Over achiever's tag surfaces

[Nico]

On SEN 1116 this afternoon Stephen Gough from AFL media, who is a regular in the arvo, when questioned about Sydney, suggested that we may have over achieved last year. Says the jury is still out on this subject. Boy how long does the jury need to take.

Have heard this comment a bit lately. So it looks like we are going to be underrated by the Press again. All we need now is that perrenially poor tipster, John Anderson, to put the slows on us and we are in for a ripper season.

Interestingly Dermie made a very good statement later in the day in reference to winning. He said you can lose games by mistake but you never win games by mistake.


That about sums up our 2003 season.

[Reggi]

Terry Wallace said on the radio on the weekend that the 'consensus' was that Sydney could not repeat it's performance of 2003.

He differed saying we could do better - We are not rated though.

The funny bit is these same people really rate St Kilda.

The Aints were crushed by the majority of top 8 sides last year and really could only muster wins against the lowliest of sides.

Tim Watson believes they can win the premiership

[Diego]

Who really cares what the so called experts think.

Last year proved that there are a lot of unqualified people who work in the media, especially in Melbourne.

[Damien]

I am very happy the critics don't rate us. I think the boys love being underdogs.

Speaking of St.Kilda, they look like they are moving into a very exciting period. Don't rate their coach, but geez, i think that team almost wont need one. So much talent - and young talent at that.

[dendol]

Originally posted by Damien
I am very happy the critics don't rate us. I think the boys love being underdogs.

Speaking of St.Kilda, they look like they are moving into a very exciting period. Don't rate their coach, but geez, i think that team almost wont need one. So much talent - and young talent at that.

Yeah, last night watching the Wiz Cup replay, I heard a commentator say that they have 16 first round draft picks in their team! This being the case, I think the salary cap will hit them sooner rather than later and they'll have to offload some stars, hopefully to Sydney!

On the Swans being overachievers, Dermie has tipped us, in his Ralph mag "afl pigskin preview", to come 2nd this year - behind the Lions to 4peat.

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by Damien
Speaking of St.Kilda, they look like they are moving into a very exciting period. Don't rate their coach, but geez, i think that team almost wont need one. So much talent - and young talent at that.

They do look very good, although it will be interesting to see if they can maintain good form throughout most of the season and in particular against the top sides.

[Diego]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
They do look very good, although it will be interesting to see if they can maintain good form throughout most of the season and in particular against the top sides.

Yeah i agree. I watched them last night and they have awesome talent. But R5ichmond at the same were woeful.

I keep saying St Kilda are a good coach short of a flag or two.

[sharpie]

With such a young side, the Saints probably find it easier than other teams to adapt to the different rules of the Wizard Cup. This may account for their winning ways at present.

However, I still think they have an excellent looking side that is likely to be very competitive this season

[monopoly19]

Originally posted by dendol
Yeah, last night watching the Wiz Cup replay, I heard a commentator say that they have 16 first round draft picks in their team!

As far as I can count, we have four (that have been first round picks by the Swans): Fosdike, Saddington, J Bolton and McVeigh.

I want 16 dammit!!

Originally posted by sharpie
With such a young side, the Saints probably find it easier than other teams to adapt to the different rules of the Wizard Cup. This may account for their winning ways at present.

But we had a young side, why didn't we win???

[Bleed Red Blood]

Warfe was a first round pick

[dendol]

However, I still think they have an excellent looking side that is likely to be very competitive this season

yeah, i think they are looking like a top 8 side this year. If they make the finals, they will be there abouts for many years to come, with or without Thomas as coach.

[Reggi]

We are talking about St Kilda not S&Don - Go back a decade and they had some of the greatest players of their generation.

Lockett, Leowe, Winmanr, Harvey, Burke - and still they couldn't do anything.

People are overestimating their capability

[jixygirl]

Over the past few years, they've been building up first round draft picks because of their woeful performances. Suddenly they've got all the players, but they are all young. Wait in a couple of years time, when their draftees of the past couple of years will mature. If the Saints don't win a premiership in the next five or so years, all of that good talent would be considered a waste.

[floppinab]

People are overestimating their capability

Nailed my thoughts precisely there Reggi. Something about a team of champions .....................

And there are still plenty of question marks about off-field issues with the Saints and their effect on performance. I'm putting them mid-table this year at best.

[chammond]

If the Saints don't win a premiership in the next five or so years, all of that good talent would be considered a waste.

I'm not sure that the Saints window of opportunity is that wide. It's all very well having 16 champions in your side (well, potential champions anyway), but the problem is hanging on to them.

In 3 or 4 years, these budding stars will be looking for star billing and expecting star payment. There's no way St Kilda will be able to meet that expectation for more than a handful of the group. Even if they start playing finals football soon, there will still be a group of good players who feel they are getting a raw deal. That happens even at triple-premiership clubs, and the Saints are nowhere near that good.

I'd estimate they've got two years, three max, to hit the jackpot before the team starts to come apart. With the current Butters/Thomas regime in charge, they've got no chance, in my opinion.

Ten years from now they'll be rueing the loss of Riewoldt and Koschitzke just like they lost Lockett and Everitt, and they'll be back on the 'priority-pick' bandwagon again.