Review v Saints Reviews and Views

[RU_]

The Saints board looks like they now want Goose. Is he out of contract at the end of the year?

 

[LIONHART]

I am excited by our defenders, Yeo and Harwood have unbelievable promise. Add Golby and Docherty and we have scary depth and promise. Yeo looked much more composed and settled, which is only natural after a previous senior game.

Also thought Banfield and Polkinghorne were a long way from the worst. Banfield will improve from that outing, and Polkinghorne took a step in the right direction. Both still a long way from commanding a spot in the 22 every week, but shouldn't be dropped.

Maguire was sensational, as was Hudson and Raines. Top notch recruiting there.

Frustrating to lose a game we should have won. McBurney was deplorable, missing the hands in Brown's back in the last sums up how incompetent he was. We lost because of skill errors, turnovers moving forward and dropped marks.

The amount of times the Lions grafted hard with the ball, only to turn it over and then have St Kilda make a quick transition was gutting. They kicked way too many easy goals with players running forward of the ball as the knew chances were the Lions would cough it up.

In regards to Riewoldt, he was pantsed by Patful all night, but was continually gifted free kicks. If Brown got paid the frees that Riewoldt received he would have about 1500 goals to his name. The fact he has the pain tolerance of a gnat, makes it appear the umpires believe they need to look after him. He's just lucky he punches about as hard as my dead grandmother, otherwise even the AFL couldn't overlook his effort on Adcock. Of course the umpire didn't reverse it though. He is the correct choice as captain of St Kilda though, a club that embraces being the victim and satisfied with nearly have that embodied in their skipper. I do feel for blokes like Hayes and Goddard destined never to know ultimate success because of their club and team mates.

Sums up perfectly the basis of my frustration all year with the team. if we won even a percentage of the games we should have won, we would be in the top four, losing the unlosable game has almost become an art form at the lions

 

[MSB ROYS]

The Saints board looks like they now want Goose. Is he out of contract at the end of the year?

Why would he want to go back?

 

[Cousin Jed]

Not sure there has been many games we could have won but didn't this year. A lot of our losses have been pretty decent margins. Was far more games last year where we were in it but didn't finish off

 

[RU_]

Why would he want to go back?

They were saying he COULD be homesick and the reason he is 29 next year or something?

I can't see him going back however.

 

[MSB ROYS]

They were saying he COULD be homesick and the reason he is 29 next year or something?

I can't see him going back however.

Hopefully just wishful thinking on their behalf.

 

[Hollow Knight]

They had their chance to keep him. He's a Lion now. Too bad, so sad.

Loves the warm weather and he is great mates with Browny and Buchanan who all played footy together growing up.

Their whine thread about Merrett and Rich is a little sad too. Aaron Hamill would cringe if he read that thread. What a bunch of Riewoldts. I seem to remember their champion Robert Harvey shoving Simon Black into the Gabba fence back in 2004, shit happens.

Sauce and Richy may do time (hopefully not) but geez, footy is a contact sport. You'd hope their players aren't as precious as some of their supporters or their flag drought will last a thousand years.

One of them posted in the "Is Chris Judd the biggest thug in the game" thread trying to argue that Daniel Rich was instead. Cringe factor off the charts.

Ditto with them trying to pretend that Merrett is a known serial thug. A load of shit if I ever heard it.

 

[Grimreepah]

Chances of Maguire going back to St Kilda = 0

 

[patfullfankezz]

Chances of Maguire going back to St Kilda = 0

If I were living with Joel Patfull, there'd be no way I'd be leaving either

 

[doddgey]

The Saints board looks like they now want Goose. Is he out of contract at the end of the year?

Stunning, I thought Goose was a part of the "crazy vossy " ( god I hate that term ) trading year, now they want him back ? Next thing someone will tell me that the Saints board reckon Rich and Merrett deserve weeks !

 

[Sanchez365]

Ditto with them trying to pretend that Merrett is a known serial thug. A load of shit if I ever heard it.

I don't think he's a thug, but Merrett has certainly upped the ante when it comes to throwing his body around. I have been enjoying it.

 

[Whabbaghetti]

The Saints board looks like they now want Goose. Is he out of contract at the end of the year?

I would concider it somewhat unlikely that a player would leave the club that gave them a second chance to return to the club that delisted them.

I would concider it no chance that Goose would leave the Lions who gave him a second chance to return to a St Kilda who delisted him.

St Kilda fans are just jealous that Goose is in a team on the way up now, and is more chance at winning a flag then their whole team around his age (unless they leave the club).

Goose would have to be in my mind our most improved player this year. Last year I, like many wanted his delistment, or at the very least to be out of the side. Now he is our premier full back, utilising a skill which was often underused by Big Sauce down back - marking. At least if Merrett does eventually go back to back, he has worked on his marking up forward.

 

[Voss the boss]

Finally got to see the game last night and a few things struck me.

1. people are harsh on banfield - i can only recall one fumble all night and that is when the ball hit him in the head. All other were clean, he just got tackled a few times so there was no clean disposal.
2. I hate to say this - but would we be a better side without brown in it? The amount of times we went to him when he was not the best option was astounding...just saying
3. Hudson, McGuire, Zorko, Raines - brilliant acquisitions that cost us stuff all - outstanding game from Raines what a shutdown player
4. Bewick - does some good things but mostly craps his pants when he has the ball and reminds me of a kangaroo in the headlights. I personally dont think he is up to it - i hope he is.
5. Polkinghorne - apparently got 15 touches - well fm dead...like to know where.
6. There is a hep of talent on our list (young talent too) - personally i feel we are not far away and i am very excited about the future

 

[Toffee Lion]

2. I hate to say this - but would we be a better side without brown in it? The amount of times we went to him when he was not the best option was astounding...just saying

He takes the best 2 defenders in their team away from the likes of Merrett and Patty/Ace.

We just need to stop kicking it to him!

 

[Sanchez365]

He takes the best 2 defenders in their team away from the likes of Merrett and Patty/Ace.

We just need to stop kicking it to him!

Does anyone else think the forward line would be best to remain unchanged so that Ace can work on some kind of synergy with the other guys? He really just needs to get used to being that 3rd in line, practice he will never get if dropped down to the Magoos? As long as his defensive game is still sound I hope he manages to keep his spot.

Also would like to see Patty K start in the midfield, looked really good in there for the quarter or so, if he runs out of puff, sub him off in the second half.

 

[Voss the boss]

He takes the best 2 defenders in their team away from the likes of Merrett and Patty/Ace.

We just need to stop kicking it to him!

Well yes - i think at times this would be a much better option!

 

[Haso]

Does anyone else think the forward line would be best to remain unchanged so that Ace can work on some kind of synergy with the other guys? He really just needs to get used to being that 3rd in line, practice he will never get if dropped down to the Magoos? As long as his defensive game is still sound I hope he manages to keep his spot.

Also would like to see Patty K start in the midfield, looked really good in there for the quarter or so, when he runs out of puff, sub him off in the second half.

EFA.

Also, I tend to agree. ACorn's role in the reserves is quite different to his role in the seniors, and he will not be able to perfect the 3rd tall role in the reserves.

Patty did look great, but he is not fit enough or strong enough to last in that role all game. Would like to see him have another crack for a half or so.

 

[Eons]

We dominated all night, just a few silly mistakes in the last quarter that cost us. Goose was unstoppable, he'll come pretty close to winning the B & F this year even with the few games he's missed. What a great turn around from last year, happy for him. Zorko is a monster, such a smart player, always gets in the right positions. I have no doubt that we will play finals next year and be a major force over the next few years.

 

[Kojihama]

What confuses me as well... I heard so many times from the commentators how Brown/Merett were getting double teamed by the loose defender.. so where on earth was our loose attacker? Isn't that how it works? They extra man one of our best players so we'd have a person spare.. somewhere to say be another target??! Or am I looking at this too simply.

 

[Cousin Jed]

Our spare man was also in our defence

 

[MSB ROYS]

What confuses me as well... I heard so many times from the commentators how Brown/Merett were getting double teamed by the loose defender.. so where on earth was our loose attacker? Isn't that how it works? They extra man one of our best players so we'd have a person spare.. somewhere to say be another target??! Or am I looking at this too simply.

Maybe taking the forward press a bit too far and not able to make it back on time? That's were McGrath is quite good because he doesn't sucked too far down the field (and is always on the lookout for goals).

 

[Ironmonger]

Was very disappointed to lose this one after we appeared to be all over the Saints early in the last.

But nonetheless it was one of the best games of football we've been involved in for some time. The fact that we haven't been in enough of these kinds of contests is part of the reason players like Hanley and Harwood lost their nerve and made bad mistakes at crucial times. Hopefully next time they'll get it right.

Maguire was unbelievable. I really didn't think he had a game like that in him. Completely controlled the backline and always seemed to be impacting the contest when the ball was in the air. Looked determined, confident and fit.

Patfull also very good. Was incredibly unlucky to have that HTB paid against him in the third quarter. He simply did not drag that ball in. What the hell has happened to the HTB rule?

Unfortunately it was our small defenders, who've generally been pretty good, that had a collective shocker. Adcock was the worst, but Drummond also made some poor decisions, and Harwood and Hanley didn't do a lot. Yeo was possibly the best of them, actually. Looked quite assured bringing the ball out of defence, I thought.

Hudson had an interesting game. Sometimes McEvoy just outreached him to set up the mids, but when Hudson did disrupt him he was able to win some important clearances. An excellent example of playing to your own strengths.

Redden struggled to use the ball but his tackling was outstanding. Raines and Zorko also applied good defensive pressure in the middle. Made it hard for the Saints to move the ball easily around the ground, particularly in the first half.

I've been keen to see Bewick get more involved, but after that game I kind've want to see him less involved. Struggled under pressure, and was pushed off the ball way too easily.

Anyway, last time we played the Saints, they were atrocious and still beat us handily. This time they were much better and only beat us narrowly. We are definitely heading in the right direction.

 

[Kojihama]

Was it a specific person? I never noticed a spare defender...

 

[BuntonRules]

He takes the best 2 defenders in their team away from the likes of Merrett and Patty/Ace.

We just need to stop kicking it to him!

IMO we looked a lot better when he was playing the lead up foward & Merrett was in the square - could not be double teamed then, created space, is such a good field kick & smart footballer to use it to advantage.

 

[wabaa]

Was it a specific person? I never noticed a spare defender...

The times I looked it seemed to be Drummond playing that role.