Can anyone make sense of what we have become?

[stkfc1]

Ok. So next week will be a real litmus test but seriously, where the hell has this come from?

Ok so I understand we have better coaches, better system etc but half the team in looking AA ATM. Was the list just not as bad as we thought it was?

Most folks had us bottom 6-4. We look Top 4 easy at this stage.

Long way to go, game at time etc but geez we look like a solid outfit and with plenty to come back in, I'm starting to think we may just be the real deal.

I'm keeping the lid on. Just having a sneak peek at what's underneath..

[Sainter_Dad]

Ok. So next week will be a real litmus test but seriously, where the hell has this come from?

Ok so I understand we have better coaches, better system etc but half the team in looking AA ATM. Was the list just not as bad as we thought it was?

Most folks had us bottom 6-4. We look Top 4 easy at this stage.

Long way to go, game at time etc but geez we look like a solid outfit and with plenty to come back in, I'm starting to think we may just be the real deal.

I'm keeping the lid on. Just having a sneak peek at what's underneath..

I would not say Top 4 Easy - that is getting a bit ahead of ourselves.

But

Quite simply
- Easy game plan
- Full buy in
- Some AMAZING recruiting pickups

In boxing analogy - take the punches - see an opening - rain in some precise jabs - then the knockout punch

[Premium89]

I could see us finishing anywhere from 4th to 10th… my heads spinning!
Everyone keeps talking about RTB - but having Harvey, Hayes Goddard and Enright HAS to be just as big a factor.

Don’t forget we were 8-3 last year - I think our big test is seeing where the kids are at, round 15 and beyond.

Pies will be a big test - they won’t fold as easily as the suns did.

[CQ SAINT]

I could see us finishing anywhere from 4th to 10th… my heads spinning!
Everyone keeps talking about RTB - but having Harvey, Hayes Goddard and Enright HAS to be just as big a factor.

Don’t forget we were 8-3 last year - I think our big test is seeing where the kids are at, round 15 and beyond.

Pies will be a big test - they won’t fold as easily as the suns did.

They did against the Bears.

[saynta]

Ok. So next week will be a real litmus test but seriously, where the hell has this come from?

Ok so I understand we have better coaches, better system etc but half the team in looking AA ATM. Was the list just not as bad as we thought it was?

Most folks had us bottom 6-4. We look Top 4 easy at this stage.

Long way to go, game at time etc but geez we look like a solid outfit and with plenty to come back in, I'm starting to think we may just be the real deal.

I'm keeping the lid on. Just having a sneak peek at what's underneath..

As bad as who thought? Not me mate, although I thought we would have trouble covering all the injuries.

I thought a top 6 spot was possible pre season and got laughed at by my non saints mates,

I don't think there is as much laughter at the moment, but still early days

[skeptic]

In a nutshell… the team is clearly fitter and is running games out.

Players are playing in spots that suit them. The question marks from last year…
Hill in the midfield
NWM on a HBF
Gresh more forward then middle
Battle has remained at HBF
Clark = midfield
Higgins closer to home… Butler further away

The 3 small forwards are coordinating land not all going to the same contest
Phillipou, Caminati and Cordy have not on one occasion spoiled each other

We’re moving the ball very well and controlling the tempo of the play.

The playing list appears to have the confidence to back themselves and stuff up as long as they do the requirements.

A handful of youngsters have really improved - Owens, Byrnes, NWM, Stocker, Hunter

Crouch, Higgins, Gresh and Ross playing to their strengths

Caminati has been an absolute find.

[Waltzing St Kilda]

4-1 in 2019 and sacked Richo later in the season.

You can't predict anything with confidence until you start wearing a parka to the footy.

Methinks even Lyon is amazed at what we've done.

Hoping we make the eight but that's all. Expect a drop off when the fitness levels even out.

[CQ SAINT]

Owens appears to be the biggest improver this year and he has made a significant difference to our foward line. The kid knows no bounds and while he is raw, there isn't much he can't do.

[Rubyjo]

Just look at 2009 ..same thing happened been banging on about it ..the vibe is there ..a decade of footy went by and RTB is back in town .to do it all again

[perfectionist]

We are playing like we have 10 on ballers. Of course, we don't, not unless we have two extra players on the ground. That's the difference. The problem for the Suns is that a couple of their "elite " players don't run hard enough. They are very good in the packs but not outside running. Our players are good inside and outside. Our backline has been strengthened with the addition of Liam Stocker. We still lack a full back of the quality of Steven May. That's what we need to be a premiership team.

[Moods]

TBH, I think our injury list has been overstated to a large degree. Some are big names but most wouldn't get a game in this team atm. King, Membery, Steele and Webster are the only ones I'd bring in as automatics. The rest are depth and have to prove themselves all over again.

These injuries have been the best thing that has happened at the Saints in over a decade. Suddenly the kids get an extended run at it and boy, do they want to show that they belong. I know it's Easter but I couldn't believe we didn't get 25-30k there tonight. This is as exciting as the start of 2004 AFAIC. I'm a shift worker but whilst we play like this I will be taking sickies to miss work and get to games. Something exciting is brewing and you'd be mad to miss any of it if you were a Saints fan

[mr six o'clock]

It's playing to your potential
And playing with confidence
We've been capable for years
We beat the cats last year
We beat the dogs in their premiership year
We beat the Tigers in two of their premiership years
No reason why we can't go all the way
The boys just gotta keep on believing and of course not get ahead of themselves.

[SaintPav]

We are playing very well and we are playing like a team. The pressure they are putting on opposition teams is elite but it’s a long season.

Last season, after round 1, we won the next five games to be 5-1 after round 6.

[Lennylegs]

I can totally make sense of what's happening. We've been under sold and now we've got some people in charge who are bringing out our best.

This list is completely capable of doing things and we don't have anyone making excuses for us. I really do mean that last part. We're now a team who won't moan and complain about draft picks, lack of talent, McCartin before Petracca, blah blah blah

So glad we're back at a point as a football club where we're no longer willing to sit back and make excuses for ourselves.

Appreciate Vortex as a poster, but I reckon we all should be wary of those misery merchant Sainter supporters amongst us. There is absolutely every reason to believe.

We have no excuse not to be successful. We have everything at hand. Don't let the Vortexes of the world lead you otherwise. They're a huge reason why this club has been mostly left behind.

[Banger9798]

Ross is a running machine and now has a flint hard edge to him....even approaching being a bit of an enforcer.
Real pro.

[The_Dud]

The next two weeks will tell us all we need to know, coming up against the two (apart from us) in form teams in the comp currently.

Hopefully we give a good showing in both games. If we go 1-1 then I’m confident we’re finals bound.

2-0 and the lid is off

[CQ SAINT]

The next two weeks will tell us all we need to know, coming up against the two (apart from us) in form teams in the comp currently.

Hopefully we give a good showing in both games. If we go 1-1 then I’m confident we’re finals bound.

2-0 and the lid is off

I'm pretty sure both those teams, feel the same way.

[Vortex]

I can totally make sense of what's happening. We've been under sold and now we've got some people in charge who are bringing out our best.

This list is completely capable of doing things and we don't have anyone making excuses for us. I really do mean that last part. We're now a team who won't moan and complain about draft picks, lack of talent, McCartin before Petracca, blah blah blah

So glad we're back at a point as a football club where we're no longer willing to sit back and make excuses for ourselves.

Appreciate Vortex as a poster, but I reckon we all should be wary of those misery merchant Sainter supporters amongst us. There is absolutely every reason to believe.

We have no excuse not to be successful. We have everything at hand. Don't let the Vortexes of the world lead you otherwise. They're a huge reason why this club has been mostly left behind.

It's spelt recon FFS

[axcellence]

Best running team in the comp.

Top for total distance covered and total distance covered at high speed. The second on the distance covered is way behind.

On the injury list, 8 out of 13 (excluding Wood) are leg injuries. Majority due to higher volume of running.

Next round, Pies don’t have a ruckman (nobody tall enough). This contributed to them losing to Brisbane. So, it’s going to be interesting.

The Accountant playing like Jeremy McGovern stats also helps.

[asiu]

haha

not caring all that much

fitter 'n smarter will do me

although ... if ross the boss , byron and Aeon are happy with how things are
.... i'm happy








ps

whatever CQ Saint says about the whys and wherefores
will also do

pps

a happy Fireman is also helpful
and Desi should sacrifice and keep tipping against us

[flack]

Collingwood on a neutral ground.
No Ruck
We've got their best coach (Buckley's words about Banger)
5-0

[Otiman]

Clearly our list wasn't as s*** as everyone made it out to be. Also fitness and conditioning (injuries aside) must have had a good baseline for Ross & Co. to work with.

Belief is a huge motivator.

[damienc]

Ok. So next week will be a real litmus test but seriously, where the hell has this come from?

Ok so I understand we have better coaches, better system etc but half the team in looking AA ATM. Was the list just not as bad as we thought it was?

Most folks had us bottom 6-4. We look Top 4 easy at this stage.

Long way to go, game at time etc but geez we look like a solid outfit and with plenty to come back in, I'm starting to think we may just be the real deal.

I'm keeping the lid on. Just having a sneak peek at what's underneath..

Yes. In no particular order.

1) we are very fit. The fittest I’ve seen them. We run for 4 quarters.

2) we have some absolutely stellar kids. The sky is the limit with what they can do. The future is bright for the Saints.

3) calum Wilkie is an all Australian defender. Just superb. He is the field Marshall down back.

4) we have a game plan that works. All of the players know what it is and have bought in and work really hard to implement it.

5) The guys enjoy playing together and they play like they have something to prove.

6) we are defying expectations. We have lost at least 6 players who are in our best 22. Yet we are 4-0. Long may we continue to do so. Underestimate us at your peril.

[meher baba]

I predicted something like this (although not 4 wins in a row) after watching our pre-season outing against the Bombers. Our backline - which we already knew was bloody good - looked even better with NWM in a key role: notwithstanding his tendency to make quite a few fumbles and misdirected kicks (which was evident again last night). Our midfield looked like it had its act together and our outside players were organised correctly: Wood and Hill were being played where they could do the most damage and Byrnes looked ok in his role.

So, as I posted at the time, I thought we looked like we could be a finals side if Lyon and his team could patch together a forward line which could score enough goals to win enough games to keep us in the running until King and Membrey came back. And they've done that: better than anyone could have expected. And Lyon has instilled a great deal of self-confidence into the entire team: probably more through his reputation and his own self-belief than through any major strategic changes (because these take time).

We need to remember that we were 8-3 at the break last year, with 7 of our remaining 11 games to be played at Marvel. We looked odds-on to make the finals, but somehow lost our mojo and sank out of contention. We had quite a talented list, but had no self-belief. We also consistently blew a lot of chances in front of goal, with King far and away the worst culprit. When he comes back, the coaching staff need to find a way of taking the pressure off him as the main target going forward. Lyon and Harves can hopefully do that (although an undue focus on kicking the ball to Riewoldt was one major flaw in the way we played under Lyon the first time around: hopefully Lyon can avoid a repetition).

One final point to consider before we get too excited: the Suns stank. They blew umpteen chances inside their forward 50. Their defence looked extremely fragile. And the much-vaunted Matt Rowell (to whom I must confess I have never paid much attention before) looked like a total plodder.

The Pies will be really tough next week, particularly because we won't have Steele. In order to up against the Pies' marauding attacks through the middle, Crouch and Ross will need to channel Michael Caine and Stanley Baker in Zulu. It's going to be tough, but we've really got nothing to lose.

[bigcarl]

When (King) comes back, the coaching staff need to find a way of taking the pressure off him as the main target going forward. Lyon and Harves can hopefully do that (although an undue focus on kicking the ball to Riewoldt was one major flaw in the way we played under Lyon the first time around: hopefully Lyon can avoid a repetition).

Yes, we have to be very careful about how we use him. Can't aim everything at him and expect him to kick us a winning score. He's not a good enough shot for goal for a start.

What I like about the current set-up is there is no real focal point. That makes us very hard to defend against.

Personally I'd play him as second ruck or chf pushing up the ground. The moment we start kicking it to him with three opponents hanging off him we are doomed.