Austin & Clavarino

[st sandy]

Can anyone provide news on the progress of Logan Austin & Oscar Clavarino

Have not heard anything in the preseason & both did not play last night.

Injuries....fallen behind the other defenders....will they play next week?

Thanks

[skeptic]

Good question... both highly touted and have their share of fans

Unfortunately with Carlisle, Howard, Battle and Brown already there... both seem way at the back of the queue now

[Secret Kiel]

Yeah couldn't be a worse time to break into the backline which is bloody awesome for the club.

Howard's spot in the team could be gettable if doesn't improve on last nights game.

[saynta]

Yeah couldn't be a worse time to break into the backline which is bloody awesome for the club.

Howard's spot in the team could be gettable if doesn't improve on last nights game.

Joyce would be in front of those two as well imho.

Agree with you on Howard. He is like a bull at a gate but a s*** kick on last nights performance.

[Secret Kiel]

Yeah couldn't be a worse time to break into the backline which is bloody awesome for the club.

Howard's spot in the team could be gettable if doesn't improve on last nights game.

Joyce would be in front of those two as well imho.

Agree with you on Howard. He is like a bull at a gate but a s*** kick on last nights performance.

If I was Ratts I'd get Gears and Sebby to spend some time with Howard and show him how to kick and tackle properly. The boy has got a long way to go.

[saynta]

Yeah couldn't be a worse time to break into the backline which is bloody awesome for the club.

Howard's spot in the team could be gettable if doesn't improve on last nights game.

Joyce would be in front of those two as well imho.

Agree with you on Howard. He is like a bull at a gate but a s*** kick on last nights performance.

If I was Ratts I'd get Gears and Sebby to spend some time with Howard and show him how to kick and tackle properly. The boy has got a long way to go.

Trevor Barker oval is not the far from Linton Street.

[CURLY]

Yeah couldn't be a worse time to break into the backline which is bloody awesome for the club.

Howard's spot in the team could be gettable if doesn't improve on last nights game.

Howard is safe and will hold down a key post. His spoiling is elite.

[saynta]

Yeah couldn't be a worse time to break into the backline which is bloody awesome for the club.

Howard's spot in the team could be gettable if doesn't improve on last nights game.

Howard is safe and will hold down a key post. His spoiling is elite.

I'm not so sure. Brown is a better footballer. Some of those turnover goals that the Hawks kicked could be sheeted home to Howard.

Depends what they are paying him I suppose and how many games he was promised to sign with the saints.

[CURLY]

Yeah couldn't be a worse time to break into the backline which is bloody awesome for the club.

Howard's spot in the team could be gettable if doesn't improve on last nights game.

Howard is safe and will hold down a key post. His spoiling is elite.

I'm not so sure. Brown is a better footballer. Some of those turnover goals that the Hawks kicked could be sheeted home to Howard.

Depends what they are paying him I suppose and how many games he was promised to sign with the saints.

Not many players kill the contest as well as what Howard did last night. Some of his spoiling three deep was as good as you will see. His kicking wasn't great but first game up not concerned.

[Trev from the Bush]

So, where are Austin and Clavarino at?

[skeptic]

Players being written off after the first preseason game... that’s got to be a new low

[saynta]

Yeah couldn't be a worse time to break into the backline which is bloody awesome for the club.

Howard's spot in the team could be gettable if doesn't improve on last nights game.

Howard is safe and will hold down a key post. His spoiling is elite.

Hope you are right. His kicking was really disappointing though. A real let down.

[saynta]

So, where are Austin and Clavarino at?

In a log jam behind a couple of others. Roberton will come back in as will Brown and Joyce at some stage.

Not yet sold on Howard but it's early days.

[To the top]

Brown?

Care to list the forwards you can match him up on?

Insurance only in his last year

[SaintPav]

So, where are Austin and Clavarino at?

In a log jam behind a couple of others. Roberton will come back in as will Brown and Joyce at some stage.

Not yet sold on Howard but it's early days.

Howard is a big investment.
Brown is back up and has massive off field value
Joyce will come back at some stage but only for Sandy I'm afraid.

[CQ SAINT]

I thought Howard was ok last night. Just ok though. I hope they don't plan to have him rebounding by foot like the have with Geary but with Long Clark and Paton running off him, perhaps he can modify his disposal to a shorter game and stay between his flags.
I can understand why Port wanted him further up the ground though.
He and Battle are both big, mobile aggressive players and could cause some headaches..
I think if Howard worked on his engine he could be a taller Jason Blake type.

[shanegrambeau]

Can either play forward?. We seem to have forgotten that we are missing Bruce and that Riewolt has retired. So we put the farm and all the chickens on Max King.

[CQ SAINT]

Can either play forward?. We seem to have forgotten that we are missing Bruce and that Riewolt has retired. So we put the farm and all the chickens on Max King.

Yeah. After last night's scoreline, I forgot all about Bruce. We will challenge defences to restructure in a completely different way to what they did last year and Hill, Butler Jones and Ryder will prove to be a big part of that.
I don't actually think that there is anything more than getting games into King in the plans at the moment. Expect him to be mobile and develop his craft up the ground and on the run. He will be a great hit up target in combination with Membrey for a fast rebound midfield and half backline.

And yes, both Battle and Howard are capable forwards, I'd throw Marsh in that mix too.

[To the top]

Winning form, hey?

Even in a practice match

The expectation remains that with the injection of half a new side (including Carlisle and Hannebery in this because of restrictions in 2019) we will improve

The question is how much will other sides improve?

I still lament the loss of Acres who is class and note the reference to him in the Fremantle practice match write up

They have got a very, very good footballer from us there and it will come back to bite us

[damienc]

Yeah couldn't be a worse time to break into the backline which is bloody awesome for the club.

Howard's spot in the team could be gettable if doesn't improve on last nights game.

Howard is safe and will hold down a key post. His spoiling is elite.

I'm not so sure. Brown is a better footballer. Some of those turnover goals that the Hawks kicked could be sheeted home to Howard.

Depends what they are paying him I suppose and how many games he was promised to sign with the saints.

I think you are being a little tough on Dougie Howser, if you don't mind me saying so.

First game back, in a new team, and a new game plan you might expect him to be a little rusty.

He did some good things as well as bad and he wasn't the only transgressor.

Let's see how he goes when the real competition begins.

[damienc]

Winning form, hey?

Even in a practice match

The expectation remains that with the injection of half a new side (including Carlisle and Hannebery in this because of restrictions in 2019) we will improve

The question is how much will other sides improve?

I still lament the loss of Acres who is class and note the reference to him in the Fremantle practice match write up

They have got a very, very good footballer from us there and it will come back to bite us

Sorry. I can't agree.

The Saints essentially swapped Acres for Hill.

Yes. You are right. Acres is class but Bradley Hill has elite skills and will run all day. He is way better than Acres.

Sometimes you have to give up something good to get something better.

[CQ SAINT]

Winning form, hey?

Even in a practice match

The expectation remains that with the injection of half a new side (including Carlisle and Hannebery in this because of restrictions in 2019) we will improve

The question is how much will other sides improve?

I still lament the loss of Acres who is class and note the reference to him in the Fremantle practice match write up

They have got a very, very good footballer from us there and it will come back to bite us

I fully expect about 8 good write ups about Acres this year. So no surprise there. It will be interesting to compare the them with the bulk of his work. Injury or inconsistency still loom large.

[damienc]

Winning form, hey?

Even in a practice match

The expectation remains that with the injection of half a new side (including Carlisle and Hannebery in this because of restrictions in 2019) we will improve

The question is how much will other sides improve?

I still lament the loss of Acres who is class and note the reference to him in the Fremantle practice match write up

They have got a very, very good footballer from us there and it will come back to bite us

I fully expect about 8 good write ups about Acres this year. So no surprise there. It will be interesting to compare the them with the bulk of his work. Injury or inconsistency still loom large.

Acres is an enigma.

Absolutely no doubt he has plenty of ability, but rarely did he show it for the Saints.

Maybe the coach had something to do with that.

Maybe he might have really shown what he can do under Ratts.

Maybe he would have truly come of age if he was given the freedom to play how he liked, where he liked.

But fate intervened. We wanted and desperately needed a Bradley Hill and his elite disposal skills.

And we had to give up something good to get him and unfortunately that turned out to be Acres.

I'm sorry but not sorry he left the club.

Bradley Hill will give us greater value IMO.

There is no point in regretting the loss of Acres. If he turns out to be a star for the Dockers so be it.

He was only ever a good player for St Kilda.

[Secret Kiel]

As usual the first 6 weeks of the season will reveal all. If Battle is Nat Fyfe MK2 in his roaming adventures to all parts of the ground it might be a case of, "Acres Who ?".

Having said that Blake is a ripping young fella and I'll still be following his career and hoping he has a hugely successful career.

[Nick_BlueNRG]

If every one is fit and in form my defence would be as follows.....

3 talls Carlisle, Howard and Austin
3 Mediums Savage, Clark and Long

Carlisle is the Interceptor and Howard and Austin are the elite Spoilers.

Savage is the booming kick and Clark and Long are run and carry play makers.

Love it.

Clavarino will spend most of the year developing at Sandy and will only play for St Kilda if we have a lot of injuries. His time will come in 2021.