Strategy How can the St Kilda game plan be exposed?

[ShinSplints]

Come on guys dont be selfish. You won a flag in 2007 just 2 years ago. Dont you think St.kilda deserve one??

FWIW Geelong further ahead but the grand final is in 4 months. The saints should have improved even moreso... its going to come down to the day.

Saints deserved it in 2004 and 2005 come on guys do the right thing and give it to the saints in 2009.

 

[SJ]

Come on guys dont be selfish. You won a flag in 2007 just 2 years ago. Dont you think St.kilda deserve one??

FWIW Geelong further ahead but the grand final is in 4 months. The saints should have improved even moreso... its going to come down to the day.

Saints deserved it in 2004 and 2005 come on guys do the right thing and give it to the saints in 2009.

Gotta make a Grand Final to even be considered for the 'deserved it' title. We've lost six out of our last seven big ones and we want to win another.

St Kilda's performance in the final quarter of the 2005 Preliminary Final still baffles me to this day.

 

[DanA]

I agree on the talent part for most of it.

I think defensively we probably get the nod - remember weve also missed Maguire (longer than Egan and he was our chb). We also havent had a game from Hudgton this year who is still massively underrated and will improve us (he has no problems with Mooney or Hawkins as Maxxy has the speed to cater for both).

Theres no way your backline is better than Geelong's. You've got one player that IMO is better than his Geelong counter part and that is Fisher (who's better than Milburn). I think we have you covered in every other position down back.

 

[sainter35]

Theres no way your backline is better than Geelong's. You've got one player that IMO is better than his Geelong counter part and that is Fisher (who's better than Milburn). I think we have you covered in every other position down back.

No question your defence is good but this year the stats tell the story - weve been more miserly than you and thems the facts. Its true that its not all just the defence end but Im very comfortable with our backline and with guys like Baker, Gram, Fisher, Gilbert (who is in AA form right now), Hudgton and even Goddard quarterbacking occasionally Im more than happy to put that up against Geelong. IMO Hudgton was stiff not to be AA last year - he takes THE BEST fwd everytime he plays - whether its Browne or Johnson...doesnt matter.


I think players like Harley are ok - they aint superstars they now just form part of a very good team. Same for players like Mooney - hes no super fwd he just does his job in a team THATS the difference. That team difference(and a nice slide out of the 8 to grab a sellwood) has helped Geelong the most.

Anyway it doesnt matter all I do hope is that both teams get to play at their best with fit teams and in form when they meet.......no chance of that happening.

 

[chokewood1]

Their game plan can be exposed by just running the lines which is what we do very well and put extreme pressure on them and cut out balls to riewoldt. I'm comfortable about facing them im more worried about Hawthorn.

 

[conanthelibrarian]

I think defensively we probably get the nod - remember weve also missed Maguire (longer than Egan and he was our chb). We also havent had a game from Hudgton this year who is still massively underrated and will improve us (he has no problems with Mooney or Hawkins as Maxxy has the speed to cater for both).

The bolded part is blatantly incorrect. Egan last played in Round 22, 2007. Maguire's last game was Round 7 last year.

 

[stfan]

The way I see it, based on current form (though with allowance for both Ottens and Max):

• Cats have better midfield.
• Rucks are about even Ottens/Blake and Gardiner /King
• Forward line I now give to the Saints as Kosi has found form and the aqusition of Schneider eases the load on Milne.
• Defence is interesting.

I know I am biased, but on current form I actually believe it now rates better than the Cats.

Baker Max Blake
Gibert Fisher Goddard is a very good looking backline. It's HBline is enormously attacking.

Maguire and or Raph Clareke may be squeezed back in by Round 14. Zac will be stiff to be left out, but Max is an elite player. Blake to hold his spot over Zac as he is more versatile and can play on smals as well as talls (often picks up ruckman when they run forward).


Now midfield is the most important part of a team these days. So the question for me is whether the Cats edge here will offset the edge the Saints have in other areas.

The other overall edge the Cats have is in footskills. On average Cats players are better and in a high pressure game this could well be telling.

So far this year the Saints have applied more pressure and tackles than any other team. Their tackle count is mazing and in this game will be interesting to see if it is maintained. It will be importnat for the Saints to do so to offset the Cats edge in the midfield.

Game is looking to be a crackerjack one. I hope that I am not disappointed.

 

[geelong_crazy26]

No question your defence is good but this year the stats tell the story - weve been more miserly than you and thems the facts. Its true that its not all just the defence end but Im very comfortable with our backline and with guys like Baker, Gram, Fisher, Gilbert (who is in AA form right now), Hudgton and even Goddard quarterbacking occasionally Im more than happy to put that up against Geelong. IMO Hudgton was stiff not to be AA last year - he takes THE BEST fwd everytime he plays - whether its Browne or Johnson...doesnt matter.


I think players like Harley are ok - they aint superstars they now just form part of a very good team. Same for players like Mooney - hes no super fwd he just does his job in a team THATS the difference. That team difference(and a nice slide out of the 8 to grab a sellwood) has helped Geelong the most.

Anyway it doesnt matter all I do hope is that both teams get to play at their best with fit teams and in form when they meet.......no chance of that happening.

comparing defenses on the basis of only 8 games this season is a bit of pick and choose what makes us look best dont you think?

there is no doubt your defense has been fantastic this season, but i believe a major part of why it has been so fantastic is because it hasnt been put under the pump yet in games, your midfield and forwards have been doing an excellent job, your defenders have not had any games where the opposition midfield has gotten on top and pumped the ball into your defence one out with their forwards, so far this season when it has gone up their it has been through slow ball movement by the opposition, allowing ur defense to have numbers drop back and the job is simple.

I would like to see how it goes when it starts to have a little pressure applied to it one out from opposition, this will be the real indicator of how good it is, whether it stands strong and prevails under pressure, or whether it faulters.

the geelong boys down back generaled by matthew scarrlett, who is arguably the best full back of all time, only having 50 goals kicked on him his past 44 games i think the stat was. we have 3 or 4 all australians down back if not including egan, which just shows historically how tallented these players have been over the past several seasons.

the st kilda defence has been good this season, no one is questioning that, but in the past it has proved to be a weak link in their side, often struggling when put under the pump.

It has improved this season, but to say it is as good as geelongs yet, is not justified one bit.

 

[Ricketts]

No question your defence is good but this year the stats tell the story - weve been more miserly than you and thems the facts.

That's just the difference in the two team's game styles.

 

[Stkfc05]

F*** the talk just bring it...

 

[catdman]

Beat them in the midfield and you win the game, their tackling pressure works on teams that cannot accurately move the ball,and if they are tackling we have the ball..Their zone is even more exposed than Hawthorns when you get through it , Round 14 will be a good

 

[geelong_crazy26]

i dont rate st kildas defence at all.I think they zone of well and their mids drop back but they cant do that as easy against us.As soon as voss made their defecne accountable they struggled.With the exception of fisher all their other defenders struggle one out.

their defenders cant drop back and let steve johnson and chapman play lose up the filed, they have to go man and man which means they wont be able to get that extra number in defence.

 

[bulletproof]

First time i've seen St Kilda play today and they certainly are a different proposition. Montanga has really come on. Dal Santo has got a lot harder as well. Obviously not their best performance today but i saw enough to say they are probably going to make a game of it if we play them in the finals.

 

[Tay29]

First time i've seen St Kilda play today and they certainly are a different proposition. Montanga has really come on. Dal Santo has got a lot harder as well. Obviously not their best performance today but i saw enough to say they are probably going to make a game of it if we play them in the finals.

Yesterday was the first time I was able to see them too. They looked a lot tougher and desperate at the ball than in previous years. They has had a lot more support at the contests. I began to wonder after two close-ish games in a row (compared to how they started the season) if teams are starting to figure them out. A lot more focus would be on them than at the start of 2009. Cats have carried that focus for 1.5 seasons and keep winning. Can the Saints do the same?

I still think Cats bottom 6 players are better than the Saints but it's hard to tell when the team is playing good footy. When the pressure is on that's when you're going to get found out.

 

[kellykellykelly]

This is from the HS;

"Key assistant coach Leigh Tudor was discharged from hospital on Sunday, but missed his second match at the weekend.



Tudor suffered an acute case of appendicitis almost two weeks ago."


If we could somehow find a way to poison Tudor the night before Geelong V St.kilda......


.....


....

 

[AlwaysRight]

One word.

Ablett.

 

[Reg Hickey]

Until we lose a final to their gameplan i'm not overly fussed on how they go about their business.

By then its too late.

 

[Exhale You]

One of St.Kilda's major weaknesses in recent years has been their lack of depth, something which still hasn't been tested this year.

Right now they're having the best injury run of any club in modern history having only used 25 players, and, according to news reports tonight, only having two injured players on their entire list.

Just to compare, the rest of the clubs have used 31 players this year, on average, whilst most clubs injury list stretches to about 7-8 (ours is closer to ten at this stage).

Their dream run with injury is unprecedented and bound to come to an end at some stage, and at that point we'll find out if St.Kilda are the real deal.

 

[lewdogs]

Damn shame the game isn't going to be at the G, I'd like to see the teams battle it out on the big stage.

 

[kellykellykelly]

Damn shame the game isn't going to be at the G, I'd like to see the teams battle it out on the big stage.

I don't mind it so much.

Just means that St.Kilda miss the opportunity for a shot at us on the big stage. If they can't beat us on their home turf come round 14. Then i'll be even more confident going into a big pressure game deep into the finals at the MCG.

They have their best chance come round 14, we are down a few key players, they are at full strength. Lets see what they can do.

They need to take this chance though, as meeting us at the G in the finals will be tough for them. We are choc to the brim with big game experience at the moment.

 

[BotsMaster]

The Saints might be less one ruckman next week so we'll see who they bring in to cover Gardiner.

 

[geelong_crazy26]

anyone been able to come up with any ideas ?

i have noticed that when st kilda have been pushe by sides like sydney, carlton and brisbane they have not been able to get lose players in their defense and have then not been able to clear the ball out of their defense as easily as they usualy do.

i think we are just going to have to take the game on when we play them, johnson ,chapman and mooney must all play at their best and the other forwards will have to contribute.

 

[Turbocat]

Screen the ball handler.

 

[muffinman]

One word.

Ablett.

Nup, we want him traded. Apparently...

 

[geelong_crazy26]

move the ball quickly and run at them.They realy on their turnovers to create some run, if its not a turnover they have to play keepings of by foot because their to slow.

in the last 10 mins in round 14 we played on and moved the ball quickly and they couldnt keep up.they are a slow side that is vulnerable to quick movement.