Tommy Lee will be back in the WAFL in 2 years time!

[Bardon Saint]

round one of nab cup
barely a sniff into the footy year


and the trolling has started
rather impressive

Longer is more of the whipping boy so far this preseason. Is more junior than Lee as well.

[gringo]

round one of nab cup
barely a sniff into the footy year


and the trolling has started
rather impressive

Longer is more of the whipping boy so far this preseason. Is more junior than Lee as well.

What is funny is that I mentioned that Longer looked very laid back and not very urgent after watching the open training session. Some how it gathered momentum and started to become Longer being lazy and uncommitted. He's laconic but that's not necessarily a sign that he's not committed or competitive. He can play angry and doesn't mind shitting the opposition obviously with his pointing at the scoreboard etc.

I remember Peter Everett was the same but he went nuts on field. He was a big slow lazy guy off field but he got white line fever once a whistle blew. Lee will go okay too I'm pretty sure. He might never be a champion but he has some tools at his disposal that should make him a pretty competitive player. He was obviously not getting enough output on the weekend but give him some time.

[mad saint guy]

Where and how do you fit Lee into this???

HF : Billings-------Bruce-------Dunstan
FF : Templeton---Riewoldt---Membrey

And then you also have in the wings...
Paddy, White, Saad and Lonie who will all be demanding a spot in the starting 22 before the end of this season. Unless Lee can re-invent himself as our CHB, he is gone!!
I guess if Richo decides to play Rooey on the wing for his last 2 seasons then Lee could play at full forward. But you could mount a case for White to take that spot.
No matter which way you look at it, Lee is GAWN.

I think we have invested too much in tall forwards (and smalls, actually). I don't think you can have both Lee and Membrey in the same team - both are highly skilled but not great accumulators. They both play as a third tall forward and really show no signs of being effective in any other role. Lee is definitely not a ruckman and Membrey doesn't have the tank or physique to push into the midfield. Sure, have one of them in the team to take the heat off the two genuine tall targets, but not both.

White strikes me as a player who could regularly kick 40-60 goals per season from FF and I really hope we give him opportunities. He's a natural forward who only needs a 15 minute burst of brilliance to have a major impact in a match - as long as he can do the non-negotiable defensive acts for the rest of the match he should be a lock.

Right now, Bruce is probably our second most AFL-ready forward option after Riewoldt, but I don't think he has a very high ceiling as a permanent forward due to his dodgy kicking. The beauty of White, Lee and Membrey up forward is that they will make the most of their opportunities. Bruce could battle his guts out all day and take 5 marks inside 50 for a return of 1.3. White might have a blistering final quarter after being blanketed all day and snag 4.0. So even though I think Bruce will start the season as a forward/ruck, long term I still think his future has to be as a key defender. We finally have Fisher back to full fitness and I don't want his offensive game stifled by having to play on gun tall forwards/resting ruckmen.

Then we have McCartin. He just looks so comfortable at AFL level already. I think he'll probably play 5-10 games this year, 10-15 in 2016 and then take Riewoldt's spot in 2017. I don't think we need to worry about where he fits in, the fact that he was leading so far up the ground and working so hard to provide an option shows that he is earmarked to take over from Roo. I'd like to see Roo move up the ground a bit later in the year, both to help us around the ground (he'd be an excellent link-up option coming out of defence) and to give the kids a chance to take ownership of the forward line, even if only for the last month of two or the season.

I suspect our forward line will look like this early in the year

HF: Billings, Riewoldt, Membrey
F: Saad, Lee, Bruce

And I hope by the end of the year it will be more like this

CHB: Bruce
Wing: Riewoldt

HF: Billings, McCartin, Templeton
F: Saad/Lonie, White, Lee/Membrey

[Linton Lodger]

He is not AFL standard I'm afraid.

What a disgraceful post!

If you are a supporter. why are you gleefully predicting a player's downfall and by extension gleefully predicting a wasted trade by the club? After reading your post about Lee and other posts about Saturday's game, I actually watched the game online last night. It left me wondering, how many on here actually know the game?

There was a lot to like about our performance, for example our scoring efficiency on the few times we entered 50, particularly n the first half, indicating that our forward structures are good. Our resilience in that first half despite being dominated and Tom Lee's game was also a positive. Why? Because he showed that he is developing the strength and endurance of an AFL footballer, he was hitting packs hard and presenting well, all in a game when opportunities were limited for our forwards.

I'm backing Tom Lee to be a long term Saints player, I don't know for sure that he will be, but I reckon he has a better chance of success than not. After all he has managed a couple of 3 goal games at senior level when he was nowhere near AFL standard in regards to strength and fitness.

This is a player who will score heavily from few possessions in the forward half and if McCartin and White flourish, he will probably get the third best defender in future, making him a potentially dangerous forward.

Supporters writing off young players working their arses off to make it, might want to examine their own self esteem issues.

[Dave McNamara]

... After reading your post about Lee and other posts about Saturday's game, I actually watched the game online last night. It left me wondering, how many on here actually know the game?

There was a lot to like about our performance, for example our scoring efficiency on the few times we entered 50, particularly n the first half, indicating that our forward structures are good. Our resilience in that first half despite being dominated and Tom Lee's game was also a positive. Why? Because he showed that he is developing the strength and endurance of an AFL footballer, he was hitting packs hard and presenting well, all in a game when opportunities were limited for our forwards.

I'm backing Tom Lee to be a long term Saints player, I don't know for sure that he will be, but I reckon he has a better chance of success than not. After all he has managed a couple of 3 goal games at senior level when he was nowhere near AFL standard in regards to strength and fitness.

This is a player who will score heavily from few possessions in the forward half and if McCartin and White flourish, he will probably get the third best defender in future, making him a potentially dangerous forward.

Supporters writing off young players working their arses off to make it, might want to examine their own self esteem issues.

Great assessment I reckon, LL!

Shoulders fixed will (finally) allow a fit and strong Tom Lee to properly strut his stuff.

[dragit]

12-18 players currently on the list won't be in 2 years time, I don't think we need to revel in this fact... Hopefully Lee can work his way into an AFL level footballer.

[Bluthy]

I think the next two years are vital for both Tommy Lee and Spency White because of recruiting. We will most probs have first or second picks over the next two years. If neither White or Lee have break out years it will hard for the club to pass over another big power forward if one becomes available to support McCartin. And then with only one tall slot available its going to be a dogfight to stay on the list with forward options in Lee, White, Membrey, Markworth, Bruce, Pierce as a possible fwd-ruck, Acres tall enough to play forward for part of the game, Goddard possibly a swing man etc.

But if Tommy or Spencer can really prove themselves on the AFL stage then that may tip the club over into using its top pick on a class midfielder. The problem with both seems to be that they have a poor tank. They need to work really hard with leading, hitting marking contests hard, and forward pressure.

[gringo]

I think the next two years are vital for both Tommy Lee and Spency White because of recruiting. We will most probs have first or second picks over the next two years. If neither White or Lee have break out years it will hard for the club to pass over another big power forward if one becomes available to support McCartin. And then with only one tall slot available its going to be a dogfight to stay on the list with forward options in Lee, White, Membrey, Markworth, Bruce, Pierce as a possible fwd-ruck, Acres tall enough to play forward for part of the game, Goddard possibly a swing man etc.

But if Tommy or Spencer can really prove themselves on the AFL stage then that may tip the club over into using its top pick on a class midfielder. The problem with both seems to be that they have a poor tank. They need to work really hard with leading, hitting marking contests hard, and forward pressure.

I think they will really struggle if they get more talls. We really need to look at some elite mids either from FA or drafting. We are probably set for a few years for talls and would just be shuffling. We will be trying to get some GWS kids I reckon and probably draft mids this year. We have multiple options front and back ATM the midfield is still a weak point.

[Sainternist]

I think the next two years are vital for both Tommy Lee and Spency White because of recruiting. We will most probs have first or second picks over the next two years. If neither White or Lee have break out years it will hard for the club to pass over another big power forward if one becomes available to support McCartin. And then with only one tall slot available its going to be a dogfight to stay on the list with forward options in Lee, White, Membrey, Markworth, Bruce, Pierce as a possible fwd-ruck, Acres tall enough to play forward for part of the game, Goddard possibly a swing man etc.

But if Tommy or Spencer can really prove themselves on the AFL stage then that may tip the club over into using its top pick on a class midfielder. The problem with both seems to be that they have a poor tank. They need to work really hard with leading, hitting marking contests hard, and forward pressure.

What is going on with Spencer White? I thought he was due to have his break out year, after showing he has some ability in the last couple of rounds of 2014.

[felix]

What do you mean what is going on with Spencer, the season hasn't started yet .

[dragit]

What do you mean what is going on with Spencer, the season hasn't started yet .

Yes and he is a key forward who just turned 20 years old.

Hopefully he manages 6-10 games this year.

[stinger]

What do you mean what is going on with Spencer, the season hasn't started yet .

Yes and he is a key forward who just turned 20 years old.

Hopefully he manages 6-10 games this year.

i gotta agree with you there....spencer is quick, has a good footy brain....a good kick.....a bit of x factor there too....

[Sainternist]

What do you mean what is going on with Spencer, the season hasn't started yet .

I mean I would have expected him to be named in our team against Brisbane, particularly with the absence of Roo.

[dragit]

What do you mean what is going on with Spencer, the season hasn't started yet .

I mean I would have expected him to be named in our team against Brisbane, particularly with the absence of Roo.

I guess with Lee, Membrey & McCartin we can't play them all in the same side… We'll no doubt rotate them all through the NAB cup pending fitness.

[Bluthy]

I think the next two years are vital for both Tommy Lee and Spency White because of recruiting. We will most probs have first or second picks over the next two years. If neither White or Lee have break out years it will hard for the club to pass over another big power forward if one becomes available to support McCartin. And then with only one tall slot available its going to be a dogfight to stay on the list with forward options in Lee, White, Membrey, Markworth, Bruce, Pierce as a possible fwd-ruck, Acres tall enough to play forward for part of the game, Goddard possibly a swing man etc.

But if Tommy or Spencer can really prove themselves on the AFL stage then that may tip the club over into using its top pick on a class midfielder. The problem with both seems to be that they have a poor tank. They need to work really hard with leading, hitting marking contests hard, and forward pressure.

I think they will really struggle if they get more talls. We really need to look at some elite mids either from FA or drafting. We are probably set for a few years for talls and would just be shuffling. We will be trying to get some GWS kids I reckon and probably draft mids this year. We have multiple options front and back ATM the midfield is still a weak point.

I know where you are coming from wanting to use our top picks on mids. But then you've got to stop and consider we have some quality in Steven, Dunstan, Armo, possibly Billings (although if he keeps pinging his hammy the midfield could be out for him), Acres, possibly McKenzie. And then you can chuck in those who are proving at least serviceable - Ross, Newnes, maybe Templeton being a Daisy Thomas type onballer/winger. But in terms of forwards the only future quality I would bet my money on is McCartin. If a huge Cameron type power forward is up for grabs as well as quality mid then it will be a bit of Sophie's choice. Those twin power forwards tend to be an important component of premiership sides. Although admittedly Hawthorn won the flag without Buddy because they were able to cover him with Hale and clever leading forwards. And Sydney's huge forwards are struggling to get it done together. That's why its important Lee and White contribute this year and give the recruiting team a real headache.

[Con Gorozidis]

round one of nab cup
barely a sniff into the footy year


and the trolling has started
rather impressive

Longer is more of the whipping boy so far this preseason. Is more junior than Lee as well.

Who would we put down for contenders for whipping boy of the year? This position has been unclear since Raph Clarke's departure.

Contenders and market:

Thomas Lee $4
Billy Longer $5
Samuel Gilbert $5.50
Farren Ray $8
Adam Schneider $12
Spencer White $20
Seb Ross $25
Leigh Montagna $25
Cam Shenton $30
Tim Membrey $50
Other $10