VIDEO: Lewis Pierce VFL round 19 highlights
VIDEO: Spencer White VFL round 13 highlights
Though the final team won’t be finalised until Friday afternoon, the additions of Pierce and White, who are both 19, further demonstrates Alan Richardson’s strong push for youth this season.RELATED: Youngsters on the rise
So far 41 out of a possible 45 players have represented St Kilda in 2014, and with the injury list reaching double figures in recent weeks, opportunities have opened up for youngsters like Pierce and White to taste senior football.RELATED: Geary and Acres out for the season
Pierce was selected with pick No.75 in the 2012 National Draft, while the Saints took White with the 25th selection in the same draft.Both were raw when they arrived and were seen as long-term prospects.
“Lewis really cracked in when the ball hit the ground and had a good game,” Sandringham assistant and St Kilda development coach Paul Hudson told SAINTS.com.au in his VFL player breakdown this week.
“He also took some strong marks and it was probably the best game Holmesy (Jason Holmes) and Lewis have played in tandem.”
In other selection news, Clinton Jones and Brodie Murdoch have also been included on the extended interchange, while Josh Saunders has been omitted.
Jones played the first 14 games for St Kilda this season but has been plying his trade for Sandringham since early July.
Last weekend the left-footer didn’t play at all, instead travelling to Sydney as an emergency for the senior team.
“The ball was on the forward flank, he worked hard to get out in space and then beat two and then a third opponent one-on-one before kicking a goal,” Hudson recalled. “It was a fantastic bit of play that lifted the whole team.”
Tune in to SAINTS.com.au at 5pm on Friday afternoon to see if Spencer White and Lewis Pierce get the call-up into the final team.
SELECTED SQUAD
“Lewis really cracked in when the ball hit the ground and had a good game,” Sandringham assistant and St Kilda development coach Paul Hudson told SAINTS.com.au in his VFL player breakdown this week.
“He also took some strong marks and it was probably the best game Holmesy (Jason Holmes) and Lewis have played in tandem.”
In other selection news, Clinton Jones and Brodie Murdoch have also been included on the extended interchange, while Josh Saunders has been omitted.
Jones played the first 14 games for St Kilda this season but has been plying his trade for Sandringham since early July.
Last weekend the left-footer didn’t play at all, instead travelling to Sydney as an emergency for the senior team.
RELATED: Sandringham secures finals berth
Meanwhile, Murdoch is just 15 games into his AFL career and performed strongly in VFL last weekend, impressing Hudson with one passage of play in particular.“The ball was on the forward flank, he worked hard to get out in space and then beat two and then a third opponent one-on-one before kicking a goal,” Hudson recalled. “It was a fantastic bit of play that lifted the whole team.”
Tune in to SAINTS.com.au at 5pm on Friday afternoon to see if Spencer White and Lewis Pierce get the call-up into the final team.
SELECTED SQUAD
| B: | N.Wright | L.Delaney | S.Savage |
| HB: | S.Dempster | S.Fisher | S.Gilbert |
| C: | F.Ray | L.Hayes | J.Newnes |
| HF: | L.Montagna | N.Riewoldt | D.Armitage |
| F: | A.Schneider | C.Shenton | T.Curren |
| Foll: | B.Longer | J.Steven | M.Weller |
| Int From: | C.Jones | S.Ross | S.White |
| R.Stanley | B.Murdoch | J.Gwilt | |
| L.Pierce |
In: C.Jones , L.Pierce , B.Murdoch , S.White
Out: J.Saunders (Omitted)
New: S.White, L.Pierce
PREVIEW: St Kilda vs Richmond Can we squash Richmond's finals aspirations on Sunday? More: http://t.co/pcScywNRXk pic.twitter.com/Z6gSiyAfQ0
— St Kilda FC (@stkildafc) August 21, 2014
