Billy Cost Us The Game

[Bernard Shakey]

Having watched the game three times, I'm staggered nobody has commented on the elephant in the room.

Billy Longer cost us the game. All he needed to do was contest that last ruck contest. He didn't. We lost!

[Linton Lodger]

Having watched the game three times, I'm staggered nobody has commented on the elephant in the room.

Billy Longer cost us the game. All he needed to do was contest that last ruck contest. He didn't. We lost!

You've watched it 3 times!

Wasn't just Billy, who on earth left a paddock of space for and who was manning Gray. He'd already racked up 6 clearances in the final quarter alone?

[Saint_J]

billy colored glasses....

few other were napping when we just allowed that port fella all the time the world to stroll into the 50 and steal the win!

[thejiggingsaint]

Having watched the game three times, I'm staggered nobody has commented on the elephant in the room.

Billy Longer cost us the game. All he needed to do was contest that last ruck contest. He didn't. We lost!

You've watched it 3 times!

Wasn't just Billy, who on earth left a paddock of space for and who was manning Gray. He'd already racked up 6 clearances in the final quarter alone?

One of the areas we need to get right for next season (IMHO) is being able to deny players like Gray the space he got. It's been a source of frustration for me all year, to see the amounts of free space given to our opponents. The Freo game comes to mind, with Walters playing the lone hand for the shockers.

[stonecold]

Having watched the game three times, I'm staggered nobody has commented on the elephant in the room.

Billy Longer cost us the game. All he needed to do was contest that last ruck contest. He didn't. We lost!

You've watched it 3 times and that's what you've come up with?????

WOW!!!!!

Some people!!!!!

[desertsaint]

team wins and loses as a team. you could argue billy got beaten by ryder and ross got left by grey. but you could argue dunstan could've blocked, billings could've tackled, acres could've been in proper position, steele was in the outer paddock chewing the cud, etc, etc. unfortunate, but beaten by a moment of brilliance.

[thejiggingsaint]

team wins and loses as a team. you could argue billy got beaten by ryder and ross got left by grey. but you could argue dunstan could've blocked, billings could've tackled, acres could've been in proper position, steele was in the outer paddock chewing the cud, etc, etc. unfortunate, but beaten by a moment of brilliance.

Sounds reasonable to me DS. We were stood at that end, and really, "a moment of brilliance" was really ALL that was going to get it done for Port. Part of the beauty and drama of this marvellous code, are the wafer-thin margins between agony and ecstasy. It's tragic that sadly we seem to have been on the wrong end of so many of these "moments of brilliance"

I still remember the 2004 PF against Port at AAMI Schitthole, when Port were looking VERY shaky and vulnerable, Wanganeen kicking that long bomb from the pocket, which ignited an otherwise skittish port Adelaide side. That too, could have been won by Guerra for us!

[maverick]

100% agree, all he needed to do was contest and knock it to the front.
He missed the contest simple as that.

[Bernard Shakey]

The fact is there was no ruck contest. Ryder tapped it straight where he wanted, game over!

[Trev from the Bush]

Of course Billy lost us the game. So obvious.

Being 2 goals 12 behinds during the thrd quarter had absolutely nothing to do with it.

Naughty Billy!!!

[thejiggingsaint]

Of course Billy lost us the game. So obvious.

Being 2 goals 12 behinds during the thrd quarter had absolutely nothing to do with it.

Naughty Billy!!!

[Sainternist]

Whilst you can't single out one player for losing a game, it was indeed a very ordinary effort by Longer. Billy is ideally your second string ruckman, at best. Too bad he's now our number 1 ruckman.

I wanna know why Chewbacca aka Hickey has gone virtually AWOL this season after an excellent 2016. Also, why wasn't Holmes ever given a chance after both Billy and Chewie have sucked for the most part of 2017.

Can't believe some are disputing that we don't need a new ruckman.

[takeaway]

We need a new 2nd ruckman

[Sainternist]

We need a new 2nd ruckman

No, we need a BETTER ruckman!

[To the top]

The opening post is absolutely correct

EVERY St Kilda player had the right to expect a physical ruck contest typical of what we see in that the nominated rucks engage each other including by scragging for position

At worst we should have got a contest where the ball remained in the vicinity one on the boundary side to restrict space

Longer had the bigger body

Instead we got what we got

The fault was exclusively because Longer did not compete

Forget the rest of the crap

All we wanted was a contested ball at the feet of the ruck contest

BUT this introduces a more significant issue

In how many of Longer's games has his opposite number been the opposition's best player?

How long do we endure such support for a player of limited ability, confirmed by the out performance of his opposite numbers?

And it goes deeper than that, into Club culture, a culture of player before Club

It runs to the appointment of the current Captain

And we ruin players in the process

Hickey after injury withdrawn from the VFL - then played against Essendon underdone because of injury then no game for 2 weeks

Acres running from a forward option to a defensive witches hat when he should be in the mid field exclusively - have you watched his ground cover patterns, patterns which are restricting him and his contribution?

Bruce rucking - when there is no McCartin - or Riewoldt

And the emphasis on Riewoldt and his return v WCE

The list goes on

The shame is that we can add McCartin and Freeman as 2 top 10 Draft picks to this side, we can add Goddard as a First Round Draft pick and we can add the much needed experience and and commitment of Armitage and Gilbert

Plus at least 2 players we can add as First Round Draft picks

I am just not certain we will move the right players on tho

Witness the debut of White - then another 18 Rounds before he is sighted again

He is a kid who showed he can play tight, compete overhead, not lose his feet in the contest and he is a player you want the pill in the hands of because he can rebound decisively with leg speed snd length of disposal

He is a 2017 footballer, not an 1980's footballer

But he has sat behind Geary for the season

And that is my beef, having some experience in these matters

No doubt the attacks will come , you can not attack a Club icon, who tries to the best of his ability, and that is the reason my contributions on here no longer engage

I merely put it out there and disappear

Excuse the prophetic pun of no longer engaging!

We have to progress past ordinary

And we probably all know who these GOP's are

They are the ones we must rotate in search of better options

[kosifantutti]

I think the whole St Kilda team was a little surprised by Ryder's action. They have been accustomed to the player who gets front position just knocking the ball harmlessly to their feet or out of bounds.

[Scollop]

The opening post is absolutely correct

EVERY St Kilda player had the right to expect a physical ruck contest typical of what we see in that the nominated rucks engage each other including by scragging for position

At worst we should have got a contest where the ball remained in the vicinity one on the boundary side to restrict space

Longer had the bigger body

Instead we got what we got

The fault was exclusively because Longer did not compete

Forget the rest of the crap

All we wanted was a contested ball at the feet of the ruck contest

BUT this introduces a more significant issue

In how many of Longer's games has his opposite number been the opposition's best player?

How long do we endure such support for a player of limited ability, confirmed by the out performance of his opposite numbers?

And it goes deeper than that, into Club culture, a culture of player before Club

It runs to the appointment of the current Captain

And we ruin players in the process

Hickey after injury withdrawn from the VFL - then played against Essendon underdone because of injury then no game for 2 weeks

Acres running from a forward option to a defensive witches hat when he should be in the mid field exclusively - have you watched his ground cover patterns, patterns which are restricting him and his contribution?

Bruce rucking - when there is no McCartin - or Riewoldt

And the emphasis on Riewoldt and his return v WCE

The list goes on

The shame is that we can add McCartin and Freeman as 2 top 10 Draft picks to this side, we can add Goddard as a First Round Draft pick and we can add the much needed experience and and commitment of Armitage and Gilbert

Plus at least 2 players we can add as First Round Draft picks

I am just not certain we will move the right players on tho

Witness the debut of White - then another 18 Rounds before he is sighted again

He is a kid who showed he can play tight, compete overhead, not lose his feet in the contest and he is a player you want the pill in the hands of because he can rebound decisively with leg speed snd length of disposal

He is a 2017 footballer, not an 1980's footballer

But he has sat behind Geary for the season

And that is my beef, having some experience in these matters

No doubt the attacks will come , you can not attack a Club icon, who tries to the best of his ability, and that is the reason my contributions on here no longer engage

I merely put it out there and disappear

Excuse the prophetic pun of no longer engaging!

We have to progress past ordinary

And we probably all know who these GOP's are

They are the ones we must rotate in search of better options

A little harsh, but I can't help agree with most points raised. I will disagree that Billy lost us the game, because I think you win as a team and lose as a team. There were a few mistakes by a handful of players in that last 2 minutes that cost us.

The match committe have to provide opportunities to guys like White, McKenzie and Rice. If the coach isn't ruthless, we aren't climbing the ladder anytime soon

[saintspremiers]

I think the whole St Kilda team was a little surprised by Ryder's action. They have been accustomed to the player who gets front position just knocking the ball harmlessly to their feet or out of bounds.

Was very clever by Ryder. Even special. Brucey would've done his nut in the commentary box.

I've watched again the last minute of the game. What was actually most galling the goal proceeding the winning one.

Totally against the play and we didn't have any extra numbers back.

Why wouldn't you reset and go uber defensive setups with a 10 point lead and 2 minutes left after Skunks goal?

Do you even need a forward setup at that stage??

[suss]

Shallow ball-in didn't help. Ryder got to it first - the rest is history (and inexperience).

The second last goal was poor too unfortunately. Carlisle over ran it - not his fault - but Acres wasn't tough enough in the contest. He let the ball get out too easily and a goal was the result.

I reckon you see the value of players like Joey and Roo in the dying stages of tight games like those - it's like having two assistant coaches on the field setting up structures and avoiding dumb things.

[ace]

OK our opponents need a goal to win, there is less than thirty seconds on the clock, there's a throw in on the opponents half forward flank.
They will either go to a set play that they have practiced many times in training or they will just take it as it comes.
Go on I dare you answer.

Their ruckman retreats 15 metres further than normal.
Their ruckman runs faster than our ruckman.
Our dumbo ruckman retreats with him.
Guess what when theball is thrown in their ruckman gets to the drop of the ball our dumbo ruckman does not make it to the contest.

Where will he direct the knockout
Ryder will either hit the ball blindly or he will hit to there best clearance specialist.
Go on I dare you to answer.

Gray has two metres break on Ross.
He can only guard Gray from one side he needs help.
Our mids at the contest Dunstan and Billings are ball watching to see where Ryder hits the ball.
Gray is NOT ball watching, he knows where the ball is going.
Dunstan and Billings let Gray run past them because they are ball watching.
They answered Ryder will just hit the ball blindly.

IT IS A SET PLAY YOU IDIOTS,

THE TAP WILL GO TO THEIR BEST CLEARANCE SPECIALIST

Football is a great leveller you can be a stupid as ... or as smart as Einstein it rarely matters
You can be stupid enough to ruin your career prospects after football by coating yourself in tattoos or smart enough to become a doctor it does not matter.
Except in moments like this.

[bigred]

I blame Josh Bruce.

Again.

[borderbarry]

No. It was Raph's fault.

[Devilhead]

Most boundary throw ins earlier in the day (at least the ones i can remember) he out positioned Ryder and put the ball front and centre

Unfortunately the one that mattered the most ...........

Billy is only 24 so there is plenty of time for the big fella to set about working on his deficiencies and improve his all round game

[Devilhead]

He had the 2nd equal highest tackle count in the game as well - with 8

[Bernard Shakey]

He had the 2nd equal highest tackle count in the game as well - with 8

That's because he can't get to the ball. Too slow!