I don't get it....

[Teflon]

People venting over losing a game to a desperate side by 3 pts.....

I didn't even tune in but was wrapt to see Billings again in the best THATS my success measure this year not to beat a wooden spooner in the Lions

Again, some won't like this, but we can not afford to have a year out if the box and finish 9th - it does our drafting prospects no good and that has to be the bigger game for us. Yes I know higher picks font mean guaranteed success - but what the DO guarantee is CHOICE from a better position and that's the system we play in. I want every small advantage I can get.

I'm watching Bombers, Nth, Richmond etc and they're scrapping for lower 8 positions with sides IMO that when the heat goes up (finals) don't have the quality to take Cats or Hawks in reality and in a season or 2 I suspect their places will be under enormous pressure from GWS/GC.

Let's face facts our best players are still old. From my early reckoning we have 2 genuine A Grade future prospects in Dunstan and Billings (class already). Put simply to REALLY challenge the big boys we need more - think 09/10 and think Goddard, Dal, Roo, Lenny, Joey, Fisher.. 5 genuine AGraders and absolute superstars..... we have to replace that and Riewoldt is a once in a decade type player. Very hard to do so best we can do is maximise our drafting (this year uncompromised and supposedly has good tall fwd options).

I'm wrapt with what I'm seeing - real structure, kids shining and beiing brilliantly led.

I am not interested in footballs "no mans land" of 9th/10th so we hand Carlton and co picks in front of us. I've tasted GF in September that's the big show we want to be in not "good side on their day can beat anyone....bit like Nth but can't do it when it matters cause a few stars short"

No one plays to lose -but if a loss happens while development comes first I can live with that cause I now can start to see a glimmer FINALLY after those dark GF losses.

[maverick]

here here
8 point game tonight

[Con Gorozidis]

Well every single team - including Melbourne and Carlton had won at least one game - leaving the Lions stone cold bottom.

They were very desperate for that win. In hindsight it was always on the cards.

[saintbob]

Spot on, I'm more than happy to lose a few if the kids are having an influence.

Billings and Webster very good again

[Teflon]

Spot on, I'm more than happy to lose a few if the kids are having an influence.

Billings and Webstervery good again

Websters disposal is very exciting so good to see guys who can kick

Nothing against Jones/Ray but if more Websters by foot come in ..... we'd be another Hawks

I think we'll gradually change that so all good

[saintspremiers]

I blame the coach for making only 1 change. He knew about consecutive 6 day breaks and fatigue FFS!

[dragit]

Yes, the disappointment of losing drops away very quickly when you remember exactly where we are at...

Cheering to win every contest, but not upset when a game slips by... I'll take the essendon win over 5 against rubbish sides like Brisbane tonight.

Also a reminder that developing players is more important than putting out our strongest 22 every week... If our injuries drop away we're going to have some interesting dilemmas around team selection...

[Junior]

I blame the coach for making only 1 change. He knew about consecutive 6 day breaks and fatigue FFS!

Would have thought the fitness staff should have been advising him on ow they had pulled up.

I thought we looked listless in the first half but we came home like a steam train so I do not think it was the six day breaks.

[Griggsy]

I feel the same about no mans land but it's just so easy to get carried away. Especially in a game like that, was so tense.

[stinger]

We didn't get the four pints but brown touched that ball and he knows it.......morally we won afaic

[Bluthy]

I've wondered a couple of times (not very seriously) if we shouldn't have kept Scotty Watters for another couple of seasons to maximise draft picks before bringing in Richo. But I think what the young players are getting is a hardworking, competitive, intense pressure and tackling culture that will go straight into their DNA as pure habit. There are dangers with losing a lot of games *cough* Melbourne *cough*. And this sense of "load up on early picks and it will just happen" can mean that development and other recruiting options get overlooked see CArlton. Geelong, Hawks, Sydney - the dominant teams for a decade - have shown you can recruit and develop damn well without even being in the bottom 8. After the last draft I've got faith in our recruiters to find the talent wherever it is. Dunstan was 18 remember, Eli was a rookie. Pelchen seems ruthless about getting the picks he wants so maybe someone like Monty might be floated as trade bait for another top 20 pick. That's one of the advantages we have of being a rebuilding club that is years off a premiership tilt.

[Teflon]

I feel the same about no mans land but it's just so easy to get carried away. Especially in a game like that, was so tense.

I hear you - when the game starts everyone wants to win

I'd be happy to beat Pies .... loved the Essenscum win but Lions et al ..

[Zed]

Because there are some games you hope you can win and some games you expect to win. For the first time this year I expected to win and so did many other Saints fans- so yes I am gutted, because these kinds of losses drain away the belief. The slide into mediocrity and despair can come quickly for a team thin on ready to go talent like ours is right now. Relaunching from 4th bottom is a lot easier than relaunching from the bottom 2 - just look at Melbourne . We can't afford to sink to the bottom.

[kosifantutti]

I don't get that supporters want us to lose.

[saintbob]

Stanley is another who is starting to find some consistency, has really settled in well up forward.

[saintspremiers]

I don't get that supporters want us to lose.

Exactly. Being at the game we as fans were filthy we lost. Sure, we didn't deserve to win but would've loved to have pinched it even at the expense of a DP.

[Teflon]

I don't get that supporters want us to lose.

Me either.

Define "losing"?

[saintbob]

Because there are some games you hope you can win and some games you expect to win. For the first time this year I expected to win and so did many other Saints fans- so yes I am gutted, because these kinds of losses drain away the belief. The slide into mediocrity and despair can come quickly for a team thin on ready to go talent like ours is right now. Relaunching from 4th bottom is a lot easier than relaunching from the bottom 2 - just look at Melbourne . We can't afford to sink to the bottom.

I disagree, our list is a lot better than Melbourne's and our relaunch won't be as protracted as theirs!!!

[kosifantutti]

I don't get that supporters want us to lose.

Me either.

Define "losing"?

What Melbourne have been doing for the last 8 years.

[Teflon]

Because there are some games you hope you can win and some games you expect to win. For the first time this year I expected to win and so did many other Saints fans- so yes I am gutted, because these kinds of losses drain away the belief. The slide into mediocrity and despair can come quickly for a team thin on ready to go talent like ours is right now. Relaunching from 4th bottom is a lot easier than relaunching from the bottom 2 - just look at Melbourne . We can't afford to sink to the bottom.

Completely disagree and any comparison to Melbourne is laughable

I am confident in the Pelican plan - I'm not sure Melbourne have had a plan last few years

I do know we made a Melbourne mistake in appointing Watters (see Neeld) but that to has been rectified

Again, we aren't going to challenge any time soon unless we get another 2 Billings and a Riewoldt in the side...... losing to Lions by 3 pts is a battle loss while the real war is raging. Let's win that.

[dragit]

I don't get that supporters want us to lose.

I don't think anyone wants to lose, I think it's just easier to cope with a loss when we are not contending... I'm happy if a side effect is to add more billings-type talent to our list.

[Teflon]

I don't get that supporters want us to lose.

Me either.

Define "losing"?

What Melbourne have been doing for the last 8 years.

Oh I agree no one wants that

Do you think we will lose for 8 years? Do you think we are Melbourne?

[kosifantutti]

Not yet.

[Teflon]

Not yet.

Ye of little faith kosi (I had you as a glass half full guy !!)

The signs are there - we got the last couple drafts right and this year is first time uncompromised from GWS and co... Now is the time to make hay...

We get it right, maximise our picks, keep salary cap in check while some greats retire and then load up with a BIG free agent when we are screaming up the ladder ...look out!

For the record - i think Melbourne set themselves back a decade when they got rid of leaders like Macdonald... we've been pretty selective who we let go of for that reason I think... we'll be ok

[SaintPav]

There's plenty of other games to lose.

It didn't have to be tonight against them.

Daniel Merrett. What a f****** hero.