Josh Battle to midfield

[Sanctorum]

With Paddy Ryder dominating ruck contests it is quite obvious that St Kilda's midfield, the engine room for the team, is lacking some real strength, we don't seem to have a single player, apart from Jack Steele, that is regularly imposing himself at the bounce of the ball.

If Ratten is serious about making major changes, rather than personnel of which we have bugger all waiting in the wings, he should focus on who can be brought into these contests, and my suggestion is Josh Battle.

For some reason Battle is regarded as either a wingman, a fill-in KPP forward or back and sometimes ruck, but at 193 cm he is not quite tall enough for such roles. He is said to have a great tank, so why not play him on the ball, the way Marcus Bontempelli and Patrick Cripps do for their teams - the former is 193 cm 93 kg, the latter 195/92, compared to Battle 193/92. The sheer size of these blokes and their athleticism surely helps to have a major impact at the stoppages with impressive effect, yet St Kilda fail to utilise Battle in such a role.

Can someone message the coach or someone that has his ear???

[older saint]

First thing which jumps out - is he good enough below his knees ? and also we already have a 'slow" centre square group ( Steele, Ross, Billings, Bytel, Crouch) without Jones it all looks the same .

[Dis Believer]

There is actually something in this and it relates to Rowan Marshall. Have a look at Marshall's own personal centre clearance stats. Marshall is a good key forward and reasonable ruckman, but it is not his ruck work that is of value, it is what some have described as his "presence" - he follows up the actual ruck contest within the stoppage and actually has very significant personal clearance numbers - that is what we miss, along with the hit up mark exiting the defensive 50m. It is like we have lost a ruckman and clearance midfielder in one.......

[freely]

Put Clark in the middle and Battle behind the ball.

[Impatient Sainter]

They tried playing Battle in the middle last year and it didnt work. He doesnt have the agility or quickness of movement to suceed. I would be looking more at players like Billings, Butler, Higgins even Lonie occasionally to make them put their head over the ball and get their hands dirty. It also helps to get them into the game.

Ratts was like watching a deer in the head lights Saturday night, he froze and just looked on. The first thing he should have done was send Ross as a hard tag on Bontempelli or McCrae. Plus have the entire team go at the Bulldogs physically they have never enjoyed that, plus it forces our blokes to switch on.

[Saintmatt]

There is actually something in this and it relates to Rowan Marshall. Have a look at Marshall's own personal centre clearance stats. Marshall is a good key forward and reasonable ruckman, but it is not his ruck work that is of value, it is what some have described as his "presence" - he follows up the actual ruck contest within the stoppage and actually has very significant personal clearance numbers - that is what we miss, along with the hit up mark exiting the defensive 50m. It is like we have lost a ruckman and clearance midfielder in one.......

I'm all for Battle becoming a centre square midfielder. I suggested it last year but recall it being poo-poo'd as he's got a poor turning circle and no midfield training. I actually think it's now time to try a few things and find out as to whether that's true or not.

FWIW - I still think we're pretty much a 'nice' team - we certainly have very little physical presence. The only two players on our list that I think have a genuine love for hitting bodies hard and creating a bit of damage are Battle and Ben Long. Ben's a liability off half-back and Battle seems mainly lost screaming up and down the wings (he did play a pretty good first q on Sat night however) so, why not try and change it up? Play a bit of human pinball.

Whilst I don't think he's got a tank on him - why not try Higgins for a centre clearance or two. At least he's a natural footballer.

One thing's for sure - doing the same thing week after week isn't doing anything positive for us at all.

[scallopsroe]

Put Clark in the middle and Battle behind the ball.

Good suggestion. We were very sloppy by hand and foot on Saturday night compared to the Dogs. Their skill level was way above ours, a player like Hunter would enable a quicker release of the ball from the ball ups.

[Sanctorum]

They tried playing Battle in the middle last year and it didnt work. He doesnt have the agility or quickness of movement to suceed. I would be looking more at players like Billings, Butler, Higgins even Lonie occasionally to make them put their head over the ball and get their hands dirty. It also helps to get them into the game.

Ratts was like watching a deer in the head lights Saturday night, he froze and just looked on. The first thing he should have done was send Ross as a hard tag on Bontempelli or McCrae. Plus have the entire team go at the Bulldogs physically they have never enjoyed that, plus it forces our blokes to switch on.

I don't know that Battle lacks agility or pace, not from what I've observed, and he is often played on the wing, it's a case of training him to take on that strongman midfield role and leave him to do that until he has mastered the craft. Let's face it, Battle has never been developed for any specific role and to me he does possess the talent to become a really powerful onballer and I'm quite certain that at another club he would now be utilised in that role.

None of Billings, Butler, Higgins or Lonie have the size to be a strong physical presence which is what I honestly believe the Saints are missing at ball-up contests, nor is Hunter Clark, as suggested by others.

[repta]

Bottle has the capability to become a GUN.

However I dont believe he has the tank to be a mid fielder.

They could however use him better around the ball. Eg use him in forward/backline and then have him closer to the ball at stoppages.

I believe the Saints dont know how to use Battle and therefore keep throwing him around the ground which is unsetttling his game.
I just hope the Saints stop messing him around before they stuff him up.

[Joffa Burns]

They tried playing Battle in the middle last year and it didnt work. He doesnt have the agility or quickness of movement to suceed.

Spot on, I like Battle, he's tough, good hands and a good kick, courageous but he lacks agility and ball handling below his hips to be a mid.

We have two strong mids in Steele and Crouch & Seb could be added to that, but really lack class and pace in the midfield. Jones and Gresh provide some unique skills to a same based midfield but both struggle to get on the park over the last two seasons.

Billings & Sinclair and good footballers but not mids.
Hannebery was finished 2 years ago.
Clark has some elite strings to his bow but he is either not fit enough or just can't run at an elite level.

Bytel is emerging but is a Crouch clone not a breakaway player.
Byrnes shows a bit as well and should develop into a good B grade player.

Long & Coffield have gone backward and we have a fleet of average small forwards in Lonie, Butler, Higgins, Kent etc.

[Sanctorum]

They tried playing Battle in the middle last year and it didnt work. He doesnt have the agility or quickness of movement to suceed.

Spot on, I like Battle, he's tough, good hands and a good kick, courageous but he lacks agility and ball handling below his hips to be a mid.

We have two strong mids in Steele and Crouch & Seb could be added to that, but really lack class and pace in the midfield. Jones and Gresh provide some unique skills to a same based midfield but both struggle to get on the park over the last two seasons.

Billings & Sinclair and good footballers but not mids.
Hannebery was finished 2 years ago.
Clark has some elite strings to his bow but he is either not fit enough or just can't run at an elite level.

Bytel is emerging but is a Crouch clone not a breakaway player.
Byrnes shows a bit as well and should develop into a good B grade player.

Long & Coffield have gone backward and we have a fleet of average small forwards in Lonie, Butler, Higgins, Kent etc.

If as you say Joffa, Battle lacks agility and ball handling below his knees, then surely that is something the coaches should have addressed a bloody long time ago. Fact is that St Kilda lack a midfield bull like the Bont/Cripps/Fyfe/Pendlebury, blokes that can have massive influences on the game, and I feel Battle could well have become that player by now.

At another club or under another coach I firmly believe he would have been developed into that role but as things stand his value to the team in the roles he is currently designated to perform he's just another average player.

[SAINT-LEE]

Midfield trial rotation vs Norf:

Coffield
Battle
Clark
Long

Divide the time up equally and let's see who hits the pack, fights low, hits clean, pursues, second efforts.

If no one then next week bring in the next 4.

We are not in a position to suck it and see, we are definitely sucking it though.

Also, I reckon a few bigger lads might be worth a midfield run from Sandy....

Connolly ( if fit)
Joyce
Claravino
Kent ( if fit maybe add grunt, ala Armitage style - slow but bullish?)
McKenzie ( may be fit this week)

This isnt me saying any of these lads are going to work, but ffs maybe we hit on something...what if Coffield's best game is just inside mid? Who knows? We sure as f@ck dont.

[cwrcyn]

Battle to the midfield??? Surely not. He has neither the speed nor the evasive skills to be effective. His lateral movement is almost non-existent. Without it, you cannot be a midfielder.

[saynta]

With Paddy Ryder dominating ruck contests it is quite obvious that St Kilda's midfield, the engine room for the team, is lacking some real strength, we don't seem to have a single player, apart from Jack Steele, that is regularly imposing himself at the bounce of the ball.

If Ratten is serious about making major changes, rather than personnel of which we have bugger all waiting in the wings, he should focus on who can be brought into these contests, and my suggestion is Josh Battle.

For some reason Battle is regarded as either a wingman, a fill-in KPP forward or back and sometimes ruck, but at 193 cm he is not quite tall enough for such roles. He is said to have a great tank, so why not play him on the ball, the way Marcus Bontempelli and Patrick Cripps do for their teams - the former is 193 cm 93 kg, the latter 195/92, compared to Battle 193/92. The sheer size of these blokes and their athleticism surely helps to have a major impact at the stoppages with impressive effect, yet St Kilda fail to utilise Battle in such a role.

Can someone message the coach or someone that has his ear???

Got a feeling is that he is going to Sandi not the middle.

[saynta]

With Paddy Ryder dominating ruck contests it is quite obvious that St Kilda's midfield, the engine room for the team, is lacking some real strength, we don't seem to have a single player, apart from Jack Steele, that is regularly imposing himself at the bounce of the ball.

If Ratten is serious about making major changes, rather than personnel of which we have bugger all waiting in the wings, he should focus on who can be brought into these contests, and my suggestion is Josh Battle.

For some reason Battle is regarded as either a wingman, a fill-in KPP forward or back and sometimes ruck, but at 193 cm he is not quite tall enough for such roles. He is said to have a great tank, so why not play him on the ball, the way Marcus Bontempelli and Patrick Cripps do for their teams - the former is 193 cm 93 kg, the latter 195/92, compared to Battle 193/92. The sheer size of these blokes and their athleticism surely helps to have a major impact at the stoppages with impressive effect, yet St Kilda fail to utilise Battle in such a role.

Can someone message the coach or someone that has his ear???

Got a feeling is that he is going to Sandi not the middle.

[magnifisaint]

Yep Battle was crap. He looked awfully slow against the Bullfrogs

[B.M]

Overrated, has been very average

Surely you jest about him playing in the centre square

He’s got a huge tank, but is treacle slow

[bigcarl]

Put Clark in the middle and Battle behind the ball.

This. Without Gresham and Jones we have very little creativity in the guts, just a lot of similar one-paced accumulators.

Clark, while not quick, is an excellent play-maker. Get him in there

[Scollop]

Hey!!

I've got an idea

Get Simon to nominate for the mid season draft and we'll put him in the centre

I'm sure Hannas and he have had a few chats, and I'm sure Dan can pass on a few tips

[samoht]

1. Josh Battle back to CHB.
He was heading for a breakout year - a young, developing CHB.
Why mess with that?

2. Play 1 small forward only.
Repeat, play 1 small forward only. I'd choose Higgins.

3. Play 2 of Coffield, Dunstan or Wood as "small" forwards who can tackle and take a mark/provide aerial contests. We need some decent forward pressure.

4. Recruiters to Timbuktu. Selectors to Siberia.