Do we need to talk about Cooper?

[terry smith rules]

I would think most of us had him in our best 22 in March

Now he would be battling to be in our best 30 (based on the VFL reports I read)

Is it possible he plays no senior footy this year and disappears, or am I missing something

Whatever the case after seeing him live in Hobart in 2021, something is terribly amiss with his trajectory

[bigcarl]

Just down on confidence perhaps. He seems the type who will rise to the occasion if any opportunity presents.

God forbid an injury to King or Membrey or even Higgins (another marking forward) or Hayes and you’d expect him to be strongly considered.

Problem appears to be that others are ahead of him in his preferred position. Hayes, for example, is more versatile and can hold down second ruck or CHF.

[SunnyErnie]

Our selectors are hell bent on destroying him. He is a natural footballer who should always be in the seniors. Get rid of Mason Wood and play him FFS.

This is so typically St Kilda.

[B.M]

Wood is playing on the wing

Cooper is a forward

[B.M]

And he’s not playing very well at the moment

[SunnyErnie]

Wood is playing on the wing

Cooper is a forward

Irrelevant the way the game is played nowadays. But if you insist, Sharman to HF and Hill to the wing.

[skeptic]

He wasn’t playing that well pre-debut was he?

He might just be one of these players that does better at the higher level

[SunnyErnie]

He wasn’t playing that well pre-debut was he?

He might just be one of these players that does better at the higher level

100% ^^^^^^

[The_Dud]

He wasn’t playing that well pre-debut was he?

He might just be one of these players that does better at the higher level

Yeah I was going to say the same, might just thrive at the higher level

[skeptic]

He wasn’t playing that well pre-debut was he?

He might just be one of these players that does better at the higher level

Yeah I was going to say the same, might just thrive at the higher level

Not that I watch a lot of Sandy but I reckon faster ball movement, more opportunity for 1v1 and perhaps a higher standard of delivery perhaps allows him to show of his natural skills

[darylcowie]

He just needs to put on 5kg like King.
He will make it based on natural ability.
Others are ahead of him.
Hayes is not like for like for Sharman.
Resting rucks and Membrey are better right now.

[Killa]

Who does Sharman play in front of?

He is a kid, with a handful of AFL games to date (due to injuries across the St Kilda List).

And he is being developed at VFL level - which you would expect.

Remember he was basically playing Second 18's football at Woodville-West Torrens last season, appearing in their League side on only a couple of occasions prior to the Mid-season Draft and joining St Kilda.

At this stage, he has shown promise.

[Impatient Sainter]

He seemed down on confidence in Saturdays game. He is not getting separation from his opponents and seems to have lost that bit of zip he had in his step last year.

[SunnyErnie]

He seemed down on confidence in Saturdays game. He is not getting separation from his opponents and seems to have lost that bit of zip he had in his step last year.

That's the point. The selectors have stripped him of the confidence he had by not selecting him after such a great performance last year.

They have St Kilda'd him!!!

[shanegrambeau]

He just needs to put on 5kg like King.
He will make it based on natural ability.
Others are ahead of him.
Hayes is not like for like for Sharman.
Resting rucks and Membrey are better right now.

Did he lose 5Kg since late last season?

When he was killing it?

The only way that idea makes sense is if we think players lose mass as the season wears on.

Something must be up.

[CQ SAINT]

He just needs to put on 5kg like King.
He will make it based on natural ability.
Others are ahead of him.
Hayes is not like for like for Sharman.
Resting rucks and Membrey are better right now.

Did he lose 5Kg since late last season?

When he was killing it?

The only way that idea makes sense is if we think players lose mass as the season wears on.

Something must be up.

Ite not hard to work out.
We matchsim at training and put body pressure on him, its ok to lose but find another strength and have another tool.
He is a third banger, not a hot dog.

[Impatient Sainter]

He seemed down on confidence in Saturdays game. He is not getting separation from his opponents and seems to have lost that bit of zip he had in his step last year.

That's the point. The selectors have stripped him of the confidence he had by not selecting him after such a great performance last year.

They have St Kilda'd him!!!

3 1/2 x games in 2021 doesnt guarantee his position in the side this year. He needs to perform and improve on that form, which he hasnt shown in any of his games this year. Its ludicrous to suggest Sharman should be selected in front of anyone else in the starting 22, he is just not playing well enough.

[Vortex]

Spencer White MK2.

[Trev from the Bush]

Spencer White MK2.

Pinched my line. Sharman is a pretty good player but not an automatic pick at this stage. He's still learning the craft of being an AFL-quality forward.

[Trev from the Bush]

Spencer White MK2.

Pinched my line. Sharman is a pretty good player but not an automatic pick at this stage. He's still learning the craft of being an AFL-quality forward.

[Sainter_Dad]

Spencer White MK2.

Pinched my line. Sharman is a pretty good player but not an automatic pick at this stage. He's still learning the craft of being an AFL-quality forward.

Spencer came to St Kilda when we were screaming for a 'Great White Hope'

Hawthorn (in their prime) developed their players at Box Hill playing the Hawthorn way - then introduced them to the big league at the feet of champions - not took a skinny little (or slightly overweight slightly small forward) kid and say - here you go play #1 in your position

St Kilda'ing someone is throwing them in the deep end as a kid playing against men and expecting them to swim straight away

Roo was an exception
Thankfully King is too (despite our best efforts)

/end rant

[Banger9798]

Preseason, I fully expected Sharman to be in our starting 22.
Thrown the key forward role vs Freo in his third or fourth game and smashed it.
A natural footballer with a great kick for goal.

I hope he still makes it, I think Ratten loves the small forwards so much that he overlooks the value of tall leading forwards.

Membrey, King and Sharman could all play in that forward line.

[Yorkeys]

Squads win premierships? long hard season. Hope Coops takes the opportunity when it comes.

[Vortex]

Spencer White MK2.

Pinched my line. Sharman is a pretty good player but not an automatic pick at this stage. He's still learning the craft of being an AFL-quality forward.

Considering the background to his recruitment and also looking at the context in which he was given his debut and the context of our season being over long before his debut, and the ease at which he accumulated his first few goals, it's easy in hindsight to say he was never an automatic selection in our best 22.

As we know Premiership teams have fringe players earning their spot in a best 22, Sharmans debut at the AFL level was anything but earned by knocking on the door of a finals four side. We need Sharman to be capable of that and I just didn't see him as an automatic selection in our best 22 and further more if he can't break into this current side then that is the challenge he faces. Time will tell.

[spert]

Looked fine at the end of last season, played very well in the seniors and kicked goals, and even got votes- obviously not an important factor going into a new season down at the Saints. Clearly one of those natural talents who wont necessarily do much at VFL level but can make an impact in the real stuff. The longer they leave him at Sandy, the more it will hinder to his development. I was more than surprised that he didn't get a game on Round 1.