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Review What We Learnt: Round 7 Edition

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1. Our midfield was terrific tonight without the old guys carrying the load (Hayes, Monty, Nicky Dal, Goddard...). Keep Steven, Armitage, Ross, Geary, Newnes etc. together and they will form a very solid core of a very solid midfield for years to come.

2. Nick Riewoldt is a superstar. Bona fide. Out and out. Unbelievable. First quarter was basically flawless. Imagine what he could do in a team with the ability to drill it to him lace out like Hawthorn...

3. Wright, Webster, Ross, Newnes, Stanley, Siposs and Hickey are all AFL standard. Will be very good very quickly

4. Again, Milera shows he's capable of amazing things and yet can just infuriate by doing things which are obviously not of the standard required at AFL. Needs to be taught what to do and when. Footballing brain is poor atm. Could be very good. Maybe. Hopefully.

5. It's not fair for Stanley to have to take important roles at this point in his career. Being thrown to the wolves, and while I'm sure he'll adapt, he shouldn't have to do what he's doing. Comes back to the FB point I've been harping on about all year.

6. I love Clinton Jones for what he brings to the club, but maybe we're finally at a stage where we he is no longer a viable option... Still love what he offers though.
 

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Was much more impressed with Saad this round. Looked 90% of his form from last year and that final goal from him saved the game from disaster.
Would have been even more effective if people stopped kicking it to him like he is 190cms+ and giving him marks he simply cannot take.

Milne still suffers from the selfishness.. which I guess is what makes him such a good player at times. Had he pulled off his "foot candy" on the 50m line we would all be cheering him.

4th Quarter was a terrible 20 minutes though. Looked completely robbed of momentum and instinct and almost gave away the game. We still continue to play three quarters of football and had that been the 2nd quarter like usual we would have lost the game.

The future is still bright though, bring on Adelaide!
 
Stanley_Knifes said:
1. Riewoldt is a gun, not much else needs to be said

2. Best game i have seen Steven play

3. Tom Hickey in the side helped Ben McEvoy a lot

4. Future is very bright

5. The win was aweesommeeee!!

6. Nathan Wright will play for the rest of the season if he isn't injured, Looks right at home

7. Ben McEvoy was a complete beast!!

8. Back line looks very good when Fisher is playing loose.

Will stop here could have easily kept on going.
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don't stop!!!!!!!!!!!!!! please
 
SaintLex said:
Milne is not the player he used to be. I can't quite put my finger on it, maybe he has lost a lot of pace or something. He's just not doing the things he used to be doing and it's come out of nowhere after a quality 2012.
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Instead of gong forward and kicking towards goal Milne kicked around his body twice. Carlton got at least 1 goal from those stupid things.
 
I don't mind Stanley at FB all season.

Scarlett, Glass, Grundy, Richards used to get towelled up week after week.

It's a learning process. The guy's playing only his second full season in reality, he'll have ups and downs.

Ross, Webster, Hickey all showed signs.

Saad looked a lot better.

I think Gwilt is one of the more underrated rebounding defenders in the competition. Twice the player Harry O'Brien is IMO. Cleaner, beaten less often, more composed. We're not short on medium sized defenders that's for sure. Going to be very interesting if they can add a mature tall defender to the group in the off-season.

Steven must take huge satisfaction from his performance tonight. Riewoldt aside, it was the emerging guys that stood up at key moments, McEvoy being the obvious one, though Saad and Webster had important moments in the final moments too.

I also think Montagna deserves credit for steadying the ship at the stoppages in the last 10 minutes. Could see him barking orders and making key tackles after we had lost control for the first 20 minutes of the last quarter.
 
Positives:

Steven's game. Just kept lifting and lifting as the game got tighter. Brilliant.

McEvoy. Real leadership from him. Got himself to balls on the deck which he had no right to get to. Threw his body on the line and won the hard ball.

Stanley. I had faith after last week as Cloke is one of the best forwards in the comp. Against a few blokes clueless up front and he dutifully smashed them.

The tackling pressure was fantastic.

Hickey stood up when he had to as well.

Webster proved me wrong a little bit as I'm a firm believer in giving the vest to those who have a bit of experience and are therefore more likely to impact the game once they come on. Plus they should have to fitness base to run anyone off. Beforehand I would've had Ray as sub. Webster was good though!

Negatives:

Milne tries to do too much with the ball when he passes it. Tries to bullet it in when he can loft it in and make sure of the target. Or takes an extra bounce when he can hit a target up the line. It's nothing new though.

I lost in supercoach.

That's all I can think of
 
Ian Dunross said:
I don't mind Stanley at FB all season.

Scarlett, Glass, Grundy, Richards used to get towelled up week after week.

It's a learning process. The guy's playing only his second full season in reality, he'll have ups and downs.

Ross, Webster, Hickey all showed signs.

Saad looked a lot better.

I think Gwilt is one of the more underrated rebounding defenders in the competition. Twice the player Harry O'Brien is IMO. Cleaner, beaten less often, more composed. We're not short on medium sized defenders that's for sure. Going to be very interesting if they can add a mature tall defender to the group in the off-season.

Steven must take huge satisfaction from his performance tonight. Riewoldt aside, it was the emerging guys that stood up at key moments, McEvoy being the obvious one, though Saad and Webster had important moments in the final moments too.

I also think Montagna deserves credit for steadying the ship at the stoppages in the last 10 minutes. Could see him barking orders and making key tackles after we had lost control for the first 20 minutes of the last quarter.
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couldnt agree more. most teams are playing their resting ruck in the fwd line and are sacrificing a genuine KPF to do so. the first side to find a resting ruck that can genuinely play down back on the oppositions ruck, will be the first to have a serious advantage. i think its looking more and more likely that stanley will be able to do this.

imagine having two genuine KPF's in your fwd line and not having to worry about turning a ruck into a fwd or a fwd into a ruck. the fwd line will be very potent compared to the opposition.

we are really onto something and we need to persist. stanley will only get better, he might have a bad game here and there but like you said all great KPD have had bad games
 
McEvoy246x316a.jpg


This is McEvoy from 2008. Just wanted to show how 4-5 pre-seasons are needed to turn the young talls into mature AFL bodies.

McEvoy is like a wall down back now with his bigger physique. It's something to look forward to with Stanley and Hickey.
 
Jimmy gwilts behind needs its own jumper number, shrugs off would be tacklers

Rhys IS a defender, never seen him so comfortable as a footballer, thought he laid a match saving crunch in the last quarter when they were coming strong

Geary IS a midfielder, wasted in the backline, those behinds will convert into goals soon enough love his willingness to hurt his opponent the other way.

Crowds can sway umpires, shame it was Carlton fans doing the demanding, though credit to the MW in the last

Agro was back tonight, from the way roo ran at packs, to the way defenders surged, and mids put their bodies in the line. Loved seeing thd agro again.

The value in a defender that can swing forward, like a Henderson or Harry Taylor. Modern footy needs more than one trick from a player, maybe why simpkin is struggling?
 
I was really enjoying Wright's game. Sad to see it end that way.

Faz showed a bit more than in the earlier games.

Was disappointed to see no player cover the run-around snap (Garlett) late in the game. Shows a lack of teamwork to not jog the extra 25m to ensure there's some pressure.

Gwilt was on fire in the first half, but geez he struggled with Henderson towards the end.

The tackle pressure was outstanding. Would have liked the intensity applied to shepherding, which was non-existent at times (handball to someone who could be given a bit of time, but instead is under pressure).

Had to read the stat again ... we had 41 inside 50s (to 51)!!!
 

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  • Say what you want about our team, but they play with a lot of heart. You can't question their appetite for contested footy. When the game was hot early our old and young blokes combined to smash Carlton.
  • Linked to the above, the game should have been over by half time. We are very poor at converting our periods of dominance and this will cost us often if not rectified
  • Linked to the above, this is understandable to some degree due to our team being pretty inexperienced
  • Ross really impressed again
  • I started a thread in the pre-season about Geary moving into the midfield and was glad to see that tonight he was there for the whole game and I think he really added to our defensive pressure in there and did some good clearance work. I would love to see him stay there for the rest of the year and in coming years.
  • I honestly don't know what game some people are watching. Stanley outpointed his opponent for nearly the whole game but I still see some criticising him here. He is a perfect player for the likes of Hampson. I was really happy with his game and see him improving week by week. Can't possibly work out how anyone could say otherwise but it is a free country I guess.
  • Milne looks finished unfortunately. In the past his questionable decisions were more than made up for by the goals he created. The balance has unfortunately tipped over into the negative this season. His mistakes are really hurting us and I think he should be left out as we can't carry three (four if Kozi is in) such erratic decision-makers in our forward line as Milne, Saad and Milera. It is sad but something has to be done.
  • Four points is four points. It was a sloppy win but a win nonetheless and as fans we shouldn't forget how good a win feels!
 
NarklesHelmet said:
[*]I honestly don't know what game some people are watching. Stanley outpointed his opponent for nearly the whole game but I still see some criticising him here. He is a perfect player for the likes of Hampson. I was really happy with his game and see him improving week by week. Can't possibly work out how anyone could say otherwise but it is a free country I guess.
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I think it's just his mistakes/flaws are extremely noticeable, kinda like Zac Dawson's were.

Jury's still out whether it'll stick when we climb back up the ladder, but I think he's as good a stop gap solution we could've hoped for. I'm with you, I'm happy with where he's at after 7 games, and a few months training in defense.
 
CHBench said:
I think it's just his mistakes/flaws are extremely noticeable, kinda like Zac Dawson's were.

Jury's still out whether it'll stick when we climb back up the ladder, but I think he's as good a stop gap solution we could've hoped for. I'm with you, I'm happy with where he's at after 7 games, and a few months training in defense.
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On the clangers, I see he makes the odd clanger coming out of defense (as do most of our defenders unfortunately) but he also has a penetrating kick when not under pressure that alleviates pressure often as well. I don't think his mistakes are that damaging to us on balance as his kicking often gets us out of tight spots and breaks the lines really well.

His one-on-one work gets better all the time from what I am watching. Having played as a defender once upon a time what I really like about the way we are seeing Stanley play is that he is starting to work out that no one is quicker than he so he can play behind guys on the lead and know he has the closing speed to get a late punch in. It is the perfect tactic for a defender with speed and Stanley has speed in spades. All he has to work on is not being pulled into a wrestle with his opponents (at least until he has another couple of pre-seasons in the gym: then he can wrestle all he wants). If he can avoid the wrestling, he will get the better of many of his opponents like Hampson already this year. He will only struggle against the absolute top-line players like Cloke (the positive in this is he will learn a hell of a lot).

It's exciting seeing a player like him develop and he is one of the real bright-spots so far this season. I won't go on any more about him, you can see clearly what I think of him. :D
 

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NarklesHelmet said:
On the clangers, I see he makes the odd clanger coming out of defense (as do most of our defenders unfortunately) but he also has a penetrating kick when not under pressure that alleviates pressure often as well. I don't think his mistakes are that damaging to us on balance as his kicking often gets us out of tight spots and breaks the lines really well.

His one-on-one work gets better all the time from what I am watching. Having played as a defender once upon a time what I really like about the way we are seeing Stanley play is that he is starting to work out that no one is quicker than he so he can play behind guys on the lead and know he has the closing speed to get a late punch in. It is the perfect tactic for a defender with speed and Stanley has speed in spades. All he has to work on is not being pulled into a wrestle with his opponents (at least until he has another couple of pre-seasons in the gym: then he can wrestle all he wants). If he can avoid the wrestling, he will get the better of many of his opponents like Hampson already this year. He will only struggle against the absolute top-line players like Cloke (the positive in this is he will learn a hell of a lot).

It's exciting seeing a player like him develop and he is one of the real bright-spots so far this season. I won't go on any more about him, you can see clearly what I think of him. :D
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I think Stanley will become a very damaging player in the future, both back and forward.
 
A couple of observations

Armo and Jack are getting stronger. Stopping them at the clearances will only get harder

Seb Ross is getting to the ball and creating opportunities for others.

Jack Newnes put his head over it numerous times especially in the first half. He will become a target for opposing teams so why not hit them before he gets hit.

Roberton's goal in the first quarter told the opposition to go **** themselves. This player will easily fill the shoes of Sam Fisher one day. But isn't it great to have a game reading gun like Sam Fisher and Dylan Roberton in the same side? Why not use both to scare the 6 foot 6 plus strategy of opposing clubs to punish them on the rebound?

Ben McEvoy is a team player. Great to have him down back to repel the onslaughts.

I think the Saints are not done yet.

Shake the AFL tree fellas. There is plenty of fruit to fall to the ground.
 
Geary did an awesome job on Murphy

as for Stanley lay off, what less then 10 games as a backman? and your writing him off, geez thats harsh, he would of played his entire career as a fwd or Ruck, defence is something pretty foreign and I think, whilst he obviously he has things to improve, he's doing an admiral job, he's freeing up Fisher, and Simpkin couldn't do the same job
 
tags said:
Geary did an awesome job on Murphy

as for Stanley lay off, what less then 10 games as a backman? and your writing him off, geez thats harsh, he would of played his entire career as a fwd or Ruck, defence is something pretty foreign and I think, whilst he obviously he has things to improve, he's doing an admiral job, he's freeing up Fisher, and Simpkin couldn't do the same job
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Stanley is learning now what it's like to be behind the eight ball playing fullback on monster framed freaks. An on ballers pass to a forward and he plays behind to catchup and try to spoil. When Roo retires, he will know all the tricks. Scotty Watters knows more than all of us.

 
Sippa's intensity has really improved. Looks like he's put on some size too. The third quarter snap had shades of Hamill.

Tackling of Wright, Ross, Newnes very impressive.

Hated Milne's game. There's taking the game on and there's lairising. Looked like an old bloke piss fartin about in the EJ Whitten Cup at times. Wouldn't take him to Adelaide next round.

Steven's disposal efficiency only 56%. He's running so hard it must be affecting the quality of his disposal.

Stanley plays a bit like he's worried about getting injured. Thought he needed to go harder a few times in the air.
 
Positives
- Great win Especially as it was against Carlton

- Roo was sensational He is once again showing everyone how good he is. But isn't it so much better for him with the quality of the kicking that is coming to him. Also standing out was that nearly every time he took a mark on wing, there was a young Saint running past for the feed off handball Broke the game up so much with that

- The speed of our movement. Watters and Laidley obviously watched Geelong and the Drug Cheats match and altered the game plan, to have the mad dash up the centre, with frequent hand balls, side ways and forward deep. I haven't seen this from the Saints in years and years.

- The tackling and pressure around the ground was sensational. Joeys comment that manic was coming back was on show tonight I hope we keep this up and don't just bring it out for Carlton games (as we realise that they are soft and susceptible to hard pressure)

- Ross has such composure and balance. Great players seem to have that amazing ability to make more time for themselves. This kid will get better and better. Only Essendon will rue they didn't draft

- Steven best game I have seen him play. Everyone said that he needed to go to a new level this year and he clearly has Lots of blue sky ahead there

- McEvoy stamps himself as a future captain in games like this. When things are tight, he does a Roo or Lenny and steps up. Having Hickey to share the load and enable him to use his strength, size and marking power is a real plus

- Wright / Robertson haven't we done well there Both new to our list this year and both will be ten year plus players.

- Stanley had a good game With more games, his confidence and decision making will improve The ability to back yourself for the mark, or punch and defend. Noticed a couple of times, he was in two minds. This will come. He will become a very good defender, that we could swing forward

- Webster looked composed and with silky skills. For first game coming off the bench when the game was running against us, he looked good Hopefully a full game for him next week

Negatives
- Cheap shot on Wright Hope he doesn't have a broken jaw. He has taken his opportunity and made the spot his own. Betts, got beaten all night and took this chance to vent his frustration. Four weeks, plea back to three.

- Sorry for the memory confusion, but wasn't THIS year, after sacking Ratten and recruitment of Malthouse, supposed to be the year that Carlton finished in the Top 4?

- Eddie McGuire with his constant cheap and shitty shots at St Kilda And his comments that only Carlton's injuries were the reason they were behind. He is worse than Roos Thank God for David Parkin, at least a little balance and credit given to the Saints for the match
 

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Review What We Learnt: Round 7 Edition

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