Welcome Ryan Abbott

[Enrico_Misso]

If Stanley comes good...

That's what you call a hypothetical scenario!

[8bloggs]

Abbott played 16 games for Geelong’s VFL side in 2019, averaging 28 hit-outs and 15 disposals per game.

The pick No. 69 from the 2016 AFL Draft will join his new teammates on Monday.

The Saints have three spots remaining on their list ahead of this year's National Draft.

LIES LIES LIES
Don't believe everything you read in the HUN
We did have 3 picks in the main draft - 51, 82 and 100
But Abbott eliminates pick 100
We have 2 picks in the main at 51 & 82 and then pick 5 in the rookie draft.
If Biggy survives the main and preseason drafts he can be added as a rookie B without affecting our draft picks.

Thanks for that. Didn't think we had three vacant spots.

The AFL website says we have picks 51, 76, 82.
We have to make 3 selections at the National Draft according to the draft rules.
If Daragh Joyce's promotion from the rookie list counts as one of those selections it will mean we have to select 2 at the national draft, which combined will bring us up to 40 players on the senior list, the maximum allowed.

[CQ SAINT]

Can obviously see why we recruited him, but he’s an average VFL player

Hmmm. So was Marshall a few years back.

[Bernard Shakey]

Can obviously see why we recruited him, but he’s an average VFL player

Hmmm. So was Marshall a few years back.

No! Marshall was an excellent VFL player.

[CQ SAINT]

Can obviously see why we recruited him, but he’s an average VFL player

Hmmm. So was Marshall a few years back.

No! Marshall was an excellent VFL player.

In 2016 Marshall averaged 11 hit outs, 5 marks, 15 disposals and kicked 8 goals in 18 games. He played ruck, forward and back. On this basis, Abbott, who was playing basketball 7 years ago and just averaged 28 hit outs and 15 disposals in 16 games in the VFL looks ok. The implication here is that guys playing VFL are average which is not always the case. Strangely Geelong would rather use Blicavs in the ruck.

[saintsRrising]

Could this be unofficially part of the Jack Steven deal? Although I can’t see what the benefit is compared to just including him in the deal.

No. He was only every going to be a DFA and not "steak knives".

Why?

He had no trade value and so would only come for free. Which he has.

Whereas a "steak knives" player to me is still a player who has some trade value, though not a lot.

[B.M]

Marshall was 21

Abbott is 28

I watched Marshall kick 5 in one of his first VFL games

And he looked a talent from day 1

[Stian]

C'mon guys. Get over it. He is a cheap short-medium term back up with a lot more potential upside than Billy and Spencer, who were gone for medical reasons anyway. Talk about a storm in a teacup.

[kosifantutti]

Could this be unofficially part of the Jack Steven deal? Although I can’t see what the benefit is compared to just including him in the deal.

No. He was only every going to be a DFA and not "steak knives".

Why?

He had no trade value and so would only come for free. Which he has.

Whereas a "steak knives" player to me is still a player who has some trade value, though not a lot.

Value is in the eye of the beholder. It looks like we valued him. He certainly fills a gap in our list.

[CQ SAINT]

Marshall was 21

Abbott is 28

I watched Marshall kick 5 in one of his first VFL games

And he looked a talent from day 1

Abbott and Marshall were both mature recruits. Difference being Abbott didn't play junior football and had none of the development most players on AFL lists do.
Abbott switched from basketball at 21 in 2012 won 2 Best and Fairests in the Geelong league in 15 and 16 and then ranked top 7 in Geelongs VFL team from 15 games in his first year in the Cats system. He also battled injury that year.
In his AFL debut in 2018 he played on Nankervis, had 22 hit outs and kicked 2 goals. Geelong insanely persist in believing they dont need or cant fit in a genuine ruck.
This bloke has talent and will be an asset to the club, even if it is at Sandy. He will keep Ryder honest and make a huge difference at Sandy for our developing midfielders.
5 goals for Marshall you say. Maybe he should go forward.
Nice deflection.

[B.M]

It was in the VFL and suggests Rowan kicked 3 goals from his next 17 games, so maybe he should stay in the ruck.... where he played well in the AFL

Abbott is purely back up

[Bernard Shakey]

It was in the VFL and suggests Rowan kicked 3 goals from his next 17 games, so maybe he should stay in the ruck.... where he played well in the AFL

Abbott is purely back up

Yep!

[saintsRrising]

Could this be unofficially part of the Jack Steven deal? Although I can’t see what the benefit is compared to just including him in the deal.

No. He was only every going to be a DFA and not "steak knives".

Why?

He had no trade value and so would only come for free. Which he has.

Whereas a "steak knives" player to me is still a player who has some trade value, though not a lot.

Value is in the eye of the beholder. It looks like we valued him. He certainly fills a gap in our list.

No disagreement there on both counts.

Though his value in terms of acquisition trade cost was/is zero. We did not need to trade for him and so did not. It may well be that for a back-up ruck that we were looking at several players that we could gain, but did not have to trade or draft for. Abbot was obviously our first pick in that category.

IMO he is a good pick-up for us for reasons that I have mentioned earlier in the thread. I am very comfortable in having a player like Abbott on our list. Some will favour a young kid instead who may become very good. Odds of that are low, and so with Marshal/Ryder at the club I think Abbot is an excellent pick-up.
- He is good enough to fill in now if our two preferred rucks are not available (or if we just want to rest one of them for a game)
- Better than Longer around the ground
- Has some upside to get better, though that upside would seem to be limited
- Is happy to have the chance to maybe make the firsts, but ok if it is mainly Sandy
- Our St Kilda players at Sandy get to develop their games under a true ruck.
- His salary will be low and so maintains salary cap room
- We need 3 genuine rucks on our list besides Alabakis (Sam is not yet good enough, and with him as a rookie we cannot afford another young raw ruck on our lists).

[WellardSaint]

I hope Abbott gets plenty of time in ruck in our pre-season games, to see how he goes, and to reduce game time for Rowan, so he stays fresh.

[B.M]

I want Rowan to play as many games as possible and as many minutes in the ruck as possible.

Why

Because he showed he is good at it!

He didn’t have a problem playing 90% ruck for 22 games this year, not sure why it’d be an issue next year?!

[saintsRrising]

The AFL website says we have picks 51, 76, 82.

I think you may have an outdated source.

76 went to the Swans.

Pick 76. Sydney (received from St Kilda as part of Zak Jones trade; originally received from Greater Western Sydney in 2018

I see 51 and 82. We had a later pick, but with Abbott that is now gone.

https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/2019- ... 4ee4c91b5c

[Saintmatt]

And, as that article mentioned, Geelong's ruck is remarkably thin with Stanley as the no.1 ruck. He is a good(ish) player but surely he is too fragile to bear the no.1 burden for the whole year ?????

And he's a spud when it counts. So much so that Geelong dropped him for their first final this season

[8bloggs]

The AFL website says we have picks 51, 76, 82.

I think you may have an outdated source.

76 went to the Swans.

Pick 76. Sydney (received from St Kilda as part of Zak Jones trade; originally received from Greater Western Sydney in 2018

I see 51 and 82. We had a later pick, but with Abbott that is now gone.

https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/2019- ... 4ee4c91b5c

Thanks for pointing out the move of pick 76 to Sydney. The AFL site for some reason show pick 76 against Sydney in the "indicative draft order" but still show it as our pick in their "club by club draft picks" list.....Reckon they at least could get their own web site correct!

[Nick_BlueNRG]

Why not just keep Lewis Pierce? At least he is younger.

Have our List Management team got a plan or is it just cut and paste?

[saynta]

Why not just keep Lewis Pierce? At least he is younger.

Have our List Management team got a plan or is it just cut and paste?

See that Lewis has nominated for the draft along with 4 other former saints players.

[saintsRrising]

Why not just keep Lewis Pierce? At least he is younger.

Have our List Management team got a plan or is it just cut and paste?

So caught anything lately?

[Stian]

See that Lewis has nominated for the draft along with 4 other former saints players.
[/quote]

Interesting - who are the other 4? Cheers

[skeptic]

And, as that article mentioned, Geelong's ruck is remarkably thin with Stanley as the no.1 ruck. He is a good(ish) player but surely he is too fragile to bear the no.1 burden for the whole year ?????

And he's a spud when it counts. So much so that Geelong dropped him for their first final this season

Whilst we say Geelong’s rucks are thin, my impression is that he’s valued at Geelong in that they think he could be the guy. Like with us he’s had a few good games forward and looked dangerous in the air.
Not saying that they’re right but if they think they have their man it may account for why RA hasn’t had more of a go

[CURLY]

See that Lewis has nominated for the draft along with 4 other former saints players.

Interesting - who are the other 4? Cheers
[/quote]

I'm pretty sure all delisted players go into the draft automatically.

[Stian]

See that Lewis has nominated for the draft along with 4 other former saints players.

Interesting - who are the other 4? Cheers

I'm pretty sure all delisted players go into the draft automatically.
[/quote]

Ahh, OK. Thanks for that.