Saint v Pies - Preview / Discussion

[mbogo]

Yes, agree Old Mate -- it is quite disgraceful having players on huge money for their goal-kicking just missing gimme goals. Surely we can improve here - but I lack confidence in players like Roo and Milney to deliver when the pressure is really on - like in a tight finish in front of a massive MCG crowd, it is the one thing we have NOT done with any consistency. Unfortunately, the pressure is really on - a win and we probably make the eight and prove we can match it with a top four team - lose and the season is wasted - and Lenny, Roo, Milney and Brendan may not get another finals chance.
I really, really WANT to BELIEVE -- please convince me!

[SainterK]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/afl/more-ne ... 6438568850

YOUNG Saint Sam Dunell has played only three games for St Kilda but he knows what it will take to roll Collingwood at the MCG on Saturday.

The 22-year-old son of Essendon premiership player Frank Dunell saw what happened when the Saints blew their winning chance in the Round 17 clash against Sydney.

He said before today's recovery session at the St Kilda Sea Baths that the focus was now to step-up for Collingwood.

"They had a really good win against GWS and they're going really well at the moment,'' Dunell said.

"Last week we had a chance to beat Sydney and we just need to get a four quarter effort against Collingwood and we should be right.

"Obviously they're a really good side -- they have a few injuries and they're still playing really good footy. But our midfield is quite mature so I think we can get them inside and we've got a couple of good forwards.''

Dunell, who started Sunday's game against the Western Bulldogs as a substitute, replaced the injured Adam Schneider at the 14 minute mark of the third quarter and finished the match with 13 possessions.

He rated the team performance highly.

"I think (our performance) last night was pretty solid, so a seven or eight out of 10 -- but to half time there were a few things we weren't doing well so we addressed that and in the second half we applied ourselves and the game opened up, so it was pleasing to get a good result in the end.'' Dunell said.

"Our percentage is quite good compared to the sides around us so it's just about the wins for us now at this time of the year, to get those points up so we can have a chance to make it (the finals).''

The youngster also had praise for skipper Nick Riewoldt when asked about his performance.

"He's doing everything right and (got) reward for effort yesterday,'' he said.

"He could have probably kicked almost six or seven goals in the end.

"He's getting his hands on the ball and really working hard on the things you've come to know about Nick Riewoldt.

"Hopefully we can get the ball to him and really use it well up in the midfield and he'll get rewarded.''

[plugger66]

Our midfield was one of the best in the league before it's confidence was probably shot by the coach thinking that all of Jones, Dempster and Ray were required to nullify our way to a win against side like the Pies.

On pure talent, why can't the boys win a head to head contest with most of them?

I think Scott has been showing them that, slowly over time, that their best IS good enough.

Hayes, Montagna, Dal Santo, Goddard, Armitage, Steven

No nullifying, dish out an old fashioned spanking please boys.

Most of those mids didnt look to good against Sydney the week before.

[Old Mate]

Our midfield was one of the best in the league before it's confidence was probably shot by the coach thinking that all of Jones, Dempster and Ray were required to nullify our way to a win against side like the Pies.

On pure talent, why can't the boys win a head to head contest with most of them?

I think Scott has been showing them that, slowly over time, that their best IS good enough.

Hayes, Montagna, Dal Santo, Goddard, Armitage, Steven

No nullifying, dish out an old fashioned spanking please boys.

Most of those mids didnt look to good against Sydney the week before.

Not in the first half. Looked alright after that although Mummy went off injured. The missing ingredient is BJ's form. Never an out and out contested mid however can still hold his own and give the others a chop out. Plenty of contested possies and tackles against the Dogs is a good start. They have some hard bodies in the middle.

[Dis Believer]

Not in the first half. Looked alright after that although Mummy went off injured. The missing ingredient is BJ's form. Never an out and out contested mid however can still hold his own and give the others a chop out. Plenty of contested possies and tackles against the Dogs is a good start. They have some hard bodies in the middle.

This. If in form, BJ's body size is a real attribute for stints in the middle. Add his ability to use the pill well and it's a rotation that takes our midfield up a notch and stops us running a couple of others into the ground trying to win clearances with the disadvantage of a very young number one ruckman.

[ShakenNotStirred]

Since Last Time

Collingwood - 12 changes to last week

IN: N Brown, Buckley, Clarke, Dawes, Elliott, Mooney, Seedsman, Shaw, Sinclair, Toovey, Wood, Young
OUT: Ball, L Brown, Davis, Didak, Johnson, Jolly, Krakouer, O'Brien, Rounds, Sidebottom, Thomas, Wellingham

St Kilda - 6 changes to last week

IN: Dunell, Gwilt, Hayes, Saad, Simpkin, Wilkes
OUT: Blake, Clarke, Dawson, Peake, Polo, Ray


Obviously Jolly, O'Brien, Sidebottom and Thomas will come back in after being rested against GWS, but that's still 8 changes for the Pies - a fair bit of youth getting games there!

For the Saints, that's a much-maligned list of outs so you'd assume that this year we have nothing to complain about, right?

I'm thinking that those 4 will come back in for the filth plus Wellingham back from suspension.

To get an honest indication where we are at we need to beat them with as best team they can field.

[SainterK]

Our midfield was one of the best in the league before it's confidence was probably shot by the coach thinking that all of Jones, Dempster and Ray were required to nullify our way to a win against side like the Pies.

On pure talent, why can't the boys win a head to head contest with most of them?

I think Scott has been showing them that, slowly over time, that their best IS good enough.

Hayes, Montagna, Dal Santo, Goddard, Armitage, Steven

No nullifying, dish out an old fashioned spanking please boys.

Most of those mids didnt look to good against Sydney the week before.

You sometimes look as good as your ruckman.

[Con Gorozidis]

Sean started on the wing tonight. I wonder, can he go with someone in the middle in a shutdown role ?

not this again! sean gets toweled up whenever he plays either mid or on a tall fwd. although every few months the coaches/fans forget and think they can give it another go. short memory syndrome. then they remember to put him back where he excels - on small & medium fwds.

[SainterK]

Sean started on the wing tonight. I wonder, can he go with someone in the middle in a shutdown role ?

not this again! sean gets toweled up whenever he plays either mid or on a tall fwd. although every few months the coaches/fans forget and think they can give it another go. short memory syndrome. then they remember to put him back where he excels - on small & medium fwds.

He said himself today that he usually gets Didak, but may get Wellingham or someone similar in his absence.

How was that lace out pass to Roo in the first quarter though, really shows his ACL impacted his kicking for awhile there, now back to being one of the better kicks in the side.

[Austinnn]

We
Will
Win

[8856brother]

Collingwood, like Sydney and every other side, except maybe the Hawks at the moment, are very beatable. This is the week to make a statement. We are good enough on our day.

[thejiggingsaint]

The "max factor" can give us a good defensive FOUNDATION and hopefully we can MAKE UP lost ground on the ladder and leave some of the pundits looking ROUGE faced!!!!!!!!!

[stevie]

The "max factor" can give us a good defensive FOUNDATION and hopefully we can MAKE UP lost ground on the ladder and leave some of the pundits looking ROUGE faced!!!!!!!!!

Yep, and don't forget that a close up of Filth fans would have a MASS SCARRING effect on viewing audiences

[Phosphorous Saints]

Yep. We win and makeup ground on the Kangaroosterbunnies

Kangeroosterbunnies has got to be the funniest nickname I've ever heard given to a team. Thanks for that. Recon I'll write that one down...

In regard to the game, the only comment I can make (because as a recent convert I don't really have the tactics down other than to kick goals ) is that we kicked woefully two days ago against a side that's going nowhere. Now, it doesn't take a PhD in the sport to know that 22 minors is WAY too many. If even half those scoring shots are goals, that's a 131 point victory and a huge percentage booster. We'll obviously need to be much sharper against the pies.
I'm well aware of the "bad day" phenomena (I'm a Bengals fan - NFL), but we can't afford any more of those if we want to keep playing after the home and away... Go Saints.

[nobhead]

CJ to Beams btw. Swan and Pendles just too good, can't stop them. Beams is gettable from a tagging perspective and when he's left to play his own game, is just as damaging as the bigger names.

agree also reckon ray has to come in and play a defensive forward role on shaw he sets up alot of their forward entries .running from half back must be stopped imo. also must make maxwell accountable ,make him defend and not give him an opportunity to go 2nd man up on rooey or kosi.

[thejiggingsaint]

Man if old Max Factor had got the job of making the Pies Cheer squad look good, he'd have ended up selling bootlaces!!!

[villasaint]

The outs since we last plaYed the pies have to be a positive. Clarke, Dawson, peake, polo and Blake are old news , We need to move on and watters is doing this. Blake has been a great servent and clubman and has improved his kicking enormously but the rest of those five are renowned poor kickers. Bring on the pies we are a big chance this weekend.

[Siposstar#2]

Sean started on the wing tonight. I wonder, can he go with someone in the middle in a shutdown role ?

not this again! sean gets toweled up whenever he plays either mid or on a tall fwd. although every few months the coaches/fans forget and think they can give it another go. short memory syndrome. then they remember to put him back where he excels - on small & medium fwds.

He said himself today that he usually gets Didak, but may get Wellingham or someone similar in his absence.

How was that lace out pass to Roo in the first quarter though, really shows his ACL impacted his kicking for awhile there, now back to being one of the better kicks in the side.

Dempster did a acl???

[SainterK]

Yeah in 2008 I think from memory

[Saintersss]

Sean started on the wing tonight. I wonder, can he go with someone in the middle in a shutdown role ?

not this again! sean gets toweled up whenever he plays either mid or on a tall fwd. although every few months the coaches/fans forget and think they can give it another go. short memory syndrome. then they remember to put him back where he excels - on small & medium fwds.

He said himself today that he usually gets Didak, but may get Wellingham or someone similar in his absence.

How was that lace out pass to Roo in the first quarter though, really shows his ACL impacted his kicking for awhile there, now back to being one of the better kicks in the side.

Maybe that shows we should be patient with Gwilt, instead of writing him off like many on here are. Unfortunately, not everyone is Lenny Hayes and can come back from an ACL and straight away dominate, for most it is a 2 year injury.

[matrix]

Yeah in 2008 I think from memory

i reckon i went over for that game
i thought it was the prelim against the hawks but when i checked the game stats and i didnt see his name in the player list
im sure it was a final?

[stevie]

Yeah in 2008 I think from memory

i reckon i went over for that game
i thought it was the prelim against the hawks but when i checked the game stats and i didnt see his name in the player list
im sure it was a final?

No it was in the final home and away v Bummers, when we had to win by 100 odd pts to finish 4 th. and did.

His first game back in 09 was near the end, maybe v north or even the final rd v demons

[Dan Warna]

We have the players to win, its our mind set and discipline that is question.

Hawks are pretty much the same team that's been languishing as a good but not great team for the past few seasons, but have re-awakened their desire.

Our desire is what keeps us from being a great team. we just don't want it as much as others...when it counts.

oh some do, lenny, BJ and reiwoldt and a few others.

We will win if we want to win.

[SMS]

There is also the Watters/Max factor

BINGO!!

I know some people think its impossible although I dont think the pies have been in great form. We have almost 100% team.

Cloke and Dawes are the problems. If we can stop them we win.

Hayes, Dal, Montagna all in form and as good as swan, pendles and beams.

Their backs arent in form and have rooey and Milne to contend with. Will be a great game I reckon. Could go either way. Depends on ther night. BUT dont lose faith and support hard!

[plugger66]

We have the players to win, its our mind set and discipline that is question.

Hawks are pretty much the same team that's been languishing as a good but not great team for the past few seasons, but have re-awakened their desire.

Our desire is what keeps us from being a great team. we just don't want it as much as others...when it counts.

oh some do, lenny, BJ and reiwoldt and a few others.

We will win if we want to win.

Tell me you are joking. Im pretty sure we wnated to win all our GF's. Im pretty sure our desire would be similar to all the other top teams. Id love to know how you know we dont want it as much as others when it counts.