It's all in the head......

[saintwill66]

It is always a continuous ride on the roller-coaster if you're a Saints supporter, and never more so than in the last 4 seasons where the Saints have gone from being a kick away from playing in a Grand Final, to the low ebb that we all feel after the first 6 rounds of season 2008. We have been holding out such high expectations for this year, especially after such good form by winning the pre-season cup, only to have these hopes dashed with a standard of play that is boring, ugly and the opposite to what is required to win matches. Far better to lose games by all-out attack than the defensive, indecisive, keepings-off rubbish that St Kilda have displayed in the first 6 rounds.

If reports are correct that the coaching panel share supporters frustrations in the failure of the players to play a more attacking "play-on" style of football, it betrays a serious problem in the psychological preparation of the team.

A lack of confidence can affect a team no less than a biological virus - it can be quite devastating because a team will only work as well as its weakest participant, and in recent weeks St Kilda has been showing all the classical signs of this disease - indecision, poor disposal and a complete lack of confidence to drive the ball through the goals, either from set shots or on the run.

It starts with the leadership of the 2008 Saints, and I have stated my view in earlier posts that Nick Riewoldt does not display the characteristics of leadership and should not be the captain of St Kilda. He does not appear to be a "natural" on-field leader in the mold of Voss, Buckley, Hird; his body-language is just not there. I was a regular critic of the GT "rotation captaincy" policy, but in doing so I was hoping that St Kilda would choose a captain based on strong leadership credentials, as distinct from the demands of the marketing dept.

I would love nothing more than to have my views proved wrong when St Kilda meet Richmond this weekend, but based on current form the Tigers will "do" this group of Saints whimps like a dinner!

[LENNY LEADS THE WAY]

Totally disagree Roo has been a very strong leader out there.

Roo Max Lenny can all hold there heads up high in this area.

Lay off the Roo he's doing fine