and the best overhead mark pound for pound. I miss Dempster - geez he was good.
Now we have...Membrey who has a decent vertical leap, Carlisle who is nothing special but uses his size well, Bruce who looks speccy, but inevitably drops it, and Paddy, who gets to it from all sorts of awkward positions, but also inevitably drops it. Who is our best mark?

[spert]

I think Carlise and Hickey are our best marks, but jeez we lack some balls in the marking dept.

[saintspremiers]

Acres will be in 2020

[saynta]

Acres is starting to look like our best player already and heading for elite status. Maybe not this year but certainly within the next couple.

[samuraisaint]

Nice to see Hickey get another opportunity, hopefully he can steadily improve on what he did last week!!!!!

Either way, himself or Billy have to keep improving, whom ever is in the better form will play!!!!!

Pressure on as Marshall should be a lock for next game!!!!!

We have to play two ruckman every week. Last week proved that. Game would have been a fifteen goal loss with Marshall finished early. Our midfield is simply not good enough to play out games with part time ruckmen like Bruce. It would have been an almighty massacre. Hickey is a better mark around the ground but needs to work on his decision making. Longer probably should be in this week anyway because without the big Mummy, I reckon a combination of Hickey and Longer could stretch them a bit.

Marshall should come back in when fit, as he hits the scoreboard at least, then Hickey stays in for a couple more matches after this week to give him the same chances Billy has had. He at least offers us a bit around the ground. If he isn't our best option and if Billy's form at Sandy is good then he should come back in, or maybe Lewis the Professionals Bodie Pierce at Frankston could come back in if he's going okay.

FWIW I know that a lot of Hawthorn supporters were bagging McEvoy until recently, now he's flavour of the month.

[Scollop]

I like McCartin at CHF think he plays far better leading around and up up the ground.

What are you saying? I hope he doesn't play as a CHF today. Hope he stays 40m out from goal all day no matter how hard we press

If he does play up the ground, does it mean that they just want to keep him in the team and ensure he gets a few kicks. Does it mean he doesn't have to kick goals? After all, it's better that there's no pressure on him when lining up for goal.

Is it the coaches feeling guilty for not playing him early last year. Paddy was frustrated that we were playing an injured Rooy last year instead of developing our new forwards. He was trying too hard to get back into the seniors and got a few concussions.

Great development of a guy we recruited as a Full Forward. Well done Saints!!

[bigcarl]

Acres is starting to look like our best player already and heading for elite status. Maybe not this year but certainly within the next couple.

Why aren’t we playing him in the guts?

[saynta]

Acres is starting to look like our best player already and heading for elite status. Maybe not this year but certainly within the next couple.

Why aren’t we playing him in the guts?

We do, but not all the time.

[spert]

Here's a question: What are the strengths of our current team?

[Jacks Back]

Acres is starting to look like our best player already and heading for elite status. Maybe not this year but certainly within the next couple.

Why aren’t we playing him in the guts?

We do, but not all the time.

Someone said we should be playing Steven, Dunstan and 8cres at the centre bounces. I agree. We need to keep playing them together as much as possible. 8cres could then play the Martin, Dangerfield type roll of going forward every now and then. When they are resting on the bench or forward then Ross, Steele, Stevens, Gresham, Billings, et al can have a go in there. Do it Richo!

[ace]

Madness with Paddy at centre half forward, Membry has to carry the forward line alone.
We need another genuine TALL forward.
The selected forward line can not do better than single digit number of goals.

O.K. I was wrong they got out of single digits - all of 10 goals.
But how many frees did our small forwards give away helplessly competing for marks with guys 20cm taller than them.
The need for marks inside forward 50 was so evident when in desperation to win, Carlisle was moved to the forward line.
How many more inside 50s did we have than GWS but the ball just kept coming back out because it was not marked.

[stonecold]

Madness with Paddy at centre half forward, Membry has to carry the forward line alone.
We need another genuine TALL forward.
The selected forward line can not do better than single digit number of goals.

O.K. I was wrong they got out of single digits - all of 10 goals.
But how many frees did our small forwards give away helplessly competing for marks with guys 20cm taller than them.
The need for marks inside forward 50 was so evident when in desperation to win, Carlisle was moved to the forward line.
How many more inside 50s did we have than GWS but the ball just kept coming back out because it was not marked.

Just concede Joker!!!!!

[scallopsroe]

Who was the selection genius who thought that we could go into the game with one ruckman? When Hickey had a rest, Acres went into the ruck. Brilliant strategy. The Giants have one of the best and quickest mid fields in the competition and we handed them easy clearances because of this flawed one ruckman policy.
This also meant pushing Paddy up the field to become a tall marking target and having small forwards to try and mark our bombs into the forward line. Hence our conversion rate from entries into the 50 arc was poor. Richo and company wake up!
I am going to Tassie next week and better not see the same selection errors made before the ball is even bounced.