A BIG Game Required from Tom Hickey Tonight

[Vortex]

I know Tom attracts polarising views from Saints fans but I've really enjoyed watching one of our old boys carve it up this year at times.

He needs a massive game tonight against Gawn and Jackson.

How handy would he be in our team these days?

[Yorkeys]

If you please, reminder: why did we trade him. Not sure I ever got that.

[skeptic]

If you please, reminder: why did we trade him. Not sure I ever got that.

He was a bit of an enigma for us…

For a large portion of his time with us, Hickey lacked physicality with us. He was iffy in the middle but okay around the ground.

Then he had whatever year it was (2016 I think?) where he came out breathing fire and was an onfield bully for us… and he was great.
Form wore down over the season and it seemed at every opportunity he was dropped for Longer and at times rather
harshly. At that time… for some reason we wouldn’t play Longer and Hickey in the same team instead relying on Bruce as the alternate ruck.

That to me was a low point of that era… Bruce’s form dropped and both Hickey + Longer stagnated.

An aura kind of emerged from the club around that time to that Longer was preferred over Hickey and though no commentary came directly from the club… this rather derisive attitude towards Hickey emerged with suggestions that it reflected the club’s attitude towards him.

Claims flooded the forum that he was disliked and not respected by the players/coaches. Whether there was something to that or not… it felt like it was reflected in his performance. Tom became meeker and meeker in games until he was traded away.

Seemed like a shell of the player he once was.

Adding credence to the derision however… Hickey was pretty average at WCE too. Can’t say he was remotely better there than here.

Sydney however is where he has turned it all around

[B.M]

He was not fit in 2017 - had a few injuries that kept him out and affected his training

It’s interesting

Him and Longer basically went year for year for 4 seasons

Hickey a better player

Longer a better tap ruckman

Bit like Marshall and Ryder, where one is a better tap ruckman but the other a better player

[Sebastian Tombs]

Who cares

[Vortex]

Who cares

Actually the other player I'm looking forward to watching is our number 1 draft pick.

[spert]

Hickey couldn't play on a halfback flank, so Richo didn't want him

[ace]

If you please, reminder: why did we trade him. Not sure I ever got that.

Because Longer was a better ruckman, Stone Cold told us so !!!!!

[Vortex]

Hickey playing really well, Paddy playing even better.

[SaintPav]

Didn’t Richo have to apologise to Hickey after forcing him back on the ground when he was injured?

[B.M]

Paddy has been ordinary

Hickey not much better

That’s in the first half though

[saintkid]

Hickey playing really well, Paddy playing even better.

Symbolic of a professionally run club in comparison to another that is amateurish at best with an ongoing track record to prove it.

Very impressed with Hickey's 3rd quarter.

[SydneySainter]

If you please, reminder: why did we trade him. Not sure I ever got that.

Because Longer was a better ruckman, Stone Cold told us so !!!!!

The way Stone Cold pumped up Longer, you’d swear he was the next Polly Farmer.

[SydneySainter]

He was not fit in 2017 - had a few injuries that kept him out and affected his training

It’s interesting

Him and Longer basically went year for year for 4 seasons

Hickey a better player

Longer a better tap ruckman

Bit like Marshall and Ryder, where one is a better tap ruckman but the other a better player

Longer being a better tap ruckman is a myth.

[saintkid]

Who's had the last laugh? Longer was useless around the ground and couldn't take a mark to save himself.

[The_Dud]

What’s Billy up to tonight?

Hickey is just another player St Kilda managed to butcher, everyone but Richo could see he had a lot to offer.

[Vortex]

Hickey had to be BOG. Was a big reason the Swans won.

[cwrcyn]

Alan Richardson's assessment that Billy Longer was a better ruckman than Tom Hickey must go down as one of the most moronic judgements ever by a St Kilda coach. It astonished me at the time and it still boggles the mind even today.

[desertsaint]

massive game from hickey.

[cwrcyn]

Longer was NOT a good tap ruckman. He was simply a big body and that's it. Would not get a game at any AFL club if he was around today. Not a chance in hell.

[Winmore]

Looking at Tom Hickey tonight, I was enlightened about the football department’s preference for Billy Longer… no, wait.
Our recruitment department as much use as an ashtray on a motorbike.

Great to see Paddy starring on the backline too.

[bangaulegend]

Hickey had to be BOG. Was a big reason the Swans won.

Hickey was good but IMO only Rowbottom & Clarey Oliver were better

[mad saint guy]

I suspect Longer could have been a pretty good player if he was committed. Never seemed like he was prepared to put the work in to become anything more than a hitout specialist, and he wasn't even one of the best at that.

Hickey was always far more talented and I preferred him throughout their time at the club. We sure have given away some decent tall players in recent years. Hickey, Stanley, Bruce and McCartin would all be best 25 and add value to our list. Stanley is probably the only one who wouldn't be best 22, and that's only if we do have Hickey.

[WellardSaint]

I suspect Longer could have been a pretty good player if he was committed. Never seemed like he was prepared to put the work in to become anything more than a hitout specialist, and he wasn't even one of the best at that.

Hickey was always far more talented and I preferred him throughout their time at the club. We sure have given away some decent tall players in recent years. Hickey, Stanley, Bruce and McCartin would all be best 25 and add value to our list. Stanley is probably the only one who wouldn't be best 22, and that's only if we do have Hickey.

You're joking about Baroose.
He's a useless spud.

I remember he got dropped to VFL, and instead of tearing it up, he let his direct opponent get BOG, with about 12 marks and more than 20 possies.
He played Liam Jones into form.

[Winmore]

There's also a bloke called McEvoy who was moved on.