Who replaces Gresham?

[D.B.Cooper]

Billings- certainly can play forward and push high up the ground.

Jones - might do ok as pressure forward with time in the center square for clearances. Probably as close as a like for like role replacement as we have.

Henry - can certainly run and cover ground.

Byrnes - Similar to Henry but less explosive pace

Hotton - I haven’t seen enough to comment

Do they do away with 3-4 small forward rotation of Hill, Gresham, Butler & Higgins and go taller?

[cwrcyn]

Hotton

[Vortex]

Higgins of coarse

And Buttler the backup

[theoracle]

Who replaces Gresham doing what?
He kicks a goal a game average, bang on 1 a game. I think we can pick that up in a forward line with King, Caminiti, Owens, (hopefully) Membrey, Phillipou, Butler and Higgins plus a midfield and wings that like to actually work and run.
He slaps the ball on to his foot mindless of where it is going his thinking being 'I got a possession, my job is done.' We don't need to replace that at all.
He did not dominate whole games in his 8 seasons at St K; he would dominate minutes. That doesn't need replacing.
Despite a decent & promising 2017-19 period where he looked like being something, he drifted backwards in the last 3-4 seasons developing a frustrating habit of going missing for huge chunks of game time in almost every game he played for us in that period. We only ever saw cameos, hints, flashes, occasional great goals, periodic match winners (yep, the Gold Coast one was brilliant) and that's it - he never developed the ability to consistently impact or turn a game. That hardly needs replacing.
Jade was once considered our best player 4-5 seasons ago but that was in an average St K outfit and it actually reflects a player who, for the most part, has been average.

[D.B.Cooper]

Who replaces Gresham doing what?
He kicks a goal a game average, bang on 1 a game. I think we can pick that up in a forward line with King, Caminiti, Owens, (hopefully) Membrey, Phillipou, Butler and Higgins plus a midfield and wings that like to actually work and run.
He slaps the ball on to his foot mindless of where it is going his thinking being 'I got a possession, my job is done.' We don't need to replace that at all.
He did not dominate whole games in his 8 seasons at St K; he would dominate minutes. That doesn't need replacing.
Despite a decent & promising 2017-19 period where he looked like being something, he drifted backwards in the last 3-4 seasons developing a frustrating habit of going missing for huge chunks of game time in almost every game he played for us in that period. We only ever saw cameos, hints, flashes, occasional great goals, periodic match winners (yep, the Gold Coast one was brilliant) and that's it - he never developed the ability to consistently impact or turn a game. That hardly needs replacing.
Jade was once considered our best player 4-5 seasons ago but that was in an average St K outfit and it actually reflects a player who, for the most part, has been average.

If Gresham is that bad, how is it that Essendon have offered him around $700K per season giving us tier 2 compensation?

I don't think he's A grade by any stretch of the imagination, but I don't believe he's as woeful as a fair few members of this site think he is.

[skeptic]

I tend to agree with you DB.

That said… I do reckon he fits into this band of players whose price is higher than their value.

Gresh should be wrapt with a $700k pay… I’d have him closer to $500k

[Vortex]

Who replaces Gresham doing what?
He kicks a goal a game average, bang on 1 a game. I think we can pick that up in a forward line with King, Caminiti, Owens, (hopefully) Membrey, Phillipou, Butler and Higgins plus a midfield and wings that like to actually work and run.
He slaps the ball on to his foot mindless of where it is going his thinking being 'I got a possession, my job is done.' We don't need to replace that at all.
He did not dominate whole games in his 8 seasons at St K; he would dominate minutes. That doesn't need replacing.
Despite a decent & promising 2017-19 period where he looked like being something, he drifted backwards in the last 3-4 seasons developing a frustrating habit of going missing for huge chunks of game time in almost every game he played for us in that period. We only ever saw cameos, hints, flashes, occasional great goals, periodic match winners (yep, the Gold Coast one was brilliant) and that's it - he never developed the ability to consistently impact or turn a game. That hardly needs replacing.
Jade was once considered our best player 4-5 seasons ago but that was in an average St K outfit and it actually reflects a player who, for the most part, has been average.

If Gresham is that bad, how is it that Essendon have offered him around $700K per season giving us tier 2 compensation?

I don't think he's A grade by any stretch of the imagination, but I don't believe he's as woeful as a fair few members of this site think he is.

Is the answer probably for a similar reasons we paid Hanners 800k for 5 years? Essendon have a similar track record for recruiting to us over the past 2 decades so overrating players is also their specialty.

[Saintmatt]

If we're talking Gresham the small fwd (rarely) - then it'll be Henry; If we're talking Gresham the sometimes centre sq mid - it'll be Dow.

Hoping like hell it's Hotton - he's a super clearance player with agility and loves kicking a goal

[CQ SAINT]

Hopefully this kid.

[theoracle]

[/quote]
If Gresham is that bad, how is it that Essendon have offered him around $700K per season giving us tier 2 compensation?

I don't think he's A grade by any stretch of the imagination, but I don't believe he's as woeful as a fair few members of this site think he is.
[/quote]

I never said Gresham is 'bad' or 'woeful', didn't even suggest or imply it. He's a talented but frustrating footballer who only ever showed glimpses of what he's capable of if he put his mind to it. I don't think anyone would dispute that.
What Essendon are prepared to pay him is their business, but restricted free agents are always gonna get overs in order to stop the first club from matching - the compensation is directly linked to that salary, which is not necessarily an accurate reflection of how good the guy is. That said, this is the same club prepared to pay an average key defender 850K, recruit a 35yo ruck and possibly trade for a guy who shoots imaginary arrows over at Port Adelaide in their massive recruiting drive. Good luck to them. All I know is that if that were St Kilda's 2024 recruiting profile we would be absolutely crucified in the press, justifiably, and I don't know why Essendon hasn't been. I hope they continue along that path.
No, Jade's not A grade. And once he may have been B grade, but I'd argue he's barely C grade on recent output. To be clear, not 'bad', just average and inconsistent.
Disagree?

[spert]

Gresh has been slowed by injury, and lost a bit of his his burst off the mark which held him back a bit this season I reckon. Essendon are probably willing to take punt of getting him right I guess.

[magnifisaint]

So glad he's gone.

[Scollop]

this is the same club prepared to pay an average key defender 850K, recruit a 35yo ruck and possibly trade for a guy who shoots imaginary arrows over at Port Adelaide in their massive recruiting drive. Good luck to them. All I know is that if that were St Kilda's 2024 recruiting profile we would be absolutely crucified in the press, justifiably, and I don't know why Essendon hasn't been. I hope they continue along that path.

This

The Essendon hierarchy are desperate. They're doing what we did at the end of 2019. It was all chips in by St Kilda FC...12 months after we recruited Hannebery who was an embarrassing fail. We were desperate to play finals and reverse the image of St Kilda and reverse our falling membership

We got Dougall, Butler, Hill, Jones etc...they get Mackay, Gresh etc...We recruited Ryder...they recruited Goldstein. Goldy won't be anywhere near as good as Paddy was for us. He won't even be first ruck. That spot will be held by Draper.

Essendon members are so tired of missing out on finals and all the sledging from opposition teams and the fans regarding their failure to win a final in decades. I think the board of Essendon just needed a circuit breaker but it will cost them in the long run. They won't win a premiership with Brad Scott

[Scollop]

If we're talking Gresham the small fwd (rarely) - then it'll be Henry; If we're talking Gresham the sometimes centre sq mid - it'll be Dow.

Hoping like hell it's Hotton - he's a super clearance player with agility and loves kicking a goal

Spot on about Dow replacing him in the centre.

Whether his list spot is taken by a fresh 18 year old (like Wilson or whoever we draft with our first pick) or whether one of our existing players steps up depends on the game plan.

The coaches will adapt and plan based on player form and availability. I think the team will evolve and improve without him

We replace a selfish Gresh with a team oriented footballer.

[SinCitySainter]

Gresham was an X factor player who could do the occasional spectacular thing maybe Henry is the replacement for that.
However, he was an absolute ball butcher and that we have replaced with Paddy Dow who also has the elite disposal skills of a drunken baboon.

[Yorkeys]

Just get a Halloween pumpkin that seeks attention.

[Sainternist]

Hopefully this kid.

Aren’t Essendope tipped to draft him?

[mad saint guy]

Higgins, Butler, Owens, Phillipou and Hotton seem like the ones who can play a similar role. Wouldn't surprise me to see Steele and Crouch play some extra minutes up forward as well.

[IluvHarvey]

I don't think it's as easy as someone comes in to replace the role Gresham plays.
With the inclusions of Dow and Henry I feel we will see the whole midfield, Wing and Half Back rotations change.

Wouldn't be surprised if Henry comes in and plays wing, pushing Hill to HB. Sinclair may find himself in a permanent or more permanent midfield role.
Dow has pace and will be a nice inclusion in our Midfield. Gresham's role of rotating from Midfield to HF may not exist anymore.

But what do I know....

[B.M]

Billings

Oh wait

Maybe Hotton - who average 10ppg in the VFL last season?!

[saintsRrising]

I don't think it's as easy as someone comes in to replace the role Gresham plays.
With the inclusions of Dow and Henry I feel we will see the whole midfield, Wing and Half Back rotations change.

Wouldn't be surprised if Henry comes in and plays wing, pushing Hill to HB. Sinclair may find himself in a permanent or more permanent midfield role.
Dow has pace and will be a nice inclusion in our Midfield. Gresham's role of rotating from Midfield to HF may not exist anymore.

But what do I know....

I see it more that Hill and Henry will rotate through wing and HF. Though with team defence all our HF/wings will have to push up and down the ground.

If one of Hill or Henry needs to play HB at times it should be Henry IMO. Harder at it and more suited to defence. Plus I feel that Hill in the forward half is quite dangerous.

And yes I feel too that our how our midfield plays will be different. Quicker with Dow hopefully on the burst.

PACE

Henry and Dow both in improves our pace. Gresh unfortunately had lost some of his burst pace.

I think the other reason why Gresh is gone is that despite his obvious talent, is that he instinctively is not a "team first" type of player. As we all know, too often he would blaze away at impossible goal (often well past his distance range) when he had open team mates to pass to. some of goal attempts that just roosted the ball toa solitary defender were cringeworthy.

[B.M]

HB is the most bruise free unaccountable position in footy

HF is the most difficult

[shanegrambeau]

Broken record heads up

Just imagine if clubs didn’t have to ‘spend their allotment’ in the allotted time, every year, on time.

How distorted the market is now. How certain players will be be really overpaid every year, just to square up ledgers.

These days, I imagine that discarded players do OK and are taken care of far better.

Imagine, say, the 1980s, 25 years old, and cut.

[Impatient Sainter]

I dont think Gresham will take much replacing, but Henry or Zak Jones are the obvious. Then if we take mid/forwards at this years draft they could fit the bill eg Demattia, Johnston, Mannagh or Simpson would all be options, plus Olli Hotton.

[damienc]

Hopefully this kid.

Aren’t Essendope tipped to draft him?

Adelaide.