Preview Round 5, 2018: St.Kilda v GWS - Etihad Stadium, Saturday 21st April, 1:45PM AEST

[Tyrian Loinstar]

Absolutely, 53 hitouts big whoop how many of those are to advantage? If his presence around the ground is basically non-existent he's no good to us, it's pretty clear that your ruckman these days has to have an impact after the center bounce or stoppage, Marshall showed more in one quarter of footy around the ground vs the Crows than Longer has in his career.

Reckon we've found one in Marshall.

 

[tim_saints]

Reckon we've found one in Marshall.

Likewise, can play at centre bounces, can play down forward! Ultimately would love him in the ruck personally, saw with Grundy's game on the weekend just how big of an impact having a good ruck has on your team.

 

[bennymc7]

Need to find room for web and Clark...

Skills over hardness Richo

 

[Quixote]

He was clearly the best player for the seconds. If our aim is to win then how is it going backwards to bring in Armo? We need good players right now.

It's short-sighted. His career at AFL level ends this year, maybe next. Must be giving that game time to Steele and others like him. Also, I don't think our aim from here on in 2018 should necessarily be 'to win'. Luckily, with Alan at the helm, we need not worry -- losing should take care of itself.

 

[Mikka84]

I have an idea..how about we out number the opposition in the forward line when going forward then we out number them in the backline when going back..build a game plan around that.

I see where you’re going with this. Play 22 on the field. Smart. I like it.

 

[Diehard Saint]

As others have pointed out the club can be ignorant of how the supporter base feels so just one idea of how to get this point across.
Relax!

Pretty sure the club have a damn good idea about how their members and supporters are feeling right now.
Spend just 10 minutes on any social media platform and they will be left in absolutely no doubt.

 

[Diehard Saint]

Some numbers in the VFL on the weekend from some boys looking for a recall;

David Armitage 34 disposals (22 contested), 9 clearances and 7 tackles
Mav Weller 25 disposals, 5 tackles and a goal
Billy Longer 53 hit-outs

Some food for thought...could be three that come in.

Will Marshall be available or will they give him a week? I like the kid.

 

[BrutThough]

Will Marshall be available or will they give him a week? I like the kid.

hard to tell with concussion. we only have a 6 day break, so him playing would seem unlikely.
Does anyone know if he was had one before?

 

[joop]

Reckon we've found one in Marshall.

He hasn't been St.Kilda'd yet though.

 

[Timeoftheseason]

Will Marshall be available or will they give him a week? I like the kid.

Seeing Marshall injured & in the track suit was the greatest nut-punch from yesterday's defeat.The kid looks like an absolute beauty in the ruck & in the fwd line...has been one of the few positives the last few weeks along with Coffield.

 

[gringo2011]

Seeing Marshall injured & in the track suit was the greatest nut-punch from yesterday's defeat.The kid looks like an absolute beauty in the ruck & in the fwd line...has been one of the few positives the last few weeks along with Coffield.

Yeah I was very keen to see him, Hickey and Paddy all working together. Losing him and Roberton were big blows.

 

[Timeoftheseason]

Need to find room for web and Clark...

Skills over hardness Richo

Won't be too hard given we have been weak as piss...playing an abundance of inside mids & loosing contested possessions is boarding on embarrassing.I reckon we can turn it around soon if Richo & co can scrape up a half decent game plan from the morsels & keep playing the kids...there's no doubt that we have a few rippers coming through.

 

[Indie Rock]

He was clearly the best player for the seconds. If our aim is to win then how is it going backwards to bring in Armo? We need good players right now.

I suppose a few of us are just worn down with the yoyoing of players who tear it up at VFL and then do **** all at AFL level.

It’s a revolving door, a really disappointing revolving door.

Lonie the prime example. He deserves a crack then performs poorly. I know he is often being asked to play a different position when he gets a game for the seniors but as a fan it’s just so frustrating and feels like a step back promoting these guys.

Armo is done IMO, I will be happy to be proven wrong but he he gone backwards
and is not the future. If he is providing leadership that other players aren’t I would reconsider that opinion but he clearly has little to no influence in the first 3 rounds (round 1 quarter 1 aside).

 

[Diehard Saint]

Here you go - compare this to the rabble of the first few weeks of this season. Personnel is not that much different - Rooey barely got a touch in the last quarter, Joey was solid though.

Just keep an eye to the right hand side of the screen at every opportunity. I can see only one instance when there is less than 2 Saints players inside 50 every time we move it forward.

Its clearly a change in coaching tactics (pushing high) but it is an unmitigated disaster.

Well if I wasn't depressed before watching this, I certainly am now.
What on earth has happened to take us from this great football to where we are now?

 

[George]

Will Marshall be available or will they give him a week? I like the kid.

I would say they'd give him a week but it's still early so we'll see how he goes during the week.

Think he gives us something different too - I don't mind him.

 

[Indie Rock]

Well if I wasn't depressed before watching this, I certainly am now.
What on earth has happened to take us from this great football to where we are now?

Loss of Roo and Joey’s influence.

A game plan or approach that doesn’t seem to be working.

Players seem devoid of confidence.

Richo needs to fix this, if he gets a better plan that allows our players to play with more freedom and buy into it then it can be fixed with this list.

Maybe our Richmond moment like the year before last? Them missing finals, players coming out and saying they are failing to copy the Hawks game plan (embarrassing), an attempted board usurp......can only hope!

Massively character building moment for the players and coach though if they can get through this and turn it around.

 

[Rough_Edges]

Honestly wgaf about Longer winning hit-outs?

Longer is below average at everything.

Hickey whilst he does struggle in hit outs at time he is actually above average around the ground, can use the ball and makes smart decisions.

If Longer and Rice come I’ll be baffled

 

[TheEnsign]

Honestly wgaf about Longer winning hit-outs?

Longer is below average at everything.

Hickey whilst he does struggle in hit outs at time he is actually above average around the ground, can use the ball and makes smart decisions.

If Longer and Rice come I’ll be baffled

+1 I think Hickey kicked the ball more on Sunday than Longer did all of last year.

 

[Rough_Edges]

+1 I think Hickey kicked the ball more on Sunday than Longer did all of last year.

And he’s actually a good kick.

One of the few players who was looking inside to try and open up the ground

 

[Jack Stevens]

I think Brown is another that needs to be looked at. We are having so much trouble rebounding the ball and we have a full back that doesn't mark or kick the ball only spoils. It's not working. Austin got a few possessions in the 2s... I'd be keen to have a look at him this week.

Every week someone calls for Brown to be dropped, I just don't get it. He held Tom Hawkins, one of the better key forwards of the last decade, scoreless in a bloodbath. No he doesn't get heaps of rebounds, but that isn't his role. We play about 10 half back flankers who are meant to be doing that. It was only a couple of years ago that key forwards were consistently kicking bags on us and we were all crying out for a full back better than Rhys ******* Stanley. If we start dropping players who can actually play their role for the team we might as well just give up. It'd be great if a kid was putting up their hand to take his spot off him, but that just isn't happening.

 

[austinnn]

I think 20k is generous.

19k to Adelaide on Sat night?

145 On Saturday hmmmm I guess 14500

Yeah look for w***er supporters of other "big" Victorian clubs to whinge and joke loudly about the Aints' poor attendance, claiming that it's always been low in the hope that the AFL will box us or send us to Tassie/NT and release the pressure in Victoria, spurred on by implications of the same by high profile versions of the same; turds like McGuire or Brereton come to mind.

Everyone wants us to fold, and here we have our own supporters calling for a boycott! SMFH

 

[austinnn]

I love gresh but his disposal is horrible. Were obsessed with drafting shocking kicks.

His disposal was great when we drafted him: remember his first few games? Our leaders are letting our standards sag. That's the key, too casual, too accepting. They were all good players once, but they've got complacent.

 

[tim_saints]

His disposal was great when we drafted him: remember his first few games? Our leaders are letting our standards sag. That's the key, too casual, too accepting. They were all good players once, but they've got complacent.

I just don’t for the life of me understand how basically all our good players are out of form, like literally they are all playing so far off their past two seasons it isn’t funny, I get one or two but 4-5+ just doesn’t add up.

 

[Rough_Edges]

Yeah look for w***er supporters of other "big" Victorian clubs to whinge and joke loudly about the Aints' poor attendance, claiming that it's always been low in the hope that the AFL will box us or send us to Tassie/NT and release the pressure in Victoria, spurred on by implications of the same by high profile versions of the same; turds like McGuire or Brereton come to mind.

Everyone wants us to fold, and here we have our own supporters calling for a boycott! SMFH

Yeah the point I made to my mates when they were getting into me about the Adelaide crowd a few weeks ago was whilst 20k is obviously less than what we’d like, even at the peak of our powers in 2010 we got like 26k.

We are a small club and when small club don’t win, the crowd numbers drop.

We all want massive crowds! But this is how these things work.

People like seeing teams win.

FWIW I’ll be there on Saturday and am looking forward to it.

 

[Jade Buddha]

What does our forward set up look like this week? With the possibility of Marshall being out we are getting thin on for forwards. Lonie was all but invisible so I can't see him holding his spot.

Battle is the next obvious inclusion but I'm not sure a 2nd gamer will have much impact. Don't think Members will get up either (based on nothing).

So

HF: Billings Battle Long
FF: Gresham McCartin Weller