Preview Round 10, 2020: Gold Coast v St.Kilda - Metricon Stadium, Thursday 6th August, 8:10PM AEST *RYDER 250TH*

[Veer Right]

$500 fine for Jake. Big deal. Another media beat up.

500 is a token gesture. Nothing in it.

 

[PostmanBish]

If Ryder isn’t 100% then replace him with Kent/Ross and back Roma in against Witts. Will be a big test for our midfield without Ryder, we will have to be well prepared to negate Witts potential dominance in the hits out.

Between Battle, King and Membrey we will have enough marking targets targets to stretch Gold Coast, confident one will hit the scoreboard heavily on Thursday.

I just wanted to note that I was impressed by King's hit-out that led to Hunter's left-foot goal ... that had Paddy Ryder's signature all over it - back-palmed it straight into a cluster of Saints.

Ryder will only play 2, maybe 3 seasons with St Kilda, but his influence will be around for 10-15 years, I believe.

 

[bird_man]

don't waste your energy, if someone can't see the clear reasons why savage isn't in the best 22 anymore no amount of reasoning is going to help. He can't hit a target. Well he can but he refuses to lower the eyes. He had a few games last year when he did and he was really good at it, but then went back to his old tricks. He'd be good in a really wet game taking territory with his long down the line bombs, but other than that he's depth and nothing more

It's a shame because he's always had the tools.

If he hasn't learnt now though it's hard to imagine he ever will.

 

[AirWinmar]

Don’t see why we’d bring in Abbott. Ryder and Marshall as a combo is working because they’re both terrific footballers. Abbott is several levels below both.

Most teams in the comp go with one ruckman. If Ryder needs a rest, Marshall can ruck solo.

Agree, I like the way Roma and Ryder are working now - but yeah if Ryder gets rested just play Roma. Then we get the benefit of more run and pace and may throw a spanner in the works with what GC expect

 

[BrutThough]

 

[Premium]

"Savage wasn't poor by any means". Exactly!!!

As for hitting "targets" - looks to me that our inside 50's strategy is to kick to a position (20 to 40 metres out, directly in front of goal) allow our talls to contest it and utilise the smalls.

You're not seriously suggesting that when virtually every other player gets the ball, wheels and kicks to that spot they are aiming at a specific player.

Savage is a very good player if we need him , but a backline player is better if they can create play and this is where Wilkie , Coffield , Hunter , Paton and Long excel they kick the ball to a player most of the time and not to a contest.

Kicking the ball to a Saints player 35m away on the chest is better than kicking it to a contest 50m away.
This why stats can be so misleading.

Savage is a great depth player now , just goes to show how good our team is.

 

[bird_man]

Love the big dog's t shirt!

 

[malevu]

Savage won't be a regular unless we get more injuries. A back six of Howard, Snake, Wilkie, Clarke, Coffield and Paton has forced Geary out of defense. Add Long and Battle into the equation and there's no permanent gig for Savage. I think his days as a mid are gone so he'll be a bit player from here on in, barring injuries.

The Seb debate on here I find a bit puzzling. I'm pretty neutral on the matter. I've never been a big fan but I don't knock him either. I respect what he's done over the last few season carrying our midfield with Stuv. But I think the Seb haters on here are clutching at straws hoping for him to dropped. As soon as he's fit he'll be back in and unless his form drops right away he'll stay in. Ratts indicated in a recent presser that Ross critics are being unfair and not realizing he's got a new role this year and Ratts said that he's happy with his output.

I can't see that myself but if the coach is in his corner then we should expect him to be picked when fit and stay in if his form is reasonable. The Seb haters might not like it but that's the reality.

 

[Joffaboy]

GC looked cooked. We have a day longer and they are starting to waiver a bit.

Reckon we go in with the strongest team possible and look to rest for the next one.

 

[Premium]

This game is another must win if we want a top 4 position.
Geelong play the Lions this week so it could help us stitch up a top 4 spot if the Lions topple the Cats.
Port and Dogs
Tigers play Port
Dogs vs Lions
Cats vs Port

Port have a very tough set of games coming - they could easily drop the next 3 games

August 10th crunch game Cats vs Saints - we beat the Cats , there will be nothing holding us back.

 

[OxSaint]

Danger game for us. Sexton, Ainsworth and rankine will be hard to match up on.
Will be won in the clinches I think.

Paton to rankine.
Long to sexton.
Wilkie to Ainsworth.
Geary forward on lukosious.
Howard to King
Snake to Day.

Steele head to head with greenwood at stoppage.

I hope the 2 rucks get up for this game. Only need 1 ruck against Cats.

 

[Premium]

Savage won't be a regular unless we get more injuries. A back six of Howard, Snake, Wilkie, Clarke, Coffield and Paton has forced Geary out of defense. Add Long and Battle into the equation and there's no permanent gig for Savage. I think his days as a mid are gone so he'll be a bit player from here on in, barring injuries.

The Seb debate on here I find a bit puzzling. I'm pretty neutral on the matter. I've never been a big fan but I don't knock him either. I respect what he's done over the last few season carrying our midfield with Stuv. But I think the Seb haters on here are clutching at straws hoping for him to dropped. As soon as he's fit he'll be back in and unless his form drops right away he'll stay in. Ratts indicated in a recent presser that Ross critics are being unfair and not realizing he's got a new role this year and Ratts said that he's happy with his output.

I can't see that myself but if the coach is in his corner then we should expect him to be picked when fit and stay in if his form is reasonable. The Seb haters might not like it but that's the reality.

If Ross is fit he plays

 

[Baldur]

I am in two minds about Kent for Parker. There is no doubt that at present Kent is providing more. But I think Kents present is as good as it gets, Parker on the other hand, has I believe potential to be a better player. Tall, fast, has a bit of aggro & x factor. If there was a VFL to send Parker to, it would a no brainer. But this season? It might be best to leave Parker in for another week to help speed his progress.

 

[The_Steadier]

Week By Week. We start thinking of finals now we let it slip.

Don't you mean half week by half week given we play 2 games this coming week??!!

Smart clubs will be planning out the year so they give themselves the best possible shot at winning games when it counts.

We've done the streak and 19-0 and look where that got us.

Meanwhile the dogs scrape into the 8, get everyone back for 4 games and the rest is history.

This whole 'banking wins' idea isn't for me.
Sure you don't want to flirt with form.... but if we 'bank wins' now- that's exactly what we'd likely be doing right before finals!

Resting blokes just before finals because we 'banked wins'.

I'm not saying we make wholesale changes- but we need to rotate our way through the next month, so all our key guys get at least a week off.

 

[Ricmel]

That's it.

Win here and win against Essendon and we're almost back in September. Hard to believe.

This coming round will create some separation, with some of our closest on the ladder playing each other. I think now we should be aiming top 4, not just make the 8. So the coaching team needs to map a program that has us at our peak in critical games. For me, the next 3 are winnable and we should be fielding strong teams in each.

 

[bird_man]

Don't you mean half week by half week given we play 2 games this coming week??!!

Smart clubs will be planning out the year so they give themselves the best possible shot at winning games when it counts.

We've done the streak and 19-0 and look where that got us.

Meanwhile the dogs scrape into the 8, get everyone back for 4 games and the rest is history.

This whole 'banking wins' idea isn't for me.
Sure you don't want to flirt with form.... but if we 'bank wins' now- that's exactly what we'd likely be doing right before finals!

Resting blokes just before finals because we 'banked wins'.

I'm not saying we make wholesale changes- but we need to rotate our way through the next month, so all our key guys get at least a week off.

We haven't played finals for nearly 10 years. We aren't in a position to be worried about how our form line will look in October.

We'd be silly to get too far ahead of ourselves.

 

[Saints43]

Danger game for us. Sexton, Ainsworth and rankine will be hard to match up on.
Will be won in the clinches I think.

Paton to rankine.
Long to sexton.
Wilkie to Ainsworth.
Geary forward on lukosious.
Howard to King
Snake to Day.

Steele head to head with greenwood at stoppage.

I hope the 2 rucks get up for this game. Only need 1 ruck against Cats.

If Ratts wanted to play two rucks saints the cats then I'm sure Abbott would be rapt to get a go.

 

[The_Steadier]

We haven't played finals for nearly 10 years. We aren't in a position to be worried about how our form line will look in October.

We'd be silly to get too far ahead of ourselves.

Recognising that this season is insane and
A. the risk of soft tissue injuries is immense and
B. no vfl means non best 22 guys will struggle maintain form without playing proper games for months
...is a very different thing to getting ahead of yourself i think.

I think we'd be silly to strategise as though this was just a regular season.

 

[Veer Right]

Danger game for us. Sexton, Ainsworth and rankine will be hard to match up on.
Will be won in the clinches I think.

Paton to rankine.
Long to sexton.
Wilkie to Ainsworth.
Geary forward on lukosious.
Howard to King
Snake to Day.

Steele head to head with greenwood at stoppage.

I hope the 2 rucks get up for this game. Only need 1 ruck against Cats.

Danger game my arse! We win by 6 goals or put the foot down and win by 15 goals.

 

[triggering bro]

Danger game for us. Sexton, Ainsworth and rankine will be hard to match up on.
Will be won in the clinches I think.

Paton to rankine.
Long to sexton.
Wilkie to Ainsworth.
Geary forward on lukosious.
Howard to King
Snake to Day.

Steele head to head with greenwood at stoppage.

I hope the 2 rucks get up for this game. Only need 1 ruck against Cats.

Sexton is their barometer. I’d give Geary the job. I’m a Long fan however I don’t think he has the defensive discipline worth risking on someone as dangerous as Sexton.

 

[OxSaint]

Sexton is their barometer. I’d give Geary the job. I’m a Long fan however I don’t think he has the defensive discipline worth risking on someone as dangerous as Sexton.

That was my first thought as well. But with gold coast taking on the middle of the ground I thought taking their go to back half ball user out of the game was better value and takes geary’s ball use from the back half.

 

[Atomboy]

Sexton is their barometer. I’d give Geary the job. I’m a Long fan however I don’t think he has the defensive discipline worth risking on someone as dangerous as Sexton.

Benny Paton is our prime stopper now isn’t he ?. Surely he gets the job.

 

[Impatient Saint]

Sexton is their barometer. I’d give Geary the job. I’m a Long fan however I don’t think he has the defensive discipline worth risking on someone as dangerous as Sexton.

Wilkie will get Sexton IMO...

 

[denisp]

Cannot guess Ins and outs this week there will be surprises - I don’t think Sinclair and Parker get omitted this week

 

[BrutThough]

Wilkie will get Sexton IMO...

Good call. Similar size to Robbie Gray who Wilkie took.