Can the Saints replicate the winning streak of 2004?

[bubblegoose]

Whatever happens in 2008, happens but if we "blow our chance" like all are saying out there, we'll come back next year and try again.

Great post One Eye!

the bit I'd like to pick out of it & comment on the bolded bit above.

Watching the Geelong game last week (granted that its a preseason game & we both had half our teams out, rar rar rar) it really drove home that this year, the only people that will defeat us is ... US.

When geelong started breaking away from us in the first quarter, they were capitalising on our mistakes, turnovers. When the saints steadied in the 2nd & realised 'hangon, we're not playing a team of supermen here, they're playing well but just making the most of what they get' we kicked on & looked awesome.

If the Saints don't capitilse on opposition turnovers or if we make simple skill errors we'll see games slip away that we should hammer home.

 

[sainter]

"Saints need to do something this year" - blah blah blah... its the same old crap from you guys, the "window of oppurtunity", the "premiership clock" and its all bullshit. geelong had one year off (2006), and came back and in a year many expected them to start rebuilding, they won the flag. their secret was depth - they were able to replace any injured player with someone just as good and in the end, injuries didn't hurt them too much anyway so they pretty much had 3o odd players to pick from every week.

It comes down to skill and tactics pure and simple. There's no such thing as windows and clocks. Its just false s**t made up by opposing clubs to show how s**t we really are. Whatever happens in 2008, happens but if we "blow our chance" like all are saying out there, we'll come back next year and try again. If certain teams are supposed to have a "cycle" when was Carlton last at the top or Richmond for that matter. When was the last time West Coast and Adelaide or even Sydney for that matter were fighting bottom four for consecutive years.

On topic, the winning streak is meaningless in the scheme of things but I'm not surprised we released it on DVD. What else have we had to celebrate in the last forty years? Nothing, that's what. So get over it. None of us gives a **** what you other team supporting pricks think of it. We like to watch it because it shows us being dominant evn if it did lead to nothing. Just the Brisbane game alone is worth the money.

Great post!

I agree on both counts.

The concept of a premiership window or clock is a load of garbage. Apparently our window was closed at the end of last season and now on the basis of a couple of NAB Cup games we're one of the strongest chances to knock off Geelong.

I don't know how things will turn out but I was bemused with the popular opinion that we were no chance this season. Aside from finishing the second half of the season so strongly, our core group of forwards and midfielders all have their best footy in front of them. Only Harvey, Gehrig and Hudghton are in the twilight of their careers. Any team that has players like Riewoldt, Koschitzke, Dal Santo, Ball, Hayes, Montagna, Maguire and Xavier Clarke with the best footy in front of them has to have a decent shot.

As for the opinion from daics cousin above that we need our KPP's to remain injury free, I would have thought that was pretty damn obvious. Take Riewoldt, Koschitzke, Gehrig, Maguire and Hudghton out of our team and we will not be as strong. It's a big call I know.

 

[Persevering Saint]

I'm not changing my prediction of 10th - 14th. I'm tempted but pre-season form has always been mis-leading when it comes to St.kilda, bar 2004.

Whathe? Sheesh NH.


BG, I think your analysis about the only team that can beat us is US is spot on. We have always had a tendency to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, but no more so than the last five years. This year I think we're showing that we can really be the team that will crush all comers, even Geelong... if we hold our nerve.

 

[Rough_Edges]

If we come 14th.

I will chop off my left nut.

Simpllaly won't happen.

 

[The Chad]

in fairness after the saints beat freo in perth at about game 7 or 8 in that streak people really did think they were premiers elect

sydney ****ed them up hard with that muddy game number 11 and it just raised too many questions

 

[Kildonan]

Your lefty is as safe as houses.

Even so, it may be unwise to risk so much without an opportunity to at least make some decent gain if you win.

I recommend betting money next time.

 

[LiterallyNobody]

in fairness after the saints beat freo in perth at about game 7 or 8 in that streak people really did think they were premiers elect

sydney ****ed them up hard with that muddy game number 11 and it just raised too many questions

We were 7-0 (albeit thanks to a terrible umpring decision, shoulda been 6-0-1) and two games and percentage clear of the next highest team. We then beat the previous year's grand finalist (who were 16th) and followed up with two hundred point floggings. Amazingly, we weren't premiership favourites officially until after the West Coast match. The Sydney match was bad but I think it was the loss to the dogs in round 12 which hurt more. Losing to Port, melbourne, geelong and Brisbane was forgiveable as was Sydney of course, but the dogs finished bottom four or thereabouts.

 

[The Punter]

in fairness after the saints beat freo in perth at about game 7 or 8 in that streak people really did think they were premiers elect

sydney ****ed them up hard with that muddy game number 11 and it just raised too many questions

And it was a beautiful, sunny early June Sydney day.

 

[bubblegoose]

And it was a beautiful, sunny early June Sydney day.

RL was at Sydney then wasn't he?

 

[NeXus_Helen]

We are now another step closer to replicating the winning streak of 2004!
Only 1 more pre-season win to go and then 10 straight wins from round 1 to 10.

Shouldn't be a problem I would have thought.

 

[Kildonan]

I'm sure all Saints fans will take a winning streak of any significant size. The simple fact of the matter is that streaks are unimportant in the scheme of things except in the process of winning and expecting to win. It is a means to the real goal.

The real goal is premierships.

A winning streak of those is what I want.