Saints vs Port. Game thread

[The Recruit]

It was an absolute farce

[Teflon]

Not only kicking for goal.

The number of hack kicks - which all fell to the advantage of Port Adelaide including gifting them possessions in space in conditions where space was gold and which eventually won them the game.

There will be plenty of work to be done off watching the replays of this game.

Particularly the scoreboard outcome from the first quarter dominance (when we really should have iced the game)

And some players will be nervous.

We will see what Billings and Jones bring tomorrow - and Clark the week after.

Plus Marshall back

At least Geelong is at Docklands - and really a must win game to restore some reputation in the competition.

As are Adelaide and North Melbourne leading into the bye

From there it is 50/50

We have Brisbane, Geelong and Sydney twice - and getting some wins there is vital to our 2022 prospects.

You play finals to win them - and games such as tonight are instructive in assessing which players are capable of delivering and which players place their teammates under undue pressure.

Good post
I also noticed when in the 3rd we appeared intent on kicking everything off the ground it went to an outside Port player waiting for it ?????
Not good enough

[samuraisaint]

Not only kicking for goal.

The number of hack kicks - which all fell to the advantage of Port Adelaide including gifting them possessions in space in conditions where space was gold and which eventually won them the game.

There will be plenty of work to be done off watching the replays of this game.

Particularly the scoreboard outcome from the first quarter dominance (when we really should have iced the game)

And some players will be nervous.

We will see what Billings and Jones bring tomorrow - and Clark the week after.

Plus Marshall back

At least Geelong is at Docklands - and really a must win game to restore some reputation in the competition.

As are Adelaide and North Melbourne leading into the bye

From there it is 50/50

We have Brisbane, Geelong and Sydney twice - and getting some wins there is vital to our 2022 prospects.

You play finals to win them - and games such as tonight are instructive in assessing which players are capable of delivering and which players place their teammates under undue pressure.

No, the Adelaide match is in Adelaide.

[The Fireman]

Gresham 0.3
Higgins 1.3
King 2.2
Butler Unsighted

Membrey useless- let Allir dominate

100%

Membrey just doesn’t trouble scoreboard
Butler doesnt trouble scoreboard
No wonder we look 1 dimensional so often
If King or Higgins don’t kick a bag or straight
We gone

Funny about that
One bad game and those blokes appear ordinary…lol.
Yet next week they can set the world on fire

Fickle ?

Or factual?
I prefer the latter

Your preferences still appear fickle
In other words when these blokes cut loose next week don’t go jumping on the bandwagon

If these blokes cut loose next week and we still miss finals by a game cause they cost us THiS game I’ll still call it while you downhill skii ….
Again 1:15 after quarter time and you’re trying to defend that s***????
If thats the standard I know why we have 1 flag..

I feel the passion mate but you have to admit this isn’t a bad side a lot better than what we’ve had for a long time

Do you think we will play finals?

[Teflon]

We’ll beat Dees next week
I’d bring in Jones Marshall Billing (if he goes ok) Lienert
Rest Windhager Campbell out Butler Wood (doesn’t impact enough)

Play Long in Butler forward role
Lienert in defence
Billing’s wing into fwd

Very tempted to squeeze in Sharman but unsure who makes way..

[The Fireman]

We’ll beat Dees next week
I’d bring in Jones Marshall Billing (if he goes ok) Lienert
Rest Windhager Campbell out Butler Wood (doesn’t impact enough)

Play Long in Butler forward role
Lienert in defence
Billing’s wing into fwd

Very tempted to squeeze in Sharman but unsure who makes way..

Thumbs up

[samoht]

I agree with the rest, Teflon, but ...Wood was one of our best players, he had 23 possessions and ran himself ragged.

[Teflon]

Gresham 0.3
Higgins 1.3
King 2.2
Butler Unsighted

Membrey useless- let Allir dominate

100%

Membrey just doesn’t trouble scoreboard
Butler doesnt trouble scoreboard
No wonder we look 1 dimensional so often
If King or Higgins don’t kick a bag or straight
We gone

Funny about that
One bad game and those blokes appear ordinary…lol.
Yet next week they can set the world on fire

Fickle ?

Or factual?
I prefer the latter

Your preferences still appear fickle
In other words when these blokes cut loose next week don’t go jumping on the bandwagon

If these blokes cut loose next week and we still miss finals by a game cause they cost us THiS game I’ll still call it while you downhill skii ….
Again 1:15 after quarter time and you’re trying to defend that s***????
If thats the standard I know why we have 1 flag..

I feel the passion mate but you have to admit this isn’t a bad side a lot better than what we’ve had for a long time

Do you think we will play finals?

I’ve seen improvement which is great but this side (and maybe it’s just Saints scars..) still feels brittle to me…
A guts win like beating Cats at Cattery would have me thinking otherwise (I know we beat Freo minus Mundy/Fyfe and it was still a good win but..).
I think a litmus test for when you know a side is becoming genuine contenders is when they:

1. Start beating bogey sides - we’ve beaten Port once in 10 years
2. Start winning on road often

Our second half of year is tough - Adelaide over there, Cats x2 Sydney x2 Lions Blues Dogs (112 point flogged us last year)

So finals no certainty and if we do get there I’d like to not be making up numbers and be bundled out.

TBH the sides clearly better….what I don’t know is are they a sort of 7–10 type side having a good run with some second tier guys having break out seasons Or are they a real top 4 chance.

Anyway we’ll find out

[Teflon]

I agree with the rest, Teflon, but ...Wood was one of our best players, he had 23 possessions and ran himself ragged.

Yeah tough one I tried thinking like for like and it comes down to does Wood or Billing’s on a wing give you more???
Billing’s for now as Wood can go quiet
But Billing’s can get 30 and you not notice him so it wasn’t easy
I know it’s after the fact but Campbell was a mistake tonight
A Sharman would’ve meant Allir had to think twice before zoning off….strange cause we knew all week it was going to be wet and still went big …
Anyway games gone time to move on but geez…one that got away hope it doesn’t come back to bite

[Killa]

Just to add, most players got their quota of possessions

But how many of those possessions were just thrown onto the boot with no actual looking to advantage teammates?

Just throw it in the boot with helicopter kicks - straight to guess who?

We played into Port Adelaide’s hands

And that is where the analysis needs to come from

Their defenders had a picnic

Overly critical?

That is the competition

And I reckon we can put a pretty useful side on the park - a side which should at least play finals this year and be a chance

But from these losses you learn - including which players deliver (pun intended)

[samuraisaint]

Hannebery plays tonight we win.

How long is it going to take for St Kilda coaches to realise that we need to play taggers on Boak, Wines and Gray every time we play them? This disrespect needs to stop. Tonight could cost us a top eight finish.

[Jacks Back]

We didn't play our usual game did we? We often switch play across to the other side until something opens up in the middle. We didn't do that tonight at all I don't think. Maybe Port didn't let us do it or maybe we were playing the wet weather space game of just moving the ball forward.

[Wayne42]

The Saints need to be able play well in ALL conditions, at all grounds, not just under the Marvel roof.

The list still needs some work.

[freely]

Battle down the line Power defender just turns wraps him up front on no free.

Absolute cheating

Powell Pepper tackled spins nearly twice no free

How many deliberates against us

One kicking in danger the whole night and it was against us

One 50 that still no one knows why and a gift goal

Oh put your other eye in!

[Newman]

I'll never come to Cairns again to see the Saints. Watched them last year lose to Crows kicking ONE GOAL in 2nd half and tonight ONE GOAL in 2nd half. Awful game to watch. I was with cheer squad and there wasn't much to cheer about. Awful. Hope all our forwards donate money to charity for each bad miss.

[Ghost Like]

This loss should be laid fairly and squarely at the feet of King, Higgins and Gresham. They were given the opportunities by those up the field to do what they get paid big money to do...kick GOALS!!!

The conditions were average, not monsoonal but no side should lose to a side that only kicks 5 goals, ever!

[spert]

The midfield went missing in the third quarter and we lost all advantage- almost the same scenario as last year against the Crows. If we had kept control of the midfield in the third quarter, we would have won regardless of the shocking goal kicking inaccuracy.

[samuraisaint]

Amazing what a difference it makes to actually have a healthy list though.
Port able to field a team with Gray, Wines, Boak and Rozee.
Meanwhile the following players have not played a single game for us this year: Hannebery, Jones, Billings, Geary, and Clark.
The list does need work, but imagine Boak, Wines and Gray don't play last night for them. No way do they win.

[Scollop]

I'll never come to Cairns again to see the Saints. Watched them last year lose to Crows kicking ONE GOAL in 2nd half and tonight ONE GOAL in 2nd half. Awful game to watch. I was with cheer squad and there wasn't much to cheer about. Awful. Hope all our forwards donate money to charity for each bad miss.

Please email the President and tell him what you just posted

[Scollop]

I have to say as an AFL prime free to air TV, that game was a shocking spectacle win or lose. What Muppet in the AFL thought it would be a good idea to schedule a night game in Cains at the end of their wet season.

I'm happy Cairns gets to see some footy, but surely later in the year during the dry season would be a smarter option.

If they want to continue with a game in Cairns then do it round 21 or round 22 in the middle of August

Email the club mate and tell them it’s a no brainer for the AFL. The top end will still benefit and the general footy public benefits from a better spectacle

[saynta]

I am not 100% positive but I think reading this thread will not enhance my life so I will give it a miss.

Need to get it of my unread list though, hence the post.

[Killa]

Samu

Yes, Adelaide is in Adelaide.

What I was referring to was Geelong at Docklands - then both North Melbourne and Adelaide are not negotiable must win games.

So those 3 games get us 3 wins, and 8 on the season - the remainder of the season being 50/50.

Win our share and we at least still make finals.

From VFL Stats alone (and dangerous, also v Frankston so quality of the opposition?), Byrnes (also 3 goals), Billings and Jones all had a bit of it.

It appears Bytel was injured.

But there were some promising other contributions from the Stats.

The number who are nervous may increase off the successive performances of Byrnes.

It is still annoying me that experienced players, in those conditions when ruck dominance (hence 2 Rucks) and numbers around the contest are vital, we had experienced players who, given a little space, just threw the ball onto their boots without even giving a glance as to where advantage may be.

And guess what the outcomes were?

So where were the voices and the supports?

I imagine the Senior Coach and the Coaching panel are livid.

And, really, no player would be spared their wrath.

On net contribution, we just did not have one good player on the night.

Some, such as Wanganeen-Milera, Battle and Long tried to create to advantage in the conditions.

All aspects of wet weather football will be reviewed.

So, if it is wet next Sunday at the MCG we can give a better account of ourselves.

[Scollop]

It is still annoying me that experienced players, in those conditions when ruck dominance (hence 2 Rucks) and numbers around the contest are vital, we had experienced players who, given a little space, just threw the ball onto their boots without even giving a glance as to where advantage may be.

And guess what the outcomes were?

So where were the voices and the supports?

I imagine the Senior Coach and the Coaching panel are livid.

And, really, no player would be spared their wrath.

On net contribution, we just did not have one good player on the night.

Some, such as Wanganeen-Milera, Battle and Long tried to create to advantage in the conditions.

The two who were the major culprits were the skipper and the former stand in skipper. Ratts needs to eyeball them and have an honest conversation

Both were serviceable and both worked hard, but imo Steele and Seb seem to be competing against each other for disposal stats and metres gained instead of looking to create opportunities for their team mates and bringing others into the game.

Dylan Shiel and Devon Smith were dropped from the seniors at Essendon for similar reasons

[D.B.Cooper]

Hannebery plays tonight we win.

[The_Dud]

NWM was the only bright spot and BOG for mine, he was the only bloke who looked like being able to consistently hit a target and move the ball down the field, pity he didn't take a bit more time and slot that goal in the last.