So the new recruits do what to our 2013 lineup?

[SainterK]

Is Hickey depth, what does it mean for Ben and Stanley?

Is Lee depth, what does it mean for Kosi and Wilkes and perhaps Stanley?

If Brown is secured, does Blake retire and who does it push out and/or free up?

[saintbrat]

can I suggest an edit to the heading? maybe add 'add'

[SainterK]

Fixed, was supposed to be a 'd' thanks

[rexy]

Simpkin Brown Geary
Gilbert Fisher Gwilt
Dal santo Hayes Montagna
Saad Reiwoldt Schneider
Stanley Lee Milne
Mcevoy Armitage Steven
Bench from Sippos Kosi Gram Millera Ledger Ross Hickey Wilkes

[SaintSimmo]

Hickey will be depth

Blake will retire if Brown is secured.

Lee will take Kosi's spot, I can see our forward line looking something like this:

HF: Schnieder, Riewoldt, Stanley
F: Milne, Lee, Saad

Wilkes rotating off the bench and Siposs off the half back line floating forward.

[SaintSimmo]

Simpkin Brown Geary
Gilbert Fisher Gwilt
Dal santo Hayes Montagna
Saad Reiwoldt Schneider
Stanley Lee Milne
Mcevoy Armitage Steven
Bench from Sippos Kosi Gram Millera Ledger Ross Hickey Wilkes

No room for our All-Australian Defender???

[rexy]

Simpkin Brown Geary
Gilbert Fisher Gwilt
Dal santo Hayes Montagna
Saad Reiwoldt Schneider
Stanley Lee Milne
Mcevoy Armitage Steven
Bench from Sippos Kosi Gram Millera Ledger Ross Hickey Wilkes

No room for our All-Australian Defender???

Doh, always gonna miss one when you try these things on the fly, Dempster in Gilbert to GC for Hickey save a DP, fixed

[Con Gorozidis]

Kosi now really surplus to requirements. He might as well take up golf or something.

If we get Brown and Hickey then the great man Blakey will certainly be gone.

[Sainterman]

Interesting you mention Gilbo there Rexy. Just signed a contract but have a funny feeling, when you look at our line up, that you might be on to something there.

I do wonder what names we are throwing about out there and Gilbert is one that comes to mind.

[SaintSimmo]

Interesting you mention Gilbo there Rexy. Just signed a contract but have a funny feeling, when you look at our line up, that you might be on to something there.

I do wonder what names we are throwing about out there and Gilbert is one that comes to mind.

Gram is another that comes to mind.....as it always seems to at this time of year.

[Eastern]

Interesting you mention Gilbo there Rexy. Just signed a contract but have a funny feeling, when you look at our line up, that you might be on to something there.

I do wonder what names we are throwing about out there and Gilbert is one that comes to mind.

Was mentioned somewhere that Gilbo "could" be part of the Caddy-Hickey deal !!

[Sainterman]

Interesting you mention Gilbo there Rexy. Just signed a contract but have a funny feeling, when you look at our line up, that you might be on to something there.

I do wonder what names we are throwing about out there and Gilbert is one that comes to mind.

Was mentioned somewhere that Gilbo "could" be part of the Caddy-Hickey deal !!

Ok, hadn't seen that. Would make sense. Quite a busy trade day for the first day!

[rexy]

Interesting you mention Gilbo there Rexy. Just signed a contract but have a funny feeling, when you look at our line up, that you might be on to something there.

I do wonder what names we are throwing about out there and Gilbert is one that comes to mind.

Was mentioned somewhere that Gilbo "could" be part of the Caddy-Hickey deal !!

Just read somewhere else, Gilbert and 13 for Caddy and Hickey? Would address our needs and leave us with 24 and 34?

[Sainterman]

Interesting you mention Gilbo there Rexy. Just signed a contract but have a funny feeling, when you look at our line up, that you might be on to something there.

I do wonder what names we are throwing about out there and Gilbert is one that comes to mind.

Was mentioned somewhere that Gilbo "could" be part of the Caddy-Hickey deal !!

Just read somewhere else, Gilbert and 13 for Caddy and Hickey? Would address our needs and leave us with 24 and 34?

Then Cripps and a late pick for Brown and done!

[plugger66]

Interesting you mention Gilbo there Rexy. Just signed a contract but have a funny feeling, when you look at our line up, that you might be on to something there.

I do wonder what names we are throwing about out there and Gilbert is one that comes to mind.

Was mentioned somewhere that Gilbo "could" be part of the Caddy-Hickey deal !!

Just read somewhere else, Gilbert and 13 for Caddy and Hickey? Would address our needs and leave us with 24 and 34?

Did those same people have us getting Lee?

[Con Gorozidis]

Interesting you mention Gilbo there Rexy. Just signed a contract but have a funny feeling, when you look at our line up, that you might be on to something there.

I do wonder what names we are throwing about out there and Gilbert is one that comes to mind.

Was mentioned somewhere that Gilbo "could" be part of the Caddy-Hickey deal !!

Just read somewhere else, Gilbert and 13 for Caddy and Hickey? Would address our needs and leave us with 24 and 34?

Arent Melbourne using "13" on Caddy!

If we did Gilbo and 13 for Caddy/Hickey Id be pumped. Would also be a fair deal for the GC as I think Gilbo would help them.

We could then spend 23 and 34 on a kids and 43 on Brown.

[mad saint guy]

I'm going to assume we end up with Brown and Hickey.

Preferred 22

B: Simpkin, Brown, Geary
HB: Gwilt, Fisher, Siposs
C: Montagna, Hayes, Dempster
HF: Schneider, Riewoldt, Lee
F: Milne, Stanley, Saad

Foll: McEvoy, Dal Santo, Steven
Int: Armitage, Gilbert, Dunell, Milera

Close/depth: Kosi, Wilkes, Hickey, Gram, Newnes, Ledger, Ross, Curren, Markworth, Ferguson, Ray*, Jones*, Blake*

Dempster to replace Jones as midfield tagger while Fisher goes back to a looser, interception and rebounding role. Brown takes the monsters of the forward line (Cloke, Hawkins, Schulz, Roughead types) and Simpkin gets the less imposing marking forwards (Gunston, Reid) or unco ruckmen resting forward. Gwilt needs to regain his attacking focus and bring back his beautiful 50m kicks from defence. Geary takes the dangerous smalls and SIposs is the new Goddard.

For now Hickey is still a backup. I can't see him, Stanley, McEvoy, Riewoldt and Lee in the side, and I suspect Lee will be starting in round one providing his form warrants it. Wilkes wouldn't like this trade at all, since he's probably just been knocked down the pecking order from third tall to depth. I'm not sure what Gilbert's role in 2013 will be and I still think we should have traded him. He doesn't really have a spot in defence and he doesn't get enough of it on the wing. With that said, I don't see him playing at Sandy. The coaches will be hoping like crazy that Milera has a big pre season and attacks 2013 with improved strength, work rate and confidence, because he's exactly the kind of player we need to inject into the midfield.

[SainterK]

No to trading Gilbert, need his age group...

[Bernard Shakey]

No to trading Gilbert, need his age group...

Age matters not if you can't kick.

[SaintSimmo]

B: Simpkin, Brown, Geary
HB: Gwilt, Fisher, Dempster
C: Montagna, Hayes, Steven
HF: Schneider, Riewoldt, Stanley
F: Milne, Lee, Saad

Foll: McEvoy, Dal Santo, Armitage
Int: Siposs, Gram, Wilkes, Milera

Close/depth: Newnes, Kosi, Hickey, Dunnel, Curren, Ross, Ledger, Markworth, Ferguson, Jones*, Ray*, Blake*, Gilbert????

It is clear that we will be clearing out a lot of fringe players (Jones, Ray, Blake) and there will be some serious competition for spots all around the ground, with some really good players (see Close/Depth) all pushing extremely hard for a spot in the first 22.

[mad saint guy]

No to trading Gilbert, need his age group...

We are lacking in his age group but we have an excess of tallish defenders who can't play KPD and he's the one who can't kick and has been no good since 2010. We even could have traded him for someone his age who suits our needs better.

[hotdish]

If M Brown comes to the club, Simpkin will struggle for a permanent spot (I would have Gilbert,S Fisher and Gwilt ahead of him as talls).

It is laughable to suggest that a fit Kossi will be displaced by Lee. Hickey is a pure ruck and more experienced at this stage, than Lee.

B: Geary Brown Gilbert

HB: Gram Fisher Gwilt

C: Montagna Hayes Dempster

HF: Schneider Roo Saad

F: Milne Kossi Stanley

Foll: McEvoy Dal Santo Armitage

Int: Steven, Siposs, Hickey, Milera

Emerg: Simpkin, Wilkes, Jones

Gone (not announced yet): Clarke, Ray and Blake.

The bench looks a tad tall, but I see Gilbert as a midfielder these days, with Siposs developing into a 3rd tall down back.

[Con Gorozidis]

It is laughable to suggest that a fit Kossi will be displaced by Lee.

.

'a fit kosi" is kind of like the Loch Ness Monster. It is a mythical creature sometimes sighted by drunks and stoned tourists.

[mad saint guy]

If M Brown comes to the club, Simpkin will struggle for a permanent spot (I would have Gilbert,S Fisher and Gwilt ahead of him as talls).

It is laughable to suggest that a fit Kossi will be displaced by Lee. Hickey is a pure ruck and more experienced at this stage, than Lee.

I agree that there are one too many tall defenders, but I don't think Simpkin should be the one squeezed out. He's much better defensively than Gwilt and Gilbert and has been improving steadily since he got to the club. I'd like to see Gwilt slim down and try to regain some athleticism so he could return to a more offensive role since he really doesn't have the height to make his bulk useful; we kept playing him on talls and he kept giving away free kicks because he just can't compete in the air.

I think the club should decide whether Simpkin is going to be a tall defender and get him to bulk up, or alternatively focus on building his offensive game and add versatility to the side. With such great commitment, intensity, defensive nous and maturity, Simpkin should be a player we make sure stays in the side, particularly since he's one of the only young players at St Kilda capable of playing senior footy.

As for Kosi, how often does he stay fit for more than a month? He started the year well but predictably succumbed to injuries and became a liability for most of the year.

[rexy]

Disagree with your statement on Simpkin, better one on one defender and better kick than Gilbert IMO! Not as attacking but that's not the role we want him to play, to me Brown and Simpkin stay at home D, Geary and Dempster doing jobs and Fisher and Gwilt attacking defenders!