Teams Saints v Pies

[rexy]

Fisher wont play and it will be Patto for King

2 changes to the selected side you think spert, would have thought that if King was doubtful McEvoy would be more likely. He has at least rucked to our mids for the last 7 weeks?

[Eastern]

Well Well, very interesting that R.Clarke is an emergency now.

He can't make the best 22??? I know he is the whipping boy on this site, but i think he adds alot to our back line.

Anyone else think that Clarke should be in the 22, or is he just not in the side for this week?

And drop who from the backline?

You need to earn your spot in this team - ask Max or Goose.

What he said !!

[SainterK]

After all this fascinating and totally uninformef speculation, I reckon we'll see Gwilt, BJ and Gardi rotate alongside Riewoldt up forward, and Fisher play out the game in the backline.

Just a hunch.......

He may even start forward, it's happened before and he kicked a couple.

I really hope he plays...

[Bernard Shakey]

Fisher a late exclusion for one of McEvoy or Pattison.

8-)

You're dreaming!

[Thinline]

My take is we caught wind of a list leak so have opted to toss in a red herring (Fisher, pun intended).

Would be amazed if an ankle could heal so fast.

Hope my hunch is rubbish. Would love to see Fisher in when Shaw is out.

[Milan Faletic]

Fisher a late exclusion for one of McEvoy or Pattison.

You're dreaming!

Worth logging on for that great analysis, BS.

[johnpeterbudgefanclub]

Fisher a late exclusion for one of McEvoy or Pattison.

You're dreaming!

Maybe not....

[Milan Faletic]

Fisher a late exclusion for one of McEvoy or Pattison.

You're dreaming!

Maybe not....

Agree. Have my doubts about Fisher's fitness.

[WaggaSaint]

probably a red herring... (get it, fisher...sorry I'm new at this)

maybe I don't understand the rules etc, but I can't see that Fish is ready. Don't get me wrong, I'd love him to be back. Firstly, because he's back, and probably more importantly, it means that the medical staff are on the money and they're getting players cherry ripe. Potentially good news all round!

[bobmurray]

What are your thoughts on King in for McEvoy? Anyone?

King was dropped so that Gardiner and McEvoy could reek havoc but McEvoy avoided the ball all day..hence King is back in and McEvoy is out

McEvoy has gone back to Sandy this week to reacquaint himself with the football...I wish him well.....

[steph]

I disagree with this for a couple of reasons. Firstly, what's the point of only playing McEvoy in the "easy" games? He needs to gain experience against quality opposition, as that's what we'll be facing in the finals.

I dont think you got what i was getting at. Lyon deliberately left McEvoy on Jolly for much of the final quarter and all of the last 10 or so minutes in a game where there were 35,000 fans and where the opposition had come back from almost 7 goals down.

It wasn't an easy game (no game in the AFL is easy, ask Collingwood who almost lost to Melbourne last week).

Mac would have gotten invaluable experience that night, but was beaten pretty comprehensively by Jolly.

if the same situation occured tomorrow night it seems that lyon would prefer the experienced King to be rucking over the inexperienced McEvoy against Jolly.

Yes McEvoy needs experience, but the mids need supply. See what Geelong did to hawthorn when they had no ruckmnen.

If he doesn't, and we play him in finals, then he'll be exposed. Secondly, King does absolutely nothing around the ground and I feel all he is doing now is holding McEvoy back. Why not just give McEvoy 6 or 7 straight games, and then re-assess? Very disappointed with this selection.

We are after four points not, and it is not a practice match. McEvoy got 10 games straight last year and improved in each game. He will get many more this year and will continue to improve.

But tomorrow night Lyon waqnts big bodied and experienced ruckmen against Jolly.

I understand no game is easy, which is why I used the quotation marks. The way I see it is this: if we play in the GF this year, who will our ideal ruckmen be? In my opinion, it would be Gardiner and McEvoy. So what's the upside in persisting with King, if he isnt a part of the future. McEvoy has to get used to the bigger bodied experienced guys, no point in continuing to keep him sheltered. Either way I think the other 21 playing are good enough to beat the pies, not sure that King or Mac will actually make that much of a difference, so may as well get him used to the big stage.

[St Fidelius]

What are your thoughts on King in for McEvoy? Anyone?

King was dropped so that Gardiner and McEvoy could reek havoc but McEvoy avoided the ball all day..hence King is back in and McEvoy is out

McEvoy has gone back to Sandy this week to reacquaint himself with the football...I wish him well.....

and Pattison is the emergency if Fisher doesn't come up...

Good result IMO, unlike some one here that have questioned some of our players ...

replacement players for FB instead of Zac....

Some other posters comments that Stanley should be in the side....

Peake not in our best 22......

If Fisher does not make the side this week I hope Pattison sticks it up those posters BIG TIME...

[Saintsfan]

What are your thoughts on King in for McEvoy? Anyone?

King was dropped so that Gardiner and McEvoy could reek havoc but McEvoy avoided the ball all day..hence King is back in and McEvoy is out

McEvoy has gone back to Sandy this week to reacquaint himself with the football...I wish him well.....

and Pattison is the emergency if Fisher doesn't come up...

Good result IMO, unlike some one here that have questioned some of our players ...

replacement players for FB instead of Zac....

Some other posters comments that Stanley should be in the side....

Peake not in our best 22......

If Fisher does not make the side this week I hope Pattison sticks it up those posters BIG TIME...

Why does it matter if he sticks it up posters? He had an ordinary debut for us. Why should we expect anything more or less?

You seem a bit aggressive to posters. Why?

[St Fidelius]

What are your thoughts on King in for McEvoy? Anyone?

King was dropped so that Gardiner and McEvoy could reek havoc but McEvoy avoided the ball all day..hence King is back in and McEvoy is out

McEvoy has gone back to Sandy this week to reacquaint himself with the football...I wish him well.....

and Pattison is the emergency if Fisher doesn't come up...

Good result IMO, unlike some one here that have questioned some of our players ...

replacement players for FB instead of Zac....


Some other posters comments that Stanley should be in the side....

Peake not in our best 22......

If Fisher does not make the side this week I hope Pattison sticks it up those posters BIG TIME...

Why does it matter if he sticks it up posters? He had an ordinary debut for us. Why should we expect anything more or less?

You seem a bit aggressive to posters. Why?

Well I just question the intelligence of posters with a replacement FB because of Zac in the NAB series and are willing to jump off him and nominate replacements..

I also question some on here that just want Stanley to play and questioned why he has not played yet...

I also question just why posters are willing to slam Patttison performance and not ever mention McEvoy....

Is that clear enough??

Stanley would be lucky to play 3 games this season IMO...

Sick and tired of posters comments about the NAB cup form .....

more so with Zac and Stanley and I think that Pattison deserves more of a chance than the one game, gee surely McEvoy was/has had enough chances, and yet the new boy on the block gets hammered...

[St Fidelius]

oh...

I also question posters comments re Peake and that he is not in our best 22...


I just have a dislike of posters knocking our players....

IS THAT CLEAR ENOUGH??!!

[santazzi]

What are your thoughts on King in for McEvoy? Anyone?

King was dropped so that Gardiner and McEvoy could reek havoc but McEvoy avoided the ball all day..hence King is back in and McEvoy is out

McEvoy has gone back to Sandy this week to reacquaint himself with the football...I wish him well.....

and Pattison is the emergency if Fisher doesn't come up...

Good result IMO, unlike some one here that have questioned some of our players ...

replacement players for FB instead of Zac....


Some other posters comments that Stanley should be in the side....

Peake not in our best 22......

If Fisher does not make the side this week I hope Pattison sticks it up those posters BIG TIME...

Why does it matter if he sticks it up posters? He had an ordinary debut for us. Why should we expect anything more or less?

You seem a bit aggressive to posters. Why?

Well I just question the intelligence of posters with a replacement FB because of Zac in the NAB series and are willing to jump off him and nominate replacements..

I also question some on here that just want Stanley to play and questioned why he has not played yet...

I also question just why posters are willing to slam Patttison performance and not ever mention McEvoy....

Is that clear enough??

Stanley would be lucky to play 3 games this season IMO...

Sick and tired of posters comments about the NAB cup form .....

more so with Zac and Stanley and I think that Pattison deserves more of a chance than the one game, gee surely McEvoy was/has had enough chances, and yet the new boy on the block gets hammered...

St Fidelius I share saintsfans sentiments in general lterms. I have carefully read your response and I appreciate your frustration with posters who have difficulty in telling the difference between player forms in the preseason and the real season.

I think you need to understand that there are a lot of passionate supporters on this forum who post from the heart. They all do not have the full understanding of the the subtlities of modern football. I belong to that category, but I am willing to learn.

You seem to have some understanding of the game. Like a few posters here like Big Mart. My suggestion is that you take the teaching role.Do not assume that all posters have the same knowledge of the game as you do. If in your opinion unreasonable posts are made such as play A or drop B, please take the educator's role and explain why those opinions are not in the clubs best interest. I am sure, in time, all reasonable posters will benefit.............
,

[saintly]

are we all sure that it is Sam fisher coming in not Leigh fisher?

[Saint4Eva]

Well everyone from fox to the herald sun are saying it is Sam so im pretty sure its him

[Legendary]

Fisher will play, and will play up forward ...

Mark him down for 3-4 and a couple of assists. Who do they have to match him?

He could stand in the goalsquare on crutches and he'd have more influence than Pattison.

[saintsRrising]

So

In : Key position player, Out Key position player
Whatever the arguments about whether Patto's game was ok or bad, Sam is clearly a much superior player.

In: ruckman, Out ruckman/follower

King is still a ruckman who is superior at tapwork compared to Ben. Againsta good opponent like Jolly this is likely to be moreso as Jolly is capable of exploiting Ben's inexperience.

Ben is a ruckman who is "potentially" better around the ground, but not as good in tapwork. However in recent games the marks have not been sticking for Ben and so this potential advantage is not on form areal advantage.

The argument is that Ben has more potential upside and that King has plateaued with a slight drop-off. Put AFL games into Ben and he should improve and hopefully go past King (or at least by finals time you will have the choice and can always fall back on King if not).

However all games are not created equal:

Finishing Top 4 is very important to getting a good run in the finals. Top 2 if interstate teams finish in the Top 4 (ie you want home finals and not interstate ones).

So games against other Top 4 aspirants carry greater weight as are "8-pointers". So Pies, Dogs, Cats and Hawks would seem to be the "8-point" games at present. As such they are the games which you really want to win and therefore games where "development' of a player like Ben may be countered by the greater importance in winning.


Of course there is also the counter-argument that Ben will learn more against better quality rucks and/or teams. However the season is young, and 4 points in the bank is what we need at present.

Throughout the season I would be hoping that Ben plays more AFL level games than not.

[gringo]

Sam Fisher will be a good match as a forward and you would expect him to be able to play out a game better where he doesn't have to run as much.

As a others have mentioned he was a forward when we recruited him and when he gets the ball in range I am confident that his kicking from set shots is better than most. it is obviously a perception going on the stats but i would think other than our usual forwards he is one of the few i would choose for a set shot.

[Thinline]

Sam Fisher will be a good match as a forward and you would expect him to be able to play out a game better where he doesn't have to run as much.

As a others have mentioned he was a forward when we recruited him and when he gets the ball in range I am confident that his kicking from set shots is better than most. it is obviously a perception going on the stats but i would think other than our usual forwards he is one of the few i would choose for a set shot.

You reckon our fwds don't run as much?

Riewoldt (in particular), Milne and Schneider cover a shiteload of territory.

Much is asked of them defensively too.

I reckon they run their guts out.

[Solar]

chips is an interesting one

gut feeling is that they will give him another week and bring in either raph or patto to play forward but if he does play then we have a couple of options

play BJ as a set forward and use our midfielders as forwards line we did last week. Dal was quiet within this set up but if he decides to attack the goal mouth he could be a very dangerous forward.

If chips plays down back then we have the set up we went into the grand final with, jimmy replacing raphs role. If we can push them through the centre and force them to bomb it long then chips and gilbo will have a night out.

On the other hand chips is a lovely kick and no reason not to be able to snag a few. Could work back hard and be that half forward that runs from the wing. If we can get BJ one out in the goal square and move roo around if presti gets him then we could put alot of pressure on maxwell.

2 years ago I would have been worried that we would slack off and drop this one but the saints mids will win the ball in huge numbers, pressure the pies mids and the game will be close to being over by half time.

[IluvHarvey]

oh...

I also question posters comments re Peake and that he is not in our best 22...


I just have a dislike of posters knocking our players....

IS THAT CLEAR ENOUGH??!!

Surely if posters are saying that Peake is not in our best 22 that is just an opinion, which I believe everyone is entitled to. What about someone like Cahill? Is saying he is not in our best 22 knocking him?

[Solar]

oh...

I also question posters comments re Peake and that he is not in our best 22...


I just have a dislike of posters knocking our players....

IS THAT CLEAR ENOUGH??!!

Surely if posters are saying that Peake is not in our best 22 that is just an opinion, which I believe everyone is entitled to. What about someone like Cahill? Is saying he is not in our best 22 knocking him?

agree, I have raph clarke in the best 22 but right now there is no spot for him. Peake is working hard, making the right decisions and adding to our pace and run. Long term, who knows? geary had a great first half of 2009 but finished in the seconds. outside our top 10 all spots are up for grabs