How will you welcome Ross (and Zac)?

[thomas_m18]

Going to be a big talking point during the week I think with how we receive Ross. How do you guys plan to welcome him back to Etihad? I would assume the reaction of the general Saint crowd would probably be a negative one. Lenny has told us to lay off Rossy, but I would assume he can also understand the supporter's frustrations if we do boo. I guess you can argue that it's not an issue and that Ross and Zac did good for the club and we should move on, but I'm sure there will still be a lot of hard feelings in the general supporter base.

Zac Dawson's return might see him cop some flack as well (that is, if he gets selected). I can't see him being well received at all when the ball is in his hands, and I'm sure that he'll be jeered for his mistakes.

I personally probably won't be booing, but I'm not going to look down on supporters who do either. I don't really mind, as long as we win.

 

[cartel]

Neutrally.

Disappointed at how he left, and certainly view him less favourably than I did before he left, mainly because of deceit and dupiclicity of it all, rather than leaving for the money, which people do all the time.

However, I think Watters is going to prove a great find and I think the chnage has benefited St Kilda rather than weakened us.

I always thought Dawson was treated unfairly by many supporters, and was disappointed when he left. Probably will boo him, I see him as a bit of a spanner now.

Neither deserve cheers or standing ovations.

 

[hayes]

Not fussed by either leaving. Appreciate what they did for us while we were contenders but things look much better now that they're gone. I'm actually enjoying watching us play these days with all these quick youngsters getting a go.

I expect Dawson to be booed because that's just the way it goes when a former player is out there. Really looking forward to the game.

 

[panthers]

After watching Zac yesterday he would be lucky if he gets a game next Friday wouldnt he?

 

[Murraj1966]

Will definitely jeer Zac if he plays and stuffs up. I saw enough of him doing that in a Saints jumper so I say I can enjoy it benefiting us for once.

As for Ross there isn't much you can do to a coach besides boo the team as they come onto the ground, or yell at the coach as he walks onto the ground. As I sit on the broadcast side and usually miss the teams coming onto the ground I'll be able to do neither

 

[thomas_m18]

After watching Zac yesterday he would be lucky if he gets a game next Friday wouldnt he?

That's what I would have thought, but I can't remember Ross ever dropping him at the Saints, so I don't think that would change much at Fremantle.

 

[mysainters]

He won't get dropped, they need his height this week.

I won't boo, I'm too excited about the growth shown in the team to worry about the past too much.

Who am I to pretend now that I didn't embrace Lyon during his tenure?

I may of wondered about the kids not playing at times, and wondered why a little bit of x-factor was perceived as being so naughty, but I reckon he came in with a plan fully endorsed by the board and did a pretty fair job of executing it along the journey.

I understand why he left, don't have to like the how, but it's 'watters' under the bridge now

Smurf now has my full attention and support.

Senior players adored Lyon, no question. Senior and young players seem to be falling in love with Scotty, so there may be the key to things trending in a good direction.

 

[saintsrfreak]

That's what I would have thought, but I can't remember Ross ever dropping him at the Saints, so I don't think that would change much at Fremantle.

He'll probably find a way to get Raph into their side as well

 

[Superduperouzel]

Really looking forward to the match. Hoping Zac plays on Riewoldt and
Lyon´s game plan torn apart by Watters´ new attacking one.
Hoping the focus is on playing great footy and winning well. If the crowd get stuck into Dawson and Lyon it will be amusing but I doubt the players will be effected too much by it. I sense they are a pretty happy playing group at the moment and the disappointment of losing Lyon not as bitter pill to swallow since Watters, Pelchen & co have breathed life back into the Saints. Very happy with the direction of the club. Thanks for coming Ross and thanks for leaving now

 

[goodie23]

I plan to feast on baked beans all week so that I may fart in their general direction

 

[maanco]

he shouldnt be boo'ed nor cheered. just Cheer watters more

Saints are better off without lyin

 

[Hammers_Saints]

We should celebrate Dawson's work next week. He's our agent over in Fremantle to disrupt things

 

[L_W_P]

Ross - With open arms (and a prison shank)

Zac will get cheered though. I rekon he might just play his most productive game ever for the Saints on Friday night

 

[Noidenous]

Pumping it long to Koschitzke, who'll be matched up on '(The) Door, son', shall be retributive enough.

 

[FlyingSledghamer]

With Cloak and Dagger?

 

[Sunshine Saint]

For Pelchen to meet with Lyin and to arrange to deliver the second of Lyins love children - Raph Clarke - to be reunited with Zac.

A second round draft choice thanks

 

[CM86]

I copped some flak here due to my dislike for Dawson when he played for us.

I can honestly say I love watching him play for Freo.

Now when he makes those stupid mistakes, or just puts no effort in, I can laugh, rather than raging out!

I never understood how he continued to get games with us, then he moves to Freo for Ross, and I can't help but feel he has some sort of power over him.

 

[CHBench]

I think the way it unfolded was dirty, but

I AM SO WRAPT

The alignment with Sandringham FC
The embracing of the younger players (Stanley and Simpkin especially!)
The embracing of the rest of our list outside the 22
The turn around in the demeanour of our senior players on the field
The game plan
The future direction
The openness of the club
The excitement
Rhys Stanley
Tom Simpkin


Rhys is no doubt in my mind a product of the move, he would not be breaking out like he is now if RL was coach. 100%. Simpkin too, granted he'd still be ripping it up ... but in a sandy jumper.

Btw, Pelch should get Alex Silvagni on the phone for a chat, bring the lad home.

 

[HoldenMCaulfield]

Unfortunately I am 12,000km away for this game, but if I were there, I would clap Ross Lyon to thank him for almost leading us to two premierships. Yes, he did not really develop any of our youngsters, but boy, did I enjoy watching us dominate in 2009 and still being one of the best in 2010. Apologies to the Lynchs, Siposs', Armitages, etc. out there, but I want to see St Kilda win while it can - and we were so close to winning it all (all it would have taken was one failed toe poke and one normal bounce...). Yes, the way he organised his departure was poor, but with the general opinion appearing to be that we're better off without him, maybe it was a win / win for everybody (he, apart from the dollars offered by Freo, probably felt that he was not able to motivate our players to a level required to compete at the top any more and we now have a coach who appears to be able to do just that again).

I will miss Zac Dawson. I will miss his audacity to bump Barry Hall, I will miss his smile after kicking the winning goal against Carlton and I will miss his ability to play against the tall and big forwards. Our backline would not have had such an easy job against the Bulldogs if Barry Hall was still around - and I do worry what team like Collingwood with Cloke and Dawson, West Coast with Kennedy, Lynch and one of Naitanui / Cox, Adelaide with Walker and Tippett and Carlton with Waite and one of Sampson / Kreuzer will do to us (let's face it, West Coast and Carlton may even throw both their ruckman forward considering McEvoy's weakness in winning the hitouts). And just imagine how good he would be now that defenders are apparently allowed to take the game on - he has a beautiful, long and accurate left foot kick !

(one thing I wish they had taken with them to Freo are the moronic so-called 'supporters' who consider it appropriate to use this thread to abuse another player who is not playing these days as he is injured, who has been a key factor for us reaching the first of the above grand finals and who, most importantly, is signed by the St Kilda footy club - I prefer a Ross Lyon or Zac Dawson any day of the week over those idiots)

 

[Baldur]

 

[FlyingSledghamer]

I dont mind hearing about how good lyon was for us. But to be honest i think its completley irelevant. And i cant understand why people need to go out of there way to point out how good he was. players n supporters alike. There was a time for players to pay there respect to him but that time is gone. i would have much rather have heard them come out and say. Lyon was good for the club. Now we have Watters n if there could b a reason other than 4 points to win this game. it would b to show admiration and respect for our new coach. id like them to say this game is more about Scott Watters not Ross Lyon.

 

[OhMyGoddard]

Saints supporters for the most part aren't really a 'booing' bunch; Bally's first game against us nobody said anything to him, though it looked like the whole game he was expecting it. If it were the other way round...

I agree totally with CHB. We've come out better off, so there's no reason to resent the bloke who got us to within a coupla bounces of back to back premierships. (I'm only prepared to give Dawson as much attention as Hawthorn give him, he's just another opposition player.)

Ross may or may not deserve a warm welcome, but I'll be giving him one... and then send him home without 4 points!

 

[Plugger35]

Well I won't be at Etihad but I might boo Ross and Zac when I'm watching the game on the tv here or I guess I could go down to Freo Oval and boo Ross and Zac at Freo's training before they fly to Melbourne.

As others have said I care much less about Ross and Zac going now than I did around 6 or 7 months ago when it all went down. We now have Watters as coach and Simpkin at fullback which are both wins for us in my opinion so I'm not really bitter about losing either Ross or Zac.

I really just want us to win and win well, getting the 4 points is what it's all about and will be the best form of revenge.

 

[spencer_6666]

ross can suck a big one, im so glad that fremantle are plagued with injuries now
hes never gona win a priemership he was a crappy couch with one game plan when that failed for example the second grand final against collingwood which we got smashed
ross whats the point of controlling the tempo of a game when you cant even control the ball
as for zac congrats to him hes a good young player and if this is the chance he gets to step up his game i hope he makes the most of it

 

[SaintsSeptember]

I'm not a boo'er ( though I can remember joining a chorus at a game a few years back when the umps walked off )

Lyon was good for StKilda at the time but fell short of greatness.
A great coach would have looked past his immediate desire to win a final, and acknowlege that the club still needed to look to the future. Looking towards a final did not require the younger draftees to be neglected. It did not require kicking and marking skills to be neglected. Nurturing these elements would not have prevented the team from being competative in a grand final, and you could argue that had it been done right the team may have been more competative.
Lyon seemed to be very slow to react to weaknesses. If the team won, everything was OK, even if it was a struggle to win by one point. He stubbornly played his favorites despite weaknesses that seemed evident to most people.

Lyon kept his plans to move to Fremantle secret. I dont resent that. Usually coaches are sacked eventually, and I can respect Lyons decision to move on himself, and having made that decision I cant really see how else he could have done it. Should he have spilt his guts at the time? However the team was very flat last year, and I do wonder if his mind was on the job.

I'm not sure whether it was at Lyon's suggestion or not that Pelchen was appointed, but I did wonder if it was an aspect of Lyon looking out for the club he was leaving, given that the end of the season ( the logical time to leave ) is the time that decisions need to be made for list managment.

Would I change my job to a similar role in a competing organisation? You betcha, make a good offer.
Would I inform my boss/colleagues that I was looking before the time was right? No way.
Would I try to have things working as smooth as I could when I left? Yep.

I like to think of myself as a professional, and I tend to think that Lyon is one of the more professional coaches out there.
But I dont think he'll be the Messiah for Freo.