Saints recruiting!

[scarecrow2k1]

Re: Why are the saints so excited about cousins?

He's 30 years old and no player has come back successfully at this age.

I disagree. Paul Salmon played well when returning for the Bombers, and Tim Watson came back for 1993 didn't he?
Besides, its useless showing failed comebacks in the past, because these players retired due to change. Cousins age was irrelevant in him not playing, he was out of the AFL because of his drug use, not because it was time for him to retire

 

[thatday]

Re: Why are the saints so excited about cousins?

he WAS a very very good player. he has not played for nearly 2 yrs.

Yes he hasn't played in over a year, but he is still in good shape. He is still very fit. He is older true, but he isn't so old that he can't keep up. The Saints, if Cousins doesn't **** up, should be able to get about 2 years out of him. He won't cost them much in opportunity cost terms and he brings with him alot of football experience, including a premiership.

 

[DaVe86]

Re: Why are the saints so excited about cousins?

1. Is a year a long time out of football these days? Ask anyone who's had a knee/shoulder reconstruction and the answers would be varied. Cousins has kept himself in pretty bloody good shape throughout this period of time off.

Stuart Dew was in a lot worse shape than Ben, he is now a dual premiership player and one of the best on field in the GF. Cousins' output would triple that of Dew.

 

[greatwhiteshark]

Re: Why are the saints so excited about cousins?

Not sure why they would be excited about getting one of the best 10 players in the country playing for them. Got me???

 

[SJ]

Re: Why are the saints so excited about cousins?

Premiership player = check
Brownlow medallist = check
Fit = check
Captain = check
Hardest gut runner in the game = check
One of the greatest midfielders of all time = check
Good footy left in him = check check


Premiership window open = check



Not often a player like that is available for free.

Longest bloody open premiership window in history. Still hasn't been used.

 

[pazza]

Re: Why are the saints so excited about cousins?

Stuart Dew was in a lot worse shape than Ben, he is now a dual premiership player and one of the best on field in the GF. Cousins' output would triple that of Dew.

Exactly right, so it wouldn't even remotely be an issue.

 

[tazhawk]

Re: Why are the saints so excited about cousins?

Longest bloody open premiership window in history. Still hasn't been used.

Was about to say the same thing.

The St.Kilda Premiership window has been open for about 6 years now.

I think someone has put iron bars over that poor window.

 

[11sjw]

Re: Why are the saints so excited about cousins?

Longest bloody open premiership window in history. Still hasn't been used.

How long was yours open before you guys ticked that box?

 

[Cap]

Re: Why are the saints so excited about cousins?

If I was saints supporter I would be pretty bloody happy. Its automatically put their midfield a level up. Who isn't going to tag him?

weather people like him or not cousins was one of the best midfielders in the last decade and by the looks of it has a few more years in him yet.

 

[SJ]

Re: Why are the saints so excited about cousins?

How long was yours open before you guys ticked that box?

Not long. What has that got to do with Cousins and St Kilda?

 

[tribey]

Re: Why are the saints so excited about cousins?

Exactly right, so it wouldn't even remotely be an issue.

Dew didn't previously shred his hamstrings (but developed problems afterwards), have a substance abuse problem (unless McFlurries count) and had just turned 28 when he rocked up at Glenferrie.

Cousins turned 30 in June, etc. This has Wayne Carey to Adelaide written all over it.

 

[DaVe86]

can understand the criticisms of Ray, but Ben Cousins is a great move from the Saints...bold and smart and i think the risk lies with Ben Cousins, not the Saints.

If Cousins mucks up again, then he is the idiot, not St.Kilda for taking the punt.

But best case for the Saints is that Ben comes back hungrier than ever, ready to play and becomes an A grade midfielder once again which is not out of the question.

He alone could make up for a whole selection of bad choices when recycling players.

And i think the Ray deal was relatively fair. Kudos to the Saints for having the ball to attack trade/draft week and come out with a few solutions to the problems in their midfield. Ultimatelly they have paid a late 2nd rounder for a guy hyped top 5 initially who has great skills. They got a bit out of Birs, and Ray is better than him.

This is a more worrying selection because i do not like Ray, but i got no problems with the Saints taking the punt because again the upside is bigger than the risk they are taking.

 

[Raging albino #29]

Re: Why are the saints so excited about cousins?

Was about to say the same thing.

The St.Kilda Premiership window has been open for about 6 years now.

I think someone has put iron bars over that poor window.

Exactly why they want cousins. If they don't get a premiership in the next 2 years they enter the rebuilding phase with nothing to show for the last 6-8 years. A quality premiership player could be the difference. Definitely worth the risk for the saints in my books.

 

[TigerGlory]

Re: Why are the saints so excited about cousins?

The Saints will get 5 years out of Cousins because he is just such a powerful athlete.

Aerobically, he will be fine after a pre-season, i'd be getting excited too.

 

[Jatz]

Re: Why are the saints so excited about cousins?

Dew didn't previously shred his hamstrings (but developed problems afterwards), have a substance abuse problem (unless McFlurries count) and had just turned 28 when he rocked up at Glenferrie.

Cousins turned 30 in June, etc. This has Wayne Carey to Adelaide written all over it.

not such a bad analysis

 

[Bandwagon Jumping Hawk]

Re: Why are the saints so excited about cousins?

The Saints will get 5 years out of Cousins because he is just such a powerful athlete.

Aerobically, he will be fine after a pre-season, i'd be getting excited too.

Not sure they will get 5 years out of him.

Your body can pack up pretty quickly after you turn 30 in the afl.

 

[krusden]

Re: Why are the saints so excited about cousins?

....... all this assumes that the Saints actually "get" to draft Cousins. Which IMO ain't as much of a gimme as it seemed a week or so ago.

 

[The Fireman]

Re: Why are the saints so excited about cousins?

Not sure why they would be excited about getting one of the best 10 players in the country playing for them. Got me???

I wasn't going to reply in this ridiculous thread but got a laugh out of your post, the op must be green with envy or just a Richmond supporter .
I have always classed Cousins as one of the best and whoever he goes to will benefit no doubt.

 

[The Fireman]

whats going on with the saints? How could they possibly consider picking up ben cousins... they have just signed up his old buddy michael gardiner for another year... surely this would be the worst place possible for benny to go???

On top of that, picking up farren ray (because st kilda really need more soft outside mids!!)

And i also heard nathan carrol was training with them! WTF???

Recruiting Cousins is just plain stupid...........ummm...are you for real?

 

[saintsownthedome]

both he, and gardy, are both really really realllllly stupid.. in case you hadnt noticed

I dont know too much about drug tests, other than to say he hasnt tested positive yet, yet he has a drug addiction.
It's also common knowledge amongst people here in the west who work away on mine sites, who are reguarly subjected to drug tests, that there are certain herbal things u can take to clean the drugs out of your system.

I dunno, all im saying is, they'd be crazy to take the risk.

Here's the thing - what is the risk ? If St Kilda draft him and he falls off the wagon again, he gets deregistered by the AFL, the Saints trot out all the right things about trying to help his get back on track etc etc. And whether the West Coast fans like it or not, he will be remembered as a West Coast player.

Interesting that you're saying that Gardy and Cuz are just stupid blokes. That may be true - but I didnt see many Eagles fans saying that while they were All Australian, or in Cousins case, a Brownlow Medallist and Premiership player.

 

[Defacto]

Couple of things to ponder wilson:

As far as we have seen MG has not put a foot wrong since he's been with us - WTF does that say about WCE/Perth?

got it in one. it was common knowledge in perth, atleast 3-4 years before cousins demise that there was a problem, the club did all they could to hide it. if i remember correctly cousins and gardiner were caught on tape ordering drugs from a known drug dealer (police were tapping the line). the police did not persure the case on cousins and gardiner.

in the end west coast had a problem with culture well before it all fell apart. the club IMO has escaped punishment. IMO its worse than cheating the salary cap, they were in essence supportingand hiding illegal activity.

 

[Bollox]

Whats the story with Carroll ? I havent heard so excuse my ignorance.

Has he been delisted ?...do Saints need to pay his Dees contract salary ?

If he's cheap i'd give him a run. Chop his ego a bit and give him a job.

Dees fans know he can defend but are just pissed with him for off field crap...and FB at the spooner is probably the last place any man can impress.

Maybe he's just a bit light on in the head.

Risk/Reward if cheap is ok. If doesnt work out nothing much lost.

 

[Quinz]

in the end west coast had a problem with culture well before it all fell apart. the club IMO has escaped punishment. IMO its worse than cheating the salary cap, they were in essence supportingand hiding illegal activity.

Cheating the salary cap gives a club an unfair advantage over other clubs. It is much worse.

 

[KERRPOW]

Re: Why are the saints so excited about cousins?

they think their "window" is still open, IMO they were lucky to make the prelim and well and truley got showed up by the hawks. thats one of the main reasons why i hate the saints

 

[Roxley]

whats going on with the saints? How could they possibly consider picking up ben cousins... they have just signed up his old buddy michael gardiner for another year... surely this would be the worst place possible for benny to go???

On top of that, picking up farren ray (because st kilda really need more soft outside mids!!)

And i also heard nathan carrol was training with them! WTF???

Ha ha.. This makes me laugh..
But then again the saints have been a laughing stock over the last few years with their terrible trading and drafting of recycled players.

Players of the calibre of Stephen Powell, Cain Ackland, Jayden Attard, Aaron Fiora, Shane Birss, Michael Gardiner, Charlie Gardiner and Sean Dempster.