Honest opinions

[Halo Halo]

36 - Robert Harvey................ Yes (sad but i feel if we dont make finals round 22 will be his last game - hope im wrong though)

34 - Andrew Thompson.......... Yes (he has been quoted as saying this is his last season - see ya thomo)

34 - Matthew Clarke............... Yes (too old and dont think his body will take another year)

31 - Fraser Gehrig.................. No (reckon he will stay for one more year)

30 - Aaron Hamill................... Yes (love the way the guy plays - but his body wont let him do it anymore)

29 - Michael Gardiner............. No (gotta give him a chance - knew he had injury issues when we picked him up)

29 - Brett Voss...................... No (contracted for one more year-hope he stays & shows em all up on 08)

[Winmarvellous]

36 - Robert Harvey................No
34 - Andrew Thompson..........Yes
34 - Matthew Clarke...............Yes
31 - Fraser Gehrig..................No
30 - Aaron Hamill...................Yes
29 - Michael Gardiner.............No (one years grace)
29 - Brett Voss......................Yes

[saintsRrising]

As of the END of this season...


36 - Robert Harvey................ No
34 - Andrew Thompson.......... Yes
34 - Matthew Clarke............... Yes
31 - Fraser Gehrig.................. No
30 - Aaron Hamill................... No
29 - Michael Gardiner............. No
29 - Brett Voss......................Yes

[Oh When the Saints]

Geez, you are all far to generous IMO.

They have all had it except maybe G and Gardiner.

We need to make some hard decisions on blokes like Mark Williams did at the end of 2005.

Q: Are these players finished?

36 - Robert Harvey................ YES (saddens me to say it, but he won't be part of our next flag)
34 - Andrew Thompson.......... YES
34 - Matthew Clarke............... YES
31 - Fraser Gehrig.................. YES (won't be part of our next flag)
30 - Aaron Hamill................... YES (had it)
29 - Michael Gardiner............. NO (will make it back, but won't be as good)
29 - Brett Voss...................... YES (gone unfortunately)

[saintm]

Are the following FINISHED??????

Yes or No answers

36 - Robert Harvey................Leave it up to him
34 - Andrew Thompson..........Yes
34 - Matthew Clarke...............Yes
31 - Fraser Gehrig..................No
30 - Aaron Hamill...................hopefully no
29 - Michael Gardiner.............No
29 - Brett Voss......................No

The Club has already said that it will give Aaron Hamill every opportunity to play in 2008 and the same for Michael Gardiner. I think Ross has also said that he would like Harvey and Gehrig to play on, if they want to of course. Andrew Thompson has indicated that this will be his last year.

While I think it is good for the players to have this assurance as they begin rehabilitation do we already have an indication of what next year's list will look like and will it be the lesser lights who will be delisted rather than perhaps these older "name" players.

[busso mick]

Are the following FINISHED??????

or can they play a role in 2008????

Yes or No answers

36 - Robert Harvey................ Finished - Yes, farewell champ
34 - Andrew Thompson.......... Finished - Yes, time for Armitage
34 - Matthew Clarke...............Finished - Yes, Only insurance
31 - Fraser Gehrig..................Finished - Yes, his heart isn't in it
30 - Aaron Hamill................... Finished - No, he will come good
29 - Michael Gardiner............. Finished - No, worth at least 1 more
29 - Brett Voss...................... Finished - Yes, has hinted he will go

For mine only Hamill & Gardiner should / will be on our list next year. It is not fair to expect Banger to go around again, he owes us nothing. The retirement of Gehrig will force us to assess other options, and like the Eagles with Jakovich, Matera and McIntosh will be good for the club long term.

I really pray that Hamill can get 2 more years in, Kosi has managed to get over his injury jinx and it is time the injury gods smiled on Hamill. Clarke was only insurance for injury purposes, why else recruit someone who has retired. With luck Gardiner can become a real force for us and become a "new" recruit next year with Hamill. Brett Voss is only a bit player now and the speed of the game has caught up with him. All in all a huge cleanout, but one we have to have.

[Solar]

Are they finished


36 - Robert Harvey................. Yes (will retire)
34 - Andrew Thompson........... yes
34 - Matthew Clarke............... yes
31 - Fraser Gehrig.................. yes
30 - Aaron Hamill................... no
29 - Michael Gardiner............. no
29 - Brett Voss....................... yes

like the idea of trading gehrig, we could cover him and if we could get a top 20 pick, this will help our midfield situation.

I still think voss could be worth something on the market to a young team coming up (like carlton or hawks).

Harvs will retire IMO but it's his call

thommo and clarke will retire

If we carry hamill and gards into next season with an early start to their pre-season means that perhaps we can't afford to carry the likes of voss.

[st.byron]

Q: Are these players finished?

36 - Robert Harvey................ No, could go one more year
34 - Andrew Thompson.......... Yes
34 - Matthew Clarke............... Yes
31 - Fraser Gehrig.................. No, one more year
30 - Aaron Hamill................... Yes, well and truly
29 - Michael Gardiner............. Yes, is not up to AFL level any more
29 - Brett Voss...................... Yes, looks like it

[Winmarvellous]

like the idea of trading gehrig, we could cover him and if we could get a top 20 pick

We'd jump at it. No club would seriously contemplate it though, so let's not go there. I love the G Train, but why a club would give a possible 100-200 game player up for one season from Gehrig is beyond me.

[Stephen Theodore]

Can they play a role next season

36 - Robert Harvey................ Yes
34 - Andrew Thompson.......... No
34 - Matthew Clarke............... No
31 - Fraser Gehrig.................. Yes
30 - Aaron Hamill................... ???
29 - Michael Gardiner............. ???
29 - Brett Voss......................No

Unfortunately for Thommo, the game has sped up even more this season, but I still think he would have been better value against the Swans last weekend than 3 or 4 others.

Hamill, hmm, unless he has a huge FULL pre-season , Forget

Gardiner COULD be the recruit of the year. It was only a couple of years ago I can remember him ripping St Kilda to shreds. Am praying we can get three seasons out of him. I reckon he would make a huge difference to the team, and I can understand why they would persevere with him.

Vossy, great reader of the play, unfortunately now too slow to get there.

[Teflon]

Are the following FINISHED??????

can they play a role in 2008????

Yes or No answers

36 - Robert Harvey........Yes 10-15 games still better than a raw faced kid........
34 - Andrew Thompson........No but thank you for your loyalty and commitment..
34 - Matthew Clarke.............No..
31 - Fraser Gehrig................No - Kosi to the Goal Square...Watts?..
30 - Aaron Hamill...................No (my biggest regret...abolute barmoeter)
29 - Michael Gardiner............Yes 28.
29 - Brett Voss.....................Sadly the game and other younger players have gone by him ...M Ferguson its time..

[evertonfc]

I've gotta confess, retiring/delisting/trading those guys would result in an amazing flow of fresh blood into the place.

RL would get the chance to mould the unit into the team he likes best.

I'd support that, but only if it was a full-blooded rebuilding, and half-baked, non-premiership players like Birss and Blake were delisted.

Deep down I'd love to RL to do it...trade Milne, Rix, L Fisher and Fiora if the price was right, and promote the likes of Ferguson, Brooks, R Clarke, Armitage and Watts to do the job we need them to do.

It would shake up the place and we'd drop off the pace, but boy, it would be exciting 2003-style to see those kids coming through, and you get the feeling but 2011 we'd be right in the hunt with a young, hard running list.

I wouldn't mind a 2001-style recruiting blitz, either. That trading day where we snaffled Gehrig, Hamill, Lawrence, Capuano and Callaghan set the tone for this club turning things around. Sure, they were all dogged by controversy in some way or another, but I reckon I've never been as excited about St Kilda as I was that day.

A big turnover of oldies, added to a host of kids coming through + a mega trading week would give us a huge spring into 2008 and set us up for future success.

Worth a thought, but perhaps a little less extreme...

[Winmarvellous]

Why trade/delist if you're gonna bring in players from the 2s who can't get a game now. Doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. Why not delist/trade Brooks, Watts and their ilk.

[evertonfc]

Why trade/delist if you're gonna bring in players from the 2s who can't get a game now. Doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. Why not delist/trade Brooks, Watts and their ilk.

Haven't been given a fair crack, and we gave up a lot to get them, so why not give them a chance?

Both have been awesome in the VFL from all accounts; I'd rather play Brooks now than Clarke, who is almost useless. I still can't believe we chose him over Chris Bryan, but anyway...

Watts needs to be given a crack, as does Sweeney. We need to find out if they can play football.

Gwilt, Ferguson, McQualter, R Clarke...all these 'project' players (that's six), we need to bite the bullet and find out if they can play at the top level.

However, having said all that, so long as we are in the finals race, we need to play the best team we can. So I'd consider axing Jones for Thompson this week and think about promoting Voss for Blake.

[SaintDippa]

36 - Robert Harvey................ His call. Has been valuable this year. IMO Yes, play on.

34 - Andrew Thompson.......... No.

34 - Matthew Clarke............... No way. Should not play again. Adds no value.

31 - Fraser Gehrig.................. Depends on $$$$. If he wants >200K+ No.

30 - Aaron Hamill................... Yes, one more year.

29 - Michael Gardiner............. Absolutely, may be the Y factor next year.

29 - Brett Voss...................... One more year.

[To the top]

The club will make the decisions.

The quality of the draft will dictate the moves, given the statutory number of vacancies there needs to be on the list and where we delisted Ferguson last year then re-drafted him.

I would not anticipate much activity in trades because the core of our senior players would all have the "Required" sign on them.

Those under most pressure and who will be having the critical rule run over them, after the retirees, will be the mids who have been on the list for a couple of years and who have not consolidated.

Because we do not have sufficient numbers who can rotate thru the mid-field to maintain maximum pressure at all times.

And be dangerous on goal.

[St. Luke]

Can they play a role in 2008????

Yes or No answers

36 - Robert Harvey................Yes
34 - Andrew Thompson..........Yes
34 - Matthew Clarke...............I'd like to say No, but Yes.
31 - Fraser Gehrig..................Yes
30 - Aaron Hamill...................Yes
29 - Michael Gardiner.............Yes
29 - Brett Voss......................Yes

Experience & leadership qualities aren't easy to come by IMO. Even for sentimental values, Harvey MUST play on! (Sadly I think he's really gone out of his way this season to run himself into the ground and at this point in the season it's beginning to show - I've got an awful feeling this year might be it for him - I hope to God I'm wrong!) Give the old bugger (says me who is his same age ) a sniff and incentive to play on I say! Finals at all costs!

[Dal_Santos_Gal]

Q: Are these players finished?

36 - Robert Harvey................ YES (saddens me to say it, but he won't be part of our next flag)
34 - Andrew Thompson.......... YES
34 - Matthew Clarke............... YES
31 - Fraser Gehrig.................. YES (won't be part of our next flag)
30 - Aaron Hamill................... YES (had it)
29 - Michael Gardiner............. NO (will make it back, but won't be as good)
29 - Brett Voss...................... YES (gone unfortunately)

I agree with that..... sadly enough...

Harves - appears to be losing it in the past few weeks, almost like his body is starting to catch up with him, like it or not... hopefully i am wrong, but I can't see the fairy tail going on past this year.

Thompson - has been playing second flidder for a couple of years now, I would say its over.

Clarke - Too odd, pasted his use by date, but I would love to see him stay at the club as a ruck coach.

Gehrig - If his lack of passion is anything to go by then I can't see him going on, agree with OWTS, not apart of our next flag.

Hamill - everyone knows what I think about this, said he is gone for the past 2 years and nothing has made me chance my mind.

Gardiner - get that body right we could have a half decent ruckman for a good 3 to 4 years.

Voss - it really does appear that vossy is not apart of the RL plan of the future. Gone...

[meher baba]

All of this is a bit beside the point, except for B Voss.

We already know that Gardi and Hamill will be on the list next season and there is little doubt that Fraser and Harves will be retained if they want to stay on (but, if Harves's form doesn't lift in the next 3 games, I think the club should be encouraging him to retire). M Clarke and Thommo are already expected retirements.

Voss is still a far better player than a number getting regular games in the top 22 (Jones, Attard, Blake and, on recent form, Baker all come to mind).

He is still relatively young and, if he's happy to go on for minimum wages, why on earth would anyone want to get rid of him.

I'm not in favour of trading players who have given good service unless they are ready to leave, so I will ignore the calls to trade Fraser.

Apart from M Clarke and Thommo, I would also delist Ferguson (like Schwarze, 95% of an AFL player, and would have been useful if we hadn't already had plenty of his type) and Raymond.

I'd keep Brooks, Sweeney and Watts, but I'm not terribly hard-headed about players, so don't listen to me.

[spert]

Sorry but I think they must all move on if we're going to step up..old bodies, chronic injuries, it doesn't add up to a strong premiership team.

[gosaints]

Are the following FINISHED??????

Yes or No answers

36 - Robert Harvey................NO
34 - Andrew Thompson..........YES
34 - Matthew Clarke...............YES
31 - Fraser Gehrig..................YES
30 - Aaron Hamill...................NO
29 - Michael Gardiner.............NO
29 - Brett Voss......................YES

[bigcarl]

Robert Harvey, yes. sadly next season would be one too many
Andrew Thompson, gone
Matthew Clarke, gone
Fraser Gehrig no, but needs to find some inspiration. would benefit from a more attacking and more direct gameplan
Aaron Hamill. see what a proper pre-season brings. one more serious injury and it's curtains
Michael Gardiner, as above
Brett Voss, gone

[vacuous space]

29 - Michael Gardiner............. Maybe. If he gets his body right, he could play some good footy, but he may be the next Aaron Hamill

Hamill's actually played more games over recent years than Gardiner. Gardiner hasn't been an elite ruckman in four years. Since then he's had knee recos and an apparently chronic foot problem. That doesn't bode well for him. I think he's probably done as a ruckman, and we don't need another key forward.

If we get 15 games out of either him or Hamill next year, I'll be surprised.

Harvey and Gehrig can play on if they want to. The other ones are probably done.

[aussierules0k]

[carn_sainter]

Gehrig - If his lack of passion is anything to go by then I can't see him going on, agree with OWTS, not apart of our next flag.

lack of passion...?

playing with injured hand, injured foot, working his backside off defensively whilst getting 0 help offensively and he is dispassionate?

what are you basing your observation on?

i posted this in another thread:

gehrig's poor form the last couple weeks basically hasn't been his fault

he has received rubbish - genuinely terrible - delivery in a crowded forward line without respite

he has also been injured - as always

he has also been working hard defensively


nothing annoys me more than the "Gehrig's not interested...gehrig will only play on if interested" crowd...

this is ridiculous

do these people have any idea what gehrig goes through to play? he's played games where the only way he could go back on after half time is to immerse his left foot in a bucket of boiling water for the entire half time break to get feeling into it...he is as tough as nails

he clearly want to play

he cares deeply for the result of the games as well

the perception of an apathetic gehrig, to me, seems way off the mark...