St Kilda coach Alan Richardson says all banned Bombers can play close to their best next season
THE banned Essendon players, including St Kilda defender Jake Carlisle, can “play close to their best” next year, according to Saints coach Alan Richardson.
THE banned Essendon players, including St Kilda defender Jake Carlisle, can “play close to their best” next year, according to Saints coach Alan Richardson.
Richardson said the time off turned out to be a positive for Carlisle who had a surgical procedure on his hip and found construction work through one of the club’s sponsors.
“He’s had a break, it could be a positive (for all the banned players), I can’t see it being a negative,” Richardson said.
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Richardson said Carlisle had worked hard during the ban period to get to know his teammates in social settings.
But learning to play with them, “starts now”.
“There will be four months of 10 sessions a week where you have the opportunity to create a synergy,” Richardson said.
Richardson said the Saints were in the market for a last-line defender with Carlisle expected to play centre-half-back.
Saints veteran Sam Fisher’s future remains in limbo with a decision to be made during the trade period.
Richardson praised Essendon for the way it handled losing 12 of its best players for 2016.
The Bombers have re-signed 10 of those with only skipper Jobe Watson yet to make a decision on his future, while defender Tayte Pears retired during the week to pursue a career with the Melbourne Fire Brigade.
Richardson said the players should be able to overcome the “unique” break.
“I’d be surprised if it is they didn’t come back and play close to their best,” Richardson told SEN.
“It’s been a very good year for them (Essendon) a very strong year.”
Originally published as St Kilda coach Alan Richardson says all banned Bombers can play close to their best next season