I'm worried about Zac

[SainterK]

I am confident that he will be fine, likewise Kosi...

Doesn't anyone remember last preseason? If we had based our expectations on any of those praccy matches, individually or as a team, you wouldn't have predicted a year like we had.

Allow them time to play into form, nothing to be achieved by being the best team in February.

[riewoldt12]

I am confident that he will be fine, likewise Kosi...

Doesn't anyone remember last preseason? If we had based our expectations on any of those praccy matches, individually or as a team, you wouldn't have predicted a year like we had.

Allow them time to play into form, nothing to be achieved by being the best team in February.

i agree, we lost our first nab cup game & look where we got too last season. you cant take much from the nab cup.

[savatage]

The only issue with Zac is that he lost a lot of weight in the pre-season due to illness. He looks noticeably lighter than this time last year & that's not going to help him body on body.

[MC Gusto]

pre season...

geelong just lost to the tigers...are you worried about all of their players?


we're running at 75% if that, trying different setups and matchups don't read anything into it

[SaintWodonga]

I agree has been ordinary -They should have kept goose as a backup.

I agree. I think Goose should have stayed for sure...

[Spinner]

pre season...

geelong just lost to the tigers...are you worried about all of their players?


we're running at 75% if that, trying different setups and matchups don't read anything into it

My concerns are centered on a player....Not an entire team.

[St Chris]

Our backline as a unit is playing poorly - they have in both games so far.

The ratio of scoring shots vs. inside 50's is much too high, the Swans had about 35 inside 50s, and scored 20 times, while the pies had 40 inside 50's for 26 scoring shots. The minimum acceptable rate is one score every 2 inside 50's, and I bet our rate for last year was a lot better than this.

Once the backline clicks, our perception of Zac's performances will improve.

[groupie1]

I can’t believe how many on here want to be so negative (and I'm not just talking about this topic).

I think it was White Winmar who recently had an excellent post about how well we’re travelling now compared to the dark old days. I remember them only too well. Fair dinkum, if Saints fans aren’t happy these days, no premiership aside, then they’re pretty hard to please.

The amount of money it costs to follow this club each week, each year is something I don’t even want to try to calculate. Nonetheless it would be a small fortune over close to 40 years. A mate of mine just bought a Jet Ski. If I’m going to pour the sort of money I do into my passion, the Saints, then I may as well try to enjoy the experience. Otherwise I can simply forget about it, buy myself a Jet Ski and enjoy life.

I know blokes who will look at a quarter of footy, where we may have done well and some kids may have impressed, but the first thing they will say is that Kozi is crap, or Dawson’s playing shyte etc.

Fair enough, each to their own. But for me I will always try to remain positive about things. I’ve been there when it looked like we’d never win a game. From there to the season we had last year, and how we’re looking at the moment, is chalk & cheese.

I’m not concerned about anyone at the moment. We may have scraped in; may have been lucky in the first 2 weeks of the NAB Cup, but we’re still travelling better now than we were this time last year.

I’ll continue to look for the good things with our team and, for the moment, leave the Jet Ski on hold

Dude

being critical and wanting to discuss issues is not being negative. it's being interested. people are interested in if others are seeing some problems they're seeing.

this forum would suck if everyone had to post positive things -
I think Lenny Hayes is a great player... where do we go from there?

I remember the grim 80s too. And I appreciate this era. But, that's what you get from a draft and a salary cap. Great times for the saints, but the fans on this forum, let's say are just like the boys on the track - looking to pursue excellence every week.

[Thinline]

Two poor games next to the standard set first half of last year.

Has to lift.

Hopefully will.

Not like we have true full backs falling from the sky.

Who was the nuff who mentioned Maguire? For god's sake...A bloke whose broken body has only let him contribute substandard crap for Sandy in the last two years is all of a sudden the saviour... Geez Louise...

[saintnick12]

Anyone feel he played with real flair and funk in the first half of last year then it kind of faded? He was almost cocky laying awesome bumps on anyone in his way.

He flattened BBB and was really throwing his body around for most of '09'.........

Then that ridiculous suspension for shepherding/bumping the man on the mark to get Joey(think it was joey) in the clear.

IMO he seems to have gone into his shell and has not been the same player since..........IMO.

Agree he seemed to lose a bit of confidence after the suspension, and has not been the same since. Maybe he didn't trust his judgement so much as he thought he was doing the right thing, yet got suspended for it. You don't have to be off much in this game for it to make a noticable difference.
Hopefully winning the award helped his confidence, and also the coaching staff backing him in the finals.
I agree too that he looks like he has lost weight. I remember reading that he was sick and on the drip the night before the GF with a gastro type virus. Was it a continuation of that that caused him to lose weight, or has he had other illness.
I noticed the arm band too, and the fact that he was the only one.
Hope he ok. I really like Zac and really think (and hope) he will be a key player for us for many years to come. Who would have thought??

[matrix]

reckon gwilty could ply that spot?
if zac actually went down who would get the role i wonder?

[saintlee]

Not worried at all...its only February...

Besides he is hardly alone in playing below par, most of the team is still gearing up for Round 1, its a bit premature to be writing him off after an injury interupted preseason...

Also, St Kilda started its preason later than most teams....Sydney had 6 week head start....

[westy]

My concern with Zac is that he often seems to let his opponent make the first move before he acts which is a problem if that opponent is quick!

Well its pretty hard for backman to lead to the opposition. Dont think they will kick it to him.

I think it is called 'reading the play'

[Dr Spaceman]

I can’t believe how many on here want to be so negative (and I'm not just talking about this topic).

I think it was White Winmar who recently had an excellent post about how well we’re travelling now compared to the dark old days. I remember them only too well. Fair dinkum, if Saints fans aren’t happy these days, no premiership aside, then they’re pretty hard to please.

The amount of money it costs to follow this club each week, each year is something I don’t even want to try to calculate. Nonetheless it would be a small fortune over close to 40 years. A mate of mine just bought a Jet Ski. If I’m going to pour the sort of money I do into my passion, the Saints, then I may as well try to enjoy the experience. Otherwise I can simply forget about it, buy myself a Jet Ski and enjoy life.

I know blokes who will look at a quarter of footy, where we may have done well and some kids may have impressed, but the first thing they will say is that Kozi is crap, or Dawson’s playing shyte etc.

Fair enough, each to their own. But for me I will always try to remain positive about things. I’ve been there when it looked like we’d never win a game. From there to the season we had last year, and how we’re looking at the moment, is chalk & cheese.

I’m not concerned about anyone at the moment. We may have scraped in; may have been lucky in the first 2 weeks of the NAB Cup, but we’re still travelling better now than we were this time last year.

I’ll continue to look for the good things with our team and, for the moment, leave the Jet Ski on hold

Dude

being critical and wanting to discuss issues is not being negative. it's being interested. people are interested in if others are seeing some problems they're seeing.

this forum would suck if everyone had to post positive things -
I think Lenny Hayes is a great player... where do we go from there?

I remember the grim 80s too. And I appreciate this era. But, that's what you get from a draft and a salary cap. Great times for the saints, but the fans on this forum, let's say are just like the boys on the track - looking to pursue excellence every week.

You make a fair point however I'm not suggesting that we only post positive comments. My main concerns are the obsessive diatribes in relation to the Luke Ball & Andrew Lovett issues and people thinking the world is coming to an end due to the average performances of a few players during the glorified practice match series.

Otherwise I totally agree.

And in response to your Lenny Hayes question I will respond by saying he is a really great player. See we've started a new positive thread as easy as that

[groupie1]

I can’t believe how many on here want to be so negative (and I'm not just talking about this topic).

I think it was White Winmar who recently had an excellent post about how well we’re travelling now compared to the dark old days. I remember them only too well. Fair dinkum, if Saints fans aren’t happy these days, no premiership aside, then they’re pretty hard to please.

The amount of money it costs to follow this club each week, each year is something I don’t even want to try to calculate. Nonetheless it would be a small fortune over close to 40 years. A mate of mine just bought a Jet Ski. If I’m going to pour the sort of money I do into my passion, the Saints, then I may as well try to enjoy the experience. Otherwise I can simply forget about it, buy myself a Jet Ski and enjoy life.

I know blokes who will look at a quarter of footy, where we may have done well and some kids may have impressed, but the first thing they will say is that Kozi is crap, or Dawson’s playing shyte etc.

Fair enough, each to their own. But for me I will always try to remain positive about things. I’ve been there when it looked like we’d never win a game. From there to the season we had last year, and how we’re looking at the moment, is chalk & cheese.

I’m not concerned about anyone at the moment. We may have scraped in; may have been lucky in the first 2 weeks of the NAB Cup, but we’re still travelling better now than we were this time last year.

I’ll continue to look for the good things with our team and, for the moment, leave the Jet Ski on hold

Dude

being critical and wanting to discuss issues is not being negative. it's being interested. people are interested in if others are seeing some problems they're seeing.

this forum would suck if everyone had to post positive things -
I think Lenny Hayes is a great player... where do we go from there?

I remember the grim 80s too. And I appreciate this era. But, that's what you get from a draft and a salary cap. Great times for the saints, but the fans on this forum, let's say are just like the boys on the track - looking to pursue excellence every week.

You make a fair point however I'm not suggesting that we only post positive comments. My main concerns are the obsessive diatribes in relation to the Luke Ball & Andrew Lovett issues and people thinking the world is coming to an end due to the average performances of a few players during the glorified practice match series.

Otherwise I totally agree.

And in response to your Lenny Hayes question I will respond by saying he is a really great player. See we've started a new positive thread as easy as that

I disagree. I say he's a really SUPER great player!

[stinger]

[

I remember the grim 80s too.

if you thought the 80's were grim. just as well you weren't around for the 50's........

[groupie1]

[

I remember the grim 80s too.

if you thought the 80's were grim. just as well you weren't around for the 50's........

I mean in terms of footie, man. Mullets, acid wash... all bad, but I mean the football.

[stinger]

T.

Who was the nuff who mentioned Maguire? For god's sake...A bloke whose broken body has only let him contribute substandard crap for Sandy in the last two years is all of a sudden the saviour... Geez Louise...

disagree.....he was playing well enough last year to get a game ...and should have....he's big and tough..... and a backman who can play on gorillas....something we have in short supply

[stinger]

[

I remember the grim 80s too.

if you thought the 80's were grim. just as well you weren't around for the 50's........

I mean in terms of footie, man. Mullets, acid wash... all bad, but I mean the football.

so did i.....

[groupie1]

gorillas! that's a good idea. you can train them to kick, nobody would go near them.
grizzly bears, too. how about one of those running around inside 50.

[iremember66]

Zac doesn't have Max banging on the door to take his spot this year - hope he has enough self motivation each week....

[3rd generation saint]

Actually thought he was better on the weekend, got more of the ball and used it better.
But yes he has been out pointed a few too many times in the last two games.
SOS has too work with him a bit as to how to use his body.
However, he clearly should have got a free kick when he blatantly pushed in the back in the goal square that led to a Swans mark and goal.

[Quixote]

Where is Will Johnson?

When drafted, it was mentioned he was ready for senior footy.

And we essentially away Goose and got this guy.

[plugger66]

Where is Will Johnson?

When drafted, it was mentioned he was ready for senior footy.

And we essentially away Goose and got this guy.

Well he will be playing where Goose played all year and is 5 years younger so he is going ok.

[Quixote]

Where is Will Johnson?

When drafted, it was mentioned he was ready for senior footy.

And we essentially away Goose and got this guy.

Well he will be playing where Goose played all year and is 5 years younger so he is going ok.

So who's the backup if Zac goes down or is horribly out of form?