should we take game versus cats seriously?

[bigcarl]

... and play our best available team on saturday?

or should we wait until we meet again in round 4 and hit them with everything then?

i'm in two minds.

on the one hand i'd like us to win everything we're in and an early victory over last year's premiers would sound a warning that we're coming for them.

plus the guys need some match conditioning.

on the other, it is only the NAB Cup and we don't want injuries. You'd like us at full strength for Round 1. the season proper is a marathon etc, etc.

you can mount good arguments for either approach.

what do you guys think?

[Quixote]

Should we take the game seriously? YES, VERY.

Should be rush players back in to this end? NO.

[esaint66]

i think we should take every game seriosuly but with the same team as the tiges game.

[nicko016]

i think we should take every game seriosuly but with the same team as the tiges game.

Second that. Take ot seriously within reason. It's pretty simple, play players that are 100% ready and fit and don't play those who aren't. So, I'd expect it to be a similiar team as against Richmond xcept with 1 or 2 more senior players back.

[Armoooo]

I trust the coaching staff and believe that we will go in to next week's game with the same attitude, player the best players available and fully fit and go in 100%, it will be a real indicator of whether or not our depth is the real deal this year...
A lot of this game will come down to coaching and psychological preparation, we can not allow our players to get shell shocked like Melbourne did, I want every player going out there thinking they are a great chance to bring it home...

[st_Trav_ofWA]

I trust the coaching staff and believe that we will go in to next week's game with the same attitude, player the best players available and fully fit and go in 100%, it will be a real indicator of whether or not our depth is the real deal this year...
A lot of this game will come down to coaching and psychological preparation, we can not allow our players to get shell shocked like Melbourne did, I want every player going out there thinking they are a great chance to bring it home...

amen to that !!

[plugger66]

... and play our best available team on saturday?

or should we wait until we meet again in round 4 and hit them with everything then?

i'm in two minds.

on the one hand i'd like us to win everything we're in and an early victory over last year's premiers would sound a warning that we're coming for them.

plus the guys need some match conditioning.

on the other, it is only the NAB Cup and we don't want injuries. You'd like us at full strength for Round 1. the season proper is a marathon etc, etc.

you can mount good arguments for either approach.

what do you guys think?

As they will only have about 30 players available on Saturday they have no choice but to play their best side. If we win that one expect a heap of changes the following week including resting plenty of midfielders.

[Granny Mae]

... and play our best available team on saturday?

or should we wait until we meet again in round 4 and hit them with everything then?

i'm in two minds.

on the one hand i'd like us to win everything we're in and an early victory over last year's premiers would sound a warning that we're coming for them.

plus the guys need some match conditioning.

on the other, it is only the NAB Cup and we don't want injuries. You'd like us at full strength for Round 1. the season proper is a marathon etc, etc.

you can mount good arguments for either approach.

what do you guys think?

Ask yourself this.....if the Saints don't take the Cats seriously and get whipped will you be pissed off?

If you answered yes or no, then why did you bother asking the question?

If you don't know why you asked the question then you need help!

[bigcarl]

As they will only have about 30 players available on Saturday they have no choice but to play their best side. If we win that one expect a heap of changes the following week including resting plenty of midfielders.

who'll have only 30 available? us or them?

i thought we were just resting players with a bit of a niggle and if it were round 1 of the real season most would play

[Enrico_Misso]

Take it seriously - but only sort of.
Happy if a dozen of our best are "rested".

Keep playing the kids.
They did well.
And it is a good opportunity for them to represent the club at senior level.
And a good opportunity for us to see what they are capable of.

But give some of the senior players a rest.
For Chr1st sake - give Harve's a rest - I think after 20 seasons we now know he can play a bit.
Don't risk any players < 100% fit.

Experiment a bit.
Have a dip.
But if we lose - who cares ?
History shows that the results of these games (with the odd exception like the 20+ goal thrashing of Shimma's North Melb) count for nothing in the big picture.

[saint66au]

Take it seriously - but only sort of.
Happy if a dozen of our best are "rested".

Keep playing the kids.
They did well.
And it is a good opportunity for them to represent the club at senior level.
And a good opportunity for us to see what they are capable of.

But give some of the senior players a rest.
For Chr1st sake - give Harve's a rest - I think after 20 seasons we now know he can play a bit.
Don't risk any players < 100% fit.

Experiment a bit.
Have a dip.
But if we lose - who cares ?
History shows that the results of these games (with the odd exception like the 20+ goal thrashing of Shimma's North Melb) count for nothing in the big picture.

Yeah sums it up for me....

Looks like just Gram and Gilbo back for sure..maybe Roo and maybe Fish...so with Lenny/Bally still missing its a great time to give he likes of Armo, X and even Eddy quality midfield time agaisnt the benchmark of the comp..without 4 points at stake

It appears that Corey and Enright will return for them..so unless they rest blokes from last week they will field a pretty strong side.

So..throw Geary or Gilbert onto Steve Johnson...what have we got to lose? put Rix on Looney Mooney...will he handy to know what he can do if Goose doesnt come up straight away. Let Jones go head to head with Wojinski (sp)

Personally Im rapt we are playing Geelong rather than Melbourne, There are no real expectations, we will start at longish odds and unless we lose by 100 points theres no real damage done with a defeat

God..if we somehow pulled off a win up there though with a bunch of regulars out....the membership tent would need reinforcing the following Fri night at the Dome

[Broodruff]

I'm gonna pretty much echo everything that everyone else has said:

Keep everyone who has even a slight niggle out, even rest some of the more senior players;

Include some of the senior players who need a bit of game time under their belt.

Other than that, play all these young kids!

I would love to see how our developing/depth players look against the team that, arguably, will be setting the standard this year.

If a team similar to the one we fielded against the Tigers can (big if!) beat Geelong, or even provide a close or decent contest I would be absoloutley over the moon.

Lastly, the result doesnt matter, it would be incredibly exciting to see this young team beat or be compeditive against Geelong, but if we lose, even if we do lose, by 10 points or by 100 points. If some of these kids get down on themselves from getting thrashed by last years premiers: I'm sorry, but you dont have the mental toughness to play afl

[plugger66]

As they will only have about 30 players available on Saturday they have no choice but to play their best side. If we win that one expect a heap of changes the following week including resting plenty of midfielders.

who'll have only 30 available? us or them?

i thought we were just resting players with a bit of a niggle and if it were round 1 of the real season most would play

We will only have about 30 available. Gram and Gilbert should be right plus the 27 who were names on Friday plus maybe one or two others so from that we cannot make to many changes from last weeks side. Chivers probably out and then either Steven, Rix or Howard IMO.

[Zed]

Cats are the benchmark and they will be wary of us ie we are probably one of the few teams that they will feel can threaten them for the flag in 08

so lets not take undue risks .. be take the game serioulsy to see where we are at.

[evertonfc]

Similar team, lots of kids with a sprinkling of elders.

Be nice to win; I'm very very happy to be playing Geelong already.

A pre-season win over them could give us our younger blokes a bit of belief.

[BAM! (shhhh)]

Can't say I'm really worried about the W or L element of this game, I agree with those looking at it as an opportunity for some of the kids to benchmark themselves.

Play to win, and focus on making it the Saints game that controls the scoreboard rather than the Cats game... without Lenny and Ball, the Saints likely struggle to match the Clearance power of the Cats (esp. if Corey is back), and that's going to make it a real struggle to win (certainly won't get away with wasting as many ops as we did against the Tigers), but if an Armo or a Geary or an Allen can beat (or even break even with) a quality opponent heads up then they can start making a case for getting some seniors time with 4 points on the line... otherwise, the experience will tell them where they need to be, so this game is all about young guys just outside the 22 for me.

Be very interesting to see how C Gardiner plays against his old side... he's been a pleasant surprise for me in both the Tiges game and the intrasquad... cleaner hands and a bit harder at the ball and he'd be in, I'm very happy with his disposal, speed and presentation.

[james rose]

I think RL has made it very clear his intentions

playing the best team available but managing the game time of those alot of people would be calling to rest.

I think this is a good approach as alot of the players need match fitness

[hAyES]

Play the same team as last week and see how they go. Put players like Armo and Jones in the middle and if they can at least stay even in the contested ball then we know they're ready.