Our Best 22 Round 1

[older saint]

Assume everyone is fit and available ( attard, Baker aside) what would our best 22 look like.

I'll have a go:

B: Maguire, Hudghton, X Clarke
HB: Gram, S Fisher, Goddard
C: Montgana, Hayes, Gilbert
HF: Dal Santo, Riewoldt, Schnieder
F: Kosi , Gerhig, Milne
Foll: King, Harvey, Ball
Int: Fiora, M. Gardiner, Blake, R Clarke
Emg: Rix, L Fisher, Birss

Assume Gardiner is fit to plat if not could play either Rix or emergency and Kosi as second ruck.
Hoping names like Armitage, Allen, Ferguson, Dempster, Gardiner and Geary add pressure

[bigcarl]

B: Maguire, Hudghton, X Clarke
HB: Gram, S Fisher, Goddard
C: Montgana, Hayes, Gilbert
HF: Dal Santo, Riewoldt, Schnieder
F: Kosi , Gerhig, Milne
Foll: King, Harvey, Ball
Int: Fiora, M. Gardiner, Blake, R Clarke

can't find much fault with that. might have found a spot for l. fisher and i'd have goose at chb rather than s. fisher.

like the forward set up and the centre line, though. plenty of goals there

[mad saint guy]

B: S.Fisher, Hudghton, L.Fisher
HB: Gram, Maguire, Goddard
C: Gilbert, Hayes, Montagna
HF: Schneider, Riewoldt, X.Clarke
F: Gehrig, Koschitzke, Milne

Foll: King, Ball, Dal Santo
Int: Blake, Fiora, M.Gardiner, Harvey

Close: Birss, Dempster, Geary, R.Clarke

[milney044]

That list makes me drool. Just 58 days...
Has there been a prediction as to when Attard will be back, or perhaps an educated guess from anybody on here?

[Otiman]

That list makes me drool. Just 58 days...
Has there been a prediction as to when Attard will be back, or perhaps an educated guess from anybody on here?

I think they'll play it safe and get him started doing preseason training earlier than the other guys, and not have him play any competitive footy in '08.

[st.byron]

Assume everyone is fit and available ( attard, Baker aside) what would our best 22 look like.

I'll have a go:

B: Maguire, Hudghton, X Clarke
HB: Gram, S Fisher, Goddard
C: Montgana, Hayes, Gilbert
HF: Dal Santo, Riewoldt, Schnieder
F: Kosi , Gerhig, Milne
Foll: King, Harvey, Ball
Int: Fiora, M. Gardiner, Blake, R Clarke
Emg: Rix, L Fisher, Birss

Assume Gardiner is fit to plat if not could play either Rix or emergency and Kosi as second ruck.
Hoping names like Armitage, Allen, Ferguson, Dempster, Gardiner and Geary add pressure

Like the look of that.
I'd like to see X given a role rebounding from full back regularly, provided he stays fit. His attack on the footy is good, but he doesn't kick enough goals to start from a HFF. Would also swap Goose and Sam Fisher.

[bigcarl]

X doesn't kick enough goals to start from a HFF.

agree. unless he's improved in that regard we're better served playing him back

[Eastern]

I'd be looking at playing Goddard off the bench for the first 5-6 games. Lets not forget that was ONLY Rd 6-7 last yr when he did his knee and required a reco !!

[To the top]

I agree the names except I would have L. Fisher in the 22 instead of Milne.

I would also hope that someone like Armitage would push up to pressure (say) Blake because that would add more mid-field option.

I would have Maguire at CHB and no where else. The reason is he is not a close checking defender, the type who is on the hammer of a leading forward. At CHB Maguire does not have to be quite as accountable, can read the game and maximise his rebounding abilities.

I would have Gilbert in a back pocket, as the under-study to Max at FB. Good learning curve for the obvious (at this stage) next full back - once he puts on a little more condition in the gym. Taking the 3rd tall, or a mid-sized forward is the education curve, before taking the next step.

I would have L. Fisher in a back pocket. Really solid, and if caught out for pace (by, say, the guy at Melbourne and the like) X. Clarke could cover.

I would allow Roo to play as a true utility, with licence.

Kosi to CHF. His confidence and condition should be improved given the games he got in last year.

Fiora can mark and can kick, and improved in finding the ball on the ground last year. A pick up in defensive pressure and an improvement in kicking accuracy would make him a dangerous half-forward. Five kicks, 5 goals.

Harvey on the bench. He is a bonus.

R. Clarke on the bench because he can play forward, back or in the mid-field.

Schneider competes with Milne, and wins out on a superior range of skills. Brings more to a footy team than Milne, in my view including because he can tackle.

Gehrig to lead up, with the option of King/Gardiner dropping into the square. Or Kosi doubling back or Roo dropping into the F50 if one of King/Gardiner is on the pine. Three tall options in attack with X. Clarke, Schneider, Fiora and a mid putting ground pressure on.

I would initially have X. Clarke on a HFF because of his defensive skills aligned to his flair and excitement.

We need a big body in the mid-field, particularly if King and Gardiner address our ruck deficiencies and direct the ball. For that reason I would have Goddard in the centre. Superior user of the ball by hand or foot.

I do not find a place for Baker. "Tough nut" is not enough these days. You also have to be able to influence the result - and turn in BOG performances.

Gram and S. Fisher on the half-back flanks. They have shown their capabilities over a couple of years now, and compliment each other and Maguire.

I have always likes teams who have on a half-back flank someone who would play CHB in other sides (although not quite a CHB).

Anyway, enough from me!

[Saints Premiers 2008]

i dont see goddard going back to his usual position as the playmaker at half back straight up...due to his knee...i could be wrong

i would prefer him to be eased back into it on the forward flank and possibly 3rd tall in the forward line

his kicking should not be missed much in my opinion...we still have gram, dal santo, a fitter maguire and kosi all as linkmen coming out from defensive 50 at various situations and times throughout the match

i guess i have prejudice though as i could see goddard as both a champion center an a champion forward sooner rather than later...to me he is wasted in the backline...his agression up the ground is vital and should be exploited more often

[vacuous space]

I can't see Lyon going with two rucks and three tall forwards very often. I think he'd prefer extra runners to talls, so I'd expect Gardiner to sit R1 if everyone's healthy. King and Kosi can handle the ruck duties, and there's always Blake in an emergency. Playing Gardiner for less than half the game is a total waste of a bench spot.

S. Fisher - Hudghton - R. Clarke
Gram - Maguire - Gilbert
Goddard - Hayes - Schneider
Montagna - Riewoldt - Fiora
Harvey - Gehrig - Koschitzke
King - Dal Santo - Ball

Blake - X. Clarke - L. Fisher - Milne

Edit: Forgot Fiora. Dropped X to the interchange and Birss out of the lineup.

[bigcarl]

I can't see Lyon going with two rucks and three tall forwards very often. I think he'd prefer extra runners to talls, so I'd expect Gardiner to sit R1 if everyone's healthy. King and Kosi can handle the ruck duties, and there's always Blake in an emergency. Playing Gardiner for less than half the game is a total waste of a bench spot.

i think kosi forward is too important to a forward line that failed to kick winning scores last year and was among the worst in the competition for converting inside 50s to goals.

kosi really should be full forward ... on the basis that he can take a contested mark and also the fact that we need to look to life after fraser.

gehrig's return should be treated as a bonus and with kosi nearby one of them will get a lesser defender.

will mean more goals for st kilda ... an area in which we were very poor last season.

we cannot afford to again be the lowest scoring team in the competition and kosi forward is part of that. let's not underestimate the importance of turning opportunities into goals

[mad saint guy]

I can't see Lyon going with two rucks and three tall forwards very often. I think he'd prefer extra runners to talls, so I'd expect Gardiner to sit R1 if everyone's healthy. King and Kosi can handle the ruck duties, and there's always Blake in an emergency. Playing Gardiner for less than half the game is a total waste of a bench spot.

That didn't stop him last year. We often had Clarke/Rix/Kosi/Riewoldt/Gehrig in the side. If one of Clarke or Rix missed he'd play Kosi purely as a ruckman and play Voss as the extra marking target up forward.

Although I do agree that we need more mobile players. It all depends on how well King and Gardiner can still play. In their prime they dominated the hitouts and then had a huge presence around the ground. If they were like that then there would be no problem playing them both as well as three tall forwards. However they (especially Gardiner) have slowed down a lot over the years and may not be any more useful than Rix around the ground.

We really just need to see a few games in 2008 before deciding the best line up. Too many newcomers and players returning from injury to base the entire selection on 2007.

[saintsRrising]

Round 1... I don't think M Gardiner will be match fit and practiced enough by then....and expect he will be eased into things...though RL will like the idea of two genuine ruckmen.

Remember do not play underdone players. There may be a question mark over B too for this reason...and yes Goose too.

We are playing the Swans...so I expect both Schneider and Dempster to play......and this also means that Blake will play.

Dempster to play on O Keefe
Max on O Laughlin
Goose on Hall
Gilbert on Davis

Dempster 192 Max 191 Gilbert 194

Gram 186 Goose 190 S Fisher 191

BJ 191 Lenny 186 Joey 178

Roo 193 Kosi 197 Schneider 179
Milne 178 GTrain 195 C X 181

King 201 Dal 185 Ball 186

Harvey 181 Fiora 186 Birss 184 Raph 188 Blake 189 (191?)

[Saints Premiers 2008]

i would play s fisher on davis...make davis accountable on the field and as he is not too quick this should suit the fair paced fisher

gilbert goes to rok...this could go bad however i think gilbert has the pace and tackling ability to perform the tight tag on the dangerous rok...couple with gilberts running this might work

i havent seen enough of dempster to assign him a player

[The Bluff]

Lyons has already said that he plans to alternate Gardiner and King each week allowing them to stay 'fresh'. Not a bad idea given their injury history.

I struggle to see where Goddard and L Fisher will fit in with their lack of pace, especially in a back line containing Maguire and Hudgton. I think with Lyons gameplan the Clarke boys might be better suited.

[Saints Premiers 2008]

Lyons has already said that he plans to alternate Gardiner and King each week allowing them to stay 'fresh'. Not a bad idea given their injury history.

I struggle to see where Goddard and L Fisher will fit in with their lack of pace, especially in a back line containing Maguire and Hudgton. I think with Lyons gameplan the Clarke boys might be better suited.

im scared at the thought of alternating ruckmen...i cannot see how it will work...to me king will go just fine...he was not injured last year at all from memory...no reason why he cannot do it again

l.fisher will tag the first six weeks considering both bakes and attard are out...he did a fine job towards the end of the year when given tagging roles so he is a suitable replacement...its good to see him add another string to his bow in the form of tagging capaibilities

if all goes well raph will turn into a darryl white like player...never a star but an ungangly talent who can play at either end of the ground and do a job with the occassional flash of amazingness....

x...god knows

[vacuous space]

That didn't stop him last year. We often had Clarke/Rix/Kosi/Riewoldt/Gehrig in the side.

Those five played two games together in 07, in round 6 and round 9. Brooks played with four of them twice, in round 5 and round 8. After that, I think Lyon realised that our ruck division comprised of a bunch of duds. Koschitzke didn't play up with Riewoldt and Gehrig very regularly. That might change if King and Gardiner can stay healthy, but I don't think so. I don't think Lyon's a big fan of having three talls up front. I think he'd like to have more ground level players in the forward line to clean up the ground balls and to pressure their running defenders. I think he'd rather have more midfield runners than a resting ruckman. That why i figure that even if he's healthy, Gardi won't play R1.

[bigcarl]

Koschitzke didn't play up with Riewoldt and Gehrig very regularly.

maybe that was why we couldn't put a score on the board.

i want to know which team has enough good tall defenders to cover all three given quick, long and direct delivery forward

it (kosi forward full time) is a crucial step towards breaking down our crippling reliance on riewoldt

[saintsRrising]

Lyons has already said that he plans to alternate Gardiner and King each week allowing them to stay 'fresh'. Not a bad idea given their injury history.

.

Interesting. Was this in the press or on SEN or????

If you have a link that would be apprecaited.

[woooosaints]

Assume everyone is fit and available ( attard, Baker aside) what would our best 22 look like.

I'll have a go:

B: Maguire, Hudghton, X Clarke
HB: Gram, S Fisher, Goddard
C: Montgana, Hayes, Gilbert
HF: Dal Santo, Riewoldt, Schnieder
F: Kosi , Gerhig, Milne
Foll: King, Harvey, Ball
Int: Fiora, M. Gardiner, Blake, R Clarke
Emg: Rix, L Fisher, Birss

Assume Gardiner is fit to plat if not could play either Rix or emergency and Kosi as second ruck.
Hoping names like Armitage, Allen, Ferguson, Dempster, Gardiner and Geary add pressure

I think the only changes i would have to that lineup is M Gardiner out and kosi to play as second ruck rucking in the forward 50. I also think we need milne to stop trying to be a midfielder and go back to his ways as a deadeye forward 50 player

[plugger66]

Hope lenny is available round 1. Hasnt really trained since before Xmas dut to an injury. Will miss interclub IMO so he has about 4 weeks to get ready after that.

[Saints94]

FB: L.Fisher M.Hudghton S.Fisher

CHB: J.Gram M.Maguire B.Goddard

C: S.Gilbert L.Hayes L.Montagna

CHF: R.Harvey N.Riewoldt A.Schnieder

FF: S.Milne F.Gehrig J.Kozchitzke

FOLL: S.King L.Ball N.Dal Santo

INT: X.Clarke A.Fiora J.Blake M.Gardiner

[rexy]

I do not find a place for Baker. "Tough nut" is not enough these days. You also have to be able to influence the result - and turn in BOG performances.

Cant be serious, cant find a place for Baker? Tough nut, tagger, excellent BP player with closing speed and good timing on the spoil, rarely turns the ball over, 05 B&F winner, finds the goals when he finds himself forward for any reason. Hope that no one on the coaching staff shares your thoughts.

[saintsRrising]

Bakes should be in the "best 22". But for Round 1 is not eligible as he is suspended which is the only reason I left him out.


Later in the year it could well be whoever is in better form plays amongst the group of Bakes, L Fisher and Birss... or at least two out of three anyway.

That is of course as long as Misson and Co...keep our injury rate under control.