Round 20 St Kilda vs Melbourne Preview & Discussion

[stkildathunda]

After another “honourable” loss against one of top sides last week, St Kilda will be hoping to keep their slim finals chances alive with win against lowly Melbourne. The Saints are 2 games out of top 8 in 10th position will be relying on Fremantle, North Melbourne and Essendon dropping a couple games in last 4 weeks. Melbourne are playing for, well basically nothing.

Whilst Saints finals aspirations all but went down faster than Harry Obrien does without getting touched, we can’t blame the close losses on umpiring decisions. In cold light of day it’s been our very poor disposal and composure in vital stages of games. Clint Jones is one those that continually turns ball over by foot and has no right foot (or left foot?).

Selection will be interesting over next couple weeks as to if as a club they decide it’s time to slowly start looking to next year and blood a few more kids. Kids like Jack Newnes, Tommy Ledger, Arryn Siposs and Jamie Cripps have been performing week in week out in VFL and deserve more games. Then Seb Ross and Daniel Markworth if given a taste of AFL could really use that as stepping stone into next year. This week (and GWS game) would be perfect time to do this.

Melbourne seems to matchup against StKilda quite well, earlier in year Saints really struggled to get on top of Demons in wet conditions.

Just a reminder that this week’s game is a StKilda home game but at the MCG!

KEY MATCHUPS

Brendon Goddard vs Jordan McKenzie– Last time McKenzie got under skin of Goddard and well and truly beat him. Goddard had no impact and will be looking to reverse that this time around. In last 2 weeks BJ has had two best games of year and is showing signs he might be back to his best. McKenzie was late withdrawal on weekend so maybe in some doubt to play.

Nick Riewoldt vs Tom McDonald – The Saints skipper struggled to have much of impact last time and was well held by the young demon Tom McDonald. I would think James Frawley will go to Wilkes/Kosi.

MEDICAL ROOM
Scott Watters said Adam Schneider missed as precaution due to history of hamstrings and would most likely be in contention this week. Rhys Stanley should be available (was 1 week away last week) and Jason Blake will be only week or two away. We saw him yesterday and he had no limp what so ever.

CHANGES
Dean Polo who was late inclusion for Beau Wilkes will most likely find himself on outer again after being subbed off.

If fit Adam Schneider will be welcomed back to side, can’t see him coming back via Sandringham after only 1 week off.

Jamie Cripps will come into consideration for recall after being one best in Sandringhams win over Frankston on Sunday. He collected 21 disposals, 6 marks, 2 tackles and kicked 1 goal. He was played up on a wing for majority of game.

Raph Clarke (23 disposals, 9 marks, 1 tackle) was pretty good down back for Sandy. With not many other defensive options it would seem likely he would come in to replace Tom Simpkin if he is found guilty by MRP.

Beau Wilkes (11 dispsosals, 6 marks, 3 tackles, 2 goals 1 behind) is obvious candidate to replace Justin Koschitkze, whether Kosi is found guilty for head high hit or due to poor form. Even if Kosi doesn’t go out think Saints play and look structurally better with the 3 talls up forward.

Rhys Stanley should be available this week but hopefully club realizes their mistake last time and play him in VFL for week or two. Afterall he has played about 10mins in about 12 weeks. Id still like to see them take cautious approach and just put him on ice for rest of year and make sure he has full preseason and is ready to roll round 1 next season.

Tommy Ledger (29 disposals & 9 marks) and Arryn Siposs (15 disposals, 4 marks, 3 tackles, 1 goal) were both named in the best for Zebras, but thought they were alright without being standouts. Siposs kicked monster goal from bout 65m and given his good form prior to Sydney game he should be rewarded with return to senior side.

As it is only Melbourne, I wouldn’t mind seeing Daniel Markworth (16 disposals, 2 marks, 3 tackles) come in as sub (or start and be subbed off) to give him a taste of AFL so he can build on it over preseason. Also Jack Newnes (16 disposals, 3 marks, 3 tackles) had solid game in return from injury, but might need 1 more week to get match fit again.

ON THE BLOCK: Justin Koschitzke, Tom Simpkin, Dean Polo, Clint Jones

IN THE MIX: Adam Schneider, Jamie Cripps, Beau Wilkes, Raph Clarke, Jack Newnes, Arryn Siposs

OPEN TRAINING ALERT: 10.45am on Friday August 10th at Linen House Centre there will be light open training session.

 

[saintsrfreak]

Is Blake on the LTI list? If so maybe we should elevate Jacko and give him a game?

 

[stkildathunda]

Nah he isn't, actually we saw him today in Zebs coaching gear and e has no limp at all. Massive difference to few weeks ago when we saw him! Might be back in couple afterall. Stanley available this week but surely will play VFL after playing bout 15mins in bout 10 weeks

 

[hayes]

For mine:

Out: Kosi, Simpkin, Polo, Jones
In: Wilkes, Siposs, Milera, Curren

Gilbert to go back after another failed experiment up forward to take Simpkin's spot. Wilkes deep forward and Siposs as the third tall putting it on everyone's chests. Milera hasn't been great at Sandy but I'd give him another go and like I say every week I'm sick of watching CJ and I'd like to see Curren given a taste.

The only thing left to wonder is how long do we go with Dunell as sub? If Dunell goes back to the Zebs it might be worthwhile giving Markworth a taste as the sub to go on with next year.

 

[Defacto]

this is a game where we need to blood some more youth.

OUT: kozi (susp/form), simpkin (susp), polo, gram
IN: wilkes, clarke, ross, markworth

 

[Defacto]

For mine:

Out: Kosi, Simpkin, Polo, Jones
In: Wilkes, Siposs, Milera, Curren

Gilbert to go back after another failed experiment up forward to take Simpkin's spot. Wilkes deep forward and Siposs as the third tall putting it on everyone's chests. Milera hasn't been great at Sandy but I'd give him another go and like I say every week I'm sick of watching CJ and I'd like to see Curren given a taste.

The only thing left to wonder is how long do we go with Dunell as sub? If Dunell goes back to the Zebs it might be worthwhile giving Markworth a taste as the sub to go on with next year.

curren is a rookie. can't play without someone going on the lti

 

[hayes]

curren is a rookie. can't play without someone going on the lti

Change it to Ledger if we can't promote. Or Newnes.

 

[saintsrfreak]

For mine:

Out: Kosi, Simpkin, Polo, Jones
In: Wilkes, Siposs, Milera, Curren

Gilbert to go back after another failed experiment up forward to take Simpkin's spot. Wilkes deep forward and Siposs as the third tall putting it on everyone's chests. Milera hasn't been great at Sandy but I'd give him another go and like I say every week I'm sick of watching CJ and I'd like to see Curren given a taste.

The only thing left to wonder is how long do we go with Dunell as sub? If Dunell goes back to the Zebs it might be worthwhile giving Markworth a taste as the sub to go on with next year.

Curren's on the rookie list

 

[Plugger35]

Can't say I have much interest in this game now that our season is all but over.

There should be a few changes though both through suspension and form.

Kosi being suspended could be a blessing as he has been next to useless the last few weeks and Wilkes played at full foward or Stanley if he is fit. If Simpkin is suspended that will be a big loss as he has been great, not sure who we replace him with if Blake isn't fit, maybe just a reshuffle of our defence with Gilbert playing as a more permanent defender.

Polo has to go, not sure why he was recalled in the first place and Jones and Gram's positions would be shakey.

Hopefully the likes of Siposs, Cripps, Ledger, Newnes and Ross get some more opportunities in the next 4 games to show what they can do.

 

[saintsrfreak]

Looking forward to getting some games into kids I guess, but yeah the rest of the games don't really mean much unless everything falls our way

 

[hayes]

Curren's on the rookie list

I'm well aware he's a rookie but I thought like Dunell we could promote him if we had room in the cap.

 

[saintsrfreak]

I'm well aware he's a rookie but I thought like Dunell we could promote him if we had room in the cap.

Nope, you can only promote 1 rookie after mid season, unless you have a player on the LTI list

 

[hayes]

Nope, you can only promote 1 rookie after mid season, unless you have a player on the LTI list

Damn. Well plenty of other options, just as long as they're not effing Polo.

 

[Falchoon]

Curren's on the rookie list

Put Stanley on the LTI and send him to high altitude to work on his tank.

 

[saintsrfreak]

Put Stanley on the LTI and send him to high altitude to work on his tank.

Rather not when he could be available in the next couple of weeks

 

[Strahany]

I want to see Stanley wrapped in so much cotton wool for his first game back in the VFL that tackling him would be like tackling the fluffiest teddy bear on the face of the planet.

50/50 split between time on ground and time on bench, and call it a game in the third, or early fourth quarter.

If we do manage to make finals, having him actually in the side, let alone at a good level of fitness, will help immensely.

 

[Ducky Tie]

Wilkes a fairly obvious inclusion for Kozi(suspension or not). Fair to say I'm pissed that Simpkin will likely miss, if Raph comes in for him...Polo out for anyone, preferably Ledger. I have heard a lot about his poor disposal but we have plenty of players who consistently get games despite their poor disposal so I don't see why Ledger can't get one game.

 

[aussierulesrules]

Think Simpkin will miss for sure, as the inevitable happened and he got someone in the head with one of his bumps, but I didn't think Kosi's was a reportable offence. He had a split second and just braced himself for the contact. Completely different to Tom's bump, IMO. If he goes for that we may as well just go all the way and change the name of the game to "softball", start wearing nappies and bibs and be done with it. So he probably stays until Stanley or Blake are ready, then if his form hasn't improved significantly in the meantime, it will be time for him to go, all things being equal.

Our season is still alive, by the way. Pretty sure there are still 4 games to go and considering we have been in every single game bar one this year until at least the 20 min mark of the last quarter (including games against Adelaide in Adelaide, West Coast in Perth, Sydney in Sydney, etc) our last 4 are imminently winnable.

Two of them are so called "gimmies", one more we will probably start shorter in the betting in and the other one is against a side we have been very competitive with for several years. Win those 4 and we have 13 wins and a very healthy percentage of around 120. If that doesn't get us into the 8 that will be staggering.

Many of this group were involved in 19 wins in a row just 3 years ago, so 4 in a row is hardly climbing Mt Everest.

We're leaving our run pretty late, but if we just focus on the job at hand at the time and implement the things we're working on at training to the best of our ability, I believe we can certainly do it. We haven't been far away at all, if at all, for most of the year, so the gap to bridge to be good enough to win these next 4 is not that wide. Throw in the towel though and it will get a whole lot wider.

 

[Falchoon]

Think Simpkin will miss for sure, as the inevitable happened and he got someone in the head with one of his bumps, but I didn't think Kosi's was a reportable offence. He had a split second and just braced himself for the contact.

Kosi would have got there earlier if he wasn't being held

 

[Jimmy 35]

Kosi should have been awarded a couple of free kicks that Brown is an unfair player, never goes the ball always the man. Much like Gwilt, except Gwilt finds himself giving away a free as Brown somehow avoids to the spud.

 

[Persevering Saint]

Expecting to go to the game.

Not sure about ins and outs. Will wait until we find out the verdict from the lottery on Kosi and Head.

 

[Terror Time]

Polo might have to stay in now that Simpkin may miss. Play our best side available this week and just win then throw everything and the kitchen sink into next weeks game. We win, then great but if we manage to lose again by a kick or so then sure bring in every fringe player we have playing decently for the remaining two games.

I might be on my own here but would playing Stanley for half a game this week be worth it to get him ready for the Geelong game? No point messing around with everything on the line from here on out in my opinion. Sub him off at half time and that should be a decent hitout for next week.

 

[saintsrfreak]

Polo might have to stay in now that Simpkin may miss. Play our best side available this week and just win then throw everything and the kitchen sink into next weeks game. We win, then great but if we manage to lose again by a kick or so then sure bring in every fringe player we have playing decently for the remaining two games.

I might be on my own here but would playing Stanley for half a game this week be worth it to get him ready for the Geelong game? No point messing around with everything on the line from here on out in my opinion. Sub him off at half time and that should be a decent hitout for next week.

Why would Polo stay in because of Simpkin coming out? They play completely different roles

 

[stkildathunda]

Here is preview which ive also updated in OP, but apologies about it this week. Really struggled with what to write and its def not my best work...

After another “honourable” loss against one of top sides last week, St Kilda will be hoping to keep their slim finals chances alive with win against lowly Melbourne. The Saints are 2 games out of top 8 in 10th position will be replying on Fremantle, North Melbourne and Essendon dropping a couple games in last 4 weeks. Melbourne are playing for, well basically nothing.

Whilst Saints finals aspirations all but went down faster than Harry Obrien does without getting touched, we can’t blame the close losses on umpiring decisions. In cold light of day it’s been our very poor disposal and composure in vital stages of games. Clint Jones is one those that continually turns ball over by foot and has no right foot (or left foot?).

Selection will be interesting over next couple weeks as to if as a club they decide it’s time to slowly start looking to next year and blood a few more kids. Kids like Jack Newnes, Tommy Ledger, Arryn Siposs and Jamie Cripps have been performing week in week out in VFL and deserve more games. Then Seb Ross and Daniel Markworth if given a taste of AFL could really use that as stepping stone into next year. This week (and GWS game) would be perfect time to do this.

Melbourne seems to matchup against StKilda quite well, earlier in year Saints really struggled to get on top of Demons in wet conditions.

Just a reminder that this week’s game is a StKilda home game but at the MCG!

KEY MATCHUPS

Brendon Goddard vs Jordan McKenzie– Last time McKenzie got under skin of Goddard and well and truly beat him. Goddard had no impact and will be looking to reverse that this time around. In last 2 weeks BJ has had two best games of year and is showing signs he might be back to his best. McKenzie was late withdrawal on weekend so maybe in some doubt to play.

Nick Riewoldt vs Tom McDonald – The Saints skipper struggled to have much of impact last time and was well held by the young demon Tom McDonald. I would think James Frawley will go to Wilkes/Kosi.

MEDICAL ROOM
Scott Watters said Adam Schneider missed as precaution due to history of hamstrings and would most likely be in contention this week. Rhys Stanley should be available (was 1 week away last week) and Jason Blake will be only week or two away. We saw him yesterday and he had no limp what so ever.

CHANGES
Dean Polo who was late inclusion for Beau Wilkes will most likely find himself on outer again after being subbed off.

If fit Adam Schneider will be welcomed back to side, can’t see him coming back via Sandringham after only 1 week off.

Jamie Cripps will come into consideration for recall after being one best in Sandringhams win over Frankston on Sunday. He collected 21 disposals, 6 marks, 2 tackles and kicked 1 goal. He was played up on a wing for majority of game.

Raph Clarke (23 disposals, 9 marks, 1 tackle) was pretty good down back for Sandy. With not many other defensive options it would seem likely he would come in to replace Tom Simpkin if he is found guilty by MRP.

Beau Wilkes (11 dispsosals, 6 marks, 3 tackles, 2 goals 1 behind) is obvious candidate to replace Justin Koschitkze, whether Kosi is found guilty for head high hit or due to poor form. Even if Kosi doesn’t go out think Saints play and look structurally better with the 3 talls up forward.

Rhys Stanley should be available this week but hopefully club realizes their mistake last time and play him in VFL for week or two. Afterall he has played about 10mins in about 12 weeks. Id still like to see them take cautious approach and just put him on ice for rest of year and make sure he has full preseason and is ready to roll round 1 next season.

Tommy Ledger (29 disposals & 9 marks) and Arryn Siposs (15 disposals, 4 marks, 3 tackles, 1 goal) were both named in the best for Zebras, but thought they were alright without being standouts. Siposs kicked monster goal from bout 65m and given his good form prior to Sydney game he should be rewarded with return to senior side.

As it is only Melbourne, I wouldn’t mind seeing Daniel Markworth (16 disposals, 2 marks, 3 tackles) come in as sub (or start and be subbed off) to give him a taste of AFL so he can build on it over preseason. Also Jack Newnes (16 disposals, 3 marks, 3 tackles) had solid game in return from injury, but might need 1 more week to get match fit again.

ON THE BLOCK: Justin Koschitzke, Tom Simpkin, Dean Polo, Clint Jones

IN THE MIX: Adam Schneider, Jamie Cripps, Beau Wilkes, Raph Clarke, Jack Newnes, Arryn Siposs

OPEN TRAINING ALERT: 10.45am on Friday August 10th at Linen House Centre there will be light open training session.

 

[Terror Time]

Why would Polo stay in because of Simpkin coming out? They play completely different roles

Ok you obviously been trying to start an arguement for a while now but i'll refrain. The backline gets shuffled around with Polo taking someone elses role.