Battle

[Killa]

Everything is a process.

WB recruited a key forward, instrumental in their Premiership (no, not Bruce). Plus as I recall they received quite a run on the day from the umpires.

And they now have Father/Son talent plus how did they get their key forward now running around?

Yes, we got Owens and Windhager by the same process, but they were not Number 1 Draft Picks - then how we obtained them was closed down.

St Kilda (and others) have not had the favors distributed by the AFL to certain Clubs.

Beverage as I recall was offered a position with St K but WB then put the coaching offer.

And Assistant Coaches move on.

As do Head Coaches.

As do players.

It is the foundations of equality (Salary Cap and the Draft) that need to be addressed (and that includes certain Clubs owning the prime fixtures, so playing in front of the big crowds aka Petracca)

[SaintPav]

I think it’s time the President hit the Remington.

[SaintPav]

And I would add for the point of conversation that the AFL was dominated by the “money Clubs” which recruited the likes of Platten, Motley, Kernahan, Bradley et al and that is just a few from SA

Look at who won premierships

So they bought in the Draft and the Salary Cap to make the competition equal going forward

The problem is that for a raft of reasons “equal” no longer features

And that goes to father/son

The AFL have to return to core - and that is that Drafting and Salary Caps are equalisation foundations and need to be restored for that fundamental reason

The problem is the power at the AFL Board Table where certain Clubs wield the power - and are driven by status and self interest (so money)

More credit to Luke Beverage then for keeping the Dogs competitive for a nice stretch of time.

I think Saints employed both Luke and Adam Kingsley yet were unable to appreciate and/or utilise their talents.

The lack of intelligence at the club from 2009 to appointment of Ross/ Bassett presidency has to be a classic case study in hopeless decision making or not making complacently as the cases may be.

Not surprising its taking years to undo the mess.

don’t forget Clarko also used to work at the club

[Waltzing St Kilda]

To get first-round compensation for Battle, our president and CEO should be reminding the AFL at every opportunity how St Kilda ended the season -- sacrificing several spots in the draft order to play out the season and actually give the competition some credibility.

This as other clubs with no finals prospects seemed to lose interest.

There shoud be a just reward for that.

[Yorkeys]

In truth, I wonder if any recruitment boss wants #1 pick unless you work for an established top 4 side.
How many sins can you solve with one pick in quick time as a bottom club, noting that players can be lured away a la JH-Francis ( as the AFL allowed).
Comforting to have a top 10 pick and know the need is a 190cm 85kg aerobic freak that never fumbles has a great kick and leap and whose head is in the right professional space. See anyone can do it with that brief.

[SaintPav]

To get first-round compensation for Battle, our president and CEO should be reminding the AFL at every opportunity how St Kilda ended the season -- sacrificing several spots in the draft order to play out the season and actually give the competition some credibility.

This as other clubs with no finals prospects seemed to lose interest.

There shoud be a just reward for that.

Great post.

Unfortunately for us, the AFL doesn’t award draft picks based on merit.

[magnifisaint]

Battle should have done the right thing and asked Hawthorn to match St Kilda's. Maybe he is short of a few quid. He didn't think of the consequences. I think Mitchell is a low lying dog. So I think it might be pick 25.

[Yorkeys]

Was Josh going to be our premiership chb or was he doing a sterling job of keeping things tidy until the real one came along?

[The Fireman]

Can someone please help me? What were the offers given to battle by our club as opposed to the others?

[CURLY]

And I would add for the point of conversation that the AFL was dominated by the “money Clubs” which recruited the likes of Platten, Motley, Kernahan, Bradley et al and that is just a few from SA

Look at who won premierships

So they bought in the Draft and the Salary Cap to make the competition equal going forward

The problem is that for a raft of reasons “equal” no longer features

And that goes to father/son

The AFL have to return to core - and that is that Drafting and Salary Caps are equalisation foundations and need to be restored for that fundamental reason

The problem is the power at the AFL Board Table where certain Clubs wield the power - and are driven by status and self interest (so money)

More credit to Luke Beverage then for keeping the Dogs competitive for a nice stretch of time.

I think Saints employed both Luke and Adam Kingsley yet were unable to appreciate and/or utilise their talents.

The lack of intelligence at the club from 2009 to appointment of Ross/ Bassett presidency has to be a classic case study in hopeless decision making or not making complacently as the cases may be.

Not surprising its taking years to undo the mess.

Yep well done Beveridge being gifted JHU and Sam Darcy.

[D.B.Cooper]

Why do people refer to Battle as a CHB?

Have we bought a Delorean and gone back to 1984?

[Yorkeys]

Why do people refer to Battle as a CHB?

Have we bought a Delorean and gone back to 1984?

The H stands for Hawk. The c & b are for an adjective and a noun, both reasonably obscene in our polite company.

[SaintPav]

Can someone please help me? What were the offers given to battle by our club as opposed to the others?

Can someone also give us Josh’s bank account details and password.

Thanks in advance.

#privacy

[Rubyjo]

So Josh was on 400 per year
Hawks doubled it
Not enough for compo
Saints eventually offered 1 mill
Hawks up offer to 900 so first round compo happens.. So I heard somewhere

[silverhalo]

So disappointed in Battle for choosing to go to Hawthorn for less money - anyway, Band 1 compo would definitely help ease the pain. I hope we whip Hawthorn's ass when we next play them!

[SaintPav]

Onya Josh for wanting to fulfill your boyhood fantasy.



Now f*** off and be gone with you, imbecile.

[saynta]

Onya Josh for wanting to fulfill your boyhood fantasy.



Now f*** off and be gone with you, imbecile.

Yep. Hear, hear.

[Killa]

So my take

No denying that as the third up defender he has performed giving contest and rebound

My read is that he compliments both Wilkie and Howard (who is the tall option therefore under most pressure during games noting Wilkie is 191cms and Battle 193cms and both in the 80kg range so not May at 100kgs and commanding space)

This is the reason that across the course St Kilda have looked at his physical attributes and attempted to deploy him elsewhere - including midfield including on a wing including forward

Battle has not succeeded in those positions

So a big bodied mid competing with the other big bodied mids such as GWS and WB have he is not

A Green from GWS he is not

An undersized defender who can play a role given the right supports he is

The summary is that a key position AFL class defender he is not

When I put that Howard needs support the reason for that is that Howard’s support are mid field size - and to me that has cost Battle along with his lack of flexibility to play elsewhere

Look at the size of Green at GWS and what he contributes

We don’t get these players sticking with Battle

And particularly paying him what we needed to pay him to retain him

Better spent elsewhere to address the few deficiencies we have

[samuraisaint]

[samuraisaint]

In truth, I wonder if any recruitment boss wants #1 pick unless you work for an established top 4 side.
How many sins can you solve with one pick in quick time as a bottom club, noting that players can be lured away a la JH-Francis ( as the AFL allowed).
Comforting to have a top 10 pick and know the need is a 190cm 85kg aerobic freak that never fumbles has a great kick and leap and whose head is in the right professional space. See anyone can do it with that brief.

And Buddy Franklin left the Hawks, went to the team that had beaten the Hawks in the grannie the previous season, and neither he, nor the Swans, have won a Grand Final since.

[Scollop]

Onya Josh for wanting to fulfill your boyhood fantasy.



Now f*** off and be gone with you, imbecile.

St Kilda should mean something to our players and coaches… but unfortunately some see it as a job.

Some are not going to be as passionate or loyal as members and long time supporters.

Like an AFL senior coach said during this year; “Sh*t happens”

The reality is that some of them aren’t in love with our colours …or our club

[Scollop]

So Josh was on 400 per year
Hawks doubled it
Not enough for compo
Saints eventually offered 1 mill
Hawks up offer to 900 so first round compo happens.. So I heard somewhere

What are the lessons to be learned here?

In a way….I think the club is as much to blame for the situation and perhaps you could even say, they engineered his exit (in the hope that we’d get very good compensation similarly to the compo pick we got for losing Gresham).

Maybe somewhere along the line this year, they re-evaluated his worth to the team.

We lowballed an offer to Josh Battle earlier this year and that created an opportunity for a rival offer. At the same time we were rumoured to be offering ridiculous amounts to try and extract players like Weitering. If we’d perhaps been a little more generous and a little less cocky about the situation, Battle may not have entertained serious discussions with Hawthorn.

We’ve just seen that St Kilda have retained Collard and jumped in early to secure him before it’s too late. We know the kid has talent. We know he can be a valuable asset in 2-3 years time, so it’s a great strategy.

Should have done the same with Battle, before it got to this

[Scollop]

So my take

No denying that as the third up defender he has performed giving contest and rebound

My read is that he compliments both Wilkie and Howard (who is the tall option therefore under most pressure during games noting Wilkie is 191cms and Battle 193cms and both in the 80kg range so not May at 100kgs and commanding space)

This is the reason that across the course St Kilda have looked at his physical attributes and attempted to deploy him elsewhere - including midfield including on a wing including forward

Battle has not succeeded in those positions

So a big bodied mid competing with the other big bodied mids such as GWS and WB have he is not

A Green from GWS he is not

An undersized defender who can play a role given the right supports he is

The summary is that a key position AFL class defender he is not

When I put that Howard needs support the reason for that is that Howard’s support are mid field size - and to me that has cost Battle along with his lack of flexibility to play elsewhere

Look at the size of Green at GWS and what he contributes

We don’t get these players sticking with Battle

And particularly paying him what we needed to pay him to retain him

Better spent elsewhere to address the few deficiencies we have

A lot of emphasis on size

Your thoughts will be irrelevant (and somewhat ironic) if we pick up a couple of average size midfielders in the draft or we recruit someone of a similar size to Battle to play in defence

[Killa]

And I would suggest you are into supposition in support of bias

The facts are that Battle is 193cm and 80 odd kgs

And we should very correctly seek a player of this size as capable as the likes of Green from GWS

That is how we improve to the next level

And providing support for Howard and for King and for Marshall

Noting we have some kids such as Caminiti, Keeler and Schoenmaker

With support from Sharman and Owens (currently)

Not to dismiss Membrey noting his age

Could Battle do as a forward what Membrey does with his unique marking ability given his height and weight?

[Scollop]

…we should very correctly seek a player of this size as capable as the likes of Green from GWS

You mean like the Bont and Petracca? I agree. Good strategy. When do you think they’ll adopt your thinking?