Bring it on!

[mordiboyz]

I am starting to feel extremely positive about this season. Here are my thoughts on what is happening at the club (from an outsiders perspective).

* It looks to me that Richo is now doing more of a head of coaching job and leaving the actual coaching to Ratten and Co.

* Improved leadership with the addition of Hannebery (who may be placed in a leadership role)

* The ruthless delisting of players who did not work out or hadn't hit their performance goals

* More competition amongst spots with players getting older and less reliance on young draftees

* Considerable expansion is already happening to Moorabbin with works already taking place to improve and fine tune the brand new facilities

* Seaford has not been 100% abandoned with some training sessions still occurring down there

* Improved business functions and revenue raising activities

I would also like to see is more focus on football, fitness, skills, performance and less on tackling social issues. But I do understand why we are taking such a big stance on many social issues because sport is now one of the best ways to help people become better people.

Bring on 2019!

[skeptic]

* The ruthless delisting of players who did not work out or hadn't hit their performance goals

Good post but I don’t agree with this point.

Hickey and Weller were the only two regular’ish players cut and we had a number of regulars that seriously underperformed.

Obviously there’s only so much you could do in one off-season but I wouldn’t call what we did as ruthless

[mordiboyz]

* The ruthless delisting of players who did not work out or hadn't hit their performance goals

Good post but I don’t agree with this point.

Hickey and Weller were the only two regular’ish players cut and we had a number of regulars that seriously underperformed.

Obviously there’s only so much you could do in one off-season but I wouldn’t call what we did as ruthless

The Freeman and Goddard delistings were ruthless and would have sent a message to the group.

[tedtheodorelogan2018]

Strong and positive post Mordi.

I think we will genuinely surprise this season and if we can rebound from the 2018 disaster and get close to the 8 then its a good season. If this happens, then we can hopefully add a couple of quality players for 2020 and definitely aim for finals again.

Our off field additions have been A grade and our draft crop is different and exciting (especially the mature boys at this early point). Coaching and structural changes look much better already.

Moorabbin is stabilising and growing and the AFLW side is coming next year. Things could look even better if we have a positive 2019. If we start winning again then the $'s, crowds, sponsors and members will continue to roll in even more.

[skeptic]

* The ruthless delisting of players who did not work out or hadn't hit their performance goals

Good post but I don’t agree with this point.

Hickey and Weller were the only two regular’ish players cut and we had a number of regulars that seriously underperformed.

Obviously there’s only so much you could do in one off-season but I wouldn’t call what we did as ruthless

The Freeman and Goddard delistings were ruthless and would have sent a message to the group.

We’re they though?

2 guys that played 5 games btw them in 3 years.

I would say Minch was way more brutal

[cwrcyn]

The Hannebery inclusion will shake up and motivate an underperforming and defensively lazy midfield. It's quite telling that players have been mightily impressed with his leadership. For all his on field bravery, it appears that Geary mAy not have that big personality that can shake players into highly motivated action.

The return of Robertson and Bruce will be more beneficial than most think, and with continued improvement from the likes of Clark, Coffield, Phillips, Long and Marshall we'll be likely to improve.

I'm not expecting a dramatic climb up the ladder, but we will win a few more games and will look like a football team rather than the unmotivated, rudderless rabble we were last year

[DJ Higgins]

Nothing wrong with having a realistic positive outlook on this season ahead . I agree that it will be another building season and should be an improvement on the field if not necessarily on the ladder.
A few players are now aware it's their last season unless things change drastically, so are some coaches so I'm hoping they lift
Surprised by some players drafted and others new roles but let's hope Ratten can train them better and let Richo work on a plan b and c

[stonecold]

Will push for the 8, (if we can have a good run with injury) much improved mid field, adding a few and trading the 'problem'!!!!!

[Yorkeys]

I too am excited. When I read the list names I see heroic skills based performances beckoning. New Coaches; Lethlean has done the learning curve thing. What could go wrong. I am also confident when I put $20 in a pokie, so rationality isn't a drag on my enthusiasm, especially preseason. But just sometimes when I watch our teams of yore I wonder where that x factor confidence and some cohesive teamwork is going to come from. Since our recent peak in July 2017 when we flogged the Tigers we have won 6 games. Our last win was July 2018 (Carlton, Bottom McBottom). I have not heard an explanation or working theory from anyone at the club as to why we crashed and burned after towelling the premiership club . Perhaps they don't know. I think on this forum we believe it is largely down to the negative influence of AR, but that's not the view of the decision making insiders, who may have no view at all as far as I can tell- unless the assistant coaches were sabotaging. If Alan can convince a group he has coached to 6 wins since July 2017 that his way is the winning way and you can't help (or park) bad luck then the CEO is a genius of epic proportions and we can sell the story to pay off our debt. Nevertheless I'll be there yelling to the chaps they can do it. Bring it on!

[BigDazzaB]

I try not to get too optimistic this time of year. So much to play out but after last year I think a few things could start going our way. That'd be nice

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

[Cairnsman]

I think the list is better than most give credit for, last year could be seen as the classic Paul Keating year, the recession we had to have. Lots of players got game time that otherwise wouldn't have.

We need luck with injury so the team can get some chemistry happening.

[Sanctorum]

I also feel quite positive about the upcoming season, but we need to understand that after hitting rock bottom in 2018 there is only one way and that's UP...6 wins out of 30+ games since July 2017 is not going to be hard to beat!

As I have posted on this forum in the past 4 months, I have been most impressed with the club's sweeping changes to improve the team both on and off the field and there is much more competition for players to get selected in the best 22. This season is going to be "make or break" for a number of "established" players that were considered to have a lot of potential, including the following:

Billings
Acres
Dunstan
McCartin
Long
Longer
Newnes

If these blokes fire , and that is the challenge for the new assistant coaches, then the Saints will definitely win a lot more games and contend for the top 8.

Let's hope they do!!

[tedtheodorelogan2018]

Feeling lots of positive vibes coming from supporters on here. This is good. Real good.

“Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow.”
— Helen Keller

[mordiboyz]

I too am excited. When I read the list names I see heroic skills based performances beckoning. New Coaches; Lethlean has done the learning curve thing. What could go wrong. I am also confident when I put $20 in a pokie, so rationality isn't a drag on my enthusiasm, especially preseason. But just sometimes when I watch our teams of yore I wonder where that x factor confidence and some cohesive teamwork is going to come from. Since our recent peak in July 2017 when we flogged the Tigers we have won 6 games. Our last win was July 2018 (Carlton, Bottom McBottom). I have not heard an explanation or working theory from anyone at the club as to why we crashed and burned after towelling the premiership club . Perhaps they don't know. I think on this forum we believe it is largely down to the negative influence of AR, but that's not the view of the decision making insiders, who may have no view at all as far as I can tell- unless the assistant coaches were sabotaging. If Alan can convince a group he has coached to 6 wins since July 2017 that his way is the winning way and you can't help (or park) bad luck then the CEO is a genius of epic proportions and we can sell the story to pay off our debt. Nevertheless I'll be there yelling to the chaps they can do it. Bring it on!

I agree with you.

The last year and a half of football is the hardest from a supporters perspective that I have ever been through. (and that's a long time)

Leathlean, irrespective of his faults has proven to be a cunning campaigner. I wouldn't want to be on the wrong side of him.

[damienc]

A small reality check:


* It looks to me that Richo is now doing more of a head of coaching job and leaving the actual coaching to Ratten and Co.

( If we lose the first four games of season 2019 he is dog tucker as in bye bye Richo)

* Improved leadership with the addition of Hannebery (who may be placed in a leadership role)

( Jury is very much out on this point. Even if Hannebery provides on field leadership, we need an A grade dominant ball gatherer which is what Hannebery used to be. Emphasis on used to be. Would dearly love to be proved wrong on this but old father time and a worn out body has caught up with DH)

* The ruthless delisting of players who did not work out or hadn't hit their performance goals

( We had a number of underperforming players who are still at the club. Not quite sure where you are going with this)

* More competition amongst spots with players getting older and less reliance on young draftees

( Again the jury is out. We need an absolute transformation from last season or we are in grave danger of repeating it.)

* Considerable expansion is already happening to Moorabbin with works already taking place to improve and fine tune the brand new facilities

( Season 2019 will be the measure of this contribution)

* Seaford has not been 100% abandoned with some training sessions still occurring down there

( So what? None of the players like going there.)

* Improved business functions and revenue raising activities

( How is this relevant to on field performance? The club needs to create a fair dinkum premiership contending footy team. As supporters we've waiting long enough)

[The Fireman]

be prepared for more pain

[Sainter_Dad]

be prepared for more pain

Is that another way of saying "Prepare your diddly-hole"?

[skeptic]

A small reality check:


* It looks to me that Richo is now doing more of a head of coaching job and leaving the actual coaching to Ratten and Co.

( If we lose the first four games of season 2019 he is dog tucker as in bye bye Richo)

* Improved leadership with the addition of Hannebery (who may be placed in a leadership role)

( Jury is very much out on this point. Even if Hannebery provides on field leadership, we need an A grade dominant ball gatherer which is what Hannebery used to be. Emphasis on used to be. Would dearly love to be proved wrong on this but old father time and a worn out body has caught up with DH)

* The ruthless delisting of players who did not work out or hadn't hit their performance goals

( We had a number of underperforming players who are still at the club. Not quite sure where you are going with this)

* More competition amongst spots with players getting older and less reliance on young draftees

( Again the jury is out. We need an absolute transformation from last season or we are in grave danger of repeating it.)

* Considerable expansion is already happening to Moorabbin with works already taking place to improve and fine tune the brand new facilities

( Season 2019 will be the measure of this contribution)

* Seaford has not been 100% abandoned with some training sessions still occurring down there

( So what? None of the players like going there.)

* Improved business functions and revenue raising activities

( How is this relevant to on field performance? The club needs to create a fair dinkum premiership contending footy team. As supporters we've waiting long enough)

Agreed...

Especially on the list management.

Ruthless with our turnover would have been if in addition to Hickey and Weller, some of Savage, Dunstan, Paddy, Newnes, Longer, Acres, Lonie, Bruce and Armitage were cut/traded.
Say you lose two from that group... Force retire/delist Armitage or Savage and trade Acres... that’s a statement about moving on underperforming players (though personally I really rate Acres and wouldn’t trade him).

Delisting a bunch of players that weren’t playing seniors isn’t what I would call ruthless.

The only player moved on of any consequence was Hickey

[The Fireman]

be prepared for more pain

Is that another way of saying "Prepare your diddly-hole"?

unfortunately yes....again.

[diddley]

be prepared for more pain

Is that another way of saying "Prepare your diddly-hole"?

What about my hole? Which one do you mean?

[DJ Higgins]

I did like the cuts made and although it was one short for me but we still need to field a team so you can't cut everyonePlus young guys take time to mature. Some players eg armo would be aware this is it for unless a miraclet season happens so more cuts at season end.
I think getting mature age draftees is good on paper especially if they have played AFL before ie Kent and hanners but young Parker and hind I have my doubts about and all in positions we have Enough players for already.
Smarter men then me do the trading drafting and in a month we get to see the fruits of their labour

[saintsRrising]

Hickey was ruthless, but he was not really "cut" like the others were.

Hickey was traded as the club wanted Hannebery and we had to trade a pick to to get him that we did not have. Hickey was evidently the only player that another club wanted, that we were prepared to lose for the pick we needed.

And if there was one thing that we needed it we more class and leadership in our midfielders and Hanners delivers on both counts.

Yes Hanners may be an injury risk, but Hickey's injury record with us was not to flash either.

So I support the loss of Hickey for Hanners, even though I quite liked as our No1 ruck option out of the options we had.


Overall we have had some good churn, but the club has made a huge call on "value" players:
- King and Bytel both injured who slid on where they would have been selected if not injured
- A group of overlooked players (Hoping to do a Tim Kelly or Harry Taylor...or the Saint's own Andrew Thompson)
So we will see how good our recruiters have been, and our medical staff too. With Bytel and King though we may well have to wait till 2020/21 to know...


Our list managers/recruiters had to do something though as the previous avowed "Big Fish" strategy was torpedoed by the fact that "Big Fish" do not want to join the Saints in the state we were in.

2019 is for myself at least going to be a fascinating year as there is now so much to watch:
- a bevy of new players. Some with flair
- new coaching blood led by Ratten which will hopefully be reflect in new game plans and strategies
- a boost in our tackling, led we hope by the influence of King Billy.


I am also desperately hoping that both Longer and Pierce have both improved there running capacity over the summer, as both were lumberers that struggled to keep up with play around the ground. But this is a hope,rather than any expectation.

[bigcarl]

Never really understood the lack of faith in Hickey.

Guess he’s perceived as not strong and tough like Longer, but, sheesh, at least he can get the football.

I predict he’ll have a long and useful career at Wet Toast