Saints after McKernan?

[saintsRrising]

Just on McKernan.....they are most likely casting the net far and wide and will take the most suitable back up ruck depending on how things go including who drafts whom etc.

It may end up being McKernan, or another player shaken free from another AFL club or as unyet yet unknown player in a lower grade who would need to be drafted/rookied.

I am very sure that they will want another ruck with a reasonably mature body capable of filling in immediately for Ryder and Marshall should they become injured, managed or suspended.

[saintsRrising]

PS. With Ryder I would guess in 2021 that they will manage him throughout the year so that he is cherry ripe come finals time.

[Goose is king]

[quote=saintsRrising post_id=1879484 time=1603499522 user_id=192]
PS. With Ryder I would guess in 2021 that they will manage him throughout the year so that he is cherry ripe come finals time.
[/quote]

Exactly. Ryder won’t play 22 rounds next season but we will want to keep our structure for 22 rounds

[realdeal]

If he is selected he will be just be a short term BACK UP on minimum wage! The chances of him actually playing AFL are probably less than Abbott this year.

Wright is reportedly on a huge contract at GCS and not even Dodoro would go near him for those $$$.

Yes, i think many people are missing the point. We need an immediate back up 'next year'.. we aren't talking about upside, by all means we can get a player like that as well but we're talking in case of injuries next year.

I think Rategulea would be the absolute perfect replacement for Ryder in a year or 2 but unfortunately he's either heading to GWS or we'd have to give up good assests to get him.

McKernan is a delisted FA on low coin. Maybe he plays at Sandy all year, but he'd allow us to keep some sort of structure. Every team needs to round out their squad with players like this.

[johnearljames]

He is delisted. Free get.

He trained with us one preseason but we weren't interested.

Guessing Saints are just looking at this stage.

[skeptic]

I guess if he’s an upgrade on Abbott

He may be ready to play but it reads to me that we’d be getting a player that on his best day is serviceable and generally a liability the rest of the time.

I get that he’s cheap but there’s a reason for that. Essendon thought he was terrible

[Saints58]

They have to be joking right there is a player at bulldogs josh schache who is out of contract 23 years old 199cm played about 50 odd games can play ruck, forward, and most of all where we should play him BACK with Dougal and trade Carlisle who will be 30 next year he has to be better then McKernan.

[Saintmike65]

McKernan is a handy back up as he can continue the ruck/ forward set up we currently have with the Ryder/ Marshall combo...costs us little and is a delisted free agent!!
Ryder won't play every game next year so a good strategy i would've thought.

[Saints58]

I see Sam skinner of Brisbane has been delisted he played us not bad KPP 198cm 23 years old only 3 games but hard to break into the there line up he could play as a key forward or back very handy and being delisted will be cheap.

[saynta]

Seems the interest is very real in McKernan.

https://www.afl.com.au/news/523014/sain ... ward-depth

"ST KILDA has flagged an interest in discarded ex-Essendon forward Shaun McKernan, with the club hopeful of adding depth in attack to support Max King throughout the upcoming Trade Period.

The Saints have ruled out spending big on another key forward target as it prepares for a significant exchange window headlined by a move for star Crows free agent Brad Crouch, but are scouring the market for a bargain recruit in attack."

[spert]

I think we need more of Marshall in the forward half, and as Paddy gets a bit older and is now recovering from a bad hammy injury, we need another mature backup ruck. McKernan has a bit of goal sense too.

[CURLY]

They have to be joking right there is a player at bulldogs josh schache who is out of contract 23 years old 199cm played about 50 odd games can play ruck, forward, and most of all where we should play him BACK with Dougal and trade Carlisle who will be 30 next year he has to be better then McKernan.

Most of that is untrue.

[Gershwin]

How far away is Alabakis from AFL standard?

[johnearljames]

Majak Daw?

[PADDLEPOP1001]

Listened to Gags on trade radio this morning he said King needs help up forward but they were not willing to spend much so my take on that is Mckernan would be an upgrade on Abbott & an insurance policy for Ryder/Marshall allowing us to keep our structure.Also my take he gets offered a year & we go full bore next year after Bing!

[Wayne42]

More from Gags.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-20 ... 8be60ea022

[saynta]

Here's a better option.

https://www.afl.com.au/news/523126/vete ... st-squeeze

'RISBANE stalwart Stefan Martin won't know his playing future until the AFL makes a call on list sizes for 2021, with a real chance he could be squeezed out after 133 games in eight seasons.

Lions head of football David Noble said Martin – who turns 34 next month – was in a tough spot.

"We're in a real flux with the TPP and list numbers," Noble told AFL Trade Radio.

"Stef fits into that unfortunately, he's been here and helped us through some really tough periods and we'd love to have more clarity not only for ourselves, but for Stef, to be able give him a better indication.

"We certainly see him as a player we've got some interest in, but we just don't know what it looks like with the list numbers.

"Unfortunately, it's not a great position to be in as a club, with a person as valued as Stef, but it's pretty much tied up with where the damn list numbers are and the TPP."

Contracted defender Alex Witherden impressed in his first three years at the club but only managed six games in 2020 after the emergence of Brandon Starcevich. However, Noble is confident he will stay.

"Healthy internal competition is really good, and it helps drive players to improve, and certainly Alex understands there is competition in and around that," Noble said.

"He loves it up here, he understands where that sits. We only just had our exit meeting last week, and they're pretty quick, just 10 or 15 minutes, so you don't get a chance to go into a lot of detail, but at this stage, we expect him to be (at Brisbane)."

[DJ Higgins]

pass. If the bombers delisted him...

[Joffa Burns]

Here's a better option.

https://www.afl.com.au/news/523126/vete ... st-squeeze

'RISBANE stalwart Stefan Martin won't know his playing future until the AFL makes a call on list sizes for 2021, with a real chance he could be squeezed out after 133 games in eight seasons.

Lions head of football David Noble said Martin – who turns 34 next month – was in a tough spot.

"We're in a real flux with the TPP and list numbers," Noble told AFL Trade Radio.

"Stef fits into that unfortunately, he's been here and helped us through some really tough periods and we'd love to have more clarity not only for ourselves, but for Stef, to be able give him a better indication.

"We certainly see him as a player we've got some interest in, but we just don't know what it looks like with the list numbers.

"Unfortunately, it's not a great position to be in as a club, with a person as valued as Stef, but it's pretty much tied up with where the damn list numbers are and the TPP."

Contracted defender Alex Witherden impressed in his first three years at the club but only managed six games in 2020 after the emergence of Brandon Starcevich. However, Noble is confident he will stay.

"Healthy internal competition is really good, and it helps drive players to improve, and certainly Alex understands there is competition in and around that," Noble said.

"He loves it up here, he understands where that sits. We only just had our exit meeting last week, and they're pretty quick, just 10 or 15 minutes, so you don't get a chance to go into a lot of detail, but at this stage, we expect him to be (at Brisbane)."

I like Steffan Martin as a player, has been really good at Brisbane but isn't his back stuffed?
I thought he had really bad back stress fractures and his mobility was reduced.

Not sure how much he'd cost or if he is available but Maboir Chol could pinch hit in ruck with his incredible athleticism and play both ends.

I have watched Peter Wright train and would be stoked if we gave him a shot.
203cm 24 year old who knows what he has to do to overcome the issues which have plagued his early career.
Would come cheap.

Please no to McKernan.

[Selhurst Saint]

I would certainly prefer Martin to McKernan. But then again, I would prefer anyone to McKernan.

[kosifantutti]

I don't think we can carry Ryder and Martin (34 next month) on the list. McKernan a better bet for mine but he is already 30.

[Josh Battle]

I don't think we can carry Ryder and Martin (34 next month) on the list. McKernan a better bet for mine but he is already 30.

+1

Martin has carried the ruck at Brisbane for the last 5-6 years. At 34, I reckon he’s just about cooked.

McKernan is an upgrade on Abbot and he can at least play a role as a KPF if we have injuries

[realdeal]

I would certainly prefer Martin to McKernan. But then again, I would prefer anyone to McKernan.

Martin is cooked, was a liability against Geelong.

[fugazi]

Should try for Ratagolea....22 years old and will struggle for a spot with Cameron coming in.

[Vortex]

Listened to Gags on trade radio this morning he said King needs help up forward but they were not willing to spend much so my take on that is Mckernan would be an upgrade on Abbott & an insurance policy for Ryder/Marshall allowing us to keep our structure.Also my take he gets offered a year & we go full bore next year after Bing!

I'd be looking at Paddy McCartin more seriously than anyone else if we are talking backup key talls. Media reporting he has trimmed done significantly and is fitness is the best it ever been.

Madness not to at least do due dilligence if we are in the market for a backup key tall.