AFLX does it prove anything?

[Con Gorozidis]

St Kilda lost to Port Adelaide by 54 points in the final practice match of 2009. We didn't lose again for over five months. That's how much pre season means. Injury free is a win, the rest means almost nothing.

We finished 4th in 2008.
We had a good side.

[iwantmeseats]

St Kilda lost to Port Adelaide by 54 points in the final practice match of 2009. We didn't lose again for over five months. That's how much pre season means. Injury free is a win, the rest means almost nothing.

Fair point, but the 09 sides was in a different universe compared to the list now. That was a team stock full of high quality footballers and a handy handful of outright stars and champions. Not comparable.

[Beno88]

St Kilda lost to Port Adelaide by 54 points in the final practice match of 2009. We didn't lose again for over five months. That's how much pre season means. Injury free is a win, the rest means almost nothing.

Fair point, but the 09 sides was in a different universe compared to the list now. That was a team stock full of high quality footballers and a handy handful of outright stars and champions. Not comparable.

That's not the comparison I was making, but anyhow, the same example can be made of Collingwood defeating the eventual premiers in each of the last three pre seasons, how did that work out for them? It means nothing.

Anyone jumping to conclusions from a pre season hybrid match has been missing the footy a little too much.

[degruch]

Poor saints supporters have the ingrained negativity perception, if there is a positive and a negative all the focus is on the negative..

IT WAS AFLX, no one treated this as anything but circle work... PROVES 0

Yeah I agree but it was a pissweak effort to give up 60 points in 10 minutes !

Although AFLX was as exciting as watching paint dry, I left for the bottle shop just after half time so I could enjoy a beer whilst watching the GF...when I got back the Hawks were warming up the face the Dees!

Most pre-seasons prove little, this one proves almost nothing...but it was disappointing feeling like we had just picked up where we left off with our last 2 MCG games.

[congorozides]

St Kilda lost to Port Adelaide by 54 points in the final practice match of 2009. We didn't lose again for over five months. That's how much pre season means. Injury free is a win, the rest means almost nothing.

Fair point, but the 09 sides was in a different universe compared to the list now. That was a team stock full of high quality footballers and a handy handful of outright stars and champions. Not comparable.

That's not the comparison I was making, but anyhow, the same example can be made of Collingwood defeating the eventual premiers in each of the last three pre seasons, how did that work out for them? It means nothing.

Anyone jumping to conclusions from a pre season hybrid match has been missing the footy a little too much.

Yeah but you cant cherry pick a few games. We havent played finals since 2011. It is is fair to infer from the last 5 complete years of data that the same old players wont get the job done.
If we are gong to rise it has to come from the under 25s.

[kosifantutti]

It’s pretty obvious that pre season form is only meaningful if it aligns with your perception of where the team is going.

I won’t be reading too much into how a random selection of Saints performed on a rectangular field with no centre bounces or throw ins against a random selection of Hawks.

That Essendon game on the other hand....

[Linton Lodger]

Its utterly pointless and tells us nothing. It is circle work and I would suggest, not as intensive as the circle work we'd do in training.

[Beno88]

St Kilda lost to Port Adelaide by 54 points in the final practice match of 2009. We didn't lose again for over five months. That's how much pre season means. Injury free is a win, the rest means almost nothing.

Fair point, but the 09 sides was in a different universe compared to the list now. That was a team stock full of high quality footballers and a handy handful of outright stars and champions. Not comparable.

That's not the comparison I was making, but anyhow, the same example can be made of Collingwood defeating the eventual premiers in each of the last three pre seasons, how did that work out for them? It means nothing.

Anyone jumping to conclusions from a pre season hybrid match has been missing the footy a little too much.

Yeah but you cant cherry pick a few games. We havent played finals since 2011. It is is fair to infer from the last 5 complete years of data that the same old players wont get the job done.
If we are gong to rise it has to come from the under 25s.

I'd say cherry picking a few games gives a better guide than 10 minutes of fake footy in mid February. Let's see where we're at in May when it comes to getting the job done.

[DJ Higgins]

I wouldn't say it was completely useless as it was a glorified training exercise but JLT will be a better litmus test.

Pros
we got to see our first glimpse of future players and it looked good. Hunter looked composed out there but definitely needs to add some size to his frame which he will this year
saw some seniors haven't lost a step over summer. e.g. Members, Acres, Dunstan
saw some have improved a fair bit. I.e. Savage who was named as one of the top 10 AFLX players on afl.com.au really stepped up. Long straight kicks and good pressure.

Cons
some basic handling errors of some of the younger players were evident even when not under pressure but this will be worked on
Lonie can kick goals but still gets man handled a lot & Bailey Rice needs more time in the VFL
Still can blow a lead with ease
Gilbo doesn't own a mirror

[parkeysainter]

Gilbo doesn't own a mirror

He looked like Albey Mangles.

[sunsaint]

Gilbo doesn't own a mirror

He looked like Albey Mangles.

NOPE
remember Boy George and his "friend" Marilyn