How can we beat hawthorn?

[saintbob]

No doubt RL will be studying the Western Bulldogs V Hawks game very intently this week.

[plugger66]

No doubt RL will be studying the Western Bulldogs V Hawks game very intently this week.

Why?

[WayneJudson42]

Because he barracked for the Hawks when he was a kid

[esaint66]

The only way i can us beating them is if we play like Geelong and don't stop even when we take a mark, we just keep running and running and running.

It worked the 2nd time last year and we all know what happened the 1st time last year

We have to take every opportunity we are given/or work for.

Either that or we just get one of our less needed players to knock their needed players out

[Cairnsman]

The way we will beat them is if there are 22 players giving 100 percent engergy and enthusiasm for four quarters.

The difference between winning and losing could be a loss of concentration for a short period of time, i.e. the game could be lost in a bad 5 or 10 minutes of bad play.

I watched them against the Swans today and I think we will match up on them pretty well.

I think they will have just as big a headache matching up Roo as we do with Buddy so they potentially will provide their respective teams with similar amounts of goals.

I think that if Kosi continues his rise in good form they will have trouble stopping him poping up for 2-3 goals so that should nullify the goals Roughead may kick.

We have Milne they have Williams so there is a nullification on the scoreboard there also if both players kick a couple each.

So if each teams forward lines are on song and kick a similar amount of goals the win may come from either our midfielders kicking more goals than theirs or our running half backs drifting down for a sneaky goal or two like Blake or Fisher.

I think our midfield is better than theirs and that is potentially where it will be won.

[Teflon]

Beat them in midfield and it will limit their supply to their gun forwards.

Shut down Sam Mitchell and you go a long way to stopping Hawthorn IMHO. Beat them clearance wise and Franklin will be seen helping out in defence....

We can win this game I have confidence as they have holes.

Hope your right but Michell wasnt great today and they won easily. They have holes but you would suggest that by ladder position we have more so apart from their holes and cutting out Mitchell how do we beat them.

Theres more to ladder position than just holes in your side - effort also determines ladder positions...weve had it the past 3 weeks at least albeit against non top 4.

Sam Mitchell is their engine. He feeds runners in Crawford et al (Lewis is another). Win midfield we win as others said its that simple....but can we do it?

[villasaint]

Bateman and Lewis didnt play today and they should be back. I think that it will be a fantastic game. Crawford looks lame which is good for us. if we can beat them then it is on like donkey kong for the rest of the season. The key is the midfield as usual. They have a ton of runners. we have changed our set up and now have plenty of runners rotating through the midfield. Tackle hard, put pressure on them when they ball, and play on at all costs and we will be in with a chance. Franklin is a freak, not sure who to put on him. Max was great on friday night but looked real sore when he finished and must have been carrying something going in. Blake on Roughead at this stage but he will need plenty of help from the other backs. Blakes weakness has been one on one he has improved out of sight this year now that he had been given one position. cant wait

[Teflon]

Bateman and Lewis didnt play today and they should be back. I think that it will be a fantastic game. Crawford looks lame which is good for us. if we can beat them then it is on like donkey kong for the rest of the season. The key is the midfield as usual. They have a ton of runners. we have changed our set up and now have plenty of runners rotating through the midfield. Tackle hard, put pressure on them when they ball, and play on at all costs and we will be in with a chance. Franklin is a freak, not sure who to put on him. Max was great on friday night but looked real sore when he finished and must have been carrying something going in. Blake on Roughead at this stage but he will need plenty of help from the other backs. Blakes weakness has been one on one he has improved out of sight this year now that he had been given one position. cant wait

Bateman and Lewis are big ins Bateman gets under the guard of many and its their run...

[BAM! (shhhh)]

No doubt RL will be studying the Western Bulldogs V Hawks game very intently this week.

Honestly, I'd be looking at the Lions - Hawks tape from the game at the Gabba.

The Lions did a fantastic job of working the ball out of defense to CHB/Just defensive side of centre, and then going over the top of the midfield zone to Bradshaw leading at CHF. The Lions forwards are a better parallel for the Saints than the Dogs... in the end, the Lions lost a shootout narrowly because they had no answer for an in form Franklin.

More problematic will be the ever present issues of the groundball and clearances, and our still concerning breakouts from kick-ins (though we appear to be getting the hang of the handball work necessary to move forward from the backline flood).

At the end of the day, while I can see how the Saints could win, I don't like our chances. If we snooze the 1st quarter again, the Hawks aren't going to let us back into the game.

[Teflon]

No doubt RL will be studying the Western Bulldogs V Hawks game very intently this week.

Honestly, I'd be looking at the Lions - Hawks tape from the game at the Gabba.

The Lions did a fantastic job of working the ball out of defense to CHB/Just defensive side of centre, and then going over the top of the midfield zone to Bradshaw leading at CHF. The Lions forwards are a better parallel for the Saints than the Dogs... in the end, the Lions lost a shootout narrowly because they had no answer for an in form Franklin.

More problematic will be the ever present issues of the groundball and clearances, and our still concerning breakouts from kick-ins (though we appear to be getting the hang of the handball work necessary to move forward from the backline flood).

At the end of the day, while I can see how the Saints could win, I don't like our chances. If we snooze the 1st quarter again, the Hawks aren't going to let us back into the game.

Good point. Ive been amazed at how ordinary we have been bringing the footy back in...

[plugger66]

No doubt RL will be studying the Western Bulldogs V Hawks game very intently this week.

Honestly, I'd be looking at the Lions - Hawks tape from the game at the Gabba.

The Lions did a fantastic job of working the ball out of defense to CHB/Just defensive side of centre, and then going over the top of the midfield zone to Bradshaw leading at CHF. The Lions forwards are a better parallel for the Saints than the Dogs... in the end, the Lions lost a shootout narrowly because they had no answer for an in form Franklin.

More problematic will be the ever present issues of the groundball and clearances, and our still concerning breakouts from kick-ins (though we appear to be getting the hang of the handball work necessary to move forward from the backline flood).

At the end of the day, while I can see how the Saints could win, I don't like our chances. If we snooze the 1st quarter again, the Hawks aren't going to let us back into the game.

Good point. Ive been amazed at how ordinary we have been bringing the footy back in...

The problem with our kick ins is that the opposition leave Max on his own so we tend to go to him alot and as much as I like Max kicking and decision making arent his strong point. We need other avenues which I am sure they will be working on.

[Teflon]

cyril rioli....small fwd....goal kicker....fast.......who we got???

[saintsRrising]

1/ We are playing a higher quality opponent this week....so we need 4 good quarters.

2/ Player Gardi and King to keep constant ruck pressure and to give us a head start by having a bit of the edge in the ruck

3/ Keep Gram in the midfield 100%....with Sam rotating through as well out of the backline. We need an expanded midfield group.

4/ Hope like hell that we can minimise our skill errors. Repeat say those ample first quarter skill errors of the Blue's and Kanga's game and just watch the Hawks pound us..

5/ Consider playing Birrs on Campbell Brown.

[plugger66]

cyril rioli....small fwd....goal kicker....fast.......who we got???

My guess is Mini but I really am struggling for another option unless they go for dempster.

[Teflon]

cyril rioli....small fwd....goal kicker....fast.......who we got???

My guess is Mini but I really am struggling for another option unless they go for dempster.

yeah was just trolling over at Hawk land.......saw he had about 4 shots on goal and thought....hhmm......is Birss an option...at the expense of Gwilt? for a shut down role?

Keep Allen in play him back as another option to free up Fisher into the middle a tad?

Blake - roughead
Max - Buddy
Gilbert - Williams
Birss - Rioli

Hmmm...is X still injured?

[plugger66]

cyril rioli....small fwd....goal kicker....fast.......who we got???

My guess is Mini but I really am struggling for another option unless they go for dempster.

yeah was just trolling over at Hawk land.......saw he had about 4 shots on goal and thought....hhmm......is Birss an option...at the expense of Gwilt? for a shut down role?

Keep Allen in play him back as another option to free up Fisher into the middle a tad?

Blake - roughead
Max - Buddy
Gilbert - Williams
Birss - Rioli

Hmmm...is X still injured?

X should be right next week but I think he has only played twice in the last 9 weeks so he will not play in the ones.

[midas_touch]

We need to win the contested ball and play a run and carry game to win on Saturday night. Allen should make way for Gardi if fit, with Kosi playing as a swingman role who can take marks in defense as well as contributing 2-3 goals. As for Rioli, Gilbert will be probably given the job.

[saintsRrising]

Blake - Roughead
Max - Buddy
Demspter - Williams
Gilbert - Rioli


Birss - Campbell


In: MG and Birss
Out: Allen and Gwilt

[BAM! (shhhh)]

cyril rioli....small fwd....goal kicker....fast.......who we got???

My guess is Mini but I really am struggling for another option unless they go for dempster.

We played Gilbert on Betts, so my guess is that he'll be the go there.

Max - Franklin
Blake - Roughhead
Gwilt/Dempster/Gilbert - Williams
Gilbert/Dempster - Rioli

[NoMore]

I am not at all worried about the Hawthorn game. I believe we can beat them because i think we match up well on them. Our strengths match theirs.

I believe we hace the perfect backline to contain there forwards and pretty much any of our defenders could go to buddy. It would not surprise me to see any of Hudgeton, Gram, Fisher or Gilbert go to Franklin. Most likely to be Fisher. Lyon will hope that Sam can hurt Buddy the other way as well as being just as good an athlete.

Max will go to Roughhead and that is enough said on that match up.

Our forward line will be where it is won. I think Croad will most likely go to Roo. This leaves Kosi on there hopeless second tall. However if Cambell Brown goes to Roo we should send him 30 metres out from goal and really put pressure on the overrated Thug by making him compete 1 on 1 not the way he usually does with all his midfielders dropping back. Also with Jones, Eddy and Armo playing around half forward there will be to much pressure for there lazy midfielders and half backs to drop off and get easy kicks setting up play.

Lets all hope that Ross instructs the players to hit up whoever Guerra goes to as he is almost the worst defensive player in the game. Hasn't finished a game with a bruise in 3 years.

The midfield will be the most interesting area. I think our midfields are very even. we both are not overly quick but we have plenty of grunt. It will all come down to who wins the ball first. If Lenny and Bally get on top and Mitchell is tagged hard i can't see us losing.

Don't worry about the hawks. The key to beating them is moving the ball quickley. Not letting ur Half back line get sucked up the ground and to carry the ball through there space invader zone.

I'm looking forward to a win and sounding a warning to the rest of the competition that this is not a 3 horse race

[rexy]

I would think Max will get first crack at Buddy and Blake at Roughy, not sure but possibly Gilbert on Rioli and Sam/BJ taking turns on Williams and through the middle. Dont know if they had any injuries today? but wouldnt be surprised if they bought back Boyle and tried to really stretch us down back?
Think we will play Gramm head to head with Hodge aka Judd this week, Allan does not look to be a sure bet for next week but at the moment Kosi rucking is increasing his output, value and confidence around the ground. Dont know how Mc Evoy went for Casey sat. but I would rather see him or even Gwilt given a go as the 3rd Fwd than push Kos fwd full time and bring in a 2nd ruck in Gardiner.

[mad saint guy]

Hawthorn are good, but they're not a great team yet. Their rucks are below average, their key defenders aren't too flash and most of their midfielders are tough nuts who don't do a whole lot with the ball (hence a heavy reliance on Bateman, who we need to shut down).

Max will be able to shut Roughead out of the game, but we probably won't be able to stop Franklin from kicking his 4-5 goals. The key to this match will be making the most of our opportunities up forward. If we give Roo, Kosi and Milney decent delivery and we convert at around 75% then we should win. But against Hawthorn we won't be able get away with it if we play goalless quarters and miss shots at goal from 20m out.

[mischa]

round 17, 2007, we beat them playing attacking football.

Amen. That is our only hope. Give our forwards a chance. The last 2 weeks have been encouraging in this regard.

[Saints in 20??]

Nice point about Guerra Teflon, its hard to play attacking footy, when u are worrying that your toupee may fall off. i say "expose" him early in the game.

[kaos theory]

I am not at all worried about the Hawthorn game. I believe we can beat them because i think we match up well on them. Our strengths match theirs.

I believe we hace the perfect backline to contain there forwards and pretty much any of our defenders could go to buddy. It would not surprise me to see any of Hudgeton, Gram, Fisher or Gilbert go to Franklin. Most likely to be Fisher. Lyon will hope that Sam can hurt Buddy the other way as well as being just as good an athlete.

Max will go to Roughhead and that is enough said on that match up.

Our forward line will be where it is won. I think Croad will most likely go to Roo. This leaves Kosi on there hopeless second tall. However if Cambell Brown goes to Roo we should send him 30 metres out from goal and really put pressure on the overrated Thug by making him compete 1 on 1 not the way he usually does with all his midfielders dropping back. Also with Jones, Eddy and Armo playing around half forward there will be to much pressure for there lazy midfielders and half backs to drop off and get easy kicks setting up play.

Lets all hope that Ross instructs the players to hit up whoever Guerra goes to as he is almost the worst defensive player in the game. Hasn't finished a game with a bruise in 3 years.

The midfield will be the most interesting area. I think our midfields are very even. we both are not overly quick but we have plenty of grunt. It will all come down to who wins the ball first. If Lenny and Bally get on top and Mitchell is tagged hard i can't see us losing.

Don't worry about the hawks. The key to beating them is moving the ball quickley. Not letting ur Half back line get sucked up the ground and to carry the ball through there space invader zone.

I'm looking forward to a win and sounding a warning to the rest of the competition that this is not a 3 horse race

Pretty good summary nomore:

Don't know why people think max will take franklin. Max stays back, thereore will take roughhead out of the game.

We will likely double team franklin, with blake the main opponent (he has the tank to keep with him), and fisher falling back and cutting the space. We have good attacking options out of the backline.

Also expect the dawks to flood our forward line. They see our forwards as a real danger. Hawks do a fair bit of flooding, so we need to win in the midfield.