Age article - ‘A point of difference in the south’: How Saints hope to keep rivals at bay

[ctqs]

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/a-p ... w8LZD0CR-A

‘A point of difference in the south’: How Saints hope to keep rivals at bay
ByMichael Gleeson and Peter Ryan
February 7, 2023 — 5.30am

St Kilda will prioritise players from the bayside corridor through to the Mornington Peninsula in the draft, and closely monitor and target locals, in hope of using their geographic edge in Melbourne’s south to attract players.

The Saints will try to first target, then attract former local players to mirror Geelong’s success as a destination club for players from the greater Geelong and western Victorian region.

Former local products, such as early draft picks Finn Callaghan at Greater Western Sydney or a Josh Sinn at Port Adelaide, will be actively monitored and pursued with the hope that the Saints can be the natural first choice for players from the southern bayside area wanting to return home to Victoria.

Recruiting ex-Carlton first-round pick Liam Stocker this off-season fitted that strategy of prioritising former local players.

The Sandringham Dragons under-18 team is based at St Kilda’s Moorabbin home in Linton Street. The Dragons had 12 players drafted in the last year alone.

“Certainly we are turning our mind to bayside as a point of difference. We have a $50 million facility bayside, we have the Sandy Dragons based here, we have the Sandy Zebras here. We have strong relationships with them,” St Kilda CEO Simon Lethlean said.

“If you are on the margins and trying to attract kids to your club or attract those returning to Victoria we want to utilise our point of difference for players from bayside right down through the peninsula. You look at Geelong and what they have been able to do.

“It’s not ‘all in’ and that’s all we are doing, it is one part of an overall strategy, but we think we have a point of difference in the south.

“You have the Sandy Dragons training here, you get to know the players they get to know us. It’s tag and release, you monitor them and hope one day you get them back. Liam Stocker fits the bill of that as a Sandy boy.

“North Melbourne, Carlton, Essendon, they are all on top of each another. We are not, we are bayside ... no other club in Melbourne can do it, we have the whole corridor from here to Portsea.”

Geelong have long been a preferred destination for players originally from the surf coast, Bellarine Peninsula, western district and greater Geelong returning to Victoria, not only because of the location but the highly successful football program.

Most recently first-round draft pick Tanner Bruhn was traded back from GWS to Geelong while star pair Jeremy Cameron and Patrick Dangerfield both chose the Cats when they came back to live in Victoria.

The Cats have had a fondness for local players. Last year they had 17 players originally from Geelong or western Victoria on their list, then chose Jhye Clark, an elite inside midfielder from the Geelong Falcons with pick seven in the draft, and traded for Bruhn and former local player Ollie Henry, brother of Jack, from Collingwood.

The Cats have also successfully utilised their local networks to identify talent. Most significantly they secured All-Australian premiership defender Tom Stewart, a former Geelong Falcon who was playing for Geelong’s VFL team, as a mature-aged recruit in the draft.

Non-Victorian clubs have long prioritised local players to help with player retention and target former locals when it comes to trades.

St Kilda recently announced Stephen Silvagni would return to the club as list manager, reuniting with veteran administrator Graeme Allan who is in talent identification with the club targeting trade targets.

General manager of football Geoff Walsh recently resigned due to family reasons, with his position being shared for the season with high-performance manager David Misson and Tessie McManus.

[King Max]

Strange this came out on the day we’re doing a community camp in Wangaratta. Is anyone doing a camp on the Peninsula?

[skeptic]

I’m shocked this wasn’t a strategy already

Thought we’d have been doing this all along

[Saint 58]

As long as we can also provide cheap property deals, cheap business deals and overpaid jobs for family members

[Vortex]

Halle-bloody-lujah!

I can't believe it's taken this long for the club to put one of my strategy suggestions into practice.

Next stop, have spots on the list that are reserved for players who only get 2 years maximum to prove they are capable of playing in a GF side, high turnover on high speculative picks.

And 1 year maximum for players who have been recruited from other clubs that have been on a list 2 years or longer, I'd call it the Stocker Strategy.

Also need a policy on interstate players but I suppose if we focus on locals that almost is the same policy.

[shanegrambeau]

Sounds like a bit of a light-weight spin in a light news week.

AFL did away with geographic zones in the '80s. Our zone is Ballarat. Spud country. Plugger country. Greg Burns. Brad Crouch is from there now?

I suppose Melbourne spout the same about Casey.

According to a poster on BF the old zones were,

Carlton- Bendigo and Northern Suburbs (Broadmeadows,Lalor,Thomastown) also Boronia area.
Collingwood- Western Border and Heidelberg,Preston area
Essendon- Wimmera and Essendon,Keilor area also Ringwood.
Fitzroy- Hampden and Doncaster,Templestowe area
Footscray- Latrobe Valley and Yarraville,Braybrook,Melton area.
Geelong- Geelong area and Deniliquin,Finley,Corbram (Murray F.L)
Hawthorn- West Gippsland and Kew,Hawthorn area also Frankston,Rosebud area
Melbourne- Goulburn Valley and Mordialloc,Cheltenham area
North Melbourne- Ovens and Murray and Westmeadows,Jacana area also Ferntree Gully area
Richmond- Sunraysia and Waverley area
St.Kilda- Ballarat and Karingal,Mt.Eliza,Seaford area
Sydney- Riverina and Noble Park,Springvale and Williamstown area

South Melbourne's zone also covered some parts of NE Victoria.

And that still kinda lingers.

[samuraisaint]

Sounds like a bit of a light-weight spin in a light news week.

AFL did away with geographic zones in the '80s. Our zone is Ballarat. Spud country. Plugger country. Greg Burns. Brad Crouch is from there now?

I suppose Melbourne spout the same about Casey.

According to a poster on BF the old zones were,

Carlton- Bendigo and Northern Suburbs (Broadmeadows,Lalor,Thomastown) also Boronia area.
Collingwood- Western Border and Heidelberg,Preston area
Essendon- Wimmera and Essendon,Keilor area also Ringwood.
Fitzroy- Hampden and Doncaster,Templestowe area
Footscray- Latrobe Valley and Yarraville,Braybrook,Melton area.
Geelong- Geelong area and Deniliquin,Finley,Corbram (Murray F.L)
Hawthorn- West Gippsland and Kew,Hawthorn area also Frankston,Rosebud area
Melbourne- Goulburn Valley and Mordialloc,Cheltenham area
North Melbourne- Ovens and Murray and Westmeadows,Jacana area also Ferntree Gully area
Richmond- Sunraysia and Waverley area
St.Kilda- Ballarat and Karingal,Mt.Eliza,Seaford area
Sydney- Riverina and Noble Park,Springvale and Williamstown area

South Melbourne's zone also covered some parts of NE Victoria.

And that still kinda lingers.

I reckon a lot of people born after 1985 wouldn't know where Karingal is.

[SaintPav]

Anyone remember the Doug Cox debacle?

[Banger9798]

As long as we can also provide cheap property deals, cheap business deals and overpaid jobs for family members

Absolute rort down there

[Yorkeys]

Anyone remember the Doug Cox debacle?

Is Richmond going to steal our cunning plan? Blackguards, the lot!

[Teflon]

It’s taken a while to catch up….to realise you need a point of difference….
Peninsula is a sell for players for sure….Franga? Not so much..

[Devilhead]

A quick Google search

[CQ SAINT]

Halle-bloody-lujah!

I can't believe it's taken this long for the club to put one of my strategy suggestions into practice.

Next stop, have spots on the list that are reserved for players who only get 2 years maximum to prove they are capable of playing in a GF side, high turnover on high speculative picks.

And 1 year maximum for players who have been recruited from other clubs that have been on a list 2 years or longer, I'd call it the Stocker Strategy.

Also need a policy on interstate players but I suppose if we focus on locals that almost is the same policy.

You sir, are brilliant. Well done.

[Vortex]

Halle-bloody-lujah!

I can't believe it's taken this long for the club to put one of my strategy suggestions into practice.

Next stop, have spots on the list that are reserved for players who only get 2 years maximum to prove they are capable of playing in a GF side, high turnover on high speculative picks.

And 1 year maximum for players who have been recruited from other clubs that have been on a list 2 years or longer, I'd call it the Stocker Strategy.

Also need a policy on interstate players but I suppose if we focus on locals that almost is the same policy.

You sir, are brilliant. Well done.

Yes I am, and I'm a giver.

Now all we need to do is get my coach strategy implemented which broadly speaking is a policy that would prevent coach sackings every 2 years....another thing Geelong does very well.

[Teflon]

Halle-bloody-lujah!

I can't believe it's taken this long for the club to put one of my strategy suggestions into practice.

Next stop, have spots on the list that are reserved for players who only get 2 years maximum to prove they are capable of playing in a GF side, high turnover on high speculative picks.

And 1 year maximum for players who have been recruited from other clubs that have been on a list 2 years or longer, I'd call it the Stocker Strategy.

Also need a policy on interstate players but I suppose if we focus on locals that almost is the same policy.

You sir, are brilliant. Well done.

Yes I am, and I'm a giver.

Now all we need to do is get my coach strategy implemented which broadly speaking is a policy that would prevent coach sackings every 2 years....another thing Geelong does very well.

So before RTB we sacked coaches every 2 years?
Coulda sworn that’s not right
But anyhoo

[Yorkeys]

Closet cat?
Once the South is won, using the Sorrento to Port Arlington ferry seems an obvious way to move players to our peninsula from the Bellerine!

[Saints58]

Anyone remember the Doug Cox debacle?

Yes one of the banners by saints fans was keep your hands of our Cox!!!!!

[SaintPav]

A quick Google search

On what basis were these zones allocated to the VFL clubs?

Seems a bit random but I'm sure it was all done equitably by VFL House at the time.



If these walls could sing!

[happy feet]

Halle-bloody-lujah!

I can't believe it's taken this long for the club to put one of my strategy suggestions into practice.

Next stop, have spots on the list that are reserved for players who only get 2 years maximum to prove they are capable of playing in a GF side, high turnover on high speculative picks.

And 1 year maximum for players who have been recruited from other clubs that have been on a list 2 years or longer, I'd call it the Stocker Strategy.

Also need a policy on interstate players but I suppose if we focus on locals that almost is the same policy.

Oh well Vort, you got the first part correct. I would be surprised if your 2 you rule is adopted.

[happy feet]

Halle-bloody-lujah!

I can't believe it's taken this long for the club to put one of my strategy suggestions into practice.

Next stop, have spots on the list that are reserved for players who only get 2 years maximum to prove they are capable of playing in a GF side, high turnover on high speculative picks.

And 1 year maximum for players who have been recruited from other clubs that have been on a list 2 years or longer, I'd call it the Stocker Strategy.

Also need a policy on interstate players but I suppose if we focus on locals that almost is the same policy.

Oh well Vort, you got the first part correct. I would be surprised if your 2 you rule is adopted.

[Darth Vader]

Halle-bloody-lujah!

I can't believe it's taken this long for the club to put one of my strategy suggestions into practice.

Next stop, have spots on the list that are reserved for players who only get 2 years maximum to prove they are capable of playing in a GF side, high turnover on high speculative picks.

And 1 year maximum for players who have been recruited from other clubs that have been on a list 2 years or longer, I'd call it the Stocker Strategy.

Also need a policy on interstate players but I suppose if we focus on locals that almost is the same policy.

You sir, are brilliant. Well done.

Yes I am, and I'm a giver.

Now all we need to do is get my coach strategy implemented which broadly speaking is a policy that would prevent coach sackings every 2 years....another thing Geelong does very well.

So before RTB we sacked coaches every 2 years?
Coulda sworn that’s not right
But anyhoo

Pretty easy to do the math. 5 coaches in 22 years, 22 divided by 5 equals 2. Yep, there is it.

[Vortex]

So before RTB we sacked coaches every 2 years?
Coulda sworn that’s not right
But anyhoo

Clearly you are right as always, thankyou for reminding me we don't have a rich history of mismanaging the club and eating our own. Thankfully Ross is going to be around in 10 years time

[st.byron]

#keepitnoice

[saynta]

So before RTB we sacked coaches every 2 years?
Coulda sworn that’s not right
But anyhoo

Clearly you are right as always, thankyou for reminding me we don't have a rich history of mismanaging the club and eating our own. Thankfully Ross is going to be around in 10 years time

I think you forgot
'not" before around, or at least I hope so.

[shanegrambeau]

Ian Wilson, a dyed in the wool St Kilda man, has a story about being sacked as a coach.
And a tragic tale of trying his guts out, having a little to no in field leadership, and a club that acquiesced to corporate demands, changing their identity as Tasmanian footy felt the crushing effect of the AFL he’ll bent on GWS and Gold Coast etc.

Some lessons, which no doubt will be acknowledged with the shrug of a suit shoulder, as the big wheel rolls.

https://footyology.com.au/the-lonelines ... ches-club/