They were too good - simple as that.

[perfectionist]

The Dogs are close to the Cats at the moment, better in speed but not as good in defence. Their foot skills are on a par. The Dogs appear to have bulked up to enable them to break make tackles and successfully lay others. I note that these two teams do not meet until round 16, after we play the Dogs again.

Our foot skills are average (down from '04) and so is our speed (also down from '04). Our big marking power is our strength but because it relies on two players, is more easily countered than an all over strength like pace.

Dropping a dozen players is unlikely to remedy the situation. The reality is we are a position 3 to 8 type team at the moment.

In football, next week's game can render many assessments redundant. It is to be hoped that this is the case for the Saints.

[Saintschampions08]

The Dogs are close to the Cats at the moment, better in speed but not as good in defence. Their foot skills are on a par. The Dogs appear to have bulked up to enable them to break make tackles and successfully lay others. I note that these two teams do not meet until round 16, after we play the Dogs again.

Our foot skills are average (down from '04) and so is our speed (also down from '04). Our big marking power is our strength but because it relies on two players, is more easily countered than an all over strength like pace.

Dropping a dozen players is unlikely to remedy the situation. The reality is we are a position 3 to 8 type team at the moment.

In football, next week's game can render many assessments redundant. It is to be hoped that this is the case for the Saints.

I think you'd find the cats would beat the dogs quite comfortably. The dogs have had 3 easy games so far.

They've played 2 bottom 8 teams, and Adelaide. Not the hardest of fixtures.

[gO.SainTs]

In their next 3 games they're up against Essendon, Richmond and West Coast

[perfectionist]

2008 NAB Cup, that's what I can watch tonight!

[vacuous space]

The Dogs have been faster than us for years, but last night was the first time they'd beaten us since 2004. The difference last night was they smashed us in the middle and at ground level. Personally, I don't think it's that surprising, given who the respective teams threw in the centre. The Doggies on ball division carved us up - Cooney, Cross and Griffen in particular. They slow played us just as well as they outran us. They were superior in every facet of the game after quarter time.

Just once I'd like to see RL start a game without a hard tag in the centre. I'd like to see him back our ball winners to win the ball, beat their opponents and win us the game. If we play Leigh Fisher (2 clearances), X (0) and Blake (0) for significant minutes in the middle next week, I don't like our chances against a midfield that includes Ablett, Bartel, Corey, Ling and Joel Selwood.

[Saints Premiers 2008]

so the first poster just said that the dogs were closer to the cats than us???

all over one match..a half a football in april???

i find that laughable and no i don't overrate our side either...we have a few issues but nothing that cannot be sorted...ross will make hard decisions...he is paid to do that from the results will be seen throughout the season

i never knew premierships were won in april???lets give it to the smiling douche and his band of merry little men now then...stuff geelong... the dogs beat us last night they should win it...

[The Saintsational Man]

so the first poster just said that the dogs were closer to the cats than us???

all over one match..a half a football in april???

i find that laughable and no i don't overrate our side either...we have a few issues but nothing that cannot be sorted...ross will make hard decisions...he is paid to do that from the results will be seen throughout the season

i never knew premierships were won in april???lets give it to the smiling douche and his band of merry little men now then...stuff geelong... the dogs beat us last night they should win it...

We are better than the bulldogs, simple as that.

On our day we can match the cats, I wont say we can beat them, but on our day, we would be there come the final minutes.

Can't stand people saying their near the cats.

Their not even close.

[Little Dozer]

Another season of misery awaits unless the selectors wake up, and our coach starts adopting a game plan to our players strengths.

How Blake gets a game every week is astonishing, he makes the same mistakes and plods along at half pace every bloody week yet is trotted out time after time.

Raph Clarke is a total liability as a defender, makes poor decisions and his disposal is usually sloppy, last chance as a forward in the two's or he is gonzo.

And as for Fiora, he has all the talent in the world but does one or two flashy things a game and stuff all else. Not good enough at Richmond, how the hell is he going to make it anywhere else?

Who wants to rock up and see the negative dross that Ross Lyon serves up along with persisting with blokes who are clearly not good enough?

We are nearly as bad as the swines! Wake the hell up St Kilda!!!!

[mischa]

They were too good because we were utterly inept. Bulldogs r an average side that will struggle to make the 8!

[True Blue Sainter]

I think you'll find the Bulldogs will get into the 8, probably in the bottom half. They are a dangerous side, simply due to the fact that they are well drilled, move the ball quickly and are highly skilled. A quick style of possession football suits their forward line perfectly (4 medium sized, quick forward who can mark in Johnson, Murphy, Welsh & Hahn).

And I agree that we are going to get MURDERED in the clearances next week if we start with Blake on Bartel, and L Fisher on Ablett, which I can clearly see Lyon starting with. Instead, back Hayes against Bartel, and run Joey with Ablett; in a defensive move, only difference being that Joey can hurt Geelong when we go forward.

[bobmurray]

What will the other 14 clubs learn about StKilda from that defeat....

[Iceman234]

I
And I agree that we are going to get MURDERED in the clearances next week if we start with Blake on Bartel, and L Fisher on Ablett, which I can clearly see Lyon starting with. Instead, back Hayes against Bartel, and run Joey with Ablett; in a defensive move, only difference being that Joey can hurt Geelong when we go forward.

This paragraph is the key.

Bartel, Ablett, et al will kill us if we put our "taggers"on them.

Play them one on one, quality v quality as you've suggested and we may just go okay.

Blake can not blanket Bartel, nor can Leigh Fish go with Ablett for the game.

I'd rather see us go down swinging head to head than think of what might happen if we try these "tags".

And if we kick out to an early lead, react to any negative tactics with positive moves if key players get checked and aren't dominating.

[rexy]

The Dogs have been faster than us for years, but last night was the first time they'd beaten us since 2004. The difference last night was they smashed us in the middle and at ground level. Personally, I don't think it's that surprising, given who the respective teams threw in the centre. The Doggies on ball division carved us up - Cooney, Cross and Griffen in particular. They slow played us just as well as they outran us. They were superior in every facet of the game after quarter time.

Just once I'd like to see RL start a game without a hard tag in the centre. I'd like to see him back our ball winners to win the ball, beat their opponents and win us the game. If we play Leigh Fisher (2 clearances), X (0) and Blake (0) for significant minutes in the middle next week, I don't like our chances against a midfield that includes Ablett, Bartel, Corey, Ling and Joel Selwood.

Great post

[Iceman234]

Having said that, if Bakes were free I would definitely have him running with Bartel or Ablett to negate them. But he's not..... so no-one else can go with them IMO. Take them on.

[kalsaint]

In 2008; Cats have beaten Port, Essendon and Melbourne
Doggies have beaten Adelaide, Melbourne and Saints. Hmm not too much difference in the quality of their opposition. Depsite some opinion about Adelaide, Adelaide just beat Port.

Since 2004 without consulting records; I believe the Bullies were flogged badly once by Geelong but most other games were close except one at Skilled stadium when the Bullies won by about 50 points.

One year has 2 games with each posting one point wins in their oppos home ground. Not much between them except one flag last year IMO.