Will Lyon's stubbornness stop the Saints winning the flag?

[degruch]

We can all rest easy now. Ross is going to pick our side based on whether our opposition is going to "respect us" or not, as a result of our selections. Forget about what's best for us, just as long as they (who I'm sure are really concerning themselves with what we're doing!) respect us.

And 1 + 1 = 5.

Riiiiight...has this got something to do with another thread by any chance?

[perfectionist]

It was interesting to hear Matthew Lloyd the other night regarding Essendon's 2000 season. He said that no player wanted to be rested and ventured that such a policy would adversely affect morale if the best players weren't getting a game. The effect on a club which tries such a tactic, only to lose form, and matches, could easily be fatal. We all know just how important the mental side of the game is these days. If players lose form or don't fit team balance then they can make way for someone else. Ross has had no problem with that - and the evidence so far is that it has worked.

[Thinline]

It was interesting to hear Matthew Lloyd the other night regarding Essendon's 2000 season. He said that no player wanted to be rested and ventured that such a policy would adversely affect morale if the best players weren't getting a game. The effect on a club which tries such a tactic, only to lose form, and matches, could easily be fatal. We all know just how important the mental side of the game is these days. If players lose form or don't fit team balance then they can make way for someone else. Ross has had no problem with that - and the evidence so far is that it has worked.

Particulalry fatal, perhaps, for a club reknowned for tripping over the flattest bit of earth and breaking a leg at the most opportune time.

Keep on winning, I reckon.

Flat knacker til October.

Rest schmest.

[markp]

Rest schmest.

Put it on the banner!

[saintly]

look at what happened to the bulldogs last year, when they knew who they would play in the finals. got beaton about 3 out of 6 games. flirted with form

[Nick]

Telling Blake to have a rest this week and playing MaGuire is hardly flirting with form!!!!

[SydneySainter]

Nick - I actually reckon we've been quite conservative with our njury management this year. When Kosi experienced hammy tightness, he rested the game out and took the next week. See what happened when Cousins didn't do the same in 1st round? Gilberts ankle the same. Milney missed a couple with a knee. If they're injured they don't play. What makes you think that the players are mentally tired? I certainly didn't see that last week. I saw 22 blokes raring to go. They have systems in place to predict injuries from what I've read, and with Missions' record at the Swans, I have complete confidence that our injury management is 1st class.

Blokes have had niggly injuries and been rested. They have generally come straight back into the team though. The bug bear appears to be with some, that Lyon hasn't tested our list enough. I say play our strongest 22 each week, particularly as we are gunning for a flag. List experimentation if for the last 6 rounds when you have no hope of making the finals

Precisely! If players had any injury concerns, general soreness or are not match-fit, they wouldn't play.

I for one don't get this emphasis on resting players. We want as much momentum as possible running into the finals. If we start resting players who are match-fit now, we run the risk of taking the wind out of our own sails. All it takes is one or two losses to kill our momentum and football is very much a momentum game.

[Nick]

Resting Blake for MaGuire is not going to make one iota of a difference to the result of this weeks game or to the morale of the team or anything else for that matter. What it will do is allow Blake to get rid of any niggles and more importantly it will give MaGuire a run so if we have injuries later in the season Matty will be ready to step up. The other positive is that it will be Matty's 100th game which will fire up the whole side.

BLOODY HELL...IT'S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE!!!!!

[saint vince]

I cannot believe this place. People still haven't forgiven GT for taking the players to the movies and getting a rest from training. And now some people want us to rest players from actual games. FFS we have lost enough in my life lets keep winning and never stop.



Go saints.

[St Fidelius]

Resting Blake for MaGuire is not going to make one iota of a difference to the result of this weeks game or to the morale of the team or anything else for that matter. What it will do is allow Blake to get rid of any niggles and more importantly it will give MaGuire a run so if we have injuries later in the season Matty will be ready to step up. The other positive is that it will be Matty's 100th game which will fire up the whole side.

BLOODY HELL...IT'S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE!!!!!

You've left out one simple fact....

Matty has not been playing well enough to earn a spot in the side

[Nick]

Resting Blake for MaGuire is not going to make one iota of a difference to the result of this weeks game or to the morale of the team or anything else for that matter. What it will do is allow Blake to get rid of any niggles and more importantly it will give MaGuire a run so if we have injuries later in the season Matty will be ready to step up. The other positive is that it will be Matty's 100th game which will fire up the whole side.

BLOODY HELL...IT'S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE!!!!!

You've left out one simple fact....

Matty has not been playing well enough to earn a spot in the side

He was best on ground a few weeks ago, and lets face it, your form would go down hill as well if you were left languishing in the reserves for 15 weeks.

[joffaboy]

Resting Blake for MaGuire is not going to make one iota of a difference to the result of this weeks game or to the morale of the team or anything else for that matter. What it will do is allow Blake to get rid of any niggles and more importantly it will give MaGuire a run so if we have injuries later in the season Matty will be ready to step up. The other positive is that it will be Matty's 100th game which will fire up the whole side.

BLOODY HELL...IT'S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE!!!!!

No it is football. And you seem to think you know more than a coach that has his team 15-0.

Magurie hasn't the engine of Blake (who BTW is arguably in career best form), we have a defence that is 3.1 better than any other in the league over 15 rounds, and you want to play with that winning formula.

Maguire hasn't been playing well enough to get into the team. And what do you say to Blake when he is dropped and Maguire has a blinder? Bad luck, you did nothing wrong, but youa re out?

Fair Dinkum, have you ever played a team sport? have you any idea on what that type of slipshod interpersonal management would do to team morale?

And why does the team need firing up? It is 15-0. I hardly think that gifting a player a game for a milestone when he hasn't earn't it at the expense of a player who has busted a gut all year, would fire anyone up, least of all Maguire.

Thread Fail.

[joffaboy]

He was best on ground a few weeks ago, and lets face it, your form would go down hill as well if you were left languishing in the reserves for 15 weeks.

therefore mentally weak and doesn't deserve to be gifted a go in the seniors.

Thread Fail.

[Nick]

He was best on ground a few weeks ago, and lets face it, your form would go down hill as well if you were left languishing in the reserves for 15 weeks.

therefore mentally weak and doesn't deserve to be gifted a go in the seniors.

Thread Fail.

Are you for real? MaGuire mentally week!!?? You have completely lost the plot my boy......completely.

[PJ]

Sorry nick it's not about Matty. It's about consistency and mental strength - resting players does not make them mentally stronger it allows them to relax, not playing teaches you nothing. If their bodies are in trouble Misson will let them know they have to rest otherwise I don't see the point in resting them.

As for Geelong I think they were seriously battered - who knows what the effect of destabilising the team will be but I can tell you this if it proves to be their downfall in 09 it's Bomber that will be under the pump from all directions.

[saintlee]

This resting players stuff is total BS, the only time it makes sense to leave out players is due to injury or poor form.....the media is on it because they need to fill column space, there is no evidence it helps you win premierships whatsoever!

[BAM! (shhhh)]

Interesting philosophical idea, resting players, pro's cons etc.

IMO, "resting" healthy players during the home and away season is 100% idiocy. If you're healthy and in form, and in the best 22, you should be selected.

When playing any contact sport, the players need to be able to disregard the level of risk they take every time they take the field. Resting players messes with that. It flirts with form. It delivers, at best, a low level of difficult to quantify benefit. As a fan, the thing I view as a necessity is consistent performance across the team, and that's one of the main things that using minimum players delivers as they get used to each other.

While I'm expecting many of the Geelong guys who didn't play last week to put up great numbers this week, that's more to do with opposition than a week off.

The exception ends up being guys like Armitage, who one would think would be a likely selection if any mid were to get hurt. Does it deliver team benefit come qualifying finals if he's going in with a few games under his belt? Quite possibly.

Maguire for Blake? Don't think so. I disagree with those saying Maguire's way off - I suspect he'll be an AFL starter somewhere else next year and play well for a number of years yet - but frankly, Blake has been in career best form, and I don't see Maguire being likely to deliver anything Blake isn't. I see zero benefit to resting Blake. I see zero benefit in giving Maguire a game just for the sake of it.

If guys are carrying soft tissue, and an extra weeks recovery will get them on top of it, by all means do so... but I've generally got faith they've been taking that approach from round 1 anyway. Resting for nebulous "finals advantage" is lunacy.

[asiu]

i'd be giving zac a rest ...a rest , not a demotion ....young body
get gooses 100th done and dusted , have his son if he does end up elsewhere next year (hope not)
bally , imo....rested

see no probs with 'resting'

[spert]

RL is a smart cookie. Never take the foot of the accelerator when you're in front. There is no argument here -we are on top undefeated, and that's how it has to stay. The only changes will be for form or injury, and whoever in the VFL is putting their hand up by playing good footy, will be the next off the rank. In the wings would be Gwilt, Geary, Eddy, McEvoy, Armo, Raph, and Goose behind them.

[joffaboy]

He was best on ground a few weeks ago, and lets face it, your form would go down hill as well if you were left languishing in the reserves for 15 weeks.

therefore mentally weak and doesn't deserve to be gifted a go in the seniors.

Thread Fail.

Are you for real? MaGuire mentally week!!?? You have completely lost the plot my boy......completely.

Just quoting your belief that Maguire cant handle playing reserves.

You said it pal not me.

If he is sooking because he cant get a gig, why should he be gifted a spot.

And cut out the personal abuse.

Thread Fail.

[matrix]

ive got an idea
lets rest blake because he looks like he needs a rest, not playing too well i think.
so for maybe the toughest game or second toughest game we will have in a few weeks time period, lets bring in a player that hasnt played for , ohh i dunno.....a year???

great idea me

[DWOODROW]

Interesting philosophical idea, resting players, pro's cons etc.

IMO, "resting" healthy players during the home and away season is 100% idiocy. If you're healthy and in form, and in the best 22, you should be selected.

When playing any contact sport, the players need to be able to disregard the level of risk they take every time they take the field. Resting players messes with that. It flirts with form. It delivers, at best, a low level of difficult to quantify benefit. As a fan, the thing I view as a necessity is consistent performance across the team, and that's one of the main things that using minimum players delivers as they get used to each other.

While I'm expecting many of the Geelong guys who didn't play last week to put up great numbers this week, that's more to do with opposition than a week off.

The exception ends up being guys like Armitage, who one would think would be a likely selection if any mid were to get hurt. Does it deliver team benefit come qualifying finals if he's going in with a few games under his belt? Quite possibly.

Maguire for Blake? Don't think so. I disagree with those saying Maguire's way off - I suspect he'll be an AFL starter somewhere else next year and play well for a number of years yet - but frankly, Blake has been in career best form, and I don't see Maguire being likely to deliver anything Blake isn't. I see zero benefit to resting Blake. I see zero benefit in giving Maguire a game just for the sake of it.

If guys are carrying soft tissue, and an extra weeks recovery will get them on top of it, by all means do so... but I've generally got faith they've been taking that approach from round 1 anyway. Resting for nebulous "finals advantage" is lunacy.

I agree. Why rest someone just because you can. If it is required it will happen. The message obviously made by Lyon. Lets enjoy it.

[bigred]

i'd be giving zac a rest ...a rest , not a demotion ....young body
get gooses 100th done and dusted , have his son if he does end up elsewhere next year (hope not)
bally , imo....rested

see no probs with 'resting'

young body? He's early twenties and been in the system for a few years now...he can take the strain...

[degruch]

Doesn't matter how big your font gets Nick, no-one with half a brain is gonna pay your arguement. Pick a team that suits the competition/venue, yes, but rest no-one.

[rodgerfox]

Should we rest Ross Lyon for a week or two?