Season 2007 - RIP

[Winmarvellous]

That's it for us I think. Can't see us winning the next three on the trot and hoping for Brisbane to fall over on the way. Not much of a season really, and one I'll be pretty grateful is over. Only a couple of positives (Joey, Gilbert, Kosi playing again) and a whole lot of problems to figure out before next season (last quarter fade-outs, indirect footy, retirements, HEART).

[JeffDunne]

I live in hope, but being a realist I'd have to agree.

Other than Harv's 350th, I don't think we've played a game this season worth watching on replay. Even most of our wins have been uninspiring.

Plenty of work and hard decisions to be made over the preseason.

[Oh When the Saints]

I guess a positive can be that most posters on here had written 2007 off when we were 4-7 after losing to the Kangaroos.

So to put ourselves back in it, albeit temporarily, has shown some character.

[suss]

I think it's time to play some kids. If we do and still make it then great, otherwise at least we've got another chance to see if the likes of Ferguson and Brookes etc are up to it.

[JeffDunne]

What is this fascination with 'playing the kids'?

Places in the team should be earnt and not given based on potential.

FFS, we are out of the 8 on % with 3 games to go. While I have serious doubts about our ability to turn this season around, I certainly don't want us to give it up.

[Otiman]

Places in the team should be earnt and not given based on potential.

Watts 7 goals.
Brooks 5 bests in the past 6 weeks.
Voss BOG and in the goalkickers every week.
Armitage showing promise, but not over four quarters.
McQualter showing consistent form.
Even Geary got a BOG last week, although cannot be elevated at this stage.

No-one is suggesting we play Allen, Howard and Raymond. Personally I wouldn't even play Armitage until he can show he can put in four quarters of footy.

Conversely we have X playing his worst game of AFL, Jones who just doesnt seem to cut it, and Attard who doesn't seem to want to get the ball. Gehrig has played worst back-to-back games, and Leigh Fisher can't get a hold of the ball either.

[Dan Warna]

hawthorn turned their season around with a bit of heart a couple of weeks ago.

dont see why st kilda can't.

we have the talent.

its up to the coach and the players to extract it.

for whatever reason, we aren't playing well, and its not because we are crap.

when we turned it around against the WCE, adelaide etc we had the talent and ability then.

where does it go?

[rodgerfox]

Season 2007 RIP?

Of course, it was put to rest last September by our Board.

What I'm concerned about, is how long we attempt to follow the myth that the garbage we've served up this year is what wins footy matches.

[JeffDunne]

Places in the team should be earnt and not given based on potential.

Watts 7 goals.
Brooks 5 bests in the past 6 weeks.
Voss BOG and in the goalkickers every week.
Armitage showing promise, but not over four quarters.
McQualter showing consistent form.
Even Geary got a BOG last week, although cannot be elevated at this stage.

No-one is suggesting we play Allen, Howard and Raymond. Personally I wouldn't even play Armitage until he can show he can put in four quarters of footy.

Conversely we have X playing his worst game of AFL, Jones who just doesnt seem to cut it, and Attard who doesn't seem to want to get the ball. Gehrig has played worst back-to-back games, and Leigh Fisher can't get a hold of the ball either.

I'm not suggesting we shouldn't make changes but I don't think we should use 'playing kids' as a reason to make them.

If players have earnt selection then fair enough. I'm not making comment on which of those players deserve a call up because I haven't seen any of the Scorpians games. My beef is more the call we should pack up on the season and get games into the kids.

We can make the finals, we can do some damage if we get there. I'm pessimistic about our chances in trying to turn our form around but I'd be horrorfied if we didn't try. Our form isn't bad when looking at our recent W/L and we've done this with most of our team not near their peak. So it really wouldn't take much of an improvement individually to have a dramatic change to our prospects. I live in hope.

[TimeToShineFellas]

Best case scenario.........

Geelong beats Adelaide.
Fremantle beats Essendon.

Brisbane 38 points
St Kilda 38 points
Bulldogs 38 points
Adelaide 36 points
Fremantle 36 points
Essendon 36 points

Next week.........

St Kilda knocks off Fremantle (high chance)
Sydney knocks off Brisbane (possible)
Adelaide knocks off Bulldogs (high chance)
Carlton knocks off Essendon (possible)

St Kilda 42 points
Adelaide 40 points
Brisbane 38 points
Bulldogs 38 points
Fremantle 36 points
Essendon 36 points

(I won't look anything further than that at the minute)

[Armoooo]

All we have to do is win more games than Brisbane and win equal or more than dogs and essendon, I honestly believe we can make the 8 even if we lose this week aswell, but I think 2 more wins will get us in there...

[hamill01]

If we can make this game a turning point and begin to try and realize half of our potential, I don't see why we can't make it into the top 8.

The problem is, that if we do make it into the finals, how far can we get? But making it there and having a crack is much better then not being there at all. I have some hope left, but not enough to be confident.

[LennyBoy]

I guess a positive can be that most posters on here had written 2007 off when we were 4-7 after losing to the Kangaroos.

So to put ourselves back in it, albeit temporarily, has shown some character.

It should never have come to this point, even temporarily you just have to wonder where the hunger was in the first half of the season.

Maybe we should watch some games of the Kangaroo's form 2007 to get the desire and hunger back.

[Dan Warna]

hunger? we were playing chippilotto in the back half racking up stats and 90% possession efficiencey

when we attack our efficiency may drop off , but we score goals and win.

as RL said he wants the saints to take risks...which is why I wonder why we are playing chippilotto for between 1/3 and all of a game?

[OneEyedSainter77]

I don't think that we should give up on the year - I'd at least like to make the eight and we can do it - BUT - we MUST MUST MUST win EVERY game for the rest of the season.... I'm aware that we can't be expected to do much damage in the finals but if we miss out this year, we've gone backwards... (which I think we've done anyway)....

[Unforgiven]

1 more loss before season is over. If you don't have hope what's the point.

[saint patrick]

1 more loss before season is over. If you don't have hope what's the point.

Exactly Corin...if we get over Freo next week the Eagles game will be our elimination final...and if we can't beat the tigers last round to get in there it would be pointless making it...

3 wiinable games in Melbourne ..2 at the dome where we are hardest to beat

it ain't over baby

[Dan Warna]

i point to richmond beating collingwood, hawks turning their season around when people were thinking htey were finished after a few bad beats, and WCE turning it around after they were spoken off as spent force as teams that can show that class > form.

we have class, we just dont have form (or an effective plan)

[fonz_#15]

What is this fascination with 'playing the kids'?

Places in the team should be earnt and not given based on potential.

hmm... X clarke?

[Carl Mynott]

Normally near the end of the season,when we cant make the finals i start looking forward to the annual cull and the trade period and the drafts but after the disappointment of last years draft,a wasted 2nd round pick in a good draft still causing me to shake my head at such folly.......

I'm treading cautiously this year.I just hope Ross has plenty of input in recruiting and he tells his recruiting staff what he needs.....


And NO F##king SMOKIES this year.......please

[HarveysDeciple]

everyone around us lost so theoretically we sit in the same position as we did last friday...

We just need to win one more then brissy and the dogs.

[saint patrick]

everyone around us lost so theoretically we sit in the same position as we did last friday...

We just need to win one more then brissy and the dogs.

Correct mate

Reckon the Lions are who we need to finish in front of ...the dogs shot... draw very tough and have a crap percentage...

The lions draw is probably harder than ours as well.

There is still a genuine chance of sneaking into 8 th...it all starts this week!

[RooandKosi]

Thats Crap if we beat fremantle and Tigers at the TD we will probably make the 8.

Then we will play Kangaroos on the G in an elimination.

And you wanna throw in the towel NOW??? At Round 19??? You dont know much about sport and the competition of sport, do you??

Had a few things gone our way we wouldve beaten sydney in sydney. We are looking alright have had NO injuries in like a month its all looking ok.

SAINTS ARE VERY MUCH STILL ALIVE in 2007.

Lets see what you say after we beat fremantle this week and are sitting 8th after round 19.

[Dan Warna]

concur
a couple of weeks ago before our showing against footscray/western teams were crapping themselves about saints sneaking into the finals on the back of our 1/2 a game against WCE and adelaide.

if we can recapture that spark as the dawks have done, there is nothing to stop us.

[TimeToShineFellas]

Best case scenario.........

Geelong beats Adelaide.
Fremantle beats Essendon.

Next week.........

St Kilda knocks off Fremantle (high chance)
Sydney knocks off Brisbane (possible)
Adelaide knocks off Bulldogs (high chance)
Carlton knocks off Essendon (possible)

2 down 4 to go................