We're Even

[Leo.J]

IMO we're fast becoming a very good team.

We are displaying a real eveness, not seen at the Saints in a long time.

In the past for us to win our stars had to dominate, now we are winning and winning well with an even spread.

No real stand out stars...

[PJ]

Agree about the present balance. Seems like we have plenty of contributors. Finally we have a functioning forward line thanks to the attacking game style.

[Quixote]

Agreed - much more even spread.

Add to this our at times super-quick ball movement, pressure and constant want to play on and you've got a significantly different side to the 2011 Saints.

[saintly]

I think becuse the kids are new, that there will be ups and downs. Probably a lack of consistancy maybe a downfall this year. But we will improve.

[SainterK]

However none of them a truly kids?

Probably a bit more maturity about them, may be able to handle it better?

Stanley, Steven, Milera, Saad.....all in their twenties aren't they?

I love the word even when it's used to describe a footy team, when you find it hard to limit your votes to 5 players, rather than try to think of 5.

Even applies to our goal contributors, pretty sure any time we've had 10+ this year we've won, less we've lost?

[Dave McNamara]

I think because the kids are new, that there will be ups and downs. Probably a lack of consistancy maybe a downfall this year. But we will improve.

Hi Saintly, what an excellent post IMHO!

I too suspect we will have some ups n' downs for this reason... it's just the way of things. I'm hopeful that the St Kilda faithful will understand this and be patient - c/f going into meltdown. Will be well worth it I reckon.

[jays]

looking good

[Superboot]

Eddy, Mini, and Peake (and maybe a few other former regulars) wouldn't (or can't) get into this team.

It's a very good sign.

I'm sure we'll fit Schneiderman in, but it's not certain how. Also a good sign.

And we have Ben, Chips, and Stanley to come back.

[Leo.J]

I think because the kids are new, that there will be ups and downs. Probably a lack of consistancy maybe a downfall this year. But we will improve.

Hi Saintly, what an excellent post IMHO!

I too suspect we will have some ups n' downs for this reason... it's just the way of things. I'm hopeful that the St Kilda faithful will understand this and be patient - c/f going into meltdown. Will be well worth it I reckon.

I think we will have less ups and downs as the season goes on, provided we don't get a bad run of injuries.

We have a mature list with a small reliance on kids.

The reliance we have on our kids is purely to hold down a position and compete, which is what everyone young and old are doing.

As far as Milera and Saad are concerned, I think we'll see a more consistent debut season being that they are mature age recruits

IMO our main problem regarding consistency is getting the new game plan right consistently...

And large part of that is intensity, and conversion.

David Armitage
Jason Blake
Jamie Cripps
Nick Dal Santo
Sean Dempster
Jarryn Geary
Sam Gilbert
Brendon Goddard
Jason Gram
James Gwilt
Lenny Hayes
Clinton Jones
Justin Koschitzke
Terry Milera
Stephen Milne
Leigh Montagna
Farren Ray
Nick Riewoldt
Ahmed Saad
Tom Simpkin
Arryn Siposs
Jack Steven

And add to that...

MacEvoy
Fisher
Stanley
Schneider

Thats a pretty mature list really, with alot of finals experience.

Yet our older stars aren't as dominant as in the past, but are competing well.
Our middle aged players appear to have improved a bit and are competing well also.
And so our younger guys.

For me the improvement of our middle to younger aged players has been big in balancing up our side making us harder to stop

This has flown under the radar a bit.

Everyone used to say how Ross got the best out of our middle of the road players, but the funny thing is, that imo just about all of them have improved this year compared to last.

For us to win under Ross our guns had to perform, if they didn't we'd struggle.

This year they still have to play well, but they don't have to dominate.

As I said we're an even side atm...

Hows the saying go, a champion team will beat a team of champions.

I think this could be us this year if all goes right... well a very good team at least.

[Johnny Member]

Spot on I reckon Leo.

[The Redeemer]

Eddy, Mini, and Peake (and maybe a few other former regulars) wouldn't (or can't) get into this team.

It's a very good sign.

I'm sure we'll fit Schneiderman in, but it's not certain how. Also a good sign.

And we have Ben, Chips, and Stanley to come back.

players get injured at various parts of the year so give and take a few returning and probably some getting injured with some other omissions.

let's not get carried away with our performances although our start under a new coach has been good. we should be 6-3 considering that garbage loss to port however.

[Leo.J]

Spot on I reckon Leo.

Thanks JM.

If I am right it's going to be an enjoyable year.

Unlike the last few even despite the previous success.

There's something about kicking lots of goals thats good for the soul.

It's like being regular, it puts a bit of a spring in your step.

Over the past few years I feel like I've been constipated while watching the Saints.

Even though we won more often than not, I still felt unsatisfied.

As Mark Twain once said, “Nothing is so overrated as sex and so underrated as a good bowel movement”.

While winning is winning it is somewhat overated if you don't kick a few goals...


Btw I don't agree with the first part of Twain's quote.

[Superboot]

Eddy, Mini, and Peake (and maybe a few other former regulars) wouldn't (or can't) get into this team.

It's a very good sign.

I'm sure we'll fit Schneiderman in, but it's not certain how. Also a good sign.

And we have Ben, Chips, and Stanley to come back.

players get injured at various parts of the year so give and take a few returning and probably some getting injured with some other omissions.

let's not get carried away with our performances although our start under a new coach has been good. we should be 6-3 considering that garbage loss to port however.

Correct about not getting carried away, but this group has a good feel about them.

Another way of saying that we are more even is to note that our 'bottom six' is now stronger than it was, maybe even than in Grand Final years.

[Johnny Member]

We just need to tighten up our defence and we'll be looking very good. We concede too many points right now. We need to be in the top 4 for Least Points Against before we can really take ourselves seriously I think.

[Leo.J]

Eddy, Mini, and Peake (and maybe a few other former regulars) wouldn't (or can't) get into this team.

It's a very good sign.

I'm sure we'll fit Schneiderman in, but it's not certain how. Also a good sign.

And we have Ben, Chips, and Stanley to come back.

players get injured at various parts of the year so give and take a few returning and probably some getting injured with some other omissions.

let's not get carried away with our performances although our start under a new coach has been good. we should be 6-3 considering that garbage loss to port however.

Being 5-4 works for me atm... 6-3 would be better.

That said it is giving us an opportunity to fly under the radar while gettimg our game up and running without too much scrutiny.

If we're the real deal we still have a good chance of finishing top4.

[Leo.J]

We just need to tighten up our defence and we'll be looking very good. We concede too many points right now. We need to be in the top 4 for Least Points Against before we can really take ourselves seriously I think.

If Fisher comes back in, and Gwilt gets back to pre knee form, that may happen sooner rather than later.

[Zed]

I love the new game style from Scotty Watters. It may be an even team - but we still are heavily reliant on our big guns. If we can be in striking distance of the top 4 in the last half of the season, can stay injury free and are playing good footy leading up to the finals then we could surprise a lot of people.

Ive got no doubt the big names have all got 1 big finals campaign left in them. The only one who wont be able to reproduce 2009/10 form is Reiwoldt - but as long as he competes and brings others into the game then thats ok.

Concerns:
(1) even with a full list, the defence is probably 1 class player short.
(2) Kicking skills & turnovers - weve done this topic to death

Positives:
(1) more likely to take the game on and create opportunities
(2) better spread of goal kickers & all our small forwards are goal kickers. Scoreboard pressure beats "frontal" pressure anyday

[Leo.J]

Dempster, Simpkin, Gwilt
Gilbert, Fisher, Geary and Gram.

Thats not to bad imo.

Dempster, Fisher, and Gwilt are pretty dam good.

Gilbert and Gram both have been and are potentially good.

Imo they are down on confidence, and they've had their distractions off field which doesn't help.

Hopefully thats behind them and they can get back to their 09 form.

And at the rate he's going Simpkin will be a gun.

[SainterK]

We just need to tighten up our defence and we'll be looking very good. We concede too many points right now. We need to be in the top 4 for Least Points Against before we can really take ourselves seriously I think.

If Fisher comes back in, and Gwilt gets back to pre knee form, that may happen sooner rather than later.

Yep.

Fisher is such a good reader of the play.

Chops of a lot of the incoming entries.

He comes back, we settle down again I reckon.