My ideal team 2010

[BackFromUSA]

FB: S Baker Z Dawson J Blake

Strong defenders on last line. Depending on opposition and injuries Blake or Maguire could play centre half back to Free Sam Fisher up for a rebound flanker, midfield or forward role.

HB: S Gilbert S Fisher B Peake (or F Ray)

Plenty of creative run and carry - Peake over Ray based on kicking skills

C: J Gram L Hayes A Lovett

Outside pace, inside grunt.

HF: B Goddard N Riewoldt N Dal Santo

Dal and BJ play lead up forward / high forward. This also keeps class on the park rather than on the bench. Nick stays deep and dangerous.

FF: A Schneider J. Koschitzke S Milne

Schneider and Milne crumbing Roo and Kosi. Expect Milne to only play half a sdeason with Jack Steven getting a chance to impress in a pocket.

R: M Gardiner L Montagna C Jones

The perfect centre square mix with a ruckman who hits to advantage, Joey who plays inside and outside midfielder perfectly and CJ the best tagger in the AFL mixing it up with Lenny. I ask you ... Luke who?

I: B McEvoy D Armitage A McQualter J Steven / F. Ray

Ray and Steven will depend on Peake and Milne selections ... if Milne is out Steven will play small forward and Ray will be on bench. If Peake doesnt deliver, Ray takes his place. Armitage rotates with Hayes. Mini with CJ. Steven or Ray rotate with Lovett and Gram.

Emerg from: S King S Dempster M Maguire J Geary R Clarke R Eddy J Gwilt R Stanley T Lynch L Fisher L Miles N Heyne A Smith

[Milan Faletic]

Pretty good team.

I reckon one or two or more of that emergency group will emerge.

Wouldn't surprise if, on the law of averages, there are also one or two injuries given that there weren't any this year.

As long as we are in front in Round 52, 2009, I think we will worship the guys for the rest of our lives. They will be true Saints.

[Con Gorozidis]

pretty good team. i agree with pretty much all of it... some of those emergencies look pretty handy too....

my only point would be dal in the forwards. ive not seen anything to indicate dal can play forward or has any inclination to... not a natural near goals.

if milney drops off heyne might get a crack forward. as will lynch at some stage....

[groupie1]

FB: S Baker Z Dawson J Blake
HB: S Gilbert S Fisher F Ray
C: J Gram L Hayes A Lovett
HF: B Goddard N Riewoldt N Dal Santo
FF: A Schneider J. Koschitzke S Milne
R: M Gardiner L Montagna C Jones

I: B McEvoy T Walsh A McQualter J Steven
Em: R Clarke, S King, D Armitage

[clarky449]

FB: S Baker Z Dawson J Blake
HB: S Gilbert S Fisher F Ray
C: J Gram L Hayes A Lovett
HF: B Goddard N Riewoldt N Dal Santo
FF: A Schneider J. Koschitzke S Milne
R: M Gardiner L Montagna C Jones

I: B McEvoy T Walsh A McQualter J Steven
Em: R Clarke, S King, D Armitage

bit early for Tommy Walsh

[St DAC]

bit early for Tommy Walsh

Especially considering he isn't a Saint yet ...

[groupie1]

beg to differ.. if he becomes a saint he's straight in. mark my words

[saintly]

beg to differ.. if he becomes a saint he's straight in. mark my words

how could he come straight in, when he hasn't kicked or practiced with a sherrin before?

[bigcarl]

B: Baker, Dawson, Fisher
HB: Gilbert, Blake, Ray
C: Lovett, Dal Santo, Gram
HF: Schneider, Riewoldt, Goddard
F: Milne, Kosi, Armitage
R: Gardiner, Hayes, Montagna
Int: McEvoy, McQualter, Jones, Clarke
*Didn't consider Ball because i'm not sure he'll be there.



- Milney/Schneider/Mini need some goals in big games to shore up their spots. Pressure will come from guys such as Steven and Peake and Lovett if he plays forward.

- Make or break for Raph Clarke and he needs to be told so. I'd see if he can go through the midfield and perhaps alternate with BJ at half forward. Don't want to see him in the backline. Has ability, but he must make major strides this season if it is all to come together.

- Kosi needs to find some more consistency. Rotate he, Riewoldt and BJ through FF during the match to mix it up a bit.

- McEvoy over King to offer a bit more around the ground.

- Mini/Armitage interchangeable through midfield/forward line.

- Ray didn't have a great finals series, but i consider him a very good player who still has much improvement in him.

- Would love to see a wildcard such as Stanley pushing for selection this season (not necessarily as a ruckman). has the pace to perhaps be considered as a winger or a forward.

- Pressure must come on all spots.

- Others well in the mix: Stanley. King, Maguire. Geary, Gwilt, Dempster, Peake, Steven, Lynch. Eddy.

- We need to do build on our defensive excellence of 2009 and become the best attacking/goal-kicking team as well.

[borderbarry]

Is this team meant for the 1st round, or the finals? 1st round may be too early for Tommy Walsh, but not the other end of the season.

[Gilbert The Great]

i like how far our list goes back now in terms of quality

[To the top]

Peake Dawson Gilbert
S Fisher Maguire Gram
Montagna Hayes Dal Santo
Lovett Koschitzke Lynch
Schnieder Riewoldt Steven
Gardiner Goddard Jones
Clarke, Ray, Armitage, King

Baker, Blake, Stanley

That is how I would like to see the side evolve and to continue positioning ourselves for the future.

Young, strong, versatile and with pace and creativity.

[SainterK]

i like how far our list goes back now in terms of quality

It's great isn't it...

[goodie]

Gilbert Dawson Baker
Gram Fisher Blake
Montagna Hayes Ray
Goddard Riewoldt Lovett
Milne Koschitzke Schneider

Gardiner Jones Dal Santo

Blake King Armitage McQualter

Emg: McEvoy Dempster Geary

[borderbarry]

Gilbert Dawson Baker
Clarke Fisher Peake/Ray
Montagna Hayes Gram
Goddard Riewoldt Lovett
Milne Koschitzke Walsh

Gardiner Jones Dal Santo/Ball

Blake King Armitage Schneider

Emg: McEvoy Dempster Geary

[Batnoe]

While i agree Peake may be in our 22 eventually, Ray is way ahead of him at this stage. Peake may come on in bursts off the bench,but is behind Ray in this point of time.

R Clarke may be tried as 3rd tall coming off bench too

[SaintBot]

FB: S.Baker - Z.Dawson - J.Blake
HB: S.Gilbert - M.Maguire - J.Gram - S.Fisher (Loose)
C: L.Montagna - L.Hayes - A.Lovett
HF: B.Goddard - N.Riewoldt
FF: S.Milne - J.Koschitzke - A.Schneider
R: M.Gardiner - C.Jones - N.Dal Santo
I/C: S.King - F.Ray - A.McQualter - L.Ball/D.Armitage/B.Peake

We see Maguire regain his spot at center half back, while Goddard takes a permanent post as a medium forward. Sam Fisher, now released from man-on-man defensive duties is to take over Goddard's roaming/link/quarterback role - with the ability to go back as a defender (tall or small) when required.

The big question though is clearly Maguire's fitness and form.

[Batnoe]

FB: S.Baker - Z.Dawson - J.Blake
HB: S.Gilbert - M.Maguire - J.Gram - S.Fisher (Loose)
C: L.Montagna - L.Hayes - A.Lovett
HF: B.Goddard - N.Riewoldt
FF: S.Milne - J.Koschitzke - A.Schneider
R: M.Gardiner - C.Jones - N.Dal Santo
I/C: S.King - F.Ray - A.McQualter - L.Ball/D.Armitage/B.Peake

We see Maguire regain his spot at center half back, while Goddard takes a permanent post as a medium forward. Sam Fisher, now released from man-on-man defensive duties is to take over Goddard's roaming/link/quarterback role - with the ability to go back as a defender (tall or small) when required.

The big question though is clearly Maguire's fitness and form.

I believe a lot of what you say but i really dont like the extra man back. I think it is the wingmans job to do that... Why flood their forward line with extra players when they will do the same in ours?

It will then be 5vs 7 in each forward line and although teams will find it hard to score against us, we will then in turn find it hard to score against them.

If this is the case then the 5 forwards tackling their 7 defenders wont keep it on as long. I think we have the same plan we had for much of this year with players from the wing dropping back to help out and clear from defence, all while keep at least 6 forwards in our forward line. I know it can get crowded but if you have mids that can kick the ball then having 6 genuine forwards will work, especially on turnovers from our pressure on their ball carriers

[Thinline]

I'd like 22 Lenny Hayes's of various sizes please.

[Stephen Theodore]

Batnoe wrote:
While i agree Peake may be in our 22 eventually, Ray is way ahead of him at this stage. Peake may come on in bursts off the bench,but is behind Ray in this point of time.

I agree. Whilst I havent seen a lot of Peake, my memories are of a hot and cold type who goes missing. Ray well ahead at the moment.

[SaintBot]

FB: S.Baker - Z.Dawson - J.Blake
HB: S.Gilbert - M.Maguire - J.Gram - S.Fisher (Loose)
C: L.Montagna - L.Hayes - A.Lovett
HF: B.Goddard - N.Riewoldt
FF: S.Milne - J.Koschitzke - A.Schneider
R: M.Gardiner - C.Jones - N.Dal Santo
I/C: S.King - F.Ray - A.McQualter - L.Ball/D.Armitage/B.Peake

We see Maguire regain his spot at center half back, while Goddard takes a permanent post as a medium forward. Sam Fisher, now released from man-on-man defensive duties is to take over Goddard's roaming/link/quarterback role - with the ability to go back as a defender (tall or small) when required.

The big question though is clearly Maguire's fitness and form.

I believe a lot of what you say but i really dont like the extra man back. I think it is the wingmans job to do that... Why flood their forward line with extra players when they will do the same in ours?

It will then be 5vs 7 in each forward line and although teams will find it hard to score against us, we will then in turn find it hard to score against them.

If this is the case then the 5 forwards tackling their 7 defenders wont keep it on as long. I think we have the same plan we had for much of this year with players from the wing dropping back to help out and clear from defence, all while keep at least 6 forwards in our forward line. I know it can get crowded but if you have mids that can kick the ball then having 6 genuine forwards will work, especially on turnovers from our pressure on their ball carriers

I don't actually want to see a spare man in defence either. What I like is a roaming free player, a role Goddard and Gram both played at various stages this year. You will find that they tend to alternate between being an extra on baller to hanging a kick behind play.

I know this doesn't solve the issue of having 5 vs 6/7 up forward however I doubt too many teams have players who when left free would be able to hurt us as much as a loose Fisher would hurt them.

[saintjake]

While i agree Peake may be in our 22 eventually, Ray is way ahead of him at this stage. Peake may come on in bursts off the bench,but is behind Ray in this point of time.

R Clarke may be tried as 3rd tall coming off bench too

GOSH, bats someone with some idea.
ray was outstanding this year!
and now some of you want to banish him to the bench/off the team for peake, for kicking skills
come on now sainters.

[To the top]

I just have a view that we are a small defensive player short (excuse the pun) against the talented, quick attacking players we do not have but have now corrected by recruiting Lovett.

And I think Peake may be the player - also taking inconsistent form out of the equation.

Clarke will evolve into a mid-fielder going forward adding flexibility - he has done his apprenticeship in defence.

[groupie1]

beg to differ.. if he becomes a saint he's straight in. mark my words

how could he come straight in, when he hasn't kicked or practiced with a sherrin before?

He has

[Armoooo]

Ray seems to have fallen out of favour a bit