Are St.Kilda Overated/Pretenders

[Alberton_Magpie]

This is not a troll or anything against Saints fans or the club, I have nothing against St.Kilda, but for most of the season I have believed that they have been very unconvincing.

Season So Far

Round 1
St.Kilda d Sydney by 2 points @ TD
Slug best and hard fought victory against Sydneys game plan, no complaints here really.

Round 2
St.Kilda d Carlton by 40 points @ TD
Carlton jumped out the blocks but St.Kilda ran over the top of them late in the game

Round 3
Western Bulldogs d St.Kilda by 38 points @ TD
They went favourtes into the game and looked the goods in the first quarter only to be outrun and outplayed by a bulldogs outfit that seem to be playing above themselves early on in the season (thats a different argument)

Round 4
Geelong d St.Kilda by 42 points @ TD
Came up against a premiership contender and was found out, even though Geelong was undermaned

Round 5
St.Kilda d Essendon by 37 points @ TD
Essendon were injury ravaged at the time and even more match day injuries cost Essendon any chance after a 3rd quarter comeback.

Round 6
Port Adelaide d St.Kilda by 21 points @ AAMI
Port Adelaide are not in form and not playing great football at the moment, but St.Kilda still manage to drop this game as maybe they were not used to real football conditions after leaving the TD for the first time this year

Certain Players
These certain players are the old timers that probably should have retired last year, Harvey has played ok but is a shadow of his former self and The G-Train is a major major shadow of his former self, Maybe delisting Fergus Watts last year was a mistake.

A Team of Champions, Not a Champion Team
Issue raised by Vossy, which I also believe is a major issue down at the moorabin, on paper St.Kilda look awesome but they never seem to be able to convert that to on field success in the past 2 season. I compare it to everyone wanting to be the comedian and nobody wanting to be the auidence.

Will they get found out any time soon?
The next 6 rounds is important for St.Kilda. They face a resurjant Richmond (TD), Collingwood (TD), Brisbane (GABBA), Melbourne (TD), Bulldogs (TD) and Sydney (SCG). This is a very hard draw (excluding the Melbourne game) and St.Kilda need to win at least 4 of these games to stay in touch with the pack. St.Kilda also cant seem to shake their injury hoo-doo again!

 

[newlander77]

If they were peaking now it would be pointless, it's more important they hit their straps come finals time.

 

[budge11]

So they can enjoy their trip to Vegas? I doubt the Saints will make the finals.

 

[Banjo]

A terribly over rated club - look at the list - should be better than what they dish up.

 

[scottydeewah]

I wouldnt say Port arent playing well, they are the unluckiest team so far in the bottom half I think.

 

[krisholio14]

They've been overrated for the last 6 seasons, why would 2008 be any different?

 

[clobba]

LOL pretender? what are we pretending to be? Are we overrated? Well not anymore and I'd have to say very few of us were doing the ratings if that was the case.

I realise you wouldnt misinterpret something so obvious as the papers talking us up with actual supporters doing so as "you have nothing against St Kilda" (and thanks for getting that out early as otherwise I would have thought it either stating the obvious or a troll).

Personally this year I was hoping to make the finals though was unsure if we would, I think we have the players but to say I havent been thrilled watching my team play for the last year and a bit would be a fair call.

Loved Ross (damn subconcious almost made me spell it Roos) coming out and saying we werent Sydney lite in the Hun and then using stats to back it up, well as has been said many times before you can make stats mean anything what I would like is for him and the team to actually prove it on the field.

 

[Waverley73]

LOL pretender? what are we pretending to be? Are we overrated? Well not anymore and I'd have to say very few of us were doing the ratings if that was the case.

I realise you wouldnt misinterpret something so obvious as the papers talking us up with actual supporters doing so as "you have nothing against St Kilda" (and thanks for getting that out early as otherwise I would have thought it either stating the obvious or a troll).

Personally this year I was hoping to make the finals though was unsure if we would, I think we have the players but to say I havent been thrilled watching my team play for the last year and a bit would be a fair call.

Loved Ross (damn subconcious almost made me spell it Roos) coming out and saying we werent Sydney lite in the Hun and then using stats to back it up, well as has been said many times before you can make stats mean anything what I would like is for him and the team to actually prove it on the field.

Geez mate, you were quite pessimistic (perhaps rightfully so) despite being second favourite for the flag with most bookmakers / betting agencies at the start of the year.

To answer the thread title I do think that compared to expectations at the start of the year (set by the betting odds, which in turn is usually set by what people are thinking) St Kilda have been overated. Pretenders is a harsh word but considering where they are sitting at the minute and the form they are showing they aren't really a contender for the flag so perhaps pretender is apt.

 

[SurreyBlue]

Leave them alone ... all of you ... all of you.

 

[floki]

My personal belief is Lyon doesn't have the requisite cattle to implement his chosen game plan , so he should modify his game plan to suit his cattle , play Fraser and the Sainters will do far better than they are at present.

 

[clobba]

LOL seems to me too many people as well as the media actually started thinking the NAB cup meant something ......after a pathetic style of play the majority of last year why we were up there is anyones guess

 

[Tim the Toolman]

I've always reckoned St Kilda were over rated big time but alas, this won't stop them soldiering all over us in a few weeks time.

 

[ShinSplints]

They've been overrated for the last 6 seasons, why would 2008 be any different?

thats unfair we were the best team in 2004 and certainly 2005.

injuries did account for 2005.

stkilda peaked 3 years ago why GT is gone is beyond me!! He had the respect of the players HAD the players playing for each oither. thats all a coach can do is have his players playing for each other. Ross doesnt have that he is more a mate of the boys who they like.
its sad, sad for me to watch this. Stkilda players are soft in the fact they are out for a good time the kind of team to take girls on interstate trips rather than focus on the hard yards. Yep thats right thats fact. They are show ponys with great talent but with no focus.

GT changed the "party, slack on field, im a star" culture at the saints and nearly had them back to back flags. Out with GT and back in comes the culture.

 

[LifeSpan-Void]

thats unfair we were the best team in 2004 and certainly 2005.

no you weren't.

 

[robertg22]

no you weren't.

x2.. definitely not

 

[Waverley73]

thats unfair we were the best team in 2004 and certainly 2005.

Not even close.

 

[dharma bum]

nearly had them back to back flags.

Love this bit.

 

[tribey]

thats unfair we were the best team in 2004...

What shit.

In four years time when I've had a sixer of Woodstock before 10am and proclaim that we were the best team of 2007, feel free to return serve.

 

[St DAC]

It depends on who is doing the rating. On current form you'd have to say we are no better than a 5-10 team with the potential to improve to 3-6. For whatever reason we've been inconsistent with our form, even within games, and lack of consistency will cost you in the end.

We need to improve our consistency quick smart or this year will pretty much be a copy of last year; and frankly, if that happens we've wasted our talent level.

 

[The Fireman]

Terribly overated but I guess it's just the numbnuts that believe all the media hype.

 

[St DAC]

thats unfair we were the best team in 2004 and certainly 2005.

History says not. And that's grossly unfair to Port Adelaide, who had three years of top quality footy between 2002-4, and were primed to win a flag, and certainly should have at least 1 and possibly 2 over that period.

Folks have short memories around here; I keep hearing that Brisbane were the "best between 2001-3" ,and really, for only one of those years were they really the best side over the course of the year. (in 2001, from the "if it bleeds we can kill it" game v Essendon onwards). Sure, Brisbane ended up with the flag/s, but they were the best side in the finals, rather than the best side for the year/s.

Still, I would have settled for that if it brought us 3 flags!

 

[Dasher39]

thats unfair we were the best team in 2004 and certainly 2005.

injuries did account for 2005.

and nearly had them back to back flags.

That's just too funny!

You can't honestly believe that can you? Port Adelaide were the best team in 2004 and Sydney the best in 2005. The Premiership is the mark of the best team, and you didn't win one in either year. A good team, yes. The best team, no.

As for almost gave you back-to-back flags...WTF?!

You didn't even make the GF in either of those years, so how did he almost do it. Almost doing something doesn't mean sh*t. Malcolm Blight "almost" gave Geelong 3 flags in 6 years. But almost means nothing if it doesn't actually happen.

Stop deluding yourself.

I never rated St Kilda that highly over the last 5 years. They just never had the depth. A list is only as good as your bottom 6 (of the best 22) players. St Kilda's top players were as good as any, but it quickly fell away after that to just good average players.

If you look at Geelong last year, we had the depth of talent right down our list. 9 All-Australians is proof of that, especially when players like Ottens, Enright, Mackie who are all very good players aren't in that list.

It just shows that #1 draft picks (and other priority picks) aren't the be all and end all when developing a list.

 

[varcoe]

how weren't Bris the best team in 2001, they didnt lose after rnd 7 or so and dominated the competition, as for the Saints i think 05 you were the best team but its hard to win a prem final against syd with thomas as coach, i was at that game with a few Saints firends and we left the ground all agreeing that Thomas produced the worst coaching display in the history of AFL that night and clearly cost u guys a flag no doubt, i still laugh at the way he coached that night, should of been sacked then and there!

 

[Waverley73]

What shit.

In four years time when I've had a sixer of Woodstock before 10am and proclaim that we were the best team of 2007, feel free to return serve.

hahaha . I like it.

 

[PUSSIES_07_FLAG]

Only a few players bleed for that Jumper, maybe on 5.