Autopsy Rnd5 2025: A Giant expectation instance

[SaintsofSteel]

Also didn’t mention Steele.. what has happened to him? He is borderline best 22 at the moment. Has he cracked a smile or a moment of enjoyment on field for 2 years?

Used to be one of my favourite, if not favourite players. Now he looks miserable constantly and has a very low impact on the game. Hope he turns it around as if teams tag Macrae he’s the next guy to step up!

100%.

I dont think Steele was fit on the weekend, he had no drive off the strapped leg and I saw him land really gingerly from a marking contest on the knee. He looked quite proppy so its a credit that he can get 20 disposals whilst being half fit, but in reality the club are still playing injured players far too often for mine. He might have declared himself fit, but gees it seems to happen every year with certain players.

Its true his form hasnt been great for a couple of seasons, its like he is just going through the motions. You never see him getting emotional or charging up his team mates after an effort, but they must love him or they wouldnt have returned him as captain. I think he now does a lot of unrewarded work and running which takes the edge away from his offensive game.

I couldnt believe he lead up at Mason Wood in F50 yesterday to cause a turn over, when being a leader he should have been pointing to Mason to have a shot. As with his offensive game even his decision making and hurt factor has dropped off IMO.

 

[Dr Spaceman]

Can someone Champ me , feeling a bit let out

I can probably muster up a Chimp or a Chump for you if that helps.

 

[SG34]

That's why everyone has a pura tap, or they get spring water delivered by 11 Litre bottles, this spring water comes from the Adelaide hills and is some of the best in the country.

I seriously wondered about that. I mean, were some players just a bit flat? I thought so, and I wondered what they’d been doing all week. If I was an oppo coach and I sensed my next oppo team was taking it easy for the week, I would tell my players and I think that would energize them. What do other’s think? Were our boys a bit down? It’s four premiership points after all, same as usual.

 

[SG34]

I find the Steele critism a bit strange.

He didnt have a huge impact, but managed 20 touches, 9 contested, 7 clearances and 5 tackles. He was probably underdone and a bit rusty, but geez.

I'd expect him to flourish now that teams will put more work into Macrae. They will struggle to contain both, which is exactly why we need more options going thru the centre. Garcia's game was pleasing, and Pou will be chomping at the bit as well.

73% TOG (Time On Ground), 383m gained.

Seems like he was being gently welcomed back. Did alright. Personally, like MacCrae, I find it hard to see what he does at the best of times. And then he has pretty good numbers. I think his howler hurt the perception of his game too.

 

[stfan]

Something must be up with him or he would have played. Wish the journos had asked Ross about it at the presser.

It could well have been Steele or Henry to play, and when Steele was declared fit they went with him.


If Henry is fit this week then the selectors should consider Henry for Jones. Though Trav does not look quite ready to play every week yet.

Jones very good against the Cats, ok against a poor Tigers but MIA in his other three games.

Pity there was no VFL game this week. No real injury returns yet.

 

[Saintos The ITK]

I’m working on the theory a couple of the boys were a bit off colour and the heat of the day wouldn’t have helped. Steelo McCrae Roma maybe Zac and Hilly just didn’t look right to me.
A good rest up back home should refresh them all for the Hollow Logs

 

[Diehard Saint]

Has Hastie had a full game yet?
Hard constantly being the sub.

 

[Sainttony]

The journos asked NOTHING at the presser. So many things I wanted to know, especially about how we planned to go inside 50 without Keeler vs the Giants by name and nature. And whether long, aerial kicks were part of the plan, or whether "dirty ball" was considered. What were the specific instructions going into Q4? Was the Nas outside 50 bombing a predetermined set play, or was Nas just winging it. Questions about structure, the mids, the players at Sandy and thoughts on the alignment. Anything would have been better than what they asked. Amateur hour.

Perhaps the club should start an ask the coach session after each game.

 

[BigPowerForward]

GWS are an extremely talented team
It was "The Work In Progress" Vs "The Finished Product"
Normally when we lose, I am a bit down but I think we are tracking very well and I am optimist about the future.
NAS is one of the most exciting players we've had in a long time. Love watching him play
He seems to make the impossible, possible.

 

[Sarcoidevo]

We aren't going to win every game but what you want to see is .... endeavor & fight .... along with good smart ball movement especially against the better teams

Whilst we butchered the ball a few times yesterday turning it over ... for the most part those plays were tracking fine up until that one errant kick or handball .... all part of the learning curve

GWS made less mistakes (very good experienced team) .... and they got the win

We still have a few important pieces out injured so plenty of improvement to come

 

[Saints TV]

 

[Dard Ball Get]

 

[saintbill]

Also didn’t mention Steele.. what has happened to him? He is borderline best 22 at the moment. Has he cracked a smile or a moment of enjoyment on field for 2 years?

Used to be one of my favourite, if not favourite players. Now he looks miserable constantly and has a very low impact on the game. Hope he turns it around as if teams tag Macrae he’s the next guy to step up!

Best 22 for now, but I can definitely see a world next year where he isn't. A fit Pou, plus potentially NAS and Wilson rotating through the middle, on top of natural improvement from Windy and Garcia and all of a sudden he is under pressure.

Not sure I would want Steele and Macrae in the side from next year. At present, Macrae is the better player.

 

[The Cobra]

Yesterday probably went pretty much as expected.

You could argue at the margins but based on 2024 which Saints players would walk into the GWS team - Sincs, NAS, Wilks, Macrae (though for which midfielder I’m not sure) and apologies to Higgo.

And the reverse - Taylor, Whitfield, Buckley, Ash, Callaghan, Jones, Bedford, Greene, Hogan, Briggs, Kelly, Green and you could make an argument for 1 or 2 others.

 

[sauce_head]

Henry is fit. Had 25 touches and a goal in the VFL last week from memory.

But wasn’t he named then a late scratching?

 

[Minga]

My NAS bobblehead came today, banking on him to stay.

If he adds consistent goal threat to his bag of tricks, watch out

 

[Enclosed_Animal]

Watched the game on delay and its clear we got a bit of a lesson. Need 22 / 23 contributors when you play a team that good and we had more than a few passengers. Collard and Trav are babies and will be better for the run. But if we are honest, we played the first half 2 short.

More importantly for me, a few senior boys need a rocket after that. Marshalls worst game in about 5 years. Steele was good at the coalface, but an absolute liability outside of that. Jones was a non-factor. JWebb got his pants pulled down by Toby. When we are that young, you cant have 4 of your 6 or 7 most experienced players all having off days.

On the flip side, for the first time in a while our top players were all kids. NAS was our best by the length of Flemington straight. Love seeing him up through the middle of the ground. Windy was great and cut down some of his clangers. Garcia showed plenty (I'm still not convinced, but that was a really solid game). Coops was a threat all day up forward. We found one in Hall. Owens fought through a dirty day and showed flashes of midfield ability.

Like many have said, 3-2 is something we would have all jumped at at the beginning of the year (especially with no King, Howard and Pou). But if we are serious about our improvement, we come out and bury the Dogs next week. All in all, a pretty forgettable game

 

[Diehard Saint]

 

[Jade Buddha]

Some good calls there. I think the Ronnie Byrnes stuff will always bob up when the saints aren’t doing well. He’s as we say a battler and yesterday was far from his worst. He’s won’t get dropped unless someone demands the spot - can’t see that happening. The forward line was underwhelming yesterday. You could see from the pocket when the kick came into the forward 50 it was going straight out. Mitch is not a stand alone target and the smalls were often not there and there was much of that.
I think for next week a fair bit of heat needs to go on the older blokes Steele, Marshall, Macrae, Hill and Jones. They need to respond big time. I think their commitment and integrity needs to be brought front and centre by the boss.

 

[Mav3rick]

Jonesy is going to be on the chopping block next week I think. 4 kicks 9 hbs, 1 mark, 0 tackles, 2 free kicks against (yes he might have been unlucky not to get a high tackle call but he still was too slow to dispose of it), 61% disposal efficiency. That's a really bad game.

He's in there to offer pace but his form is back down unfortunately. If Henry is fit then he has to come in for him.

Tobie was also poor but I suspect they'll give him another chance.

Briggs is one of a handful of rucks that always kills Marshall. Tough day for Marshall, really hope he's ok and can respond next week.

I thought Steele showed a bit in the last quarter. Hopefully a bit of a return to form late, it's worth remembering he hasn't played for about a month.

I genuinely think Jonesy should only play games at Marvel, his form on the road is generally horrific. Luckily for him our next three are at Marvel so I'm tipping he bounces back.

 

[AirWinmar]

Narrow ground didn’t help, wider ground gives them more room/time to be able to help one another, the narrow ground made it harder.

Not sure i agree on this, but the narrow ground did make it harder for us to pinpoint targets and we had a lot of turnovers trying to kick through.

We were running Byrnes, Hastie and Caminiti through the defence who all havent played much defence and JWeb looked off his best - not sure if he is carrying a niggle? Gws forwards are very good as well. We looked very vulnerable down there

 

[Diehard Saint]

I think for next week a fair bit of heat needs to go on the older blokes Steele, Marshall, Macrae, Hill and Jones. They need to respond big time. I think their commitment and integrity needs to be brought front and centre by the boss.

Yep.
A respectable loss against the Giants is something we can cop.
But if we are honestly on the improve, a win against the Bulldogs is a must. Senior players all need to step up.

 

[wannabewinner]

A 28 point loss is respectable missing a KPP forward and back

 

[OxSaint]

I think Hastie deserves a full game this weekend over quite a couple that started yesterday.

The likes of Jones and tobie. His extra height and intercept ability would be very handy considering we are undersized down back.

Hopefully Henry is right available soon.

I can see us targeting a genuine second tall forward soon. Without king we can’t get the ball to ground.

 

[ScrappyDo]

I think Hastie deserves a full game this weekend over quite a couple that started yesterday.

The likes of Jones and tobie. His extra height and intercept ability would be very handy considering we are undersized down back.

Hopefully Henry is right available soon.

I can see us targeting a genuine second tall forward soon. Without king we can’t get the ball to ground.

Hard to get a read on what's gonna happen with our tall stocks. Talk of Aleer would make it:
King
Hammer
Keeler
Tauru
Barrat
Aleer
so who's a defender and who's a forward, coz that's a lot of defenders.

If we get TDK then him and Ro will rotate forward anyway so something is gonna have to give.