We are expected to finsh bottom this year!

[WinnersOnly]

After browsing the other clubs sites they all expect us to be wooden spooners this year! Why does our list/club appear so poor to general afl population? Over the Lyon era we had a poorly managed list but the past 2 years things have turned around but are we really that bad?

Perhaps I am biaised but i look at the 2014 draw and see us possibly winning 10 games - WHY have the opposition supporters written us off as this years competition easy beats?

Gees if ever a club needed motivation to prove the doom sayers wrong just have the players read some of the opinions of our chances this year it really hurts!

[MC Gusto]

would be very surprised if we weren't bottom 4. Whether or not we are bottom is another question...but dont look at it as a bad thing, look at it as a real opportunity to draft, trade and rebound as quickly as possible!

[saintspremiers]

We won't win 10 games this year.

I'll back 3 of pluggers Foxtel units on it

[plugger66]

After browsing the other clubs sites they all expect us to be wooden spooners this year! Why does our list/club appear so poor to general afl population? Over the Lyon era we had a poorly managed list but the past 2 years things have turned around but are we really that bad?

Perhaps I am biaised but i look at the 2014 draw and see us possibly winning 10 games - WHY have the opposition supporters written us off as this years competition easy beats?

Gees if ever a club needed motivation to prove the doom sayers wrong just have the players read some of the opinions of our chances this year it really hurts!

We may have turned around recruiting but as yet we havent got close to someone looking A grade from the young kids. Some look promising but there is no break out out. On top of that our older players must eventually drop off and apart from Jack I still see our next best 4 players as being over 30 .It could even be as high as 6 players in our top 7 over 30 years of age. We have also lost Ben and Dal and dont care how people think they went last year they wont be immediately replaced this season just as Bj and Gram werent last year. Also GWS and Melbourne will improve and I cant see sides going backwards enough from above us to then be below us at the end of the season. I think we will finish second bottom with GWS bottom. What worries me is next year could indeed be worse unless one or two younger guys get into at least b grade standard.

[3rd generation saint]

If we win 5 games this year, I will be happy. The good news is that we are at the bottom of our down swing, next year will see it start going up in my opinion.
Mind you, it would be nice if more people bought a membership, funny how the sides with healthy memberships are more successful, for some reason our followers can't seem to grasp that logic.
The one thing from Watters interview I will agree on is that we should be a 50,000 club member club.

[dragit]

Why does our list/club appear so poor to general afl population?

Because we have the worst list in the competition.
4-5 stars, a few GOP's then 30 unproven or very average players.
The teams that were around and below us last year will likely improve this year - Melb, GWS, WBD & GCS. (pluggs beat me to it.)

We have a couple of tough years coming up.

[Zed]

I think we are building a good base of kids , but they are 2 or 3 years away still from becoming consistent good players.

I would be pleasantly surprised if we finished better than bottom 4. The question really is how much Melbourne will improve and how far Brisbane will fall. Whilst I think GWS will show some improvement I still think they are bottom 2. Bullies have probably got some improvement in them given their list of kids is maturing. GC may have just about broken away from the bottom 4, and Metricon does give them some small advantage. I cant see any other clubs in the same bracket.

[Con Gorozidis]

Our list is drastically unbalanced.
We have a group of 6 or so oldies then a huge gaping hole - then a bunch of unknown kids who need a few pre-seasons to adjust to AFL footy.

Only really Jack, Geary and Armo can be said to be in or near their primes right here right now (and theoretically Gilbo).

Luckily I fee the Lions will also be pretty bad.

But GWS are going to start winning sooner or later and even Melbourne are certs to improve.

[Richter]

Perhaps I am biaised but i look at the 2014 draw and see us possibly winning 10 games - WHY have the opposition supporters written us off as this years competition easy beats?

You're biased. I see us having a chance in the first 2 games of the year, but am struggling to see where we can win another game all year. Hope I'm wrong but.

[stinger]

After browsing the other clubs sites they all expect us to be wooden spooners this year! Why does our list/club appear so poor to general afl population? Over the Lyon era we had a poorly managed list but the past 2 years things have turned around but are we really that bad?

Perhaps I am biaised but i look at the 2014 draw and see us possibly winning 10 games - WHY have the opposition supporters written us off as this years competition easy beats?

Gees if ever a club needed motivation to prove the doom sayers wrong just have the players read some of the opinions of our chances this year it really hurts!

look on the bright side the no 1 draft pick this year is likely to be a gun tall.....

[Cairnsman]

Speaking personally it's not about wins or ladder position in 2014. It's all about blooding as many players as possible and getting as many games into them as possible and hopefully at the end of 2014 we have a few keepers. For all of the knocks on SW that was his main job in 2013 and hopefully AR has the same strategy and wont be trying to appease certain senior players by playing them ahead of developing players.

[plugger66]

Speaking personally it's not about wins or ladder position in 2014. It's all about blooding as many players as possible and getting as many games into them as possible and hopefully at the end of 2014 we have a few keepers. For all of the knocks on SW that was his main job in 2013 and hopefully AR has the same strategy and wont be trying to appease certain senior players by playing them ahead of developing players.

What senior players should occassionly or mainly miss to give younger guys a run? I can only come up with CJ and there are plenty on here who would play him all the time.

[SENsei]

I think there are five teams that are not competing for finals. We are one of the five. The others: Melbourne, GWS, Bulldogs, & Gold Coast. Although Gold Coast could surprise this year.

We are in rebuild and I think Alan Richardson is the man for the long haul. It will be short term pain (two years) for long term gain (five years). Look at the rebuild the Pelican did at Hawthorn and now they have a great level of sustained success. That is what is happening with us now I think. The next couple of seasons will be horrendous, but 2016 onwards, I see a light at the end of this bleak tunnel.

[bergholt]

We are in rebuild and I think Alan Richardson is the man for the long haul.

How could you possibly know? He hasn't even coached a practice match yet.

[stinger]

Speaking personally it's not about wins or ladder position in 2014. It's all about blooding as many players as possible and getting as many games into them as possible and hopefully at the end of 2014 we have a few keepers. For all of the knocks on SW that was his main job in 2013 and hopefully AR has the same strategy and wont be trying to appease certain senior players by playing them ahead of developing players.

yep...play all the kids and have a huge clean-out at seasons end.....


dennis-lane,dunell, maister, milera and unfortunately lenny won't be around in 2015 ....imho that is.....they are all vfl standard players(lenny excepted)...wont win the saints a premiership...and they have no trade value....i hope at least one of them proves me wrong...i won't mind at all...

[Teflon]

Bottom ?

Wouldn't have had us that high..

[SENsei]

We are in rebuild and I think Alan Richardson is the man for the long haul.

How could you possibly know? He hasn't even coached a practice match yet.

I know the man and I know he is not one to shirk the tough job. You are right though, from a coaching perspective, it is still an unknown. I was more coming from the angle of the long haul and that Richo is not going to shirk the challenge.

[sainter#4]

Every club Generally goes through this.

Hawthorn 03-06 = made finals in 07 flags 08/13
Richmond 08-12= finals 13'
North 08-11=finals 12' should have played finals last year too.


Im just disappointed we don't have priority picks after your first pick to assist us anymore. We could have done with one at the end of this year because i don't see us winning more then 5 games.

[joffaboy]

We were better than a 5 win team last year.

The Watters factor played a big part and also we couldn't run out a game always faded.

Could win between - 2-10 depending on luck.

Dont know about Wooden spooner

[BigMart]

16th

4-6 wins

[st_Trav_ofWA]

the way i see it is :
-the Brions are in the same boat as us
-the Dee's are putting all their eggs in Roo's being the messiah but the fact is they really should be at that stage where they can start to play good footy regardless of who the coach is they have a good spread of good draft picks who should be about ready to make their mark
- Giants are still young they have talent and potential but i think they will still get tossed around for most of the year
- the Suns will be knocking on the door for finals
- WB will be the beat the bottom four they will get smashed by the top four and put up a good fight amongst the rest

a lot hinges on injurys and how we start the year but i can see us finishing no higher than botom four ... but thats ok its a stepping stone to future success

[Cairnsman]

Speaking personally it's not about wins or ladder position in 2014. It's all about blooding as many players as possible and getting as many games into them as possible and hopefully at the end of 2014 we have a few keepers. For all of the knocks on SW that was his main job in 2013 and hopefully AR has the same strategy and wont be trying to appease certain senior players by playing them ahead of developing players.

What senior players should occassionly or mainly miss to give younger guys a run? I can only come up with CJ and there are plenty on here who would play him all the time.

Wasn't suggestion senior players should miss just to give younger guys a run. Was suggesting they should miss if younger guys deserve their spots...that is all.

[plugger66]

Speaking personally it's not about wins or ladder position in 2014. It's all about blooding as many players as possible and getting as many games into them as possible and hopefully at the end of 2014 we have a few keepers. For all of the knocks on SW that was his main job in 2013 and hopefully AR has the same strategy and wont be trying to appease certain senior players by playing them ahead of developing players.

What senior players should occassionly or mainly miss to give younger guys a run? I can only come up with CJ and there are plenty on here who would play him all the time.

Wasn't suggestion senior players should miss just to give younger guys a run. Was suggesting they should miss if younger guys deserve their spots...that is all.

But what if the older players and playing better. You must have some idea who you think may miss out a bit because of age.

[Cairnsman]

What senior players should occassionly or mainly miss to give younger guys a run? I can only come up with CJ and there are plenty on here who would play him all the time.

Wasn't suggestion senior players should miss just to give younger guys a run. Was suggesting they should miss if younger guys deserve their spots...that is all.

But what if the older players and playing better. You must have some idea who you think may miss out a bit because of age.

If older players are playing better then they play. It will be interesting to see how all of the older guys go to be honest. If they fail to perform or lead by example it will probably suggest that a change of coach was not the answer.

[plugger66]

Wasn't suggestion senior players should miss just to give younger guys a run. Was suggesting they should miss if younger guys deserve their spots...that is all.

But what if the older players and playing better. You must have some idea who you think may miss out a bit because of age.

If older players are playing better then they play. It will be interesting to see how all of the older guys go to be honest. If they fail to perform or lead by example it will probably suggest that a change of coach was not the answer.

I dont see how it suggests that at all. I still dont know which older players underpreformed last year anyway. I think the change of coach had very little to do with how the older performed or how they felt about him. Got any older players who struggled last year?