Preview 2024 AFL Season, Round 17: St Kilda saints v Sydney Swans, Sunday 7th of July 3:20pm AEST, Marvel Stadium

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Welcome one and all to the round 17 preview of demise, despair and eh why not we did it last time so might as well use precedent for once, even if they won before that to split difference, we were last damnit.

In what is still the current minor premier in the Swans sitting at 13-2 deciding to be merciful and travelling to Victoria to answer the challenge of the currently 15th, 5-10 Saints. Guess what though, we do have a slight edge against them! Slight though it may be as you know, obvious gapping occurring, we have, on average 1.2 handballs more than the Swans, and to the surprise of everyone, .2 more stoppage clearances.

Now I hear what you say, what about literally everything else, and I'll say, it's meaningless as we all know how this'll end up;
Q1: Swans get the jump by turning up to play a game and open up a 4 goals lead that we pip back late as "oh wait, we should try now" with 7 minutes remaining.
Q2: Swans extend their lead through being a more complete side.
Q3: As half time happened, the Saints will explode and pip the lead from 9 goals back to 3 having drawn to within a kick only for red time to occur and us to do our usual "oh, you missed a kick, let's have another go champ" kick ins.
Q4: Depending on if Higgins kicked a goal with his first kick, Swans will kick away late and win by 5 capitalising on our HFF failures for a comfortable win.

Form lines​

Saints fought bravely, having taken it to Port (7), Brisbane (8) stillpremiershipoddsforsomereasonDees (12) and the Eagles (2nd last).
Meanwhile...
Swans struggled v Fremantle (3), and just pipped the Cats (5) and the mid range slummed it v Dog (9), GWS (10) and Crows (14th).

Crystal ball states... outlook cloudy. Kind of a given since winter and there's a small chance of rain to once again have the roof cave in and save the masses of the abomination that will be the game.

Saints by 0 to join the draw crowd and be special with super secret handshakes.

 

[Yawkey way]

This one is going to hurt.

 

[CaptainRisky]

I have heard a rumour that mini tubes of lube will be handed out to all Saints supporters entering the gates to ease the pain.
Once again I'm going to be a soft

and not take the massive 3 stop train trip to get there.
For all you brave enough to go may the pies be warm and the beer cold.

 

[PoppedCorn]

king at chf....christ sake

sharman out the square, mofo will lead his ass off and take the odd hanger

bollock higgo this week
if he so much as tries a left foot snap again when he could drop punt then sub the bloke



swans by eleventy five

 

[littlecreatures]

In: Philipou, Byrnes
Out: Dow (injured/managed), Wilson (managed)

Pou to follow up some VFL form with full time AFL mid minutes. Let’s unleash the scud.

 

[Murraj1966]

**** how funny would it be if we won

Pou needs some more AFL minutes now his confidence is up

Swans by 200

 

[Verdun66]

I was against putting Pou up against Sydney in a post yesterday. But maybe it is time to chuck him in. And Wilson does look a bit cooked. Not surprising given how far and fast he runs each week.

Was it last year Higgo missed every shot on the SCG? Maybe the year before. We just know now that if he nails his first shot he’s on. If not….. then heaven help us.

Sharman has to play and be given a more prominent role. Dow injured for sure. Going to be a very interesting week selection wise. Track watchers might help us work out what we might do. Hopefully they are still keen to turn up.

 

[Saints43]

If Higgo misses his first shot at goal we activate the sub.
Could be the third minute of the first quarter but you've got to have a plan.

 

[Yawkey way]

I have heard a rumour that mini tubes of lube will be handed out to all Saints supporters entering the gates to ease the pain.
Once again I'm going to be a soft

and not take the massive 3 stop train trip to get there.
For all you brave enough to go may the pies be warm and the beer cold.

8 stops on the sandy line so it’s out of the question on a Sunday afternoon.

 

[BrutThough]

Would love to see Phillipou and Owens play midfield for the entire game.

Also think this is one that Marshall should ruck alone - Grundy v Marshall is a head to head battle worth watching.

 

[XhazzafootyX]

I’d go Garcia back in

 

[SteeleSaints]

I am that disenchanted with the club I wont be even watching the game....why should supporters put up with the tripe the club are dishing up and have done for the entire time we have been following them. I usually attempt to get to a few games live each year, but not this year Sainters, watching them is torturous.

 

[Sarcoidevo]

Windy to Gulden please ... get him to snap his left peg

 

[Yabadoo22]

What id like to see

In: phillipou, Garcia, Heath

Out: Campbell, Dow, Bonner

B: Webster Wilkie battle
Hb: NAS caminiti Sinclair
C: wood windhager hill
Hf: butler, king, Henry
F: Higgins, Heath, Sharman
Foll: Marshall phillipou Steele
Int: schoenmaker, Garcia, Owens, Clark
Sub: Wilson

 

[XhazzafootyX]

Yep bring in a few kids tbh.

The youth brings excitement to the fans, and also the team I feel.

This team needs a bit of X factor, and a bit of mojo.

Garcia, Phillipou are musts. Garcia has been awesome in the twos

 

[Saint Watto]

Once again I'm going to be a soft

and not take the massive 3 stop train trip to get there.
For all you brave enough to go may the pies be warm and the beer cold.

Soft isn't the right word there CR.

Salt free Marg comes to mind.....



Mind you....you get a little sympathy....it was a balmy 10 C outside the "movie set" yesterday.

Despite possible artic conditions again this Sunday......I'll do the 6 train stops to Marvel.

Warm Pies.....dream on !!!!!

 

[Saint Watto]

8 stops on the sandy line so it’s out of the question on a Sunday afternoon.

Lift your game YW.

 

[malevu]

Which I'm not a disciple of the "play the kids" mantra, what I'd suggest probably amounts to the same thing. For the rest of the season I'd be selecting the team with an eye to round one next year.

Meaning based on our current list, who do we think will be in the team come round one if they are fit and ready to go. That means bye bye to the likes of Seb, Membrey, Jones, Paton and probably Byrnes. Enjoy your footy at Sandy for the rest of the year.

Give Keeler and Heath a taste and see what Garcia, Hastie and Collard can bring to the table. Not all at once but enough to see what they've got to offer.

Play around with the team positionally, starting with King up the ground. Sharman forward, maybe Wood more forward than usual. Pou back in the team and maybe try him in an easy half back role like Sheezel did last year.

Anything but just playing everyone where they have all year. It just isn't working. Nothing to lose by throwing players around and seeing what they've got to offer. At least we'll get to round one next year with a better idea what we've got and be able to draft/trade accordingly this year.

 

[The Jack]

Time to unleash Isaac. Can’t win. So can’t lose.

 

[BrutThough]

Getting hounded by the media means an auto win this week, right?

 

[Pakenhamsaint]

This is not going to be a fun watch.

 

[beside the seaside]

Pou has to come in. Has done what he went back to do, shown he can dominate at VFL level. Must play midfield in the ones now and see if it can translate.

 

[Verdun66]

Getting hounded by the media means an auto win this week, right?

Don’t think Ross will cry though if we happen to get up. Very old school.

 

[Nutsngum]

Pou has to come in. Has done what he went back to do, shown he can dominate at VFL level. Must play midfield in the ones now and see if it can translate.

Im very indecisive about this. On the one hand, his performences of late are worthy of being put back up to seniors (particularly against good opposition) but on the other hand I question if asking him to come up and play midfield wont just put him right back to square one if we do it too early.

I just wonder if he is better off spending the remainder of the year in the twos, hitting the gym and getting ready for a big pre-season to give him the body to start contending at the top level.

It depends though, if Dow's ankle doesnt come good he is a liablity and we genuinely need a midfielder to come in and Philiopou was by far the best mid on for us on the weekend.

 

[Yawkey way]

Lift your game YW.

I’m going to the VAFA rep game on Saturday, a couple of my kids will probably go Sunday.