Autopsy Season 2017 - "St Kilda v Melbourne Rd 21 2017"

[puppy_dog7]

The main thing I noticed at the ground is that we don't have a look/lower the eyes coming out of the back half.
Multiple times today we could've pulled the trigger into the corridor when we were streaming out of defensive 50, but we just kicked long and wide.
Newnesy and Robbo were the worst at it. Sav did it a couple of times as well.

One example was crucial in the last quarter, when Robbo, got the release handball from defensive 50m on the southern side. Sinclair was 20m on his own in the middle (which would've been a 30m pass) and Robbo went long to Membrey 1 on 1 on the forward flank with no space on his opponent.

When were down 2 goals midway through the last, we need to attack and take risks. Going wide consistently kills us. And what's worse is we don't learn.

 

[StCicatriz]

We have but finals was the aim & we failed miserably.

There needs to be burning in the gut rather than I'm content with our year attitude.

This is the key right here. Do we want to be a club that competes and plays finals. Upsets some teams and possibly plays a prelim or two. Just like North did in recent times and the dogs before them.

Or do we want a higher standard. Do we actually want to win the ******* thing?

 

[JG22]

I'm now convinced we'll never play finals as long as Brucey is our Key Forward.
Doesn't lead at the ball, drops simple marks, fumbles, misses targets and can't ******* kick straight.

Drop him for the last 2 games and play Marshall/Paddy

McCartins our long term centre half forward and will be a top player when he's body gives him the chance.
Bruce and Membrey are more than fine foils.

 

[Saint Shags]

Senior blokes and Leadership team need to take responsibility. That first quarter didnt need to be that bad on the score board at all.
Needed to slow things down, unfortunately that never took place. Ross may have had 16 touches in the first half but gee wizz he was more damaging for the Dees than for us. Bruce made some absolute howlers and it didn't improve. Where was Steven? Could have sworn I saw him only a handful of times. In that opening quarter.
Once our leaders folded, our young blokes struggled. Was like watching a virus spread through the players.

Half way through the 2nd and after a couple of moves. Things started to get on top. But with only 3 fit on the bench we were always going to run out of gas.
Couple of changes for next week. Koby probably out for the year with burst ear drum.

 

[King_Steele]

This is the key right here. Do we want to be a club that competes and plays finals. Upsets some teams and possibly plays a prelim or two. Just like North did in recent times and the dogs before them.

Or do we want a higher standard. Do we actually want to win the ******* thing?

Look at the state that Stuv is in.

Gilbert was the only who cared today.

Not a good look.

 

[Tempy Tiger]

Reckon you guys desperately need McCartin to become your key forward to free up Bruce a bit. Plus a bit of silk and speed in the guts. Hopefully you will land Martin or Kelly, would go a long way towards you giving the flag a tilt. First quarter today was terrible. Very, very flighty. You were beating yourself.

 

[Joffaboy]

This is the key right here. Do we want to be a club that competes and plays finals. Upsets some teams and possibly plays a prelim or two. Just like North did in recent times and the dogs before them.

Or do we want a higher standard. Do we actually want to win the ******* thing?

No. None of us want the club to win a flag.

Only the real supporters who have all the answers want that.

 

[gringo2011]

Couldn't hit a handball to a teammate if both were 20 meters clear in the first half.

Josh Bruce has the assets of Joe Daniher but plays like Fergus Watts.

Well all the assets except height, oh and marking skills, er and mobility, and um perhaps the ability to convert...and maybe just generally no where near as good. He showed heaps in his break out year but the last 2 season he looks more like Jesse White or that spud Dawes.

 

[Sainttony]

If you are an elite player you have elite finishing skills.

Jack Billings could have won that game for us today. Missed 4 very gettable shots.

The version of Billings we see this year is well short of elite due almost entirely to finishing skills. Needs a big summer.

 

[Yawkey way]

It's never as bad we say on here nor never as good as the club portrays.

Honestly speaking if people can't see as a list we have improved then their biased or just looking for arguments.

But I'd argue the improvement had to happen, we added two monsters in our defence, and added more grunt to our midfield with Koby and Jack.

As our kids physically mature they will improve as players as well so yes we have improved but was it at the rate required to be competitive in all our games?

Also yes I'm really pleased that this season there was no reliance on Roo, Joey and Armo (and Dempster mind you). Our most experience player next year should be Gilbo and Armo if he ever makes it back, so this season has been carried by the youth who most of them will make it which makes me really pleased. Even Steven who should have been our best player this season was fairly averages and only showed up in bursts.
We need to add more talent to our best 22. I don't care if that's Kelly or draftees but we need talent that can improve us now not in 2/3/4 years.'

Some great melts today we had lot on the line and were so poor early it's understandable.

It might not seem it but we have improved, can we take it to the next level without an injection of pace and talent, probably not much further if at all.

How close are we to a genuine top four team probably about five players, two of which must be A graders.

Do we have any of those currently on our list, one maybe two but apart from a bloke who hasn't played a game we have so little real pace and it's killing us week in week out.

If we blow our picks and money on anything other than top shelf then get ready for another long period of mediocrity.

 

[NarklesHelmet]

We have but finals was the aim & we failed miserably.

There needs to be burning in the gut rather than I'm content with our year attitude.

It's funny but last week I was watching DVDs reviewing our seasons in 2007-08 and they had press conferences of ross lyon after each game and what really strikes you was that, with all his faults, you just knew the bloke was a hard arse that simply wouldn't accept mediocrity and that the players would respect. He definitely had that hard edge and I really believe that a team needs that to do something special.

Days like today should be very clearly spelled out by all in the coaching staff as extremely unacceptable. No more excuses for this group from this day forward. Because if everyone at the club doesn't develop a very hard edge over the pre-season we will sink into mediocrity for years to come. Everything's on the line.

 

[gringo2011]

The fact that this game means the season is also lost, it allows us time for self-reflection.

Set shot goal kicking is disgraceful. It really shouldn't be this bad. The smalls are the biggest problem. Take Gresham. He plays as a forward, but shits itself in front of goal, to the extent that every time he takes a mark you can book it in for being a behind. Lonie and Billings are equally as poor.

Our midfield field kicking ability is far too poor, and this game emphasises our need for Kelly. At least he can hit a target.

There also seems to be an issue with long term leader. When we are bad, we are REALLY bad. It took the quarter time break to finish the Demons momentum. I said it in the game thread, but while Geary may be a great bloke, he is very often a liability on the field. I would be in favour of giving his position to Rice, but the fact that Geary is the captain makes it a whole lot more difficult.

We should try Rice and any other kids we have sitting in reserve. He might not be any good still and Geary is usually good in his role.

 

[my name was taken]

Get paddy right for next season, he had a clip posted by saints earlier this week saying he has been working on his fitness with Gilbert. Major problem area and I hope he works on it in the off season.

Get Goddard right, get him into AFL by mid next season for brown. Brown does ok stopping but has nothing else to give but is essential atm as we lack depth there.

Get freeman right, had a great patch before his ankle injury. He must be itching to debut. IF that trade pays off we could be well on our way.

Get Steven right. Something has to be wrong.

+ free agent.

these major areas for improvement are available, and that's not counting the younger core being more consistent. I have some hope for next season if we get those things right.

 

[Sainters08]

This mob has sucked the life out of me

 

[puppy_dog7]

McCartins our long term centre half forward and will be a top player when he's body gives him the chance.
Bruce and Membrey are more than fine foils.

Yeah you're right. But Brucey can't be expect to be our number 1 option.
Love Brucey, but I hope Marshall overtakes him next year. At the very least it'll force Bruce to improve to keep his spot in the team.

 

[Patty_vanda]

The only problem I've got in the coaches box is that we don't defend as a "unit"
The opposition score far to heavily even in our wins hense our poor percentage.

This has been a trend in the last 3 seasons.
Our attack has improved but our defending as a collective has not.

We also get sliced through the middle of the ground week in week out.

Can't defend the corridor.

This has a lot to do with coaching.

 

[Premium]

We have but finals was the aim & we failed miserably.

There needs to be burning in the gut rather than I'm content with our year attitude.

Agree , but the team is advancing and all going well with improvement next year it will be finals - but we still need a few players to top up the list, Lets see what happens at trade time

 

[TheBalls]

Can we still make finals if all results go our way?

Only if we win both games and 3 of the following happens:

Essendon lose one game (Gold Coast and Freo)

Melbourne lose both their games (lions and pies)

West coast lose both their games (giants and crows)

Bulldogs lose both their games (power and Hawks)

Mathematically yes, realistically no.

 

[Timeoftheseason]

If you are an elite player you have elite finishing skills.

Jack Billings could have won that game for us today. Missed 4 very gettable shots.

The version of Billings we see this year is well short of elite due almost entirely to finishing skills. Needs a big summer.

He did have his chances but a bit harsh given he probably couldn't see a thing from his left eye...(and I thought Mav was cyclops)..Billings can't win it every week,we just sucked today.Hopefully we can 'get it done' next year.

 

[Glen Buterol]

This mob has sucked the life out of me

Lol same. It's the hope & then the letdown that's the killer. I'm content now that the season is finally over.

I'm not sure I've witnessed a more frustrating year. When you're s**t at least you know what to expect.

2017 = most annoyingly frustrating year in history.

 

[Confuscius]

Honestly as disappointing as it is it's kinda good thing we got exposed early today.

This side over the past 20 weeks or show has shown that it's capable of finals maybe twice. Making the 8 would only serve to cover cracks.

Or maybe I'm just blind drunk which honestly I suspect is the mor3 likely answer

 

[Saint Shags]

If you are an elite player you have elite finishing skills.

Jack Billings could have won that game for us today. Missed 4 very gettable shots.

The version of Billings we see this year is well short of elite due almost entirely to finishing skills. Needs a big summer.

Bloke worked his arse off and still tried even with his eyesight compromised. They werent gettable not when he could barely see out of that eye.

 

[King_Steele]

Can't defend the corridor is a common recurrence.

How do we stop the likes of Sydney etc doing that? Frustrating to watch.

 

[gringo2011]

It's funny but last week I was watching DVDs reviewing our seasons in 2007-08 and they had press conference of ross lyon after each game and what really strikes you was that, with all his faults, you just knew the bloke was a hard arse that simply wouldn't accept mediocrity and that the players would respect. He definitely had that hard edge and I really believe that a team needs that to do something special.

Days like today should be very clearly spelled out by all in the coaching staff as extremely unacceptable. No more excuses for this group from this day forward. Because if everyone at the club doesn't develop a very hard edge over the pre-season we will sink into mediocrity for years to come. Everything's on the line.

I seriously think we should target Sydney's recruiter or the Dogs. Champion data showed they hardly ever * up a pick. We were on the very poor side which not all was Trout's fault because over the last 7 years we hardly kept anyone we traded in. We have 13 players that were here before Richo and at least 3 will go and at least 3 would be lucky to still be on our list and are contracted. Of those left Armo, Steven, Newnes, Geary, Webster, Ross only Steven is A grade and Armo was for one year. Ross getting close. We have one of the worst recruiting records in the AFL since Thommo left.

 

[burningdwarf]

No Dempster and Armo all year, Riewoldt and Montagna gone.

Transition year. If we'd had all of those guys fit for the year we probably play finals.