Game Day Qualifying Final, St Kilda vs Geelong - 2010

[Plugger35]

I heard talk that Jack was carrying a small injury?

Might explain why he didn't play against Adelaide, thought he would have been a logical replacement for Schneider or Milne.

 

[iloveleigh]

Might explain why he didn't play against Adelaide, thought he would have been a logical replacement for Schneider or Milne.

It would, i thought it was odd replacing them with a shut down type defender. I would like to see him play this week but dont want to make too many changes...

 

[nohairandfair]

Very interesting if Baker comes in.

You wouldn't expect him to be on top of his game after two months on the sidelines. He will inevitably cop some extra scrutiny and the umpires may pay some early frees to lay down the law even if he only mildy transgresses.

He may also be inclined to tone down his tactics for fear of missing further finals action and therefore be less effective.

Still think he would do a pretty good job on StevieJ... if he goes to him.

 

[foxy_dal]

From the finals tips thread on the main board don't think a single non-saints supporter has tipped us which I find surprsing. Quite confident of our chances as we have won 2 of the last 3 against them so hopefully we can win when it counts this time.

In: Baker, Schneider, Milne

Out: Miles, McQualter, Dawson

The 3 in's are obvious except if they are not fit. Have like Miles so far but someone has to go so due to lack of experience he misses out. Need another small to go out with Milne and Schnieder back (hopefully) so went with McQualter here. As posted previously I don't think Dawson is really needed with no Jpod so if Fisher is good to go then Dawson misses for me. Very much doubt that will happen though as Ross is a big fan of Dawson.

 

[ChrisFooty]

Dead rubber + grand final training loading.

I'm going to stay confident until we're a few goals down at least.

I wish. I do not think St.Kilda were in a high enough position on the ladder to conduct a heavy training load mid to late season. It was only the last couple of rounds St.Kilda were guaranteed a top four spot.

 

[Papa Juggs]

As soon as we had Richmond beaten the season was over for us.

This years round 22 was the biggest non event for the top4 in years.

I think Ling falling in Lenny Hayes's back will be the deciding factor.

Bartel shouldn't have put his arm out to beat Lenny to the footy but Lenny didn't expect the pink pig to ride him into the ground.

No free kick for Lenny of course but Jimmy still has a busted elbow and this will reduce his tackle effectiveness that ripped us up last year.

 

[sainter]

I agree, there's no point reading anything into the game on saturday.

I frustrated watching it because it was a game we could have won but it should have been obvious to anybody watching the game that the focus was on getting through unscathed and not taking any unneccesary risks. Interestingly it hasn't stopped the team drifting substantially in the betting since it opened.

Hopefully Fisher comes up for Friday night and we can put our best team on the park. A win is important because the last thing we want is to potentially face Hawthorn in a cut-throat semi-final. It will also give us the chance of a likely preliminary final match-up against the Bulldogs or Sydney whilst Geelong and Collingwood slug it out in the other.

COME ON SAINTS!

 

[Pumbi]

I'm going to be a nervous wreck come Friday evening.

 

[AFLOnline]

This is a must win boys!

 

[muttonchops]

Just a question for the Saints fans, as everyone expects Jones will go to Ablett. But with Gary spending so much time up forward and successfully doing so would Jones follow him down there or would one of your back 6 go to him.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Just a question for the Saints fans, as everyone expects Jones will go to Ablett. But with Gary spending so much time up forward and successfully doing so would Jones follow him down there or would one of your back 6 go to him.

For me I'd say yes. If it means that one of our others such as Gwilt, Fisher or Gram ends up in the midfield following someone else, that still works out OK for us.

 

[Defacto]

Just a question for the Saints fans, as everyone expects Jones will go to Ablett. But with Gary spending so much time up forward and successfully doing so would Jones follow him down there or would one of your back 6 go to him.

gwilt.

 

[StFly]

gwilt.

Watch Gazza turn him inside out and Gwilt to fall over again at an inopportune time. Don't get me wrong, he'd be my choice of the back 6 to take him since Jones has been burnt in the past down back, but the man slips over far far too much for my liking.

 

[Bourky23]

Who else is going?

I'll be there with Modra93 and youngsaint

 

[Sir Robert]

Cannot say I'm confident of even a decent showing. We have been so 2008'esque lately it's not funny.

Poor skills, terrible decision making and zero intensity. Can we turn it around... Yes... Will it be this week... I doubt it.

God I hope this post gets waved in my face but we've been so lackluster and Geelong are so good that I give us about $4 for a win.

Wasn't too confident in 05 at Adelaide either but we had Sir Robert tearing it up!

 

[Plugger35]

I wasn't very confident going into last years QF against Collingwood either, our form leading up to that game was pretty ordinary too but we turned it around to win that game pretty convincingly.

Obviously Geelong are a much more formidable team than Collingwood were last year but hopefully we can flick the switch again and play our best football. The first 5 or 10 minutes will tell the story and whether we are switched on, really need to get off to a good start.

 

[Smaaart]

I'm so pumped.

We need to enjoy the week... even though this is our 7th year out of the last 8 in the finals, the excitement doesn't wear off. It's what its all about.

I can't believe how much we have been written off, but with the way that the media like to jump on and off bandwagons these days, it is not surprising. If we knock off the Cats, you watch how quickly Sheahan will install us as flag favourites, after saying he was "worried" about us in his column this morning. Honestly he changes his opinions week by week.

We can knock them off. We've done it 2 out of the last 3 times (should have been 3) and I'm sure we are keeping something in the tank this year after learning the lessons from the last couple of years. Roo doesn't play 2 bad games in a row. The boys will be burning.

Go Saints.

 

[Bourky23]

I'm so pumped.

We need to enjoy the week... even though this is our 7th year out of the last 8 in the finals, the excitement doesn't wear off. It's what its all about.

I can't believe how much we have been written off, but with the way that the media like to jump on and off bandwagons these days, it is not surprising. If we knock off the Cats, you watch how quickly Sheahan will install us as flag favourites, after saying he was "worried" about us in his column this morning. Honestly he changes his opinions week by week.

We can knock them off. We've done it 2 out of the last 3 times (should have been 3) and I'm sure we are keeping something in the tank this year after learning the lessons from the last couple of years. Roo doesn't play 2 bad games in a row. The boys will be burning.

Go Saints.

Great post

 

[StFly]

I have flies in my stomach already, you'd think given the current circumstances that whomsoever wins the QF will have a cushier Prelim than whoever loses and given that us and Geelong in recent times ahev put in some cracking spectacles you have conflicted emotions with knowing if both sides play to potential t's going to be a great contesta nd a great game to watch but at the same time you're condemning it because damnit, I want to go straight to the Prelim!

It's probably worse than last year, since last year we were pretty much riding each high and each low with the boys since it was uncharactered territory with the club, this year there's a little bit of quiet expectation that we know we're good enough, but can we produce it for 3 games? I hope like hell we can and similarly hope like hell that we all don't suffer some manner of communal heart attack in the process.

 

[Bourky23]

I have flies in my stomach already, you'd think given the current circumstances that whomsoever wins the QF will have a cushier Prelim than whoever loses and given that us and Geelong in recent times ahev put in some cracking spectacles you have conflicted emotions with knowing if both sides play to potential t's going to be a great contesta nd a great game to watch but at the same time you're condemning it because damnit, I want to go straight to the Prelim!

It's probably worse than last year, since last year we were pretty much riding each high and each low with the boys since it was uncharactered territory with the club, this year there's a little bit of quiet expectation that we know we're good enough, but can we produce it for 3 games? I hope like hell we can and similarly hope like hell that we all don't suffer some manner of communal heart attack in the process.

I'm not liking this talk, there is no such thing as an easy prelim.

although the dog's are struggling, I certainly hope nobody gets ahead of themselves if we win on Friday night.

Having said that, I think we MUST win the QF to be any realistic chance of winning the flag.

 

[StFly]

I'm not liking this talk, there is no such thing as an easy prelim.

although the dog's are struggling, I certainly hope nobody gets ahead of themselves if we win on Friday night.

Having said that, I think we MUST win the QF to be any realistic chance of winning the flag.

Well I did say you'd think, not that it would be, this seems to be the line a few are taking into it and while I personally disagree with it and that you do need to bust as much arse if not more to win a prelim, figured I'd mention it anyway.

 

[TassieSaint]

I might be alone here, but I reckon Freo will beat Hawthorn at Subi anyway, so losing whilst not advantageous obviously wouldn't be the end of the world.

 

[Half Back Pocket]

Lets face it Bourky...the winner of this game has an armchair ride to the Grand Final compared to the loser of this game.

To lose this game would almost certainly end that particular clubs season....
1). An elimination final against Hawthorn or Freo
2). A Prelim. against Collingwood
3). A re-match against Geelong in the GF.

Too big an ask imo.

 

[Bourky23]

Oh I completely agree,

I just don't like hearing the terms 'easy' or 'cushy', because either way it'll be anything but that.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

To be fair the term was cushier.
I guess its a bit like putting a thin blanket down before you lie on the bed of nails.

To win a GF we have to beat Geelong.
Lets do it in week one.