Prolong the G-Train?

[skeptic]

Just an off season idea

How about we rest the G-Train from all interstate games this season? Consider:

* He generally performs poorly in interstate games (we'd get an extra man bascially)

* His body would get extra time to rest. This is significant because even though he runs out a lot of games, he's the type of player that often carries niggling injuries that he plays through

* This would keep him in pristine conditions for our home games

* This could prolong his career by years. Brisbane did this with Lynch and he played well into his 30s

* We could use our interstate trips to prepare for life after the G-Train... welcome to the forward line as sole FF Kosi

What do u guys think? Has some merit

[The_Dud]

i reckon you take your best 22 into every game, his body should be fine to get thru 22+ games (its not like hes running any marathons!)

[st paddy]

How about taking it one further and making it that he only plays games against teams with the letter G in their names?

CollinGwood.

Geelong.

TiGers.

KanGaroo's.

Or maybe just against teams that he previously played for?

What other stupid ideas can we concoct?

I think it's time some people turned off their computers and went down to the beach!

[battye]

How about taking it one further and making it that he only plays games against teams with the letter G in their names?

CollinGwood.

Geelong.

TiGers.

KanGaroo's.

Or maybe just against teams that he previously played for?

What other stupid ideas can we concoct?

I think it's time some people turned off their computers and went down to the beach!

Haha

[saintsrus]

He has to play games hes fit for, he takes the best backman and helps Rooey with his sheparding etc, its crucial for us that hes playing again

[Batnoe]

How about taking it one further and making it that he only plays games against teams with the letter G in their names?

CollinGwood.

Geelong.

TiGers.

KanGaroo's.

Or maybe just against teams that he previously played for?

What other stupid ideas can we concoct?

I think it's time some people turned off their computers and went down to the beach!

Gions
Gombers
Grows
Glues
Geagles
Gockers
Gangaroos
Gagpies
Gwans
Gigers
Gats
Gower
Gemons

[Saints Premiers 2008]

He has to play games hes fit for, he takes the best backman and helps Rooey with his sheparding etc, its crucial for us that hes playing again

even if g takes the best forward away from roo...we still dont have a decent enough 3rd tall that has the ability to kick a bag

sure we have milne however he hasnt kicked consistant bags in a while

the g-roo-kosi forward line hasnt really worked in my opinion...who knows it might take time...

[mad saint guy]

I like that idea. We only have 4(?) interstate trips, so he could still end up playing 18 games in the H&A season and lets face it, he is useless interstate. Even though he might take the best defender, he usually lets them run free hurt us going the other way. I'd like to see how Kosi handles the job of primary goalkicker for a few games.

That said, Lyon did state that Gehrig would never miss out on selection as long as he is coach, so this isn't likely to happen.

[Saints Premiers 2008]

I like that idea. We only have 4(?) interstate trips, so he could still end up playing 18 games in the H&A season and lets face it, he is useless interstate. Even though he might take the best defender, he usually lets them run free hurt us going the other way. I'd like to see how Kosi handles the job of primary goalkicker for a few games.

That said, Lyon did state that Gehrig would never miss out on selection as long as he is coach, so this isn't likely to happen.

he is a 60-70 goal a year forward...you cant not leave him out even though in interstate games he goes missing more so than not

and considering we want to take ourselves seriously as a premiership threat we cannot not leave him at home when we go airborn

people use the lions excuse that lynch was left at home...it cannot be applied to us as they had both brown and bradshaw...not to mention leppitch if they wanted to swing him around again and an abundance of small forwards/mids who kicked goals religiously...voss...aka...mcrae...hart...the list goes on

[bigcarl]

and considering we want to take ourselves seriously as a premiership threat we cannot not leave him at home when we go airborn

agree. fraser should make those trips and play in the forward pocket alongside kos. much better set up and gives us the option of bombing it long to kosi or short to fraser

[mad saint guy]

he is a 60-70 goal a year forward...you cant not leave him out even though in interstate games he goes missing more so than not

In 2007 he played 20 games and kicked 59 goals.

His intestate stats

Round 2 v Brisbane: 6 disposals, 0 goals
Round 5 v Port Adelaide: 7 disposals, 0 goals
Round 9 v Fremantle: 11 disposals, 1 goal
Round 19 v Sydney: 4 disposals, 2 goals

Why couldn't we leave him out when he's playing like that?

people use the lions excuse that lynch was left at home...it cannot be applied to us as they had both brown and bradshaw

We've got Riewoldt and Koschitzke.

I just don't see any reason why we shouldn't let an old, injury-prone forward (who we don't actually need for structure) rest for the few games a year in which he offers nothing to the team and takes a big toll on his body.

[fugazi]

Kosi...........Gehrig....Milne
Schneider.....Roo.......X-Man

skill, pace, experience and strength.....there is no excuse for this fwd line to not perform very well....if the game plan and midfield does their job it will be a nightmare to stop.

Also, we have options to rest King or Gardiner fwd in a pocket, or even have Charlie Gardiner as a changing forward...........plenty of options to get match-ups right.

Could see Schneider and G-train play a bit of a Lynch-McCrae double team this year, similar types of players.

[golden hawk]

i think he will have a better year this year

[st_Trav_ofWA]

lets take it up another level lets just send the scorps to interstate games ?? then we will never have to play interstate ??


who would we replace G in the team with ?? and what happens if they play a blinder in that away game ? would they have to then make way for G the next week ?

you pick your best 22 available every time

as for lynch i think his CFS had somthing to do with him not playing away games as well

[Saints Premiers 2008]

he is a 60-70 goal a year forward...you cant not leave him out even though in interstate games he goes missing more so than not

In 2007 he played 20 games and kicked 59 goals.

His intestate stats

Round 2 v Brisbane: 6 disposals, 0 goals
Round 5 v Port Adelaide: 7 disposals, 0 goals
Round 9 v Fremantle: 11 disposals, 1 goal
Round 19 v Sydney: 4 disposals, 2 goals

Why couldn't we leave him out when he's playing like that?

people use the lions excuse that lynch was left at home...it cannot be applied to us as they had both brown and bradshaw

We've got Riewoldt and Koschitzke.

I just don't see any reason why we shouldn't let an old, injury-prone forward (who we don't actually need for structure) rest for the few games a year in which he offers nothing to the team and takes a big toll on his body.

the brisbane game was terrible...and being there even more so...we had nothing and it was evident early on...our mids and thus delivery got shunted big time...how can a forward score if one doesnt have the ball??? also our field kicking was terrible...

the power...well the weather was terrible...and by saying that tredrea kicking a few is not a decent response either was we had one j.blake playing on him who is not anything close to a backman...we had literally noone...

the dockers...11 touches for a power forward suggests he was in it a bit...the goal suggests he kicking poorly and from memory the team goal kicking was below afl standard all game with more than double behinds to goals

the swans...we dont respond well to flooding...that isnt frasers fault

maybe im making up excuses for it all however i think those are good reasons for why he was unsucessfull in the interstate games...he could have done more in the swans match however

and yes by saying that lynch was kept at home because of he was old and is injury-prone isnt an excuse...i dont think that plane trips are really accepted and suggested for cfs battlers...

[Armoooo]

I would be all for the idea, Gehrig can no longer be our focal point, Kosi and Roo need to be our go to men with G as a bonus option...

IMO our Victorian forward line should be...

HF: Schneider Riewoldt Xavier
FF: Gehrig Koschitzke Milne

our Interstate line up should be...

HF: C.Gardiner Riewoldt Xavier
FF: Schneider Koschitzke Milne

The fact is Gehrig is a waste of space interstate more often than not, the only game he scored multiple goals was against Sydney and IIRC he went missing after those 2 first quarter goals...

If Gardiner/ Dempster haven't done enough to earn a spot take a chance on a youngster like McEvoy, Allen or Howard...

[Saints Premiers 2008]

armooo..so if dempster/gardiner arent available...you would select an untried raw not-up-to-standard kid in the mix and just see how he goes???

hey lets just play 22 vs 21 and see how we go...

[Armoooo]

armooo..so if dempster/gardiner arent available...you would select an untried raw not-up-to-standard kid in the mix and just see how he goes???

hey lets just play 22 vs 21 and see how we go...

Well frankly that is what we do when we play with Gehrig interstate...

It doesn't necessarily have to go that way, we could bring in a workman like defender and then push Goddard up front, or bring in an extra midfielder and play with a smaller forward line, any of them are possibilities, but considering how little Gehrig does interstate maybe it is worth considering giving him rests to keep him fit, I would also like to see Harvey being rested a couple of times throughout the year....

[Eastern]

It's simple really !!

Put what we believe to be our best side out there each & every week. If G, or anyone else for that matter is considered to be in our best 22, they play !!

[Armoooo]

I would agree with that but you have to take many things into consideration when deciding what would be our best 22...

For all we know Allen could step up next year, he may not be a good as G at the dome but he could be better than him interstate...
If it is wet we are going to be less likely to want to play tall, you have to take all factors into account, I doubt it would ever be as simple as G is no good interstate so he wont play these 5 games, they will look at every match and depending on form, weather and many other factors they will decide what is the best 22 for THAT week...

[st_Trav_ofWA]

when we play in perth G gets glass cause hes is their best defender take G out glass then would either play on one of the other forwards in Roo or Kosi (making it harder for them to dominate) or if we bring in allen he would get Glass and well we mayas well give WC a extra man on feild .

as bad as it is seen G form in interstate games he still takes the best defender making it an easier game for roo and the other forwards .

[Teflon]

Good topic.

Interesting thought.................the best we can come up with for taking Gehrig interstate is ...he takes the supposed best defender...Im not sure thats all so true.....from what Ive seen of Gehrig in interstate games youd leave Glass on him for a half and then switch him to whoever is doing you damage as G has usually gone off the boil by this stage.....

Also not sure of having Gehrig with his poor defensive pressure and lack of mobility playing on larger grounds like Subi etc only to watch defenders rebound off him time and again (actually Scarlett does this to him often but thats another story...)

Im also not convinced that we shouldnt (if reports were true) be gearing up for life after Gehrig and giving Kosi a genuine taste of life at FF (and a permananet home for once...)......cant see him going on beyond next year.

[Iceman234]

Good topic.

Interesting thought.................the best we can come up with for taking Gehrig interstate is ...he takes the supposed best defender...Im not sure thats all so true.....from what Ive seen of Gehrig in interstate games youd leave Glass on him for a half and then switch him to whoever is doing you damage as G has usually gone off the boil by this stage.....

Also not sure of having Gehrig with his poor defensive pressure and lack of mobility playing on larger grounds like Subi etc only to watch defenders rebound off him time and again (actually Scarlett does this to him often but thats another story...)

Im also not convinced that we shouldnt (if reports were true) be gearing up for life after Gehrig and giving Kosi a genuine taste of life at FF (and a permananet home for once...)......cant see him going on beyond next year.

I reckon you've summed it up perfectly Teflon. We were going into the 1008 year without G anyway - and even though I am a big fan of the G I can't see him going beyond another year.

All points you raised are spot on - my feel is that in the Interstate games, when he's down, he's down by half time and the oppo can tear us a new one running off him.

May keep him refreshed and hungry by staying home for the I/S games.

A bit like training has been co-ordinated to specifics with players, so should the season.

[Teflon]

Agreed Iceman.

I understand the old footy adage of "just pick your best 22" but surely theres also an element of horses for courses....(I still have nightmares over the 2005? selections for us going to Subi with Powell, Peckett, Thompson in the line up against a super slick Eagles midfield grp....but lets not go there....)

Gehrig will give us 50 odd goals Ive no doubt - but lets be honest...many will come against Carlton or struggling sides and most at the Dome...nothing wrong with that he loves it there and you still gotta kick em.

I also think Gerhig at times up fwd makes us very predictable and one dimensional.....one of the reasons I was looking forward to seeing Kosi at FF this year was to see how if at all that mixed things up for an opposition who wouldnt be used to our style with that fwd set up....particulalry as Gehrig wont be round for years to come IMO.

[evertonfc]

I also think Gerhig at times up fwd makes us very predictable and one dimensional.....one of the reasons I was looking forward to seeing Kosi at FF this year was to see how if at all that mixed things up for an opposition who wouldnt be used to our style with that fwd set up....particulalry as Gehrig wont be round for years to come IMO.

Well said. I was equally excited...

But now I see Gehrig's return as an opportunity for us to use him cleverly, and stretch opposition defences - by using him as our third tall forward.

As I said in the other thread, which team, apart from Geelong and WCE, has a defence which has can stretch three deep to cover Gehrig?