Saints v Swans - Preview / Discussion

[SainterK]

Last time these sides met

St Kilda Saints 3.1 8.7 14.14 16.15 = 111 def Sydney Swans 4.4 5.4 8.6 12.11 = 83

Injury concerns include: Dal knee, Joey shoulder, Roo kidneys? Roo also gave someone a softish clip to the face, hopefully not enough to warrant a suspension.

You’d think BJ and Steven will be back in, with perhaps Wilkes and one of the potential injured players to make way.

Saints
Ins since last time played include BJ & Fisher

Swans
Ins include Goodes, Mumford

Saints have a real opportunity here to close the gap on Geelong who suffered a poor loss tonight and face Essendon next week and could even pass them on percentage. That should be some incentive, moving to 7th would be ideal given the close battle for 8th.

Potential matchups
Ben v Mumford - Ben is due surely?
Dempster v O’Keefe
Richards v Roo
Fisher v Goodes
Armo v Jack
Geary v Jetta

Given Saints like to be the last team out, will have to be organised given the trek to the rooms at the SCG.

Really would like to see BJ attempt to play Wilkes role tonight and see how he goes.

Saints by 13

[saint75]

We match up well against the Swans, always have and they are usually pretty close and tight games (with the exception of a couple).

Also, Sydney have a 6 day break and a trip back from Perth after a tough game against the Eagles.

Wilkes to make way for BJ or Jack. Not sure whom else will make way. Would hate to see Dunnell out but if Joey and/or Dal pull up OK I see him as being the one to lose his spot.

Just looking at your match ups Sainter K. Who would you have to cover Reid? When he is on fire, he is lethal!!!

I think this is a winnable game. Just cannot afford a slow start. Have to be switched on from the first bounce.

[stevie]

Shitney 5 goals up at three qtr time v egirls right now

[Devilhead]

LRT taken to hospital after being knocked out - unlikely to come up given his previous with head injuries

[SaintPav]

Think we will lose this game and the game against the Pies but all the rest are very winable which would see us hopefully make the 8.

If we can't beat the Dogs, Dees, GWS, Blues and even the Cats we are not going to cause any September damage at all.

I think that Freo are prime to get the last position but Geelong may be vulnerable and their draw is not easy.

[Sobraz]

Will be extremely difficult to win...

Swans are a seriously good team and a legitimate flag threat...

[Quixote]

We're a huge chance to win this - especially with the favourable break dynamics.

[saintspremiers]

We're a huge chance to win this - especially with the favourable break dynamics.

Our record away from Jihad has been poor this year. Only one big win (GC) and an okish win vs Brisbane. The Dees win was sloppy. Losses to Port, Adl, WCE, Hawks.

Can't see us pulling a rabbit out of the hat again this coming week, but I'd be surprised if it wasn't close.

[Austinnn]

uh oh. Big Challenge. Big scalp awaits. Still think we can, but need all players and coaches to be in synch and in form.

Imagine the momentum won with the scalp of the ladder leader and our Third win in a row! A double over the Swans would get beaucoup respect also.

What needs to happen for us to win? Which areas do we match up badly in? The SCG is smaller so how will that change our game?

[sainterinsydney]

Got my tickets for the game, and am quietly confident we can knock them off. We have Goddard and Jack back, we have a day up on them for recovery, we smashed them eariler in the year--we actually were the last team to beat them-- and our new style plays well against the Sydney style. Have faith! The Saints are coming!

[sainterinsydney]

By the way, from years of watching the Saints play at the SCG, I've noticed that it is normally our smaller forwards and midfielders that kick the goals when we win there. Due to the ground's small size, it is easier to stop the big forwards.

[sainterinsydney]

The exception was Plugger, when he singlehandedly one us that epic game against them back in the day.

[8856brother]

Their midfield were unreal today. We have a massive job to do keeping them quiet. I think they had 4 or 5 with over 30 including 2 I think with 40 possies.

Will be hard work.

[bergholt]

yeah, i assume dunell and wilkes out for bj and steven. so changes since last time would then be:

IN: Fisher, McEvoy, Schneider
OUT: Blake, Cripps, Milera

and

IN: Goodes, Mumford
OUT: Dennis-Lane, Parker

so both sides get much stronger than last time round - a lot of all-australians coming in!

i reckon gram goes to o'keefe given that's the role he's been playing. fisher or dempster on goodes, though he's such a good player that we'll have trouble holding him. jack sounded like he had a tagging role today so maybe he'll go to dal santo?

i'd be surprised if bj's role changed from where he's been all year - across half-back and the wing. seems like that's essentially farren ray's role against the lions, so i wonder if ray goes back to sub. it'd be a bit harsh, but given form it's pretty hard to find a sub in this side, especially since both the ins are coming off suspension so they'll be fresh. my tip is saad as he was anonymous except obviously for his four goals - not much in the way of creation, so i wouldn't be surprised to see him wearing the vest.

it'll be a tough game. unlikely that we'll score more than 100 points on the scg against the swans, given they're in such good form. i'll be happy enough with a three goal loss.

[jays]

They look very good today we will have to be at our best to win

[defacto]

do we have a match for gram in the back 6?

[desertsaint]

How was their game against the coast? By the scoreline it seems it wasn't the energy sapping, injury nipping contest we were hoping for?
Nevertheless - I'm not lacking in confidence. Win it and we can genuinely push for top six, lose and it's back to a struggle for 7 or 8 and a possibe interstate first final.

[SainterK]

Last time these sides met earlier this year, Saints won in a big upset

[plugger66]

How was their game against the coast? By the scoreline it seems it wasn't the energy sapping, injury nipping contest we were hoping for?
Nevertheless - I'm not lacking in confidence. Win it and we can genuinely push for top six, lose and it's back to a struggle for 7 or 8 and a possibe interstate first final.

Cant see an interstate side finishing in a position to give us an interstate final in the first week. Win that though and our odds are about 75% that the next final is interstate.

[bakes]

Bergholt..I don't agree with your suggestion of making Saad the sub.
An anonymous 4 goals.... 3 of those soccer goals were created purely out of nothing. A bonus they were. He read the play extremely well. Yes I agree, besides that besides those 3 goals he wasn't involved in much..but let's remember that at the moment his role is an opportunistic goal kicker..and he is doing that role really well.. and goals win games.

Saad's previous game VS Sydney
- 2 Goals, 3 behinds
- 11 tackles

[Dr Spaceman]

LRT taken to hospital after being knocked out - unlikely to come up given his previous with head injuries

Enter Tommy W

[White Winmar]

LRT taken to hospital after being knocked out - unlikely to come up given his previous with head injuries

Enter Tommy W

Almost as though it is pre-ordained. Like a plot from a movie. If he does come in, I hope he doesn't touch it. Anyone know how he's been going at the lower level?

[dragit]

LRT taken to hospital after being knocked out - unlikely to come up given his previous with head injuries

Enter Tommy W

Almost as though it is pre-ordained. Like a plot from a movie. If he does come in, I hope he doesn't touch it. Anyone know how he's been going at the lower level?

He couldn't have been any worse last time we played them - 0 marks, 1 kick, 2 frees against, -3 DT

Hope they do bring him in again…

[SainterK]

You guys are making me uncomfortable.

In getting out the maracas, you are almost willing him into form

[White Winmar]

You guys are making me uncomfortable.

In getting out the maracas, you are almost willing him into form

Don't worry SainterK. I've got the voodoo doll out and I'm sticking pins into it as we speak (had to wrestle it away from Juddy, first). Worked a treat last time.