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meher baba wrote:A selection of a player for a GF on past performance rather than recent form - something that happens not infrequently - is always a leap of faith.
None of the 22nd men have any recent form except Eddy. The others haven't played for four weeks. "Recent form" can't come into the discussion.
The selection committee decided that Eddy wasn't performing and so should go out. They chose from probably five players the one who they thought would be the most useful. I'd suggest that Dempster got a guernsey because he's the most versatile.
I also would have preferred Armo for this game, but your arguments for his selection are hardly compelling. It comes down to the fact that you don't like Dempster as a player - nothing about form or anything else.
unlike most teams we could send dempster down back and use either raph or BJ forward of the centre.
I have this strange feeling tha raph might be the wildcard, have a look at the second half of the pies match. The guy can find space and is a natural footballer. Sometimes big games bring out the best in players
I will back this team to win
Saints by 21
FQF
loyal in the good times and bad
In richo I trust
2013 trade/draft best ever?
Billings - future brownlow medallist Longer - future best ruck
Dunstan - future captain Eli - future cult hero
Acres - future norm smith
So there's no doubt both teams are stronger since then. Even a half-fit Johnson and Ottens are better than Hogan and Mumford - Wojcinski for Stokes is about even. King is better than McEvoy and Dempster is bigger and more flexible than Geary.
What does that mean?
Nothing. The team that brings the most endeavour and has the most luck will win.
Until the halfway stage of the year it looked like Geary was going to be a regular - even one of our first picks, he was starring averaging 20 running possessions - and he's such a beautiful long kick.
He was one of the reasons we came out of the blocks flying this year.
What happened to his form ?
What went wrong I wonder?
Dempster could do well and I agree is more versatile than Armitage - but Armitage can probably find more of the ball and is okay at kicking a goal or 2.
So Dempster for his height and experience/versatility was probably a good move - plus nice biceps - I hope he puts them to "good" use against the Cats and they're not just for show.
samoht wrote:Until the halfway stage of the year it looked like Geary was going to be a regular - even one of our first picks, he was starring averaging 20 running possessions - and he's such a beautiful long kick.
He was one of the reasons we came out of the blocks flying this year.
What happened to his form ?
What went wrong I wonder?
I think it's just that he doesn't have a spot at the moment.
He's not a huge man, which limits him to certain positions. He's not an in-and-under ball winner at this stage of his career; he's not a small forward; he's not defensive enough to play in a back pocket, or even really on a back flank. So he's an outside midfield runner, but there's not room for too many of those in Ross's gameplan. He's fighting for a spot with Gram, Ray, even Raph and Joey to some extent. All of them are ahead of him at the moment.
I reckon he's got it in him to put on a few kilos and turn into an all-round midfielder the same way Joey has. Good disposal, good running, ball-finding ability - if he adds a touch of clearance and in-and-under ability he'll be a very useful player.
PJ wrote:
Quote:
A selection of a player for a GF on past performance rather than recent form
I don't think you can actually make that call given you don't know why he was selected.
Yes I can, because he was dropped after Rd 22. I assume that this was because of poor form. He hasn't had the opportunity to demonstrate any form since then. So I assume that a major factor in his selection is the fact that it is known that he can play much better than he has so far this season.
Quote:
I thought his form was pretty reasonable.
8 games, 2 goals, 3 behinds, 1 goal assist, averaging 12 disposals, 4.5 marks and 3 tackles per game.
He may have done well at tagging in some of the 8 games - it's difficult to tell - but the only one that anyone on here has given him credit for was in Rd 19 against Luke Hodge: who got 24 disposals in that game!!
As I have said before, there must be some highly positive aspect to the way he plays which I am unable to detect.
I don't think those stats say anything other than he was tried in a number of positions as a few of the players have. The coaches have been trying plenty of people in a few positions over the last month or 2 and in doing so have put a few in and out of the playing squad. Eddy and Dempster are all part of a group that are trying to nail down the last couple of spots. His recent form could be as specific as a particular roled played in those 8 games - his past form as in his GF experience would certainly count for something but obviously you don't rate 2 Grand Final appearances if you can't see any value in the man.
I've never seen a bad St.Kilda player - that's just how they are.
Paul Roos was on ONE HD last night and says Dempster is a player whos versitility will work well for the Saints.
Armo is a good in and under player but we have Lenny and Ball to play that role- he hasnt got the engine to do a Jones stopping job. If ball had lost his spot Armo would go in imo. Gwilt would be handy in the wet as he gets to / creates contests.
