Training Pre season training

[phantom13]

Macrae is also 30 (not 55 as some would have us believe) has no significant history of injury and has never been reliant on pure athleticism, speed or power.

If there’s any player in the league who should be able to maintain consistent output into a 400 game career it’s Macrae.

 

[Longmembrey]

Unfortunately Dougal has the athleticism & speed of a Mack Truck - last line of defence thanks!

What? One thing he doesn't lack is speed

 

[saintmike65]

Interesting BM on SS said Bailey McKenzie 192cm forward was training with us yesterday. I thought he had shown enough to get drafted but some how slipped through the cracks. He is a natural goal kicker who is another strong mark. He averaged 2.7 goals and 13.6 disposals per game, in one game he took 13 marks and kicked 7 goals.

His knock was consistency, he was a bit up and down but he can do some spectacular things. Perhaps he is another Sandringham are looking to recruit.

There were only 3 ‘foreign’ players training on Monday that I saw…Boyd, Watson & Campigli

 

[BrutThough]

Interesting comment from Macrae at the end about the running. A massive knock on the Bulldogs has always been that they’re not a hard running or working side. So it would be a nice little challenge for him

It shouldn't be a surprise because Bevo but hard to believe the Dogs still don't have a proper running program as part of their preseason program.

 

[CaptainRisky]

Not everyone is in a healthy relationship like you are with your misso Welshy

Wow , you're still sooking because I asked how you hadn't heard of her before.

 

[dudeintheswamp]

Whilst I think Macwae is and will be a great pickup for us, his first game for the Saints will be his 250th. Any talk of him playing 400 is a little over the top considering he'd need to play 25 games a year (!) for the next six years to reach that number.

 

[akaifu]

Wow , you're still sooking because I asked how you hadn't heard of her before.

Lighten up man, just some banter

 

[Dr Spaceman]

Whilst I think Macwae is and will be a great pickup for us, his first game for the Saints will be his 250th. Any talk of him playing 400 is a little over the top considering he'd need to play 25 games a year (!) for the next six years to reach that number.

 

[saintmike65]

We had interest in all of Tomlinson, Marchbank & Curtis Taylor didn't we?

I think getting both Taurus & Barrat finished the first two off. Not sure Taylor was seriously looked at or if we just asked the question.

Parfitt
Cumberland
MacPherson
Preuss
Granger-Barras
McAndrew
Hayes
Witherden

A few names there with runs on the board or speculation re: talent.

But somehow Quinton Narkle gets a gig with a 3rd club?!?

Work that out...

Tomlinson too slow, also 32…Marchbank perennially injured!

 

[saintmike65]

Not underplaying it all, never stated his injury was insignificant nor did I say he couldn’t deliver this season, simply stated that if his form continued to trend down he would be at risk of losing his spot. That is a good thing for us, as it means we have competition putting pressure on one of our previous mainstays.

I think all of Wood, Stocker, Webster, Byrnes, Clark, Jones and Butler (to a lesser extent) could find themselves in the VFL should their form not command selection. The addition of Travaglia and Tauru will likely squeeze someone out.
Ross has shown a penchant to play our early draftees.
Add a healthy Henry and Max King and there’s 4 players who miss.

There will be some genuine AFL quality players playing regular VFL for us this year which hasn’t been common for Sandringham in the past.

You can add Paddy Dow to your list…would’ve thought Byrnes & Wood are locks given their running power and value to the team

 

[phantom13]

Macrae is also 30 (not 55 as some would have us believe) has no significant history of injury and has never been reliant on pure athleticism, speed or power.

If there’s any player in the league who should be able to maintain consistent output into a 400 game career it’s Macrae.

Whilst I think Macwae is and will be a great pickup for us, his first game for the Saints will be his 250th. Any talk of him playing 400 is a little over the top considering he'd need to play 25 games a year (!) for the next six years to reach that number.

Im not saying he will play 400, im saying he has all the attributes to continue playing to 400 games (injury free and not a player whos returns will diminish as age catches up to him).

He has a very very similar athletic and physical profile to Pendelbury (albeit Pendles is "better").

 

[_Maximus_12]

You can add Paddy Dow to your list…would’ve thought Byrnes & Wood are locks given their running power and value to the team

You would think, but we’ve also added a lot of running power to our squad.
My hope is Dow gets back to 2023 form and displaces Jones.
Need to also consider Windhager hardly played… I expect our 23 to look a fair bit different by round 24 next year

 

[saintmike65]

I’m thinking Maxie Hall could well be my next favourite player.

Ah…finally some recognition of Hally!

 

[dudeintheswamp]

Ah…finally some recognition of Hally!

Haven't seen any of Hall, but for some reason he reminds me of a Dylan Moore type, is that way off the mark? Any players he plays like or reminds you of?

 

[saintmike65]

I’d be keen to hear supporters views on who you think are the best 5 mids for our side - not wingmen, inside mids:
I’ll start -

Steele
Macrae
Windhager
Clark
Phillipou

 

[saintmike65]

Haven't seen any of Hall, but for some reason he reminds me of a Dylan Moore type, is that way off the mark? Any players he plays like or reminds you of?

There’s a bit of Jai Newcomb about him..

 

[gringo2011]

My gut feel is that the anticipated gains in the midfield should offset the losses in defence and if Hammer was already pencilled in then there's not much justification for Tomlinson or his ilk.
Clearly MacLobster and the draft we're the standout priorities whilst the nice to haves took a back seat.

I reckon Battle's role could easily be filled by Sharman or Wood for a year or two until the kids are ready to take over.

 

[Saint Watto]

Ah…finally some recognition of Hally!

Don't worry saintmike65............I'm on your bus too.

You've mentioned a few times that your a rap for Max Hall.

In horse racing parlance....IMHO.......he's "one to watch"

It will be fascinating to see what he brings to the team in 2025.

It's been a small sample size so far and it's very early days but I've been impressed at his movement/ball movement.

From the fence at Rsea,he at first glance looks like Windy........at second glance,the tatts on both arms quickly dispel that notion.

For the older posters.....both he and Windy remind me of Rod Keogh.

LOVED the way Rod went about it....loved his "don't duck with me" attitude.

I used to call him the "human bulldozer"

 

[akaifu]

I reckon Battle's role could easily be filled by Sharman or Wood for a year or two until the kids are ready to take over.

Sharman maybe but why would you move him again after he proved that he has a future as a permanent key forward? Strange to me how some people don't want to move Caminiti back but would move Sharman back despite him being the one to actually show significant impact up forward. Some also mad at Ratten for how he never settled Battle in one position yet they want to do the same thing with Sharman

I feel like Wood would get beaten in every 1v1 contest he is faced with. It would be tactical suicide. Wood is only good in the air as the 7th defender off the wing - I can't see him having the speed off the mark to be able to man a tall whilst also being able to intercept in defence

 

[akaifu]

Hall will be a gun. He has so much natural talent and class - we saw it on show in the latter part of the VFL season, is a lot of what we thought Hotton would be. Just hasn't been able to put it together with such limited continuity and has been extremely unlucky

If he goes injury-free this year, could easily play 10+ games as cover for the half forward/mid role behind Henry, Wilson, Hill, Byrnes etc.

Hall was playing in a completely new system AND was played out of position, of course his numbers don't jump out

But if you watch the VFL games, you would've seen some really nice glimpses especially in the final game where he clearly stood out as one of the BOGs. Played like Henry where it was more damage per disposal rather than quantity

He showed a significant improvement post-injury - probably after more education and learning more about our game style

I reckon with 3-5 more rounds of the season, he would've made a debut

He's 22. Had 2 years wiped out by knees when he was 16 and 17 AND was in the COVID cohort so had zero continuity. Once he started playing again, Dalrymple said he was one of the biggest 2023 off-season improvers in the state leagues, hence his good form at the start of the year

This has late-bloomer written all over it if I've ever seen one.

 

[saintmike65]

Hall will be a gun. He has so much natural talent and class - we saw it on show in the latter part of the VFL season, is a lot of what we thought Hotton would be. Just hasn't been able to put it together with such limited continuity and has been extremely unlucky

If he goes injury-free this year, could easily play 10+ games as cover for the half forward/mid role behind Henry, Wilson, Hill, Byrnes etc.

He also had a back issue but is extremely fit now!

 

[BrutThough]

I’d be keen to hear supporters views on who you think are the best 5 mids for our side - not wingmen, inside mids:
I’ll start -

Steele
Macrae
Windhager
Clark
Phillipou

We only have 2 'best' inside mids - Steele and Macrae. No one else warrants being mentioned at this point.

The other options are either kids who only have a few genuinely good midfield games under their belt or mid-career guys who get a lot of excuses to justify their averageness due to our lack of other options.

 

[2ballz]

Interesting comment from Macrae at the end about the running. A massive knock on the Bulldogs has always been that they’re not a hard running or working side. So it would be a nice little challenge for him

Not sure if I've ever actually heard this bloke speak before, definitely an under-the-radar type operator. Have had him my supercoach team almost every year too hahaha

 

[King_Steele]

Not sure if I've ever actually heard this bloke speak before, definitely an under-the-radar type operator. Have had him my supercoach team almost every year too hahaha

Will be a lock for SC next year haha will be around 400k

 

[akaifu]

Not sure if I've ever actually heard this bloke speak before, definitely an under-the-radar type operator. Have had him my supercoach team almost every year too hahaha

Will be a lock for SC next year haha will be around 400k

Macrae Pou Garcia F1 F2 F3 <3