Preview Season Opener; "The War In Heaven": Etihad Stadium (H), Saturday 25 March 2017, 4;35pm

[aussierulesrules]

That is one cracking line up for the saints. Think it's line ball between Dunstan and Stevens.

Up until his first injury this year, Stevens was averaging 26 disposals per game (and still managed to average 22 per game for the year), while Luke averaged just 17 per game for the year, so given that Luke is coming off another shoulder reco (and he really struggled for the next year after his last one) I reckon Stevens is likely to be a fair way ahead of him- unless Luke happens to improve markedly over the offseason. Stevens having the versatility to play HFF and even wing would also help his cause over the less versatile Dunstan.

 

[Jade Buddha]

Up until his first injury last year, Stevens was averaging 26 disposals per game (and still managed to average 22 per game for the year), while Luke averaged just 17 per game for the year, so given that Luke is coming off another shoulder reco (and he really struggled for the next year after his last one) I reckon Stevens is likely to be a fair way ahead of him- unless Luke happens to improve markedly over the offseason. Stevens having the versatility to play HFF and even wing would also help his cause over the less versatile Dunstan.

Shoulders do take a bit I'll give you that but I just get the feeling LD has a fair bit to play for. Also it's not a given that Stephens 2015 form will just arrive. As for his ability to play HFF, well that line up has a few sitting on the pine that can impact forward.

 

[aussierulesrules]

Shoulders do take a bit I'll give you that but I just get the feeling LD has a fair bit to play for. Also it's not a given that Stephens 2015 form will just arrive. As for his ability to play HFF, well that line up has a few sitting on the pine that can impact forward.

He sure will have a bit to play for. Will need to up his game by a fair bit to keep his spot with the arrivals of Stevens and Steele I would imagine. And by last year I meant this year, re those stats of Stevens and Luke. Have now edited that post to correct that.

 

[Armoooo]

So hyped for this game, shame it couldn't have been a Friday or Saturday night game... a real opportunity to prove our legitmacy as a finals contender (can't believe we can say that about playing Melbourne!!)

Have to take another opportunity to post a best 22... this is getting really difficulty with some seriously hard decisions:

..............
FB: J.Geary N.Brown S.Dempster
HB: D.Roberton J.Carlisle S.Savage
C: N.Riewoldt S.Ross J.Newnes
HF: M.Weller J.Bruce J.Billings
FF: T.Membrey P.McCartin J.Gresham
R: T.Hickey J.Steven D.Armitage
I/C: J.Webster L.Montagna B.Acres J.Steele

Emg: D.McKenzie K.Stevens Longer

VFL:
Dunstan Freeman Lonie Gilbert Goddard Rice White Wright Sinclair

...........


Imagine all hype we would be if we get a convincing win.

My predictions:
1 - Backline to click
2 - Second-tier mid stands up (Newnes, Ross, Acres) all looking like genuine AFL guns
3. Weller to chin some luckless Melbourne defender
4. McCartin to kick 6 and emerge as one of the last pieces of the puzzle.
5. Billings and Gresham putting on a clinic.
6. Bruce needs to take marks further up the ground as he is just not holding enough playing deep.
7. Membrey to provide his usual hard working, consistent performance.

Daniel McKenzie is very unlucky not to be in this side. I can see him displacing one of Dempster, Geary or Montagna this year, looks like a potential Goddard type to me.

And just look at the names in the reserves side. They would all have been walk up starts to our 2013 side.

 

[Sainttony]

Couple of comments guys

Tad early to have a preview thread, it will reach 1000 pages by March.

Love the thread name 'the war in heaven', great marketing someone needs to do a logo or advertising drawing that we can send to the club.

 

[holllywood]

I am very pumped to see Proper Gander's write up for this game.

Does a stellar job week to week, expecting an absolute classic write up for round 1.

 

[Falchoon]

hopefully the weather warms up by then

 

[Diehard Saint]

Let's hope that this time we actually get to play all three practice matches beforehand so we're ready to go.
Should've beaten Port last year.

 

[Barrels]

Couple of comments guys

Tad early to have a preview thread, it will reach 1000 pages by March.

Love the thread name 'the war in heaven', great marketing someone needs to do a logo or advertising drawing that we can send to the club.

I'm a wordsmith.

 

[Barrels]

Nice to see the confidence...

OX ON DEES ROUND 1 FIXTURE: IS THAT A JOKE?
BY JOSHUA PAPANIKOLAOU 30 MINUTES AGO

David Schwarz cannot believe that Melbourne has been scheduled to play at Etihad Stadium in Round 1 next season against St Kilda, a clash recent history suggests can only end in defeat.

Even with the club struggling for much of the past decade the Demons’ record against the Saints has been very poor losing their last 14 games stretching back to 2007.

Their form at Etihad Stadium has not been much better winning just two of their last 30 matches at the venue.

“I don’t mind that, it’s been a great tradition for a long time now so I’m really happy for the Carlton and Richmond game to kick off the season,” said Schwarz on SEN radio.

“Okay I like that as well (the Bulldogs playing on Friday night).

“I can cop that one (Essendon with returning players on Saturday night against Hawthorn).

“Oh great, great – is that (Melbourne playing at Etihad) a joke? Honestly, what is the AFL doing?

“You might as well say, here you are we’re going to start Melbourne four points behind everyone else – we don’t beat St Kilda and we don’t win at Etihad.

“We haven’t won a game there since Jesus was in Nazareth.

“Not Round 1 and not at Etihad and not on Grand Prix day, we’ll have three people there watching.

“That is not a good start for Melbourne.”

 

[Sir Skid]

LOL. Was listening to that in the car.
Classic!

 

[bird_man]

Already excited for Carlisle v Hogan

 

[Confuscius]

Not only are his comments hilariously defeatist but Melbourne won there last round in 2015... hardly biblical times.


But aside from that a really embarrassing sook. It's not like you're a melbourne side finishing games clear on top with their only game at the G before finals being round 21.

Gotta play there at some point.

 

[Armitage2Riewoldt]

Same day as the Grand Prix?

Seriously

 

[Persevering Saint]

Nice to see the confidence...

OX ON DEES ROUND 1 FIXTURE: IS THAT A JOKE?
BY JOSHUA PAPANIKOLAOU 30 MINUTES AGO

David Schwarz cannot believe that Melbourne has been scheduled to play at Etihad Stadium in Round 1 next season against St Kilda, a clash recent history suggests can only end in defeat.

Even with the club struggling for much of the past decade the Demons’ record against the Saints has been very poor losing their last 14 games stretching back to 2007.

Their form at Etihad Stadium has not been much better winning just two of their last 30 matches at the venue.

“I don’t mind that, it’s been a great tradition for a long time now so I’m really happy for the Carlton and Richmond game to kick off the season,” said Schwarz on SEN radio.

“Okay I like that as well (the Bulldogs playing on Friday night).

“I can cop that one (Essendon with returning players on Saturday night against Hawthorn).

“Oh great, great – is that (Melbourne playing at Etihad) a joke? Honestly, what is the AFL doing?

“You might as well say, here you are we’re going to start Melbourne four points behind everyone else – we don’t beat St Kilda and we don’t win at Etihad.

“We haven’t won a game there since Jesus was in Nazareth.

“Not Round 1 and not at Etihad and not on Grand Prix day, we’ll have three people there watching.

“That is not a good start for Melbourne.”

No, you've got to be making that up! They actually said that?

 

[Persevering Saint]

Man, now I wish I actually knew any Melbourne fans so I could tease them about that.

 

[cooperrules]

Nice to see the confidence...

OX ON DEES ROUND 1 FIXTURE: IS THAT A JOKE?
BY JOSHUA PAPANIKOLAOU 30 MINUTES AGO

David Schwarz cannot believe that Melbourne has been scheduled to play at Etihad Stadium in Round 1 next season against St Kilda, a clash recent history suggests can only end in defeat.

Even with the club struggling for much of the past decade the Demons’ record against the Saints has been very poor losing their last 14 games stretching back to 2007.

Their form at Etihad Stadium has not been much better winning just two of their last 30 matches at the venue.

“I don’t mind that, it’s been a great tradition for a long time now so I’m really happy for the Carlton and Richmond game to kick off the season,” said Schwarz on SEN radio.

“Okay I like that as well (the Bulldogs playing on Friday night).

“I can cop that one (Essendon with returning players on Saturday night against Hawthorn).

“Oh great, great – is that (Melbourne playing at Etihad) a joke? Honestly, what is the AFL doing?

“You might as well say, here you are we’re going to start Melbourne four points behind everyone else – we don’t beat St Kilda and we don’t win at Etihad.

“We haven’t won a game there since Jesus was in Nazareth.

“Not Round 1 and not at Etihad and not on Grand Prix day, we’ll have three people there watching.

“That is not a good start for Melbourne.”

whinge whinge *en whinge

 

[Diehard Saint]

LOL. Was listening to that in the car.
Classic!

Surely he wasn't serious? Not speaking tongue in cheek?
We've beaten Dees at the G in the past couple of years anyway, haven't we?

Oh gee, I sound like Bruce McAveney....don't I???

 

[saintbill]

Paddy tho

and Roo has torn them up a few times now

Its borderline comical how often Roo torches the Demons. Pencil it in as far as I am concerned.

 

[Sir Skid]

Surely he wasn't serious? Not speaking tongue in cheek?
We've beaten Dees at the G in the past couple of years anyway, haven't we?

Oh gee, I sound like Bruce McAveney....don't I???

He was dead set serious.
It was an absolute crackup

 

[Persevering Saint]

Great vote of confidence for your players. Conceding defeat 5 months before you play. And to concede to the team that finished just above you - I mean hey, I think we're awesome, but we're not exactly Hawthorn 2 years ago here.

Just so much weakness. Such a weak club.

 

[plugger66]

Not only are his comments hilariously defeatist but Melbourne won there last round in 2015... hardly biblical times.


But aside from that a really embarrassing sook. It's not like you're a melbourne side finishing games clear on top with their only game at the G before finals being round 21.

Gotta play there at some point.

He was just mucking around.

 

[AFLOnline]

View attachment 303887

Well there we have it, Round 1 is set.

In past years this would promise to be a dirge of a game, a slog between two bottom sides in a graveyard timeslot. As of the end of the past season the complexion of this game has completely changed, now it's two up-and-coming, hungry young sides looking to stake their respective claims for a finals spot!

So what hasn't changed? The timeslot for one is still not ideal, particularly when teams like Carlton, Richmond and Collingwood are still given plum standalone spots, and the 'Etihad Curse' still remains; it's been 10 years and 14 games since the Dees have managed to knock us off.

This one should be a corker.

View attachment 303889

Potential (way too early) lineups;

View attachment 303890

SAINTS

FB: Geary - Brown - Dempster
HB: Roberton - Carlisle - Savage
RK: Hickey - Steven - Armitage
CR: Newnes - Ross - Riewoldt
HF: Billings - McCartin - Steele
FF: Weller - Bruce - Membrey

IC: Stevens Gresham Acres Montagna

View attachment 303891

DEES

FB: Frost - T.McDonald - Jetta
HB: Hibberd - O.McDonald - Bugg
RK: Gawn - Jones - Viney
CR: Vince - Lewis - Tyson
HF: Petracca - Watts - Melksham
FF: Garlett - Hogan - Pedersen

IC: Oliver Harmes Kent Vandenberg

After looking at them teams two things jump right at me.

1. How the Dees have a better top 6 or so players right now.

2. How our bottom 6 are incredibly better than Melbournes. There's not a chance blokes like Pedersen, Melksham, Kent, Vanderberg, Frost or Bugg get a game in our team though.

It's going to be a few greatly talented players verse a well rounded team all over the park. Which wins?

 

[AFLOnline]

Already excited for Carlisle v Hogan

Finally we have someone that Hogan can't out mark at will.

The tables might have turned actually.

 

[Diehard Saint]

After looking at them teams two things jump right at me.

1. How the Dees have a better top 6 or so players right now.

2. How our bottom 6 are incredibly better than Melbournes. There's not a chance blokes like Pedersen, Melksham, Kent, Vanderberg, Frost or Bugg get a game in our team though.

It's going to be a few greatly talented players verse a well rounded team all over the park. Which wins?

We've been there, done that in Grand Finals with option#1.
From now on I'm going with #2.