Saints v Port

[Kildonan]

The Saints' record against Port:
The saints have lost last eight matches against Port (after winning the first five meetings).

Year  Rd Gnd St Kilda   Port Adel  Winner Marg 
2001  4  FP  7. 8  (50) 17.12 (114) Port -64 
2001 19  TD 16.18 (114) 19.11 (125) Port -11 
2002  3  TD  8. 8  (56) 20.19 (139) Port -83 
2002 18  FP  9. 9  (63) 16. 9 (105) Port -42 
2003 12  YP  7.15  (57) 15. 9  (99) Port -42 
2004 14  YP  7. 5  (47) 14. 9  (93) Port -46 
2004 1PF FP 13.10  (88) 14.10  (94) Port -6 
2005 11  YP 11.15  (81) 16. 8 (104) Port -23

I think the Saints are a better team than Port, but the results show that we are definitely no certainties of winning.

I don't care about the margin, I will be ecstatic with a win.

They remain the only team we haven't beaten since our resurgence.
I was really disappointed to lose to them in Tassie last year after building up my expectations. Beating Port will complete the slate of the Saints having beaten every club (after 2003/4). They remain our bogey side. This may be due to not having an opportunity to have met them on our home turf since 2002 (as we have played our home games against them at York Park since then).

 

[saintfreddy]

I certainly agree. Funnily enough I am much happier playing them at FP than at York Park.

Given they have been our bogey side for a number of years, I'll take a six point margin anyday.

What I find interesting is that for the first few years when Port came into the competition, I think we were one of the few sides that had quite a long run against them without them knocking us over.

 

[Minotaur]

Port always seem to beat St Kilda for pretty much the same reasons.

1.Shaun Burgoynge plays on Milne and absolutely kills him usually picking up close to 25-30 possesions and provides plenty of run out of defense.

2.Wakelin plays well on slow big guys, such as Gehrig.

3.Very oddly, Reingwelt (sp?) is one of the few players in the league that Bishop seems to be able to keep in check.

4.Brogan drops into the gap at halfback and mops up -generally our ruckmen have been heaps better than yours.

Now this week-end represents a pretty good chance for St Kilda to win because

1. Bishop is hopelessly out of form.
2. Brogan appeared injured this week and unless he is considerably fitter should not play.

I will nonetheless tip Port - whom I haven't tipped correctly yet this year.

 

[saints]

Why on earth do we keep playing port away from the dome. We dont get beaten there but year in year out we dont play port or freo there. I for one hope we stop this next year as those extra wins could be the difference between a home or away final.
Drop Brendan Goddard and it will be a fair 22 on 22 match instead of 21 on 23.

 

[Kildonan]

Big week for us, says Power hard man
By RICHARD EARLE
20apr06

You can be sure that they will be at their best, motivation wise, but not so fitness wise.

Brogan (shoulder), Kane Cornes, Shaun Burgoyne and Steven Salopek (soreness) all fronted for light sessions last night."

Josh Francou (knee), Michael Wilson (hamstring) and Adam Kingsley (shoulder) are amongst the listed injured players.

IN: Shattock, Surjan, Symes, Thurstans, Tredrea
OUT: Wilson (hamstring), Thomson

Whilst Thurstans and Treadrea are mighty fine inclusions, neither are "match fit". You could say the same about Ball and Koschitzke, Captains and very good players, for both clubs.

Both clubs benefit from the inclusions, both have injury clouds over players, both have compelling motivations to win. Port are struggling, having lost both of their matches at home. Their fans are losing patience as their home ground "gimmee wins" are being lost and they dread having to have to make up those lost wins, away. The home town publicity machine has been puting a favourable light on it, but it could affect crowds. They need a win to get their season back on track. Their only win came in Sydney against the Swans. I don't rate the Swans at the moment. The Swans were blown away early by Essendon, and were never a chance, they were blown away early by Port and were never a real chance. Then they almost couldn't put Carlton away, struggling to a narrow victory. Essendon, the other team that beat the Swans, hasn't won another match, nor have Port. Beating the Swans doesn't appear all that hard at the moment, but I'm sure they'll get better. Port have no real form at the moment, and although they have many of their premiership players on the field, they have a number of inexperienced players which don't measure up to the "old Port Adelaide" players (yet).

The Saints have a truly pathetic record against Port Adelaide.
After winning their first five encounters with the South Australians, the Saints have lost their next eight. Thats where we stand now, having lost our last eight encounters with Port (since rd 11 2000). They remain the only team we haven't beaten since our resurgence. It is time.

We have surrendered our home ground advantage (playing in Tassie), the last three home games that we have had against them. In none of those games did we play as we would have in Telstra Dome. We have found it too hard to beat them at home. Our last effort was a fair one though (2004 Prelim 94 - 88 ). Football Park is no longer an impenetrable fortress against us. It is becoming a happy hunting ground. We have broken the dam by defeating Adelaide there, twice, in recent times. Port aren't a shadow on Adelaide at the moment.

St Kilda are playing good football, having improved in each and every match. We are not at our devastating best but we are starting to get there. Losing Gehrig would have been a devastating loss in the past. Now we can cover it easily. He hasn't been a major contributor yet, but like the rest of the team, he was getting better with each match. This Hammy will set him back a little, but he will likely play as early as next week, and he will step right back into the improvement groove.

Luke Ball and Justin Koschitzke will step into a team that has started to gel. They may play lesser roles in their first match back, but they will add to the team's confidence and balance. Dal Santo is a likely target for the Port strong men. He will be tested, I'm sure. They may try the same with Lenny, but they will just bounce off him with a startled look in their eye. Riewoldt will likely be matched up by Chad Cornes. It will be interesting to see how Grant Thomas handles this. I think Riewoldt will play out of the square like against Brisbane. Kosi will likely change with him there and play sparingly in the ruck. I would like to see Goddard on a forward flank / wing again, he is quite dangerous there. Ball was a disappointment at his only outing the season, injuring abdominal muscles during the match. He is a real matchwinner, yet we barely missed him the last two matches. It will be nice though, to see him in action again. The Captain of the team. A real thinker, hard tackling, hard ball gets, all the one percenters type of player back into the team.

Port are struggling, by contrast the Saints are just warming up and getting better. We should win this match. The best way to do so would be to take the crowd out of the equation, jump Port and get ahead early. Maintain the intensity and their heads will drop.


PORT ADELAIDE v ST KILDA
Monday, 7:10pm ACST, AAMI Stadium

PORT ADELAIDE
B: Walsh, Wakelin, Bishop
HB: Cassisi, Chaplin, Lonie
C: Dew, K.Cornes, Salopek
HF: Mahoney, Tredrea, S.Burgoyne
F: Motlop, Lade, Pearce
FOLL: Brogan, C.Cornes, P.Burgoyne
I/C (from): Ebert, Pettigrew, Shattock, Surjan, Symes, Thurstans, White
IN: Shattock, Surjan, Symes, Thurstans, Tredrea
OUT: Wilson (hamstring), Thomson

ST KILDA
B: Baker, Hudghton, Voss
HB: Gram, Maguire, S.Fisher
C: Fiora, Ball, Schwarze
HF: Montagna, Riewoldt, Harvey
F: Milne, Hamill, Koschitzke
FOLL: Ackland, Hayes, Dal Santo
I/C (from): Blake, X.Clarke, Goddard, Gwilt, McQualter, Murray, Thompson
IN: Gwilt, Ball, Koschitzke, Murray
OUT: Gehrig (hamstring)

Field umpires: McLaren, Grun, Avon

Ball, Kosi return
20 April 2006
AFL.com

 

[panthers]

Why on earth do we keep playing port away from the dome. We dont get beaten there but year in year out we dont play port or freo there. I for one hope we stop this next year as those extra wins could be the difference between a home or away final.
Drop Brendan Goddard and it will be a fair 22 on 22 match instead of 21 on 23.

why would you drop B Goddard???????????

 

[saints]

why would you drop B Goddard???????????

Everyone wraps him up to be such a gun. What has he done? Grant thomas says give hime time, how much time does he need. since his debut hyear he has gone downhill. i remember playing against him in the U18 competition and he was hard at it, lovely skills and dominated.
He doesnt do it anymore, even his kicks go straight up in the air.
I just personally think there are much better players on our list who should be playing.

 

[mad-saint-guy]

Reckon this is how we'll line up.

B: Voss, Hudghton, S.Fisher
HB: X.Clarke, Maguire, Gram
C: Dal Santo, Hayes, Montagna
HF: Goddard, Riewoldt, Harvey
F: Milne, Koschitzke, Hamill

Foll: Ackland, Ball, Baker
Int: Thompson, Blake, Fiora, McQualter