Worst possible start to the season we were all fearing...

[NickyDal]

There will be huge ramifications over this loss to Geelong. They are a shadow of the premiership side of 2022 and were ripe for the picking. The fact that we could not beat them and beat them well will more than likely spell disaster for our season.

Next week against a wounded Collingfilth we have absolutely no hope of winning and the week after we will playing for our season against Essendung. If we happen to lose against the Bombers and go 0 and 3 it's season over. I still blame the selectors for the loss against Girlong. They need to be reprimanded but if we go 0 and 3 the whole club should be shot and will once again be looked upon as a Laughing Stock...

[cwrcyn]

It could be a lot worse, it could be a lot better. It's one game. There are no easy games on AFL football anymore. The competition is the most even it's ever been. Brisbane are going to be 0-2. Collingwood are 0-2.

There will be wild fluctuations in fortune for most teams this year, so is getting into catastrophe mode in round one really logical?

We have started the season with more injured players than any other club, just like last year. That has to be considered when making hasty judgements

A lot of this depends on your expectations. I don't really have any because I know there's still plenty of work to do to get this team into top four contention. We are basically in a group of about 7 teams who are fighting it out for the last two or three positions in the 8, and injuries, the draw, and form will all play a part. We could finish 6th, we could finish 15th

[Life Long Saint]

Next week against a wounded Collingfilth we have ...playing for our season against Essendung...still blame the selectors for the loss against Girlong.

Are you still in primary school?
Pre-school humour with a splash of casual misogyny.
Great stuff!

[Rubyjo]

One game into the season and many saints fans are writing us off ..get a grip people .

[MC Gusto]

Let’s just beat the pies and move on.

[The Fireman]

Geelong are still a good side

[Otiman]

There is a bit more balanced view of this:

Pros:
No injuries, we are fitter and more available next week.
Sincs to come back in, Crouch and Windy better for the run.
Plenty of footage to watch and learn from

Cons:
Disagree that Geelong are good. That game was one of the worst of the weekend.
If we had have played any of Sydney, GWS, Carlton, Brisbane - we would have been blown off the park.

Real Concerns:
Webster out is huge. He would have had Dempster covered.
Marshall's ability to give our mids first touch
Owens, Higgins up forward

Copouts:
Nobody wins in Geelong (win anywhere, any time)
Crouch underdone - where's he getting match fit if there's no VFL?
Philippou not suited for midfield - This is his first real run at it
King selfish - That's the attitude we need from a marquee player - to take the game on and win it off his own boot. Some decisions he will certainly regret though.

[Moods]

There is a bit more balanced view of this:

Pros:
No injuries, we are fitter and more available next week.
Sincs to come back in, Crouch and Windy better for the run.
Plenty of footage to watch and learn from

Cons:
Disagree that Geelong are good. That game was one of the worst of the weekend.
If we had have played any of Sydney, GWS, Carlton, Brisbane - we would have been blown off the park.

Real Concerns:
Webster out is huge. He would have had Dempster covered.
Marshall's ability to give our mids first touch
Owens, Higgins up forward

Copouts:
Nobody wins in Geelong (win anywhere, any time)
Crouch underdone - where's he getting match fit if there's no VFL?
Philippou not suited for midfield - This is his first real run at it
King selfish - That's the attitude we need from a marquee player - to take the game on and win it off his own boot. Some decisions he will certainly regret though.

I’m puzzled by the negativity. Cats with barely an injury, on their home deck, first game of the season. We were massive underdogs to win. We were within a couple of points with 60 seconds to go. We have more injuries than any other club, including our one true star.

Cats are not a poor team. This was a tight congested game with high pressure everywhere. It wasn’t the cleanest game but neither was the 2010 drawn GF. Cats will win plenty of games this year, especially down there.

Our ability to fight the game out was brilliant. We had 3-4 debutants some of which were 1st AFL gamers. We are not that far away. I watched Pies live last Thursday, they have 2-3 players who are not up to it. We can win this game. Every game is tough which is good and bad, means we’re always a chance but so is the opposition

[NickyDal]

Geelong are still a good side

No they are not

[NickyDal]

There is a bit more balanced view of this:

Pros:
No injuries, we are fitter and more available next week.
Sincs to come back in, Crouch and Windy better for the run.
Plenty of footage to watch and learn from

Cons:
Disagree that Geelong are good. That game was one of the worst of the weekend.
If we had have played any of Sydney, GWS, Carlton, Brisbane - we would have been blown off the park.

Real Concerns:
Webster out is huge. He would have had Dempster covered.
Marshall's ability to give our mids first touch
Owens, Higgins up forward

Copouts:
Nobody wins in Geelong (win anywhere, any time)
Crouch underdone - where's he getting match fit if there's no VFL?
Philippou not suited for midfield - This is his first real run at it
King selfish - That's the attitude we need from a marquee player - to take the game on and win it off his own boot. Some decisions he will certainly regret though.

I’m puzzled by the negativity. Cats with barely an injury, on their home deck, first game of the season. We were massive underdogs to win. We were within a couple of points with 60 seconds to go. We have more injuries than any other club, including our one true star.

Cats are not a poor team. This was a tight congested game with high pressure everywhere. It wasn’t the cleanest game but neither was the 2010 drawn GF. Cats will win plenty of games this year, especially down there.

Our ability to fight the game out was brilliant. We had 3-4 debutants some of which were 1st AFL gamers. We are not that far away. I watched Pies live last Thursday, they have 2-3 players who are not up to it. We can win this game. Every game is tough which is good and bad, means we’re always a chance but so is the opposition

I can guarantee you 100% we will not beat Collingfilth. Our season will be on the line the week after against Essendung. Lose that one and finals are gone!!!

[Moods]

There is a bit more balanced view of this:

Pros:
No injuries, we are fitter and more available next week.
Sincs to come back in, Crouch and Windy better for the run.
Plenty of footage to watch and learn from

Cons:
Disagree that Geelong are good. That game was one of the worst of the weekend.
If we had have played any of Sydney, GWS, Carlton, Brisbane - we would have been blown off the park.

Real Concerns:
Webster out is huge. He would have had Dempster covered.
Marshall's ability to give our mids first touch
Owens, Higgins up forward

Copouts:
Nobody wins in Geelong (win anywhere, any time)
Crouch underdone - where's he getting match fit if there's no VFL?
Philippou not suited for midfield - This is his first real run at it
King selfish - That's the attitude we need from a marquee player - to take the game on and win it off his own boot. Some decisions he will certainly regret though.

I’m puzzled by the negativity. Cats with barely an injury, on their home deck, first game of the season. We were massive underdogs to win. We were within a couple of points with 60 seconds to go. We have more injuries than any other club, including our one true star.

Cats are not a poor team. This was a tight congested game with high pressure everywhere. It wasn’t the cleanest game but neither was the 2010 drawn GF. Cats will win plenty of games this year, especially down there.

Our ability to fight the game out was brilliant. We had 3-4 debutants some of which were 1st AFL gamers. We are not that far away. I watched Pies live last Thursday, they have 2-3 players who are not up to it. We can win this game. Every game is tough which is good and bad, means we’re always a chance but so is the opposition

I can guarantee you 100% we will not beat Collingfilth. Our season will be on the line the week after against Essendung. Lose that one and finals are gone!!!

Haha. Laughable. So IF we lose two games in a row, we’re suddenly on deaths door? Blues lost something like 5 out of 6 last year.

And if we can’t beat Bombers we probably don’t deserve to make finals anyway.

Just relax and enjoy the season instead of making hysterical predictions

[older saint]

One thing at the end of Round 1was that most likely 9 teams were going to have lost.
Really don't understand the negativity though.
Geelong are a side in the same bracket of teams as Stkilda 5-10 IMO
Geelong have Superstars in Cameron and Stewart and the new protected species of the league in Dangerfield
We have Future stars - not superstars and Steele.
We are missing - Sinclair, Howard, Webster from the best 22, Rohan is really all they had missing.
Kardina park is a unique ground long and narrow which they train at 3 times per week for every week of pre season and during the season.
We were within a point with a minute left after not playing great.

Will we beat Collingwood - after their 0-2 start probably unlikely, although should be a couple weeks in front of them in fitness.
Does this make it a disaster - no asmopst had us 0-2 and then 2-2 after 4 rounds.

chill

[spert]

A reasonable effort, but still it's a loss and we looked sloppy in skills, midfield largely flogged, but then Geelong were just a little bit more sure in their ball handling. A pity Dempsey got two pretty easy goals by standing by himself, not sure who is opponent was, maybe Wood?
Disappointed that Steele got a break through the middle later in the game, and kicked the ball to no mans' land the forward pocket between two Geelong players, away from any Saints players, could have potentially been a goal if delivered correctly.
Higgins' miss in front of goals was bad, and Owens' also kicked badly for goal. Probably could have won it by a goal or two in the end, but we are our own worst enemies. Against Collingwood, we need to make every chance count as they will punish us if we let opportunities go begging.

[The Fireman]

Geelong are still a good side

No they are not

um...yes they are.
they will play finals.

[The Fireman]

losing the first game is worst possible start to the season ? DUH

[SinCitySainter]

I disagree that our season is over or that it is time to start panicking.

We are unlikely to win against the pies but we will not get flogged.
It will be a 3 to 4 goal loss so all the Ross Acolytes can say but we have injuries, we played the best team in the comp and we would have beaten them at Marvel.
Lot's of room for the excuses.

The reason there is no point panicking is because this is exactly where the club and the list is at.
I personally believe we are not a good team, we are a middle of the road 7 - 14 team.
I think we are weaker than last year, I think we drafted OK but that is for the future, however I think we have recruited poorly in the off season.
Henry looks quick but his disposal is appalling, just what we needed another ball butcher.
Paddy Dow is not fit and is well known for his poor disposal.
Bonner is a lovely kick but is also a defender who can't defend or read the game.
Drafting looks OK but seems more interest in Athletes than footballers.

We have a coach that is more interested in effort than skill.
He wants athletes so we can be manic when the opposition have the ball and wants to play risk adverse football when we have it.
He doesn't care that we have players that couldn't hit the side of a barn as he would rather see the ball go to a pack where we can bottle up the play to stifle the opposition's ability to move the ball.
The perfect game for Ross would be us managing to scramble through 10 goals while keeping the opposition to 7.

We are the hardest team to watch in the league as we show absolutely no adventure with the ball.
Most neutrals will not watch our games because we play anti-football and try to suck all of the enjoyment out of the game as a spectacle.

We have a coach who understands it is easier to drag teams into a slogfest than it is to elevate your own game to something entertaining and effective.

[Moods]

I disagree that our season is over or that it is time to start panicking.

We are unlikely to win against the pies but we will not get flogged.
It will be a 3 to 4 goal loss so all the Ross Acolytes can say but we have injuries, we played the best team in the comp and we would have beaten them at Marvel.
Lot's of room for the excuses.

The reason there is no point panicking is because this is exactly where the club and the list is at.
I personally believe we are not a good team, we are a middle of the road 7 - 14 team.
I think we are weaker than last year, I think we drafted OK but that is for the future, however I think we have recruited poorly in the off season.
Henry looks quick but his disposal is appalling, just what we needed another ball butcher.
Paddy Dow is not fit and is well known for his poor disposal.
Bonner is a lovely kick but is also a defender who can't defend or read the game.
Drafting looks OK but seems more interest in Athletes than footballers.

We have a coach that is more interested in effort than skill.
He wants athletes so we can be manic when the opposition have the ball and wants to play risk adverse football when we have it.
He doesn't care that we have players that couldn't hit the side of a barn as he would rather see the ball go to a pack where we can bottle up the play to stifle the opposition's ability to move the ball.
The perfect game for Ross would be us managing to scramble through 10 goals while keeping the opposition to 7.

We are the hardest team to watch in the league as we show absolutely no adventure with the ball.
Most neutrals will not watch our games because we play anti-football and try to suck all of the enjoyment out of the game as a spectacle.

We have a coach who understands it is easier to drag teams into a slogfest than it is to elevate your own game to something entertaining and effective.

What a load of crap.

[The Fireman]

I disagree that our season is over or that it is time to start panicking.

We are unlikely to win against the pies but we will not get flogged.
It will be a 3 to 4 goal loss so all the Ross Acolytes can say but we have injuries, we played the best team in the comp and we would have beaten them at Marvel.
Lot's of room for the excuses.

The reason there is no point panicking is because this is exactly where the club and the list is at.
I personally believe we are not a good team, we are a middle of the road 7 - 14 team.
I think we are weaker than last year, I think we drafted OK but that is for the future, however I think we have recruited poorly in the off season.
Henry looks quick but his disposal is appalling, just what we needed another ball butcher.
Paddy Dow is not fit and is well known for his poor disposal.
Bonner is a lovely kick but is also a defender who can't defend or read the game.
Drafting looks OK but seems more interest in Athletes than footballers.

We have a coach that is more interested in effort than skill.
He wants athletes so we can be manic when the opposition have the ball and wants to play risk adverse football when we have it.
He doesn't care that we have players that couldn't hit the side of a barn as he would rather see the ball go to a pack where we can bottle up the play to stifle the opposition's ability to move the ball.
The perfect game for Ross would be us managing to scramble through 10 goals while keeping the opposition to 7.

We are the hardest team to watch in the league as we show absolutely no adventure with the ball.
Most neutrals will not watch our games because we play anti-football and try to suck all of the enjoyment out of the game as a spectacle.

We have a coach who understands it is easier to drag teams into a slogfest than it is to elevate your own game to something entertaining and effective.

I'll give you some credit here
It has to be difficult to even imagine this sort of tripe let alone have the guts to publish it. Kudos

[66Iwasthere]

Geelong are still a good side

No they are not

um...yes they are.
they will play finals.

By about round 16 Hawkins, Dangerfield, Tuohy, Stanley,Duncan, C Guthrie, Blicavs will all be ‘managed’ and reaching for their zimmer frames

[NickyDal]

I disagree that our season is over or that it is time to start panicking.

We are unlikely to win against the pies but we will not get flogged.
It will be a 3 to 4 goal loss so all the Ross Acolytes can say but we have injuries, we played the best team in the comp and we would have beaten them at Marvel.
Lot's of room for the excuses.

The reason there is no point panicking is because this is exactly where the club and the list is at.
I personally believe we are not a good team, we are a middle of the road 7 - 14 team.
I think we are weaker than last year, I think we drafted OK but that is for the future, however I think we have recruited poorly in the off season.
Henry looks quick but his disposal is appalling, just what we needed another ball butcher.
Paddy Dow is not fit and is well known for his poor disposal.
Bonner is a lovely kick but is also a defender who can't defend or read the game.
Drafting looks OK but seems more interest in Athletes than footballers.

We have a coach that is more interested in effort than skill.
He wants athletes so we can be manic when the opposition have the ball and wants to play risk adverse football when we have it.
He doesn't care that we have players that couldn't hit the side of a barn as he would rather see the ball go to a pack where we can bottle up the play to stifle the opposition's ability to move the ball.
The perfect game for Ross would be us managing to scramble through 10 goals while keeping the opposition to 7.

We are the hardest team to watch in the league as we show absolutely no adventure with the ball.
Most neutrals will not watch our games because we play anti-football and try to suck all of the enjoyment out of the game as a spectacle.

We have a coach who understands it is easier to drag teams into a slogfest than it is to elevate your own game to something entertaining and effective.

This is the post of the year!!!

[NickyDal]

There is a bit more balanced view of this:

Pros:
No injuries, we are fitter and more available next week.
Sincs to come back in, Crouch and Windy better for the run.
Plenty of footage to watch and learn from

Cons:
Disagree that Geelong are good. That game was one of the worst of the weekend.
If we had have played any of Sydney, GWS, Carlton, Brisbane - we would have been blown off the park.

Real Concerns:
Webster out is huge. He would have had Dempster covered.
Marshall's ability to give our mids first touch
Owens, Higgins up forward

Copouts:
Nobody wins in Geelong (win anywhere, any time)
Crouch underdone - where's he getting match fit if there's no VFL?
Philippou not suited for midfield - This is his first real run at it
King selfish - That's the attitude we need from a marquee player - to take the game on and win it off his own boot. Some decisions he will certainly regret though.

I’m puzzled by the negativity. Cats with barely an injury, on their home deck, first game of the season. We were massive underdogs to win. We were within a couple of points with 60 seconds to go. We have more injuries than any other club, including our one true star.

Cats are not a poor team. This was a tight congested game with high pressure everywhere. It wasn’t the cleanest game but neither was the 2010 drawn GF. Cats will win plenty of games this year, especially down there.

Our ability to fight the game out was brilliant. We had 3-4 debutants some of which were 1st AFL gamers. We are not that far away. I watched Pies live last Thursday, they have 2-3 players who are not up to it. We can win this game. Every game is tough which is good and bad, means we’re always a chance but so is the opposition

I can guarantee you 100% we will not beat Collingfilth. Our season will be on the line the week after against Essendung. Lose that one and finals are gone!!!

Haha. Laughable. So IF we lose two games in a row, we’re suddenly on deaths door? Blues lost something like 5 out of 6 last year.

And if we can’t beat Bombers we probably don’t deserve to make finals anyway.

Just relax and enjoy the season instead of making hysterical predictions

I wish my predictions were hysterical but unfortunately they are right on the button.

[SinCitySainter]

I disagree that our season is over or that it is time to start panicking.

We are unlikely to win against the pies but we will not get flogged.
It will be a 3 to 4 goal loss so all the Ross Acolytes can say but we have injuries, we played the best team in the comp and we would have beaten them at Marvel.
Lot's of room for the excuses.

The reason there is no point panicking is because this is exactly where the club and the list is at.
I personally believe we are not a good team, we are a middle of the road 7 - 14 team.
I think we are weaker than last year, I think we drafted OK but that is for the future, however I think we have recruited poorly in the off season.
Henry looks quick but his disposal is appalling, just what we needed another ball butcher.
Paddy Dow is not fit and is well known for his poor disposal.
Bonner is a lovely kick but is also a defender who can't defend or read the game.
Drafting looks OK but seems more interest in Athletes than footballers.

We have a coach that is more interested in effort than skill.
He wants athletes so we can be manic when the opposition have the ball and wants to play risk adverse football when we have it.
He doesn't care that we have players that couldn't hit the side of a barn as he would rather see the ball go to a pack where we can bottle up the play to stifle the opposition's ability to move the ball.
The perfect game for Ross would be us managing to scramble through 10 goals while keeping the opposition to 7.

We are the hardest team to watch in the league as we show absolutely no adventure with the ball.
Most neutrals will not watch our games because we play anti-football and try to suck all of the enjoyment out of the game as a spectacle.

We have a coach who understands it is easier to drag teams into a slogfest than it is to elevate your own game to something entertaining and effective.

I'll give you some credit here
It has to be difficult to even imagine this sort of tripe let alone have the guts to publish it. Kudos

Please feel free to explain which pieces you disagree with.

Do you feel we are better than a 7-14 side? If so please explain why?
Do you think that Henry's 52% disposal efficiency and 5 clangers shows a player that has wonderful disposal skills?
Do you think that Bonner's exemplary defensive skills were on display for all to see on Saturday night?
Do you think that Ross is not more interested in effort than actual skills? He said himself that he was excited because the one thing he knew we could do was run. That sounds like a focus on athletes over footballers. Our FRDP Wilson, who I think will be a good player, has one elite trait and that is his running ability.
Do you believe that Ross has us playing like the great entertainers?
Are you maybe arguing that Ross is not a defense focused coach?
Are you saying that our approach of always going as wide as possible is actually a clever style to maximize our ability to score rather the risk adverse approach to minimize the opposition's ability to hit us on the rebound?

I said I don't believe we should be panicking because we are playing exactly as I expected us to.
We are a mid table team, no better than that, that also means that our season should be live until quite a way into it as we fight for the last couple of spots in the eight.
I will not prostrate myself at the altar of Ross as so many others seem to be doing.
Reading on here you would honestly have to think this was a coach with four or five premierships to his name and not a coach who has taken over A-grade lists and failed to win one with the talent available to him.
Here he needs to build a list which is something he has shown no propensity for in his career so far.
I am saying he can't make us better? No, but I am yet to see anything that makes me think he is the messiah that so many others seem to see.

[The Fireman]

so when we play finals will you promise to follow another team ?

[SinCitySainter]

No, I will follow St Kilda and if we finish higher than 7th I will admit I was wrong.
If we don't will you?

[The Fireman]

That’s great so you will admit you are wrong but will still extensively rubbish the Saints at the first sign of a loss going forward?