Roberton back in 2020

[lewdogs]

According to HS article by Jay Clark, Robbo has been given the all clear by a heart specialist from the US and will return in 2020.

HUGE!

[Rubyjo]

Big

[Enrico_Misso]

Gargantuan

[Spinking]

Wow! Was convinced we wouldn’t see him play again! Great news!

Whose spot does he take though? Wilkie? Battle? Brown?

[skeptic]

I feel like we’ve heard this before

[st.byron]

Yep, good news but the same thing was said early this year..

[bigred]

Old news. He said it himself in an interview on the club website months back.

[johnnyrayflamingo]

Massive. Made a trip to the USA which changed everything.

[To the top]

So a back 6 including Roberton, Carlisle, Battle, Clark and Coffield - then if Austin or Claravino come on

This from someone who believes you build from the back

[theoracle]

Star St Kilda defender Dylan Roberton is eyeing a remarkable recovery after dual heart problems left his career in limbo
Dylan Roberton feared his career was over after battling a serious condition which saw his heart rate jump to more than 280 beats per minute. However, a trip to the US has changed everything.
JAY CLARK, Herald Sun
Subscriber only

St Kilda forward Dylan Roberton is on track to make a miraculous comeback from a serious heart problem next season.
The gun defender has received conditional clearance from a world-leading cardiologist to reignite his career in 2020.
Roberton’s career was feared over after he collapsed in a game in Round 4 last year and then suffered a second serious scare after a pre-season game against Western Bulldogs on March 10.
After the second problem, Roberton’s heart rate is believed to have skyrocketed to 280-300 beats per minute.
The star backman was sidelined for the entire home and away season as the club embarked on some exhaustive tests to help resolve the issue.
Recently, Roberton flew to the United States to see a top cardiologist for another round of examinations which has paved the way for the rebounding backman to attempt a senior return next season.
Importantly, the specialist is adamant Roberton is safe to recommence playing football, subject to close monitoring, medication, and approvals from the AFL, club medical staff, integrity committee and the Saints’ board.
Roberton, 28, and the club are working to finalise some insurance arrangements to formalise his plans to play on.
While he will continue to undergo constant assessment, the conditional clearance is a massive relief for Roberton and a huge boost for the Saints as they attempt to climb the ladder next season.
Roberton is one of the best rebounding defenders in the AFL, having finished runner-up in the club’s best and fairest in his last full season in 2017.
The 128-game linebreaker worried he would never play again after the second scare in the JLT game.
It took a significant emotional toll on the Dandenong product, who was in tears in the MCG change rooms as his teammates romped to a resounding 40-point win over Melbourne in Round 5.
Roberton said this year his problem revolved around trying to stabilise his heart rate after exercise.

“Your max heart rate is meant to be 220 minus your age or something. After the (pre-season) game it sort of got up to 280-300,” Roberton said.
“It’s more my heart rate trying to settle back down from exercise.
“When I’m actually up at the highest level and I’m working really hard it’s fine. It’s just as it’s trying to recover it sort of gets out of whack a bit.”
St Kilda last week poached AFL game trends guru David Rath to become the Saints’ new head of football programs for next season, one month after snaring Hawthorn premiership forward Jarryd Roughead.
The Saints have big plans in this trade period as the club looks to pull off deals for Sydney’s Zak Jones, Fremantle’s Bradley Hill and Adelaide backman Alex Keath.
Josh Bruce is set to move to Western Bulldogs, Jack Steven is seeking a move to Geelong, while Jack Newnes could find a new home as a free agent.
While Roberton would have to work hard to improve his fitness levels, he looms as a key addition for St Kilda once he has re-established top conditioning.
Roberton, who has three children, said he wanted to exhaust all avenues in an attempt to resume his career.
“I feel like now I’m on the medication, I’ve got the defib in, and it went off, so that sort of gives me confidence that it works,” Roberton said.
“So if anything does happen, I’m sort of safe. Which is probably a strange way to look at it.
“The word I’ve used a lot is frustrating that they can’t sort of figure it out.
“Every time you go back you think they are (doctors) going to have an answer for you, but they are scratching their heads.
“Hopefully with the year off they’ll be able to dig a bit deeper.”

[SMS]

Trade wilkie now?

[Toy Saint]

Great News, we can get Battle back on the forward line where he belongs.

[CQ SAINT]

Battle back to the forward line. Bold.

[shmic_s]

Great News, we can get Battle back on the forward line where he belongs.

Maybe why we are looking at parting ways with Bruce.
Battle, Membrey and King as forwards with Robbo returning to the backline.

[saintsRrising]

Wohoo.


Great news.

[fugazi]

Wilkie is a lock.

Why get Keath?

Robo, Carlisle, Wilkie and Battle all very good intercept marks and good disposers. Brown to play on the gorillas, Geary, Savage and Coffield for smalls , DMac may struggle now.
Clark should push to the midfield.

[Waltzing St Kilda]

If my pulse ever reached 280 a minute I'd retire immediately to a monastery, not try to prolong my footy career.

Good luck to him if he ever finds himself in a situation like the GWS defenders last night.

[stkfc1]

Great News, we can get Battle back on the forward line where he belongs.

Maybe why we are looking at parting ways with Bruce.
Battle, Membrey and King as forwards with Robbo returning to the backline.

It seems the obvious conclusion. You have to give something to get something. Still it would be a very inexperienced forward line. We'd need to seriously improve our foward entries to give them the best opportunity. Enter Rath.

Would be amazing to get Robbo back. Wilkie, Robbo and a fit Carlise would give us one of the best intercepting backlines in the league. Brown on the big boys. Webster, Paton, Geary, Savage and Coffield our smaller options.

Which brings me to the thought of trading one of Savage or Webster. We'd get somthing decent back and we have good coverage in this area.

I really wouldnt be surprised to see Coff play every game next year and Paton should go up another level.

[saintbob]

Wilkie is a lock.

Why get Keath?

Robo, Carlisle, Wilkie and Battle all very good intercept marks and good disposers. Brown to play on the gorillas, Geary, Savage and Coffield for smalls , DMac may struggle now.
Clark should push to the midfield.

Webster in before Geary or Savage for mine

[minneapolis]

Massive. Made a trip to the USA which changed everything.

Same for me......

[saintspremiers]

If my pulse ever reached 280 a minute I'd retire immediately to a monastery, not try to prolong my footy career.

Good luck to him if he ever finds himself in a situation like the GWS defenders last night.

Yeah I have my doubts. I hope I’m wrong but I’ll put my excitement on hold until he can prove his resilience under pressure and things not to go pear shaped again

[fugazi]

Wilkie is a lock.

Why get Keath?

Robo, Carlisle, Wilkie and Battle all very good intercept marks and good disposers. Brown to play on the gorillas, Geary, Savage and Coffield for smalls , DMac may struggle now.
Clark should push to the midfield.

Webster in before Geary or Savage for mine

Fair call.
I wonder if Geary can reinvent himself as a run with player. He is the best in our side at stopping small forwards, but the development of Coffield demands him a spot of half back, and he looks to be able to deliver with his kicking.

[fugazi]

Wilkie is a lock.

Why get Keath?

Robo, Carlisle, Wilkie and Battle all very good intercept marks and good disposers. Brown to play on the gorillas, Geary, Savage and Coffield for smalls , DMac may struggle now.
Clark should push to the midfield.

Webster in before Geary or Savage for mine

Fair call.
I wonder if Geary can reinvent himself as a run with player. He is the best in our side at stopping small forwards, but the development of Coffield demands him a spot of half back, and he looks to be able to deliver with his kicking.

[bigcarl]

Fantastic. I suspected this could be overcome. A real boost for the club.

[Vazelos]

Has to be cleared by the AFL and I’m hearing they are not so keen.
Don’t get too excited too early....