World of hurt coming our way....

[saintsRrising]

The last 1.5 games have demonstrated that most of the experienced players are just going through the motions with the notable exception of Roo. And our kids are not yet good enough, though many are showing signs that they will be.

With workrate being king these days, a world of hurt looks to be coming our way for the remainder of the year. Once your intensity drops off, you open doors for your opposition.

If Watters does not re-engage the players a world of hurt is coming our way for the remainder of the year.

Don't get me wrong, I want our youth blooded. I just think things are going to get ugly now regardless of who is in the team.

[Harvey To Hayes]

Joey's having a dip too, and Lenny and Fish have a crack but seem hampered by failing bodies...

[70s sainter]

Not sure fish is having a crack- gwilt isn't the player he used to be either.

[Greg T]

So where does the problem lay?
It seems we have unearthed some really good kids who will make the grade.
I thought our core of senior players was good enough to match it with the better sides.
Why can't the coach get them up?
I'm amazed how quick the decline has come.Doesn't make sense.
There was no need for us to bottom out as we have.
I figure we were better than a bottom 4 side.
10 years of being competitive ,and it seems we are becoming a steeping stone again.

[terry smith rules]

Not sure fish is having a crack- gwilt isn't the player he used to be either.

Gwilt was outstanding last week and Fisher is carrying an injury

Not sure your observation is on the money

[3rd generation saint]

I'm just waiting for I told you so people coming on here, who say nothing but doom and gloom for the club.
This was inevitable, it's even starting to happen at the filth, they are on their way down.
This is when real supporters need to buy memberships and keep the team in the black during the down times, because the better we are off the field, the better our chances of rebounding back on the field within a reasonable time.

[suss]

We're actually not that bad. We're getting smashed at centre bounces and clearances. The back line is actually pretty good but the ball is coming in too quickly, too often. Gwilt was great last week, okay yesterday. Dempster has been a bit up and down.

You can't lose the centre breaks 9 to 1 each quarter and except the back line to look good.

The forward line has been poor - except the captain. Their tackling pressure is woefully bad (yes, Saad got 9 tackles yesterday - what about last week?) and we miss the class of Schiender - he is 100 times better than Saad and Milera combined.

Our mid-fielders are struggling. They can't get their hands on it first. We miss Goddard - it has to be said. Jack has been good, Lenny okay; but our midfield doesn't run deep.

We need to develop a far deeper pool of midfielders that can win the footy, dispose of it and run, run, run. And these guys need to go forward and kicks goals. Jobe Watson does it. Pendelbury does it. Bartel does it. For some reason we think we need two forward pockets and two half forward flankers and that's the only option.

Adding Wright, Saunders, Murdoch into the team next week is a good start.

[spert]

No harm in making an observation- it is a forum after all. Sure we all want to support the club back to health, but losing what you probably should be winning causes a lot of frustration, and people speak up as a result. We have midfield problems which are killing us, and apart from Roo and Montagna, the experienced players are very inconsistent which puts a lot of pressure on the younger players. I still think Watters is probably a good teaching coach, but not a motivational coach, as a motivated team is pretty obvious- hard running, hard tackling, pressure on the opponent- I'm not seeing a lot of that...it's all a bit timid.

[saintsRrising]

but not a motivational coach, as a motivated team is pretty obvious- hard running, hard tackling, pressure on the opponent- I'm not seeing a lot of that...it's all a bit timid.

Excatly. Workrate is down.


In part it is understandable. Anyone that has done sport will know that if you are in with a chance that you push yourself harder. Being out of the GF race so early has seen players take that mental foot off the accelerator.


The other part of the world of hurt is the consequence that we need to prioritise now to play players that will be our future. So it is necessary pain given where we are at.

[st.byron]

We're actually not that bad. We're getting smashed at centre bounces and clearances. The back line is actually pretty good but the ball is coming in too quickly, too often. Gwilt was great last week, okay yesterday. Dempster has been a bit up and down.

You can't lose the centre breaks 9 to 1 each quarter and except the back line to look good.

................

Our mid-fielders are struggling. They can't get their hands on it first...................

We need to develop a far deeper pool of midfielders that can win the footy, dispose of it and run, run, run. And these guys need to go forward and kicks goals. Jobe Watson does it. Pendelbury does it. Bartel does it.
Adding Wright, Saunders, Murdoch into the team next week is a good start.

Did you watch the Bummers last night? They reminded me a bit of us in 2009. Their intensity at the footy was great, there was sfa time for the Tigers in the close contests and when they did get it, there was so much pressure they kept turning it over. And when the Bummers got it from a turnover they were jsut run, run, run. Don't like Jimmy and the Injectors but they were impressive last night.
And we have gone a long way in the opposite direction.

[Devilhead]

We sit 2 and 7 with a percentage around 90 - we havent been smashed in games and for the most part been highly competitive

Out of the 7 games lost our biggest losing margin was last week against the Crows which cold be put down to one bad half of footy

The notion of us being in a this all consuming massive decline is a myth

Against the Doggies we were coming off an insterstate 6 day week against a side that all week had a massive rocket shoved up their arse and felt they had something to prove - and they did at our expense unfortunately

We will win more games this year and some may come unexpectedly - we will also lose our fair share but it is unlikely that we are going to get blown away to often like a team that you would expect to be sitting at 2 and 7 and would likely to be every 2nd week

Whilst I dont like to lose I am well enjoying watching the kids get a crack and look forward to few more debuts later in the year - Some maybe sooner than you think

[ShanghaiSaint]

North where very bland tonight.. let the crow eaters right back in... i would think we have a good chance to upset them if we can bring that pressure we showed to the SCUM.

[gringo]

Armo doesn't rack them up but he does stop the easy ball coming out of the centre when in there. We missed him.

[lloyd21]

Don't agree if look the positives :

Wright look like and played 100 game player (baby)
Roberton playing like a 150 gamer ( 21yrs)
Stanley has played more games in a row than his whole career body developing continuity.
All our draft picks have shown something even some though being at Afl level this year.
Jack Steven is now really showing something special by the end of next year he will be unreal.
Give Saad , Markworth , Siposs & Hickey another 12 months you won't believe the improvement.

[PJ]

Apart from seeing the kids come on I don't really want us to pretend we are competing and battle to get to 9th spot. We need talented youth so a couple of years down the bottom of the ladder should top that up pretty quickly. 2 years of a top 4 draft pick + others and some shrewd trade deals will set this up. Wonder what the academy will contribute to our rejuvenation, haven't heard much about how that is going which speaks volumes of how much it is regarded - no media, nothing. So long as we don't capitulate into Melbourne, GWS level losses.

[degruch]

We sit 2 and 7 with a percentage around 90 - we havent been smashed in games and for the most part been highly competitive

Out of the 7 games lost our biggest losing margin was last week against the Crows which cold be put down to one bad half of footy

The notion of us being in a this all consuming massive decline is a myth

Against the Doggies we were coming off an insterstate 6 day week against a side that all week had a massive rocket shoved up their arse and felt they had something to prove - and they did at our expense unfortunately

We will win more games this year and some may come unexpectedly - we will also lose our fair share but it is unlikely that we are going to get blown away to often like a team that you would expect to be sitting at 2 and 7 and would likely to be every 2nd week

Whilst I dont like to lose I am well enjoying watching the kids get a crack and look forward to few more debuts later in the year - Some maybe sooner than you think

I've seen bugger all this year, but this has been my impression of the season to date as well...glad it's not just my imagination!

However, a couple good floggings and things might start to go real wobbly real quick, with such an inexperienced list playing unmotivated footy. Having said that, our current list is not bad, our depth is okay, we've been tested in areas by injury (Lenny and Armo would have made a world of difference on the weekend) and have still stood up. Potentially we could beat anyone, or be flogged by anyone...where we stand looks as much as mystery to me as it did at the start of the season. I've a feeling this could be shared at club level too!

I don't think North are going to serve us our arse on a plate...Roo is in great form and normally has a day out against North, if our midfield can respond to everyone's collective disappointment over losing to the Doggies, he'll be the difference IMO.

[st_Trav_ofWA]

i dont think we are playing unmotivated footy .... we are getting beaten by a better side , yeah the GC game and the Dogs game we should have won but we didnt move on ... big picture stuff is we are being competitive for long periods of games the kids are standing up and contributing ... as experinace comes so will consistancey and we will improve ... we will cop some bigger floggings make no mistake they are comming but lets draw from the possitives

[Eastern]

Senior players going through the motions?

Riewoldt. Pretty close to career best form

Montagna. Would be in the top 3 in the B&F

Hayes. Going Okay before he did his calf

DalSanto. Down a bit on form, mainly due to heavy tag and not much support

Fisher. I think his foot injury is far worse than we know

Milne. Not the best start, but slow start last yr and ended up AA

Dempster. Hand still not 100%

Schneider. Haven't seen him yet because of hamstring injury

Kosi. Cooked and not in the side

Blake. Cooked and not in the side

Gwilt. Just starting to really hit his straps after knee reco and further problems with the same knee

Not included in this list; Ben, Armo, Jack because they are the next senior players. Farren & CJ because they are "Role Players" who might be getting close to their use by date !!

[Johnny Member]

We have the worst midfield in the competition.

By a stretch.

[Old Mate]

The players do not seem to be working well as a team. I don't think you can lay all the blame on the coach although he ultimately takes responsibility. The influx of new players and players out of form/favour and traded seems to be the major issue. I suspect we will see some improvement when guys like Ross, Newnes, Roberton and co. have played 50+ games together - knowing each others strengths and weaknesses and building that team play through continuity. That'll be around the time we see a few legends hang up the boots but I don't think we'll fall off the edge of the cliff then like many suggest. There's always others that come through and take up the responsibility. Look at Steven for example. Just got to stick fat for the next few years. I reckon we'll see steady improvement from about 2015 and onwards. We've got to take satisfaction from other stuff that doesn't include playing finals such as watching the young guys develop and trying their guts out when up against the odds. I certainly haven't seen a Demon's like performance from the lads this year.

[BigMart]

Lots of excuses their Eastern...

They run through the banner.... There's no excuse IMO

Declared fit enough to play, they are fit enough to give a crack

[Freebird]

Have you ever seen a player stuff a 2 on one situation when he has the ball like Milne does....I suspect that he holds the ball rather than the 1st option for the good of himself

[saintsRrising]

Ugly today....let's hope North have another second half fade out as we badly need it.

[Hughjarce]

I am scared at what the Hawks will do to us on this current form.

This year will get ugly on occasions however, by the end we will be in a better position to determine:

1. which of our young guys will make the grade
2. which of our older players should retire
3. who can we trade for draft picks

All Saints fans older than 15 years of age have been through this before, so stop being soft c0cks and harden up...

[dragit]

I am scared at what the Hawks will do to us on this current form.

This year will get ugly on occasions however, by the end we will be in a better position to determine:

1. which of our young guys will make the grade
2. which of our older players should retire
3. who can we trade for draft picks

All Saints fans older than 15 years of age have been through this before, so stop being soft c0cks and harden up...

Good call Mr Arse, you should post more, I like your style.