Bygones

[SAINT-LEE]

Its Round 1, Im not going to get too excited, just thought I'd mention a few former Saints and how they are travelling at new clubs.

If you know of any I've missed, even include last few years, I'm interested.

Nick Hind: Essendon
Rd 1 Defensive Back
He had a really solid game, even on the verge of great. Easily top 3 best on ground for Bombers.
His stats were Elite in:
Effective kicks & handballs
Possessions uncontested & intercepts
Defensive tackles & spoils
Offensive score involvements & marks
His 1%'s were excellent efforts.

I don't recall him playing this well for us, he was good at times. The scourge of his game is still evident: below or average Efficiency in kicks & disposals.

Overall nice start, wish him well.



Tom Hickey: Sydney Swans
Rd 1 Ruck

Not exactly his first year away but its his first year at Sydney.
He had some good games for us, but also real average. West Coast, he filled a gap but he seemed lost or injured or just done.
Yesterday, this bastard came charging out of the blocks and smashed it.
I'd list his elite stats but almost every stat was elite, seriously. Sydney are over the moon. Maybe its justified? Could a 30 yr journeyman just be hitting his straps? Or is it Rd 1, new club glitter that doesn't last? I'm not sure, but he looked amazing and was no doubt a factor in their win.


Josh Bruce: Western Bulldogs
Rd 1 Key Forward

2nd year since he departed.. Josh interestingly split his time 60% Forward 40% Defense.

He seems lacklustre...1 contested mark, 1 goal.
He ran well, had a few spoils, but seemed flat.
Not much to see from where I'm standing.


Jack Newnes: Carlton Blues
Rd 1 Midfield

2nd year at the Blues. He was a solid performer.
Historically he makes you wonder if he's about to bust out and be elite or if he just a solid grunt.

He had several elite stats and topped Blues list in AFL points for the game.
But in the key stats that matter to me and are in my mind the reason we cut him lose:
Below Average:
Disposal, Contested Possessions, Kicks, Clearances, Score Involvements and Metres Gained. To me it sums up the player.

Blake Acres: Fremantle Dockers
Rd 1 Midfield

Some people saw huge potential and maybe there is, maybe. But this game wasn't it.

He played 3/4 of the game and was basically awful. A few score involvements, 1 contested mark and a tackle. 2 years gone and I think we did well. He was below avg in almost every area.


Jack Stevens: Lorne Ladbrokes
Rd 1 Midfield

True to form, looked really happy & settled.
Played the first quarter, had 6 clearances, 5 goals.
Sat out the 2nd & 3rd quarter, he drank 11 beers and started the 4th with a belly of fire.
He had 103 disposals, 9 hard ball gets ( even stripping teammates of the ball), kicked 11.38 and was man of the match ( note: he did kick 5.7 for the opposing team and was their leading scorer, after the game he said, " we switched ends, I just forgot")

[saynta]

Yearh, crow player. Has an identical name as that thug the tigers got from GWS.

[roskilde]

I'll say this in defense of Bruce -- a player I always liked -- I think his stats are slightly misleading. I watched the game and he was very lively and provided a focal point in attack for the team which he always does. He didn't kick well but he was up and about and on another night probably could have bagged 3 or 4.

[Fugazi1966]

Nick Hind will be a good player off the HBF pushing to a wing.
We just had too many of those players to play him there.
Good luck to him. (Though not against us)

[skeptic]

Thought Bruce was terrible

Really shanked it all around the park. Looked very average

[skeptic]

Always liked Hind

Will be interesting to see what he looks like with another 20 games under his belt

[SAINT-LEE]

Thought Bruce was terrible

Really shanked it all around the park. Looked very average

I felt he only had 1 good year with us and was on a slow downward spiral. That first year when we converted him from defense to a forward he looked hungry and intense.

I think if we still had him he could be moved into the backline as a key defender and excel.

[skeptic]

Thought Bruce was terrible

Really shanked it all around the park. Looked very average

I felt he only had 1 good year with us and was on a slow downward spiral. That first year when we converted him from defense to a forward he looked hungry and intense.

I think if we still had him he could be moved into the backline as a key defender and excel.

Maybe. The thing is... he was one of those guys that really was surplus to requirements with us. Good decision for him to move

[terry smith rules]

I think Hickey would have learnt a lot after 2 years with Nic Nat. GL to him

Bruce gave great contests and was certainly not terrible

[skeptic]

It’s an interesting comparison to the players that we’ve traded in as of late

Butler
Higgins
Howard
Hill

To name a few...

[SaintPav]

Hind was ok but it was against Hawthorn.

I wouldn't want Newnes getting nearly 30 possessions for us to be honest.

I think we’ll be ok without these guys.

[Milne]

Sorry to see our boy Jacky back at Lorne, wished he could have had some success with our boys as he absolutely tried his guts out for years when we were in the bottom 1/4 of the ladder.