Preview 2nd Elimination Final, 2020: St.Kilda v Western Bulldogs - Gabba, Saturday 3rd October, 4:40PM AEST

[Ricmel]

Feel like we have had the wood on the Doggies over the last 5 years and Pies have had the wood on us. We have a huge ruck advantage over Doggies and I think that is where we could win the game. Grundy is an obstacle for us and Pies defence is much better than Dogs.

We are a better chance against Dogs I reckon.

 

[malevu]

Always think the pressers give decent hints to future selections. Ratts was asked about Carlisle by Tom Morris (at last). Ratts seemed to deflect the conversation onto others players which was interesting. He didn't give a definite answer one way or the other about Carlisle. Made me think Jake is still not in the good books and his place is in jeopardy.

Ratts gave a nod to the improvement in Sinclair which in coach speak means "he's in". Those putting his name up for omission from the side to make way for Jones have got it wrong.

Ratts also quickly dismissed any thoughts of Gresham playing in a manner that almost sounded like he's gone for the year..

 

[joydivision22]

IN Jones

OUT Kent

Looking as though we will play the doggies which I think is a great result. Jones comes in of course. WB have old mate Josh Bruce who looked solid tonight to contend with and for the sake of this post I'm assuming Naughty gets up so we should pick another KPD to play on him being the snake. If Naughton doesn't play then I would not pick Carlisle. Wallis hopefully has a dislocated shoulder but if he gets up, Paton is a great match-up there. Geary to reprise his role on JJ although thats a bit of a nothing matchup considering JJ's minimal influence this year. Worth doing though. Kent will proabably get a run but I just cant see how anyone else gets dropped aheaad of him except if Carlilse is squeezed out. Very unlucky... was pretty good in the first half. Ideally, we just play Kent ahead of Gears but naht happening honestly how long are we going to keep pretending as a club that he's in our best 22? Will it cost us a final or worse still a premiership?

Never thought I'd be saying this pre-season but if Ryder continues his form, we win. If we allow their mids first use around the contest, they'll get on top but I think we can nullify that with our ruck dominance. I'd also love to see Sinclair up around the ball more and Billings spend 75% in the forward half. He's been very vanilla in the middle and created the pivotal few moments in the forward line last week while sincs has been very dynamic as a link man and is a little more creative/decisive with his kicking (another thing i never thought i'd say).

Think we win and win well.. 30pts and on to a semi final versus Brisbane who will oust in straight sets for the second year running and I can forever stick it up my Brisbane supporter mate. My 17 leg multi is also likely to get up.

Wilkie Howard (Naughton) Paton (Wallis)
Coffield Carlisle (Bruce) Long
Hill Steele Sinclair
Butler Membrey Billings
Geary King Marshall
Ryder Jones Clark

Ross Lonie Hannebery Battle

Kent Savage Roberton Hind

 

[Diehard Saint]

Always think the pressers give decent hints to future selections. Ratts was asked about Carlisle by Tom Morris (at last). Ratts seemed to deflect the conversation onto others players which was interesting. He didn't give a definite answer one way or the other about Carlisle. Made me think Jake is still not in the good books and his place is in jeopardy.

Ratts gave a nod to the improvement in Sinclair which in coach speak means "he's in". Those putting his name up for omission from the side to make way for Jones have got it wrong.

Ratts also quickly dismissed any thoughts of Gresham playing in a manner that almost sounded like he's gone for the year..

I didn’t hear it that way at all. I thought he said it was Jake’s decision about whether he was going home for the birth of his child. Implying that if he didn’t go he’d play.

Just my take on it.

 

[malevu]

The Dogs have lost to Richmond, Geelong, Brisbane, Port, Collingwood and the Saints and of the finalists have only beaten the Eagles (without Naitanui) by 2 points. They've also lost about 4 games by about 50 points or so.

We are two from two against them under Ratts. They have a ruckman we can dominate and their best forward is now under an injury cloud. I don't get why people would prefer us to play Collingwood who are a 5 goal better side with DeGoey and Treloar back.

We aren't certainties to beat the Dogs who are really good on their day but they have their share of off days too.

 

[malevu]

I didn’t hear it that way at all. I thought he said it was Jake’s decision about whether he was going home for the birth of his child. Implying that if he didn’t go he’d play.

Just my take on it.

You must've listened to a different interview to me. In the one I listened to Morris asked a question about Jake's attitude and Ratts responded with a general comment bringing Sinclair and Battle into his answer. Didn't hear any comment about the birth of Jake's child. Maybe I missed it.

 

[Diehard Saint]

You must've listened to a different interview to me. In the one I listened to Morris asked a question about Jake's attitude and Ratts responded with a general comment bringing Sinclair and Battle into his answer. Didn't hear any comment about the birth of Jake's child. Maybe I missed it.

That’s odd. I think it was in the post game presser? Will have to listen again.

 

[LongParker]

Shouldn't matter who we play our best footy beats anyone. At the start of the season we played an open attacking style and blew some good sides away, but also got beaten comfortable a couple of times. I think Ratts then tried something different too see if we could play a tighter type of game. Which meant we stayed in every game but couldn't quite get over the top transitioning back to an attacking style. On Friday night we reverted back to the sort of footy we were playing at the start of the year. We are a scary side when we play like that, if we can't be tg the balance right we are very dangerous!!

 

[Munga]

The Dogs have lost to Richmond, Geelong, Brisbane, Port, Collingwood and the Saints and of the finalists have only beaten the Eagles (without Naitanui) by 2 points. They've also lost about 4 games by about 50 points or so.

We are two from two against them under Ratts. They have a ruckman we can dominate and their best forward is now under an injury cloud. I don't get why people would prefer us to play Collingwood who are a 5 goal better side with DeGoey and Treloar back.

We aren't certainties to beat the Dogs who are really good on their day but they have their share of off days too.

You've converted me

 

[Strahany]

Anyone know hows he's going recovery wise? All on track?

Realistically, Gresh will be missing the rest of the season. Should there be a “best case scenario” recovery time frame, a return for the prelim or GF (if we were to somehow make it) could be on the cards, but he would be really underdone.

 

[Harvey to Hayes]

Only problem if we versus the bulldogs, is we will be up against the umpires

That was 2016 who knows maybe we could be the 2020 lovechild? Would be a feelgood story for the ages and we were 12-1 in the frees against GWS (or something), just sayin...
PS will never happen

 

[Premium]

You've converted me

With out Naughton they will find it hard to beat anyone now.
Going in with just one main target they are going to have scoring troubles.

 

[CaptainRisky]

Always think the pressers give decent hints to future selections. Ratts was asked about Carlisle by Tom Morris (at last). Ratts seemed to deflect the conversation onto others players which was interesting. He didn't give a definite answer one way or the other about Carlisle. Made me think Jake is still not in the good books and his place is in jeopardy.

Ratts gave a nod to the improvement in Sinclair which in coach speak means "he's in". Those putting his name up for omission from the side to make way for Jones have got it wrong.

Ratts also quickly dismissed any thoughts of Gresham playing in a manner that almost sounded like he's gone for the year..

They said as soon as gresh was scanned he was out for the year , there is no way you would risk him this year , he is not a washed up Hanners

 

[CaptainRisky]

Do you also want paton dropped per chance?

What was wrong with his post ?

 

[Grav]

Shouldn't matter who we play our best footy beats anyone. At the start of the season we played an open attacking style and blew some good sides away, but also got beaten comfortable a couple of times. I think Ratts then tried something different too see if we could play a tighter type of game. Which meant we stayed in every game but couldn't quite get over the top transitioning back to an attacking style. On Friday night we reverted back to the sort of footy we were playing at the start of the year. We are a scary side when we play like that, if we can't be tg the balance right we are very dangerous!!

Actually I thought we played the way Ratts was aiming for against GWS, fast footy when we had the ball & the opportunity, then slowed the game down when GWS had their moments, a real good mix & when we are on song we could beat anyone. Only team I’m worried about is Geelong, we seem to struggle against their more mature bodies.

 

[Grav]

Hannebury is the most overrated player on our list by a country mile. You do realise he has not played one damaging game of footy since 2016 right?

A couple of okay performances in 4 years. His body is busted up. Runs like he has permanent torn hammies.

I think people are rating him on reputation as opposed to what they are actually seeing.

If we had a leader in the team then Hannebury might not be playing.
Not sure how many of you watch NRL but the 2018 GF but Cooper Cronk only played because of his leadership.
Hopefully Hanners is our Cooper Cronk of the 2018 NRL Grand Final.

“Wearing the unfamiliar jersey No.23, he had just 18 touches of the ball and did not make any runs and surprisingly was asked to make just nine tackles by Melbourne's attackers. And he made them all.

Cronk offered his team plenty in terms of organisation and chat and looked physically and emotionally spent when he was assisted from the field in the dying minutes.”

 

[Joffaboy]

If we had a leader in the team then Hannebury might not be playing.
Not sure how many of you watch NRL but the 2018 GF but Cooper Cronk only played because of his leadership.
Hopefully Hanners is our Cooper Cronk of the 2018 NRL Grand Final.

“Wearing the unfamiliar jersey No.23, he had just 18 touches of the ball and did not make any runs and surprisingly was asked to make just nine tackles by Melbourne's attackers. And he made them all.

Cronk offered his team plenty in terms of organisation and chat and looked physically and emotionally spent when he was assisted from the field in the dying minutes.”

So you can hide players in RL, AFL is a different game where you can't hide a player.
In saying that, I would have Hanners in the team.
For people to compare him to Kent is ludicrous.

 

[CaptainRisky]

If we had a leader in the team then Hannebury might not be playing.
Not sure how many of you watch NRL but the 2018 GF but Cooper Cronk only played because of his leadership.
Hopefully Hanners is our Cooper Cronk of the 2018 NRL Grand Final.

“Wearing the unfamiliar jersey No.23, he had just 18 touches of the ball and did not make any runs and surprisingly was asked to make just nine tackles by Melbourne's attackers. And he made them all.

Cronk offered his team plenty in terms of organisation and chat and looked physically and emotionally spent when he was assisted from the field in the dying minutes.”

Sorry mate , not relevant , the ground is about half the size and the ball doesn't move as quick from one end to another , Cooper was a gun though

 

[bird_man]

Sorry mate , not relevant , the ground is about half the size and the ball doesn't move as quick from one end to another , Cooper was a gun though

It is a completely different game and would be easier to hide someone no doubt.

But I think Grav makes a very good point still.

It would be a completely different story if Hanners only touched the footy 5 or 6 times and looked completely cooked, but he played his role well I thought and his leadership adds to that.

 

[gringo2011]

With out Naughton they will find it hard to beat anyone now.
Going in with just one main target they are going to have scoring troubles.

If Wallis is out as well they will really struggle. He's been a huge part of their forward line since they dropped him in there. I think he's their leading goal kicker.

 

[bird_man]

If Wallis is out as well they will really struggle. He's been a huge part of their forward line since they dropped him in there. I think he's their leading goal kicker.

What happened to Wallis?

 

[Mowman]

What happened to Wallis?

Looked like he hurt his shoulder late in the game

 

[The_Steadier]

The Dogs have lost to Richmond, Geelong, Brisbane, Port, Collingwood and the Saints and of the finalists have only beaten the Eagles (without Naitanui) by 2 points. They've also lost about 4 games by about 50 points or so.

We are two from two against them under Ratts. They have a ruckman we can dominate and their best forward is now under an injury cloud. I don't get why people would prefer us to play Collingwood who are a 5 goal better side with DeGoey and Treloar back.

We aren't certainties to beat the Dogs who are really good on their day but they have their share of off days too.

Plus baroose and easton wood are about to be daddies and may well miss

 

[SaintRick88]

What happened to Wallis?

Paton is about to happen to him...

 

[The_Steadier]

Paton is about to happen to him...

Paton pending?