Longer Critics - enjoy at least a nice two week vacation :-)

[Saint wagga]

Young ruck - inconsistent! Strweth, who'd a thought!! BY persevering and not swinging the axe the selectors and us supporters were rewarded by a very solid well rounded performance by the big fella and i was wrapped for him! Keep it up Billy and hopefully a good back of the season awaits and you can keep building form, experience and confidence going forward!!

[plugger66]

Pity Hickey value is dropping. It was always going to be one or the other IMO. Looks like its Longer.

[Saint wagga]

I'm sure at some point in the next 2 years injury of some sort and at least moderate length will strike one or both of the big young lads. Time most definently on their side. If both can be patient and good team men, then it could all come to fruition with a veratile and seasoned ruck divison. If hickey wants out after 1 season back from a near write off year due to injury, dont think he'd fetch that much interest. I reckon it's in everyone best interests for boht to stick fat and strive for team success...and we all live happily ever after

[Sobraz]

If that match was a reward for effort I'd hate to see a bad day.

8 touches and 2 marks, direct opponent, also very young, inexperienced and in his second game for the year, had double the amount and a far bigger impact on the game.

He also lost the hitouts which apparently is his saving grace.

Granted he laid 6 tackles which is a good effort for a big guy, however it was a congested match and we laid 99 as a team so it's not a standout stat.

So what was the reward for effort?

Nothing against Longer personally, I don't want to be seen to be bagging him incessantly.
However he appears to be beaten week in week out, and was again this week, yet people seem to be satisfied by what seem to be very average performances, while we have Hickey floundering at CHF and the VFL who has shown to have far more strings to his bow.

[plugger66]

I'm sure at some point in the next 2 years injury of some sort and at least moderate length will strike one or both of the big young lads. Time most definently on their side. If both can be patient and good team men, then it could all come to fruition with a veratile and seasoned ruck divison. If hickey wants out after 1 season back from a near write off year due to injury, dont think he'd fetch that much interest. I reckon it's in everyone best interests for boht to stick fat and strive for team success...and we all live happily ever after

We have seen Hickey as a forward and he struggles. Longer is our ruckman. We aren't going to play 2 as pure ruckman. Do you honestly think will just be happy to play in the reserves in case Longer gets injured? Not a hope unless no club wants him. He will be wanted but his value will drop. I hope the club has made the right decision for 3 years time.

[The Fireman]

If there is a champ ruckman in the next draft we'll have a good chance of securing him with a top pick.

[Saint wagga]

I'm sure at some point in the next 2 years injury of some sort and at least moderate length will strike one or both of the big young lads. Time most definently on their side. If both can be patient and good team men, then it could all come to fruition with a veratile and seasoned ruck divison. If hickey wants out after 1 season back from a near write off year due to injury, dont think he'd fetch that much interest. I reckon it's in everyone best interests for boht to stick fat and strive for team success...and we all live happily ever after

We have seen Hickey as a forward and he struggles. Longer is our ruckman. We aren't going to play 2 as pure ruckman. Do you honestly think will just be happy to play in the reserves in case Longer gets injured? Not a hope unless no club wants him. He will be wanted but his value will drop. I hope the club has made the right decision for 3 years time.

So based on one pretty good game, one mediocre game and 2 poor games based on missing some gettable marks, you are writing off Hickey's potential to play as a forward for 60-70% of game time for the next 10yrs!! I thought even in the poor games, he lstill worked into good spots and his below knee work and second efforts cant be faulted...I dont know if he;ll be happy about playing in the reserves. I would hope he strives like bloody all else to get back in the 1's by putting his best foot forward, be it thru the 2's or thru injury opporunity...

[plugger66]

I'm sure at some point in the next 2 years injury of some sort and at least moderate length will strike one or both of the big young lads. Time most definently on their side. If both can be patient and good team men, then it could all come to fruition with a veratile and seasoned ruck divison. If hickey wants out after 1 season back from a near write off year due to injury, dont think he'd fetch that much interest. I reckon it's in everyone best interests for boht to stick fat and strive for team success...and we all live happily ever after

We have seen Hickey as a forward and he struggles. Longer is our ruckman. We aren't going to play 2 as pure ruckman. Do you honestly think will just be happy to play in the reserves in case Longer gets injured? Not a hope unless no club wants him. He will be wanted but his value will drop. I hope the club has made the right decision for 3 years time.

So based on one pretty good game, one mediocre game and 2 poor games based on missing some gettable marks, you are writing off Hickey's potential to play as a forward for 60-70% of game time for the next 10yrs!! I thought even in the poor games, he lstill worked into good spots and his below knee work and second efforts cant be faulted...I dont know if he;ll be happy about playing in the reserves. I would hope he strives like bloody all else to get back in the 1's by putting his best foot forward, be it thru the 2's or thru injury opporunity...

Well I think Membery is better for structure so there isn't a spot there apart from injury and poor form from Membery. If im not writing off Hickey, im writing off Membery because Roo is around be at least another tear or two baring injury. And then there is McCartin to fit into the side in the next year or two.

[Moods]

THAT was considered a solid game by a ruckman?

He did very little, again. AND he dropped a crucial mark in the last quarter (when he was standing all on his own)

Why oh why won't they play Hickey??????????????? It frustrates me no end.

[seano1]

I think I`m sounding like a broken record on here but here we go again............Hickey while is good last year finished off with a knee injury he went to Europe to have it looked at so I`m guessing that it will be something he and the coaches know that he will have to be managed to get him through games ...now just maybe he will never play ruck full time because of it. Did he play vfl on weekend? I didn`t see his name in any reports from guys on here

[FQF]

It is kind of ironic that the most important ruck dual of the match, the second last one, in which our ruckman brilliantly flicked the ball into the path of Jack was done by our makeshift ruck in Bruce.

Bruce demonstrated tremendous workrate in being able to ruck that contest and then get into the forward line and be the target of Jack's pass which ended up causing the winning goal. That's the type of work rate you want to see in a ruck. Not to just plod along at a safe enough distance to be able to get there in time for the next stoppage.

[Playon]

Someones knocking at the door.

Jason Holmes (13 disposals, 3 tackles, 3 marks)

[Griggsy]

Someones knocking at the door.

Jason Holmes (13 disposals, 3 tackles, 3 marks)

Saints facebook just made a post about Holmes for his whopping 60 hitouts!!!

shame we won't get a game this year.

[Playon]

At the rate he's going and if he can keep it up, he could be our number one ruck in (18 months?).

Be a great story if he does, really hope he gets a chance

[desertsaint]

Hoping Holmes beats the odds and becomes a star - we need it - haven't had a good ruckman since Gardiner.

[WinnersOnly]

Hoping Holmes beats the odds and becomes a star - we need it - haven't had a good ruckman since Gardiner.

Cant see Holmes being as good as Gardiner. Gardiner had ability, footballing nouse and some mongrel and played a bit like Mumford is today. Holmes is great tap ruck but has a long way to go to be a dominate force in the AFL...

[Sobraz]

Hoping Holmes beats the odds and becomes a star - we need it - haven't had a good ruckman since Gardiner.

Cant see Holmes being as good as Gardiner. Gardiner had ability, footballing nouse and some mongrel and played a bit like Mumford is today. Holmes is great tap ruck but has a long way to go to be a dominate force in the AFL...

Gardiner was a number 1 draft pick.

As much chance as me becoming the next Tony Lockett. And I'm a left footer!

[Playon]

Welcome to the club Tony, we've been looking for left footers

[gringo]

If that match was a reward for effort I'd hate to see a bad day.

8 touches and 2 marks, direct opponent, also very young, inexperienced and in his second game for the year, had double the amount and a far bigger impact on the game.

He also lost the hitouts which apparently is his saving grace.

Granted he laid 6 tackles which is a good effort for a big guy, however it was a congested match and we laid 99 as a team so it's not a standout stat.

So what was the reward for effort?

Nothing against Longer personally, I don't want to be seen to be bagging him incessantly.
However he appears to be beaten week in week out, and was again this week, yet people seem to be satisfied by what seem to be very average performances, while we have Hickey floundering at CHF and the VFL who has shown to have far more strings to his bow.

I was at the game and Billy sprinted to contests and really gets into the ruck duals. I thought he was very good. Gawn was a highly rated kid who was too skinny but they have persisted with him for a long time now he's like 110 kgs or something and a fifth year player. In his first year he looked like he was too skinny but very highly skilled with strong marking etc. The only stat he had that was career best was handballs.

[SainterK]

I've been wanting longer to do well, I'm critical that each week the ruck is our weakness.

Gawn had 3 goal assists, who knows how many score involvements.

It's a concern, I didn't think it's getting better personally.

I just wanted Hickey to get a turn in the ruck, even if at sandy, not forward.

[supersaints]

I think Longer is more than worth persevering with. Also think Hickey has a huge upside and should be kept (providing he gets over his knee problems)
Ruckmen all take time, (we've got plenty of that). No need to make knee-jerk decisions just to satisfy Plugger66, at least until they have both had a decent go over the next two seasons, need to give them both time. Don't see what the rush is ( most teams would be more than happy with our ruck stocks at present.
It will be interesting should Jason keep improving at the rapid rate he has set. I'm just wondering if the Saints have ever had a ruck who could get 60 hit outs, reserves or not....

[plugger66]

If that match was a reward for effort I'd hate to see a bad day.

8 touches and 2 marks, direct opponent, also very young, inexperienced and in his second game for the year, had double the amount and a far bigger impact on the game.

He also lost the hitouts which apparently is his saving grace.

Granted he laid 6 tackles which is a good effort for a big guy, however it was a congested match and we laid 99 as a team so it's not a standout stat.

So what was the reward for effort?

Nothing against Longer personally, I don't want to be seen to be bagging him incessantly.
However he appears to be beaten week in week out, and was again this week, yet people seem to be satisfied by what seem to be very average performances, while we have Hickey floundering at CHF and the VFL who has shown to have far more strings to his bow.

I was at the game and Billy sprinted to contests and really gets into the ruck duals. I thought he was very good. Gawn was a highly rated kid who was too skinny but they have persisted with him for a long time now he's like 110 kgs or something and a fifth year player. In his first year he looked like he was too skinny but very highly skilled with strong marking etc. The only stat he had that was career best was handballs.

Max has never really been a strong mark. That was a weakness.

[falka]

I am not a Longer fan.
Did nothing to change my mind on weekend.

I Want to know the truth re Hickey?
When he did play he got F*** all ruck time.

Hickey can run jump and mark
Longer can't.

Hope he wins us a premiership one day and I can say I was wrong, but At the moment he is lucky to be playing and is a poor mans Damien Kitschke and about as prolific with possessions as Trent Knobel.

[Freebird]

I am not a Longer fan.
Did nothing to change my mind on weekend.


Hickey can run jump and mark
Longer can't.
.

Playing Hickey will destroy everyones perception....You make Hickey sound like Wayne Carey

[Munga]

Hoping Holmes beats the odds and becomes a star - we need it - haven't had a good ruckman since Gardiner.

Cant see Holmes being as good as Gardiner. Gardiner had ability, footballing nouse and some mongrel and played a bit like Mumford is today. Holmes is great tap ruck but has a long way to go to be a dominate force in the AFL...

Holmes doesn't have to dominate the AFL. At this stage he just has to be OUR best ruckman. Could well be.