How's our form?

[Fehring]

There are two ways to view our form:

• 12 games played, four games clear of the pack. Killing it.
• ave winning margin of 25 points in our last 5 games against some very ordinary opposition including Melbourne and North. Scraped home against Brissie, Essendon and Carlton. Just getting by.

There's no doubt we've plateaued since the beginning of the season. In terms of having competitive hit outs, I think that's great but if we're actually only 9 points better than Carlton, then God help me. Are we struggling a little at the moment? Are we lacking motivation? Are we saving ourselves for the HUGE six weeks when we play Geelong, WC at Subi, Adelaide, Sydney, Hawthorn and Essendon?

I'm a little torn on this myself. I think we deliberately hit the beginning of the season hard to start 5-0. I think over the past 5 weeks we've shut down and done enough to get through. I think we'll stay in second gear against the Tiges except for when absolutely necessary and I think we'll hit the Cats like a freight train. But there's that 1980s Moorabbin devil sitting on my shoulder saying "it's all down hill from here. 5 and 5 to finish the season. Limp into the four. Win one final. Out in the prelim. You know it's true."

Say it ain't so, Sainters.

 

[HoldenMCaulfield]

We're not killing it as we did up to 3/4 time of the Collingwood game (I am still a bit disappointed we took the foot of the pedal in the last quarter and did not smash them by more than 100 points). But then again, neither are Geelong - the Bulldogs are probably the in form team at the moment. I don't think we'll go undefeated (albeit I wouldn't mind if we did), but I am fairly confident we'll finish top 2.

We're still winning. Melbourne and North were never really close and in the end we beat both by a fair margin. Brisbane, Essendon and Carlton are among the fittest teams in the AFL, but we won anyway. We smashed Essendon in the first quarter and then cruised to victory while they never got within three goals. Brisbane and especially Carlton threw everything they got at us, but unlike the St Kilda of the last few years, we did not fall over. We always had the skills, but now we (appear to) have both the mental and physical strength, too.

Now, being a St Kilda supporter, I sometimes hear a little voice telling me not to forget that we're talking St Kilda. Fair enough, history is not on our side. But I am blessed with eternal optimism - how could I otherwise support St Kilda ?

Keep talking to that architect to design enough room for all those premiership cups, Fehring !

 

[Look2Me4Guidance]

Keep in mind Fez man, that ever since the Brisbane game, sides have played us a bit differently. Brisbane crowded the ball, as did Melbourne and then the Kangas, so it's going to take us a little while to adjust to these things in a game. Both against Brisbane and Kangaroos we had our highest scoring quarters of the game in the final quarter.

I thought Carlton played a great game against us and it would have been their best performance of the season. We were able to absorb every thing they threw at us.

Yes we've played better, but this "poorer" form, if that's what we can call it, is still good enough to win us games, that previous St.Kilda models would have dropped.

We've beaten every team bar 3 at the moment and that's because we haven't played them.

We'll defeat the Tigers and then see what life is really about against the Cats.

 

[ChrisFooty]

Have the Saints peaked too early? Or are they just conditioning themselves so they peak in September. Even Geelong does not smash sides by 10 goals in every single match of the season. I think it's a sign of a very good side to keep producing wins even though the team is not in super good form.

I think St.kilda will lose a couple of games. The worst thing St.kilda could do is win all 22 matches and then head straight into the finals. Lets be honest, one or two losses is not going to be a big deal. Even Carlton in 1995 lost two matches against two lower sides (They were unbeatable that year). Essendon even managed a lost in their impossible to beat team of 2000. Likewise Geelong.

It might just be me, but I hope St.kilda do not head into September winning all 22 matches.

 

[StFly]

Can certainly see the reasoning to not desire to go through undefeated (perfect world scenario), in saying that though, I would love to completely dominate a season to go 22-0 and finals series without dropping a game, why? Because that is the pinnacle of what you set out to accomplish in any one season. The enemy is not that stat achievement or the road there, the enemy is overconfidence and complacency.

On the form issue, I largely agree with brother L2MFG, we've been blessed thus far with having the side come out and impact the competition initially to show that they can, we've then been blessed to see the side queried for whatever reason and still win what we normally wouldn't irregardless of any previous form of our club. As I have posted elsewhere, even in the games that we have been pushed in there have been signs that we aren't doing that badly with 7 shots on to 2 and various instances of goaless quarters. The problem being in such situations that the 7 shots on translated to 2-5 instead of 5-2+.

The ultimate objective is to win the 4 points, sure it bodes well for the club to produce spectacular footy to watch, but at the end of the day I want them to win the game, I want them to win the premiership and I want to scream out how proud of the boys I am while I'm at it. So poor form, good form, exciting form etc is all relative, but the only thing I really care about is winning form.

Sugar coat it all you want, they're there to play footy and win games, there's 22 games + finals to win if you reach them, I expect the same mindset, going out there busting your gut for that victory irregardless of if you're going against a club that's won none from 70 or 70 from 70.

 

[Kildonan]

We have been hunted, that is for sure, but that means that we have been tested every match. Geelong have been too. What stands out in my mind is the abundant praise being heaped on teams which lose to us. Look at the Brisbane match, the Melbourne match, the Kangas and especially the Cheating Scum. The media were all full of praise for the losing team with nary a word about the Saints performance to remain undefeated in the face of these barrages.

We may not be winning matches as easily, but we are continually finding ways to win. Any other team in the league will take that.

 

[THEROO 09]

We have been hunted, that is for sure, but that means that we have been tested every match. Geelong have been too. What stands out in my mind is the abundant praise being heaped on teams which lose to us. Look at the Brisbane match, the Melbourne match, the Kangas and especially the Cheating Scum. The media were all full of praise for the losing team with nary a word about the Saints performance to remain undefeated in the face of these barrages.

We may not be winning matches as easily, but we are continually finding ways to win. Any other team in the league will take that.

Totally agree old wise one i thought Carltank and Judd must of won that night because thats all you heard on the radio and T.V.

 

[Big Nasty]

We have been hunted, that is for sure, but that means that we have been tested every match. Geelong have been too. What stands out in my mind is the abundant praise being heaped on teams which lose to us. Look at the Brisbane match, the Melbourne match, the Kangas and especially the Cheating Scum. The media were all full of praise for the losing team with nary a word about the Saints performance to remain undefeated in the face of these barrages.

We may not be winning matches as easily, but we are continually finding ways to win. Any other team in the league will take that.

Spot on Kildonan, Thats exactly how it's been for us the last 2 years.

I think you will start finding now that the lesser teams, particularly the bottom 8 are gonna be harder to play in a way because they won't be playing finals and whenever they play a Geelong or St.Kilda they view it sort of like their Grand final game, and they give it everything they've got.

Also when you are dominating a season as the saints & cats are, the media start to look for teams that can knock us off & during the games the commentators are clearly more biased towards the other teams, not that they necessarily mean to be, but that's just how it happens.

It does get annoying though when you don't flog sides as you are expected to do, everybody comes out (particularly bay 13 flogs) and start going on how we are vulnerable etc...

All i can say is, if you do happen to lose a game this year then look out. As everyone will be letting you know about it.

 

[gabstar]

Spot on Kildonan, Thats exactly how it's been for us the last 2 years.

I think you will start finding now that the lesser teams, particularly the bottom 8 are gonna be harder to play in a way because they won't be playing finals and whenever they play a Geelong or St.Kilda they view it sort of like their Grand final game, and they give it everything they've got.

Also when you are dominating a season as the saints & cats are, the media start to look for teams that can knock us off & during the games the commentators are clearly more biased towards the other teams, not that they necessarily mean to be, but that's just how it happens.

It does get annoying though when you don't flog sides as you are expected to do, everybody comes out (particularly bay 13 flogs) and start going on how we are vulnerable etc...

All i can say is, if you do happen to lose a game this year then look out. As everyone will be letting you know about it.

Spot on Big Nasty, Saints will lose to us round 14

 

[bubblegoose]

Spot on Big Nasty, Saints will lose to us round 14

I reckon that cap is on a bit tight there gabby

 

[dg102]

Teams come after us now. It means they want to measure themselves against the best, and thats us and geelong. Also the comps getting more even. Ive been watching Geelong alot this year and even they havnt been convincingly kicking butt lately.
Guys dont worry about our form. I guarantee were going to be better later in the season. They structure the training so we peak at the right time.
Weve got the guns to shoot down the best. Were gona beat the cats! and who knows from there. This is going to be a special year for the saints!