Where's Wilkes at?

[skeptic]

Thought he played a decent game VS Melb and was unlucky to be dropped but it was understandable in regards to who was to come in, balance etc

His second game... whilst he didn't kick many goals I thought he contested really well and played quite a smart and effective game w/o dominanting. Unfortunate to see him dropped again.

My sense is that many forumites feel his papers are already stamped and that there really isn't a place for him on our list.

What do you guys think?

[mad saint guy]

Is strictly a FF but Kosi almost has immunity because he is needed to help in the ruck. Wilkes doesn't offer this versatility and couldn't really be in the 50 along with Kosi. Just doesn't fit in the current structures. Also not sure if he's good enough to beat a decent AFL defender. Would like to see him get another chance by the end of the year though.

[plugger66]

Sorry but is this the same Wilkes who was written off forever after his last game. Why do players get better when they dont play? Wilkes could play for one player only and that is Kosi. Kosi is completely out of form but will get another chance and deserves to play ahead of Wilkes baring Wilkes kicking a couple of bags in the next 2 games.

[Old Mate]

Personally wrote wilkes off as a back option....

I think its time to give him a go ahead of kosi who has been extremely poor the last month (beat up GC). Would mean Blake ruck more so find a spot for Simpkin down back.

[SaintSimmo]

He is at Sandringham

[WellardSaint]

Is Wilkes the 2012 version of Ryan Gamble? He seemed to be a little slow and didn't appear to body up... you can't judge a player on a performance against Melbourne!

[Foz]

Doing well at Sandy - playing as a full forward.

Is similar to Kosi in that a lot of his marking comes in contests, very strong in 1-on-1.

Wilkes well ahead of Archer as the tall forward option but whether thats good enough to retain on primary list, I guess the last part of season will tell.

In his favour - has taken the limited opportunity and is the best back up fwd going around. Also if we draft tall backs/ruck in draft, a tall fwd option is still retained. Against - hasn't been used when Stanley out injured, very limited ground game.

[Old Mate]

Has Wilkes really struggled as a forward at afl level? He's had limited opportunity in his preferred role, snagged a few in the wet against the Dees. Kosi has given nothing the last few weeks. Unless he retains his spot to create space for Roo, and that's it.

[gringo]

Kosi was great early on but struggled against adelaide. some suggested he was injured and Roo was definitely sore with a calf.Wilkes is there for exactly that situation. He may not have the flexibility to ruck if Mac went down but he would have been handy with a couple of goals even. He is doing every thing right at the moment and should get a run if one of them has an injury. he can't play as a backman full stop though.

[WinnersOnly]

I wouldnt be upset when STANLEY comes back for he to play alongside WILKES rather than KOSI. For me KOSI is a liability 50% of the time and is simply too slow to play that position and when he is not taking marks he is nothing short of a 'witches hat' for the opposition. Lets hope WILKES can put some pressure on KOSI when STANLEY returns as we will not improve with KOSI at full forward that is garunteed !

[defacto]

wilkes is also deadily accurate by footy. dont know if wilkes can smash the packs like kozi or run out a game like a healthy kozi

[SainterK]

Kosi shouldn't of played v GC, Wilkes should of.

[PJ]

Tall forwards

1/Riewoldt
2/ Kosi
3/ Stanley
4/ McEvoy
5/ Wilkes

Kosi and Stanley are debatable but Wilkes is still 5th in line.

[bobmurray]

AND

i'd be surprised if Archer is still at the club next year....how many years can he be a rookie....is he getting any better...is Wilkes ahead of him
in terms of ability, if so, it may well be curtains for the bow and arrow man....

[skeptic]

not everybody wrote Wilkes off after his last game

[The Redeemer]

Is strictly a FF but Kosi almost has immunity because he is needed to help in the ruck. Wilkes doesn't offer this versatility and couldn't really be in the 50 along with Kosi. Just doesn't fit in the current structures. Also not sure if he's good enough to beat a decent AFL defender. Would like to see him get another chance by the end of the year though.

I would certainly sign him to another deal. To me he is great coverage and will probably get more games before the year has concluded.

[Saints43]

Sorry but is this the same Wilkes who was written off forever after his last game.

Yes. Everyone said this. On behalf of 4000-odd registered users I offer our apologies to you.

[bobmurray]

Sorry but is this the same Wilkes who was written off forever after his last game.

Yes. Everyone said this. On behalf of 4000-odd registered users I offer our apologies to you.

How do you know those 4000 registered users are odd....

I know a couple of them are....

[battye]

Wilkes?! Probably an honest trier but not AFL standard. It's no contest between Wilkes and Kosi. Kosi every time. We are better off putting time into a young tall forward. When he returns from injury that will be Stanley; we should also recruit another tall forward in this years draft.

[bobmurray]

Wilkes?! Probably an honest trier but not AFL standard. It's no contest between Wilkes and Kosi. Kosi every time. We are better off putting time into a young tall forward. When he returns from injury that will be Stanley; we should also recruit another tall forward in this years draft.

If there are any in this upcoming draft that lacks Key Position players

[plugger66]

Sorry but is this the same Wilkes who was written off forever after his last game.

Yes. Everyone said this. On behalf of 4000-odd registered users I offer our apologies to you.

Sorry for your lack of reading ability but not sure i said that.

[Winmar]

He's always looked pretty nervous to me when he's come in. Silly fumbles and dropped marks etc. I hope he improves and turns into a half-decent player.

[defacto]

He's always looked pretty nervous to me when he's come in. Silly fumbles and dropped marks etc. I hope he improves and turns into a half-decent player.

thats probably because he's been played down back, a position he just isnt suited to.

when he's played fwd he looks good and composed. problem is he very limited opportunity up fwd. the eagles game he was against probably the best backline in the competition and attracted more attention due to us losing stanley pretty early on

[Bernard Shakey]

Where did he play for Sandy today? Didn't trouble the scorer.

The bloke is an average to good VFL player nowhere near AFL standard.

[Scollop]

When he finally made his debut in a Saints jumper he was fantastic. You really felt for him when the runner came out and wanted to take him off. Then we were all confused as to why he was subbed. IMHO, the symbolic red vest in that third quarter wasn't just an indication that the coaches weren't looking to Wilkes to help the team win against the Dees, but it also probably meant that they'd already made their minds up about who was going to line up on the forward line when the team was picked for the next match against the Hawks.

In a way it's kind of good that he hasn't been given the fullback role and that Simpkin has been allowed to learn and develop in that position, but it's sort of a bit weird that we recruited the guy at all. I felt for him over in WA....he did look shocking, but then again so did most of the team in that first half. Footy politics means he won't get much of an opportunity where as if the senior blokes like Blakey or Roo or Kosi wanted to have a rest against the Suns, Wilkes would've been perfect.

I'd still like to see him play some games against weaker opposition instead of Roo or instead of Kosi...but who knows. Like so many other players missing out because they aren't A or even B graders, he languishes in the VFL and he probably loses interest and loses the hunger, when he sees that he cannot break into the seniors, no matter how many bags he kicks.