Preview Round 8, 2024: St.Kilda v North Melbourne - Marvel Stadium, Saturday 4 May, 4.35pm AEST

[Hubnester]

Game Day - Round 8, 2024: St.Kilda v North Melbourne - Marvel Stadium, Saturday 4 May, 4.35pm AEST

https://www.afl.com.au/afl/matches/5961

www.bigfooty.com

 

[Saint_Dos]

Whats in a name - lets pick someone because they play a "position" and we have a vacancy in that position - don't worry whether they are any good at it or not (ATM).

Wood is fwd until he's a winger, Sinclair is a hbf until he is a mid. Sharman is - well pick a position any position.

On exposed form Garcia is a better option as a pressure fwd simply because he has played in that position, does actually provide pressure and can run through the mid if needed.

I'd prefer Byrnes as the other option simply because of his AFL experience and his more developed body strength.

Collard will be great but I don't think we are traveling well enough or settled enough to carry a very low possession young very light fwd on the assumption he might provide a highlight or two.

Wasnt that long ago we were having a similar argument about Butler. His stats were low but his pressure rating was really high and allowed us to carry so many tall fwds.

The small fwd role isnt just about possessions its about creating opportunities and capatilising on them which I think he has proved he can do in VFL and the pressure chasing which he certainly has the speed for whether he can apply himself to do it is a different matter but should be given the chance.

I also think Garcia could cover this role too but ideally we would have both like our best 22 generally has Butler and Higgo.

 

[god_of_the_universe]

I want Webster straight back in to make this game interesting, as we all know it will be 3.8 to 4.7 at half time

Us kick 3 goals in the first half? Unlikely!

 

[2ballz]

North have conceded 100 points in every game this season. I assume we will be the one to buck this trend

 

[Saintos The ITK]

Yep Collard's scored some goals (a few of them out them were out the back cheapies) but the problem ATM is that he's had 3 tackles in 4 games

Will be a very good small fwd but at the moment he's an icing on the cake sort of option that I don't think we can afford when we have both out small fwds out of the game.

The ball needs to stay inside 50. So if we bring in Dow and Jones, that means Garcia can play as a permanent small fwd (and you know he'll bring relentless pressure), second spot to Byrnes.

Not ideal but a better chance of keeping the ball in our scoring area.

To be fair he’d be in pretty good company in our fwd line. They have zero fwd pressure. It’s a waltz out of there.

 

[Saintos The ITK]

We’re currently a bottom side thinking we can beat the sides below us and climb up into a finals spot. Then what???

 

[Yawkey way]

People are irrational. We have better potential players in the depth not better depth.

It would be a nightmare publicity wise but Lyon won't be unsafe until next year.

People need to get a grip, we’re not that good to begin with and I thought finals would be a tough ask this year. So from that starting position we’ve lost a few to injury, won 2 games lost some close games, played quite a few kids. In addition we’ve had a punishing schedule and we have a few who are out of form.

Unless people had convinced themselves we were a lock for finals where’s the drama?. Collingwood on 3 wins and Brisbane on 2 with both facing stiff opposition this week is a drama. We might still win 8 or more for the year which imo is a pass given we’re blooding our kids, only Shoenmaker is yet to debut from last years draft.

A loss to norf would be a gut punch but having said that they have some real talent including the big guy Xerri we chased a couple of years ago. Seriously North Melbourne need to start winning games at some point and they will be primed for this.

 

[Yawkey way]

Yep Collard's scored some goals (a few of them out them were out the back cheapies) but the problem ATM is that he's had 3 tackles in 4 games

Will be a very good small fwd but at the moment he's an icing on the cake sort of option that I don't think we can afford when we have both out small fwds out of the game.

The ball needs to stay inside 50. So if we bring in Dow and Jones, that means Garcia can play as a permanent small fwd (and you know he'll bring relentless pressure), second spot to Byrnes.

Not ideal but a better chance of keeping the ball in our scoring area.

Collard is very clever and looks like he’ll be a ripper but at present he can’t find the football and as you’ve pointed out he’s not exactly bringing manic pressure, go with Garcia.

 

[Remboy]

North have conceded 100 points in every game this season. I assume we will be the one to buck this trend

Yep, we'll kick 200!

 

[Yawkey way]

A goal or two. We need goals.

Byrnes - 55 games, 11 goals, none this season.
Garcia - 3 games, 1 goal. Getting better...

Webster would have better body strength and experience, but we're not about to play him there.

It's North Melbourne and we need goals - Collard is next.

Play Patton on Sheezel.

 

[Diehard Saint]

I hate to pile on pressure, but now there is more than the season in the balance with this game:

‘One will go’: AFL presidents are unhappy with 19-team league... and there’s ‘an easy solution’

‘One will go’: AFL presidents don’t want a 19-team league... there’s ‘an easy solution’

www.foxsports.com.au

Yes, North makes much more sense to relocate, but since when is the AFL governed by sense?

In my darker moments, and the last two weeks count among them, I sometimes wonder if we shouldn't just give it up and relocate to Tassie. We are the red headed step child of the AFL, stuck behind the 8 ball while their favourites get assistance, get smashed by the league our VFL alignment, umpires and match

review, ignored or dismissed by media. Most Saints supporters don't get to games anyway so having our home games in Tassie won't change much. If anything the club would be doing us a favour giving us a chance to move on and avoid the weekly and annual disappointments.

Give us some hope St Kilda, something worth hanging on for. We've got the best president we've had since I started following footy, the most promising set of kids we've had in over a decade and a wily coach with a point to prove. We couldn't be in better hands, so let's start making it count before we're boxed off and sent to Hobart.

Really easy to say while you’re living in France.
Would absolutely devastate the close to 58 000 Saints fans who live here.
It’s not an option.

 

[Saintbloke]

Play Patton on Sheezel.

Paton looked ok at Sandy and I reckon he could get a run

 

[Remboy]

Really easy to say while you’re living in France.
Would absolutely devastate the close to 58 000 Saints fans who live here.
It’s not an option.

Tasmanians don't want a relocated team, they want their own team. The AFL don't want to have a bye every week. Will be interesting to see where they go with it.
Could be a playoff for the relocation cup.

 

[beside the seaside]

Tasmanians don't want a relocated team, they want their own team. The AFL don't want to have a bye every week. Will be interesting to see where they go with it.
Could be a playoff for the relocation cup.

With all the issues with byes, why wouldn't they want a bye every week? The byes this season have been a s**t show, in fact the whole fixture has been a joke.

 

[SG34]

Wasnt that long ago we were having a similar argument about Butler. His stats were low but his pressure rating was really high and allowed us to carry so many tall fwds.

The small fwd role isnt just about possessions its about creating opportunities and capatilising on them which I think he has proved he can do in VFL and the pressure chasing which he certainly has the speed for whether he can apply himself to do it is a different matter but should be given the chance.

I also think Garcia could cover this role too but ideally we would have both like our best 22 generally has Butler and Higgo.

I think the defensive small forward role is a bit of a sad excuse.

Butler wasn't a 'pressure forward' in 2020. He was sharking and swooping on opportunities, thieving off the back of packs, pick - pocketing.

Then it dries up, for whatever reason. Then he started to be known for his pressure acts. Exactly the same excuse we gave Ben Long as a forward. The odd explosive offense, but mostly just toiling away pushing and tackling - the so called 'pressure acts'. What do I think a pressure - act small forward is? I think it is a person who used to win the ball, but now is chasing the ball carrier. They are second to the ball and they used to be first.

I know it sounds blunt, but I think Butler's career is really on a knife's edge here. Three ankles now. And what I know is. is that these things are degenerative. I think he could be a great coach and I've alway's admire him.

Anyway, pressure acts? Come on. Small forwards need to be first to the ball. the unexpected ball..the one tha bounces randomly in front, to the side, out the back. Pressure acts are not enough.

 

[Tyrian Lonestar]

I hate to pile on pressure, but now there is more than the season in the balance with this game:

‘One will go’: AFL presidents are unhappy with 19-team league... and there’s ‘an easy solution’

‘One will go’: AFL presidents don’t want a 19-team league... there’s ‘an easy solution’

www.foxsports.com.au

Yes, North makes much more sense to relocate, but since when is the AFL governed by sense?

In my darker moments, and the last two weeks count among them, I sometimes wonder if we shouldn't just give it up and relocate to Tassie. We are the red headed step child of the AFL, stuck behind the 8 ball while their favourites get assistance, get smashed by the league our VFL alignment, umpires and match review, ignored or dismissed by media. Most Saints supporters don't get to games anyway so having our home games in Tassie won't change much. If anything the club would be doing us a favour giving us a chance to move on and avoid the weekly and annual disappointments.

Give us some hope St Kilda, something worth hanging on for. We've got the best president we've had since I started following footy, the most promising set of kids we've had in over a decade and a wily coach with a point to prove. We couldn't be in better hands, so let's start making it count before we're boxed off and sent to Hobart.

Just give up then eh? FMD

Maybe if the players played smart footy instead of bombing the ball on King's head (even when he isn't playing) we'd win a few close games.

Give up...... pftt

 

[g_TRAIN]

I think the defensive small forward role is a bit of a sad excuse.

Butler wasn't a 'pressure forward' in 2020. He was sharking and swooping on opportunities, thieving off the back of packs, pick - pocketing.

Then it dries up, for whatever reason. Then he started to be known for his pressure acts. Exactly the same excuse we gave Ben Long as a forward. The odd explosive offense, but mostly just toiling away pushing and tackling - the so called 'pressure acts'. What do I think a pressure - act small forward is? I think it is a person who used to win the ball, but now is chasing the ball carrier. They are second to the ball and they used to be first.

I know it sounds blunt, but I think Butler's career is really on a knife's edge here. Three ankles now. And what I know is. is that these things are degenerative. I think he could be a great coach and I've alway's admire him.

Anyway, pressure acts? Come on. Small forwards need to be first to the ball. the unexpected ball..the one tha bounces randomly in front, to the side, out the back. Pressure acts are not enough.

Yes he was, he lead the comp for inside 50 tackles that year.

He's always been a pressure forward who maxes out at around 30 goals per year.

 

[Remboy]

With all the issues with byes, why wouldn't they want a bye every week? The byes this season have been a s**t show, in fact the whole fixture has been a joke.

An even number of teams means more matches, more matches means more money from tv rights.
Also, every time there's a bye that teams supporters aren't engaged with the AFL that week, which is potentially hundreds of thousands of people. The AFL wants everyone involved every day for as much of the year as possible. That's why they stretch out trade week and draft. Things that could be done in five minutes go on forever.

 

[SG34]

Please don't listen to Eddie McQuire.

AFL!

Please don't listen.

He was right about away jumpers restoring the vivid colours and doing away with the 'all-white' thingo. Thanks Ed.

He is really off here. And I smell agenda.

he poo-pooed Tasmania for years.

then he made them pay for a new stadium, they didn't really need. (yet)

Agenda.

 

[ScrappyDo]

I hate to pile on pressure, but now there is more than the season in the balance with this game:

‘One will go’: AFL presidents are unhappy with 19-team league... and there’s ‘an easy solution’

‘One will go’: AFL presidents don’t want a 19-team league... there’s ‘an easy solution’

www.foxsports.com.au

Yes, North makes much more sense to relocate, but since when is the AFL governed by sense?

In my darker moments, and the last two weeks count among them, I sometimes wonder if we shouldn't just give it up and relocate to Tassie. We are the red headed step child of the AFL, stuck behind the 8 ball while their favourites get assistance, get smashed by the league our VFL alignment, umpires and match review, ignored or dismissed by media. Most Saints supporters don't get to games anyway so having our home games in Tassie won't change much. If anything the club would be doing us a favour giving us a chance to move on and avoid the weekly and annual disappointments.

Give us some hope St Kilda, something worth hanging on for. We've got the best president we've had since I started following footy, the most promising set of kids we've had in over a decade and a wily coach with a point to prove. We couldn't be in better hands, so let's start making it count before we're boxed off and sent to Hobart.

Funny thing is that 19 is a perfect number.

 

[saintbill]

The next two weeks are basically a test to keep our season alive. We really need to win the next two and win well to get our percentage back to competitive. If we lose this week or next week then the season is gone in terms of finals which is fairly depressing given it will be early May.

Need to win at least 12 but more realistically 13 to make finals.

Where would we possibly find another 11 wins from? Or better yet, can you imagine us only losing 5 more games this year?

Unfortunately, finals are well and truly over already regardless of what happens the next fortnight.

What I am looking for this year is signs we are on the path to fixing the midfield.

Who out of Owens, Pou, Windy can show is they are capable of taking the next step? Can Dow become an A Grader etc.

 

[saintbill]

North have conceded 100 points in every game this season. I assume we will be the one to buck this trend

We will win 10 goals to 7.

 

[beside the seaside]

Need to win at least 12 but more realistically 13 to make finals.

Where would we possibly find another 11 wins from? Or better yet, can you imagine us only losing 5 more games this year?

Unfortunately, finals are well and truly over already regardless of what happens the next fortnight.

What I am looking for this year is signs we are on the path to fixing the midfield.

Who out of Owens, Pou, Windy can show is they are capable of taking the next step? Can Dow become an A Grader etc.

It's extremely unlikely, but the season is just way more interesting when you're a chance. I'm just hoping we can claw our way back to 5-5, with players back we could get some form back and start taking scalps. Like I said, it's unlikely but not impossible.

 

[The Punter]

I'm confident we will click at some stage. RL's teams are known for sustained patches of good form once they get going. It's just a question of does it happen early enough. But we will play some good attractive footy at some stage, and we're still capable of beating anyone.

 

[Saintbloke]

What's the likelihood of winning the first quarter? I have my doubts. All I can imagine is North midfielders easily running out of centre bounces while our mids plod along behind. Our team as it is playing right now will have real issues playing catch up footy to win- even against North.

 

[Saint believer]

What's the likelihood of winning the first quarter? I have my doubts. All I can imagine is North midfielders easily running out of centre bounces while our mids plod along behind. Our team as it is playing right now will have real issues playing catch up footy to win- even against North.

we won the first quarter against Port...