which saints would be AA if picked now?

[Moods]

Attempting to be as objective as possible here

I reckon roo obviously at CHF and possibly captain

Two out these three players in the midfield - Lenny, dal, and Joey.

Gilbert on a back flank

Goddard on the bench


I know we've won all our games, but so have the cats so they'll obviously have a high propotion of players as well.

[True Blue Sainter]

Lenny, Joey and Roo are certainties at this stage.

Gilbo should be. Dall has been too inconsistent I reckon, following his brilliant start. Goddard a maybe, but I don't think so.

[st.byron]

Reckon you're right with Roo and Gilbo.
Joey too and probably Lenny.
Competition for mid field spots would be fierce.
Judd and Gablett are certainties IMO.
Joey gets heaps of the ball, but the thing that really sets him apart from the rest of the high class mids is his pressure and tackling. Of the top 20 ball winners in the comp he's leading the tackle count with 83. Lenny also has 83, then Bartel with 73, Judd with 65 and the rest are mostly in the 40's.

[felixleo]

Rooey certainly especially with Franklins form at the moment. Goddard if he keeps up tonights form as he can be played in so many positions. The midfielders Del,Ball ,Joey and Lenny would have to come into contention. Joey and Lenny particularly. C.J. is a chance.. Not sure if Gilby's quite there yet.

[battye]

Dawson an outside chance?

[MasonCJ2]

Roo and Montagna are the certanties at this stage. Lenny, Gilbert, BJ and Dal must be extremely close. Personally, I would have the first three in and Dal will have to push on for some extremely hard-contested spots with the likes of Gablett, Swan, Judd etc floating around.

[ace]

AA coach = Ross Lyon

[Saintschampions08]

Roo and Montagna are the certanties at this stage. Lenny, Gilbert, BJ and Dal must be extremely close. Personally, I would have the first three in and Dal will have to push on for some extremely hard-contested spots with the likes of Gablett, Swan, Judd etc floating around.

On the shortlist of 40: Dal, Montagna, Hayes, Roo, Gilbert, Goddard (possible).

I think you'll find that some of our defenders will get included, because of the way our defense has performed this year, it would look funny to have a record breaking defense but none of the players to make the AA...

Could almost see a Dawson getting a spot on the shortlist...

[Mr Magic]

Sam Fisher, despite being tagged the last 2 weeks?

[TassieJones]

definite:
Riewoldt, Montagna, Hayes
should probably:
Dal Santo, Goddard
likely:
Fisher, Gilbert

that is all.

[matrix]

roo
hayes
joey
gilbert

i bet roos the only one picked

[makemytime]

For sure, Roo at chf and joey as an onballer/wing
goddard should be a shoo-in
Hayes definitely needs a spot

don't rate dal's chances at the moment because the competition is pretty rich in its midfield
AA midfield : Judd, Gablett, Joey, Hayes and someone else starting

BUT, having said that the competition's forwards and defenders look very ordinary, so ordinary in fact that Kosi may even get a mention and Gilbo should deinitely come into the squad of 40.

WHAT ABOUT DAWSON BOYS?? surely a mention

[Thinline]

definite:
Riewoldt, Montagna, Hayes
should probably:
Dal Santo, Goddard
likely:
Fisher, Gilbert

that is all.

I reckon Roo, Joey, Len, Goddard and Gilbert would be in the 22.

Dawson possibly, but he'd be competing with Scarlett would he not?

Dal not quite.

Sorry to say it, but Fisher hasn't been good enough this year IMO.

If they picked a tagger, CJ for mine, but I know that's a frivolous suggestion...

[Moods]

I reckon if CJ takes Ablett's scalp this weekend he will throw himself right into contention. Big ask, but if he can limit Ablett to under25 possessions, then the whole comp will sit up and take notice.

Sam Fisher had a great start to the year let's remember. Last couple have been below where he's at, but how often does a defender get tagged? Says something about the quality of footballer he is I reckon. No way they'll pick Zac ahead of Scarlett or even Lake or even Presti. They're the ones gaining all the plaudits this year in the backline.

I reckon the game this week is so important for our blokes in so many ways - the least being that it'll stake their claims for AA selection. The most important being that hopefully they'll walk off the ground knowing they can match it with the best, or even beat the best.

[TassieJones]

definite:
Riewoldt, Montagna, Hayes
should probably:
Dal Santo, Goddard
likely:
Fisher, Gilbert

that is all.

I reckon Roo, Joey, Len, Goddard and Gilbert would be in the 22.

Dawson possibly, but he'd be competing with Scarlett would he not?

Dal not quite.

Sorry to say it, but Fisher hasn't been good enough this year IMO.

If they picked a tagger, CJ for mine, but I know that's a frivolous suggestion...

Scarlett has a mortgage on full back, but if he doesn't make it Presti and Tarrant to name just 2 would be ahead of Zac.

Fisher's been down the past 2 weeks from tags, but before that was outstanding imo. no one else has really stood up for CHB, although unless Fish gets some form back Bock might over take him.

as for mids, atm I'd say the starting midfield would be:
C: Montagna Judd Selwood
R: Sandilands Ablett Hayes
with Dal Santo on the bench along side Swan and/or maybe Boyd.

[saintsRrising]

Sam was in AA form...but has not been of late.

I wonder how much that foot injury is restricting him?

[vacuous space]

Fisher was brilliant for the first 11 weeks. His last two weren't so great, but in terms of his KP competition, very few can claim to be anywhere close. His opponents the last two weeks haven't done anything. They're too concerned with limiting him.

He's there. Gilbert's there. Both, I think would have the eye of selectors. Dal Santo, Montagna, yes. Riewoldt, Yes. Maybe Hayes, but it's a crowded midfield.

Here's a shot at how I think the selectors would name the team (not my team):

Josh Drummond - Simon Prestigiacomo - Matthew Scarlett
Corey Enright - Sam Fisher - Sam Gilbert
Leigh Montagna - Joel Selwood - Nick Dal Santo
Leon Davis - Nick Riewoldt - Steve Johnson
Eddie Betts - Jonathan Brown - Paul Chapman
Dean Cox - Chris Judd - Gary Ablett

Lenny Hayes - Scott Pendlebury - Aaron Sandilands - Dane Swan

[Thinline]

Not sure they'd overlook the Bulldogs, Vacuous.

Akermanis, Boyd, Cooney. As far as I've seen, all have looked pretty good.

Hurts for me to say because I think he's a prize knob, but Aker's been in rare form.

[vacuous space]

Not sure they'd overlook the Bulldogs, Vacuous.

I did throw that team together in about two minutes, so I was bound to overlook someone. I seem to have a subconscious dislike of the Dogs, so I'm not stunned it was them. I think they'd squeeze Boyd in on the bench somewhere and maybe Aka for Betts.

Gerard Healy will find a way to get a Swan in there too. There may be a token selection from a SA team to appease their selector. They'll probably find a way to squeeze a third tall forward in somehow.

[BAM! (shhhh)]

Fisher was brilliant for the first 11 weeks. His last two weren't so great, but in terms of his KP competition, very few can claim to be anywhere close. His opponents the last two weeks haven't done anything. They're too concerned with limiting him.

He's there. Gilbert's there. Both, I think would have the eye of selectors. Dal Santo, Montagna, yes. Riewoldt, Yes. Maybe Hayes, but it's a crowded midfield.

Here's a shot at how I think the selectors would name the team (not my team):

Josh Drummond - Simon Prestigiacomo - Matthew Scarlett
Corey Enright - Sam Fisher - Sam Gilbert
Leigh Montagna - Joel Selwood - Nick Dal Santo
Leon Davis - Nick Riewoldt - Steve Johnson
Eddie Betts - Jonathan Brown - Paul Chapman
Dean Cox - Chris Judd - Gary Ablett

Lenny Hayes - Scott Pendlebury - Aaron Sandilands - Dane Swan

I'd be stunned if the selectors named such a well balanced team that could reasonably take the field! Surely another ruck needs to be named in the forward pocket, and Adelaide and Sydney need to be accounted for by dropping Fisher for Bock, and someone for Bolton and possibly Goodes. Western Australia may be placated with Cox and Sandilands, but I wouldn't be stunned when the team comes out to see Shannon Hurn get a gig, or Pavlich even if he misses the next month. By the same token, if Brennan can continue his current form, he's a chance, and Black and Power are cruising at a lazy 26 per game, so a patch of form could see them get some whipping up.

Not that I'm cynical about the politics of All Australian selection or anything I do shake my head every year though when Champion Data releases it's team and it'd generally beat that pants of the AA team IMO.

[plugger66]

Sam was in AA form...but has not been of late.

I wonder how much that foot injury is restricting him?

What is this so called foot injury?

[RodKeoghsLoveChild]

If we are talking AA I would have said Rod Owen, closely followed by Steve Lawrence!

Back in the day we were never short of 'sponsors'!

[Halo]

Zac Dawson !!

[Schillaci]

Roo, Monty, Gilbert, Fisher.
Our defence has been such that I think at least two would get in the AA at present.
With Ablett, Judd, Swan, Selwood and others to consider Hayes and Dal could easily miss out.

[Cairnsman]

Dal can draw some AA attention by dominating in this weeks match.

He really needs to asert himself on a big game. It will do wonders for his reputation.