Pierce - Good game No 2

[bobmurray]

Some of you clowns need a reality check if you think a bloke demoted to the Rookie list, because he was shite, is now the Ruck coaches saviour.

This site, this club, are both full of shite.

Let's hope the pre season changes actually make a difference.

let's hope the the recruiting people at the end of the year, know what they need and how to get it.

As if

[takeaway]

See this performance by Pierce is absolute proof that Richo CANNOT coach.

As pointed out above, second game = 18 possessions, 2 marks, 27 hitouts... close to the best performance of a ruck in our colours this season.

Where on earth has this kid been. On the verge of being delisted after what... 5 odd years, are we saying this kid has been thoroughly tested and can’t play!!??

Absolutely not.

COmpletely promising and full of potential but cant get a game ahead of the Hickey/Longer jaggarnaut.

Would not have played a game barring injury

Absolute disgrace.

If i was Richo, I wouldn’t play him again, delist him and pray that no one else picks him up and exposes Richo for the fool he has been

Typical on here - one good game and he's a gun! Has not shown much in the 2s until this year with Frankston and maybe the club has done the right thing with him. He is now maturing! Needs a good year next year to become established - I think he can do it. Still need at least one of Longer/Hickey/Lycett though. Marshall is not yet a ruckman.

[Scollop]

Maybe we should send more players to other clubs to actually develop....

Me that have some merit. Maybe the AFL could go EPL style and allow clubs to loan players. We could give our draftees to another club for a couple of seasons then get them back when they're ready to go.

That's got me thinking....

How about we pay overs for young kids and offer big contracts to their managers when they are 18 year olds and we just wait 2 years and pinch them from the club that initially drafts them.

That is the strategy clubs like Collingwood probably used with James Aish when he was drafted by Brisbane as an 18 year old and also way back with Nathan Buckley when he went to Brisbane they probably had an in priciple agreement with his management even before the National Draft.

I think it's against the rules and the AFL frown upon any draft tampering or deals done outside the regular national draft, but if we like a young player we should do everything we can to try and sign them and get them to our club. With the way that the TPP has increased and the player salaries these days being what they are it probably makes better sense to invest in a very talented youngster rather than hoping to lure a Free Agent after they've settled at the one club for 7-8 years.

I'm sure if we got Gubby Allen he'd know a devious trick or two to lure some elite talent

[ROLS-LEE]

Maybe we should send more players to other clubs to actually develop....

Me that have some merit. Maybe the AFL could go EPL style and allow clubs to loan players. We could give our draftees to another club for a couple of seasons then get them back when they're ready to go.

That's got me thinking....

How about we pay overs for young kids and offer big contracts to their managers when they are 18 year olds and we just wait 2 years and pinch them from the club that initially drafts them.

That is the strategy clubs like Collingwood probably used with James Aish when he was drafted by Brisbane as an 18 year old and also way back with Nathan Buckley when he went to Brisbane they probably had an in priciple agreement with his management even before the National Draft.

I think it's against the rules and the AFL frown upon any draft tampering or deals done outside the regular national draft, but if we like a young player we should do everything we can to try and sign them and get them to our club. With the way that the TPP has increased and the player salaries these days being what they are it probably makes better sense to invest in a very talented youngster rather than hoping to lure a Free Agent after they've settled at the one club for 7-8 years.

I'm sure if we got Gubby Allen he'd know a devious trick or two to lure some elite talent

Well maybe we are into max kings ear now. Gets drafted by GC then seeks trade back to us.
Will never happen though

[skeptic]

See this performance by Pierce is absolute proof that Richo CANNOT coach.

As pointed out above, second game = 18 possessions, 2 marks, 27 hitouts... close to the best performance of a ruck in our colours this season.

Where on earth has this kid been. On the verge of being delisted after what... 5 odd years, are we saying this kid has been thoroughly tested and can’t play!!??

Absolutely not.

COmpletely promising and full of potential but cant get a game ahead of the Hickey/Longer jaggarnaut.

Would not have played a game barring injury

Absolute disgrace.

If i was Richo, I wouldn’t play him again, delist him and pray that no one else picks him up and exposes Richo for the fool he has been

Typical on here - one good game and he's a gun! Has not shown much in the 2s until this year with Frankston and maybe the club has done the right thing with him. He is now maturing! Needs a good year next year to become established - I think he can do it. Still need at least one of Longer/Hickey/Lycett though. Marshall is not yet a ruckman.

You miss the point completely. After 5 years on the list, I feel we should be able to definitely say whether he is or is not a gun.

We can’t.

He might be a gun because he did well in his second game.

You might rate that response, but I think it’s garbage. Hickey is mediocre. Longer is mediocre. Marshall is promising... how do we not not what Pierce is?

It’s crap

[takeaway]

See this performance by Pierce is absolute proof that Richo CANNOT coach.

As pointed out above, second game = 18 possessions, 2 marks, 27 hitouts... close to the best performance of a ruck in our colours this season.

Where on earth has this kid been. On the verge of being delisted after what... 5 odd years, are we saying this kid has been thoroughly tested and can’t play!!??

Absolutely not.

COmpletely promising and full of potential but cant get a game ahead of the Hickey/Longer jaggarnaut.

Would not have played a game barring injury

Absolute disgrace.

If i was Richo, I wouldn’t play him again, delist him and pray that no one else picks him up and exposes Richo for the fool he has been

Typical on here - one good game and he's a gun! Has not shown much in the 2s until this year with Frankston and maybe the club has done the right thing with him. He is now maturing! Needs a good year next year to become established - I think he can do it. Still need at least one of Longer/Hickey/Lycett though. Marshall is not yet a ruckman.

You miss the point completely. After 5 years on the list, I feel we should be able to definitely say whether he is or is not a gun.

We can’t.

He might be a gun because he did well in his second game.

You might rate that response, but I think it’s garbage. Hickey is mediocre. Longer is mediocre. Marshall is promising... how do we not not what Pierce is?

It’s crap

Not necessarily - ruckman take quite a while to develop and mature. McEvoy was an Ok player for us and has matured into an almost gun with the Hawks. Took him years, into late 20s. Pierce has not been doing anything before this year to earn a game. All clubs have project ruckman, and quite a few haven't really been given a go in the seniors as yet, and get a go when the main ruckmen are injured or get a bit past it. At least the Club had the foresight to see potential and keep him as a rookie. Hopefully he will have a good year next year and if so, will be probably be ahead of Longer/Hickey.

[saintsRrising]

At least the Club had the foresight to see potential and keep him as a rookie.

Well actually they did this mainly as a mistake with his original contract extension. They contracted him too long and so they had to keep him when they would have actually delisted him, and they so demoted him to the rookie list.

That mistake may now work out. But this is pure luck and not due to foresight. You just have to look at Richo's reaction to Pierce's game this week.

[takeaway]

At least the Club had the foresight to see potential and keep him as a rookie.

Well actually they did this mainly as a mistake with his original contract extension. They contracted him too long and so they had to keep him when they would have actually delisted him, and they so demoted him to the rookie list.

That mistake may now work out. But this is pure luck and not due to foresight. You just have to look at Richo's reaction to Pierce's game this week.

How do you know they made a mistake with his contract extension? I see it differently. Hadn't shown much so they rookied him to give him one last chance, and arranged for him to play at Frankston under the ruck coach to give him a good shot at it. Looks like he may have taken the chance. I would agree they had too many rucks playing at once for Sandy so it was a good move to get him to Frankston.
What reaction by Richo? He knew all about Pierce, said he had seen vision of him during the year and had regular feedback from the ruck coach, just had not seen him live as he attended Sandy where more Saints were playing.

[Bernard Shakey]

And Pierce hasn't even been in the St. Kilda system this year. He's been in the Frankston Dolphins' system. Indictment on our coaching staff IMO.

Of course he's been in the St Kilda system. He's a St Kilda listed player and trains with them every day!

[saintsRrising]

Not necessarily - ruckman take quite a while to develop and mature.

They do indeed. Which is why in the main it pays to recruit more mature ruckman as young ones are very much a lottery pick.

And then also in the main you have to put years and years into them before they hit there straps.

It is much better to not have them clogging up your list when you should be churning through mids etc to get a reasonable team, and when you have that team then look for a suitable ruck. History shows that teams in the window are able to source an adequate ruck this way.

[saintsRrising]

How do you know they made a mistake with his contract extension? I see it differently. Hadn't shown much so they rookied him to give him one last chance,

?? He was contracted before he was put on the rookie list. Need I say more?



The Saints do not churn their list enough. We have had too many players being given their one last chance.

I hope that Pierce becomes a success (and I liked his last game), but if so he will be about the first "last chance" player to do so.



Our ruck strategy taken as a whole was pure stupidity:

Hickey: An athlete who they hoped would become a ruckman. Paid overs for him
Longer: A young guy with promise, but who still needed time to develop
Pierce: Taken in the 2012 Draft at pick 75 and so was at least cheap but obviously very raw (I hope he makes it but no club can afford to wait this long fora player to make it)
Rowan Marshall: A 2016 rookie pick who was slightly older and had played VFL

So many ruckmen that we could not play all at once with enough game time and hence one reason why Pierce had to play at Frankston. However Pierce has had this handicap for most of his years at St Kilda causing him to play games in the development league and/or playing in key positions mainly simply as we had too many ruckman in front of him.

To have 4 ruckmen who ALL needed development was crazy, is crazy, and is but another example of the illogical way that our list management has been carried out.

Individually you might take a punt on one, maybe two, but to have 4 ruckmen on your list all of whom had to be developed is simply gambling.

And this is again why it pays to recruit mature rucks as you can only really develop them properly by playing them as ruckaman. Most other players can play a variety of roles to build experience. But a ruckman needs to ruck.

Again it makes more sense to go out and get a ruckman when you need it. ie Nankervis to Richmond for pick 46.

[skeptic]

See this performance by Pierce is absolute proof that Richo CANNOT coach.

As pointed out above, second game = 18 possessions, 2 marks, 27 hitouts... close to the best performance of a ruck in our colours this season.

Where on earth has this kid been. On the verge of being delisted after what... 5 odd years, are we saying this kid has been thoroughly tested and can’t play!!??

Absolutely not.

COmpletely promising and full of potential but cant get a game ahead of the Hickey/Longer jaggarnaut.

Would not have played a game barring injury

Absolute disgrace.

If i was Richo, I wouldn’t play him again, delist him and pray that no one else picks him up and exposes Richo for the fool he has been

Typical on here - one good game and he's a gun! Has not shown much in the 2s until this year with Frankston and maybe the club has done the right thing with him. He is now maturing! Needs a good year next year to become established - I think he can do it. Still need at least one of Longer/Hickey/Lycett though. Marshall is not yet a ruckman.

You miss the point completely. After 5 years on the list, I feel we should be able to definitely say whether he is or is not a gun.

We can’t.

He might be a gun because he did well in his second game.

You might rate that response, but I think it’s garbage. Hickey is mediocre. Longer is mediocre. Marshall is promising... how do we not not what Pierce is?

It’s crap

Not necessarily - ruckman take quite a while to develop and mature. McEvoy was an Ok player for us and has matured into an almost gun with the Hawks. Took him years, into late 20s. Pierce has not been doing anything before this year to earn a game. All clubs have project ruckman, and quite a few haven't really been given a go in the seniors as yet, and get a go when the main ruckmen are injured or get a bit past it. At least the Club had the foresight to see potential and keep him as a rookie. Hopefully he will have a good year next year and if so, will be probably be ahead of Longer/Hickey.

I’m sorry but this is a ridiculous argument.

You can’t have it both ways. You can’t argue that they rated him and he was a project ruckman and then accept that they played him once in 5 years...
Baring in mind that Marshall seemingly overtook him as well and Pierce only got a game because of injury.

In fact they were playing injured ruckman ahead of him too.

Every indicator/marker is that he was destined for the scrap heap, was gifted a game via injury 3 games before the season from hell ended and has completely exceeded all expectations. Trying to argue that this is anything other than terrible development is rose coloured glasses of the highest order.

And for the record, he’s been one of the better rucks in the VFL this season. Consistent reports are that he’s been doing very well at Frankston and many forumites myself included called for him to get a game for at least the last 10 weeks

[takeaway]

See this performance by Pierce is absolute proof that Richo CANNOT coach.

As pointed out above, second game = 18 possessions, 2 marks, 27 hitouts... close to the best performance of a ruck in our colours this season.

Where on earth has this kid been. On the verge of being delisted after what... 5 odd years, are we saying this kid has been thoroughly tested and can’t play!!??

Absolutely not.

COmpletely promising and full of potential but cant get a game ahead of the Hickey/Longer jaggarnaut.

Would not have played a game barring injury

Absolute disgrace.

If i was Richo, I wouldn’t play him again, delist him and pray that no one else picks him up and exposes Richo for the fool he has been

Typical on here - one good game and he's a gun! Has not shown much in the 2s until this year with Frankston and maybe the club has done the right thing with him. He is now maturing! Needs a good year next year to become established - I think he can do it. Still need at least one of Longer/Hickey/Lycett though. Marshall is not yet a ruckman.

You miss the point completely. After 5 years on the list, I feel we should be able to definitely say whether he is or is not a gun.

We can’t.

He might be a gun because he did well in his second game.

You might rate that response, but I think it’s garbage. Hickey is mediocre. Longer is mediocre. Marshall is promising... how do we not not what Pierce is?

It’s crap

Not necessarily - ruckman take quite a while to develop and mature. McEvoy was an Ok player for us and has matured into an almost gun with the Hawks. Took him years, into late 20s. Pierce has not been doing anything before this year to earn a game. All clubs have project ruckman, and quite a few haven't really been given a go in the seniors as yet, and get a go when the main ruckmen are injured or get a bit past it. At least the Club had the foresight to see potential and keep him as a rookie. Hopefully he will have a good year next year and if so, will be probably be ahead of Longer/Hickey.

I’m sorry but this is a ridiculous argument.

You can’t have it both ways. You can’t argue that they rated him and he was a project ruckman and then accept that they played him once in 5 years...
Baring in mind that Marshall seemingly overtook him as well and Pierce only got a game because of injury.

In fact they were playing injured ruckman ahead of him too.

Every indicator/marker is that he was destined for the scrap heap, was gifted a game via injury 3 games before the season from hell ended and has completely exceeded all expectations. Trying to argue that this is anything other than terrible development is rose coloured glasses of the highest order.

And for the record, he’s been one of the better rucks in the VFL this season. Consistent reports are that he’s been doing very well at Frankston and many forumites myself included called for him to get a game for at least the last 10 weeks

Not with you. Except for obvious guns, all young ruckman drafted are "project" ruckman because they take so long to develop. Saints obviously saw potential because they drafted him. He did not show very much for the first few years and was behind Longer/Hickey/Holmes, and did not EARN a game (except one). He was also one of plenty of ruckmen at Sandy. However, club still believed he had potential and extended his contract, he did not show much again, but still had that potential, so last year was delisted but rookied and arrangements made to be main ruck at Frankston. The club held on to him despite his lack of development, to their credit, and this may pay dividends.

In my view when fit both Longer and Hickey are still ahead of Pierce as ruckmen, so he did not get a game until now. Let's see how he goes in the last two games, and next year, and he may be able to be recognised as No. 1 ruck, depending on the other ruckmen still on the list and their form. Not terrible management at all - showed nothing for 4 years, but was retained.

[saintsRrising]

. Not terrible management at all - showed nothing for 4 years, but was retained.

You would fit right into our recruiting team with logic light that. I suggest you fire in your resume to Lethers.


Come to think of it, that is the logic that our CEO used with Richo too!

[skeptic]

See this performance by Pierce is absolute proof that Richo CANNOT coach.

As pointed out above, second game = 18 possessions, 2 marks, 27 hitouts... close to the best performance of a ruck in our colours this season.

Where on earth has this kid been. On the verge of being delisted after what... 5 odd years, are we saying this kid has been thoroughly tested and can’t play!!??

Absolutely not.

COmpletely promising and full of potential but cant get a game ahead of the Hickey/Longer jaggarnaut.

Would not have played a game barring injury

Absolute disgrace.

If i was Richo, I wouldn’t play him again, delist him and pray that no one else picks him up and exposes Richo for the fool he has been

Typical on here - one good game and he's a gun! Has not shown much in the 2s until this year with Frankston and maybe the club has done the right thing with him. He is now maturing! Needs a good year next year to become established - I think he can do it. Still need at least one of Longer/Hickey/Lycett though. Marshall is not yet a ruckman.

You miss the point completely. After 5 years on the list, I feel we should be able to definitely say whether he is or is not a gun.

We can’t.

He might be a gun because he did well in his second game.

You might rate that response, but I think it’s garbage. Hickey is mediocre. Longer is mediocre. Marshall is promising... how do we not not what Pierce is?

It’s crap

Not necessarily - ruckman take quite a while to develop and mature. McEvoy was an Ok player for us and has matured into an almost gun with the Hawks. Took him years, into late 20s. Pierce has not been doing anything before this year to earn a game. All clubs have project ruckman, and quite a few haven't really been given a go in the seniors as yet, and get a go when the main ruckmen are injured or get a bit past it. At least the Club had the foresight to see potential and keep him as a rookie. Hopefully he will have a good year next year and if so, will be probably be ahead of Longer/Hickey.

I’m sorry but this is a ridiculous argument.

You can’t have it both ways. You can’t argue that they rated him and he was a project ruckman and then accept that they played him once in 5 years...
Baring in mind that Marshall seemingly overtook him as well and Pierce only got a game because of injury.

In fact they were playing injured ruckman ahead of him too.

Every indicator/marker is that he was destined for the scrap heap, was gifted a game via injury 3 games before the season from hell ended and has completely exceeded all expectations. Trying to argue that this is anything other than terrible development is rose coloured glasses of the highest order.

And for the record, he’s been one of the better rucks in the VFL this season. Consistent reports are that he’s been doing very well at Frankston and many forumites myself included called for him to get a game for at least the last 10 weeks

Not with you. Except for obvious guns, all young ruckman drafted are "project" ruckman because they take so long to develop. Saints obviously saw potential because they drafted him. He did not show very much for the first few years and was behind Longer/Hickey/Holmes, and did not EARN a game (except one). He was also one of plenty of ruckmen at Sandy. However, club still believed he had potential and extended his contract, he did not show much again, but still had that potential, so last year was delisted but rookied and arrangements made to be main ruck at Frankston. The club held on to him despite his lack of development, to their credit, and this may pay dividends.

In my view when fit both Longer and Hickey are still ahead of Pierce as ruckmen, so he did not get a game until now. Let's see how he goes in the last two games, and next year, and he may be able to be recognised as No. 1 ruck, depending on the other ruckmen still on the list and their form. Not terrible management at all - showed nothing for 4 years, but was retained.

I’m sorry but I am finding it very hard to follow you’re logic...
Of course Hickey and Longer are ahead of him... despite their inability to cement the ruck roll in 3 years and being offered and gifted an abundance of games...
I cannot see how u can rationally argue that not playing Pierce despite him being “rated” is good management.

Especially considering the players played ahead of him weren’t playing well.
And you’re observation that he hasn’t “deserved a spot apparently”.

Let me ask you this...
If Hickey doesn’t go down injured...
a) does Pierce play?
b) does he get delisted?

I would say no and yes.

Now based on one game we’re apparently keeping him and he’s overcome all those deficits.

Me I think him playing 10 games in 2 years would be actual development

[takeaway]

. Not terrible management at all - showed nothing for 4 years, but was retained.

You would fit right into our recruiting team with logic light that. I suggest you fire in your resume to Lethers.


Come to think of it, that is the logic that our CEO used with Richo too!

Did that weeks ago.

[To the top]

For those referring to Pierce’s statistics and lauding same, compare them to Hickey’s - plus Hickey is more mobile and a better ball user

What Pierce did confirm is that the ranking of our ruckmen is Hickey, Pierce and then Longer a long way in arrears

Marshall is at best a relief ruck at this stage of his development

Marshall’s improvement has been in his abiiity to hold his share of contested marks where at the start of his career he was not able to hold them

[skeptic]

For those referring to Pierce’s statistics and lauding same, compare them to Hickey’s - plus Hickey is more mobile and a better ball user

What Pierce did confirm is that the ranking of our ruckmen is Hickey, Pierce and then Longer a long way in arrears

Marshall is at best a relief ruck at this stage of his development

Marshall’s improvement has been in his abiiity to hold his share of contested marks where at the start of his career he was not able to hold them

I don’t think it’s lauding though...
Nobody is sitting here saying clearly Pierce is it.

Can’t understand why that isn’t clear.

The key point is that in his second game, he has shown that there is something there to try and develop. No more or less. He could get better than that or he could fizzle away into nothing.

But for a second game performance that was really good... his first game game was decent.

So again I ask given our complete failure in the ruck this season, why have we not tried him more.

I swear to whoever, some people must think that’s development means player x is selected, he is Chris Judd. Nothing in between that bust.

Heck by all accounts Dean COx could barely tie his shoes when WCE had him on the rookie list... the point is he developed by playing games (amongst other things)

[chico2001]

Early days for Pierce but I think those lauding his efforts are looking for something positive to look at and discuss. I dont think anyone is calling him a world beater but Pierce ..and Marshall both did well. No one can argue with that surely.

[groupie1]

Well on another disappointing night Pierce was one plus.

Only one game, but that was better than Longer plays and even possibly Hickey.

Certainly fora ruckman playing only his second game it was a very credible performance.

Was better than Bellchambers.

I thought he was excellent, considering.

Surprised actually, to not hear a single mention of his performance by the commentators. I actually think they were mistaking him for Marshall throughout the game.

When he gets fit, he'll be really good.



Just on Marshall though....fair dinkum he is a 'dumb' footballer. Some of his decisions are perplexing. And it'd be nice if Dixon can teach him to concentrate when kicking for goal too. His eyes dart around and look everywhere except at the target and the ball throughout his entire run up.

Dude, once you've decided to have a shot - concentrate on the job at hand FFS. Very basic stuff.

Mate... excellent post. Couldn't agree more on both.

I thought Pierce was great insofar as I barely noticed we were playing a ruckman in only his second game.

[Dave McNamara]

Well on another disappointing night Pierce was one plus.

Only one game, but that was better than Longer plays and even possibly Hickey.

Certainly fora ruckman playing only his second game it was a very credible performance.

Was better than Bellchambers.

I thought he was excellent, considering.

Surprised actually, to not hear a single mention of his performance by the commentators. I actually think they were mistaking him for Marshall throughout the game.

When he gets fit, he'll be really good.



Just on Marshall though....fair dinkum he is a 'dumb' footballer. Some of his decisions are perplexing. And it'd be nice if Dixon can teach him to concentrate when kicking for goal too. His eyes dart around and look everywhere except at the target and the ball throughout his entire run up.

Dude, once you've decided to have a shot - concentrate on the job at hand FFS. Very basic stuff.

Mate... excellent post. Couldn't agree more on both.

I thought Pierce was great insofar as I barely noticed we were playing a ruckman in only his second game.

Louey's second game yes, but effectively, his first game as the number one ruckman.


As for the Marshall, he looks rushed and lacking in confidence to me. He's actually a good kick and handballer. Reminds me of when Members' first started. A good kick, but always looking to pass the thing off. Once he settled, he realised that he's the man, and has every right to do the job himself. Just play the Marshall Richo', and he'll settle down too!

[mad saint guy]

See this performance by Pierce is absolute proof that Richo CANNOT coach.

As pointed out above, second game = 18 possessions, 2 marks, 27 hitouts... close to the best performance of a ruck in our colours this season.

Where on earth has this kid been. On the verge of being delisted after what... 5 odd years, are we saying this kid has been thoroughly tested and can’t play!!??

Absolutely not.

COmpletely promising and full of potential but cant get a game ahead of the Hickey/Longer jaggarnaut.

Would not have played a game barring injury

Absolute disgrace.

If i was Richo, I wouldn’t play him again, delist him and pray that no one else picks him up and exposes Richo for the fool he has been

Totally agree but want to point out that he took 5 marks including 2 contested. In his 65 games Billy Longer has taken 5 or more marks once.

[saynta]

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/ ... d4328bb804


'ST KILDA’S Lewis Pierce says depth players should copy his unique VFL model as he prepares to battle former teammate and dual premiership ruckman Ben McEvoy at Etihad Stadium.

Pierce trains at Moorabbin with St Kilda and then rucks for Frankston in the VFL, despite the Saints’ alignment with Sandringham.

Pierce, 23, asked for a transfer this season after being forced to play forward last year because he was stuck behind Tom Hickey, Billy Longer and Jason Holmes in the ruck queue.



“I would definitely recommend it to anyone, if it can be done again,” Pierce told the Herald Sun.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen next year.

“Once you get past the fact you’re not going to be with your mates … but you train with them through the week, and now I’ve got a whole group of mates at Frankston as well.

“It’s also been good in terms of refreshing myself, playing at a different club on the weekend but still being part of the Saints.”

Coach Alan Richardson made the surprising admission he had not seen Pierce play live this year until last week’s AFL return against Essendon.

St Kilda’s ruck coach, Adam Skrobalak, is also Frankston’s senior coach and reports back to Richardson with feedback and vision.

Pierce has been a VFL standout this year and could win Frankston’s best-and-fairest.

The lanky boy was bumped to the rookie list but was one of St Kilda’s best last week, recording eight hit-outs to advantage opposed to Tom Bellchambers.

“It was kind of like a debut again, it’s been so long,” Pierce said.

“It took 3 ½ years for my first game, and it’s taken another 2 ½ years to get my second. Frankston has been so good to me, specifically Adam Skrobalak.

“He’s been a great mentor for me and I couldn’t speak highly enough of him. I really thank what he’s done for me at Frankston and the opportunity he’s given me to get me to this position where I was able to play again.

“I’ve always been behind those guys (Hickey and Longer) and it’s just been about scrapping to get a game, to be honest.

“It’s happened because of injury, but I’ve finally got one and I’ve just got to make the most of these last few games.”

Richardson said: “On that performance, perhaps we could’ve had him in earlier”.

The out-of-contract big man had 20 Frankston teammates watching him at Etihad Stadium last week and said he was a “mobile ruckman who’s really aggressive” in the centre.

“Getting uncontested touches around the ground is so important now, so as much as I can link-up with the mids and they can trust me to use the ball, that’s a focus as well,” he said."

[on the outer]

Not so good last night. Outplayed by McEvoy in all aspects of the game. Good news ? No other options so he gets another chance next week to show whether last week was a aberration or not .
Good luck Lewis..,,

[scallopsroe]

So Big Ben McEvoy had the better of Lewis last night. A 190 gamer against a 3 gamer, this is unexpected?
Benny got taken to the cleaners in the 2010 GF replay against Collingwood and an experienced Jolley, he was a young ruckman thrown to the wolves so early in his career. Give Lewis a break for goodness sake.
Lewis has along way to go, granted, but playing him in the VFL isn't going to help his development. In my opinion he is way ahead of Longer and Hickey. Marshall is very good and improving with each chance offered to him.
Our lack of player development is a major cause for our current position. Look at how the Hawks have allowed their young players to learn from their experienced group of players. Patience and hard work and being prepared to accept the odd stuff up should be our strategy.