So, is anyone going to discuss ...

[Saintmatt]

Our new Captain?

I know he's a perennial whipping boy but ffs - I think it's simply embarrassing that he's our captain.

He's barely in our best 22 and I know I was one who was hoping he was our Nick Maxwell but at least Nick Maxwell was able to dispose of the ball with a degree of reliability but I cannot ever relax when Geary has ball in hand.

At one stage he had 6 possessions for 6 clangers and the aerial air spoil that resulted in a goal.

And then you get home and watch Heppell's debut as a captain. You don't to be the best player to be captain I get that - but reliability of disposal should be the bare minimum. I know he's tough and brave but god - I feel embarrassed for what we have now. It's like the Hun going from Mike Sheehan to Slobbo.

I'm sure I'll get howled down for this but anyway ....

[WellardSaint]

St Kilda has a proud and consistent history of rewarding mediocrity
and gifting games to players without rudimentary decision-making skills.
Clint Jones, Gilbo are two that come to mind.
The club is the Gilligan's Island of the AFL.
Sadly marooned on the desert island of one flag,
occasionally making hopeful forays into finals,
only to be denied the rescue by a Shakespearean cruel twist of fate, sometimes
self-inflicted, other times caused by a naughty unseen supernatural scriptwriter.

[CQ SAINT]

Embarrassing on so many levels. I cannot believe it actually happened and Roo must have not wanted to be captain.

I feel for Jarryn Geary because who else could it be. Off field leadership is one thing but I doubt he actually deserves to be picked.

[CURLY]

Stopped reading when the OP posted Maxwell could dispose of the ball.

[mightysainters]

St Kilda has a proud and consistent history of rewarding mediocrity
and gifting games to players without rudimentary decision-making skills.
Clint Jones, Gilbo are two that come to mind.
The club is the Gilligan's Island of the AFL.
Sadly marooned on the desert island of one flag,
occasionally making hopeful forays into finals,
only to be denied the rescue by a Shakespearean cruel twist of fate, sometimes
self-inflicted, other times caused by a naughty unseen supernatural scriptwriter.

Geez it is hard to argue with this

[bigcarl]

He's been picked for his leadership, so let's give him a chance to lead. I disagree that he's not best 22 anyway. Problem is that when you are comprehensively flogged in the midfield - as we reportedly were yesterday (I am overseas and have not seen the game, thankfully) - everyone looks bad.

Give us a winning midfield and things will begin to look better.

I want Acres and Stevens in this week, plus Paddy. Who goes out, I really can't say. I was at Dharmasala watching the Aussies go from 1-144 to 300 all out. A disgusting performance from our middle order.

[terry smith rules]

Our new Captain?




At one stage he had 6 possessions for 6 clangers and the aerial air spoil that resulted in a goal.



I'm sure I'll get howled down for this but anyway ....

Yes you will

For one, tell us these 6 clangers, very easy to just throw out a number (Trump does it all the time)

I can remember a couple where he literally had no moving targets to kick to so...

The spoil looked bad, he just dod not get enough on the ball to kill it, not the first nor the last that it will happen to any player

According to the AFL he had 20 disposals at 80% ahead of most of the team.

Who would you have as captain?

People were saying Weller (spare me), people were saying Newnes (hasn't improved) people were saying Steven (on last night .. no)

so who?

[desertsaint]

geary the only realistic candidate, but whether giving up the captaincy was roo's own decision, or whether it was pressure, it was the wrong decision.

[CQ SAINT]

Our new Captain?




At one stage he had 6 possessions for 6 clangers and the aerial air spoil that resulted in a goal.



I'm sure I'll get howled down for this but anyway ....

Yes you will

For one, tell us these 6 clangers, very easy to just throw out a number (Trump does it all the time)

I can remember a couple where he literally had no moving targets to kick to so...

The spoil looked bad, he just dod not get enough on the ball to kill it, not the first nor the last that it will happen to any player

According to the AFL he had 20 disposals at 80% ahead of most of the team.

Who would you have as captain?

People were saying Weller (spare me), people were saying Newnes (hasn't improved) people were saying Steven (on last night .. no)

so who?

Great point. Jarryn is the prime fall guy. We wont blame Richo because Jarryn will be a much easier target.

[skeptic]

ppl need to get a grip here

Geary was fantastic in the last half of last year

IMO it takes more than one bad game to undo sustained performance

[longtimesaint]

ppl need to get a grip here

Geary was fantastic in the last half of last year

IMO it takes more than one bad game to undo sustained performance

He wasn't alone in having a bad day and it's hard for defenders when the midfield is being thrashed.

[fugazi]

St Kilda has a proud and consistent history of rewarding mediocrity
and gifting games to players without rudimentary decision-making skills.
Clint Jones, Gilbo are two that come to mind.
The club is the Gilligan's Island of the AFL.
Sadly marooned on the desert island of one flag,
occasionally making hopeful forays into finals,
only to be denied the rescue by a Shakespearean cruel twist of fate, sometimes
self-inflicted, other times caused by a naughty unseen supernatural scriptwriter.

excellent post
We invent ways to lose - we are the Tragi-Comedy of the AFL

[The Fireman]

Good onya Gears. Well deserved.

[Toy Saint]

There was a lack of on field leadership yesterday, and probably a lack of coaching leadership.

Lets hope we havn't been drinking too much of our own bathwater....the McCartin decision was puzzling, the Acres decision was aggogant and pig headed, the Lonie decision quite odd.....the ability to curb the Melbourne dominance in the 3rd quarter a sad reflection on our on field and off field leaders.

Geary has always been a battler, and I admire that, but as we add depth he gets closer to a marginal selection. His game yesterday was poor, and on merit his selection next week should not be automatic.

[SemperFidelis]

Age match report had Gears as one of our three best players.

His disposal was average yesterday but otherwise I thought he played his role, as best you can when it's pinging in like a ping pong ball in the 3rd.

I guess it depends what colored glasses you watch the game through. There are many on this site who will never be happy with him. That's fine, they're entitled to their opinion, but I think the collective dropping of the bundle after one poor team effort is just way OTT.

[SMS]

Geary was ok wasnt he?
We must have had the flu

[Saintmatt]

Stopped reading when the OP posted Maxwell could dispose of the ball.

You mustn't know too many Pies supporters - none of them will tell u they had heart in mouth when Maxwell had the footy. His knock was that he was unaccountable & never played on anyone and was just a general/Marshall-er of the troops.

Seemed to work ok in 09/10/11 though.

Funnily enough - they'll tell you about Nathan Brown's horrible disposal by foot. Thankfully - haven't seen it so far and hope I/we don't.

[Saintmatt]

He's been picked for his leadership, so let's give him a chance to lead. I disagree that he's not best 22 anyway. Problem is that when you are comprehensively flogged in the midfield - as we reportedly were yesterday (I am overseas and have not seen the game, thankfully) - everyone looks bad.

Give us a winning midfield and things will begin to look better.

I want Acres and Stevens in this week, plus Paddy. Who goes out, I really can't say. I was at Dharmasala watching the Aussies go from 1-144 to 300 all out. A disgusting performance from our middle order.

BC - I agree largely - I know he's been picked to lead because of his off field stuff but soon enough - the other mob is effectively playing with one extra if one of your soldiers isn't up to it - let alone gives it back to them.

Don't get me wrong - I want Gears to succeed but I can't see how that's going to happen when one of our leaders just isn't up to it (save for his amazing courage).

[Saintmatt]

Age match report had Gears as one of our three best players.

His disposal was average yesterday but otherwise I thought he played his role, as best you can when it's pinging in like a ping pong ball in the 3rd.

I guess it depends what colored glasses you watch the game through. There are many on this site who will never be happy with him. That's fine, they're entitled to their opinion, but I think the collective dropping of the bundle after one poor team effort is just way OTT.

SF - I don't want to hate on Gears - that wasn't my point. I'd love him to have better disposal (along with Gilbert and Wright) - but there's something about having your Captain as an object of derision and clearly, just a role player. We sadly don't have a Heppell-like character who wants to be captain and is able to do it so, we get what we've got.

Nothing would make me happier than for Gears to step it up but, I fear we're never going to get there whilst we put up with mediocrity of disposal & decision-making. Not in an era of fast movement, retaining possession and team defence. You just get slaughtered when you give it away.

[Saintmatt]

There was a lack of on field leadership yesterday, and probably a lack of coaching leadership.

Lets hope we havn't been drinking too much of our own bathwater....the McCartin decision was puzzling, the Acres decision was aggogant and pig headed, the Lonie decision quite odd.....the ability to curb the Melbourne dominance in the 3rd quarter a sad reflection on our on field and off field leaders.

Geary has always been a battler, and I admire that, but as we add depth he gets closer to a marginal selection. His game yesterday was poor, and on merit his selection next week should not be automatic.

Best response of all. Lonie instead of Acres? Kill me. No. Never. I'd rather Sinclair any day if it had to be a small. Good decisions; quick hand to foot and a tank. Lonie is a midget with a trickbag.

I think Richo can coach - as well as teach - but Goodwin handed him his ar$e yesterday. Complete momentum shift in continuing to put an extra behind the ball until Vince and Lewis got freed up.

Getting smashed in the clearances certainly doesn't help because you can't defend that but we were rudderless from the time Bruce dropped the mark in the goalsquare then it became a procession.

[Saintmatt]

ppl need to get a grip here

Geary was fantastic in the last half of last year

IMO it takes more than one bad game to undo sustained performance

He wasn't alone in having a bad day and it's hard for defenders when the midfield is being thrashed.

Agreed LTS - our mids were so poor - as bad as we've been in 2 years. Ross and Newnes in particular were invisible.

[Saintmatt]

Our new Captain?




At one stage he had 6 possessions for 6 clangers and the aerial air spoil that resulted in a goal.



I'm sure I'll get howled down for this but anyway ....

Yes you will

For one, tell us these 6 clangers, very easy to just throw out a number (Trump does it all the time)

I can remember a couple where he literally had no moving targets to kick to so...

The spoil looked bad, he just dod not get enough on the ball to kill it, not the first nor the last that it will happen to any player

According to the AFL he had 20 disposals at 80% ahead of most of the team.

Who would you have as captain?

People were saying Weller (spare me), people were saying Newnes (hasn't improved) people were saying Steven (on last night .. no)

so who?

TSR - the 6 clangers were all missed handballs and by foot targets in the first 50 mins of plat (largely from not taking first option). It's not fake news - rather Champion Data news.

and yes - probably due to lack of options. But I digress ....

The spoil was less of an issue because he did exactly what you'd want - left his man to help out and just clean missed it. It happens. It just capped off a poor half.

And yep - pretty much went the rest of the game accurately due to the game being shot with less pressure.

But - do you really want your captain - when clearly your depth is not as good as your supposed equal (i.e. Melbourne) - as just a role player? I know I don't. That was my point. It's hard to rev the troops on a 'do as I say; not as I do' basis. Or - jump on my back and I'll lead you to the promised land - that's not Geary and the contrast between him and Heppell within a 3 hour period was stark and raw.

My preferred Captain? Not Mav. Possibly Armo but more likely Dempster for a year until Newnes becomes more comfortable and consistent (miles off it yesterday) or Steven wants it.

Here's my main beef (not just a Geary thing per se). A Geelong mate of mine told me half way thru 2007 that he thought they'd win the flag that year. All they'd done at that point was smash the Tigers by 130pts. When I asked him why - he replied as thus ...

"because now, there's no one in our team who I get nervous about when they have the ball in their hands that we'll turn it over under pressure"


So - do you feel comfortable when Gilbert, Geary and Wright have the ball under pressure? Or Savage for that matter? I sure as hell don't. And one of them is our on field leader.

[Sobraz]

His two back to back air-kicks in the middle of the ground were a highlight for me.
I can honestly say I've never seen a player miss the ball with his foot twice in a row. Not even Jayson Daniels went consecutive air swings.
Our Trengove & Grimes moment.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[DJ Higgins]

For me the decision to not play Demspter shocked me more than anything else. No Fish or Joey in the team so who is our most experienced back that we need up the back to settle the nerves and enforce the structure when the tide turned? Dempster by a mile. I was at the game and lost count how many times our defenders left their man and were stranded in the mid fields when the Dees came down the corridor. If he was there that would not have happened. I would have had him there over Webster Savage and even Geary (obviously not an option)

Also we have too many inside mids that play the same. Ross should have been rested for Acres. Acres may be erratic at time but at least he is different to the others. And am I the only one that thinks Armo needs to pick up his game. Until we get some outside mids with some pace we are going to struggle against the quicker teams as they will tear us up the middle like last night. Unfortunately Nathan Freeman didn't come good and is like payday, always two weeks aways. I'm hoping Ben Long comes good and quickly

Why do so many people think that Hickey played poorly. Yes he was beaten by the best ruckman in the comp, but what was the option, put Longer in? And what would have happened. Most likely Gawn would have toweled him up as well and people would be complaining that Hickey was left out.

[Enrico_Misso]

Danny Frawley wasn't overly talented and his disposal wasn't too flash either.
But he was a heart and soul player who gave everything.
He commanded respect for his efforts and integrity and until recently was our longest serving captain.

Gears is in the same mould.