Who said that Ball and Max weren't playing finals?

[SainterK]

I find it interesting that the perception is that Max and Ball were to get no further opportunity this year, and that our side is settled for finals?

What if...

The omissions were to combat complacency?
Simply based on week to week form?
To devise options should we encounter injuries?
They were simply two bodies that required different finals preperation?

Grant talked about it tonight, Walls also, and this grab from the HS today...

"Saints urged to take a punt on Max, not Zac"

ST KILDA Grand Final coach Stan Alves has urged the club to back Max Hudghton ahead of Zac Dawson if it becomes a two-way finals selection battle.

Alves said Hudghton's big-game record and versatility gave him the edge - as long as his body held up.

Asked if the Saints could afford to overlook Hudghton for September, Alves replied: "No. And I don't say that lightly."

"It is so important to have someone who has been there and done that. He is the ultimate competitor.

"I believe he is a player who performs on the big stage and that is critical.

"It would be very, very unwise not to have him in the 22. He's got to be there."

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/ ... 42,00.html

[saint75]

It is a slow news week. Love the media mind games though, definitely good for a laugh!

I couldn't give a 'rats tossbag' what the media have to say. Only person I have any interest in listening to in regards to St Kilda is Ross Lyon and his coaching team.

As for Grant Thomas, I don't have a lot of faith in his observations. He had his chance and squandered it on numerous occasions. Time for him to keep his opinions to himself.

I like the fact that you are not an automatic walk up selection at the Saints. Max and Ball were below par the week before and were the ones to cop the brunt of Ross's wrath. They were obviously 2 players that did not meet the 'trademark' requirements. If they are narky at being dropped, all the better. They will come back into the team with a fire in their belly.

[matrix]

not me!!

(in answer to the thread title )

[emmdee]

not a good time of the year for Zac dawson to play a couple of average games.....

[starsign]

Media beat up to sell some papers

anyone with any football nouse or even half a brain would know that the club would very aware of this and would be leaving no stone unturned in their efforts to ensure these two pivotal players get as near as possible to their optimum for when they are really needed

makes them look Gurus to the average Joe who would be taking an interest in AFL as finals as September approaches

(yeah St Kilda are idiots aren't they , fancy not wanting Ball & Max in there!!)

Rest assured Sainters these two are well in the plans going forward, and if their continued management is successful will be playing a significant roll in our quest for the Holy Grail

[perfectionist]

Clearly we should let ex St Kilda "losers" pick the team from here on. After all, what would those who have done the job so far know about it, despite 19 straight wins and two losses by less than a kick?

[plugger66]

I havent heard or read anything to suggest people dont think Max and Bally may play in the finals.

[yipper]

Media beat up to sell some papers

anyone with any football nouse or even half a brain would know that the club would very aware of this and would be leaving no stone unturned in their efforts to ensure these two pivotal players get as near as possible to their optimum for when they are really needed

makes them look Gurus to the average Joe who would be taking an interest in AFL as finals as September approaches

(yeah St Kilda are idiots aren't they , fancy not wanting Ball & Max in there!!)

Rest assured Sainters these two are well in the plans going forward, and if their continued management is successful will be playing a significant roll in our quest for the Holy Grail

Exactly.

[SainterK]

I havent heard or read anything to suggest people dont think Max and Bally may play in the finals.

Really?

[plugger66]

I havent heard or read anything to suggest people dont think Max and Bally may play in the finals.

Really?

No I havent. What I have heard is they may not play in the finals and I dont see the problem with that comment. Afterall they didnt play in the second last round of the year because they were dropped.

[starsign]

I havent heard or read anything to suggest people dont think Max and Bally may play in the finals.

Really?

No I havent. What I have heard is they may not play in the finals and I dont see the problem with that comment. Afterall they didnt play in the second last round of the year because they were dropped.

"dropped" carries with it connotations

"why" they were "ommited" is the question

[plugger66]

I havent heard or read anything to suggest people dont think Max and Bally may play in the finals.

Really?

No I havent. What I have heard is they may not play in the finals and I dont see the problem with that comment. Afterall they didnt play in the second last round of the year because they were dropped.

"dropped" carries with it connotations

"why" they were "ommited" is the question

Because last week they werent in the best 22. I dont see any other connotations.

[Hurricane]

Clearly we should let ex St Kilda "losers" pick the team from here on. After all, what would those who have done the job so far know about it, despite 19 straight wins and two losses by less than a kick?

Exactly what I was going to post.

There was a reason Alves was sacked after all. Let the current selectors and coach pick the team not a bitter ex coach media flog

BANG BANG

[BringBackMadDog]

Clearly we should let ex St Kilda "losers" pick the team from here on. After all, what would those who have done the job so far know about it, despite 19 straight wins and two losses by less than a kick?

Exactly what I was going to post.

There was a reason Alves was sacked after all. Let the current selectors and coach pick the team not a bitter ex coach media flog

BANG BANG

This is the same Stan Alves that selected that hack Robert Neill for the 97 Grand Final, a guy that hadn't played a single senior game since round 2 of that year ahead of Shane Wakelin. Some people should just keep their mouths shut!!!

[plugger66]

Clearly we should let ex St Kilda "losers" pick the team from here on. After all, what would those who have done the job so far know about it, despite 19 straight wins and two losses by less than a kick?

Exactly what I was going to post.

There was a reason Alves was sacked after all. Let the current selectors and coach pick the team not a bitter ex coach media flog

BANG BANG

This is the same Stan Alves that selected that hack Robert Neill for the 97 Grand Final, a guy that hadn't played a single senior game since round 2 of that year ahead of Shane Wakelin. Some people should just keep their mouths shut!!!

Luckily Saints supporters never turn on their own unless of course we disagree with them having an opinion.

[starsign]

I havent heard or read anything to suggest people dont think Max and Bally may play in the finals.

Really?

No I havent. What I have heard is they may not play in the finals and I dont see the problem with that comment. Afterall they didnt play in the second last round of the year because they were dropped.

"dropped" carries with it connotations

"why" they were "ommited" is the question

Because last week they werent in the best 22. I dont see any other connotations.

hang on we may be at cross purposes here Plugger
yes that's the connotation i recon dropped carries... agreed

i may have missed your nuance here

I havent heard or read anything to suggest people dont think Max and Bally may play in the finals.

Really?

no neither have I !
but isn't that what the article we are talking about "implies"

[saintspremiers]

I havent heard or read anything to suggest people dont think Max and Bally may play in the finals.

Really?

No I havent. What I have heard is they may not play in the finals and I dont see the problem with that comment. Afterall they didnt play in the second last round of the year because they were dropped.

"dropped" carries with it connotations

"why" they were "ommited" is the question

Because last week they werent in the best 22. I dont see any other connotations.

Agree 100%

Bally is a liability at the moment - you've got no idea what you'll get.

We need reliable players for the finals, not likely bit-players.

As for Max, we all know he's lion hearted and a superb defender, but the question mark is his disposal and long kicking ability......but I reckon he is well aware of that and finding ways to work around it.

Wouldn't be surprised to see Max come in for Zac with above mention addressed somehow.

[starsign]

Bally is a liability at the moment - you've got no idea what you'll get.

We need reliable players for the finals, not likely bit-players.

Did you watch the Sandy game last week?

[BringBackMadDog]

Clearly we should let ex St Kilda "losers" pick the team from here on. After all, what would those who have done the job so far know about it, despite 19 straight wins and two losses by less than a kick?

Exactly what I was going to post.

There was a reason Alves was sacked after all. Let the current selectors and coach pick the team not a bitter ex coach media flog

BANG BANG

This is the same Stan Alves that selected that hack Robert Neill for the 97 Grand Final, a guy that hadn't played a single senior game since round 2 of that year ahead of Shane Wakelin. Some people should just keep their mouths shut!!!

Luckily Saints supporters never turn on their own unless of course we disagree with them having an opinion.

Luckily all St Kilda supporters aren't sycophants and can call a spade a spade

[widereceiver]

Whatever failings Stan Alves had as a coach, leaving Shanahan on Jarman was his biggest mistake, I haven't heard him bagging the club.
In my view, he would have been our second premiership coach if either Vidovic or Everett could have played, Allan Jeans certainly agrees. C'est la vie.

[perfectionist]

...Stan Alves... would have been our second premiership coach if either Vidovic or Everett could have played...

Agree, especially No 9 as Stan has said so many times. And Grant Thomas would have been our third if Aaron Hamill had played. C'est la vie de merde!

We will just have to hope that Nick's knee and Lenny's elbow get the healing waters pronto. A final without both of them would not be worth attending unless the opposition had their best five out.

[saintsRrising]

Ball was dropped till he rectified certain aspeacts of his game...Ball has ackowledged this himself.

Does not mean that he will not play finals....
just means that he has been told what to do to regaina place. Coaches will decide if he has done this or not.



With Max v Zac...I would guess it was more line ball ...as eachg has different strengths and weaknesses.


The North game our defence seemed to structure up with more one on ones. Would not surprise me if this was deliberate to either:

* test Zac outm in one on ones
* to drive home to Zac some deficiencies in his game.

Zac (and he was not alone against the roos) wasa found wanting with poor concentration with him going missing at times..and when you area FB, that can be deadly for the team.

With Max...his Dons game was sloppy...so perhaps the point was being made to max too that his spot is not automatic and that he needed to lift a cog.



One thing I am sure of his that our selection panel wants the BEST possible team for the finals...and this means a team of 22 contributors.