Saints stuff

I've always fought shy about mentioning my near pathological love for St Kilda FC - after all, there aren't too many Saints 'tragics' in the UK, especially when I lived in Cornwall, it would've been a bit of a giveaway in terms of my 'real-life' identity - but given the fact very few people even read my blog (albeit that I'm grateful those who do!) it's tantamount to paranoia if I don't talk about the club at all. So the fact the 2018 AFL draft is happening tomorrow (the first round, at least) is a good time to discuss Sainters news as any. We've had a terrible season, by any standards, third-last in the ladder, and there have been threats of torches and pitchforks massing (figuratively, if not literally) at Moorabbin lately, particularly aimed the head coach. I can't pretend that I'm happy with everything in 'Saintsworld' at moment, but some of the 'punditry' has been close to hysterical, as far as I'm concerned. Looking at the bright side, though, it does mean that we're going to get a good pick in the draft - the somewhat arcane rules of the AFL mean that we're going to have pick 4 rather the nominal pick 3 we would have had originally - and the 'Class of 2018' is supposedly is going to be good. Three of the players are, by common consent, have been earmarked as 'the best of the best' and not available to us (although I'd be happy to be wrong about any of the three), so much of the speculation has been centred around 'number 4'. The 'smart money' says the Saints will nominate a guy called Max King, a tall forward who is, as far as I can see, a very good player, but my concern is that we need a elite midfielder more than a forward. For the little I know as a Brit from 10000-odd miles away, I'm going to pin my colours to a young man called Bailey Smith, who I think is the sort of player we need, in my opinion. My opinion is meaningless, of course, in the grand scheme of things, but I hope that I'll be right. I'll find out tomorrow morning (UK time), doubtlessly.

Love & best wishes to all
Sammy B