So will we play finals?

[casey scorp]

Yes to finals - out in straights

Not even sure we can make it but yeah even if we do you're right out in straight sets but it gives us some passion to go one better next year

The only way you can go "out in straights" is to finish in the top 4. I think that's a bit of a stretch.

[ace]

Beat Melbourne, beat Hawthorn, we play finals.
The top 5 has already formed.
Port Adelaide, Brisbane, Geelong West Coast, Richmond
Finish 8th you have to play one them.
Finish 6th or 7th you have a chance to win at least one final.

[shanegrambeau]

It’s important to make finals for Ratts sake, and thus th team.

Making the finals is the third most remembered accolade in the public perception, which feeds back into team and club psych influencing our ‘ddestination status’

1) won flag
2) won a final
3) made finals
4) failed to make finals
5) spoon

[SaintPav]

Yes to finals - out in straights

On yesterday’s performance I reckon a certain team will end up going out in straight sets, again, and It won’t be us.

This was also confirmed to me after listening to the coach’s press conference after the game where he said something like: game should have been over at three quarter time. Nothing to see here.

[Zed]

More likely than unlikely to play finals - but if a few results in other games go against us then could just miss out

Would be devastating for players and supporters alike given we’ve been inside the 8 for most of the season.

If we do make it , I expect we won’t get too far - but the experience will be great for the young guys and will spur them on over summer.

Making finals is crucial as it will help attract the one or 2 extra players we are trying to lure from other clubs. We may even become a destination club with all the press around how good Ratts is as a coach.

Players looking tired. I noted Clark’s disposal was a bit off in his last 2 games which I put down to tiredness and lack of concentration. Was not surprised to see him rested.

Look at King and some of his second efforts are non existent compared to earlier in the year. He looks like he needs a rest
but you need to balance that against putting experience into him and fast tracking his development.

There are others in the same boat.

Hope I am wrong and we go deep in the finals.
How good would that be !

[older saint]

If good enough beat Melbourne and Hawthorn ( both out of the 8) which is what finals teams do.

GWS may well be cooked by the time we play them so if we go 3-1 and put up a good show v WC that is not an unreasonable expectation.

11-7 would have us 6/7.
Not good enough yet need another class mid and natural development .

That said i think come finals - Geel, Richmond and WC are a level above everyone else.

Brisbane next ( if they learn to kick ) , Collingwood too many injuries but experience. Port to me pretenders and WB like Melbourne weather - great or terrible.

Right match up we get to week 2 and if get Port perhaps Premiin -best case scenario

[saintsRrising]

Next year could see improvement ( fingers crossed )

The team we fielded yesterday had 9 players in it with less than 50 games. Clark to come back only has 41 games.

Butler and Howard both only on 58 games and started the year on 45 each.

We have a lot players who are going to get better. So I personally am most confident of a lot of improvement just from the players that we already have.



But yes we need a gun mid to go with Steele.

[bergsone]

To play a big part in finals I feel we will need more midfield depth.Anybody have a report on how far away are Hanners and Dunstan are

[st.byron]

If we make finals that will have exceeded my expectations for this year. Thought we might move up to 9th or 10th with improvement, so a 6th or 7th would be a good effort given where we were last year.
I fancy us to beat Melb, Hawthorn and GWS so reckon we’ll make it.

[SunnyErnest]

If we beat Melbourne yes. If we lose to Melbourne it's anyone's guess.

[To the top]

We finish with 3 sides outside the 8 and one sude in the 8

We have our fate in our own hands courtesy of performances to date

We can finish the seasons of Melbourne and GWS

And we have a Finals preview v WCE

If you get to Finals the season starts again and anything can happen

[SunnyErnest]

The strange thing is we could still finish top 4 but also might miss the top 8 as well. That’s how close it is this year.

[apples1403]

I expect we will make finals but not go deep

In the BL match we win if Clark plays - really missed his composure and ability to find a target up the field.

Re Brad Hill - yes he is not performing at 100% - but I think that is because the team has had severely limited time training as a full team and the other players are not used to looking for him and using him. When he gets the ball he is devastating

The connection will come with time and full team training

And yes we desperately need a big bodied inside/outside A-grade midfielder to complete our team

Go Saints!

[Saintmatt]

I expect we will make finals but not go deep

In the BL match we win if Clark plays - really missed his composure and ability to find a target up the field.

Re Brad Hill - yes he is not performing at 100% - but I think that is because the team has had severely limited time training as a full team and the other players are not used to looking for him and using him. When he gets the ball he is devastating

The connection will come with time and full team training

And yes we desperately need a big bodied inside/outside A-grade midfielder to complete our team

Go Saints!

1000% agree. We have 5 new players who've spent 1 pre-season learning a new gameplan under a new coach and then trying to stitch it all together with 'groups of 8' training midweek. We were going to be up against it in 2020 even with everything being normal. I think we've done a magnificent job thus far achieving what we have.

Re: the Bris Lions game - they were missing Rich and Martin; we were missing Hunter and Gresh. In the context of those players importance to their teams ... it was about even. We should have been out of the game had the kicked better but, we still had to have the pluck to fight and stay in it. And let's face it - for 9 of the last 10 mins ... it was us who looked most likely to win (same with the last 90 seconds of the North and Freo games too).

I keep mentioning whenever I can but Jye Caldwell from GWS is out of contract. He'd be perfect. I'd love us to part with our first pick this year and just get him. Fits the age profile perfectly and is (1) more getable than Kelly, Whitfield and Williams (even if I would love them) and (2) would cost a whole heap less.

[SunnyErnest]

Beat Melbourne, beat Hawthorn, we play finals.
The top 5 has already formed.
Port Adelaide, Brisbane, Geelong West Coast, Richmond
Finish 8th you have to play one them.
Finish 6th or 7th you have a chance to win at least one final.

Actually, if we beat Melbourne it would take a miracle for us to miss finals.

[Impatient Sainter]

Think we win 3 of our last 4. Melbourne, Hawthorn and GWS. Hopefully by the time we play GWS they are completely out of finals contention.

[SunnyErnest]

Think we win 3 of our last 4. Melbourne, Hawthorn and GWS. Hopefully by the time we play GWS they are completely out of finals contention.

If you are right then the game against the Eagles will determine who gets fourth spot.

[The_Dud]

Getting slightly more confident about beating Melbourne this week, looking at their latest winning run, 2 we’re against Adelaide and North, and the other an under strength Collingwood, so maybe not as good form as I initially thought!

[Yorkeys]

Nice to have that in our hands at this time of year. Lately those chances have been a multi: winning all our games and some teams losing all theirs, all up a coaching stoke of genius by AR.

[The Fireman]

Torn