Positives and Negatives after 6 Rounds

[skeptic]

Positives

- The biggest positive is Tom Hickey. The ruck question has tormented most of us over the off-season... Who's the best and what combination of rucks can work. Who on earth legitimately thought after 6 rounds that Hickey, a man that was looking like he was being over taken by an American rookie, would not only secure the number one and sole ruck spot in the team but put his hand up as one of the elite ruckman in the league.

- Nick Riewoldt. The champion just keeps on keeping on.

- A number of the youth taking continuing to impress: Newnes, Ross, Dunstan, Billings, Sinclair, Weller, Savatage, Acres to name a few... The consistency may not always be there but the good quarters/games are popping up with increased regularity

- Paddy McCartin taking a few grabs

- Form rewarded with opportunity. Membrey, Minchington, Lee, Gresham, Templeton, McCartin, Acres etc. When they've played well at Sandy they've gotten their chances... Some have made the most of them, some have had to go back, but as evidenced by Acres, Gresh, and Eli in particular, being dropped is not a death sentence... If they back up, the opportunities come.

- Fairly positive off field... Richo doing a good job selling the club.

- Freeman has at least made it to the park, and boy did he show something


Negatives

- Last quarter fade outs... Taken some gloss of what were decent performances vs Port, Hawthorn and GWS

- Consistency. Though to this point the Bulldogs game was a bit of an aberration, I feel like we go missing for extended patches in individual quarters too often for my liking. It's not so much that the opposition kick 3-4 goals in a 5-7min patch, but more so over the course of 1/2 or even 2/3 of a quarter where they dominate play.
It comes with younger bodies and match fitness, but I'd like to see us improve in this regard over the season.

- Disposal and decision making... This pbly could go under consistency as well but I would be more than happy not to see patches like in the first 1/4 vs GWS where we just continually picked out their defenders when moving the ball forward or gifted the ball to the opposition ala vs the Dogs and they hammered the goal home.



On a side note...
One can really see why we went after Carlisle like we did. Nothing against our defenders don't get me wrong but we really need a fully fit, quality key back in this team. I was in the camp that thought we overpaid, but if he gets himself right and a player like Hugh Goddard comes on (resulting in guys like Demps and Fisher playing in their weight division if they go on)... We could improve very drastically.

[mullet]

Yep the defence problem stands out like.... well you know.

We have the second most points scored against us. Interesting Richmond has the most so I feel a tad vindicated in my thought that Rance is overrated.

Good to see that Carlisle was in the crowd yesterday.

I still have egg on my face from saying Fish would never play again and should give up . He does really work freakin hard and gets everything out of his aging body.

Hope Carlisle lives up to the hype, but cant help but think what a key backman would do to this team.

[Milne]

The defense is going to be an issue all season. We have to win the game in the middle and strangle supply to other teams key forwards, and take our chances in our forward 50 if we are to win games against the better teams.

[Country Kid]

It's a problem any club has if the mid-field does not provide protection for its defence eg games against Bulldogs & GWS. If the mid-field doesn't get back to help out in the D50 and also turns the ball over then in todays footy the defence has little chance. Also the forwards need to pressure the backs so they don't just waltz the ball out of the F50.
At times it is all too easy to blame the backs but they can't stop fwds when there is little pressure and turnovers from up-field. Added to this is the fact our back six are undersized which won't be resolved until at least next season.

[stkfc1]

When we can stop the oppositions best forward from kixking 5+ goals on us we will be a better team. It has been a problem for years now. Cameron, Hogan, Jack Reiwoldt etc must look at the fixture at the start of the year and pencil in 5+ next to our name. Cant wait to have JC lining up against them next year.

[bigcarl]

At times it is all too easy to blame the backs but they can't stop fwds when there is little pressure and turnovers from up-field. Added to this is the fact our back six are undersized which won't be resolved until at least next season.

Correct. Also there is a real trend to high scoring, more open games this season with key forwards beginning to kick bags of goals. The interchange cap has had that effect imo, making it much harder to get numbers back. Players are too stuffed to run from one end to another.

Plus we play an aggressive, attacking style so we are going to get hurt occasionally on the rebound ... Unable to get numbers back. Good key defenders are going to be gold in the next few years

[skeptic]

At times it is all too easy to blame the backs but they can't stop fwds when there is little pressure and turnovers from up-field. Added to this is the fact our back six are undersized which won't be resolved until at least next season.

Correct. Also there is a real trend to high scoring, more open games this season with key forwards beginning to kick bags of goals. The interchange cap has had that effect imo, making it much harder to get numbers back. Players are too stuffed to run from one end to another.

Plus we play an aggressive, attacking style so we are going to get hurt occasionally on the rebound ... Unable to get numbers back. Good key defenders are going to be gold in the next few years

I wonder if this makes the selection of Carlisle all the more important?
Feel like it bodes well for Paddy too... Opportunity and need is well a truly there for a key forward now more so than then last few years.

[Griggsy]

Positive, when we are on we work harder than anyone

Negative, we will continue to get bested by key forwards until next year.

[BigMart]

Negatives
Disposal and 2 poor performances due to it

Positives
Development of several players

Game plan

Effort

Sandringham

[saynta]

Negatives
Disposal and 2 poor performances due to it

Positives
Development of several players

Game plan

Effort

Sandringham

I thought all year that some of our insipid tackling was a problem needing addressing.

[Bruce G McAbee]

I was going to mention defence as well, Hogan scored 7 goals and showed that we are vulnerable against big power forwards. North have 3 of them next week that will cause us trouble.
Carlisle, will definitely help in shutting down one of them, if we had had him yesterday, probably would have won by a bigger margin as Hogan would have kicked a few less.
Speaking of Hogan, watching the replay, heard that Fremantle are trying to lure him back to WA. If the kids smart, he'll stay put.
Actually think we'll finish higher than any of the teams that are 2 wins 4 losses now as we can beat any of them, and hopefully can knock one of the better teams off this year.
Lots of positives, few negatives, but next week brings a bigger challenge. The only thing in our favour this week is that North have had a recent history of dropping games like this.
Melbourne were only one straight kick off knocking them off a couple of weeks ago.

[tony74]

Positive....Recovery was very good and optimistic. Only a couple with some sore spots.

[Con Gorozidis]

8 day break has come at a good time.

[SaintPav]

Some people talk about "defence" like it's just the back 6 and its 1979. Doubt having Carslile available would have made too much of a difference to our win loss ratio.

[fingers]

It surprised me to hear commentators say that if the opposition isnt ON then the Saints will tear them apart with their SKILL and PACE. ??

[WellardSaint]

Positive....Recovery was very good and optimistic. Only a couple with some sore spots.

When you say "Positive", I'm picturing you raising the eyebrows, left hand reaching around to scratch the right ear, and then wiping imaginary tomato sauce from upper lip...

[satchmo]

Positives

- A number of the youth taking continuing to impress: Newnes, Ross, Dunstan, Billings, Sinclair, Weller, Savatage, Acres to name a few... The consistency may not always be there but the good quarters/games are popping up with increased regularity

Very good footballer, however not AFL standard!

[WellardSaint]

Positives

- A number of the youth taking continuing to impress: Newnes, Ross, Dunstan, Billings, Sinclair, Weller, Savatage, Acres to name a few... The consistency may not always be there but the good quarters/games are popping up with increased regularity

Very good footballer, however not AFL standard!

How young is Savage? He was dropped once or twice last year, the club stated he needed to work on some things, and he's kept his spot since.
All the coaches must see value in him, otherwise he'd be in the Zebs.
Think about it.

[satchmo]

Positives

- A number of the youth taking continuing to impress: Newnes, Ross, Dunstan, Billings, Sinclair, Weller, Savatage, Acres to name a few... The consistency may not always be there but the good quarters/games are popping up with increased regularity

Very good footballer, however not AFL standard!

How young is Savage? He was dropped once or twice last year, the club stated he needed to work on some things, and he's kept his spot since.
All the coaches must see value in him, otherwise he'd be in the Zebs.
Think about it.

Savage is doing well.
Savatage plays drums for The Flying Mullets. Not AFL standard.

[BigMart]

Savatage

A left footer I believe... From the early days of SS

[skeptic]

Positives

- A number of the youth taking continuing to impress: Newnes, Ross, Dunstan, Billings, Sinclair, Weller, Savatage, Acres to name a few... The consistency may not always be there but the good quarters/games are popping up with increased regularity

Very good footballer, however not AFL standard!

Hahaha, i knew i knew that name... Just wasn't coming to me

[spert]

Pos:
Won 2 games/ good attacking game/ very encouraging signs from younger players

Neg:
Should have won 3 games/ average defensive game- too many goals kicked against us/ outside running game needs more work/ slow starts, slow finishes.

[bigred]

Pro's: Development. The Sub 50 gamers are looking good. Love the gameplan, makes us look awesome when it comes together.

Cons: Leaky as hell. Running out of legs in the last qtr. Consistency.

[Milne]

Savatage

A left footer I believe... From the early days of SS

wow, there's a name I haven't heard for awhile.

[degruch]

I was going to mention defence as well, Hogan scored 7 goals and showed that we are vulnerable against big power forwards. North have 3 of them next week that will cause us trouble.

No Lindsay Thomas this week thanks to his whack on Hunter, but probably opens the door for Mason Wood who the AFL reports is killing it in the magoos...if any team is going to exploit the lack of height in our forward line (other than the Giants, who already have) it'd be North. A Goddard appearance may be a positive here, but how's he travelling at Sandi? Lee is another alternative, but how's his stopping ability on a giant?