Did we already lose the Qualifying Final?

[One Eyed Saint]

You would have thought so by the media commentators views on tonights football shows, taking about who the saints will play next week. (BS)

It's one thing to jump on the bandwagon of geelong (like every other fair weather supporter), but it's another thing to underestimate the Saints in 2010.

Make no mistake we will see 100% effort, 100% intensity and 100% determination from the Saints on Friday night.

Look out Geelong we are coming to get you....

Go Saints!!

[Teflon]

Noticed that but in reality the Cats are the form side out of us both.

Im happy to be talked down......as long as we can flick the switch...

[SainterK]

It's so hard to tell form from week to week this year though, had we been playing WCE at Etihad round 22....

Everyone knows my sentiments on flicking the switch

[#1GILL]

I am actually enjoying all this talk about Geelong.
Let them declare that the Grandfinal will be Cats and Pies, let them decide that Geelong has already won this week. It's fine by me. None of my mates gives us a chance, and I like it.

The media is just adding pressure to the Cats, meanwhile we are just going along, doing our thing.

I'm so excited for this match, I'm considering taking a day off school Friday and using sleeping pills to just sleep throughout the whole day, I'm thinking it's the only way I will survive it.

[saintsRrising]

Yes..and loving it..

Great to be the underdog.

[Teflon]

It's so hard to tell form from week to week this year though, had we been playing WCE at Etihad round 22....

Everyone knows my sentiments on flicking the switch

True followers of form dont take it week by week - they look at it as a trend across numerous weeks. Thats what form is.

I dont think its that hard to say Collingwood have been the form side of 2010.....

[True Blue Sainter]

You haven't heard?

We get smashed by 11 goals. Stevie J kicks 8.

[Moccha]

You haven't heard?

We get smashed by 11 goals. Stevie J kicks 8.

Can we win it from there?

[WinnersOnly]

We have to be realistic the Cats have been in far better form than us in recent times. I know we tend to play well against them but I am still very concerned about our lack of form.

IMO we still need another quality midfielder to support Hayes and co through the middle. Our backline with Dawson is suspect and if Reiwoldt cant kick straight we will be in trouble.

On current form you would have to think the Cats by a lot, but lets hope the Sainters can lift and show some of that desire adn game style they had last year !

[older saint]

Love the odds, money in the pocket. Let them tal the cats up as much as they like.Remember this we have beat all of the other top 4 teams this year as well as sydney freo twice and Draw Hawthorn.

Clearly our form is not like last year but enjoy the underdog status and if the printing press' have to run hot 11pm friday night with the new headline smile as the ale hits the lips knowing we have a week off.

[Beno88]

We have to be realistic the Cats have been in far better form than us in recent times. I know we tend to play well against them but I am still very concerned about our lack of form.

IMO we still need another quality midfielder to support Hayes and co through the middle. Our backline with Dawson is suspect and if Reiwoldt cant kick straight we will be in trouble.

On current form you would have to think the Cats by a lot, but lets hope the Sainters can lift and show some of that desire adn game style they had last year !

Is this a serious post?

Far better form? Their last 4 matches have resulted in three wins. So have ours.

Our lack of form? We kicked 100+ pts three weeks in a row for the first time since early last year, then last weekend we took the foot off the pedal in a nothing match. (mind you, Geelong also lost to Adelaide at AAMI only six weeks ago)

We need another quality mid to support Hayes and co? I assume "and co" is Dal Santo and Montagna. I think Clinton Jones tends to be pretty handy in there. Farren Ray is having an outstanding season. Schneider has been excellent through the guts. Goddard can now have a run on the ball with Dawson back. Peake has provided great run of late. The list goes on...

If Riewoldt can't kick straight we'll be in trouble? He didn't play last time we knocked them over. And had minimal impact in last years GF.

Dawson Suspect? I don't remember Mooney and Hawkins doing much in any of their battles with Zac.

[ralphsmith]

This saints team can switch on lethal form very quickly.

I would be very worried if i were a cats supporter. Coming up against the saints, motivated by the will to undo the wrongs of last year.

Give a professional unit such a driving force and it will be dangerous. I expect to see a level of intensity that will shock the s*** out of geelong.

[WinnersOnly]

Is this a serious post?

Far better form? Their last 4 matches have resulted in three wins. So have ours.

Our lack of form? We kicked 100+ pts three weeks in a row for the first time since early last year, then last weekend we took the foot off the pedal in a nothing match. (mind you, Geelong also lost to Adelaide at AAMI only six weeks ago)

We need another quality mid to support Hayes and co? I assume "and co" is Dal Santo and Montagna. I think Clinton Jones tends to be pretty handy in there. Farren Ray is having an outstanding season. Schneider has been excellent through the guts. Goddard can now have a run on the ball with Dawson back. Peake has provided great run of late. The list goes on...

If Riewoldt can't kick straight we'll be in trouble? He didn't play last time we knocked them over. And had minimal impact in last years GF.

Dawson Suspect? I don't remember Mooney and Hawkins doing much in any of their battles with Zac.

In the last 5 games we have won 3 of 5 and had our pants pulled down by Essendon & Adelaide. Geelong have lost 1 to Collingwood by 22 points.

When was the last time against good opposition Dal Santo had a stand out game equivalent of Ablett, Selwood or Chapman. I feel we need another quality onballer to match Geelongs.

Last time we played Geelong they didn't have Ottens, Kelly, Corey, or Hawkins I think that sort of evens things up.

Didn't Hakwins kick 3 against Dawson in a tight GF & how many others did Dawson give.

The other thing of note is that the SAINTS have never beaten Geelong in a finals game. That is the reality - but lets hope that changes.

So yes it is a realistic post !

[bergholt]

We need another quality mid to support Hayes and co? I assume "and co" is Dal Santo and Montagna. I think Clinton Jones tends to be pretty handy in there. Farren Ray is having an outstanding season. Schneider has been excellent through the guts. Goddard can now have a run on the ball with Dawson back. Peake has provided great run of late. The list goes on...

tell ya what, if i was a cats supporter i'd be laughing at the names you've put up there, goddard aside. (and you forgot gram.)

jones, ray, schneider, peake?

jones is a tagger as good as kelly or ling but no better. schneider is a forward/mid who i really rate, but who still isn't paul chapman. ray and peake rarely start in the centre square. ray's a half-back/wing, like a corey or enright. peake's a half-forward/wing, like a stokes or varcoe.

none of them are really quality mids, certainly not of the quality that geelong have. that doesn't mean we can't win, but don't go pretending to yourself that brett peake or farren ray is a superstar and will make the difference.

the difference will come from our two wildcards - goddard and gram. if the mids break even with geelong, and the half-back lines are about even as well - which is possible - then it will come down to goddard and gram's performances.

[spert]

Our midfield/ onballers really need to lift for the finals as they are getting possessions but not doing enough damage with them -they especially need get amongst the goals.

[Beno88]

In the last 5 games we have won 3 of 5 and had our pants pulled down by Essendon & Adelaide. Geelong have lost 1 to Collingwood by 22 points.

When was the last time against good opposition Dal Santo had a stand out game equivalent of Ablett, Selwood or Chapman. I feel we need another quality onballer to match Geelongs.

Last time we played Geelong they didn't have Ottens, Kelly, Corey, or Hawkins I think that sort of evens things up.

Didn't Hakwins kick 3 against Dawson in a tight GF & how many others did Dawson give.

So yes it is a realistic post so get your head head out of back side !

Tasteful finish there. So because I believe our team St.Kilda can beat Geelong, like they have two of the last three times, it means I have my head up my backside? That's an interesting take on belief. And disappointing from a fellow supporter.

Geelong and St.Kilda have both lost three games since the break, yes St.Kilda were embarrassed by Essendon, beaten easily (with the flu) by Collingwood and beaten by Adelaide in a game that should be considered as a dead rubber, however Geelong had their pants pulled down by ST.KILDA and also lost to Collingwood and Adelaide.

In regards to Dal, last time we played Geelong he had 31 touches (22 contested) and 7 tackles. Had outstanding matches vs Fremantle, Collingwood and the Bulldogs also. His big game performances this year have been great.

Last time we played Geelong they didn't have Chapman, Kelly, Corey or Ottens. We didn't have Riewoldt or Gram.

As for Hawkins in the Grand Final, the bloke had 8 touches, kicked 2 goals (one hit the post). Dawson made one mistake.

[saintlee]

I want to be wrong, but I think we're in trouble....Cats are in good form, we are not.

My hope is that we can turn it on now its finals...and we do have a pretty good recent record against them...but still, feeling very nervous about our chances...

[Beno88]

but don't go pretending to yourself that brett peake or farren ray is a superstar and will make the difference.

Where did I say Peake and Ray are superstars again?

They have both played some quality football over the last 6 weeks. They're not Selwood and Bartel, but they can easily match the cats second string mids AS THEY ALREADY HAVE ONCE THIS YEAR.

[35...LEGEND]

This saints team can switch on lethal form very quickly.

I would be very worried if i were a cats supporter. Coming up against the saints, motivated by the will to undo the wrongs of last year.

Give a professional unit such a driving force and it will be dangerous. I expect to see a level of intensity that will shock the s*** out of geelong.

THIS.

Said to my Bro yesterday......"I think we will see a level of attack on the ball and the man with the ball like we haven't seen this year".

To me it just feel's like the team have been waiting for the time unleash.

That time is Fri Night.

GO SAINTERS

[sainter#4]

i understand some of you are optimistic about our chances.

but lets face abit of reality here. WE HAVE NOT HAD ONE 4 QUARTER EFFORT IN 22 WEEKS OF THE H&A SEASON THIS YEAR.

our best effort was the 2nd half against geelong.but that was only 2 quarters, and im not taking anything away from the boys because it was a great effort.but I BELIEVE you just cant switch it on now because its September and that in reality we infact do look a peg behind the cats


not saying we cant win it all.just saying that i dont think we can show that 2009 - hunger, form,desire and that we really have been holding back waiting until now to shock the footy world.

but by god i hope im wrong...

[Iceman234]

Dunno about the TV shows, but I'm sick to death already of these pricks of Geelong supporters at work...

[4ever_saint]

I am just so glad the finals are finally here. Watching the Geelong/West Coast on the weekend, the amount of times the commentators offered throwaway comments like "Gary Ablett will definitely have to play in the midfield in the Grand Final against Collingwood" was infuriating. The entire football world has already decided it will be a Geelong/Collingwood Grand Final without the finals even being played.

Hopefully we can shatter that dream swiftly in the Qualifying Final

[AnythingsPossibleSaints]

i understand some of you are optimistic about our chances.

but lets face abit of reality here. WE HAVE NOT HAD ONE 4 QUARTER EFFORT IN 22 WEEKS OF THE H&A SEASON THIS YEAR.

That's what concerns me as well. It's easy enough to go out there all guns blazing and with high intensity and effort, etc, but to do it for a full 4 quarters in a row, in a final, is a whole other story. You surely need to build up to that sort of thing. Your body needs to get used to the intensity, etc, to be able to do it over 4 quarters.
Our guys seem to have been holding back all year, so it be interesting to see if they're able to just "flick the switch" AND keep it flicked for 4 quarters.

[Mr Magic]

Who says you have to do it for 4 quarters to win?
As long as you kick a higher score than your opponent, you win.

We've won games by 100 points this season.
We've won games by 60+ points this season.
We beat Geelong in R13 with a magnificent half of footy, plus a break-even first quarter.

Is it really realistic to expect any team to not relax (have a down period) during a finals game?

As long as we win, I don't care how many quarters of full intesity we have.

[FQF]

We need another quality mid to support Hayes and co? I assume "and co" is Dal Santo and Montagna. I think Clinton Jones tends to be pretty handy in there. Farren Ray is having an outstanding season. Schneider has been excellent through the guts. Goddard can now have a run on the ball with Dawson back. Peake has provided great run of late. The list goes on...

tell ya what, if i was a cats supporter i'd be laughing at the names you've put up there, goddard aside. (and you forgot gram.)

jones, ray, schneider, peake?

jones is a tagger as good as kelly or ling but no better. schneider is a forward/mid who i really rate, but who still isn't paul chapman. ray and peake rarely start in the centre square. ray's a half-back/wing, like a corey or enright. peake's a half-forward/wing, like a stokes or varcoe.

none of them are really quality mids, certainly not of the quality that geelong have. that doesn't mean we can't win, but don't go pretending to yourself that brett peake or farren ray is a superstar and will make the difference.

the difference will come from our two wildcards - goddard and gram. if the mids break even with geelong, and the half-back lines are about even as well - which is possible - then it will come down to goddard and gram's performances.

Lenny Goddard Dal and Joey are our top line midfielders, and CJ and Schneider can both make very valuable contribution.

I don't think Goddard is a wildcard, because he plays well every game. Wildcard is a nice word for those who have potential but rarely meet it.

We do have a definite advantage at stoppages with our rucks being better than theres. Mcevoy's second efforts especially the 1%'s gives us an edge once the ball hits the deck.

You have to take into account the fact that although CJ is no superstar, he has the ability to blanket one, and that is even more important.

Also, our forward line is better, and I would back our defense to beat their tall forwards.

If ANY of Roo Kosi or Milne have a standout game, I would say we are home.