Saints sign SA star Jack Hayes

[saynta]

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/ ... 532f16e07f

"St Kilda has added the SANFL’s most-dominant player to its list for 2022, bolstering its big-man stocks with one of the best state league talls in the country.
Jon Ralph

February 3, 2022 - 11:04AM

St Kilda’s summer train-on rookie Jack Hayes has put himself in the picture for an unlikely Round 1 spot as the Saints prepare to elevate him onto their list.

The Herald Sun understands Hayes will be put onto the St Kilda list as a 194cm ruck-forward who has been totally dominant at SANFL level."

"SANFL star Hayes is the only player pushing for one of two vacant list spots at St Kilda and Saints players believe he is a strong chance to win a position early in the year in the senior side given his brilliant summer form.

The 194cm utility has taken all before him in the SANFL, captaining the state team, finishing equal third in the Magarey Medal and winning the Jack Oatey Medal as Woodville West Torrens claimed its second consecutive premiership.

Stream every match of every round of the 2022 Toyota AFL Premiership Season Live & Ad-Break Free During Play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-days free now.

St Kilda said this week it was yet to make an official call on Hayes, but St Kilda players believe he could make a similar impact to Callum Wilkie, a revelation since joining the club with an impressive SANFL pedigree.

Wilkie was this week elevated into the St Kilda leadership group after the Saints took him with pick 3 in the 2019 national rookie draft after being overlooked in four national drafts.

Hayes is a dangerous and versatile utility who averaged 128 ranking points, 19.6 possessions, 10.8 contested possessions, 1.1 goals, 4.3 tackles and 7.1 score assists in his 20 SANFL games this year.
Jack Hayes has impressed since joining St Kilda as a train-on player.

At only 194cm he isn’t a pure key position player on size but given his running ability and marking power is able to cover the ground and amass huge possession tallies.

His SANFL premiership coach Jade Sheedy told the Herald Sun on Thursday he could make an impact at AFL level.

“He plays as a forward-ruck for us and he’s only 194cm but he does have a huge heart. His ability to throw himself at every contest and will himself at every ball separates him from the rest in our competition.

“The knock on him about why he hasn’t got drafted is he is too small but you can’t measure someone’s heart and he has long arms and stretches out long at the footy and jumps well and takes the ball at its highest point. He plays above his height.

“People in SANFL circles can’t believe he hasn’t been given a chance at AFL level. That is universal, not just from our footy club, so I hope he get an opportunity and it’s one that would be well and truly deserved.

“What he has done in our competition is pretty significant. He was second in the Magarey Medal and it’s pretty rare for someone who plays up forward, the Magarey has always been a midfield award like the Brownlow so he’s pretty dominant.”
Who is Jack Hayes?

SANFL club: Woodville West Torrens

SANFL games: 93

SANFL goals: 122

Height: 194cm

Weight: 91kg

SANFL stats 2021

Matches: 20

Goals: 22

Disposals (average): 19.6

Contested possessions (average): 10.8

Contested marks (average): 2.6

Marks (average): 7.7

Score involvements (average): 7.1

Tackles (average): 4.3

Ranking points (average): 128

[damienc]

Excellent move by the club if true. And it has the ring of authenticity.

We've been a bit shrewd with our recent recruiting. Wilkie and Sharman. It's a nice positive change considering our dismal past track record.

Also looking forward to seeing how our Academy boys shape up.

I have high hopes for them.

[Devilhead]

Not sure how many senior games he will get but he looks to be a super depth acquisition

Great size, very mobile, strong mark, good football brain and could likely slot in anywhere

[bangaulegend]

Great get if true & might play more games in one year than Hanners has played in 3 at a fraction of the cost

[shanegrambeau]

I know zero-zithch about this guy. Obviously, you lot think he is good. Where would you see him playing in our 22, position wise?

[WellardSaint]

Another utility like Battle?

[Sainter_Dad]

I know zero-zithch about this guy. Obviously, you lot think he is good. Where would you see him playing in our 22, position wise?

No guarantee as to position (just my 2c) - however is a good size and from what I have seen/heard would be a good prospect to build a tank and play strong midfield minutes ala Cripps and Bont

[Ghost Like]

I know zero-zithch about this guy. Obviously, you lot think he is good. Where would you see him playing in our 22, position wise?

If all that is written is true, no reason to doubt his SANFL.career and his efforts on the track with us, he offers flexibility in spades. When the Club is deciding on the 22nd player picked, a spot on the bench, I don't think they can go wrong selecting a big bodied, mobile player that is comfortable in any part of the ground.

[skeptic]

I know zero-zithch about this guy. Obviously, you lot think he is good. Where would you see him playing in our 22, position wise?

If all that is written is true, no reason to doubt his SANFL.career and his efforts on the track with us, he offers flexibility in spades. When the Club is deciding on the 22nd player picked, a spot on the bench, I don't think they can go wrong selecting a big bodied, mobile player that is comfortable in any part of the ground.

Admittedly I don’t know anything about the kid but I don’t know that there are that many particularly useful utilities out there. My impression is that players need a position to make their own and pinch hit in other spots to help out when need be.

Certainly hasn’t done Battle a lot of favours to this point.

The big bodied mid role concerns me as well. That seems to be the golden goose clubs have been chasing for years. It seems like one in 100 mids in the AFL fit that mould and do it well whereas all are constantly trying to find one ala again Battle last year who just wasn’t suited to it.

My impression is that he is a forward?

Impression I have is that the kid is best suited forward?

[Ghost Like]

I know zero-zithch about this guy. Obviously, you lot think he is good. Where would you see him playing in our 22, position wise?

If all that is written is true, no reason to doubt his SANFL.career and his efforts on the track with us, he offers flexibility in spades. When the Club is deciding on the 22nd player picked, a spot on the bench, I don't think they can go wrong selecting a big bodied, mobile player that is comfortable in any part of the ground.

Admittedly I don’t know anything about the kid but I don’t know that there are that many particularly useful utilities out there. My impression is that players need a position to make their own and pinch hit in other spots to help out when need be.

Certainly hasn’t done Battle a lot of favours to this point.

The big bodied mid role concerns me as well. That seems to be the golden goose clubs have been chasing for years. It seems like one in 100 mids in the AFL fit that mould and do it well whereas all are constantly trying to find one ala again Battle last year who just wasn’t suited to it.

My impression is that he is a forward?

Impression I have is that the kid is best suited forward?

I agree skeptic, it's great once a player makes a position his own. That's been Battle's biggest failing, up until this point of his career, he's not demanded a position.

Good observation about useful utilities, they are a little ho-hum. I'm only surmising that Hayes gets his opportunity because he can be a Jack of all trades. What happens after that opportunity is up to Hayes.

He may be our Shaun Grigg, he might be our Podsiadly or Barlow. However, it's likely he's our reservist in line behind Sharman, Campbell, Battle.

I agree about big bodied midfielders being the golden goose, how about we just find the best midfielders regardless of size - we would not knock back a Neale, Merrett, Kelly (both), Brayshaw or Anderson.

[Vortex]

I know zero-zithch about this guy. Obviously, you lot think he is good. Where would you see him playing in our 22, position wise?

If all that is written is true, no reason to doubt his SANFL.career and his efforts on the track with us, he offers flexibility in spades. When the Club is deciding on the 22nd player picked, a spot on the bench, I don't think they can go wrong selecting a big bodied, mobile player that is comfortable in any part of the ground.

Admittedly I don’t know anything about the kid but I don’t know that there are that many particularly useful utilities out there. My impression is that players need a position to make their own and pinch hit in other spots to help out when need be.

Certainly hasn’t done Battle a lot of favours to this point.

The big bodied mid role concerns me as well. That seems to be the golden goose clubs have been chasing for years. It seems like one in 100 mids in the AFL fit that mould and do it well whereas all are constantly trying to find one ala again Battle last year who just wasn’t suited to it.

My impression is that he is a forward?

Impression I have is that the kid is best suited forward?

Do you already get the sense we are going to be hearing a lot about his big heart. It's a very difficult thing to measure but I'm sure it will get quantified soon enough.

[WellardSaint]

From what's been reported, I get the impression he's another Josh Battle

[desertsaint]

if he can dominate sanfl in that way i'd wager he's a better prospect than battle.

[bigcarl]

Shrewd by the club. We are leaders in finding new ways to get talent in.

[CQ SAINT]

Search the AFL stats for what he has achieved in terms of averages in the SANFL and you will find his type are rare.
194cm, 95kg, 26d, 9m, 7cl, 3 tackles.
That's fairly impressive. I'd start him at CHF and let him go wherever he likes.

[SinCitySainter]

I know zero-zithch about this guy. Obviously, you lot think he is good. Where would you see him playing in our 22, position wise?

If all that is written is true, no reason to doubt his SANFL.career and his efforts on the track with us, he offers flexibility in spades. When the Club is deciding on the 22nd player picked, a spot on the bench, I don't think they can go wrong selecting a big bodied, mobile player that is comfortable in any part of the ground.

Admittedly I don’t know anything about the kid but I don’t know that there are that many particularly useful utilities out there. My impression is that players need a position to make their own and pinch hit in other spots to help out when need be.

Certainly hasn’t done Battle a lot of favours to this point.

The big bodied mid role concerns me as well. That seems to be the golden goose clubs have been chasing for years. It seems like one in 100 mids in the AFL fit that mould and do it well whereas all are constantly trying to find one ala again Battle last year who just wasn’t suited to it.

My impression is that he is a forward?

Impression I have is that the kid is best suited forward?

Do you already get the sense we are going to be hearing a lot about his big heart. It's a very difficult thing to measure but I'm sure it will get quantified soon enough.

You can measure the size of someone's heart. You do need a rib spreader however.

[wally]

This might sound dumb but if he is a ruck/forward could you play him, RoMa and Paddy all together with the plan of
two always on the field and one on the bench rotating ?

[Sainter_Dad]

This might sound dumb but if he is a ruck/forward could you play him, RoMa and Paddy all together with the plan of
two always on the field and one on the bench rotating ?

Ruck/Forward in the SANFL
194 does not really make you much taller than a midfielder in the AFL - he is 1 cm smaller than Cripps - similar weight

I would be blooding him as a taller midfielder [if he has the tank]

[saynta]

This might sound dumb but if he is a ruck/forward could you play him, RoMa and Paddy all together with the plan of
two always on the field and one on the bench rotating ?

Ruck/Forward in the SANFL
194 does not really make you much taller than a midfielder in the AFL - he is 1 cm smaller than Cripps - similar weight

I would be blooding him as a taller midfielder [if he has the tank]

And 1cm taller than our former champion CHF Rooey.

[Sainter_Dad]

This might sound dumb but if he is a ruck/forward could you play him, RoMa and Paddy all together with the plan of
two always on the field and one on the bench rotating ?

Ruck/Forward in the SANFL
194 does not really make you much taller than a midfielder in the AFL - he is 1 cm smaller than Cripps - similar weight

I would be blooding him as a taller midfielder [if he has the tank]

And 1cm taller than our former champion CHF Rooey.

Yep - still a different generation of player

[Scollop]

We lost Newnesy, Stuvey, and Lonie ….

so it’s about time we replenished our stock of Jacks

Great pick up by our recruiters. We need big bodied mids who can find the football.

Good luck Jack

[Gershwin]

Don’t discount the fact that he has long arms!
That must be worth a couple of centimetres of height.

[WellardSaint]

if he can dominate sanfl in that way i'd wager he's a better prospect than battle.

If Battle gets delisted and plays in a state league, he would tear it up no doubt, like Hayes did.

SANFL is not top level AFL

[bangaulegend]

I'm just willing to give him a go . Not saying he will make it but nothing ventured nothing gained Marshall goes alright & he was a rookie

[B.M]

Battle is a limited footballer IMO

Can play a role, but has deficiencies with movement