Preview Round 16, 2021: Collingwood v St.Kilda - MCG, Sunday 4th July, 3:20PM AEST

[Mowman]

The problem for him playing the role he’s best suited to is that Wood is playing it and playing it well now, and Membrey is also ahead of him.

Collingwood should be all over him.

2019 showed were he should be played

 

[George]

Probably why he plays wing;

Battle was regarded as one of the best forwards in his draft year, after kicking the most goals of any division at the under-18s championships - 11 goals in four games for Vic Country. Battle also impressed at TAC Cup level, booting 24.13 across eight games. Battle was invited to the AFL Draft Combine where he impressed with his elite endurance by running a 10:07 3km time-trial and reaching 13.7 in the Beep Test. He also won the 3km test at the AFL Academy camp in January that year.

 

[aussierulesrules]

Would you take pick 20-22 for battle?

Probably, but I don’t see any club offering us that for him, as of this moment.

 

[BrutThough]

Would you take pick 20-22 for battle?

We'd be crazy not too.

If you did a best 22 based with our entire list, he wouldnt be in it.

 

[Mowman]

Probably why he plays wing;

Battle was regarded as one of the best forwards in his draft year, after kicking the most goals of any division at the under-18s championships - 11 goals in four games for Vic Country. Battle also impressed at TAC Cup level, booting 24.13 across eight games. Battle was invited to the AFL Draft Combine where he impressed with his elite endurance by running a 10:07 3km time-trial and reaching 13.7 in the Beep Test. He also won the 3km test at the AFL Academy camp in January that year.

Crazy to put 4 years into him, then let him go. We will kill for someone with those numbers at a draft combine LOL

 

[aussierulesrules]

2019 showed were he should be played

We gave him a game or two there earlier this year and he struggled though.

As someone said earlier, we’ve played him back, wing and forward this year and he’s not gone well in any of those roles, except for last week.

 

[KingsRansom]

Probably, but I don’t see any club offering us that for him, as of this moment.

Collingwoods first pick is around there I believe, if they are looking for a key forward

 

[George]

Crazy to put 4 years into him, then let him go. We will kill for someone with those numbers at a draft combine LOL

I don't think we'll want him to go, he will demand out. And fair enough too, he is a quality player and deserves to be played in positions that will allow him to succeed.

 

[KingsRansom]

We gave him a game or two there earlier this year and he struggled though.

As someone said earlier, we’ve played him back, wing and forward this year and he’s not gone well in any of those roles, except for last week.

Thats because you don't play midfielders in defence or forward

 

[malevu]

Wow Battle gets dropped for the first time in ages and everyone's talking trades and picks. I hope he's got thicker skin than that. Better players than him get dropped all the time. It's up to him to earn his place back. Next loss and he'll be first back in.

 

[Mowman]

We gave him a game or two there earlier this year and he struggled though.

As someone said earlier, we’ve played him back, wing and forward this year and he’s not gone well in any of those roles, except for last week.

Gee less than 50 games and we gave him a game or 2 there and he struggled
Played Him Back, Wing, Forward we have also played him in the ruck and there is the problem

 

[Mowman]

Thats because you don't play midfielders in defence or forward

View attachment 1169580

And here is the bit under that that you left out



JoshBattle
Why not follow Josh Battle?
A transformation from a key forward into a key defender paid dividends for Josh Battle in 2019, who grew into one of the Saints’ most exciting young talents.

The No. 26 finished second in the Saints’ intercept marks, third for rebound-50s and fifth for effective kicks, earning himself a much-deserved Rising Star nomination in Round 22.
Battle’s heroic mark running back with the flight of the ball in Round 21 confirmed one of the Saints’ most emphatic wins for the year, with the bloodied and bandaged defender gifting his side the four points over Fremantle.
In 2020, Battle has continued to entrench himself as one of the red, white and black's most versatile talents.

 

[George]

Gee less than 50 games and we gave him a game or 2 there and he struggled
Played Him Back, Wing, Forward we have also played him in the ruck and there is the problem

We bang on about King needing time and allow him games to get that experience under his belt, but Battle gets played in every position on the ground and we only allow him 2 games to get into form. Lol.

 

[pebblesofsand]

Would you take pick 20-22 for battle?

Yes yes yes yes yes and yes - we'd take it (but no one would be silly enough to cough it up)

 

[BrutThough]

We bang on about King needing time and allow him games to get that experience under his belt, but Battle gets played in every position on the ground and we only allow him 2 games to get into form. Lol.

He's played the majority of this season as a wing/floating forward, and been playing a lot worse than Max who was cropping a lot of criticism for his performances.

 

[aussierulesrules]

We bang on about King needing time and allow him games to get that experience under his belt, but Battle gets played in every position on the ground and we only allow him 2 games to get into form. Lol.

It’s not the Josh Battle show though.

He’s one of 22, and as such they’re playing him where they believe he’ll be of best benefit to the team. And if you struggle down back you put the team under huge pressure, so they’re not going to keep you there any longer than they have to

Throwing him around may not be making it easy for him, but this is the big time and it’s not necessarily going to be easy.

If he’s as good as we think he is he needs to start grabbing more of these opportunities when he is in a role he likes in particular.

 

[George]

He's played the majority of this season as a wing/floating forward, and been playing a lot worse than Max who was cropping a lot of criticism for his performances.

I know, that's the problem. We can afford Max the time to understand and learn his position but we can't do the same for Battle? Why?

It’s not the Josh Battle show though.

He’s one of 22, and as such they’re playing him where they believe he’ll be of best benefit to the team. And if you struggle down back you put the team under huge pressure, so they’re not going to keep you there any longer than they have to

Throwing him around may not be making it easy for him, but this is the big time and it’s not necessarily going to be easy.

If he’s as good as we think he is he needs to start grabbing more of these opportunities when he is in a role he likes in particular.

But like other posters have said, he isn't playing well. I would say because wing is not a natural position for him. If we want our player development to improve then we persist with players in positions that they are accustomed too. We can rotate mids through half forward or half back and create versatility there, but putting a key forward on the wing is counter productive.

 

[bergholt]

Three outcomes from here:

a) We hang onto Battle and he either makes it or doesn't.
b) We let him go for cheap.
c) We let him go for a decent price.

Only (b) is bad for us, so as long as we stay away from that one, I don't mind whether we keep him or get a good price for him.

 

[KingsRansom]

It’s not the Josh Battle show though.

He’s one of 22, and as such they’re playing him where they believe he’ll be of best benefit to the team. And if you struggle down back you put the team under huge pressure, so they’re not going to keep you there any longer than they have to

Throwing him around may not be making it easy for him, but this is the big time and it’s not necessarily going to be easy.

If he’s as good as we think he is he needs to start grabbing more of these opportunities when he is in a role he likes in particular.

My theory is that the coaches believe he can be an excellent winger, he has all the attributes and he will make it and he is being thrown a challenge, just because he got dropped doesn't mean anyone thinks he's no good, there are hundreds of reasons for being dropped.

Secondly, he is contracted until the end of 2022, so even if he does ask for a trade, unless the saints get a good deal I doubt he will go.

He's a very good player, just having a rough patch, I'm trusting the club more anyone here about it, that's for sure

 

[BrutThough]

I know, that's the problem. We can afford Max the time to understand and learn his position but we can't do the same for Battle? Why?

Because Billings is fit to come and re-take his position on the wing while we don't have anyone playing well enough to take Max's spot.

 

[George]

Because Billings is fit to come and re-take his position on the wing while we don't have anyone playing well enough to take Max's spot.

Why is Battle taking Max's spot?

 

[Plugger35]

I remember how well Battle played against GWS last year which was effectively an elimination final for us.

He's a big game player, if we beat the Pies I'll let his omission slide but if we lose I will melt big time.

Ratten is on notice.

 

[AirWinmar]

We gave him a game or two there earlier this year and he struggled though.

As someone said earlier, we’ve played him back, wing and forward this year and he’s not gone well in any of those roles, except for last week.

The only role we've played him with any sort of continuity is on the wing which he struggles with, in saying that gets dropped after the 1st game he was half decent. He seems to have played 5 minutes here and there forward this season. Wood seems to have got more continuity there on the eye for me.

Anyway it's a real shame that a guy who is so highly rated hasn't been able to develop as much as you'd expect. Will be gutted if he ends up leaving

 

[bergholt]

just because he got dropped doesn't mean anyone thinks he's no good, there are hundreds of reasons for being dropped.

Two, really:

- Not playing well enough to stay in ahead of potential replacements.

- Needs development in a position the seniors don’t have spare.

 

[Longmembrey]

It could be worth a try to see how he goes, we don't have much to lose now since finals are unlikely so it's a good time to experiment with a few things.

He could give our forward line a boost too as he is a good mark overhead for his size and is one of our better shots for goal.

I have literally never seen Kent take a mark overhead!