Ben Long in defence, Jono Marsh Fwd

[St Loxton]

From Fox Sports,

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-20 ... 5a8359f870

Ben did some nice stuff in that area last season, tackles like a beast too.
Jono Marsh not sure he will get much gametime unless we succumb to injuries.

[skeptic]

I like it... like it a lot.

Too many forward pockets and he’s inconsistent in that position despite flashes of brilliance. Would love to see have the ball handed to him and use his speed, skill and creativity to set up plays forward.
Given his tackling... if his work rate is good and he can more accountable... he’d be an asset and an upgrade on a guy like Savage

[Secret Kiel]

He's not an upgrade on Savage yet however I like the competition Savage now has for his postion.

[St Loxton]

In the article it mentions Tuesdays session of match simulation, i guess that may have been a closed session.
Would have loved to be a fly on the wall.

[wally]

Remember Leon Davis at Coll years ago was inconsistent and was moved back and had his best seasons there.

[MC Gusto]

The article says we play the hawks twice in a row? Typo?

[MC Gusto]

St Kilda will host Hawthorn at RSEA Park on February 20 before facing the Hawks eight days later in a bushfire fundraiser match in Morwell

[MC Gusto]

Maybe it’s accurate! Quite unusual although I get it. Will be actually good to see how teams learn and adapt facing off twice...albeit preseason

[kosifantutti]

The article says we play the hawks twice in a row? Typo?

Official preseason match. Then bushfire relief game in Morwell.

[saynta]

The article says we play the hawks twice in a row? Typo?

http://saintsational.net/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=100213

Already a thread on this.

[To the top]

What attracts my attention are the descriptions "dash and poise" and "positioning really stable"

So this is the criteria for our defense in 2020

[St Loxton]

“He has shown a fair bit of dash and poise and his positioning has been really stable for us. We like what we have seen from him there.

“He has been really consistent in his approach. He is buying in and is really invested and committed in the program. Now he’s getting a fair bit back the other way.”

I hear what your saying Ttt,
I hope that means he has a specific role as an attacking HBF.
Aussie Jones style maybe.

The next paragraph is just usual modern day coaching lingo.
Wish Sammy could just say he has really taken to his new role and is growing in confidence and gaining respect.
Or is that how people really talk these days, feeling old.

[Secret Kiel]

Talking about poise, get down to training and watch the Hill Skills. Can't wait to see this guy in Season for the RW&B.

[Sanctorum]

Lining up "Bennelong" on the HB flank is reminiscent of Justin Peckett, a player who made that spot his own with great distinction from the early '90's to 2006 - physically Long and Peckett are alike but Long has an x-factor quality with a great leap. If Long plays HBF then it puts pressure on Jarryn Geary to hold his spot in the team unless they find a different role for the skipper this year.
As has been mentioned elsewhere, there is so much competition for spots in the team this year, especially in defence with the likes of Coffield, Webster, Savage, Wilkie, Paton, Clark, Jones, Phillips, Geary and now Long, all capable of doing well as medium to small defenders.

I really like the way Brett Ratten is considering different options for players who were designated as either forwards or backs under Alan Richardson.

But by far the most exciting of these for me is the prospect of developing Josh Battle as a "swingman" rotating through the midfield in a role similar to that played by the great Nat Fyfe and Marcus Bontempelli. The more I think about this, the more I am coming around to believe that Battle is going to do that exceptionally well. At 193 cm he is the same size as the "Bont" and his 3 km time trials this year indicate that he will have the "tank" and speed to play all around the ground. He is a strong mark and I'm sure hos disposal stats are very positive. And how about this: he can be trained in that role by none other than the former great swingman now at St Klda, Jarryd Roughead, who is also 193 cm!!

The positives for 2020 are palpable....

[saintsRrising]

Lining up "Bennelong" on the HB flank is reminiscent of Justin Peckett, a player who made that spot his own with great distinction from the early '90's to 2006 -

I think Frankie was more BP and then wing

One of Peckett's major talents was that he was a superb judge of when to run into space which made him the perfect running linkman.

In his later years he became a quality player.

[SuperDuper]

Lining up "Bennelong" on the HB flank is reminiscent of Justin Peckett, a player who made that spot his own with great distinction from the early '90's to 2006 -

I think Frankie was more BP and then wing

One of Peckett's major talent was that he was a superb judge of when to run into space which made him the perfect running linkman.

In his later years he became a quality player.

Peckett played similar to how Joey Montagna played in his last few seasons... as you said, good judges of when to take off into space

[saint6709]

Lining up "Bennelong" on the HB flank is reminiscent of Justin Peckett, a player who made that spot his own with great distinction from the early '90's to 2006 - physically Long and Peckett are alike but Long has an x-factor quality with a great leap. If Long plays HBF then it puts pressure on Jarryn Geary to hold his spot in the team unless they find a different role for the skipper this year.
As has been mentioned elsewhere, there is so much competition for spots in the team this year, especially in defence with the likes of Coffield, Webster, Savage, Wilkie, Paton, Clark, Jones, Phillips, Geary and now Long, all capable of doing well as medium to small defenders.

I really like the way Brett Ratten is considering different options for players who were designated as either forwards or backs under Alan Richardson.

But by far the most exciting of these for me is the prospect of developing Josh Battle as a "swingman" rotating through the midfield in a role similar to that played by the great Nat Fyfe and Marcus Bontempelli. The more I think about this, the more I am coming around to believe that Battle is going to do that exceptionally well. At 193 cm he is the same size as the "Bont" and his 3 km time trials this year indicate that he will have the "tank" and speed to play all around the ground. He is a strong mark and I'm sure hos disposal stats are very positive. And how about this: he can be trained in that role by none other than the former great swingman now at St Klda, Jarryd Roughead, who is also 193 cm!!

The positives for 2020 are palpable....

I am a massive Battle fan - and really like the swing man hype - I’m not yet ready to hope to compare to Fyfe and bont though - I think and hope he will be a better version of someone more like Tomlinson who is about same size, has a tank and who we apparently chased pretty hard - I’m pretty sure I’ve posted before that I’d like to see battle take whatever role we thought Tomlinson might have

[cwrcyn]

If Long plays off half back, and we have Wilkie and Roberton along with the the two key defenders, it means that Coffield, Savage, Geary, Paton, and Webster will fight it out for the last spot in the back half. Interestingly, Ratten has indicated that he'll be freeing Jack Steele from his tagger role, so someone else has to do that job. Will it be Geary? He has the toughness and the tank to do the job, but lacks midfield experience and nous. Savage or Webster do not fit the criteria and Paton is a pup.

Will the coach have the balls to leave a fit Geary out of any line-up this year? This playing list has changed, and very few players hold a guaranteed spot in any position. At this stage, I would say the safest players in that respect are Marshall, Hill, Hannebery, and Membrey. Just about everyone else will be looking over their shoulder to see who's ready to pounce on their position in the team. That's a good thing, of course, but there will be players this year who previously were comfortable in the knowledge that they would always be selected when fit, that may now face the uncomfortable challenge of having to fight like a maniac to earn and keep their spot.

I can't remember a St Kilda team that had so much competition for spots. It's not a reason to get carried away with the quality of the list, of course, because if we had a super team there would barely be any competition for spots. It means we're now a middle of the ladder team. Great teams have very little competition for spots, as do crap ones.

[chook23]

If Long plays off half back, and we have Wilkie and Roberton along with the the two key defenders, it means that Coffield, Savage, Geary, Paton, and Webster will fight it out for the last spot in the back half. Interestingly, Ratten has indicated that he'll be freeing Jack Steele from his tagger role, so someone else has to do that job. Will it be Geary? He has the toughness and the tank to do the job, but lacks midfield experience and nous. Savage or Webster do not fit the criteria and Paton is a pup.

Will the coach have the balls to leave a fit Geary out of any line-up this year? This playing list has changed, and very few players hold a guaranteed spot in any position. At this stage, I would say the safest players in that respect are Marshall, Hill, Hannebery, and Membrey. Just about everyone else will be looking over their shoulder to see who's ready to pounce on their position in the team. That's a good thing, of course, but there will be players this year who previously were comfortable in the knowledge that they would always be selected when fit, that may now face the uncomfortable challenge of having to fight like a maniac to earn and keep their spot.

I can't remember a St Kilda team that had so much competition for spots. It's not a reason to get carried away with the quality of the list, of course, because if we had a super team there would barely be any competition for spots. It means we're now a middle of the ladder team. Great teams have very little competition for spots, as do crap ones.

spot on...........we may still lack 2-3 real class players.....but appears to be good depth....

[CQ SAINT]

If Long plays off half back, and we have Wilkie and Roberton along with the the two key defenders, it means that Coffield, Savage, Geary, Paton, and Webster will fight it out for the last spot in the back half. Interestingly, Ratten has indicated that he'll be freeing Jack Steele from his tagger role, so someone else has to do that job. Will it be Geary? He has the toughness and the tank to do the job, but lacks midfield experience and nous. Savage or Webster do not fit the criteria and Paton is a pup.

Will the coach have the balls to leave a fit Geary out of any line-up this year? This playing list has changed, and very few players hold a guaranteed spot in any position. At this stage, I would say the safest players in that respect are Marshall, Hill, Hannebery, and Membrey. Just about everyone else will be looking over their shoulder to see who's ready to pounce on their position in the team. That's a good thing, of course, but there will be players this year who previously were comfortable in the knowledge that they would always be selected when fit, that may now face the uncomfortable challenge of having to fight like a maniac to earn and keep their spot.

I can't remember a St Kilda team that had so much competition for spots. It's not a reason to get carried away with the quality of the list, of course, because if we had a super team there would barely be any competition for spots. It means we're now a middle of the ladder team. Great teams have very little competition for spots, as do crap ones.

I've always thought that one of the best ways for a young, hard runner to learn the game is to let them run with better players. Perhaps Paton who is a similar age to Steele when he started to take scalps and Bytel, who has all the attributes Steele possessed at the same age will get a crack at a tagging role.

Paton has already shown some nous of half back defending and running forward and Bytel just looks likely and has great 3k ability. Those 2 rotating off the bench would certainly set Steele free.

When will Geary be fully fit? He is a little behind the rest isn't he?