Fair enough - its just the bulldogs but...

[OneEyedSainter77]

That was the most complete performance we have had for a while. It was a demolition against a side I previously didn';t think was that bad but after tonight I have to say, this is a terrible, terrible team. They made 67 clangers, 67!!!! That's insane. We weren't much better in that department having 59 ourselves but a lot of their clangers were direct result of our pressure. The amazing thing though is how efficient we were. We had ten percent better efficiency than them and that is why we not only won but absolutely smashed them.

Lots of things to like about tonight without even going into individual performances - Our new style of play is quick, attacking and direct - remionds me of - um, oh what's that team who also use that style of play, oh that's right - Collingwood (and I mean Collingwood circa 2010/11 not Collingwood now) We seem to be focusing more on kicking rather than handballing and are creating a contest. Roo took some terrific contested marks and Kosi chipped in with a few too.

We had a terrific spread of goalkickers - 11 in total.

I saw some terrific signs for our future. Rhys Stanley, Jack Steven, Terry Milera, Tom Simpkin, David Armitage, Jarryn Geary - tonight was my first real look at us and I enjoyed watching them play.

OUr usual suspects Roo, Milne and Fisher were quiet, and Hayes was of course brilliant, while Goddard and Joey did a fair bit to help too.

I also love how we haven't forgotten things like our defence and our pressure, its like we've picked the exact right things to focus on and that's why everything is gelling at the moment.

Now, its time for reality because the Bulldogs I thought played worse than Gold Coast last week (certainly worse than Gold Coast this week) - in terms of clangers and ineffective kicks. It almost got to the point where every time the Bulldogs got the ball, I knew we'd end up with it sooner or later - and I was right.

We almost held them to the lowest score at Etihad (which is already against us) when we had them 2.9.21 with five minutes to go. (I put down that last five minutes due to us realising we have another six day break coming right up and trying to preserve ourselves for it - very smart, hope we do similar things in the next two double six day breaks [and one triple] we have coming up later this year)

There was just a lot to like about it and I have faith this team might not be done yet. We showed glimpses tonight of a team that was just prepared to dominate.

Happy to just coast along and see how things go without getting my hopes up but at least we had a terrific win (185 percent is not too shabby after three rounds, with a 1-2 record) and showed some great signs for our future!

[SainterK]

Just the bulldogs indeed.

I couldn't make it tonight, so had to watch it from home.

One of my favourite parts of the evening was the change in tone from Gerard Healy and Jason Dunstall as the evening progressed, both tipped the Dogs at the start of the match...Jason emphatically believed they would win.

Towards the end when they were saying that they may have to reassess where the Saints are at, Jason replied with 'yes, but we have to take into account the opposition'

[gringo]

I saw some of the Essendon game highlights and the Suns learnt about contesting from us after we smashed them. Same with WCE a few years ago, we so demoralised them it turned their commitment around and they have become a power house of contested footy. We set a standard once I hope we can reset it again.

[gringo]

Just the bulldogs indeed.

I couldn't make it tonight, so had to watch it from home.

One of my favourite parts of the evening was the change in tone from Gerard Healy and Jason Dunstall as the evening progressed, both tipped the Dogs at the start of the match...Jason emphatically believed they would win.

Towards the end when they were saying that they may have to reassess where the Saints are at, Jason replied with 'yes, but we have to take into account the opposition'

same I was off to the game and the guys I were going with pulled out so I went to the pub and watched it with my old man instead. Did the fox footy team use a mobile phone to record it or was that the pubs TVs.

[OneEyedSainter77]

Just the bulldogs indeed.

I couldn't make it tonight, so had to watch it from home.

One of my favourite parts of the evening was the change in tone from Gerard Healy and Jason Dunstall as the evening progressed, both tipped the Dogs at the start of the match...Jason emphatically believed they would win.

Towards the end when they were saying that they may have to reassess where the Saints are at, Jason replied with 'yes, but we have to take into account the opposition'

I agree with your sentiments and like I've commented on a few topics tonight, I have somke belief for 2012 all of a sudden after that performance, regardless of who the opposition was, the way WE played is what impressed me.

It was terrific to watch. I haven't enjoyed watching us play like this since 2009 - perhaps even 2005. Nothing against coaching or anything like that but this new style seems to be an evolving style of how we are supposed to play to win AFL games these days. I just love it!

[bigcarl]

No opposition so far, so it's hard to judge, but ...

They look as though they've come out of a long, dark tunnel and into the light ... relieved of the crushing, oppressive yoke of Ross Lyon and his monotonous style.

They're playing like it's 2004 again ...

But there's been no real opposition so far.

[saintspremiers]

Don't worry, we have real opposition in three weeks time in Hawthorn.

By then hopefully we will be so well tuned that it could well be game on.

If we manically move it directly from the centre with long kicking, and with Stanley Roo and
Kosi roaming forward, who knows?

Early days though.

[SainterK]

A lot of talk going into this year about forwards troubling our defence, our forwards just have to continue troubling the oppositions.

[3rd generation saint]

We looked like the side that won 19 games straight in 09 for a good part of that 3rd quarter.
Dogs couldn't get the ball out of our forward 50 and it only eventually came out because we scored a goal.
2 weeks in a row we have kicked 100points plus, been a whaile since we have done that.
Of course I would have really loved it if we had completely smashed them by 100 odd points, but it was a warm evening, it's early in the season so the fitness to go the complete kill might not be there yet.
This time last year we we're two loses and a draw with no Lenny.
Just remember we still have a few decent players like Schneider and Gwilt to try and find spots in this side.
Also think Cripps did well when he came on and I am liking Geary, maybe he's finally going to take that step.
Anyone know why Ledger pulled out?
Bring on the Purple Haze next week, I'd just love to do to them what we did to the Bulldogs tonight.

[saintsRrising]

OUr usual suspects Roo, Milne and Fisher were quiet,

This is more I believe due Watters conciously wanting our players to share the laod more.

11 or more goal-kickers two weeks ina row is a very good sign froma team that had become too predictable.

I love the way Stanley keeps bobbing up.

[OneEyedSainter77]

OUr usual suspects Roo, Milne and Fisher were quiet,

This is more I believe due Watters conciously wanting our players to share the laod more.

11 or more goal-kickers two weeks ina row is a very good sign froma team that had become too predictable.

I love the way Stanley keeps bobbing up.

yeah I'm more than happy to have other players perform well. That said, the above three performed well tonight too. But it was terrific not to have reliance on these three for a change.

[kosifantutti]

We looked like the side that won 19 games straight in 09 for a good part of that 3rd quarter.
Dogs couldn't get the ball out of our forward 50 and it only eventually came out because we scored a goal.

I haven't seen some of that frontal pressure since the halcyon days of Eddy and McQualter.

[dcstkfc]

OUr usual suspects Roo, Milne and Fisher were quiet,

Riewoldt was excellent as was Fisher. We had 9-10 very good players and about 6 or 7 good players.

[OneEyedSainter77]

OUr usual suspects Roo, Milne and Fisher were quiet,

Riewoldt was excellent as was Fisher. We had 9-10 very good players and about 6 or 7 good players.

Riewolt was good for three quarters and terrific in the last I felt. Fisher ditto. Milne was virtually unsighted until three quarter time (he goes from being goalless to our leading goalkicker on the night)

I agree with the second half of your post though.

[No1_Saint]

It was good to see the boys enjoy their footy as well. Yes it was just the doggies, but it appears that people not only underestimated the boys this week but overestimated the Dogs.

The next couple of weeks will give a good indication of how the boys are tracking...in saying that it was still a good win. They really put it on with the 3rd quarter and as mentioned above the spread of goals was a great sign. I thought our defense was good today.

As always...Go Saints.

BTW - got to feel for the WB today with that crowd....would not be surprised if that game cost them $100,000 +. Not cool.

[OneEyedSainter77]

It was good to see the boys enjoy their footy as well. Yes it was just the doggies, but it appears that people not only underestimated the boys this week but overestimated the Dogs.

The next couple of weeks will give a good indication of how the boys are tracking...in saying that it was still a good win. They really put it on with the 3rd quarter and as mentioned above the spread of goals was a great sign. I thought our defense was good today.

As always...Go Saints.

BTW - got to feel for the WB today with that crowd....would not be surprised if that game cost them $100,000 +. Not cool.

Yep, shows just how badly they are going that their own fans don't even come to support them.

[SaintPav]

Roo wasn't quite!! 116 Super caoch points..

Were you watching the same game?

[bergholt]

Don't worry, we have real opposition in three weeks time in Hawthorn.

interestingly we could be 4-1 at that point without necessarily being that good - very soft start to our draw. and then we have:

R6 Hawthorn (MCG)
R7 Carlton (Etihad)
R8 West Coast (Subiaco)
R9 Sydney (Etihad)

massively hard period! i'd be pretty happy if we won a single one of them to end up 5-4. but signs are positive at least.

[dragit]

I enjoyed watching the game, but let's be honest, the Dogs had no forward threatening to kick a goal and their backline was offering very little resistance...

Can't believe we lost the inside 50's on such a dominant night.

[jays]

signs are good

[prwilkinson]

Hanging for Friday night now! Up the Sainters! Looking forward to Derp Schnieder and Gwilty slotting back in at some point as well.