What Does It All Mean?

[damienc]

The worst kept secret in football has finally been revealed.

Everything old is new again. Not exactly but there is a small sense of deja vu.

RL is coach of our footy club. Again. But this time he's got his work cut out. For sure.

He hasn't been an AFL coach for three years. A long time when you talk about the modern game and how it continues to evolve. Is that a disadvantage? Not necessarily.

RL is a great student of the game. He likes to analyse so he will be up to speed on what's needed to consistently win games of footy.

Here is a much tougher question: Has he got the list to go where he wants to take the club?

I don't know the answer to that question. If you ask some pundits it's a definite no. They say our list is full of ordinary make that average talent.

I'm not so sure. I see good and bad with our list.

RL won't tolerate blokes who don't give 100 percent all the time. On the training track as well as game day.

The Butler's and the Billings of this world are going to be found out one way or the other. They won't be the only ones. Plenty of other names that I can list. Some blokes will thrive under the new regime others won't.

That's a good thing in my view.

The other positives are the new assistant coaches RL will gather around him. Lenny and Banger. A lot of other ex Saints who were part of our Golden era are all right behind RL and have said so publicly. That's got to make every St Kilda supporter feel good.

RL says he's starting with a blank slate. He has nothing to lose so there is no excuse for him not to give it his all. It will be a test for him and how the players respond to him.

I wish him well with his endeavours despite my reservations about his appointment.

It is going to make 2023 an interesting year to be a Saints supporter to say the least.

[Waltzing St Kilda]

In Round Nine this year St Kilda played Geelong. Both were 5-3.

I remember one of media's esteemed pundits saying how important a victory would be because "6-3 is a lot different than 5-4." We won.

Geelong didn't lose another game after that. St Kilda fell in a heap.

Bottom line is, the Geelong team at Round Nine wasn't seen as innately superior to the St Kilda squad.

Lots of Monday-morning quarterbacking after the Cats won the flag. Most footy experts -- the same ones roundly dismssing our squad right now -- are pretenders.

Not that I think this means we're bound to improve ... quite the contrary, I think we'll be lucky to climb above tenth in 2023 unless we have luck with injuries.

[bigred]

You cant have a team of big names until they make big names of themselves.

This list has a few holes and or weak spots, but in general, there is a large amount of overhead. Most teams have this really, but it is never achieved.

We have not seen anywhere near the best of King, Clark, Coffield, Sinclair, Hill, Higgins, Windhager, Owens, Dmac, Hayes, Nas... The list goes on. We have four picks inside the first 32 in the upcoming draft, with two more spots open.

Our best bet, our very best bet is to put these guys in a non negotiable, high performance environment where there are just no excuses. Either you cut it, or you dont. You play senior football or you play park footy. It is up to them, but they have to be pushed.

Is it the right call? Well I think it is. Much better to bite the bullet now than just waste another two years in middling underperformance. We would be close to wasting a whole generation just wasted through mismanagement. Putting together this coaching crew, Hayes, Enright, Lyon, Harvey + 1 is just obscene.

In some cases, you would be prepared to give it more time, however, there will be a new team coming in, probably in the next five years or so. The best teams, well, the teams that will be winning flags in say 2030, will have their house in order well before we have more compromised drafts. Also, right now we dont seem to have any "dynasty" teams floating about. Geelong, yeah they had a great year, Melbourne s*** the bed, Freo ran out of puff and so did Brisbane. Get your house in order and stay fit... anything can happen.

The way I see it, we just got our house in order. There will be some serious adjustment going on. Some players will thrive. Some will struggle. But we ultimately will be better. I have a feeling that it might be sooner rather than later. If we can just get our front half in order...

It took me close to ten years to get over losing Ross Lyon. The GF losses, then with what happened, it broke my connection with the club. This is the first time I feel like we are going to be a legitimate threat again.

[Scollop]

In Round Nine this year St Kilda played Geelong. Both were 5-3.

I remember one of media's esteemed pundits saying how important a victory would be because "6-3 is a lot different than 5-4." We won.

Geelong didn't lose another game after that. St Kilda fell in a heap.

Bottom line is, the Geelong team at Round Nine wasn't seen as innately superior to the St Kilda squad.

Lots of Monday-morning quarterbacking after the Cats won the flag. Most footy experts -- the same ones roundly dismssing our squad right now -- are pretenders.

Not that I think this means we're bound to improve ... quite the contrary, I think we'll be lucky to climb above tenth in 2023 unless we have luck with injuries.

+1

Obviously we were in ripping form in May and the Cats were in ripping form at the pointy end... when it really counts

No one remembers who finishes on top of the ladder at the end of home and away

Chris Scott was sick of having his players and his team winning McLennan trophies and falling short in finals

He played Holmes, Menegola, Narkle, Parfitt, and many others throughout the year who were major contributors but he saved his stars to be fresh when required

He planned to win the thing and have his best players fit and healthy and available in August and September.

Now...as far as Saints 2022 is concerned, I seriously think that injuries to Steele and earlier in the year to Clark, and the mid year issues with Hill and Jones were the start of our form slump.

The knee injury to Gresham confirmed for me that we would struggle to make finals. The year turned from bad to worse in the Sydney game and once again, we missed key players like paddy Ryder in Round 15 when we were comprehensively smashed by the Swans

We could have the depth to do the same as Geelong if we plan it that way (make sure your best players hit peak form in August). Can Ross utilise the whole list and can he force some of his best players to take several breaks?

Will Ross just play his best 25 or so players each and every week so that the win loss tally looks good, or will he plan to win the bloody thing at the end of the year?

[nobhead]

In Round Nine this year St Kilda played Geelong. Both were 5-3.

I remember one of media's esteemed pundits saying how important a victory would be because "6-3 is a lot different than 5-4." We won.

Geelong didn't lose another game after that. St Kilda fell in a heap.

Bottom line is, the Geelong team at Round Nine wasn't seen as innately superior to the St Kilda squad.

Lots of Monday-morning quarterbacking after the Cats won the flag. Most footy experts -- the same ones roundly dismssing our squad right now -- are pretenders.

Not that I think this means we're bound to improve ... quite the contrary, I think we'll be lucky to climb above tenth in 2023 unless we have luck with injuries.

+1

Obviously we were in ripping form in May and the Cats were in ripping form at the pointy end... when it really counts

No one remembers who finishes on top of the ladder at the end of home and away

Chris Scott was sick of having his players and his team winning McLennan trophies and falling short in finals

He played Holmes, Menegola, Narkle, Parfitt, and many others throughout the year who were major contributors but he saved his stars to be fresh when required

He planned to win the thing and have his best players fit and healthy and available in August and September.

Now...as far as Saints 2022 is concerned, I seriously think that injuries to Steele and earlier in the year to Clark, and the mid year issues with Hill and Jones were the start of our form slump.

The knee injury to Gresham confirmed for me that we would struggle to make finals. The year turned from bad to worse in the Sydney game and once again, we missed key players like paddy Ryder in Round 15 when we were comprehensively smashed by the Swans

We could have the depth to do the same as Geelong if we plan it that way (make sure your best players hit peak form in August). Can Ross utilise the whole list and can he force some of his best players to take several breaks?

Will Ross just play his best 25 or so players each and every week so that the win loss tally looks good, or will he plan to win the bloody thing at the end of the year?

He did say in his presser that he wants the club to have sustained success ,so by that you would assume building the whole list and developing youth so the club can be successful for a long time .something i think he relises him and the club failed at last time round. I do beleive this time he has the support around him to acheive that , lets wait and see.

[DJ Higgins]

It means very little at present. He didn’t interview for other coaching roles this year so he must see something in our list so that’s a plus and he now has time to build his team ie he can have a day in the next few drafts.
He hasn’t coached for a few years but that’s not all bad as he was still involved in the afl and got to work out plans in his head on how to beat each team with out the stress of actually coaching

But I am still not sure if we got the right coach for us at this point in time and our selection process was god awful
In saying all that I’ll still renew my membership and cairn the saints

[Yorkeys]

It means either we make finals or in about three years time we will have a new coach and a new President. Pretty much our go to scenario.

[Ghost Like]

It means we have effectively put the Beatles back together, Ross, Lenny, Harves and Corey Enright as our Ringo Starr (not an original but very important). I just need to be convinced that Lethlean has no Japanese heritage.

[The G Train Legacy]

It means we have effectively put the Beatles back together, Ross, Lenny, Harves and Corey Enright as our Ringo Starr (not an original but very important). I just need to be convinced that Lethlean has no Japanese heritage.

Almost as exciting as a Beatles reformation would've been.

[spert]

In Round Nine this year St Kilda played Geelong. Both were 5-3.

I remember one of media's esteemed pundits saying how important a victory would be because "6-3 is a lot different than 5-4." We won.

Geelong didn't lose another game after that. St Kilda fell in a heap.

Bottom line is, the Geelong team at Round Nine wasn't seen as innately superior to the St Kilda squad.

Lots of Monday-morning quarterbacking after the Cats won the flag. Most footy experts -- the same ones roundly dismssing our squad right now -- are pretenders.

Not that I think this means we're bound to improve ... quite the contrary, I think we'll be lucky to climb above tenth in 2023 unless we have luck with injuries.

+1

Obviously we were in ripping form in May and the Cats were in ripping form at the pointy end... when it really counts

No one remembers who finishes on top of the ladder at the end of home and away

Chris Scott was sick of having his players and his team winning McLennan trophies and falling short in finals

He played Holmes, Menegola, Narkle, Parfitt, and many others throughout the year who were major contributors but he saved his stars to be fresh when required

He planned to win the thing and have his best players fit and healthy and available in August and September.

Now...as far as Saints 2022 is concerned, I seriously think that injuries to Steele and earlier in the year to Clark, and the mid year issues with Hill and Jones were the start of our form slump.

The knee injury to Gresham confirmed for me that we would struggle to make finals. The year turned from bad to worse in the Sydney game and once again, we missed key players like paddy Ryder in Round 15 when we were comprehensively smashed by the Swans

We could have the depth to do the same as Geelong if we plan it that way (make sure your best players hit peak form in August). Can Ross utilise the whole list and can he force some of his best players to take several breaks?

Will Ross just play his best 25 or so players each and every week so that the win loss tally looks good, or will he plan to win the bloody thing at the end of the year?

Apparently when Paddy got suspended, he was shocked and dispirited and dropped his bundle for a while, and I think it rubbed off on some of the guys. Ratts didn't handle the list that well in selection for many games, and got outsmarted by the opposition coaches in quite a few games. A few too many Saints just didn't put in the hard efforts, and instead of going to Sandy, kept getting senior games, but then again the Sandy Saints list was very light on, and not too many knocking down doors for a senior spot. Lyon will struggle to get some of the more experienced guys to play much better IMO, and the real hope is with the younger brigade which I hope he puts a lot of time into as he hopefully develops a better team. The problem with the Saints 2022 was a team thing overall- no real leadership or direction when it got tough.

[Scollop]

The problem with the Saints 2022 was a team thing overall- no real leadership or direction when it got tough.

Exactly why I penned the following post in this thread; viewtopic.php?p=1984230#p1984230

Also there’s a video from early 2021 -a few posts down from mine in the thread in this link above- where Lyon talks about ‘giving the ball to Bradley Hill’….really interesting that his strategy is not different at ALL to the strategy employed by Ratten. In early 2021 the players weren’t utilising Hill as much as they should have…and in late 2021 they overcorrected and hand-balled to him backwards at every opportunity