M.Gardiner to Claremont?

[doggerel]

from Real footy 4th October:

St Kilda ruckman Michael Gardiner has told Claremont that he would love to finish his playing career with the Tigers.

But the marriage between the injury-prone ruckman and a club desperate to inject some experience into its line-up will remain unarranged until Gardiner's future with the Saints is clarified.

The 29-year-old former West Coast star is out of contract and after just nine matches in two seasons with the Saints, is in danger of being delisted.

A St Kilda spokesman said no decision would be made on Gardiner, who started with Claremont in 1996, until after the club returned from a two-week end-of-season trip.

If Gardiner is delisted, Claremont might have to wait until after AFL trade week and perhaps the pre-season draft before being able to deal with him.

Claremont chief executive Todd Shimmon confirmed the club's interest in Gardiner. "We have always told Gardy that if he wanted to finish his career with Claremont, we would love to have him," Shimmon said.

"His response was that he was a Claremont man, but he didn't know if he was coming back to Perth or staying in Melbourne."

Clubs must lodge their 35-man squads by the end of this month with the national draft to be held on November 29 and the pre-season draft on December 16. Shimmon confirmed that Claremont has also spoken to Melbourne defender Nathan Carroll.

[remboy]

It's a certainty that our ruck stocks will change between now and next season. At least one of Gardiner and Rix won't be around next season (quite likely both). I think WAFL might be MG's level at this stage.

[hotdish]

It's a certainty that our ruck stocks will change between now and next season. At least one of Gardiner and Rix won't be around next season (quite likely both). I think WAFL might be MG's level at this stage.

Agree. Especially if we get Seaby, leaving King, Seaby, McEvoy as our core rucks [Van Rheenan, McGrath and Haretuku as ruck rookies].

[remboy]

You can add Kosi and probably still Blake as players who will provide support. Ross has also said we will draft one ruckman (either trade for Seaby or use a pick in the ND). I think we'll have more than enough.

[borderbarry]

Ross has said we will DRAFT a ruckman...
Letting M.Gardiner go and picking up Seaby would be a joke.

[skeptic]

we'll use our first round pick on a ruckman as well

I suspect that Rix will survive on the list for 1 more year as Blake McGrath will be rookie'd and pbly promoted at the end of next year

[vacuous space]

we'll use our first round pick on a ruckman as well

I doubt it. Cordy will go f/s, Nat and Vickery will be gone before we pick. If we take a ruckmen it'll be with a later pick.

I reckon Rix and Gardiner are both gone. They're not going to get games. King, Mac, Blake and Kosi can do the rucking.

[Con Gorozidis]

im glad we kept him. hes only 29. if he can fix his feet he could still improve. 29 aint old for a ruckman.


we have mcevoy and the rookie kid (khan haretku) coming through. i would not be surprised if we go for a ruckman with one of our 4 draft pics.

[S.A Saint]

would hate for us to use a trade on a ruckman... we have enough cover in that area i reckon with king and kosi our main two during games...if one of them went down during a game the we would have blake as backup...

and then we also have big mac who can come in for next game...

plus those 2 rookie guys we seem to be doing good in that area...our focus in this draft is to use our first and second picks on mids..then a key back and key ff...

i still think that allen might be used as our chb in the future if maguire doesnt come back from injury or isnt able to play that possy....

[Con Gorozidis]

yeah i wouldnt use a draft pick on a ruck. better to pick up a mediocre mature ruck if we need one sometime later down the track - a seaby type for instance.

blake and kosi will never be rucks. king only has a year left. and mcevoy and the rookies could be 5 years away...

thats why i said i wouldnt be surprised if we did draft one. but i agree. using a draft on a ruck seems a waste at this stage.

cant help feeling we are falling behind when carlton have a warnock and kreuzer in their ranks... if they use this draft on some spine players... im going to get more worried.

[St Fidelius]

I still feel that Jeff White from Melbourne could be a handy pickup in the PSD.

But as it stands we have only 4 players to choose, unless the Club decides to delist another player.

[Con Gorozidis]

I still feel that Jeff White from Melbourne could be a handy pickup in the PSD.

But as it stands we have only 4 players to choose, unless the Club decides to delist another player.

so u think it will be 4 kids in the ND + cuz + a few rookies.

[St Fidelius]

I still feel that Jeff White from Melbourne could be a handy pickup in the PSD.

But as it stands we have only 4 players to choose, unless the Club decides to delist another player.

so u think it will be 4 kids in the ND + cuz + a few rookies.

Thats the way I see it...

Unless its 3 kids plus cuz in the ND and when pick another player in the PSD

[Behind Play]

I still feel that Jeff White from Melbourne could be a handy pickup in the PSD.

But as it stands we have only 4 players to choose, unless the Club decides to delist another player.

If Jeff doesn't get picked up, he will play on the Gold Coast with his brother.

[Eastern]

I still feel that Jeff White from Melbourne could be a handy pickup in the PSD.

But as it stands we have only 4 players to choose, unless the Club decides to delist another player.

so u think it will be 4 kids in the ND + cuz + a few rookies.

Thats the way I see it...

Unless its 3 kids plus cuz in the ND and when pick another player in the PSD

Considering Archie's response to a list question on the Saints Central forum, it wouldn't suprise me if there is at least one more change (de-listing) to our list prior to the National Draft !!

[saintbrat]

Considering Archie's response to a list question on the Saints Central forum, it wouldn't suprise me if there is at least one more change (de-listing) to our list prior to the National Draft !!

I took this comment;

For now we have settled on our list and delisted players.

to mean that there wil be no more changes with the list as is..........

but the rest of his answer I took to mean the exact mix of players from draft and rookie draft and PSD is not settled....
http://www.saintscentral.com.au/Message ... osts&t=437

[Eastern]

Considering Archie's response to a list question on the Saints Central forum, it wouldn't suprise me if there is at least one more change (de-listing) to our list prior to the National Draft !!

I took this comment;

For now we have settled on our list and delisted players.

to mean that there wil be no more changes with the list as is..........

but the rest of his answer I took to mean the exact mix of players from draft and rookie draft and PSD is not settled....
http://www.saintscentral.com.au/Message ... osts&t=437

With that weird Scottish sence of humour of his, he may be deliberately trying to keep us all guessing !!

[St Fidelius]

I took this comment;

For now we have settled on our list and delisted players.

to mean that there wil be no more changes with the list as is..........

maybe the key to his comment is

For now we have settled on our list and delisted players.

That is maybe until the second list lodgement is conducted on the 14th of this month

Just a thought???

[St Fidelius]

If there was to be another delisting and only IF, Jeff White could be a good pick up.

This season he played 15 matches and averaged just over

18 disposals
6 marks
18 Hit Outs a match

That's a pretty good average and could be very handy as a back up to King IMO