Preview Round 1, 2022: St.Kilda v Collingwood - Marvel Stadium, Friday 18th March, 7:50PM AEDT

[Ephemeral Hope]

Do you mean the teams or naming debutants?

Team announcement around 6pm I believe and as far as the debutants are concerned, maybe none are playing?

Debutants they’re usually announced a bit earlier than the teams

 

[CaptainRisky]

Sorry you are right. In which case, there is absolutely fu** all I’d want aside from Pickett maybe Weightman. But they are small forwards.

8. Fremantle: Caleb Serong (midfielder/forward)

9. Fremantle: Liam Henry (midfielder/forward)

10. GWS: Tom Green (midfielder)

11. Gold Coast: Sam Flanders (midfielder/forward)

12. Melbourne: Kysaiah Pickett (midfielder/forward)

13. Hawthorn: Will Day (defender)

14. Port Adelaide: Miles Bergman (midfielder/forward)

15. Western Bulldogs: Cody Weightman (forward)

16. Geelong: Cooper Stephens (midfielder)

17. Carlton: Brodie Kemp (midfielder/forward)

18. Port Adelaide: Mitchell Georgiades (key forward)

I think Cooper Stephens will end up a fair player

 

[ScrappyDo]

I'd say it's too early to tell if we've been good bad or indifferent. King and Snags look primed. Coff and Clark were looking promising but slow burn. We still haven't got a player that came on quick like Naughton and Bailey Smith have, they look set to become stars already. King probably the exception but still have him behind Naughton. Really need to find stars with our high picks when we get them, not just GOPs. At the end of the day that was the issue with Trout. We are probably above average for finding solid talent outside the high picks but below for finding top end talent generally.

I absolutely agree it's too early to call. We've taken King, Allison and NWM with our last 3 top picks, each the skinniest player in their draft. However, Wilkie, Coops, Byrnes and Highmore have all slotted in pretty quickly.
So your beef is that we don't have first round picks that have come on quickly, which is fair and true. However on displayed form I'm not worried yet. Besides King, they all have a ways to go and the biggest question mark I have is over Hunter's conditioning. How you can live at a fully equipped gym and fail to grow in mass is beyond me.

 

[Ephemeral Hope]

I think Cooper Stephens will end up a fair player

Very uninspiring or interesting name.

 

[saint66au]

Hill just needs to get the "deer in the headlights" thing out of his game where he freezes and turns it over. He seems to be doing that now.

Or because we press our forwards so high he breaks a line then has noone to kick it to

 

[stavro#4]

Or because we press our forwards so high he breaks a line then has noone to kick it to

All pre season they got drilled about having someone lead at the kicker off half back.

They would then mark and roll around to the leading forwards back to the square.

Hopefully this is something that works out really well for us

 

[CaptainRisky]

Very uninspiring or interesting name.

What ?

 

[pebblesofsand]

Can't wait for the team announcement this evening, genuinely in the dark with regards to how they'll go with a number of selections. Won't be at all surprised if this is nowhere near it but will give it a whirl...

Webster, Howard, Wilkie
Sinclair, Battle, Hill,
Ross, Steele, Wood
Higgins, Membrey, Byrnes
Butler, King, Sharman
Marshall, Crouch, Gresham
Paton, Owens, Hayes, McKenzie

If Bytel isn't selected, to me it doesn't sound like he will be, then I'd like to see Michito in there for a bit of early season excitement.

It also doesn't sound like Sharman is going to be selected, though I think without Paddy there's room for both he and Hayes. Sharman the key forward, Hayes the hole plugger.

Byrnes I'm yet to be convinced, has pace which we lack without Jones, maybe could play on the wing for a bit if they use Ross as a tagger, though I'd probably prefer Dmac there.

Bench looks pretty good considering all the outs.

I really feel like I've forgotten someone? (and I'm not talking about Hannebery! )

Woo hoo - about 15 pages of catch up and so far 1 post about the game.

Should be talking about how great it will be to see an NGA kid and a bloke who has battled and battled make their debuts for the Saints.

 

[chris_h_11]

Saw a pic of the new big screens at Marvel - pretty impressive. Not quite SoFi stadium but a big improvement on the current screens in the corners.

Sounds like they'll only have one working tomorrow night, but they're both installed.

 

[Ephemeral Hope]

What ?

Doesn’t sound like a real player. Sounds made up.

 

[Sun Ra]

Or because we press our forwards so high he breaks a line then has noone to kick it to

No, I'm talking about his brain fades deep in defence that cause opposition gift goals. He did this a lot in 2020 and first half 2021.
Seemed to figure this out in second half of 2021.

 

[Chef Ratts]

All pre season they got drilled about having someone lead at the kicker off half back.

They would then mark and roll around to the leading forwards back to the square.

Hopefully this is something that works out really well for us

Isn't this under 15s fundamentals?

 

[stavro#4]

Isn't this under 15s fundamentals?

Did you watch us last year?

 

[bird_man]

I disagree that pick 26 should be considered at the premium end of the mids talent pool which is the crux of the discussion..

I agree in that I'd have preferred we took Poulter or O'Driscoll and in an ideal world Perkins was my big want but that was never happening.

I disagree that passing on Hobbs was a mistake (TBD) as IMO he may well become a good player but doesn't have any outstanding features of a possible star. His lack of pace or size will hurt him at senior level.

Across 2020 and 2021 we got for our draft hand Allison, Highmore, Heath, Coops, Snags, NWM, Owens, Windy, Adams, Peris and Kyle, plus Crouch as a FA. And I am %100,000,000 satisfied with that.

I never said 26 was a premium pick but it is a good pick to have where plenty of quality mids are taken and there were players there that fitted our needs.

Again, you keep arguing with me but agree with me you would have preferred Poulter over Allison.

I've never once said our over all drafting has been poor, in fact I've said plenty of times on this forum that our drafting has been pretty good over all of once Trout left.

The issue I see with our list though is that I doubt our current midfield is going to push us into premiership contention this year and I have my doubts the kids we have coming through will be able to do it it either.

Time will tell though. If we become a genuine premiership threat with the list of midfielders we currently have I'll be happy to come back to the conversation and admit I got it wrong.

 

[FQFjt]

All pre season they got drilled about having someone lead at the kicker off half back.

They would then mark and roll around to the leading forwards back to the square.

Hopefully this is something that works out really well for us

When you say back to square do you mean the kick to the forward running towards goal? This was our 2020 playbook which worked well until it got found out.

 

[stavro#4]

When you say back to square do you mean the kick to the forward running towards goal? This was our 2020 playbook which worked well until it got found out.

let’s call it an evolution.

Previously we ran forward of the ball anticipating(hoping) we would win it and we would have 2-3 goal side without an opponent. Opposition exploited that by killing the ball at our half forward line and we had some really embarrassing moments where they just ran unopposed through our midfield.

This is more connecting the transition. We want someone to link the half back to half forward ball before we break out the back door.

So you’ll see a big leading up towards the ball carrier more. This should also help transition defence with more midfielders in position to defend if we turn it over.

We also used a jumbo forward line over preseason. Any 4 of Membrey/Sharman/King/wood/Marshall/Hayes

mark or bring it to ground. Roll if you mark and hit the boys running open

Alternatively, additional aerial support for Max to prevent the third man being uncontested.

It was interesting.

My money is on us being more dour then a high scoring side

 

[ScrappyDo]

I never said 26 was a premium pick but it is a good pick to have where plenty of quality mids are taken and there were players there that fitted our needs.

Again, you keep arguing with me but agree with me you would have preferred Poulter over Allison.

I've never once said our over all drafting has been poor, in fact I've said plenty of times on this forum that our drafting has been pretty good over all of once Trout left.

The issue I see with our list though is that I doubt our current midfield is going to push us into premiership contention this year and I have my doubts the kids we have coming through will be able to do it it either.

Time will tell though. If we become a genuine premiership threat with the list of midfielders we currently have I'll be happy to come back to the conversation and admit I got it wrong.

Ok well that's easy then. Our current midfield is not going to push us to a premiership this year by any stretch. I didn't realize that was part of your matrix..

 

[FQFjt]

let’s call it an evolution.

Previously we ran forward of the ball anticipating(hoping) we would win it and we would have 2-3 goal side without an opponent. Opposition exploited that by killing the ball at our half forward line and we had some really embarrassing moments where they just ran unopposed through our midfield.

This is more connecting the transition. We want someone to link the half back to half forward ball before we break out the back door.

So you’ll see a big leading up towards the ball carrier more. This should also help transition defence with more midfielders in position to defend if we turn it over.

We also used a jumbo forward line over preseason. Any 4 of Membrey/Sharman/King/wood/Marshall/Hayes

mark or bring it to ground. Roll if you mark and hit the boys running open

Alternatively, additional aerial support for Max to prevent the third man being uncontested.

It was interesting.

My money is on us being more dour then a high scoring side

Thanks for the explanation. It's an interesting idea and will be fascinating to see how it plays out. That mark on the wings in transition (or turnover) is absolutely essential in the modern game. Gawn is elite at it and one of the reasons Melbourne became so good. When we won that final against the Dogs, Ryder and Marshall were also taking those marks. Hopefully we can find some good form in this regard. Membrey is decent at it, but then usually undoes the good work by taking an eternity to take his kick.

 

[Sun Ra]

let’s call it an evolution.

Previously we ran forward of the ball anticipating(hoping) we would win it and we would have 2-3 goal side without an opponent. Opposition exploited that by killing the ball at our half forward line and we had some really embarrassing moments where they just ran unopposed through our midfield.

This is more connecting the transition. We want someone to link the half back to half forward ball before we break out the back door.

So you’ll see a big leading up towards the ball carrier more. This should also help transition defence with more midfielders in position to defend if we turn it over.

We also used a jumbo forward line over preseason. Any 4 of Membrey/Sharman/King/wood/Marshall/Hayes

mark or bring it to ground. Roll if you mark and hit the boys running open

Alternatively, additional aerial support for Max to prevent the third man being uncontested.

It was interesting.

My money is on us being more dour then a high scoring side

That's why it would be nice to get Ben King. It would just so simplify the plan in going forward. Both Kings would start in the goal square and each would simultaneously lead at 45 degree angles in opposing directions with the kicker steaming in having the choice of which one to hit up. It leaves the opposition to freak out about this situation. Anyway....not happening for a while.

 

[stavro#4]

If you haven’t seen rattens presser.

Sounds like 2 debutants. Hayes and Owens.

Ryder unlikely, but it really depends on todays session. As I mentioned yesterday - not a fan of pushing him to play tomorrow. But they want him in the side

 

[sammm]

I support St Kilda because my family is from St Kilda / Elwood - 4th generation supporter, my kids are 5th generation. Family tradition.

I support st kilda because Jesalenko moved to the Saints.

 

[stavro#4]

That's why it would be nice to get Ben King. It would just so simplify the plan in going forward. Both Kings would start in the goal square and each would simultaneously lead at 45 degree angles in opposing directions with the kicker steaming in having the choice of which one to hit up. It leaves the opposition to freak out about this situation. Anyway....not happening for a while.

Marshall and Ryder fit and healthy also make this work.

 

[Ephemeral Hope]

If you haven’t seen rattens presser.

Sounds like 2 debutants. Hayes and Owens.

Ryder unlikely, but it really depends on todays session. As I mentioned yesterday - not a fan of pushing him to play tomorrow. But they want him in the side

Where’s the presser

 

[SaintsSeptember]

I'm very bullish on Bytel and think those inside ball winners are under-rated (assuming they can actually kick and aren't slow), in saying that I've got no issue with him spending a month in the VFL to get some continuity into his footy after 3 years of interrupted footy. I'd hope to see him cement b22 after that.

We got 13 games out of Bytel last season, which included a few which were medical sub i think ( 3 games with 20% or less TOG ).
When he played normal games he seemed to follow a pattern of a reasonable game , but then trailed off in subsequent weeks. Not unusual for younger players.

I found this interesting.

2021 Fantasy: St Kilda Centre Bounces - AFLRATINGS

It was a transition year for the Saints at centre bounces in 2021

aflratings.com.au

Jack Bytel was used at 26% of centre bounces across the season. That did increase to 44.6% in the 13 games he played in.

 

[tim_saints]

Based on Ratts press conference you can basically take it to the bank that Hayes & Owens are both going to be making their debuts tomorrow night
Pretty exciting regarding Owens, Hayes a good story of persistence and will certainly help down forward and pinch hit in the ruck/around the ground