Preview Round 12, 2020: St.Kilda v Essendon - Gabba, Sunday 16th August, 3:35PM AEST *JONES 100TH*

[Impatient Saint]

Had a broken back this week by the sounds of things,

Collingwood game
gresham
22 - 10 contested, 7 clearances, 306m

Steele
13 - 6 contested, 1 clearance, 140m

Actually a pointless discussion who is more important, very different players and we need both desperately.

Sorry but I simply dont rate him as highly as you, and believe his position will be covered with others.

 

[Munga]

Best result really.

Really? Two teams with a worse percentage than us, now that doesn't matter. It's a win-win for both teams looking to make the top 8.

 

[gringo2011]

Don't take it personally. You've got to take it all with a big pinch of salt...it's a forum, people will have their opinions good bad or indifferent. We are all basically faceless word whores bantering at the docks awaiting each game as though it were a ship full of sailors. Just grin, put your best foot forward and bring your pepper spray, and switch blade. You'll be fine.

Yeah the forum is a pretty special place. It's like discussing politics locked in a public toilet cubicle with your drunk, lecherous, tory uncle and a Tourette syndrome hobo while drinking absinthe and playing Russian roulette.

 

[PostmanBish]

Yeah the forum is a pretty special place. It's like discussing politics locked in a public toilet cubicle with your drunk, lecherous, tory uncle and a Tourette syndrome hobo while drinking absinthe and playing Russian roulette.

That pretty much sums up every public chat forum on the internet ... ever ...

Now if you wouldn't mind, spin the chamber, pull the trigger, and hand me the absinthe ...

 

[NeXus Nick]

Best result really.

Wrong.......if the Bombers lost they need to make up 3 games on us to overtake us because of their bad % and our relatively good %. Unfortunately now that they were lucky and got away with a draw they only need to make up only 2 games (instead of 3) to overtake us. If we beat them on Sunday it won’t matter but if we lose.....................

 

[NeXus Nick]

Where else will you play him? And on who? Ridley like Stewart is too big for him. Did a job on JJ so Saad pretty similar.

That’s the whole point, he should be dropped

 

[tomjoad]

Yeah the forum is a pretty special place. It's like discussing politics locked in a public toilet cubicle with your drunk, lecherous, tory uncle and a Tourette syndrome hobo while drinking absinthe and playing Russian roulette.

I think you're secretly writing a script for a Withnail & I sequel.

 

[saintsmania]

100% agree and I hope he does but he is a our captain so if he's fit he plays and we have to find a role for him. I'm sure there will be some honest conversations with him come EOY.

That’s the whole point, he should be dropped

 

[luca77]

I think you're secretly writing a script for a Withnail & I sequel.

A fine fine film. May there never ever ever be a sequel.

 

[Roddy Grant]

Got to look beyond the midfielder stats with Gresh a bit here, he can be a bit of a mercurial player at times but has been a mainstay in the team for a few years now and a big part of the spirit / culture we are building.

I’m sure his team mates will feel this is a big loss. His kicking can be frustrating at times but he can also turn a game with a bit of magic.

Who does the “OH WHEN THE SAINTS” yelling part in his absence? Let’s hope someone has to fill that role at least 4 times in the next 6 games .

 

[sverik25]

Wrong.......if the Bombers lost they need to make up 3 games on us to overtake us because of their bad % and our relatively good %. Unfortunately now that they were lucky and got away with a draw they only need to make up only 2 games (instead of 3) to overtake us. If we beat them on Sunday it won’t matter but if we lose.....................

Not sure I agree, I think Essendon would have come under more pressure and been more motivated had they lost.

 

[PostmanBish]

Not sure I agree, I think Essendon would have come under more pressure and been more motivated had they lost.

A draw after burning a lot of gas to get it back to being in front would have to be terribly deflating ...

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Sorry but I simply dont rate him as highly as you, and believe his position will be covered with others.

Yeah right, anyone can rack up clearances, its just that they are all played out of position.

 

[Crusty Undies]

I don't see how/why Ross would come back. Has he been dominating the scratch matches?

Is Jones fit? Swap him for Byrnes if he is.

Abbott in the ruck, Ryder forward. King and Marshall get a rest.

Ross is out cos he's injured not cos he was dropped. Pretending otherwise is disingenuous. He hasn't even played the scratch matches as far as I'm aware because he was injured.

 

[Ambrosia]

Think you guys will be too quick for us off when we are coming off a 4 day break. I can see the contest being relatively tight but the Saints have been efficient going forward this year which should see you win by 3-4 goals at a minimum

 

[stfan]

Let's not kid ourselves after watching the Don's tonight St Kilda will need to play very well to win.

I thought the Don's should have won tonight.

In our favour is that the Saints have two more rest days. Hopefully our players do not think this makes it easy for us as we need to work hard and play well.

However the Dons can bring back Hurley and Draper. The Don's looked ok for height against the Suns, and so with these two even if they drop two talls, and they may not they will have a good range and type of talls.

Our midfield will remain undermanned even with Jones and Ross both back, but we need both to play well. For Jones this will be easier as he has had a good year, though his game against the Suns was poor. Ross has had a very ordinary season, and so a good game will be a turnaround for him. And Ross is no certainty to actually play.

If the Don's have done their homework they will know that we are no where near as a good a team when we do not dominate the ruck. So they may well play bother Draper and Bellchambers against us for if the negate our ruck division it will go a long way to giving thema good crack at defetaing us.

The draw tonight was not good for us the Don's know that they have a real chance of playing finals now. They have played a game less than us and if they knock us off they will only be 2 points behind us, with a game in hand.

This is a crucial game for us to win. Our three most likely remaining games are the Dons, Dees and Hawks. And the Dees after two very easy wins after playing North and the Crows may be getting their mojo back. Though we the Dees one never knows. But they do have plenty of talent. So again we will need to be at our best.

The next 3 weeks may well determine if we play finals or not. The Saints being second recently was an illusion as our run home is harder than some. Our finals fate is in our players and coaches hands.

Rats against the Cats had us playing a gameplan that had mainly worked well for us this year. But the Cats players and Scott were too smart and disciplined for it. Other clubs will have watched the tape and so hopefully Rats will have some Plan A's and B's if the bang it above King's head does not work again.

Fortunately the Dons are not as disciplined as the Cats and like to play fast football. This will suit us. But will they?

Which StKilda team will we see against the Don's and also will they put in 4 good quarters of effort? We do not want to see the team that played against the Cats, Pies and the one that disappeared against Freo.

Finals are there to be played in this year, but the Saints need to earn the right to play in them. They will not be gifted.

 

[NeXus Nick]

The equation is very simple IMHFO. We beat Essendon we play finals. We lose to Essendon and we become a 10 to 1 long shot to play finals. Considering the Bombers have 2 less days recovery and coming off a very taxing game against Gold Coast and Zaharakis is injured we should beat them. If we don’t then we do not deserve to play finals anyway.

 

[mad-saint-guy]

Gresham is a huge loss. Our midfield struggles to get the ball and win clearances, and he's our best clearance player. At the beginning of the year it was painfully obvious that we lacked depth in the midfield and it's going to be exposed badly with Gresham, Hannebery and Dunstan out.

Huge task ahead for Steele, Jones, Bytel and Ross, who will have to really pull his finger out. Expect to see a bit more of Billings, Clark and Sinclair in the middle.

No Hanners or Gresh probably means that were not a realistic chance of finishing top 4 or going too far in finals. While I like a lot of what the club is doing right now, it was mind boggling going into the season with 14 defenders, 6 small forwards, 5 rucks and only 7 inside midfielders on the list. Midfields win games and our midfield is running very thin.

 

[eth-dog]

Really? Two teams with a worse percentage than us, now that doesn't matter. It's a win-win for both teams looking to make the top 8.

Nah, our way in is Collingwood. This puts percentage back into the equation in a strange way. In any case, I would back you guys in, 4 day break, we've gone 1-3-1 in our last 5 and you guys win by 5 goals on average off a loss.

Is Jono Marsh any chance to come in and tag Ridley? We'll probably bring Hurley and Draper back in, Zaka is obviously out after he finally plays a good game and I can't see Bellchambers doing 2 games in 5 days, nor Stewart 4 games in 16 days.

 

[AirWinmar]

Where else will you play him? And on who? Ridley like Stewart is too big for him. Did a job on JJ so Saad pretty similar.

Gears looked very slow against Cats. I reckon he may be rested for this one, but if he is moving like he did against the Cats and lines up on Saad, I reckon we will get cut up

 

[Enclosed_Animal]

What is with Essendon people coming here and respectfully asking reasonable and sensible questions?

It is making it really difficult to throw around irrational comments about how good of a coach Hird is, and how Dildodo selected Mosquito >>> Bytel and traded Carlisle & Gresham for Francis & Morgan.

Lift your game Essendon. At this rate I will have to go back to hating Carlton more than you!

 

[eth-dog]

What is with Essendon people coming here and respectfully asking reasonable and sensible questions?

It is making it really difficult to throw around irrational comments about how good of a coach Hird is, and how Dildodo selected Mosquito >>> Bytel and traded Carlisle & Gresham for Francis & Morgan.

Lift your game Essendon. At this rate I will have to go back to hating Carlton more than you!

I was quite annoyed at the fact we didn't select Bytel honestly. Mozzie I don't mind but we need that meat and 2 veg inside bloke badly.

Also we essentially traded Carlisle and Tyrone Leonardis for Francis and Craig Bird, who was by no means a superstar, but a pretty solid player when we needed him nonetheless. Francis is going pretty well this year too, glad the trade was a win-win-win for all parties.

And I've never really understood the Morgan tack on. Like, we literally went down one pick? We would have selected him at whatever that pick was anyway? I do wish we picked Bonner instead (and said as much on draft night) but eh.

And as for hating Carlton more, you should. They're the worst. And Hawthorne too.

 

[tomjoad]

Think you guys will be too quick for us off when we are coming off a 4 day break. I can see the contest being relatively tight but the Saints have been efficient going forward this year which should see you win by 3-4 goals at a minimum

I certainly hope so...but who knows. Our advantage is, as you say, a very quick turn around for your boys...my concern though is that our gameplan has been worked over, and we have no more tricks up our sleeve.

 

[austinnn]

Got to look beyond the midfielder stats with Gresh a bit here, he can be a bit of a mercurial player at times but has been a mainstay in the team for a few years now and a big part of the spirit / culture we are building.

I’m sure his team mates will feel this is a big loss. His kicking can be frustrating at times but he can also turn a game with a bit of magic.

Who does the “OH WHEN THE SAINTS” yelling part in his absence? Let’s hope someone has to fill that role at least 4 times in the next 6 games .

My vote/prediction is Ben Long.

 

[bird_man]

Nah, our way in is Collingwood. This puts percentage back into the equation in a strange way. In any case, I would back you guys in, 4 day break, we've gone 1-3-1 in our last 5 and you guys win by 5 goals on average off a loss.

Is Jono Marsh any chance to come in and tag Ridley? We'll probably bring Hurley and Draper back in, Zaka is obviously out after he finally plays a good game and I can't see Bellchambers doing 2 games in 5 days, nor Stewart 4 games in 16 days.

No, I doubt Marsh plays.

Ryder will likely come in which should leave King, Marshall, Membrey and Battle rotating forward.

It hope that if we do choose to send someone to him it's Battle and not Geary.