Milne - Where's he at?

[mad saint guy]

He has lost a tiny bit of pace, which means he can't pull off the same tricks he used to as often. Although if he had better accuracy this year then he'd have 12-13 goals from his 6 games and no one would be questioning his spot. He's missed some easy ones so far this year.

[dragit]

I'd like to answer all of the above with a question.
Would you leave Milne out of next weeks game ? or the next or the next ?
The answer is no so therefore we can crap on all we like him. At the end of the day he is a valuable contributor and more valuable than some others in the team.


Where's he at ? well he is nearing the end of a valuable career to our club, club champion and breaking records with almost every game he plays now yet seems to have little respect given him by some of our supporters, which makes me think that we have some dumb supporters as the Collingwoods, Cheats etc. do.

I shouldn't need to say what I have .....which worries me.

This is what I would call unconditional hero worship.

Milne has been playing on credits this year, nothing disrespectful about actually acknowledging this.

There's no taking away what Milne has achieved, unbelievable career, but he is 33 and battling for form still at round 8. Dumb supporters would be ones who never question a certain players below average performance because they are 'a champion'…

If Hayes, Gilbert & Schneider were all ready to play this week, then Milne's place in the side would be looked at.

[Dis Believer]

I love Milney, but I think this should be his laast year, based on current output. He may well pick up the tempo over the remainder of the year, but the fact remains that there is only one way to go as a 34 year old. As he has lost half a yard, and can expect to lose another half a yard, in a postion where every smidgin of pace works in your favour, I would hate to see him go out too late and allow his critics the opportunity to besmirch what should be a great legacy. He has earned the right to be treated with great respect, and the idea of him as a runner is one that appeals to me as well.

[SainterK]

I'm sure there will be rests factored in this year.

[Teflon]

I'd like to answer all of the above with a question.
Would you leave Milne out of next weeks game ? or the next or the next ?
The answer is no so therefore we can crap on all we like him. At the end of the day he is a valuable contributor and more valuable than some others in the team.


Where's he at ? well he is nearing the end of a valuable career to our club, club champion and breaking records with almost every game he plays now yet seems to have little respect given him by some of our supporters, which makes me think that we have some dumb supporters as the Collingwoods, Cheats etc. do.

I shouldn't need to say what I have .....which worries me.

Actually, that's a fairly dumb response.... basically your response goes like this:

"Milne is a club god. Current poor form or the fact he may keep a kid out of the side does not matter - he plays no matter what cause he's been awesome in the past (and he has)..... and that's all that matters right?"

Given where our club is currently at I reckon Milne himself would disagree with the above, typically lame "St Kilda Individual Idolisation" response.

For me Milne gets to mid year (or whenever Schneider can get on the park for longer than a minute). IF his form is still shyte - he spends time at Sandy. That simple.

IMO players getting to pick their own exact departure dates is a rare thing reserved ONLY for club legends and I hold only Hayes/Riewoldt as members of this exclusive club.

Our club has to be bigger than the individual - especially now we all know we are rebuilding

[The Fireman]

dumb response ? so you and Dragit wouldn't play him next week ?

[Dr Spaceman]

Depends on which way you look at it I suppose.

The fact we are rebuilding, and not challenging, means that form is not critical and that we can afford to be generous to a terrific player in the twilight of his career. IMO.

[The Fireman]

I'd like to answer all of the above with a question.
Would you leave Milne out of next weeks game ? or the next or the next ?
The answer is no so therefore we can crap on all we like him. At the end of the day he is a valuable contributor and more valuable than some others in the team.


Where's he at ? well he is nearing the end of a valuable career to our club, club champion and breaking records with almost every game he plays now yet seems to have little respect given him by some of our supporters, which makes me think that we have some dumb supporters as the Collingwoods, Cheats etc. do.

I shouldn't need to say what I have .....which worries me.

This is what I would call unconditional hero worship.

Milne has been playing on credits this year, nothing disrespectful about actually acknowledging this.

There's no taking away what Milne has achieved, unbelievable career, but he is 33 and battling for form still at round 8. Dumb supporters would be ones who never question a certain players below average performance because they are 'a champion'…

If Hayes, Gilbert & Schneider were all ready to play this week, then Milne's place in the side would be looked at.

hero worship ? Could you please point out what was wrong with what I said or wasn't to your liking ?

[Old Mate]

Where is he at? He's slow, playing some dumb football and not contributing a heck of a lot. He's really struggling and his decline is big part of why the club is struggling. Nothing against the bloke, he's been a great servant to the club but age gets us all even the club champions.

Will he improve? That's yet to be seen but what I am sure about is his time to show something is running out. What is really bothering me is not only the lack of goals he's scoring but the fact that he's not giving a lot defensively (this has never been his strength) and he's playing some selfish footy that we didn't see for a few years under Ross Lyon. It's important that if he's part of the team he leads by example, as he should being one of our mature players.

[plugger66]

I think the point is he is holding back no one at the moment so there is no reason to think about dropping him. If he is holding back a player that will eventually be better than he is now then drop him. havent seen any of that though.

[Dis Believer]

I think the point is he is holding back no one at the moment so there is no reason to think about dropping him. If he is holding back a player that will eventually be better than he is now then drop him. havent seen any of that though.

This. (Gawd help me I 've agreed with you twice in a week). I think if Schneider could get on the park with any continuity he would be pushing Yapper out, but that simply isn't happening right now. The back half of this season could get interesting though.

[dragit]

hero worship ? Could you please point out what was wrong with what I said or wasn't to your liking ?

Well you are suggesting that supporters who are questioning his form are dumb…

club champion and breaking records with almost every game he plays now yet seems to have little respect given him by some of our supporters, which makes me think that we have some dumb supporters as the Collingwoods, Cheats etc. do.

I haven't read anything that disrespects Milne in this thread… He's been very average this year but it sounds like you are saying he can't be dropped because of what he has done in years gone by? In fact people suggesting it are dumb?

He would be very close to being dropped for this week IMO, he is fortunate that we don't have players ready to come back in… Saad & Milera were better - any of Hayes, Maister, Schneider, Gilbert would replace him (if fit) this week if I was picking the side. Nothing disrespectful about it, his form is down & he did several undisciplined things on Monday which would never be tolerated by a junior player, let alone a 250 game player.

He is publicly on notice with Watters, so if his form continues don't be surprised if he goes back to Sandy.

[The Fireman]

hero worship ? Could you please point out what was wrong with what I said or wasn't to your liking ?

Well you are suggesting that supporters who are questioning his form are dumb…

thats your slant on it, I am saying the disrespectful ones are.

club champion and breaking records with almost every game he plays now yet seems to have little respect given him by some of our supporters, which makes me think that we have some dumb supporters as the Collingwoods, Cheats etc. do.

I haven't read anything that disrespects Milne in this thread… He's been very average this year but it sounds like you are saying he can't be dropped because of what he has done in years gone by? In fact people suggesting it are dumb?

He would be very close to being dropped for this week IMO, he is fortunate that we don't have players ready to come back in… Saad & Milera were better - any of Hayes, Maister, Schneider, Gilbert would replace him (if fit) this week if I was picking the side. Nothing disrespectful about it, his form is down & he did several undisciplined things on Monday which would never be tolerated by a junior player, let alone a 250 game player.

He is publicly on notice with Watters, so if his form continues don't be surprised if he goes back to Sandy.

you have said I have suggested many things, please point out what I said was wrong. and I'll ask again, would you drop him now ?

[dragit]

you have said I have suggested many things, please point out what I said was wrong. and I'll ask again, would you drop him now ?

you said many of our supporters don't respect Milne and are dumb.

No games at Sandy this week makes it hard for someone to put up their hand, but as I said earlier if any of Hayes, Maister, Gilbert or Schneider were coming back from injury this week I would drop Milne, I have no problems with rewarding good performance and dropping players out of form, regardless of their status.

[The Fireman]

you have said I have suggested many things, please point out what I said was wrong. and I'll ask again, would you drop him now ?

you said many of our supporters don't respect Milne and are dumb.

No games at Sandy this week makes it hard for someone to put up their hand, but as I said earlier if any of Hayes, Maister, Gilbert or Schneider were coming back from injury this week I would drop Milne, I have no problems with rewarding good performance and dropping players out of form, regardless of their status.

I agree with that and you are saying you would not drop him...good we are getting somewhere.
He won't be dropped because he is a valuable asset in our lineup and I reckon he won't be dropped when those players come back, we'll wait and see on that.

PS please check other threads for the disrespect, they are there. believe it or not we do have some dumb supporters.

[thequarry]

What's tricky with Milne is that IMO over the years he has brought this unclassifiable quality to the club...
Call it teamsmenship, great clubman, spirit whatever.

When debutants kick goals, he is always the first to congratulate them, when a saints player gets hit, he is always the one to remonstrate first. He fires the team up etc He is the greatest creation of GT's "it's a privledge to play for the saints" attitude that he tried to deveop in his early years.
Players like Milne and my buddy Jones have consistently demonstrated over the years that they bring this other quality to the team that makes all walk a bit taller.

For Milne, the issue is that his impact on games is well down and there are others to take his place. It's really hard to justify playing him ahead of both Milera and Saad unless they are playing extremely poorly. Given that we have schnieds to come in as well... Thats a lot of forwards so it may well be Dunnel or Ledger etc that miss out.

I think i would play him intermittently throughout the season based on form and then ensure he plays the last 5 games to ensure a proper send off

Very good point about being a great clubman. Have a look at Siposs kicking his goal on Monday night, and watch Milne's reaction just as Arryn kicks it. Mline was also leading things post-match (including the song, of course).

If he doesn't pick things up then he might have to be in and out of the side throughout the year, if the younger guys and Schneids are fit and their form warrants selection. As many have said, selecting him ahead of Milera, Saad, TDL and even Dunell might simply not bring the side anything. He's still got a few weeks to get going though; I don't think he'll quite end up emulating the extremes of last season's form line but he's certainly got something to give.

[spert]

Obviously not up to last year's form, which means they might as well not take him to any interstate games or the MCG as he won't get a touch. He has played some great games for us over the years, but this season, we are not getting enough from our small forwards, and that's a weakness that needs fixing pretty quick.

[st_Trav_ofWA]

you have said I have suggested many things, please point out what I said was wrong. and I'll ask again, would you drop him now ?

you said many of our supporters don't respect Milne and are dumb.

No games at Sandy this week makes it hard for someone to put up their hand, but as I said earlier if any of Hayes, Maister, Gilbert or Schneider were coming back from injury this week I would drop Milne, I have no problems with rewarding good performance and dropping players out of form, regardless of their status.

so on that you would have to say Saad should prob be dropped next week if Hayes, Maister, Gilbert or Schneider were coming back as his form has been worse then Milnes???

[dragit]

you have said I have suggested many things, please point out what I said was wrong. and I'll ask again, would you drop him now ?

you said many of our supporters don't respect Milne and are dumb.

No games at Sandy this week makes it hard for someone to put up their hand, but as I said earlier if any of Hayes, Maister, Gilbert or Schneider were coming back from injury this week I would drop Milne, I have no problems with rewarding good performance and dropping players out of form, regardless of their status.

so on that you would have to say Saad should prob be dropped next week if Hayes, Maister, Gilbert or Schneider were coming back as his form has been worse then Milnes???

Probably, I thought he was due for spell last week, however he was definitely better than Milne on Monday IMO.

Plus in our position of development, I would be giving more leeway to those with 20 games experience over those with 250+

[Teflon]

you have said I have suggested many things, please point out what I said was wrong. and I'll ask again, would you drop him now ?

you said many of our supporters don't respect Milne and are dumb.

No games at Sandy this week makes it hard for someone to put up their hand, but as I said earlier if any of Hayes, Maister, Gilbert or Schneider were coming back from injury this week I would drop Milne, I have no problems with rewarding good performance and dropping players out of form, regardless of their status.

so on that you would have to say Saad should prob be dropped next week if Hayes, Maister, Gilbert or Schneider were coming back as his form has been worse then Milnes???

I thought Saad was ok against Blues - better than weeks before and didnt make multiple dumb mistakes (that did hurt us the other way) with selfish footy.

There is also the small matter of................we are re building and Saad is the future....Milne isnt.

That said, Id keep Milne in a for a few more and if he plays good TEAM footy, adds pressure, lays tackles (4 for the year so far?????) then he stays on and goes out with a blessing having helped the youngsters along the way.

IF he continues as he has been so far he goes. Id actually prefer to play a small resting mid fwd along with Saad - possibly increase midfield rotations and add someone who lays a tackle than hoping Milne kicks a miracle goal once every couple of months.

[Teflon]

dumb response ? so you and Dragit wouldn't play him next week ?

Id keep him for a few more - mid year that is long enough.

IF the form isnt there, the pressure acts arent there and we can blood a small, younger fwd/mid in the role to get experience then he goes.

No hero worshipping IMHO Milnes been using petrol tickets thus far and they arent an endless supply.

[Greg T]

Milne has been a major asset at the club foe many years.
Behind the scenes I imagine his imput is invaluable.
He still warrants selection IMO.
His decision making has been poor this year ,but I reckon he will get going soon.
Still the best of our small forwards , and a pain in the arse to other clubs.
A true st.klda champ,one when retires,will be sorely missed.

[Con Gorozidis]

Milney Game Averages -

2013
11 Disposals
1.5 Goals
0.8 Tackles

2012 (All Australian)
12.4 Disposals
2.6 Goals
2.1 Tackles

Career
11.9 Disposals
2.1 Goals
1.7 Tackles

[Teflon]

Milney Averages - Its really his tackles that are down the most. Half what he usually does. Needs to improve there.


2013
11 Disposals
1.5 Goals
0.8 Tackles

2012 (All Australian)
12.4 Disposals
2.6 Goals
2.1 Tackles

Career
11.9 Disposals
2.1 Goals
1.7 Tackles

which says a lot.

when you are a small forward, not in form, not kicking goals DO SOMETHING ELSE and laying a tackle or 3 and adding real fwd pressure should be non negotiable. I dont care if he kicks 7 against Melbourne....

[dragit]

Saad laid as many tackles on Monday as Milney has this whole season.

Work rate and 'team' play are more important than goals per match average.