Looking forward to 2023?

[spert]

We have a lot of players who should improve but I don't think it will be enough to significantly improve our standings in the competition. I think we're stuck in between rebuilding and contending. If we had have landed some big additions to the squad like De Goey and Amon via FA without giving up trade capital then I'd be much more optimistic about the year ahead.

As it sits we've just lost our starting ruckman, the guy who polled 3 brownlow votes in our last game and a solid depth utility in Long.

If we end up making finals in 2023 it will be on the back of career best years from guys like Marshall, Clark, Coffield, Higgins, Paton, Billings and Gresham - guys with great potential but haven't consistently played to best of their ability yet.

I'm a bit concerned about Clark, Coff, Gresh and Higgins. These guys have had serious injury issues and when on the track, Clark, Gresh and Higgins haven't really come back to the potential of pre-injury, and may never- and Coff is still unknown having been so long out of the game. Billings is hit and miss and won't get any better as every year goes by, but Paton will probably improve I think. Marshall will need ruck support to play his best, which means Campbell or Heath will need senior games. Can't really see much improving next season, and we would need Ratts to do a big turnaround in his coaching- improve tactically and motivationally.

[D.B.Cooper]

I'm an optimist by nature, but it's the Saints we are reviewing.

Nothing I see in the club makes me think we can bridge the gap to be a contender from Management to Coach to list.

I'm guessing we stick in limbo land around the 8-12 range.

If we are basing our improvement on 3 X 19 years olds drafted last year we need to be more realistic, these guys need time to seriously impact the competition.

Let's see how the trade period goes and if we can improve the list.

[groupie1]

Total lacks of forensics here:

King & Higgins get goal-kicking right? we win 2 extra games in 2021 - play finals, and 2022 - play finals.

Next step is younger player improvement:
Clark, Coffield, Windhager, NWM, Owens, Connolly, Hayes, Sharman

Add pick 9/10

We're a top 8 team in waiting, easy

[B.M]

We are on the nose


The least talked about club, no one GAF about us, irrelevant!!!

[nostalgicsaint]

Total lacks of forensics here:

King & Higgins get goal-kicking right? we win 2 extra games in 2021 - play finals, and 2022 - play finals.

Next step is younger player improvement:
Clark, Coffield, Windhager, NWM, Owens, Connolly, Hayes, Sharman

Add pick 9/10

We're a top 8 team in waiting, easy

Agree multiple things can happen that change our prospects for 2023.

1. Improved goal kicking accuracy
2. An easier draw
3. A better run with injuries- let's not forget it was largely our better players injured this year
4. Natural improvement across the list, particularly the blokes highlighted above.
5. Draft/Trade Period not over yet.

Such a negative group of fans we are here. People point to how we were flying pre bye as though it is proof we're doomed.

Look to Collingwood and Melbourne just before their success and you'll see it isn't that rare to have had a let down as you improve.

[Teflon]

Total lacks of forensics here:

King & Higgins get goal-kicking right? we win 2 extra games in 2021 - play finals, and 2022 - play finals.

Next step is younger player improvement:
Clark, Coffield, Windhager, NWM, Owens, Connolly, Hayes, Sharman

Add pick 9/10

We're a top 8 team in waiting, easy

Agree multiple things can happen that change our prospects for 2023.

1. Improved goal kicking accuracy
2. An easier draw
3. A better run with injuries- let's not forget it was largely our better players injured this year
4. Natural improvement across the list, particularly the blokes highlighted above.
5. Draft/Trade Period not over yet.

Such a negative group of fans we are here. People point to how we were flying pre bye as though it is proof we're doomed.

Look to Collingwood and Melbourne just before their success and you'll see it isn't that rare to have had a let down as you improve.

I think fans know and have enough of where we are at tbh
A good draw only papers over cracks - we erect genuine top 4 ffs
We are a Jack Steele or Howard hamstring off cellar dwellers
Let’s be realistic then go forward instead of pretending

[nostalgicsaint]

Crackinf the sads doesnt change our situation. Steele missed quite a few this year, as did plenty of other quality players and we were not that far off finals.

Injuries make a massive difference to all clubs- you'll note all the recent premiers managed to get their best side on the park at the end of the year and largely had good runs with injury.

No doubt we're not top 4 right now but anyone who thinks the solution to our problem is to drop down the ladder and get draft picks hasn't been paying attention to the AFL over the last 5 years.

To do well now, you have to be able to trade players in and pick up quality free agents- you can't do that well enough as a club down the bottom half of the ladder.

The rich now get richer.

Our best bet now is to improve the list how we can, gradually and continue to be aggressive for genuinely elite talent.

The plan the club has outlined makes sense- bring some KPP depth into the side, draft some quality kids and then go to the well again this time next year and have another crack at some elite FA players.

[Teflon]

Crackinf the sads doesnt change our situation. Steele missed quite a few this year, as did plenty of other quality players and we were not that far off finals.

Injuries make a massive difference to all clubs- you'll note all the recent premiers managed to get their best side on the park at the end of the year and largely had good runs with injury.

No doubt we're not top 4 right now but anyone who thinks the solution to our problem is to drop down the ladder and get draft picks hasn't been paying attention to the AFL over the last 5 years.

To do well now, you have to be able to trade players in and pick up quality free agents- you can't do that well enough as a club down the bottom half of the ladder.

The rich now get richer.

Our best bet now is to improve the list how we can, gradually and continue to be aggressive for genuinely elite talent.

The plan the club has outlined makes sense- bring some KPP depth into the side, draft some quality kids and then go to the well again this time next year and have another crack at some elite FA players.

Lol that’s all good in theory but we’ve hardly (up till we had last year academy kids land in our lap) set the draft world on fire??
What we draft now we still have to develop- our most recent highest draft pick of Clark at 7 is up for trade cause we can’t develop players???
The threads about 2023 - enlighten me where that magical jump to top 6 side is going to come from??
Every side gets injuries - that’s expected
As for FA ….lol nice if you’re a draw card club but we aren’t
Not far off finals??? We lost 8 from last 10, including to lowly Essendon again, finished bottom 2 for transition and had no forward plan whatsoever….
Being all “blue sky” about where we are at only brings false dawns
Thankfully it looks like Bassatt may have had enough but tine will tell how serious we are

[Yorkeys]

Crackinf the sads doesnt change our situation. Steele missed quite a few this year, as did plenty of other quality players and we were not that far off finals.

Injuries make a massive difference to all clubs- you'll note all the recent premiers managed to get their best side on the park at the end of the year and largely had good runs with injury.

No doubt we're not top 4 right now but anyone who thinks the solution to our problem is to drop down the ladder and get draft picks hasn't been paying attention to the AFL over the last 5 years.

To do well now, you have to be able to trade players in and pick up quality free agents- you can't do that well enough as a club down the bottom half of the ladder.

The rich now get richer.

Our best bet now is to improve the list how we can, gradually and continue to be aggressive for genuinely elite talent.

The plan the club has outlined makes sense- bring some KPP depth into the side, draft some quality kids and then go to the well again this time next year and have another crack at some elite FA players.

Exactly.
Easily pleased me hopes for incremental improvement, no runs of losses.
Looking forward to seeing Max, Rowan, Steely and Sincs strut their stuff - it's great to watch when they are on and takes very good footy to beat us.

[Teflon]

3years in with this coach and most admin and we are rebuilding and hope for some incremental improvement
They’d burn the joint down at Collingwood
We are just happy to participate…

[chook23]

3years in with this coach and most admin and we are rebuilding and hope for some incremental improvement
They’d burn the joint down at Collingwood
We are just happy to participate…

Gallaghers comments in Today's Herald Sun offer little compfort

We basically need to bottom out to get the High picks needed

[B.M]

Beginning of the end - this off season

Reminds me of the Pelchen era

[Scollop]

Beginning of the end - this off season

Reminds me of the Pelchen era

You have a choice of A or B.

A. Try and top up with free agents and State league players and delisted players from other clubs and maybe hang around the 13th-7th spot for the next 3 years….OR

B. Try and focus on youth and recruiting elite young talent (rather than discards from other clubs or 28 year old mercenaries) and build a core group who grow and mature together.

A is short term and B is long term. A wants instance success and B is a plan to create the foundations for sustained success imo. Option B is how Brisbane, Geelong, Hawthorn and Richmond won multiple premierships in the last twenty years

Both strategies involve risk. I choose option B and I choose to try and win a premiership rather than make the current mob of administrators and coaches safe and secure in their employment

[Scollop]

If Lethlean and (potentially) Geoff Walsh and the coaches and the board of St Kilda are gutless and/OR hopeless at selling the message to Saints fans that we want to risk going backward to try and aim for the ultimate then they don’t deserve to retain their roles

I’ll then be looking forward to Teflon and barks4Ever imploding when GT steps in and becomes President

[Teflon]

Beginning of the end - this off season

Reminds me of the Pelchen era

You have a choice of A or B.

A. Try and top up with free agents and State league players and delisted players from other clubs and maybe hang around the 13th-7th spot for the next 3 years….OR

B. Try and focus on youth and recruiting elite young talent (rather than discards from other clubs or 28 year old mercenaries) and build a core group who grow and mature together.

A is short term and B is long term. A wants instance success and B is a plan to create the foundations for sustained success imo. Option B is how Brisbane, Geelong, Hawthorn and Richmond won multiple premierships in the last twenty years

Both strategies involve risk. I choose option B and I choose to try and win a premiership rather than make the current mob of administrators and coaches safe and secure in their employment

I haven’t heard the interview but it sounds like admitting we’ve grossly over estimated this list
3 years …whose fault is that?

[bangaulegend]

We have lucked out with the academy players & NWM will request a trade next year . We have 3 or 4 genuine keepers the rest of the list is negotiable IMO so pretty hard to be too up beat about next year . I'm a glass half empty bloke when it comes to St.Kilda & IMO we will struggle to do any better than we did this year .

[B.M]

What the hell are you talking about

All of those successful clubs have built their success on trading in talent from other clubs

You should

Use the draft

Use trading

Use free agency

Use Pre Supp & Mid Season picks

Use the rookie draft

You DO NOT narrow your focus on 1 avenue to improving your list

Drafting is actually the riskiest way to go, because every player you draft is an unknown at AFL level.

It is important to get picks right, especially early picks.

[Vortex]

What the hell are you talking about

All of those successful clubs have built their success on trading in talent from other clubs

You should

Use the draft

Use trading

Use free agency

Use Pre Supp & Mid Season picks

Use the rookie draft

You DO NOT narrow your focus on 1 avenue to improving your list

Drafting is actually the riskiest way to go, because every player you draft is an unknown at AFL level.

It is important to get picks right, especially early picks.

Go easy BM, he's a strong believer you learn a lot more with the sound turned down.