Battle

[saynta]

Absolutely no guarantee pick 5/6 will be better than Battle - and we may need to wait 3 years before they become a lock in the best 18.

It’s a false economy in my books. I’d be looking to hold onto him . Our first pick will be pick 4 or 5 anyways. Look at Essendon this year - bring in a mix of experienced players and draft picks is the way to improve the list.

This.

[Yorkeys]

Josh may very well stay.
Mitchell seems a prick.
We will finish above them next year.
We would be offering a really good deal.
Hawthorn don't have a Wilkie or a Matteus.

[Killa]

Essendon?

Look at the Draw sides have had so far, then the remainder of their Season fixtures to ascertain as to if they are going to be caught out

My view is that there are some pretenders who are the focus of media - and they will be caught out

Sydney are the stand out on YTD performances - but my assessment is that they are reliant on their midfield and lack key backs and forwards who consistently impact

The remainder all have strengths and deficiencies - hence sides “getting” sides and the evenness of the competition

The 2 surprises to me YTD are Brisbane and GWS, both of whom I rate as having a good spread of talent

Neither are performing to expectation

Apart from the bottom 3, you can throw a blanket over the others

[silverhalo]

Essendon?

Look at the Draw sides have had so far, then the remainder of their Season fixtures to ascertain as to if they are going to be caught out

My view is that there are some pretenders who are the focus of media - and they will be caught out

Sydney are the stand out on YTD performances - but my assessment is that they are reliant on their midfield and lack key backs and forwards who consistently impact

The remainder all have strengths and deficiencies - hence sides “getting” sides and the evenness of the competition

The 2 surprises to me YTD are Brisbane and GWS, both of whom I rate as having a good spread of talent

Neither are performing to expectation

Apart from the bottom 3, you can throw a blanket over the others

Well said.......VERY even competition this year, despite us beating Sydney, they are the absolute standouts, nobody comes close.
Essendon are absolute pretenders and so are Carlton IMO..their very passionate supporters have us believe that they are better than what they actually are.

[magnifisaint]

I have a feeling he will leave. He's a good player but not a game changer.

[B.M]

He’s a solid citizen

Not worth what they are willing to offer, and I would accept a pick in the first 6 if that’s what the compo is.

He is not Tom Stewart

[older saint]

Like all these players the longer it goes the more it feels like they will leave.

Money ball says let him go if you get a pick straight after first pick (5 or6 ) with it.

That scenario is win win to me, more than happy to keep him, however if he wants to go and we get top 6 pick, which we need to add class then ok and cap space as well.

[repta]

Typical stkilda
Will end up losing a required player whilst pie in the sky chasing free agents

[SaintDippa]

In 6 weeks when Pies, Dogs, Port miss finals Hawks will not be the only side chasing Battle. Would he stay for 750 per over 5? One of the listed will offer enough to see us with 4+5 in the draft.

[bakes]

I think that if we get pick 6 we should let him go.

With picks 5, 6, 25, we target the 3 best midfielders we can find.

Then in 2026 start chasing free agents and other key position backs from the state leagues.

Build the list around the young core of:

Nas
Henry
Wilson
Sharman
Philipou
Hastie
Shoenmakers
Dow
Keeler
Owens
Windhager
McLennan
Pick 5
Pick 6
Pick 25

FWIW I would trade King out for a top 10 pick as I think Shearman can cover him. I don’t think Collard and the other young guys which haven’t been mentioned will make it.

[Banger9798]

Garcia and Hastie will make it

[Banger9798]

Garcia and Hastie will make it

[bakes]

Yea agree , Garcia will make it. It was an oversight. He is a Libba clone.

[CURLY]

On Midweek Tackle they said if Battle was to go we would most likely select a young key defender. One of them was the young Vic Country Defender Travaglia who was unfairly pinned for holding then inexcusably had a 50 paid against him.

The other was the Vic Metro defender Trainor who received the gift who is the nephew of an AFL commissioner.
They rate Trainor a better player than Curtain.

[saintbob]

So we have to call their bluff and match the deal plus a bit more and then they’ll have to up their offer which will increase our chances of getting pick 5

[saintbob]

Garcia and Hastie will make it

They sure will , but they need game time and that time is now

[Nick DalSanto Claus]

I think that if we get pick 6 we should let him go.

With picks 5, 6, 25, we target the 3 best midfielders we can find.

Then in 2026 start chasing free agents and other key position backs from the state leagues.

Build the list around the young core of:

Nas
Henry
Wilson
Sharman
Philipou
Hastie
Shoenmakers
Dow
Keeler
Owens
Windhager
McLennan
Pick 5
Pick 6
Pick 25

FWIW I would trade King out for a top 10 pick as I think Shearman can cover him. I don’t think Collard and the other young guys which haven’t been mentioned will make it.

That's a fine looking core, bakes. I think Collard will make it, eventually, and as already mentioned, we can add Garcia, Hastie and Keeler to that list. It gives me a great sense of optimism.

Where we differ is on the fate of Max King. He is a player with special qualities. Big key forwards who can move like he does are as rare as rocking horse droppings. He is a pillar on which we can base a realistic tilt at the flag from 2026 onwards.

The setbacks of the last two seasons have blinded some to his virtues. Think of Max at his best, surrounded by Higgins, Owens, Pou, Henry and Coops. Keeler and the Hammer are potential smokies up there.

If we can sort out our structure and play through him as we did in 2022, we have the key to unlocking our considerable scoring potential.

We are close to putting the last pieces of the puzzle in place. We have to resist pulling away one of the most crucial pieces, much like pulling the straw that causes the whole thing to collapse, like a game of Kerplunk! (Really showing my age )

Two drafts, focusing heavily on midfielders, grab a couple of FAs and voila! Like Britney, "Leave Max alone!"

We need him and more like him. I'm told there's another player, very similar to Max, who will be a FA in 2026. Dare we dream?

[bakes]

We just have to disagree on King. Doesn’t lead for the ball, gets pushed over easily and has no ticker. He will end up like Billing’s and be unfulfilled potential. The longer we keep King the more his trade value will diminish. That’s my opinion anyway and more than happy to be proven wrong. When I saw Sharman leading straight out of the goalsquare and marking it reminded me of what we’ve been missing. How long can we keep kicking it on King’s head? I reckon the whole 7 year contract extension talk is bluff to show other clubs that we rate him.

[Yorkeys]

We just have to disagree on King. Doesn’t lead for the ball, gets pushed over easily and has no ticker. He will end up like Billing’s and be unfulfilled potential. The longer we keep King the more his trade value will diminish. That’s my opinion anyway and more than happy to be proven wrong. When I saw Sharman leading straight out of the goalsquare and marking it reminded me of what we’ve been missing. How long can we keep kicking it on King’s head? I reckon the whole 7 year contract extension talk is bluff to show other clubs that we rate him.

Conversely, Max is held as a matter of course which restricts his ability to move and is exhausting. Timing a lead to our mids is so difficult because they rarely deliver from space and are terrible kicks/decision makers. It must be frustrating to the Max (pun intended) to be Max in our current side at deep forward. I am starting to agree with others that suggest moving him up the ground until the ability to deliver into the forward line gets to a good standard. Theoretically I could see Max kicking 100 regularly if either Sydney's or Port's midfield was serving it up. Our coaches need to think outside the box.

[B.M]

Max has had a couple of injuries yeah?!

His last two full seasons as a 20-21yo he kicked 90 goals with low accuracy and averaged 2.5 contested marks per game (elite)

[saintbob]

Watching him yesterday he absolutely loves playing for the club, but I reckon he and all the players know he's gone at years end.

[silverhalo]

Watching him yesterday he absolutely loves playing for the club, but I reckon he and all the players know he's gone at years end.

Pretty much a foregone conclusion that JB will move on and that's his prerogative, he's a free agent. To be compensated with Pick 5 in the national draft is adequate compensation IMO.

I've known Jack Higgins since he was about 7 years of age, played footy for Ormond with my son for a few years and he was a terrific little footballer even back then. But the point I make is that he and his parents are St.Kilda MAD so it was no surprise to me that he ended up at the Saints, it would have been a dream come true for the kid.

I probably put Battle in the same boat - he's a Hawthorn supporter, been offered big money to go there on a LONG term contract, you really can't blame him if he decides to go.

[Scollop]

Watching him yesterday he absolutely loves playing for the club, but I reckon he and all the players know he's gone at years end.

Pretty much a foregone conclusion that JB will move on and that's his prerogative, he's a free agent. To be compensated with Pick 5 in the national draft is adequate compensation IMO.

I've known Jack Higgins since he was about 7 years of age, played footy for Ormond with my son for a few years and he was a terrific little footballer even back then. But the point I make is that he and his parents are St.Kilda MAD so it was no surprise to me that he ended up at the Saints, it would have been a dream come true for the kid.

I probably put Battle in the same boat - he's a Hawthorn supporter, been offered big money to go there on a LONG term contract, you really can't blame him if he decides to go.

Cool story bro.

Sorry... that's me being a smart arse. Don't mean to be disrespectful.

Battle isn't a kid. He's a father and family man and a professional athlete.

Maybe he's excited to be reuniting with Brett Ratten. Ratts is head of coaching and development at Hawthorn. People will say I'm indirectly criticising Ross ...but just wanted to add a different perspective.

Not saying Ratts is the primary reason because obviously the chance to be at a proven successful club which has won premierships is the main motivation...along with the coin of course

[WellardSaint]

Josh may very well stay.
Mitchell seems a prick.
We will finish above them next year.
We would be offering a really good deal.
Hawthorn don't have a Wilkie or a Matteus.

Hawks have The Wizard.
Isn't James Sicily a decent backman?

Hawks are many many years closer to a flag than we are.
They know how to get there.
We don't.

[WellardSaint]

We just have to disagree on King. Doesn’t lead for the ball, gets pushed over easily and has no ticker. He will end up like Billing’s and be unfulfilled potential. The longer we keep King the more his trade value will diminish. That’s my opinion anyway and more than happy to be proven wrong. When I saw Sharman leading straight out of the goalsquare and marking it reminded me of what we’ve been missing. How long can we keep kicking it on King’s head? I reckon the whole 7 year contract extension talk is bluff to show other clubs that we rate him.

Cannot fault this assessment.
King's had enough time to sort himself out.
When Roughead was on staff, when he wasn't breaking guys' legs, he was training with King, playing the role of a dogged defender.
Gresh said once that while running laps, he yelled out to Roughy to stop bullying Winx and go easy.

King is Billings 2.0
King will never honour #12 and Rooey must be feeling sad that his number is being cheapened by a KPF from Temu