Where are St Kilda at?

[MisterMarcus]

I think it's fair enough to begin this one.

Where are St Kilda at? Answer: on track and ahead of schedule!

Almost universally tipped as outright wooden spooners, lucky to maybe win a game or two, the Saints are 4-7 at the midway point of the season and well ahead of expectations. Two of those wins were interstate, and one was against the much more faniced Bulldogs. They were very close to beating Essendon and GWS, both regarded as well ahead of them at the beginning of the season. And while they were clearly outclassed by the likes of Hawthorn, West Coast, and Adelaide, they were very competitive and far from disgraced.

The Saints are basically a team of kids and recycables, with only a handful of senior players remaining. But they have drafted (Billings, Dunstan, Acres, Lonie, Weller, Newnes, Shenton, Sinclair, Ross) and traded (Bruce, Longer, Savage) excellently in the past few years. Add to that potential guns developing in McCartin and Goddard, as well as "potential" unrealised talent such as Lee, Hickey, and White, and their list is in excellent shape even with the impending retirement of some stars. A textbook example of a "rebuild".

Saints fans have every right to feel impressed with where they are at in 2015. Everyone knows they're in a rebuild, and you can clearly see it is heading in the right direction. If they can keep this list together, the Saints will be scary by 2017-8.

Well done Saints. You've set out a clear no BS direction to develop the kids and trade in specific experienced "types". So far, it's working brilliantly.

 

[tigs2010]

Will all depend what happens when Riewoldt gives it away. He looks better than ever at the moment

 

[dewah07]

Will all depend what happens when Riewoldt gives it away. He looks better than ever at the moment

hopefully McCartin is ready in 2 years when roo is closer to finishing

 

[Scotland]

4-7 after scraping over the line in the last minute against Melbourne. They're improving, but not that good.

Dempster, Schneider, Fisher, Riewoldt, Montagna all still to retire. Won't be easy to replace 4 AA players.

 

[NathanMX]

Funny how fast things change in footy. We were slammed for trading Ben McEvoy out, punters with their smack talk like we were heading towards a permanent spot in the bottom 2. Even this season many had us finishing last again, some even thought we would not win a single game. Sure we are down now, but we were down also in 2002 and 2007, and look how quickly things changed. We dropped a long way since 2010 but we will rise again, that is certain. There are certainly teams with worse futures then ours out there.

 

[Stan_Darsh72]

We are building along nicely, still need to get some more class into the side and of course get more pre seasons into the youth.

 

[joop]

4-7 after scraping over the line in the last minute against Melbourne. They're improving, but not that good.

Dempster, Schneider, Fisher, Riewoldt, Montagna all still to retire. Won't be easy to replace 4 AA players.

Schnieder is on the rookie list and we've found his replacement in Lonie.

 

[Scotland]

Schnieder is on the rookie list and we've found his replacement in Lonie.

And the 4 AA players who are not on the rookie list and are still among your best and most important?

 

[Boristown]

Biggest myth going round is that St Kilda (and Melbourne) are a young team full of kids. In fact, they were older on average than Melbourne today.

Still overly reliant on Riewoldt and Montagna, and their back line is currently held up by the likes of Fisher and Dempster, along with Gilbert. Also have Geary and Ray filling roles. David Armitage is having a break out year but he's going to be 27 soon, and even Jack Steven is into the second half of his career.

Certainly not a team of rebuilding babies that the media would have you believe. You mentioned the Bulldogs - this is a team currently rebuilding. They've played on average a much younger team each week. The team that the Saints rolled out that beat the Bulldogs were on average older by over 12 months and played on average over 80 games compared to the Bulldogs 47.

So, whilst they are going ok, they're still going to struggle when their veterans retire over the next 2 years.

 

[King_Steele]

We are tracking along very nicely IMO.

It's very heartening to be competitive & playing with spirit week in, week out again.

 

[WSmith]

Schnieder is on the rookie list and we've found his replacement in Lonie.

Not just a replacement but upgrade.

 

[dewah07]

Biggest myth going round is that St Kilda (and Melbourne) are a young team full of kids. In fact, they were older on average than Melbourne today.

Still overly reliant on Riewoldt and Montagna, and their back line is currently held up by the likes of Fisher and Dempster, along with Gilbert. Also have Geary and Ray filling roles. David Armitage is having a break out year but he's going to be 27 soon, and even Jack Steven is into the second half of his career.

Certainly not a team of rebuilding babies that the media would have you believe. You mentioned the Bulldogs - this is a team currently rebuilding. They've played on average a much younger team each week. The team that the Saints rolled out that beat the Bulldogs were on average older by over 12 months and played on average over 80 games compared to the Bulldogs 47.

So, whilst they are going ok, they're still going to struggle when their veterans retire over the next 2 years.

o god this suck so much

 

[Stan_Darsh72]

Biggest myth going round is that St Kilda (and Melbourne) are a young team full of kids. In fact, they were older on average than Melbourne today.

Still overly reliant on Riewoldt and Montagna, and their back line is currently held up by the likes of Fisher and Dempster, along with Gilbert. Also have Geary and Ray filling roles. David Armitage is having a break out year but he's going to be 27 soon, and even Jack Steven is into the second half of his career.

Certainly not a team of rebuilding babies that the media would have you believe. You mentioned the Bulldogs - this is a team currently rebuilding. They've played on average a much younger team each week. The team that the Saints rolled out that beat the Bulldogs were on average older by over 12 months and played on average over 80 games compared to the Bulldogs 47.

So, whilst they are going ok, they're still going to struggle when their veterans retire over the next 2 years.

This was Gilberts first game this year and the youth has gone right past him, Ray will be phased out after this season.

Our list lacks the middle aged players which does necessitate older players being played at times when the younger players get sore/tired/ need a rest.

 

[WSmith]

You want to know more about the saints shane crawford wrote a great article.

Virtually copying hawks rebuild. Pelchen, left footers, kicking efficiency, country blokes who are tougher, leaders etc
Set up saints academys and are going back to moorabbin

I still hope we can pinch a flag in 2018 with reiwoldt.

We are getting there. Last 3 drafts have added 12 guns.
We have free agency money built up. Love how they are rebuilding just love it.
99 tackles today. Huge for a young team.

 

[Boristown]

99 tackles today. Huge for a young team.

Not that young.

 

[NathanMX]

Biggest myth going round is that St Kilda (and Melbourne) are a young team full of kids. In fact, they were older on average than Melbourne today.

Still overly reliant on Riewoldt and Montagna, and their back line is currently held up by the likes of Fisher and Dempster, along with Gilbert. Also have Geary and Ray filling roles. David Armitage is having a break out year but he's going to be 27 soon, and even Jack Steven is into the second half of his career.

Certainly not a team of rebuilding babies that the media would have you believe. You mentioned the Bulldogs - this is a team currently rebuilding. They've played on average a much younger team each week. The team that the Saints rolled out that beat the Bulldogs were on average older by over 12 months and played on average over 80 games compared to the Bulldogs 47.

So, whilst they are going ok, they're still going to struggle when their veterans retire over the next 2 years.

Josh Bruce is our leading goal kicker, Jack Steven is one of our leading ball winners and was crucial in the final goal. Not exactly our oldest players....

Jack Steven is 25, and he is in the second half of his career? Huh? Josh Bruce is only 23 so we are just fine thanks.

And funny, people thought we would struggle too when veterans like Loewe and Burke retired in 2002 and 2003 also, and in 2004 and 2005 we made the preliminary finals. Every player is replaceable, even our best.

 

[joop]

And the 4 AA players who are not on the rookie list and are still among your best and most important?

3 of those haven't been AA for ages, but all will be replaced in a couple of years with up & coming kids.

 

[Boristown]

Jack Steven is 25, and he is in the second half of his career? Huh? Josh Bruce is only 23 so we are just fine thanks.

Careers start at 18 so he's 7 years in. Another 7 years gets him to 32 without any injury issues.

 

[NathanMX]

Careers start at 18 so he's 7 years in. Another 7 years gets him to 32 without any injury issues.

So Brent Harveys career was half over at 25?

 

[dewah07]

Not that young.

we have had games this year with
billings 19, dunstan 20, acres 19, sinclair 19, lonie 18 and dmac 18
all in the same team, give it a rest pal

 

[stfan]

Biggest myth going round is that St Kilda (and Melbourne) are a young team full of kids. In fact, they were older on average than Melbourne today.

Still overly reliant on Riewoldt and Montagna, and their back line is currently held up by the likes of Fisher and Dempster, along with Gilbert. Also have Geary and Ray filling roles. David Armitage is having a break out year but he's going to be 27 soon, and even Jack Steven is into the second half of his career.

Certainly not a team of rebuilding babies that the media would have you believe. You mentioned the Bulldogs - this is a team currently rebuilding. They've played on average a much younger team each week. The team that the Saints rolled out that beat the Bulldogs were on average older by over 12 months and played on average over 80 games compared to the Bulldogs 47.

So, whilst they are going ok, they're still going to struggle when their veterans retire over the next 2 years.

McCartin, Billings, Goddard, McKenzie, Sinclair, Roberton (23 yrs) all did not play today. We have young talent to burn....

And there are others like Hickey (who I prefer to Longer) Wright, Lee, Templeton....

 

[Boristown]

we have had games this year with
billings 19, dunstan 20, acres 19, sinclair 19, lonie 18 and dmac 18
all in the same team, give it a rest pal

Every team can name a handful of kids that they're playing on any given week. Why are the Saints considered especially young? The OP mentioned the Bulldogs; they're a much younger squad with more talent to boot.

 

[WSmith]

2018 SNEAKY SAINTS FLAG

Newnes. Goddard. Webster
Savage. FREE AGENT Roberton
McKenzie. Dunstan. Acres
Lonie. Reiwoldt. Billings
Sinclair. McCartin. Bruce

Longer. Armitage. Stevens

Youll notice most of the above would still be playing great footy 2022+

Thats why we are young. We do have veterans playing now and youre right brings up the average age of 22 players on AFL gameday. What we SAINTS FANS are pumped about is the VFL team killing it and the rioation of the 18 - 22 year olds coming in, week in week out ARE AWESOME!!!

So while we arent young on the day ... overall the SQUAD ARE BABIES and kick ass ones!!!

Add ross, membrey, curren, minchington, saunders, hickey, templeton all sorts of players to the above that have all showed great signs.

Basically in 3 years we'll be ready IF WE CONTINUE to draft and grow this talent.

 

[NathanMX]

Every team can name a handful of kids that they're playing on any given week. Why are the Saints considered especially young? The OP mentioned the Bulldogs; they're a much younger squad with more talent to boot.

More talent? How so? Bit hard to judge that when our top pick has played 2 games and not all of our draftees have played yet. Give it 5 years or so and then we can revisit this. If neither side snags a flag the argument of who has the better talent will turn to who wasted that talent more.

 

[King_Steele]

The OP mentioned the Bulldogs; they're a much younger squad with more talent to boot.

Well make a thread about the Bulldogs, If it bothers you that much?

Bulldogs started there rebuild in 2011, we started in 2013. They are 2 years ahead of us & how long have Melbourne been rebuilding?