The CrossRoads Dozen

[Con Gorozidis]

Well the draft is done - and we now have a lot of youth on the list. Fair to say the Saints are at the cross-raods and now the job is firmly in the hands of the development, coaching, fitness and psych coaches to get the most of our list. Certainly expect to see significant improvement in 09 from (in order of importance):

Allen
Gilbert
Armo
Steven
CJ
McEvoy
Geary
Eddy
Mcqualtar
Lynch
Begley
Ray


If we can get these 12 guys to become consistent AFL players we will be genuine contenders the next few years and competition for spots in the 22 will be fierce.

[rodgerfox]

Lyon.

[Seaford_Saint]

Without an out and out champion matchwinning midfielder who can kick goals we are all kidding ourselves (Refer: Hawthorn & Geelong).

Therefore, add the following to the very top of the list:
- Dal Santo
- Ball
- Hayes
- Montagna

At least one of them MUST go to the next level, or we keep pissing into the wind.

[Pilgram]

some would argue that ray has turned the corner and i reckon that CJ has made it.
the rest of the crew will need to do alot to get into the team.

[Con Gorozidis]

some would argue that ray has turned the corner and i reckon that CJ has made it.
the rest of the crew will need to do alot to get into the team.

How could Ray have turned the corner? Just got traded to a new club and yet to play for it yet.

CJ certainly made in-roads. But dont think he has quite made it yet - I reckon he will get there though.

[Quixote]

Without an out and out champion matchwinning midfielder who can kick goals we are all kidding ourselves (Refer: Hawthorn & Geelong)

Who is it for Hawthorn?


For us, I am hoping the answer is as simple as two letters -


B J

[Pilgram]

i just reckon that he is an established player. perhaps 'turned the corner' is a poor choice of words, however i believe that he and CJ are both respected on the footy scene whereas the other 'kids' are of a largely frustrated nature and will need to improve as you have suggested.

[Warren Farkovski]

For us, I am hoping the answer is as simple as two letters -


B J

yes please I verry mutch liike the BJ

[mick13]

Without an out and out champion matchwinning midfielder who can kick goals we are all kidding ourselves (Refer: Hawthorn & Geelong)

Who is it for Hawthorn?


For us, I am hoping the answer is as simple as two letters -


B J

BJs gonna hit the fan next year.

[Saints Premiers 2008]

everyone will be enjoying the bj

[bozza1980]

Without an out and out champion matchwinning midfielder who can kick goals we are all kidding ourselves (Refer: Hawthorn & Geelong)

Who is it for Hawthorn?

I'm with you here.

Let's look at Hawthorn's starting midfield on Grand Final day

Sewell, Bateman, Mitchell with Lewis and Young on wings

I'm still struggling to find their champion midfielders who can kick goals, they must have them because you can't win a premiership without them.

[Pilgram]

#1 Jason Gram

[Quixote]

Without an out and out champion matchwinning midfielder who can kick goals we are all kidding ourselves (Refer: Hawthorn & Geelong)

Who is it for Hawthorn?

I'm with you here.

Let's look at Hawthorn's starting midfield on Grand Final day

Sewell, Bateman, Mitchell with Lewis and Young on wings

I'm still struggling to find their champion midfielders who can kick goals, they must have them because you can't win a premiership without them.

Exactly, it's a myth. Hawthorn's midfield is seriously in and under. They dish it out to runners, who hit up a bloody dangerous forward line.



On another note - if BJ can really come on, the opposition... well lets just say they won't be pleased.

[Halo-9]

Without an out and out champion matchwinning midfielder who can kick goals we are all kidding ourselves (Refer: Hawthorn & Geelong)

Who is it for Hawthorn?


For us, I am hoping the answer is as simple as two letters -


B J

spot on,thats who i believe and hope is going to happen,he`s got the tools to make that step,now with the drafting and the coaching staff saying it frees spots for him n grammy into the middle,just makes sense.....we all know Goddsy can drill a 50m+ goal,and take strong grabs around the ground...he`s our man for this role.

Dally to take harvs role,,following the ball evrywhere and spearing it to our forwards...no more hanging in the back half i say.

[Con Gorozidis]

Without an out and out champion matchwinning midfielder who can kick goals we are all kidding ourselves (Refer: Hawthorn & Geelong)

Who is it for Hawthorn?

I'm with you here.

Let's look at Hawthorn's starting midfield on Grand Final day

Sewell, Bateman, Mitchell with Lewis and Young on wings

I'm still struggling to find their champion midfielders who can kick goals, they must have them because you can't win a premiership without them.

who gives a flying toss when they have buddy (100), roughy (70 odd), willo (50 odd) and cyril doing the business in the forward line. Campbell Brown kicks the odd goal.

[Con Gorozidis]

i think this thread has been sabotaged! BJ is already an awesome player - (my favourite saint actually)

but we have loads of guys at the cross roads- in their early 20's but not really playing well enough for the saints to be a premiership threat. its these guys that will make or break the club's fortunes in the next few years.

[borderbarry]

If 2 of BJ, Gram and Sam Fisher can spend time further up the ground it will make as huge difference to our side.

[skeptic]

and i reckon that CJ has made it.

wow!!||

as what? A hard working midfielder that doesn't kick goals or a tagger that can't keep tags on his opponent or hurt them the other way

Birss was a much more effective player IMO.

[bigcarl]

Without an out and out champion matchwinning midfielder who can kick goals we are all kidding ourselves (Refer: Hawthorn & Geelong)

Who is it for Hawthorn?

I'm with you here.

Let's look at Hawthorn's starting midfield on Grand Final day

Sewell, Bateman, Mitchell with Lewis and Young on wings

I'm still struggling to find their champion midfielders who can kick goals, they must have them because you can't win a premiership without them.

hawthorn has a good midfield, but their trump card is their two gun key forwards, who kicked 190 goals between them in 2008.

having that sort of quality firepower up front virtually guarantees their midfield moves it quickly and directly ... they'd have rocks in their heads if they didn't with buddy and roughhead waiting on the end of it.

our gun key forward, riewoldt, kicked 65 for the season in pretty much a lone hand. the sooner we can get him some quality help the better it will be.

we have kosi, whose best role (as admitted by the coach) is ruck/forward, not ff or chf.

we have allen. he is promising but kicked just 23 goals at a lesser level in 2008.

we have drafted tom lynch with our first round pick. i'd love to see him line up in round 1, but realistically he's going to take some time.

i still think bj at ff, at least until lynch comes on or allen starts to kick a few bags for sandy.

[Con Gorozidis]

Without an out and out champion matchwinning midfielder who can kick goals we are all kidding ourselves (Refer: Hawthorn & Geelong)

Who is it for Hawthorn?

I'm with you here.

Let's look at Hawthorn's starting midfield on Grand Final day

Sewell, Bateman, Mitchell with Lewis and Young on wings

I'm still struggling to find their champion midfielders who can kick goals, they must have them because you can't win a premiership without them.

hawthorn has a good midfield, but their trump card is their two gun key forwards, who kicked 190 goals between them in 2008.

having that sort of quality firepower up front virtually guarantees their midfield moves it quickly and directly ... they'd have rocks in their heads if they didn't with buddy and roughhead waiting on the end of it.

our gun key forward, riewoldt, kicked 65 for the season in pretty much a lone hand. the sooner we can get him some quality help the better it will be.

we have kosi, whose best role (as admitted by the coach) is ruck/forward, not ff or chf.

we have allen. he is promising but kicked just 23 goals at a lesser level in 2008.

we have drafted tom lynch with our first round pick. i'd love to see him line up in round 1, but realistically he's going to take some time.

i still think bj at ff, at least until lynch comes on or allen starts to kick a few bags for sandy.

agree. the fact is the hawks have 4 genuine guns in their forward line. we have 1. imagine if we had 3 extra guns???

buddy - enough said. roughhead is genuinely good and mark williams is too - very under-rated. people forget willow nearly kicked a ton one year in a rubbish team.

we only have roo. kosi is nowhere near as good as roughhead. and then milney is next best. god i hope allen steps up.

[saint66au]

AT LEAST two of Raph, Ray, Gilbo and Gwilt must step up to the point of being automatic "among the first picked". This releases Gram and BJ to the midfied more or less permanantly, and join a rotation of Lenny, Bally, Dal and Joey. Moist stuff indeed

Armo, as a 3rd year 1st rounder, must push for automatic selection also. Throw him into the above rotation

The return of Goose should not be underestimated. A fit Goose even close to 2005 form means no more Gilbo/Gwilt playing on tall KPP's and gives us enough versatility to let Chipper roam a bit further up the ground. Very important

Jarryd Allen, your time is nigh. We need a third marking option something shocking and this is why we drafted you imo. Assuming he gets over his injury, needs to put his hand up and claim the spot that no-one could with any regularity last year.

Not compulsory, but a "wow" game or two from any of Geary, Eddy, McEvoy, Steven or Connors would be a huuuge bonus. Surely its our time for a 1st/2nd year player to take us all by surprise !

[Con Gorozidis]

AT LEAST two of Raph, Ray, Gilbo and Gwilt must step up to the point of being automatic "among the first picked". This releases Gram and BJ to the midfied more or less permanantly, and join a rotation of Lenny, Bally, Dal and Joey. Moist stuff indeed

Armo, as a 3rd year 1st rounder, must push for automatic selection also. Throw him into the above rotation

The return of Goose should not be underestimated. A fit Goose even close to 2005 form means no more Gilbo/Gwilt playing on tall KPP's and gives us enough versatility to let Chipper roam a bit further up the ground. Very important

Jarryd Allen, your time is nigh. We need a third marking option something shocking and this is why we drafted you imo. Assuming he gets over his injury, needs to put his hand up and claim the spot that no-one could with any regularity last year.

Not compulsory, but a "wow" game or two from any of Geary, Eddy, McEvoy, Steven or Connors would be a huuuge bonus. Surely its our time for a 1st/2nd year player to take us all by surprise !

agree. add gwilt to my dozen and call it a bakers dozen.

anyone know the medical situation on maquire? im worried he will never play again.

[CURLY]

Without an out and out champion matchwinning midfielder who can kick goals we are all kidding ourselves (Refer: Hawthorn & Geelong)

Who is it for Hawthorn?

I'm with you here.

Let's look at Hawthorn's starting midfield on Grand Final day

Sewell, Bateman, Mitchell with Lewis and Young on wings

I'm still struggling to find their champion midfielders who can kick goals, they must have them because you can't win a premiership without them.

hawthorn has a good midfield, but their trump card is their two gun key forwards, who kicked 190 goals between them in 2008.

having that sort of quality firepower up front virtually guarantees their midfield moves it quickly and directly ... they'd have rocks in their heads if they didn't with buddy and roughhead waiting on the end of it.

our gun key forward, riewoldt, kicked 65 for the season in pretty much a lone hand. the sooner we can get him some quality help the better it will be.

we have kosi, whose best role (as admitted by the coach) is ruck/forward, not ff or chf.

we have allen. he is promising but kicked just 23 goals at a lesser level in 2008.

we have drafted tom lynch with our first round pick. i'd love to see him line up in round 1, but realistically he's going to take some time.

i still think bj at ff, at least until lynch comes on or allen starts to kick a few bags for sandy.

agree. the fact is the hawks have 4 genuine guns in their forward line. we have 1. imagine if we had 3 extra guns???

buddy - enough said. roughhead is genuinely good and mark williams is too - very under-rated. people forget willow nearly kicked a ton one year in a rubbish team.

we only have roo. kosi is nowhere near as good as roughhead. and then milney is next best. god i hope allen steps up.

Please fill us in on Hawthorns four gun forwards? Buddy yes and Rougheads on his way. If you are including Rioli or Williams for them both Kosi and Miilne must be counted for us. If Milny was indigenous he would be known as the greatest small forward in history.,

[bobmurray]

Is there an official injury status on Allen other than......

Allen....Hip....2 weeks

[saintsRrising]

Well the draft is done - and we now have a lot of youth on the list. Fair to say the Saints are at the cross-raods and now the job is firmly in the hands of the development, coaching, fitness and psych coaches to get the most of our list. Certainly expect to see significant improvement in 09 from (in order of importance):

.

Ball.

While agreeing that many players need to improve.

To me of them Luke Ball is the one that we REALLY REALLY need to be the player that we know he can be in 2009.

IF Ball could be the star that injuries have stopped him from being in recent years...then we could bea real chance in 2009....with yes significant improvement from many others also required.