The job ahead...Huge for Ross.

[bigred]

Six games to go and we are in one hell of a job ahead for Ross the boss.

That said, I reckon he is in the box seat for a great finish to the year.

All the upcoming games would have to be considered winable, with some of them being dead set soda's to most of the football world. Meaning that we should win and win well.

All things considered, we really are in a good place at the moment. Our injury list is well under control. Especially considering how deep into the season we are. The team, when it finally switches on is playing free, fast and confident football.

We could/SHOULD finish the home and away season with ten wins on the trot.

My main concern in the coming weeks is the risk of dropping one of these winnable games. We should beat WCE, Port, Freo & Adelaide. I see the danger games as being that against the Filth and Essendon in the last round.

We need to have the attitude that we are still fighting for our lives. Every game is absolutely crucial to our finals chances. Every game needs to be taken for its unique challenge. There can be no complacency.

We have to remember that six weeks ago, many of us, and the freakin press, were baying for blood. Coaches blood. I know I was definately concerned with the list. I thought it was completely flawed. The last month has gone a long way to proving that I was wrong....Like many others. The next six weeks will show us up for what we are worth.

Our fitness looks to be increasing week by week. We are finishing so strongly. Breaking opposition backs throughout the third quarter. Where we should be. We seem to have (Dare I say it) ditched the soft tissue curse that I believe has cost us at least one premiership.......

One thing is for sure.....We most definiately have the belief. The players believe in themselves, and more importantly, they believe in their team mates. Take one look at Geelong and see how important that is.

I'm not concerning myself with ladder positions. If we keep winning, the ladder will look after itself. Time and time again I keep saying that. Thats the thing with being in control of your destiny.

We just have to keep winning.

Say what you want about Ross, but there is no doubt in my mind that his focus is 100% on the game ahead of us. Not three games down the track, but the one on the weekend.

I think the execution of the game plan against Hawthorn shows where the list is in regard to how they are taking the coaches direction. We played a particular style, specifically to show Hawthorn for what they are.

We are in a good place at the moment. For some reason, I honestly think we have the right bloke calling the shots. I could have kissed him on Saturday night....Ross, Blakey and I would have had a nice little threesome

I'm keen now.....Something that has been missing for the past couple of seasons. I'm keen for the finish. Keen for whats ahead. Moist even.

Six weeks to prove ourselves, followed by four weeks to finish the job.

Pretty simple really.

[saint66au]

Ripsnorter of a post BigRed...we dont see enough of you around these parts

Saturdays win was crucial in so so many ways. Suddenly the Top 4 is ot pie in the sky any more. Theres a huge prize of a double chance if we keep on winning. The draw has panned out very favorably for us in this regard. Here we all were thinking that the 1st half of the season would set us up asnd the fall might come after the break. Off all the teams vying for that 4th spot, we have by far the easiest draw, thanks toWCE and Freo falling over. No more Geelong, no more Bulldogs, seen off Hawthorn and bagged the 4 points.

Realistically though, we are gonna drop a game somewhere, maybe two. Every team this year, Geelong included, have dropped a game they were slated to win easy. Have we? Apart from perhaps the first Doggies game, weve pretty much won all the games we were supposed to, albeit less than convincingly at times. So, law of averages would tell us that even if we get over the Pies and Crows games, one or both of the Subi games, or the Bombers game may not go our way.

What winning Saturday night has done has meant that we can still finish 5-6th and get a home final if we drop a game or two.

Yep, Im moist too. The genuine elation in peoples eyes after the game last Saturday was there for a reason. Not just cos we came from behind, not just cos we beat the 2nd team on the ladder. It was because what they saw in that second half was, at last, a brand of footy that was a million miles from "making up the numbers" if we make finals.

One other thing. No we may not have dropped a game we are supposed to win yet, but we havent strung 4 great quarters of footy together yet either. I tells ya. we put together 120 minutes worth of that 3rd quarter, and even Sleep Hollow will stand up and take notice!!

[yipper]

Great work guys. Moist indeed. Say what you want about the coach, but he has shown himself to be one tough bugger. He has stuck to his plan no matter what. He has not mollycoddled any players - he has just stood up and said it's this way or you're out. And, the players have followed him. He has been a meticulous planner, the fitness guys have been great, and now the results are rolling in - with our top players all fit and firing. We are in control of our destiny - the huge smile on Rob Harvey's face after the game says it all. He can see something is building now, the momentum is with us. Look out Geelong, here we come.

[JeffDunne]

I wouldn't get too excited about results just yet. We are at where we should be at a minimum (despite having a crap list )

The great thing about the win this week and the past month has been the steady improvement in performances across the entire group. Players are being given jobs to do and those that don't work are quickly being changed to matchups that do. I'm sure had we rolled over early in the third and allowed the game to become a blowout, Lyon would be bagged for his decision to run Blake in the ruck.

Ross is making ballsy calls & the players are responding. That gives me far more reason for optimism than anything else.

[bigred]

I'm sure had we rolled over early in the third and allowed the game to become a blowout, Lyon would be bagged for his decision to run Blake in the ruck.

Yeah, coulda, woulda, shoulda. Same old story each week. Thing is...we won. And won well in the end. He should be praised for the twelve goal turnaround. He shut down Hawthorn.......Completely.

I honestly doubt that Ross would have expected JB to kick three goals in such quick succession. I do think that it was decent call though....Blake has a massive tank. He was pushing forward like a sonofabitch and creating that option @ deadpan CHF front and centre. With the increased intensity right across the field from each player, with us actually hitting targets, we made the Hawks look slow, uncommitted and undisciplined.

Their gameplan is flawed. The way we played on Saturday was always going to win. Problem was, our disposal and defensive pressure were freakin woefull in teh first half.

Full credit to the players to come out after half time and force the issue.
But they should have been that hard at it from the start.

My main concern over the next six weeks is complacency. The one bonus that we have is that ALL our middle rung players are under pressure from below to hold their spot. Everyone is pretty much on notice. And everyone wants to play finals.

I dont think we should drop a game.

At all.

If we are fair dinkum about it, we shouldnt.

The intensity and the desire is there. And more importantly the belief is.
This mob has come back from 5-6 goals down twice in the last three weeks. You dont do that unless the team as a whole has solid faith in each other.

I'm not getting ahead of myself here. I still think we have some weaknesses that opposition sides can exploit. But by gum when we click we are clicking freaking hard.

I think we are building up.....The next six weeks of course will be an indicator. We should not drop a game if we are fair dinkum about it.

Geelong are cruising. The dogs have a massive mental hurdle now. The Hawks gameplan is failing. Sydney & Brisbane are wracked with inconsistancy and the Filth & Crows have the staggers.

Some of these sides are struggling to string two wins together. And a lot of them play each other over the next month. We probably have an open door at the moment. And I think we are jsut starting, just starting to build to a peak for finals.

Damn they were good in the second half of that game.....The way our mids worked...I'd back em against anyone in the comp.

[markp]

Great post... Saturday night was like an amazing party that 30,000 people got laid at after a long drought.

How much would the Hawks be dreading the thought a final against us?

[4ever_saint]

excellent posts. i think all of us are feeling a little moist at the moment. afterall, the hawks were scared. of us. in the third quarter and the fourth we had them at our knees. anyone sitting in the stands or watching at home could feel the intensity pulsating from the field. there is a strong chance we wont drop another game and at the moment that isnt just wishful thinking. ross lyon has proved four weeks in a row that innovation is key.

against freo he dumped the seemingly un-dumpable dal santo and milne, leaving us lacking our highest goal kicker and one of our most reliable midfielders. he also brought in three players who'd never play a game. allen, eddy and mcevoy.

against north melbourne he moved roo up the field- a la richardson style. this proved to be the most move of the game.

against carlton he put judd on gram. brilliant move with gram getting the better of the judd mna.

saturday, he threw up matchups, realised what wasnt working (eg. goddard on williams), he put blake in the ruck and somehow the team found the momentum to power the third quarter.

we have a lot of work to do but it is definately possible to make top 4.

[gooner]

Saturday night was like an amazing party that 30,000 people got laid at after a long drought.

Ross, Blakey and I would have had a nice little threesome

Some people on here really need to get out more.

Having said that, after his rundown of Buddy I'd have taken Jonesy behind the bike-sheds anytime.

[markp]

This thread needs an R rating..... even the title is a little 'suss'.

[saintsRrising]

Well done Ross...

We are in good hands....for all aspects of coaching from gameplan, to list management to kicking players up the bum when required.

It may have taken him a little longer for him to get the entire playing group delivering at the desired workrate, but when you had as many problems as he was facing (including a mammoth inherited injury list and list trained for power rather than stamina) plus constant turmoil off-field as well then I guess it is hardly surprisng that it has taken a while to get all the pices of the puzzle together. as one can fix everything at once.


Full credit needs to go to Ross for getting us headed in the right direction....his direction.
(PS crap list no...but the list he was handed was in decline and he has taken the right steps to turn the trend around.)

[bigred]

One pleasing thing today was that all quotes and articles involving our players had some pretty solid statements about how important it is to keep winning and not drop a game.


Most definately the focus it there.

[rexy]

My main concern in the coming weeks is the risk of dropping one of these winnable games. We should beat WCE, Port, Freo & Adelaide. I see the danger games as being that against the Filth and Essendon in the last round.

We need to have the attitude that we are still fighting for our lives. Every game is absolutely crucial to our finals chances. Every game needs to be taken for its unique challenge. There can be no complacency.

We just have to keep winning.

Agree with the sentiment of your post BR.

I fear though that many supporters are actually falling into the trap that they are worried about the players falling in to. My main fear is not winning at least 4 and gauranteeing that we just play finals. The fact is that we are 7th and one win inside the eight with an average percentage, we could be back in 10th next week. The one thing that is for sure is that we must keep winning.

[makemytime]

we are certainly playing our best footy right now - from the run home, collingwood and maybe port or adel be the only games to worry us.

port and adel games are both at td, port is using youngster and adel lost porp and burton, we shud win comfortably.

this will be the first finals for Ross Lyon, lets see how he does

[mbogo]

It is a hugely exciting time ...
And if anyone was in any doubt - when did we last win four in a row - was it the *big streak*?
And when did we last come from behind for two huge wins in three weeks? I cannot even remember us doing that in the 90s or earlier. This is big!
But let's not get ahead of ourselves - one week at a time. Maintaining composure and achieving some consistency over four quarters must be the next step - since with that will come valuable percentage.
Go Saints!

[Teflon]

I wouldn't get too excited about results just yet. We are at where we should be at a minimum (despite having a crap list )

Hear, Hear Jeff.....not bad for a cr@p coach.....no ones now asking how long to go on his contract...

[joffaboy]

But teffers, it is the players ignoring the Sydney chipolotto and playing their top four list heart out.

Full out attack, just like in the good old days of 04-05 when we won all those flags.

No defence, no accountability, no hard ball gets, no tackles, just because Hawthorn only managed three goals in the second qtr doesn't mean we defended.

Remember GT....oops sorry Rossy....has lost the players.

they must be ignoring him and playing the way thr great messiah taught them.

signed

Dan Warna

[Teflon]

But teffers, it is the players ignoring the Sydney chipolotto and playing their top four list heart out.

Full out attack, just like in the good old days of 04-05 when we won all those flags.

No defence, no accountability, no hard ball gets, no tackles, just because Hawthorn only managed three goals in the second qtr doesn't mean we defended.

Remember GT....oops sorry Rossy....has lost the players.

they must be ignoring him and playing the way thr great messiah taught them.

signed

Dan Warna

Gotta laugh at some on here JB.....we've stillgot Dodgy preaching how poorly we are being coached....

They all catch on...................eventually (maybe not St Kunny.....Popes gone....no more miracles this month...)