How we beat GWS

[johnearljames]

1. Limit their midfield stars
2. Desperation and pressure
3. Goal kicking accuracy

This game tonight will have finals like pressure, especially if GWS turns up to play. I think we are more balanced across every line but GWS have 4 or 5 A grade players.

Desperation, tackling, smothers, pressure needs to be on and applied all game.

This is what will get across the line.
Its what makes you win finals.

JEJ is pumped. Beer ready. Salted nuts ready. Spewing I have to listen to Channel 7 commentators though.

C'mon Saints! Its our biggest game since the 2011 final.

I think we will turn up tonight and be ready to play. Do or die!!!

[desertsaint]

kick more goals than behinds might help as well.

[SaintPelican66]

I agree with everything you said but I think the most important aspect tonight is if we kick accurately for goal. If Membrey and King can both nail their first shots on goal we will win. The confidence just seems to grow from there. If they both miss their first shots and all of a sudden we go to quarter time at 1 5 11 then personally I think it's goodnight. Kick straight tonight and that mojo from earlier this year will flood back and we will steamroll them.

[Vortex]

It's the midfield where most games are won and lost and theirin lies our major challenge.

[The_Dud]

Play rounds 1-9 footy, not 10-17.

Simple.

[The_President]

1. Limit their midfield stars
2. Desperation and pressure
3. Goal kicking accuracy

This game tonight will have finals like pressure, especially if GWS turns up to play. I think we are more balanced across every line but GWS have 4 or 5 A grade players.

Desperation, tackling, smothers, pressure needs to be on and applied all game.

This is what will get across the line.
Its what makes you win finals.

JEJ is pumped. Beer ready. Salted nuts ready. Spewing I have to listen to Channel 7 commentators though.

C'mon Saints! Its our biggest game since the 2011 final.

I think we will turn up tonight and be ready to play. Do or die!!!

Very thankful for this in-depth analysis

[skeptic]

Simply put we need reasonable performance expectations to met by the majority of the players selected

You can’t have 5-6 guys get 7 touches, have no impact on play but provide ‘speed and pressure’

All that’s really changed IMO is that small forwards with low disposal counts have stopped kicking goals.
Before, the Kents/Hinds/Lonies/Butlers could get away with it because they were contributing 3-4 goals between them.

All that’s changed in the last month minus Carlisle is that Butler is the only one really kicking goals

[Vortex]

Simply put we need reasonable performance expectations to met by the majority of the players selected

You can’t have 5-6 guys get 7 touches, have no impact on play but provide ‘speed and pressure’

All that’s really changed IMO is that small forwards with low disposal counts have stopped kicking goals.
Before, the Kents/Hinds/Lonies/Butlers could get away with it because they were contributing 3-4 goals between them.

All that’s changed in the last month minus Carlisle is that Butler is the only one really kicking goals

I think you've used a lot of words to say simply, if we kick more goals than the opposition we will win.

Have I got the gist of your insight right?

[Vortex]

Claiming small forwards being our problem is misguided. ALL players full stop have struggled to kick goals and that has become harder as the season got longer. The soccer type score lines should tell you that

The long and the short of it is we started the season as being the 5th to 8th best team and irrespective of whether we beat GWS tonight or if we miss out on finals even, nothing has changed. We have a 5th to 8th best list. We don't need any more game time to confirm the obvious.

The benifit of this season has been nothing more than getting game time into a developing side. If we rid ourselves of COVID-19 and can get back to full strength competition in 2021 and recruit players for our well known deficiency in the middle then we will start 2021 as being capable of punching into the top 4. If we don't recruit said players and/or dont get organic growth within then we will still be an 5th to 8th best team in 2021.

The signs are good but patience is still needed and all the pressure is on our recruiting department. If we dont get it right at the trade table this year then our development will stall.
.

[saintsRrising]

Play rounds 1-9 footy, not 10-17.

Simple.

I disagree.

If we play a fast open game, that is just the type of game that gives GWS their best chance of winning, plus also gives them their best chance of getting past our %, plus if not them also increases the odds of the Dees getting past our %.

We can be fast, but we need to keep the pressure on.

GWS area team that get impatient if the pressure is on.

Open and freeflowing allows their superior balls kills to shine.

[johnearljames]

1. Limit their midfield stars
2. Desperation and pressure
3. Goal kicking accuracy

This game tonight will have finals like pressure, especially if GWS turns up to play. I think we are more balanced across every line but GWS have 4 or 5 A grade players.

Desperation, tackling, smothers, pressure needs to be on and applied all game.

This is what will get across the line.
Its what makes you win finals.

JEJ is pumped. Beer ready. Salted nuts ready. Spewing I have to listen to Channel 7 commentators though.

C'mon Saints! Its our biggest game since the 2011 final.

I think we will turn up tonight and be ready to play. Do or die!!!

Very thankful for this in-depth analysis

Anytime.

[nobhead]

Play rounds 1-9 footy, not 10-17.

Simple.

I disagree.

If we play a fast open game, that is just the type of game that gives GWS their best chance of winning, plus also gives them their best chance of getting past our %, plus if not them also increases the odds of the Dees getting past our %.

We can be fast, but we need to keep the pressure on.

GWS area team that get impatient and if the pressure is on.

Open and freeflowing allows their superior balls kills to shine.

When we were playing well we were ranked pretty high in scoring efficency from our f50 entries imo thats been the biggest drop off . Perhaps someone can look up those stats.

[shanegrambeau]

Claiming small forwards being our problem is misguided. ALL players full stop have struggled to kick goals and that has become harder as the season got longer. The soccer type score lines should tell you that

The long and the short of it is we started the season as being the 5th to 8th best team and irrespective of whether we beat GWS tonight or if we miss out on finals even, nothing has changed. We have a 5th to 8th best list. We don't need any more game time to confirm the obvious.

The benifit of this season has been nothing more than getting game time into a developing side. If we rid ourselves of COVID-19 and can get back to full strength competition in 2021 and recruit players for our well known deficiency in the middle then we will start 2021 as being capable of punching into the top 4. If we don't recruit said players and/or dont get organic growth within then we will still be an 5th to 8th best team in 2021.

The signs are good but patience is still needed and all the pressure is on our recruiting department. If we dont get it right at the trade table this year then our development will stall.
.

Kind of disagree. We are no more a developing side than any of the others, but we are quite a bit a top up side than some.

I think we did start the season as a mid-ladder prospect. But things have changed in my opinion. We are now a lower-to mid ladder prospect.

We recruited to step up and leverage the barren years of development that have already taken place. Not to develop from scratch.

Players not likely to improve are evident.
Players with chronic soft tissue injuries are also evident.

Our defense was out muscled last few weeks. Their honeymoon is over. The only KPP with a huge upside is KIng. Coff, and Hunter Clark have a way to go you would hope.

Hill is a champ, but we can’t expect him to get much better.

But the coaching and strategy side is where we have hope. This is where I am dreaming.

[The_Dud]

Claiming small forwards being our problem is misguided. ALL players full stop have struggled to kick goals and that has become harder as the season got longer. The soccer type score lines should tell you that

The long and the short of it is we started the season as being the 5th to 8th best team and irrespective of whether we beat GWS tonight or if we miss out on finals even, nothing has changed. We have a 5th to 8th best list. We don't need any more game time to confirm the obvious.

The benifit of this season has been nothing more than getting game time into a developing side. If we rid ourselves of COVID-19 and can get back to full strength competition in 2021 and recruit players for our well known deficiency in the middle then we will start 2021 as being capable of punching into the top 4. If we don't recruit said players and/or dont get organic growth within then we will still be an 5th to 8th best team in 2021.

The signs are good but patience is still needed and all the pressure is on our recruiting department. If we dont get it right at the trade table this year then our development will stall.
.

Thanks SK...

[The_Dud]

Play rounds 1-9 footy, not 10-17.

Simple.

I disagree.

If we play a fast open game, that is just the type of game that gives GWS their best chance of winning, plus also gives them their best chance of getting past our %, plus if not them also increases the odds of the Dees getting past our %.

We can be fast, but we need to keep the pressure on.

GWS area team that get impatient and if the pressure is on.

Open and freeflowing allows their superior balls kills to shine.

Fast, aggressive and attacking doesn't mean no pressure.

We can play like the above on offence, and then drown them in pressure on defence (which should always be the default really)

It worked against teams like the Dogs, Tigers and Port, so I'm confident it would also work against a shot GWS.

One thing I do know for sure is if we turn up like we have the last month, we will not win.

[The Craw]

This game will be one and lost with the leadership displayed.

This is where we will find out if the Saints actually have anyone who is able to make stand and make a statement.

A sliding doors game this one.

[spert]

Our midfield defensive game has been crap for weeks, as has our forward line- those two things must be turned around tonight for a win- if one or the other fails, then we're done.

[Goose is king]

We can win this game in the first quarter. Our starts have been average of late but GWS need to beat us badly if they are to make finals. If we win the first quarter well in only takes two of there players to start looking to next season and game over. GWS have been average lately and I think something fishy is going on there and Corr leaving confirms it.

[cwrcyn]

Keep space in the forward half and only kick long into the forward line when we're on the quick rebound from a turnover near the centre of the ground. At all other times look for lead up options, Stifle their run out of defense and put a clamp on Kelly in the midfield .

[Yorkeys]

This thread gives me more confidence, however should this evening prove to be our last game for 2020 (may it not be so) thanks everyone for making your wit and wisdom available in this worst of years in Victoria and see you all in 2021. Been great, really appreciate reading your stuff - excuse cliche: luv your work. All the best. Y.

[samuraisaint]

Play rounds 1-9 footy, not 10-17.

Simple.

I disagree.

If we play a fast open game, that is just the type of game that gives GWS their best chance of winning, plus also gives them their best chance of getting past our %, plus if not them also increases the odds of the Dees getting past our %.

We can be fast, but we need to keep the pressure on.

GWS area team that get impatient and if the pressure is on.

Open and freeflowing allows their superior balls kills to shine.

Fast, aggressive and attacking doesn't mean no pressure.

We can play like the above on offence, and then drown them in pressure on defence (which should always be the default really)

It worked against teams like the Dogs, Tigers and Port, so I'm confident it would also work against a shot GWS.

One thing I do know for sure is if we turn up like we have the last month, we will not win.

Agree - up to a point.

I think the way we played against Brisbane, Melbourne and Hawthorn wasn't all bad. Even against West Coast we could have - and probably should have - won (okay, that's arguable).

GWS have been terrible recently and were very lucky tp beat Essendon, and got absolutely thrashed by the Swans.

I think we should play the way we did until the past month, but we could still win tonight by playing the way we have been because we have been very hard to beat anyway.

[howlinwolf]

I think the way to beat the Giants is speed and ball movement like Richmond.
Put Geelong under enormous pressure and unraveled their game.
We played more similar to this earlier in the year with more success than recently.

I realize we've lost speed in Jones and Hind but with better disposal the movement can actually be faster going forward.
Best disposal mids in the guts please.

Better disposal means faster/cleaner entries into the F50 and more chaos for defenders.

Worked earlier in the year.

Get on top early and they''ll put the cue back in the rack.

[SaintPelican66]

I think the game will be won and lost in the forward line. Whichever forward line kicks the most goals, their team will win.

[saintsRrising]

Play rounds 1-9 footy, not 10-17.

Simple.

I disagree.

If we play a fast open game, that is just the type of game that gives GWS their best chance of winning, plus also gives them their best chance of getting past our %, plus if not them also increases the odds of the Dees getting past our %.

We can be fast, but we need to keep the pressure on.

GWS area team that get impatient and if the pressure is on.

Open and freeflowing allows their superior balls kills to shine.

When we were playing well we were ranked pretty high in scoring efficency from our f50 entries imo thats been the biggest drop off . Perhaps someone can look up those stats.

Scoring efficiency was largely due to us getting the ball within 25m straight in front.

Opposition coaches are a wake up to this now and so leave a defender back. This dinies us these easy entries and shots on goal.

We are not kicking from wider angles and further out because we altered our gameplan. It is as opposition coaches have forced it on us by how they set up their defence.

The other key factor is that our plan is bombling the ball above King's head relying on him not being outmarked so that our small can crumb. Worked well for a while, but again now opposition set up for it.


Good teams do not less us play like we want to in our forward half anymore.


And even not so good teams. Hawks spanked us in the first quarter as we played into Clarko's hands. We then altered to a different style and won the game.

[ROLS-LEE]

How to beat GWS?

Hard relentless football.

If they get it on the outside, they have faster more skilful players than what we do and we will lose.