Intra club Sat 21st- teams and news

[Con Gorozidis]

Our foot skills continue to be a problem. I hope they improve dramatically over the next month. McCartin was the highight, runs to the right spaces and looks like a really good reader of the game. I think our forwards will find it hard going if our ball use does not improve.

Amen Jimmy Amen.
I think a large factor in the gap between top (Hawks) and bottom (Us) is the footskills. A huge gap to make up there.

[Old Mate]

I'm not sure if the Hawks are a good example of a quick team. Both Hill and Smith are elite running machines and use this to find space on the wings but not overly quick. Correct me if I'm wrong. Cyril has elite 20m breakaway speed but runs out of gas quick...and that's when he can get on the park. Where the Hawks excel is speed of ball movement. As soon as they gain possession they take their first option and move it on quicker than any other team. Port do this as well. It helps to have a dozen guys in your lineup that kick it like Jack Billings.

[Zed]

Our foot skills continue to be a problem. I hope they improve dramatically over the next month. McCartin was the highight, runs to the right spaces and looks like a really good reader of the game. I think our forwards will find it hard going if our ball use does not improve.

Yep walked away yesterday thinking exactly this.

we are going to look ugly this year - but on the plus side our defensive side looks tighter and hopefully we shouldnt get whipped as often.Can see the upside - the bounce will start in 2016 - but Need to draft a couple of guys end of this year who can use the ball like Dal and BJ if we are going to push for the top 4 in 2018 and beyond

[Con Gorozidis]

I'm not sure if the Hawks are a good example of a quick team. Both Hill and Smith are elite running machines and use this to find space on the wings but not overly quick. Correct me if I'm wrong. Cyril has elite 20m breakaway speed but runs out of gas quick...and that's when he can get on the park. Where the Hawks excel is speed of ball movement. As soon as they gain possession they take their first option and move it on quicker than any other team. Port do this as well. It helps to have a dozen guys in your lineup that kick it like Jack Billings.

Pretty fair assessment . Whenever I go to watch a Hawks game I don't come away thinking gee they are fast - I come away amazed at how accurate and pin-point their kicking is. I often think are these guys really using the same balls as our boys

[gringo]

Touch wood we have a very clean bill of health so far. If we can keep our best players on the park we should improve on last year. I'm looking forward to seeing how we go against Brisbane.

[fingers]

It is not just about foot speed , it is 'speed of action', moving when you have or win the ball. I agree with Jonesy we are very one paced in our midfield . A good example is Sam Mitchell at Hawthorn he is not quick, but is quick with his hands, feet and to move to free space. Apart from Steven we dont have any other mids with those qualities and we dont have the speed and class on the outside to cut teams up. Hence we rely on going backwards before we move the ball foward.

seb ross has about the quickest hands i have seen at the club in years....

Agree. I noticed it a few times last year.

[fingers]

Our foot skills continue to be a problem. I hope they improve dramatically over the next month. McCartin was the highight, runs to the right spaces and looks like a really good reader of the game. I think our forwards will find it hard going if our ball use does not improve.

I actually thought that skills were way better than the same time last year. Although still need to be much better than they are.

[FQF]

Some sides like Sydney don't have a lot of pace in the midfield but have attacking, running defenders with speed.
North Melbourne is another one.
Having Jack and another would be enough genuine pace in the midfield if Webster and Wright can provide effective run from defense

Yep, if there's speed on the wings and defence then you're probably set.

Webster, Wright, Savage, Shenton, Jack, Gilbert, Mackenzie all have speed. Not sure about Acres?

[dragit]

Any more info on Daniel Markworths shoulder injury?

That guy has pace & skill, will be a disaster for him if it's a long-term injury.

[WinnersOnly]

I spoke to him after the game he wasnt concerned, said it was just a knock and still had full movement. Unless it changed when he cooled down I would be surprised if he missed any footy.

[matrix]

do we really need to bag people who didnt want to go for whatever reason?

the players wont play any better or worse

anyhoo

did murdoch play?
howd he go?

[dragit]

I spoke to him after the game he wasnt concerned, said it was just a knock and still had full movement. Unless it changed when he cooled down I would be surprised if he missed any footy.

Great news, cheers… hopefully just a stinger.

[plugger66]

do we really need to bag people who didnt want to go for whatever reason?

the players wont play any better or worse

anyhoo

did murdoch play?
howd he go?

He didn't play. Well someone posted he didn't anyway. I failed to get to the game myself.

[saintbrat]

Vision of 3 periods up online

http://saints.com.au/video/2015-02-23/s ... first-term

http://saints.com.au/video/2015-02-23/s ... ra-club-23


http://saints.com.au/video/2015-02-23/s ... ra-club-33

[Dr Spaceman]

Vision of 3 periods up online

http://saints.com.au/video/2015-02-23/s ... first-term

http://saints.com.au/video/2015-02-23/s ... ra-club-23


http://saints.com.au/video/2015-02-23/s ... ra-club-33

Just checking them out now.

As with most things of late, well done by the club

[kosifantutti]

Vision of 3 periods up online

http://saints.com.au/video/2015-02-23/s ... first-term

http://saints.com.au/video/2015-02-23/s ... ra-club-23


http://saints.com.au/video/2015-02-23/s ... ra-club-33

Thanks SB. I hope we get something similar for Saturday's game.

[saintbrat]

Vision of 3 periods up online

http://saints.com.au/video/2015-02-23/s ... first-term

http://saints.com.au/video/2015-02-23/s ... ra-club-23


http://saints.com.au/video/2015-02-23/s ... ra-club-33

Thanks SB. I hope we get something similar for Saturday's game.

wont be live- that would contravene Ch 7's arrangements with the AFL
although how it can contravene something that's not happening.....

but post game....

[falka]

Ok have watched the single camera replay

Holmes had the better of Longer
Webster is a gun
Newnes impressive
Fisher sensational
Sinclair handy could be a player
Armo will be very important
Saad good to have him back w forward pressure

Typical scrappy crap, not much to take from a tactics point of view. If we play that way we won't win a game haha

[maverick]

Ok have watched the single camera replay

Holmes had the better of Longer
Webster is a gun
Newnes impressive
Fisher sensational
Sinclair handy could be a player
Armo will be very important
Saad good to have him back w forward pressure

Typical scrappy crap, not much to take from a tactics point of view. If we play that way we won't win a game haha

I thought we did win??
Ha ha

[Joe Bloggs]

I'm pretty sure you won't see much of a game plan when it's the one team split in half playing against each other . Next game against a real opposition will show more of the game plan.

[stinger]

states from the match aare up on the saints site

http://www.saints.com.au/news/2015-02-2 ... club-stats

[mad saint guy]

Just watched the replay on the saints website - awesome work from the club putting up content like this.

A few thoughts:

We have very interesting ruck stocks. I think Hickey and Pierce are similar players - both have very good skills and coordination for ruckmen and I think those two are the only combination of the four that could play in the same team. Longer and Holmes are similar in that they are excellent in the hitouts and have a physical presence but struggle to find enough of the ball to have an impact around the ground. They're either in the team as the primary ruckman or not at all. All four of those guys could forge an AFL career but I doubt more than two of them will be at St Kilda in a few years time.

It will also be interesting to see which of our tall forwards get first crack in the seniors. McCartin was impressive early on and he has had the most drastic turnaround in physique that I have seen from a player in one season. During last season he was a bit chubby and getting by on talent. He now has very impressive size and definition for an 18 year old and looks like he could play 5-10 senior games this year. Lee also looks in much better condition but didn't stamp himself on the game. I do think he'll always be a player who looks best in AFL seniors with better delivery - he only needs two or three good passes to him per game to kick two or three goals. White was very impressive IMO and I'd like to see him lining up at FF in round one. He has become a monster unit and is so quick to react when/if the ball hits the ground. He really does play in the style of Franklin, and I think we're moulding our forward line in the Hawthorn style; Franklin - White, Roughead - McCartin, Gunston - Membrey/Lee, Rioli - Billings/Lonie.

Weller was very impressive and it'd be great if he can become our primary tagger while racking up 18-22 disposals per game along with his fierce tackling. Shenton was quite good and I think he'll be competing with Acres for a spot. It will be awesome to have a fully fit Sam Fisher back in the side - his presence will help our backline immensely. I was a tad disappointed that Templeton couldn't get more of the footy despite playing on a wing and I didn't notice Markworth, Saunders or Acres do much that was noteworthy. Sinclair did some good things.

Here's the team I'd like to see in round one

B: Dempster, Delaney, Geary
HB: Webster, Bruce, Fisher
C: Savage, Armitage, Newnes
HF: Montagna, Riewoldt, Billings
F: Saad, White, Membrey

Foll: Hickey, Steven, Dunstan
Int: Weller, Wright, Ross, Templeton (sub)

[Con Gorozidis]

I watched the videos last night. No surprise in the stats.

Good
Fisher, Geary and Webster essentially did as they pleased.
Savage Newnes Ross Dunstan and Shenton were involved a lot. Ross kicking sometimes lets him down.
Billings promising and usually makes his touches count.
Dunstan. Cruised and looks very solid.
Acres - will make it. I have him already ahead of Ray. Seems like a a similar player to Ray but an upgrade.
Holmesy - Not far off it at all. Pierce also looks good. Our ruck division is going to be very strong.

Not so good
I knows its only a scratch match so I dont read too much into it but I'm not sure if Curren, Saunders and Bruce will make it.

[mad saint guy]

Not so good
I knows its only a scratch match so I dont read too much into it but I'm not sure if Curren, Saunders and Bruce will make it.

I don't see how Saunders will be able to get a gig ahead of the guys we've recruited over the last two drafts. He's a good runner and has good intensity but skills are scrappy, he's very small and drifts out of games too often. I think he might be contracted for another two seasons, if not then he'd be in big trouble to hold his spot on the list for 2016.

I really like Curren but again - it's hard to make it these days if you're small and don't have great skills. I won't write him off yet, but I certainly don't think he's going to make an impact in his current role. He is going down a similar path to McQualter IMO - started off as a tough ball winning inside midfielder before being turned into a small defensive forward. The issue with that is that he's not particularly strong overhead or a naturally dangerous forward. Best result would be that he improves his disposal consistency and becomes a handy midfield rotation capable of running with and negating dangerous outside players while collecting 20-25 possessions of his own.

Bruce has the size, athleticism and intensity but just hasn't put it all together yet. I'm not a big fan of the whole 'tall utility' concept as I think it will prevent him from ever settling and being comfortable with his role in the team. I'd like him to nail one position before experimenting with others. He's the perfect size for CHB and we already have too many high-cost tall forwards on the list. Yes he's struggled defensively at times but that's understandable from a kid playing CHB in his first year in the bottom side. Having him at CHB also allows Fisher to spend his final year or two doing what he does best - intercepting and rebounding.

[saintbrat]

Richo took to facebook after Saturday's game
http://www.saints.com.au/news/2015-02-2 ... chat-recap