Oh well

[Fred]

To think I made a 450k round trip for that. Only good thing was meeting Sandie.
How do players get to AFL level and still can't kick even reasonably near a team-mate?
Or even handball to one.
I would also suggest that each player should go back to basics and actually stay with their opponent and not wander all over the park regardless. Not much point in having loose players everywhere when the opposition has the ball.
If there was a game plan it escaped me.
As usual - maybe next week.

 

[BUBBALOUIS]

Fred it takes a while to gel new recruits, change the culture of a club and introduce a new game plan. It has taken Hawthorn five years to develop there current squad and were only just starting to show the benefit now. I dont think it will take StKilda as long, young players such as Caydn Beetham look to have tremendous ability, and Hammil will develop to be a great recruit. In my humble opinion i think you guys erred in disposing of boyh Wakelins before you really developed the tall alternatives in the backline, but i truly believe Blight is one of the smartest coaches going around and your Pres seems to have the club moving in the right direction off the field, so dont despair, i know patience is a dirty word for a supporter who has seen many false dawns, but i think this could be the real deal and expect youll see some benefit later in the year (preferably not against the Hawks!)

 

[StrengthThroughLoyalty]

fred you obviously haven't been to a saints game for a while because believe or not that was one of our better efforts of recent times. there was definately a glimmer of a new game plan on saturday, it was just the execution that lost us the game. i think malcolm has decided that we should play more like port adelaide. a hard and free running game, passing to leading team mates. play on at all costs and if there is no team mate in the clear carry the ball. run off your opponent when we have the ball. unfortunately for us a lot of our players skill levels are inadequate at the moment. when a turn over happens due to poor disposal the opposition will have loose men and will find it easier to hurt us on the score board. the good part of this game plan is that if we can limit our turnovers we can create free men and kick more goals. when this type of game plan works it is exciting to watch.

the negatives on saturday were the amount of basic skill errors by hand and foot. the lack of fight and desperation to win after the 10 minute mark of the last quarter was also apalling, to let the opposition over run us so easily to win the game makes most of us supporters want to scream. turnovers cost us the game, simple as that. this will improve as the season progresses and if the players stick to the game plan. the main culprits were young, jones, thompson and everitt, at a crucial stage of the game, though most players would probably put their hand up to at least one turnover. matthew young should of had a carlton jumper on, he was pathetic, and through his shocking disposal directly cost us 4 goals, imho he should never play in the seniors again.

the introduction of a new game plan wasn't the only positive to come out of the game on saturday.
gehrig was moving with a lot more freedom and i believe he came out ahead in his one on one duel with kouta. in the next few weeks he will start to show a bit of form.
barry hall is back where he belongs in front of goals, kicked 5 should have been more.
aussie played a great game as a 'sweeper' on the back line. if we can forgive a few turnovers, he gave us plenty of drive from the back line and if he keeps gaining in confidence he will hurt the opposition with his long penetrating kicks.
kosi again impressed in his 3rd game, this bloke is going to be a super star. i don't often come out with these types of statements but i believe we are watching the development of a special player. he is 196cm tall and athletic, he reads the play extremely well and knows how to get his hands on the footy. he is clean when he is gathering the ball, no fumbling, all one grabs. he is composed when he has the ball and has good disposal by hand and foot. if reiwoldt is as good a footballer as this kid then we will have 2 extremely gifted key position players of the future.
cadyn beetham played his best game for the saints on saturday. his explosiveness when he gets the ball is a pleasure to watch. with the absence of harves he flourished with more game time on the ball, why malcolm had him on the bench at crucial stages is baffling to me. possble rising star nomination this week, which of course those in the know already believe he is.

anyway fred, i'm sure meeting sandie made the trip worth while. hopefully the next time you make the big trip you will see an improvement in the team, and more importantly a win. i'd say to keep the faith but being a saint supporter i'll accept that as given.

 

[Fred]

STL
You're right when you say I haven't seen them much - that was the 2nd game in over 20 years. The other was at Waverley and we lost that also(was against the Hawks Bubba).
Were you there on Sat. STL? We were in the unreserved seats in front of the Legends stand, just up from the scoreboard on that side.I agree with most of what you said - loose players look great if we have the ball but there was no manning up when they had it. I can't see why the players don't stay with their man and break away after we get the ball. Isn't that how Carlton beat Essendon? - by constantly putting their man under pressure.
Most game plans rely on having the basic skills right. Too many of our players don't. IMHO

 

[Fred]

Bubba
You are right in saying it takes time to change a clubs culture.It wasn't that long ago that the Hawks were a very successful club over an extended period. The successful culture they had is quite recent - not lost in the mists of time. If you read the Saints history, they are unlike any other club since their inception. My father has been a supporter since the late 20's and remembers much of the club infighting that always seems to occur when success is beckoning.
We need a decade where we are in the finals every year and win 2 or 3 flags, then we just might develop a successful culture.
I'm running out of time, though I'm eternally optimistic.

 

[StrengthThroughLoyalty]

fred, i was there in the legends stand under cover. pity we didn't catch up for a beer, perhaps next time.

see you in july, 2010.