Preview Round 11, 2022: St.Kilda v North Melbourne - Marvel Stadium, Sunday 29th May, 1:10PM AEST

[moirae42]

Not another damn danger game.

 

[hangdog]

Gee North are getting pummelled in the media this week. Their coach has temper problems. Their recruitment guys have walked out. Their No. 1 pick visited his Mum on mother's day without telling them first.......

This makes me nervous. Two things could happen:
1. They come out utterly defeated and even worse than normal. (preferred option)
2. The pressure creates diamonds and they come out and play like their lives depended on the outcome of this game.

We need to be ready for either eventuality.

Had the same thoughts./concerns. At least we're not playing the Bulldogs.

I do feel like they'll come out angry after the media bashing they've had all week. Probably smell a little blood in the water after our first half against the Crows too. JHF has been heavily discussed in the media so does that fire him up for a big game? We'll see.

But still don't think it will spare them from a minimum 30 point loss. No Ben McKay for another week will have King absolutely licking his lips. Sharman and Membrey should get off the leash a bit more too with no real quality key defenders in their lineup currently. Hopefully Long gets back to (legally) terrorising his opponents and can get a snag or two for himself.

 

[hangdog]

One of the things with North is their injury list is horrendous. Probably a big part of why they are so uncompetitive, it's hard enough to be rebuilding but to have that injury list is terrible.

I'll be happy to win the game by any margin but it also has the makings of a rout.

If you look at their list and make comparisons to our list it's pretty bad. By my (terrible) read they have the equivalent of 7 of our 22 last week unavailable. Cunnington, Hall and McKay are like us missing Steele, Sinclair and Howard.

Not saying they're as good as our players, just that they are the closest match in terms of role, etc.

PLAYER	INJURY	ESTIMATED RETURN
Miller Bergman (Leo Conelly)	Shoulder	Season
Aiden Bonar (Jimmy Webster)	Hamstring	2 weeks
Charlie Comben (Max Heath)	Knee	Test
Ben Cunnington (Jack Steele)	Testicular cancer	Indefinite
Eddie Ford (Mitchito Owens)	Ankle	1 week
Aaron Hall (Jack Sinclair)	Hamstring	1-2 weeks
Jack Mahony (Dan Butler)	Ankle	TBC
Ben McKay (Dougal Howard)	Knee	1-2 weeks
Will Phillips (Marcus Windhager)	Illness	Indefinite
Jared Polec (Jack Billings)	Foot	1 week
Phoenix Spicer (Josiah Kyle)	Hamstring	1 week
Curtis Taylor (Jarryn Geary)	Ribs	TBC
Updated: May 24, 2022

 

[hangdog]

They took it up to Melbourne so will have a bit of confidence and the eyeballs of the world on you make you step up. It's not good for us that the media is massacring them.

I really think Melbourne were just playing with them. Like a killer whale playing with a dead seal.

 

[Plugger35]

Had the same thoughts./concerns. At least we're not playing the Bulldogs.

I do feel like they'll come out angry after the media bashing they've had all week. Probably smell a little blood in the water after our first half against the Crows too. JHF has been heavily discussed in the media so does that fire him up for a big game? We'll see.

But still don't think it will spare them from a minimum 30 point loss. No Ben McKay for another week will have King absolutely licking his lips. Sharman and Membrey should get off the leash a bit more too with no real quality key defenders in their lineup currently. Hopefully Long gets back to (legally) terrorising his opponents and can get a snag or two for himself.

No doubt they will come out fired up after copping the media blowtorch this week but that can only last so long, we are a better and fitter side than them so we should be able to withstand whatever they can throw at us early on and then just grind them down as the game goes on to win comfortably.

 

[bird_man]

We need a percentage boost ! Can anyone tell me why Highmore isn't getting a game i thought he was a lock this year based on his performances at AFL level last year.

Battle has taken his spot and I would say the club are currently happy with the way our backline has functioned.

On the other hand I think there is still room for improvement and don't see any reason he can not play along Wilkie, Battle and Howard.

Richmond won a couple of flags with 4 190cm plus defenders. It worked well as they were all very agile and had the ability to mark the footy coming in.

I would at least like to see how this set up works before we decide it can't.

 

[#gosaintas]

Battle has taken his spot and I would say the club are currently happy with the way our backline has functioned.

On the other hand I think there is still room for improvement and don't see any reason he can not play along Wilkie, Battle and Howard.

Richmond won a couple of flags with 4 190cm plus defenders. It worked well as they were all very agile and had the ability to mark the footy coming in.

I would at least like to see how this set up works before we decide it can't.

and it's not as if Webster and Paton are killing it at the moment

 

[PostmanBish]

I really think Melbourne were just playing with them. Like a killer whale playing with a dead seal.

So you're saying Melbourne were just picking at a cheese platter then?

 

[Mowman]

They took it up to Melbourne so will have a bit of confidence and the eyeballs of the world on you make you step up. It's not good for us that the media is massacring them.

Think it was 13 scoring shots to 30

 

[George]

In previous seasons these are games that we would lose. If we have learnt anything, we win and win comfortably.

Saints by 40+. No issues.

 

[Dard Ball Get]

In previous seasons these are games that we would lose. If we have learnt anything, we win and win comfortably.

Saints by 40+. No issues.

Please ban any nuffy that mentions danger game forthwith

 

[George]

Please ban any nuffy that mentions danger game forthwith

Anything for you daddy

 

[gringo2011]

We need a percentage boost ! Can anyone tell me why Highmore isn't getting a game i thought he was a lock this year based on his performances at AFL level last year.

Probably because the back 6 is going really well this season and the players that are his competition for spots are Wilkie and Battle who both seem to be in the better players. I think he could probably play Webster's role and a pinch but he's been solid this season too. It's pretty rough though. He's consistently playing top footy at Sandy.

 

[gringo2011]

I really think Melbourne were just playing with them. Like a killer whale playing with a dead seal.

I watched most of that match. They were using the footy really well and looked more skilled than the Dees at times. Melbourne just finished really well and for all their work North were not as good in front of goal. If we play like last week and they play like they did against the Dees, they'll beat us. We have big midfield and transition issues since Steele went down. We need to get something done about it soon. Adelaide should have put us away by 10 goals early in that match. They kicked themselves out of it.

 

[gringo2011]

Please ban any nuffy that mentions danger game forthwith

Only a person nervous about it being a danger game would say that so you should ban yourself.

 

[gringo2011]

Think it was 13 scoring shots to 30

I stopped watching after 3/4 time but they were in that match and playing very well. Put Ben Brown back in that side and I reckon they would have been a very close. If we play as bad as last week we are a very real chance of losing this. King isn't going to carry us out of holes every match.

 

[Saintbloke]

Trying to win games in a quarter is a one trick pony and it's not going to get us far in the finals (presuming we make it), same as giving teams a few goals start. We need to do a bit of work on first quarters and not let the opposition get settled.

 

[Diehard Saint]

I watched most of that match. They were using the footy really well and looked more skilled than the Dees at times. Melbourne just finished really well and for all their work North were not as good in front of goal. If we play like last week and they play like they did against the Dees, they'll beat us. We have big midfield and transition issues since Steele went down. We need to get something done about it soon. Adelaide should have put us away by 10 goals early in that match. They kicked themselves out of it.

It’s one game since Steele went down, so I’m not sure you can issue a blanket statement like “ we have midfield and transition issues” before we’ve had a chance to adjust to the situation - which hopefully the coaches will have a better idea about for this week.

 

[StFly]

Only a person nervous about it being a danger game would say that so you should ban yourself.

It is a danger game though, danger that people think a 6-7 goal win is tolerable that is. Should be more, think 10 goals, we did kick 22 goals once this season let's do it again.

 

[Ads734]

They mentioned it on the commentary I think but this year we are much better at defending fast ball movement. We are third overall in points against. That’s also keeping us in games.

 

[KingsRansom]

Why is it that when Melbourne play North, it's that north troubled Melbourne...but when we played Melbourne, it was "they didn't get out of second gear"????

I watched that north v Melbourne match and I don't think demons even got out of first gear at all....they just meandered along like it was a training drill....

 

[KingsRansom]

Pretty sure our cheersquad is in the 20s.

Not when I saw them..most were in their 50s



I'll see myself out...

 

[Remboy]

Any clues as to why we are such slow starters this year? Does it really matter if we end up running over sides? When we start slowly I am still not confident of us finishing well but I am slowly changing my tune.

I think it’s relative. Other teams start quicker but can’t sustain their effort while we are more consistent throughout and run over them in the second half.
It reminds me of 2009. There were a few games where I’d be watching the first half and thinking how much we were struggling. Then by half time the opposition were spent and we’d run over the top of them.
I like to think of it like a 400m race. If you win does it matter who was in front at the 100m mark?

 

[PostmanBish]

Not when I saw them..most were in their 50s



I'll see myself out...

Badumtish!

For the O.P. Section 25 (Lockett end) for the Saints squad on a home game ... Section 46 is basically goal zone at the scum Coventry end ...

 

[hangdog]

So you're saying Melbourne were just picking at a cheese platter then?

Just playing hockey with some left over olives and toothpicks.