So this was the loss we had to have, kind of like the recession we had to have under Keating. Sure it was a chance to try a few things out , and who cares about records but why not also try finding out who the right tagger is on a match winner? Now we still don't know who that person could be, next ...

At least pressure his every possession.

In his 2 games this year against us he gathered 39 possessions and 37 yesterday after also spending some time on the bench either sore or injured. He was always going to be their key player, he works so hard - so why wasn't someone similarly tall and strong with stamina like Blake , played tight on ...

Yep, a great year thus far.

No one can complain.

We all should be rightly proud of our players and coach.

don't think the loss was due to any outs - we just weren't switched on until the last. i think we came back largely because there were 3 injured Essendon players sitting on the bench - going into the last quarter. They were clearly the best team and controlled the game. they just ran out of steam a...

As long as we don't meet Essendon in the finals - I'm not worried. they were just too quick for us, they had 3 injured players on the interchange bench going into the last quarter - otherwise they would have won by the 40 points - let's not kid ourselves. Pace plus Watson proved too much. Our player...

Fear is the best motivator - and it's healthy to feel it, it leads to respecting an opponent. Smugness is what the Cats suffered from in last years GF (as well as the lack of a quality forward on the day). the Cats were the best side all year last year - but became smug and a little too complacent, ...

I do fear the Pies in their current form, but if the Cats can somehow get it together again (let's hope not) - they would perhaps be the team to really fear and be the one with the most upside surprise. Hopefully they'll have a bruising encounter in the finals. We've been the best team all year and ...

Who knows Lockett may have struggled with today's flooding tactics and also dropping men in the space he would like to lead into. Franklin's effort last year was a stand out effort. We may think of Lockett as St kilda's son .. but does he reciprocate and value St kilda or the Swans as his progenitor...

The kids deserve another go after that great tackle count... they should possibly even play the next 3 rounds.

I reckon rest all the A grade stars as much as possible - keep them fresh , fit and trained up for the finals.

what could we call this wise and enlightened plan ?

We can't call it tanking .. or w .. (we are St kilda supporters after all).

what about "banking" as in placing/depositing our talent in a safe place for a while before it's needed for deployment in the finals.

If we can orchestrate a fit side for once going into a finals series - that would be a genius move.

I think Lyon said back then (re: Geelong's decision to rest a few) it's disrespectul and implied we wouldn't contemplate doing the same "at this time" - i.e. with 8 games left and Adelaide and the Bulldogs and Essendon etc.. still possibly challenging for the top spots. Now that our top 2 ...

Bartel similarly is an inside footballer who doesn't provide spread or run - but at least he consistently gets 30 possessions. I don't know to what extent OP is affecting Ball's game, but if he can get back to his early career form I'm sure we'll all be happy... but can he break back into the side n...

I think we do lack one... 2 would be better. We have top quality Bass (Kosi and Riewoldt) and good Tweeters (Milne and Schneider) - we do lack a top quality mid range. Motlop and Steve johnson would be nice on the half forward flanks (nice dream). Nick Dal Santo has the necesssary attributes - the p...

If I can make an astronomical analogy. looking past the obvious stars .. there's more dark matter in space than there is actual visible matter. similarly .. We have players that have been gathering "dark matter" invisible stats not appearing next to their names who are unsung heroes and ma...

It's not our objectivity or rose coloured glasses that is the issue here - the issue is that the media has decided to wear them.

And we have a right to comment on the media's so called "objectivity" - where is it?

reposted

Hopefully the Cats and their media fan base have plenty to whinge about in the future.

they wear that mantle well .. it suits them it's Taylor made.

Congratulations St Kilda .. all credit to you.

the Cats and the media (on behalf of the Cats) apparently have adopted the motto ... "I whinge therefore I am"... or I "sook therefore I am".

I think I like St Kilda's better ... "I win therefore I am" (a winner).

The umpiring was a concern during the game - but I think the real whinge is ultimately from the media and their idea that the Cats were robbed.

i.e. we were unworthy winners and the umpiring favoured us..

Have the media heard of free kick stats ?

Anyway the stat that counts is St Kilda won.

Also we know it was well deserved - because we unlike the media read the damning free kick stats and aren't biased (against St kilda at least).

5 of those 7 scoring frees were inside 50's - so potentially scores 5 goals at least.

Listen in.

someone should ring and remind them of the following -

FREE KICKS INSIDE 50

GEELONG : 5
ST.KILDA : 0

50 METRE PENALTIES

GEELONG : 3
ST.KILDA : 0

SCORES FROM FREES OR 50 MTR PENALTIES

GEELONG : 7
ST.KILDA : 0

FREE KICKS INSIDE 50 GEELONG : 5 ST.KILDA : 0 50 METRE PENALTIES GEELONG : 3 ST.KILDA : 0 SCORES FROM FREES OR 50 MTR PENALTIES GEELONG : 7 ST.KILDA : 0 Those stats say it all - We looked like a 4-6 goal better team and we obviously were, but those lop sided umpiring decisions and 50 metre penaltie...