Grateful for small mercies

[Sanctorum]

Yesterday's win over the GC Suns was hardly convincing and has done nothing to ease the pressure on Alan Richardson, but looking back on the game I was certainly impressed by the way that this team not only got back into the contest after being down 31 points, but wore the Suns down and relatively easily won the game in the last quarter - 2 fairly easy set shots at goal by Brandon White, not selected for his goal kicking skills and that he missed, would have put the opposition away with much greater certainty.

Given the loss of some really important players, not least Jack Steele in the past week, I was not confident that St Kilda would win this game, especially played in Townsville and their lack of success on the road this year.

Sure, the standard of play in the first half of the game was below AFL level, it was awful to watch, and the Suns were much better in footy skills, fully deserving their dominance to half time. But even the supporters who constantly knock this team should acknowledge that this team came out after half time and had a real crack, so credit where credit is due....

I don't know how the Saints will go in the next 2 games against Richmond and North but with a bit of luck Dan Hannebery and Jake Carlisle will be ready to play in the seniors next week, and having seen how well Ben King played yesterday they should also soon select Max King at FF (subject to fitness after today's injury), all of which should see St Kilda with a much stronger lineup and likely play a much better style of football than they did in the recent past.

The glass for me remains half full!

[freely]

Good to see Hind's first goal.
Loved Billings' commitment - wish he'd make his mind up to commit to us!
Marshall's tap work a big improve.
Dunstan beginning to look worthy of the number 7.
Battle - probably my favourite player ATM. Love a player who loves a goal. That's one of Gresham's special qualities too (and IMHO one of the things that made Milney great). My worst is when they won't take responsibility and just want to give the ball to someone - anyone - else.

And FWIW it was nice to see Armo running around out there. Hadn't thought I'd ever see that again.

[Trev from the Bush]

Yesterday's win over the GC Suns was hardly convincing and has done nothing to ease the pressure on Alan Richardson, but looking back on the game I was certainly impressed by the way that this team not only got back into the contest after being down 31 points, but wore the Suns down and relatively easily won the game in the last quarter - 2 fairly easy set shots at goal by Brandon White, not selected for his goal kicking skills and that he missed, would have put the opposition away with much greater certainty.

Given the loss of some really important players, not least Jack Steele in the past week, I was not confident that St Kilda would win this game, especially played in Townsville and their lack of success on the road this year.

Sure, the standard of play in the first half of the game was below AFL level, it was awful to watch, and the Suns were much better in footy skills, fully deserving their dominance to half time. But even the supporters who constantly knock this team should acknowledge that this team came out after half time and had a real crack, so credit where credit is due....

I don't know how the Saints will go in the next 2 games against Richmond and North but with a bit of luck Dan Hannebery and Jake Carlisle will be ready to play in the seniors next week, and having seen how well Ben King played yesterday they should also soon select Max King at FF (subject to fitness after today's injury), all of which should see St Kilda with a much stronger lineup and likely play a much better style of football than they did in the recent past.

The glass for me remains half full!

I don't buy your assumption the pressure is still on Richo. Given everything else that has happened this year it could be considered a remarkable effort that we are 6 and 6. I reckon the fact we were putrid early means the pressure is on the players to perform; Auskickers show more poise and smarts than we did. If you check the match thread I described what the Saints had served up as a bowl of tripe. I also highlighted that there was 10:45 to play in the 3rd quarter and (rather boldly) predicted we would still win.

We had just kicked our third goal and you could see every player lift. Our whole game went up several notches and we kicked the next 2 goals. The players obviously knew how rancid they had been and were desperate to turn their fortunes, it just wasn't happening for them. By three quarter time I felt we had them. My only concern, as it proved again, is we tend to turn our wins into close ones. At least we seem to win the close ones, the Freo game being the exception,

Once the team learns to put its opponent to the sword you will see the skill levels across the entire group lift to another level. We are on the right track.

[HighettMan]

Nobody seems to have been able to explain why the significant turn around. Does anyone have any theories or wild guesses?

[Trev from the Bush]

A common thread I notice is that when Jack Billings fires-up the Saints usually win. Without doing any research, I can't recall us winning when he has been average.

He was certainly up and about yesterday. Dunstan and Ross got on their bikes in the second half, Marshall's last quarter was outstanding. I guess pride was a big factor.

[WellardSaint]

Nobody seems to have been able to explain why the significant turn around. Does anyone have any theories or wild guesses?

There's a chance that we're a lot fitter than the Suns.
Early this year, Lethers said we're the fittest team in the comp. Big call, but...
we had a week off and I imagine the fitness guys made sure we didn't overload, just kept us simmering.

Maybe we outlasted the Suns, and after half-time we could run more than them,
so they weren't able to flood our F50- we seemed to have more room up there.
Think about those 2 goals from Skunk (the snap from the right) and Battle,
they both had a lot more room and space than in the 1st half.
In fact Battle had time to have a bounce, took 2 short steps to balance, and made certain.
Geez I get moist when he kicks the ball, what a guy

[Scollop]

Nobody seems to have been able to explain why the significant turn around. Does anyone have any theories or wild guesses?

We have very talented players. They are doing the best they can under the circumsatances

[bigred]

That first half was deplorable.

[Scollop]

That first half was deplorable.

When we fall so far behind, you have no option but to play attacking footy. They free their minds of all the planning meetings and gameplan strategy, tension and stress is released and you just play more aggressively.

When they get to a situation where they are 5 goals down, caution is thrown out the window and we play more of a natural aussie rules game with a more direct route to goals.

The debate here and in footy circles is whether it's the players or whether it's the Saints coach. Our players are good enough to beat most teams on any given day. Perhaps if our opposistion always play at their best and our best players are fit and also the Saints team play at their best every week we are worthy of playing a final or two imho. I don't think our list is the problem

If it is the coach, perhaps Richo fails to motivate individuals and fails to motivate the team as a whole. Maybe his message at times is too complicated or he maybe the players are sometimes confused with their roles. Maybe he lost the players at some point in the last 2 years and basically they don't buy-in to the coaches message and don't embrace the gameplan and the team selections.

[shanegrambeau]

The win reduces pressure on Richo, not as much as a loss would have increased pressure. He isn’t smooth sailing yet. He’s more a submarine somewhere between the depth where pressure crushes the hull and where he can stick up the periscope.

We watch like birds from above and can see the cruiser Richmond on its way, a little damaged, but with depth charges loaded.

[Yorkeys]

At the end, did I see him mouth "well, suck on this*"?

* Matilda's theme against Brazil, but from a strong footballing tradition.

[saynta]

Yesterday's win over the GC Suns was hardly convincing and has done nothing to ease the pressure on Alan Richardson, but looking back on the game I was certainly impressed by the way that this team not only got back into the contest after being down 31 points, but wore the Suns down and relatively easily won the game in the last quarter - 2 fairly easy set shots at goal by Brandon White, not selected for his goal kicking skills and that he missed, would have put the opposition away with much greater certainty.

Given the loss of some really important players, not least Jack Steele in the past week, I was not confident that St Kilda would win this game, especially played in Townsville and their lack of success on the road this year.

Sure, the standard of play in the first half of the game was below AFL level, it was awful to watch, and the Suns were much better in footy skills, fully deserving their dominance to half time. But even the supporters who constantly knock this team should acknowledge that this team came out after half time and had a real crack, so credit where credit is due....

I don't know how the Saints will go in the next 2 games against Richmond and North but with a bit of luck Dan Hannebery and Jake Carlisle will be ready to play in the seniors next week, and having seen how well Ben King played yesterday they should also soon select Max King at FF (subject to fitness after today's injury), all of which should see St Kilda with a much stronger lineup and likely play a much better style of football than they did in the recent past.

The glass for me remains half full!

Next game is against the lions at the dome

[ace]

Good to see Hind's first goal.
Loved Billings' commitment - wish he'd make his mind up to commit to us!
Marshall's tap work a big improve.
Dunstan beginning to look worthy of the number 7.
Battle - probably my favourite player ATM. Love a player who loves a goal. That's one of Gresham's special qualities too (and IMHO one of the things that made Milney great). My worst is when they won't take responsibility and just want to give the ball to someone - anyone - else.

And FWIW it was nice to see Armo running around out there. Hadn't thought I'd ever see that again.

Don't much like his running, so, so, slow.
They used to say that about Diesel Williams.
But Armo's old head knew where to be.
Pity he dropped a critical mark with the world about to crash into him.
Cramped in the third, didn't even wait for the fourth to do that.
It may be the last we see of him.
Thanks for the service Armo.

[repta]

Nobody seems to have been able to explain why the significant turn around. Does anyone have any theories or wild guesses?

Was listening to the game on the radio. The commentators were discussing headlines on the back of the paper "bye bye richo", "Pressure mounts", Time Up ... etc ...etc ... when the saints clicked into gear.
I know it was just a wierd co-incident but the timing was spot on. It was in the third quarter when Gold Coast had the largest lead of the day .....

[repta]

When was the last time StKilda won an interstate game?

[suss]

When was the last time StKilda won an interstate game?

Gold Coast last year maybe? It's been a while.

We aren't great outside of Melbourne.