St Kilda can win the Premiership in 2017

[Saintbloke]

Admire your optimism but objectively we don't have close to the quality on our list right now we had in 2003.

Basically, if we were good enough we would have won the PF. I do remember Milne and Guerra having ordinary games, and we needed them to be getting more of the ball than they did, so apart from Gehrig, the forwards didn't do enough. Roger James of PA had a massive game in the midfield and was the difference all day I thought. Though had we have won, I have no doubt we could have won the GF

 

[puppy_dog7]

How'd that go for Port a couple of years ago? They were building then missed the finals two years in a row...

Richo left..

 

[King_Steele]

but that is exactly what we thought at the end of 2003. We only need a few things to click and a bit of luck (for once) and top 4 is certainly on the cards next year.

May I ask why you think our team will mirror those years?

That's in the past & we walked away with NOTHING & I agree with the other posters we had way more talent at the end of 03 anyway..

 

[TheEnsign]

I think it is unlikely, but could happen. Don't have the replay infront of me, but it seems that in the GF pretty much every single crucial thing that could have gone the Doggies way did, and Swans couldn't catch a break.

- Kieran Jack unlucky to not get 50 for that first mark, Wood wasn't in the contest. The hit pretty clearly affected his ability to compose himself for the kick too;
- Buddy injures himself;
- Dickson first goal came from a poor floater of a field kick from Libba, it fell perfectly for the Dogs, could easily have been a F50 entry the other way;
- When Bont kicked to Boyd for the mark and wrap around goal early in the second, Libba almost certainly threw it to Bont - both his hands are open in the footage;
- Hannebury dazed early and injured later.

Pretty much most of the Doggies goals were unstructured and from broken play too. That's not to say Sydney were robbed - in particular, Buddy and Kennedy seem to have different HTB rules to everyone else, the number of low % things that all fell perfect for the Doggies is quite astonishing.

Could happen for us too if the footy gods smile.

 

[sonnywalters]

Doggies were all over them in the end. Swans were just holding up the dam wall. If the game went on another ten minutes the Dogs would have won by more.

Swans simply had way too many passengers and not enough run. 8 young kids all under 50 games and a couple of old hacks like McGlynn and Tippett.
Swans just arent that good.

I dont really think the competition was all that hot this year.
Geelong finished 3rd on the back of two players. Besides Selwood and PDF they are a bog average side full of VFL players.
Hawks without Roughie are nowhere near as good. Some of their older stars have also dropped off.

The only really good current sides with depth on their lists are GWS and the Dogs imo.

 

[NeXus Nick]

May I ask why you think our team will mirror those years?

That's in the past & we walked away with NOTHING & I agree with the other posters we had way more talent at the end of 03 anyway..

I said it was certainly possible.

 

[King_Steele]

I said it was certainly possible.

Why would we want to replicate not winning a flag? makes no sense

 

[bergholt]

but that is exactly what we thought at the end of 2003.

I don't think that's true. I think a lot of supporters were very excited about our potential heading into 2004. A mate and I distinctly remember having a beer before the Geelong game in R1 and feeling like this could be a very big year.

I felt more down on us at the start of 2009, personally. Was a little wrong.

 

[TassieSaint]

I don't think that's true. I think a lot of supporters were very excited about our potential heading into 2004. A mate and I distinctly remember having a beer before the Geelong game in R1 and feeling like this could be a very big year.

I felt more down on us at the start of 2009, personally. Was a little wrong.

Yeah that is my memory as well. Hence the big game at Kardinia in 2003 where it was billed as the battle of the best two young lists with ours being rated the better by most but being proved wrong that day and again in the future. Bear in mind in 2003 we had back to back rising star winners in key positions, 23 y.o. AA Lenny Hayes, prime Hammill and Gehrig, Dal, Ball, Goddard, Montagna, X Clarke, Maguire all 18-19, Harvey still in top form etc. Completely different and, on paper, much better list than what we have now.

As pointed out none of that matters as it came to nought, but I do seriously question whether we have the quality to push deep into finals next year. We would need a lot of our young players to make some seriously big strides.

 

[Present Not Past]

If you're using the Bulldogs as an example of how the Saints can win next year then they will have to address these three stats.

2016 Season totals
Tackles: Bulldogs 2nd 1975
Saints Last 1298

Contested possessions: Bulldogs 2nd 3913
Saints 16th 2941

Frees for: Bulldogs 1st 530
Saints Last 370

That's a lot of possession that the Saints are missing out on, and denying the opposition.

 

[majortinkle]

If you're using the Bulldogs as an example of how the Saints can win next year then they will have to address these three stats.

2016 Season totals
Tackles: Bulldogs 2nd 1975
Saints Last 1298

Contested possessions: Bulldogs 2nd 3913
Saints 16th 2941

Frees for: Bulldogs 1st 530
Saints Last 370

That's a lot of possession that the Saints are missing out on, and denying the opposition.

Last in tackles is a surprise to me. Bet we're not last in tackle attempts.

 

[Present Not Past]

Last in tackles is a surprise to me. Bet we're not last in tackle attempts.

But a tackle attempt doesn't strip the opposition of the ball does it?

 

[majortinkle]

But a tackle attempt doesn't strip the opposition of the ball does it?

I was just pointing out its poor technique rather than poor effort

 

[Present Not Past]

I was just pointing out its poor technique rather than poor effort

You're probably right - or it could be some players playing bruise free football.

 

[majortinkle]

You're probably right - or it could be some players playing bruise free football.

I just don't see it that way. It feels like we crack in, but either bounce off or let them release the ball before we complete it.

 

[gringo2011]

I think it is unlikely, but could happen. Don't have the replay infront of me, but it seems that in the GF pretty much every single crucial thing that could have gone the Doggies way did, and Swans couldn't catch a break.

- Kieran Jack unlucky to not get 50 for that first mark, Wood wasn't in the contest. The hit pretty clearly affected his ability to compose himself for the kick too;
- Buddy injures himself;
- Dickson first goal came from a poor floater of a field kick from Libba, it fell perfectly for the Dogs, could easily have been a F50 entry the other way;
- When Bont kicked to Boyd for the mark and wrap around goal early in the second, Libba almost certainly threw it to Bont - both his hands are open in the footage;
- Hannebury dazed early and injured later.

Pretty much most of the Doggies goals were unstructured and from broken play too. That's not to say Sydney were robbed - in particular, Buddy and Kennedy seem to have different HTB rules to everyone else, the number of low % things that all fell perfect for the Doggies is quite astonishing.

Could happen for us too if the footy gods smile.

They definitely had all the luck in their finals. WCE hardly got a free .....in WA. GWS hardly got a free...in Sydney then the Swans even couldn't buy a free in the GF after I was saying at least the umps should be incorruptible in the big one. I remember someone on here saying the AFL push umpires to officiate to a narrative. It looks like they had a pretty strong narrative. I think the Age had an article saying the Dogs got heaps more frees than any other club by 99 or something, funny coincidence. We got finger banged while Ross was our coach and we put it down to our game style. We changed our game style and said we just need to start winning, We start winning and we still get screwed.

 

[Present Not Past]

I just don't see it that way. It feels like we crack in, but either bounce off or let them release the ball before we complete it.

That's probably correct.

 

[gringo2011]

If you're using the Bulldogs as an example of how the Saints can win next year then they will have to address these three stats.

2016 Season totals
Tackles: Bulldogs 2nd 1975
Saints Last 1298

Contested possessions: Bulldogs 2nd 3913
Saints 16th 2941

Frees for: Bulldogs 1st 530
Saints Last 370

That's a lot of possession that the Saints are missing out on, and denying the opposition.

It says on footy wire the Dogs are 2 places higher with an average of 2 a week more than us in tackles? Where did you read the stats?
http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/fts_team_rankings?type=TA&year=2016&sby=6

 

[NarrowMind]

I just don't see it that way. It feels like we crack in, but either bounce off or let them release the ball before we complete it.

This.
The inability to complete tackles is certainly one of the more tell tale signs of an inexperienced playing list and something that sticks out like dog's bollocks at that. Once it begins to become rectified a lot of other things fall into place quickly after it.

 

[Diehard Saint]

If you're using the Bulldogs as an example of how the Saints can win next year then they will have to address these three stats.

2016 Season totals
Tackles: Bulldogs 2nd 1975
Saints Last 1298

Contested possessions: Bulldogs 2nd 3913
Saints 16th 2941

Frees for: Bulldogs 1st 530
Saints Last 370

That's a lot of possession that the Saints are missing out on, and denying the opposition.

I'd be staggered if the first stat, re last in the comp for tackles, was true.
Can quite easily believe the last one though.

 

[gringo2011]

This.
The inability to complete tackles is certainly one of the more tell tale signs of an inexperienced playing list and something that sticks out like dog's bollocks at that. Once it begins to become rectified a lot of other things fall into place quickly after it.

If we believe footywires stats then the best tackling teams are Sydney, Collingwood, Port, Freo and Melbourne. Sydney the only one to make finals. The finals showed footy seems to have moved away from sticking tackles being as important as teams like to move the ball quickly more than reset at a ball up. Sydney and the Dogs almost immediately handball away...sometimes borderline throwing it or letting it spill in the tackle while directing it towards a teammate.

 

[puppy_dog7]

If we believe footywires stats then the best tackling teams are Sydney, Collingwood, Port, Freo and Melbourne. Sydney the only one to make finals. The finals showed footy seems to have moved away from sticking tackles being as important as teams like to move the ball quickly more than reset at a ball up. Sydney and the Dogs almost immediately handball away...sometimes borderline throwing it or letting it spill in the tackle while directing it towards a teammate.

yep.. Tackles are still very important but its the ability to pressure the opposition into rushed disposals/errors/forcing them backwards, all through pressure acts that's even more important..

Tackles these days rarely even result in a stoppage or a free kick, as the ball just continues to move forward like in a rugby scrum. This was proven when Clarko made mention of the ridiculous amount of tackles they laid in the Semi final against the dogs for * all free kicks. 104 tackles only 3 of those were were paid holding the ball.

 

[NeXus Nick]

Forget about stats. Mark this down, St Kilda will win 14 games in 2017.

 

[PoppedCorn]

Dunno about a flag but im def confident of playing finals
Already started thinking about the Sept trip to the G (hopefully), although knocking the crows out at adelaide oval in week one would be ******* great
I'm wondering if im better off driving to horsham and staying there after the game, then I'm only 5 hrs away to get home the next day and not 8
But the wildlife has me a little concerned .
Then again how many roos between melbs and horsham of a night?
Couldn't be any worse than where I live now I spose

Either way
I'm planning for a Sept trip next year

 

[Persevering Saint]

Forget about stats. Mark this down, St Kilda will win 14 games in 2017.

Why would I bother, when you're the one saying it? Trump has more credibility.