Last nights game is the first time since rd.4 2007 that the Cats have lost after leading at half time.
It is also their biggest half time lead in a game, that they went on to lose since rd.10 2006 against the WC, when the Cats led by 39 points.
IMO opinion last nights win was more important than last years rd.14 win, and a very significant win in the context of this season.
They were beating us at HT by a reasonable margin in the wet.
Then we held them goaless for the last half, and won by 4 in the wet.
We also did this without Rooey.
The Cats will now know that we don't fear them.
The Cats also know that we can beat them on the G.
They will also know that next time we meet them, there's a fair chance that we will be a stronger outfit with Rooey and Gram.
They'll be stronger also but, with the potential inclusion of 5 - 6 premeirship players.
However, for us Rooey and Gram are just as important to our over all improvement as their inclusions are IMO.
Another factor is they'll be worried if it's wet.
The Cats were taken into unchartered territory by us last night.
Last nights battle won us 4 points, but more importantly we gained alot of ground on the Cats in the psychological battle for this years flag.
Half Time Lead... a psychological win
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OneEyedSainter77
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Good post Leo.
For me last night was a very important win for us for four reasons.
One - redemption. Nothing will ever make up for losing the Grand Final last year, but we had to go out there and hurt the cats. And even though they did win the one that mattered last year, i reckon we really hurt them last night. We did it without our two most valuable players as far as game plan is concerned. Of course I would rather have won last year. But at least we hurt them... maybe not as much as they hurt us but we've made them upset, we've made them angry. We'll pay for it next time we meet and we know it and you know what? I can't bloody wait!
Two - four points. Simply, we needed the four points. I won't say it was an eight point game because I don't particularly care if Geelong does or doesn't get four points in their matches. But to keep our top two credentials alive, we needed those four points.
Three - Respect - we've earnt it now. We deserve it and we will get it. The wins have been getting steadily better but this was the best win of the season yet. Teams will watch tapes of our third quarter and scratch their heads. How will we combat this? that's what they'll all be thinking. A truly magical quarter of footy that was.
Four - Belief - We now have all the ingredients. All we need to do is make the GF and I am confident of winning it no matter the opponent. Pre -season, we had the cattle, we had the hunger (from losing last year) but I didn't think we had the belief yet. I still thought we needed that big boost of confidence and we needed to show the rest of the teams we meant business. I had doubts that we could beat them in the wet in a big game in front of a big crowd at the G.
Last night, we did just that. If the exact same conditions occur with the same two teams (both at full strength) I will have confidence in us to beat them. All we need to do is not let the occassion get to us. Cats were hungrier than us last year because they lost in 2008 and it would've been horrible for them to win one out of three GF's just like Essendon all those years ago. We will be hungrier if we make the GF this year as well.
So now we have the cattle, we have the hunger AND we have the knowledge that we can beat the best team in the competition in terrible conditions at the MCG.
All the pieces of thje puzzle are clicking into place. We have just one task left to do.
WIN. THE. BLOODY. THING.
Go Saints!!!!!!
For me last night was a very important win for us for four reasons.
One - redemption. Nothing will ever make up for losing the Grand Final last year, but we had to go out there and hurt the cats. And even though they did win the one that mattered last year, i reckon we really hurt them last night. We did it without our two most valuable players as far as game plan is concerned. Of course I would rather have won last year. But at least we hurt them... maybe not as much as they hurt us but we've made them upset, we've made them angry. We'll pay for it next time we meet and we know it and you know what? I can't bloody wait!
Two - four points. Simply, we needed the four points. I won't say it was an eight point game because I don't particularly care if Geelong does or doesn't get four points in their matches. But to keep our top two credentials alive, we needed those four points.
Three - Respect - we've earnt it now. We deserve it and we will get it. The wins have been getting steadily better but this was the best win of the season yet. Teams will watch tapes of our third quarter and scratch their heads. How will we combat this? that's what they'll all be thinking. A truly magical quarter of footy that was.
Four - Belief - We now have all the ingredients. All we need to do is make the GF and I am confident of winning it no matter the opponent. Pre -season, we had the cattle, we had the hunger (from losing last year) but I didn't think we had the belief yet. I still thought we needed that big boost of confidence and we needed to show the rest of the teams we meant business. I had doubts that we could beat them in the wet in a big game in front of a big crowd at the G.
Last night, we did just that. If the exact same conditions occur with the same two teams (both at full strength) I will have confidence in us to beat them. All we need to do is not let the occassion get to us. Cats were hungrier than us last year because they lost in 2008 and it would've been horrible for them to win one out of three GF's just like Essendon all those years ago. We will be hungrier if we make the GF this year as well.
So now we have the cattle, we have the hunger AND we have the knowledge that we can beat the best team in the competition in terrible conditions at the MCG.
All the pieces of thje puzzle are clicking into place. We have just one task left to do.
WIN. THE. BLOODY. THING.
Go Saints!!!!!!
Re: Half Time Lead... a psychological win
Said to hubby at half time, don't think they put nearly enough scoreboard pressure on with the momentum they had in the second quarter.Leo.J wrote:
They were beating us at HT by a reasonable margin in the wet.
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Sainterone
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I get tired of hearing that girlong has won 50 games from 55 matches in the last 3 years or whatever the stat is - commentators go on an on about it....
FACT is - we have won more games than girlong in the last season and a half.
Commentators, update your facts please...
FACT is - we have won more games than girlong in the last season and a half.
Commentators, update your facts please...
GO SAINTS
NICK RIEWOLDT - 444 GOALS FROM 200 MATCHES
STEPHEN MILNE - 440 GOALS FROM 216 MATCHES
NICK RIEWOLDT - 444 GOALS FROM 200 MATCHES
STEPHEN MILNE - 440 GOALS FROM 216 MATCHES
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Milan Faletic
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chook23 wrote:No mention of their 6 ...that would be in best 22!!
But mention Roo and Gram.......
Yes it was a great win and agree with some of your comments....but they had a depleted team.
so did we....no gram...no roo...no raph......and no zac.....ammo could also be considered an out
.everybody still loves lenny....and we always will
"Freedom of expression is the cornerstone of a free society,"
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Leo.J
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Re: Half Time Lead... a psychological win
Leo.J wrote:...They will also know that next time we meet them, there's a fair chance that we will be a stronger outfit with Rooey and Gram.
They'll be stronger also but, with the potential inclusion of 5 - 6 premeirship players...
I didn't mention names but i did mention that they had players out.chook23 wrote:No mention of their 6 ...that would be in best 22!!
But mention Roo and Gram.......
Yes it was a great win and agree with some of your comments....but they had a depleted team.
Btw its the first time since 1956 that the Cats have been held goalless in the last half...
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gringo
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I heard on the radio this morning that someone was saying that the wet weather suited us much more than Geelong?, and they had some big players out including their best player in the GF. So did we you moron.
I seriously hope we smash them in the grand final. Chapman and Corey are no bigger outs than Gram and Riewoldt. They might be missing Ottens and Rooke but they were missing most of last season. They were happy to be saying the current list was the best Geelong team ever and now they are an injury depleted shell of their best. Which is it.
We had two regular backline players out, a patched up forward line with 2 guys playing that had less than 5 games to their name.
That was a really good win in anyones language.
I seriously hope we smash them in the grand final. Chapman and Corey are no bigger outs than Gram and Riewoldt. They might be missing Ottens and Rooke but they were missing most of last season. They were happy to be saying the current list was the best Geelong team ever and now they are an injury depleted shell of their best. Which is it.
We had two regular backline players out, a patched up forward line with 2 guys playing that had less than 5 games to their name.
That was a really good win in anyones language.
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IcanKickit
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starsign
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good posts Leo and One Eyed Sainter!
One things for sure, this was another and even bigger message than the corresponding match at the dome last season, and not just only to the Pooffycats!!
We certainly have impressed on them again that we have the ability to put them right out of their comfort zone .....and it's obvious they aren't used to it and DON"T LIKE IT ONE BIT
As witnessed from post game reactions from their bloody coach right down through their prickly undisciplined leaders out on the ground and their arrogant supporters in the stands
Make no mistake they know full well (particularly the players) what is driving our blokes and they will have to pull out something much more than their previous 2 flag wins to overcome what we will dish up to them IF and WHEN they meet us in the finals this year
And OUR desire and motivation , our will to win is what they will have to overcome now ....not merely our ABILITY to win the biggy
and look what the Hawks did to them on that score The one big blot in their formidable run
SO.... for mine the BEST outcome from Fri night is that our blokes KNOW they can do it
THEY can SMELL it ! and you can chuck in the rest of the footy world for good measure!!
And there was a couple of players sitting watching and just itching to be a part of it as well
One things for sure, this was another and even bigger message than the corresponding match at the dome last season, and not just only to the Pooffycats!!
We certainly have impressed on them again that we have the ability to put them right out of their comfort zone .....and it's obvious they aren't used to it and DON"T LIKE IT ONE BIT
As witnessed from post game reactions from their bloody coach right down through their prickly undisciplined leaders out on the ground and their arrogant supporters in the stands
Make no mistake they know full well (particularly the players) what is driving our blokes and they will have to pull out something much more than their previous 2 flag wins to overcome what we will dish up to them IF and WHEN they meet us in the finals this year
And OUR desire and motivation , our will to win is what they will have to overcome now ....not merely our ABILITY to win the biggy
and look what the Hawks did to them on that score The one big blot in their formidable run
SO.... for mine the BEST outcome from Fri night is that our blokes KNOW they can do it
THEY can SMELL it ! and you can chuck in the rest of the footy world for good measure!!
And there was a couple of players sitting watching and just itching to be a part of it as well