An absolute JOKE!!!

[HitTheBoundary]

We're an ordinary team who occasionally play above themselves.
We've also got several players out of form.
We need about another 10 players.

No amount of hissy fits and tantrums will change that.

[Enrico_Misso]

Savage had 8 disposals and FIVE clangers.

[satchmo]

We're an ordinary team who occasionally play above themselves.
We've also got several players out of form.
We need about another 10 players.

No amount of hissy fits and tantrums will change that.

This theory shall be tested.

[dragit]

We're an ordinary team who occasionally play above themselves.
We've also got several players out of form.
We need about another 10 players.

No amount of hissy fits and tantrums will change that.

This theory shall be tested.

shut
up

i want a flag

yesterday.

[satchmo]

We're an ordinary team who occasionally play above themselves.
We've also got several players out of form.
We need about another 10 players.

No amount of hissy fits and tantrums will change that.

This theory shall be tested.

shut
up

i want a flag

yesterday.

We have a nice brown and yellow one for you!

[Zed]

Hard to argue that Essendon today were barely above VFL standard and BM is spot on in regards to how many of their players would actually get a senior game at a top 8 club ( 5 or 6 at best).

We are horribly short in the backline. Sav looks out of sorts.
Other than Steven , lack some real speed and outside dash.
Bruce is horrible at the moment, just keeps running under the ball. Need Paddy back to help stretch oppo defence.
Really missing the class of Sinclair and Billings (when in form).
I've said it a few times now, unfortunately we only seem to really look good as a team when all our vets are firing.

[saynta]

Fisher Carlisle Goddard Webster McCartin Billings all big outs we need in.

If you are counting a 34 year old Fisher as a 'big out' you should include Lenny Hayes in your 'list'.
Way too early days to be calling Goddard a 'big out'. Billings is out because he was in poor form and was basically dropped.
Carlisle hasnt even played a game for us yet. How can you be a 'big out' when you have never been an 'in'?

Props for putting a positive spin on it. But that is a very sunny view.

he injured his ankle during a game, kept playing. He was rested not dropped.

[To the top]

If a win is an ordinary performance, then this was it.

Basically Steven and Hickey (with some assistance from Membrey) got us over the line - with some assistance from some others noting we appeared inferior overhead, beaten for leg speed, beaten on the spread, beaten in selection and beaten in structure and beaten in tactics - then there was our use of the ball and the abject fumbling.

What today again confirmed to me is that we had 6 players in this side who are not up to AFL football (and they cost us big time) for multiple reasons being Minchington, McKenzie, Wright, Geary (noting 2 stretch marks which saved his bacon from chasing a back side to the goal square and losing the race - including because he would have been on the ground again - and a lunge spoil but was otherwise thrashed in every aspect - then when he has the ball!), Delaney and Savage.

Dempster looked badly in need of a run and, for the life of me I could not fathom that every time I looked at the Bench immediately below from the Medallion Club, so virtually shaking hands over the rail, Acres was on the bench.

Weller was only saved by 2 late goals - and is no "lock" in my opinion.

We had no patterns (probably because of fumbling and delivery) up forward and just blazed away allowing the opposition to rebound as they did - with ease.

We could not buy a contested mark up forward (Paddy, where are you?) and they ran away off the spoils opening us up.

The summary is that, despite winning, there is plenty to work on and plenty of spots up for grabs.

To me, the 6 mentioned had their papers marked today including because none of them has shown they belong at AFL level, and today just confirmed that opinion - again.

[SainterK]

Did you ring SEN bagging Geary after the game?

Someone did.

[desertsaint]

This place jerks about more than a pinata at a ten year olds party.
We came back from a last quarter 22 point turnaround to boot four goals to steal the game back.
Played like crap against a crap team that beat Melbourne when they played like crap.
We aren't top eight material, unlikely to be next year either. But we're tracking okay.
We'll have great games like vs north, hawks, melbourne, carlton, and geelong, and crap games like vs dogs, gianst, crows, and coast. we had a crap game, but won it. we would've lost it last year.
i enjoyed the win.

[samuraisaint]

My thoughts.
I was there this evening with one of my sons and I couldn't sit and watch on the third level anymore when we were 7 points down. We ran down to the ground level to watch it standing up. We did a quick detour at one point into the second level as I heard a roar and saw Membrey kick truly, then continued down to the ground level to watch the rest of the game standing up behind the St Kilda Cheer Squad end goals. I think it would have been a disaster if we'd lost today. There were Essendon supporters going absolutely ballistic when they kicked that goal to put them 7 points up. When we got ahead they were punching their chairs in frustration. Rarely have I seen supporters so absolutely guttered by a result. Make no mistake; if they had got up today this would have been very bad for the St. Kilda team, the coaching staff, the club and the supporters who turned up today. We would have been absolutely humiliated. I know I am in the minority here, but for me it was a very satisfying victory and the walk to the station with my son was a very happy one. No-one at the game today wanted to lose. It would have been unspeakable. And we never would have heard the end of it. Ever. Essendon will certainly win another game this season based on today.
Thanks Gears, Membrey, Hickey, Steven and the Mighty Maverick Weller. We did not lose to Essendon the year that they had most of their players suspended for the entire season, and for that I am grateful.
And what makes this win even more sweet is that now we have won 7 games this year, which is all that I thought we would win, and I now look towards next Sunday afternoon's game against Melbourne safe in the knowledge that the boys are going to be put through their paces this week, and that we have some talent which will be back from Sandringham.
And we're 6 from 6 against fellow foundation clubs this season so far.

[SMS]

Ease up.
Ive seen worse. And there were positives
membrey weller steven ross
The fact we still won.
Delaney and gilbert and dempster our kpds was never going to end well.
We'll be right. Montagna is cooked.

Ins billibgs sinclair lonie
Outs. Montagna wright mackenzie

[saintbob]

Ease up.
Ive seen worse. And there were positives
membrey weller steven ross
The fact we still won.
Delaney and gilbert and dempster our kpds was never going to end well.
We'll be right. Montagna is cooked.

Ins billibgs sinclair lonie
Outs. Montagna wright mackenzie

Agree about Montagna, he is now cheating looking for the easy possessions and what's worse he's consistently turning it over.

Disagree with Lonie coming back in, I reckon he's lost his position in the team to Gresham.

[saintspremiers]

ToT you look like up utter ill informed goose bagging Gears sorry.

Totally lost any credibility you've had

[stevie]

We'll beat Melbourne as usual.

[Johnny Member]

We're an ordinary team who occasionally play above themselves.
We've also got several players out of form.
We need about another 10 players.

No amount of hissy fits and tantrums will change that.

I think you're right.

[bigred]

Pretty average win.

Probably as bad as you would ever see it.

Melbourne should absolutely flog us.

[terry smith rules]

ToT you look like up utter ill informed goose bagging Gears sorry.

Totally lost any credibility you've had

It's his hobby, he seriously has no idea

For the record

16 disposals at 100%!!!

He's going to be really upset if he become captain next year

[The_Merchant]

Pretty average win.

Probably as bad as you would ever see it.

Melbourne should absolutely flog us.

As in the only team to have lost to Essendon this year?

[Linton Lodger]

I don't care if we win

This is the worst, most embarrassing performance in my time watching stk

Including the 80s

Shameful

That's what I felt like at half time, regardless of how it finished and it didn't get better.

The only slight positive is the four points and the fact we narrowly avoided public humiliation. Nothing to like about what was dished up.

I felt Richo's fury at 3 qtr time, his bake as they went out for the final quarter was warranted, not that it seemed to have much of an effect.

[Life Long Saint]

And we're 6 from 6 against fellow foundation clubs this season so far.

I love fantastic, meaningless stats...
That is a pearler!
Do we class Sydney (South Melbourne) and Brisbane (Fitzroy) as foundation clubs?

[CarlD]

One of the commentators in the rooms before the game thought that there was a lack of spark or possibly tension in the Saints - the weight of expectation?

[To the top]

To those who insist the likes of McKenzie, Minchington, Geary et al are "stars" or "stars in the making", they are not and their presence in the St Kilda 22 are the reason for the Club being where it is at.

Geary is an honest trier at the very best, and has courage but every player at AFL level must have courage, to go when it is their turn to go.

His absence of leg speed was once again highlighted v Essendon with his opponents those running amok including higher up the ground to further expose his weaknesses (good coaching by Essendon).

That absence of leg speed means he can not feature in the spread from defence - and that is before you get to his up and under disposal which allows space his target has created to be closed down and opportunity closed down further afield.

Sides are very happy to see the ball in Geary's hands.

We saw how (even) Essendon ran the ball from defence, switching and catching us out freeing up the next player in the chain.

Where does Geary EVER feature in such a transition from defence?

And then the young aboriginal, as his direct opponent for significant of the game (until the performance of Geary forced the move of McKenzie onto him!!!!) left Geary in his wake as he did.


Yes Geary took 2 "stretch marks" which were vital (and if he had not held on, he would have been on the ground as our last line defender with Essendon running into an open goal because in both instances his opponent was clear behind him having made space from Geary, so it was poor Essendon disposal to even give Geary those opportunities - a foot more elevation and curtains) and he got a hand on a lunging spoil in the last - but 3 such acts balanced against the negatives on full display does not make the "champion" some on here think he is.

Geary is a liability.

Our "small defenders" need to be able to negate the likes of the young aboriginal lad Essendon are promoting - and contribute to the spread and rebound to have them expending energy on the chase.

In terms of Montagna, he had his jacket on when on the bench in the lead up to 3 quarter time and was worked on before and during that break indicating he may have had a leg issue.

And that brings me to another beef. We play Montagna as a defender to provide cover for Geary and ball use and options from defence.

THAT is not the answer.

The answer is to address the crux of the problem not the symptoms

So dream on re Geary (and Minchington, Mc Kenzie, Savage) because you are dreaming if you are of the opinion they are the future of St Kilda and a premiership.

[ROLS-LEE]

There was a lack of spark coming from the commentators during the broadcast. It was only when the druggies looked threatening before they actually woke up.
It would be nice to come home from the footy and watch a replay without any bias or drooling over the opposition.

[#gosaintas]

I think it's too early to say DMAC isn't part of the future. Savage is a weird one - he's so inconsistent. Geary has courage and nothing else.