Changes for Freo

[samuraisaint]

We have lost by 8 points at geelong
3 points to essendon
1 point in Canberra
10 points in Adelaide to Port
5 points in Launceston
60 points to WB who are up and down like the proverbial.

I said at the beginning of the season that if we win the games we usually don't (esp. at i/s and regional venues) then we will have shown maturity as a team. We haven't done that this year.

But we haven't had any luck either. It's not like the team we played yesterday is any younger or less experienced than we are, it's just that their on field leaders stood up when it counted. We dominate a quarter and instead of kicking 6 goals, we kick 1 goal 5. No Butler or Higgins in the forward line, no Crouch or Clark or even Dow in the midfield. We are literally bereft of small forward quality in the forward line, and our weakness which is the midfield is decimated still and we are already about to go into Round 10.

On top of our long injury list, we have had several of our best players suspended for multiple weeks for things that others are getting off for, and this is not helping. We will still have Higgins out next week against the Dockers meaning that players who didn't perform yesterday will have to stay in, especially as Butler is still injured and won't return until after the bye.

[The G Train Legacy]

We won the clearances

Won possession count

Won i50s

Lost the game - poor system

Poor system? Were you watching the game? You fumble and slip as much as we did and any system will fail.

[The G Train Legacy]

Out: Ross, Membrey, Hastie & Paton

In: Dow, Clark, Phillipou & Sharman

[B.M]

The game plan doesn’t allow you to score!!!

He restricts opponents

But the system with the footy is horrible

[nostalgicsaint]

Out: Hastie, Membrey, Paton
In: Byrnes, Dow, Collard/Pou

More inside to outside pace/acceleration provided by the ins.

Membrey not part of our future and hasn't stood up this year. Forward line with Hayes and Owens doesn't need Membrey and Hayes provides more flexibility.

Paton unlucky but Dow/Clark/Jones again provide more inside to outside. If I wasn't dropping him I would drop Bonner but given we want to be more offensive/aggressive with our ball movement he stays in.

Hastie better for the run he has had- should go back and dominate. Byrnes provides more at this stage.

My side next week.
Stocker, Howard, Wilkie
Milera, Battle, Sinclair

Marshall, Steele, Dow, Windhager
Byrnes, Wood

Henry, Hayes, Hill
Wilson, King, Collard


Bonner, Webster, Owens, Ross
Sub: Garcia


We've lost close games and are losing ugly. It's harder to stomach than winning ugly for sure but it's half the battle. As we add more quality/experience to the list and improve our offensive transition/clearance work it could all come together quickly.

At times this year we've played explosive high scoring patches of football.

The reality is this year is a development year.

[Otiman]

Membrey out for Caminiti (pending the game today)
Hayes to sub
Hastie 1 more week
Garcia 1 more week (Higgins replaces him on return)
Dow in for Ross (managed)

[nostalgicsaint]

Out: Hastie, Membrey, Paton
In: Byrnes, Dow, Collard/Pou

More inside to outside pace/acceleration provided by the ins.

Membrey not part of our future and hasn't stood up this year. Forward line with Hayes and Owens doesn't need Membrey and Hayes provides more flexibility.

Paton unlucky but Dow/Clark/Jones again provide more inside to outside. If I wasn't dropping him I would drop Bonner but given we want to be more offensive/aggressive with our ball movement he stays in.

Hastie better for the run he has had- should go back and dominate. Byrnes provides more at this stage.

My side next week.
Stocker, Howard, Wilkie
Milera, Battle, Sinclair

Marshall, Steele, Dow, Windhager
Byrnes, Wood

Henry, Hayes, Hill
Wilson, King, Collard


Bonner, Webster, Owens, Ross
Sub: Garcia


We've lost close games and are losing ugly. It's harder to stomach than winning ugly for sure but it's half the battle. As we add more quality/experience to the list and improve our offensive transition/clearance work it could all come together quickly.

At times this year we've played explosive high scoring patches of football.

The reality is this year is a development year.

Updated side for next week after VFL.

Pou- 20 touches, 8 tackles and 5 clearances
Cammaniti- 3 goals, 5 behinds, 15 touches and 7 marks
Dow- 18 touches, 1 goal, 7 tackles and 6 clearances

Pou takes Collards (4 touches 0 goals) place

Camaniti in, instead of Byrnes.

Stocker, Howard, Wilkie
Milera, Battle, Sinclair

Marshall, Steele, Dow, Windhager
Wilson, Wood

Henry, Hayes, Hill
Cammaniti, King, Pou


Bonner, Webster, Owens, Ross
Sub: Garcia

[Otiman]

Clark was alright in the tight and tough stuff. I think he's a chance too.

Ins from: Caminiti, Dow, Clark, Philippou (in that order)

Caminiti is a certainty after that performance.

Outs from: Membrey, Hayes, Hastie, Ross, Garcia (in that order)

[Teflon]

We won the clearances

Won possession count

Won i50s

Lost the game - poor system

Poor system? Were you watching the game? You fumble and slip as much as we did and any system will fail.

Funny guy huh?
1.6 from 16 entries q3 ….poor system …

[Teflon]

The game plan doesn’t allow you to score!!!

He restricts opponents

But the system with the footy is horrible

16 entries 1.5 q3
It’s the game plan I tell ya

[B.M]

7.11

Yep

It’s the game plan

[Banger9798]

It's a s***, depressing, exhausting game plan

I'm not sure wtf we are doing, but we may as well tank from here.

Need a top 3 pick

[SaintPav]

We are f****** awful and boring to watch.

Truth hurts.

[repta]

I keep reading about the slow midfield.
It is not leg speed being the issue. Long gone is the forward 45 degree handball. Handballs are backward and sideways. If they ever go forward it is to a stationary player.
The only time this ever changes is when we are down by 30 in the last. We open the ball movement and bridge most of the gap

[Yorkeys]

Cordy might be mightily under estimated in regard to what he brings. Could release Battle fwd, give Max a spell as he looks injured. Zane just brings serious effort and smarts. Qualities the side doesn't have a lot of.

[older saint]

I think the forwards cop a lot for the appalling delivery they get provided with . King I thought was so much better this week, Membrey is our hit up forward and does the grunt work ( which many ignore) up and back.
Hayes was way off , again a victim of the game style perhaps.

Hastie looked a step of with such high intensity game, which is not unusual in 3rd game. Garcia had to lay small forward role which isn't normal and last qtr was good. Paton as the sub was strange decision as the sub needs to be an impact player- -great run, explosive or good at clearance. Paton is a role player and came in and tagged in the last qtr.

Freo hve 2 rucks Darcey and Jackson so makes decision on Hayes a tough one, seems like Cama dominated , but like most st kilda players cant kick for goal. Collard ill discipline cost a win at Sandy

Out: Hastie, Paton
In: Dow, Clark
Sub: Seb Ross

Hayes for Cama if he has to come in.

[sks023]

In. Clarke, Dow ,Camaniti
Out. Garcia. Stoker. and with a heay heart I think it's time for Members to have a decent spell

[SaintDippa]

Must win so Ross will no doubt go to experience. Hayes getting subbed out so early might have stamped his card, but I'd keep.
Out: Garcia and Hastie to have a spell (managed), Paton
In: Clark, Phillipou, Dow

[Life Long Saint]

Why do they keep fumbling the ball?

It’s so bad that every time they get they ball, I wince and expect someone to just stuff up.

It’s a sign of lack of confidence and trust in your teammates.

Because someone, somewhere will fumble, or they're expecting a poorly executed kick or handball.
One missed target in a chain, sees us caught out on turn-over or under pressure forcing a stoppage.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, no game plan can survive our skill level.
Been this way for years.

[meher baba]

Must win so Ross will no doubt go to experience. Hayes getting subbed out so early might have stamped his card, but I'd keep.
Out: Garcia and Hastie to have a spell (managed), Paton
In: Clark, Phillipou, Dow

I agree, with Dow as the sub (he seems to be only able to deliver for half a game at the moment).

It's difficult to predict what will happen with Hayes, as we don't know exactly why he didn't deliver anything on Saturday. Perhaps he is carrying a minor niggle. But I reckon he will miss for either Caminiti or Cordy. Or perhaps (but IMO hopefully not) Sharman, who the club seems to rate more highly than I do (albeit less highly than many SS posters).

[1971]

In Cordy
Out Membrey
Cordy CHB
Battle forward.

[Devilhead]

With Higgins & Butler out what's our solution to a goal kicking small forward? ..... clearly missed against the Hawks

Some are saying Collard but then he goes and has a shocker against Box Hill .... are we going in again with no small forward?

[SaintPav]

If Higgins had played we would have won.

Thanks, Christian.

C*nt

[Scollop]

We won the clearances

Won possession count

Won i50s

Lost the game - poor system

Poor system? Were you watching the game? You fumble and slip as much as we did and any system will fail.

Funny guy huh?
1.6 from 16 entries q3 ….poor system …

Laughing emojis apparently add weight to Mr DuPont's defense of our 'non-system'

Inside 50 entries for the 3rd quarter:

1. Battle: bomb to the 35-40m hotspot where there was a pack of 16-20 players. No score

2. Howard: kicked it deep to Henry hff near boundary. Why do our players want to kick to a short arse? It's also basically on his head instead of to the forward's advantage. No score.

3. Hill is out. He receives and kicks to Membrey who is also free on the wing.
Skunk kicks to Henry again I didn't see a lead from any one else (although sometimes hard to tell with tv coverage). What I did see was King was stuck stationary in the goal square.

4. Sinclair looks up and finds Battle. First proper inside 50 where you look to hit up a lead. It was a shallow entry but a good mismatch. Battle kicks a nice long goal from a set shot.

5. Battle gets another opportunity for an inside 50 and this time hits up Wood. Wood lead towards the kicker. Fox Footy (Loinchop and J Brown) said ' a forward knows what a forward wants. Wood hit the post.

The move of Battle forward is working so far.

6. Throw in high half forward. Contest. Loose ground ball. Marshall picks up and dump kick/shallow entry that goes straight to a Hawk. Hill was 3m away from RoMa on Marshall's left hand side. Hill was free and is in perfect position to receive. Marshall is right handed btw.

7. Wood shallow entry. Windy wins loose ground ball around the 50m arc and does another dump kick to forward pocket. No score.

8. Handballs. Scramble. Footy is now inside 50. Steele to Wood to NWM who fumbles. Ball loose. Wilson picks up and hballs to Paton who spots up Seb. Seb marks but doesn't make the distance from 45 out. Rushed bhd

9. Sinclair gets the footy i50 with a rushed kick. He had heat so kicked it forward to no one. Couple of stoppages. Scrimmage in the pocket. Meek wins the tap. Nash wins the clearance. No score.

10. Steele rushed kick, shallow entry. Marked by Scrimshaw. No score

11. Henry is free on the wing. Runs his full 15m. Kicked to a 2 on 2 (King was leading ). 2 on 2 and King takes a good contested mark. Behind

12. Steele wins clearance on wing. Wood marks 70m out. Centres footy back to Steele. Sincs is running past and Steele honours the run with a hb(one of the best passages of play for the day). Sincs gets the i50 with a beautiful lace out kick to Garcia. Garcia hits the post

3 of the i50's were basically insignificant where there's a throw in just outside the 50m paint at high half forward and the footy trickles inside from the ruck battle.

We started the 3rd quarter with Paton replacing Hayes. The commentators said that was a good attacking mindset from coach. Only problem being our system is flawed for most of those i50 entries.

So...5 out of about 15 are good opportunities... So perhaps 2 or 3 goals would have been better reward...but there's still a quarter to play out

[Scollop]

We started the 3rd quarter with Paton replacing Hayes. The commentators said that was a good attacking mindset from coach.

Where's the attacking mindset from the opening bounce?

Been banging on about this for weeks....Would love to see Windy and Owens start in the middle alongside Steele.

Hopefully the boys share the footy a bit better this week and hopefully we start well.