Preview Round 9, 2020: St.Kilda v Sydney - Gabba, Saturday 1st August, 5:10PM AEST *PRIDE GAME*

[ScrappyDo]

4 games in 16 days - I'll be very surprised if we don't "manage" people at some point. May be the first game may be the middle ones maybe the last one but it will happen.

The reason I raised Kent as an example is that he was the one who looked the most doubtful injury wise after Saturdays game and if he's even slightly underdone why bother - bring in Battle and Kent comes back on Thursday and plays 3 games in 10 days.
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On form we should win 3 of these 4 games, perhaps even 4 of 4 since the Cats have a rough schedule.
I hope Bytel comes in this week and performs.
He could be key to getting through this block of games now we've lost Hanners and Dunny, and this would be a nice game to get for his debut.
I'd expect to see Ganglands in before much longer too. He's got some size and pace, and cracks in.
Kent and Ross will hopefully be given a spell and be fresh and ready for Geelong, so Parker, Bytel and others get an opportunity to show some form.

Saints by 46.

 

[kosifantutti]

...
Finals should be on the agenda - the club has done amazingly this season.
Only 1 game at home (which admittedly we dropped the ball).
Every other game has either been in front of no crowd or a hostile one played away.
...

We've had four games at Marvel and won three. None of them had a crowd. The North game was technically an away game as was the Carlton game.

But I agree, finals should be on the agenda.

 

[AFLOnline]

lol
That is some way to bow out of an argument. By following up with 2 more posts emphasising your point!

Hmm yeah except the following 2 posts had nothing to do with the Gray vs Papley argument?

 

[The_Steadier]

I think we go hard and try and win the next 3, and reassess for the Essendon game. Full strength each game.

Swans very gettable. .
Suns off a 4 day break.
Cats will be their 3rd game in 11 days, with a flight from Perth thrown in.
We then have a 7 day break before facing the Bombers.

Strong in the contest suggestion.

 

[NextYearPlease]

George nice to see i got banned recently for defending myself but you'll allow comments calling me a troll and a fake.

I can't have an opinion WITHOUT being ridiculed or picked on. Don't like my opinion scroll past

Perhaps you could change your user name to "Karen".

On SM-T290 using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Saintbloke]

If we were definitely going to play finals, then we can rest a few in the lead up, but jeez we're nowhere near it, and need to play the strongest team in every match

 

[Lenny2020]

If we were definitely going to play finals, then we can rest a few in the lead up, but jeez we're nowhere near it, and need to play the strongest team in every match

I don’t think it’s a case of being in a position to rest so much as a necessity. Maybe some players could get through four (shorter) games in 16 days but some won’t I’d have thought. Add to that injuries. I think we will see most players rested before the finals.

 

[Verdun]

I don’t think it’s a case of being in a position to rest so much as a necessity. Maybe some players could get through four (shorter) games in 16 days but some won’t I’d have thought. Add to that injuries. I think we will see most players rested before the finals.

As a Saints supporter gotta say this.......let's not get ahead of ourselves.

A win against Sydney would help with that, one of our bogey teams.

 

[PostmanBish]

I'd go full strength in three of them - Sydney, Gold Coast and Essendon then just rest on mass in the Geelong game.

I'm not sure I'd give up the Geelong game so easily ... they rely a lot on some old legs, and if our speedsters are fit we might be able to catch them tired, after quick turnarounds and a flight back from Perth ...

Set the two rucks on whoever they play between Esava and Stanley, and run them ragged.

 

[The_Steadier]

If we were definitely going to play finals, then we can rest a few in the lead up, but jeez we're nowhere near it, and need to play the strongest team in every match

This is no ordinary season, you need to adjust your thinking accordingly.

Despite shorter quarters, much higher risks of soft tissue injuries this year across the competition and we are no different.

Injuries on the rise: Why AFL footballers are 'running the gauntlet'

Soft-tissue and contact injuries continue to ravage AFL teams in season 2020

www.afl.com.au

Greater Western Sydney's Leon Cameron said teams were "running the gauntlet" more than previous seasons with soft-tissue injuries because of the compromised preparation.

Worth noting cameron said that was the case even before this compressed fixture was created.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

From where i'm sitting its hard to tell which players are more likely to be prone to it than others.
I guess would could make a list based on previous soft tissue injuries.
Would also help to have some games into the younger players in case we need them later.

Problem:
Very hard to rest Steele , Jones or Gresham.

Even if Ross' calf is OK to go, i'd be inclined to rest him this week, so he can spell one of the others later on.
Alternatively , is this a really good week to rest Steele, with Sydney's weakened midfield?
Its good that Sinclair is in with relatively fresh legs.

But they should start a program.
Butler, Kent, Lonie, Parker , Hind.
King, Battle, Marshall, Marsh.
Battle, Carlisle, Howard. Marsh
Wilke , Roberton, Savage, Coffield, Austen.
Hill, Billings, Phillips , Langlands , Sinclair. ( Hind )?

Inside? Steele , Jones, Gresham, ....Ross? Sinclair?

Players that we can't be sure will do anything much at all in the squad.
Bytel, Byrnes, Parker.

In other years we could have easily said, yeah Ross plays inside and gives Jones a spell, but Ross has been terrible this year.

 

[kernelT]

Amazing how quickly our depth goes from looking strong to non-existent.

A few weeks back I would have thought Dunstan, Parker, Webster, Roberton, Brown, Savage etc gives us decent coverage, but with a few injuries hitting we're looking pretty light on across all lines if a few more go down.

Hopefully being a pretty young side means we are less susceptible to soft tissue injuries.

It will be interesting to see how guys like Roberton, Savage and Phillips go if they sneak back in. Sinclair looked to be stiff to be playing his first game in round 8 last week, he's a classy unit.

 

[Ducky Tie]

Amazing how quickly our depth goes from looking strong to non-existent.

A few weeks back I would have thought Dunstan, Parker, Webster, Roberton, Brown, Savage etc gives us decent coverage, but with a few injuries hitting we're looking pretty light on across all lines if a few more go down.

Hopefully being a pretty young side means we are less susceptible to soft tissue injuries.

It will be interesting to see how guys like Roberton, Savage and Phillips go if they sneak back in. Sinclair looked to be stiff to be playing his first game in round 8 last week, he's a classy unit.

Yeah it's a bugger that Dunstan and Webster are injured. Both would've been ideal depth options for the next month.

 

[TheEnsign]

Amazing how quickly our depth goes from looking strong to non-existent.

A few weeks back I would have thought Dunstan, Parker, Webster, Roberton, Brown, Savage etc gives us decent coverage, but with a few injuries hitting we're looking pretty light on across all lines if a few more go down.

Hopefully being a pretty young side means we are less susceptible to soft tissue injuries.

It will be interesting to see how guys like Roberton, Savage and Phillips go if they sneak back in. Sinclair looked to be stiff to be playing his first game in round 8 last week, he's a classy unit.

I don't think it's too bad tbh, except the midfield - no Hanners and Spook makes us look horribly thin there. Robbo, Sav, Austin, Phillips, Marsh, Dmac etc. may not be good (or even 'o.k.' players in some cases) but they can be competent at AFL level (with Robbo, Sav and more better than that).

I think a few sides with longer injury lists will end up playing VFL level (or barely VFL level due to inexperience) players shortly - Dogs, North, Richmond when they hit the heavy block. Unfortunately we've played them all. Geelong too could end up digging way deep into their senior list depending on how some of their older guys hold up.

 

[Winmar2Lockett]

I don't think it's too bad tbh, except the midfield - no Hanners and Spook makes us look horribly thin there. Robbo, Sav, Austin, Phillips, Marsh, Dmac etc. may not be good (or even 'o.k.' players in some cases) but they can be competent at AFL level (with Robbo, Sav and more better than that).

I think a few sides with longer injury lists will end up playing VFL level (or barely VFL level due to inexperience) players shortly - Dogs, North, Richmond when they hit the heavy block. Unfortunately we've played them all. Geelong too could end up digging way deep into their senior list depending on how some of their older guys hold up.

We might just have to swing some of the guys that are currently playing other roles through the midfield.

Hunter is the obvious one to spend a lot more time in the rotation & his HB role can be reasonably well covered (especially when Longy returns).

Billings, Butler and Sincas are guys with the ability to give Steeley, Jonesy & Gresh a chop out.

So if you have Sav, Marsh, Phillips etc doing their jobs around the ground we can hopefully cover one of our main mids if they need a break.


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[borderbarry]

I notice a few are calling for Lonie's return already. Why? After his last very selfish game, and having being in poor form for a while, I would be bringing in Byrnes, Bytel, and maybe Philips, before him.

 

[Veer Right]

I notice a few are calling for Lonie's return already. Why? After his last very selfish game, and having being in poor form for a while, I would be bringing in Byrnes, Bytel, and maybe Philips, before him.

goldfish syndrome

 

[Veer Right]

No qualms who Ratten brings in this week. Seeing the boys get around each other on the weekend has made me see how happy the playing group is. Certain players who i thought were under performing like Long from last year or Hind on the weekend to Ryder who i saw as a witches hat keep improving to the point i want them in the team. Even Lonie who was dropped for selfish play i take it i am warming to after being a major detractor.

We could easily be 7-1 with more maturity and that in itself is a remarkable turnaround from Richos time in charge.

Saints by 137 points.

 

[XhazzafootyX]

Are teams tonight or tomorrow ?

 

[saintsmania]

No teams tonight??

 

[jwikked]

No teams tonight??

Teams for the remaining round nine matches will be released at 6.20pm AEST the day before they kick off

 

[StJHD]

No teams tonight??

Doesn't look like it as tomorrow night's teams are out. I guess with footy every day the Thurs night announcement is no longer a special announcement. I expect all teams the night before from here...

 

[StJHD]

Doesn't look like it as tomorrow night's teams are out. I guess with footy every day the Thurs night announcement is no longer a special announcement. I expect all teams the night before from here...

Been Sandra'd

 

[Hubnester]

Hahaha he better not!!

 

[jwikked]

Hahaha he better not!!

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What is it about star players making an early return against us?