Gilbert & Jones

[dragit]

Both in my best 22.

What is your best 22 Carl?

Would barely have a player under 25 I reckon…

[bigcarl]

Both in my best 22.

What is your best 22 Carl?

Would barely have a player under 25 I reckon…

Not true, far from it.

I've got Hickey, Seb Ross, Newnes in along with Roberton, Milera, Saad, Stanley and Siposs. Also McEvoy and Steven and Nathan Wright. I like the look of Webster.

That's plenty of kids.

I'm well aware we developing a list for the future but it's a balancing act.

The guys being talked about to be moved on ... such as Gilbert, Jones and Ray ... have played a lot of good football for St Kilda, including finals and other big games. None is over 30. Ray is only 27.

Moving them on is not a decision to take lightly, certainly not on the back of one good win over a team we have beaten 16 times out of 18.

I feel the three mentioned still have much to offer.

If you get rid of all your hardened players you could end up a basket case like Melbourne. Or be stuck in permanent development mode with no guarantee of advancement.

Plus there is what it does to morale if you drop someone ... Ray for example ... for a kid who gets three touches ... Saunders or Murdoch for example. It hits at the essence of team selection, which is to put your best team out there every week.

I'd find it hard to swallow if I was a player still producing good football if someone was prefered simply BECAUSE they are a kid.

[dragit]

30 doesn't fit into 22 though…

Who misses out if not Ray/Jones/Gilbert if they are all in your best 22?

Ray Fisher Gwilt
Geary Dempster Gilbert
Montagna Jones NDS
Milera Roo Siposs?
Milne Hickey Schneider?

McEvoy Hayes Armitage

Steven Saad Stanley Roberton

We can't wait for injuries to see Wright, Ross, Newnes, Lee, Webster play

[dragit]

btw - I'm not advocating a mass clean out either, but we need to make some short term sacrifices for longer term gain… Watters did this with Jones/Ray/Kosi last year and it looks like he is starting to do it again.

[bigcarl]

Who misses out if not Ray/Jones/Gilbert if they are all in your best 22?

It depends on form. Let me just say this. You are totally inaccurate to suggest I have no one in my best team under 25.

[dragit]

Who misses out if not Ray/Jones/Gilbert if they are all in your best 22?

It depends on form. Let me just say this. You are totally inaccurate to suggest I have no one in my best team under 25.

Was a bit of joke… how many under say 23 do you have in there? best 22

[Spinner]

Nope!

[bigcarl]

Who misses out if not Ray/Jones/Gilbert if they are all in your best 22?

It depends on form. Let me just say this. You are totally inaccurate to suggest I have no one in my best team under 25.

Was a bit of joke… how many under say 23 do you have in there? best 22

I'd have to work it out.

In general I think Watters and Co are on the right track. It's a difficult job as ... assuming they are human ... they will want the team to remain competitive. It's a balancing act.

Natural attrition is going to force more debutants next season and even towards the end of this season as Milney and Lenny near the end of great careers.

[felix]

I wouldn't advocate for getting rid of those two as they have more positive than negative but watching this game without them in the team is a more calming experience .

[SaintTom]

Well Jones was dropped, so obviously not in our best 22, and no we didn't miss them.

They said he missed through soreness.

Roo said in the interview that it was a form thing.

[spert]

I think we missed Gilbert against Carlton, and CJ may be back now Wright is out. Having watched Steven butcher the ball by hand and foot this season (regardless of 39 possessions on Monday) I would say CJ is not the worst in that area.

[plugger66]

I think we missed Gilbert against Carlton, and CJ may be back now Wright is out. Having watched Steven butcher the ball by hand and foot this season (regardless of 39 possessions on Monday) I would say CJ is not the worst in that area.

Tell me you are joking about Steven. Talk about hard to please. At least the coaches dont agree with you. Steven is a much better kick than jones and by a fair margin. Jones wouldnt be capable of a few of those bullet passes Steven delivered Monday night and wouldnt even waste him time trying.

[ShanghaiSaint]

Did we miss them?

Gilbert was missed imo... Geary did a very good Jones role and offers a little bit more.

[Cairnsman]

I think we missed Gilbert against Carlton, and CJ may be back now Wright is out. Having watched Steven butcher the ball by hand and foot this season (regardless of 39 possessions on Monday) I would say CJ is not the worst in that area.

Tell me you are joking about Steven. Talk about hard to please. At least the coaches dont agree with you. Steven is a much better kick than jones and by a fair margin. Jones wouldnt be capable of a few of those bullet passes Steven delivered Monday night and wouldnt even waste him time trying.

Gotta agree P66. I was really impressed with most of his kicks on Monday night. Some were executed while running flat out, under pressure and with surgical precession. And I also agree that CJ and Gilbo were missed especially in the last quarter when their fitter, stronger bodies would have come in handy when the young guys were running out of puff. Gilbo probably would have been good on Lachie Henderson in that last qtr.

[ShanghaiSaint]

I think we missed Gilbert against Carlton, and CJ may be back now Wright is out. Having watched Steven butcher the ball by hand and foot this season (regardless of 39 possessions on Monday) I would say CJ is not the worst in that area.

Tell me you are joking about Steven. Talk about hard to please. At least the coaches dont agree with you. Steven is a much better kick than jones and by a fair margin. Jones wouldnt be capable of a few of those bullet passes Steven delivered Monday night and wouldnt even waste him time trying.

spot on plugger

stick of the nit picking... Steven imo atm is more valuable than armo

[Moods]

I actually reckon that Jones' skills (particularly field kicking) has improved out of sight this season. Ppl see what they want to see, and often it's based on what they remember. Sure there is still the odd clanger, but so there is with every player.

The problem as I see it with CJ is that he is supposed to be a run with/tagger type player, and the players he has been playing on have been very damaging this year. If he was dropped, I reckon that would be the reason why.

[ShanghaiSaint]

I actually reckon that Jones' skills (particularly field kicking) has improved out of sight this season. Ppl see what they want to see, and often it's based on what they remember. Sure there is still the odd clanger, but so there is with every player.

The problem as I see it with CJ is that he is supposed to be a run with/tagger type player, and the players he has been playing on have been very damaging this year. If he was dropped, I reckon that would be the reason why.

I agree Moods, Jones has obviously worked on his kicking as it is better.

[Dis Believer]

When people want to see certain players moved on, they need to keep in mind that certain other players will go at the end of the year anyway.

Likely that Kosi, Blake, Lenny and Milney will be gone at the end of this year - that's four 200+ gamers right there. How many can we afford to go in one hit condsidering we have turned over half the list in the past two off-seasons? Let's not forget there will be youngsters and rookies that haven't come on that they may want to offload as well (Shenton, Curren, Ledger etc). Let's not forget, although those young players won't necessarily go, there is only so much time they will be retained on the list if they are not demanding a run in the seniors or at least showing enough to keep the caoching panel interested.

Knowing as we do that we will be actively seeking to bring in at least one class midfielder and KP defender from free agency/trade, that fills two of the four expected retirement spots. So thats two spots on the list already open without delisting a single kid or senior player.

Would think they won't want more than 4 from the draft, maximum. The only thing that may see more seniors tipped out is elevations from the rookie list (two maybe).

I can see Jones potentially going at the end of this year, and for some reason I have a feeling that Ray will end up going as part of a trade. Gilbert will not be going anywhere.