Preview Round 9, 2020: St.Kilda v Sydney - Gabba, Saturday 1st August, 5:10PM AEST *PRIDE GAME*

[StCicatriz]

Yeah, nar... You could mount an argument for almost any player to be dropped at one point or another.
Without directing this at anyone in particular, you'd have to be a fair dinkum numbscull to even suggest dropping Paton at any stage this year.
At his age and number of games, you take his ups and forgive his downs for the sake of continuing his development, which is going extremely well.
Otherwise you're back at selecting players that have no future with StKilda, and aren't any better than Pato on any given day anyway.

If an observer can't understand the benefit of developing quality young players over continually selecting C and D grade hacks, then why even bother with them in the first place...

depends on who you want to swap him out for doesn't it? if you're swapping him out for coffield on the bench, or when he wasn't in the side, and bringing in another young mid, aren't you achieving what you are suggesting?

also depends on your assessment of the player.

for example someone like a fit Webster i think at his best isn't a C or D grade hack, i also think at his age his has very good football left. now many might argue that he is a C or D grade hack AND OR is too old. but i think it's not as clear cut as that!

 

[Sainter_487]

Why it's finals or failure for these Saints

'An overall improvement is enough, right? Wrong!'

wwos.nine.com.au

 

[Ducky Tie]

We’ve kicked the most goals in the comp, six clear of the cats.

 

[ScrappyDo]

depends on who you want to swap him out for doesn't it? if you're swapping him out for coffield on the bench, or when he wasn't in the side, and bringing in another young mid, aren't you achieving what you are suggesting?

also depends on your assessment of the player.

for example someone like a fit Webster i think at his best isn't a C or D grade hack, i also think at his age his has very good football left. now many might argue that he is a C or D grade hack AND OR is too old. but i think it's not as clear cut as that!

It depends on the timing of it all.
If you're attempting to win a final then maybe.
But if building a young team for the long term, then not.

 

[PoppedCorn]

Lol, drop coff and patto and now hill isnt setting it on fire so he can have a seat for a week as well



But ya know
Not trolling

That back six is near on the best in the league ffs

So when dunstall slotted 7 on danny you wouldve dropped the capt lol

 

[BrutThough]

Hanners is getting his surgery tomorrow just before the elective surgery deadline, and then the plan is for him to rejoin the hub and do his rehab in Noosa with the group.

 

[Diehard Saint]

It depends on the timing of it all.
If you're attempting to win a final then maybe.
But if building a young team for the long term, then not.

Who are you going to bring in that gives us more chance to win a final than the team we’ve got? (obviously Long and Battle included).
It’s not like we’ve got a Dusty or Cripps sitting in the wings. Bringing in Webster, Savage, Robbo etc doesn’t guarantee we’ll win a final.

 

[Grav]

What money on Sydney standing a cardboard cutout of Buddy on the 50 metre line to try and throw us off our game?

nexminnet

 

[Air King]

In: Savage, Lonie, Robbo
Out: Parker, Paton and Coffield

 

[Armitage2Riewoldt]

Hanners is getting his surgery tomorrow just before the elective surgery deadline, and then the plan is for him to rejoin the hub and do his rehab in Noosa with the group.

A busted hammy is elective?

 

[StFly]

A busted hammy is elective?

You can still walk so long as it's not straight off the bone and the muscle generally heals over time even though scar tissue is a thing, so yeah, elective, hence grades of hammy damage.

 

[Xxxx66]

He had 7 touches...

I don't know where the Paton calls same from to be honest. I thought he was good all year. I assumed it was because he was a late pick that nobody expected anything of him. Coffield had some really average early form but turned it around. He's just your good solid citizen that hits the ground running. He and Wilkie both look like they have been playing AFL for years.

Back six work well together as a defensive unit and should be a lock most weeks

 

[gringo2011]

Back six work well together as a defensive unit and should be a lock most weeks

Yeah to me it looks the one area that looks rock solid so far. Mids and forwards area bit suspect at times but the defence is only going to get even better playing as a unit as well.

 

[Bull3tblitz]

In: Savage, Lonie, Robbo
Out: Parker, Paton and Coffield

What the actual.....

I think we would be very likely to hold the same lineup that we had against Port, unless there are any niggles, like Kent or Ross pulling up sore

 

[ScrappyDo]

Who are you going to bring in that gives us more chance to win a final than the team we’ve got? (obviously Long and Battle included).
It’s not like we’ve got a Dusty or Cripps sitting in the wings. Bringing in Webster, Savage, Robbo etc doesn’t guarantee we’ll win a final.

Eggzackery...

The club has so obviously embraced its future.
It's odd that some still hold on to the past when that future looks infinitely brighter...

 

[Dr Spaceman]

In: Savage, Lonie, Robbo
Out: Parker, Paton and Coffield

 

[_Maximus_12]

QLD now closing their borders to NSW is good news for us as both GWS and Swans will need to relocate within 48hrs hence disrupting their preparations for this weekends game I reckon.

Even better news given it means we won’t be playing GWS in Sydney at all.

 

[_Maximus_12]

Those losses to North & Freo have cost us the ability to significantly manage players over the next 3 weeks.
7-1 would have given us a huge advantage in the back half of the year.

 

[Veer Right]

Anyone who says Paton should be dropped should receive a ban. Delusional stuff

Your comment deserves a ban. Wanting the forum mods to punish other users for having an opinion you don't agree with tells me you have a weak mind.

 

[Veer Right]

In: Savage, Lonie, Robbo
Out: Parker, Paton and Coffield

Coffield has been fantastic from my perspective. Lovely overhead mark, beautiful raking kick and frequently gets in the right spot to cut off forward 50 entries. He's not immune to quiet games just like Clark from the same draft has had a couple of quiet ones this year. He missed a spoil on the weekend he should have got but he will learn from it. He knew he messed up but seriously what do you expect from a young bloke starting his career.

Paton.. I am lost here how you see things the way you do. You mentioned his decision making is poor? I believe he has one of the most intelligent football brains in the team if not the best. A trademark of his game is backing back into packs where he can get his head caved in taking goal saving marks. He is always taking the game on weaving through traffic in defence trying to make something happen.

He had a kick on the weekend to i think it was Butler from the centre of the ground, he put it out into space for him to run onto but a very intuitive Port player made a long run leaving his man to intercept the ball first which in turn was met with Hills best tackle of the year. The point is the kick was spot on and crafty even if it didn't work out because more often then not that will lead to a goal shot.

Another play i liked was from the defence 60m out coming through the middle where he shot out an interesting handball to Clark who was good enough to make it work which led to a forward 50 entry within seconds... Anyway i can see him as captain at some point.

Parker i agree with. He reminds of a documentary i saw with a hand raised tiger hunting for the first time. Went straight after an adult rhino! The endeavour is there in spades but he has no idea where to position himself and what is the correct play.

 

[Dr Spaceman]

Anyone who says Paton should be dropped should receive a ban. Delusional stuff

Your comment deserves a ban. Wanting the forum mods to punish other users for having an opinion you don't agree with tells me you have a weak mind.

 

[PoppedCorn]

Your comment deserves a ban. Wanting the forum mods to punish other users for having an opinion you don't agree with tells me you have a weak mind.

 

[Armitage2Riewoldt]

This guys getting more responses than old mate 'irrelevant' from the blues!

I agree tho. Bans for everyone.

 

[Ricmel]

Yeah to me it looks the one area that looks rock solid so far. Mids and forwards area bit suspect at times but the defence is only going to get even better playing as a unit as well.

Yep, agree. I think this 6 can develop into the tightest unit in the AFL. I think they are already right up there in the top 3 or 4 defensive units. The only time they really look flustered is when the opposition midfield gets hold of us a la vs Pies. That will happen sometimes because unfortunately our midfield is far more mid table.

I think our forward structure is taking shape. We are 15th for inside 50 and second for goals kicked. That to me is pretty clear indication that our mids are underperformed but our forwards are compensating for it.

 

[aussierulesrules]

So we took just 12 intercept marks for the game the other night and Paton took 4 of those by himself.

Which was a game-high.

He took as many as the rest of our backline in Carlisle, Howard, Wilkie, Coffield, Geary and Clark combined!

He also as noted had an equal-game and team-high eight intercept possessions, and got the fifth highest supercoach score of anyone on the ground.

Something tells me he ain't getting dropped!