Rd 6: Port over there - can we do it?

[St Specky]

Haven't beaten them over there since like 97/98. Any chance against them, coming back from Perth and hopefully a loss & 0-5 for them?

Have a feeling we won't go too well there. Massive game, if we win, we've got Richmond and then the Pies which are both beatable.

[Persevering Saint]

I'm actually pretty confident - remember, we won against the Crows at AAMI barely two months ago. Admittedly, that was NAB, but it was also the GF and it was against a far superior team to Port at the moment. Like you said, Port are coming off a game in Perth, with only 6 days while we'll have 8 days turnaround. That all bodes well.

[ChrisFooty]

Actually, i think we can. Normally i'm not very confident about interstate trips west of Melbourne. Persevering Saint makes some very good points in his post.

[Rough_Edges]

No we can not win.

[SAINTS 4 07 FLAG]

No we can not win.

Wtf of course we can..just have to play four quarters :rolleyes:

[Persevering Saint]

Uh, mate, I gave reasons for why we would win. What the reasons for us losing? I'm not having a go, I'd just like to understand why you feel that way. I'm always willing to change my mind if people give me sound evidence. But I've got nada so far...

[bluejay]

Have a feeling we won't go too well there. Massive game, if we win, we've got Richmond and then the Pies which are both beatable.

How can every game we play lately be a massive game? FFS, it's just round 6!! A massive game would be a final, or a decisive game into the finals. Given that all wins are needed in order to be in the final top 8 in the ladder, I understand all games are important, but not massive...

On the other side, I reckon that beating Port at AAMI will be a huge boost of confidence for the players because Sir Robert has been then only one who knows how to beat them there among our current side (as a Saint).

[HoldenMCaulfield]

I'm actually pretty confident - remember, we won against the Crows at AAMI barely two months ago. Admittedly, that was NAB, but it was also the GF and it was against a far superior team to Port at the moment. Like you said, Port are coming off a game in Perth, with only 6 days while we'll have 8 days turnaround. That all bodes well.

Good points !

Also, Port may have some fitness problems (wouldn't be the first after their long season 2007) - they just collapsed in the fourth quarter again (with a bit more accuracy from the Eagles, this could have been another comeback loss after leading with 60+ points late in the game).

Given our record against Port in Adelaide for several years now and their first win this year this week (should improve ther confidence and may sart their last run at making the finals after all), it will still be a tough one, but if there's ever a chance to win over there, it's right here in front of us !

[CHBench]

Can we do it??

Of course we can, IF we continue to play like a team.

If our mids continue to hit their straps for the full 4 qtrs, no doubt we can match it with the best and ultimately spank port.

But most of our good work seems to come undone when we travel interstate, especially against port.

Here's hoping to a win.:thumbsu:

[LJ Garner]

Can we do it??

Of course we can, IF we continue to play like a team.

If our mids continue to hit their straps for the full 4 qtrs, no doubt we can match it with the best and ultimately spank port.

But most of our good work seems to come undone when we travel interstate, especially against port.

Here's hoping to a win.:thumbsu:

play like a team..god how good did it watch to finally have players sheparding other plays.

[Persevering Saint]

Got my tickets in the mail today... very excited - going around to a housewarming for some Port supporters that afternoon before the game. Should be interesting!

[St Specky]

How can every game we play lately be a massive game? FFS, it's just round 6!! A massive game would be a final, or a decisive game into the finals. Given that all wins are needed in order to be in the final top 8 in the ladder, I understand all games are important, but not massive...

On the other side, I reckon that beating Port at AAMI will be a huge boost of confidence for the players because Sir Robert has been then only one who knows how to beat them there among our current side (as a Saint).

It is massive as we don't usually get near them over there and this is our chance. We can be 4-2 after this and you'd expect to beat Richmond and get near the Pies.

The Essendon game was to see whether we could beat a team considered pretty lowly and we did it. The Port game will give us massive confidence interstate.

[bubblegoose]

Got my tickets in the mail today... very excited - going around to a housewarming for some Port supporters that afternoon before the game. Should be interesting!

Give them HELL from us too PS! :D

[mailman4]

its always gonna be hard over there espicially since they've got their 1st win and have some form up. i think the major point is how we react when they start getting a roll on. the last 3 weeks once the other team has started getting on top we've jss bunckled, luckily essondon only got going for half a quater. if we can kick a few against the flow we should quiet down the ferals and be able to come home with a win.

[Lightning_Rod]

just thought id pop in and say goodluck and here hoping thats its another cracker match between our two clubs, hopefully we can finally play 4 quarters and win.

could possibly be hard for you blokes with king out and micky gardiner not quite ready, but baker should be a very valuble in. Lets not forget how long its been since your last win against us in adelaide, round 22 1997, hopefully we can continue that trend and give your blokes a run for your money.

any of you blokes travelling over to see the game?

[KGCC07]

just thought id pop in and say goodluck and here hoping thats its another cracker match between our two clubs, hopefully we can finally play 4 quarters and win.

could possibly be hard for you blokes with king out and micky gardiner not quite ready, but baker should be a very valuble in. Lets not forget how long its been since your last win in adelaide, round 22 1997, hopefully we can continue that trend and give your blokes a run for your money.

any of you blokes travelling over to see the game?

Acutally we won over their this year against Adelaide in the NAB cup Granny.

Also beat Adelaide in a final there in 04 (Might of been 05).

But no, we haven't beaten Port Adelaide over there in ages..Time to change the trend :D

Good luck :thumbsu::)

[Lightning_Rod]

edited my post, i knew wat i meant, but wrote it poorly, i did mean against us, good luck all

[Fehring]

How can every game we play lately be a massive game? FFS, it's just round 6!! A massive game would be a final, or a decisive game into the finals. Given that all wins are needed in order to be in the final top 8 in the ladder, I understand all games are important, but not massive...

On the other side, I reckon that beating Port at AAMI will be a huge boost of confidence for the players because Sir Robert has been then only one who knows how to beat them there among our current side (as a Saint).

Last year we turned at 4-7 at the half way mark and never made it back. The Tiges are going alright, the Pies are still good despite their form. This game is massive.

[Juggalo Balla]

Last time I checked we won a fairly good match of footy at AAMI with a hostile crowd.

Was great seeing all the Crows fans evacuate so quickly to avoid the medal ceremony :D

Backing up from the trip west is always difficult. Lade and Brogen with still be hard to stop in the ruck but I think we will have enough good on ballers to get up.

[talent scout]

Will be a tough assignment, Port looked good against the eagles. It's not beyond us though. I'm not sure if this is the right page on the forum to mention it but I don't think Ross Lyon and his staff know how to use the big 'guns'. I watched very closely (from the third row,level 1) the forward line in the Geelong game. I initially thought Scarlett going to Gehrig was perfect and I would have told Fraser to sacrifice his game for the day and take Scarlett as far away from the contests and ball as much as possible and not worry about getting a kick. For ten minute periods they had Milburn on Kosi. As soon as a mismatch like that happens everyone should clear out of the 50m and Kosi stand 15m out and we pump the ball long, high and direct to him. Milburn would have to jump all over him if Kosi had a jump at the ball, especially with the new rule interpretations. Geelong and Scarlett dictated the whole game. I've only coached at local footy level and although AFL is obviously a lot more strategic and involved, I dont think this sort of thing is rocket science. What does everyone else think?

[sackers5]

Will be a tough assignment, Port looked good against the eagles. It's not beyond us though. I'm not sure if this is the right page on the forum to mention it but I don't think Ross Lyon and his staff know how to use the big 'guns'. I watched very closely (from the third row,level 1) the forward line in the Geelong game. I initially thought Scarlett going to Gehrig was perfect and I would have told Fraser to sacrifice his game for the day and take Scarlett as far away from the contests and ball as much as possible and not worry about getting a kick. For ten minute periods they had Milburn on Kosi. As soon as a mismatch like that happens everyone should clear out of the 50m and Kosi stand 15m out and we pump the ball long, high and direct to him. Milburn would have to jump all over him if Kosi had a jump at the ball, especially with the new rule interpretations. Geelong and Scarlett dictated the whole game. I've only coached at local footy level and although AFL is obviously a lot more strategic and involved, I dont think this sort of thing is rocket science. What does everyone else think?

I think you need to decide which team you support

[Kildonan]

Mark Williams used a number of forced mismatches in his forward line against West Coast to create a desired mismatch that he could exploit.

Expect this to be a tough one for the coaches box for both clubs. Both coaching groups will be made to earn their money in this one.

The loss of King hamstrings Lyon somewhat, Kosi is the perfect mobile mismatch. If we had both Gardiner and King rucking in this one we could throw a few wobblies to Williams until we get a matchup with Kosi that Ross likes and then capitalise furiously. When someone is moved onto Kosi to shut him down, we make this guy's previous opponent our next target while Kosi runs a decoy to thin out the defence. Gehrig is the perfect foil - and he can kick straight. He just hasn't hit his straps this year and this worries me.

[talent scout]

I think you need to decide which team you support
Obviously I barrack for StKilda and I am a long term member. Does that mean I cant be frustrated at Ross Lyon's use of his forwards? What's your point? Are you saying if I barrack for StKilda i have to support everything the coach does?

[SAINTS 4 07 FLAG]

Obviously I barrack for StKilda and I am a long term member. Does that mean I cant be frustrated at Ross Lyon's use of his forwards? What's your point? Are you saying if I barrack for StKilda i have to support everything the coach does?

No i think he thought you barracked for geelong because thats what it says under your U/N:thumbsu:

[sackers5]

Obviously I barrack for StKilda and I am a long term member. Does that mean I cant be frustrated at Ross Lyon's use of his forwards? What's your point? Are you saying if I barrack for StKilda i have to support everything the coach does?

My point is, generally StKilda supporters have a bold StKilda under their username, where you have a bold Geelong. Which is quite confusing. As for being frustrated, I think that is a prerequisite of being a StKilda supporter. Mind you I am quite happy with Ross Lyon's structure and believe it is up to the tall forwards to learn how to kick straight themselves, but that is besides the point.

[35Harvs]

I can't see why we can't win this game. Port lost to Brisbane after a strong lead & after leading by around 50pts against west coast won by 20 odd points so their finishing isn't too good at the mo.

+ as PS said, we've won at AAMI recently enough .. hopefully the article about Roo is scuttlebutt (pardon the pun) at the minute.

and ooohh it is a big game :thumbsu:

[Grave Danger]

Lets not forget how long its been since your last win against us in adelaide, round 22 1997, hopefully we can continue that trend and give your blokes a run for your money.

What were you doing when you heard that Princess Diana had been killed?

Watching St Kilda stop Port making the finals in their first year in the AFL. A sad day it was.... :(

[talent scout]

No i think he thought you barracked for geelong because thats what it says under your U/N:thumbsu:
I definately barrack for StKilda but live in Geelong (which is a nightmare at the moment). I have amended that thanks.

[panthers]

Yep I was there round 22 1997. Lets hope we can repeat that result on Sat night...GO YOU MIGHTY SAINTS:thumbsu:

[SAINTS 4 07 FLAG]

I can't see why we can't win this game. Port lost to Brisbane after a strong lead & after leading by around 50pts against west coast won by 20 odd points so their finishing isn't too good at the mo.

+ as PS said, we've won at AAMI recently enough .. hopefully the article about Roo is scuttlebutt (pardon the pun) at the minute.

and ooohh it is a big game :thumbsu:

Please explain :confused:

[St Specky]

Please explain :confused:
http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/riewoldt-hurt-but-baker-raring-to-go/2008/04/22/1208742941241.html

AFTER serving a seven-match ban, partially carried over from round 20 last season, St Kilda tagger Steven Baker will almost certainly take the field against Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium.

Baker was banned for serious rough conduct after his deliberate bump on Fremantle's Jeff Farmer left him with a broken nose, lacerated upper lip and concussion.


But while Baker is a virtual certainty, the St Kilda match committee is still to decide on whether key forward Fraser Gehrig will play this weekend. Coach Ross Lyon suggested that while Gehrig would be playing football, "it's where he plays — he'll be playing interstate somewhere, it's whether it's Tasmania or Adelaide".

And yesterday, skipper Nick Riewoldt left the training track early, clutching his right buttock after seemingly feeling tightness in the muscle. The key forward came back to training 15 minutes later but completed only a number of light run-throughs and sidesteps before again leaving the ground for treatment.

A club spokesman played down the injury scare, saying Riewoldt was fine.
Baker's return will be a big boost for the Saints, the former club best-and-fairest and uncompromising tagger a much-respected member of the side.


"He's ready to play, I'm keen to play him. He's a best-and-fairest winner. We lost a backman in (Sam) Gilbert. Again, it's got to go to match committee, I haven't got the sole say but I have got a fair bit of input, so I'm pretty keen to see him play," Lyon said.


"He's a very fit player, he's mentally tough and he's been training all summer. He played all the NAB Cup virtually. His fitness isn't an issue. We respect him and value him. I think he just looks forward and ticks off the sessions and the weeks as they go. You pay the price and you move on. Everyone fundamentally loves playing football. It's his passion and he's clearly missed that."


Gehrig's chance of returning has been boosted by the hamstring injury to Steven King and the fact that Michael Gardiner is still not ready to return from his calf strain. Their absence leaves the Saints light-on for talls despite Lyon's optimism.

"No doubt (King's injury) gives him (Gehrig) an opportunity, but we have match committee (today) with the other coaches … and we'll discuss the balance of the team and where Fraser sits within that," he said. "Young Jarryd Allen kicked six goals at Bendigo on the weekend and took 12 marks … six contested marks, so he'll come into consideration as well. "They (Brendon Lade and Dean Brogan) are two formidable ruckmen, no doubt about that. But Justin Koschitzke rucks, we've got (Michael) Rix, young Ben McEvoy played really well in the seconds, our first-round draft pick, and Jason Blake can ruck. We don't think there's a shortage of ruckmen here."

[Asgardian]

Let's hope you can't...;)

[sainter]

I can't say I expect us to win but I certainly hope we can. I don't think we can expect to play 2-3 quarters of footy and win anyway.

As far as I'm concerned, we're going to need our key forwards to get on top. If Charlie can lead up the ground and create the opportunity for Roo and Kosi to do most of their work inside 50 that will help us no end. All of our forwards will also have to work hard to stop the run that they get out of defence too. A player like Peter Burgoyne will kill us if we give him the time and space to start their attacks.

We will probably expect to see Kane Cornes go to Dal Santo (who almost always get the #1 tagger these days) and that will hopefully allow the rest of our midfield to play without the worry of being on the end of a hard tag. Baker will no doubt be straight into the middle. I think he will have a date with Shaun Burgoyne.

They don't have a great forward line on paper with Tredrea not the player he used to be. Unfortunately we have a habit of playing forwards into form. In fact we have a habit of being Ports bitches to be honest. Ebert is a dangerous player and is hard to match up on. We might go with Goose on Tredrea and play Max on Ebert because Max has the ability to play on small or tall forwards. That would leave Sam Fisher for Westhoff.

Should be an interesting game. We haven't beaten them since the last round of 1997 which was the game we needed to win to finish on top of the ladder. Such a long time ago.

[Rough_Edges]

We are good enugh to win, but i don't think we will.

I hope when i log in sunday morning, this post is quoted along with my earlier one saying, you idiot.

Cause it would be a nice one to steal.

[Kildonan]

Port Adelaide have had extraordinary success over us in recent times.

Of our 16 matches, the Saints won the first 5, Port won the next 9 matches and we have won one each since.

We played 3 matches @ Waverley for 3 wins (1997 -1999)
We played 3 matches @ Telstra Dome for 1 win (2000 - 2002)
We played 6 matches @ AAMI for 1 win (1997 - 2007)
We played 4 matches @ Aurora for 1 win (2003 - 2007) - our latest win against them

We haven't played Port Adelaide @ Testra Dome since 2002 - which might explain some of our recent lack of success against them.

We lost a Preliminary Final to Port Adelaide by 6 pts @ AAMI, our next meeting was at Aurora which we lost by 23 pts, then back at AAMI we lost by 4 pts (in a match where we received an official apology from the AFL for the umpiring errors*), then back at Aurora we claimed a 4 pt victory (after Motlop missed the kick after the siren). Last year the Saints played a shocker at AAMI losing by 53 pts.

Its been 6 years since we've played Port at home.

It does hurt a club's chances when they don't have a home crowd screaming at the umpires for a free - and we've not played Port at home since we became a force earlier this century.

We need as many Saints supporters at AAMI as possible to help nullify the home ground advantage.

Later this year, (03-Aug-2008), we'll meet again, this time at HOME.




* Saints say umpiring sins have been costly (no link - archived)
By Michael Gleeson
May 8, 2006

AFL umpiring boss Jeff Gieschen has told St Kilda coach Grant Thomas that the umpiring in the Saints' loss to Port Adelaide a fortnight ago was about the worst in Gieschen's time at the league.

Thomas yesterday confirmed details of a meeting he had with Gieschen at Moorabbin, reported in The Sunday Age , in which the club protested at the umpiring.

The Saints counted 14 umpiring errors in the match. Gieschen admitted to 13 but was later persuaded to the 14th. At least four of the erroneous free kicks led to Port Adelaide goals in a match the Power won at home by four points.

"I'd hate to think it was anything else other than just a bad day. It was a four-point ball game, it was very tight, and we were very frustrated with a lot of the things that happened . . ," Thomas told 3AW.

"The unfortunate thing was when we inquired about how many mistakes against Port Adelaide, it was zero, so 14 to zero, it does hurt a side when it's that balance and Jeff acknowledged it was a very poor performance, one of the worst that he's been associated with, and I think two of the South Australian umpires didn't umpire the following week."

Thomas asked whether the umpires were treating St Kilda with greater severity given his outburst last year, in which he suggested umpires' egos affected their jobs. It precipitated the "whispers in the sky" affair after several decisions went against the Saints against Fremantle in Perth.

It was claimed that an umpire said, as he boarded the plane after St Kilda's narrow loss, words to the effect of "now I know what it is like to have a win". The AFL investigated the issue and could find no merit in the claim.

"I think it was our right to ask that question only because you go back to the Fremantle game in round 21 last year and Jeff also acknowledged that was a poor day," Thomas said.

"We just asked the question, is there anything we need to do to ensure things are looked upon in more balance? Jeff's response was he doesn't think so but he'll make inquiries for us.

"We don't want to start World War III on this, but it's human nature if someone is offended, and they were obviously offended and that's why I got fined $20,000 and that's why I apologised … what Jeff's acknowledged is that they've had a couple of poor umpiring days and I suppose that can happen."

The St Kilda coach also raised the point of pressure loaded onto AFL umpires consistently umpiring in their home state. "It's a real cauldron at AAMI Stadium, as it is at Subiaco," he said.

"Those guys have got to front up to work on Monday and they're darned if they do and darned if they don't.

"There is never any suggestion of anything other than interpretation but because of that fact, interpretation, it puts enormous pressure on especially when there's 50,000 screaming fans and 44,000 are local fans …
"The game has got to a level of professionalism that we do require a different balance and that's the same for Melbourne-based games when you have interstate teams travelling to Melbourne."

[Sainter26]

I think we can win over there. All we have to do is play like a team for four quarters. Besides port arn't exactly in top form.

[holllywood]

who will dempster play on?

[Sainter26]

Yes we can beat port over there. All we need to do is play like a team for the whole game and we should be right.

[Persevering Saint]

And don't forget, that win against Port in Aurora was with Motlop 30 in front kicking for goal after the siren (after a blinder of a mark, I might add). I still remember his face, and Dermott doing the call describing his face as, "Please, why did it have to be me? Anybody but me..." But for a wonky kick by a nervous young player, we'd have lost even more.

But honestly, I think that says more about our ability to play at Aurora, not our ability against Port. That was always an away game for us, and Milne and G always played shocking there (surprise, surprise... didn't G get suspended a few times playing against Port there?).

Port's a game we can and should win.

[CHBench]

At the moment, we won't, far from it.

I may be jumping the gun but I am sick to death of this bullshit brand of play that is supposed to be football.

Absolute joke. :thumbsd::mad:

[mhill]

At the moment, we won't, far from it.

I may be jumping the gun but I am sick to death of this bullshit brand of play that is supposed to be football.

Absolute joke. :thumbsd::mad:

I love the saints but unfortunately I think you are right.

[Goldhawk]

Looking in from the outside,the Saints for some reason play far too much negative football,obviously a trait from his Sydney days.You certainly still have the talent there but if the game plan is not rectified i'm affraid the clock could be ticking away pass the midnight.