The reason we lost

[goodie23]

Even the official AFL site is with us

After describing the positive aspects of both players' games, Watters said he thought both had been admirable.
He also showed great restraint in not criticising the umpires, who awarded some critical and questionable free kicks to the Eagles late in the game that led to goals.
It would have been an easy route to go down but he chose not to.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-06-09/watters-post-match

 

[Gogeelong]

a great example of how umpires DO control the outcome of a match.
disgrace!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[sauce_head]

Well who really cares. Nothing new here. We have the greatest disparity of free as was stated in another thread. West coast have the most. Was always going to be like this. We can now stay low on the ladder and get a better draft pick. The world saw we shoulda and coulda won. It's a shame, but it really doesn't matter.

 

[db swannie]

As some St Kilda fans know I carry few torches for the St Kilda footy club. What I will say is the free against Saad right at the death was laughable, IMO. Why would any player who knows that there's virtually no time left on the clock and his team is behind want to kill the contest and soak up time?

Montagna was selfish too. A handball over the top is all it would've taken.

The Selwoods make me sick.

 

[sauce_head]

Three cross-currents were evident. West Coast remains the best in the competition in what might be called its professional attitude to the rules. St Kilda's fanatical approach, so admirable on the night, became its undoing as it tired and tumbled into mistakes. And in such a maelstrom of a match, the umpires floundered, especially concerning a consistent ruling on sliding in, and about that fine line between a fall and a push. St Kilda coach Scott Watters fumed, but, constrained by rules, could do no more than turn the questions back on the media.

http://m.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/saints-desperately-close-20130609-2ny4s.html

Wow, if even the media admit it maybe something will happen?

 

[sauce_head]

Montagna was selfish too. A handball over the top is all it would've taken.

The Selwoods make me sick.

Go listen to his interview post match. He was bitterly disappointed. Anybody who thinks he is selfish needs to go listen to that. A mistake maybe, but not due to selfishness. He as good as apologized to reiwoldt just before the interview started.

 

[Defacto]

Go listen to his interview post match. He was bitterly disappointed. Anybody who thinks he is selfish needs to go listen to that. A mistake maybe, but not due to selfishness. He as good as apologized to reiwoldt just before the interview started.

+1. i dont think it was selfish i think it was more not wanting to make a mistake, he was stuck between two options and fatigued from a huge amount of running. did the right thing and went to drill it but missed

we've had similar plays in the past where we have gone the pass over the top and thrown away a certain goal

cant blame monty

questions should be directed at other players like saad that continually dish up shit. that selfish play from him, playing on around the mark is something that should be questioned instead

 

[Falchoon]

I want to blame the ump's and do for the shit decisions late in the game, but at 1 stage we kicked 1.5 whilst dominating play in the second term, that's what ultimately cost us the game, shit disgraceful decisions aside

there's no doubt our kicking cost us 3 or 4 goals, as did the umps.

 

[Grape Bear]

Hey, guys. Commiserations on your loss. I'm a neutral watcher most days, even if it's the Eagles playing, but I must say that you guys got the short end of the stick today with the umps. 3 late frees turning to goals brought them even with you guys and gave them the opportunity to pull ahead. You were the better team most of the match, and it should have been your win.

 

[Lucky Luc]

You were robbed West Coast are an embarrassment to the competition

Funny how the drug cheats supporters are calling West coast cheats, priceless...... Take up comedy , you will make a killing !

 

[aussierulesrules]

Joey's miss hurt us big time considering he had two players over the top.

Yep, true so true. The umpiring was HORRIBLE and one-sided, as it has been for so many of our games this year ( I think we're clearly last for frees-for this year), but the game was well and truly in our hands and as per usual we managed to stuff up multiple opportunities to finish them off.

 

[tek87]

using the afl website as a credible source is incredibly funny. umpires made what 10% mistakes. usual afl standard. eagles know how to work the umpires

 

[goodie23]

using the afl website as a credible source is incredibly funny. umpires made what 10% mistakes. usual afl standard. eagles know how to work the umpires

Why? I can't remember reading anything like that on the AFL's site, its content is usually infuriatingly and ridiculously supportive of the AFL and its officials.

Especially as the article in question does not carry the usual disclaimer "The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs".

And it's not that the umpires make mistakes, that's inevitable, it's that we benefit from them less than any other team and that has been the case all year. We average over 4 frees a game less than the opposition. We laid over thirty more tackles tonight and still received less free kicks for holding the ball.

 

[Doggy doo doo]

Funny how the drug cheats supporters are calling West coast cheats, priceless...... Take up comedy , you will make a killing !

The players from your joke of a side should move to Hollywood when they retire they'll win Oscars

 

[Sunshine Saint]

Hi guys, I love reading all your posts and thought that maybe it was time to dip my toe into the water and start writing. I really wanted to write about what I enjoy about being a Saints supporter, the merits of playing youth and the wisdom being shared by our experienced players (oops Joey). How after some fabulous years at the top we might look forward to some top draft picks. But seriously....the umpires...how they can walk off the field, pat themselves on the back and say "Job well done". Words fail me. The West Coast players should be embarrassed to sing their club song without inviting tonight's umpires into their circle.

Rabbit welcome Look forward to hearing more from you on here

 

[NarklesHelmet]

it is just a joke. I am generally an optimistic person and love footy and the Saints but what has been happening to our club and the game I love this year and the past few since the likes of Gieschen and Bartlett have been involved have left me seriously disillusioned with the game. I no longer go into games expecting anything less than us getting shafted and I know I am not alone. It is a sad state of affairs isn't it?

 

[Sunshine Saint]

You made mistakes, but so did they - it was a fairly ordinary standard game.

The Eagles were on the end of a couple of shockers - the Darling push in the back, the non kicking in danger....but aside from that you guys were ROBBED!!!!! How is it that these guys get such a free ride every friggin week????

Compared to the high quality performance that North put on against the Suns do you mean? Or the game of North against Adelaide?

 

[lenny_07]

The reason we lost is that we can't convert. The goal kicking has been an issue for years, and cost us the 2009 Grand Final. For once I'd like someone try to have a shot from outside 50 rather than kick to a 10 on 1 30 metres out. We are either missing simple shots that I could kick (with a breeze... maybe) or not getting a shot because the opposition has numbers. I hate it when the opposition gets an easy goal on the run from 55. It looks so easy and we just can't do it.

We should never ever be in the position where umpiring costs us the game and I don't like it when it is used as an excuse.

Having said that, the umpiring was so ridiculously inconsistent all night. Yeah, they had a couple of crappy non-descisions and we got some dubious frees, thats normal, happens every game, but for them to get a free for in the back when moments earlier, in an identical tackle, we're penalised for holding the ball - it drives supporters crazy.
There was a particular passage of play on the wing and in the centre (can't remember what stage of the game) where 3 West Coast players took on St Kilda players, were caught with the ball and either dropped it or had it spill free on the ground. All three times it was text book holding the ball. Not once was it paid.

My mate and I can get quite vocal at the footy, and a few other people around us in the members where we sit, but generally most of the people there are fairly quiet and stay in their seats. Tonight, for the first time in the 10 years I've sat there, I witnessed almost everyone standing and screaming at the umpires.

West Coast have their tactics to exploit the rules, and as long as they can get away with it, they will continue. Good on them. We do it sometimes too (poorly). But it is disgusting and the sooner the AFL stamps out staging the better the game will be.
Pay a free kick against a player who obviously ducks his head, against the player who flails his arms around looking for the umpires, against the bloke who drops his knees to draw a push in the back. Once they start being penalised for this, they will stop. Hopefully.

 

[St_Laz]

Yes bias bordering on delusion.

We've finally found Plugger35's signature

 

[David the Cat]

Just popped in to say bad luck to the Saints. Joeys miss was bad....but the change in the umpiring in the last quarter was hard to stomach.

I am very much a neutral....but I thought you guys were robbed.

 

[Ice-Wolf]

I really feel for the Saints fans there tonight. Mainly because after seeing such a horrid display of umpiring, they were forced to listen to the worst AFL club song in the league. If the Eagles can pay off the umpires like they did tonight, surely they can find someone to write them a song that isn't total shite.

Sorry couldn't hear it over our appreciation for the umpires performance.

 

[Armitage2Riewoldt]

As some St Kilda fans know I carry few torches for the St Kilda footy club. What I will say is the free against Saad right at the death was laughable, IMO. Why would any player who knows that there's virtually no time left on the clock and his team is behind want to kill the contest and soak up time?

This is the exact moment I started cackling wildly and gave up on football.

 

[St DAC]

The reason we lost is that we can't convert.

Our ball use in general is very poor, and costs us each week. Last night was just one more example of the same issue.

 

[bodazoka]

A.Selwood ducked once to draw a free.

I don't recall any other staging free kicks?

Umpiring early was pretty good, got a bit ridiculous towards the end with the interpretation changing. On balance we probably got the majority of them on the night, especially late. I would strongly argue with anyone who suggested we staged for any kicks other then the one I mentioned above.

 

[stkildathunda]