Preview Saints v Port @ AO, Sunday 3:20pm

[TheNewEnsign]

Not sure if it's a fitness thing or not, but hopefully some more game time for Garcia this week.

23 disp, 9 tackles, 6 clearances from 66% time on ground is a fair effort.

 

[Diehard Saint]

I think if you can win the next 2 in Adelaide, then the Saints could seriously be looking at that top 2/4 area at the end of the year.

You'll clearly win say 11 of 14 at Marvel with potential losses to only Bulldogs, Hawthorn and Brisbane. Then you only need to find 3 elsewhere, with severely winnable games against Melbourne at Alice Springs, Richmond at the MCG and West Coast at Optus.

I'm a bit bullish about St Kilda even though I'm not invested in them as a Melbourne supporter.

Most of us will be rapt with 1 win.

 

[saintbill]

I think if you can win the next 2 in Adelaide, then the Saints could seriously be looking at that top 2/4 area at the end of the year.

You'll clearly win say 11 of 14 at Marvel with potential losses to only Bulldogs, Hawthorn and Brisbane. Then you only need to find 3 elsewhere, with severely winnable games against Melbourne at Alice Springs, Richmond at the MCG and West Coast at Optus.

I'm a bit bullish about St Kilda even though I'm not invested in them as a Melbourne supporter.

We are miles off top 4 but love the enthusiasm. If we have a great season we are a sneaky chance for the bottom part of the 8.

 

[The Punter]

Not sure if it's a fitness thing or not, but hopefully some more game time for Garcia this week.

23 disp, 9 tackles, 6 clearances from 66% time on ground is a fair effort.

When Garcia gets more game time, whose time should he be getting?

Garcia's 6 games when not sub or subbed

TOG%: 75, 59, 68, 68, 61, 66.

Remember it's a zero some game - someone else is off if Garcia is on. I'm happy enough with his production on the weekend.

 

[thekizzler]

Nobody really expects us to win.

If we lose this, it will feel like all the good work of the last 2 weeks is undone.

Win this and it feels like we are finally building something.

Harsh but ultimately that will be the reality.

Disagree wholeheartedly.

We're a young developing team, not expecting to play finals, with heaps of players out, playing against a team and venue we struggle at.

If we get battered with a similar performance to Round 1, then maybe it will be disheartening to some but there is plenty of scenarios where we lose and I'm still bullish about our future.

Pretty much all of the scenarios, tbh.

 

[akaifu]

 

[John2010362340]

Not sure if it's a fitness thing or not, but hopefully some more game time for Garcia this week.

23 disp, 9 tackles, 6 clearances from 66% time on ground is a fair effort.

He has a Tom Liberatore career right there for him. So many similarities in the way he plays. Let's hope he gets there.

 

[MOLTEN GANGLANDS]

They've try to keep him away from the ruck and going mean and lean with him.
Maybe he's not a racehorse, maybe we should use the rest of the year flogging him in the gym and building a monster out of him.
He's too fragile in current form.

I agree that he doesn't use the lean build to his advantage ala Bing, I hope we're open to going full thilthorpe with him and playing him as the ruck forward if we miss out on TDK.. i rkn he looked significantly bigger this preseason in the bts stuff

 

[MOLTEN GANGLANDS]

When Garcia gets more game time, whose time should he be getting?

Garcia's 6 games when not sub or subbed

TOG%: 75, 59, 68, 68, 61, 66.

Remember it's a zero some game - someone else is off if Garcia is on. I'm happy enough with his production on the weekend.

Steele's, our midfield looked more dynamic and attacking than it has in YEARS last weekend, and there's a reason for it

 

[thekizzler]

Steele's, our midfield looked more dynamic and attacking than it has in YEARS last weekend, and there's a reason for it

You can choose to see what you want to see.

Our midfield got battered in the centre clearances in the first half. Annihilated even.

There is definitely a place for Steele in our side. Would like to see a bit more from him though, for sure.

 

[Sully111]

We need to rock'n'roll. If we try and play slow controlled footy, we'll get done. We were a bit that way in the first half against the tigers. This saints side needs to play with swagger and pressure.

 

[MOLTEN GANGLANDS]

You can choose to see what you want to see.

Our midfield got battered in the centre clearances in the first half. Annihilated even.

There is definitely a place for Steele in our side. Would like to see a bit more from him though, for sure.

well I was working so I could only watch out of the corner of my eye unfortunately, so maybe im wrong on it, but steele has been teetering on GOP status for the past few years for mine

 

[The Punter]

Steele's, our midfield looked more dynamic and attacking than it has in YEARS last weekend, and there's a reason for it

Fair call - Steele has consistently been at around 85% TOG. Perhaps if he comes back to 75-80%, he can be more impactful and we look a little more variable.

BTW, Macrae goes at similar TOG to Steele (putting aside last year when he was being messed around by Bevo).

 

[Red White Black]

Me: "Chat GPT, what will happen if we beat Port this weekend?"
Chat GPT:

 

[MOLTEN GANGLANDS]

Fair call - Steele has consistently been at around 85% TOG. Perhaps if he comes back to 75-80%, he can be more impactful and we look a little more variable.

BTW, Macrae goes at similar TOG to Steele (putting aside last year when he was being messed around by Bevo).

yeah Macrae makes steele's form stand out even moreso, if you're getting high TOG and CBAs your stats should reflect that. Steele's been getting as high TOG/CBAs as any mid in the comp over the past 2 years (I can only assume), yet his stats do not reflect that. It makes you wonder if he is justifying his spot purely due to being the incumbent. If windy had steele's TOG/CBAs how would he go? or Garcia, or Pou, etc. We need to be open to it

 

[MOLTEN GANGLANDS]

Me: "Chat GPT, what will happen if we beat Port this weekend?"
Chat GPT:

View attachment 2268685

thanks i hate it

 

[Ads734]

Not sure if it's a fitness thing or not, but hopefully some more game time for Garcia this week.

23 disp, 9 tackles, 6 clearances from 66% time on ground is a fair effort.

I think it’s more he probably just blows a gasket every time he gets on the pill. He’s an elite runner , and his output so far in games has dropped off in the second halves. This indicates he’s either

Not running smartly
Or his long term fitness isn’t there yet.

Regardless I’m sure he’ll get better.

 

[thekizzler]

well I was working so I could only watch out of the corner of my eye unfortunately, so maybe im wrong on it, but steele has been teetering on GOP status for the past few years for mine

It's not unfair to say Steele's output has been much lower than his strong seasons over the last couple of years. But his physicality and fight is still valuable. Agree that he needs to produce more though. Back him too.

Wouldn't mind seeing him out of the goalsquare occasionally too. Would be a tough match-up. Especially with our new-found midfield depth.

 

[akaifu]

I think it’s more he probably just blows a gasket every time he gets on the pill. He’s an elite runner , and his output so far in games has dropped off in the second halves. This indicates he’s either

Not running smartly
Or his long term fitness isn’t there yet.

Regardless I’m sure he’ll get better.

My guess is he's just running full pelt all game going by the way he trains. Kid does not drop below 100% ever

Would be a weapon if he somehow develops the superpower of Darcy Wilson's running ability

 

[thekizzler]

My guess is he's just running full pelt all game going by the way he trains. Kid does not drop below 100% ever

Will be a weapon if he somehow develops the superpower of Darcy Wilson's running ability

Reminds me of when Daicos blew a gasket in Opening Round trying to carry the Collingwood team.

Wasn't that he was unfit (like potatoes on social media were suggesting) but was because he simply pushed himself beyond his already extraordinary limits.

The human body has limits for even the fittest.

 

[Saintbloke]

You can choose to see what you want to see.

Our midfield got battered in the centre clearances in the first half. Annihilated even.

There is definitely a place for Steele in our side. Would like to see a bit more from him though, for sure.

Our midfield got battered with Steele in against Adelaide. Just need to remind the midfield that the game starts at the first bounce and that's when you hit it hard.

 

[pebblesofsand]

We've learned to play without King now anyway, probably go a bit better without him actually for some reason.
Maxie is a cherry Chery on top player now, if we get 2 or 3 good games out of him a season we'll be going ok.

EFA

 

[papahuggey]

The only reason I like playing Port is it gives me a reason to go to the Port page. They are absolutely unhinged with hatred over Hinkley in the best kind of way. Makes for very entertaining reading

happy to be of service

On SM-N975F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Holy Hunter Clark]

Good, hope he is under done.

On Pixel 7 using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[EddieMurphy]

They've try to keep him away from the ruck and going mean and lean with him.
Maybe he's not a racehorse, maybe we should use the rest of the year flogging him in the gym and building a monster out of him.
He's too fragile in current form.

We can rebuild him, we can create... The New GTrain...