closed - visibility issues

[Mat Mann]

Would have. Should have. Could have................ but didn't.

Small moments matter, and we didn't execute enough of them. Missed shots on goal, regulation marks dropped (yes you, Butler), tackles missed.

• Sinclair continued his impressive season with 35d.
• Wilkie 31d, 12 marks, and an absolute beast behind the ball.
• Hugo with game high 7 clearances, 24d 6m and 5 tackles, easily his best game of the year.
• Brad Hill, quietly having a very solid year, is averaging 23 disposals and 499m, ranking 19th in the competition for metres gained.
• And Hallelujah, Wilson gets a meaningful role and shows what he's capable of.

"I couldn't be prouder of the fight," Lyon said. "Our best is very good, but we need more consistency."
Hard to argue.

Onto next week
Back home after two weeks in Adelaide, we return to Marvel for just our second game at Docklands this season — and first in over a month. On paper, this looks very winnable. But that's what we said last year........


West Coast in 2026
They come in at 2-4 after Sunday's derby flogging. That's their form in a nutshell — competitive wins over North Melbourne (by 17) and Port Adelaide (by 2), then 128-point hiding to Sydney, 46-point loss to Geelong, and now this. When they come up against quality opposition, they get exposed badly. When they play teams around their level, they're dangerous.
Which category do we fit in?
Yeo's 2nd game back from injury
Young Jobe Shanahan (4G vs cats), CDT and Waterman provide another tall front-half test.
And Harley is always Harley. When he gets going, he can single-handedly swing a game. He needs to be managed from the opening bounce.


Last 5

Year	Rnd	Venue	Result
2025	R11	Optus Stadium	Lost by 28 (80–108)
2024	R20	Marvel Stadium	Won by 72 (113–41)
2024	R13	Optus Stadium	Won by 14 (82–68)
2023	R16	Optus Stadium	Won by 8 (85–77)
2022	R19	Optus Stadium	Won by 28 (90–62)

W4 L1 in the last five. At Marvel specifically, the record is excellent — the 72-point flogging in 2024 was the standout, with Membrey kicking five and Wood four.

Since 2010, the overall record is W8 L13 from 21 games — home record W4 L5 from 9 games, away W4 L8 from 12. Better than it feels, and the recent trend is in our favour.
West Coast has hosted 12-8 in that period (minus the 2020 Gabba COVID game)

Talking Points

• Wilson to attend more center bounces? I think we've wasted him with a role not best suited, his most rounded game yet reminded us what he could be!!
• Butler just doesn't do enough. The role of a small forward should be to kick goals and provide pressure; he doesn't do enough of either. I'd rather we went in a different direction.
• Pou slightly up on his 2024 numbers, wildly inconsistent, do we persist or send him to the VFL to gather more confidence and find more of the ball?
• Is our quarter-by-quarter momentum swing greater than any other team in the competition? Is it inexperience or coaching?
• Nas, keeps getting reasonable numbers, helped enormously by taking the kick-ins, but are we using him for the betterment of the team? I'd like to see him back behind the ball, it helps our transition game, and then he can move through the midfield like he did last year. Sitting him in front of the ball just isn't working like we want.
• TDK, as noted by Ross, is unlikely for next week's game. Does Dodson get a go, or do we roll solo with Marshall?
• Max King, I think we can officially start the watch. Is this the week? AFL or VFL?

 

[peanut_muppetry]

Max King 6 goals at half time then rested
Saints by 80+

 

[Nutsngum]

Max King 6 goals at half time then rested
Saints by 80+
View attachment 2588296

In this age of AI I salute your MSpaint skills.

On our home deck I will accept nothing less then demolishing of the Wet Toast Weagles.

 

[Minga]

In this age of AI I salute your MSpaint skills.

On our home deck I will accept nothing less then demolishing of the Wet Toast Weagles.

Would much rather look at the most basic MS paint concoction than some of the AI crap that gets thrown around.

Lots of expectations for this game. We have been throwing our weight around with several teams who have started the season well. Time to really put WCE to the sword and not just sink to their level.

 

[Joffaboy]

If King plays, we cant have Clark sitting on his arse half the game. Time to piss or get off the pot Hunts.
My changes
King and Dodson
for Sharman and TDK
King playing 50%, means Dodson goes forward and Roh predominately in the ruck with Dodson second ruck.

 

[peanut_muppetry]

In this age of AI I salute your MSpaint skills.

Let the MSpainters do the painting

 

[Murraj1966]

Play King you cowards

 

[Mat Mann]

Most set shots​

1 - North Melbourne (106)
Eq.2 - Geelong (104)
Eq.2 - Brisbane (104)
4 - Hawthorn (102)
5 - Port Adelaide (99)

Least set shots​

1 - Collingwood (61)
2 - Essendon (68)
3 - West Coast (72)
4 - Carlton (75)
5 - St Kilda (80)

Least set shot goals
BEST : North Melbourne (63)
1 - Collingwood (33)
Eq.2 - Richmond (34)
Eq.2 - West Coast (34)
4 - Carlton (35)
5 - St Kilda (36)

Worst conversion %​

BEST: Melbourne (63.8)
1 - Richmond (41.4)
2 - GWS Giants (44)
3 - St Kilda (45)
4 - Carlton (46.7)
5 - West Coast (47.2)

Bring Max straight in

 

[thekizzler]

Hopefully some chat about the upcoming game might distract from some of the lunacy going on

Obviously we lost this fixture last year - albeit in Perth - in arguably our most disappointing game of the season.

This is a real opportunity for the playing group to get some confidence and reward themselves after some disappointing results where we probably should have won.

Make no mistake though, this is a better Eagles side than last year. If we take them for granted, we will just scrape over the line or possibly get embarrassed. Port Adelaide say hi after their effort against the Weagles at Adelaide Oval.

Hopefully we see a ruthless display that allows Sunday afternoon to be relaxing for us all. I'm pretty keen for my 18 month year old twins to see their first Saints win.

IN: Tauru, Hastie

OUT: TDK, Wood

I know there are rumours of King playing AFL but I'll back the great man Tony in at this stage.

Tauru to play forward, with Owens chopping out Marshall when need be in the ruck. Hastie straight swap for Wood.

Dodson needs a stronger body of work at VFL level to get the call-up - unless the coaches absolutely have to have two rucks.

I know we still have that short-ish backline but I feel like it won't be punished this week. Dougal can have another week to earn his spot in the twos.

I might make a slight revision once the Injury List is released - but we will start with this.