Cautiously optimistic

[thejiggingsaint]

i've said it before..I'll say it again...we can't kick to save ourselves ..we are in for some terrible beltings and I feel a bit sorry for some on here that have their hopes up after a couple mediocre wins over some very ordinary opposition.

Just sayin.

G'day The Fireman No need to feel sorry for me mate. But appreciate your concern. Have a great day!

[twirlyhair]

i've said it before..I'll say it again...we can't kick to save ourselves ..we are in for some terrible beltings and I feel a bit sorry for some on here that have their hopes up after a couple mediocre wins over some very ordinary opposition.

Just sayin.

Currently, the evidence doesn't support your notion that "we can't kick to save ourselves". Disposal efficiency sitting in 8th spot at 71.6%. Collingwood sits on top with 76.6% efficiency.

[The Fireman]

i've said it before..I'll say it again...we can't kick to save ourselves ..we are in for some terrible beltings and I feel a bit sorry for some on here that have their hopes up after a couple mediocre wins over some very ordinary opposition.

Just sayin.

Currently, the evidence doesn't support your notion that "we can't kick to save ourselves". Disposal efficiency sitting in 8th spot at 71.6%. Collingwood sits on top with 76.6% efficiency.

well I get my evidence by what I see and we kick to the opposition way too much, if we were to turn that around we could contend for the 8, but alas we can't kick.

PS we are 2nd highest in av. Clangers.

[The Fireman]

i've said it before..I'll say it again...we can't kick to save ourselves ..we are in for some terrible beltings and I feel a bit sorry for some on here that have their hopes up after a couple mediocre wins over some very ordinary opposition.

Just sayin.

G'day The Fireman No need to feel sorry for me mate. But appreciate your concern. Have a great day!

I did say some you have obviously found a way of having hope in a hopeless situation. I envy your ability but would rather stay realistic

[twirlyhair]

i've said it before..I'll say it again...we can't kick to save ourselves ..we are in for some terrible beltings and I feel a bit sorry for some on here that have their hopes up after a couple mediocre wins over some very ordinary opposition.

Just sayin.

Currently, the evidence doesn't support your notion that "we can't kick to save ourselves". Disposal efficiency sitting in 8th spot at 71.6%. Collingwood sits on top with 76.6% efficiency.

well I get my evidence by what I see and we kick to the opposition way too much, if we were to turn that around we could contend for the 8, but alas we can't kick.

PS we are 2nd highest in av. Clangers.

Chin up champ. Enjoy the ride. Life is wonderful when you do.

[The Fireman]

i've said it before..I'll say it again...we can't kick to save ourselves ..we are in for some terrible beltings and I feel a bit sorry for some on here that have their hopes up after a couple mediocre wins over some very ordinary opposition.

Just sayin.

Currently, the evidence doesn't support your notion that "we can't kick to save ourselves". Disposal efficiency sitting in 8th spot at 71.6%. Collingwood sits on top with 76.6% efficiency.

well I get my evidence by what I see and we kick to the opposition way too much, if we were to turn that around we could contend for the 8, but alas we can't kick.

PS we are 2nd highest in av. Clangers.

Chin up champ. Enjoy the ride. Life is wonderful when you do.

my life has improved so much when I became realistic about our expectations

[thejiggingsaint]

i've said it before..I'll say it again...we can't kick to save ourselves ..we are in for some terrible beltings and I feel a bit sorry for some on here that have their hopes up after a couple mediocre wins over some very ordinary opposition.

Just sayin.

Currently, the evidence doesn't support your notion that "we can't kick to save ourselves". Disposal efficiency sitting in 8th spot at 71.6%. Collingwood sits on top with 76.6% efficiency.

well I get my evidence by what I see and we kick to the opposition way too much, if we were to turn that around we could contend for the 8, but alas we can't kick.

PS we are 2nd highest in av. Clangers.

Chin up champ. Enjoy the ride. Life is wonderful when you do.

my life has improved so much when I became realistic about our expectations

Whatever works is good enough, mate! have a good one!

[The Fireman]

i've said it before..I'll say it again...we can't kick to save ourselves ..we are in for some terrible beltings and I feel a bit sorry for some on here that have their hopes up after a couple mediocre wins over some very ordinary opposition.

Just sayin.

Currently, the evidence doesn't support your notion that "we can't kick to save ourselves". Disposal efficiency sitting in 8th spot at 71.6%. Collingwood sits on top with 76.6% efficiency.

well I get my evidence by what I see and we kick to the opposition way too much, if we were to turn that around we could contend for the 8, but alas we can't kick.

PS we are 2nd highest in av. Clangers.

Chin up champ. Enjoy the ride. Life is wonderful when you do.

my life has improved so much when I became realistic about our expectations

Whatever works is good enough, mate! have a good one!

same.

[saintspremiers]

Let’s beat Freo then start talking ourselves up.

We could be like Norf when they were like 8 and 2 the crashed and burned in the last half of the season

[saintsRrising]

Let’s beat Freo then start talking ourselves up.

We could be like Norf when they were like 8 and 2 the crashed and burned in the last half of the season

We could well be. But after being up two zip and with cracks in Freo, Hawks and Dees at present we do stand an un-imagined chance to be 4 or 5 up after the first 5 rounds.

Draw gets much harder after that....

[Scollop]

Winning form is good form. Players are hungry for wins and hungry for recognition. Confidence means that most players are executing better. There is no doubt that the coaching and game plan changes have had a huge impact. As long as the coaching staff are fair with team selection and as long as our opposition strategists are doing their job well, we could be the surprise packet of the competition

If we lose this week however, I'll back to my grumpy ol self

[SMS]

We are dreaming if we think we can go to freo and win.

2-0 but seriously played some ordinary footy.

Unfortunetely we will be brought back down to earth.

Theyll be too tall and strong up forward and too classy inside with fyfe.

We are blue collar. And blue collar away wont cut it

freo by 35 comfortably.

[shanegrambeau]

I don't like the hidings, and I get particularly nervous after a 'brave interstate loss' because what follows is often carnage in the following weeks.

However, one phrase that gets me spooked is that term 'falling away' as in a team that is inexperienced or lacks class, begins the season with spark but then 'falls away'. I heard Shane Crawford using the phrase the other day when he said he thinks Gold Coast will show some pluck but being one of those teams, tend to really 'fall away' later in the season. I suppose North had a bit of that last year, although their success was exceptional.

I don't think we 'fell away' last year as there was still spirit and we were still getting those inside 50s etc.

I hope we don't 'fall away' if we do make a decent fist of the first nine rounds, because the second half of the fixture looks (or looked) easier.

[skeptic]

Let’s beat Freo then start talking ourselves up.

We could be like Norf when they were like 8 and 2 the crashed and burned in the last half of the season

We could well be. But after being up two zip and with cracks in Freo, Hawks and Dees at present we do stand an un-imagined chance to be 4 or 5 up after the first 5 rounds.

Draw gets much harder after that....

For me, I think the next 3 weeks will give us a more accurate reading of where we’re at. There’s only so much you can take away by beating the wood and spoon favourite at home by a point and the most poorly performed outfit of 2019 to date IMO. Seriously Essendon have dished out rubbish so far.

Freo in Perth, the Hawks and the Dees (assuming they get closer to what they’d be expecting) will be a good test for us... winning two of those would be impressive. Beating just Melbourne whilst theyre still struggling, not so much.

It’s a good test.

[thejiggingsaint]

I'm not quite sure how my being "cautiously optimistic" equates with being "unrealistic"? Or having "false hope" I've re-read my OP and with great respect to some of my fellow Saintsational colleagues, I don't believe I'm being unrealistic at all in seeing positives from our first two games....... contained within a few minus factors too. My motto has always been "Hope for the best...... prepare for the worst". This weekend could well see the "bubble burst", I'm not an idiot. But neither am I quite ready or eager to embrace the concept of our impending demise. Let the game begin and then we'll see! I realise of course, and respect, the fact that others may not agree with me on this.

[thejiggingsaint]

Let’s beat Freo then start talking ourselves up.

We could be like Norf when they were like 8 and 2 the crashed and burned in the last half of the season

Not sure if my OP was "talking ourselves up" Colleague. I do believe I was commenting on how the side had improved in certain areas such as effort, commitment, and a willingness to dig deep and scrap out the win. (IMHO) those commodities were sadly missing at this same stage last season. I'm by NO means getting carried away by two wins....simply enjoying them for what they are, and looking forward to the future with just a wee bit more hope than I expected to have before the season.
I respect your right to disagree with me of course.

[DJ Higgins]

You can have your head in the clouds as long as your feet are firmly planted on the ground
Facts are we are 2-0 which is awesome but we beat the probable wooden spooners and a team that didn't mentally check in to the game.
Our skills are poor still but last year they were terrible so it's an improvement and they are getting better. Our goal kicking still sux but every other week so again a positive.
We don't travel well but Freo isn't playing well so it could go either way. Either way more wins now that I thought we would have until round 10

[shanegrambeau]

Our skills are poor still

Could you tell me three such skills which were poor?
Were they bio-mechanical things - judging from a distance - or some kinda mental pressure thing?
Are particular players more liable. I don't wanna pick on certain players but going forward I wanna understand that if Kent misses badly he doesn't kick like Jack Daniels for a living etc.

[DJ Higgins]

Our skills are poor still

Could you tell me three such skills which were poor?
Were they bio-mechanical things - judging from a distance - or some kinda mental pressure thing?
Are particular players more liable. I don't wanna pick on certain players but going forward I wanna understand that if Kent misses badly he doesn't kick like Jack Daniels for a living etc.

No problems. On my Sunday pay attention that how many passes by foot don't hit the intended player in the chest. Not expecting 100% or anything but watch how many land metres in front of a player when there is little or no pressure which adds pressure to the guy that has to recover it.
Notice how many times we are on a run or break and the ball is passed behind the running player or to him so he has to stop and wait rather where he can run into it. .
But the best guide in the old fashion clangers. Count the shanks and out on the fulls.
We are getting better but there is work to be done

[thejiggingsaint]

Our skills are poor still

Could you tell me three such skills which were poor?
Were they bio-mechanical things - judging from a distance - or some kinda mental pressure thing?
Are particular players more liable. I don't wanna pick on certain players but going forward I wanna understand that if Kent misses badly he doesn't kick like Jack Daniels for a living etc.

No problems. On my Sunday pay attention that how many passes by foot don't hit the intended player in the chest. Not expecting 100% or anything but watch how many land metres in front of a player when there is little or no pressure which adds pressure to the guy that has to recover it.
Notice how many times we are on a run or break and the ball is passed behind the running player or to him so he has to stop and wait rather where he can run into it. .
But the best guide in the old fashion clangers. Count the shanks and out on the fulls.
We are getting better but there is work to be done

Its hard to disagree with that assessment DJH. I left the GC game feeling more relief than elation....BUT was glad that the +1 point was on OUR side of the scoreboard. For the Essendung game, well I was very pleased, and dont mind admitting it. Its amazing to see just how many folk look on the Bummers as a "terrible" team.....and yet NOBODY (even on this forum) gave us much of a chance against them! I'm "cautiously optimistic" after the two games chiefly because of the way in which the side stuck to the task of winning, when the momentum began to swing toward our opponents. Yes, there's HEAPS of things that need to improve....however, I for one feel just a wee bit better about the season than I did at the same stage in 2018.

[shanegrambeau]

Our skills are poor still

Could you tell me three such skills which were poor?
Were they bio-mechanical things - judging from a distance - or some kinda mental pressure thing?
Are particular players more liable. I don't wanna pick on certain players but going forward I wanna understand that if Kent misses badly he doesn't kick like Jack Daniels for a living etc.

No problems. On my Sunday pay attention that how many passes by foot don't hit the intended player in the chest. Not expecting 100% or anything but watch how many land metres in front of a player when there is little or no pressure which adds pressure to the guy that has to recover it.
Notice how many times we are on a run or break and the ball is passed behind the running player or to him so he has to stop and wait rather where he can run into it. .
But the best guide in the old fashion clangers. Count the shanks and out on the fulls.
We are getting better but there is work to be done

Its hard to disagree with that assessment DJH. I left the GC game feeling more relief than elation....BUT was glad that the +1 point was on OUR side of the scoreboard. For the Essendung game, well I was very pleased, and dont mind admitting it. Its amazing to see just how many folk look on the Bummers as a "terrible" team.....and yet NOBODY (even on this forum) gave us much of a chance against them! I'm "cautiously optimistic" after the two games chiefly because of the way in which the side stuck to the task of winning, when the momentum began to swing toward our opponents. Yes, there's HEAPS of things that need to improve....however, I for one feel just a wee bit better about the season than I did at the same stage in 2018.

Great info guys. Thank you.
I noticed commentators remarking that skills were down, mistakes were common in a number of games including among higher ranked teams in the first round. I just hope things can be worked on. As DJH says, kicking in front of the running player is what we want, not to a player's position at the time of executing the kick. I just dread that if they do kick into open territory anticipating the player running ahead to collect it, they don't inadvertently kick it to a charging opposition defender who can collect the runner with their knees ala that GWS guy.

Shanking kicks? mnn..what can you tell a player as a coach at this stage of their career? "Don't shank it, please!" That's a tough one, although all teams have great field kicks and lesser ones. Nathan Bourke was never a long kick but he could drop a weighted pass nicely. Goddard etc., types are hard to find.

[shanegrambeau]

Who are our better field kicks by the way?
Could you rank the top five? I'd be interested.

[saintsRrising]

Let’s beat Freo then start talking ourselves up.

We could be like Norf when they were like 8 and 2 the crashed and burned in the last half of the season

We could well be. But after being up two zip and with cracks in Freo, Hawks and Dees at present we do stand an un-imagined chance to be 4 or 5 up after the first 5 rounds.

Draw gets much harder after that....

For me, I think the next 3 weeks will give us a more accurate reading of where we’re at. There’s only so much you can take away by beating the wood and spoon favourite at home by a point and the most poorly performed outfit of 2019 to date IMO. Seriously Essendon have dished out rubbish so far.

Freo in Perth, the Hawks and the Dees (assuming they get closer to what they’d be expecting) will be a good test for us... winning two of those would be impressive. Beating just Melbourne whilst theyre still struggling, not so much.

It’s a good test.

Yes a good test. But only amongst the lesser teams and teams out of form. Soa lso a great opportunity to snaga few wins.

The Dees are now under enormous pressure. Freo is a chance for us, and with our increased pace I think we match up very well. The Hawks are also looking venerable.

After this game we will start to play the "better" teams and the test will be a harder one. Hopefully we can play ourselves into really good form to be able to rise to the challenge.

[The Fireman]

Our skills are poor still

Could you tell me three such skills which were poor?
Were they bio-mechanical things - judging from a distance - or some kinda mental pressure thing?
Are particular players more liable. I don't wanna pick on certain players but going forward I wanna understand that if Kent misses badly he doesn't kick like Jack Daniels for a living etc.

No problems. On my Sunday pay attention that how many passes by foot don't hit the intended player in the chest. Not expecting 100% or anything but watch how many land metres in front of a player when there is little or no pressure which adds pressure to the guy that has to recover it.
Notice how many times we are on a run or break and the ball is passed behind the running player or to him so he has to stop and wait rather where he can run into it. .
But the best guide in the old fashion clangers. Count the shanks and out on the fulls.
We are getting better but there is work to be done

says it all. this is the major thing holding us back but also add how many times we hit the opposition on the chest, not shanks but blind kicks.
Impossible for me to be optimistic when I see this.

[SaintPav]

Where are my sun glasses