5 day break

[SaintPav]

5 day break followed by a 9 day break before we face Norf.

We must win this.

[Otiman]

Clearly the 5 day break hurt us, the players earmarked for a rest being underdone hurt us (Crouch, Philippou)

[Scollop]

Never turn out winning racehorses, footballers are no different. An easier week on the track, I'd suggest.

The other thing is that the coaching and system is what won us the game but we can't ignore the signs

Did Brad Crouch look like the player we saw in the first five weeks?

Don't confuse a fantastic team effort with what's going on with individual players.

Bump

Some got ahead of themselves and some were simply due for a rest. The physical toll and emotional toll on some of our players wasn't assessed correctly.

The sports science guys are no better than witch doctors in some cases. Blind Freddy could have seen what was going to unfold with a 5 day break

This is probably worthy of another thread, but do we rely too much on Seb Ross and Brad Crouch?

What were their percentage figures for centre bounce attendance? Could we have had Wood or Owens or Gresh at more stoppages?

[Yorkeys]

I reckon the reason it took so long to find a new CEO is because one of the interview questions was what is your idea of a level playing field for the competition.

The most qualified would have suggested that playing an uneven number of games against competitors and giving sides varying inequitable spaces between games was contrary to that principle.

While they therefore proved themselves superior candidates intellectually the right answer needed to be focused on broadcasting and adding variables to the menu of multi bets available. E.g. that team is more talented, but we can weight the saddle bags with less rest between its fixtures.

Someone from inside the monopoly would know that and understand its not primarily about an even comp, its broadcast rights and betting you silly.

Self interest has to trump intellectual rigor, but we can spin that given enough time - and the really good candidates will just move on rather than wait interminably.

[takeaway]

Never turn out winning racehorses, footballers are no different. An easier week on the track, I'd suggest.

The other thing is that the coaching and system is what won us the game but we can't ignore the signs

Did Brad Crouch look like the player we saw in the first five weeks?

Don't confuse a fantastic team effort with what's going on with individual players.

Bump

Some got ahead of themselves and some were simply due for a rest. The physical toll and emotional toll on some of our players wasn't assessed correctly.

The sports science guys are no better than witch doctors in some cases. Blind Freddy could have seen what was going to unfold with a 5 day break

This is probably worthy of another thread, but do we rely too much on Seb Ross and Brad Crouch?

What were their percentage figures for centre bounce attendance? Could we have had Wood or Owens or Gresh at more stoppages?

Don't buy it. We fought out the game strongly. (As confirmed by RTB). Steele, Ross & Crouch all lifted in the last, our rushed entry into the forward line to no talls didn't help.

We lost the game due to, unusually, costly defensive errors.

[saynta]

Those two dodgy play on calls didn't help.

[magnifisaint]

Those two dodgy play on calls didn't help.

The one where Battle took the mark in the last quarter with Powell Pepper within 5 m was flat out wrong. Should have been 50 to St Kilda. Yet they kick a goal.

[saynta]

Those two dodgy play on calls didn't help.

The one where Battle took the mark in the last quarter with Powell Pepper within 5 m was flat out wrong. Should have been 50 to St Kilda. Yet they kick a goal.

Even the coach commented on that one. I thought the call on howard was just as bad. Will have another look at the replay, if I can stomach it.

[WellardSaint]

Those two dodgy play on calls didn't help.

The one where Battle took the mark in the last quarter with Powell Pepper within 5 m was flat out wrong. Should have been 50 to St Kilda. Yet they kick a goal.

In every other game, 50m. One guy on the mark but there was another breathing down his neck.
Close enough to collect the smother.
Disgraceful

[Scollop]

Never turn out winning racehorses, footballers are no different. An easier week on the track, I'd suggest.

The other thing is that the coaching and system is what won us the game but we can't ignore the signs

Did Brad Crouch look like the player we saw in the first five weeks?

Don't confuse a fantastic team effort with what's going on with individual players.

Bump

Some got ahead of themselves and some were simply due for a rest. The physical toll and emotional toll on some of our players wasn't assessed correctly.

The sports science guys are no better than witch doctors in some cases. Blind Freddy could have seen what was going to unfold with a 5 day break

This is probably worthy of another thread, but do we rely too much on Seb Ross and Brad Crouch?

What were their percentage figures for centre bounce attendance? Could we have had Wood or Owens or Gresh at more stoppages?

Don't buy it. We fought out the game strongly. (As confirmed by RTB). Steele, Ross & Crouch all lifted in the last, our rushed entry into the forward line to no talls didn't help.

We lost the game due to, unusually, costly defensive errors.

I thought we stuffed up with match selection and that we would have been better off with a few fresh players going into that game.

The structures and the game plan that has held us in good stead, was going to help us with a game on our home deck

We started well despite Crouch being absent and a liability early. We put undue pressure on our defenders when we gave up such a good start.

I just thought we looked sluggish in the second and third, although I agree that the effort from our players was great in that last quarter. Could have pinched it in the end

[Teflon]

Those two dodgy play on calls didn't help.

The one where Battle took the mark in the last quarter with Powell Pepper within 5 m was flat out wrong. Should have been 50 to St Kilda. Yet they kick a goal.

Yup
A fair ump **** up
What’s the point of the exclusion zone if you allow players to loiter like that ..
mind you ….Battle could’ve gone back a bit further

[saintkid]

Getting back to the 5 day break...it made absolutely no difference to Collingwood today. Another amazing win.

[jays]

100% it did I heard Darcy after the game saying they felt flat so did Dons and so did we

[maverick]

5 day break absolutely made a difference
Crows should have won by 6 goals - they threw that away
Because of that pies won by a point - we lost by 8

[saintkid]

100% it did I heard Darcy after the game saying they felt flat so did Dons and so did we

Collingwood's last quarter was far from flat. They did it over there too, on the road.

[maverick]

100% it did I heard Darcy after the game saying they felt flat so did Dons and so did we

Collingwood's last quarter was far from flat. They did it over there too, on the road.

Neither was ours
Our 2nd though…

[saintkid]

100% it did I heard Darcy after the game saying they felt flat so did Dons and so did we

Collingwood's last quarter was far from flat. They did it over there too, on the road.

Neither was ours
Our 2nd though…

I beg to differ. Collingwood were 22 points down at 3/4 time over there. Their last quarter was awesome, significantly better than ours.

[SaintPav]

The three metre rule is inconsistently applied as well. Some players are asked to come back and some aren’t. Many players run right up to the player with the ball who then has to get back to take their kick. Other times, the umpire calls out the player on the mark to get back. I’ve noticed it many times and I don’t see a difference in each situation for the different calls. The application of the rule is a dog’s breakfast.

[maverick]

100% it did I heard Darcy after the game saying they felt flat so did Dons and so did we

Collingwood's last quarter was far from flat. They did it over there too, on the road.

Neither was ours
Our 2nd though…

I beg to differ. Collingwood were 22 points down at 3/4 time over there. Their last quarter was awesome, significantly better than ours.

No sorry, I stand corrected, pies definitely way better, just meant to point out we never got that far behind and played it out to the end.
Last year we would have been blown away imo

[Scollop]

The players aren't machines

Eventually there's a cost. We know that most young players don't have the tank to play all 22 games of home and away

What are we trying to achieve? Winning the McLennan trophy again

Even with our seasoned players you have to manage the workload. If you don't you are destined to repeat history

Bump

St Kilda vs Hawthorn

Both teams travelled interstate last week and both coming off a 6 day break.

Whether we look at the midfield, or the coaching or team selection for the Hawthorn game or Higgins as the scapegoat…

it’s also obvious that we haven’t utilised the whole list and we haven’t managed our players as well as we could have

Really disappointing when we had such a strong start

[Otiman]

There's something in it. When to take the foot off the gas? I still don't know the answers.

Ross said at the start of the year that we have lots of injuries but all players are 100% fit. Now we've got much less injuries but the ones being played are definitely not at 100%, whether that's skill or form or injuries I can't tell.