Still plenty to be happy about in 2020

[st.byron]

FFS why does this all get back to the COVID?
we're living this s*** everyday in every way and he politicisers want to infiltrate every discussion with a finger point - for what farking end?
IMO all sides of politics are doing the best they can and are doing a remarkable job in offering leadership and response to this unprecedented threat we face
who would have thought that a Federal Liberal government would double the dole and introduce Job Seeker?
Not me and I'm not complaining or looking for any other issue to take this fact away, that I'm genuinely surprised despite my pre COVID political disposition

One thing that has given me some glimmer of release, some joy in watching a compromised football season has been, like others have said, looking forward to every game we play, how've come along and how well we're going - and we're always a chance - that's all we ever want
Watching the Saints this year has been a panacea to the stress and uncertainty that this whole COVID clusterfuck has brought to me, my business and my family (even though they go for Collingwood) - makes me a much happier camper, husband and father - just the opportunity to feel good about something for a while, to shut out all that reality s*** and have your heart and soul suspended and riding n the success of out guys

I dont think I've ever needed St Kilda more than I have this year and god I love how they're going about it

Great post HS.

[saynta]

FFS why does this all get back to the COVID?
we're living this s*** everyday in every way and he politicisers want to infiltrate every discussion with a finger point - for what farking end?
IMO all sides of politics are doing the best they can and are doing a remarkable job in offering leadership and response to this unprecedented threat we face
who would have thought that a Federal Liberal government would double the dole and introduce Job Seeker?
Not me and I'm not complaining or looking for any other issue to take this fact away, that I'm genuinely surprised despite my pre COVID political disposition

One thing that has given me some glimmer of release, some joy in watching a compromised football season has been, like others have said, looking forward to every game we play, how've come along and how well we're going - and we're always a chance - that's all we ever want
Watching the Saints this year has been a panacea to the stress and uncertainty that this whole COVID clusterfuck has brought to me, my business and my family (even though they go for Collingwood) - makes me a much happier camper, husband and father - just the opportunity to feel good about something for a while, to shut out all that reality s*** and have your heart and soul suspended and riding n the success of out guys

I dont think I've ever needed St Kilda more than I have this year and god I love how they're going about it

Great post HS.

Plus one.

[asiu]

Ooh, ooh ooh ooh oo-ooh When the Saints Come Marching in, Oh when the Saints come marching in....

when the Mighties come marching in

i like
should be more of it

[st.byron]

What 2020 has delivered is a class defence for a number of years

Carlisle is the only mature age member of our back 6 and we have the contingency of Austin and Claravino developing

Roberton being included as an Emergency is a positive for the next couple of years

Howard, Clark, Coffield and Long are “locks”

Paton is developing and Wilkie is solid

So the “old guard” of Brown, Geary, Webster, McKenzie et al have been surpassed by a young group of very good footballers

We have Hill and Billings as our first choice wingers - both pretty handy

Our key forwards are Marshall and King with Membrey in support then our “smalls” where Butler leads but where we need more class

Ryder is the age he is - so we need to attract a resource in due course

So far, so good except Ryder’s age and one of Austin or Claravino succeeding Carlisle in due time (but not urgent at this stage)

Then we get to our mids

Steele is transitioning to a genuine mid

Hannebery we badly need on the park - so similar to Carlisle

Gresham I would prefer mostly forward because to me his danger is around goal

Jones is honest, intent and useful

Then we get to the gap - and the hope both Bytel and Byrnes deliver competition leading class

On the basis of the foregoing we attempt to sell a career at St Kilda to a competition leading class mid such as a Kelly

So 2020 has given us the template for a positive future which is a decidedly better position than we have been in over the past 10 or so years

We are getting there

And we have the Coach with his team in support

Pretty much agree with all of that except about Jones and a new mid. I reckon Jones has potential to be an A grade mid and is performing way better that expected. Is 10th in the Coaches’ Votes leaderboard.
Re attracting a high quality mid such as Kelly - would be awesome but rather than putting all our eggs in one basket I like the approach of acquiring players who are not yet elite and giving them space to improve - Jones, Howard, Butler for e.g. Zach Williams and Caldwell fit this profile . Won’t cost an arm and a leg and develop depth of quality players rather than hanging our hats on one already elite gun. If our mid-field already had sufficient depth then recruiting an elite mid would make more sense, like WCE have done with Tim Kelly. For us, building depth still has a way to go.

[saynta]

Darragh Joyce is always omitted in these discussions about key backmen but has tons of ability and is only 22 years of age.

[skeptic]

Doubt he’ll be on the list past his current contract

[asiu]

it’ll be rough on a few if they do reduce list sizes