Does it suit us to be the underdog?

[SaintPav]

I think it probably does. All the weight of opinion, money and media attention is on the Pies. From my experience of watching football for 30 years, this can sometime take the edge off the favoured team.

I think going in as the underdog will suit us given the year we have had and all the obstacles the Saints have had to overcome. What does everyone else think?

[Joffa 5]

I think it's better from the angle of we are the hunters rather than the hunted. Rossy can be the one with the tactical move to counteract the current collingwood game plan which is working incredibly well.

I think it suits us just fine

[plugger66]

Dont think it makes any difference. The game will be won by the best team on the day and all the omens, hopes and any other thing will make no difference at all. lets just hope it is us this year.

[Dr Spaceman]

I think it probably does. All the weight of opinion, money and media attention is on the Pies. From my experience of watching football for 30 years, this can sometime take the edge off the favoured team.

I think going in as the underdog will suit us given the year we have had and all the obstacles the Saints have had to overcome. What does everyone else think?

Rather that than be red hot favourites.

Rightly or wrongly (and I'd say the latter), these young Pies kids are now facing the Grand Final that's theirs to lose.

And that suits me just fine.

[chook23]

I think it probably does. All the weight of opinion, money and media attention is on the Pies. From my experience of watching football for 30 years, this can sometime take the edge off the favoured team.

I think going in as the underdog will suit us given the year we have had and all the obstacles the Saints have had to overcome. What does everyone else think?

Rather that than be red hot favourites.
Rightly or wrongly (and I'd say the latter), these young Pies kids are now facing the Grand Final that's theirs to lose.

And that suits me just fine.

Disagree.......history certainly suggets (fact) more hot favourites have won
rather than the underdog.

[saintnick12]

Going in as underdogs will just add more to the story of this years Saints Premiership

[Dr Spaceman]

I think it probably does. All the weight of opinion, money and media attention is on the Pies. From my experience of watching football for 30 years, this can sometime take the edge off the favoured team.

I think going in as the underdog will suit us given the year we have had and all the obstacles the Saints have had to overcome. What does everyone else think?

Rather that than be red hot favourites.
Rightly or wrongly (and I'd say the latter), these young Pies kids are now facing the Grand Final that's theirs to lose.

And that suits me just fine.

Disagree.......history certainly suggets (fact) more hot favourites have won
rather than the underdog.

I understand what you're saying chook.

Don't get me wrong, I'd prefer to be going in to the GF having won our last 24 games by an average of 10 goals. But I am looking at it as things currently stand.

At the moment the Pies have a young team that's playing out of its skin and in those circumstances I'm happy that those guys, particularly the ones with limited experience, have the weight of expectation on them.

[markp]

They've had that much hot air blown up them they may just pop.

Suits us fine.

[St. Luke]

In my humble opinion I think in this instance it let's a very capable team know that they're going to have to perform, try that little bit harder, and work that little bit smarter! Personally I think we've already got the game plan to beat them! The extra drive being labelled an underdog will only make us more damaging!

[Thinline]

I'm not sure we've really done anything to position ourselves as challenger or underdog or whatever.

It's just evolved that way. By design?

We've been so low key.

Anything in the media has been really humble and understated.

It's all been very much 'task at hand'.

On the other side of town Maggot's been kissing babies down at the Paddock, Buckley's been talking up his own personal vibe, Maxwell's been spruiking a 'don't even consider defeat' line, and the media at large have been positioning this one as Collingwood's to lose.

Personally I think we are approaching this like a side and a club that know's what's important and what's not.

I like that.

Whether it all means anything remains to be seen I guess.

[spert]

We're underdogs if you compare it to the ridiculous Collingwood hype, but more and more people are seeing us as a serious threat.

[ChicagoSaint]

i dont know about you guys, but it only takes me (your's truly) 60secs to firm into a favourite.

[saint75]

I'm not sure we've really done anything to position ourselves as challenger or underdog or whatever.

It's just evolved that way. By design?

We've been so low key.

Anything in the media has been really humble and understated.

It's all been very much 'task at hand'.

On the other side of town Maggot's been kissing babies down at the Paddock, Buckley's been talking up his own personal vibe, Maxwell's been spruiking a 'don't even consider defeat' line, and the media at large have been positioning this one as Collingwood's to lose.

Personally I think we are approaching this like a side and a club that know's what's important and what's not.

I like that.

Whether it all means anything remains to be seen I guess.

Excellent post! I don't really care whether we are seen as underdogs or as the favourite. What I want to see is a team that is focussed with the job at hand. We have had that in spades from this team this year. No matter what has been thrown at them, they have risen to the challenge with only a few minor hiccups along the way. It is only Rnd 26 after all....

The young Collingwood players need to continue to play out of their skins to beat us. Don't think their top echelon of players can do it without them. Your first Grand Final is a HUGE distraction, no matter how many times you claim otherwise. Even those top players for Collingwood (Ball and Jolly the exception) have not experienced a GF. Definite distraction.

Still a Saints win for mine and I think people will be very surprised at the margin.

[gringo]

The first quarter of that Geelong Collingwood Prelim was a great display of insane pressure. As such they have actually added to the weight of expectation. We have been doing just enough to get through unscathed this season and as such we haven't captured the attention of the rest of the AFL community.

I believe the whole week of the grand final is a fish bowl and would really start to eat away at players minds. The young guys at Collingwood will make or break them. If they withstand the pressure and play their game and we are a little bit off they should win.

Conversely the Saints are going in having been there last year, know what to expect and would have most of their list going in with the belief that they have something to prove not someone else's expectation hanging over them. I prefer that scenario myself but it still comes down to a little luck a lot of effort and our ability to handle the mental pressure of the big stage.

I believe that this GF will come down to how well the big Roo plays, last GF he crashed into that dropped mark and never quite looked right afterwards. If he gets a couple early it could really upset the Pies rebound defence. It also gives Kosi, Mini and Milney space to cause trouble.

[Thinline]

I'm not sure we've really done anything to position ourselves as challenger or underdog or whatever.

It's just evolved that way. By design?

We've been so low key.

Anything in the media has been really humble and understated.

It's all been very much 'task at hand'.

On the other side of town Maggot's been kissing babies down at the Paddock, Buckley's been talking up his own personal vibe, Maxwell's been spruiking a 'don't even consider defeat' line, and the media at large have been positioning this one as Collingwood's to lose.

Personally I think we are approaching this like a side and a club that know's what's important and what's not.

I like that.

Whether it all means anything remains to be seen I guess.

Excellent post! I don't really care whether we are seen as underdogs or as the favourite. What I want to see is a team that is focussed with the job at hand. We have had that in spades from this team this year. No matter what has been thrown at them, they have risen to the challenge with only a few minor hiccups along the way. It is only Rnd 26 after all....

The young Collingwood players need to continue to play out of their skins to beat us. Don't think their top echelon of players can do it without them. Your first Grand Final is a HUGE distraction, no matter how many times you claim otherwise. Even those top players for Collingwood (Ball and Jolly the exception) have not experienced a GF. Definite distraction.

Still a Saints win for mine and I think people will be very surprised at the margin.

I am so on your page I just got goosebumps.

And the poster above is right. Their pressure against Geelong was enormous, but Geelong didn't wise up. They kept going at the corridor at like a bull at a gate. They didn't try to slow the game or offer a new approach. We adjust on auto-pliot these days.

[AnythingsPossibleSaints]

I don't think it will do us any harm at all. In fact it might even spur our guys on a tiny bit, being virtually ignored this week. They might want to go out and prove that they're also worthy of some attention.
Collingwood can have all the attention they want this week, just as long as we get the great majority of it next week.

[Dr Spaceman]

Collingwood can have all the attention they want this week, just as long as we get the great majority of it next week.

THIS!

[saint75]

I don't think it will do us any harm at all. In fact it might even spur our guys on a tiny bit, being virtually ignored this week.

You have obviously not watched or listened to this team at all this year. They don't care about adulation or favouritism, they just want to win the ultimate prize.

They might want to go out and prove that they're also worthy of some attention.

Refer to above response. They couldn't give a fig about attention. They want the cup. Attention and adulation means nothing. Nobody remembers the hype or the flag favourites from Grand Final week. All they remember and all history shows is who wins the Cup. The rest is irrelevant. This team knows that.

[SainterK]

I could be imagining it, but it appears like the media is almost having a go at the guys for getting us (open training) out of the way on Monday?

I watched AFL360 last night, and they were commending Collingwood on doing grand final week 'so well' and I just couldn't understand the sentiment behind it?

For mine, isn't doing GF week well, doing everything you possibly can to prepare for the opposition?

I don't feel neglected, I am full of admiration for their dedication to doing their absolute best to win this thing.

[samoht]

As long as Gram and Dal pass the fitness test today and are ruled 100% fit - then I'll be a happy little vegemiter... and also will be happy with our underdog status as I plan to put some bickies on it at good odds.

With Dal and Gram fit - we're almost certainties in my mind.

[gringo]

Let them have their adulation if we keep our eyes on the prize thats all that matters. They were calling Ross the Footy grinch on SEN the other day. They didn't like his round 26 stuff and his no sentiment in footy lines.

Let them have captain happy do all his back slapping and head rubbing before the trophy is in the cabinet, it only gets them a little bit less focussed.

[chook23]

I could be imagining it, but it appears like the media is almost having a go at the guys for getting us (open training) out of the way on Monday?

I watched AFL360 last night, and they were commending Collingwood on doing grand final week 'so well' and I just couldn't understand the sentiment behind it?

For mine, isn't doing GF week well, doing everything you possibly can to prepare for the opposition?

I don't feel neglected, I am full of admiration for their dedication to doing their absolute best to win this thing.

Just an opinion....agree with sentiment of your post but also think the way Coll have allowed the access/treatment of supporter base has been part of the ride feel.....
don't get me wrong of course it is about winning but our supporter base was advised late Sunday for early morning Monday etc and for the rest of the week keep away feel

Can see why media could suggest Pies are embracing their supporter group/traditions of GF week better.....etc

Choice thing by the Clubs though........

[Furphy]

I really like the low-profile attitude St.Kilda is maintaing this week. Closed session training/cloke of secrecy, real psychological stuff!

[samoht]

We've been there and done the supporter embrace thing before the GF last year.

The time to embrace is after the fact ... with the cup held high !

Every St Kilda man/woman and his black white and red dog will be there.

[SainterK]

I could be imagining it, but it appears like the media is almost having a go at the guys for getting us (open training) out of the way on Monday?

I watched AFL360 last night, and they were commending Collingwood on doing grand final week 'so well' and I just couldn't understand the sentiment behind it?

For mine, isn't doing GF week well, doing everything you possibly can to prepare for the opposition?

I don't feel neglected, I am full of admiration for their dedication to doing their absolute best to win this thing.

Just an opinion....agree with sentiment of your post but also think the way Coll have allowed the access/treatment of supporter base has been part of the ride feel.....
don't get me wrong of course it is about winning but our supporter base was advised late Sunday for early morning Monday etc and for the rest of the week keep away feel

Can see why media could suggest Pies are embracing their supporter group/traditions of GF week better.....etc

Choice thing by the Clubs though........

I think everything in life is about the intent behind it...

I choose to believe St Kilda's 'intent' in putting themselves back in the bubble, was for our benefit in the long run.

Sure I'd love to go down to another training session, but not at the expense of them losing their focus. Perhaps the players acutely feel the burden of the supporters desperate for a flag?

It's just how you look at it I guess.