One advantage of 7th

[older saint]

Just realised over the weekend one advantage of a 1st round loss rather than second round loss in finals is it puts us in middle 6 bracket for the draw in 2024.

Sydney, WB, Adel, ess, Geel ,

as opposed to Coll, Bris, Melb, port, GWS, Carl

Obviously always want to win but is a small upside.

[SaintPav]

I think it was probably better that we ended up losing as it’s a wake up call of where we are at.

It’s ended up being a kinda honourable loss.

[TheGreatZacsby]

Another advantage was that we turned our pick 13 into pick 12.

[Beno88]

2023 was the 12th time St Kilda have finished 7th.

Only three times have we gone backwards after finishing 7th.

[Vortex]

You got to love how the AFL controlled footy media spin the whole, "the competition has never been more even" line.

For those that needed it, surely now with the benefit of hindsight, even the most misty eyed fan would agree our position in the finals was fraudulent. A snow flakes chance in the summer sun was ours of progressing past GWS, let alone looking like we belonged in week 2 of the finals.

A very favourable draw and results from other games going our way helped us to a game in finals.

We need some incredible luck with recruitment and continued development of the current core if we are any chance of rising up as a legitimate top 4 side.

[King Max]

You got to love how the AFL controlled footy media spin the whole, "the competition has never been more even" line.

For those that needed it, surely now with the benefit of hindsight, even the most misty eyed fan would agree our position in the finals was fraudulent. A snow flakes chance in the summer sun was ours of progressing past GWS, let alone looking like we belonged in week 2 of the finals.

A very favourable draw and results from other games going our way helped us to a game in finals.

We need some incredible luck with recruitment and continued development of the current core if we are any chance of rising up as a legitimate top 4 side.

I’m struggling to find a reason that we finished above Sydney, GWS, Dogs, cats, Tigers and Bombers.

[SuperDuper]

You got to love how the AFL controlled footy media spin the whole, "the competition has never been more even" line.

For those that needed it, surely now with the benefit of hindsight, even the most misty eyed fan would agree our position in the finals was fraudulent. A snow flakes chance in the summer sun was ours of progressing past GWS, let alone looking like we belonged in week 2 of the finals.

A very favourable draw and results from other games going our way helped us to a game in finals.

We need some incredible luck with recruitment and continued development of the current core if we are any chance of rising up as a legitimate top 4 side.

I’m struggling to find a reason that we finished above Sydney, GWS, Dogs, cats, Tigers and Bombers.

yeah its a tough one isnt it. Maybe we won more games than they did? How fraudulent is that!!??

[samuraisaint]

You got to love how the AFL controlled footy media spin the whole, "the competition has never been more even" line.

For those that needed it, surely now with the benefit of hindsight, even the most misty eyed fan would agree our position in the finals was fraudulent. A snow flakes chance in the summer sun was ours of progressing past GWS, let alone looking like we belonged in week 2 of the finals.

A very favourable draw and results from other games going our way helped us to a game in finals.

We need some incredible luck with recruitment and continued development of the current core if we are any chance of rising up as a legitimate top 4 side.

I’m struggling to find a reason that we finished above Sydney, GWS, Dogs, cats, Tigers and Bombers.

yeah its a tough one isnt it. Maybe we won more games than they did? How fraudulent is that!!??

We beat all of those sides in the regular season. Good a reason as any.

[King Max]

Besides beating all those teams and winning more games, I can’t think of a single reason that we finished above them.

[Vortex]

So contending for the flag next year?

[nostalgicsaint]

So contending for the flag next year?

Think top 6 is a reasonable goal/expectation.

Personally I had us following the below trajectory before the start of the year.


2023: 6 to 12 (expectation 8th)
2024: 4 to 10 (expectation 6th)
2025: 2 to 8 (expectation 4th)
2026: 1 to 6 (expectation top 4)

Two biggest variables which account for the broad range are injuries and the fixture.

[TheGreatZacsby]

You got to love how the AFL controlled footy media spin the whole, "the competition has never been more even" line.

For those that needed it, surely now with the benefit of hindsight, even the most misty eyed fan would agree our position in the finals was fraudulent. A snow flakes chance in the summer sun was ours of progressing past GWS, let alone looking like we belonged in week 2 of the finals.

A very favourable draw and results from other games going our way helped us to a game in finals.

We need some incredible luck with recruitment and continued development of the current core if we are any chance of rising up as a legitimate top 4 side.

Nothing fraudulent… we won more games than other teams did and made finals? The ladder doesn’t lie.

The only fraudulent piece I’m seeing is your shitty post and it’s attempt to drag the boys down after a semi-successful year.

[Waltzing St Kilda]

Without the Membrey drama -- with Membrey on field instead of Caminiti, for that matter -- it's difficult not to see us getting closer to GWS in that final. After all, we beat them on their own dugnhill mid-year.

So not a bad result against the form team of the comp.

[Yorkeys]

Custer had the 7th cavalry.
He squandered that advantage similar to Melbourne and Port squandered double chances.
If GWs keep winning I expect Eddie to start complaining about all the assistance they have been given. The advantage of being owned by the regulatory body. Luckier than lucky #7.

[Vortex]

You got to love how the AFL controlled footy media spin the whole, "the competition has never been more even" line.

For those that needed it, surely now with the benefit of hindsight, even the most misty eyed fan would agree our position in the finals was fraudulent. A snow flakes chance in the summer sun was ours of progressing past GWS, let alone looking like we belonged in week 2 of the finals.

A very favourable draw and results from other games going our way helped us to a game in finals.

We need some incredible luck with recruitment and continued development of the current core if we are any chance of rising up as a legitimate top 4 side.

Nothing fraudulent… we won more games than other teams did and made finals? The ladder doesn’t lie.

The only fraudulent piece I’m seeing is your shitty post and it’s attempt to drag the boys down after a semi-successful year.

So what ladder position are you predicting next year?

[TheGreatZacsby]

You got to love how the AFL controlled footy media spin the whole, "the competition has never been more even" line.

For those that needed it, surely now with the benefit of hindsight, even the most misty eyed fan would agree our position in the finals was fraudulent. A snow flakes chance in the summer sun was ours of progressing past GWS, let alone looking like we belonged in week 2 of the finals.

A very favourable draw and results from other games going our way helped us to a game in finals.

We need some incredible luck with recruitment and continued development of the current core if we are any chance of rising up as a legitimate top 4 side.

Nothing fraudulent… we won more games than other teams did and made finals? The ladder doesn’t lie.

The only fraudulent piece I’m seeing is your shitty post and it’s attempt to drag the boys down after a semi-successful year.

So what ladder position are you predicting next year?

I’m predicting much of the same. Hopefully an extra win to the win - loss ratio. I see the elevation of youth. I can see NWM getting nominated for the All Australian Squad. I can see Caminiti and King taking big steps with a full preseason under RTB. I can see Mattaes Phillipou getting to work. I reckon Liam Henry, Jordan, Dow and our best available 12 draft pick all adding to our list. I see Coffield coming good. I see Hunter Clark improving his run and spread.

[Harvey To Hayes]

Imagine the caning you'd get if you went up to the supporter of another team who was in the eight for the whole season and never slipped out once and you told them that their appearance in the finals was "fraudulent" and that they didn't deserve to be there you'd rightly be laughed out of the conversation and told you were being a biased agenda-driven d**khead

[Vortex]

You got to love how the AFL controlled footy media spin the whole, "the competition has never been more even" line.

For those that needed it, surely now with the benefit of hindsight, even the most misty eyed fan would agree our position in the finals was fraudulent. A snow flakes chance in the summer sun was ours of progressing past GWS, let alone looking like we belonged in week 2 of the finals.

A very favourable draw and results from other games going our way helped us to a game in finals.

We need some incredible luck with recruitment and continued development of the current core if we are any chance of rising up as a legitimate top 4 side.

Nothing fraudulent… we won more games than other teams did and made finals? The ladder doesn’t lie.

The only fraudulent piece I’m seeing is your shitty post and it’s attempt to drag the boys down after a semi-successful year.

So what ladder position are you predicting next year?

I’m predicting much of the same. Hopefully an extra win to the win - loss ratio. I see the elevation of youth. I can see NWM getting nominated for the All Australian Squad. I can see Caminiti and King taking big steps with a full preseason under RTB. I can see Mattaes Phillipou getting to work. I reckon Liam Henry, Jordan, Dow and our best available 12 draft pick all adding to our list. I see Coffield coming good. I see Hunter Clark improving his run and spread.

Hell ya getting me excited, … and what’s your predicted ladder position?

[SaintWiki]

Nothing wrong will predicting for fun but even for a magician it would only be very wild guesswork as we don't even know how our team will line-up, we don't know all the other teams line up, and don't even know the draw yet.

Nevertheless I'll 'predict' Saints 4th-8th

[B.M]

A lazy prediction is to just suggest the same as this season

Next year will present whole new set of circumstances and challenges

[King Max]

You got to love how the AFL controlled footy media spin the whole, "the competition has never been more even" line.

For those that needed it, surely now with the benefit of hindsight, even the most misty eyed fan would agree our position in the finals was fraudulent. A snow flakes chance in the summer sun was ours of progressing past GWS, let alone looking like we belonged in week 2 of the finals.

A very favourable draw and results from other games going our way helped us to a game in finals.

We need some incredible luck with recruitment and continued development of the current core if we are any chance of rising up as a legitimate top 4 side.

Nothing fraudulent… we won more games than other teams did and made finals? The ladder doesn’t lie.

The only fraudulent piece I’m seeing is your shitty post and it’s attempt to drag the boys down after a semi-successful year.

So what ladder position are you predicting next year?

If you can’t really understand what happened this year, I’d avoid speculating about next year.

[Vortex]

You got to love how the AFL controlled footy media spin the whole, "the competition has never been more even" line.

For those that needed it, surely now with the benefit of hindsight, even the most misty eyed fan would agree our position in the finals was fraudulent. A snow flakes chance in the summer sun was ours of progressing past GWS, let alone looking like we belonged in week 2 of the finals.

A very favourable draw and results from other games going our way helped us to a game in finals.

We need some incredible luck with recruitment and continued development of the current core if we are any chance of rising up as a legitimate top 4 side.

Nothing fraudulent… we won more games than other teams did and made finals? The ladder doesn’t lie.

The only fraudulent piece I’m seeing is your shitty post and it’s attempt to drag the boys down after a semi-successful year.

So what ladder position are you predicting next year?

If you can’t really understand what happened this year, I’d avoid speculating about next year.

I predicted precisely what was going to happen this year in the thread started before R1 regarding predictions for the upcoming season. It’s a special gift I have no control over.

[The Fireman]

there is only one fraud here.

[King Max]

We struggle to kick 10 goals or more in a game most weeks.

We don't get blown away in games but only win 6 to 9

The games we win will be by defending the smallest of margins

One of our bigger names, maybe more are moved on at years end due to not getting along with the Ross method

Crouch to win TB medal

Higgo to be highest goal scorer

Rebuild becomes a debate at some stage

6 wins!
I wouldn’t say gifted but certainly special.

[Vortex]

We struggle to kick 10 goals or more in a game most weeks.

We don't get blown away in games but only win 6 to 9

The games we win will be by defending the smallest of margins

One of our bigger names, maybe more are moved on at years end due to not getting along with the Ross method

Crouch to win TB medal

Higgo to be highest goal scorer

Rebuild becomes a debate at some stage

6 wins!
I wouldn’t say gifted but certainly special.

Scary how accurate I was huh, don’t ask me how I do it, not even I know where such visions come from.