Cautiously optimistic

[freely]

Let’s beat Freo then start talking ourselves up.

We could be like Norf when they were like 8 and 2 the crashed and burned in the last half of the season

We could well be. But after being up two zip and with cracks in Freo, Hawks and Dees at present we do stand an un-imagined chance to be 4 or 5 up after the first 5 rounds.

Draw gets much harder after that....

For me, I think the next 3 weeks will give us a more accurate reading of where we’re at. There’s only so much you can take away by beating the wood and spoon favourite at home by a point and the most poorly performed outfit of 2019 to date IMO. Seriously Essendon have dished out rubbish so far.

Freo in Perth, the Hawks and the Dees (assuming they get closer to what they’d be expecting) will be a good test for us... winning two of those would be impressive. Beating just Melbourne whilst theyre still struggling, not so much.

It’s a good test.

I'm confused. Didn't the wood and spoon favourite we were a slamdunk to beat in Round 1 just beat Freo in Perth? Why don't we have at least as good a chance as them?

[saynta]

Let’s beat Freo then start talking ourselves up.

We could be like Norf when they were like 8 and 2 the crashed and burned in the last half of the season

We could well be. But after being up two zip and with cracks in Freo, Hawks and Dees at present we do stand an un-imagined chance to be 4 or 5 up after the first 5 rounds.

Draw gets much harder after that....

For me, I think the next 3 weeks will give us a more accurate reading of where we’re at. There’s only so much you can take away by beating the wood and spoon favourite at home by a point and the most poorly performed outfit of 2019 to date IMO. Seriously Essendon have dished out rubbish so far.

Freo in Perth, the Hawks and the Dees (assuming they get closer to what they’d be expecting) will be a good test for us... winning two of those would be impressive. Beating just Melbourne whilst theyre still struggling, not so much.

It’s a good test.

I'm confused. Didn't the wood and spoon favourite we were a slamdunk to beat in Round 1 just beat Freo in Perth? Why don't we have at least as good a chance as them?

No mate, beat them in Qld.

[freely]

Let’s beat Freo then start talking ourselves up.

We could be like Norf when they were like 8 and 2 the crashed and burned in the last half of the season

We could well be. But after being up two zip and with cracks in Freo, Hawks and Dees at present we do stand an un-imagined chance to be 4 or 5 up after the first 5 rounds.

Draw gets much harder after that....

For me, I think the next 3 weeks will give us a more accurate reading of where we’re at. There’s only so much you can take away by beating the wood and spoon favourite at home by a point and the most poorly performed outfit of 2019 to date IMO. Seriously Essendon have dished out rubbish so far.

Freo in Perth, the Hawks and the Dees (assuming they get closer to what they’d be expecting) will be a good test for us... winning two of those would be impressive. Beating just Melbourne whilst theyre still struggling, not so much.

It’s a good test.

I'm confused. Didn't the wood and spoon favourite we were a slamdunk to beat in Round 1 just beat Freo in Perth? Why don't we have at least as good a chance as them?

No mate, beat them in Qld.

Oh yeah - mm. I see yeah there is a bit of a difference!

[Sainternist]

We are only up to round 3. Despite winning the first 2 games of this season, my expectations still remain fairly low. I know the lads have so far exceeded our initial expectations, but if you cast your mind back to 2014 (a year where we were predicted to finish last by a majority of the pundits; and did), we won our opening two games of the season. We then lost the next two, but won against Essendon (funny that!) in round 5. After that, it was all downhill with us only managing to muster just one win for the rest of the season.

Right now, I'm trying to think how much different our current situation is to 2014. Perhaps not a great deal. In a sense, we are staring down the barrel of a rebuild, just like we were in 2014. Sorry to forecast more doom and gloom, folks, but I just don't see how this current list of players has enough depth to match it with the better teams in comp. Would love them to prove me wrong, but I'm bracing myself for when we come crashing back down to earth after a hefty loss or two.

[twirlyhair]

We are only up to round 3. Despite winning the first 2 games of this season, my expectations still remain fairly low. I know the lads have so far exceeded our initial expectations, but if you cast your mind back to 2014 (a year where we were predicted to finish last by a majority of the pundits; and did), we won our opening two games of the season. We then lost the next two, but won against Essendon (funny that!) in round 5. After that, it was all downhill with us only managing to muster just one win for the rest of the season.

Right now, I'm trying to think how much different our current situation is to 2014. Perhaps not a great deal. In a sense, we are staring down the barrel of a rebuild, just like we were in 2014. Sorry to forecast more doom and gloom, folks, but I just don't see how this current list of players has enough depth to match it with the better teams in comp. Would love them to prove me wrong, but I'm bracing myself for when we come crashing back down to earth after a hefty loss or two.

[shanegrambeau]

[quote=Sainternist post_id=<a href="tel:1782215">1782215</a> time=<a href="tel:1554448137">1554448137</a> user_id=138]
We are only up to round 3. Despite winning the first 2 games of this season, my expectations still remain fairly low. I know the lads have so far exceeded our initial expectations, but if you cast your mind back to 2014 (a year where we were predicted to finish last by a majority of the pundits; and did), we won our opening two games of the season. We then lost the next two, but won against Essendon (funny that!) in round 5. After that, it was all downhill with us only managing to muster just one win for the rest of the season.

Right now, I'm trying to think how much different our current situation is to 2014. Perhaps not a great deal. In a sense, we are staring down the barrel of a rebuild, just like we were in 2014. Sorry to forecast more doom and gloom, folks, but I just don't see how this current list of players has enough depth to match it with the better teams in comp. Would love them to prove me wrong, but I'm bracing myself for when we come crashing back down to earth after a hefty loss or two.

[/quote]

2014 not good, but we did improve a bit in 2015.

If we stink this year with the players trying their best for Richo it’s a terrible dilemma, because how could a replacement coach make a big difference if the guys are playing their guts out already?. I think we’ll have to stick with Richo again and try and improve support staff again, like we have done over the summer. (Hammers pending)

[Sainternist]

2014 not good, but we did improve a bit in 2015.

If we stink this year with the players trying their best for Richo it’s a terrible dilemma, because how could a replacement coach make a big difference if the guys are playing their guts out already?. I think we’ll have to stick with Richo again and try and improve support staff again, like we have done over the summer. (Hammers pending)

I have to say, if the team continues to show the same intensity that they've shown in the opening two rounds in most games for the rest of the season, I would like to think I won't be trashing Richo at all, even if we were to lose as many games as we did last year. And I'll be the first to admit, I have been pretty bad at trashing the guy. I mean, I was so incensed at the end of last season that I even put up an online petition to have him removed, albeit most unsuccessfully (I think it only had 50 online signatures ) hahahaha...

[thejiggingsaint]

We are only up to round 3. Despite winning the first 2 games of this season, my expectations still remain fairly low. I know the lads have so far exceeded our initial expectations, but if you cast your mind back to 2014 (a year where we were predicted to finish last by a majority of the pundits; and did), we won our opening two games of the season. We then lost the next two, but won against Essendon (funny that!) in round 5. After that, it was all downhill with us only managing to muster just one win for the rest of the season.

Right now, I'm trying to think how much different our current situation is to 2014. Perhaps not a great deal. In a sense, we are staring down the barrel of a rebuild, just like we were in 2014. Sorry to forecast more doom and gloom, folks, but I just don't see how this current list of players has enough depth to match it with the better teams in comp. Would love them to prove me wrong, but I'm bracing myself for when we come crashing back down to earth after a hefty loss or two.

I understand perfectly well your grounds for feeling perhaps a wee bit less optimistic than myself Colleague. You could well prove to be right. Who am I to say otherwise? I was actually "bracing myself" for us to "come crashing back down to earth" when I was entering "The Dome We Call Home" last Saturday Thankfully, the boys proved my fears to be not as bad as I was anticipating, and I felt a little abashed for my lack of faith in their ability to try their very best and scrap out the win.
You may well be proved right about us having "a hefty loss or two" but until that happens I'll continue to feel a wee bit more positive about this season than I thought I would back in early March. Have a great weekend! (hopefully with four premiership points!)

[Sainternist]

We are only up to round 3. Despite winning the first 2 games of this season, my expectations still remain fairly low. I know the lads have so far exceeded our initial expectations, but if you cast your mind back to 2014 (a year where we were predicted to finish last by a majority of the pundits; and did), we won our opening two games of the season. We then lost the next two, but won against Essendon (funny that!) in round 5. After that, it was all downhill with us only managing to muster just one win for the rest of the season.

Right now, I'm trying to think how much different our current situation is to 2014. Perhaps not a great deal. In a sense, we are staring down the barrel of a rebuild, just like we were in 2014. Sorry to forecast more doom and gloom, folks, but I just don't see how this current list of players has enough depth to match it with the better teams in comp. Would love them to prove me wrong, but I'm bracing myself for when we come crashing back down to earth after a hefty loss or two.

I understand perfectly well your grounds for feeling perhaps a wee bit less optimistic than myself Colleague. You could well prove to be right. Who am I to say otherwise? I was actually "bracing myself" for us to "come crashing back down to earth" when I was entering "The Dome We Call Home" last Saturday Thankfully, the boys proved my fears to be not as bad as I was anticipating, and I felt a little abashed for my lack of faith in their ability to try their very best and scrap out the win.
You may well be proved right about us having "a hefty loss or two" but until that happens I'll continue to feel a wee bit more positive about this season than I thought I would back in early March. Have a great weekend! (hopefully with four premiership points!)

I think cautiously optimistic is a good attitude to have. Look, I'm actually not feeling gloomy about our situation or expecting the sky to fall or anything, I'm just a little too cynical these days. I think it's healthy cynicism, though. Just rolling with the punches, mate. At the same time I am hoping for the best for our beloved club. I think we will get a good break with fortune soon enough. To it's credit, the club has been tirelessly trying to change things around. Things have already got worse over the course of this decade, so now it's a matter of them to only get better.

[MC Gusto]

We will win this today

Will be our best interstate victory for years

[BigDazzaB]

I'm just really liking the fact we're giving ourselves a chance. Last year we were our own worst enemy but this year we actually seem to have some belief.

I was smiling last week, which hasn't been a very regular occurrence as a Sainter the last couple of years.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

[wasaintsfan]

OK well here we are game day. Had a staycation in Perth last night, hit clubs till 2am. Had drunken Chinese then eventually crashed out at 5 30am. Currently 8 30am and I Am pumped for the game. Woke up 100% raring to go.

First time I have woken up on game day in Perth and NOT just prayed for a great effort but actually expect a win!!!

I know it's way to early go get over excited but screw it as saints fans we've had bugger all to cheer in recent times!!!!!
Carn the mighty sainters!!!!!!!!
Any saints fan in WA reading this forum today. Make sure you get to the game and be loud!!!!! Win / lose what ever, make some noise and get on board!!!!!

[axcellence]

The team is playing a good game style. The players lack confidence but do have the resolve to tough it out.

Not expecting anything more than winning more games in 2019 than 2018 (a low bar, I agree).

The freo game is more 40-60 with Steven out along with others. Gresham and Marshall are two major improvers.

Either way, it should be a good game to watch, assuming the saints win.

[saintspremiers]

OK well here we are game day. Had a staycation in Perth last night, hit clubs till 2am. Had drunken Chinese then eventually crashed out at 5 30am. Currently 8 30am and I Am pumped for the game. Woke up 100% raring to go.

First time I have woken up on game day in Perth and NOT just prayed for a great effort but actually expect a win!!!

I know it's way to early go get over excited but screw it as saints fans we've had bugger all to cheer in recent times!!!!!
Carn the mighty sainters!!!!!!!!
Any saints fan in WA reading this forum today. Make sure you get to the game and be loud!!!!! Win / lose what ever, make some noise and get on board!!!!!

Sounds awesome. I miss clubs. Too old nowadays for them sadly.

Give us the goss what it was like!

[Linton Lodger]

We've had a good start, but this will be our toughest game to date. They've got Fyfe & Mundy, 2 beasts in the middle that our first 2 opponents didn't have. Then they've got Ross Lyon who would've have studied us.

I reckon it will be an arm wrestle, could be a nil all draw

[saintspremiers]

We've had a good start, but this will be our toughest game to date. They've got Fyfe & Mundy, 2 beasts in the middle that our first 2 opponents didn't have. Then they've got Ross Lyon who would've have studied us.

I reckon it will be an arm wrestle, could be a nil all draw

Fyfe can be a softcock. He’s hates a hard tag.

This is a fecking HUGE game for Man Of to take him down!

[shanegrambeau]

Fyfe can be a softcock. He’s hates a hard tag.

yes, this 60/6060 means that mid field stars can wreak havoc in seconds at cenre re-start. Did you see Stanley's tap-out to Dangerfield on Friday? Bounce, tap, collect, three steps, goal!

This might be Jack Stuv today but alas, not playing, but we need a stopper at centre bounces. Fyfe must not be allowed to do a Dangerfield. There were others yesterday too.

[thejiggingsaint]

As I said in the OP, our first two wins were hard fought affairs, but WE GOT THE JOB DONE! As for the quality of our opponents.... well those "wooden spoon favourites" Gold Coast, are (currently) leading the unbeaten Bulldogs by almost three goals at Marvel Stadium. Yes, we may get beaten today over in Perth...there again, we may surprise a few people (even on HERE!) by getting the job done again! It's footy! I am happy to take my helpings of joy from watching the Saints, in small increments. It's a long L-O-N-G way to go before round 23! GO SAINTS!!!!!