I'm actually more confident

[OneEyedSainter77]

When I saw the side my first thought was "Wow, that's a bit extreme."

My second thought was "Hmm, wonder if we are 'resting'players now"

My third thought was "We could bloody win this game!"

The more I think about it, the more confident I have become.

Early in the week I was thinking this will probably be the first game we drop - I just had a feeling. But now, let's look at the facts.

Our ins are deceptively good.

Yes, our Outs are massive - Roo, hayes and Goddard are no doubt top three this year and Montagna makes four. baker is in just about his best form for two years. But I think they are overshadowing how good our ins are. Our best Ruckman who can also play forward is a great in. One of our season's best defenders and a tough, in and under mid who knows he needs to grab this chance by the balls!

Add to that two inexperienced players (one debutant in fact) who also know that this is a good week to impress the selectors and that's some pretty good ins.

All it really means is that everyone needs to stand up. Many times this year we've had games where all twnety-two players have been contributors and there have been no passengers. This week needs to be like that. Most of those games were against quality opposition which is what we'll be facing on Saturday.

I was worried that the boys didn't really care much about this game (well not worried because to be honest, I didn't either) but I think with a lot of blokes pretty much playing for their spots the next two weeks, we'll see a lot of improvements.

Still, Hawthorn are a bloody good side. The way they dismantled Collingwood twqo weeks ago was fascinating, they were just so hungry and so powerful and apparently they have been setting themselves up for this game - they want this one so badly. I just hope our boys don't let them have it.

If not to keep our perfect interstate record in 2009 alive and to beat every single team.

[Premiers2009]

remind me again why the bloody hell we are playing in tasmania (no offense to the Tasmanians on the forum) i dont get it.

[matrix]

i was expecting two maaaaaaybe three 'injuries' over the next couple of weeks. (is in 2 or 3 each week)
we are lucky to be able to be in a position were we can rest players that need to freshen up and be in rip roaring condition come the first week of finals.
go saints

[saint75]

Lets be honest, some of the players have been a little 'flat' over the last couple of weeks. Hayes is a perfect example of this.

We knew the team would be a little flat due to the training regime they are undergoing in preparation for the finals (as mentioned in a previous thread). I would rather see a Luke Ball playing his guts out for a spot in the team than a Lenny Hayes who may have another game of only 7 possessions. Geary is in a similar position to Ball. They need to play well to keep/gain a spot in the team as we head into the finals.

The ins and outs have confirmed for me that the coaching staff and players DESPERATELY WANT TO WIN and achieve the 22-0 record. Last week I think both players and coaching staff were most likely surprised how flat some of the team were, especially as we are heading into the finals in the next month. Make no mistake, this team will be firing on all cylinders on Saturday. Can't wait for the game! Bring on the Hawks!

[widereceiver]

I disagree, Lenny got pantsed by Kirke last week, but had been in stellar form previously. Even having a shocker, by his standards, he had some important possessions last week.

[saint75]

Lenny was flat last week. Brilliant the week before and then quiet the week before that. It is no slight against him. He is an ELITE midfielder and one of the games best, but a break before the finals won't do him any harm. We want to see him at his brilliant best.

Lenny was just an example. Riewoldt was ineffectual after the heavy hit last week so a week will do him the world of good also.

The ins for this week are DESPERATE to gain a regular spot in this team, especially in the finals. They have fresh legs and a fire in their belly. They are going to come out firing all guns. Should make for a great game.

[F_Q_F]

I'm just happy I don't have to worry about any of those guys getting (more ) injured.

I'm still confident we can win though. Still a fair bit of quality on the field.

[desertsaint]

similar change of feeling by myself - heading a tipping comp and onto the 'holding my lead' stage.
decent money coming and using the head over the heart.
went and tipped against my saints when i saw the outs - then thought it over all night - just went and changed back to the saints - now i'm feeling content and can sleep easy!

[plugger66]

I will be totally honest and say we cannot win this week. The main reason we have won 18 games this year are not in the side this week. Yes we have good replacements but our midfield is average at best and we are missing our best forward. I would love to win but to be honest only one thing matters this week and that is we get no injuries. That is what I will be barracking for in the next 4 weeks.

[St. Luke]

I looked at the list last night and it still (remarkably) very strong! The game plan is still the same, we still have a fantastic ruck with Ball, Dal and King. Good midfield runners (still) and our defense looks as solid as ever.

Believe it or not, if the Hawks want to have a glimmer of hope in making the finals, they're gonna really have to work for it!

[markp]

Lenny was flat last week. Brilliant the week before and then quiet the week before that. It is no slight against him. He is an ELITE midfielder and one of the games best, but a break before the finals won't do him any harm. We want to see him at his brilliant best.

Lenny was just an example. Riewoldt was ineffectual after the heavy hit last week so a week will do him the world of good also.

The ins for this week are DESPERATE to gain a regular spot in this team, especially in the finals. They have fresh legs and a fire in their belly. They are going to come out firing all guns. Should make for a great game.

My sentiments exactly.

I'm really looking forward to this one, and cant wait to see if or how we pull it off... it'll be a massive statement.

[saint66au]

I reckon the one lingering doubt the pundits have with St Kilda is "Hows their depth if they didnt have that dream run with injuries"?

Well heres the BIG chance to find out

This time 2 years ago (or perhaps even last year) pulling those 5 players out would result in a 10 goal loss..or worse....and most tipsters would pick that inadvance. 2009..well..lets see but I reckon we are still gonna be competitve and plenty of "experts" still think we will win. Agasint last years premiers who have their entire season on the line. What does that say?

Get on us now for the flag cos if we knock over the Hawks with those blokes out.....we are gonna shorten like nobodys business

[Joffa 5]

I will be totally honest and say we cannot win this week. The main reason we have won 18 games this year are not in the side this week. Yes we have good replacements but our midfield is average at best and we are missing our best forward. I would love to win but to be honest only one thing matters this week and that is we get no injuries. That is what I will be barracking for in the next 4 weeks.

I'm thinking this also. One thing that has helped us out this year is the 'gelling' of the team. There's the sixth sense of where everyone is going to be on the field. This group taking the field this weekend hasn't been playing together and the the key play makers are out. Will be very difficult to win this one but more than happy to be proven wrong

[Thinline]

I reckon the one lingering doubt the pundits have with St Kilda is "Hows their depth if they didnt have that dream run with injuries"?

Well heres the BIG chance to find out

This time 2 years ago (or perhaps even last year) pulling those 5 players out would result in a 10 goal loss..or worse....and most tipsters would pick that inadvance. 2009..well..lets see but I reckon we are still gonna be competitve and plenty of "experts" still think we will win. Agasint last years premiers who have their entire season on the line. What does that say?

Get on us now for the flag cos if we knock over the Hawks with those blokes out.....we are gonna shorten like nobodys business

Agree.

The thing is our reliance on individual brilliance has waned. We have a hungry, even list now and a game plan - proof is in the pudding - that is easy to replicate for this mob.

I mean imagine how Jack Steven feels walking into an 18-0 side ! Cloud flippin nine. Bally will be killing to get get back and stay back. Eddy, Geary will be absolutely bending over backwards to say 'I can be Len Hayes or Joey Montagna today'. Becasue that's what this group is like.

I reckon new faces at this end of the year will bring a breath of fresh air.

Riewoldt is a massive out of course. Apart from anything his physical freakishness is irreplacable. But the fact that he is NOT there means there's all sorts of unpredictability in play. Short, tall targets, one up two down, corridor for Kosi or Gardiner, or midsizers like Gwilt leading left and right, maybe even pinch a few through the likes of Dempster. Win enough in the middle and we'll cause the very lame back half of Hawthorn a world of worry.

We've played well without Roo before, remember. Knees, shoulders...

[bigcarl]

midfield depth is the concern with lenny, montagna and bj out. the replacements are useful, but not quite in the same class.

will be interesting to see how the forward set up works without riewoldt, also. i'd have been tempted to use dawson forward, but am guessing, with three ruckman in the team, that he has been earmarked for buddy or roughhead.

i think we're not without a chance, but if we're going to drop one this is it.

on the plus side there are 6 to 10 guys taking the field tomorrow who are auditioning for a role in a possible premiership team.

hopefully they play out of their skins.

[OneEyedSainter77]

Win lose or draw on Saturday, the thing i'm looking forward to the most is how this team goes. As stated before, this will be the ulitimate test fo our depth - if we can pull this off, there's not much mroe of a bigger statement we could make to the rest of the competition.

I have a feeling they want to keep this streak going and they'll be trying for that. After all, who could possibly get sick of winning?

And as for "all I want is no injuries", fair enough, but we've been winning without getting injured badly for eighteen weeks now, who's to say we can't do it again?

I won't be disappointed if we lose, but it will be very interesting to see the change in dynamics. Others have mentioned the gelling thing which is also a very good point as I think the structure and the whole team dynamic has been compromised now, but it's going to be fascinating seeing how they cope with it - will give us some idea of what to expect if things go wrong at some point - gives us a plan B.

[Hurricane]

I reckon we are a huge chance this week.

Everyone has written us off and the players who are in the side this week will want to prove we can still win without or "best" players out. I think its a great chance to see where our depth is at and a huge chance to show the remaining doubters that we are the real deal

Saints by 3-4 goals

BANG BANG

[meher baba]

On the whole, I'm with p66: if the Hawks turn up to play, and their stars- Hodge, Buddy, Roughy - all have good games, we are likely to be outgunned.

The key for us will be how we go inside our forward half. Hodge will need to be shut down, Schneider and McQualter will need to play blinders Gwilt will need to lift his intensity to his 2005 levels, Kosi, Milne and Gardi will need to convert their chances into scoreboard pressure. The Hawks are a team that can get a bag of goals in a hurry: particularly if Buddy and Roughie start nailing them from outside 50. The weather might help us with that, but we can't just depend on locking the Hawks down: we will need to kick goals regularly

If we can stay in the game until the last quarter, the Hawks might start to lose it under the pressure of expectations.

[SaintWodonga]

I reckon Hawks start favs, however I still think we can win. Great day for Kosi to really step up.

GO SAINTS!

[clarky449]

We should still be fav's

[66 Saints]

remind me again why the bloody hell we are playing in tasmania (no offense to the Tasmanians on the forum) i dont get it.

Essendon v Brisbane and Richmond v Sydney bust be expected to draw larger crowds at the MCG than 2008's 1st v 4th...

Looking at this weekends draw makes me more p!ssed that our only MCG home and away fixture is vs Melbourne. Disgrace.

[Premiers2009]

remind me again why the bloody hell we are playing in tasmania (no offense to the Tasmanians on the forum) i dont get it.

Essendon v Brisbane and Richmond v Sydney bust be expected to draw larger crowds at the MCG than 2008's 1st v 4th...

Looking at this weekends draw makes me more p!ssed that our only MCG home and away fixture is vs Melbourne. Disgrace.

well whats the bloody point i mean why when the AFL have made it perfectly clear that there is not going to be a team in tasmania.

so tasmania are hawthorn's major sponsor are they? big deal!
on that logic carlton will being playing a home game in malaysia before long (may not be a bad thing), collingwood will be playing a final in the emirates, melbourne will play in russia and the western bulldogs in india.

why? you're right '66. it's a bloody disgrace.

[Joffa 5]

remind me again why the bloody hell we are playing in tasmania (no offense to the Tasmanians on the forum) i dont get it.

Essendon v Brisbane and Richmond v Sydney bust be expected to draw larger crowds at the MCG than 2008's 1st v 4th...

Looking at this weekends draw makes me more p!ssed that our only MCG home and away fixture is vs Melbourne. Disgrace.

Because the Hawks requested it when fixture preferences went in.

[saint75]

remind me again why the bloody hell we are playing in tasmania (no offense to the Tasmanians on the forum) i dont get it.

Essendon v Brisbane and Richmond v Sydney bust be expected to draw larger crowds at the MCG than 2008's 1st v 4th...

Looking at this weekends draw makes me more p!ssed that our only MCG home and away fixture is vs Melbourne. Disgrace.

Because the Hawks requested it when fixture preferences went in.

What happened to our preferences...?? No MCG games, mostly Sunday twilight games, etc, etc....

Our fixture had better be improved next year or the AFL can expect a throng of extremely agitated Saints supporters come down on them like a ton of bricks!

[degruch]

remind me again why the bloody hell we are playing in tasmania (no offense to the Tasmanians on the forum) i dont get it.

Essendon v Brisbane and Richmond v Sydney bust be expected to draw larger crowds at the MCG than 2008's 1st v 4th...

Looking at this weekends draw makes me more p!ssed that our only MCG home and away fixture is vs Melbourne. Disgrace.

...and the Hawks requested it. Fancy the AFL agreeing to that, rather, what do you think the answer would have been if we'd requested something???