We can actually win the flag next year!! Get excited!!

[Legendary]

We have actually beaten Hawthorn in quite a convincing manner a couple of times in the past two seasons.

Our current game plan and structure is more than capable of beating them.

[bigcarl]

Our current game plan and structure is more than capable of beating them.

not going on what i saw when it counted in the final we played them in. they effectively blew us away within the first 20 minutes.

we've had their measure over four or five season, but those days are gone unless we adapt, imo.

the painful irony of it is they've admitted using our more attacking gameplan and structure of several years ago as some sort of a blueprint for success.

their game is based on quick and aggressive movement of the ball to two gun key forwards, franklin and roughhead.

they have massive firepower up front and will go close again in 2009.

[undecided]

unless we clone max, does anybody know how????????

[Moccha]

Fremantle could be just as optimistic

[Animal Enclosure]

I'd love to share the optimism but we've got more holes than a block of swiss cheese.

Too many blokes that are overrated & underachievers (Kosi, Dal, Joey, Gram).

Too many blokes with bad luck (Goose, X, Kosi)

Not enough blokes with ticker (Roo, BJ, Bally, Max, Chips)

Not enough seriously good talent coming through (Hard to name one serious young gun).

On the bright side they have cut a number of duds & hopefully we get lucky on Saturday & have a super talented kid fall into our laps.

We're in no man's land at this stage, way behind the Cats & Hawks (no matter what anyone reads into the win at TD), behind the Dogs as they've got some seriously good kids coming through and we have a number of other clubs stockpiled with super talented young players who will go past us.

The 2nd half of this season was a great send off for Banger but we may look back on it as costly in terms of missing out on one of the top 10 kids in a super strong draft. Trading for Ray made that even worse. Another fringe player that we didn't need.

Pessimistic? Maybe. Deflated by the events of this week? Definitely. Rose coloured glasses? Well & truly gone.

This Saturday is HUGELY important. Don't f#$k it up John.

[SainterK]

Not to mention the fact that the players may be deflated following the events of this week also? I strongly believe that they would of also allowed themselves to think that we were heading in a certain direction, they probably thought that in doing so they were on the same page as the club...

A bit like us all really?

[chook23]

Have to take exception

"Not enough blokes with ticker (Roo, BJ, Bally, Max, Chips)"

clarify??

[Saints Premiers 2008]

our defence and who plays in it will determine how far we go next season

if bj, gram and s.fish play in it consistantly we will not go anywhere...

[bigcarl]

our defence and who plays in it will determine how far we go next season

if bj, gram and s.fish play in it consistantly we will not go anywhere...

i agree, i think. i take it that you mean that we shouldn't waste talent like that in defensive roles, picking up easy kicks across half back.

[Saints Premiers 2008]

our defence and who plays in it will determine how far we go next season

if bj, gram and s.fish play in it consistantly we will not go anywhere...

i agree, i think. i take it that you mean that we shouldn't waste talent like that in defensive roles, picking up easy kicks across half back.

pin point, and ross will make it happen

dempster is majorly important to our 'structure' (F*** i hate using that over-used phrase)

he plays both tall and small very effectively and is a better back than gram and bj combined...

why??

because they are natural attacking players...they need to be used to attack

having max, dempster, goose and even carroll in the backline and its still a damn good backline...under-rated as though however the first two do superb jobs consistently, goose could be anything (both positive and negative) and carroll MIGHT just excel taking the retarded third tall

[bigcarl]

because they are natural attacking players...they need to be used to attack

having max, dempster, goose and even carroll in the backline and its still a damn good backline...under-rated as though however the first two do superb jobs consistently, goose could be anything (both positive and negative) and carroll MIGHT just excel taking the retarded third tall

and for a bit of run off half back we could try ray or xman. also, don't forget baker on their small forward.

i'd like to see gram, fisher and particularly raph clarke and bj freed up to attack.

[Teflon]

Not enough blokes with ticker (Roo, BJ, Bally, Max, Chips)

while agree with much of your sentiment....if Ive read the above correctly thats stupidity.

[Animal Enclosure]

Have to take exception

"Not enough blokes with ticker (Roo, BJ, Bally, Max, Chips)"

clarify??

Sorry Chook, I meant that outside of them of course!

[Iceman234]

Not to mention the fact that the players may be deflated following the events of this week also? I strongly believe that they would of also allowed themselves to think that we were heading in a certain direction, they probably thought that in doing so they were on the same page as the club...

A bit like us all really?

You're not serious? The players deflated because we didn't take BC? They thought we were going to actually take him? Please.

Oh, and not "us all" - only those who had him in the #9 already and winning us the 09 cup.

[#35elwoodymiles]

my line-up

B: Baker (if fit), Hudghton, X. Clarke
HB: Gram, Maguire (if fit), S. Fisher
C: Blake, Hayes, Gilbert
HF: Milne, Riewoldt, Dal Santo
F: Koschitzke*, Goddard, Schneider

Foll: King, R. Clarke, Ball
Inter: Montagna, C. Jones, Armitage, Ray.


*second ruck

this is the most ridiculious line up ive seen
it should be

FB: Baker Hudghton R.Clarke
HB: Gram or Goddard Maguire S.Fisher
C: Montagna Hayes Goddard or Gram
HF: X.Clarke Riewoldt Ray
FF: Milne Koschitzke Schneider

Foll: King Ball Dal Santo
Inter: Demster Blake Armitage Gilbert
Emg: C.Jones Eddy Allen

[WayneJudson42]

Not to mention the fact that the players may be deflated following the events of this week also? I strongly believe that they would of also allowed themselves to think that we were heading in a certain direction, they probably thought that in doing so they were on the same page as the club...

A bit like us all really?

Surely you jest?

The players would have been kept up to date with the latest news.

If they were waiting on Benny to win them a flag, then we're basically... well... more stuffed than the proverbial roast chook. IMO.

[marksnsparks]

I've love to share the optimism of this subject, and it did make happy reading for 15 seconds, but I'm not making the mistake I made last season when in my naivety I actually believed the pundits when they tipped we were grand finalist material.

I love this club like my kids, but like with them, you have to be realistic and acknowledge their weaknesses as well as their strengths. But you love them anyway!

Benny would have been a major boost to our slow, small tickered midfield. Guess you've got to trust Rossy though....

[saintly_safes]

I think alot of supporters are putting too much expectation on Bakes & Goose slotting straight back into the team . As much as I would love to see them return to the form they were once capable of ,I think realisticly they have a long way to go before we can pencil them in as big additions to change the structure of the team . I really hope they can but they have both missed alot of footy & the game is getting faster , here's hoping.

[st_Trav_ofWA]

Not ONE of those reasons explains how we can possibly bridge the gap.

OMG if we're relying on Eddy, Connors and Geary as kids coming through, imagine how ecstatic Carlton and Richmond must be with their kids.

The reason why SO many of us are disappointed in not seeing Ben in a saints uniform, is because we realise it's a tough business...ANY advantage could make the difference...

If we finish higher than 4th next year......I will write an apology to the Board for ever doubting them, and take out a full adult membership for my dog.

ok deal. ill do the same!

again having a peek into the dark recesses of the page 400 of threads... stumbled across this gem from 2008 ... i wonder if Con and tweedaletomanning ever got to writing that apology or buying the membership for said dog ... hahahahahah

[Teflon]

Why do this... we are forked for 5 everyone knows raking over old coals just lengthens the pain

[st_Trav_ofWA]

its fun to see how over the years the same posts are posted just the players names change ...

[bergholt]

its fun to see how over the years the same posts are posted just the players names change ...

Yep, definitely! Eljay Connors is going to take the next step, and Blake McGrath is the new Sandilands. Our kids are the best!

[Con Gorozidis]

So seems like Leigh Tudor is seriously a super coach...
Moved to Swans in 2011......

Very low profile!

[Cairnsman]

Read the players talked about in this thread and the lineups that were posted by a couple and there was one big omission that I think was one of the real important parts of our dramatic improvement in 2009...Mr Michael Gardiner. Gee we had an awesome ruck combo in 2009. Arguably the best in the clubs history.

[st_Trav_ofWA]

Read the players talked about in this thread and the lineups that were posted by a couple and there was one big omission that I think was one of the real important parts of our dramatic improvement in 2009...Mr Michael Gardiner. Gee we had an awesome ruck combo in 2009. Arguably the best in the clubs history.

funny you mention that there was a thread back then that was basically saying the saints needed to delist Gardi and Rix and throw everything to get Seaby ?!?!?
there was alos a thread going about why the heck did we draft Rhys Stanley when we have soo many ruckmen already