Reasons The Saints Can't Go All The Way

[The Punter]

My thesis for why I disgreed with your post followed the clever selection of my initial sentence.

I'm sorry, but give me rational people or give me nobody. You can wear your irrationality around your neck like an Olympic Medal. I'm just praying you don't work where you have any responsbility over people, or anything that affects people.

And for full disclosure reasons, I hate Essendon, and have blogged as much. In fact, I stated 35 reasons, some of which were entirely rational (the rest were filler), why I hate Essendon. I stay rational, barracking for St Kilda, while you can barrack for Collingwood, and have your little bonfire spiritual meeting outside the MCG with cult leader Joffa after a night match.

 

[Paul Kersey]

I don't think Saints can do it as the name performers who are performing now have gone missing in finals over and over again. I might be wrong but we'll find out in the not so distant future.

 

[Footy_Fan2007]

Not really to sure as to why the saints aint the favourites for the flag. It makes no sense...

How can they not be?

 

[Plugger35]

The saints haven't even played a game at the 'G this season, the first one comes against the dees in round 22. We all know they love playing under a roof but come finals time it's all about playing your best footy at a 'real' football ground (mcg). I think that's one reason.

The last time I checked both Etihad and the MCG were footy ovals with grass & goal posts. Their dimensions aren't all that different either. We've shown we can play good footy against any opposition on any ground so far this year, why should the MCG be any different?

If you're good enough you will win anywhere against anyone, I've yet to see any legitimate reasons why we can't play just as well at the 'G. You can't use history as an excuse either and say we don't play well there, as we are a much better team now than in previous years.

 

[winty]

I think we can challenge St Kilda if - and it's a big if - we get everybody fit and firing by September. God knows how many players we have that have played every match - it wouldn't be many.

We've only had 2 players play every game this year - Taylor and Enright.

 

[The Fireman]

Could it be that St Kilda's strengths may prove to be their Achilles Heel?

• 2009 Saints are probably the hardest working team I've ever seen. As much as I was pleased by Carlton's fight in a close loss the truth is that the Saints pretty much fell exhausted into the break. And they aint likely to get any fresher from here on in.

• That alone is enough for me, Carlton got close to us ,so yep we are GORN....
  
  ....

 

[Adam Selwood]

They don't have any matchwinners with an X factor such as a Didak, Johnson, Akermanis etc.

May be a big problem for them come September

 

[PaddleFoot]

The Saints' situation reminds me of the Lions in 2001 - on a massive roll and against a 'greatest ever' team whose wheels were starting to wobble. IMHO they are clear flag favourites that only the sudden arrival of the Black Death could upset. They have structure, confidence and ... best of all .. the mojo. No injuries of consequence, no dramas, relishing challenges and a secure home ground advantage.

I think the Cats have blown it - a shame as they did save the game from the slow death of tempo footy. Maybe .. just maybe the Hawks could climb out of the grave but it just shows how hard it is to to snag those flags ..

Anyway it's the Saints' turn ...

 

[Harvey to Hayes]

their luck can't keep going like this and they don't play the big finals at the Dome. Saints 2009 = no chance.

No chance? Fair enough, glad to find that out now rather than later.... Things could have got ugly if I'd spent the next two months foolishly thinking that we might be in there with a sniff for once... Thanks!

 

[absfab]

That alone is enough for me, Carlton got close to us ,so yep we are GORN....

....

I know its been pointed out before, but understand that hatred by St Kilda fans is more amusing at Carlton than significant.

You could, of course, have commented on the thought that your team has worked harder all season than any other, and may indeed tire. As tire badly they did in the couple of weeks before the break.

 

[Harvey to Hayes]

I know its been pointed out before, but understand that hatred by St Kilda fans is more amusing at Carlton than significant.

You could, of course, have commented on the thought that your team has worked harder all season than any other, and may indeed tire. As tire badly they did in the couple of weeks before the break.

12 in a row means that we treat Carlton the same as a bye these days, a nice little breather before the real thing starts again the next week...

Not really on our radar at the moment, we're concentrating on teams that could be a threat in September...

 

[The Fireman]

I know its been pointed out before, but understand that hatred by St Kilda fans is more amusing at Carlton than significant.

You could, of course, have commented on the thought that your team has worked harder all season than any other, and may indeed tire. As tire badly they did in the couple of weeks before the break.

:We have worked harder than anyone else? Tell that to the Cats or Doggie supporters...Dumb comment.

:Tire? Played a tiring game against the Cats, buttered up over in WA and then demolished an inform Crows...yep looked totally tired....dumb.

 

[Godzke]

Did someone say St Kilda's midfield is better than Geelong's? What an absolute crock of sh*t. It's a class midfield but Geelong's probably eclipses that of Brisbane's 2001-2004 and even WCE's 2004-2006 (Judd, Cousins, Kerr, Fletcher, Embley) was better than Saints current one.

St Kilda beat Geelong because Geelong have a horrible forward line. If you put the equivalent of a Kosi and Riewoldt in there then they would've won by 6-7 goals.

They would've beaten Hawthorn comfortably in the GF last year had they had someone decent enough at FF (mooney at CHF).

No, Geelong's midfield is still heads and shoulders above the league and is quite possibly the greatest we've ever seen.

 

[Flukey!]

I think the real story is why so many people want St Kilda to fall over and fail to win the premiership.

I've always been on the opinion that one team wins the premiership each year, and fifteen don't. The only team I want to win the premiership is St Kilda. I want all the others to not win the premiership with equal conviction.

I see it a little like if a small Pacific Island nation had some incredible economic expansion, and we in Australia were annoyed or even aggrieved that it happened.

To all supporters: if you don't barrack for St Kilda, St Kilda is just one of fifteen other teams you don't barrack for. Unless you have an irrational belief the sky will literally fall in if St Kilda win the flag, barrack for your team, and enjoy the finals as a neutral if your team isn't playing.

Can't argue with that
I reckon the Saints are good things and are clearly travelling better than the Cats.
Poor Cats cant take a trick - in any other year they would be raging favourites.

 

[The Fireman]

Can't argue with that
I reckon the Saints are good things and are clearly travelling better than the Cats.
Poor Cats cant take a trick - in any other year they would be raging favourites.

I see it another way, Poor Saints , finally get a decent look at a flag and we come up against the Cats.

 

[Murraj1966]

I still am wary of the cats and I think the Saints are up there but Geelong are still just a tad better when both are on their game. Just need them to be off on Grand Final day and for us to pounce on the chances if we're there.

 

[itchyrichie]

Well the analogy falls flat because I don't go to an economic stadium every weekend cheering for Australia to be the richest.

Footy's an irrational game supported irrationally by equally irrational fans. Why do Collingwood fans prefer to beat Carlton over Freo? They're both worth 4 points - it's irrational.

For me, the sky might as well fall in if the Saints win because to me in my entire life I've had an irrational hatred of the St Kilda footy club and would not care one iota if they fell off the face of the earth. I would rather another Lions flag than a Saints one. Why? I'm not really sure. But being rational ain't part of being a footy fan.

100% Correct

 

[Hinkley29]

.....
I'm sorry, but give me rational people or give me nobody. You can wear your irrationality around your neck like an Olympic Medal. I'm just praying you don't work where you have any responsbility over people, or anything that affects people.
.......

Footy following is escapism. I know plenty of people with extremely responsible jobs, and you won't believe this but they are some of the most irrational footy supporters I know.

If you can't seperate your ho-hum, responsiblity-filled work life, from your footy supporting alter ego, then I truly feel sorry for you. You are missing the point completely of being a footy fan.

 

[Big Fozza]

Saints wont get beaten


No body has a chance at beating this Stkilda team and the biggest key of all now is they actually believe now they are the best hard to knock a team when the believe in themselves

silly comment, anyone can beat anyone on any given day. we came within a goal

 

[The Punter]

If I wanted irrationality, I look at a Greens Policy Document. Some people actually aspire to a career thinking and talking logically about football. Journalists, columnists, coaches, broadcasters ...

I don't think escapism is an argument to allow people to make no sense.

 

[saintsrule]

This thread should be renamed Why Followers of Other Teams Hope St. Kilda Can't Go all the Way (Any Reason will do)

 

[stfan]

They don't have any matchwinners with an X factor such as a Didak, Johnson, Akermanis etc.

May be a big problem for them come September

Matchwinners? You mean like Schneider who as a Swan kicked a bagful in a PF to turn the game their way?

Or Gardiner with his mark in the last moments of the Cats game and current AA form.

Or Milne who has kicked bags to turn games...

Or Riewoldt?

Kosi on his day can have breathtaking bursts.

And Hayes is the most underated "matchwinner" playing AFL.

 

[ShinSplints]

Seriously what is the point of these threads? Are other club's supporters so insecure that they have to go around trying to conjure reasons as to why the Saints can't win one to make themselves feel better? Does it really help you sleep better at night?

I watched the Saints v Crows game last night (I'd picked the Crows as I thought the Saints might struggle in the second half as a result of the Perth trip the week before). They were unbelievable! They dismantled the Crows and strangled them in that second quarter. I was left shaking my head at how good they were against such quality opposition.

History suggests they will probably lose a game during the season. So what? They haven't played at the MCG yet - so what? And to suggest their level of intensity could actually be their achille's heel? WTF??? They have finally got their shit together and are purring along. Good on em. As much as I'd love to see my team up their challenging for a premiership I also love the footy and seeing these guys go about it is a joy to watch (particularly after the horrible Port v WCE game).

Why can't we just accept that this is an awesome team and they will more than likely be in the GF and let their supporters enjoy it while they can?

post of the year

 

[Hinkley29]

If I wanted irrationality, I look at a Greens Policy Document. Some people actually aspire to a career thinking and talking logically about football. Journalists, columnists, coaches, broadcasters ...

So what? 99% of the population want footy to be about being entertained and removing them from the humdrum nature of the rest of their lives. What is your point?

I don't think escapism is an argument to allow people to make no sense.

Feel free to make your footy following life sterile and boring. That is your perogative.

Just don't criticise others who want it to be more about escapism and use it as a balance against their everyday work life.

 

[chokewood1]

This thread is irrelavent. The Saints can quite easily win the Premiership. But don't write off us yet. We are hungry, will be a bit more fresh and are just as good as the Saints. The ground factor is irrelevent, the fatigue factor won't mean much. It's just their going to have to beat us. And we will be a monstrous challenge.