FFS, Tom Highmore must be selected !!

[Sainternist]

Highmore is killing it for Sandy, week after week. He had 35 possessions and 13 marks. He was terrific down back in 2021 during his rookie season. How does this guy not get a game, particularly that a few of our defenders have been struggling for a while?

Surely, selections are starting to wake up and smell the coffee!

https://www.saints.com.au/news/1159521? ... &fs=e&s=cl

[nostalgicsaint]

Interesting that batch calls out Higgins and wood as up for selection.

I get stats aren't everything but they don't look good.

[SaintPav]

They need to restructure the backline to fit him in.

Pity he’s not a midfielder.

[Saints58]

Highmore is not the only one killing it in the VFL what about Campbell he was B.O.G. a few times can take a mark presents well and kicks goals.
We have paddy Ryder out so do we play Campbell who would be a great chop out for Marshall and King no we play Sharman as backup ruck what the F**K!!!!
We lost it at selection again.

[Wayne42]

Good to see the Sandy coach talking up the Saints players.

I hope he tells them a few home truths as well, just between him and them.

Selection will be interesting this week, i'm past caring who's in and who's out, i just want to see the 22 perform, oh, and if the pine warmer gets on
then i hope he has a crack as well, especially as he gets credited with a game played for his cv, regardless.

[Impatient Sainter]

They need to restructure the backline to fit him in.

Pity he’s not a midfielder.

Yep drop Howard, put Battle in his role and Highmore in Battles.

[Sainternist]

They need to restructure the backline to fit him in.

Pity he’s not a midfielder.

Perhaps he can double up as a midfielder and defender, like Bradshaw has with the Dees?

I agree with you on restructuring the backline. Howard must be dropped. Paton and Webster have struggled at times, which should have Darragh Joyce and Leo Connolly breathing down their necks.

A backline like so seems worth trying out:

B Joyce Wilkie Highmore
HB Clark Battle Sinclair

Can have Connolly on the bench

[spert]

They need to restructure the backline to fit him in.

Pity he’s not a midfielder.

Perhaps he can double up as a midfielder and defender, like Bradshaw has with the Dees?

I agree with you on restructuring the backline. Howard must be dropped. Paton and Webster have struggled at times, which should have Darragh Joyce and Leo Connolly breathing down their necks.

A backline like so seems worth trying out:

B Joyce Wilkie Highmore
HB Clark Battle Sinclair

Can have Connolly on the bench

Connolly looks way off senior selection- not exactly tearing it up at Sandy..rather give Peris a game. Webster did a few horrible turnovers against the Swans, and Paton seems slow to dispose of ball in general play. Highmore could easily come in for one of them.

[nostalgicsaint]

I dont get the Howard hate.

[Sainternist]

I dont get the Howard hate.

His form has been awful for the most part of the season!

[D.B.Cooper]

I get we have a settled back line that has been very good all year with the exception of the last two weeks when they have been slaughtered with the assistance of repeat entries and lack of defensive pressure by forwards and mids.

Nonetheless Highmore has had it 35 times and taken 10 marks (8 intercept) along with 4 tackles.

Where is selection integrity if he is ignored?

Do you try him forward?
Move Battle forward?

He doesn’t replace Paton or Webster as he plays a totally different role.

Where does he fit in?

[skeptic]

I think it’s really bad practice to have a player playing this consistently well and not ignore

[Devilhead]

We need Howard to cover McKay

Bring in Highmore though to play back and release Sincs into the midfield

Backline of

Paton Howard Webster
Highmore Battle Wilkie

[B.M]

That backline has no offensive run

Out
Paton

In
Highmore

[Jacks Back]

What about if Battle goes forward, chops out in the ruck and then Highmore can come in down back? That's if Ryder is not playing.

[Devilhead]

That backline has no offensive run

Out
Paton

In
Highmore

Webster Paton and Wilkie can all run .... Sinclair/Clark to play as defensive mids (alternating) to give more run

[Devilhead]

Out - Butler Byrnes Long Wanganeen

In - Ryder Hill Higgins Highmore

FB - Paton Howard Webster
HB - Highmore Battle Wilkie
C - Hill Crouch Ross
HF - Membrey Sharman Billings
F- Higgins King Gresh
Foll - Ryder Steele Sinclair
Int - Marshall, Clark, Jones Windhager,
Sub - Wood

Sincs & Clark to play defensive mid roles

Gresh to pinch hit through the middle and alsong with Steele to play an offensive mid role

Ross & Jones can also swing through the midfield

Wood is versatile as the med sub with running power

Ryder Marshall and Sharman can alternate ruck duties and alternate forward - more Ryder Marshall though in ruck

[Wayne42]

Latest injury report on Dmac...
McKenzie is set to miss another week after hurting his calf at training late last week ahead of his return game against Sydney.

[Devilhead]

Sorry forgot Ross up above (have edited it) .... onto wing with Dmac unavailable ........ of course once DMac ia available then Windhager out for DMac

[Devilhead]

We have to make Docherty and Saad accountable and we can do this by playing on quickly from our back half which will keep those two 2nd guessing about creeping forward and force them to be accountable if we start to get on top ..... we need to play some risky football and also look whenever absolutely possible to keep our forward structure .... Blues weakness is their backline

Also we have to defend the in out ball spread better from congestion ... don't get sucked in ..... we need to structure up to stop the ball being cleared from a stoppage easily by hand to the outside .... if we can force them to hack kick from stoppage then turnovers will happen

[meher baba]

That backline has no offensive run

Out
Paton

In
Highmore

That’s the only viable way of bringing Highmore into the side, if it’s considered essential for some reason. The idea of dropping Howard for Highmore would be suicidal IMO.

I realise it’s a tough message for many fans to hear, but Highmore - although he is a much better player than, say, Sharman - isn’t the solution to any of our current problems. We lost the game against the Swans up forward, not down back. That’s why Higgins and Wood are in contention.

[spert]

That backline has no offensive run

Out
Paton

In
Highmore

That’s the only viable way of bringing Highmore into the side, if it’s considered essential for some reason. The idea of dropping Howard for Highmore would be suicidal IMO.

I realise it’s a tough message for many fans to hear, but Highmore - although he is a much better player than, say, Sharman - isn’t the solution to any of our current problems. We lost the game against the Swans up forward, not down back. That’s why Higgins and Wood are in contention.

I reckon we lost the Swans game more in middle, even though the forwards didn't click, our mids who did get the ball, just didn't do anything with it, didn't help the forwards or defence, or just bombed. We cant' seriously have a forward line though where the FF wont lead, one of the key forwards is inexperienced, never plays in the ruck and is played in the ruck, and another experienced forward is running into the backline taking marks, and a crumber who has forgotten how to crumb. FFS Ratts get it right.

[terry smith rules]

I think Byrnes and NWM stay in side

Byrnes, disposal was not always great, but seemed one of the few willing to take game on and look first into the corridor

NWM led the team in metres gained, yes he missed a couple of passes, but again looks to take game on

I would like to see Highmore in and Battle go forward, so Sharman out (he may become a good player but at the moment no)

For mine Jones is an out, I am over his not recognising his limitations, seems to always try to do to much

[Vortex]

Out - Butler Byrnes Long Wanganeen

In - Ryder Hill Higgins Highmore

FB - Paton Howard Webster
HB - Highmore Battle Wilkie
C - Hill Crouch Ross
HF - Membrey Sharman Billings
F- Higgins King Gresh
Foll - Ryder Steele Sinclair
Int - Marshall, Clark, Jones Windhager,
Sub - Wood

Sincs & Clark to play defensive mid roles

Gresh to pinch hit through the middle and alsong with Steele to play an offensive mid role

Ross & Jones can also swing through the midfield

Wood is versatile as the med sub with running power

Ryder Marshall and Sharman can alternate ruck duties and alternate forward - more Ryder Marshall though in ruck

It's highly unlikely Sharman will play and I don't think he'll ever attend a ruck contest again. Watching him contest ruck contests against the Swans was one of the more embarrassing things I've seen on an AFL field for a while.

Needs to spend a fair bit of time at Sandy to develop.

[nostalgicsaint]

On the train so having a look

FB - Wilkie, Howard Webster
HB - Sinclair Battle Highmore
C - Hill Crouch Milera
HF - Membrey Sharman Billings
F- Marshall King Butler
Foll - Ryder Steele Gresh
Int - Ross, Clark, Windhager, Jones
Sub - Long/Higgins

In Ryder, Hill, Highmore
Out Byrnes, Paton, Long

Byrnes out because of footskills and lack of tackling. Jones the other one considered.

Don't mind going a bit taller, our structure was at its best when we had Hayes in the side and sharman is not a genuine tall anyway.

Paton hasn't been in amazing form and is unlucky highmore has been banging down the door.

Hill brings some better ball use.


Players on notice.
Jones- skills/decision making
Billings- must keep bringing the work rate, better last week
Butler- must continue to kick at least a goal a game and keep bringing the pressure
Sharman- backing him in at the moment but needs a bigger game soon
Gresh- unlikely to be dropped but needs to take the more obvious option more often