Evolving

[Killa]

The interesting subject for me is the evolving nature of our side.

Given ALL players available, I would suggest we have evolved to:-

Wilkie Howard Wilson
Sinclair Battle, Wanganeen-Milera
Hill Steele Henry
Owens King Garcia
Higgins Caminiti Membrey
Marshall Crouch Windhager
Clark Wood Phillipou Byrnes

(So Howard, Henry, Crouch, Clark and Wood absent yesterday)

And take your pick for the 23rd.

We have seasoned back up in Cordy, Bonner and Campbell, which is the reason they were recruited hence not in the side I have offered.

We have yet to see Dow, so opinion reserved (so would he replace Byrnes?).

Then we have further experienced back up in Ross, Jones and Webster - along with the likes of Sharman and Stocker, both currently in the 22.

And how does Paton come back?

The younger brigade pressing is currently led by Schoenmaker by VFL numbers, a player with the size to reshape the side freeing (say) Battle to the midfield and then those who have seen AFL exposure this season, now back in the VFL learning the ropes.

The question remains on Caminiti (at 196cm where that height is a requirement as a key forward hence selected), placing greater responsibility on King up the ground and Membrey in support of Caminiti.

Byrnes has pace and 2 sides, so an advantage pending seeing what Dow brings.

The likes of Keeler and Van Es I would see as next cabs off the rank to cover retirements of our current older contingent so we look for their further development, as with Heath and the kids of mid-field size and running capacity (because we players over 30 years of age starting with Hill, Wood and Crouch so opportunity will come)

The same with Sharman and Membrey in terms of like for like.

Mind you, other debuts such as Wilson and Garcia will change the evolving regime - and we hope that is the case.

And we are saying, right, we have to now find a position for (whoever) so who goes out?

[Otiman]

It's been "next man up", but it's going to be "worst man out".

Form will dictate selection. That includes those coming back from injury through VFL.

[SaintPav]

Stocker did well on Green yesterday

[Killa]

The very fact that some of the players not named were seen as "doing well" raises the question as to who the likes of Wilson and Garcia along with our currently unavailable numbers replace?

Because they will.

And if we are at "unlucky" to miss out, then that is where we endeavor to be with our ever evolving player resource.

The one attribute which will give players an advantage over others is flexibility.

So we can move the magnets thru a game to impact any contingency.

And that the numbers who can go thru the mid-field in search of impact are as many as you can identify.

Hence Byrnes, Clark, Wood and Phillipou nominally on the bench.

By way of example, Clark can not only contribute to the mid-field but can release Sinclair to the mid-field by taking up a defensive responsibility.

Imagine if Schoenmakers affords that luxury with Battle, Battle a true "warrior" impacting with his skills and physical presence to force a change up where ever we choose to deploy him noting his versatility.

[D.B.Cooper]

I stopped reading after Stocker was left out and Battle was deployed to the midfield FFS

I guess even the ‘faunicated morons’ have the right to an opinion

[SaintPav]

Wilson in the back pocket is intriguing.

Do tell?

[Vortex]

Killa been drinking?

[Yorkeys]

Stocker did well on Green yesterday

Been real good this year.
Dangerfield tried to take him out game 1, but he shrugged that off and it must have hurt. Has been impressive. Skilled and tough.

[Killa]

With Wilson, he has the abilities to defend - and what we do lack in my opinion is a player with the pace and skills to negate the premier small forwards of the competition (so who we will encounter in Finals) noting that we would not seek to deploy a Sinclair or a Wanganeen-Milera to that responsibility (and Wilson may also prove just too valuable also but we will see).

It could be put that we have Webster who is ageing (now over 30) and we have Paton whose progress has been stalled by injury.

To me Stocker, whilst a very decent footballer who positions well, lacks that yard of pace (hence not a mid-field option?)

Remember that the likes of Stocker and others are on our List because they were surplus to requirements at their prior Clubs.

They were de-listed, not sought as with Henry, Hill and others and requiring trades.

So, if they were unable to command a regular game at their previous Club, why at St Kilda and particularly if we see St Kilda as challenging?

To my view, they have made their way to St Kilda's List to improve depth.

Not to lead the charge.

And, yes, given opportunity they may improve - but to game changing status?

May I remind that it was not that long ago Battle was deployed to the Ruck, and performed as he did impacting across the ground.

And the current Coach moved his magnet yesterday seeking a change up.

[meher baba]

Thank goodness fans don’t select teams.

In my recollection, Battle played in the ruck against Mumford (?)when Marshall went 9ff in a game against GWS. He struggled mightily but isn’t anywhere near tall enough.

Apparently Garcia is now one of the first picked on the basis of an (admittedly good) game in which he had nobody on him for much of the time. See ya Seb, thanks for your efforts.

And the idea that players who struggled at one club can’t help another club get to the top would surprise more than a few holders of premiership medallions. It might surprise Membrey, Steele, Higgins and Wood too.

If we were to have all of our best 23 available, then I am certain Stocker and Ross would be in it. And Webster, and possibly even Butler too. I’m far less certain about Wilson, Garcia and perhaps even Clark.

At least you left Sharman out, which I’m increasingly coming to agree with: he didn’t do much yesterday, or did I miss something?

[Scollop]

I stopped reading after Stocker was left out and Battle was deployed to the midfield FFS

I guess even the ‘faunicated morons’ have the right to an opinion

I see you’ve got ‘I love Ross’ in your avatar. Did you love the fact that Ross deployed Battle to the midfield or do you think Ross is a faunicated moron too?

[Killa]

Thank you Scollop!!

I could not have put it better myself!!!!!

The (lack of) intellect on here surprises (well, perhaps not!!).

I used Battle being deployed to Ruck duties as an example of moving the magnets - and my recollection is that in that game Battle received high praise for the contest he provided, earning Coach's Votes if I recall correctly.

The subject head is "Evolving", and that is the discussion sought.

"Evolving" is not 30 year olds, unless you have the skill set of the elite Hill.

"Evolving" is looking to the future - a future looking (even) brighter over this season because of the appetizers offered by Wilson and Garcia - and that others have been given a taste by the Selection Panel.

So back to the word "Evolving"

What we do know is the emphasis is on skill, pace and carry.

Noting we also need a spine including to compete in defence.

With an eye on the negative contributors to this site, I note that we just got across Richmond last week at Norwood, Richmond given a hiding by WCE in Perth today.

Whilst we got to within a point of GWS.

That is the competition.

Every side has players on the park - so no result is guaranteed (unless NM play Geelong at Geelong!!).

St Kilda is evolving to compete in such a competition and to compete consistently.

[Yorkeys]

Of course things don't automatically evolve for the better.
Natural selection, rule of the jungle, survival of the fittest.
Unless you are North. AFL's love child. More formula to supplement the breast milk. Draft picks alone not doing the job. Obviously. But it's unconditional love, until Tassie is delivered.
What to gift them next must be driving them nuts, even letting the homophobic coach walk free hasn't paid off.

[Scollop]

We also have an inexperienced assistant coach who will be evolving under Lyon mark III.

I don’t say that to disparage BJ Goddard. I believe he will turn out to be just as influential in our evolution as RTB.

Maybe he’ll be the biggest driver of change. What I do know about the man is that he knows how much St Kilda people respect him.

He was so close to being a premiership hero. I also know that (despite Essendon trying to claim him as one of theirs) he loves St Kilda FC as much as the fans love him.

In my opinion, Goddard is going to be the most ruthless and determined to leave a legacy at this footy club of all the current coaches

[meher baba]

I reckon Goddard has already had an impact on our midfield. It’s looking quite a bit better than it did last year. We are looking better at the clearances and he’s gotten improvement out of Windhager and Phillipou.

[Killa]

I would expect that Lyon will be around for quite a few years yet

Notable is Lyon’s continuing references to his Coaching panel and the work they are attending including on match days (which includes reviews)

Then you get to the Administration - and getting rid of that pesky debt

The translation of this to on field performance is the optimum

Which means players - noting the AFL focus on Tasmania (and with the experience of GGS and GWS)

Plus any other Club to keep numbers even - so not needing byes apart from competition wide byes - noting that sides domiciled outside Victoria are home and away with one side playing at their home location weekly

Where those locations are “non AFL” locations publicity is the driver, so local media coverage of a home side Byes due to an uneven number of teams will result in pressures to ensure there is an AFL game in NSW and Queensland each week

So a 20th side - and more concessions

The 20th side will come from an AFL State, so either SA or WA, probably SA where the code is being promoted with the Gather Round

So who?

No doubt the existing Clubs all have an eye on this - some better positioned than others

St Kilda need to be best prepared - which runs from Administration to Coaching staff to the playing List and where I would present that the focus on youth is a part of this

We need a side which is strong and stays strong

So all bases covered

[meher baba]

The 20th side will come from an AFL State, so either SA or WA, probably SA where the code is being promoted with the Gather Round

I doubt a twentieth team would come from SA. The population of WA is now 1.5 times that of SA and pulling further away all the time. I would wager that, now GWS seems to be making bigger inroads into Sydney's sport fan market, it could be a standalone Canberra team. Or, alternatively it could be a northern Australian team that plays in Darwin, Cairns and Townsville and which has a very strong Indigenous branding. Probably the latter is more likely than the former.

[SinCitySainter]

The 20th side will come from an AFL State, so either SA or WA, probably SA where the code is being promoted with the Gather Round

I doubt a twentieth team would come from SA. The population of WA is now 1.5 times that of SA and pulling further away all the time. I would wager that, now GWS seems to be making bigger inroads into Sydney's sport fan market, it could be a standalone Canberra team. Or, alternatively it could be a northern Australian team that plays in Darwin, Cairns and Townsville and which has a very strong Indigenous branding. Probably the latter is more likely than the former.

A team from Canberra would be a disaster. While the population is reasonable being around the 450K mark many of them are transient.
Rugby League is lucky to draw a crowd of 15K and Union (a far better spectator sport than league in my opinion) gets about 7 or 8K only.
Sport in Canberra has never been a big draw and any club there will struggle financially.

[The Fireman]

the only good thing about Canberra is that you don't have to pass through it to get anywhere.

[saynta]

the only good thing about Canberra is that you don't have to pass through it to get anywhere.

Now now

Canberra is one of the best cities in the best country in the world,

Manuka was sold out last saturday and the locals love the AFL . Well those that originally came nouth not south do.

Effing league and union are lesser sports as the people of Qld and NSW are rapidly discovering.

[asiu]

@firery

haha
true

and i do quite enjoy veering left and continuing on to Jindabyne

(unless it's over the top 'n down into Victoria)
i will always call in on the way back down the hill
(hopefully with a fish)
... got an old mate from the Boondi days there in Braddon

luv the 4 seasons of the place

[The Fireman]

Jindabyne ah yes , what a spot.

[Killa]

So where to from here?

Simply, we have to go forward

So from the reality of tonight who remains as core to a competitive side?

Who of our senior players, who of our mid ranking players and who of our kids (so in their first, second or third seasons)?

Do we retain the likes of Cordy, Stocker, Bonner and others bought in to give depth to our List over and above the kids?

From the stats alone tonight we had 75 less disposals so approaching 1 a minute, exactly half the marks and 8 free kicks to 21

They controlled the ball as they did against us at the same venue a couple of years ago

And next we have Port Adelaide in Adelaide

To be quite frank, a selected side with Cordy as a key defender, Sharman and Camininti as the key forwards plus others given our injuries then the reliance on kids offered a thrashing by a side which presents pretty well on paper

We had to win the contests and park the ball in our forward line to test where their deficiency is to have a chance - but we could not put our hands on the pill

[saintbob]

The interesting subject for me is the evolving nature of our side.

Given ALL players available, I would suggest we have evolved to:-

Wilkie Howard Wilson
Sinclair Battle, Wanganeen-Milera
Hill Steele Henry
Owens King Garcia
Higgins Caminiti Membrey
Marshall Crouch Windhager
Clark Wood Phillipou Byrnes

(So Howard, Henry, Crouch, Clark and Wood absent yesterday)

And take your pick for the 23rd.

We have seasoned back up in Cordy, Bonner and Campbell, which is the reason they were recruited hence not in the side I have offered.

We have yet to see Dow, so opinion reserved (so would he replace Byrnes?).

Then we have further experienced back up in Ross, Jones and Webster - along with the likes of Sharman and Stocker, both currently in the 22.

And how does Paton come back?

The younger brigade pressing is currently led by Schoenmaker by VFL numbers, a player with the size to reshape the side freeing (say) Battle to the midfield and then those who have seen AFL exposure this season, now back in the VFL learning the ropes.

The question remains on Caminiti (at 196cm where that height is a requirement as a key forward hence selected), placing greater responsibility on King up the ground and Membrey in support of Caminiti.

Byrnes has pace and 2 sides, so an advantage pending seeing what Dow brings.

The likes of Keeler and Van Es I would see as next cabs off the rank to cover retirements of our current older contingent so we look for their further development, as with Heath and the kids of mid-field size and running capacity (because we players over 30 years of age starting with Hill, Wood and Crouch so opportunity will come)

The same with Sharman and Membrey in terms of like for like.

Mind you, other debuts such as Wilson and Garcia will change the evolving regime - and we hope that is the case.

And we are saying, right, we have to now find a position for (whoever) so who goes out?

Webster walks back into that side