Autopsy Round 16, 2025 AFL Season: Dockers drench Saints

[karnaby]

A couple of thoughts from watching it live:
Hall seemed to have a few "what if" moments in the first half of the match. Granted he played well but I thought that he showed that he could be really influential if things went his way.
Tauru, thoughts from the 1st half again - I wondered if he might have been instructed to spoil, rather than go for the mark? I think that it might have been well into the 2nd quarter before he actually flew to try to mark the ball. Seriously looking forward to him getting some games under his belt and developing, hopefully, into 'Ru' Mk II

 

[MUFKilda]

Sigh. Couldn’t sleep, awake most of the night. Finally dozed off. Jumped awake, match had finished. It’s so very Saints.

 

[thekizzler]

I was slow to join the Tauru train, but wow that kid is a human rocket I've never seen anything like it.

Yesterday it was that he was overrated because of his blonde hair.

Today this.

The life of SteeleSaints

 

[Leigh58]

All you negative nellies can get stuffed. Good times ahead. The list transition is in motion and we are staying competitive. And to top it off, another top 10 draft pick at the end of year.

I can apparently get stuffed then.
How many times in 59 years have I heard that here are good times ahead?
Yes I agree there appears to be some real promise this time, Taura etc.

However, am I just a negative nellie if I state a real obvious fact?

We have won ONE game in our last seven. Like a bottom side.

We were beaten by the West Coast Eagles, who have sometimes resembled Fitzroy in their dying days.

Our performances have been largely unacceptable despite the spin.

Although I don't agree with some of the sentiments shared by Bill, he has some valid points.

The only thing that seems to surpass our relative mediocrity is the current state of umpiring.

The umpiring in 2025 is just about the worst and most puzzling I can remember since the 1960"s.

Forgive me if I express paranoid ideation, but yes the AFL and their umpires seem to have a vendetta against the Saints.

It is indeed difficult to attend matches and to keep the faith when the umpiring is so dreadful and biased.

 

[thekizzler]

Are u sure this is not one of Kizzlers burner accounts? Both from W.A. and massive bogans with no rational points to make, and an unusual obsession with me.

Hi saintbill I'm not from WA haha. You can't even get that right Nice to know I'm in your thoughts xoxo

 

[thekizzler]

Moving on from the Big Footy spuds, aside from Tauru and Hall, my favourite part of the game was Garcia's cleanness from stoppage.

His previous AFL games had a few too many fumbles at ground level. If he is going to be a truly elite player, then fumbles have to be a rarity. I didn't see any today. He was one grab at stoppage.

Then in the last quarter, we saw him burn away from a stoppage, take two bounces and hit a teammate on the tit.

This is a bloke who can also get 10 clearances and up near double figure tackles in some matches.

He has literally everything, it's whether he can put it all together and today's match was a pretty good step forward.

 

[austinnn]

They should have sent the Viking forward half way through the last. Would have given us a chance at taking a mark or at the very least brought the ball to ground

Thinking the same thing. LOL ar the idea of subbing him off. I'd like to see the player who takes this week's RS nom off him

 

[Hayes4PM]

What sort of player do we see Travalgia ending up like?

I can't quite pin it

Best case? Will Day.

Worst case? Nick Hind.

 

[mad-saint-guy]

Spirited effort, we were the better team for most of the day but we just couldn't convert enough of our chances. 4 posters and comically biased home ground umpiring doesn't help.

Awesome game from Tauru. He faded in the second half but still probably the best game Garcia has played. Hammer very good in defence. Keeler didn't get involved much but his two goals were all class. Hall close to BOG. Good to see Henry back and looking closer to his old self compared to earlier in the season.

Certainly didn't miss having Byrnes and Hill out there - I'd probably roll the same 22 next week. Maybe Clark out for Boxshall

 

[Jesuswasacarpenter]

Is it Ross’s fault Higgins can’t kick straight? Or that our players turn the ball over constantly?

The game plan is what kept us so close to Fremantle and collingwood. It’s the players letting us down

Yep you can tell by seeing his reactions in the box.

 

[St Muir]

Surprised no one has said it yet, Tauru is the spitting image of Trevor Barker as he's leaping and smashing packs. The way he just is splayed out and the blonde locks just scream it to me.

Amazing game from him. Smashed every contest, dropped probably 4 marks that will be his after another pre-season and just made every opposition player earn it.

Disappointing game though, just didn't have the class in that final term to drive it home but the kid's all were good.

A few of us have made that comparison. He’s a dead ringer for Barker, more so than roo in my opinion.

 

[Saintos The ITK]

Spirited effort, we were the better team for most of the day but we just couldn't convert enough of our chances. 4 posters and comically biased home ground umpiring doesn't help.

Awesome game from Tauru. He faded in the second half but still probably the best game Garcia has played. Hammer very good in defence. Keeler didn't get involved much but his two goals were all class. Hall close to BOG. Good to see Henry back and looking closer to his old self compared to earlier in the season.

Certainly didn't miss having Byrnes and Hill out there - I'd probably roll the same 22 next week. Maybe Clark out for Boxshall

I thought Clark was quite influential.

 

[mad-saint-guy]

I thought Clark was quite influential.

He wasn't terrible, but I'm starting to think we need to aim for a better return from our 4th mid than what Clark can produce. We know he's crafty but his tank must not allow him to play much more than half the game each week. 16 disposals from 55% TOG is fine in terms of disposals per minute but I don't think many teams are carrying a mid who plays such limited TOG. Are we better off just giving that experience to Boxshall?

I feel we're at a point where senior players really need to be playing at a high level to justify taking a senior spot away from a kid who would benefit from the experience. I have a much higher tolerance for a few errors or quiet games from the likes of Tauru, Travaglia, Wilson, Garcia, Caminiti, Keeler, Boxshall etc vs Byrnes, Hill, Clark, Jones and other experienced role players.

 

[bergholt]

He wasn't terrible, but I'm starting to think we need to aim for a better return from our 4th mid than what Clark can produce. We know he's crafty but his tank must not allow him to play much more than half the game each week. 16 disposals from 55% TOG is fine in terms of disposals per minute but I don't think many teams are carrying a mid who plays such limited TOG. Are we better off just giving that experience to Boxshall?

Yeah I was thinking the same, I actually really rate Clark and what he brings and I think he was a big part of our clearance dominance in the first half, but it's pretty hard for him to have much impact sitting on the pine.

 

[Saintbloke]

I thought Clark was quite influential.

Did very well in the first quarter, but gradually faded after that- skillful player, but obviously doesn't have the big tank that midfielders need. Garcia ran hard all day and got involved across the four quarters by comparison. Some of our guys don't seem to have that four quarter tank and I just wonder sometimes about our fitness/ conditioning systems.

 

[Saintbloke]

Usual Rossy presser brilliance.

And seriously, what a shocking decision it was, when we were off and running away from the injured player.

Also his reaction when asked why Serong and Brayshaw had so few disposals, with the journos inferring it was because they must have been tagged.

Think both his coaching and presser were excellent tonight.

Yeah it was a good loss

 

[tomjoad]

Last two games have shown a bit despite the losses.
Just keep doing what we're doing.
Get games into those kids, and rotate the old guard in, if required.
Hopefully we draft and trade cleverly.
It's about cohesion and skills with this lot. The elements are there, just need refining and experience.

 

[Sully111]

Last two games have shown a bit despite the losses.
Just keep doing what we're doing.
Get games into those kids, and rotate the old guard in, if required.
Hopefully we draft and trade cleverly.
It's about cohesion and skills with this lot. The elements are there, just need refining and experience.

Hope there is a huge focus on skills next preseason.

 

[pebblesofsand]

Excellent performance by a young team lacking a key tall defender and a key tall fwd.

Ross's structures and game plan were right for the situation but its frustrating as hell to see us fail again because the way we play (low i50's count) requires us to take every scoring chance we get to score enough to withstand the inevitable short burst of dominance from the opposition.

That said Hall was fantastic, Tauru looks the goods, Garcia was great but will be even better if he spends the whole off season just learning how to kick with his right foot.

Would have romped it in with someone like Riley Thilthorpe at FF yesterday.

How about a Max King

Multiple players found. Use birthday to differentiate. eg [PLAYERCARD="23/11/1962"]Joe Smith[/PLAYERCARD]

insurance policy in the form of a one year contract for Tom Lynch?

 

[Saintos The ITK]

Hope there is a huge focus on skills next preseason.

And adding a bit of muscle.

 

[dudeintheswamp]

Excellent performance by a young team lacking a key tall defender and a key tall fwd.

Ross's structures and game plan were right for the situation but its frustrating as hell to see us fail again because the way we play (low i50's count) requires us to take every scoring chance we get to score enough to withstand the inevitable short burst of dominance from the opposition.

That said Hall was fantastic, Tauru looks the goods, Garcia was great but will be even better if he spends the whole off season just learning how to kick with his right foot.

Would have romped it in with someone like Riley Thilthorpe at FF yesterday.

How about a Max King insurance policy in the form of a one year contract for Tom Lynch?

I was reading something earlier this week where Jack Riewoldt was saying the Suns should sign Lynch for two years as he thinks Ben King won't cut it as a key forward in big finals games. Says he sees King more as a tall forward flanker.

Edit, here...

‘Put a call in’: Great’s push for bold Suns trade play amid brutal call on star

‘Put a call in’: Great’s push for bold Suns trade play amid brutal call on star

www.foxsports.com.au

Of course this was before the right hook

 

[pebblesofsand]

I was reading something earlier this week where Jack Riewoldt was saying the Suns should sign Lynch for two years as he thinks Ben King won't cut it as a key forward in big finals games. Says he sees King more as a tall forward flanker.

Edit, here...

‘Put a call in’: Great’s push for bold Suns trade play amid brutal call on star

‘Put a call in’: Great’s push for bold Suns trade play amid brutal call on star

www.foxsports.com.au

Of course this was before the right hook

I see the Lynch brain fade as a positive for an insurance plan - almost guarantees he will not be at Richmond next year and any contract offer will now be a couple of hundred K cheaper.

 

[The Punter]

Great effort by the young lads. Can't think of any who played a poor game.

But you know what is good for young kids development? Winning that game. On the road, doing the heavy lifting, getting the reward for the effort and the performance. It's just better for all of them who played if we had won that game.

In fact the difference in the game was Treacy. They had a get out target who was involved for very little of the game but essentially kicked the margin of victory off his own boot. None of our talls played poorly, but they weren't able to have that influence.

 

[bergholt]

Did very well in the first quarter, but gradually faded after that- skillful player, but obviously doesn't have the big tank that midfielders need. Garcia ran hard all day and got involved across the four quarters by comparison. Some of our guys don't seem to have that four quarter tank and I just wonder sometimes about our fitness/ conditioning systems.

Clark has had disrupted pre-seasons 3 of the last 4 years, that can't help.

 

[kyrgios]

Ross’s press conference such entertainment. Went through all the dry stuff. Stats, missed chances. But his kind of absent minded drive by of the situation where Treacy got hurt was magnificent. Deliberate misunderstanding of a question to bring it up quizzically. And his aside as he left. I’m still laughing.

But he was right. How that play got pulled up when we’re out and off to the races you would have to ask. For a rib injury. The ball and players well away from the injured player. Treacy then stays on the ground. Waves the trainers and doctors away. Then a ball up.

And Windy gets driven into the ground with his head twice within a minute and no free kick. The broadcaster thought enough of it at half time to ponder whether the tackler might be in trouble with the MRO. Not really a suspension offence, but you never know. But of course at the time….no free kick for you St Kilda!

More about the game later.

If play stops because a player is down that player has to go off the ground. That should be the rule. Maybe he was faking it, and it cost us a goal.