SA Footy

As reported on foxsports earlier today

even though the Saints have 3 selections at the 2007 Pre-Season draft they can only take 1 player as they have no room to move under the salary cap

this means the saints playing list for 2007 will be 2 players short,

SD Says

this is totally unacceptable, in the past Grant Thompson was responsible for all player contract negotiations, when you benchmark the Saints against the other top 4 clubs who have more established players, those clubs all play with a full list and have more depth

this is a poor position for the club to be in and just another process Grant cocked up

no wonder the players loved him, "he was signing their inflated pay cheques"

Adelaide Crows list management.
Ben HART thanks for 300+ games BUT.....
Rhett BIGLANDS injured for the year......
Matt CLARKE retires......

The ruckman left are HUDSON/MARIC/MEESON
That would be one of the weakest credentialled ruck stock in the AFL

And yet CLARKE is now out of retirement and wants to play for the 1966 premiers ?

List management at S/DOGS team needs to be reviewed as well.

Mal

I rate our ruck stocks, raw but their is plenty of upside, Maric, Meesen and now Tippett have plenty of development a head but will add plenty of enthusiasm, at the ruck contest, they just need to compete strongly, but around the ground, my expectations are they should add something extra to the crows

It's the clubs credit that two years ago they planned for Clarke's retirement, they drafted Hudson, Meesen and Maric to the club, so in that respect the timing is good for these players to take that next step

Biglands and Hentchel you can't help bad luck

In regards to Hart and Clarke, well I don't see opposition clubs braking Ben's door down, and in regards to Clarke, the club needs to give Maric and Meesen game time, Clarke has stated that the danger of him playing on next year in Adel would be they could lose Meesen and Maric back to Melb due to lack of opportunity

this is list management

My point about the saints, is their is 2 vacant spots on their list for 2007, not due to injury nut due to salary cap constraints, they are the only club in this position, considering the depth of their list, if I was a member or supporter I would be extremely concerned.

Don't underestimate this situation, in a year where the draft was rated with so much depth, the saints could of had 2 young players developing on their list

This is even more critical considering Hamil is struggling, Haynes is coming back from a knee injury, Kosi history is not good, Ball continues to play with injuries, Watts is coming back from a broken leg and is still not proven at top level, Maguire is coming back from a broken leg, Gardiner has not rucked since 2002, and Fraser, Harvey and Thompson are approaching their final season

you need every position on your list filled to manage these situation

AC this is their last chance to win a flag this year before the superstars
all retire or are too old.
Surely with BIGLANDS out for the year , CLARKE could have continued
for one more year.
As for giving opportunites to Maric + co or they might leave, I find that ??????
After all there is still a spot for them with BIGLANDS out [now 2 with CLARKE gone]

Irrespective of the circumstances and the true reasons Adelaide let CLARKE go,they have got
possibly the worst ruck set up in the league now, and when MARIC or MEESON
start playing good footy the side will be spiralling downwards as the good players are finished.

"AC this is their last chance to win a flag this year", as everyone knows I don't believe in that theory

"Adel has the worst ruck set up in the league",

sydney-dog wrote:"AC this is their last chance to win a flag this year", as everyone knows I don't believe in that theory

"Adel has the worst ruck set up in the league",

AC 2006 3RD-8TH
AC 2007 8TH-10TH
AC 2008 FIRST DRAFT PICK IN 2009 ?

SK will be following AC as well, and we can both

Mal

the thread was focused on the Saints poor management of commercials "Salary Cap", thus the result not being able to fill the final two spots on their list, and the impact this might have considering the amount of players the Saints have either returning or struggling with injuries

managing your ruck stocks is an entirely different issue, for the record I think it is exciting times for Adel with Maric and Meesen coming through

sydney-dog wrote:Mal

the thread was focused on the Saints poor management of commercials "Salary Cap", thus the result not being able to fill the final two spots on their list, and the impact this might have considering the amount of players the Saints have either returning or struggling with injuries

managing your ruck stocks is an entirely different issue, for the record I think it is exciting times for Adel with Maric and Meesen coming through

NOW YOUR POSTING INTELLECTUALLY FACTUAL INFORMATION.
Yes the Saints are 2 men short and with the oval they play on that is committing suicide
when the inevitable happens, well presented S/DOG

sydney-dog wrote:for the record I think it is exciting times for Adel with Maric and Meesen coming through

How consistant they will be next year is a question that would be concerning you. Maric was impressive in his ruck work with the Magpies this year, but how he'd go consistantly getting battered by the much bigger bodies in the AFL week in week out is yet to be seen. James Mickeljohn did the bulk of the ruck work for the Pies towards the end of the year. Ruckmen generally don't get the bulk they require until their mid 20s. Not too many 20 year old ruckmen consistantly rucking for many AFL teams.

pafc1870, no doubt they will be a mixed bag, but it is part of the process, they need games, they need to gain some experience and the timing is right

I went to Adelaide 2-3 weeks ago and watched the young group train, I can confidently say this, both Maric and Meesen look physically strong, both players have put on Muscle, both players would be 95kg's plus, maybe closing in on 100kg

In regards to their development, this is their third pre-season, both players have had two years in the SANFL, they looked and ready for the challenge

No one can argue that the crows lose experience with Biglands and Clarke, but I believe the upside for Maric and Meesen is very exciting

sydney-dog wrote:this is totally unacceptable, in the past Grant Thompson was responsible for all player contract negotiations, when you benchmark the Saints against the other top 4 clubs who have more established players, those clubs all play with a full list and have more depth

well correct me if Im wrong but isnt Grant there anymore?

As for the ruckmen, if any player is not looking good this time of year there is something dractiscally wrong

Dutchy the point S-Dog is trying to make that Grant Thomas liked to have total control over the list management, contracts and playing side of things at St kilda, consequently the projected player payments for the saints next year means they are going to have to go in 2 short so they don't go over the cap as a consequnce of GT's contract negotiation skills in 2004 & 05.

Not sure if I'm right but that is how I comprehend it.

He said its "unacceptable"....well they have to accept it get rid of the person who caused it, which they have...what more does he want them to do???

Also I bet Hamill's contract is heavily backended and hurting them as well as only having one player on the veterans list as they have recruited from other clubs instead of keeping their own....

Coach has gone
Now for the oval

1980 Tassie Medalist

spot on

Dutchy

your quote " if any player is not looking good this time of year there is something dractiscally wrong "

What about Jon Hay

You defended Hay's lack of conditioning quite strongly, but when I mention Meesen and how he has presented himself in fantastic condition for pre-season you come out with the above statement

lets drop this horses for courses attitude and have a bit of consistency with your opinions

I reckon Brisbane might have played either 1 or 2 players short in 2003.

Saints are obviously over paying some players. Id say guys like Hamill and Kosi who would be on very decent deals yet barely get on the park wouldnt be helping.

ATTENTION SYDNEY DOG


Sunday Mail 10/12/06 Chris Mcdermott

RUCK STILL TALL ORDER FOR CROWS
--------------------------------------------

The question has to be asked: have Adelaide made a massive error in judgement heading into Tuesdays pre-season draft ?
They cannot play a role as thier playing list is full, and with a couple of ruckmen of genuine ability and experience available an opportunity has been lost.
Without doubt the Crows are vulnerable in the big man department heading into a season where winning a premiership is a genuine goal.


Hmn.

Mal

to be honest I rate Chris Mcdermott's coments as much as I rate his coaching, if Chris had his way Nigel Smart would still be playing

I am not denying the ruck division have a huge challenge, but what I am saying Maric and Meesen bring a huge upside, they both have huge development potential, but to achieve this they need game time

lets have a look at the Biglands / Clarke combination, they ranked about 8th in combined hit outs and in my opinion compared to the best in the comp they do not do enough around the ground

lets look at the other clubs, not many clubs do boost two experience elite ruckman, some don't even have one,

Brisbane won three flags with a ruckman who does not ruck by hitting taps to advantage

My view, the AFC had to go down this path, it is time to expose Maric and Meesen, we drafted then for a purpose and it is time to develop them at AFL level, of course their is a down side but the upside is full of great potential

sydney-dog wrote:Dutchy

your quote " if any player is not looking good this time of year there is something dractiscally wrong "

What about Jon Hay

You defended Hay's lack of conditioning quite strongly, but when I mention Meesen and how he has presented himself in fantastic condition for pre-season you come out with the above statement

Ho Hum here we go again, this time of year, right now not 6 weeks ago, from what Ive heard Hay has worked his butt off. Every single club will come out and say this and that and of course everything is Rosey this time of year...well its a worry if it isnt surely???

Lets drop this horses for courses attitude and have a bit of consistency with your opinions

Ill ask Wedgie if we can get all posts in the AFL forum pre-read and approved by yourself, Tassie, Neil Craig and Steven Trigg before they are shown in public.

As usual if someone has a different opinion to yourself you scream like an Oxford Street virgin...