Ok...maybe no rucks.....but

saintsRrising · Tue 22 Apr 2008 6:09pm

Ok...maybe we will be playing PA with no rucks.....when they have awesome rucks.

However on the upside the rest of the team is about the best we have fielded on paper for quite some time.

The backline is firm...with only realy Grammy out of sorts....and BJ is now back and firing.

Goose is back..and while quiet ...he gives us three tall defenders along with Max (in red hot form)....and Sam (ditto).

Bally actually kicked the ball 50 m against the Dons and is moving freely. He has kicked 4 goals in the last 3 games...after only having kicked 4 and 5 goals in 2006 and 2007!!!!

Lenny is really starting to motor.

Baker is back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and with PA's smaller runners that is very good.

Armo is looking very promisng and knows how to kick a goal...which I am afraid Fiora consisteantly failed to do.

Dal was very good alst week and Joey is going ok.

So all in all the midfield unit is looking in good nick.

Charlie improved the forward structure and extra support to the mids.

The game is at AAMI...but PA are ona 6 day break from playing in WA.

So this is an excellent chance to break our hoodoo.

PS...and if Gardi or Schneider could sneek back in..even better.

saintsrus · Post: # 553239Post **saintsrus** » Tue 22 Apr 2008 7:01pm

Great point, i think we are pretty well covered everywhere and a huge chance, just they are such a bogey team BUT we get to play at Aami where success has been had and will give the players confidence

rexy · Post: # 553273Post **rexy** » Tue 22 Apr 2008 8:27pm

Agreed.

I say bring in McEvoy, doesnt matter what available combo we play they will beat us in the ruck. Time to unleash the bigMac and see what he has at the top level.

Bernard Shakey · Tue 22 Apr 2008 10:57pm

Port have won their last 7 or so games after playing in the West.

We have not beaten them since the year dot.

Having said that, on the law of averages, we are due (thank God they won last week).

Raven · Post: # 553356Post **Raven** » Tue 22 Apr 2008 11:15pm

I'm feeling a bit pessimistic about this one. Sorry to burst anyone's bubble.

Maybe PA will be a bit overconfident:
a) They're playing a team they have such a good record against - "we only have to turn up against the Saints and we'll win!"
b) Due to just having their first win of the season.
so it could work in our favour.

I'd love to see McEvoy get a game too, based on the fact that we'll more than likely get smashed in the ruck so we don't really have anything to lose. I'd love to see what he's capable of, I'm still yet to see him play besides the odd highlight video here and there.

plugger66 · Post: # 553416Post **plugger66** » Wed 23 Apr 2008 8:27am

Raven wrote:I'm feeling a bit pessimistic about this one. Sorry to burst anyone's bubble.

Maybe PA will be a bit overconfident:
a) They're playing a team they have such a good record against - "we only have to turn up against the Saints and we'll win!"
b) Due to just having their first win of the season.
so it could work in our favour.

I'd love to see McEvoy get a game too, based on the fact that we'll more than likely get smashed in the ruck so we don't really have anything to lose. I'd love to see what he's capable of, I'm still yet to see him play besides the odd highlight video here and there.

So we play a guy in his first game because we are going to get smashed anyway. Dont you think he may lose confidence and anyway if MG returns we have to dump him again. So he plays on game, gets smashed, loses confidence and then loses more when he is dropped. RL is not going to play him that way.

Raven · Post: # 553417Post **Raven** » Wed 23 Apr 2008 8:48am

Winning/losing and doing well/getting smashed is all part of it, isn't it? He has to do it all some time. Who knows, he might surprise himself and us.

snippa · Post: # 553418Post **snippa** » Wed 23 Apr 2008 9:01am

Agreed.

I would like to see McEvoy ahead of Rixy. Bring him on early in the 2nd and give him 12 mins or so unchanged. Let him run off Lade a little.

Gotta be a better option than Neil in the ruck

spert · Post: # 553419Post **spert** » Wed 23 Apr 2008 9:51am

It will be won a ground level, so I wouldn't be rushing big slow players in..go for leg speed against PA.

saintsRrising · Wed 23 Apr 2008 1:49pm

(note..also put in the GTrain string...)
So without King and Gardi.....the main options would seem to be....

A
Concentrate on our strengths and the revised forward structure with GTrain not brought back.

This means selecting Rix or McEvoy so that Kosi can mainly play forward..Rix was rested and so he would seem the more likely of the two....

OR..playing mainly Blake and another(BJ?, Charlie?) in the ruck with the GT favourite of trying to generate more ball while conceeding the HOs.

B1

Play Kosi and Blake as our ruckmen...which would most likely mean another key forward elevated.......GTrain or Allen.

You would think that Gtrain would get the nod but Allen is a lot more mobile than the Gtrain, but very inexperienced.

B2
Play Kosi and Blake as our ruckmen...........but bring in an extra mid for more run.

Play Roo as the FF....with Kosi running forward when he can with Charlie starting at CHF.

The extra mid selected to allow more rotations to keep constant pressure on in the midfield.

The extra mid most likely being Birss.
Out King, Gilbert
In Baker, Birss

matrix · Post: # 553497Post **matrix** » Wed 23 Apr 2008 1:52pm

no gards and no king = a smashing in clearances = defeat.
sorry.

ill gladly say i was totally wrong tho if we pull a win out.
in fact i hope i am wrong.

Saintschampions08 · Wed 23 Apr 2008 3:11pm

matrixcutter wrote:no gards and no king = a smashing in clearances = defeat.
sorry.

ill gladly say i was totally wrong tho if we pull a win out.
in fact i hope i am wrong.

IMO, the main reason Port is our Bogey team is because they have superior rucks, and a superior midfield.

Without King, Gardi, Schneids...i don't see much having changed. Our players are going to have to put something really special in to win.

True Blue Sainter · Wed 23 Apr 2008 3:42pm

I don't think the Port game is the right game to blood McEvoy... Let the kid develop and gain confidence in the VFL.

Bring in Rixy. Tell him to go wherever Lade goes - don't worry about finding it himself, and just stop Lade from being the link man. Swing Kosi into the ruck when Brogan goes in there, and make him accountable.

sunsaint · Post: # 553547Post **sunsaint** » Wed 23 Apr 2008 4:33pm

True Blue Sainter wrote:I don't think the Port game is the right game to blood McEvoy... Let the kid develop and gain confidence in the VFL.

Bring in Rixy. Tell him to go wherever Lade goes - don't worry about finding it himself, and just stop Lade from being the link man. Swing Kosi into the ruck when Brogan goes in there, and make him accountable.

Totally agree, this is not the game to "blood" McEvoy as the lone hand in the ruck. I have not heard anyone compare him to Leuenberger or Kreuzer yet.