What do you think our starting 22 will be excl. new pick-ups

[battye]

Excluding anyone we picked up in the recent trade/draft/rookie draft, what do you think our best starting 22 for 2010 is?

[Saintersss]

B: Baker Dawson Blake
HB: Smith? Fisher Gilbert
C: Montagna Dal Santo Goddard
HF: Lovett? Riewoldt Schnieder
F: Milne Kosi McQualter
FOLL: Gardiner Hayes Jones
Inter: McEvoy Ray Gram Armitage

Clarke for Smith if he is not fit.
Geary for Lovett if you know.

[saintsRrising]

Excluding anyone we picked up in the recent trade/draft/rookie draft, what do you think our best starting 22 for 2010 is?

Ok...however I think Peake is very likely to be playing in that game.

So on your OP:

Armitage likely to be in for Ball. Steven or Geary a real chance though.

Biggest question for mine will be what Lyon tries at HF.

Dempster will be fitter...
Gwilt will be a bit wiser..
Lynch will be bigger and more mature..

Should make the NAB intesrting seeing what and who is tied here.

[matrix]

well if it excludes anyone that wasnt here last year then...the same side as the GF

[Maxstar22]

well if it excludes anyone that wasnt here last year then...the same side as the GF

Ex Ball...

For me, same side as the GF with Armo in for Ball.

The NAB cup will be interesting and hopefully it will show us some of the newbies and what they can do, plus some of the oldies in new/amended posies.

[matrix]

well if it excludes anyone that wasnt here last year then...the same side as the GF

Ex Ball...

For me, same side as the GF with Armo in for Ball.

The NAB cup will be interesting and hopefully it will show us some of the newbies and what they can do, plus some of the oldies in new/amended posies.

yeah good call
armo in for traitor

[awesome_days]

B: Dempster Dawson Baker
HB: Gilbert Blake SFisher
C: Gram Hayes Montagna
HF: Armitage Riewoldt McQualter
F: Milne Koschitzke Goddard
R: Gardiner Dal Santo Jones
I: McEvoy Ray Steven RClarke

[saintnick12]

Agree our best team is most likely the GF team, with Armo in for Ball. Also think this season may have McEvoy going past King, depending on how the bodies of King and Gardiner hold up.

Geary, Steven, Eddy will all be pushing places as well as some our new recruits (minus Lovett of course). Hopefully Peake and Smith will be in the mix.

Would love to see Goddard tried forward in the third tall spot as the previous post suggested. Not sure if they will, but would certainly be worth a try. I also think they might try Gilbert up forward again, as that seemed to be a big push last preseason until Max got injured late and the sturcture of the backline changed, and did so well they left it that way (ie with Gilbert down back and Dawson in etc). Maybe Smith would have to work out before they would be game enough to try Gilbert or Goddard forward on a more regular basis.

[milney044]

B: Dempster Dawson Baker
HB: Gilbert Blake SFisher
C: Gram Hayes Montagna
HF: Armitage Riewoldt McQualter
F: Milne Koschitzke Goddard
R: Gardiner Dal Santo Jones
I: McEvoy Ray Steven RClarke

I'm liking that line up, it's such a shame Lovett has spoilt things because then we probably could have seen Goddard in the forward line for the majority of games. Unfortunately I think he will need to help out in the midfield, fingers crossed Armitage really steps up and the two can rotate positions.

Interesting to see you've left out Schneider, I don't think Steven will have his spot Round 1, but it could well be the case by mid season. Interesting you chose to leave out Schneider and not Milne, a lot of people do the opposite.

[matrix]

god im hanging for some footy to start ffs

[borderbarry]

If we are considering the GF, then Dempster would not make the team. And I would wait to see how the players go in the pre-season, to see how much ground McEvoy has made on King for example.
No matter what our best 22 are, I hope during the season that the following players get a game. Stanley, Lynch, Walsh, Winmar, Steven.

[borderbarry]

And I agree with Matrix. Cant wait.

[spert]

Looking forward to the opening game. Should be close to the GF team, and looking at the weaknesses in that GF team, you would think Kozi and Milne would be pressured for their spots. The competition for middle size mids and forward flankers will be interesting as somewhere we need more goal-kicking to come into the side.

[saintsRrising]

If we are considering the GF, then Dempster would not make the team. .

Before putting a cross through his name remember that last season he was returning from a major injury.

Six months on he will be a better player than he was late last year.
Not saying that he is a guaranteed first 22 player. Just saying I expect that he will be better in 2010.

[plugger66]

If we are considering the GF, then Dempster would not make the team. And I would wait to see how the players go in the pre-season, to see how much ground McEvoy has made on King for example.
No matter what our best 22 are, I hope during the season that the following players get a game. Stanley, Lynch, Walsh, Winmar, Steven.

If all of them get a game it is bad news. Either a lot of injuries or losing a fair few games. Only see Steven and Lynch getting a game this year hopefully.

[Eastern]

If we are considering the GF, then Dempster would not make the team. And I would wait to see how the players go in the pre-season, to see how much ground McEvoy has made on King for example.
No matter what our best 22 are, I hope during the season that the following players get a game. Stanley, Lynch, Walsh, Winmar, Steven.

If all of them get a game it is bad news. Either a lot of injuries or losing a fair few games. Only see Steven and Lynch getting a game this year hopefully.

Heyne??????????

There was some positive stuff written about him last yr !!

[plugger66]

If we are considering the GF, then Dempster would not make the team. And I would wait to see how the players go in the pre-season, to see how much ground McEvoy has made on King for example.
No matter what our best 22 are, I hope during the season that the following players get a game. Stanley, Lynch, Walsh, Winmar, Steven.

If all of them get a game it is bad news. Either a lot of injuries or losing a fair few games. Only see Steven and Lynch getting a game this year hopefully.

Heyne??????????

There was some positive stuff written about him last yr !!

I just meant from the list mentioned. Heyne maybe a chance if he plays well in the practice games. Was emergency a couple of times this year so RL must have a reasonable opinion of him.

[To the top]

We have to start to get something from our recent higher draftees, including particularly the likes of Armitage, Steven and Lynch.

We would have fingers crossed that Smith can come up to the standard he promised and our fingers are crossed also in regards Lovett having an AFL career.

We would also be looking at Peake because he has been drafted for (albeit that our consistently high finishes have meant a scarcity of high draft picks but that is the system. We could not even trade Ball for anything under mid 30's so that is how difficult it is - and it will get harder putting our recent higher pick draftees under pressure to perform so they have to announce their arrivals preferably this year).

Unlike most on here I rate the likes of Geary and Eddy and Dempster as run of the mill list players who will get opportunity if others fail - I fear they are not the types who are going to improve our team including because they are honest flanker types.

I do not like 'negative' forwards in the side principally to pressure and keep the ball in - because of the defensive shortfalls of others.

So the improvement I look for is to be able to chop Milne and his defensive insurance (McQualter) and find replacements who contribute accross all required disciplines.

It may be that McEvoy can get games in the forward line as he continues his education as a future ruckman - and allowing Koschitzke a true utility role.

Both would have to work on mobility - but you are always working on something so why not mobility and defensive pressure with both of these big men?

Stanley is a wild card because he has mobility - but is a stick at this stage of development. I recall a guy called David Kantilla who played his career as a stick and he was a champion, so my fingers are crossed.

Of those closing in on the final stages of their careers, Baker is limited to a particular type of opponent where he will do a fine job and Blake will come under scrutiny if we can add a 190cm line running defender - or Miles at 185cm.

We would look for Clarke to announce that he has done his defensive learning and to move further afield with his creative skills.

And you do not mention Clarke without mentioning Gilbert, who also has enormous potential to alter the trend of a game of football.

Lovett is only one player and is not our team.

However he is the exact type of clever, quick, evasive and accountable footballer we lack buzzing around our forward line ensuring (also) that no defender is safe with the ball.

And Goddard to become the most influential mid-fielder in the competition.

He has not got far to go! Can he say "move over Roo, I am THE player in this team"? I think he can and I think he is ready.

The pressure is going to be really on after last season, including because of expectation.

Deliver on expectation and you write your name into history.

That is the challenge to EVERY player on our list - and those who educate and support them.