St Kilda have only 7 players aged 29 or over

[Sanctorum]

Recent comments on this forum suggesting that St Kilda has an imbalance between older players and young are unfounded.

If we draw a line above Seb Ross, Jimmy Webster and Bradley Hill, all of who will be 28 this year, there are only 7 players aged 29 or over in 2021:

Paddy Ryder - 33
Jarryn Geary - 33
James Frawley - 32
Shaun McKernan - 30
Dan Hannebery - 30
Dylan Roberton - 30
Jake Carlisle - 29

Frawley and McKernan are new recruits, added for depth and experience, and unlikely to play very many games.

Dylan Roberton is likely to announce his retirement, and Jarryn Geary possibly into his last season.

Paddy Ryder, Jake Carlisle and Dan Hannebery are still very much in consideration for best 22 this year and will play major roles if the team gets to play finals again, as most outside observers believe it will.

With four vacancies on the team list, the addition of Mason Wood at age 27, as is mooted, should not be an issue, and still gives the club plenty of opportunity to bring in young recruits this year.

It is all very well to be advocating bringing more youth into the team, but it should be remembered that much of the improvement of the team in 2020 has been due to the 5 experienced players recruited at the end of 2019.

[cwrcyn]

Geelong in comparison....13 players

Stanley 30
Tuohy 31
Higgins 32
Smith 32
Jenkins 31
Selwood 33
Duncan 29
Rohan 29
Henderson 31
Hawkins 32
Menegola 29
Dangerfield 31
Blicavs 30

[cwrcyn]

the question is what is the dependency on players over 29? Ryder, Carlisle, and a fit Hannebery are critical. If you look at Geelong, twelve of the thirteen players over 29 are regular players or stars. For Richmond, it's eight of their top dozen players who are in that category. For Port Adelaide it's seven of their top dozen players. In two years, Geelong will likely lose nearly half of their starting 22.

[skeptic]

This has been a bit reassuring but it’s a question of longevity/usefulness

Ryder exceeded all expectations but the pressure is on to back up
Geary looks like he might be outside the top 22
Hannebery’s durability remains a ?
Frawley was apparently completely spent 3 months ago
McKernan has a lot of detractors suggesting he really shouldn’t ever be top 22
Carlisle is signed on a year to year basis under the cloud of there is something odd in the relationship between he and club
Roberton is pbly going to pull the pin

Of all of these guys... it feels like anyone of them could be gone at anytime

That being said... the opposite could happen too
Carlisle, Hannerbery and Ryder could all be locks for 2 more years and an integral part of a 2021 premiership push

Frawley could be great depth, Geary could bob in and out to do jobs and McKernan could be realisable, versatility

It’s nice to see that we’re on par with many of the other leading clubs and below what Geelong is doing

[B.M]

Ryder and Hannebery are the only ‘best 22’ there

[saynta]

Ryder and Hannebery are the only ‘best 22’ there

Jake not best 22 ?

[Sanctorum]

Ryder and Hannebery are the only ‘best 22’ there

I would add Carlisle to best 22 B.M, difficult to judge him on 2020 as he played only 13 games, expect him to get back to top form this year, his first without serious pre-season injury since 2017.

[Vortex]

The importance of Jake to our fortunes over the next 2 or 3 seasons can't be under estimated. History proves, when he plays we win.

[B.M]

Thought Carlisle was poor last season

He is overrated IMO

Doesn’t like contact much

[skeptic]

The importance of Jake to our fortunes over the next 2 or 3 seasons can't be under estimated. History proves, when he plays we win.

You’re on fire today vortex

[B.M]

Carlisle is best 22 however, but he is not 30

[B.M]

Just realised it says 29

Why would you draw a line at 29???

[Vortex]

The importance of Jake to our fortunes over the next 2 or 3 seasons can't be under estimated. History proves, when he plays we win.

You’re on fire today vortex

Lou Richards would have possibly called it a purple patch.

[Vortex]

Thought Carlisle was poor last season

He is overrated IMO

Doesn’t like contact much

His temperament let's him down on occasion.

[B.M]

I think his hardness let’s him down

Let’s just say, he doesn’t fully commit to every contest

[Scollop]

I think his hardness let’s him down

Let’s just say, he doesn’t fully commit to every contest

Not sure if he will get away with it as much as he did under the Cho

Nathan Brown used to also annoy me when he failed half the time to get body contact when defending. I remember him getting suspended for a high bump on someone (but maybe he was told to throw his weight around or use his size better when defending and he went about the wrong way). Dougal Howard doesn't just spoil with his fist on ball, he makes sure if there is an opportunity to hurt his opponent, that he does it. That's part of the game.

It's the same as mids who don't tackle or who won't contest a mark or they slow down before any actual impact. Some of us who don't agree with the Brownlow votes and the B&F votes get frustrated.... that some on here are quick to defend mids who have been awarded medals and they don't always 'fully commit to every contest'

[minneapolis]

Thought Carlisle was poor last season

He is overrated IMO

Doesn’t like contact much

Picks and chooses I reckon.

[CQ SAINT]

If we are going to play finals this year, Ryder, Carlisle and Hannerbery will need to be in the best 22 and contribute solidly.

[B.M]

Never had a problem with Nathan Browns commitment to the contest

Don’t have an issue with any of the inside mids (hard to be a soft inside mid)

Hill took some short steps last season

Carlisle didn’t attack the ball in the air at times

Coffield was an interesting one
He did not back into a few contests sometimes, then other times showed a lot of courage. So that’s a decision making thing, and a confidence thing. Not necessarily a toughness thing. As he grew as a player, he played with more confidence and attacked the ball in the air.

[Sanctorum]

I think his hardness let’s him down

Let’s just say, he doesn’t fully commit to every contest

Cut Jake some slack, in case you weren't aware, in the past couple of seasons he's been battling a serious and chronic back condition, which undoubtedly will have affected how he plays and his attack on the ball. It is the reason he missed a lot of games.

Assuming he no longer has a crook back, I believe he is in for his best season yet with the Saints.

[B.M]

What the hell has a crook back got to do with it.

He pulled out of a few contests

At 200cm and 105kg I expect him to compete in the air

If he’s out there, he’s fit AFAIC

[Sanctorum]

What the hell has a crook back got to do with it.

He pulled out of a few contests

At 200cm and 105kg I expect him to compete in the air

If he’s out there, he’s fit AFAIC

You obviously have it in for Jake B.M and that is your prerogative, but say what you will, Jake is far from the only player in the AFL to play below 100% fitness due to chronic injury, especially at the business end of the season.

I expect the coach and fitness staff will instruct such players to do what they can on the field within their limitations but avoid risking season ending injury.

[Ghost Like]

Coffield was an interesting one
He did not back into a few contests sometimes, then other times showed a lot of courage. So that’s a decision making thing, and a confidence thing. Not necessarily a toughness thing. As he grew as a player, he played with more confidence and attacked the ball in the air.

What a load of rubbish. You are endeavouring to rewrite history to back your claim during the 2019 game against Geelong that Coffield "sh!ts himself" with the ball. What disappointed me most was that drivel coming from a teacher / coach, a person who normally makes considered opinions. You were called out then and I'll call you out here.

What contests in what games?

Coffield is and always has been as tough as nails, in attitude and endeavour. He would not forgive himself if he pulled out of a contest he could have made.

[To the top]

A couple of years back, on the back of not being overly successful in attracting high quality players from other Clubs and the realisation that the age demographic of the List was deficient historically, we went about recruiting players with experience at State League level

Post Ratten, our younger brigade have been challenged - and have been backed in

The result is that we have moved on from the State League demographic

The current balance is the experience recruited, so Carlisle and Hannebery and Ryder all of whom are central to the aspirations of this side because of what they bring - experience and class

And we now attract others to compliment our emerging youth

The first player of class to sign was Carlisle (with all due respect to Roberton who did not have the profile of Carlisle when he came from Fremantle)

Remember Clarkson attempted to undermine St Kilda with Carlisle, unsuccessfully

We play our best footy when we can structure up around Carlisle, Hannebery and Ryder

And note the closeness of Ryder, one of nature’s gentlemen, and Carlisle

These things work

[B.M]

Why do you think Ryder and Carlisle are close

Because they played together at Essendon?