NAB 3 Match Thread v Demons

[perfectionist]

Nick seems to have a calf strain. His 300th might be a few more weeks away. Jason Holmes has been OK. But I can't see us beating too many teams. I fear that the nadir is yet to come.

[saintjake]

Nice last quarter from Acres.

Most players seem to get tired but he looked good.

Couple of good second efforts too.

We have to remember that he is a year behind Dunstan/billings from that draft year.

[The Fireman]

Weller...spud

[desertsaint]

Acres has done a great disappearing act. Not the end of the world, but a little concerning.

And missing a heap of targets by foot. I'm struggling to see what all the hype is about..

Hope? I haven't seen anything even promising from him. But we hope.

[saintkid]

Weller's skills today were pretty poor. Early days but Melb had good team structure compared to us and should have won by more.

[dragit]

We just have too many support role players… so many of our "best 22" are just very average AFL footballers…

[magnifisaint]

Can't see Holmsey making it.

[Kernal75]

Our skills were ordinary at best, no forward structure or method. We might have 4 ruckman on our list but only 1 (Longer) looks like he will make the grade!

[bigballs]

Some pretty poor turnovers today but our ball movement was good. At times I thought we could have actually slowed the game down a bit as there were far too many mistakes.

Really liked the look of Gresham and great to see Nathan Wright get through the whole game without injury.

[prwilkinson]

Reverse the score come Round 6.

[Devilhead]

21 clanger kicks ...... enough said ....... our skills are deplorable and that wont change overnight

Apparently in the 1st half we had 19 chains starting from defense and only 1 .... yes 1 ..... made it inside our 50

It took us half way through the 2nd quarter to kick a goal from general play

I understand we haven't had the greatest pre-season run in and I am trying to stay positive but I think we are likely to be bottom 4 - our oldies are 1 year older and wont improve and our youngsters are still too inexperienced to make a huge difference

Unfortunately our mid guns - Armitage and Steven whilst good don't hurt teams on a consistent basis and take control of games - not their fault just the way it is as other midfield set-ups are better

We will win a few no doubt but like last year we will have patches in games where we will get blown away by good sides

Can only hope we have a good run with injuries and our youngsters show signs of stepping up

If you please now allow me to remove my realistic hat .......... Thanks ....... SAINTS FOR PREMIERS!!!!!!!!

[saintspremiers]

Reverse the score come Round 6.

They will end the curse this year I fear.

[LTN16]

Also can't see Wright making the grade. Has all the courage in the world but his skills let him down.

Geary may have experience but his skills also hurt us in the back half..

But on a positive note geez I'm excited about Billings! What a Jet!

[whiskers3614]

Reading all the negatives above figured we must've lost by 10 to 15 goals!

[Toy Saint]

Can somebody advise the score, goal kickers, best players etc...please?

[cwrcyn]

Same issues will plague us again. Lack of genuine key backmen, and a slow midfield.

Gresham can play, so that's a positive

[The Fireman]

Reading all the negatives above figured we must've lost by 10 to 15 goals!

Reading all the negatives will help you realise what an ordinary season we have ahead of us.


we may aswell have lost by 10

[Stephen Theodore]

Our skills were ordinary at best, no forward structure or method. We might have 4 ruckman on our list but only 1 (Longer) looks like he will make the grade!

Thought the same, can't work out where Hickey fits in at this stage. Hope I'm wrong !

[MC Gusto]

Acres showed a bit in the last - might have been junk time in a praccy but I'm happy to clasp at straws.

Skills were very ordinary today - on the plus Gresh looks a real player.

[dragit]

Can somebody advise the score, goal kickers, best players etc...please?

MELBOURNE has gone through the NAB Challenge undefeated after notching a confidence-boosting 24-point victory over St Kilda in a feisty round one tune-up at Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

Following tight triumphs over Port Adelaide and the Western Bulldogs, the Dees kept the good times rolling under senior coach-in-waiting Simon Goodwin, fighting to a 1.14.14 (107) to 0.12.11 (83) win.

Full match stats and coverage

The Saints' disappointment at defeat was compounded by an apparent calf injury to skipper Nick Riewoldt, who was playing his first game of the pre-season.

Riewoldt roamed mostly on a wing and was relatively quiet in gathering 10 touches before suffering the injury early in the final term and leaving the field.

The Saints, fresh from the washout against the Brisbane Lions in Mackay, burst out of the blocks, but it was the Dees who ran over the top and prevailed in an encouraging sign for their long-suffering fans.

Both sets of supporters could take some positives, though, with Josh Bruce, Jack Billings and Jack Lonie forming a threatening forward combination for the Saints despite only limited assistance from Riewoldt.

High-flyer Bruce (two goals) showed his breakout year was no fluke while Billings assured everyone his rise to stardom hasn't been slowed by shin stress fractures that ended his 2015 season early.

Billings nailed his three majors in the opening term and looks ready to explode in his third season at AFL level.

At the other end, Demons livewire Jeff Garlett (three goals) and a creative Jack Watts helped fill the breach after out-of-sorts spearhead Jesse Hogan struggled to make an impact, apart from a booming goal in the final term.

Watts booted two goals in the first quarter, his second threading the needle after the siren to slash the margin to just four points, while Tom McDonald was a rock in defence helping the Dees stand firm under an opening barrage.

Fielding their full complement of midfielders, the Saints' engine room ran rampant early and Jack Steven, Seb Ross, Leigh Montagna and Luke Dunstan found some good touch.

Having weathered St Kilda's storm, the Demons ramped up their pressure, suffocating the Saints' ball movement and getting on top through the tireless work of Nathan Jones, Bernie Vince and Dom Tyson.

The Dees hit the front by 10 points at the long break before extending their advantage in the next two quarters.

Melbourne young gun Clayton Oliver continued his stellar start in the AFL and looks to have all-but cemented a round one spot thanks to another mature performance in his third consecutive game.

The No.4 draft pick crashed packs and looks a readymade senior onballer after racking up 18 touches and booting two goals.

Souring the win was an apparent jaw injury to Matt Jones, who played no part after quarter-time, and Cam Pedersen's high bump on Nathan Wright in the final term which will surely attract Match Review Panel scrutiny.

Neville Jetta was fortunate to escape serious injury after catching his left leg in an incident on the artificial turf over the boundary line in the fourth quarter.

WHAT WE LEARNED
Melbourne: Melbourne fans will have to live with mistakes as the club tries to perfect a more attacking game style. The success of switch kicks deep in defence was variable but when they came off, Melbourne moved the ball efficiently. The Demons have good young bookends in Jesse Hogan (although he made some uncharacteristic errors) and Tom McDonald, Max Gawn and Jack Watts are improving and their youngsters have promise. Jeff Garlett is also the most underrated small forward in the AFL and they should provide Greater Western Sydney with some headaches.

St Kilda: The experienced core will be better for the run with Nick Riewoldt, Leigh Montagna, Jarryn Geary and David Armitage improving as the game went on. Jack Billings looks set to take another step this season. He is clean, makes good decisions and can find the goals and Jack Lonie looks a similar type. Tom Hickey needs to improve his ruck work although the Saints are fond of using a third man up around the ground. If Dylan Roberton can clean up his kicking to support the experienced defenders around him the Saints should become harder to score against.

NEW FACES
Melbourne: Tom Bugg is an antagonist with the ability to distract opposition players. He was at his annoying best on Sunday but he also has courage and wins the ball. He took a spectacular mark and kicked a goal and looks a certain starter in round one, as does Clayton Oliver after an excellent NAB Challenge series. Ben Kennedy's pre-season has put him in the frame for round one and he contributed in the midfield in the last quarter but he still has plenty of room for improvement. Rookie Josh Wagner struggled deep in defence against St Kilda but the pre-season experience will help his development. Oscar McDonald played two senior games last year and looks set for another development year.

St Kilda: Jade Gresham dropped a chest mark in the goalsquare, denying himself a certain goal but he knows how to find space and will only improve. He has a mature enough body to play early. Blake Acres gave away an undisciplined 50m penalty and looks a little shaky on his non-preferred foot but he has courage, is a good size and is balanced so with perseverance he will be handy. Jack Billings looks set for a breakout season while Luke Dunstan is similarly poised. Jason Holmes has a good leap but needs to do more around the ground while Tim Membrey did not have much of an influence.

NEXT UP
Melbourne faces a tough test against Greater Western Sydney at the MCG on Easter Saturday but the game should give a good indication of Melbourne's improvement. St Kilda goes to Adelaide Oval to take on Port Adelaide on Easter Sunday. It's a big assignment for the Saints, given they missed one NAB Challenge game.

MELBOURNE 0.4.1 0.8.5 0.11.12 1.14.14 (107)
ST KILDA 0.4.5 0.6.7 9.10.0 0.12.11 (83)

NAB SUPERGOALS
Melbourne: Salem
St Kilda: Nil

GOALS
Melbourne: Garlett 3, Watts 2, Oliver 2, Kent 2, Hogan 2, Kennedy, Pedersen, Bugg
St Kilda: Billings 3, Bruce 2, Armitage, Montagna, Hickey, Steven, Newnes, Weller, Dunstan

BEST
Melbourne: Bugg, Jones, Gawn, Tom McDonald, Garlett, Tyson, Salem
St Kilda: Steven, Billings, Armitage, Montagna, Newnes, Fisher, Geary

INJURIES
Melbourne: Jetta (leg), Matt Jones (concussion)
St Kilda: Riewoldt (calf

[BigMart]

Thought it was a good hit out,

Intensity was excellent

Whilst we weren't tired we dominated ball... As soon as we stopped running we were done.

Our big bodied inside mids could not cover the ground after HT and were smashed in transition, especially from our back half turn overs

Backs
Sam Fisher was excellent, and belted Hogan considering his supply
Roberton was aweful... He must have had a head knock, he wasn't with it... And was buggered
Webster terrible
Wright and Greary were hard at it but poor by foot
Sean was well beaten by Watts
Savage was very good

Mids
Joey OK
Steven was our best because he ran the hardest
Newnes pretty good
Inside mids Ross and Dunstan started well, but faded and were running up and down on the spot
Riewoldt was lost ... No influence whilst in the middle, poor below his knees and slow disposal. He CANNOT play through the middle, a ridiculous suggestion... Ok when he went fwd for a bit. Got injured
Armo not too bad
Acres Hideous early but when the heat went out of the game in the last Q, he found the ball. Plus he had rested for a full Q
Sam Gilbert was out on his feet after HT but was pretty good

Fwd
Weller terrible offensively ok defensively
Membrey hardly got near it
Bruce an ok target
Billings, not respected early and Melbourne paid the price. Shut down afterwards
Lonie outstanding
Gresham did well when he came on

Holmes did OK at centre bounce when he came on
Hickey did ok generally in the ruck, but Gawn monstered him a few times and dominated


Fitness a real issue
Foot skills a real issue

Inside the contest we were generally good, beaten outside
Pressure and tackling was good

[longtimesaint]

I can't believe the negative rubbish on here sometimes.
If you had watched the NAB matches Melbourne have been on s mission to win all three fielding strong teams.
For nearly all our main players this was a first hit out and they were rusty.
We will beat Melbourne when it matters!

[BigMart]

I think the Dees looked pretty good. Good inside and outside balance, dominant ruckman and a decent fwd set up.

We are fairly evenly matched imo

[The Fireman]

I can't believe the negative rubbish on here sometimes.
If you had watched the NAB matches Melbourne have been on s mission to win all three fielding strong teams.
For nearly all our main players this was a first hit out and they were rusty.
We will beat Melbourne when it matters!

I get it..so if it's negative it's rubbish..hmmm ok

[Bluthy]

Weller's skills today were pretty poor. Early days but Melb had good team structure compared to us and should have won by more.

You could definitely see two contrasting styles out there. Melbourne are classic Roos - they've invested heavily in midfielders to get lots of players around the ball, they have an even spread of skilled and hard working players to keep the ball and wear you out. WE tend to have less players around the ball and maintain our spread so we can really explode when we get it. I think Roos style is out of date due to its low scoring and ours will be better once we evolve better skills and tanks. The investment we've made in our spine with McCartin, Goddard and Carlisle will be slower to develop, but I think will hold up better in finals.