Geelong decimated Collingwood - We did not

[ralphsmith]

Ok it's probably a stupid comparison but i wonder why it happened. IT's fair to say collingwood pushed us but were no threat against the mighty steamrolling cats. Geelong are full strength, peaking at the right time.

Are we out of form only being saved by our champion Riewoldt each time?

Holy crap stkilda. Out of form now?! Is anyone else just closing their eyes and blocking their ears refusing to believe it? I have been a bit.

Many players were down against the dogs. Down and unsighted.

I hope the playes realise this is probably the last grand final they'll play in before the next generation of saints players reach their peaks in about 10 years.

Grand finals are so so hard to make as we've seen in recent years.

You have to look at it as a once in a life time chance.

We have to be fired up and working like that machine of destruction in the first half of the year. The tackling, the chasing, the intensity.

[matrix]

how about we have beaten geelong already this year

the games 50/50
as most GFs are

[LaUrEnCe]

Because the Pies had just played 'their match' last week against the Crows would've been a factor perhaps

[plugger66]

Im not sure we played the same side as the Cats so i am unsure how you can even compare performances.

[ralphsmith]

We did indeed beat them! Without Ottens and Johnson and we shocked them in the 1st quarter. Extremely unlikely we'll get off to such a start again.

Just want the warning out there to the saints players that the opportunity is out there. Once in your life... you have been placed on this earth for this occasion event. Remember the training, don't panic, cool and ferocious.

[Enrico_Misso]

The Pies were OK in the first half.

But after 1/2 time they were pathetic.
No pressure.
No tackles.
No chasing.

If they had dropped their intensity like that against us, we would have decimated them too.

[ralphsmith]

Because the Pies had just played 'their match' last week against the Crows would've been a factor perhaps

Hopefully a case of this + they just dropped everything in the second half.

[plugger66]

We did indeed beat them! Without Ottens and Johnson and we shocked them in the 1st quarter. Extremely unlikely we'll get off to such a start again.

Just want the warning out there to the saints players that the opportunity is out there. Once in your life... you have been placed on this earth for this occasion event. Remember the training, don't panic, cool and ferocious.

I'll give you a tip, the saints players arent reading your warning only supporters on here are.

[Mr Magic]

We did indeed beat them! Without Ottens and Johnson and we shocked them in the 1st quarter. Extremely unlikely we'll get off to such a start again.

Just want the warning out there to the saints players that the opportunity is out there. Once in your life... you have been placed on this earth for this occasion event. Remember the training, don't panic, cool and ferocious.

And we didn't have Steven King that day. Geelong seemed to get back in the match when Gardi rested and Big Ben took his turn in the ruck.

Ottens still sin't spending much time on the ball so we will actually be better off than last time in that area.

[Richter]

No doubt in my mind that we did not 'switch on' against the pies until after quarter time from having a few weeks of rest.

After Q time we beat the Pies by 72-36. i.e. we smashed them. Not much difference compared with the Cats is it really?

[saintsRrising]

Ok it's probably a stupid comparison but i wonder why it happened.

But we broke their spirit...

After we knocked them off their players would have known that they were not a real chance.

[Gabba]

We did indeed beat them! Without Ottens and Johnson and we shocked them in the 1st quarter. Extremely unlikely we'll get off to such a start again.

Just want the warning out there to the saints players that the opportunity is out there. Once in your life... you have been placed on this earth for this occasion event. Remember the training, don't panic, cool and ferocious.

And we didn't have Steven King that day. Geelong seemed to get back in the match when Gardi rested and Big Ben took his turn in the ruck.

Ottens still sin't spending much time on the ball so we will actually be better off than last time in that area.

Yep, King would have a pretty good idea about how their ruck tactics work...

[saint75]

You don't have to 'smash' a team to win a Grand Final. You only need to do it by 1 point.

Furthermore, I wouldn't read to much into the Collingwood game. They played in 30 degree heat last week and played out of their skins in the 2nd half to overcome the Crows. It was always going to be a struggle for them, especially considering their injury concerns.

Our boys are fit and will be firing on the weekend. Should be a cracker of a game!

[AnythingsPossibleSaints]

Whether mr Ralphsmith actually barracks for us or not, the heading of his thread is spot on. They won in a canter. I don't think we've been at our best since the Hawthorn game in Tassie and many of the side that played that day won't even be playing this week. We need to lift.
Geelong on the other hand, look to be hitting peak form and will possibly be fresher than us, given how easily they won last night. They also now have their best team for the year in.
We won by a goal earlier in the year, on our favourite ground. They didn't have Ottens, or S Johnson that day. They do now and they're probably both in their top 5 most important/valuable. Geelong have also been there the last 2 years, while most of our guys haven't, so they know what to expect and how to handle it.
Those who are getting too confident may need to bear these things in mind.
I stopped watching last night once it became obvious that Geelong were going to s*** it in, but before that, the most impressive thing about them was the ferocity they hit and tackled the Collingwood guys with. It reminded me of us, earlier in the year (like in the game in Tassie) and a bit against Collingwood in the first final. We need to get that back, big-time. Many are saying how s*** Collingwood were, but they weren't until the Geelong guys started hitting them like a wrecking ball.
Hopefully Geelong "played their Grand Final" last night, but if they didn't, we need to play MUCH better and have far more contributing quality than we did on Friday night.

[bigred]

Pies ran out of puff....like the weak dogs they are...

Third week of a finals campaign took its toll.

GF is definately 50/50.

[derby Street]

We did indeed beat them! Without Ottens and Johnson and we shocked them in the 1st quarter. Extremely unlikely we'll get off to such a start again.

Just want the warning out there to the saints players that the opportunity is out there. Once in your life... you have been placed on this earth for this occasion event. Remember the training, don't panic, cool and ferocious.

I'll give you a tip, the saints players arent reading your warning only supporters on here are.

100% correct Plugger .... And just as well they don't, not that they would take any notice

[InkerSaint]

Ok it's probably a stupid comparison but i wonder why it happened.

But we broke their spirit...

After we knocked them off their players would have known that they were not a real chance.

I don't know about that.

After coming back from behind against Adelaide they seemed to fancy themselves capable of anything.

Remember, last night's game had only an 11-point margin at half time. After Geelong got the jump on them with a quick couple of goals in the 3rd they lost morale, from there it was a rout. Season over 15 minutes before three-quarter time.

I'm not reading anything into it.

[AnythingsPossibleSaints]

We did indeed beat them! Without Ottens and Johnson and we shocked them in the 1st quarter. Extremely unlikely we'll get off to such a start again.

Just want the warning out there to the saints players that the opportunity is out there. Once in your life... you have been placed on this earth for this occasion event. Remember the training, don't panic, cool and ferocious.

I'll give you a tip, the saints players arent reading your warning only supporters on here are.

100% correct Plugger .... And just as well they don't, not that they would take any notice

Are you speaking for all of them? Do you know them all that well that you can tell exactly what and when they'll do everything they do?

[plugger66]

We did indeed beat them! Without Ottens and Johnson and we shocked them in the 1st quarter. Extremely unlikely we'll get off to such a start again.

Just want the warning out there to the saints players that the opportunity is out there. Once in your life... you have been placed on this earth for this occasion event. Remember the training, don't panic, cool and ferocious.

I'll give you a tip, the saints players arent reading your warning only supporters on here are.

100% correct Plugger .... And just as well they don't, not that they would take any notice

Are you speaking for all of them? Do you know them all that well that you can tell exactly what and when they'll do everything they do?

Most of them.

[Milan Faletic]

The Pies were OK in the first half.

But after 1/2 time they were pathetic.
No pressure.
No tackles.
No chasing.

If they had dropped their intensity like that against us, we would have decimated them too.

Spot on Enrico. They played a tough game last week in 30 degree heat. Our players have been focussed on this game all year. They know it is time to unleash. Our win against the Pies was far better than 28 points. We toyed with them. The Bulldogs were far better than the Pies this year. They pushed Geelong. Don't underestimate them.

[Milton66]

To say that we were poor is down-playing how good the Doggies are.

There were 3 real contenders this year, and we beat one of them on Friday night.

Doggies didn't get rolled by the Cats a few weeks ago, either.

They are the only othert team to have closed the gap on the top 2.

So let's not get carried away with these silly comparisons.

[stkfc1]

The Pies were OK in the first half.

But after 1/2 time they were pathetic.
No pressure.
No tackles.
No chasing.

If they had dropped their intensity like that against us, we would have decimated them too.

Spot on Enrico. They played a tough game last week in 30 degree heat. Our players have been focussed on this game all year. They know it is time to unleash. Our win against the Pies was far better than 28 points. We toyed with them. The Bulldogs were far better than the Pies this year. They pushed Geelong. Don't underestimate them.

MAKE NO MISTAKE Geelong struggle under consistent pressure, especially in their back half.Watched replay of last night Collingwood put the clamps on them late in second quarter and they struggled to hit targets, fumbled handballs and were going backwards.After halftime Collingwood should have gone home. We are capable to apply this type of pressure for 4 quarters. We simply must be ready for their backdoor handpasses, that is the key to their clearences and always have someone on the receivers hammer.The Doggies have outplayed Geelong twice this year by doing exactly this and could've/should've won both games.Doggies had plenty of players having shockers againts the Cats in first final.I think everyone agrees Doggies played their best game of the year against us.Mini, Milne and Schniderman MUST apply the forward pressure we have become famous for.If these 3 can kick at least 5 between them we win IMO.Milne has to be front and centre on our talls when ball comes in. This aspect of our game has gone missing in the last 4-5 games.Our bookends are better than theirs. Their midfield has slight advantage, maybe, BUT our rucks even that out IMO.King will be will be worth his weight in gold in this situation.The last time we played, Cats only got into game when McE was rucking. Only change I can forsee is Dempster in for Eddy.Max,Gwilt and Armo outside roughies.GO SAINTS!

[Milton66]

The Pies were OK in the first half.

But after 1/2 time they were pathetic.
No pressure.
No tackles.
No chasing.

If they had dropped their intensity like that against us, we would have decimated them too.

Spot on Enrico. They played a tough game last week in 30 degree heat. Our players have been focussed on this game all year. They know it is time to unleash. Our win against the Pies was far better than 28 points. We toyed with them. The Bulldogs were far better than the Pies this year. They pushed Geelong. Don't underestimate them.

MAKE NO MISTAKE Geelong struggle under consistent pressure, especially in their back half.Watched replay of last night Collingwood put the clamps on them late in second quarter and they struggled to hit targets, fumbled handballs and were going backwards.After halftime Collingwood should have gone home. We are capable to apply this type of pressure for 4 quarters. We simply must be ready for their backdoor handpasses, that is the key to their clearences and always have someone on the receivers hammer.The Doggies have outplayed Geelong twice this year by doing exactly this and could've/should've won both games.Doggies had plenty of players having shockers againts the Cats in first final.I think everyone agrees Doggies played their best game of the year against us.Mini, Milne and Schniderman MUST apply the forward pressure we have become famous for.If these 3 can kick at least 5 between them we win IMO.Milne has to be front and centre on our talls when ball comes in. This aspect of our game has gone missing in the last 4-5 games.Our bookends are better than theirs. Their midfield has slight advantage, maybe, BUT our rucks even that out IMO.King will be will be worth his weight in gold in this situation.The last time we played, Cats only got into game when McE was rucking. Only change I can forsee is Dempster in for Eddy.Max,Gwilt and Armo outside roughies.GO SAINTS!

Very well said... except for the lack of paragraphs.

[python]

This side plays close, the difficulties opponents have in scoring means that a 28 point win like we had over collingwood is like a 10 goal win for other sides. We smashed collingwood all over the ground and they got lucky goals in the last three quarters. They werent in the contest after half time, wouldnt read too much into last nights results.

[bozza1980]

I hope the playes realise this is probably the last grand final they'll play in before the next generation of saints players reach their peaks in about 10 years.

Probably is a rough call, our core group are just hitting their peak, this isn't the end as much as it is the middle of that peak.

You have to look at it as a once in a life time chance.

This is more accurate, no matter how good this group may be, this could be the last time we have this opportunity, they are bloody hard to get to but I wouldn't discount this group from contending again after they win on Saturday.