Preview Round 7, 2024: Port Adelaide v St.Kilda - Adelaide Oval, Friday 26 April, 7.40pm AEST

[Hubnester]

Game Day - Round 7, 2024: Port Adelaide v St.Kilda - Adelaide Oval, Friday 26 April, 7.40pm AEST

https://www.afl.com.au/afl/matches/5952

www.bigfooty.com

 

[The Cobra]

His time in there is already reducing - only attended 34% of CBA's this week and 41% the week before.

I’m really not sure who we put in there - maybe more Owens, Sinclair, Dow & Henry (subject to injury) but looks like best the trend continues.

 

[BrutThough]

I’m really not sure who we put in there - maybe more Owens, Sinclair, Dow & Henry (subject to injury) but looks like best the trend continues.

Hopefully Dow and Clark over the next few weeks.

But against Port, he's likely going to have to be the 3rd mid again behind Steele and Windy. I'm not sure how many clearances De Goey had when he did the job on him but if he could repeat that stopping job on one of Ports mids, it would be worth having keeping him there this week over a kid. Ports mids are so damaging it's worth sacrificing a bit to limit one of them.

 

[The Cobra]

Hopefully Dow and Clark over the next few weeks.

But against Port, he's likely going to have to be the 3rd mid again behind Steele and Windy. I'm not sure how many clearances De Goey had when he did the job on him but if he could repeat that stopping job on one of Ports mids, it would be worth having keeping him there this week over a kid. Ports mids are so damaging it's worth sacrificing a bit to limit one of them.

Just not sold on Clark as a mid - has a few tricks but no speed - more of the same unfortunately

 

[LennyHayes77]

Here is an idea. I've watched Sandy games and practice matches and I am convinced the best set shot for goal at our club is currently a first year player who may not even play senior footy this year - Collard.

He should be taking goal kicking training - give him another $20K in a brown paper bag for his footy IQ.

Don't worry once he starts playing for St.Kilda regularly he'll become just as unreliable in front of goals as everyone else!

 

[bergholt]

I’m really not sure who we put in there - maybe more Owens, Sinclair, Dow & Henry (subject to injury) but looks like best the trend continues.

Personally I’m done with Sincs as a mid, I don’t think that’s his best position. He’s a top HBF and a run-of-the-mill mid, let’s put him where he’s best suited.

 

[Playthekids76]

The sides in the 8 are playing well enough to hold but outside the 8 you've got Collingwood, Brisbane, Gold Coast all pushing up from underneath. I reckon you could lock Geelong, Carlton and GWS into the top 8 already. Melbourne look good, Sydney, Port very likely.

Leaves Essendon, Dogs, Freo, GC, Collingwood, Brions and us playing for the last couple of spots. We look around the level of Richmond, West Coast and Adelaide at the moment. North and Hawks should finish in the last 2 spots. Injury might send the Tigers bottom 3 too.

I think we likely finish bottom 6 anyway. Playing guys like Bonner and underdone Butler are only going to hold a kid out that at least develops.

Bonner is your best HB flanker ATM. You have no kids ready for that position. From the stats I read he is top 5 for kick and top 5 for effective kicks. You need him playing from what ive seen.

 

[Yawkey way]

What’s with our forward pressure, Whitfield, Heppell, Martin something crazy like 44 possessions, Dale high 30’s. It’s very hard to see on tv exactly what’s going on, how we’re setting up etc. but we can’t blame the midfield for all our problems.

 

[Yawkey way]

Bonner is your best HB flanker ATM. You have no kids ready for that position. From the stats I read he is top 5 for kick and top 5 for effective kicks. You need him playing from what ive seen.

Great kick and that’s about it imo.

 

[gringo2011]

First Crack - Seb Ross 1 centre bounce clearance for the season - to be fair he seems to have a negating role most weeks but probably time to move on - he isn’t taking us forward.

I think he's been good this year. He's at the end but earning a spot.

 

[gringo2011]

Bonner is your best HB flanker ATM. You have no kids ready for that position. From the stats I read he is top 5 for kick and top 5 for effective kicks. You need him playing from what ive seen.

He's been good apart from one game but we need to plan for the future not the now.

 

[The Punter]

Anyone watch North Melbourne yesterday? Why on earth would we be choosing to do that?

Maintain selection integrity - we have soldiers about to return. Hold off on stocking up on canned goods.

 

[Broski]

I know not everyone can stand Mark Robinson, but he made the point many supporters and clubs have been making early this season... the fixture is a mess and has destroyed some teams' seasons before they have started.

The fixture hasn't stopped us from being a superpower this season, but it's impossible to dismiss the trend and type of losses that clubs have suffered coming off three games (with interstate travel) in under two weeks.

Robbo's comments below:


2. Sorry Saints

Jack Sinclair

35

Jack Sinclair

Age

29

Ht

181cm

Wt

82kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

16.5

4star

K

8.1

3star

HB

8.4

5star

M

3.1

3star

T

3.2

5star

MG

235.0

4star

D

15.0

4star

K

10.0

4star

HB

5.0

3star

M

4.0

4star

T

2.0

3star

MG

376.0

5star

D

12.0

3star

K

4.2

2star

HB

7.8

5star

M

1.6

2star

T

2.0

4star

MG

138.2

3star

looks dejected after his side’s capitulation to the Dogs on Thursday night. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

St Kilda coach Ross Lyon wasn’t whining, but his team was dreadful. And why? They have injuries to midfielders and their depth is challenged and it’s little wonder recruiting guru Gubby Allen has the directive to spend millions to find top-end talent via trade or free agency. Be assured, it’s not only Collingwood who has millions to spend on players. That’s the future, now is the problem. From April 7 to April 18, the Saints played three games. That’s not fair. They played at Norwood, Canberra and Marvel Stadium. That’s two road games, two travel days, and Lyon admitted he was worried even before the Western Bulldogs capitulation. Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir

Justin Longmuir

Age

43

Ht

196cm

Wt

98kg

Pos.

F/R

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.4

3star

K

6.9

3star

HB

4.5

3star

M

4.3

4star

T

1.4

3star

G

1.2

4star

No current season stats available

D

7.0

2star

K

3.6

2star

HB

3.4

3star

M

2.0

3star

T

0.6

3star

G

0.6

3star

won’t whinge, either. But facts are facts. “It’s a brutal season. The fixtures are brutal. Throws up some of these results sometimes,” Longmuir said. The Dockers played in Adelaide, Adelaide again and were then annihilated at home by West Coast on Saturday night. Melbourne stayed in Adelaide for a week to play their two games against Adelaide and Port Adelaide and then lost to Brisbane in Round 5? They, too, looked tired ahead of their bye. On Saturday, a freshened Collingwood came off the bye in Round 5 and pounded Port Adelaide. A ton of byes in the first third of the season is a) unheard of and b) unfair. Will the AFL take note?

 

[Saintos The ITK]

I just find the only problems with our forward setup is they they make really hard work out of every goal they get, they’re poor set shots, they’re stationary and won’t lead and they won’t tackle or provide forward defensive pressure. Oh, and they get outmarked by the defenders.
Apart from that they’re superstars.

 

[Sir Owens]

Just not sold on Clark as a mid - has a few tricks but no speed - more of the same unfortunately

Don't forget about his strength of a 10-year-old. Always tries to fend off and gets caught holding the ball.

 

[gringo2011]

Anyone watch North Melbourne yesterday? Why on earth would we be choosing to do that?

Maintain selection integrity - we have soldiers about to return. Hold off on stocking up on canned goods.

No-one wants to bottom out but the Dogs missed the 8 and got another elite draft pick in Sanders after playing off for a GF a couple of years ago. They also have Darcy for FA. We have to keep up with sides like them and make ground on them somehow. The best thing for us is to miss the finals.

 

[Yawkey way]

He's been good apart from one game but we need to plan for the future not the now.

He’s a great kick when he has time and everything is on script but imo he’s a poor defender who gets lost in traffic and turns it over under pressure.

Against Geelong he’d had some success chipping the ball to chb from the kick in then running past for the handball receive then hitting up the next target. The message had obviously gone out to put a stop to that so when bonner chipped the ball out and tried to run past on the left for the receive he had close company.

Instead of realising he wasn’t going to be able to take the receive and just sagging off, he panicked and at the last minute went right and took the handball while the Geelong player went left. So now bonner has the ball on his barely functional right boot and is running to the opposite side of the ground to what he was meant to on what looked to be a set play. Now he’s kicking into heavy traffic and scrubs a 25 metre kick straight down a Geelong players throat, turn over goal.

I don’t like Sinclair out of the backline, we’ve looked out of sorts at times and we’ve missed him. I’m not sure if there’s an afl stat for this but not only does Sinclair make good decisions under pressure he also releases the ball very quickly. In part it’s that quick release that enables us to open up the opposition. If he was a QB he’s a Tom Brady, he sees the field and what’s unfolding quicker than others and hits his targets Tua at Miami currently has the quickest release time on average.

 

[The Punter]

No-one wants to bottom out but the Dogs missed the 8 and got another elite draft pick in Sanders after playing off for a GF a couple of years ago. They also have Darcy for FA. We have to keep up with sides like them and make ground on them somehow. The best thing for us is to miss the finals.

Now how the did the Bulldogs get Darcy for FA? Hmmm?

I've been screaming this for the rooftops for years now, but the F-S rule is desperately unfair and should be abolished. I don't care for romanticism, anyone wearing a St Kilda jumper has my full support. You want fathers and sons running out for the same club, we have a very strong local football culture in our country where you can scratch that itch. I don't care that it might be our turn this year, this rule has contributed to entrenched advantage for clubs like Geelong for ever, and only because of dumb luck.

So our response to "Geez, Marcus Ashcroft was lucky enough to sire yet another son who can play footy" is to deliberately serve up excremental football so we can get a high draft pick, which many on here will tell you we will waste anyway.

We need to stop the excuses, look the current playing list in the eye and tell them it is up to them to do what is necessary and give the fans what they deserve: success.

End communication.

 

[Yawkey way]

No-one wants to bottom out but the Dogs missed the 8 and got another elite draft pick in Sanders after playing off for a GF a couple of years ago. They also have Darcy for FA. We have to keep up with sides like them and make ground on them somehow. The best thing for us is to miss the finals.

Yep let’s hold back the development of the players who will take us forward so we can have pick 12. Imo we overachieved last year and were always going to struggle to back that up. Ok things haven’t gone to plan with close loses, injuries etc. This should be our best and perhaps last chance to get a pick in the first six before Tassie decimates the draft.

We have Adelaide’s second, a potential father son and with some luck an academy player or two. This could be another very good draft for us if we just keep our eyes on the big picture. I have zero interest in making up the numbers and honourable 9th or 10th finishes I want to get back into flag contention.

 

[Saintbloke]

The list could be better, and what we have, could have done better this season, but I have seen Lyon get outsmarted in two or three games now by opposition coaches, and the Dogs game just showed up every weakness we have in how the team is used and plays. I just hope we at least give it all against PA.

 

[Yawkey way]

Now how the did the Bulldogs get Darcy for FA? Hmmm?

I've been screaming this for the rooftops for years now, but the F-S rule is desperately unfair and should be abolished. I don't care for romanticism, anyone wearing a St Kilda jumper has my full support. You want fathers and sons running out for the same club, we have a very strong local football culture in our country where you can scratch that itch. I don't care that it might be our turn this year, this rule has contributed to entrenched advantage for clubs like Geelong for ever, and only because of dumb luck.

So our response to "Geez, Marcus Ashcroft was lucky enough to sire yet another son who can play footy" is to deliberately serve up excremental football so we can get a high draft pick, which many on here will tell you we will waste anyway.

We need to stop the excuses, look the current playing list in the eye and tell them it is up to them to do what is necessary and give the fans what they deserve: success.

End communication.

Father sons were bad enough and should always have had some kind of limit or balancing mechanism. If they were bad which they were imo then how bad are academy’s . Now we have to watch sides effectively pick up multiple fist round players with garbage picks and we have Tassie concessions to look forward to. If your team is down near the bottom, short of talent and or old in 2017 then find another sport to follow.

 

[Yawkey way]

The list could be better, and what we have, could have done better this season, but I have seen Lyon get outsmarted in two or three games now by opposition coaches, and the Dogs game just showed up every weakness we have in how the team is used and plays. I just hope we at least give it all against PA.

Don’t count on it they popped our bubble last year by playing man on man and Horne Francis showed us why he went number 1 and smashed us.

 

[g_TRAIN]

What’s with our forward pressure, Whitfield, Heppell, Martin something crazy like 44 possessions, Dale high 30’s. It’s very hard to see on tv exactly what’s going on, how we’re setting up etc. but we can’t blame the midfield for all our problems.

I was thinking this too, we're really just letting opposition half backs do as they please.

 

[The Punter]

Father sons were bad enough and should always have had some kind of limit or balancing mechanism. If they were bad which they were imo then how bad are academy’s . Now we have to watch sides effectively pick up multiple fist round players with garbage picks and we have Tassie concessions to look forward to. If your team is down near the bottom, short of talent and or old in 2017 then find another sport to follow.

It should have an abolishing mechanism.

With the academies, which were created to foster home grown talent in non-footy states, give them one per year aside from the draft and that's it.

By the way, the NFL and the NBA manage to do this pretty fairly. Try explaining F-S to an American and watch their reaction to such a perversion of the objectives of the draft.

 

[Miha]

Are you out of form and need a pick me up? Clearance numbers too low? Goal scoring inaccuracy? Come play Saint Kilda, we’ll get you back into form and talked about on SEN

 

[saint_]

What’s with our forward pressure, Whitfield, Heppell, Martin something crazy like 44 possessions, Dale high 30’s. It’s very hard to see on tv exactly what’s going on, how we’re setting up etc. but we can’t blame the midfield for all our problems.

Ross likes to sit the defence back more when opposition teams have the ball. It's reason why Bulldogs had double the marks and the reason why Essendon were able to claw back in the game (including our poor conversion).