2009 Team Shaping Up

[WayneJudson42]

IF...

Dempster can get back...

Ray and Begley can each hold down a spot...

It gives us a few options.

BJ is too good to play at FF. You simply don't waste your playmakers at FF.

The only possibility is if Kosi comes back fitter, but who knows.

Either way, we need another mobile player to play up front.

Lynch may not be ready. Allen? Who knows?

Can Raph become that option, or Gwilt to a lesser extent?

My money is on Raph coz you won't need him down back.

[saintsRrising]

Lyon once described BJ as our point of difference.

He sets up play beautifully.....playing him at FF would bea waste.

[chook23]

When raph has kicked for goal........looks uneasy

had some shockers...

confidence/form down back in finals encouraging

Could he play a Mickey O (swans) role with continued confidence/maturity???

[WayneJudson42]

When raph has kicked for goal........looks uneasy

had some shockers...

confidence/form down back in finals encouraging

Could he play a Mickey O (swans) role with continued confidence/maturity???

That's where I'm happy with recruiting Demp, Ray and Beg.

All the need to do is hold down their spot and do their job.

Which means our playmakers can do what they do best. People forget thhat we've been constantly plugging holes, especially in defence.

IMO Raph has the smarts and the skills to rip it up in the FWD 50.

Can mark, has courage, can apply pressure.

I prefer to see Kosi further up the ground, and Roo closer to goal.

[bigcarl]

Putting Goddard at full forward would be robbing us of our most skilled, smartest midfielder to do a job that one of Allen, Lynch or Cahill would be able to do almost as well.

none of allen, lynch or cahill can even count on getting into our best 22, let alone in one of the most important key positions ... not yet anyway.

to challenge for a flag in 2009 we need a 70-plus full forward, I think, to complement the 70-odd that riewoldt should kick if he plays every game.

allen will not be back until the second part of the season, plugger seems to think.

in any case, he kicked just 23 goals in a lesser competition last season. he's shown promise, but pardon me for wanting to see more in the way of goals first.

though i'd be delighted if one of lynch or cahill is ready to slot into ff, realistically they are going to take some time to come on.

kosi was tried there last season (for 30 odd goals), but seems a better fit as ruck/forward.

who would you suggest we plonk there in round 1?

i'm concerned that we'll again look to riewoldt to kick us a winning score every week and to be the marking focus of every attack.

he's a great player, but we're asking an awful lot of him to be franklin and roughhead rolled into one

[rodgerfox]

i'm concerned that we'll again look to riewoldt to kick us a winning score every week and to be the marking focus of every attack.

he's a great player, but we're asking an awful lot of him to be franklin and roughhead rolled into one

Me too.

There was nothing last year to suggest we weren't intending to go through him at every chance either.

Huge concern, and one factor that will prevent us improving.

[the_D_train]

Just an idea.

What about Gilbert at FF. Can take a decent mark, is mobile, is good with defensive pressure and most of his set shots (form what i have seen) are very nice.

What do you guys reckon ?

[bigcarl]

Just an idea.

What about Gilbert at FF. Can take a decent mark, is mobile, is good with defensive pressure and most of his set shots (form what i have seen) are very nice. What do you guys reckon ?

not the worst idea, though i think we might be looking at him as a key defensive option in future.

[the_D_train]

Yeah thats where my idea ran into trouble.

[the_D_train]

who does everyone else think should play FF ?

Keep Kosi ?

Try a first yearer ?

Give Allen or McEvoy a shot ?

Fisher, Maguire or Gilbert ?

I just dont like the idea of Allen at FF either.

I would prefer a first yearer such as Cahill as un-logical as that sounds....

[plugger66]

What is this fascination about a FF. These days it is only a position in the paper. Apart From Fev I dont think any club has a permanent FF. We will have 3-4 per game as nearly every other club does. I am more worried about our midfield and backline providing enough run to get it to our forwards.

[the_D_train]

fair enough Plugger66 but we dont have enough forward options in general.

they dont kick enough goals whilst Hawthorn have 3 players capable of playing KPF (Franklin, Roughhead, Williams)

we only have well Roo and Kosi you never know what you will get with him.

[Saints Premiers 2008]

fair enough Plugger66 but we dont have enough forward options in general.

they dont kick enough goals whilst Hawthorn have 3 players capable of playing KPF (Franklin, Roughhead, Williams)

we only have well Roo and Kosi you never know what you will get with him.

we have 3 players that can play kpf...roo, kosi and milne...between them they kicked 150-odd for the year....

[plugger66]

fair enough Plugger66 but we dont have enough forward options in general.

they dont kick enough goals whilst Hawthorn have 3 players capable of playing KPF (Franklin, Roughhead, Williams)

we only have well Roo and Kosi you never know what you will get with him.

Not happy with Milney kicking over 50 goals? Then we should be discussing our forward players not who is named a FF. By the way I reckon if Buddy and roughy played in our forward line this year they would have kicked at least 20% less goals.

[the_D_train]

You can add Milne but i am more so talking about marking forwards.

We only really use Kosi and Roo with someone like Gilbert or Fisher making the very occasional appearance.

I think if Maguire comes back fit and ready to play he will let those players play forward more which will help us alot !

your thoughts ?

[bigcarl]

we have 3 players that can play kpf...roo, kosi and milne...between them they kicked 150-odd for the year....

a key position forward should be a strong marking target.

milne is a gun forward who is a key to our hopes, but he is not a key forward.

i'm not sure kosi's one either. he's better suited (as admitted by the coach) to second ruck.

that leaves riewoldt as our only real key position forward.

[plugger66]

You can add Milne but i am more so talking about marking forwards.

We only really use Kosi and Roo with someone like Gilbert or Fisher making the very occasional appearance.

I think if Maguire comes back fit and ready to play he will let those players play forward more which will help us alot !

your thoughts ?

It is my belief at the moment we do not have any current talls who would be good enough to play forward apart from the regulars so we either need to fluke a new recruit or work out other ways of kicking goals. Didnt seem to upset the Cats having ordinary tall forwards.

[the_D_train]

Agree with you completely Bigcarl.

I know he's so valuable down back but i still like the idea of Sam Fisher as a FF

[bigcarl]

Didnt seem to upset the Cats having ordinary tall forwards.

their lack of a big bloke who could kick a goal cost them in the grand final.

they had plenty of the ball ... just couldn't put a score on the board.

[plugger66]

Didnt seem to upset the Cats having ordinary tall forwards.

their lack of a big bloke who could kick a goal cost them in the grand final.

they had plenty of the ball ... just couldn't put a score on the board.

Why did the hawks win then? How did there big forward line go?

[bigcarl]

Why did the hawks win then? How did there big forward line go?

geelong was so paranoid about stopping buddy and roughhead that they didn't pay enough respect to guys like williams and dew.

as i said earlier. they remind me a bit of us in 2004.

if gehrig or riewoldt didn't get you then milne or hamill or someone else would.

having franklin and roughhead there guarantees quick and direct delivery and they are not afraid to go long and kick to a contest. why would you be with that sort of firepower up front?

[saintsRrising]

Williams a KEY forward??

err no.

Yes he is a good forward no doubt. But a key forward no.
At 180cm he is actually on the smallish side...but yes is a good lead and mark anda more than useful shot on goal.


But YES the Saints need more goalkickers...including our mids kicking goals more often. Gram asa mid certainly can be part of the answer.

In 2009 a fit Schneider will kick a few more I fancy.

But yes we need someone else to stand up...X perhaps..or one of the younger players including possibly Allen.

[the_D_train]

If I had to pick a team i would put Paul Cahill infront of Jarryd Allen as a KPF I would also but Lynch before Allen.

it comes from left of field most of you will think but I watched a few U18s matches and I really like their aggression and defensive pressure aswell as their mobility. Which i think Allen is lacking.

I would give Cahill a shot at FF in the NAB cup and if he or Lynch play well I would give them a go, make Allen work for the spot

[the_D_train]

Thoughts on that ?

[bigcarl]

When raph has kicked for goal........looks uneasy

had some shockers...

confidence/form down back in finals encouraging

Could he play a Mickey O (swans) role with continued confidence/maturity???

maybe. it's all about confidence with him.

looking at how he finished off the season i think he could go okay in the midfield.