the skeptics remain- Lynch

[saintbrat]

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/stor ... 89,00.html
Saints may be 7-0 but I'm not convinced

Alastair Lynch May 17, 2009 12:00am

THE one question over St Kilda's astonishing start to the 2009 AFL season is sustainability. Can they maintain their form all the way to September?

In 2004 the Saints opened with a 10-game winning streak but then had six wins and six losses. They qualified for the finals in third spot but missed the grand final.

As good as the 2009 Saints have been, I'm not convinced they are flag contenders.

But they are a much better than the side that had a 13-9 win/loss record last year to qualify third before losing by almost 10 goals to grand finalists Hawthorn and Geelong in September.

So what has happened to the side that will meet the Lions at Etihad Stadium next Sunday?

My old mate Ross Lyon, a teammate at Fitzroy and the Brisbane Bears, must take a lot of credit. In his third year at the helm it looks like his message has sunk in, and he's got his entire playing group on the same page.

It doesn't matter how much talent a side has unless everyone embraces the game plan - as this under-achieving Saints group has shown previously - but this year they are working together beautifully.

Their forward line pressure has been phenomenal. At a time when everyone is talking defensive zones their forward press, to steal a basketball term, is making it difficult for opposition sides to clear the ball from their own defensive 50m zone.

Small forwards Stephen Milne and Adam Schneider have led the way, but their entire playing group has a strong pressure mindset.

Helped by the "no rushed behinds" rule, they refuse to allow an easy clearance and are forcing a lot of scoring opportunities from turnovers.

At the other end, their defence has been superb. In seven games they've conceded 53 goals. Next best is Geelong with 80. And it's not exactly a superstar defence.

Sam Fisher is an All-Australian and Jason Gram, a Lions cast-off, has been a standout the past couple of years, but Farren Ray was traded by the Bulldogs last November, Zac Dawson was dumped by Hawthorn, Jarryn Geary is a second-year player and Jason Blake has not long cemented a regular spot.

Much of the improvement has come from Brendon Goddard and fourth-year Gold Coaster Sam Gilbert. They are two of the competition's form players and are on track to be All-Australian contenders.

This rotating group has been so good that long-time fixture Max Hudghton, an All-Australian nominee last year, has barely been missed while injured, and Matt Maguire can't get a game after a long lay-off.

They have had a lot of big improvers. Nick Dal Santo was dropped last year and now he's a Brownlow Medal contender. Luke Ball is finally over his injury woes, Leigh Montagna has taken his game to a new level. Likewise ruckmen Stephen King and Michael Gardiner.

On top of that,Nick Riewoldt is in career-best form, kicking four goals or more four weeks in a row, and Lenny Hayes is also in red hot form. It all points to a fairytale Cats v Saints clash in Round 14.

________________________________--
definitely written for the one paper.. regional bias....

[Spinner]

Stick to playing football.


I love his reasoning....Not a premiership contender but 'much better than that side that had a 13-9 win/loss record' and making the prelim...


Lynch played in four gf.....does he not remember how the final system works?

[sankilda]

he just needs some steroids. give the man some MORE 'ROIDS!

[saintspremiers]

Hey dipstick Lynchy - so we are not a flag "contender"......well who the fork is apart from Geelong?

Can't we have more than one contender per year?

Dipstick.

[sankilda]

the media just want to see geelong v all australian side. lynch has forever disgaced his record because of the 2004 GF. get out of the media and into bed

[plugger66]

If he wrote the same article after 10 wins in 2004 he would be an idiot then too but he would have been right in the end. Our record suggests it is an easy article to write but hopefully we can prove him wrong this year. Anyway a good artcle and he is entilted to opinion as is anyone.

[plugger66]

the media just want to see geelong v all australian side. lynch has forever disgaced his record because of the 2004 GF. get out of the media and into bed

I like your style. Get out of the media and into bed that is excellent.

[aussiejones]

Its an unanswerable question at the moment as we are nor at the grand final yet .True anything CAN happen but who else apart from Geelong are up there and firing?
He points to no area of weakness in the saints game .......so just wishful thinking that we will fail.

Its like the sceptics cant believe what is staring them in the face .........a GREAT Saints team.........they just dont like it at all.

[Teflon]

More than happy to not be rated by everyone I could care less.

Just keep winning - let Geelong have the ratings ......and the pressure to deliver in September.

[jonesy]

He's just bitter as he knows what his former side is going to be on the end of next sunday. Patfull broken jaw,Merret ankle,and Adcock did something to I think.
They'll have no backline,another trouncing awaits....

[rexy]

He's just bitter as he knows what his former side is going to be on the end of next sunday. Patfull broken jaw,Merret ankle,and Adcock did something to I think.
They'll have no backline,another trouncing awaits....

How bad Merret, another injury for my dream team. Need Goose to come back in to avoid more trades. Or Rance to have an amazing recovery?

[Beej]

Lynch and Leigh Colbert on Foxtel's coverage are just terrible.

Surely they can find a couple of ex-players who can string a sentence together...

[jonesy]

He's just bitter as he knows what his former side is going to be on the end of next sunday. Patfull broken jaw,Merret ankle,and Adcock did something to I think.
They'll have no backline,another trouncing awaits....

How bad Merret, another injury for my dream team. Need Goose to come back in to avoid more trades. Or Rance to have an amazing recovery?

Voss said Merret will come up for next week...have to wait and see

[evertonfc]

Lynch has an opinion. So do I.

He's not a bad person for having that opinion, neither am I.

Do I agree with him? No.

Do I love people talking us down? Yes.

[CURLY]

What relevance does it have how many games we won in 2004 to this season? Or any other season for that matter. The only season that has any bearing on the teams form is this one.

[bergholt]

the media just want to see geelong v all australian side. lynch has forever disgaced his record because of the 2004 GF. get out of the media and into bed

I like your style. Get out of the media and into bed that is excellent.

it's a crap article and he's not a great commentator, but don't attack him personally. otherwise he could start asking how many games of afl you played and that doesn't end well.

[Saint Bev]

"Jason Blake has not long cemented a regular spot"

This bloke is almost as thick as Gobby Lloyd

[falka]

I still don't understand the emotion of being personally agrieved when people don't tip us / rate us / etc. What does it all mean? Absolutely F*ck all. If everyone tips us and we lose, is that better than being written off and winning? Simple answer. No more of these posts please. Its irrelevant

[StSteven]

We have yet to prove that we can sustain it....so he has a point. The answer will not be known until the end of September.

[plugger66]

the media just want to see geelong v all australian side. lynch has forever disgaced his record because of the 2004 GF. get out of the media and into bed

I like your style. Get out of the media and into bed that is excellent.

it's a crap article and he's not a great commentator, but don't attack him personally. otherwise he could start asking how many games of afl you played and that doesn't end well.

Sorry you have lost me.

[InkerSaint]

An opinion doth not an article make.

His only supporting argument is the 2004 season performance. He then waffles on for over half of the remaining article to refute his own position!

Summary: "by any number of measures they are in red hot form but they've screwed up before so they'll do it again". Er, yeah. Thanks for playing Lynchy, but <pssshhht> [Stage trapdoor opens]

Crap article.

[stinger]

"Jason Blake has not long cemented a regular spot"

This bloke is almost as thick as Gobby Lloyd

that's what hit a raw nerve with me also.........

[Enrico_Misso]

I feel chronically fatigued just reading his cr@p.

[mordi]

Am annoyed that 2004 and 2005 are written off as failures by the media.

Ok, 2004 we had a slump, but had a difficult path to Prelim and miss out by a kick to eventual premiers! 2005 again super effort by developing team, lose to eventuals premiers in Prelim. Failure!!?? No way.

The success of 2009 is being built on the foundations built in 2004 and 2005, a core group of 10-15 players have now developed a great understanding, plenty of experience and now topped off with improved structure.

I know I am preaching to converted , but the idea that this is an overnight sensation is just plain wrong.