Match Thread. Round 9 v St Kilda.

[stevoswan]

If I remember rightly ai highlighted youth on one post. But even a developing team needs to be able to focus and make good decisions. Otherwise it never develops. It stays a bottom team.

The ability to focus and make good decisions develops at this higher level.....it isn't just instantly there from the start. Potential is what is there. This team is so young and has lost so much experience so quickly, to expect them to gel into a well oiled, highly skilled team overnight....well, that's just howling at the moon wolfie.????

[Ralph Dawg]

Not sure what game you were watching. Jones won a lot of his own ball through clearances and intercepts.

Also when he played for us he wasn’t given the chance as Horse stuck with Parker, Hewett and JPK as inside midfielders.

I did say in my comment that he was very good. But to elaborate on the rest of my comment, our midfield over the last few years has been sluggish. As a general observation, our midfield has often looked hurried and lacking in time as a unit. When Jones was playing for us, he was the turnover king and often got pinged for holding the ball. Tonight, the Saints midfield, as a unit, gave each other time and space, hence Jones's good performance, granted he was a significant contributer.

[stevoswan]

Yep. Just watch the usual suspects see everything out of unrealistic rose coloured glasses.

Some cannot accept any criticism of our list management.

No, some of us just don't see the point of harping on about it ad nauseum. It's relentlessly negative and ultimately tiring.....????
Some of us just prefer to be positive.....it's not that we can't see our teams negatives, it just makes us happier in the face of adversity.????
Chill.....the club will rise again.....?

[Ralph Dawg]

I am taking tonight's game in context. We were playing a very good side, full of confidence. Possibly a top 4 contender. In patches, we were very competitive, in fact would've been dominant had we kicked straight (Q3). Saints have had a few significant additions (including Jones) who have lifted them from the bottom to the top in a very short amount of time. I feel we are not too dissimilar to where they were when we towelled them up in the final round 2019.

[tlock]

There is no place in elite sport (or life in general) for quackery.

Disbelievers will be left behind to suffer from their own ignorance.

[caj23]

No, some of us just don't see the point of harping on about it ad nauseum. It's relentlessly negative and ultimately tiring.....????
Some of us just prefer to be positive.....it's not that we can't see our teams negatives, it just makes us happier in the face of adversity.????
Chill.....the club will rise again.....?

That’s fine Stevo, but that didn’t even happen in this thread until bloodswan decided to have a crack at a few others

[snajik]

Disbelievers will be left behind to suffer from their own ignorance.

Looks painful. Could he not just borrow Noddy Holder's platforms for some added height? Might even bring some much needed improvement to his goalkicking. Certainly couldn't make it any worse.

[Scottee]

Blakey cannot be carried any more. He is keeping other players out of the side, and, to be frank, none of the potential replacements could do any worse. Maibaum or Gould need a try, they could both play forward or back.

Probably time to give ET a break as well and bring back Stephens.

Sent from my SM-T805Y using Tapatalk

[barracuda]

What a frustrating quarter. Did so much right but couldn't get it on the scoreboard. Paddlebutt again showing why many of us think he is an heir apparent in the midfield. And lovely kick from Tommy. So disappointing to not be genuinely in the contest, as we've been good value for making it a good contest today, but have wasted too many chances in front of goals, and they've taken theirs.

There is a lot to like about Elijah Taylor. Goes hard and that multiple effort on the wing was great to see. Look forward to watching him develop as an AFL footballer - he is raw, but there is something there with him.

Each week we are seeing facets of our game improving this year I feel - its disappointing we won't win as many as we could have this year because of a lack of composure in front of goals. But there are very good signs for the future I think.

I would not say Elijah Taylor goes hard. Exactly the opposite. He shirked four or five hard ball gets, and missed as many tackles. He is a talent no doubt but needs to be out of the team to develop some ticker.

[Captain]

No, some of us just don't see the point of harping on about it ad nauseum. It's relentlessly negative and ultimately tiring.....????
Some of us just prefer to be positive.....it's not that we can't see our teams negatives, it just makes us happier in the face of adversity.????
Chill.....the club will rise again.....?

No one has been harping on. It’s relevant because we came up against Jones who destroyed us.

Jones showed today where he plays his best footy and it is frustrating to a lot of us supporters that he never got his chance in the middle for us. He was instead used off half back/wing which exposed his lack of silky skills and gave him less ability to use his grunt in and under.

Instead we have had Hewett at centre bounces for the past 2 years charged with playing predominantly negative roles.

[Captain]

I did say in my comment that he was very good. But to elaborate on the rest of my comment, our midfield over the last few years has been sluggish. As a general observation, our midfield has often looked hurried and lacking in time as a unit. When Jones was playing for us, he was the turnover king and often got pinged for holding the ball. Tonight, the Saints midfield, as a unit, gave each other time and space, hence Jones's good performance, granted he was a significant contributer.

That’s because he was playing half back and wing. Outside players are required to be much better ball users than inside players.

Our midfield has been sluggish because JPK, Parker and Hewett are all slow and they have been our main centre square combo.

Over past few years, Heeney has been played forward, Mills back, Papley forward, Jones half back. Pretty decent midfield right there. Not sluggish either.

[Blood Fever]

No one has been harping on. It’s relevant because we came up against Jones who destroyed us.

Jones showed today where he plays his best footy and it is frustrating to a lot of us supporters that he never got his chance in the middle for us. He was instead used off half back/wing which exposed his lack of silky skills and gave him less ability to use his grunt in and under.

Instead we have had Hewett at centre bounces for the past 2 years charged with playing predominantly negative roles.

Jones played in the midfield for us last year and then did his hammy. Did ok but got caught with the ball a lot. Also Sinclair was rucking and we got hammered around the clearances just like today when the Saints had dominant rucks. Our lack of a good ruckman has haunted us for 3 years. Naismith more of a loss than Jones.

[Velour&Ruffles]

One of m pet hates. A player lining up for goal flicking the ball around in their hands. Set your ball hold, line up your leg, head over the ball and step your run in. Basic. NO @@@@ING FLICKING THE BALL AROUND. DAWSON DOESN'T DO IT. BUDDY DOESN'T DO WHY DO BLAKEY AND ALIIR DO IT?

Sent from my JAT-L29 using Tapatalk

Completely agree. This drives me insane too.

I was completely unsurprised that both Blakey and Hayward missed those easy shots. Even from 10m out Blakey looked nervous, and Hayward was clearly looking to give it off from 35 if he could. Just horrible body language from both.
Hayward looked good on the backline - leave him there for a while so he can establish his confidence.
Blakey would look good in a scratch game - leave him there for a while so he can establish his confidence. Huge talent but I'd have been embarrassed to miss that shot today in front of my fat middle-aged friends, and I haven't kicked a ball for 15 years.

[MattW]

Funny. Didn't hear from you last week when we won.

Exactly.

- - - Updated - - -

Rampe needs to get his hand right.

Agreed. Could not contest marks. It will hurt, but we need to rest him until it's fixed.

[Velour&Ruffles]

By the way - how pathetic was Carlisle's effort in trying to hit Rampe's injured hand? I shouldn't be surprised though. This is the lamentable imbecile who posted pictures of himself snorting coke, so to say he suffers from impaired judgement would be an understatement. But I thought we'd seen the last of that sort of tripe when Kretiuk of the Bulldogs did it to Matthew Lloyd all those years ago. Mind you, there's (sort of) a pattern. A Kretiuk and a Kretin.