Bailey Rice - At the crossroads?

[leighsaintsince66]

I can remember watching Bailey's great uncle Colin, dominating in the Bendigo League in the late 1960's. He had been a premiership player at Geelong and was highly gifted. Most of us on SS know about Dean, Bailey's father. Dean was an extremely solid player with the Saints and eventually played in a premiership with the Blues.
We were happy when Bailey chose the Saints over the Blues and were all hoping that he would follow in the footsteps of his father, and forge out a worthwhile career at the Saints. Maybe play in a premiership team at the Saints!...

In my view however, 2 or 3 years down the track, Bailey's career has stalled.
We seem to have numerous backline players at the Saints and plenty of depth in terms of defenders at Sandy. ( eg Coffield, Clavarino, Joyce, Rowe, Marsh, Hind etc)
I also noticed that Bailey spent time in the forward line on Sunday, without much impact.

What plan does Richo and his assistants have for a player such as Bailey?

I really want Bailey to succeed. Is he only contracted until the end of 2019?

Thoughts?

[ace]

Looking at those left with contracts expiring in 2019, he has to break into the team or he is a goner.
There maybe players more deserving of the axe but they already have contracts covering 2020.

[leighsaintsince66]

I now see that Bailey is actually in his fourth year at the club...(Don't the years seem to pass quickly?)...

[Enrico_Misso]

Looking gluggy!

[The_President]

Rice, White and Goddard are all seemingly wasted picks from the last few years.

I would've had Lonie and McKenzie in this group as well, but both have seemingly found themselves spots in the 22 - I'm still not sold on McKenzie though.

Add McCartin to that list (unlucky with headknocks, but still is a failure)


Brings back that old SS debate... is it the players or is it the development?

[spert]

Seems that Rice is being tried as a forward now at Sandy, and I think he is probably better forward of centre, but he would need to start owning a position at VFL before he got another chance in the seniors I reckon.

[The_President]

Dinny said a few interested things on twitter.

When asked about Rice he said he "wasn't fit enough"

When asked about White not getting a game, he sort of danced around it and said "Have heard people argue that he should take McKenzie's spot but Saints say McKenzie is really good at knowing where to stand and how to play team defence"

Not sure if that is a slight clip at White for perhaps playing selfishly?

[outside66]

Rice is in abit of trouble unfortunately imo. It appears he no longer has a position that would suit our senior side. He hasn't got the pace to be a dashing half back nor does he seem to have a point of difference in attack. He is good at creating a contest in the air however once the ball hit the deck the opposition don't seem to bothered by him. We've got White, Hind, Paton, Coffield etc ahead of him in defense so unless the injuries continue to come (and knowing our luck they will), I can't see him getting a game. Would suit another team looking for a hard small/medium defender with good foot skills.

[Joffa Burns]

Rice is in abit of trouble unfortunately imo. It appears he no longer has a position that would suit our senior side. He hasn't got the pace to be a dashing half back nor does he seem to have a point of difference in attack. He is good at creating a contest in the air however once the ball hit the deck the opposition don't seem to bothered by him. We've got White, Hind, Paton, Coffield etc ahead of him in defense so unless the injuries continue to come (and knowing our luck they will), I can't see him getting a game. Would suit another team looking for a hard small/medium defender with good foot skills.

I agree with most of above except the last sentence as I cannot see another club looking at Rice.
Good honest solid player with decent foot skills who gives his all, but is small and doesn't have an elite physical attribute like pace, endurance etc and is not a great one on one defender.

May get a few matches between now and end of year depending on injury and if the club thinks he might have some trade value, I think he will be delisted at end of season.

[King12]

Have you been on holiday Monty?

You haven't posted for a while.

[asiu]

tending the tulips



great name for a band ay

happy tuesday to everyone at zzzzzz

[Joffa Burns]

Have you been on holiday Monty?

You haven't posted for a while.

Who are you?

[King12]

Have you been on holiday Monty?

You haven't posted for a while.

Who are you?

King12 remember? I just hadn't seen you post for a while. Just wondering what happened?

Maybe I overlooked some of your posting by accident? Hope your okay?

[tedtheodorelogan2018]

Corfe was still celebrating from the win over the Blues on Saturday.

[evertonfc]

Can play, but isn't fit enough by a long shot.

He's 6-7kgs over what he should be. Doesn't have speed, doesn't have endurance. Exclusively relies on footy instinct. Which means he'll be a fantastic VFL and local player.

He'll hate hearing that, but what can I say...you need to be super lean to play AFL and he's not.

Look at the professionalism of Callum Wilkie - who wasn't even on a list seven months ago - and it's another planet.

[cwrcyn]

It's a shame, because he's just about the best field kick in the club. He's very strong and doesn't get pushed off the ball. Speed and endurance.... that's always been the issue. Hard to see this changing after 4 years on this list. Personally I would have liked to have seen him get an extended run at half back, but who can he displace?

[Saint wagga]

Can play, but isn't fit enough by a long shot.

He's 6-7kgs over what he should be. Doesn't have speed, doesn't have endurance. Exclusively relies on footy instinct. Which means he'll be a fantastic VFL and local player.

He'll hate hearing that, but what can I say...you need to be super lean to play AFL and he's not.

Look at the professionalism of Callum Wilkie - who wasn't even on a list seven months ago - and it's another planet.

Reading a book about Geelongs rebuild under bomber and recruiter Wells and they are adamant that pure footballers will always do better than athletes without footy smarts...in particular when they are recruiting guys like Ling, Bartel, Chapman...it’s just food for thought weather or not athleticism is still over rated...either way, Rice has had a few chances and hasn’t really snaffled them...he may get 1 more crack this year depending on injuries form etc...

[evertonfc]

Can play, but isn't fit enough by a long shot.

He's 6-7kgs over what he should be. Doesn't have speed, doesn't have endurance. Exclusively relies on footy instinct. Which means he'll be a fantastic VFL and local player.

He'll hate hearing that, but what can I say...you need to be super lean to play AFL and he's not.

Look at the professionalism of Callum Wilkie - who wasn't even on a list seven months ago - and it's another planet.

Reading a book about Geelongs rebuild under bomber and recruiter Wells and they are adamant that pure footballers will always do better than athletes without footy smarts...in particular when they are recruiting guys like Ling, Bartel, Chapman...it’s just food for thought weather or not athleticism is still over rated...either way, Rice has had a few chances and hasn’t really snaffled them...he may get 1 more crack this year depending on injuries form etc...

I've always agreed with the theory you're pushing above. However, that theory is now about 5 years behind the pace (case in point - Geelong recruiting Mark Blicavs from athletics).

In 2019, it's not a question of "footy smarts" or "an athlete". Legitimately, unless you're Steve Johnson in the football IQ, you need to have both.

Rice is pretty good at one and pretty ordinary at the other. He seems like a good bloke, etc, but if he wants to make it, he'll only make it by becoming the hardest working footballer on our list.

My observations are that he enjoys the lifestyle of being a footballer, especially in the off-season, rather than pushing himself to the limits of performance.

Nobody is holding a gun to his head to do the extra work, he has to do that himself. And he's not "overweight" - but he's a long way from premium fitness.

You can't be idling, ticking over, etc these days unless you have the runs on the board. He hasn't. He'd better get moving, in more ways than one.

[Impatient Sainter]

Agree with the above Bailey is too bulky and needs to fine down, but if he was ever to get a run it would be this week. Long will be dropped and someone has to come in to replace him and apparently before last week was playing ok in the VFL. Perhaps he is the point of difference we need as he can take an overhead mark.

[The_President]

Agree with the above Bailey is too bulky and needs to fine down, but if he was ever to get a run it would be this week. Long will be dropped and someone has to come in to replace him and apparently before last week was playing ok in the VFL. Perhaps he is the point of difference we need as he can take an overhead mark.

Do they wear the indigenous strip this week? If so, doubt Long will be dropped since he did the design.

[diddley]

Agree with the above Bailey is too bulky and needs to fine down, but if he was ever to get a run it would be this week. Long will be dropped and someone has to come in to replace him and apparently before last week was playing ok in the VFL. Perhaps he is the point of difference we need as he can take an overhead mark.

Do they wear the indigenous strip this week? If so, doubt Long will be dropped since he did the design.

I would damn well be expecting that the players get picked on their playing ability / form, and not their designing skills. Anything suggesting otherwise would be a sham.
Hugo Boss doesn’t kick many goals from Full Forward.

[Saintly66]

Bubbles will be fine.

[Jacks Back]

Rice has been slow to boil and would be steamed he isn't getting a senior game in the heat of the kitchen. While I think he should be stir(fried) right up I think he's baked!

[King12]

Oh Dear, dad jokes still suck

[Joffa Burns]

Agree with the above Bailey is too bulky and needs to fine down, but if he was ever to get a run it would be this week. Long will be dropped and someone has to come in to replace him and apparently before last week was playing ok in the VFL. Perhaps he is the point of difference we need as he can take an overhead mark.

Do they wear the indigenous strip this week? If so, doubt Long will be dropped since he did the design.

I would damn well be expecting that the players get picked on their playing ability / form, and not their designing skills. Anything suggesting otherwise would be a sham.
Hugo Boss doesn’t kick many goals from Full Forward.

He’d give a pretty controversial celebration salute after kicking one.