Balmain land another one....

[Steamboat]

From what Ive heard their numbers at training are good and whilst not like some other clubs where they have millions at each session they are on the improve - and Saddo is tearing up the track i believe.

Tara,

It appears that Balmains supposed numbers must like training and not playing, as they turned up to Monarch with about 18 seniors for a 6 qtr trial on Saturday and had to use the 12 u18s players that were there to make up numbers and then had to pull out of the u18s trial that was scheduled for after this game.

Leaving Campbelltowns u18s having to play a 12 a side scratch match, maybe they were out spending their match payments in lieu of receiving them.

For those interested,an understrength blues side won by approx 12 goals,against a less than enthusiastic Balmain side,seems nothing has changed.

[Seagull]

Jeez, bit early for a salary cap isn't it?

[Garden Gnome07]

Word in the garden is that Tom Harley "will play a few games" this year.

[beameup]

Nick would fit in well because with his skills he wouldn't have to work very hard. Suit him perfectly. In having that shot I acknowledge loving his play and his skills and especially that goal. I was in the pocket right in front of him. It was awesome.

[Pekay]

It's a wonder they haven't signed Tom Harley. He would be moving to Sydney, wouldn't he?
Then again, Nor-West might have him wrapped up.

He'll be out a little later in the season to give a few tips but won't be playing. He's family friends with one of the junior fathers. Why would he want to play any grade in sydney when his last game was the pinnacle of Footy?

[Monty Burns2]

Nick Davis is the rumour.

[ShortHalfHead]

It's a wonder they haven't signed Tom Harley. He would be moving to Sydney, wouldn't he?
Then again, Nor-West might have him wrapped up.

[Pace To Burn]

I think you have missed what I was saying 48hrs. Just because he is a gun at VFL does not mean he will be a gun at this level. The first point is that the delivery will be no where near what he has had his whole career. The second point is the grounds here are a lot smaller and harder to adjust to. The third point is the areas he ran to recieve the ball (from semi proffessional well drilled players) at VFL level may not gain him as many marking opportunities. Their are more factors than him just being a gun as you like to put it. I also think you would find that key position players find it harder to adjust at lower levels than midfielders ie getting to understand where players kick to and the power and accuracy of their kicking. I am not for one moment bagging Saddington, he has been a fair player for a long time. Just pointing out factors that I thought were obvious to your average football followers in Sydney. Happy to take a gorilla on Withers finishing higher than Saddo in the league B & F. Do yourself a favour and go and watch him this year, he didnt play A Grade Ammos or VFL but he goes alright. On the point regarding Balmain making the 5, I would expect that would be a minimum with the cattle they have, they should be aiming to finish third behind ECE and Wests.

Hell beat him in the medal, the umpires love a player with a reputation and Matty isnt a suck up either

[The Purse]

no doubt balmain will do better.

I think most people when you get into a footy club are all cracking blokes.

Commercial backrounds, prior managements was awful, so couldnt get any worse. Have to remember minus a development there would be little funds.

Question though minus this development and large sum of cash would they be in it or any of the players signed??? Highly likely they wouldnt.

However fact is there is a large sum of dollars, if they werent planning on long term they would be idiots.

[48 Hour Detox]

I think you have missed what I was saying 48hrs. Just because he is a gun at VFL does not mean he will be a gun at this level. The first point is that the delivery will be no where near what he has had his whole career. The second point is the grounds here are a lot smaller and harder to adjust to. The third point is the areas he ran to recieve the ball (from semi proffessional well drilled players) at VFL level may not gain him as many marking opportunities. Their are more factors than him just being a gun as you like to put it. I also think you would find that key position players find it harder to adjust at lower levels than midfielders ie getting to understand where players kick to and the power and accuracy of their kicking. I am not for one moment bagging Saddington, he has been a fair player for a long time. Just pointing out factors that I thought were obvious to your average football followers in Sydney. Happy to take a gorilla on Withers finishing higher than Saddo in the league B & F. Do yourself a favour and go and watch him this year, he didnt play A Grade Ammos or VFL but he goes alright. On the point regarding Balmain making the 5, I would expect that would be a minimum with the cattle they have, they should be aiming to finish third behind ECE and Wests.

I will take you on the cash mate :-)

I think we will agree to disagree on a few points though. I think Saddington will adjust. Tall marking players adjust, I've seen it time and time again. Also, as I said earlier, didn;t Troy Luff win the comp B&F in his first year?? Also, Saddington is going to have pretty good delivery....with mids like Tim Schmidt, his brother and Fosdike....then throw in Sundquist and a few other players who have played at high level footy, all delivering the ball to him. Thats on top of a few f last years players who have good foot skills. Even if your theory that mids adjust earlier, then Schmidt and co will adjust quicker and all of a sudden Saddington is gettign ti exactly where he expects it.....its a win win :-)

Proof will be in the pudding....and at the end of the day, its al for fun!

I just believe that Balmain are on track. My mates involved are all cracking blokes, have good footy backgrounds, have strong commercial backgrounds and are all in iyt for the right reasons, They aren't talking 2010......its 2011 and beyond.

[The Duck]

I think you have missed what I was saying 48hrs. Just because he is a gun at VFL does not mean he will be a gun at this level. The first point is that the delivery will be no where near what he has had his whole career. The second point is the grounds here are a lot smaller and harder to adjust to. The third point is the areas he ran to recieve the ball (from semi proffessional well drilled players) at VFL level may not gain him as many marking opportunities. Their are more factors than him just being a gun as you like to put it. I also think you would find that key position players find it harder to adjust at lower levels than midfielders ie getting to understand where players kick to and the power and accuracy of their kicking. I am not for one moment bagging Saddington, he has been a fair player for a long time. Just pointing out factors that I thought were obvious to your average football followers in Sydney. Happy to take a gorilla on Withers finishing higher than Saddo in the league B & F. Do yourself a favour and go and watch him this year, he didnt play A Grade Ammos or VFL but he goes alright. On the point regarding Balmain making the 5, I would expect that would be a minimum with the cattle they have, they should be aiming to finish third behind ECE and Wests.

[Pace To Burn]

I think what Duck means is, see if he can be as usefull with the ball coming to him at shin high 75% of the time instead of perfectly out in front of him lace out. Hell be quality of course but i bet he will find it alot harder than Vfl to get his kicks

[tara]

Saddington was named at either CHB or FB in around 80% of the games he played in the VFL with David Teague pushing forward when it suited - He was named at CHB in the GF but finished with 2 goals and named in the best for the Bullants but to be honest it was a bleak day for the Ants and he was one of the few who could hold his head high. He finished the year with 25 goals averaging about 1.3 a game. Admittedly whilst a Carlton supporter I dont follow the bullants as closely as I do Pt Melb but I can safely say he wasnt used primarily as a CHF in the VFL.

Id still expect him to tear it up at SFL level though given the VFL is a mile ahead of its standard.

[stellation]

The only reason I can think of behind this comment is whether he can adjust to the slower pace of Sydney football as opposed to VFL. Otherwise, it's just plain weird. The bloke played over 100 games in the AFL, he's no mug.

You've hit the nail on the head there, Pekay. I agree that just because a guy was on an AFL list doesn't mean he's an absolute gun, lots of guys get picked on potential and added to a list (although they do have to normally at least show something that would suggest they may be a decent player at Sydney footy level), but in this case you could really only put that forward for 1 of the 4 ex-Swans (Sundquivst), and even then he was more a guy I remember as having his career cut short due to injury than due to not being able to play. Schmidt didn't play a lot of games, but that was more due to injury and being at the club during some boom years when they didn't use a lot of guys in the senior team, my understanding is that he would probably still have been on the Swans list this year if he hadn't walked away. Saddington and Fosdike were both >150 game players at AFL level.

[48 Hour Detox]

The only reason I can think of behind this comment is whether he can adjust to the slower pace of Sydney football as opposed to VFL. Otherwise, it's just plain weird. The bloke played over 100 games in the AFL, he's no mug.

Even then, he is a key position player.....played CHF in the VFL. Troy Luff won the comp B&F didn't he?? First year out of the AFL? Key position marking players adjust, its the quicker outside players who find it a bit more difficult.