2017. Excited? Fearful? Both?

[damienc]

2017. There is a Chinese curse that goes something like this. May you live in interesting times. There is no other way to describe the season we are about to have.

Should we be excited? Fearful? Or a mixture of both? The heart says the former but the head definitely says the latter.

Excited. Here’s why. On paper we are a better side than 2016. We went within a whisker of playing finals football. Ok. We lost Chips but gained Carlisle and Brown. Two very experienced, big-bodied defenders. Carlisle is versatile enough to play forward or back but prefers back.

Brown can play on big named forwards and beat them. Our midfield has some serious grunt now. Koby Stevens and Jack Steele both love the hard ball. The hard tackling , contested stuff on the inside. We haven’t had that before. It was a weakness in our game. It should be a weakness no longer.

Paddy McCartin and Jack Billings both had one helluva pre season. Both look strong and fit. Both look ready to have breakout seasons barring injury. Paddy looks like he’s put on much needed upper body size, which should help him avoid debilitating concussions, fingers crossed.

Richo keeps talking up Ben Long who, unfortunately, was sick and didn’t play in the intra club. The powers that be seem to like Long because he is able to step up his game as the quality of the opponentry improves. So he is (maybe) one to get excited about. I am not even going to say much about the young improvers, White, Acres, Ross, Newnes, DMack, Sinclair, Webster, Lonie etc They speak for themselves and have done in the past.

Fearful. Seriously. Is it a glass half full? Or half empty? Brown needs to re learn skills. Play Saints footy. Can he do it and be a meaningful contributor every week? Is a year out of footy too big a gap for Carlisle? Will our midfield gel with the new arrivals. These are all important questions. We won’t know until the season gets underway. Not long before we get answers to those questions. Back to being excited.

[saintspremiers]

A lot of fluff and bubble in that post.

We have a harder FIXture so we need to improve a good 20% form 2016 to play finals you'd think.

Excited is about improving IMO.

I'm excited if we make the finals. Of we win a final that's a bonus

End of story.

[prwilkinson]

I'm both... but then I think... the picks were great... the trades were great... it's been an excellent preseason from the guys that are in that young blossoming age group... sigh... just relax and enjoy the show. Plus, whatever happens we've already got 2 first rounders locked away and salary space waiting at the season's end.... Go Saints.

[White Winmar]

I'm excited!!!!!

[matrix]

Just bring on some f****** football!!!!

[saynta]

Excited?

Not sure.

At my age it's more likely to be a gun in my pocket.

[saintspremiers]

I'm excited!!!!!

Thanks Kev

[SMS]

Be VERY EXCITED. Nick Reiwoldt will hold that cup up!!!~ maybe not in 2017 but defo in 2018. Have you not seen the top 22? We have a top 34 now and with synerg between players (and fyfe or Martin), 2018 will be amazing.

[spert]

Three key areas that stopped us getting into the eight last year, need to be improved this season- consistency from the midfield, strength in the backline, disposal into the forward line(disposal in general)

[asiu]

we'll be better in '18 '19 'n '20 than '17

thats got a touch of the excitings about it.

[Zed]

Our mids and forwards will be slightly better, our defence I think will be same same. Based on what I saw in the intra Brown will struggle to hold down a spot all year - and going to take a while for Jake to find his mojo.

Fixture is harder and Melb , Coll, Essendon, Richmond lists are arguably stronger than last year plus you have the wild cards of Port & Freo who could potentially find some belief and form - or not.

Postives are balanced out by negatives - so similar ladder position. Finishing ladder position 8-10

[Gershwin]

I honestly can't see why we can't win it this year. Need to start the season off with that attitude and no 'blooding young players', 'looking to the future' etc until we are out of the running. Select the team most likely to win each week. It is honestly a take it week-by-week sort of year and if we can be in the running late in the season then anything can happen.

[saintspremiers]

I honestly can't see why we can't win it this year. Need to start the season off with that attitude and no 'blooding young players', 'looking to the future' etc until we are out of the running. Select the team most likely to win each week. It is honestly a take it week-by-week sort of year and if we can be in the running late in the season then anything can happen.

Win what? The JLT comp??

There's no first prize for that buddy.

You don't seriously mean winning the flag?

Or are you having a few late night vinos!

Don't you understand our FIXture is a lot tougher than last year?

How does a team go from not making the eight one year to winning 3 finals in a row?
Even bloody Footscray didn't come out of the clouds like that - they finished 6th in 2015

[SaintPav]

Why do we have the third hardest draw after finishing ninth?

I might be able to accept this if we finished fifth or sixth but we didn't even make the 8.

f*** you Gil

[st.byron]

I honestly can't see why we can't win it this year.

The lid is off......

[Vazelos]

Excited!! One step closer to the 2018-20 window!!!

[8bloggs]

Definitely not fearful. A little excited and cautiously optimistic.

[White Winmar]

We have the third hardest draw? Says who? Some ponce at the HS? That analysis is based on last year's finishing order, not what's going to happen this year. Who knows how "hard" the draw is, until the thing has been run and won. For all we know, it could be the easiest. Anything for copy at this time of year. Bring it on. We're going to make the eight and give the whole thing a mighty shake. I was roundly pilloried for suggesting we'd win 11 games last year. Show some faith, sainters. We're right in the mix, tough draw or not.

[kosifantutti]

If we're good enough the draw won't matter. We'll finish on top and win every final.

[Sainter_Dad]

Round 9 last year - an upcoming game against Norf would have been rated a difficult game - by the time we played them - it was rated winnable.

In last years FIXture Freo would have been rated a difficult before the year started - at the bye - easy beats

No way of telling at all - except - if we beat every team every week - we will make the 8!

[White Winmar]

Round 9 last year - an upcoming game against Norf would have been rated a difficult game - by the time we played them - it was rated winnable.

In last years FIXture Freo would have been rated a difficult before the year started - at the bye - easy beats

No way of telling at all - except - if we beat every team every week - we will make the 8!

Plus one, SD. How can anyone say with any certainty how hard the draw will be? So many confounding variables. Not even a professor of mathematics, specialising in probability would be game to bet his lefty on it. Let the year unfold. One thing I know for sure is we are a good chance to win any game this year, unlike some of yesteryear. I'm excited!

[BigMart]

I'm fearful because I'm excited

[Gershwin]

I honestly can't see why we can't win it this year.

The lid is off......

Can't find any reason to change my thinking.

Our best is good enough and we have the depth to cover injuries.

[WellardSaint]

I think 14 wins.
Swans are tough and we can't beat them, Eagles in Perth- loss, Eagles at ES we may lose,
Giants- loss, Crows- loss, Norf 50/50, Power- loss, GC -loss,
Bulldogs 50/50 (yes, I know we beat em last year but I think they'll have us)
Would be rapt with 14.
It's not a tough draw, look at all the ES games.

[mr six o'clock]

2017. There is a Chinese curse that goes something like this. May you live in interesting times.

I prefer the old Confucius saying , Man who go to bed with itchy bottom wake with smelly finger !
Both sayings exciting yet fearful .