Watters Age Article

[Teflon]

Watters has suggested ( first time I've heard it said) that we arent right now a top 4 challenger. I agree so the obvious question is how long till we can be? What do we need to do to get there ?

I'm glad we have kept core proven players around the place but I reckon the club has to make a call on a few starting 22 players if we are to improve. I read amazingly Blake wants to go in..... I would not support that. Just like it was time for Baker.... it's time for Blake and not just him some others as well

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Progressive Saints building for future
Jesse Hogan August 31, 2012

St Kilda coach Scott Watters. Photo: Sebastian Costanzo

SCOTT Watters is ambitious enough to be peeved that St Kilda has not reached the finals in his first season as coach, but realistic enough to know the club is not yet a genuine premiership contender.
The Saints won only two of seven matches this season when the margin was 18 points or less. That record was pivotal as the Saints failed for only the third time in the past decade to reach the finals.
''This is not where we want to be … but we know we're probably still a work in progress right at the moment to legitimately be a challenging top-four side. That's our ambition - we'll go after that pretty aggressively,'' Watters said yesterday.
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A win against Carlton at Etihad Stadium on Sunday would guarantee the Saints ninth place. It would also give them a 12-10 season record that would surpass - by half a game - what they managed last season, which was enough for sixth and a finals berth.
Watters said one of the most pleasing aspects of his first season in charge was how many of the club's previously unproven players showed they deserved their place on the list.
''We think our list has developed,'' he said. ''We probably feel we've found six, seven, eight players who our supporters, and maybe even internally, we weren't sure were going to be really able to stand up.

[QuestionOfAccuracy]

Watters has suggested ( first time I've heard it said) that we arent right now a top 4 challenger. I agree so the obvious question is how long till we can be? What do we need to do to get there ?

I'm glad we have kept core proven players around the place but I reckon the club has to make a call on a few starting 22 players if we are to improve. I read amazingly Blake wants to go in..... I would not support that. Just like it was time for Baker.... it's time for Blake and not just him some others as well

I agree. And that's why when Joey's re-signing was announced, I was only moderately please because I thought he was the most logical choice to be traded - he has currency, and is the type of player that is the most replaceable out of our "core".

The Dal trade rumours don't excite me because one of the reasons we're not a top-four challenger is ball use/lack of skill - but that's a strength of Dal's.


"What do we need to get there?" - Top priorities are to bolster the ruck division and the back six.

I'm undecided about Blake. He was brilliant in the first half of the year. I took his selection this week as surely a "farewell game". But if the club is unable to secure another ruckman in the off-season then they may be tempted to hang on to Jason.

[Leo.J]

What do we need to get there?

No.1 A key defender

We are 4th in attack.

We are 8th in defence.

If we can improve our defence rating to match there abouts our attack we're there.

[plugger66]

What do we need to get there?

No.1 A key defender

We are 4th in attack.

We are 8th in defence.

If we can improve our defence rating to match there abouts our attack we're there.

Ideally if we trade we would get a key defender, a forward who can ruck and an outside mid with pace.

[Leo.J]

What do we need to get there?

No.1 A key defender

We are 4th in attack.

We are 8th in defence.

If we can improve our defence rating to match there abouts our attack we're there.

Ideally if we trade we would get a key defender, a forward who can ruck and an outside mid with pace.

Sounds good.

[plugger66]

What do we need to get there?

No.1 A key defender

We are 4th in attack.

We are 8th in defence.

If we can improve our defence rating to match there abouts our attack we're there.

Ideally if we trade we would get a key defender, a forward who can ruck and an outside mid with pace.

Sounds good.

Can you start working on it now?

[Teflon]

What do we need to get there?

No.1 A key defender

We are 4th in attack.

We are 8th in defence.

If we can improve our defence rating to match there abouts our attack we're there.

Ideally if we trade we would get a key defender, a forward who can ruck and an outside mid with pace.

I think that's right - get on it pluggsy

[plugger66]

What do we need to get there?

No.1 A key defender

We are 4th in attack.

We are 8th in defence.

If we can improve our defence rating to match there abouts our attack we're there.

Ideally if we trade we would get a key defender, a forward who can ruck and an outside mid with pace.

I think that's right - get on it pluggsy

Leo is onto it. I will oversee it. When we get the players I will give you a call.

[Old Mate]

Stanley / Wilkes / Kosi (assuming he's contracted) are forward / backup ruckman so we don't need another of those.

What we do need in terms of talls:
- A ready made ruckman as backup to Mac
- A young ruckman to develop
- A ready made key position full back
- Possibly a young key position full back to develop (not sure on Lever)

Also midfield depth is lacking (inside and outside). Not sure about Armo and Steven. They look like good support mids however not guns to fill the void left by Hayes and co.

- If Goddard leaves it would be a coup to get Boak, Caddy or someone of that ilk with the compo pick.
- Spend our early picks on mids

[plugger66]

Stanley / Wilkes / Kosi (assuming he's contracted) are forward / backup ruckman so we don't need another of those.

What we do need in terms of talls:
- A ready made ruckman as backup to Mac
- A young ruckman to develop
- A ready made key position full back
- Possibly a young key position full back to develop (not sure on Lever)

Also midfield depth is lacking (inside and outside). Not sure about Armo and Steven. They look like good support mids however not guns to fill the void left by Hayes and co.

- If Goddard leaves it would be a coup to get Boak, Caddy or someone of that ilk with the compo pick.
- Spend our early picks on mids

IMO only Stanley is capable of playing well in future and certainly the only one who can ruck.

[Old Mate]

Stanley / Wilkes / Kosi (assuming he's contracted) are forward / backup ruckman so we don't need another of those.

What we do need in terms of talls:
- A ready made ruckman as backup to Mac
- A young ruckman to develop
- A ready made key position full back
- Possibly a young key position full back to develop (not sure on Lever)

Also midfield depth is lacking (inside and outside). Not sure about Armo and Steven. They look like good support mids however not guns to fill the void left by Hayes and co.

- If Goddard leaves it would be a coup to get Boak, Caddy or someone of that ilk with the compo pick.
- Spend our early picks on mids

IMO only Stanley is capable of playing well in future and certainly the only one who can ruck.

I think in terms of prioritising what we need at this point in time a forward who can ruck part-time is down the pecking order. We have no succession plan or insurance in place for McEvoy. Along with the key defence that's our number one priority IMO. Two rucks and two key defenders. One of each for insurance and one of each for succession planning.

The problem this year was at times we had our part time ruckman permanently rucking when McEvoy was injured. Surely the club won't let that happen next year.

[Thinline]

I can't stand that 'genuine premiership contender' cliche.

Never read past it.

[Richter]

I also don't think that another 2nd Tall forward/ruck is in our top 3 priorities at present....

Drafting a potential replacement for Roo 2-3 years down the track is more important IMO

I can see us going for a Tall with with our 1st round pick tbh

[Old Mate]

I also don't think that another 2nd Tall forward/ruck is in our top 3 priorities at present....

Drafting a potential replacement for Roo 2-3 years down the track is more important IMO

I can see us going for a Tall with with our 1st round pick tbh

I guess Stanley is our great white hope. Replicating Roo's achievements is near on impossible because he's a one in a generation St Kilda player but what we can hope for is that Stanley or whoever we recruit/draft turns into a serviceable tall forward that takes his 120 odd marks and kicks his 40 odd goals a year.

[SainterK]

We need a David Hale type, more so than a fullback IMO...you'd think with some advantage in the middle, the defenders won't be put under so much pressure.

[joffaboy]

Hey Teffers, just FYI, Scotty has been talking about us not being a top four since at least the Geelong match.

He basically said that we will be turning over plenty of older players in the next 12-24 months.

Basically Flagged us being an also ran until 2014 or 2015 from what I heard.

Sounded brutally honest about our current state chances (pretty poor) but genuinely enthused about the kids, looking 2 years ahead for some.

He gave no false hope.

Time for us to stick fat.

Watters talks the talk, and I am wiling to cut him some slack for the next two years at least while we transition.

[Foz]

Watters said on radio prior to the Cats game that he had no doubt there were players at Sandy (he didnt name) that hadn't played a senior game that would become long-term servents of the Stkilda Football Club. These players are likely to be Seb Ross, Markworth, Curren, Minchington. Maybe Ferg.

He also mentioned that Minchington is the likely replacement for Milney. Said he was 12-24 months off but would be a player. Interestingly, Minch had his surgery early this year.

From what i have seen at sandy - very strong, good kick, speed player. Can get up the field too.

[Teflon]

Hey Teffers, just FYI, Scotty has been talking about us not being a top four since at least the Geelong match.

He basically said that we will be turning over plenty of older players in the next 12-24 months.

Basically Flagged us being an also ran until 2014 or 2015 from what I heard.

Sounded brutally honest about our current state chances (pretty poor) but genuinely enthused about the kids, looking 2 years ahead for some.

He gave no false hope.

Time for us to stick fat.

Watters talks the talk, and I am wiling to cut him some slack for the next two years at least while we transition.

Cheers Joffa

I hadn't heard but agree now is the time to stick fat while we re load.

I think with Pelchens there you almost have that perfect good cop/ back cop scenario for honest list management