We are not fit!

[B.M]

And the running ability of Clark confirms we are not in elite condition

He is clearly not up to it as far as running goes, good footballer, can’t chase!
Is Higgins as fit as he was at Richmond? Looks overweight!
Hill is fat and lazy!
I could run a better 3k than Dunstan.
King is gassed if he makes one effort!
Is Billings an elite runner?! Wtf not!!
Crouch doesn’t look as fit as he did at Adelaide (might be off the gear?)
Carlisle couldn’t run a lap of the oval

To be cut up by Parish and McGrath vs Essendon To be beaten up on the outside by Richmond, to be flogged in uncontested ball by Port

Put simple, we are getting out worked!

It’s why we can’t run to defend, it’s why we can’t run in offence

Steele and Ross run their guts out, and are AFL level fit. But neither have the greatest leg speed (it ok but not elite)

Good teams have elite runners on the outside, if you can’t go with them - you get cut up!

[bigred]

You are absolutely correct.

No question about it.

[Devilhead]

Then we should peak perfectly ..... just as we are about not to.play finals

[chook23]

Mentioned this in a previous post

NOT FIT

And I was questioned.

[Vortex]

I think they all run too far one way. Someone should tell them there are a set of goals at the other end of the ground.

[samuraisaint]

'"Fatigue makes cowards of us all"

Vince Lombardi 1967

[Impatient Sainter]

Totally agree, we are no where near it. When you look at the stats disparity in the first half, Port had 81 uncontested marks to our 7. 460 possessions to 311 for the game says we are just getting out worked.

Our small defenders get exposed for their lack of speed every week, its not rocket science.

That on top of our terrible game plan across the ground, but particularly going into the F50 we are too easy to play against.

Ratts and his fitness team, and game plan specialist David Rath are responsible for this debacle!

[repta]

Yep. We are seeing a different StKilda. One that is rounder in the middle.

In my opinion the lack of fitness is causing the skill errors.

[Saintmatt]

It's hard to believe that this could be true and yet, it's looks a very difficult observation to refute. Then again, you generally do look slower chasing ar$e and I'm not sure there's another team (perhaps North) that's chased more ar$e than us this season.

Then you need to ask why are they unfit and how does this not happen again next year

[Otiman]

I don't think we are unfit, I think that the only style of gameplay that keeps us in it is a high energy one.

We are knackered because we need to play high energy.

It worked with short quarters and high rotations, but not anymore. Oppositions just weather the storm, wait til we're cooked, then over run us.

[sunsaint]

I don't think we are unfit, I think that the only style of gameplay that keeps us in it is a high energy one.

We are knackered because we need to play high energy.

It worked with short quarters and high rotations, but not anymore. Oppositions just weather the storm, wait til we're cooked, then over run us.

then we are not fit for purpose???

[B.M]

Every team plays with High Energy at that level

If you don’t bring it, you get exposed.

Uncontested possessions is an indication of work rate
Check out the stats on that for the Port Game!

[Gershwin]

Every team plays with High Energy at that level

If you don’t bring it, you get exposed.

Uncontested possessions is an indication of work rate
Check out the stats on that for the Port Game!

Not necessarily true that "Uncontested possessions is an indication of work rate"

Many times we had Port 'corralled' in our forward line and they maintained possession with dinky little kicks that went nowhere. Thus the uncontested possession count for them was high. We worked hard to keep them from finding a way out. Unfortunately after many uncontested possessions they did find a way out and too often were effective but that high count was not due to our lack of energy or effort.

[spert]

If you really really really want the ball hard enough, you will take that extra step, and make that extra metre..like the teams who flogged us have. It's above the shoulders our problem.

[B.M]

You serious?

They picked us to pieces!!!

Allowing them to maintain possession and not pressing or delivering any frontal pressure meant they had a field day setting up from the back half!!!
Port are #1 in the AFL for scores from the back 50!

[repta]

when we are playing well it is very very high energy.
High energy game plan is not sustainable. It is like a wind up toy.

The players need to be drilled and know their purpose and roll.

[whiskers3614]

I f the lack of fitness is as obvious as you guys say, why are the fitness and coaching staff still in their jobs?

[shanegrambeau]

[The Billings Method]

Oh the irony! That fat pig Hutchy calling out the saints fitness!

[Jacks Back]

Oh the irony! That fat pig Hutchy calling out the saints fitness!

He just has to sit there and talk. We have to run for 120+ minutes each week. What irony?

[B.M]

Hutchy wasn’t the one calling them unfit, Lloyd and Cornes did

Hutchy ain’t an AFL footballer, he doesn’t need to be fit

[samoht]

Uncontested possessions is an indication of work rate
Check out the stats on that for the Port Game!

Uncontested possessions are also an indicator of leg speed and the ability to run and spread.
If a player runs and give themselves space and their team mate an option to get a clean kick or a clean handball to them - what you end up with is an uncontested possession.
If a few playermakers do that together (use their leg speed to run into free space) - you end up with a wave/chain of clean, uncontested possessions.

Maybe leg speed and "outside run" is a factor as well?

We have too many "inside" players around the midfield who don't spread and get themselves into free space ... so all or most of our midfield possessions are under pressure.
We can't get ourselves clear.

[B.M]

Correct

And our main outsiders are down on form, or not quick.

[samoht]

repeated below ...

[samoht]

That's the problem, BM ... our midfield is "inside heavy" and our outside runners are either out of form, not classy enough or not really midfielders (McKenzie, Kent, Hill, Sinclair), or in and out of the team due to injury (Jones).

It's our makeup - this is what we've recruited (where we've gone wrong) ... and, maybe not a lot a coach can do about it..

What we needed to stop the rot right now was Petracca and Bailey Smith, but we went for McCartin and King - key position players "you can build a team around." What team?