The NINE factors in our temporary decline

[Enrico_Misso]

What has gone wrong and can it be fixed?

1) Our Game Plan
Worked a treat in 2009 when we were easily the best H&A side and only lost three games for the year, all by close margins (unfortunately one was the one that mattered).
By 2010 Collingwood had refined the plan.
By 2011 most sides now have figured it out.
Solution - Ross needs to put his innovative hat on again and at least tweak the plan to make us competitive in the new world or build a new plan that will put us ahead of the curve again.

2) Our bottom dozen.
Our top three players are superstars - all in the top 10 in the competition.
Then we have a core of stars like Joey, Dal, Fisher, Gardiner, Gilbert.
Then a group of good players like Gram, Schneider, Kosi, Gwilt, Milne.
Then some disciplined stalwarts who can play specific roles well but will struggle when exposed to a one on one contest.
Players like Jones, Dawson, Baker, Ray, Dempster, Blake, Stanley, Armitage, McEvoy, McQualter.
But beyond that it drops off alarmingly to Peake, Gamble, Clarke who always let us down under pressure.
And a further group of up and comers who haven't set the world on fire.
You can argue about who should be in each group, but the fundamental point is that our top dozen are very very good, as good as any other top dozen.
But beyond that we are pretty ordinary, worse than most other clubs.

Those ordinary players were "hidden" by a game plan that defined specific roles for them which they were able to execute.
Now that the strength of the game plan has been eroded those players are exposed.
Solution - need to bring in some fresh blood, recruit a lot better, and/or tweak the gameplan to "hide" them.

3) Stress
Being up and about since 2004 with 5 Prelims and those matches we don't speak about must create an anguish.
The prospect of reclimbing the mountain yet again must become a major mental hurdle.
Solution - if we can get our season somewhat back on track then the scent of the finals should kick in around August.
Some psychology sessions might help as well.

4) Ageing
We now have a fairly old list.
In theory we should have a list that is playing at it's peak.
But that top dozen are unlikely to improve.
Solution - We need to capitalise soon before they start dropping away physically.

5) Media Scrutiny
Finding ourselves on the front and back page of the papers, particularly the Heraldscum almost continuously over the summer, being linked to incidents and the lies of Miss Sl#tty that mostly had nothing to do with the club, and where they did was not due to any fault of the players (with the exception of the minor NZ breaches of team rules).
This has created a siege mentality as evidenced by Nick's comments at the AGM.
It must also be another mental burden on the team.
Solution - hopefully now that the season has started and Miss Sl#tty's character has been exposed the scrutiny will drop away.
Though there is the danger she will re-emerge, as will Ricky, and the Lovett trial is scheduled for June/July.

6) Fitness
After the latest finals heartbreak the players were given their usual end of season break to recover despite the extended season with the draw.
The problem is that sides like Essendon and Richmond started training 5 or 6 weeks before we did.
Even Collingwood resumed two weeks before us.
The hope was that the break would freshen the players up mentally, and we would be good enough to win early games while our fitness levels caught up.
It nearly worked as we should have won against Geel and Rich but it certainly contributed to the Ess loss.
Solution - as each week goes by we will make up that fitness gap

7) Seaford
Yes the facilities sound good but you can imagine that not many people would want to commute there each day.
Solution - A mistake that we now have to live with.

8) New Assistants
A total turnover in assistant coaches also has to be a disruption.
Unlikely they are all preaching the same sermon yet.
Solution - will improve over time

9) Bad luck and Lenny
Yes with an ounce of luck we could have had both flags.
That is now the past.
But this season with an ounce of luck we should have beaten Geelong (the Blake pass!) which would have been a really impressive scalp, and we should have beaten Richmond (numerous misses, the Raph mark etc.).
Then Lenny goes down for the season.
Had we won those two games the media would be saying a nice workmanlike start to the season for StKilda as they start to build a platform for the finals.
Instead those three points lead to gloom and doom stories which combined with Lenny I think has spooked the players.
The Essendon game wasn't Saints footy.
Solution - the Bye is a godsend. The problems are much more mental than physical.
A break and a win against Brisbane will help to right the ship.


So lots and lots of reasons why.
When you think of all of them it is no wonder we are struggling.
In fact it is a tribute to the players' character that we did so well against Geelong despite all the offsetting factors.

And it also means there is plenty of upside as we work to improve/restore each of those deficiencies.
The 2011 campaign is far from over.

Fortius!

[Fidelis]

A thoughtful post and worthy of discussion.

On the gameplan. My view is that at the end of last season, there were encouraging signs coming from the coach about changing up the gameplan; there was a strong sense that others had gone past us. More attacking intent with the ball, longer kicking, more tall targets forward and the delisting of one role player were all signs that we were going to evolve.

Not much sign to my eye that a lot has changed with regard to these things so far.

My hope is that it's a personnel issue. When Kosi and (hopefully) Gardi return, we just may see some changes we've been working to implement over the summer.

Of course, as you point out, this is just one of many factors but I'm not without hope that the indicators might begin pointing in the right direction soon.

Fingers crossed.

[gringo]

I think our biggest problem so far this year is getting out of our fall back position. We go defensive when it isn't working. We will adjust but it is taking time, our forward line is just too static, getting some guys in who will play on when warranted would be a start. Kosi and Roo are good targets but that shouldn't mean we don't find other avenues. Will Johnson will help and a fitter Schnieder and Kosi should help. Gram, Schnides and Peake should be given licence to bomb and any forwards should be setting their zone as the ball goes into the square. We need some daring in attack, Collingwood do it and so does Essendon, just attack at break neck speed and back your ability to regain possession. You go over the zone and don't allow the set up to stifle your run. Richmond used it against us.

It's a myth that we have an ordinary bottom end, don't let discipline hide the talent a lot of these guys have. They are good enough to get to 2 GFs they aren't that bad. The game against Hawks in Tassie where a lot of the guys got let off the leash a little showed there is some talent there.

[Superboot]

Not the first poster to write off Gamble.

I didn't remember him at Geelong and was looking forward to seeing him play after positive reports from a few here, preseason. After having seen him three times, I have to say that if he is the answer I'd be interested to know what the question was.

[saintspremiers]

Seafood is a disaster already.

Imagine having to work in the middle of nowhere after working in Moorabbin which is only 10 minutes drive from Brighton Hampton and Sandy.

I'd be pissed off if I was a player.

Don't most people look at work location when choosing a job???

Die Topsy Die!

[Dr Spaceman]

Seafood is a disaster already.

Imagine having to work in the middle of nowhere after working in Moorabbin which is only 10 minutes drive from Brighton Hampton and Sandy.

I'd be pissed off if I was a player.

Don't most people look at work location when choosing a job???

Die Topsy Die!

Not an issue, and if it is, it shouldn't be.

A 10 minute drive from Seaford, either North or South, will get you to some fairly nice spots.

[SaintPav]

Seafood is a disaster already.

Imagine having to work in the middle of nowhere after working in Moorabbin which is only 10 minutes drive from Brighton Hampton and Sandy.

I'd be pissed off if I was a player.

Don't most people look at work location when choosing a job???

Die Topsy Die!

Not an issue, and if it is, it shouldn't be.

A 10 minute drive from Seaford, either North or South, will get you to some fairly nice spots.

Can anyone please provide some evidence that Seaford was a bad move.

[SainterK]

Don't most people look at work location when choosing a job???

Yes, but how come that never seems to apply to the state of Moorabbin?

[AlpineStars]

Poor Trading, either by bad decisions or bad luck? Why we gave away Luke Ball for nothing to a team we were going to be competing with over the next couple of years is beyond me. Lovett why go after a guy with so many character flaws, Polo, Patterson couldn't get a run with the Tigers?

[matrix]

this driving out to seaford thing

is it really that bad a drive?
i mean has it added an half and hr? an hr to players drives?
are they all driving kingswoods with bench seats??

do they not have physios and masseuse there everyday if they wish anyway?

used to drive an hr EVERY week as a minimum for footy, play B's then sit on the bench for A's sometimes and if you were lucky you could squeeze in for a rub down pre game

toughen up fairies

[eppo67]

this driving out to seaford thing

is it really that bad a drive?
i mean has it added an half and hr? an hr to players drives?
are they all driving kingswoods with bench seats??

do they not have physios and masseuse there everyday if they wish anyway?

used to drive an hr EVERY week as a minimum for footy, play B's then sit on the bench for A's sometimes and if you were lucky you could squeeze in for a rub down pre game

toughen up fairies

+1 if this is an issue these boys need to get some sand & water & join the real world FFS. I think they will get used to it very soon and will in time enjoy being bit further away and embrace the area.

[Junction Oval]

A long term Geelong supporter pal of mine said that Gamble would never be more than a VFL player. A wasted pick he said.

Who/how was it decided by the "professionals" at St Kilda, that we should recruit him? Surely there were other options available

[matrix]

gamble at pick 90 and polo at pick 103 didnt cost us squat
there was nothing left....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_AFL_Draft

[Go Sainters Go]

Seafood is a disaster already.

Imagine having to work in the middle of nowhere after working in Moorabbin which is only 10 minutes drive from Brighton Hampton and Sandy.

I'd be pissed off if I was a player.

Don't most people look at work location when choosing a job???

Die Topsy Die!

What a load of "coddswallop". LHC is 30 to 35 mins from Brighton and will be even less when new freeway is completed. It's 15 mins from Beaumaris, Mentone etc.
Full marks to the Club to have the foresite to establish an upmarket base in an area surrounded by it's supporter base that will eventually be easy to access with all the best in facilities - I'd be surprised if the players don't think it's fantastic right now.

[desertsaint]

you've deliberately omitted any mention of the blood curse wrought on us by the nigerian witchdoctor that hawthorn flew over, all expenses paid, in september 1971.

[matrix]

i actually googled that

just to make sure it wasnt true

with the run we've had since 71 i thought there was a decent chance that it was a dinkum rumor

[Cairnsman]

Seafood is a disaster already.

Imagine having to work in the middle of nowhere after working in Moorabbin which is only 10 minutes drive from Brighton Hampton and Sandy.

I'd be pissed off if I was a player.

Don't most people look at work location when choosing a job???

Die Topsy Die!

Not an issue, and if it is, it shouldn't be.

A 10 minute drive from Seaford, either North or South, will get you to some fairly nice spots.

The problem would be more about change than geography. People are creatures of habit and resist change especially in organizations that have long term employees. You only have to move the water fountain in some companies to elicit a strong reaction. There doesn’t have to be reason to hate change.

Unfortunately the only way the club is going to overcome it is by waiting for the next generation to arrive who don’t know any difference. The club is in rebuild mode on so many fronts.

[plugger66]

Seafood is a disaster already.

Imagine having to work in the middle of nowhere after working in Moorabbin which is only 10 minutes drive from Brighton Hampton and Sandy.

I'd be pissed off if I was a player.

Don't most people look at work location when choosing a job???

Die Topsy Die!

Doesnt seem to worry a few guys that I spoke to yesterday. Mind you they had nothing to do with footy but they still werent worried.

[spert]

The move from The Junction Oval to Moorabbin in the mid 60s saw us lose the GF to Essendon and win the next year againt the Woods

[Saint Bev]

I refuse to believe Seaford is a problem. If driving an extra what, 15/20 minutes is a problem to have better facilities, we have a bigger problem than we thought.

[Cairnsman]

I refuse to believe Seaford is a problem. If driving an extra what, 15/20 minutes is a problem to have better facilities, we have a bigger problem than we thought.

The fact that it may only be an extra 15 minute drive is simplifying it too much.
If you change the position of somebody’s desk because management believe they have a more productive floor plan then you may have complete uproar. You can further exacerbate the situation by giving a staff member a faster computer yet that staff member loves the way their current computer works and has a complete melt down. Change, it can really upset some people. That’s why change management consultants are fed oxygen.

[eppo67]

Seafood is a disaster already.

Imagine having to work in the middle of nowhere after working in Moorabbin which is only 10 minutes drive from Brighton Hampton and Sandy.

I'd be pissed off if I was a player.

Don't most people look at work location when choosing a job???

Die Topsy Die!

What a load of "coddswallop". LHC is 30 to 35 mins from Brighton and will be even less when new freeway is completed. It's 15 mins from Beaumaris, Mentone etc.
Full marks to the Club to have the foresite to establish an upmarket base in an area surrounded by it's supporter base that will eventually be easy to access with all the best in facilities - I'd be surprised if the players don't think it's fantastic right now.

+1 I was thinking this exact idea today. I thought what are they talking about its about 10 mins from the whole Mordialloc to Beaumaris strip along Beach Rd. which is my favorite part of Melbourne. FFS you would think they have moved to out back of Laverton the way some on here are carrying on.

[PJ]

Seafood is a disaster already.

Imagine having to work in the middle of nowhere after working in Moorabbin which is only 10 minutes drive from Brighton Hampton and Sandy.

I'd be pissed off if I was a player.

Don't most people look at work location when choosing a job???

Die Topsy Die!
_________________
"If you want to get a kick and an uncontested mark, play against the Saints"

Shouldn't be the problem in fact the better the location the more the distractions. The bleaker and uglier the location the more honed the focus should be. Princesses and show ponies out.