Preview Round 23, 2023: St.Kilda v Geelong - Marvel Stadium, Saturday 19th August, 7:25PM AEST *HIGGINS 100TH*

[gringo2011]

My concern for this week's game is our 6 day turnaround, whereas Geelong has 8 days. That can be crucial into the 3rd and 4th quarters.

I suspect a lot of effort will be put into keeping players as fresh as possible, and maybe inclusions to maintain the speed needed.

They are all about 50 so probably off-sets some of that.

 

[gringo2011]

I hate Geelong and even more I hate having to beat them when lots is on the line.

Since beating them in the epic QF in 2010, we've gone 2 wins, 1 draw, 12 losses against them.

Since I've been watching footy we've played them 56 times for them to win 70% of those games.

In fact we've only gone on a 3 win streak against them once since the 70s - that was in 1998 and 1999. Even when we've been good they've beaten us more often than not.

Saturday night is going to be very painful.

Geelong have been surprisingly competitive for decades. They don't peak and trough like us. We go up for short periods and then fall on our arses hard. We are like a recovering alcoholic who gets clean and has a couple of solid years with a new girlfriend, job and haircut but we're always 2 seconds away from downing a bottle of Stone's Green Ginger and winding up unconscious in a West Footscray lock-up with unaccounted for contusions and a serious drug charge.

 

[Plugger35]

They are all about 50 so probably off-sets some of that.

Their game against Collingwood was also a tougher, more taxing game than our game against Richmond where we pretty much had it won by half time.

We should be closer to full strength too although it looks like Hawkins will be back for this game which will be a big boost for them providing he's fully fit

 

[StFly]

Youre saying our draw is difficult based on Geelongs rep rather than their current output.

I cant be much clearer, we need one win in a 50/50 game (at worst) most others need 2. I cant understand how essentially no one thinks we will make it. I can understand how some think that but not everyone.

Bookies and those inclined yep, we be struggling in finals, but say I'd consider Dogs as piss easy to play finals, we're high average and Cats are hard to make finals. As you say, it's a 50/50, we lost to Blues and won v Tigers, Cats won v Port and lost to Freo whilst losing players to injury.

We're higher chance to make it than anyone below as GWS should beat Essendon and flip 9-10 for Dons to run into Pies, Swans and Crows raffle this week, we have chance if we beat Cats to gap all before except maintain GWS & Dogs gap with 1 to go. So we win this one and it's almost cactus for everyone below us 3 and if Swans actually win V Crows.

It's histrionics for people saying Cats run is easy or they make finals from here as they really don't based on current and maths, it's like 80-20 our way.

Pies, Port and Bris have essentially locked top 3, Dees essentially 4th, depends on this week really if Blues raffle 4th next week. We should be lumped with Blues as next cab off, since 1 secures it, they just have the easier time v GCS, it's then Swans down where there's a log jam down to 12th, most just have us bottling both this week and next to lol at and few then think the Dogs scuttle as well for some absurd reason.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Their game against Collingwood was also a tougher, more taxing game than our game against Richmond where we pretty much had it won by half time.

We should be closer to full strength too although it looks like Hawkins will be back for this game which will be a big boost for them providing he's fully fit

We also had the game against Carlton won by half time :/ lost by 3/4 time.

 

[Sun Ra]

I'm sure kicking the Cats out of the finals race wouldn't be lost on RTB, Banger, Lenny and Goddard.
Not sure about the other one but he's a pro.

 

[bergholt]

We should be closer to full strength too although it looks like Hawkins will be back for this game which will be a big boost for them providing he's fully fit

Probably doesn't even need to be too fit, considering we don't have a gorilla full back to play against him

 

[BucketsandBanger]

They'll never do it but if I was on the coaching panel I would be putting all these in front of the players this week. Lean in to the nobody believes in us factor cause its very real.

How Luke Hodge sees the bottom half of the top eight shaping up

“That leaves a little bit of a bottleneck.”

www.sen.com.au

Three teams, two spots, game on: We predict the ladder

AFL.com.au reporters have predicted what the ladder will look like at season's end

www.afl.com.au

Top-two shake-up in closest finals race this century with flag up for grabs: Power Rankings

Staggering rise from bottom four to Grand Final threat as Saints finally climb up: Power Rankings

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[Desperate saint]

Well considering the only time we've made finals in the last Decade was in a COVID riddled year in which none of our supporters could actually go (Unless they weren't in lockdown) I'm sure many saints fans will be desperate to go watch them play in a final.

I know if we make it, i'm locked into going!

I was there -Queenslander

 

[kyrgios]

I was there -Queenslander

eww queenslander

 

[malevu]

If we can set ourselves and knock them off it would be a huge belief builder heading into finals too. Lyon hasn't had a win this year that just make you believe that something huge is brewing. This would be a good week for it to happen. If we can play four quarters at full intensity we can make most sides struggle. Give Geelong a sniff at any point and they'll jump us.

Funny enough we play quite well against Geelong and Brisbane despite the ladder positions not usually being in the same area.

Last time we played them we beat them at Marvel. They won 13 in a row after that including the GF. That's good enough for me to rate us a decent chance

 

[malevu]

Check out Mason Woods presser on the Saints website. He was doing really well until...
The club probably told him not to use the F word. He probably thought they meant Finals not fck.

 

[stfan]

Last time we played them we beat them at Marvel. They won 13 in a row after that including the GF. That's good enough for me to rate us a decent chance

Well the horror of our actual last game against the Cats must have been blanked from your mind.

 

[malevu]

https://www.saints.com.au/video/1406612/we-want-sainters-out-in-droves-wood-previews-geelong-blockbuster

 

[austinnn]

It's essentially an elimination final and I hope Ross is treating it that way.

Geelong need to win both remaining games to make finals, so they are under the same stresses that we are. If we can get away quickly like we have done in recent weeks and keep the scoreboard pressure on the Cats are just as susceptible to crack under the weight of expectations as we are.

If we can't muster another win in home and away then a finals experience for our kids is dependent on Doggies beating Geelong at GMHBA in the last and Carlton getting up over the Giants at Marvel.

But boy I would love to sneak in at 8th and play Carlton in an elimination final.

Only if we win. Heaven help us if we give Carlton their first finals win if the twenty first century!

 

[malevu]

Well the horror of our actual last game against the Cats must have been blanked from your mind.

View attachment 1776093

Yeah, I find our games against them at Hillbilly Stadium are always pretty forgettable

 

[triggering bro]

I’ll be shocked if we don’t win this week. We’ve had a very good month of football. Geelong on the other hand are limping to the finish line.

 

[beside the seaside]

Well the horror of our actual last game against the Cats must have been blanked from your mind.

View attachment 1776093

That was a shocker. They rested half their side and we still got flogged. Probably the death knell of Ratts that game.

 

[triggering bro]

Another year gone by that Essendon won’t win a final.

 

[SWSainter]

View attachment 1775864
Yeah but it's highly unlikely

This is the perfect scenario.

 

[saintbill]

I’ll be shocked if we don’t win this week. We’ve had a very good month of football. Geelong on the other hand are limping to the finish line.

Wish I shared your enthusiasm. Cats still got more genuine stars then us and are a better overall side IMO.

Our form is good, but I wouldn't call it convincing. Cats almost toppled the best side in the comp last week. We kicked 1 goal in a half against the Blues 2 weeks ago.

I give us a 30% chance personally.

 

[triggering bro]

Wish I shared your enthusiasm. Cats still got more genuine stars then us and are a better overall side IMO.

Our form is good, but I wouldn't call it convincing. Cats almost toppled the best side in the comp last week. We kicked 1 goal in a half against the Blues 2 weeks ago.

I give us a 30% chance personally.

Understand the pessimism.

But, Carlton are the form side in the comp.

Pies were coming off back to back losses and copped some in game injuries to key players.

 

[George]

I’ll be shocked if we don’t win this week. We’ve had a very good month of football. Geelong on the other hand are limping to the finish line.

Judging by the history of your tips, I'm going to get my butler to put one of my gated communities on it tomorrow

 

[triggering bro]

Judging by the history of your tips, I'm going to get my butler to put one of my gated communities on it tomorrow

My tipping has been quite strong recently. Had us losing against the Blues and winning the next two. We’ll drop the game against the Lions. Finish sixth.

 

[StFly]

They'll never do it but if I was on the coaching panel I would be putting all these in front of the players this week. Lean in to the nobody believes in us factor cause its very real.

How Luke Hodge sees the bottom half of the top eight shaping up

“That leaves a little bit of a bottleneck.”

www.sen.com.au

Three teams, two spots, game on: We predict the ladder

AFL.com.au reporters have predicted what the ladder will look like at season's end

www.afl.com.au

Top-two shake-up in closest finals race this century with flag up for grabs: Power Rankings

Staggering rise from bottom four to Grand Final threat as Saints finally climb up: Power Rankings

www.foxsports.com.au

Hodgey been on the turps.

We're 6th, on 48 points, the second Bulldogs is Essendon, also, we're literally the only mob on 48 as Swans have 46 and the rest of the named are then on 44 an entire game behind with 2 to play.

This is the reason why anything that follows in prediction is utter tripe regardless of what actually happens, get your facts right and probably a CTE check as damn. I wouldn't be putting Hodgeys article there unless you want people to laugh at the absurdity how he speaks straight from his arse.