Battle 'testing the waters'

[B.M]

So he’s kept as a back up player??

Not sure he’d be up for that - rates himself

Behind
Wilkie, Highmore, Coffield
Down back

Behind
King, Membrey, Wood, Sharman
Up forward

Behind
Billings, Hannebery, McKenzie, Hill, Clark
On the wing

He’s surplus to needs

[Sainter_Dad]

He's 22 years old. Madness to get rid of him. What happens next year if we lose one or two key defenders or key forwards to injury?

No-one is getting rid of him - he is allegedly 'testing the waters' - if a superb offer comes along - we can then decide

If someone offers us the tools to get an elite mid in because they want a Big Bodied Utility - would you not consider it??

[B.M]

I’d trade him straight up for Narkle

Bang!!!

[skeptic]

I’d trade him straight up for Narkle

Bang!!!

Agree with you on this one

[repta]

He is just suffering the second / third year blues

Would be the biggest mistake StKilda could make.
Build his tank and he becomes a great swingman

Very versatile. Had a bad year, but there is huge potential upside

[Leo.J]

The emergence of Highmore and Sharman would have a lot to do with him looking elsewhere

He can see the writing on the wall

Agreed.

If he stays he’s got to push Membrey out.

[B.M]

2nd or 3rd year blues?

He’s played for 5 years!… he was pick 39 in the 2016 draft!!!

Swingman
WTF is a swingman - a player who can play both ends

I can’t think of any players who regularly do this in the AFL?!

[Wayne42]

Battle is not the player the Saints thought they were getting when they said " we couldn't believe he was still available at our pick".

The media is claiming Battle was mentioned in trade talks, does that mean by the Saints or by opposition clubs.
How would the media throng know about those discussions anyway ?

[Bowey Boy]

Pretty tepid I would think. However need to let him settle at one end or the other.

[Ghost Like]

Battle is not the player the Saints thought they were getting when they said " we couldn't believe he was still available at our pick".

The media is claiming Battle was mentioned in trade talks, does that mean by the Saints or by opposition clubs.
How would the media throng know about those discussions anyway ?

Player, Agent or Club. I wish Saintsational had that much influence but it doesn't.

[Ghost Like]

Pretty tepid I would think. However need to let him settle at one end or the other.

Seems it will be one end of the Trade Period or the other.

If he's not traded and does not get a contract extension then I look forward to the piece about never wanting to leave, looking forward to becoming best 22 and helping St Kilda to flag #2.

[MC Gusto]

Have always really liked him and have waited patiently for season he really busts out and breaks a game open..whilst he’s shown glimmers I’m still waiting..

Then again he’s young, solid AF and could be a weapon in years to come. Tough one..

[Ghost Like]

Have always really liked him and have waited patiently for season he really busts out and breaks a game open..whilst he’s shown glimmers I’m still waiting..

Then again he’s young, solid AF and could be a weapon in years to come. Tough one..

I guess we'll find out whether it's simply the hope of us supporters or another AFL club shares their optimism and dreams.

[Teflon]

Hawks would be good at supporting Kosi
Lions too - lost Hipwood for 22 so a Battle up forward to assist Daniher et al while they’re in the window..,
He’s played forward/back now wing ....players that versatile don’t come on the market all the time
Lions have 2 late first picks?? 18-19ish???
I’d want nothing less than that
We’ve put 50 games into him , he’s contracted so we hold the cards
Pay up gang!!

[Wayne42]

Hawks would be good at supporting Kosi
Lions too - lost Hipwood for 22 so a Battle up forward to assist Daniher et al while they’re in the window..,
He’s played forward/back now wing ....players that versatile don’t come on the market all the time
Lions have 2 late first picks?? 18-19ish???
I’d want nothing less than that
We’ve put 50 games into him , he’s contracted so we hold the cards
Pay up gang!!

You wont get ANY first round picks for a GOP, be lucky to get a 2nd round pick. Battle hasn't proved himself in his time at the Saints.

[StPeter]

I thought Battle has played some of his best football for the club at centre half back, a position we still don't have a suitable candidate for.

[spert]

I like Battle's toughness, but he doesn't bring enough to the table. Might have been good under a Richo style game, but I don't think he fits into where Ratts is going with the list.

[st.byron]

He is just suffering the second / third year blues

Would be the biggest mistake StKilda could make.
Build his tank and he becomes a great swingman

Very versatile. Had a bad year, but there is huge potential upside

Yep agree. Keep.

[freely]

I'd have said Goddard was a swingman. Maybe Harry Taylor. The only thing that makes Battle a swingman is that the club can't decide what position to play him!

[Ghost Like]

He is just suffering the second / third year blues

Would be the biggest mistake StKilda could make.
Build his tank and he becomes a great swingman

Very versatile. Had a bad year, but there is huge potential upside

Yep agree. Keep.

I get worried when we've put 50 odd games into a player and in the middle of an injury prone year like we've had, he gets dropped.

If we can get something then make it happen, I don't want to be watching him have 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th year blues.

[Winmar7]

We should stop moving him around the ground and settle him forward.

As good as Sharman has been this he has only played a handful of games, and we cannot expect him to dominate every week. Ro will play more ruck time in '22 as Paddy ages, so alongside Membrey and King, Battle would do well.

It would be madness to let him go.

[skeptic]

The forward line has King, Membrey, Cooper and Marshall/Ryder resting
Where does he fit?

[Ghost Like]

The forward line has King, Membrey, Cooper and Marshall/Ryder resting
Where does he fit?

In Queensland.

[longtimesaint]

I can’t see him getting a regular game in a top 4 side like Brisbane and would he want to go to Gold Coast?
If so, more sense to keep him and possibly be a bargaining tool to get Bing next year.

[B.M]

It’s funny

The perception of him is far different from the reality

He has shown far less than some players who we want to be shown the door

It’s funny,

Him, Dunstan and Long are well supported despite their underachieving level of footy over their career
None have ever consistently shown high level output