Preview 2nd Elimination Final, 2023: St.Kilda v GWS - MCG, Saturday 9th September, 3:20PM AEST *WEBSTER 150TH* *BATTLE 100TH*

[sunny3193]

If I know RTB (and my word do I know RTB), I would say Stocker doesn't play.

Don't think Ross has made an unforced late change at any point this season.

So you’re saying Stocker is still in with a chance.

 

[Saints4ever]

So you’re saying Stocker still with a chance

I’d pick Stocker as the sub.
Love his hardness.

 

[Plugger35]

Pretty telling that Billings didn’t make the best 26.
I guess you need a back up ruck in Campbell and back up defender in Howard.
Sub will come from Byrnes or Stocker.
No Billings, No Coffield hopefully papers aren’t stamped for Coff.

They shouldn't be for Coffield, sounds like he is back training really well but left his run too late, I think he still has a future in our best 22.

Can't say the same for Billings though, I think his days could be numbered, he's just a fringe player for us now and no longer in our best 22.

 

[Diehard Saint]

Pretty telling that Billings didn’t make the best 26.
T being underdone players into I guess you need a back up ruck in Campbell and back up defender in Howard.
Sub will come from Byrnes or Stocker.
No Billings, No Coffield hopefully papers aren’t stamped for Coff.

Cannot read anything into no Coff.
Don’t bring underdone players into a final cauldron.

Saints need to take a lesson from the Dees tonight - have to be on from the first bounce.

 

[Diehard Saint]

I’d pick Stocker as the sub.
Love his hardness.

Byrnes is a runner. It’ll be him, I think. He’s been the sub very successfully at times this season.

 

[Max the great]

Genuinely feel for Stock. Hasn't been here long but just seems like he bleeds for the club and is a great team mate. Hope he is the sub.

 

[Plugger35]

Byrnes is a runner. It’ll be him, I think. He’s been the sub very successfully at times this season.

Yeah I would go with Byrnes as the sub, we will need a sub that can impact with extra run on the MCG and Byrnes provides that.

 

[Dard Ball Get]

If I know RTB (and my word do I know RTB), I would say Stocker doesn't play.

Don't think Ross has made an unforced late change at any point this season.

Yeah you’ve sure had him pegged since his appointment

 

[George]

So you’re saying Stocker is still in with a chance.

Shut up now.

 

[George]

Yeah you’ve sure had him pegged since his appointment

Here he is, out of the woodwork, have a look at him.

Did you put your heavenly blessed beauty to sleep before you started mashing away on that keyboard, sport?

Wouldn't want to wake her up lord knows the consequences for upsetting the little cherub xoxox

 

[Dr Spaceman]

 

[Jesuswasacarpenter]

Take a step back and think about the fact that we’re heading into a final with Owens, Nasiah, Windy and Matteas in our first choice 22. We replaced and upgraded 20% of our best team in 2 national drafts.

And Coops

 

[HunterClarksHeadband]

Nervous.
Watching tonight it's a reminder you need big, strong, hard bodies for finals football.
Anyone else think we look short and small compared to GWS??

 

[Plugger35]

Nervous.
Watching tonight it's a reminder you need big, strong, hard bodies for finals football.
Anyone else think we look short and small compared to GWS??

As that great footy coach Mark Twain famously once said "It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog".

They might have more size than us but I reckon we've got them covered when it comes to fight, Ross Lyon is an old fashioned street brawler.

 

[gringo2011]

Must be a massive shock for Billo this year coming from a certain best 22 player to not even making the squad. Huge shock huge wake up call huge reality check.
I’ve had them myself when I realised I wasn’t so good at something as I thought I was. It’s not really a bad thing.

Lyon doesn't carry half fit players either though. Probably fitness as much as form. He's had a tough run at it this year and never looked 100% fit.

 

[Heavensent]

Does anyone know what the Jack Hayes injury is??

 

[pebblesofsand]

Does anyone know what the Jack Hayes injury is??

Calf.

 

[ScrappyDo]

Must be a massive shock for Billo this year coming from a certain best 22 player to not even making the squad. Huge shock huge wake up call huge reality check.
I’ve had them myself when I realised I wasn’t so good at something as I thought I was. It’s not really a bad thing.

Well he's be told to look around and this helps him not to get fussy about it.
Probs end up at WC if anything.

 

[SteeleSaints]

really surprised about Stocker

Me too I thought his size and aggression was made for finals. Perhaps they think we will need an extra soldier (Clark) in the midfield rather than defence? We will need to at least even contests and clearances in the midfield to get on top.

Byrnes has proven to be the super sub so I think he gets that nod.

Time willI guess.

 

[Dr Spaceman]

Taylor was always going to play, King absolutely tore them a new one last time, without him they had no one that could remotely go with him. Got the feeling it’s a big risk, hopefully his hammy pops in the first 5 mins. Not sure King runs enough to put it under much pressure though.

A freezing cold wet day is surely the worst possible scenario for a dodgy hammy.

Twang, Twang, Twangity Twang

 

[saintmike65]

Callaghan also named and off a long lay off. They are going for it.

Elimination final…no second chances

 

[saintmike65]

Reckon he might have to do a bit of a run sat morn?

No, he got through training yesterday so he’ll play

 

[saintmike65]

It was more media scrutiny than legal scrutiny that got it overturned, the AFL heard the uproar about it and decided they better let him off.

To be honest he shouldn't have been suspended in the first place so we can't complain too much but they have ignored the uproar over other stupid suspensions like the Ryder and Long suspensions in previous years or the Sicily one this year.

The whole system is a joke with no consistency or common sense, how Tom McCartin got off after his head high bump just defies belief.

The Ryder one last year staggered me at the time, standing still bracing for contact…got 2 weeks & not even downgraded!

 

[saintmike65]

How the f do you drop Stocker? That's a shocking call in my opinion.

There’s always hard luck stories in finals, particularly when the list is fit and healthy

 

[L_W_P]

I think we go Stocker as the sub.

If we need to swing Sinc on ball late to win/save the game the Stocker can hold up in defence. If Ross goes down again then Stocker fills the same role and Sinc/Nas get on ball a little more.

Biggest impact on the game is attitude.

We can't go in hoping to win like we did in eras gone by. That's when nerves kick in and mistakes are made.

Have to go in expecting to win and back ourselves to keep making those risky plays rather than stressing when they don't work.