Doomsdayers, Naysayers, Worry Warts, The Sky is falling...

[Moorabbin Man]

I simply cannot believe the negativity, there was actually a lot to like about last night and the pre season so far. We were nowhere near full intensity and let's remember the conditions. By a lot to like I mean:

* Love Jamie Cripps across half back.

* Young Tom Ledger impresses.

* If Rhys Stanley can show more condfidence (there were a couple of occasions when he should have arched his back instead of doing the safe thing) he will bloom.

* There were ominously good signs from Kosi.

* There is a bit to like about Tom Simpkin.

* And I'll call it now, Arryn Siposs is a sublime genius!

Overall our speed and footskills are better and I like where Watters is going with the game plan.

We will know a lot more by about Round 7, however there is no immediate cause for concern and a bit to be excited about.

[yipper]

[True. Hmmmm - tough one... Mick Maltshake played in 1 flag, coached 3 flags been a pretty decent old coach over the years. Mr Jake Niall - 0 flags at AFL level, 0 games AFL level, and played footy for Manangatang 3rds was it???? dunno - but personally will go with the views of a bloke who has been around the odd AFL flag over the years.[/quote]
Why would you even care who thinks what?[/quote]

Err...same to you. Why have you responded to this??

[clarky449]

[True. Hmmmm - tough one... Mick Maltshake played in 1 flag, coached 3 flags been a pretty decent old coach over the years. Mr Jake Niall - 0 flags at AFL level, 0 games AFL level, and played footy for Manangatang 3rds was it???? dunno - but personally will go with the views of a bloke who has been around the odd AFL flag over the years.

Why would you even care who thinks what?[/quote]

Err...same to you. Why have you responded to this??[/quote]
Because i wanted to tell you that. Does it mean i care, No

[Saint_in_SA]

We will finish between 11th and 13th IMHO. Too many clubs have spent longer developing and exposing younger players over the past few years. As other's have pointed out, our guns are a year older and our juniors aren't as developed as other clubs that have now passed us.
We need sharp improvement from the bottom end of our list which won't happen this year. This is in part due to a massive turnover of players for this season, as well as a new coaching/management personnel structure which I believe will bear fruit over the next 3-5 years. We should embrace the new structures of the club which Pelchen and Watters are driving as this will be the cornerstone of our future in the AFL. We are finally looking at developing the talent of our entire list as a single unit rather than focussing on our top 25-26 that consistently play in the ones.
Having said that, I still believe we will show patches of what is in store for the future and surprise a few of the top teams with upset victories against the odds. We will be a bottom eight side that all teams will worry about as you would when you are trying to combat guns such as Joey, Godz, Lenny and Dal.
Would love to be proved wrong for 2012 - please prove me wrong lads!

[Con Gorozidis]

To me the big 6 for the future are cripps/winmar/siposs/ledger/simpkin/stanley. id be pumping plenty of games in to those 6.

i really hope jack steven wasnt trying btcause hes had a shocker of a pre-season. last year he was our clearance king. hope he comes back to form for 2012.

[plugger66]

To me the big 6 for the future are cripps/winmar/siposs/ledger/simpkin/stanley. id be pumping plenty of games in to those 6.

i really hope jack steven wasnt trying btcause hes had a shocker of a pre-season. last year he was our clearance king. hope he comes back to form for 2012.

Wasnt he our best in the one of the two games he played? Just a little overaction I would think or some short term memory loss.

[defacto]

I thought winmar did a couple of ok things but he's still a long way off. Needs to bulk gets thrown around like a rag doll

[Con Gorozidis]

I thought winmar did a couple of ok things but he's still a long way off. Needs to bulk gets thrown around like a rag doll

agree. but seems to have the basics. can run and kick and spoil and tackle. nice size. decent courage. just some bulk and strength and confidence and hes there.

[magnifisaint]

what's a worry wart.

Is it the same as a hogwart?

[mr six o'clock]

[quote="magnifisaint"]what's a worry wart.

Is it the same as a hogwart?[/quote

someone who thinks of the worst outcome on a issue

e.g. indifferent form in the preseason means we're not going to win a game all year !
geez Carlton are in trouble then

[Pwoit]

Geez I didn't think this thread would be so constructive

[3rd generation saint]

From my viewpoint, we played like a team that was just having match practice, West Coast played like a team that wanted to win.
We played like a team that really didn't want to play in the heat, WC have trained in it all summer.
However, despite saying that, it still worries me that our scoring efficiency still looks poor, we can't seem to take a mark in the forward 50, and we didn't clear anywhere near the effiency of West Coast.
It was good to see Stanley compete, something he didn't do last year, and also back his pace in some instances, perhaps Scott Watters has instilled a little confidence in him with a bit of encouragement. Sipposs looked all class when he got the ball and will improve with more experience as will Ledger and Cripps.
I believe round 1 is going to be real important for this side, a big win will give them heaps of confidence, if they just fall over the line in a dull low scoring affair, or worse lose, it may just give the side the mentality that it is more of last year.

[matrix]

port will flogg us if in round one if we play that shite again

[ralphsmith]

Early days...

[Teflon]

Agree Matrix - good draw or not of this side don't grasp the Watters game style fast.... We'll drop a few that on paper you would say we'd win..

[SaintPav]

Agree Matrix - good draw or not of this side don't grasp the Watters game style fast.... We'll drop a few that on paper you would say we'd win..

Port game is only a 50 50 game.

[Dr Spaceman]

Agree Matrix - good draw or not of this side don't grasp the Watters game style fast.... We'll drop a few that on paper you would say we'd win..

Port game is only a 50 50 game.

And it would be even if Lyon was still in charge and Ball, Dawson, Lynch and Walsh were still on the list.

[samoht]

We would have probably missed the finals if RL was still coaching us this year... we were starting to go backwards.

So I hope Watters does a complete 180 degrees from RL and unlike him looks to the future and plays, nurtures, respects,encourages and develops as many of the quick, skilled kids as possible.

RL was looking for the quick fix .. SW can look for the quick kids.

[matrix]

Agree Matrix - good draw or not of this side don't grasp the Watters game style fast.... We'll drop a few that on paper you would say we'd win..

yup
worried about it taking 10 or so rounds to kick in


yeah its the nab
so and so beat so and so and these guys beat so and so
agreed, its the nab cup for christ sake
but tbh i didnt see a huge change in the way we played
still not enough run and link for me
but early days
11 or so to go until the real deal starts

[Old Mate]

What I notice about the NAB is that the pro's go half arsed. Riewoldt, Dal, Monty, Goddard and co. are just easing into things and will improve by 50% come round 1 IMO. Of course a few of the youngsters are looking to impress so they would be playing at close to 100% IMO. Of course most clubs and players have this same philosophy however I reckon some are trying s bit harder ie. Crows and Tigers. Teams like Geelong and the Blues couldn't give a rats. Roos when coaching the Swans came out publicly and said he couldn't give a rats about the NAB Cup.

[Teflon]

Agree Matrix - good draw or not of this side don't grasp the Watters game style fast.... We'll drop a few that on paper you would say we'd win..

Port game is only a 50 50 game.

And it would be even if Lyon was still in charge and Ball, Dawson, Lynch and Walsh were still on the list.

If Port is 50/50.... then this seasons gonna disappoint many on this Board who are suggesting we'll climb back to top 4.....

If we can't dispose of a lowly Port... good luck against a rampant Hawks/Pies etc later...

[Dr Spaceman]

If Port is 50/50.... then this seasons gonna disappoint many on this Board who are suggesting we'll climb back to top 4.....

If we can't dispose of a lowly Port... good luck against a rampant Hawks/Pies etc later...

Fair call.

However Port in Adelaide has always been a difficult game for the Saints regardless of how both sides are traveling at the time.

[magnifisaint]

I think I've discovered a worry wart on my arse.

How do I remove it?

[Dr Spaceman]

I think I've discovered a worry wart on my arse.

How do I remove it?

You'll need a mirror for starters

[SainterK]

Agree Matrix - good draw or not of this side don't grasp the Watters game style fast.... We'll drop a few that on paper you would say we'd win..

yup
worried about it taking 10 or so rounds to kick in


yeah its the nab
so and so beat so and so and these guys beat so and so
agreed, its the nab cup for christ sake
but tbh i didnt see a huge change in the way we played
still not enough run and link for me
but early days
11 or so to go until the real deal starts

I heard (correct me if I'm wrong) but that first game v the Swans a couple of weeks back, Saints played on at an AFL record pace?

Perhaps WCE game saw them trying to balance it out a bit, and they went too far the other way?

That would indicate though, that things are changing.