Forget the big three...

[Sobraz]

After a loss like we had on the weekend, the post match discussion invariably turns to blaming Fraser, or Roo's poor kicking... Milnes lack of accountability, or Dal not gut running...

These are all missing the big picture, and the reasons we aint where we want to be... Its not that our 'big 3' forwards cant work together, its that there is noone else to share the load...

Our 2nd tier, smaller forwards are just useless at doing their job of kicking goals... Whoever rotates through their just does not contribute like other teams... If its not G, Roo, Kosi or Milne, we have no hope..

Yesterday, Fiora, CJ, X and to a lesser extent Ball, Harvs etc, all played significant time on the flank/pocket/wing, and all contributed nothing to the scoreboard...

From the cats, Stokes, Kelly, Wojo, Chapman, Gamble etc all had numerous shots on goal.. and THIS WAS THE DIFFERENCE..

Our half forwards contribute nothing to the cause of kicking goals... Fiora was deploarble, X was weak and CJ, as much as he tries, cant kick a goal to save himself... They are unable to win any ball, or put pressure on their defenders, particularly on the scoreboard.. This puts too much pressure on our mids, and unfair criticism on our Key forwards...

We need to develop guys in the mould of Hahn, Stokes, Boyle etc, that are mobile and run, but can KICK GOALS... Until this happens, we wont progress...

No Flankers, No future..

[Otiman]

We have bolstered our backline to spite or forwards.

Gwilt Sam Fisher and Ferguson were both recruited as forwards, and turned into backmen with varying levels of success.

Imagine Ferguson running across half forward providing a marking target.

Until we get over the "we have 3 big forwards we don't need anyone else" mentality we seem to have, we will be stuffed.

[The_Dud]

Gilbert is the perfect candidate

i hope Ross comes to his senses and stops playing him as a key backman

[bigcarl]

Gilbert is the perfect candidate

agree. his pace on the lead and ability at ground level make him the perfect foil for riewoldt and he kicked a couple of nice goals on saturday. i'm hoping to see him forward more often

[saintsRrising]

From the cats, Stokes, Kelly, Wojo, Chapman, Gamble etc all had numerous shots on goal.. and THIS WAS THE DIFFERENCE..

..

The only problem with your theory is that the saints had 14 players who kicked behinds or goals....whereas the Cats only had 11.

So we actualy had more players having shots at goal....BUT our players were poor at kicking at goal in terms of accuracy and distance. This was in fact the difference.

[Sobraz]

Gilb works well forward IMO, and also aplies good forward pressure, which is all the rage these days... And most importantly, he knows where the goals are..

For mine, Armo seems to have good goal sense for a mid, and should also be tried.. I would much prefer to see C. Gardiner in on the flank as opposed to Fiora... He just provides nothing... Even Gwilt as a lead up forward is beter value than Fiora, and he atleast is a wondeful shot at goal.. Kicking is his strength...

[Armoooo]

Agree accuracy was a killer this week...
Ideally what I would like to see this week is...

HF: C.Gardiner Riewoldt Gilbert
FF: Milne Koschitzke Schneider

To hell with flooding, we are a better side than Essendon, our midfield is better, our forward line has the potential to destroy their backline and their depleted forward line has no chance against our backline unless we give them countless opportunities like we did against Geelong.

The following players are not AFL quality:
Fiora, Dempster, CJ

[The_Dud]

its funny that to fix our goal kicking power and accuracy some think we should bring in Charlie Gardiner and drop Gehrig....

[Trunch]

We may struggle to beat the Bombers this week.

With the past two weeks scrutiny being laid on our midfield, Nick Dal Santo, Robert Harvey and the three talls I think we need to take a look at the sides that beat us and the set up they have employed.

Dogs midfield scored goals as did the Cats. A wide range of goal scorers is always beating us.

We are very predictable when moving the ball forward. Roo is constantly trying to out mark three opponents. Opposition sides know this and know that Harvey, Hayes, Dal, Joey and Ball are not going to have a shot at goal. Gram is more likely to kick goals than any of our mid fielders.

Running, overlapping, goal kicking mid fielders are needed at St.Kilda. A good spread of goal scorers not this predictable kick it to the big forward.

We don't seem to have a problem getting the ball inside fifty but if we don't mark it, it seems like it is almost a given the other side will run away and kick a goal.

Any team that tries to beat us using only power forwards to kick goals will lose. Sydney went to Hall and Carlton went to Fev too often and Max beat them both. Any team with goal kicking mid fielders feel they are a good chance to beat us. Our mid fielders don't hurt opposition!

[kalsaint]

Agree accuracy was a killer this week...
Ideally what I would like to see this week is...

HF: C.Gardiner Riewoldt Gilbert
FF: Milne Koschitzke Schneider

To hell with flooding, we are a better side than Essendon, our midfield is better, our forward line has the potential to destroy their backline and their depleted forward line has no chance against our backline unless we give them countless opportunities like we did against Geelong.

The following players are not AFL quality:
Fiora, Dempster, CJ

So why do Esendon always give us so much trouble irresptive of their ladder position?

They must be more accurate. Hope not this week as they seem to get plenty of the pill!

[bigcarl]

HF: C. Gardiner Riewoldt Gilbert
FF: Milne Koschitzke Schneider

like the look of that

[Otiman]

HF: C.Gardiner Riewoldt Gilbert
FF: Milne Koschitzke Schneider

Slight Variation -


HF: C.Gardiner Riewoldt Gilbert
FF: Milne Gehrig Schneider

Koschitzke as a follower, dropping back into the forward line to take marks and kick goals. If he starts from the square, our opponents can beat him too easily.

[bigcarl]

HF: C. Gardiner Riewoldt Gilbert
FF: Milne Gehrig Schneider

Koschitzke as a follower, dropping back into the forward line to take marks and kick goals. If he starts from the square, our opponents can beat him too easily.

i like the look of this also. only problem with it is where is the guy who can take a contested mark?

how about:

HF: C. Gardiner, Kosi, Gilbert
F: Milne, Riewoldt, Schneider

or

HF: Dal Santo, Kosi, Gilbert
F: Milne, Gehrig, Schneider

with riewoldt starting on the wing and drifting forward. if he starts in the forward line our opponents can double and triple team him too easily.

[Apu]

So why do Esendon always give us so much trouble irresptive of their ladder position?

They must be more accurate. Hope not this week as they seem to get plenty of the pill!

Round 4 2007 - Essendon defeated St Kilda

St Kilda 9.14 68
Essendon 15.9 99

Accuracy a problem again

[Saintschampions08]

Aside from Gehrig, our forward line wasn't the problem...our midfield was.

We were basically playing with two mids, Hayes & Montagna.