A solid game plan...a good result for depth

[Teflon]

Very interesting - and we started to see it at end of last year winning 7.5 from 11 - but we simply have a very astute FOOTBALL coach.

How many times tonight did Buckley and Co say how good our "structure" was? What did Montagna mention after match that we've worked hard on ? "structures" AND "pressure". Hallmarks of a game plan and a side BECOMING well drilled (Malthouse also has this type of well-drilled coaching style). Credit to players for acrrying it off also - it does appear (and I know its 1 game in NAB Cup that fitness is key). Richmonmd challenged tonight (long tough year ahead for them) and we responded by upping the pressure - how many of our goals AGAINST the flow of play when Richmond had it over us were from direct fierce tackles from us??? Ball movement also looked way more structured (Richmond went fwd looked a rabble often - we hit targets, had purpose).

What tonight also showed was Lyon has made 10 list changes BUT he's made the changes pin pointing our previous deficiencies (we now have capable ruckman an additional goalkicking fwd/mid in Sneider AND does C Gardiner look like he might just fill that so depserately needed to be filled goal kicking HFF??? - not to mention the added flexibility this gives us with Kosi as a fwd...)

Very wrapt to also have a coach identify talent, USE the rookie list and then play them - IMHO Geary already looks to be challenging a much more vaunted Armitage....Eddy looks like a tough competitor, Allen, Miles. Expect some of these guys to soon challenge much more highly profuiled players and thats a great thing.

King, Gardiner and C Gardiner were very good tonight.
C Jones - showed the pressure and pace that we sorely need
X looked great as a mid
Montagna is on the verge of elite
Rookies/kids look better than we have had for some time - real promise and already IMHO well ahead of the likes of Gwilt/Mqualter.

I know its game. But a lot to like. Injuries permitting we can go far this year.

[Oh When the Saints]

The best thing about tonight?

Luke Ball, Lenny Hayes, Brendon Goddard, Adam Schneider, Steven Baker, Nick Riewoldt and Matt Maguire.

[Teflon]

True OWTS...bit tonight for me was about life without Harvey, Hayes, Gehrig et al and the future looked a whole lot brighhter for Geary, Allen, Eddy and Miles IMO.

Good result - yeah its 1 game - but the "vibe" was spot on...

[saint66au]

The best thing about tonight?

Luke Ball, Lenny Hayes, Brendon Goddard, Adam Schneider, Steven Baker, Nick Riewoldt and Matt Maguire.

Ever better with Jason Gram, Sam Gilbert and Leigh Fisher added to it

[Oh When the Saints]

Terrific post though.

Haven't seen the game, but the comments on the radio all night were about how well drilled and fit we looked.

I don't think the opposition were much chop at all, but you can only play who you are against.

Hopefully we can maintain the structures etc. next week and be consistent with this approach.

[yipper]

Very impressive performance. The depth at St.Kilda is now very, good. We have run, some pace, good structure and we are big. To big and strong for the Tiges all night. The tackling was superb.

A big, dominant ruck combo makes a hell of a difference to your structures and gameplan. Really exciting year coming up.

My best: X. Clarke, C Gardner, C Jones, L Montagna, J Geary, R Eddy and S King.

[midas_touch]

Looked a solid unit for the majority of the night. The pressure and tackling our players applied was excellent. Yeah, its only pre season, but we did dominate a full strength lineup with literally half our best 22 out. Some of our kids tonight like Geary, Miles, Eddy, Jones and Allen showed quite a bit of promise, which shows we have fairly decent depth now.

[saint66au]

Agreee with Yipper, thought X was superb tonight, His attack on the footy and hunger for the contest fir first rate. I reckonthis might be the breakthrough year for the X man.

Hayes, Montagna, Dal Santo, Ball...with a fit and hungry X to rotate through there too, sounds like a pretty Fab Four to me

[markp]

Couldn't imagine a better result... in a way it was a blessing so many of our best were out... depth is the word... and wow.

[Enrico_Misso]

For the last decade our rucks have been inferior and our ruck strategy has been to nullify our opponents advantage.

But saw signs tonight with King and M Gardiner that we will go into games with a dominant ruck combination that can give us first use of the footy all day.

That will bring our strong midfield more to the fore, and allow quick disposal into the forward line.
Good ruckman can often set up plays that lead to such quick takeaway goals.

We know that from watching other sides do it.
Perhaps in 2008 it will be us doing it ?

[JeffDunne]

I'm pleased to see we've gone back to attacking the player with the pill and not zoning off as the first option. Something we were very good at prior to last season.

Very pleased with King's game too. Did Geelong really give him up for nix?

[saintsRrising]

.

Very pleased with King's game too. Did Geelong really give him up for nix?

Who said that Santa is not real??

[The Peanut]

Very pleased with King's game too. Did Geelong really give him up for nix?

I was on the fence near the bench - Kingy was showing leadership qualities by giving the young blokes some praise when they were having a break. I also noticed that there was a fair bit of talking on the bench and during interchanges. They were a hungry and organised outfit - a breath of fresh air for this little vegemite.

[Huzzad]

Also a great sign is that Richmond were basically at full strength, wasn't really anyone missing that could have made that team stronger, in my opinion. The fact we had all those changes just days before and to come away with a 40-point win is a true testament to our depth. There were no passengers tonight, and despite a mixed final few minutes of the 1st quater and the first few of the second, we were great under pressure and our turnover rate was lower than it has been. For players like Miles, Eddy, + Geary to show that much class at footy smarts at that age was impressive, and quality performances from young but broken-in players like Clint Jones, C Gardener and Howard shows us what we can do even without the 5 or 6 star players that sat out tonight. We will be a force in 2008, not because of Nick Riewoldt and Dal Santo, but because of every member of our team, be them juniors or seniors. This is what we have needed, and I think this might just be our year.

[St DAC]

This is all true, and all good, but remember the opposition; Nar Nar Goon would have beaten Richmond last night, they were terrrible.

The better test will be next week ...

[Saint-Nick]

.

Very pleased with King's game too. Did Geelong really give him up for nix?

Who said that Santa is not real??

NOT ME!

~~~~~

In all seriousness, the calling was completely flat on 7. I don't suppose there is another channel to watch the game on? I have Foxtel, but not the Sports package. That can be changed with one phonecall, but I'm wondering if they have what I'm looking for.

I love the calling on 3AW - unfortunately the TV coverage was delayed.

Any ideas?
________
LAMBORGHINI V10 HISTORY

[Eastern]

Very pleased with King's game too. Did Geelong really give him up for nix?

Geelong gave us Kingy & Charlie for pick 90 which they didn't use !!

[rexy]

Only criticisms I would have are that sometimes we struggled to get crumbers to the fall of the ball up forward and I thought that even though he kicked 3, Milne let King get far to much run out of defence. Other than that all very solid.

[stinger]

Terrific post though.

Haven't seen the game, but the comments on the radio all night were about how well drilled and fit we looked.

I don't think the opposition were much chop at all, but you can only play who you are against.

Hopefully we can maintain the structures etc. next week and be consistent with this approach.

couldn't get hold of a foxtell set...??.shame....

[stinger]

Agreee with Yipper, thought X was superb tonight, His attack on the footy and hunger for the contest fir first rate. I reckonthis might be the breakthrough year for the X man.

Hayes, Montagna, Dal Santo, Ball...with a fit and hungry X to rotate through there too, sounds like a pretty Fab Four to me

raph doesn't half like giving the ball to his big brother, eh????? ...magic....

[rodgerfox]

Haven't seen the game

Save yourself the trouble.

Mind numbing, flooding, stop/start, over umpired modern rubbish.

I ended up watching the cricket after half time.

As usual, it was Rd1 of the NAB Cup and people get excited.

One thing that is for sure though, we need to be very, very fit to play that way for 4 quarters every week - and you'll need to very, very lacking of options in your personal life on weekends to watch it for 4 quarters.

RIP footy.

[rexy]

Haven't seen the game

Save yourself the trouble.

Mind numbing, flooding, stop/start, over umpired modern rubbish.

I ended up watching the cricket after half time.

As usual, it was Rd1 of the NAB Cup and people get excited.

One thing that is for sure though, we need to be very, very fit to play that way for 4 quarters every week - and you'll need to very, very lacking of options in your personal life on weekends to watch it for 4 quarters.

RIP footy.

Thought it was o.k personally. Less stop start than 60s and 70s kick it down the wing to a contest and we will have another ball up. Agree we will need to be very fit, need to be very fit to win the flag in Modern footy as the game is a lot faster. Scored over 100 points ran well through the guts and showed some good skills for Feb, reccomended viewing from where I sat.

Good game of cricket too though.

[WinnersOnly]

For a kid still at school I thought his attack on the footy and zippy speed showed a very bright future last night. Our recuiters appear to have got another one correct...

GEARY is also a special player with plenty of talent - just needs to improve his strength and he will move straight into our midfield rotations.

JONES & EDDY were also very good, with the effort and attack on the footy over coming their kicking weaknesses.

ARMITAGE will be a very hard in and under player when he gets to the elite fitness required.

I was surprised at the speed and poise MILES displayed, needs some body size and will become a regular.

Pressure on all positions this year is a major bonus.... players like Fiora, Blake, Raph Clarke and co will have to perform every week or get over run.

Very positive signs for the SAINTS...

[aussiejones]

"ran well through the guts and showed some good skills for Feb"

Good result with undermanned side BUT ....how bad was opposition !

Time will tell ...... it wasnt a polished performance .
3rd quarter let them back in , but finished off well.

Time should see our (newer) guys improve wth more game time together

Good outing for Feb .specially with new guys showing they can play....

[Oh When the Saints]

Terrific post though.

Haven't seen the game, but the comments on the radio all night were about how well drilled and fit we looked.

I don't think the opposition were much chop at all, but you can only play who you are against.

Hopefully we can maintain the structures etc. next week and be consistent with this approach.

couldn't get hold of a foxtell set...??.shame....

Nope ... had to stay home for another reason so just listened.


Re: gameplan.

Graeme Bond said on 3AW at half-time that we had scored 7 of our goals at that stage by running through the corridor.

That's a sign of direct attacking football.