The Finals thread

[jb03]

Saints time is over, their downward slide has started. Their problem is exactly because of trading hard, but for other team's rejects at the expense of blooding youngsters and giving them experience. Saints played most of the season with the oldest average age list. In 2 years time how many of these 16 players will still be a round at the Saints and how are they going to replace that experience, especially with very little time into their youngsters thus far:

Next year's age: Baker 32, Blake 31, Dal Santo 28, Dempster 28, Fisher 29, Gardiner 32, Goddard 27, Gram 28, Hayes 32, Jones 28, Kosi 29, Milne 32, Montagna 28, Peake 28, Reiwoldt 29, Schneider 28.

Gone. Finished. All over.

Baker, Gardiner, Eddy and McQualter have all announced their retirements.

 

[Smoking Aces]

Baker, Gardiner, Eddy and McQualter have all announced their retirements.

Wouldnt be surprised if Blake doesnt annouce his retirement as well.

 

[Tubytiger]

So i take it the swanies got up over the saints tonight. Great stuff. Don't like either of their games and either of them wont go anywhere in the finals. Both as boring as bloody paint peeling.

 

[Smoking Aces]

So i take it the swanies got up over the saints tonight. Great stuff. Don't like either of their games and either of them wont go anywhere in the finals. Both as boring as bloody paint peeling.

At least the Swans have some exciting young talent like Reid, Rohan, Parker, Jack & Hannebery. And not to mention the big mummy.

 

[Leysy Days]

Is Nick Reiwoldt one of the most over-rated players in the league?

No. A Champion.

But like many great CHF's the end comes early. Nicks was pre-empted by tearing his hamstring off the bone. A horrible injury from which he's never been able to recover from.

Just ask our own Richo.

 

[Tiger Ghost]

How good is Adam Goodes, approaching his 32nd birthday is 6'3" and still plays in the midfield when the games on the line and dominates. Plays his 300th next week and reaches the milestone faster than any other player in history.

 

[Barnzy]

No. A Champion.

But like many great CHF's the end comes early. Nicks was pre-empted by tearing his hamstring off the bone. A horrible injury from which he's never been able to recover from.

Just ask our own Richo.

That's not good news for a young kid like Grimes then who did the same injury.

Hope it doesn't limit his main assest - speed. Genuinely worried about he recovers from said injury.

 

[Tubytiger]

How good is Adam Goodes, approaching his 32nd birthday is 6'3" and still plays in the midfield when the games on the line and dominates. Plays his 300th next week and reaches the milestone faster than any other player in history.

Special. I cant speak highly enough of the guy on the field as well as off field. He's a great person.

 

[GoodOne]

No. A Champion.

But like many great CHF's the end comes early. Nicks was pre-empted by tearing his hamstring off the bone. A horrible injury from which he's never been able to recover from.

Just ask our own Richo.

Fair enough, But gee he plays some dumb footy when he has his hands on the ball. And his kicking for goal is atrocious. I was in awe of him when he was younger but I just reckon the champion tag was given to him a bit prematurely.

 

[LeeToRainesToRoach]

How good is Adam Goodes, approaching his 32nd birthday is 6'3" and still plays in the midfield when the games on the line and dominates. Plays his 300th next week and reaches the milestone faster than any other player in history.

I never really appreciated how good he was until the exhibition match in 2008 where he lined up on Richo. Not a big Goodes fan - sniping phase/MRP protection; signature move (arms outstretched pleading for a free) - but he's a magnificent athlete. Helps that he's had an amazing run with injury - only missed 6 games since his debut in 1999. Compare that to Richo, who missed 75 excluding the final injury...

 

[TigerForce]

Fair enough, But gee he plays some dumb footy when he has his hands on the ball. And his kicking for goal is atrocious. I was in awe of him when he was younger but I just reckon the champion tag was given to him a bit prematurely.

That's all it was.....a champion tag. Too many over-exposed terms used for players nowadays.

No Brownlow or other AFL medal (except Rising Star....wow), barely a matchwinner, barely a true leader and no elite skills (anyone can run in open space and take flying marks).

Richo did way better but in a dud team like ours.

 

[Big Cat Lover]

No. A Champion.
But like many great CHF's the end comes early. Nicks was pre-empted by tearing his hamstring off the bone. A horrible injury from which he's never been able to recover from.

Just ask our own Richo.

Agree. Short memories some supporters.

 

[Big Cat Lover]

I never really appreciated how good he was until the exhibition match in 2008 where he lined up on Richo. Not a big Goodes fan - sniping phase/MRP protection; signature move (arms outstretched pleading for a free) - but he's a magnificent athlete. Helps that he's had an amazing run with injury - only missed 6 games since his debut in 1999.

Yeh, he's a freak, so fast for a guy his build but he can give you the sh*ts with some of his pleading for frees. He gets away with a few pushes too, did it again tonight when he pushed Fisher into Clarke and no free.

Is a champion of the game and swans will lift big time for his 300th.

 

[Sintiger]

Finals are different games aren't they ? Much more one on one footy , beating your opponent and kicking long to a contest .

One thing to consider is that earlier this year david King said that when we were playing well we were playing finals style footy . He was premature for sure as results after his comments showed but this is the style that we are learning to play . The forward press , contested footy , talls in the forward line . We are not very good at it yet but we are getting better.

Coincidence ? I don't think so . Just something to think about . Dimma is trying to build a side that is suited to finals football . Pretty football doesn't generally win premierships .

One other thing that has struck me is that we have two midfielders who are ideally suited to finals football in Cotchin and Martin .

 

[tigertim]

Baker, Gardiner, Eddy and McQualter have all announced their retirements.

Did they announce this after the game or was it earlier? I'm starting to get suspicious about 'retirements' now that i know GWS can claim 10 players who used to be on AFL lists.

 

[IanG]

That's not good news for a young kid like Grimes then who did the same injury.

Hope it doesn't limit his main assest - speed. Genuinely worried about he recovers from said injury.

Reiwoldts form this year hasn't been due to injury its been due to the changes in the game the last couple of years which have made it much harder for forwards like him.

 

[IanG]

Did they announce this after the game or was it earlier? I'm starting to get suspicious about 'retirements' now that i know GWS can claim 10 players who used to be on AFL lists.

Eddy confirms that he hasn't retired, its an out and out lie by the Saints, probably Mcqualter as well.

 

[Ian4]

No. A Champion.

But like many great CHF's the end comes early. Nicks was pre-empted by tearing his hamstring off the bone. A horrible injury from which he's never been able to recover from.

Ur joking right? Just look at his finals record... Miserable really

 

[jb03]

Did they announce this after the game or was it earlier? I'm starting to get suspicious about 'retirements' now that i know GWS can claim 10 players who used to be on AFL lists.

It was on Robbo and others twitter.

Though Robert Eddy has tweeted that he didn't retire so perhaps a rapid fire delisting by the Saints.

 

[Leysy Days]

Ur joking right? Just look at his finals record... Miserable really

Hardly a miserable finals record at all.