Game Day Crows vs. Saints @ ES

[The Sloane Ranger]

We need to see a strong response today, I'm expecting the following:

- Sauce to dominate in the ruck and give our mids first sight
- Danger to play a fair bit forward and cause some headaches
- JPod and JJ (apart from his finishing) both showed positive signs last week and im expecting them to really test the Saints defence that is missing Gilbert who has been fantastic early
- Talia to bounce back with a strong game against ST Nick
- M Crouch 25+ possession game and NRS nomination
- Long bombs from Smith from outside 50m
- Crows to make a late change with Martin coming in as the sub

Crows post first win of 2014

 

[lincsPJ]

Saints by 3 goals

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Hope we're thereabouts at quarter time. Don't want us having to use all our petrol playing catch up footy again.

 

[haydo]

Up and about ready for the game. Heading over and will be cheering on strongly.

Hope to see a much better Adelaide outfit today. Danger needs to find plenty of the ball, but with Jones tagging, blokes like Sloane, Crouch, Smith, Thompson need to help him out and get physical and put a block or a sheppard on. I suspect Danger will play more forward if he gets tagged. Drag him to the square and get him one out against Jones. Should win pretty easily with his speed and overhead marking.

JPod needs to continue his form from last weekend. Played well last week against the Swans, but he just needs to hit the scoreboard more. JJ has no excuse under the roof of the dome to kick 0.5 like he is known to do!. 5 goals straight will go a long way for us to win the game!
Eddie will love coming back to Etihad. I expect he'll kick a bag as well.

Sauce is coming up against an inexperienced Ruckman in Billy Longer, so with his experience Sauce needs to use his body and give our midfielders first chance whilst he can use his around the ground smarts and drift forward. 2 goals will be a good outcome for Sauce if he wants to be smart.

 

[Doc_]

Saints by 35.

 

[Tex200]

IMO 2 key pieces of our forward structure were running around Unley yesterday.

Expecting a highly frustrating day winning the I50's again but Saints to lock the game down and hurt with transition.

Saints by 15

 

[footy4ever]

On paper, it's Crows by heaps.

Saints - Ruckman out, Gilbert out

Crows - unchanged

 

[Crouch2Crouch]

You guys worry too much.
Crows by 4-5 goals
We play the ground well and Sando has encouraged the boys to take the game on today

 

[hey shorty]

The equation is simple- win and theres a slight pulse with key guys set to return and an easier draw, lose and shes all over already.

We should win this game and win it well, but will we ?? Sauce will have a field day against a talented but very raw Longer, giving our mids first use. The Saints are great going forward but like us I see them as defensively weak so we must capatilise on that. Riewoldt is flying, but if we can push him up field more they dont have another goalkicker.

Our forwards have to make the most of the chances they get- 17.9 this week please, and the most intriguing part is can we run the game out ? If the trend continues someone should be fired.

Crows by 17

 

[FullyBigKPro]

Really not sure what to expect today....

Just hoping for a competitive hard at the contest showing... Danger needs to get off the leash today and dominate if we are a chance.

 

[The Karma Bus]

You guys worry too much.
Crows by 4-5 goals
We play the ground well and Sando has encouraged the boys to take the game on today

Yep, 2 wins from our last 12 games at Etihad..
If not for 5 goals in 6 mins vs North and their choking ways of last year, it's 1 win..

 

[Elite Crow]

You guys worry too much.
Crows by 4-5 goals
We play the ground well and Sando has encouraged the boys to take the game on today

We play the ground well? What's our recent win-loss record?

 

[Truck25]

I think last nights Cats/eagles & Port/Lions games may put our season in a bit more perspective.
If we put up a good win today it show us we are middle of the road not bottom of the heap as many of our supporters think. Cats and Port were pretty good yesterday. And I think we played Sydney into form. I expect a 5+ goal win.

 

[The Sloane Ranger]

This has to be a statement game an anything else other than a win is unacceptable

 

[pjcrows]

This has to be a statement game an anything else other than a win is unacceptable

St Kilda @ Etihad should be a comfortable win, not a statement game. Showdowns are statement games. Swans at home is a statement game. And we've failed dismally.

Saints by 13 points after we lead at half time

 

[Cap]

Hope we're thereabouts at quarter time. Don't want us having to use all our petrol playing catch up footy again.

I never understood the whole ticket thing.

It essentially says if team A kicks 5 goals then team B kicks 5 goals team B is more tired.

But if both teams kick 10 goals (so 5 goals each )they are equally stuffed?

it just seems like a really bad excuse that we started shit.

 

[The Sloane Ranger]

St Kilda @ Etihad should be a comfortable win, not a statement game. Showdowns are statement games. Swans at home is a statement game. And we've failed dismally.

Saints by 13 points after we lead at half time

It is a statement game when you are 0-3 and playing like a bunch of choir boys

Let's worry about other crunch games when they arrive

 

[FullyBigKPro]

It is a statement game when you are 0-3 and playing like a bunch of choir boys

Let's worry about other crunch games when they arrive

Agree, this is absolute season on the line stuff.

If we arent 'up' and switched on for this game it will reflect almost exclusively on Sando.

A loss today against a very average side would be unthinkable.

 

[johnnypanther]

Talent-wise, there is no doubt that even missing our injured players, that we are the better side by far.
However, our players will need to have double the Saints' possession count and have double their fitness in order to make up for the ring-around-the-rosie handball, error-ridden crablike game style which the coaches have inflicted on them.

Saints by 24 points.

 

[The Sloane Ranger]

Agree, this is absolute season on the line stuff.

If we arent 'up' and switched on for this game it will reflect almost exclusively on Sando.

A loss today against a very average side would be unthinkable.

IMO We have more talent however they are having a real crack so if we can match their desire we will win the game

 

[The Karma Bus]

IMO We have more talent however they are having a real crack so if we can match their desire we will win the game

This is what I was just speaking about with someone, we are disinterested and have no passion..
They are playing the opposite way..

Makes it tough to win unless we turn that around in a big way to match them..

 

[The Sloane Ranger]

This is what I was just speaking about with someone, we are disinterested and have no passion..
They are playing the opposite way..

Makes it tough to win unless we turn that around in a big way to match them..

It comes back to character

If our playing group has any character what so ever they will respond today, if there is not a response we have some serious issues and this hunger to be successful statement that Sando keeps banging on about simply does not exist

Today will tell us a fair bit about the heart and passion of the club

 

[Jcpdragonx]

Nothing will change, Saints by 30.

 

[Sir Vlado]

I just want a win. That'll be enough for now.

 

[Crouch2Crouch]

Yep, 2 wins from our last 12 games at Etihad..
If not for 5 goals in 6 mins vs North and their choking ways of last year, it's 1 win..

We play the ground well? What's our recent win-loss record?

Fair enough.
Hard to be positive around here.
Saints by 47