New boys - How many games?

[RW&B]

It's exciting to have a large group of talented young players who are yet to play in St Kilda colours. Longer, Savage, Delaney, Bruce, Markworth, White, Billings, Pierce, Dunstan and Acres. How many games, baring injury, do you expect each of these guys to play in 2014? Without any exposed form from Richo makes it a hard task because we don't know for example how often he will play Hickey and Longer together. I'll have a crack first.

Acres (6)
Billings (6)
Bruce (14)
Delaney (22)
Dunstan (12)
Longer (16)
Markworth (12)
Pierce (0)
Savage (18)
White (6)

Bruce the hardest to pick for mine.

[st_Trav_ofWA]

i would think Bruce Delaney and Savage would play most games ...
if we are ridgydige about the rebuild then Longer should be getting exposed to game time regularly
Markworth is an interesting one as it was rumored he was a dead certainty to bust into the team last year before doing the knee , not all players are like Lenny who can come back better than ever straight after doing the knee so i reckon he might start off slowly and hopefully finish out the season with a good string of games ...
Pierce should maybe get a taste of a game but really should be developing more in the VFL while he continues to grow into his size..
Acres, Billings Dunstan and White i think will get some stints in the seniors im hopeful that we will have at least 2 rising star nominations from that group

[SinCitySainter]

I think Savage and Delaney will play from day one and should play the majority of games when fit.
I would expect Bruce would be aiming to play within the first few games and then to consolidate his position in the senior squad.
Billings and Acres I would not expect to play seniors next year at all, they need a couple of pre-seasons to build up to AFL size.
Dunstan appears a bit more AFL ready so I wouldn't be surprised to see him get a few games towards the end of the season.
Longer is interesting. We will play Hickey as the number one ruck, Stanley and Longer will fight it out for the ruck/forward position.
Stanley may well be the incumbent but he will need to show some form early not to lose his place.
Pierce will be looking to show enough in the VFL to be offered a new deal and I think will only play seniors if we have a ruck injury crisis.
Markworth and White will both be looking to show some early VFL form and will hopefully be pushing senior selection by midway through the season.

[bergholt]

It's exciting to have a large group of talented young players who are yet to play in St Kilda colours. Longer, Savage, Delaney, Bruce, Markworth, White, Billings, Pierce, Dunstan and Acres. How many games, baring injury, do you expect each of these guys to play in 2014?

Good question. I reckon something like:

Longer (20)
Savage (20)
Delaney (15)
Markworth (15)
Dunstan (10)
Billings (10)
Bruce (10)
White (5)
Acres (0)
Pierce (0)

[st_Trav_ofWA]

i will expect Acres and billings to get a run ... we are in the rebuild mode so although we will protect the boys we will also give them every chance to prove themselves on the big stage... if you look at the likes of GWS and GC they played the young guys while still protecting them and it has been a good thing for the development .. i would say we would do the same

[plugger66]

Going to be hard to fit Longer, Stanley and Hickey in the same side. yes players need developing but if Longer and Hickey cant play as a forward then how do both play together. It wont help their confidence not getting a kick when resting forward. Expect savage and Delaney to start but Delaney to be found out what he really is and thats a seconds footballer so then Bruce will be able to come into the side. Dont care if the first year players get a game unless of course they are like a Selwood and can go from day one.

[bergholt]

Going to be hard to fit Longer, Stanley and Hickey in the same side. yes players need developing but if Longer and Hickey cant play as a forward then how do both play together.

When Longer was signed we made the claim that he could go forward. Not sure how true that is but we'll see - he obviously needs to get a good try down there.

[st_Trav_ofWA]

im not sold Stanley will ever become more than that guy who won the half time sprint in the g/f ..... to me i think Stanley will have a heck of a time keeping his spot Longer and Hickey are going to be the future so ill expect them to play more ...
as for your veiws Plugger on Delaney the same could well be said about Roberton last year , given a red hot go at it Delaney could become a very good player for us ..

[plugger66]

im not sold Stanley will ever become more than that guy who won the half time sprint in the g/f ..... to me i think Stanley will have a heck of a time keeping his spot Longer and Hickey are going to be the future so ill expect them to play more ...
as for your veiws Plugger on Delaney the same could well be said about Roberton last year , given a red hot go at it Delaney could become a very good player for us ..

yes and I said the same about Roberton and was wrong. The difference is this guy is 24 and has been in the system 5 years and still hasnt played 30 games. They cant all make it and id rather a guy we paid nothing for be one of them who doesnt otherwise the hindsighters will say i told you so if its one of the higher picks.

[st_Trav_ofWA]

I agree Delaney is back against the wall at the moment given his age and his experiance but as we have seen with many players some times that change of club can be the spark to get them going ... look at Clinton Jones for example was 23 with zero AFL experiance when he got to the saints and he managed to carve out a decent AFL carreer ... from the point of Delaney being in the system for 5 years already while not ideal to be there that long without many games it does show he has some upside otherwise he wouldnt have lasted the 5 years ... some times it takes 5 years to reach a players true potential ... look at Armo its only been in the last 2 years he has been a regular in the team the 4 years before that he was fighting to get into the team ...

either way Delaney cost us nothing really and if nothing else gives us some much needed size in the back line

[kosifantutti]

Delaney will play every game so...
Delaney 25
Savage 20
Bruce 18
Longer 15
Markworth 14
Dunstan 11
Billings 11
White 7
Acres 5
Pierce 1

[desertsaint]

Delaney will play every game so...
Delaney 25
Savage 20
Bruce 18
Longer 15
Markworth 14
Dunstan 11
Billings 11
White 7
Acres 5
Pierce 1

We come from fifth, not fourth - so 26 for Delaney.

[Con Gorozidis]

I have Dunstan down for round 1.
He looks 25. Ready to go.

Jack and Blake wont be rushed.

[Kernal75]

I don't understand how Bruce doesn't play most games. We cried out for key defenders during last season and we go and get them and don't play them. I see Delaney FB and Bruce CHB which then frees up Fisher & Roberton to play the rebounding defenders role.

[RW&B]

I don't understand how Bruce doesn't play most games. We cried out for key defenders during last season and we go and get them and don't play them. I see Delaney FB and Bruce CHB which then frees up Fisher & Roberton to play the rebounding defenders role.

Gilbert and Fisher were injured for most of last year and both have spent time playing in the spine. It will depend on how Richo wants to use those two. I think everyone will agree that they are both better suited as rebounders but with Roberton and Dempster it makes for a very tall backline. Gwilt will also make things interesting. Might just depend on the opposition forward line week to week.

[RW&B]

Delaney 22
Billings 16
Dunstan 16
Longer 16
Savage 14
Bruce 10
Acres 3
White 2
Pierce 0
Markworth 0

For me the surprises were Billings and Markworth. Really hope he can get a clear ran at it this year so we can see what he can produce.

So what about this year? How many games do we think the following will play?

McCartin
Goddard
McKenzie
Lonie
Pierce
Holmes
Saad
Membrey
Markworth

[gringo]

I don't understand how Bruce doesn't play most games. We cried out for key defenders during last season and we go and get them and don't play them. I see Delaney FB and Bruce CHB which then frees up Fisher & Roberton to play the rebounding defenders role.

Gilbert and Fisher were injured for most of last year and both have spent time playing in the spine. It will depend on how Richo wants to use those two. I think everyone will agree that they are both better suited as rebounders but with Roberton and Dempster it makes for a very tall backline. Gwilt will also make things interesting. Might just depend on the opposition forward line week to week.

Shenton is probably ahead of Robbo still and Webster before the injury was looking like a certainty. To me Delaney plays every game. billings and Dustan will play any game they are fit for. Savage will play a majority but with the chance of a spell at Sandy for any drop offs. White will play about 10 IMO. Longer will play when Hickey misses IMO. Bruce will depend on what Goddard can do and if we have play a forward /ruck ..anywhere from 5 to 20 games.

Pierce will probably need to two proper rucks to go down.

[RW&B]

For me I'll guess

Goddard 10-12
Saad 14
McCartin 10-12
McKenzie 6
Lonie 0
Markworth 4
Pierce 4
Holmes 2
Membrey 16

[bergholt]

RW&B's estimates for 2014:

Delaney 22, played 22
Billings 6, played 16
Dunstan 12, played 16
Longer 16, played 16
Savage 18, played 14
Bruce 14, played 10
Acres 6, played 3
White 6, played 2
Pierce 0, played 0
Markworth 12, played 0

Looks like you were pretty close overall mate! As you say, main differences were Billings and Markworth. My guesses were a lot further away so I'm not going to quote them.


My guesses for this year:

Membrey - 20
Goddard - 10
McKenzie - 10
Saad - 10
Pierce - 8
Markworth - 6
McCartin - 6
Lonie - 3
Holmes - 2

[spert]

The NAB games should be very interesting and a lot will be revealed with a lot of players.