Hypothetical 2008 team..

[SaintBot]

You think BJ can kick ... wait until you see Dempster. Just as good.

Boy, doesnt he have a beauty!

One of the best long kicks ive ever seen. Could be used to take longer kickouts if needed.

How are his close skills (handballing, short passes, etc)?

up too scratch?

don't you mean malceski

never thought dempster was a great kick

when Dempster opts to go long his kick is better than most. Close in skills are questionable however.

[Oh When the Saints]

Dempster is a booming kick. He can roost it 65m.

Doesn't have the finesse like Banger to deliver it to forwards (who does?) but can give it an absolute thump.

[saint patrick]

My best 2008 team would look like this

B....Baker Hudghton Dempster

HB...S.Fisher Maguire Goddard

C....Montegna Hayes Gram

HF...Schneider Riewoldt DalSanto

F...Milne Koschitske Gardiner

Rucks..King Harvey Ball

Interchange:Armitage,Fiora,X.Clarke,Gilbert

[awesome_days]

Heres hoping for a Rd 22 side (sitting atop the ladder of course)

B: RClarke Hughton Dempster
HB: SFisher Maguire Geary
C: Gram Montagna Goddard
HF: Schneider Riewoldt XClarke
F: Ball Koschitzke Allen
Foll: King Dal Santo Hayes

Int: Baker Gilbert Armitage Harvey

Gives us a good mix of youth & experience with:
3 "rookie" season players in Geary, Allen & Armitage
2 players with less than 50 games in Gilbert & RClarke
12 players with 50 - 150 games experience
5 players who are 150 games+ & extremely experienced in Hughton, Harvey, Baker, King & Hayes

- King can do approx 75% ruck work with Kosi doing 25%. Gilbert & Goddard cn provide the 3rd tall option in the forward line when this is the case
- Have our elite mids (Ball, Dal Santo, Hayes & Montagna) spending a quarter each (2 x 1/2 quarters) at FP to add class, on the downside this will push Milne out.
- Demptser or Gilbert are to be groomed as possible FB replacements.
- Play with 4 man forward line (3 talls & resting mid) with two HF playing a defensive role to stop run out of defence and give good delivery to the the tall forwards.

[Spinner]

FB: L Fisher - 6, M Hudghton - 8, R Clarke - 5
HB: J Gram - 7.5, S Fisher - 8, M Maguire - 7
C: B Goddard - 7, L Hayes - 10, J Montagna - 7.5
HF: A Fiora - 6.75, N Reiwoldt - 9.5, A Schneider - 6
FF: X Clarke - 6, J Koschitzke - 8, R Harvey - 6.5
R: M Gardiner - 6.5, L Ball - 6.5, N Dal Santo - 9
I/C: S Baker - 8, S King - 6.5, S Gilbet - 6.5 D Armitage - 5

Notes:

-Milne Blake and Rix not in the 22 as I personally wouldnt even have them on the list.

-Forward line all of a sudden becomes extremely fragile and thin. One of Koschitzke or Reiwoldt go down and we are stuffed.

-Talent dosnt seem to be a fruitful as in past years. YET team seems more EVEN. No dragers ie. Peckett and Powell of previous years.

-Backups??? This is my best possible team....Talent runs extremely thin.

-When on paper it makes it more clear how much I disagree with the delistings of both Watts and Brooks.

-No kids. Armitage is selected purely on having no one else to consider.

-Ratings are based on potential and availability.

NUTSHELL: Not looking good ma'

[Oh When the Saints]

Dempster ahead of Armitage.

He will surprise many on here and you will be eating your words. Think a much improved version of Attard. Will clearly be in the starting 18.


Milne has played every game for 2 years under two different coaches ... he is in the top 10 all time goals list for the Saints ... must do something right.


The depth to your side Spinner is Milne, Blake, Birss, Dempster, C. Gardiner (emergency for 7 weeks for the Cats this year) .... that's the equal depth of most other teams in the AFL.

Like all premiership teams, we can win a flag if we have a good run with injuries.


IMO
Out: Armitage, L. Fisher
In: Dempster, Milne

[terry smith rules]

FB: L Fisher - 6, M Hudghton - 8, R Clarke - 5
HB: J Gram - 7.5, S Fisher - 8, M Maguire - 7
C: B Goddard - 7, L Hayes - 10, J Montagna - 7.5
HF: A Fiora - 6.75, N Reiwoldt - 9.5, A Schneider - 6
FF: X Clarke - 6, J Koschitzke - 8, R Harvey - 6.5
R: M Gardiner - 6.5, L Ball - 6.5, N Dal Santo - 9
I/C: S Baker - 8, S King - 6.5, S Gilbet - 6.5 D Armitage - 5

Notes:

-Milne Blake and Rix not in the 22 as I personally wouldnt even have them on the list.

-Forward line all of a sudden becomes extremely fragile and thin. One of Koschitzke or Reiwoldt go down and we are stuffed.

-Talent dosnt seem to be a fruitful as in past years. YET team seems more EVEN. No dragers ie. Peckett and Powell of previous years.

-Backups??? This is my best possible team....Talent runs extremely thin.

-When on paper it makes it more clear how much I disagree with the delistings of both Watts and Brooks.

-No kids. Armitage is selected purely on having no one else to consider.

-Ratings are based on potential and availability.

NUTSHELL: Not looking good ma'

boy you must lead a sad life, we are months from the first game and all you can say is "not looking good"

questions, how can sam gilbert only start on the bench

and again we go with the blake and milne bagging

of course we would be in trouble if 12 or 23 went down injured, most teams would be

that is why gardiner was picked up

fqf

[Spinner]

Dempster ahead of Armitage.

He will surprise many on here and you will be eating your words. Think a much improved version of Attard. Will clearly be in the starting 18.


Milne has played every game for 2 years under two different coaches ... he is in the top 10 all time goals list for the Saints ... must do something right.


The depth to your side Spinner is Milne, Blake, Birss, Dempster, C. Gardiner (emergency for 7 weeks for the Cats this year) .... that's the equal depth of most other teams in the AFL.

Like all premiership teams, we can win a flag if we have a good run with injuries.


IMO
Out: Armitage, L. Fisher
In: Dempster, Milne

That is definitely not depth to be proud of....Its actually quite scary.

Milne also got 100% game time this entire year.....Must be doing a hell of a lot wrong too. His one/two goals arnt worth the 12 or so turnovers that a directly a result of his size and selfish play making.....(its not the blatent Mine stuff-ups, rather the incorrect leads he makes and poor positioning when he calls for the ball)

[Spinner]

FB: L Fisher - 6, M Hudghton - 8, R Clarke - 5
HB: J Gram - 7.5, S Fisher - 8, M Maguire - 7
C: B Goddard - 7, L Hayes - 10, J Montagna - 7.5
HF: A Fiora - 6.75, N Reiwoldt - 9.5, A Schneider - 6
FF: X Clarke - 6, J Koschitzke - 8, R Harvey - 6.5
R: M Gardiner - 6.5, L Ball - 6.5, N Dal Santo - 9
I/C: S Baker - 8, S King - 6.5, S Gilbet - 6.5 D Armitage - 5

Notes:

-Milne Blake and Rix not in the 22 as I personally wouldnt even have them on the list.

-Forward line all of a sudden becomes extremely fragile and thin. One of Koschitzke or Reiwoldt go down and we are stuffed.

-Talent dosnt seem to be a fruitful as in past years. YET team seems more EVEN. No dragers ie. Peckett and Powell of previous years.

-Backups??? This is my best possible team....Talent runs extremely thin.

-When on paper it makes it more clear how much I disagree with the delistings of both Watts and Brooks.

-No kids. Armitage is selected purely on having no one else to consider.

-Ratings are based on potential and availability.

NUTSHELL: Not looking good ma'

boy you must lead a sad life, we are months from the first game and all you can say is "not looking good"

questions, how can sam gilbert only start on the bench

and again we go with the blake and milne bagging

of course we would be in trouble if 12 or 23 went down injured, most teams would be

that is why gardiner was picked up

fqf

Gilbet on the bench to rotate through the middle.....Bench dosnt have the same meaning it used to have.


Is it bagging or just an opinion. Instead of throwing it into the 'bagging' basket, why not give me some reasons why those should be included into my team.....

[HarveysDeciple]

Until Baker returns.....

B: S.Fisher, Hudghton, L.Fisher
HB: Gram, Maguire, Gilbert
C: DalSanto, Ball, Fiora
HF: Goddard, Riewoldt, Schneider
F: Milne, Koschitzke, X.Clarke

R: Gardiner, Hayes, Montagna

I: King, Harvey, Armitage, R.Clarke

E: Geary, Allen, Birss.

[CURLY]

Dempster ahead of Armitage.

He will surprise many on here and you will be eating your words. Think a much improved version of Attard. Will clearly be in the starting 18.


Milne has played every game for 2 years under two different coaches ... he is in the top 10 all time goals list for the Saints ... must do something right.


The depth to your side Spinner is Milne, Blake, Birss, Dempster, C. Gardiner (emergency for 7 weeks for the Cats this year) .... that's the equal depth of most other teams in the AFL.

Like all premiership teams, we can win a flag if we have a good run with injuries.


IMO
Out: Armitage, L. Fisher
In: Dempster, Milne

That is definitely not depth to be proud of....Its actually quite scary.

Milne also got 100% game time this entire year.....Must be doing a hell of a lot wrong too. His one/two goals arnt worth the 12 or so turnovers that a directly a result of his size and selfish play making.....(its not the blatent Mine stuff-ups, rather the incorrect leads he makes and poor positioning when he calls for the ball)

Incorrect leads Whos expert analysis is that? Poor positioning Its amazing youve picked this up but a box full of proffesional coaches has not.

[Solar]

Like any year it all depends on fitness and form over the pre-season but this is my round 1 team (assuming BJ and M.Gardiner are fit)

FB L.Fisher Hughton R clarke
HB Geary Maguire S.Fisher
C Gram Dal santo montagna
HF X clarke Roo Goddard
FF schineder Kosi milne
R Gardiner Hayes Ball
I: gilbert harvey fiora King
Emerg: Allen, birss, dempster

If dempster has a great pre-season he could suprise. There is a spot at BP if Lyon deams that pushing fisher into the midfield as a tagger is what is needed, but with sydneys cream in the forward line and HBF I can't see this happening in round 1. there is always one bolter and IMO that will be geary. The other one with the chance to take grams spot as the small runner HB is howard. If goddards form is not up to playing 3rd tall then allen could get a go, depending on how the two main rucks go. If one of king or gards go down then kosi will need to ruck a percentage, and therefore there is a chance for allen to push to play forward.

Gilbert is a beauty, can be our swingman playing as a quick shut down backman, be part of the midfield rotation or go forward as a third tall. birss and fiora are part of the midfield rotation, which gives us a good range of midfield options. But there is a position in there for armo or howard or a rookie or draft pick to train the house down and do a selwood in 2008. Milnes position will be deep forward and will enjoy having another skilled small forward (first time since guerra in '04). But if he struggles he could be pushed out by a midfielder that can play forward and rotation.

And after all that, I totally forgot the great man. So birss goes

Having a look at this the depth is

Injured: attard
Supsende: baker
Backs: dempster, fergusson, gwilt
Midfield/ruck: birss,armo, howard, eddy, blake, rix, VR
Forwards: Allen, C.Gardiner, jones,

plus whoever we draft

At least we are getting a more even spread of talent but it relies on certain players standing up and getting fit players on the field. Developing fisher as a run with midfielder is something to work on over summer, also throwing down the gaunlet to both howard and geary to step up into grams shoes will give us tremendous midfield depth.

Plus the ruck issue will stress some of us over summer.

[Spinner]

Dempster ahead of Armitage.

He will surprise many on here and you will be eating your words. Think a much improved version of Attard. Will clearly be in the starting 18.


Milne has played every game for 2 years under two different coaches ... he is in the top 10 all time goals list for the Saints ... must do something right.


The depth to your side Spinner is Milne, Blake, Birss, Dempster, C. Gardiner (emergency for 7 weeks for the Cats this year) .... that's the equal depth of most other teams in the AFL.

Like all premiership teams, we can win a flag if we have a good run with injuries.


IMO
Out: Armitage, L. Fisher
In: Dempster, Milne

That is definitely not depth to be proud of....Its actually quite scary.

Milne also got 100% game time this entire year.....Must be doing a hell of a lot wrong too. His one/two goals arnt worth the 12 or so turnovers that a directly a result of his size and selfish play making.....(its not the blatent Mine stuff-ups, rather the incorrect leads he makes and poor positioning when he calls for the ball)

Incorrect leads Whos expert analysis is that? Poor positioning Its amazing youve picked this up but a box full of proffesional coaches has not.

Does that mean what I said is Wrong?

Lets analyse your thinking....

He's getting a game so hence must be deserving and doing absolutely nothing wrong.

Newsflash: Not everyone that gets a game fully deserve it. Sometimes you have to play there best you've got.

And all im saying is that I'd rather not play him.

[CURLY]

Dempster ahead of Armitage.

He will surprise many on here and you will be eating your words. Think a much improved version of Attard. Will clearly be in the starting 18.


Milne has played every game for 2 years under two different coaches ... he is in the top 10 all time goals list for the Saints ... must do something right.


The depth to your side Spinner is Milne, Blake, Birss, Dempster, C. Gardiner (emergency for 7 weeks for the Cats this year) .... that's the equal depth of most other teams in the AFL.

Like all premiership teams, we can win a flag if we have a good run with injuries.


IMO
Out: Armitage, L. Fisher
In: Dempster, Milne

That is definitely not depth to be proud of....Its actually quite scary.

Milne also got 100% game time this entire year.....Must be doing a hell of a lot wrong too. His one/two goals arnt worth the 12 or so turnovers that a directly a result of his size and selfish play making.....(its not the blatent Mine stuff-ups, rather the incorrect leads he makes and poor positioning when he calls for the ball)

Incorrect leads Whos expert analysis is that? Poor positioning Its amazing youve picked this up but a box full of proffesional coaches has not.

Does that mean what I said is Wrong?

Lets analyse your thinking....

He's getting a game so hence must be deserving and doing absolutely nothing wrong.

Newsflash: Not everyone that gets a game fully deserve it. Sometimes you have to play there best you've got.

And all im saying is that I'd rather not play him.

The reason he is the best weve got is because he leads in the right spots and positions himself correctly.

[Spinner]

Dempster ahead of Armitage.

He will surprise many on here and you will be eating your words. Think a much improved version of Attard. Will clearly be in the starting 18.


Milne has played every game for 2 years under two different coaches ... he is in the top 10 all time goals list for the Saints ... must do something right.


The depth to your side Spinner is Milne, Blake, Birss, Dempster, C. Gardiner (emergency for 7 weeks for the Cats this year) .... that's the equal depth of most other teams in the AFL.

Like all premiership teams, we can win a flag if we have a good run with injuries.


IMO
Out: Armitage, L. Fisher
In: Dempster, Milne

That is definitely not depth to be proud of....Its actually quite scary.

Milne also got 100% game time this entire year.....Must be doing a hell of a lot wrong too. His one/two goals arnt worth the 12 or so turnovers that a directly a result of his size and selfish play making.....(its not the blatent Mine stuff-ups, rather the incorrect leads he makes and poor positioning when he calls for the ball)

Incorrect leads Whos expert analysis is that? Poor positioning Its amazing youve picked this up but a box full of proffesional coaches has not.

Does that mean what I said is Wrong?

Lets analyse your thinking....

He's getting a game so hence must be deserving and doing absolutely nothing wrong.

Newsflash: Not everyone that gets a game fully deserve it. Sometimes you have to play there best you've got.

And all im saying is that I'd rather not play him.

The reason he is the best weve got is because he leads in the right spots and positions himself correctly.

lol....Try watching him when he dosnt have the ball in his hands...


....Not just when he slots the goals through.

[Saint Mik]

Comments from the super coach tell them how its done CURLY

Milne is a passenger IMO for what its worth

If only those tackles would stick and he wouldnt have a brain freeze with just about every decision he made he could be ok.

That turnover from the finals game against Melbourne still haunts me

Can be dangerous but can also be stupid.

needs to have a good one.

[Oh When the Saints]

Our depth will be better than Geelong's next year.


Depth is useless anyway ... you win a flag if you have 20 out of your best 22 on the park. You can have as much depth as you like, but at the end of the day your best players must take the field.



BTW, I'll give odds of $10 that Dempster will play every game for St Kilda next year (unless he is injured).

Seriously. Take me up on the offer. He's been a regular in a premiership side for the past three years. And people think our 22 is good enough to squeeze him out?

[mad saint guy]

BTW, I'll give odds of $10 that Dempster will play every game for St Kilda next year (unless he is injured).

Seriously. Take me up on the offer. He's been a regular in a premiership side for the past three years. And people think our 22 is good enough to squeeze him out?

Would happily put $80 on that.

2005 - 22 of 26 games
2006 - 18 of 25 games
2007 - 14 of 23 games

Has missed 20 games over the past 3 seasons and his games tally has dropped by 4 each year. Sydney deemed that he was of no worth to them so they threw him in with the Schneider trade. Dempster is a better player than Attard, but at the moment he would be behind Blake for a spot as tall utility.

[Oh When the Saints]

Dempster missed 4 weeks after hyper-extending his knee in Round 3. Partly explains his lower games tally for 2007.


A good mate of mine is a keen Swans fan, and he reckons Dempster really improved this year and will be good for the Saints.


Let's wait and see what Lyon does

[fisher_fan]

B: L Fisher Hughton R Clarke
HB: Gilbert Maguire S Fisher
C: Goddard Montagna Gram
HF: Dal Santo Riewoldt Schneider
F: Allen Koschitzke Milne
Foll: Gardiner Hayes Ball

Int: Armitage Harvey X Clarke King

Allen in, Fiora out??? Don't know if Allen is that good yet, I rate Fiora, not many other people seem to???

[Otiman]

when Dempster opts to go long his kick is better than most. Close in skills are questionable however.

Sounds a bit like Gwilt.

[Otiman]

Allen in, Fiora out??? Don't know if Allen is that good yet, I rate Fiora, not many other people seem to???

Fiora is a second-half specialist. He is rested for the majority of the first half, so when he plays well, we're already beaten, or he's playing well when we've already won.

[Oh When the Saints]

Or Fiora comes on in second halves like against West Coast (7 disposals in the last quarter) and Richmond (6 disposals in the last quarter) when the game is in the balance, and his gut-running and long-kicking is crucial in getting the Saints over the line

[CURLY]

At least my opinion is backed by 2 AFL coaches Saintmik how many games have you coached again? Small foward toughest role in the game.

[elphie]

seems like our official most improved rising star Mr. GILBERT can't get a game in some of these teams?
YOU MUST BE JOKING? :lol:

even with second-year blues he's in before GEARY, L.FISHER....for example!!!!!

amen