How B Grade Players Can Play Good Footy

Jake Stringer is set to be traded now. He is said he was not a hardworking bloke on preparing to play footy.

 

In general, it’s said many people forget hardworking. Many journalists seem to just sit on their desks to collect stories from the ‘source’ and social media to cover stories. I will leave this issue to another story to be covered here on the Almanac.

 

Then I remember some young Saints had breakouts but haven’t performed well since then. Like Stringer, they might think they had developed well and forgot they needed to train hard to maintain.

 

But on the other hand, St Kilda players are not rated as A Grades even if they play good attacking footy. Maybe big gaps in wins and losses can rate them B or C Grades.

 

As a St Kilda supporter, I want to see our boys rising next year and playing final footy at least.

 

In reality, there are players like Stringer in my club.

 

Josh Bruce made a breakout in 2015 kicking 50 goals in 22 games, but kicked only 38 goals in the following year and 36 goals this year.

 

He needs more efficient kicking skills. Bruce might have felt the same way as did Stringer, but should be motivated to lead St Kilda into finals. Individuals need to be hungry for our big goals and pictures.

 

This theory also applies to Tim Membrey who had a breakout year in 2016. He kicked 44 goals that year and then reduced to 38 this year.

 

These two forwards might not get used to the big city life as Bruce was born in Canberra and Membrey was drafted from a Gippsland club. Then they could talk to teammates who are from the country side or smaller cities to cope with the life in a big city.

 

Our midfielders such as Seb Ross, Jack Steven, Jack Steele and Jack Newnes have good skills in handballs and kicking. They need to pressure the opponents more. Creating more space is needed to play attacking footy. But in such circumstances, kicks must be accurate. Otherwise the ball goes anywhere and then the opposite players get more opportunities to bounce back. If we create open space, alternatively we can just bounce and run into goal square.

 

Jack Billings show great efforts and skills at the late in the 2017 season. I want him to keep working hard to perform better. I am sure at the end, we St Kilda supporters will be happy to have him rather than Marcus Bontempelli.

 

And I have positive thoughts on Luke Dunstan as he’s developing well. Plus David Armitage will be selfless in the midfield when he comes back to the squad.

 

If my boys train enough hard, they will play much better footy and be rated A Grades.

 

Kicking clinics are needed to all players and especially forwards. Midfielders need to trick opponents to create open space and improve handballing skills to put more pressures to the oppositions.

 

Learn from this year and move onto the bright 2018 season. Go Saints!

 

About Yoshihiro Imagawa

Love, passion and pride are seen on the footy that is the biggest part of my life. 1. St Kilda Club member: I am a passionate and crazy Sainter. Just hope we will win the second flag soon, especially after Dogs and Tigers having ended long premiership draughts. 2. The Osaka Dingoes Player and Public Relations Officer: Player number 44 that I chose to honour Stephen Milne with my wish being like a small forward like him. Lenny Hayes' hardworking attitudes are adopted on my trainings and practices. Nick Riewoldt's great plays are in my player audiobook too. 3. Writing: Here on the Almanac and also on the World Footy News. My skills utilise on great footy websites.

Comments

  1. Yvette Wroby says

    Hi Yoshi,
    agree a lot with what you say, we have good players who with a bit of luck and effort can be great players. And we keep adding players who aren’t the top end picks but are ones that haven’t had opportunities at other clubs and perform well at the Saints, Josh Bruce, Membrey, Billy Longer, and midfielder Jack Steele all came across and have been great for us. I like the way they are hand picking good players for good prices and getting them to fill out our team with great skills. Dylan Roberton is another.
    I think we’ll have a much better year next year. Go Saints.

  2. Peter warrington says

    I just imagine how it would all look with mcevoy in the team.

    but i guess some of that talent came when he went

    hard comp to make ground in. very, very darwinian.

    stuff a year and you can lose 3.

    and then you can rebound just by saying you can (Richmondia…)

  3. Hi Yvette and Peter,

    Thanks for your comments!

    Yvette – It’s good that we pick such players who had no or less opportunities at other clubs. Roberton is doing so well at the backline. These players would show efforts as hungry, I hope.

    Peter – Ben McEvoy is a good ruckman and also kicks goals. In return Shane Savage arrived at St Kilda and we got a draft pick that Luke Dunstan was picked. Savage is the okay player unfortunately. But as I said, young Dunstan is deveioping so I hope he plays so well as wearing number seven Lenny Hayes had. Last night I watched Geelong vs Sydney and Rhys Stanley was bloody good. St Kilda would be better if he stayed at St Kilda.

    Cheers

    Yoshi

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