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That was a shocker... Wtf was Wardlaw waiting for at the end. No sense of game situation.

Well I said 3 goals ended up being 2 but honestly apart from that patch in the third quarter were we ever in it? I only started watching from half time.

Bombers just looked to have more run and fire-power. And our philosophy of bombing it long was just not working... Where are our runners to offer some movement off the half back line. Just frustrating.
 
Absolute massive day for a few former Saints... ffs...

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Someone has a lot of explaining to do.
Even worse than the ones that left - Rowbottom was never at the Saints, but her choosing Queensland was the biggest hit the club has taken in regards to recruitment. I've seen it suggested it was all the St Kilda's fault and I've seen it suggested that the AFL wanted her up on the Gold Coast and made it happen. I have no idea. I'm just a pleb with no inside sources. All I know is that it's painful watching her absolutely dominate up there. 16 clearances. Jeez. Must be nice.

I wonder if it says something that Drennan and Whitfort were both recruits themselves that ended up choosing to leave pretty quickly. I hope not.

I'm increasingly bitter about the preferential treatment the last four clubs got when they came in. You couldn't make me watch that doco they made about it. If the new clubs get even further concessions, as was suggested (Sarah Black even mentioned the McDonald and Shannon signings as if that was at all the same thing), well... I'll probably do nothing but become even more bitter.

It has been a rough weekend of footy.
 
Even worse than the ones that left - Rowbottom was never at the Saints, but her choosing Queensland was the biggest hit the club has taken in regards to recruitment. I've seen it suggested it was all the St Kilda's fault and I've seen it suggested that the AFL wanted her up on the Gold Coast and made it happen. I have no idea. I'm just a pleb with no inside sources. All I know is that it's painful watching her absolutely dominate up there. 16 clearances. Jeez. Must be nice.

I wonder if it says something that Drennan and Whitfort were both recruits themselves that ended up choosing to leave pretty quickly. I hope not.

I'm increasingly bitter about the preferential treatment the last four clubs got when they came in. You couldn't make me watch that doco they made about it. If the new clubs get even further concessions, as was suggested (Sarah Black even mentioned the McDonald and Shannon signings as if that was at all the same thing), well... I'll probably do nothing but become even more bitter.

It has been a rough weekend of footy.

Yep. The AFL has a long proven history of getting stars to the northern states one way or another. Whatever it takes. It's contrived.
 

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While it's only one passage of play - it picked up nicely the fact that Alexander was able to run all the way up from mid into the forward line with no one tracking her. Unfortunately this seemed to happen a few times...

Hopefully Dal and co are able to make the players a bit more accountable...
 
I also think the Saints have run a poor program overall. Searle was an experienced coach and while she may have had her reasons to leave, I really don't think Dal has shown much by way of coaching chops so far in 2.2 seasons. You might say he hasn't got the cattle but at the same time we have let some quality players go, and also not looked well enough in our own backyard (Southern Saints).

Some good points. What I'd like answered is, why have players left St Kilda and then become guns, some even transforming physically into better shape? Like Grieser, not so much a gun yet but within one off-season of leaving the Saints she has visibly trimmed down and looks fit as. What the hell has she been doing all these years with us??? Are we too laid back? Not serious enough? Why are things "clicking" with them once they leave?? Whitfort another one, going absolutely nuts at the Suns, I was spewing when we lost her. Tamara Luke, Drennan, Vogt etc... in career form. WTF? We need some damn answers, why do we lose these players and then they go to another level elsewhere? I can't say I blame Dal here, a lot of this was before his time.
 
What I'd like answered is, why have players left St Kilda and then become guns, some even transforming physically into better shape?
The first one may perhaps be they're better because they're surrounded by better players. Rowbottom is an upgrade on any player we have in our midfield.

The second is tougher it could just be motivation to prove themselves in a new environment or just some other incentives or maybe they were just told it straight up...

Doesn't make it any less frustrating to see. When Vogt kicked that goal against us last weekend... I was like argh there's another.
 
Damn that's a big loss for us, Spew was really good last year I thought and while she hadn't been as strong this year she was definitely in the starting mids.

Best of luck with rehab to her...
 
I haven't seen it posted elsewhere, so apologies if I've missed something:


...midfielder Charlotte Simpson is set for St Kilda where her father Sean played seven games between 1988-90.
Slightly overage player who was eligible last year but both Geelong and St Kilda declined to FD her and she went undrafted. Went back to play VFLW for Geelong and won a share of the VFLW B+F as a 19-year old.

Apparently, they've changed FD bidding process, but I would be surprised if the Saints had to use an early pick on Simpson. Only need to delist down to 28 this year, so it could be a short draft for the Saints.
 
That's a bit of turnover, but no real surprises there. Rosie and Jayde the most experienced for us, but they both couldn't really get into the team this year with the new faces, and same with Erin and DJ.

Saulitis has actually played more than I thought she had before she did her knee.

Best of luck to them.
 

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Always tough calls. Jayde was out with a knee. Renee returning from a knee. Erin struggled with concussion. Rosie and De on the edge of matches.

Any thoughts on the next draft? Have we been screwed already? Or not yet? Depth?
 
Big cut! No real mention of us as yet being interested in anyone, trade opens up tomorrow.

Re: draft, looks a little compromised to me at the top - our first pick comes in at #16

 
St Kilda is also hoping to improve its list as it aims for a maiden AFLW finals appearance, with the club targeting moves for Carlton defender Paige Trudgeon and Giants ruck Rene Caris over the next week.

 
Any thoughts on the next draft? Have we been screwed already? Or not yet? Depth?
It's a weaker draft than last year or next year and it has been compromised, but there should still be good players available at pick 10. I'm really pleased with getting Simpson as well, assuming nobody puts in an early bid for her (I'd expect either a late bid or no bid for her).

Unless there are more delistings/retirements, there should only be the two picks - assuming Caris and Trudgeon do make it to the Saints.
 
It's a weaker draft than last year or next year and it has been compromised, but there should still be good players available at pick 10. I'm really pleased with getting Simpson as well, assuming nobody puts in an early bid for her (I'd expect either a late bid or no bid for her).

Unless there are more delistings/retirements, there should only be the two picks - assuming Caris and Trudgeon do make it to the Saints.

i wouldn't go so far to say that Vacuous Space, compromised, yes but much better in the sense that 3/4 of the girls nominated national.
much better that the draft where you got Friend and Richards.

the girls around pick 6-13 are going to be very good, much better than previous years.
very good KPF, KPD and midfielders galore
very even 1st round now, because the quality is getting better.

Laura Stone is the only Vic girl that we're missing out on, the SA girls would've nominated SA, so not really a loss to any Vic club.
 
i wouldn't go so far to say that Vacuous Space, compromised, yes but much better in the sense that 3/4 of the girls nominated national.
I think we're agreeing here. I was saying it's a draft sandwiched between two of the best drafts we've seen. I don't think it's badly compromised, at least if you're picking at 10. As it stands, St Kilda will be largely unaffected by shenanigans. Like you said, Stone is the only slam dunk top-10 pick that's been taken out of the Victorian pool. Gaylor and Vukic would have been close, but there are comparable players available.

much better that the draft where you got Friend and Richards.
I don't know about that. A lot of teams with early picks seem very keen to not have early picks. The first round in 2021 had Rowbottom, Prespakis, Thomas, Sherar and Prowse. Morphett went later. I'm not sure I'm taking anyone in this draft over any of those - at least from the Vic pool. I think Williamson's the best chance to come in and have an immediate impact. After that, maybe Adams or Pisano, depending on where they land.

Friend hasn't set the world on fire so far, but she's still a teenager for a few more weeks and has 25 games under her belt. Richards looks great. Most people around here are hoping she moves into a bigger role next year.
 
I'm expecting big things from the ladies this coming season, I reckon we're on the cusp with a few people coming into their own and I love the style of Jesse Wardlaw, Hannah Priest and Nat Exon, and Georgia Patrikios is ready to rise to the top again.

It's a great group, I hope they march on and announce themselves to the competition.
 
Signed until 2027:

1 Molly McDonald
6 Tyanna Smith
9 Jaimee Lambert
12 Serene Watson
21 Georgia Patrikios
23 Olivia Vesely
27 Nicola Xenos

Signed until 2026:

2 Nicola Stevens
3 Alice Burke
8 Bianca Jakobsson
14 Hannah Priest (c)
16 Ella Friend
30 Jesse Wardlaw

2025:

7 J'Noemi Anderson
18 Hannah Stuart
22 Ashleigh Richards

2024:

5 Darcy Guttridge
11 Grace Kelly
15 Nat Exon
17 Steph Chiocci
20 Rebecca Ott
24 Beth Pinchin
28 Caitlin Matthews
29 Maddie Boyd
32 Natalie Plane
34 Simone Nalder
 
Not sure what other AFLW clubs are doing, but securing that 2026/2027 group is huge

Wardlaw aside, the groupings and associated contract length is pretty consistent with how you would rank them in terms if importance to the side. Must be a happy joint!

I'd expect Ash Richards to push into that upper groups after another season of games, Exon possibly a bit stiff but possibly other factors at play there
 
I'd want Richards and Anderson for longer, but my guess is they receive extensions on top of that next season.
But all in all pretty damn exciting. Good to see they can rely on a path with us, and not the one years contracts previously.
 
I'd want Richards and Anderson for longer, but my guess is they receive extensions on top of that next season.
But all in all pretty damn exciting. Good to see they can rely on a path with us, and not the one years contracts previously.
Good to see that not one person wanted a transfer from St Kilda this year amongst a massive movement of players in the AFLW.
 

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