Billings wants out

[spert]

Lyon clearly has a strong idea of the type of player he want to build his team, and I'm guessing that players who were brought in under previous coaches, and who can't get their bodies right quickly, may be overlooked and moved on. Lyon would have a had a good look at Saints games over the last few years and taken a lot of notes.

[B.M]

When h took the job, he had little idea about the list


Not sure I really believe that

But he does make his mind up on players - good and bad - very quickly.

Sometimes it’s detrimental

[bobmurray]

What will we get for Billings, a 3rd rounder and a KFC voucher, just in case they've had enough RR for awhile.

[CQ SAINT]

When h took the job, he had little idea about the list


Not sure I really believe that

But he does make his mind up on players - good and bad - very quickly.

Sometimes it’s detrimental

Billings was given a chance on no preparation from rounds 17 - 20. 2 more injuries, both hamstrings. What does he want? A free ride? Pffft. He has had that.

[Vortex]

When h took the job, he had little idea about the list


Not sure I really believe that

But he does make his mind up on players - good and bad - very quickly.

Sometimes it’s detrimental

Aren't coaches meant to make their minds up on players?

I recon Billings number was up as soon as Lyon re joined the club and made the statement in almost one of his first media pressers about the club having the same player payments as Geelong yet without the flag. Jack was preserving himself this year no question about that and I reckon even he could have seen the writing on the wall.

Our list management processes have to evolve to a point whereby players only get 2 or 3 years to prove they have what it takes to be a GF type capable of standing up in the closing minutes of a close GF and unfortunately Billings has proven over a 10 year period he isn't up to it.

Clearly time for both parties to try something different.

[SaintPav]

Billings is cooked.

[Vortex]

Billings is cooked.

yep

[CQ SAINT]

Billings was cooked when we last signed him.

Thank f*** we don't repeat it with Coffield.

[Vortex]

Billings was cooked when we last signed him.

Thank f*** we don't repeat it with Coffield.

Yep

Get on the field or get off the payroll should be our new motto.

[Sanctorum]

I have a theory on why Pou was given games, when clearly his form didn’t warrant it towards the end of the season. He looked like he was running in quicksand in the final 4-5 games. Plus his defensive game was abysmal, doesn’t chase (maybe that’s because he’s not that quick or have the power, endurance in his legs. Waves an arm out if an opposition player runs off from him. Doesn’t attempt to chase & tackle.
Now I admit he is only young & doesn’t have strength & enduance of a seasoned AFL playe as yet. He is good in close with getting handballs out & appears to have a footy brain & quick instincts. Can take the odd speccy & is a beautiful kick. So he sure shows some promise.

Like many on here I thought he was being ‘gifted’ games when his ‘potential’ was wavering in the latter part of the season
My theory ( I’m ready for the knives in my back fellas), they want the kids signature to extend his contract beyond the 2 years.
If you listen to all of his interviews, the lad has a sizable ego. Plus dad has one hell of an influence on him. He says he speaks to his dad by phone a number of times a week. I hear him saying ‘Dad tells me what I’ve done right or could improve upon. Dad tells me to have confidence to go for more big marks’. Dad flies to see most of his games in Melbourne. In the interviews you don’t hear him in interviews say the coaches ( Harvey) tell him to go for the big marks. It’s dad this, dad that.
So my out of left theory is, play the kid whether he deserves a game or not - they want his signature on a contact, sooner rather than it dragging out. Dont want Dad blowing in his ear to return to SA as soon as his 2 years are up.
Whatcha think on my theory fellows? Go easy on me pl

I don't have an issue with your theory loris, that's probably very close to the mark and if true, the club ought to be congratulated for going all out to make Phillipou a long-term Saint, he is an absolute star of the future, probably become skipper one day.

[Vortex]

I have a theory on why Pou was given games, when clearly his form didn’t warrant it towards the end of the season. He looked like he was running in quicksand in the final 4-5 games. Plus his defensive game was abysmal, doesn’t chase (maybe that’s because he’s not that quick or have the power, endurance in his legs. Waves an arm out if an opposition player runs off from him. Doesn’t attempt to chase & tackle.
Now I admit he is only young & doesn’t have strength & enduance of a seasoned AFL playe as yet. He is good in close with getting handballs out & appears to have a footy brain & quick instincts. Can take the odd speccy & is a beautiful kick. So he sure shows some promise.

Like many on here I thought he was being ‘gifted’ games when his ‘potential’ was wavering in the latter part of the season
My theory ( I’m ready for the knives in my back fellas), they want the kids signature to extend his contract beyond the 2 years.
If you listen to all of his interviews, the lad has a sizable ego. Plus dad has one hell of an influence on him. He says he speaks to his dad by phone a number of times a week. I hear him saying ‘Dad tells me what I’ve done right or could improve upon. Dad tells me to have confidence to go for more big marks’. Dad flies to see most of his games in Melbourne. In the interviews you don’t hear him in interviews say the coaches ( Harvey) tell him to go for the big marks. It’s dad this, dad that.
So my out of left theory is, play the kid whether he deserves a game or not - they want his signature on a contact, sooner rather than it dragging out. Dont want Dad blowing in his ear to return to SA as soon as his 2 years are up.
Whatcha think on my theory fellows? Go easy on me pl

I love a good theory Loris, some accurate observations in all of that re repeatedly referencing his Dad, I wonder tbough if its just he's young and it stands to reason a father would still be your anchoring influence and guider in life so possibly a youthful thing? And as he matures to manhood his influences in life will become more diverse.

Now on him being gifted games, clearly he was playing when he wasn't up to standard but here's the quandary I felt the coaches were impacted by, a critical shortage of options at Sandy, the depth of AFL standard players available for selection at Sandy was zero for the best part of the whole season. Arguably at times there were some players at Sandy who could have been selected that were AFL standard (just), like Billing say, but had clearly had their papers stamped and Lyon had his eye on the future.

Anyway I match your theory and raise you one theory.

[Laurie]

Agree Billings is at best a good VFL player does not chase slow and only a one way player.
Definitely not in our best 22 and judging by interest from other clubs is not rated.
BOOM BOOM

[cwrcyn]

The cupboard was pretty much bare at Sandy for most of 2023. Lots of guys coming off early season injuries who didn't have enough run in the legs to be able to adhere to the demanding game plan at AFL level.

Billings, Jones, Keeler, Hotton, McLennan. Coffield., Hayes, Allison, and McKenzie missed a huge amount of football through injury. Of the remaing fitness-ready players, they were either not required (Campbell, Highmore), not considered good enough (Connolly), or had a line put through them (Paton)

Although Phillipou tired quite noticeably after round 16, there were almost no players ready to take his place.

Clearly, Ross Lyon likes what he sees in the kid and getting 24 games into him at the age of 18 shows that Ross is prepared to back young player in, contrary to popular belief

[SaintPav]

No takers for Billings according to an SEN report.

[saintkid]

No takers for Billings according to an SEN report.

Is anyone truly surprised by that?

With the big $$ he's fortunate to have been paid by St Kilda to date, relative to his unremarkable on-field return, Billings should be taking a leaf out of his mate Jack Sinclair's book, working his backside off and repaying the club that's invested so much in him already.

[SaintPav]

In his B&F speech, Sinclair thanked Jack B for being there with him all the way.

He knows how to acknowledge his mates.

Nice one Sincs.

[saintkid]

In his B&F speech, Sinclair thanked Jack B for being there with him all the way.

He knows how to acknowledge his mates.

Nice one Sincs.

He sure did. Sincs is all class and humble too.

[Vortex]

No takers for Billings according to an SEN report.

Is anyone truly surprised by that?

With the big $$ he's fortunate to have been paid by St Kilda to date, relative to his unremarkable on-field return, Billings should be taking a leaf out of his mate Jack Sinclair's book, working his backside off and repaying the club that's invested so much in him already.

Billings won't be given the opportunity to repay the club, he's made it clear he wants out, but that's after Lyon made it clear he doesn't want him on the list.

Both parties were done with each other a long time ago and there is no turning back now it's been expressed publicly, expect Jack to be part of a very late deal that involves the club paying some of his wage to complete contract obligations.

[Big Max]

Sounds like Collingwood are interested. Billings is a class above Ginnivan and likely to be a well respected regular in a top team.

It breaks my heart that RTB has very little respect for Billings.

I'm prepared to go on record and call this a major blunder by St Kilda.

[nostalgicsaint]

Sounds like Collingwood are interested. Billings is a class above Ginnivan and likely to be a well respected regular in a top team.

It breaks my heart that RTB has very little respect for Billings.

I'm prepared to go on record and call this a major blunder by St Kilda.

Broken heart based on an assumption. Seems pretty silly to me.

[Freebird]

Sounds like Collingwood are interested. Billings is a class above Ginnivan and likely to be a well respected regular in a top team.

It breaks my heart that RTB has very little respect for Billings.

I'm prepared to go on record and call this a major blunder by St Kilda.

Broken heart based on an assumption. Seems pretty silly to me.

ignore him bigm - wanker

[The Fireman]

I’m still waiting for Ross to make a wrong move
If he wants to move Billings on, I’m comfortable with that

Fanboy

[B.M]

Ross made plenty of blunders this season

[nostalgicsaint]

Sounds like Collingwood are interested. Billings is a class above Ginnivan and likely to be a well respected regular in a top team.

It breaks my heart that RTB has very little respect for Billings.

I'm prepared to go on record and call this a major blunder by St Kilda.

Broken heart based on an assumption. Seems pretty silly to me.

ignore him bigm - wanker

Something about those initials

[CQ SAINT]

Not playing an injured Billings in a final wasn't one of them.