How do you rate the Sainters this weekend?

[sainter]

Originally posted by HahnPremium8
So, saints ppl try to stop sooking and if u win how about just celebrating with your own ppl and not try to rub it it. (And no this is not me preparing for a loss, it is in reference to what happened last year round 1. Never have i experinced such gloating from opposition supporters directly after a game...WORSE THAN COLLINWOOD!!! )

Perhaps those saints supporters remembered how much they copped from the bulldog supporters round 9 2000 when we lost by a point after leading by 31 points at three quarter time to remain winless. Losing the first 5 this year surely you guys would have understood how devastating that was.

On to the game, I think we are a bit of a show as well. We've won two of the last three and more than matched it with Brisbane for three quarters. We obviously haven't won 4 in a row but our recent form suggests we aren't playing too bad at all. The loss of Everitt and Hayes will hurt but Harvey is more than a handy inclusion. Jones should also return and Hamill has made a quick recovery from a calf injury and will hopefully come up for tomorrow night.

If we are going to win I think our forward line will have to be on song all night. We'll need Riewoldt, Loewe and Hamill to hopefully strectch the bulldogs defence and also bring the ball down to the likes of Milne and Clarke. Baker is having a good season and has a good success rate on Scott West.

The X Factor for this week isn't Xavier Clarke but Jason Cripps. He's been nothing but an inspiration to all his teammates for the way he has fought to get back into the side. It's up to the team to reward Crippa for the 3.5 years that he fought to regain fitness and honour him for his milestone in the way he deserves. He may tag one of your other midfielders.

I'm worried about the midfield. The Bulldogs have one of the better midfields in the league and we'll be without Hayes who has been our best player this year. Robert Harvey will naturally be a huge inclusion, Heath Black looked good in his return last week and we'll need to step up again this week and you know you'll get a tough and honest game out of Thommo. The thing that worries me is that players like Johnson and Brown can always be moved down to the forward line if they aren't doing much up the field. Down there they are hard to match up on. Trent Knobel will have to play his very best to at least break even with Darcy.

My other worry is who we'll play on Daniel Bandy. The two logical candidates would be Fraser Gehrig and Max Hudghton who are both only a week away. Both have the attributes to keep up with him and to compete with him in the air. Fraser's physical presence has been missed but we look like getting both back next week which is great news for us (but doesn't help for tomorrow). Possibly Troy Schwarze will get the job on him.

Anyway it should be a good game. We have had a tendency to be blown away when we've been thrashed early in the game so we'll need to get off to a good start. I'm already worried about Darcy in the ruck, Bandy in the forward line (and everywhere he goes) and Johnson, Brown and West.

Good luck. GO THE SAINTS!

 

[Dry Rot]

Originally posted by sainter


Perhaps those saints supporters remembered how much they copped from the bulldog supporters round 9 2000 when we lost by a point after leading by 31 points at three quarter time to remain winless. Losing the first 5 this year surely you guys would have understood how devastating that was.

On to the game, I think we are a bit of a show as well. We've won two of the last three and more than matched it with Brisbane for three quarters. We obviously haven't won 4 in a row but our recent form suggests we aren't playing too bad at all. The loss of Everitt and Hayes will hurt but Harvey is more than a handy inclusion. Jones should also return and Hamill has made a quick recovery from a calf injury and will hopefully come up for tomorrow night.

If we are going to win I think our forward line will have to be on song all night. We'll need Riewoldt, Loewe and Hamill to hopefully strectch the bulldogs defence and also bring the ball down to the likes of Milne and Clarke. Baker is having a good season and has a good success rate on Scott West.

The X Factor for this week isn't Xavier Clarke but Jason Cripps. He's been nothing but an inspiration to all his teammates for the way he has fought to get back into the side. It's up to the team to reward Crippa for the 3.5 years that he fought to regain fitness and honour him for his milestone in the way he deserves. He may tag one of your other midfielders.

I'm worried about the midfield. The Bulldogs have one of the better midfields in the league and we'll be without Hayes who has been our best player this year. Robert Harvey will naturally be a huge inclusion, Heath Black looked good in his return last week and we'll need to step up again this week and you know you'll get a tough and honest game out of Thommo. The thing that worries me is that players like Johnson and Brown can always be moved down to the forward line if they aren't doing much up the field. Down there they are hard to match up on. Trent Knobel will have to play his very best to at least break even with Darcy.

My other worry is who we'll play on Daniel Bandy. The two logical candidates would be Fraser Gehrig and Max Hudghton who are both only a week away. Both have the attributes to keep up with him and to compete with him in the air. Fraser's physical presence has been missed but we look like getting both back next week which is great news for us (but doesn't help for tomorrow). Possibly Troy Schwarze will get the job on him.

Anyway it should be a good game. We have had a tendency to be blown away when we've been thrashed early in the game so we'll need to get off to a good start. I'm already worried about Darcy in the ruck, Bandy in the forward line (and everywhere he goes) and Johnson, Brown and West.

Good luck. GO THE SAINTS!

Always pleased to see a sensible analysis posted by the opposition here. Thanks.

Hope its a good game.

I'm confident our defence will be fine (especially with no Spider), but I think injured players will be missed most by the Saints in defence - the match-ups on Bandy and Saunders will be interesting.

Is it time for Guido to have a big one?

 

[stefoid]

Originally posted by Dry Rot


Always pleased to see a sensible analysis posted by the opposition here. Thanks.

Hope its a good game.

I'm confident our defence will be fine (especially with no Spider), but I think injured players will be missed most by the Saints in defence - the match-ups on Bandy and Saunders will be interesting.

Is it time for Guido to have a big one?

ERR, THERE IS ALSO THIS GUY cHRIS gRANT WHO PLAYS FOR US OCCASIONALLY....

 

[HahnPremium8]

Originally posted by sainter


Perhaps those saints supporters remembered how much they copped from the bulldog supporters round 9 2000 when we lost by a point after leading by 31 points at three quarter time to remain winless. Losing the first 5 this year surely you guys would have understood how devastating that was.

geez...i was just talking about my experiences at the football. I personally don't have a go at opposition supporters. When we won our first game against carlton..they were the last thing on my mind.


StrengthThroughLoyalty- Yeah on second thoughts that really was a bit low

 

[sigscotty]

Originally posted by StrengthThroughLoyalty

'you can know you are better than a side, know you should smash them'

Am i to take it that you think a loss this week by us would mean my above statement is incorrect? BTW, convenient that you leave the rest of that sentence out, which referred to NOT taking a side too easily.

There is no doubt we SHOULD smash the Saints. Whats wrong with not pretending they are as strong as any other team? They are not. Nobody has said WE CAN'T LOSE. Why can't people understand the difference between knowing you should beat a side comfortably and taking them too easily?

I find it so stupid that so many on this board react against those that talk about winning streaks and premiershps and even against predictions of belting a mediocre side with heaps of injuries. We have won four straight, are the only side in the league to be in every game at 3qtr time. We have an amazingly strong percentage to show for the closeness of all our losses. Our team last game included 7 guys 21 or under, with plenty more that will be guns running around in the twos. We have Robbins and Penny to come back in the coming weeks. But hey, lets not predict good things for our future, because that would be cocky! I am not saying we are certainties against St Kilda, let alone anything else. But lets not be frightened to see that these things are likely, and that they SHOULD be achieved given the team we have.

PS. I remember being hammered for accepting mediocrity early in the year for seeing all the positives we have at our club at the moment. Now i am cocky for the same thing.

 

[StrengthThroughLoyalty]

Originally posted by Bulldog1954


Did you also keep a record of the Geelong and Essendon fans predictions?

I stand by my selection and am prepared to accept a bagging if we don't achieve it, I am also prepared to remind you WHEN we do

have we have played geelong and essendon this year? i certainly can't remember, must be stored in the the section of dead brain directly behind my one red, white & black eye.

as long as the 'bagging and gloating' is in good humour and has no spite and malice i'm all for it. it is an essential part of barracking for a football side.

Originally posted by sigscotty


Am i to take it that you think a loss this week by us would mean my above statement is incorrect? BTW, convenient that you leave the rest of that sentence out, which referred to NOT taking a side too easily.

There is no doubt we SHOULD smash the Saints. Whats wrong with not pretending they are as strong as any other team? They are not. Nobody has said WE CAN'T LOSE. Why can't people understand the difference between knowing you should beat a side comfortably and taking them too easily?

i'm just a bit of a wind up merchant and it's easier to wind up those that make bold predictions before a game than most of the other more circumspect doggy supporters.

i would argue that there is a doubt that the dogs should smash the saints because apart from a couple of teams any other side is capable of winning on any given night.

by all means keep talking up the positives of your club because most people seem to focus on the negatives when things take a turn and opposition supporters will only highligt what is wrong not what is good about the club. being a saints supporter i know only to well.

have a good night tonigt and good luck.
the best team will win.

 

[Bulldog1954]

Originally posted by StrengthThroughLoyalty
'we will smash them so that our percentage is better than the dons'
'one of the afl's worst sides, 7 or 8 goal victory'.
'we will cane them. they are a pitiful side, bullies by 52'.
'you can know you are better than a side, know you should smash them'

All look pretty spot on to me

 

[sainter]

Originally posted by Bulldog1954


All look pretty spot on to me

It was a big concern when the dogs lead by 46 points and were having a shot at goal to make it a 52 point lead.

Anyway good win to the bulldogs tonight. I was reasonably happy with how the saints performed. We matched it with you guys for most of the match but the better team pulled away in the end. Harvey was fantastic for us and I was happy to see some of our kids like Maguire, Dal Santo, Clarke and Schwarze stand up.

5 wins in a row is a great effort. If you can keep your best team on the park and continue to play like you have been a finals berth looks a certainty.

By the way did someone from this board happen to have green hair tonight? I was about three aisles away but the person in question did look quite familiar.

 

[Bulldog1954]

Harvey always kills us, people often forget him when talking about the leagues premier onballers. Throughout the last decade he has been the best midfielder in the league IMO. The Saints desperately need him to stay fit for a few weeks instead of constantly getting injured.

 

[StrengthThroughLoyalty]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by StrengthThroughLoyalty
'we will smash them so that our percentage is better than the dons'
'one of the afl's worst sides, 7 or 8 goal victory'.
'we will cane them. they are a pitiful side, bullies by 52'.
'you can know you are better than a side, know you should smash them'
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Originally posted by Bulldog1954


All look pretty spot on to me

ha ha ha, it's quite eeery how close these predictions turned out to be. at least a few of you had the balls to make a prediction unlike the rest of the nervous nellies that sat on the fence playing with their worry beads.

was very impressed with the dogs ability to run hard to create the extra man and the foot skills were first class. we had no one to counter darcy and bandy who virtually did what they wanted all night. if you can keep these 2 fit for the rest of the season i am positive you will make the finals. brad johnson was his usual busy player whilst smith was his usual run past and get an easy handball and goal. it's the first time i have seen hargreaves play and he looks very exciting as does gianceracusa. (sp?)

i'm disappointed with the loss but can still see positive signs for us. we got blown away in the last 10 minutes again which is a concern but we were competitive up until then. dal santo, clarke, maguire are still developing nicely and when (if?) we get a few of our talls back into the side we will win some games.

the better team won.
good luck for the rest of the year and in the finals.

 

[jim440]

Originally posted by Bulldog1954
Harvey always kills us, people often forget him when talking about the leagues premier onballers. Throughout the last decade he has been the best midfielder in the league IMO. The Saints desperately need him to stay fit for a few weeks instead of constantly getting injured.

How good's Harvey?

Bloody impossible to tackle him!

 

[-PC28-]

Originally posted by sainter


By the way did someone from this board happen to have green hair tonight? I was about three aisles away but the person in question did look quite familiar.

It's taken me forever to reply to this, but the guy in the green hair should have looked familar, the gentlemen in question did kick 4 goals a few weeks ago