Welcome Chris Masten

[SMS]

Welcome.

Not sure about this but was a premiership player only 13 months ago.

He will certainly bring experience and toughness and good training standards.

Oh boy we have gone bananas this trade period.

6 count em. 6 established players.

[skeptic]

Is this a thing or your wishful thinking?

[magnifisaint]

Very interesting. He's still a good player.
Is it confirmed?
His disposal isnt any worse than Steven. Maybe he's a like for like replacement.

[Saintmatt]

Very interesting. He's still a good player.
Is it confirmed?
His disposal isnt any worse than Steven. Maybe he's a like for like replacement.

The first thing that anyone ever says about him is "his disposal isn't that great". You know what? It's not that bad; it's just that he's been surrounded by elite peers his whole career so, anything less than excellent stands out like dog's balls. Here's what he said upon leaving WCE: -

"Masten credited a demanding club culture set by Nisbett for helping him realise his premiership dream.

“Thanks for creating this environment that is so elite that we got to a point where we could win a flag. Nothing is ever good enough but that’s the best,” he said."

Have a think about that statement. Was that really the case with us over that period under our Admin and football departments? Absolutely not. The more premiership players we can bring in who've been part of elite environments - the better off we'll be. Young players need successful people to learn the right training and playing habits off.

He may not be the exact like-for-like replacement for Steven - but he's pretty close. Better endurance but not quite the burst speed. We will not be a worse list with Chris Masten on it - that's for sure.

[Rocket]

Is this rumour or reported?

[Saintmatt]

Is this rumour or reported?

Strongly rumoured. Has done a medical and the same Manager as Brad Hill.

[saynta]

From herald sun.com.au

CHRIS MASTEN

"The forgotten midfielder at the Eagles who agreed to part ways with the club despite playing 17 games this season, including the elimination and semi-finals. Masten was part of West Coast’s premiership team last year but is probably a victim of the club’s already strong midfield adding star Tim Kelly during the trade period and has been squeezed out. Masten averaged 16 disposals this season and at 30 is nearing the end of his career but would add experience to a young team or midfield depth to a contender. Has been linked to Gold Coast."

[Vazelos]

My people are telling me its done.

[skeptic]

Who does he squeeze out?

Plenty of younger mids here that aren’t as good as Chris but I don’t know that I want Chris, Seb, Hanners, Dunstan and Steele all together in one team
Would rather pump more games into the younger brigade and hope they step it up

[Joffa Burns]

ParkeyTedflamingo2021 can you confirm?

Where is our ITK when you need him/ her

[Secret Kiel]

Who does he squeeze out?

Plenty of younger mids here that aren’t as good as Chris but I don’t know that I want Chris, Seb, Hanners, Dunstan and Steele all together in one team
Would rather pump more games into the younger brigade and hope they step it up

We are at the wrong phase of the rebuild cycle to be gifting games to young players, you can afford to do that when you are tanking or at the start of a rebuild (those two things are arguably the same thing).

We now are a team capable of making finals and we need a culture of winning and young players pushing players out, not the other way around and arguably we now have a critical mass of AFL capable players in the first 22 and so over the next few years the best 22 will settle down as we build towards sustainable finals appearances and competition for spots will make it harder for young players to push in. Obviously you need to keep developing young players when you are a finals side but young players aren't gifted games in a finals ready side as easily as they are in a team that is in the very early stages of a rebuild.

It's the elite level for a reason and the age of doing your apprenticeship in the seniors is long gone. When you get your debut you need to be capable of holding spot at number 22 or better in the side or you quickly find your way back in the magoos.

[saintspremiers]

Great news. I love it how we are picking up a few oldies to help us top up to play finals. No more playing the kids and having the youngest side in the comp!

[PADDLEPOP1001]

I wonder if we would have gone after hm if Hanna’s hadn’t have broken his foot?

[The Fireman]

ParkeyTedflamingo2021 can you confirm?

Where is our ITK when you need him/ her

conjuring up pests is fraught with danger.

[damienc]

Is this definitely happening?

There is nothing that I've read to link him to the Saints. Of course that means nothing because I am no ITK.

But......Good player with the right attitude. Aged 30 but reckons he's still keen to go on.

I kind of hope it's true.

[Sanctorum]

Who does he squeeze out?

Plenty of younger mids here that aren’t as good as Chris but I don’t know that I want Chris, Seb, Hanners, Dunstan and Steele all together in one team
Would rather pump more games into the younger brigade and hope they step it up

We are at the wrong phase of the rebuild cycle to be gifting games to young players, you can afford to do that when you are tanking or at the start of a rebuild (those two things are arguably the same thing).

We now are a team capable of making finals and we need a culture of winning and young players pushing players out, not the other way around and arguably we now have a critical mass of AFL capable players in the first 22 and so over the next few years the best 22 will settle down as we build towards sustainable finals appearances and competition for spots will make it harder for young players to push in. Obviously you need to keep developing young players when you are a finals side but young players aren't gifted games in a finals ready side as easily as they are in a team that is in the very early stages of a rebuild.

It's the elite level for a reason and the age of doing your apprenticeship in the seniors is long gone. When you get your debut you need to be capable of holding spot at number 22 or better in the side or you quickly find your way back in the magoos.

I agree with your analysis SK and if Chris Masten does in fact come to the club he will bring a considerable amount of IP from his years at WCE. It is really crucial that St Kilda develop a very strong winning culture, which is foremost reflected in the standard of training.

This is best attained through the example set by senior players that have experienced consistent success: viz. Hanneberry, Hill, Ryder, Jones, Brown - St Kilda has not had anyone of this calibre following the retirement of Riewoldt. I would expect that Billings, Steele, Clarke, Coffield, Ross, Gresham, Long, Dunstan and a bunch of other younger fringe players will elevate their skill levels ever higher as competition for senior selection heats up in 2020.

It is quite clear that St Kilda's foorball department has drawn up a really strong agenda to get the team to play finals, and for that they have to be congratulated!

[Trev from the Bush]

No announcement from the club. No welcome from me, appears to be a combination of rumour, wishful thinking and fake news at the moment.

[B.M]

Not a good move imo

Chris is a gop with average disposal, we already have 3 or 4 of those

He didn’t even play midfield minutes at WC last season

[CURLY]

Not a good move imo

Chris is a gop with average disposal, we already have 3 or 4 of those

He didn’t even play midfield minutes at WC last season

Is that s fact or just something you think? I’m sure he ran through the middle at stages.

[Jacks Back]

We are at the wrong phase of the rebuild cycle to be gifting games to young players, you can afford to do that when you are tanking or at the start of a rebuild (those two things are arguably the same thing).....

Every time I see the nickname Secret Kiel I keep thinking of Richard Kiel (the guy that played Jaws in the James Bond movie) and not the secret keel that I think he means.

So when I see that nic I think of this guy:

[B.M]

He played back. Which is why he only averaged 16ppg.

The had a pretty full midfield group with Shuey, Yeo, Gaff, Hutchins, Redden, Sheed

[CURLY]

He played back. Which is why he only averaged 16ppg.

The had a pretty full midfield group with Shuey, Yeo, Gaff, Hutchins, Redden, Sheed

So you don’t know.

[ausfatcat]

SMS is either trolling or suggesting, it's not in the know stuff

[Harves Man]

ParkeyTedflamingo2021 can you confirm?

Where is our ITK when you need him/ her

conjuring up pests is fraught with danger.

Yes - reminds me of the cane toad introduction.

[Secret Kiel]

What Vaz said