Autopsy Got away with a win!

[gringo2011]

Without necessarily disagreeing with you, the sub-arguments Splitter is using seem logical to me, namely that McGovern played in a much better team and played directly on the best opposition key forward a lot less than Wilkie.

And McGovern's last AA appearance was fanciful: West Coast had the 16th best defence in the league in 2024. He benefitted (as Pavlich did in 2002 when named AA FB 6 weeks after being monstered for nine goals by Richo) from having a devoted West Australian voice in the AA selection room.

Finally, I think Splitter is just trying to convince everyone that Callum Wilkie remains underrated, and on that I agree with Splitter.

Not many better than Wilkie as a pure stopper to me. Not many completely stop their player but also attack. McGovern was a brilliant tall interceptor but not as good one on one. Wilkie perhaps better off compared to someone like Alex Rance who was a stopper and interceptor but also attacking.

 

[BrutThough]

Luck was on our side this time

 

[gringo2011]

I think on occasion stats can back up reputation at the expense of the eye test.

I realise im biased but ill be absolutely ****ed if Wilks wasnt at least squad worthy last year.

In any event i dont think its an outrageous comparison.

West coast were also held up by many as an example of an average side that could win a flag against the tide. We use them as an example of a side we could emulate to win a flag with a fairly thin on elite talent set up. Not many superstars would have been pinching votes off him.

 

[Joffaboy]

Luck was on our side this time

We would have kicked two more goals in that 30 seconds.

 

[gringo2011]

Flanders seems to get to a lot of loose balls first. And always seems to pick it up cleanly. Hopefully some more familiarity with the system/players will improve the distribution.

He's a bit more of a spreader than a coalface accumulator but needs to clean up his kicking if he plays outside.

 

[stavro#4]

Luck was on our side this time

Not really.

Missing from the second quarter which we were on top and had just kicked one.

 

[thekizzler]

I thought Carroll got better with every minute played. Having said that not sold on him at all plus his kicking is so up and under.

I think they like his size over say hastie.

Hastie is taller than Carroll and I haven't seen Hastie in 2026 but Carroll's current build isn't much different to 2025 Hastie.

 

[Sol Goodman]

Lyon has rebuilt to be fair. Something he'd never done to the point that he saw a return on. I know last year we were the 14th oldest list and on top of that only had 13 players who'd played over 100 games. 22 below 50. It took Brisbane 8 years to get to flag under Fagan and he'd taken over a semi built side.

It's still very rare for a side with bulk youth to win a flag and even famous examples often don't credit the fact that a bulk of the list had 100 games plus with a smattering of high end kids.

You see how guys like Owens, Windhager, Nas, Sharman are getting consistency of performance as they head towards 100 games. Phillipou, Wilson, Garcia, Carroll, Hall, Tauru, Boxshall haven't got to 50 games yet. Some have only just cracked double figures recently.

I remember someone suggesting that to be primed for a flag you want the bulk of the side at something like 150 games and 25 years old for your best 22. That's not us. We are a bit of a patch job with older and younger. We are going to have to be the baby Bombers, Hawks, Dogs. It's not going to be even or pretty most likely.

This is thing I'm struggling with and I'm leaving the verdict out until we see more games this year and our form at Marvel which is finally coming so pretty excited for this one.
But what I'm seeing so far is that the improvement in the younger players is 100% there. I have no doubts in player development.
They've done a good job.
But my focus turns to game plan. I think the players are already there. Are they really developing a game plan that maximises the best possible results in game?
All lines look solid as, how come for extended periods in games so far we've looked like they've lost structure and game plan with ball movement and connection.
It's still early days, new players, the coaches got to get them to gel, put it all together. I have concerns but I'm hopeful. Marvel should suit us better. Let's hope we see them bring it all together and bury the Nepo bros in the grudge match.

 

[Diehard Saint]

This is thing I'm struggling with and I'm leaving the verdict out until we see more games this year and our form at Marvel which is finally coming so pretty excited for this one.
But what I'm seeing so far is that the improvement in the younger players is 100% there. I have no doubts in player development.
They've done a good job.
But my focus turns to game plan. I think the players are already there. Are they really developing a game plan that maximises the best possible results in game?
All lines look solid as, how come for extended periods in games so far we've looked like they've lost structure and game plan with ball movement and connection.
It's still early days, new players, the coaches got to get them to gel, put it all together. I have concerns but I'm hopeful. Marvel should suit us better. Let's hope we see them bring it all together and bury the Nepo bros in the grudge match.

I just hope we know how to play in pristine conditions under a roof now

Seriously, finally some common sense leaving the roof open when the weather is conducive from this season.

 

[Dr Spaceman]

 

[austinnn]

Round 0

St Kilda 279 kms vs Collingwood 273km

St Kilda 288 Sprints vs Collingwood 243

St Kilda 28 repeat sprints vs Collingwood 9

Round 1

St Kilda 297kms vs Melbourne 298kms

St Kilda 330 Sprints vs Melbourne 297

St Kilda 40 repeat sprints vs Melbourne 26

Round 2

St Kilda 253kms vs GWS 253kms

St Kilda 286 Sprints vs GWS 265

St Kilda 27 repeat sprints vs GWS 22

Those numbers to me don't scream like we're unfit compared to our opponents, maybe we're working too hard if anything with significantly more sprinting and repeat sprints

Absolutely. Our problem is definitely not fitness. It's composure.and skills.

 

[Teflon]

This is thing I'm struggling with and I'm leaving the verdict out until we see more games this year and our form at Marvel which is finally coming so pretty excited for this one.
But what I'm seeing so far is that the improvement in the younger players is 100% there. I have no doubts in player development.
They've done a good job.
But my focus turns to game plan. I think the players are already there. Are they really developing a game plan that maximises the best possible results in game?
All lines look solid as, how come for extended periods in games so far we've looked like they've lost structure and game plan with ball movement and connection.
It's still early days, new players, the coaches got to get them to gel, put it all together. I have concerns but I'm hopeful. Marvel should suit us better. Let's hope we see them bring it all together and bury the Nepo bros in the grudge match.

Two things can be true at the same time
The game plan can be fine
Younger player development can also be fine but younger players performance over 100 minutes and adherence to the game plan can also waiver leading to imperfect performance
Doesn’t mean the game plan is flawed it can mean the execution suffers
I look at that first half - IF that’s the game plan that’s more like how we want to play with good pressure, strong clearance/contest work and players lowering their eyes into fwd 50 and good defensive structure forcing turnovers and I’m ok with that game plan.
Doesn’t mean coaching and on field leaders don’t need to adapt when it’s not going our way …

 

[Saintscomemarchingin]

Hastie is taller than Carroll and I haven't seen Hastie in 2026 but Carroll's current build isn't much different to 2025 Hastie.

A bit more muscle on Carroll

 

[Verdun66]

You're absolutely correct, but I feel that any BF posts mentioning 97, 04 prelim, 09, 10, and possibly others should come with some sort of trigger warning.

I'm making my peace with 1971 so if you had used a Bob Keddie reference I would have been ok.

I go back to 1965, never mind the later ones. I listened on the radio and cried at the end. I was 8. Nearly 9!

I felt better later when I saw that Big Carl was sobbing at the end. Fortunately I have the experience of being there in 66 with my Dad.

But I have a lot of bitter grand final experience. Hard to get over for sure.

 

[Sol Goodman]

I just hope we know how to play in pristine conditions under a roof now

Seriously, finally some common sense leaving the roof open when the weather is conducive from this season.

We were watching on a projector screen and couldn't work out the conditions.
Does anyone know how bad the conditions were on Saturday? Was it wet?

 

[MordySaint]

Luck was on our side this time

How come Jon Ralph didn't say it was the second quarter?

Seemed pretty switched on in the rest of his statement.

 

[cowboy18]

We were watching on a projector screen and couldn't work out the conditions.
Does anyone know how bad the conditions were on Saturday? Was it wet?

It looked quite greasy and the surface seemed slippery, lots of handling challenges, including ball drops, and lots of players not holding their ground - it seemed that dummies/baulks were well rewarded when players tried them (i.e. player with ball stopped, player chasing didn't stop and lost their feet).

It wasn't as bad as the post Easter-show surface last year when large chunks of turf would come out. There were people banging in sods at 3/4 time though.

It was also unpleasantly warm and humid. Not Top End/FNQ levels but it would have been draining. Not bad condititions but a little tougher than under the roof. I think our pressure and their big bodied midfield made it look difficult too.

 

[sammm]

Luck was on our side this time

depends on when to add it back. there would have been a big deal of difference between the end of the 2nd quarter to the end of the 4th quarter.

 

[kosifantutti]

Just watching the last quarter and the 50 that was given to Flanders.

Dicko, I don’t think he could hear it.

Dunstall if you’re in protected zone when he takes the mark you have to stand.

Dicko, I didn’t think he was in the protected zone but that’s only me.

 

[Remboy]

depends on when to add it back. there would have been a big deal of difference between the end of the 2nd quarter to the end of the 4th quarter.

Probably costs us a goal, or maybe two if NAS did what he did in the Melbourne game, two goals in ten seconds.

 

[cowboy18]

I think the time-keeping people may have also been doing the crowd numbers.

 

[PlayerNumber9]

Just watching the last quarter and the 50 that was given to Flanders.

Dicko, I don’t think he could hear it.

Dunstall if you’re in protected zone when he takes the mark you have to stand.

Dicko, I didn’t think he was in the protected zone but that’s only me.


View attachment 2560086

I don't think I've ever heard Dixon say a positive thing about St Kilda. And no free to St Kilda is ever justified according to most commentators.

I do so love the impartiality - says he sarcastically.

 

[PlayerNumber9]

depends on when to add it back. there would have been a big deal of difference between the end of the 2nd quarter to the end of the 4th quarter.

The clock was all over the place. Three minutes were added to the clock in the third quarter only to disappear again later in the quarter. Without closer study I can't confirm that the exact same time with added and removed, but either way there has been no mention of it.

Maybe the AFL has just discovered time travel!

 

[SainterinSydney]

I think the time-keeping people may have also been doing the crowd numbers.

Well that is embarrassing lol

 

[AirWinmar]

This is thing I'm struggling with and I'm leaving the verdict out until we see more games this year and our form at Marvel which is finally coming so pretty excited for this one.
But what I'm seeing so far is that the improvement in the younger players is 100% there. I have no doubts in player development.
They've done a good job.
But my focus turns to game plan. I think the players are already there. Are they really developing a game plan that maximises the best possible results in game?
All lines look solid as, how come for extended periods in games so far we've looked like they've lost structure and game plan with ball movement and connection.
It's still early days, new players, the coaches got to get them to gel, put it all together. I have concerns but I'm hopeful. Marvel should suit us better. Let's hope we see them bring it all together and bury the Nepo bros in the grudge match.

Speaking of developing players, I think young Hugo Garcia is flying under the radar a bit. Averaging 19d 5 clearances and 5 tackles. 73% de as well. Pretty good for a 20 year old playing mid and half forward.