Preview R5: St Kilda v Essendon (game day thread now open)

[Half Back Pocket]

Agree Briza, must play the kids. We need to see Goddard & McKenzie. We need to see more of Patty. We need to see if Eli can make it. Murdoch, Saunders and Wright still need to show something. Billings, Lukey and Blake need more games in them...I'm probably starting to sound like a broken record, but Shenton, Saad et al remain strange decisions IMO

 

[VDS66]

I am quietly confident of 100 painful minutes.

Sorry folks.

 

[VDS66]

Mate, that's your opinion, and I have no problem with it, and yes I know a little about development of inexperienced players, but I tend to look at the sum total which is the team, and how that team is playing- and at the moment I believe it should be doing better- even in losing.

what mathematical equations do you use to arrive at these conclusions?

And what qualifies you to know what exactly the coaching team are aiming for?

Or are we just talking based on your expectations?

Just wondering.

 

[SK_MD_#7]

I am quietly confident of 100 painful minutes.

Sorry folks.

Everyone was this time last year as well mate..

 

[Rors]

Everyone was this time last year as well mate..

This sort of expectation beats the "100 minutes of pure happiness & joy" that I thought was going to occur last week & the week before though

 

[FlyingSledghamer]

Im gona go out on a limb and say we can win this game.
If we go out and the young fellas run hard and apply pressure for 120 minutes. We can win this game.
If the kids run hard forward and attack for 120 minutes. We can win this game!
If the team plays as a team. If the forwards run hard. If the mids run hard forward and kick goals. We can win this game!
I dont care how old they are or how inexperienced they are. Go out and play hard defensive. Hard attacking footy. We can win this game. Somebodys gota remind these players what it takes to win. The 120 minute collective effort. Anything less, is not good enough for the red white and black. It never used to be and im sick of this team getting thumped. If you can do it for a quater you can do it for 4! I wana feel the passion again!

 

[aussierulesrules]

Agree Sledge. While we could obviously lose by a big margin, especially if Roo in particular doesn't play, I'm certainly not discounting the possibility that we can win if he and Mav happen to both return (if Joey does as well then we'd be even more of a chance).

We've shown in the last couple of years that we can pull a win out of our ass unexpectedly at times and this week is probably as good a chance of that as any. I backed Essendon last week, as I thought they'd beat the much younger Collingwood team fairly comfortably and so I watched a fair bit of their game, but was very underwhelmed by Essendon, who looked really ordinary indeed and if they trot out the same stuff this week then anything can happen.

I've been watching the replay of our game from last weekend over the last couple of nights and it's worth remembering that exactly half way through the 3rd quarter against Carlton we were still leading by 14 points (67 to 53), only to get overrun as we likely ran out of puff. Tthe week before we kicked the first 3 goals against Collingwood and 6 in the first quarter coming off consecutive 6 day breaks and the week before we were 53 points up against Gold Coast, up there, so it's not like we haven't been playing some really good footy.

If we play well again this week, but for longer and Essendon are poor like last week again, we can definitely win.

 

[Monika72]

Baring injury I'm sure that the coaching panel would be aiming to get half a dozen games in each of the new recruits.

 

[aussierulesrules]

Selection is going to be really interesting this week. If they are all fit and available, you could make a strong case for any of the following to come in:

Riewoldt
Joey
Mav
J-Webb
Blacres
D-Mac
Minch
Hickey
Goddard

and to a lesser extent probably Eli and Saunders and even Lee, who would take it to as many as 12 possible in options!

 

[bird_man]

I think we have proven our best is actually pretty good, but we struggle to keep that going for 4 qtrs. Every now and then we will pull 4 qtrs together and upset a few sides... Just hope it's this week!

 

[Pweter]

I'm not getting excited about this week, as the last 2 weeks I've had an expectation that we might win & when we've lost quite badly both times, it's been very ******* deflating witnessing the expectation being smashed by the reality.

Just hope all the young blokes have a ripper game. Hopefully someone pulls a Curren & renders 'Dal Santo in a wig' useless like last year

Do you forget who you're playing? In games we're expected to lose we show up and play very well, quite often causing an upset. If we're expected to win easily or perform well we regularly lose or scrape over the line. Cast your mind back to 2014 and recall what happened when our 2 sides met, Melbourne have regularly beaten us over the last few years when they've been tripe, Carlton almost got over us a fortnight ago etc.

Should Essendon win? Yes. Will it be a walk in the park? I hope so but I can't see it happening unless we start rewriting our recent history this weekend.

 

[Rors]

Do you forget who you're playing? In games we're expected to lose we show up and play very well, quite often causing an upset. If we're expected to win easily or perform well we regularly lose or scrape over the line. Cast your mind back to 2014 and recall what happened when our 2 sides met, Melbourne have regularly beaten us over the last few years when they've been tripe, Carlton almost got over us a fortnight ago etc.

Should Essendon win? Yes. Will it be a walk in the park? I hope so but I can't see it happening unless we start rewriting our recent history this weekend.

Last year you weren't coming off a bad loss to your bitter nemesis. Last year you got smashed by Fremantle in Perth, so there was travel factor in there too. That's a massive difference going into this game I feel - you played in Melbourne, we are coming back from NZ

 

[Pweter]

Last year you weren't coming off a bad loss to your bitter nemesis. Last year you got smashed by Fremantle in Perth, so there was travel factor in there too. That's a massive difference going into this game I feel - you played in Melbourne, we are coming back from NZ

I just hope we don't go in with a "we're going to return to the winners list" mentality. We've been a mentally weak side for too long now, otherwise we'd be consistent in our output. The fluctuations between our best and worst occurs often, and the gap between our best and worst is massive.

 

[SK_MD_#7]

@stkildafc: .@alanrichardson chats to media this morning: "if I was a betting man, I'd say (Roo and Joey) are 50-50" http://t.co/AmcoI0RaRi

 

[TheLastEmperor]

@stkildafc: .@alanrichardson chats to media this morning: "if I was a betting man, I'd say (Roo and Joey) are 50-50" http://t.co/AmcoI0RaRi

Which means "not playing" IMO


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[Ashton Agar]

I just hope like hell its not someone like Dmac, Minch or Acres this week... I'd be preferring them to be playing a full game at Sandy than 1 & 1/4 quarters at AFL level.

This. Sub is a pain in the ass, want Laverde in this week but not if he's sub, which he probably will be if he is picked. Hams was showing good form in the VFL then gets the vest. I can't stand it. I want to see the debutants and young players actually play a full game!

I have a very strong feeling that draft picks 21 & 22 will debut on the same day which will be Sunday 3 May 2015

Potentially pick 20 as well.

 

[SK_MD_#7]

ST KILDA won't blood new players for the sake of it this season, with coach Alan Richardson committed to making his new recruits earn their spots.

First-year pair Hugh Goddard and Daniel McKenzie are pushing for selection after strong VFL performances, while three-game midfielder Blake Acres is firmly in the mix.

With captain Nick Riewoldt (calf), Leigh Montagna (knee) and Mav Weller (calf) all in line to return from injury this week however, the young trio may be forced to knock the door down with consistent form at Sandringham.

"We're not really keen on just blooding youngsters, we'll play them when they're ready," Richardson said on Thursday.

"[They'll play] if their form is strong, if there's a role for them, or if their form has surpassed that of someone in the team.

"Some of the names mentioned earlier have given themselves an opportunity to come in.

"There has been form strong enough at the lower level with young players to suggest they're ready to go."

Richardson said the Saints would know immediately after Thursday's session if Riewoldt and Weller had done enough to return.

Montagna, however, has been pulling up sore after training and may need to be assessed closer to Sunday's clash against Essendon.

http://m.afl.com.au/news/2015-04-30/richardson-wont-be-forced-into-new-blood?utm_medium=RSS

(He also mentioned in the article about Hickey playing forward in the VFL and how he is keen to try him with Longer soon)

 

[hayes]

At least when they come in you know they've earnt it.

 

[Rors]

Not blooding the kids???

Probably not what most StKilda supporters want to hear TBH. Happy for them to earn a game, but if injuries or AFL form is poor in some players, I'd prefer the newbies getting a taste rather than the tried & failed types getting a regular game

 

[Plugger35]

Which means "not playing" IMO


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Yeah I'm not counting on either Riewoldt or Montagna playing, if they're 50/50 that's probably too much doubt to bring them in, particularly when we're not pushing for finals this year.

Sounds like Hickey might be a chance to come in to play ruck/forward, would be good to see how Longer and Hickey work in tandem and it would it give us some much needed height around the ground.

If Montagna doesn't come up then hopefully Acres or McKenzie gets a shot to boost our midfield with Weller in for Curren to play the tagging role on either Watson or Heppell.

Would be great to see Goddard get a crack too in defence, possibly in for Shenton.

Ins - Riewoldt/Hickey, Montagna/Acres/McKenzie, Weller, Goddard

Outs - McCartin/Membrey, Saad, Curren, Shenton

Richo is pretty conservative so I doubt there'll be too many changes but I think at least a few changes are warranted after two disappointing losses.

 

[ezard15]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-04-30/richardson-wont-be-forced-into-new-blood?utm_medium=RSS

Riewoldt likely to return. I know I shouldn't be saying it, but that worries me a bit.

 

[Defacto]

i'll be livid if acres isnt named

 

[Defacto]

Not blooding the kids???

Probably not what most StKilda supporters want to hear TBH. Happy for them to earn a game, but if injuries or AFL form is poor in some players, I'd prefer the newbies getting a taste rather than the tried & failed types getting a regular game

the problem saints supporters will have with it, is that its mixed messages. we're in a rebuild and we wont reward the form of kids performing. very strange

 

[Persevering Saint]

Selection is going to be really interesting this week. If they are all fit and available, you could make a strong case for any of the following to come in:

Riewoldt
Joey
Mav
J-Webb
Blacres
D-Mac
Minch
Hickey
Goddard

and to a lesser extent probably Eli and Saunders and even Lee, who would take it to as many as 12 possible in options!

Add to that, arguments could be mounted quite effectively (and have!) for the exclusion of (in descending order):

Curren (out of position)
Saad (out of form)
McCartin (form, and Roo instead)
Shenton (form, better options?)

After that, it gets a bit daring to drop anybody.

 

[Defacto]

Add to that, arguments could be mounted quite effectively (and have!) for the exclusion of (in descending order):

Curren (out of position)
Saad (out of form)
McCartin (form, and Roo instead)
Shenton (form, better options?)

After that, it gets a bit daring to drop anybody.

acres, mckenzie, weller all like for like for 3/4. weller injured but the other two have done really well in the VFL. if theyre ignored, what kind of a message does that send