Better to be even than 6 goals up at 1/2 time

[Hit The Boundary Saints]

I felt physically ill at 1/2 time, because losing from being that far up is much worse.
I reckon that is 6 games in the last year and a half we have been 4 goals up at least and lost.

This year Geelong, Collingwood.
Last year Richmond, North, Melbourne, Bulldogs.

There are quite possibly more.

We would be better off being level at 1/2 time, that way we don't choke.
Why don't we try and stem the tide, put Loewe as a loose man in the backline for example. Other sides do it to us.

 

[sainter]

Agreed HTBS,

I was at the game with a neutral supporter. 1 minute into the second half, I told him they would steamroll us. He told me I was just being negative. I replied that I see St Kilda play every single week and we were always going to meekly fade away and lose again.

I love talking up our chances during the week but arriving at the game I didn't think we would win. As usual they built up our hopes before proceeding to shatter them. Hopefully the players are still hurting and show some guts this week. For FOUR quarters this time!

 

[Hit The Boundary Saints]

Maybe it's time to look at the positives. I know, I know, we keep doing this but it is the only thing that keeps me sane.

Ordinary sides (read West Coast and others) don't have the ability to play as we can, even if it is only for a half. Our problems are primarily psychological.

We now have the master in this field in football in Malcolm Blight. If he can turn this around, then we'll go places. He has another year and a half (at least) to turn it around. I bet that he will not walk away at the end of 2002 if he sees the future is bright, and it is down to getting the processes between the ears right and the wins will come.

Mal is not one to leave and let his successor claim the glory if there is any to be had. He has taken this job on as it presents the biggest challenge in football, to turn a perennial basket case into a power. He had achieved all he wanted at Adelaide, and was potentially burned out at Geelong after 6 years and 3 losing GFs. Turn on of those losses into a win, (remember Geelong were 4 goals up on WCE in 92 GF), then there would be no doubt that his time at Geelong would be an unqualified success. Alan Joyce, Leigh Matthews, Tony Jewell and Robert Walls are all one-off premiership coaches, and I would take Blight on his Geelong record any day.

 

[Savatage]

Sainter, I cant believe you just said that.

I was sitting with a Collingwood supporter. When they got the first POINT of the 3rd quarter, I told him we had already dropped out heads and would capitulate. He didn't believe me.

He now thinks I should be a fortune teller, I just told him that we've been in that position THAT many times, that I have now grown accustomed to the mindset of the football club.

No I did not give up hope, but I know the formula.

At the start of the 3rd term I think at EVERY game in the last 2 years, the opposition just gets it straight out of the centre and either a set shot at goal, or a goal eventuates. The players drop their heads, our skills get shot to pieces, and our previous clean hands have now turned all buttery & tentative.

We need to get Springvale to finish the 2nd halves off for us.

 

[StrengthThroughLoyalty]

fortune teller

savatage, you are spot on about knowing when we are going to capitulate.

* geelong, riccardi broke free of baker and kicked a goal early in the 3rd 1/4, mensch takes a man on man mark and kicks a goal, heads drop and the capitulation is in full swing.

* west coast, we had all the running and were storming home in the last 1/4, we should have snatched a win. matera was not penalised in our forward line, instead of us having a shot for goal they raced it down to their end and kicked a goal. heads dropped momentum stopped they kick the next 4.

* carlton, hamill kicks a goal at about the 10 minute mark of the last 1/4 about 9 points down and starting to get a sniff of a win. everitt marks the ball forward of center looks up and kicks the ball to a carlton player, not a saints player within 15 meters, they kick the next goal, heads drop and the capitulation is in full swing.

* against hawthorn it was a couple of quick clearances out of the middle for a couple of goals in a row in the last 1/4, we were still in front but the capitulation was in full swing.

* collingwood had all the possession in the first 10 minutes of the 3rd 1/4 we were still well in front but the familiar signs of defeat were starting to consume us.

it is a mental problem that is extremely hard to get rid of. when the opposition start to get on top we lack the poise and aggression required to nullify the run on. they panic and stop doing the things that put them in front in the first place. their lack of self belief leads to fumbling and taking the wrong options, and it is bloody frustrating to watch.

htbs, i'd still take a 6 goal lead at 1/2 time any day. it means that we are doing something right for a half and gives the coaching panel some substance to develp some confidence in the team. but of course the greatest confidence booster of all is a win, is a win, is a win.

 

[sainter]

Let's look all the positives. I haven't heard that before!



While Collingwood were far from their best in the first half, there is no doubt that the pressure we put on them was a big contributing factor to our lead.

The run that Aussie Jones gave us out of defence was reminiscent of 1997 with Cripps, Young and Peckett giving us enormous drive. His hamstring injury was a devastating blow but in the long term, it looks like he has resurrected his career and that is great news for all saints supporters.

Fraser Gehrig has been our best performed recruit in my opinion. He was underdone in his first few games and many people took delight in claiming that the club had wasted their money. However since then he played on the best forward and at worst broken even every single week. He absolutely destroyed Tarrant last week and it was no coincidence that Tarrant took a few marks and kicked a goal as soon as Gehrig was forced from the field. He will get even better when he starts to use his pace and athleticism to not only beat his opponent but give us drive out of defence.

Justin Koschitzke has been a revelation so far. I don't think many of us expected him to play so early. Very few players of his size are ready to make their debut so early. They usually need a few years to develop. The most recent exception to perform so well was Josh Fraser. Watching Justin play on Josh, I think we fortunate enough to witness two players that will have a huge impact on the AFL for many years to come. And Nick Riewoldt is still to come!

Spider's performance has been overshadowed by the loss but his solo performance in the ruck was fantastic. 45 hit outs is an incredible effort. It's no wonder we were so dominant in the first half. It was only when the Collingwood midfielders began to realise how dominant Spider was and started to in fact rove off him that they made their move.

I won't go through the whole list but others to impress me were James Begley and Robbie Powell. Begley just has class written all over him. His compusure out of defence is something that will see him develop into an integral part of the line up for many years. Powell has not played a bad game since crossing from Richmond. Along with Callaghan and Lawrence, he is a versatile player that adds a bit of mongrel to a team that was severely lacking in this area last year.

Savatage,

We can both pin-point the time where we go wrong. Now all we need to do is work out why!

 

[Hit The Boundary Saints]

Last week I said better to be even at half time than 6 goals up. Now it has been extended to be anything other than 19 points up at 3/4 time (2 weeks in a row).

At the game I had the sense of inevitability all night, we were always going to struggle in the backline, and when we lined up in the last 1/4 with Koschitske on Schwarz, Blake on Nietz, Delany on Green and Plapp on Robinson, it spelled trouble. I actually thought we had done extremely well to that stage keeping ahead of them, and was waiting all game for the Melbourne forward line to click into gear. Certailnly losing Loewe, Lawrence and Burke didn't help.

On the other side of the ledger, I thought Hamill was excellent. Harvey's 3rd quarter was absolutley brilliant, in a ten minute stretch he set up 5 direct shots on goal. Callaghan & Voss continue to be excellent pickups.

It is frustrating now , but the wins will come. We had the better of Melbourne for 3 1/3 quarters. When the avalanche came, we dropped our bundle. That is the worst thing at the moment, and it is something than Blight can work on and hopefully fix