Saints v Adelaide

[Kildonan]

Qtr Time

St. Kilda (2.1.13)
Adelaide (5.3.33)

Goalkickers

Stephen Milne 1
Brendon Goddard 1

Trent Hentschel 2
Scott Stevens 1
Brent Reilly 1
Ken McGregor 1

StKTeam StatsAde

51 Kicks 56
27 Marks 25
42 Handballs 40
14 Tackles 19
13 Hitouts 6
5 Frees 6

 

[Kildonan]

Half Time

St. Kilda (3.7.25)
Adelaide (10.7.67)

Goalkickers

Stephen Milne 1
Nick Riewoldt 1
Brendon Goddard 1

Scott Thompson 2
Trent Hentschel 2
Ken McGregor 2
Scott Stevens 1
Brent Reilly 1
Mark Ricciuto 1
Andrew McLeod 1

StKTeam StatsAde

110 Kicks 105
64 Marks 55
76 Handballs 69
27 Tackles 37
21 Hitouts 11
10 Frees 10

 

[Gunnar Longshanks]

How do Saints fans assess this result?

I was at the SCG last weekend and thought the Saints were back on track.

Were the Saints terrible tonight or are the Crows just incredibly good?

A bit of both, maybe.

 

[Kildonan]

3 Qtr Time

St. Kilda (5.10.40)
Adelaide (13.12.90)

Goalkickers


Stephen Milne 2
Nick Riewoldt 2
Brendon Goddard 1

Trent Hentschel 3
Scott Thompson 2
Mark Ricciuto 2
Ken McGregor 2
Scott Stevens 1
Brent Reilly 1
Matthew Bode 1
Andrew McLeod 1

StKTeam StatsAde

147 Kicks 169
87 Marks 96
117 Handballs 107
44 Tackles 54
30 Hitouts 14
12 Frees 12

 

[Kildonan]

Final Score

St. Kilda (8.12.60)
Adelaide (18.15.123)

Goalkickers

Stephen Milne 2
Nick Riewoldt 2
Cain Ackland 1
Brendon Goddard 1
Andrew McQualter 1
Fraser Gehrig 1

Trent Hentschel 3
Rhett Biglands 2
Scott Thompson 2
Brent Reilly 2
Mark Ricciuto 2
Ken McGregor 2
Robert Shirley 1
Scott Stevens 1
Andrew McLeod 1
Simon Goodwin 1
Matthew Bode 1

StKTeam StatsAde

187 Kicks 224
107 Marks 126
149 Handballs 141
56 Tackles 80
38 Hitouts 24
14 Frees 18

 

[nicko016]

We were exposed in a lot of different ways tonight. We have a definite lack of leg speed and there doesn't seem to be much we can do about. There doesn't seem to be many players sitting in the wings with any legspeed.

Tonight also showed how much we are missing Hamill and or Koschitzke. We could desperately used them so that if Riewodlt stays at home we have someone to lead up the ground and vice versa.

Our disposal by foot and hand was terrible tonight. We made some horrible errors. We couldn't win any of the ball through the midfield and Adelaide seemed to always have numbers to the ball.

However, there were a few positives to come out of the game. Goddard's form was the biggest positive out of the game and could be getting himself towards a top 3 in the B & F. Maguire continues to get himself back to the form he had last year after a very slow start to the year and Ball, S. Fisher and Baker had solid games. Rix also showed he could become a decent ruckman and helped us win the hitouts, even if we probably lost the clearances.

Fiora really frustrated me tonight. His form would definately warrant him a run in the 2's but is one who has some leg speed which is what we desperately need. I think we still need to keep him in for that reason and persist with him because if we are to be serous contendors we need his legspeed in the side.

 

[St DAC]

How do Saints fans assess this result?

I was at the SCG last weekend and thought the Saints were back on track.

Were the Saints terrible tonight or are the Crows just incredibly good?

A bit of both, maybe.

Yes Gunner, a bit of both. The Crows were terrific tonight, hit their targets under pressure and always seemed to outnumber us at the fall of the ball. A very impressive side on tonight's effort.

On the other hand we were very poor. We missed targets and turned the pill over all night, and Adelaide punished us for it. No excuses tonight, they are as injury-ravaged as we are, we were just crap, although it wasn't lack of effort, just poise and skill that cost us.

Adelaide are genuine contenders, make no mistake. We'll need to improve greatly to become so.

 

[St DAC]

Man that was hard to watch. As bad as last year.

 

[St DAC]

We were exposed in a lot of different ways tonight. We have a definite lack of leg speed and there doesn't seem to be much we can do about. There doesn't seem to be many players sitting in the wings with any legspeed.

Tonight also showed how much we are missing Hamill and or Koschitzke. We could desperately used them so that if Riewodlt stays at home we have someone to lead up the ground and vice versa.

Our disposal by foot and hand was terrible tonight. We made some horrible errors. We couldn't win any of the ball through the midfield and Adelaide seemed to always have numbers to the ball.

However, there were a few positives to come out of the game. Goddard's form was the biggest positive out of the game and could be getting himself towards a top 3 in the B & F. Maguire continues to get himself back to the form he had last year after a very slow start to the year and Ball, S. Fisher and Baker had solid games. Rix also showed he could become a decent ruckman and helped us win the hitouts, even if we probably lost the clearances.

Fiora really frustrated me tonight. His form would definately warrant him a run in the 2's but is one who has some leg speed which is what we desperately need. I think we still need to keep him in for that reason and persist with him because if we are to be serous contendors we need his legspeed in the side.

The backline wasn't that bad tonight, they were under fierce pressure all night. BJ was good, Mini showed a bit of poise when he was on. But we got spanked in the midfield and at the stoppages, and they always seemed to outnumber us no matter where on the ground it was.

Fiora was very poor; he seemed to duck his head a couple of times, which always looks bad. If he can't get the pill it doesn't matter how quick he is. Needs to be dropped.

 

[luke ball14]

Adelaide will never play better than that we were poor, but we have managed at the halfway mark to keep our heads above water so we will be in a position to make a run later in the year. We have a good run home and with Kosi and Hammil maybe back after the break things look ok.

Tonight was inexcusable but Adelaide were great and we have struggled to the break undermaned and things will get better remember we were 6/7 last year and only injuries cost us the comp imp. I honestly think we can win the comp still.

 

[footyfreak]

Adelaide will never play better than that we were poor, but we have managed at the halfway mark to keep our heads above water so we will be in a position to make a run later in the year. We have a good run home and with Kosi and Hammil maybe back after the break things look ok.

Tonight was inexcusable but Adelaide were great and we have struggled to the break undermaned and things will get better remember we were 6/7 last year and only injuries cost us the comp imp. I honestly think we can win the comp still.

Adelaide are missing 7 starting 18 FFS. They don't use it as an excuse. I thought you guys would win tonght but you weren't even close. Yea you are hanging in there but something is not right. You should be doing way better and they pumped you by 10 goals easily

 

[Kildonan]

Saints no match for Crows
16 June 2006
Andrew Wu
saints.com.au

Coming off one of the club's best efforts of the season last week, St Kilda was unable to back-up effectively in going down by 63 points to the Adelaide Crows at Telstra Dome on Friday night.

The courage and character shown by the Saints in the mud and slush against Sydney at the SCG was not evident at all against the Crows who were more prepared to run than their opponents as they cruised to a 18.15 (123) to 8.12 (60) victory.

To make matters worse for the Saints - who are already missing the likes of Justin Koschitzke, Aaron Hamill and Lenny Hayes - Max Hudghton limped off the ground after hurting his knee, while Robert Harvey did not appear after half-time.

For the Saints, Brendon Goddard, who touched the ball 33 times and Steven Baker with 21 disposals could hold their heads high.

The Crows kicked the game's first five goals and the opening four majors of the second term setting up a seven-goal advantage by the long break.

Simon Goodwin and Tyson Edwards gathered 59 possessions between them while Martin Mattner and Kris Massie also flourished winning 27 and 21 disposals respectively.

The Adelaide running machine sprung to life from the opening siren showing a clean pair of heels to the Saints who may still have been shaking off the lethargy in their legs from last week's gutsy win.

Despite the absence of one of their best athletes in Brett Burton, the Crows ran the Saints off their feet early, with the likes of Matthew Bode, Michael Doughty and Mattner receiving good service from Edwards and Goodwin in close.

Playing on Nick Riewoldt, Scott Stevens kicked the game's first goal after a clever Goodwin handball and by the time Trent Hentschel had two majors next to his name the Crows were out to a 32-point lead.

The deficit could have been greater for the Saints who were scoreless for the opening 15 minutes had Bode not had two shots at goal touched on the line.

To the Saints' credit they fought back late in the quarter with Stephen Milne and Goddard both on target from long range narrowing the margin to 20 points by the first change.

Adelaide opened the second term with a four-goal burst. Despite Goddard and Baker battling manfully, the Saints could not muster a meaningful response to the Crows' second onslaught and they headed into the long break staring down the barrel of a seven-goal deficit.

The margin was out to 54 points after Mark Ricciuto and Hentschel both marked and goaled inside the opening 10 minutes of the third quarter but the Saints then enjoyed their best period of play in the match.

Goals to Riewoldt and Milne trimmed the gap to 41 points and when Ben Rutten turned the ball over in his defensive half, the Saints were a chance to kick their third unanswered goal.

However, an errant Gehrig handball was fumbled by Milne and from the resultant turnover Bode ran unopposed into an open goal and the Saints' momentum was halted.

There was to be no miracle St Kilda revival in the final term as the Crows ran the game out strongly, kicking the last three majors of the game to blow the margin out beyond 10 goals.

St Kilda coach Grant Thomas said his team compounded under Adelaide's exemplary tackling and pressure.

"I thought they hit us really hard and their tackling was superb and the pressure they put on us even made us compound a little bit when we didn't have any pressure on us," Thomas said.

"I think it was anticipated pressure from the pressure we had been getting so we told our players they are a very, very good pressure side and they work really hard. The way they tackled and the way they pressure at the contest was exemplary."

ST KILDA: 2.1, 3.7, 5.10, 8.12 (60)
ADELAIDE: 5.3, 10.7, 13.12, 18.15 (123)

GOALS –
St Kilda: Riewoldt 2, Milne 2, Goddard, Gehrig, McQualter, Ackland
Adelaide: Hentschel 3, Ricciuto 2, Thompson 2, McGregor 2, Biglands 2, Reilly 2, Bode, Goodwin, Stevens, McLeod, Shirley
BEST –
St Kilda: Goddard, Baker, Ball, Peckett, S Fisher
Adelaide: Goodwin, Massie, Edwards, Stevens, McLeod, Mattner, Johncock, Shirley, Reilly
INJURIES –
St Kilda: Harvey (hamstring), Hudghton (corked thigh)
Adelaide: Nil
CHANGES -
St Kilda: Nil
Adelaide: Burton (hamstring) replaced in selected side by Vince
REPORTS - Nil
UMPIRES - Vozzo, Meredith, McInerney
CROWD - 34,170 at Telstra Dome

 

[Kildonan]

Saints dream fast becoming a nightmare
17 June 2006
Herald Sun
Mark Robinson

THE dream, or what was left of it, is gone.

Clutching the last remnants before last night, St Kilda was delivered a stark and brutal message from the visiting Crows: you're not good enough to play with the big boys.

And it was brutal.

The Crows kicked the first five goals of the match, another five goals in the second quarter and led by 42 points at halftime. At three quarter-time it was 13 goals to five.

In what will be remembered as a horror year for injuries, the Saints lost Robert Harvey to another hamstring and Max Hudghton to a minor knee injury.

The wash-up of the season will come at a later date but as we speak the Saints are 6-6 from 12 games and if Richmond and Fremantle win this weekend, they will be out of the eight by tomorrow night.

The problem is not St Kilda's willingness, a quality coach Grant Thomas has ingrained in the team. Last night the Saints matched the Crows in endeavour.

The problem is the players.

The great divide between great teams, good teams, and those making up the numbers is the quality of player; the ability to find the ball with purpose and dispose of it confidently, precisely and generally for the betterment of the team and teammates.

The Saints are pretty good at the first. Sloppy at the second.

Be it mental or not, the Saints were second rate last night against a competition leader.

Of course, with injuries, the depth is tested and St Kilda's was badly exposed.

With matchwinners Nick Dal Santo (Simon Goodwin), Nick Riewoldt (Scott Stevens) and Fraser Gehrig (Ben Rutten) well held, the Saints were merely moving objects the Crows had to work around.

Questions hang over several players. Aaron Fiora's future might have been decided just before three-quarter time. In an unfortunate event, he dropped the head and the Crows won the ball.

Thomas spoke to Fiora at three-quarter time and he sat out most of the final quarter. Not a good sign.

His mistake was mental, but too many of his teammates also have flaws in their game.

Jason Gram makes poor decisions. He finds it and can run, but he's no Tyson Edwards when he uses it.

Cain Ackland is too inconsistent. He was taken off at the eighth minute of the second quarter and the seventh minute of the third. He might've been rested, but it might've been he wouldn't stand near opponent Rhett Biglands.


Leigh Montagna is a solid AFL player, but, like Gram, has a wonky right foot. He had seven kicks last night and four were clangers.

Brett Voss is struggling. Game, fearless, he was off early as the Crows midfield ran the Saints in circles. It wasn't all his fault, but too often these days it looks as though he has slipped off the pace.

Troy Schwarze is a VFL player who hasn't been able to lock down a position in the AFL. His chance may be over.

Michael Rix is 25 and if his talent matched his tenacity he would be a world-beater. However, there is a sizeable gap between the two.

And then there's the much-admired Justin Peckett. He has 10 games to go in a 15-year career. He is spared.

It was a poor night for the Saints. They played without zip or flair and coughed up the ball too easily.

Not long ago they were the complete opposite.

They were the glory days of Kosi, Hamill, Harvey, Hayes, Frase, Riewoldt, Dal Santo and Ball and when role players could hang on to their coat tails and Telstra Dome was their fortress.

Those days are gone.

And so are the Saints. Until next year anyway.

 

[Axcellence]

Saints dream fast becoming a nightmare
17 June 2006
Herald Sun
Mark Robinson

Tough, Harsh, but accurate assessment.

 

[ICanDressMyself]

Adelaide will never play better than that we were poor, but we have managed at the halfway mark to keep our heads above water so we will be in a position to make a run later in the year. We have a good run home and with Kosi and Hammil maybe back after the break things look ok.

Tonight was inexcusable but Adelaide were great and we have struggled to the break undermaned and things will get better remember we were 6/7 last year and only injuries cost us the comp imp. I honestly think we can win the comp still.

Yeah come on mate there's still room for improvement in the Adelaide side, especially with 8 starting players missing!

 

[panthers]

Can some one name the 8 that are missing from the crow side and if these missing 8 are all definite inclusions which players will be dropped. Please dont say nathan bock or richard douglas or luke jericho will definitely come in

 

[ICanDressMyself]

Can some one name the 8 that are missing from the crow side and if these missing 8 are all definite inclusions which players will be dropped. Please dont say nathan bock or richard douglas or luke jericho will definitely come in

Hudson, Perrie, Welsh, Bock, Hart, Burton, Clarke, Van Berlo

I'd say 6 out of the 8 would be definite starters for the Crows best 22. The likes of Massie, Stevens, Bode would have been replaced with 3 of the players mentioned. I'm not so sure now with all 3 of these blokes proving themselves over the past month. Vince obviously wouldn't be in the Crows 22. Maric who also played wouldn't be included in the 22. Porps has also had to come in for a few games and played superbly in the matches he did play.

If fit and firing, the players that would be definite starters would be Hudson (#1R), Perrie, (#1CHF), Welsh (#FF), Hart (#1 Mr.Reliable) Burton and Bock. Van Berlo has been awesome and Clarke has been his usual self getting the job done.

There certainly were players out there that wouldn't be considered in our normal, injury-free 22 but I think Craig has done a tremendous job of getting these guys back to their best (Bode, Stevens, Massie)

 

[footyfreak]

Perrie

welsh

Burton

Bock, he'll go in for sure

Van Berlo

The Ruckman with a bad knee who will be back before they years out

There's 6 of the top of my head without thinking about it.

 

[jules101]

Who played their 100th game last night? I turned the TV on to fox footy and I missed who GT was talking about but he was saying that he didn't put in a good enough effort last night...

 

[ICanDressMyself]

Who played their 100th game last night? I turned the TV on to fox footy and I missed who GT was talking about but he was saying that he didn't put in a good enough effort last night...

Fiora Ithink

 

[St DAC]

Yep, Fiora.

He dropped his head a couple of times last night, and that always looks terrible. Has a reputation for softness, yet last week against the Swans put his head over the pill as well as anyone. Needs to do so more consistantly. I'd expect him to be dropped for the Hawks game.