Another cleanout to follow post 2008

[battye]

Having Rix and Blake (on a low wage) is important for our list. They are reliable players to have as backup, Rix being a ruckman who can hold his own, and Blake being a utility that can play anywhere (i'd probably have Blake in my best 25 if not 22. Until we can recruit a youngster to develop and hopefully overtake these guys.

Blake is a consistent performer. I agree, he is important on our list - I think he is in the first 22.

I don't mind Rix. I would like to see him in the forward line for a bit - whenever he is within distance he does seem to get goals...

[iwantmeseats]

BALL? WTF is wrong with some people? Yeah, he is struggling eith in jury, lets trade him, unbelievable!! Almost better off without supporters with that kind of f***ed up mindset

[BAM! (shhhh)]

did someone suggest X was soft?

OMG

the normal criticism of X is he doesn't have any self preservation circuits and gets anhilated because of his own courage.

X possibly along with reiwoldt and ball are amongst the most couragious players in the team.

I've heard the X is soft criticism so many times when sitting in the stands, and it honestly baffles me. I agree with your assessment of his courage - he's the example of why Max and Goose can be so frightening, because X cops the number of injuries you'd expect from that style of play.

I view X as a confidence player, I know whether he's going to have a good game or not the first time he goes to the bottom of a pack in the 1st quarter (just about without fail), if he's on, the Saints win the ball. If he's not, the ball stays locked up. Point being that if the ball's nearby, he'll put his head over it every chance.

Don't really know how Raph has come to be known as soft either... while he needs to be better at reading the play to be the loose man, when he throws himself in front of the charging forward, he's still a step off positionally... but while that costs him the ball (bad), it doesn't save him from the forward (soft)... that said, while we've seen enough of Raph to debate his game, it's tough to evaluate his onfield "character" with any confidence as yet (for me anyway).

[mad saint guy]

Likely to retire
Fraser Gehrig
Robert Harvey

Likely to go (must lift a lot or you're gone)
Matthew Ferguson
Michael Gardiner
Clinton Jones

Possible delisting (a reasonable year should see them stay, but go backwards and you're in trouble)

Shane Birss
Jason Blake
Sean Dempster
Charlie Gardiner
James Gwilt
Steven King
Michael Rix

Long-shots (have a shocking year and your name will be thrown around)
Steven Baker
Raphael Clarke
Eljay Connors
Aaron Fiora
Leigh Fisher
Jarryn Geary
Brad Howard
Stephen Milne

My guess for 2008departures
Retired: Harvey, Gehrig
Delisted: Jones, Ferguson, M.Gardiner

[SaintBot]

agree with most of that msg


anyone know when hudghton is planning on pulling out?

[CURLY]

Mat Ferguson seems to be on a lot of peoples gone lists at the end of the season. Id like to see him get a decent run as he seems to have all the skills required to play down back . Hes strong overhead, holds his feet when the ball hits the ground tackles well, has decent speed to cover most types of forwards and he seems composed with his decision making. A decent run with injuries would be nice but I like the look of him as a reliable backmen.

[supersaints]

Oh dear...... a forum..... a place for debate and discussion.

No, I don't know what each player is on. But I'm prepared to bet that Riewoldt is on more than Ball who is on more than Gilbert, for instance.

As for being able to do their job - so what? In case you hadn't noticed footy is a spectator sport, so we're all going to have opinions. If all you want to say is that the Saints are great and look how tough the players are perhaps conversing on a FORUM ain't for you.

So you think Ball should take a pay cut ??, While you are entitled to your opinion, I am entitled to disagree and post it! I think Ball deserves more than every penny he gets. No one in the AFL puts their body on the line more than Ball, He is our most courageous player IMO. Glad your not in charge of player contracts

[Riewoldting]

anyone know when hudghton is planning on pulling out?

Ask Mrs Hudghton

[Oh When the Saints]

Dempster shouldn't be on that possible delistings list MSG.

Lyon sees him as a 150-game player for St Kilda, and he is signed for two years.

[mad saint guy]

Dempster shouldn't be on that possible delistings list MSG.

Lyon sees him as a 150-game player for St Kilda, and he is signed for two years.

He might turn out good, but we have an abundance of his type and he was virtually delisted by Sydney. What he has done so far doesn't warrant a spot in our best 22.

Dempster would be ahead of Gwilt and Ferguson, but well behind the likes of S.Fisher, Goddard, Gilbert, Blake, L.Fisher and R.Clarke for a spot as a mobile half back/tagger. He is no certainty to play 10 games in 2008.

[n1ck]

Could Lyon see Dempster as a FB in the Leo Barry mould?

Athletic, quick off the mark, around the same height and weight as Leo / Max, strong, and a thumping kick...

[HarveysDeciple]

Could Lyon see Dempster as a FB in the Leo Barry mould?

Athletic, quick off the mark, around the same height and weight as Leo / Max, strong, and a thumping kick...

I hope not...Leo Barry is a truck.

[Sobraz]

did someone suggest X was soft?

OMG

the normal criticism of X is he doesn't have any self preservation circuits and gets anhilated because of his own courage.

X possibly along with reiwoldt and ball are amongst the most couragious players in the team.

along with thompson, burke, v2, amongst the most couragious we've had.

acuse him of poor decision making on ocassion, having bad luck with injuries, perhaps even poor pregame preparation, even throw choking in front of goal. Plenty to criticise the x man over, but IMO anyone who has seen the way he throws his body around couldn't possibly accuse him of being soft.

Agreed Dan, X is by no means soft. If anything he is too fearless, but thats where his problem lies.. He is dumb, in the sense that he doesnt descriminate wich contest to go in and which to wait on.. he just goes in when everyone else knows that it is futile and the obvious result is injury.

This is both a credit to his courage, but an issue in his game.. Adding to that, X doesnt have the best football brain, and this shows when his confidence is down.. He is a natural talent, but not a thinking footballer.

Hopefully this will come with age as he matures.. At the end of the day, he is still a young man.. His best footy is infront of him..

[BAM! (shhhh)]

Agreed Dan, X is by no means soft. If anything he is too fearless, but thats where his problem lies.. He is dumb, in the sense that he doesnt descriminate wich contest to go in and which to wait on.. he just goes in when everyone else knows that it is futile and the obvious result is injury.

This is both a credit to his courage, but an issue in his game.. Adding to that, X doesnt have the best football brain, and this shows when his confidence is down.. He is a natural talent, but not a thinking footballer.

Hopefully this will come with age as he matures.. At the end of the day, he is still a young man.. His best footy is infront of him..

Perfect summary of X. Also why he scares me on HBF, not only does he overcommit to contests he can't win, when he does win low percentage ball (which he does on occasion, due to freaky talent), or beat someone one on one, he often runs himself into talent... he'll break the line, and then turn the ball over.

IMO, he needs to learn the thinking game up forward, when if he can just straighten up those shots at goal, he can ride his talent towards (hopefully) more time in the middle.

Thankfully, this is something that while I think many on this board disagree, I think Lyon sees him this way too.

[skeptic]

BALL? WTF is wrong with some people? Yeah, he is struggling eith in jury, lets trade him, unbelievable!! Almost better off without supporters with that kind of f***ed up mindset

let me ask u this...

if Ball has another year like this one
and then another

would ur opinion change?

And I never said lets trade him, I saod he needed to get better... and he does

[fonz_#15]

BALL? WTF is wrong with some people? Yeah, he is struggling eith in jury, lets trade him, unbelievable!! Almost better off without supporters with that kind of f***ed up mindset

let me ask u this...

if Ball has another year like this one
and then another

would ur opinion change?

And I never said lets trade him, I saod he needed to get better... and he does

yes skeptic but some people rather get on their high horse and defend rather than identify any issue that may be.

[mad saint guy]

if Ball has another year like this one
and then another

And I never said lets trade him, I saod he needed to get better... and he does

If Ball doesn't improve on his recent form it would be a huge disappointment, but he would have little trade value and he still commands a spot in the best 22. He isn't going anywhere.

[CURLY]

BALL? WTF is wrong with some people? Yeah, he is struggling eith in jury, lets trade him, unbelievable!! Almost better off without supporters with that kind of f***ed up mindset

let me ask u this...

if Ball has another year like this one
and then another

would ur opinion change?

And I never said lets trade him, I saod he needed to get better... and he does

Skeptic hed still be in our best 22 if he did have another year like this. The catch is if he uninjured hes a gun and wed never get rid of him and while hes carrying an injury hes still a starting 18 player but no team would risk taking him. Ball could play a Chick type role for us at the 60% capacity hes been at injury wise.