Ross Lyon plays checkers. The best play chess.

[The Saintsational Man]

Lastnight wasn't a test for us before the game. Before the game when both lineups were placed side by side, ours was clearly dominant, this was evident in the first qtr, 7 half dozens to 1.

Then our tests came @ quarter time, they were;

1 - Can we continue our dominence (The Players)
2 - Can Ross Lyon now counter Rodney Eades expected tactic change (The Coach)

1 - Instead of continuing to punish and dominate like we should, we laid back. We figured we'd ride "The other guy" for the rest of the game, we'll take it easy and look forward to our "Real" test next week, well "SNAP" full-time sees a 75 point turnaround.

We failed as a group of players lastnight.

2 - Our run through the middle during the 1st qtr dominated the game cleanly, the dogs were completely outmatched, outgunned & out of their league. Then Rodney Eade closed up our run through the middle, Ross Lyon did not make any changes to our tactics, all i could see was a few players been switched through different positions, something an U/9 coach could do.

Ross Lyon failed as a Coach lastnight.

As is the name of my post, Ross Lyon played checkers lastnight, 1 move @ a time. Rodney Eade played Chess.....after that 1st qtr, Eade was 3 moves ahead of Lyon for the rest of the game.

Thus, the outcome doesn't suprise me.

[OneEyedSainter77]

Brilliant post and spot on.

I am not saying we should get rid of Rossy, but he needs to adapt - we can't get sucked in to the same old routine, its boring and it doesn't work. Do this next week and we'll be lucky to score half of what we had this week. Hell, we'll be lucky to score at ALL.

And the players were soft, weak and pathetic after quarter time. No ticker, no commitment. Frustrating to watch.

[jackal]

Have to win the footy to win the game. Need more flow to kick goals. Surely the 2 Gardiners will give us 1)a more mobile forward line and 2) a smart tall who can be the missing link.

The key for the saints this year is the 4th tall, Gehrig and Kosi need a mobile foil. Cheers!!

[SainterX]

Rossy just needs to realize we are not a team that has a skinhead running around like he has his head cut off in the forward 50, but rather a team that has real forwards

[LENNY LEADS THE WAY]

I play Tiddly Winks

[matrix]

Ross Lyon failed as a Coach lastnight.
the outcome doesn't suprise me.

he sure did.

me neither, always knew we'd be two and two after four rounds,....bring on next week

dominate the first quarter, opp side makes some changes, bocks our flow and delivery, and our man in the seat has no counter measure.

chased tail from quarter time on.
no good.....

not happy, turned it off with 10 to go and i still dont know the final score, and i havent done that in years.

[JeffDunne]

You can't blame a coach when the players go home before 1/2 time.

I know people liked to bag our previous coach for games like last night when the opposition got a run on, but the bottom line is gameplans and tactics can't cover a lack of effort.

Most of our players took the soft option when they thought we were on top.

They should take all of the blame for the loss.

[matrix]

You can't blame a coach when the players go home before 1/2 time.
They should take all of the blame for the loss.

ALL?......i dont think so, they should take some blame agreed, but ALL of it?.

i didnt see to much tactical change after Eades changes at quarter time, no counter from our box upstairs.
we were made to look like the ordinary side we are at the moment.

[iwantmeseats]

When the first two games are very average football (albeit we fell over the line), I think we CAN blame the coach!! **** oath we can! The gameplan is simply not working, this 100% accountable defensive BS. Of course, the players seem to basically give up which dosent help, but I think the large flaws in the gameplan are plain to see from all 3 games so far.

[JeffDunne]

If players are busting their gut and we're getting cut up - then I'll blame the coach and the gameplan.

That didn't happen last night.

[matrix]

we chased for three quarters.
the tv doesnt show enough for most of us...i mean u cant see the play downfield, players run, chase etc.
so ill say that i couldnt get a 100% opinion on their efforts....but jeff i could see that alot went missing after that first quarter.
those that were there last night would be able to see it clearer.

were we really that lazy after the first quarter?
do u think that the players really thought they had the dogs sussed out and just thought it was going to be easy?

bloody hell i hope not, because if thats the case, then we have some serious problems.

catch ya's later tonight, i have to now go and don some bulldogs colours (ironically) and play footy....

[lefty]

You can't blame a coach when the players go home before 1/2 time.

As if.

It's Ross' game style thats giving me the s***s. Its boring to watch, and we've been through it all last year. The same problem still exsist and still have not been addressed. Last years excuse was to "get the players to adjust to the new style of play". Whats the excuse this year? Injuries? There's nothing at all.

If you think Ross is the man, think again. We JUST won our nab cup final. How many games did we win by ~2 points? I dont see that as convincing. We should have lost to Sydney two weeks ago. Carlton was a win, not convincing, but OK. The next two weeks will put Ross in the spotlight and rightly so.

I feel sorry for F.Gehrig. The poor block has to run from full forward to the centre of the ground to guard space with the flood. Once they boot it over his head into their 50m, we get the ball, and hold it. Poor old frase runs back into FF position, although half of the team/opposition also run back blocking the space because we are not able to play on quickly with some run, because we have to wait for players to run forward as we've all flooded back. Then we chip sideways, get into the middle of the square and boot it long where roo, kosi, and g-train are in a pack of 6v6 and hope someone marks it. This is coaching gone completely wrong. Still, I'll hold my head for a few more weeks and see what our coach does.

The end.

[JeffDunne]

I don't think I've ever said Ross "is the man" so I'm not sure why you'd make that assumption.

The jury is still very much out in respect to Ross as a senior coach but I can't see how anyone could blame last night on the gameplan. I too have my doubts on the Lyon gameplan but it is effective in shutting down an opposition's run. It wasn't last night because there was a distinct lack of effort.

That's why I don't blame last night on the coach. Once the players are out on the field and they're 6 goals up, I think they have to bear responsibility if the effort falls away.

Blaming Ross or blaming individuals like Raph Clark is too simplistic.

Collectively we rolled over.

[The Saintsational Man]

Did I not blame both players and the team???

[JeffDunne]

Yes you did.

[The Saintsational Man]

Just making sure were on the same page chief.