Team v Eagles

[Bluthy]

It seems that Richo puts as much stock into defenders as GT put into ruckmen.
We have Delaney, Goddard and Lee all not getting a game, we've already been undersized down back with Fisher and Dempster.

Either that or the plan is, OK were going to leak goals so lets hurt them the other way. I'm hoping it doesnt turn out to be a flood.
Still the last time I crapped on about team balance we won, so I'll keep my mouth shut and put faith in Richo's selections

I'm looking forward to the upset

I was bit irked by the lack of KPD's too. But my guess on this is that they want to see if Roberton can step up. He's up to 87 games now. He's had Dempster and Fisher behind him directing traffic virtually his whole time at the saints. Lets see if he can take more responsibly and do a number playing on a big forward. Can he take charge and be verbal organising the defence on the last line. He seems to read the play well and has good marking and pretty good kick. Maybe in a game that was always hard to win its a bit of an experiment and to give Robbo another challenge to keep him developing.

[Playon]

Yeah I get all that but it makes me wonder if Spud or Max would of got a game under Richo. Is stopping a certain goal as important as kicking one?
It becomes an issue when we leak easy goals and go to all this effort to get it down the other end and fail to score only to have it sent back again etc

Dont get me wrong we've done well in defense at times and not so well in others, without Fisher there we may be struggling a bit too much.
As were in a development year I thought it might be handy to give Goddard a run, especially for his development

I get the game plan which is why I offered the Either comment. Still I feel were light on down back and we have options, all of 3 playing in the 2s

As far as Delaney goes, from what I've read he seems to of given up, which is a shame, really nice guy, was hoping he'd make it

[Moods]

Hope I'm wrong, but Roberton is barely AFLstandard imo. Too slow by foot as well as thinking. Also undersized. Has played better this year but I would prefer that Goddard was developed.

[Wrote for Luck]

I really rate Roberton as a ball user who can at times be very damaging by foot. I'm not convinced he can take a big key forward but it will be interesting to see how he goes.

With Geary, Dempster and Joey back there we should, at least, still be organised enough. And the other blokes aren't babies:

Roberton is nearly 25.
Savage is 25.
Webster is nearly 23.
And Gilbert is 29.

They must have a lot of confidence that Roberton is tip top and ready to roll.

[To the top]

The fact that both Fisher and Gilbert each missed nearly 2 seasons heading into last season cost the Club, as their form on resuming last season and again this season has confirmed.

Roberton was also blighted by injury the season before last after a promising first year after coming from the West.

Fisher will be sorely missed on Sunday - at 191cm he remains a premier defender.

The responsibility will firstly fall on Gilbert (194cm and a very good closing player with a good spoil and good run from defence), Roberton (194cm who to date has not shown he can play to his height in my view but can rebound) and Dempster (191cm who has not often played to his height acknowledging that he has taken some exceptional marks but not noted for rebound).

These 3 will have to play to their height in firstly effecting spoils in marking contests, bringing the ball to ground for (hopefully) the precision, running rebound of Montagna, Webster and Savage.

Geary will be handed a "lock down" task, probably on Le Cras who is dangerous at ground level and in the air.

Where the problem may be is with the third man up - where Webster at 188cm is the next tallest after Gilbert, Roberton and Dempster and would be under pressure as we saw last week when he was forced to that role.

Lee at 194cm is still being educated on defence, but has potential with his marking and disposal (noting that disposal out of defence is absolutely vital so he would join our others who are given the ball in the defensive arc - and the reason Montagna is back there now), Goddard remains a work in progress and you would expect that he will graduate to AFL ranks as the season progresses whilst Delaney, as exclusively a lock down defender on monster forwards has limited currency.

Then there is Carlisle sitting in the wings.

The fact is that even without Fisher, our defence has great experience with firstly Montagna, Dempster and Gilbert, then Geary all well past 100 games and then with Savage and Roberton closing on 100 games - then Webster.

So we would be looking at this experience to stand us in good stead - plus with defensive and pressure acts elsewhere disrupting delivery into their forward 50.

The possibility of Bruce going back is always an option - leaving a short and quick mobile attack on the expanses of that venue.

So run them off their legs!

The defensive instruction from me would be "You are the experience of this football Club, so show us you can perform to that status because that is the not negotiable requirement. And, if you can not you are on borrowed time because we will need to turn you over sooner rather than later".

Ruthless hey?

But that IS the competition.

And of that experience, Gilbert and Montagna are the only ones who have a "second string", able to play elsewhere and contribute effectively.

[samuraisaint]

I think I'll let Gavin Mitchell have the last word.
Best game I never went to - watched it with the ferals from the old Animal Enclosure at Stewie Loewe's pub, Flaming Moe's in East Bentleigh.
Probably the greatest day in Dan Healy's life.

[MC Gusto]

Personally think Roberton is v good player

[samuraisaint]

Personally think Roberton is v good player

Agreed. Couldn't believe our luck when we got him after he left Freo. He's going to be a 200 game player for us.

[BigMart]

Shows you how much AR rates Lee

Roberton - not a key defenders A Hole is bought straight back in after 4 weeks out and no VFL walks past Lee

[kosifantutti]

Hope I'm wrong, but Roberton is barely AFLstandard imo. Too slow by foot as well as thinking. Also undersized. Has played better this year but I would prefer that Goddard was developed.

Lucky for you, you are wrong.

He was great last year as he was in 2013.

[Moods]

Hope I'm wrong, but Roberton is barely AFLstandard imo. Too slow by foot as well as thinking. Also undersized. Has played better this year but I would prefer that Goddard was developed.

Lucky for you, you are wrong.

He was great last year as he was in 2013.

No he wasn't. His disposal and decision making is awful, and he's not fast. I'll be happy to be corrected Sunday night. Let's wait and see.

[SainterK]

Shows you how much AR rates Lee

Roberton - not a key defenders A Hole is bought straight back in after 4 weeks out and no VFL walks past Lee

Obsession with Lee amongst saints fans, don't really understand it

[Con Gorozidis]

This is what I think:

AR has already played his cards. He thinks we have a GF defence of Carlisle-Roberton-Webster-Goddard-?-?

This is kind of a self fulfilling prophecy because guys like Delaney and Lee already deep down KNOW they are not in the coach's plans. Therefore because their confidence is SMASHED the coach can point to this and say 'See I told you they were no good.'

The other two back spots are open - Savage, Newnes, Rice, White, DMac will fight for those two spots.

I used to think that Roberton (hard tackler, tall and good runner) was easily better than Lee but now I am not convinced. Yes Roberton is tougher and a better tackler - but Lee is clearly a better kick and these days I place a heavy weight on kicking. I now think Lee is maybe/possibly better than Roberton. So I think maybe the coach has made the wrong bet here.

[saintspremiers]

Shows you how much AR rates Lee

Roberton - not a key defenders A Hole is bought straight back in after 4 weeks out and no VFL walks past Lee

Obsession with Lee amongst saints fans, don't really understand it

I like Lee and he was shafted by AR even though Minch could play two very poor games and then get a third after finally being dropped.

Saying all that, Robbo was an automatic in. He has three kids and he's only 24. Forced to be way more mature than most blokes at 30

[WellardSaint]

Waking up to rain in Perth

[SaintPav]

Hope I'm wrong, but Roberton is barely AFLstandard imo. Too slow by foot as well as thinking. Also undersized. Has played better this year but I would prefer that Goddard was developed.

Lucky for you, you are wrong.

He was great last year as he was in 2013.

No he wasn't. His disposal and decision making is awful, and he's not fast. I'll be happy to be corrected Sunday night. Let's wait and see.

Kosi is right. He was

[Moods]

Hope I'm wrong, but Roberton is barely AFLstandard imo. Too slow by foot as well as thinking. Also undersized. Has played better this year but I would prefer that Goddard was developed.

Lucky for you, you are wrong.

He was great last year as he was in 2013.

No he wasn't. His disposal and decision making is awful, and he's not fast. I'll be happy to be corrected Sunday night. Let's wait and see.

Kosi is right. He was

All I know is that if players the likes of Roberton are the future at the club, we will continue to be meddling, middle ranked team.

I see it the same as Longer and Hickey. Hickey always had more class and had to be played if we were to improve. Longer was just a stop gap. Thankfully Hickey is starting to realise his potential. Improves the team immeasurably. Roberton is AFL standard, nothing more nothing less. He will do for now, but for the team to make strides the likes of Goddard need to step in the next 12-18mths.

[Bluthy]

Waking up to rain in Perth

Maybe Richo and co consulted the forecast and went with less talls because of the rain. Is there no end to their foresight?

[Bluthy]

This is what I think:

AR has already played his cards. He thinks we have a GF defence of Carlisle-Roberton-Webster-Goddard-?-?

This is kind of a self fulfilling prophecy because guys like Delaney and Lee already deep down KNOW they are not in the coach's plans. Therefore because their confidence is SMASHED the coach can point to this and say 'See I told you they were no good.'

The other two back spots are open - Savage, Newnes, Rice, White, DMac will fight for those two spots.

I used to think that Roberton (hard tackler, tall and good runner) was easily better than Lee but now I am not convinced. Yes Roberton is tougher and a better tackler - but Lee is clearly a better kick and these days I place a heavy weight on kicking. I now think Lee is maybe/possibly better than Roberton. So I think maybe the coach has made the wrong bet here.

Just like Hickey/Longer there is a long way to go with our backs. At the moment Richo is putting a high value on setting standards - hence Tony's list of players that will be picked each week. Robbo with close to 100 AFL games is probably a good standard setter. And this week is definitely a chance to see if he can take more responsibility on his shoulders.

Whether Robbo can develop a strong body to be that 3rd tall back is a question. Sometimes guys put on more weight after 25. From memory Dempster wasn't as solid as he is now until his later 20's. And someone like Dawson was never huge but developed muscles.

[saintsRrising]

Long term it is not Robo vs Goddard (or Carlisle).

Goddard is being groomed as a key defender. Robbo will be on the flank.

However right here and now Goddard is being developed and is deemed no quite ready for a regular spot. If his tank is suspect then at the very long WACA he would struggle.

In addition it will probably be good for Robbos development that he have some big tasks. I mean if we are say ina big final and Goddard or Carlisle go down with injury (or even if they are just havinga bad day and the coach needs to try someone else on their opponent) do you want Robbo then learning how to cover a big forward?

[Bluthy]

Long term it is not Robo vs Goddard (or Carlisle).

Goddard is being groomed as a key defender. Robbo will be on the flank.

However right here and now Goddard is being developed and is deemed no quite ready for a regular spot. If his tank is suspect then at the very long WACA he would struggle.

In addition it will probably be good for Robbos development that he have some big tasks. I mean if we are say ina big final and Goddard or Carlisle go down with injury (or even if they are just havinga bad day and the coach needs to try someone else on their opponent) do you want Robbo then learning how to cover a big forward?

as

Players can suprise you as they develop and get experience and bigger bodies. Who saw Dempster becoming a key back? My issue with Robbo is I don't know if he's got that consistently good kicking to be a a really damaging rebounding back. But his run might be really valuable if he is playing as that third tall - could be that Gibson type that peels off his man straight away to go to the contest and run it out to launch attacks. That then lets us fit one more of Savage, Webster, White, Rice and McKenzie in the team as we have a plethora of these guys and its going to be a struggle to fit them all in.

Lee would be a bit more the traditional third tall - a bit bigger and slower but with great marking and kicking. Its great to have options and see who develops. Two yeas ago we didn't seem to have anyone to replace Demps and Fish.

[loris]

However right here and now Goddard is being developed and is deemed no quite ready for a regular spot. If his tank is suspect then at the very long WACA he would struggle.

Cricket season is over sRS, footy hasn't been played at the WACA since last century!!!

AFL is played at Subiaco Ground - which has very WIDE wings.

Couple more years and footy will be played closer to the WACA, the currently being built stadium at Burswood.

It's oval size will be exactly the same size as the MCG....... just a bit of trivia for you

[saintsRrising]

However right here and now Goddard is being developed and is deemed no quite ready for a regular spot. If his tank is suspect then at the very long WACA he would struggle.

Cricket season is over sRS, footy hasn't been played at the WACA since last century!!!

AFL is played at Subiaco Ground - which has very WIDE wings.

Couple more years and footy will be played closer to the WACA, the currently being built stadium at Burswood.

It's oval size will be exactly the same size as the MCG....... just a bit of trivia for you

My bad on the name ...as I was thinking Subie but wrote WACA.

Subiaco: 175.6 metres x 122.4 metres

MCG: 160 metres x 141 metres

So Subi is longer (hence my comment) than the G or Docklands 159.5 metres x 128.8 metres

[magnifisaint]

Shows you how much AR rates Lee

Roberton - not a key defenders A Hole is bought straight back in after 4 weeks out and no VFL walks past Lee

geez you are full of it. What do you know that others don't.

Roberton is a good defender

[magnifisaint]

Waking up to rain in Perth

Maybe Richo and co consulted the forecast and went with less talls because of the rain. Is there no end to their foresight?

Aint raining no. Will be a fast track. Saints have been moving the ball well. Subi should suit their game plan.