Kicking efficiency is the most important stat in football

[Beej]

and in that department we are still worlds away from the likes of Geelong and Hawthorn.

We are far too error-prone to match it with those two and until we improve on certain players who struggle to hit targets we won't be bridging that gap.

In saying that, I believe our game plan, whilst not the most attractive to watch, is solid and capable of winning a flag.

However, it was a great win tonight full of industry and endeavor. Second and third quarters was as impressive a defensive display of football you will see anywhere; Sydney didn't look like kicking a goal.

Gram doesn't half shank a footy at times. Would've been a great goal after he side-stepped half the Sydney side.

Dal Santo was magnificent.

Kosi's best game in a long, long time.

Goddard was OK - just OK because his first quarter was abysmal. His use of the footy can never be doubted, top 3 in the comp in that department, but at ground level he just doesn't do it for me, doesn't look a midfielder below his knees.

Ball, 9 tackles. Enough said.

Farren Ray was surprisingly good.

Baker makes a huge difference.

Very proud of Dawson the way he handled himself. Must've been thinking "please not again" lining up against Barry Hall but he more than held his own.

Chips and Gilbert brilliant also.

Go Sainters!

[S.A Saint]

have to agree with you there olb.... while the skills were WAY better than the port game it still needs to improve a huge deal to compete with the bigger boys....i was actually surprised by the kicking skills of michael gardiner and farren ray from tonight's performance...

[Beej]

have to agree with you there olb.... while the skills were WAY better than the port game it still needs to improve a huge deal to compete with the bigger boys....i was actually surprised by the kicking skills of michael gardiner and farren ray from tonight's performance...

Farren Ray's skills impressed me a lot, especially since his foot-skills are known to be his main deficiency. Was hitting targets with his right AND even his left a couple of times.

Says a lot about our defensive display when I found myself absolutely seething when they finally kicked a goal in the last. Keeping a side goalless for three quarters is unheard of.

Don't know about anyone else but I was still bricking it with 5 minutes left.

[S.A Saint]

have to agree with you there olb.... while the skills were WAY better than the port game it still needs to improve a huge deal to compete with the bigger boys....i was actually surprised by the kicking skills of michael gardiner and farren ray from tonight's performance...

Farren Ray's skills impressed me a lot, especially since his foot-skills are known to be his main deficiency. Was hitting targets with his right AND even his left a couple of times.

yea i noticed that too..my brother asked me if he was a left or right foot couldn't really tell cause he was using both on a regular basis

[rogerwa]

olb yourve hit the nail on the head...its all about disposal to advantage

apart from the 4 pts what stood out for me was

kosi...as already mentioned in another thread..he's not a key forward & he's not a true ruckman but as a round the ground floater he's in his element,can drop back & take a grab or go forward & take a grab..his foot skills around the ground are good but 20-30 yrds out he's almost as hopeless as roo

may have been an optical elusion or brought about by the lack of pressure that the swines applied (after 1/4 time) but we seemed to dispose of the footy to our teammates advantage over 40-50 yrds

aint rocket science...from under 12 's the golden rule is dont kick to the player make him come to the footy...seemed a number of times if we were to the left of the opposition thye ball went to the left allowing us to run onto it..vice versa to the right

we turned em inside out a number of times by kicking to advantage/space

thats what sets geel,hawth & even foots apart they can use the ball over long distance to a moving option

the days of dinky little up & unders over 20yds have gone out with the dodo bird

with the flood & the zone the little up & under is like pyssing against the wind..ya wasting your time

40-50 yrds to a moving option & your got better than an even chance

if we can do it against the lice this week (who will provide more pressure than the swines) we are heading in the right direction

revert to the stop start dinky kicks & we are farqued

[fingers]

have to agree with you there olb.... while the skills were WAY better than the port game it still needs to improve a huge deal to compete with the bigger boys....i was actually surprised by the kicking skills of michael gardiner and farren ray from tonight's performance...

Farren Ray's skills impressed me a lot, especially since his foot-skills are known to be his main deficiency. Was hitting targets with his right AND even his left a couple of times.

Says a lot about our defensive display when I found myself absolutely seething when they finally kicked a goal in the last. Keeping a side goalless for three quarters is unheard of.

Don't know about anyone else but I was still bricking it with 5 minutes left.

Let me tell you it was nice to see a player able to kick with both sides.

[rodgerfox]

I didn't think our skills were that flash to be honest.

I thought our effort was great, which was the difference. Our footskills were pretty average I thought.

[GrumpyOne]

I didn't think our skills were that flash to be honest.

I thought our effort was great, which was the difference. Our footskills were pretty average I thought.

Our skills were a cut below what I saw of Geelong, Hawthorn and the Bulldogs this weekend. However our intensity at the ball after quarter time until the last ten minutes of the game could not be faulted.

Our skills should get better as the season progresses. If we can make the GF, we can win it.

[StNoodles]

Agreed, very important.

Which is why we need to do what Hawthorn do with the likes of Hodge and Guerra, and Geelong with Ablett, and give it to our most efficient users whenever possible, i.e. Dal and BJ.

[onlooker]

Have to agree. Accurate foot disposal skills particularly under pressure is absolutely critical in todays game plan. Saints unfortunately have more than their fair share of players where this skill can fall away too often. Some clubs seem to try and manage this through the interchange in that they dont have too many players (with this problem) on the ground at the same time but Saints cant do this as well cause of the numbers.

[Saints43]

I reckon there's something to be said for the influence confidence can have on skills.

I believe that technique and delivery will always be improved by belief. The belief that there will be 100% effort by the receiver. The belief that the correct option has been taken (that everyone's singing from the same hymn book).

If this team can produce some consistency of performance I think some will be surprised by the perceived improvement in skills (which has a lot to do with how quickly a player can execute to the correct option - and the receiver making 100% effort). A lot of how the player with the ball executes also relies heavily on what players without the ball are doing. IMO.