Training 2024 Pre-Season

[SaintsSeptember]

I think that if push came to shove Howard could play ruck, but in general i don't think that taking a player from the backline to play ruck works, unless you get real clever and say , played Cordy in the forward line, then moved him back when Howard played ruck.

 

[The_Steadier]

Teams have won premierships recently being poor at clearance differential (more lost than won).

One team you mean- tigers 2019-2020.

Other than the tigers, all other recent premiers have had an above 50% average clearance differential.

Fyi we were 3rd bottom in the league for clearance differential last year.

The tigers were in a similar ranking when they won the flags in 19/20.
But they were purposely setting up their entire team around conceding clearances- and them playing slingshot chaos ball on the counter attack.

I don't see evidence of us doing that.
Given we are moving away from ratts' version of chaosball- we desperately need to improve our clearance win rate this year.

Unlike the tigers- our team is not setup to assume we will lose virtually every clearance.
We need to get better at winning clearances- one team won a flag 4+5 years ago being as bad at clearances as we were last year, but every other flag winner since has at least been above 50% win rate.

 

[hayes]

Would you think 2 rucks is about a successor plan primarily or is there a tactical reasoning?

If we’re playing two rucks I’m guessing it’s because we don’t want to win.

 

[saintmike65]

Paddy Dow on his way to the DFC said to a fan that he had just been for a long run and everything was 'on the up and moving forward ahead of expected'. No time frame, could have just been footy speak to say nothing.

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Standard line from players is “all good”…wouldn’t read too much into it!

 

[saintmike65]

Marshall isnt the reason our midfield clearance work is poor, he creates a contest in the ruck the rest is up to the mids. Our midfield simpy couldnt win first hands on the ball, they were generally too stationary and cant read the ball drop and as a result are way too slow to react. A dominant tap ruckman would help, but all the opposition mids do then is work off your ruckman.

I must say after watching the Essendon game, I am not convinced anything has changed and we need to address it quickly.

We didn’t get to see change due to Windhager getting hurt early and Dow not playing at all..

 

[saintmike65]

We do.

But Lyon and Co are building step by step a better team and one that will we hope become a contender. This is is not just a one or two year project, but each year we are getting better.

Keeler is one possibilty to complement Marshall.

Maybe Heath, but only if he can develop a better tank.

I am sure that Lyon and Co will also be looking at other avenues.

Speaking to player manager Colin Young yesterday at Moorabbin, he’s bullish about us & believes we’ll be a contender within 18 months

 

[saintmike65]

I think bottom 4 is very unlikely. But I could see us finishing anywhere from 6th to 12th.

I get that we all believe the team is flying over summer but so will just about every other team. Fact is, every supporter has the giddy optimism at the start of a season and generally over rates their own team and under rates the rest of the comp. Most teams in 2025 will be improved on 2024. It's going to be real log jam in those middle ladder positions.

I wouldn’t be worrying too much about other teams, just win enough games to qualify..win them by decent margins & percentage will take care of itself

 

[saintmike65]

Arie miskicks from a kick in, still gets to the wing.

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Yeah…love to see the kid get a go tomorrow if Battle doesn’t play!

 

[saintmike65]

I am an absolute AFL media nuffie. I read heaps, watch heaps, and engage with most AFL media platforms. Opinion, news, you name it.

But the one ‘genre’ of AFL media stories that I think are absolutely pointless are pre season ladder predictions. They are not worth the digital paper they are written on, and are completely irrelevant the moment round one starts.

I have no idea why anyone would get hot under the collar about some idiot’s ill informed, crystal ball prediction.

Couldn’t agree more..
We won’t get a decent read on formlines until round 6-8!

 

[saintmike65]

Just saw that our biggest admirer, Brad Johnson, believes we will finish in the bottom four this season.

While there is a chance that might happen, I would love nothing more than to have a successful season (flag would be handy) just to spite him.

Yes and the doggies finish bottom 4!!

 

[Saint Watto]

Speaking to player manager Colin Young yesterday at Moorabbin, he’s bullish about us & believes we’ll be a contender within 18 months

Someone's on fire today saintmike65.....!!!!!!!!

 

[Saint Watto]

Speaking to player manager Colin Young yesterday at Moorabbin, he’s bullish about us & believes we’ll be a contender within 18 months

That's great to hear saintmike65.

Especially coming from a respected identity in the industry who has the finger "on the pulse" and not some dart throwing monkey in the general footy media.

Lucky I was sitting down when I read yr post !!!!

 

[Joffaboy]

Yeah…love to see the kid get a go tomorrow if Battle doesn’t play!

Doubt Battle plays, did not train and only saw him on his way to DFC.

On SM-S908E using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[The Punter]

One team you mean- tigers 2019-2020.

Other than the tigers, all other recent premiers have had an above 50% average clearance differential.

Fyi we were 3rd bottom in the league for clearance differential last year.

The tigers were in a similar ranking when they won the flags in 19/20.
But they were purposely setting up their entire team around conceding clearances- and them playing slingshot chaos ball on the counter attack.

I don't see evidence of us doing that.
Given we are moving away from ratts' version of chaosball- we desperately need to improve our clearance win rate this year.

Unlike the tigers- our team is not setup to assume we will lose virtually every clearance.
We need to get better at winning clearances- one team won a flag 4+5 years ago being as bad at clearances as we were last year, but every other flag winner since has at least been above 50% win rate.

It can be done, and has been done more than once. Each season presents a premiership. Calling Richmond one team in this situation is not exactly like trotting out "3 grand finals for St Kilda in 2009-2010 for 0 premierships", but it's down that road.

You would need excellent half back flankers and plenty of them... do we have that?

There is more than one way to skin a cat. I also feel that to really succeed we need to find the next premiership winning innovation, rather than replicate the last one. With Marshall as our #1 ruckman for the short-middle term, either the mids themselves get better at winning quality clearances, or we find a way to win without them.

 

[borderbarry]

Changes for tomorrow?

 

[seasonedsainter]

Getting Windhager back and Dow into the team is crucial, fairly ill-timed injuries really. And that's without mentioning Hunter.

 

[gringo2011]

One team you mean- tigers 2019-2020.

Other than the tigers, all other recent premiers have had an above 50% average clearance differential.

Fyi we were 3rd bottom in the league for clearance differential last year.

The tigers were in a similar ranking when they won the flags in 19/20.
But they were purposely setting up their entire team around conceding clearances- and them playing slingshot chaos ball on the counter attack.

I don't see evidence of us doing that.
Given we are moving away from ratts' version of chaosball- we desperately need to improve our clearance win rate this year.

Unlike the tigers- our team is not setup to assume we will lose virtually every clearance.
We need to get better at winning clearances- one team won a flag 4+5 years ago being as bad at clearances as we were last year, but every other flag winner since has at least been above 50% win rate.

This is true but you don't have to follow the crowd either. We look set up to get the ball out to the runners. That can be through clearance, contest or rebound. The way Lyon sets up off HB lets us absorb to rebound. He tempts players to kick into dummy holes.

Geelong played a pretty similar style with more quality in the backline than the midfield in their premiership year. It helped that they had a super efficient forward line though.

 

[saintmike65]

Getting Windhager back and Dow into the team is crucial, fairly ill-timed injuries really. And that's without mentioning Hunter.

We’ve just got to cover for them in the meantime..

 

[mighty_sainters]

Not enjoying seeing Coffield in other colours, would have loved to keep him.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

I always like contested ball as an indicator.
last years ladder of contested possessions was:

Carlton
GWS
Melbourne
Lions
Collingwood
Port
Saints
Sydney
Adelaide
Bulldogs
Gold Coast
Richmond
Geelong
Fremantle
Hawks
Essendon
North
West Coast

 

[littlecreatures]

I always like contested ball as an indicator.
last years ladder of contested possessions was:

Carlton
GWS
Melbourne
Lions
Collingwood
Port
Saints
Sydney
Adelaide
Bulldogs
Gold Coast
Richmond
Geelong
Fremantle
Hawks
Essendon
North
West Coast

This is by totals, not averages per game, so noting Lions and Collingwood drop to 10th and 13th


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[Daniels2Heatley]

With pre-season nearly over, as someone who can't make it to Moorabbin during the summer, thank you sincerely to all the track watches and training reports, very much appreciated.
With the season proper fast approaching, I'm actually quite excited about this coming season.
Max fully fit and firing, another pre-season into our quality youth, Steele fit and firing, RTB full control of the club, things are positive and looking like a great year ahead.
Go saints

 

[SaintsSeptember]

With pre-season nearly over, as someone who can't make it to Moorabbin during the summer, thank you sincerely to all the track watches and training reports, very much appreciated.
With the season proper fast approaching, I'm actually quite excited about this coming season.
Max fully fit and firing, another pre-season into our quality youth, Steele fit and firing, RTB full control of the club, things are positive and looking like a great year ahead.
Go saints

Its the Vibe.

 

[CursingFijian]

Ari has had an awkward pathway to his first AFL audition today hasn’t he?

Suspended for 10 weeks in his draft year, then forcing his way late into the state team. Tipped to go in the first round of the draft, before sliding to the third last pick. Told to train away from the main group to get his running and fitness up to par. Sent for extra sessions with the VFL side (allegedly).

Then almost best on ground in his inaugural VFL match and earning a call up to the last game before the season proper starts.

If he plays well enough today to even make the emergency bench it will have been an extraordinary achievement for the young lad.

But I can’t help but think that it will be an even bigger achievement for the club. To identify the talent and potential and then identify the need to map out a special training program to give him the best chance at an early debut.

It really does make me feel that our internal development is back where we need it to be. And long may that continue.

 

[sunny3193]

Undefeated preseason.
Time to close this thread George , earn your wages.