Josh Battle: @ CHB KPP. What is the verdict?

[shanegrambeau]

I realize he is a fan favorite.

Based on his 2022..is there any chance we can ask - objectively - whether he is good enough as a key position CHB?

I want to say straight up …We should not care a flying tuppence whether or not, ‘he has finally found his true position’,(he may well be CHB at Sandy!!) or whether. ‘He deserves this or that based on him being moved around the chessboard’…leave your sympathy out of it.

Simply ask, is he the best we can do..and will this be a limiting factor on St Kilda’s capacity to be competitive with top teams from ‘23?

[spert]

I'm thinking Battle and Hayes are very similar and are guys who can go into the ruck for a short period or play back or forward. I would like to see Battle at CHF rather than CHB, as he has good goal sense and good physical strength which I think we lack across HF

[shanegrambeau]

I'm thinking Battle and Hayes are very similar and are guys who can go into the ruck for a short period or play back or forward. I would like to see Battle at CHF rather than CHB, as he has good goal sense and good physical strength which I think we lack across HF

Thanks Spert.

Can he take a leaping pack mark?

MInd you. Can Buddy Franklin?

2016
https://www.lions.com.au/news/137659/jo ... d-progress

[older saint]

I think he can be very good there and plays better behind the ball than in front of it - McGovern (WC) style.
Wilkie and Howard as lockdown defenders and Battle as high defender for teams with 3rd tall and otherwise intercept mark.
Needs to desperately improve his foot skills though

[Banger9798]

Good question

Love to see him play in a McGovern role where he plays mostly as intercept defender.

We actually need a big , tall strong KPD....none of our defenders are all of those things.

[saynta]

Pass mark from me.

[Impatient Sainter]

Its his first full season at CHB and he will keep improving with experience. St Kilda people seem to want every player to become an instant star, when most players take years to get to that level. He lost a bit of confidence late in the year but so did most of the list. I think he is definitely worth persisting with a will become a very good defender at CHB. Im more confident of Battle improving than a lot of others on our list.

[Beno88]

Was easily among our best ten in 2022, critical to our structure and rebound. Had the least goals kicked on him of any key defender in the comp.

[Trev from the Bush]

Passed his test, just a pity he was injured in a few matches because his absence hurt us.

[shanegrambeau]

Its his first full season at CHB and he will keep improving with experience. St Kilda people seem to want every player to become an instant star, when most players take years to get to that level. He lost a bit of confidence late in the year but so did most of the list. I think he is definitely worth persisting with a will become a very good defender at CHB. Im more confident of Battle improving than a lot of others on our list.

IS,
Will keep improving?, first season??, Saints fans bla bla??
I get you.
But
I am trying to be a hard ass -



Think pilot in a brand new Boeing jet at Qantas

Full of hopeful passengers.
Can he/she fly it?
Should he/she fly it?

Rather than...

We are at war. Losing. We have a shortage of trained pilots.
So strap him up, wave some flowers and sip sake!

[BadRossco]

Currently our best option at CHB, Lion’s Darcy Gardiner is free agent and a little taller and may want to come back to Victoria. Adams does not look all that promising so we really need to find a tall defender as Battle is not tall enough for the monster forwards. I believe we would have taken Gibus if the Tigers hadn’t got in first.

[saintsRrising]

Battle will also get better as a key defender as he continues to gets stronger.

[B.M]

Excellent year as a kpd

As he did when he played there a few years prior

[B.M]

McGovern was a key defender

What position is this ‘interceptor’ people bang on about?!

[Banger9798]

McGovern was a key defender

What position is this ‘interceptor’ people bang on about?!

Takes third tall and peels off to back himself to mark or spoil.

Everyone on the ground has an opponent in theory.

The way to play McGovern was to make him accountable to his opponent with three genuine talls in the forward line leading away from each other so he couldn't just cover.

Either Wilkie or Battle has to play on 2nd tall and is ndersized, when the opposition has 3 talls we have 2 undersized and 1 underweight (Howard)

[B.M]

Key backs are not our issue, weren’t beaten all year - even Dougal who was at time awful never got a flogging.

Wilkie beat his man most weeks

Battle rarely out pointed

We have need elsewhere

[bigcarl]

Key backs are not our issue, weren’t beaten all year - even Dougal who was at time awful never got a flogging.

Wilkie beat his man most weeks

Battle rarely out pointed

We have need elsewhere

Namely another key forward. Hopefully Hayes can fill that role.

Don’t think he’s a superstar by any stretch, but structurally will be important. Bit of a minder for Max King

[magnifisaint]

Too short, not agile enough at ground level.

[B.M]

Who beat him?

[Yorkeys]

Try Josh as captain. Crouch vice captain. Let Jack Steele just play and organise the forwards.
Josh is as tough and uncompromising as they come. Nice leap.
With Coffield back in defence next season they should combine well and ease the load on Josh. If Brad Hill is moved from defence to, say, HF. Coffield, Battle, Sinclair is a formidable line to get past.

[B.M]

Jack Steele

Great Captain

Should hold the position for 4 more years

[shanegrambeau]

Try Josh as captain. Crouch vice captain. Let Jack Steele just play and organise the forwards.
Josh is as tough and uncompromising as they come. Nice leap.
With Coffield back in defence next season they should combine well and ease the load on Josh. If Brad Hill is moved from defence to, say, HF. Coffield, Battle, Sinclair is a formidable line to get past.

Is this a joke?

Nice leap?

Josh Battle has the worst leap of any new(ish) player on the list.
Which was documented in trials.

It is the reason he has not been a forward and a question mark on him as a back.

But as a Captain, he might be good....if...and I stress...IF he is really good enough. Hence this thread.

Good bloke?

Of course.

So make him Captain..like Gears? ..if he is a marginal player...that sounds St KIlda.

[Yorkeys]

Try Josh as captain. Crouch vice captain. Let Jack Steele just play and organise the forwards.
Josh is as tough and uncompromising as they come. Nice leap.
With Coffield back in defence next season they should combine well and ease the load on Josh. If Brad Hill is moved from defence to, say, HF. Coffield, Battle, Sinclair is a formidable line to get past.

Is this a joke?

Nice leap?

Josh Battle has the worst leap of any new(ish) player on the list.
Which was documented in trials.

It is the reason he has not been a forward and a question mark on him as a back.

But as a Captain, he might be good....if...and I stress...IF he is really good enough. Hence this thread.

Good bloke?

Of course.

So make him Captain..like Gears? ..if he is a marginal player...that sounds St KIlda.

(Bows)
Hon. Shane-san.
Not joke, unworthy opinion of silly fan.
Respectfully commend Josh's highlights reels for consideration.
Accept your superior wisdom.
Hai!
(Bows)