Murray MiddletonNAB Cup - Week Four
March 11th 2008 02:35
On Saturday night St. Kilda defeated Adelaide by five points to win the NAB Cup. Over the past month a great deal has been said about the format and significance of the competition. Without a doubt, the most important product of St. Kilda's victory will be the winner's cheque and the subsequent boost in membership. The Saints last won the competition in 2004. They went on to win the first ten games of the season before losing by six points to Port Adelaide in the preliminary final. That result showed how the pre-season competition can be used as a platform for a successful season. Conversely, Carlton's recent NAB Cup success - two victories in the past three years - has done the most damage to the AFL's hopes of presenting the competition as serious.
The reality is that any side who wants to win the pre-season competition probably can. St. Kilda did not take this year's competition seriously. In their first two matches they fielded depleted line-ups, opting to rest the likes of Hayes, Riewoldt and Ball. The Saints pinched the competition by winning their final three matches by under one goal. Apart from their opener against Richmond, they did not dominate matches. Understandably, the Saints stocks have risen. They are currently second in premiership betting behind Geelong. It is worth examining the merits of the hype that currently surrounds the club.
In 2007 St. Kilda finished ninth. It was a difficult year at the helm for Ross Lyon. The first half of the season was ruined by a spate of soft tissue injuries which exposed the club's lack of depth. St. Kidla were the third best performed team in the second half of 2007. They made a late run for the finals, but never quite reached top gear. Voss, Thompson, Hamill, M.Clarke and Gehrig retired. With the exception of Matthew Clarke, the four retirees had all played important roles in the Saints consecutive preliminary finals appearances in 2004 and 2005. It was time for the class of 2001 - Ball, X.Clarke, Dal Santo, MaGuire, Montagna - to take the reigns
In trade week St. Killda secured the services of four players - Steven King, Charlie Gardiner, Adam Schnieder and Shaun Dempster. Three of the four were premiership players. With Michael Gardiner finally fit and Fraser Gehrig postponing his drinking for another year, the Saints suddenly seemed to have depth. Under Grant Thomas' regime the club did not pay enough attention to developing young players. Instead they opted to bring in the likes of Brooks, Watts, Guerra, McGough, and Ackland, none of whom remain at the club. Ross Lyon has taken a risk by bringing so many recycled players to the club. Geelong's 2007 premiership was home-grown. Only Mooney, Harley and Ottens had played at another club.
Charlie Gardiner has been serviceable thus far, but has shown an inability to perform when the going gets tough. He barely got a look in at Geelong and, although Riewoldt's tireless running will create opportunities across the half forward line, it is unlikely that he will be at the club in two years time. Shaun Dempster is, at best, a run-with player. With Baker suspended for the first five matches of the season, there is every chance that the Saints picked up Dempster with a view to him tagging across the half back line. Geary's solid pre-season form may keep Dempster out of the team for round one. Dempster is another player unlikely to have a great impact in the future.
Steven King is playing for his football life. He has won three grand finals in his last five matches. He looks in great physical condition and, most importantly, he is hungry. King has rucked quite well in his three games for the Saints. He has often run back to plug the hole in defence, although his marking ability seems to have diminished. King should be useful for the Saints. He is only a stop-gap measure. The Saints will be hoping that either he, and or Michael Gardiner, can play long enough to facilitate the development of Ben McEvoy - a young ruckman who was taken with pick nine in last year's national draft.
The one new player who has excited Saints fans the most has been Adam Schnieder. In his two games Schnieder has demonstrated neat skills, a good motor, a cool head under pressure, and the ability to run forward and kick important goals. When the Saints traded for Schnieder they initially hoped he could provide competition for the inconsistent Stephen Milne up forward. Now Schnieder seems destined to spend more time up the field. He has premiership experience and will prove to be the Saints best acquisition of the summer.
Some of the younger players have put in promising performances in the pre-season. David Armitage is likely to take over Andrew Thompson's role in the midfield - starting on the bench and playing two and a half quarters of hard football. Jarryn Geary has provided a running option in defence. He is a ball magnet and is highly rated by the coaching panel. Both Geary and Armitage should be looking to play between ten and fifteen games in 2008. Sam Gilbert was one of the few positives to come out of last season. He demonstrated a willingness to run with the ball that bellied his defensively-minded teammates. To see Gilbert's natural instinct to play on halted by the Saints 'tempo football' in 2008 would be terribly sad.
Ross Lyon has preached accountability. He has made no secret of his desire to play the kind of football that will hold up in finals. Last year his team didn't make it far enough to test his mantra. There are pleasing signs for the Saints. They seem to finally have some depth. But they have not won an official match yet. A failure to make the finals would place a lot of pressure on Ross Lyon. At present the Saints still seem a long way off the level that Geelong set in 2007. But then again, the second best team last year was a long way off, too.
The reality is that any side who wants to win the pre-season competition probably can. St. Kilda did not take this year's competition seriously. In their first two matches they fielded depleted line-ups, opting to rest the likes of Hayes, Riewoldt and Ball. The Saints pinched the competition by winning their final three matches by under one goal. Apart from their opener against Richmond, they did not dominate matches. Understandably, the Saints stocks have risen. They are currently second in premiership betting behind Geelong. It is worth examining the merits of the hype that currently surrounds the club.
In 2007 St. Kilda finished ninth. It was a difficult year at the helm for Ross Lyon. The first half of the season was ruined by a spate of soft tissue injuries which exposed the club's lack of depth. St. Kidla were the third best performed team in the second half of 2007. They made a late run for the finals, but never quite reached top gear. Voss, Thompson, Hamill, M.Clarke and Gehrig retired. With the exception of Matthew Clarke, the four retirees had all played important roles in the Saints consecutive preliminary finals appearances in 2004 and 2005. It was time for the class of 2001 - Ball, X.Clarke, Dal Santo, MaGuire, Montagna - to take the reigns
In trade week St. Killda secured the services of four players - Steven King, Charlie Gardiner, Adam Schnieder and Shaun Dempster. Three of the four were premiership players. With Michael Gardiner finally fit and Fraser Gehrig postponing his drinking for another year, the Saints suddenly seemed to have depth. Under Grant Thomas' regime the club did not pay enough attention to developing young players. Instead they opted to bring in the likes of Brooks, Watts, Guerra, McGough, and Ackland, none of whom remain at the club. Ross Lyon has taken a risk by bringing so many recycled players to the club. Geelong's 2007 premiership was home-grown. Only Mooney, Harley and Ottens had played at another club.
Charlie Gardiner has been serviceable thus far, but has shown an inability to perform when the going gets tough. He barely got a look in at Geelong and, although Riewoldt's tireless running will create opportunities across the half forward line, it is unlikely that he will be at the club in two years time. Shaun Dempster is, at best, a run-with player. With Baker suspended for the first five matches of the season, there is every chance that the Saints picked up Dempster with a view to him tagging across the half back line. Geary's solid pre-season form may keep Dempster out of the team for round one. Dempster is another player unlikely to have a great impact in the future.
Steven King is playing for his football life. He has won three grand finals in his last five matches. He looks in great physical condition and, most importantly, he is hungry. King has rucked quite well in his three games for the Saints. He has often run back to plug the hole in defence, although his marking ability seems to have diminished. King should be useful for the Saints. He is only a stop-gap measure. The Saints will be hoping that either he, and or Michael Gardiner, can play long enough to facilitate the development of Ben McEvoy - a young ruckman who was taken with pick nine in last year's national draft.
The one new player who has excited Saints fans the most has been Adam Schnieder. In his two games Schnieder has demonstrated neat skills, a good motor, a cool head under pressure, and the ability to run forward and kick important goals. When the Saints traded for Schnieder they initially hoped he could provide competition for the inconsistent Stephen Milne up forward. Now Schnieder seems destined to spend more time up the field. He has premiership experience and will prove to be the Saints best acquisition of the summer.
Some of the younger players have put in promising performances in the pre-season. David Armitage is likely to take over Andrew Thompson's role in the midfield - starting on the bench and playing two and a half quarters of hard football. Jarryn Geary has provided a running option in defence. He is a ball magnet and is highly rated by the coaching panel. Both Geary and Armitage should be looking to play between ten and fifteen games in 2008. Sam Gilbert was one of the few positives to come out of last season. He demonstrated a willingness to run with the ball that bellied his defensively-minded teammates. To see Gilbert's natural instinct to play on halted by the Saints 'tempo football' in 2008 would be terribly sad.
Ross Lyon has preached accountability. He has made no secret of his desire to play the kind of football that will hold up in finals. Last year his team didn't make it far enough to test his mantra. There are pleasing signs for the Saints. They seem to finally have some depth. But they have not won an official match yet. A failure to make the finals would place a lot of pressure on Ross Lyon. At present the Saints still seem a long way off the level that Geelong set in 2007. But then again, the second best team last year was a long way off, too.
| 89 |
| Vote |
Subscribe to this blog
