Round 21 v North Melbourne @ Ethiad

[SammyFish25]

He plays on the third or fourth tall? How many teams do you see these days with as many as four talls in their forward line?

You just dont get it!
All clubs have tall forwards, Raph plays on the 'Gwilt type player' of the opposition.
Completely different players.

 

[olmate]

Yeh, his decision making and dispoal have been sus for a few weeks now. Not sure if he should be dropped but he has to lift his game.

Also thought the umpiring was the worst I have seen in a StKilda game this year. Not offering that as excuse though, the Kangas won fair and square. We were just very ordinary when it mattered.

To throw up another name, where was Stevie Baker? Not too fussed about Schneids/Milne, one will bob up next week. If I was Zac and if Maxie is fit I'd be a little worried though.

One bad game and your gonna sack Zac !!!!

The back line didnt lose the game the foward line did

Credit to NM defence they were bombarded with StKilda inside 50s

Also the umpire that pinged Schneider in the dying moments ................Im lost for words !

 

[ChrisFooty]

I agree - but ... at the expense of Armitage ?

No.

Ball, Hayes, Armitage all in the side next week.

Gwilt is useless, drop him instead.

 

[SammyFish25]

Thought we really missed Max today, wouldnt have let Petrie kick 4 on him, including the winning goal. Havnt seen Max's disposal efficiency from last week, but have seen Dawson's

97% Game Time
3 Disposals, All Ineffictive

 

[CHBench]

I just remembered why i hate playing Collingwood.

 

[SAINTsincebirth]

Thought we really missed Max today, wouldnt have let Petrie kick 4 on him, including the winning goal. Havnt seen Max's disposal efficiency from last week, but have seen Dawson's

97% Game Time
3 Disposals, All Ineffictive

Zac has had a great season but believe he is very overated, max is the guy i would want on a key forward in the last minutes of a GF, to save the game as i think zac is abit of a spectator, watch him closely.

 

[we57st]

What a game. The players looked out of sorts for the 2nd week in a row. We were constantly 2nd to the ball at the stoppages to a North side that has been often been called slow. Gram's disposal was shocking today. Missed Lenny's hardness and ball getting in the middle. The rucks had an off day..........I would like to see McEvoy given another chance.

Every North player out there played like they were on their last chance - with the new coach watching, I'm sure some of them are nervous, and they sure played like their careers were on the line. Our boys on the other hand played like they had an eye on the finals and thought they only had to rock up today to win. Half the battle is mental and that will be Ross Lyon's biggest challenge.

Those 2 shocking missed head-high frees to St Kilda in the forward 50 in the dying minutes were a disgrace by the umpire, but it would have been a gross injustice if we were to grab that game at the death.

 

[Cuz2Plugger]

Play Armo and Gears. We can't look backwards now. Our form will improve come finals - if only because we can't get any worse. I have NO IDEA what will happen next week though, and it will be meaningless anyway, just like today and last week. Might be time for a little Bonnie Doon getaway b4 the finals start to get the group to get real.

Zac has been average for two weeks though and has lost noticeable bulk, that can sap your confidence and I think he is a confidence player.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

You just dont get it!
All clubs have tall forwards, Raph plays on the 'Gwilt type player' of the opposition.
Completely different players.

I agree with you, but I don't think Clarke is being used in his best position.
He is not accountable enough to be a defender. Better as a run and carry player, but with Fisher, Ray, BJ, and Gram around he gets to be a tall defender ( because he is tall ).

 

[mark73]

Are you for real? was a TERRIBLE low quality. maybe you're used to that crap

did both north members who turned up today enjoy the win?

my god, take off the blinkers, that was a disgusting game.

Twas a typical St.Kilda game - apply some pressure and watch them turn to water.

The guy was being polite, frankly I think you're just having one of those years where everything goes right. As for being "used to that crap" we're not the ones who released a video because of a winning streak and we've won four flags since your only one. We also played finals in 3 of the last 5 years, on 2 occasions being a game short of a GF. Give me a break!!

 

[St DAC]

St.Kilda's record there is ordinary and they haven't played there this year yet, so the more matches they play without a roof may actually help them a little bit.

It's true, we've won 0 out of 0 so far this year at the 'G'.

This issue at Docklands with the roof open on a sunny day isn't so much the sunlight, as the orientation of the ground. The 'G' runs east-west, as it should, so the sun travels over the northern stand and doesn't directly impact on players vision.

Docklands runs north-south, and so the sun is always directly in the players eyes when facing the Lockett end. Just a bad design decision. To fix it is easy; close the roof for all games there.

 

[AFaiL]

Twas a typical St.Kilda game - apply some pressure and watch them turn to water.

The guy was being polite, frankly I think you're just having one of those years where everything goes right. As for being "used to that crap" we're not the ones who released a video because of a winning streak and we've won four flags since your only one. We also played finals in 3 of the last 5 years, on 2 occasions being a game short of a GF. Give me a break!!

A game and 100+ points short of a GF.

Right-o.

 

[cartwright]

"That filth" is going to be hard to beat on the M.C.G!St.Kilda can't play on the perfect indoor conditions of Docklands every week. If the sunlight is infuriating, then what are you going to think of the regular swirly wind and other conditions of the much larger M.C.G? St.Kilda's record there is ordinary and they haven't played there this year yet, so the more matches they play without a roof may actually help them a little bit.

ah so you've been to the docklands? and have noted the design flaw?

I do believe we've won at Subiaco, AAMI, Aurora, SCG all outside grounds.

 

[mark73]

A game and 100+ points short of a GF.

Right-o.

Well I just checked the stats, interesting that they don't lie.

 

[Squizz]

Getting a bit over supporters not coming here before the game, and then thinking they have something worthwhile to say after the game - quality stuff like "Saints shit history" and "suck it up" and "sooking". Durrrr.

Either you keyboard warriors can't amuse yourselves with the seven supporters on the North board or you also like to waste the world's oxygen in your regular lives. Create your Nth v StK game thread on your own board and go for it. You can slander the Saints all you like as I won't be reading any of it.

Back to the game, I was a bit disappointed with a few things.

I was gobsmacked that if Lenny had a question mark, why wouldn't Bally be an emergency? Whilst thinking that there's not always room for the two of them in the same team, Ball would be an automatic for me if Hayes is not playing. Our clearance work was down again.

WTF was going on with Zac? That would have been the worst game I've seen from any of our players this year. Looked completely out of it. Some of the efforts were bizarre.

Really disappointing to lose any game where Kosi and Maverick both play well. Particularly when we had significantly more inside 50s.

The helicopter kicks were back. After the way we started this season, I thought I'd never have to watch any games where we regularly could not get the ball to spin right. Can fix itself the next week, but can also become a disease.

No idea why Schneider would think clapping an umpire will do anything but make him a target for years to come. Even though I thought the free was there, when he clapped I though "Oh, you're _ucked now". He will be lucky to get any frees for the rest of the year.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Getting a bit over supporters not coming here before the game, and then thinking they have something worthwhile to say after the game - quality stuff like "Saints shit history" and "suck it up" and "sooking". Durrrr.

Either you keyboard warriors can't amuse yourselves with the seven supporters on the North board or you also like to waste the world's oxygen in your regular lives. Create your Nth v StK game thread on your own board and go for it. You can slander the Saints all you like as I won't be reading any of it.

Back to the game, I was a bit disappointed with a few things.

I was gobsmacked that if Lenny had a question mark, why wouldn't Bally be an emergency? Whilst thinking that there's not always room for the two of them in the same team, Ball would be an automatic for me if Hayes is not playing. Our clearance work was down again.

WTF was going on with Zac? That would have been the worst game I've seen from any of our players this year. Looked completely out of it. Some of the efforts were bizarre.

Really disappointing to lose any game where Kosi and Maverick both play well. Particularly when we had significantly more inside 50s.

The helicopter kicks were back. After the way we started this season, I thought I'd never have to watch any games where we regularly could not get the ball to spin right. Can fix itself the next week, but can also become a disease.

No idea why Schneider would think clapping an umpire will do anything but make him a target for years to come. Even though I thought the free was there, when he clapped I though "Oh, you're _ucked now". He will be lucky to get any frees for the rest of the year.

On Ball's game, I was watching him a fair bit earlier in the year because he was an annoyance on my Supercoach. Until the time he was dropped, I felt he was fairly lazy, but was switching on when he was needed. The opposite of a downhill skiier if you like. I didn't have a problem with this and I didn't critisize him despite him not doing well in my SC. He should be in the team.

Dawson - could it be a bad omen for playing at the "G",- roof open "gee isn't it a nice day" , " is that the Rialto?" "wow a helicopter " "oops"

I liked the way Nick and Kosi gave each other space. On at least one occasion I saw Nick start to go after the ball, saw that Kosi would reach it and backed off. Good survival instincts and also good for our game.
Any other game it they probably would have done enough, but with only one each from Farren Ray and Mini as a scoring alternative it didn't work. I wish we had a player like Gram but accurate ( maybe Armo comes close but not that day). Uncharacteristic misses from Schnieder and Milne as well.
I guess Schnieder probably realised it was a mistake when he clapped, but sometimes you have to vent. At least he didn't punch anyone.

 

[halfman_halfroo]

who was covering A.Swallow??

33 touches and a goal?

was that what Goddard and Co were fighting about?

 

[we57st]

Gram's disposal yesterday was shocking, in fact the whole team made a lot of unforced disposal errors which could be a worrying sign so close to finals. I just hope it's an aberration and that now the shockers are out of the system, they can get back to playing the way they've played all year.

 

[dg102]

Dont worry guys. Were basically playing byes these rounds. The players have been loading thier training hard, add that to the fact that there was no real purpose to these last 3 rounds, except stay injury free.

RL seemed non worried in the PC because he knows whats really going on, and that is that behind the curtain their all getting perfectly ready for a very very big finals.

 

[sainter]

Getting a bit over supporters not coming here before the game, and then thinking they have something worthwhile to say after the game - quality stuff like "Saints shit history" and "suck it up" and "sooking". Durrrr.

Either you keyboard warriors can't amuse yourselves with the seven supporters on the North board or you also like to waste the world's oxygen in your regular lives. Create your Nth v StK game thread on your own board and go for it. You can slander the Saints all you like as I won't be reading any of it.

You're right but we really need people here to get into the habit of reporting these kind of posts rather than replying to them. Not one post was reported and yet I've had to go back through a delete a number of posts and issue infractions.

 

[cartwright]

Gram has got to realise, if he's going to blaze away at the goals he's got to be a chance to at least score ...how many of his disposals were effective?

News on Max? I'd assume if Ball was dropped for a bad game, then Zac's an omission this week....?

 

[krusden]

Gram has got to realise, if he's going to blaze away at the goals he's got to be a chance to at least score ...how many of his disposals were effective?

News on Max? I'd assume if Ball was dropped for a bad game, then Zac's an omission this week....?

i'd like to see grammy be a bit more team-focussed in the finals rather than blazing away

 

[St DAC]

He struggles to hit a target; he struggles to kick a goal accurately. Not many other options for him ...

 

[sainter]

Back to the game, I was a bit disappointed with a few things.

I was gobsmacked that if Lenny had a question mark, why wouldn't Bally be an emergency? Whilst thinking that there's not always room for the two of them in the same team, Ball would be an automatic for me if Hayes is not playing. Our clearance work was down again.

WTF was going on with Zac? That would have been the worst game I've seen from any of our players this year. Looked completely out of it. Some of the efforts were bizarre.

Really disappointing to lose any game where Kosi and Maverick both play well. Particularly when we had significantly more inside 50s.

The helicopter kicks were back. After the way we started this season, I thought I'd never have to watch any games where we regularly could not get the ball to spin right. Can fix itself the next week, but can also become a disease.

No idea why Schneider would think clapping an umpire will do anything but make him a target for years to come. Even though I thought the free was there, when he clapped I though "Oh, you're _ucked now". He will be lucky to get any frees for the rest of the year.

Some good points Squizzy.

I've thought about our performance since the game and I'm a little more positive about it now than I was 3:45pm yesterday.

Firstly I think it's inexcusable to start the way we did. To be down 5.2 to nothing after 18 minutes is disgraceful. Sure, the Kangaroos had a number of reasons to be up for the game (Shannon Watt's last game, Brady Rawlings 200th, new coach appointed, etc) but I would have thought last weeks loss may have stung our boys into action.

However for the remainder of the game we dominated the game as much as any this season. They only had 7 scoring shots for the rest of the game which is a remarkable statistic. At one point the scoreboard had them leading the inside 50's 9-4 and it finished 59-34 in our favour so it was a stunning transformation. To me that at least suggests we're not far off where we've been for much of the season.

The problem was our own conversion. It must be said that yesterday would have been a forwards nightmare. The Kangaroos basically shut up shop after establishing an early lead and were content to sit back and score on the break. Almost like a counter attack in soccer. But this doesn't account for our poorly our forward line functioned. Riewoldt ran himself into the ground as usual and I thought Kosi suffered from our midfielders insistence on kicking the ball at his feet rather than on his chest. Unfortunately Milne was ineffectual.

As most of you have mentioned we do need a fit and firing Lenny Hayes. It's absolutely no coincidence that our two losses have corresponded with him being out of the team or well held. Our team has taken all before it with respect to tackling and winning the contested ball and for the second week in a row we've been outshone in that area. I'll be very disappointed if Lenny (and Bally for that matter) aren't lining up in the centre square for our first final.

I agree with you entirely on Zac. He's been brilliant this season but he had a shocker yesterday. What was he doing when that ball was kicked over his head in the last quarter?

I have to admit I laughed when Schneids clapped the umpire. I commented at the time that if that was the world game he would have received a yellow card but you'd get away with it here. Wayne Rooney was famously sent off after he received a yellow card (his second booking for the game) for doing the same thing in a champions league fixture. But you're right unfortunately.

 

[gilbert the best]

schnieder over staged the free kick in the third quarter wheather he would have received it is anybodys guess as the standard of umpiring was well below par, over stagers dont usually get paid.
clapping the umpires like that was always going to come back to bite him and that sort of behaviour is not the thing we need to see
having said that, that was poor form from the umpire and to quote an ex coach they should leave there ego in the locker