Time to end this alignment with Sandringham

[samuraisaint]

At the game last night I saw players with real talent come back in to the side to cover injuries in defence and they really struggled.
We have seen this with forwards coming into the seniors earlier this season.
Watching Sandy right now, I have to say I am not surprised in the slightest.
It is no wonder that players are not ready for senior grade football, or even the St Kilda system playing in that team.
The Bulldogs reserves have players like Kellett, Darcy, Gilbee, and Petrevski-Seaton all showing a bit, and none of our younger St Kilda players have shown anything that I can see.
As per usual I am not going to mention names on here, but I strongly believe that barring an absolutely calamitous injury list they will struggle to make it at senior level. This is a problem we have with our reserves system.
We absolutely have to extricate ourselves from this alignment. It reeks of mutually assured destruction for both clubs.
To make matters worse, we were told that the reserves would play some home games at Moorabbin wearing the St Kilda jumper. Apart from a game at the MCG this season this has not happened.
This is an absolutely desperate situation, and is brutal disadvantageous for our younger players.

[evertonfc]

It's been incredibly poor at developing and preparing players for the rigours of AFL football.

It reflects poorly on Sandringham but even worse on us. It's time to properly discuss this alignment - it has so far been a disaster.

I think we have to have our own reserves team in place by the start of the 2025 VFL Season. I'd run it the same way Geelong run their VFL team; a stepping stone for local talent but run to AFL standards.

[cwrcyn]

The Sandringham listed players are atrocious. This is damaging to the development of our youngsters. This alignment has to end NOW!

Go it alone and let our recruiting staff choose who plays for our reserves, not some washed up relic of a football club that is long past its use by date.

[CQ SAINT]

Everyone has wondered why Highmore has been playing so well in the VFL and getting held back.
After last night, his lack of ability to defend, should be clearly evident.

FFS. Play him forward at Sandy for the rest of the year and see if he can take a contest mark. He will never be our intercepting HB. The opposition will just kick the ball to his opponent and he will panic, instead of just attack the ball.
Move him forward and let him attack the ball.

[sendmehomehappy]

YES

100% all of the above.

Great thread.

Time for St Kilda to be pure St Kilda again.

Anyone who plays or works for the club must do so solely for the jumper and crest, whatever/wherever their past.

Split loyalties and agendas do not work.

Likewise, the Board must devise a plan to clear all debt by 2025.

The club cannot be an AFL lackey any longer and expect success.

[WellardSaint]

Not sure this is relevant

[Saints58]

Totally agree with having a Saints reserve team.
is it true that we are only allowed 12 AFL listed players in a alignment team if that is the case its a disgrace and where do the other players on our list not slected for sandy play do they just sit out?

[Saintmike65]

We were supposed to have had our own reserves team for the 2017 season but didn’t happen, presumably a lack of finance.
Needs to be a priority!

[Saintmike65]

We were supposed to have had our own reserves team for the 2017 season but didn’t happen, presumably a lack of finance.
Needs to be a priority!

[B.M]

Is it Sandringham’s fault we are average?

When Melbourne was with Sandy they won 3 straight premierships.

Now Melbourne are with Casey and are 14-0 (ironically we were with Casey)


Have you ever considered that WE are the problem and they should fk us off?!


If we went it alone - how would we be any better???
Wouldn’t we have the same AFL listed players available???

BTW
What are we on the ladder?

[older saint]

Been saying this since 2016 when the dogs won the flag. richmond then followedsuit the next year.

problem is when uyou owe the AFL what we do we have to do what our pimp tells us - Off to China, Off to Cairns, No stand alone team,

[D.B.Cooper]

We need to subcontract our player development.

How about a couple of stand alone AFL funded and resourced teams in the VFL where you can leave your draftee’s for a couple of seasons then bring them in at 20 with two years professional development behind them.

It would be like the AFL Academy but for drafted players.

Crap idea, but better than sending them to us.

[Killa]

It comes down to the cattle available

There was not much experience running around for Sandringham today

And the reliance on players not on the AFL List

Given the number of players who are not on the AFL List, who do St Kilda conscript to fill a team - and from where?

You put Clark and Coffield on half back flanks and Howard at full back, so Hill, Sinclair and Wilkie deployed elsewhere and numbers falling to Sandringham, plus add Geary, Kent and McKenzie (and Hannebery on Covid protocols) and what happens then?

The List sizes don’t afford much insurance because, given all are available, the List fills 2 sides

At the VFL level you look for signs from youth, youth who will perform better with some experience around them

Today they had no experience around them apart from Campbell who is honest

Then, because of a lack of height, you have Sharman supporting Adams in the key defensive positions

Leaving Heath up forward (and rucking)

Dominoes, hey?

[bangaulegend]

I''m not really sure it will ever happen but even if it does can't see us being any better than we are now

[Killa]

And just to add, because of the upcoming 6 day break (again!) there were players on managed time in the VFL today just in case they are required on Friday night

The WB were in the same position but has more AFL experience on the park including some returning from our injury so probably needing one more in the VFL, so not on managed time

There are many contributing factors

[saynta]

Totally agree with having a Saints reserve team.
is it true that we are only allowed 12 AFL listed players in a alignment team if that is the case its a disgrace and where do the other players on our list not slected for sandy play do they just sit out?

No, not true AFAIA.

[CURLY]

Clark
Coffield
Howard
Geary
McKenzie
Bytal
Kent
Hannebry
Hayes

Fair bit of talent out of the side.

[SaintPav]

Time to end a few alignments if you ask me.

[Cordz2]

Is it Sandringham’s fault we are average?

When Melbourne was with Sandy they won 3 straight premierships.

Now Melbourne are with Casey and are 14-0 (ironically we were with Casey)


Have you ever considered that WE are the problem and they should fk us off?!

+1 - our history hangs heavy around the neck of any organisational we get involved with.
If we went it alone - how would we be any better???
Wouldn’t we have the same AFL listed players available???

BTW
What are we on the ladder?

[spert]

The other alternative is for the freakin' club to pull its finger out and start playing better football and doing things a bit smarter.

[samuraisaint]

Not sure this is relevant

Players returning to the seniors and really struggling is relevant, I think.

[skeptic]

Not sure this is relevant

Players returning to the seniors and really struggling is relevant, I think.

Who?

[Saintmatt]

Sure. End the alignment. Then what? You know why we haven't got our own reserves team? Because it costs ~$1M pa - in ADDITION to the AFL program - to fund it. That's why it's not going to be 'ended' any time soon. Reckon a club that's $10M in debt has got a spare $1M kicking around to spend in a discretionary sense?

Also, our list isn't as good as a lot on here think and our depth is either very young players or quite old players.

Sandy has had a relatively weak playing list for a few years now so, it's not surprising to me in the slightest that when the Saints senior players aren't playing for them or that it's just our young ones - they really struggle.

Also - just like the AFL team this year - haven't exactly had a great FIXture in the context of byes and 6 day breaks.

[Wayne42]

The more injuries the Saints have and the more players held over as Emergencies when the Saints and Sandy play on the same day weakens Sandy's team.
The Sandy players that don't play at Sandy on game day due to a lack of available spots get farmed out to other leagues due to the VFL doing away with their reserves teams.
That has to affect the development of those Sandy players who go off and play levels below the VFL.

I was reading some interviews with Sandy players and they were talking about how their team changes every week and how they have to do their best to gell with a revolving door of teammates.

Mr Batchelor has a tough gig.

[samuraisaint]

Not sure this is relevant

Players returning to the seniors and really struggling is relevant, I think.

Who?

I don't like to name individual names on a fan site unless it's positive as I don't like to ever pot a St KIlda player. My point is that players tend to not come into the seniors and appear ready to play at the highest level, and that includes some players with immense talent and who I have the highest respect for.

I would like to see the players in the reserves being developed into AFL standard players and at the moment I am not seeing that. I am no expert but players tearing it up at Sandy who get a senior call up and look all at sea is not a great advertisement for our reserves.