Match Review v Suns

[mad saint guy]

Well that was incredibly disappointing. Other than Geary, Armo and Steven, no saints players looked particularly interested tonight. Our pressure was appalling and our ball use was below standard. We don't seem to have progressed in any significant way from last year. We still get killed on the rebound, our midfield still struggles to win clearances and lacks pace.

We saw that four small forwards just doesn't work. It's too great a cost to have two or three forwards doing nothing but take away from midfield rotations. Saad and TDL obviously did nothing and while Milera kicked a few, I feel he still isn't up to scratch in general player; too many soft tackles, errant handballs and poor efforts. Milney didn't have a great game but he should have finished with at least 2, probably 3 goals. Gwilt is still being played as a key defender and leaking goals like crazy (while turning the ball over far too much), Gilbert and Jones are still liabilities with the ball and neither apply pressure or run as well as they used to. It's sad to say but Lenny looked really, really slow tonight. He'll still be a good midfielder but time is catching up with him.

The positives for me were the fantastic games from Armo and Geary, while Steven's run even in the last quarter was excellent. Stanley also did well in defence and looks like a genuine key defensive option. Maister did all he could, and needed more support from the smalls. Roberton tries hard but doesn't seem particularly good at anything - not sure what his upside is. Newnes also tries hard but isn't up to AFL standard yet; he's too easily pushed off the ball and loses his feet too often. Blake did what he could but the defence would be much more secure with Simpkin in there.

Players who should be under serious pressure: Gilbert, Jones, Roberton, Blake, TDL, Milera, Newnes

It won't happen, but my changes for next week would be

OUT: TDL, Jones, Roberton, Newnes, Gilbert (Fisher if fit)
IN: Montagna, Wright, Simpkin, Schneider, Lee (Blake)

[BigMart]

Riewoldt good

Armitage had good patches, Jones blanketed Bennell, Geary excellent...

Saad, Hickey, Ray Milne, Maister, would all get 1/10 from me

Steven and Gilbert lack composure with the ball......

[3rd generation saint]

TDL only had a quarter, so a little unfair.
Thought Gilbert was ok tonight, Jones and Newnes would be on the outer for next week.

[jays]

Shocking game looked old and slow

[mad saint guy]

Riewoldt good

Armitage had good patches, Jones blanketed Bennell, Geary excellent...

Saad, Hickey, Ray Milne, Maister, would all get 1/10 from me

Steven and Gilbert lack composure with the ball......

Saad had a shocker, Hickey did well to win taps but couldn't take marks like he usually would. Ray made about three horrible errors but was otherwise ok. Milney had a pretty typical Milney game, was unlucky to hit the post a couple of times and he'd be getting praise if they went through. Maister worked his arse off all night to provide an option and a contest - that's his job done IMO.

What really struck me tonight is the fact that we no longer have any of the genuine superstars of the competition. Roo is no longer in the top 5 tall forwards, Lenny and Dal probably aren't in the top 10 mids and we don't have any amazing flankers. Ablett won GC the game tonight through sheer brilliance and we had no one who could answer that.

[fugazi]

Newnes very ordinary...he is only a kid, and kicks it nice, but got thrashed tonight

[St Ick]

Riewoldt was beaten many times by Thompson. Its not all up to Roo, but after 1/4 time he was disappointing - wouldn't call him good, especially in a game where he should have dominated.

Steven and Armo were good, Lenny tried, Dal quiet, they haven't got enough talent to help them in the middle.

They looked tired, slow, and when they went forward were too flashy and not clean enough.

Surprised noone has mentioned Milne, who was perhaps the biggest disappointment all night.

I agree too with Newnes comment, love the kid but he needs to be stronger over the ball.

[noob]

Was it just me or were some of the players looking soft and not going in?

[saints66]

Shocking game looked old and slow

and we just spent a couple of hundred thousand dollars in America on a Club junket to improve our tiredness!!!! hmmmmmm

[mad saint guy]

Newnes very ordinary...he is only a kid, and kicks it nice, but got thrashed tonight

Agreed, and I think this is the standard he has always displayed. He just doesn't have the strength to match it in the AFL right now. His effort is great and he has good skills so I'm sure he trains brilliantly, but put him against an opponent with 10kgs on him and he's a liability.

Watters now has to decide whether to try and make something of this season or to persevere with the likes of Newnes. If we go all out and play our best side for 2013 we might be able to scrape into the finals with a bit of luck, or we could concede a bottom four finish and use this as a rebuilding year.

[Verdun66]

Thought Roberton did ok until the tide swept over us....or we stopped. Take your pick. Steven, Armo, Geary good. Gwilt was good until he got overwhelmed. Dal had good numbers including 9 tackles, but didn't really influence things. Maister kept trying, always contesting, but the crumbers just didn't have it. Roo good in patches. McEvoy is a workhorse, but was ready for the knackers yard at the end.

Milne, Ray, Newnes, Blake, Saad not too good. Hickey other than a few taps seemed shy. Jones kept Bennell quiet until he got moved on to Ablett when the game was gone. Did his job, and got 22 disposals, so he is clearly our new whipping boy.

[hungry for a premiership]

I'm surprised people don't really rate Hayes' game. I thought he was best afield for us. Again.

Gotta say I'm bordering on disgusted at Dal Santo's effort though. He should be by far and away our best mid, and a genuine matchwinner, but at no stage in the precedings tonight did he even slightly impose himself on the game. Maybe he needs another spell in the magoo's like what Lyon did to him and milne in '08.

[lloyd21]

Positives were getting games into kids ,we knew it was a development year a bad loss though just means Lee , Murdoch,Wright , Hickey ,Siposs ,Stanley will be developed going forward.

But seriously suggesting Kosi blake jones as the future you are kidding. Given their time again they would have picked Wright as sub. Pretty clear you can't have Milne Saad Milera TdL in together they have no midfield depth as a result .Need midfield players thru draft that is the only way back.

[Munga]

For a team touted for their small crumbing forwards, I didn't see any crumbers. I was always waiting for Milne, Saad, Milera, TDL to zap past the pack...never happened.

[saints66]

Newnes very ordinary...he is only a kid, and kicks it nice, but got thrashed tonight

most of GCS are kids

[SaintPav]

Riewoldt was beaten many times by Thompson. Its not all up to Roo, but after 1/4 time he was disappointing - wouldn't call him good, especially in a game where he should have dominated.

Steven and Armo were good, Lenny tried, Dal quiet, they haven't got enough talent to help them in the middle.

They looked tired, slow, and when they went forward were too flashy and not clean enough.

Surprised noone has mentioned Milne, who was perhaps the biggest disappointment all night.

I agree too with Newnes comment, love the kid but he needs to be stronger over the ball.

I don't agree with you that Roo should have dominated when we were not doing well in the midfield.

[jmac101]

I'm surprised people don't really rate Hayes' game. I thought he was best afield for us. Again.

Gotta say I'm bordering on disgusted at Dal Santo's effort though. He should be by far and away our best mid, and a genuine matchwinner, but at no stage in the precedings tonight did he even slightly impose himself on the game. Maybe he needs another spell in the magoo's like what Lyon did to him and milne in '08.

Bit harsh on Dal i feel. Not his best game but not alone there. At least he still tackled hard.

May have also been carrying a groin problem most of the game.

Agree on Newnes. Got bumped off the ball a bit too easily tonight unfortunately.

Siposs was good for first 2 and a half quarters. Then went missing in a big way.

Really concerning effort given the tigers are up next. If we don't fix up the clearances, riewoldt and vickery could each kick a big bag.

[SainterK]

For a team touted for their small crumbing forwards, I didn't see any crumbers. I was always waiting for Milne, Saad, Milera, TDL to zap past the pack...never happened.

Crumb off who?

Crashing packs is selfless and unheralded.

There is an art to it IMO

Did the stats in 09 and 10 and should do it again. Who plays kpf when our smalls lift

[saintsRrising]

Well that was incredibly disappointing. Other than Geary, Armo and Steven, no saints players looked particularly interested tonight. Our pressure was appalling and our ball use was below standard. We don't seem to have progressed in any significant way from last year. We still get killed on the rebound, our midfield still struggles to win clearances and lacks pace.

We saw that four small forwards just doesn't work. It's too great a cost to have two or three forwards doing nothing but take away from midfield rotations. Saad and TDL obviously did nothing and while Milera kicked a few, I feel he still isn't up to scratch in general player; too many soft tackles, errant handballs and poor efforts. Milney didn't have a great game but he should have finished with at least 2, probably 3 goals. Gwilt is still being played as a key defender and leaking goals like crazy (while turning the ball over far too much), Gilbert and Jones are still liabilities with the ball and neither apply pressure or run as well as they used to. It's sad to say but Lenny looked really, really slow tonight. He'll still be a good midfielder but time is catching up with him.

The positives for me were the fantastic games from Armo and Geary, while Steven's run even in the last quarter was excellent. Stanley also did well in defence and looks like a genuine key defensive option. Maister did all he could, and needed more support from the smalls. Roberton tries hard but doesn't seem particularly good at anything - not sure what his upside is. Newnes also tries hard but isn't up to AFL standard yet; he's too easily pushed off the ball and loses his feet too often. Blake did what he could but the defence would be much more secure with Simpkin in there.

Players who should be under serious pressure: Gilbert, Jones, Roberton, Blake, TDL, Milera, Newnes

It won't happen, but my changes for next week would be

OUT: TDL, Jones, Roberton, Newnes, Gilbert (Fisher if fit)
IN: Montagna, Wright, Simpkin, Schneider, Lee (Blake)

Pretty fair summary.

Blake should be an out.

Ben was pretty awful. Newnes was disappointing

As VS pointed out we played one tall too many.

[ace]

I am still in Europe for the opening game of the season.
Is there any point in my returning to watch the Saints?
Last year they lost to an inspired but basically pathetic Port Adelaide team that was enthused by a new season.
Port's true quality soon returned.
Now the Saints have done it again, lost to an enthused Gold Coast.
Every loss counts in an AFL season where finals places are decided by tiny percentage differences and draws.

How is it that a team can be decimated by almost 100 points one year and then win the opener next year.
Simply one team was enthused and the other just going through the motions.

Teams that just go through the motions of playing football don't win premierships or even make the finals.

If only the weather would stay cold in Europe, I would stay and keep skiing.
This football season is already so predictable, Saints playing like professionals but without enthusiasm and failing to even make the finals. AGAIN.

[deadman walking]

how can we win with 3 ruckman in the side ?

[saintsRrising]

how can we win with 3 ruckman in the side ?

Stanley, while capable of playing as a ruckman, is agile enough to play key position and flank.

So IMO we actually played two ruckman last night, but that was one too many.

[plugger66]

how can we win with 3 ruckman in the side ?

Stanley, while capable of playing as a ruckman, is agile enough to play key position and flank.

So IMO we actually played two ruckman last night, but that was one too many.

You say that but with Stanley and Blake playing as key backs Ben would have had to euck all night on his own. he may have died if that was the case.