Preview Round 1 - St Kilda v Melbourne, Saturday March 25th, 4:35pm, Etihad Stadium

[harry000]

Did Smith play the intraclub?

Yeah he played yesterday vs Port Melbourne

 

[rhaz]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-03-20/etihad-stadium-racing-against-time-to-be-fit-for-round-one

Great! Love this place even more.

 

[Bluelegs]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-03-20/etihad-stadium-racing-against-time-to-be-fit-for-round-one

Great! Love this place even more.

Honestly predicting a bunch of injuries to come out of Saturdays game. Reckon it will be absolute mayhem.

 

[d33my]

The AFL assured us it will be ready in time. Don't you trust the AFL?

 

[LeverPuller]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-03-20/etihad-stadium-racing-against-time-to-be-fit-for-round-one

Great! Love this place even more.

Oh for ****s sake...

If it's in average nick given the usual condition of a 'good' deck at Etihad I would seriously want the club to ask for the match to be delayed.

 

[Yakker]

The AFL assured us it will be ready in time. Don't you trust the AFL?

Apparently the Gabba can't host the AFLW because they couldn't get it up to standard after three weeks and just the one concert!

Something's rotten in Denmark

 

[d33my]

Apparently the Gabba can't host the AFLW because they couldn't get it up to standard after three weeks and just the one concert!

Something's rotten in Denmark

Yes. More to do with the cricket head honchos I expect.

 

[Praetorian]

I thought the AFL owned Etihad now? Aside from being money hungry pigs, why exactly are they hosting 2 concerts so close to the start of the season?

I'll be fuming if a single injury occurs to either side

 

[Bluelegs]

I thought the AFL owned Etihad now? Aside from being money hungry pigs, why exactly are they hosting 2 concerts so close to the start of the season?

I'll be fuming if a single injury occurs to either side

Pre-existing contracts. But surely they could have just not scheduled games at etihad for the opening round.

 

[CTHORANGE]

Pre-existing contracts. But surely they could have just not scheduled games at etihad for the opening round.

Common sense has no place in the world of AFL administration, be gone with you!

 

[LeverPuller]

Move it to the 'G, double header!!!

 

[CTHORANGE]

We all know no matter what state the ground is in, it'll be checked off as AFL standard. It could be bare concrete and that would be fine, its just a firm track is all.

 

[mrmonkey]

Looks good to me

 

[JP2]

View attachment 347619
Looks good to me

The digger might be our best match-up against Riewoldt tbh.

 

[Ablett2Garland]

The digger might be our best match-up against Riewoldt tbh.

been upgraded for Garland

 

[PerfectFooty]

been upgraded for Garland

Or Mitch King

idk why but it's really getting to me

 

[CWaffles]

I have been throwing Banana peels over Riewoldts fence for the past few days, hopefully he slips on one.

 

[Spirit of 26]

Move it to the 'G, double header!!!

Tasmania?

 

[PerfectFooty]

I'd be happy to trade our later clash in the season to Etihad, if it means they'll play on a safer surface round 1

 

[DieHardDee]

I'd be happy to trade our later clash in the season to Etihad, if it means they'll play on a safer surface round 1

I would also be happy with this.
I assume scheduling problems will not allow it to happen though.

 

[Xhoquelin]

I've seen someone argue this so I may be rehashing what other people have said, either on BF or Facebook or Demonland. But here is my take on things.
People forget that small forwards are so important in keeping forward pressure for the Saints. There will always be at least three of Minchington, Gresham, Lonie, Sinclair, Billings, and Maverick Weller, even Nathan Wright has been trialled as a forward despite showing a fair amount of promise as a rebounding defender.
Therefore, for at least good portions of the game, one of McCartin, Bruce, Roo and Membrey will be off the ground.
The Saints will be licking their lips if we play guys like Pederson, Watts, Kielty down back, specifically to matchup on a tall. They have their own, impressive mosquito fleet which is highly likely to expose a tall defence.

IMO if we are going to pick extra defenders to matchup on Membrey, Roo and McCartin, they need to be versatile enough to positively impact the offensive part of the game. I can see why people are picking Joel Smith as he has this ability, evidenced by very good performances at Casey.
But we simply don't have enough of these versatile defenders at our club. Garland used to be our own Dale Morris and Frawley showed great skill against small before, but both aren't nearly as good as they used to be/ have left the club.

Hence, I'd follow the Bulldogs blueprint. Forget about picking extra talls if you don't have them. At times, we might have to throw Vince/Melksham/Hunt/Harmes on McCartin or Membrey. This doesn't matter. We need to win the stoppages and keep the ball in our F50 for extended periods of the game. Vandeberg would've been ideal in this sense but Tim Smith or Hannah can also do a job. Need Jeffy and Kent to be applying pressure, and maybe another pest like Bugg/Brayshaw/Johnstone up forward.

Also, stack the midfield. Melksham, Vince, Lewis,Tyson, Viney, Jones, Brayshaw, Petracca, Oliver, Stretch, Salem. All of them should be picked. Some rest forward and apply pressure, others rest back and do their best against their Saints tall opponents. The rest are in the middle, surrounding the stoppages and throwing their weight around. If we win the stoppages we don't need to worry about mismatches occurring on the defensive end.
Last season, not only did we have mismatches, but we were smashed around the stoppages. Game 1 everyone except Jones was too soft around the footy. Game two, Harmes and Brayshaw worked for a bit as tough nuts in the middle but their influence waned and eventually none of the midfielders could touch Jack Steven and Seb Ross.
This season, we are having none of that. If Dom is gonna be soft around the footy drag him to the bench. Lewis and Vince's leadership is gonna be crucial and we really need a big shift from Jones, Viney, Brayshaw and Oliver, guys who've never been averse to throwing their weight around.

Aware this is a long post but I really think, personally, that our midfield is now strong enough. Salem looks strong. Lewis is here. Our crown jewels Trac , Gus and Clarry have gotten through another full pre season. We didn't have these guys, at their current level, at our disposal last season. This season we do. So lets play to our strengths and rip the Saints midfielders a new one.

TL;DR Pick a max of OMac, TMac and Joel Smith. Pick all of our best midfielders. Don't play into the Saints' hands

 

[Bluelegs]

Actually not overly concerned about the whole Hickey v Gawn thing. If you actually look at the stats from last year Gawn broke even in one game and only lost to hickey around the ground in the other. If anything I think St.Kilda killed us with the Third-man up last year. Looking at the stats St.kilda had 9 and 11 hit outs from their non-rucks. With us only having 3 and 7 respectively.

Reckon they will struggle with Gawn now that the rule has been changed.

 

[PerfectFooty]

Just did the best 22 for round 1 and good lord our defence and forward line is a little concerning heading into this match. We really need Kent and Garlett to get up, but even then i can see us having to play weed at the third tall because Pedo might be borrowed in defence to help out with St Kilda's talls. We either need to promote 1 or 2 of the three rookies; T Smith (for forward), J Smith (for defence) or Keilty (for defence) and we haven't heard anything from the club about promoting any of them asides from maybe Joel.

 

[Bluelegs]

St.Kilda favourites now, thank god

 

[LeverPuller]

Actually not overly concerned about the whole Hickey v Gawn thing. If you actually look at the stats from last year Gawn broke even in one game and only lost to hickey around the ground in the other. If anything I think St.Kilda killed us with the Third-man up last year. Looking at the stats St.kilda had 9 and 11 hit outs from their non-rucks. With us only having 3 and 7 respectively.

Reckon they will struggle with Gawn now that the rule has been changed.

Damn, didn't realize that.