Mid season review The Age.

[To the top]

All of Fisher, Montagna, Dempster, Gilbert and Geary playing in defence?

Gilbert is playing as a utility player, forward, in the mid field and in defence as circumstances present (including injuries).

Montagna is playing in defence to give run and carry with precision - and to cover that Geary is so deficient in these absolutely required skills.

Fisher and Dempster have been in fine form, both playing as key defenders (and noting the results when Fisher has been absent, until last Sunday).

I have no problem with the likes of Goddard and Lee honing their skills at practice and at VFL level, because Fisher and Dempster as key position defenders are both veterans.

So opportunity for Goddard and Lee will come.

You can envisage Carlisle and Goddard as the "spine" of our defence - and Lee as the 3rd tall aka the performances of Fisher until resources have seen Fisher required to be accountable on the forwards he is currently required to defend - and that goes to show exactly what a champion Fisher is.

So look at structure and look to the future.

That said, games are played today, so performance today is THE requirement and to deliver you put your best available side on the park.

But you continue to build resource - and if that means capable players bide their time at Seconds level then that is a positive, including for when retirements and injuries impact.

It is all about building.

Bit like the nonsense from Mr HIH about "jobs and growth".

"Jobs and growth" is the objective of every Australian in that we not only look at employment for ourselves to garner an income able to satisfy our requirements and objectives (and contribute to the economy because we are confident enough to spend on goods and services, the sector which is 80% of our economy - hence the flat to recessionary wages growth is severely impacting economic performance and THAT is THE issue - not tax cuts to high income earners and business) but the opportunity our education, endeavors and skills are creating for our future generations and the skill sets of every one of our future generations - because everyone is not going to be an innovator much less a successful innovator.

Tri-Continental (and others) surely taught us about government attempting to pick winners in innovation and "Start ups".

[degruch]

Bolshy.

[Bluthy]

That said, games are played today, so performance today is THE requirement and to deliver you put your best available side on the park.

I just flat out disagree with that and I think very few teams will do that. You always have one eye on the future. Hawks and Sydney have rebuilt a fair chunk of their team by playing young guys who wouldn't have been in their top 22 but wanted to blood. And rebuilding teams even more so should not be as worried with results but thinking more long-term. I think Richo got sucked into a top-22 approach when we should have still been experimenting and blooding players and thinking ahead.

Anyway, personally I would honestly prefer Delaney over Dempster in our "best 22" as Delaney can take a big forward unit and free up others on our backline like Webster who was much more attacking on Sunday (although didn't use the footy that well). I wold love to see Fish, Lee and Roberton as the three tall backs which opens up space to play a Murdoch or White or Mckenzie or Wright to give more run and attack from our backline that we have been badly missing. Plus it gets some games into these young turks.

The reality is its not about the now. It's about 2020. And to think otherwise is not strategic smart thinking.

[To the top]

Simply, many of the players now performing at AFL level at the likes of Sydney and Hawthorn have had a solid education at the lower level - so when they get opportunity because of retirement, loss of form or injury they are highly educated and skilled as to team requirements.

Some, like Membrey as an example, choose not to bide their time and move on to gain regular AFL game time.

That is the risk you take by well schooling at lower levels.

Simply, if Lee has to bide his time because Fisher is ahead of him, so be it.

And hopefully the education put into Lee will pay dividends.

All Clubs field "seconds" sides - for a reason.

[saintbrat]

another review- Fox footy- ( morris was at the Saints)
http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/st-kild ... f89a5ddf3e

ST Kilda is about on par with where most pundits expected it to be at the halfway point of the season.

As per all developing teams, they’ve endured some humbling defeats, but have also excited their loyal fans with sporadic and at times sensational victories.

They’ve used 33 players, partly through necessity but mostly to give opportunity to youngsters who are still yet to establish themselves at the elite level.

Alan Richardson is still working out his best side, with a conveyor belt of small forwards rotating through the senior team but also proving too good at the level below.

The challenge — as has been the case since Richardson arrived at St Kilda — is defence. The Saints have the potential to leak like a sieve and must rectify this in the back of the season if they are to stem the bleeding in big defeats.

At their best, St Kilda is enthralling to watch with numerous avenues to goal. At their worst, the exact opposite applies. But given they are only part-way through a full rebuild, undulations are to be expected.


They’re going ok. There is no need to panic

[saintbrat]

and another on from SEN
http://omnyapp.com/shows/7-11-sport/afl ... d-part-one

approx 25 min mark

[saintbrat]

and terry wallace
http://omnyapp.com/shows/7-11-sport/plo ... d-part-one

~ 8.50 min in