Riewoldt

[FQF]

It pains me to say it, but he was totally beaten by a very inexperienced backman.

He barely took any marks out in front, doesn't have much acceleration, and the fact is that if you're not on top of your game then you aren't in an ideal position to be captain.

He's never been a pack marker and he seems to be struggling to create enough distance or have strong enough hands to mark out in front.

I think that his career has gotten to the stage where he will be most effective playing out of the goal square and not leading up to the wing. If we keep the arch uncontested then we can most benefit from his talents.

[andrewg]

Agreed
I hate to say it but this might be his last. He will keep us competitive by playing in the forward line but that's it. All going well he may play 2014 but that will depend on who is coming through.

Watching tonight's game it is a shame we haven't developed a new gun (24-25yr old) up and coming captain we can pin our hopes on. Would be great to have started fresh with a new captain, maybe 2014? But who??

Having said that though, Armitage was fantastic. One shining light out of an absolute disaster of a first round.

[BigMart]

Tried hard as usual, been told he still moves beautifully... But IMO has struggled with his agility since 2010 R3

Hamstring tendon and degenerative knee full of cow or pig blood has slowed him and he plays on memory and effort now

[andrewg]

Tried hard as usual, been told he still moves beautifully... But IMO has struggled with his agility since 2010 R3

Hamstring tendon and degenerative knee full of cow or pig blood has slowed him and he plays on memory and effort now

Yep spot on

[LennyBoy]

Tried hard as usual, been told he still moves beautifully... But IMO has struggled with his agility since 2010 R3

Hamstring tendon and degenerative knee full of cow or pig blood has slowed him and he plays on memory and effort now

Yep spot on

I tend to agree that he will never return to his previous feats. So whats the current day solution? Isolate him the goal square or....?

[ralphsmith]

Yes isolate him in the goal square.

God it is damn annoying he had to get that degeneretive knee injury. So wrong such a champ gets struck down with an incurable problem long before his career should be over.

Now we have to watch it fade in such a stark contrast to his former dominance.

[Griggsy]

Agree that he should stay forward, more so because today I noticed just how slow he got back up after falling in a marking contest on half back. A very dangerous spot to lose your opponent. Granted is was late in the game and he was very fatigued but still hate to see it

[Waltzing St Kilda]

Got caught a couple of times feinting behind his opponent for the cheap ball over the top which never came. Then glaring at his teammate for not putting it where it was never headed. Not a good look.

Still, his late pre-season might mean he takes a while to warm up.

[thejiggingsaint]

You know, from the tone of the posts on this forum tonight after an admittedly poor effort by the team, one could be forgiven for cutting up the membership ticket now. The team didn't get the result we all wanted, but any perceived lack of ticker on their part is being well matched by some posters.

[CURLY]

Got caught a couple of times feinting behind his opponent for the cheap ball over the top which never came. Then glaring at his teammate for not putting it where it was never headed. Not a good look.

Still, his late pre-season might mean he takes a while to warm up.

Had every right to glare. s*** disposal when he had his man beat cost him.

[taz]

I think he may have jarred his knee about half way through the 2nd quarter.

[cwrcyn]

He hasn't had the ideal preparation, and I was very concerned about he and Hayes having next to no game time leading into round one. Couple that with the absence of Montagna, Dempster, Fisher, Simpkin, and Schneider, then throw in the departures of Goddard and Gram, and the game was always going to be iffy.

Don't underestimate the impact of those absences and Hayes and Riewoldt being underdone.









.

[Cairnsman]

When Roo ran from outside the car park and then the length of the field in a sprint race with a bloke muuuuuuuuch younger than him and beat him to the ball I thought there you go, if ever you needed inspiration there it is. I've got to be honest as soon as I saw that I thought surely as Roo's teammate you would think you were 10 foot tall and bullet proof.

Unfortunately the bald nut on the other side produced a couple of plays that went one or two better.

For the record and to be factual how old was the young guy that Roo beat in that contest.

[FQF]

When Roo ran from outside the car park and then the length of the field in a sprint race with a bloke muuuuuuuuch younger than him and beat him to the ball I thought there you go, if ever you needed inspiration there it is. I've got to be honest as soon as I saw that I thought surely as Roo's teammate you would think you were 10 foot tall and bullet proof.

Unfortunately the bald nut on the other side produced a couple of plays that went one or two better.

For the record and to be factual how old was the young guy that Roo beat in that contest.

Not sure what you're referring to?

[Fishsticks]

Spot on Cairnsman. Pretty sure it was Hall he chased in the 3rd quarter from inside our 50 to their forward pocket where there was a stoppage.

[BigMart]

He can still run well in a straight line

[Junction Oval]

It wasn't a good night. As usual, delivery at times was poor. Clearly his ability to twist and turn has diminished greatly, but let's see how things go with him over the next couple of weeks. You have to give champions the opportunity to lift.

[matrix]

gawn
stick him in the magoos with kozi

[Cairnsman]

Spot on Cairnsman. Pretty sure it was Hall he chased in the 3rd quarter from inside our 50 to their forward pocket where there was a stoppage.

If that's what he can do in Round 1 then he is only going to get fitter. He looked absoulutely spent after that effort but I'm sure it will be played back to his teammates at the team reviews this week. Pretty sure I saw him run in a zig zag a couple of times too.

[BigMart]

At 60% of his best.... He is still a level above Beau, Kosi, Lee and hickey. If he had a leg amputated he would get a game ahead of some of those

[matrix]

yup did all that effort
and then the f****** cherry was turned over right beside him about 20 meters away
roo still had his hands behind his head from being knackered from the chase

i wouldve been spewing

[remboy]

He needs more help up forward. There needs to be someone else presenting so that Roo isn't always the only one.

[spert]

Got married, mind elsewhere

[3rd generation saint]

As Denis Cometti said years ago about the West Coast Eagles, the names are the same, but they aren't the same players they were.
We desperately need Maister to present better than last night and crash packs to bring our small forwards into it.
Hate to say it, but Kosi was the best pack crasher we've had over the last few years, but not sure he can do it anymore.
Look last night was bad, but we are in a transitional stage, players like Sipposs, McEvoy, Stanley etc it is their time to step up as it is for recruits like Lee and Hickey.
What was sad last night was that Hickey was winning the tap outs and we weren't taking advantage of it.
I fear what's going to happen this Friday, but if we get a few back, eg Dempster, Fisher and Simpkin plus Montagna, maybe it might not be as bad as we thought.
Maybe.

[sippo]

Maister is what peake and polo were...an odd good game here and there, a battler, who like peake and polo could not get a regular gig in thier respective battling teams