Autopsy Saints beat North in close one and Naz gives his biggest hint yet that he’s staying.

[Nutsngum]

Everyone is very quick to forget how good a fit Max King was.

We desperately need that get out kick or option to take a contested mark in our forward 50.

Not only that but it takes extra pressure off Sharman and Owens.

Yep. People judge him far too harshly on his 2024 year where he was obviously still hampered by his shoulder surgery and continued to have knee injuries through out the season until he did the PCL.

Im still very much in the camp that he will get back to full fitness as well.

 

[SaintsofSteel]

We’d be mad not to extend Heath. He has been very good, gives everything you want out of a big man. Provides a contest and he’s just a problem for the opposition purely because of his size. With Max being out every five minutes he has to be on the list.

It's amazing what opportunity does for kids. Everyone had written him off at the start of the year and claiming he wasn't capable of making it.

Preseason I argued we didn't need to add Boyd to the list, but instead wanted to see Heath given the exposure and got ridiculed for it.

If we keep Marshall and TDK arrives then perhaps Heath becomes trade equity, with Dodson progressing quickly.

 

[The Punter]

If results go according to the clear odds this week, we move up 3 SPOTS! To 11th. Leapfrogging Carlton, Dees and Port.

True story.

Us v Tigers (MCG)
Carl v Suns (Marvel)
Melb v WB (MCG)
Port v Freo (AO)

For the tank-stans, North was the game we needed to find a way to lose. The next two weeks present as almost impossible to lose.

 

[aidansbonor]

If results go according to the clear odds this week, we move up 3 SPOTS! To 11th. Leapfrogging Carlton, Dees and Port.

True story.

Us v Tigers (MCG)
Carl v Suns (Marvel)
Melb v WB (MCG)
Port v Freo (AO)

Means taking mini phillipou is more likely though

 

[Rogue Warrior]

For the tank-stans, North was the game we needed to find a way to lose. The next two weeks present as almost impossible to lose.

Surely you’ve followed the saints long enough to not believe that last statement

 

[Minga]

Ridiculous upside. Wouldn’t trade him for two Battle’s, and I’m a big fan of Josh.

If Nas stays, we have three blokes who have top 10 in the comp type potential, IMO, in Nas, Tauru and Pou.

And maybe Dodson has that sort of upside as well.

Then to compliment them we also have, in that 22yo and under group:

Wilson
Garcia
Owens
Travaglia
Windy
Boxshall
Caminiti
Keeler
Hastie
Heath
Collard
Etc.

Then in the 23-26yo bracket we have

King
Hall
Higgins
Sharman
Clark
Stocker

And soon to be

TDK
Aleer

That’s an extremely decent 26yo and under group (23 of them named there) going forward, if they’re all here next year.

I hold a candle for king, he could win a Coleman if it all comes together (ie. a midfielder group that can win and deliver the ball + an injury free & matured King that can take some freak contested marks).

 

[The Punter]

Surely you’ve followed the saints long enough to not believe that last statement

Richmond could produce a performance. Essendon are fully cynical and I can't think they'll do anything remotely close to attempting to win the game. I don't care about superstitions and all that palaver.

 

[aussierulesrules]

For the tank-stans, North was the game we needed to find a way to lose. The next two weeks present as almost impossible to lose.

Reckon this week is entirely loseable. They had a 50 point interstate win just 3 weeks ago and won the week before that as well. And it’s on their home ground.

This is far from a gimme I would have thought. And Essendon only just lost by 14 points against Sydney in Sydney, so I doubt that is either.

 

[Diehard Saint]

For the tank-stans, North was the game we needed to find a way to lose. The next two weeks present as almost impossible to lose.

You do remember we lost to WCE, right?

 

[dudeintheswamp]

Too soon to have ten thousand of these in red, white and black sent over on a slow boat from China?

 

[jumperfan]

For the tank-stans, North was the game we needed to find a way to lose. The next two weeks present as almost impossible to lose.

Good jinx

 

[SaintsofSteel]

I just watched to the replay, what a lack luster uninspiring game. Yes we got a win but anyone else but North we would have been beaten by a fair margin.

The only real positive to come out of the game was getting more games into our kids.

 

[Klaatu]

For the tank-stans, North was the game we needed to find a way to lose. The next two weeks present as almost impossible to lose.

Totally agree posters get to hung up on margin results, look at the inside 50's smashed them 54 to 38 only need a convert more of those and it's a smashing.

 

[Nutsngum]

I just watched to the replay, what a lack luster uninspiring game. Yes we got a win but anyone else but North we would have been beaten by a fair margin.

The only real positive to come out of the game was getting more games into our kids.

Every north game for the last 3 years (aka, clarksons time) has been a dire mess of a game. I dont know if they or even we change up some game plan stuff or not but it just absolutely grinds the game down.

Kind of like how the dogs just brutalize us one week then next week spud it up, just seems to be how the teams match up.

 

[Saintbloke]

I just watched to the replay, what a lack luster uninspiring game. Yes we got a win but anyone else but North we would have been beaten by a fair margin.

The only real positive to come out of the game was getting more games into our kids.

The lack of physical intensity by our guys was noticeable- pretty much wanting the ball to come to them rather than making a hard contest to win possession. Nas ran hard, but a few of his mates just let North players run off them.

 

[jumperfan]

I just watched to the replay, what a lack luster uninspiring game. Yes we got a win but anyone else but North we would have been beaten by a fair margin.

The only real positive to come out of the game was getting more games into our kids.

At this point of the season I think that's as much of a win as we were ever going to get. For what its worth North did play significantly better than they have in the previous month (not that that says much) so I suppose it is good to see that we have learnt a bit from the West Coast game and didn't just go into our shells when a lesser team actually challenges us.

Straws are absolutely being clutched by me here though.

 

[jumperfan]

At this point we all know it but the difference between that being a 9 point win or a 50+ point win is forward entry and craft. We let so many good opportunities go begging and poor goal kicking lost us a few more. It must be incredibly frustrating for Nas to have to pull off an insane run through the middle followed by a pinpoint pass only for someone else to waste it by missing what should be fairly elementary shots.

 

[malevu]

After an injury plagued year I'd definitely bring Pou in this week. With two winnable games ahead it would be great for him and the likes of Wilson and Travaglia to get a touch of the comaraderie that comes with winning.

 

[jwikked]

For the tank-stans, North was the game we needed to find a way to lose. The next two weeks present as almost impossible to lose.

4 wins in a row is a great way to end the year

 

[The Punter]

4 wins in a row is a great way to end the year

We can only win 2 in a row or 5 in a row to end the year. Don't forget we still have GWS for the last game. Easy to forget considering the AFL still haven't told us when that game is.

 

[All Holmes]

Still triggered by the title of this thread.

On a day where evidence mounted that he’s leaving…

 

[Saint Watto]

To say I was slightly gobsmacked at the attendance number when posted in the last would be an understatement.

32K

I was waiting during the week to see if the AFL and the club announced that half of level 3 would be closed....ala against the Dees.

The first sign that a big crowd would be in was that the Footy Record was sold out at the fork where you go to either gates 4 or 5 on the concourse from the station......this is 20 mins before the first bounce......I thought that was a bit odd.

Walking down the slope towards gate 5.....there was a huge crowd milling around gate 5...one of the crew said "a big crowd today".......I thought nah.......everyone's rocking up late.

With the big crowd....the atmosphere in that 3rd qtr was awesome.

A 23 point lead at 3 qtr time.....here's me hoping for a comfortable win.

No no no.......another heart attack special incoming.

The absolute highlight for me was the noise the crowd made everytime NAS went near the ball....and then....get ball.

The expectation.

Exciting.

 

[SaintsofSteel]

After an injury plagued year I'd definitely bring Pou in this week. With two winnable games ahead it would be great for him and the likes of Wilson and Travaglia to get a touch of the comaraderie that comes with winning.

Personally Id like to see Pou run out a full game in the VFL before being exposed again. We would be basically setting him up to fail and have nothing to gain by rushing him back.

 

[aussierulesrules]

Pou’s body is priority 1, 2 and 3. No way would I be bringing him back in until he’s played a full game in the 2’s.

 

[BrutThough]

St Kilda v North Melbourne​

9 Rowan Marshall

19

Rowan Marshall

Age

30

Ht

201cm

Wt

105kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

15.4

4star

K

8.8

3star

HB

6.6

4star

CL

3.4

5star

HO

20.2

5star

D

12.9

3star

K

9.3

4star

HB

3.6

2star

CL

2.8

4star

HO

17.8

5star

D

10.6

3star

K

5.8

3star

HB

4.8

4star

CL

1.0

3star

HO

7.8

5star

STK
9 Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera STK
5 Colby McKercher NMFC
4 Harry Sheezel NMFC
3 Jack Sinclair

35

Jack Sinclair

Age

30

Ht

181cm

Wt

82kg

Pos.

D/M

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

STK

Coaches' votes, R21: Suns pair make huge moves, Cats star surges

The coaches' votes for the round 21 games are in

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