Autopsy Round 12, 2024: West Coast v St.Kilda - Optus Stadium - Saturday 1st June, 4.35pm AEST

[gringo2011]

Yeah, the thing that worries me is that Nas walking the ball out of WC's backline all evening was a big factor in us winning last night, but I've still got memories of those Freo players charging straight at him and our other ball users a few weeks ago.
Until we show that we can handle that kind of heat and still be brave instead of bombing it long to make it someone else's problem it's going to be more of the same in the 2nd half of the year I think.

Still, if Henry and Dow continue on their current trajectory since coming back, it will really help Nas, Sincs and Hill a lot and things should logically get better. Especially if Crouch gets back to full fitness. Crouch/Clark/Henry/Dow/Steele is a midfield we simply haven't seen all year.

That ball movement off HB has been one of the few bits that has worked this year IMO. It's the midfield and the inside 50 delivery that's killing us. Having Butler and Snags back helps too. The structure looks better even when they don't get off the chain. We congest ourselves all running at the same ball usually. Having some experienced operators back helps spread the forward line out.

 

[Saintos The ITK]

That ball movement off HB has been one of the few bits that has worked this year IMO. It's the midfield and the inside 50 delivery that's killing us. Having Butler and Snags back helps too. The structure looks better even when they don't get off the chain. We congest ourselves all running at the same ball usually. Having some experienced operators back helps spread the forward line out.

Freo figured us out big time. I’m surprised Melbourne and West Coast didn’t.

 

[luca77]

That ball movement off HB has been one of the few bits that has worked this year IMO. It's the midfield and the inside 50 delivery that's killing us. Having Butler and Snags back helps too. The structure looks better even when they don't get off the chain. We congest ourselves all running at the same ball usually. Having some experienced operators back helps spread the forward line out.

It really broke down in the Freo game and against Geelong when the going got tough. Probably other games too, but I've got morning fog in my brain.
Also it's been harrassed, ugly movement a lot of the time resulting in ugly bombed or grounded entries, or kicks to disadvantage.
I think the stats on F50 entry from the backline are flattering given the scrappy nature of it a lot of the time. Henry and Hill are the kinds of player who can take that ball that has been scrappy on the way there and turn it into something good, so hopefully more ball through them from now on.

 

[Jesuswasacarpenter]

i thought it was pretty straight forward in this game.
If it was St Kilda , it was holding the ball.
if it was the Eagles, it was not.

Yep that's how I saw it.
Also from the other games so this weekend...
T Hawkins signature throw to a teammate boundary side still aloud.

 

[StPiper]

That WCE are a tougher opponent at home than away and so you rate how we went against that and not a 100 point loss away.


Perhaps re-read your post that I replied to? Rather than posts that you wrote that I did not reply to.


Well none of that was in the post I replied too.

However there were some positive signs.

Ball movement improved as the game went on. Disposed improved which to me is a sign of confidence returning.
Dow started to show why we gave hi another chance.
Clark after so long out was impressive.
Sincs should be able to return to HBF fulltime which is where IMO he plays his best football, and where he delivers maximum advantage to us.





Last we over-achieved. This year we are under-achieving for a number of reasons. Our list needs to improvement and they stated last year we would bring in a lot of youth. That takes time.

Sorry if you thought we were a lock for the finals this year. I personally thought that we may sneak in again if everything went right (It hasn't), and that we would not if it did not.

I agree with all of that. Definitely some really positive signs.

You see yesterday’s win as a bit more impressive than I do, which is understandable.

Let’s hope we can roll on with it.

 

[Jesuswasacarpenter]

Good to see the rule interpretation haven’t changed in Perth for the past 30 years then…

The Crows crowd free kick at home has certainly dried up after 30+ years in existence.

 

[Minga]

Great to see Dow and Henry meaningfully contribute to a game together since they’ve come in.

Higgins really stepped up in the second half.

All our runners played pretty well tbh, saw lots of chain ups between Nas, Hill, Wilson, Wood, Sinclair, Henry - looked good. Wood simply exceptional.

David King is spot on about our inside delivery. For years now this has been one of our biggest weaknesses and we will not be a contender until we sort it out. Hardly a new revelation, but very frustrating that the issue persists. Thought we had gotten past this at the start of last season.

Crouch in, Bonner out and Sinclair to HBF would suit us well imo, or something akin to that. I’d like to like Bonner, but I think Sinclair offers more at HB as a double prong with Nas.

Steele with 15 tackles is notable, he worked into the game after a slow start.

As for our kids, Windhager continues to show that he is the game’s best tagger on exposed form.

I’m hungry as all hell for Owens to get back to his brut-ing best, waiting for him to rip a game open.

Wilson we are lucky to have. Led the match for sprint efforts, and was second in distance covered.

Nas still has a couple of bad turnovers a game, but he is the future, that inside 50 kick he had to Hammer (I think) was poetry in motion.

Hammer works hard, frankly, I’m also waiting for him to have a game where he kicks 4.

King remains an under-utilised asset. Is it a coaching issue, a player issue, a delivery issue or a combination of all three from game to game? Suffice to say, the shine has worn off at this point, but a blue chip player he remains. Seems to he down on his aerial prowess and contested marking, I have high expectations on him and would like to see more of it, we know he is capable. Kicked 6 and took like 8 contested marks or something absurd in Perth against the Eagles a few seasons back. At a foundational level though, getting up the field and bringing the ball down to ground is what he needs to continue to do. More contest. Nothing he can do about the subpar delivery, I’ll leave that to the coaches and ball handlers.

Battle, Wilkie and Howard all excellent. I see that we have the Suns next week, curious to see how our back 3 handle their talls.

Suns should make for a good ratcheting up in difficulty.

Ultimately, a fun second half between two teams who aren’t world beaters but competed well to make it a good contest.

Nice to have something to cheer at.

 

[SG34]

Anyone care to say what they thought of Membrey’s return game?

 

[Mangus]

A step forward that last quarter we finally started to move the ball with some purpose.

Windy to the middle on Reid and Sincs back to HB were the match winning moves

I get we needed more class in the midfield but Sincs is more important in the back half - he can pinch hit in the middle if needed but he is not a big clearance winner and he just controls the game when playing HB he just makes the right decisions when to defend when to drop off and which target to hit. Also means opposition have 2 game breaking HB’s to think about with NWM.

Windy was moved out of the midfield at the start of the match because his impact in the middle had been inconsistent and dropping off over the past few weeks, hopefully given a clear job has helped him realise where his strengths are at the moment. Seems he needs to have a baseline starting point of beating his man and work on his game from there.

 

[Miha]

Dougal quietly going about his business very nicely

 

[NasiahToKing]

Dougal quietly going about his business very nicely

this.

Been good since coming back.

 

[Saints TV]

Good to do one of these after a win!

What did we all learn from yesterday?

 

[malevu]

You can't underscore the significance of fitness and confidence to players who have been out 6 weeks or so. When they are named back in the team it's easy to say, great we are back to full strength. But it often takes them 3-4 games to return to peak fitness and regain their touch.

Players like Wood, Henry, Clark, Howard and Dow are now starting to perform as we hoped. Add Crouch and Butler to that list soon hopefully.

If we can have a better run on the injury front, the second half of the season may not be as bleak as many have predicted.

 

[BrutThough]

Anyone care to say what they thought of Membrey’s return game?

Invisible/Terrible for 3 quarters but had some good moments in the last quarter when we needed it.

Hard to judge overall whether he is cooked or just a victim of us playing too many talls since he got more involved once we went down to 3.

 

[TheJackal]

Can we talk about NAS?

Sure, I'd like to talk about how diabolical he is in front of goal when he is so sublime in other parts of the field.

It's a common issue many players have, but it's like his laser just deserts him in when aiming at a 6.4m wide target

 

[BrutThough]

Dougal quietly going about his business very nicely

Despite all the focus being on Battle's contract, I'd also like to get Dougal's done.

Solid 200cm KPDs dont grow on trees. We are fortunate to have a good set up with the 3 key backs all complimenting each other. and playing well as a unit.

 

[The Cobra]

Anyone care to say what they thought of Membrey’s return game?

Hanging on by the fingernails - signs aren’t good - looks gone - hope I’m wrong

 

[Pardon me]

Really don't think it was Max, it was Reid getting shut down which let our midfield get on top. Max King would have had 6 goals if we'd delivered to him like we did in the last quarter.

Thought big Maxy was good.

100% mate.

Win the midfield, get first use and your forwards feast.

Windy won’t get the recognition he deserves in the media for the role he played but inside the four walls will know and that’s all that matters.

 

[Miha]

Despite all the focus being on Battle's contract, I'd also like to get Dougal's done.

Solid 200cm KPDs dont grow on trees. We are fortunate to have a good set up with the 3 key backs all complimenting each other. and playing well as a unit.

Agreed, clubs will be looking at him for sure

 

[RobbieMuir]

Clark just has some tangibles you cant teach.

His ability to weave through traffic and get contested ball.

If it wasn't already evident he clearly made our midfield better

If the grand final was played in a phone booth, Clark would win the Norm Smith medal!

 

[PJays]

NWM quietly becoming a star. The only game he dominated was against Collingwood but he's amongst our best every week.

Leading St Kilda in disposals, effective disposals, effective kicks, rebound 50s,
2nd in metres gained,
3rd in intercepts
5th in disposal and kicking efficiency,
7th in score involvements (despite playing half back)
Only 7th in clangers despite getting so much of the ball.

Just a joy to watch though. Loves to run. 27 bounces and the next highest Saint has 6. Reminiscent of many great indigenous players.

 

[Joffaboy]

Despite all the focus being on Battle's contract, I'd also like to get Dougal's done.

Solid 200cm KPDs dont grow on trees. We are fortunate to have a good set up with the 3 key backs all complimenting each other. and playing well as a unit.

Last year for a while he was top ten in the league for accuracy by foot. Always reliable coming out of defence to hit a target.
His issue was he always seemed to do a really dumb mistake to cost a goal or give away a really soft free.
Seems to have got that out of his game. Also helps the backline is working beautifully with Battle, Wilks and Jimmy so solid down back.
But easily his best form for us in the backline since he was traded to us.

On SM-S908E using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Miha]

Last year for a while he was top ten in the league for accuracy by foot. Always reliable coming out of defence to hit a target.
His issue was he always seemed to do a really dumb mistake to cost a goal or give away a really soft free.
Seems to have got that out of his game. Also helps the backline is working beautifully with Battle, Wilks and Jimmy so solid down back.
But easily his best form for us in the backline since he was traded to us.

On SM-S908E using BigFooty.com mobile app

Funnily enough, when Kane Cornes was pressed on SEN recently for never going hard on Port, his one example where he expressed his displeasure with the club was trading Dougal

 

[PJays]

NWM quietly becoming a star. The only game he dominated was against Collingwood but he's amongst our best every week.

Leading St Kilda in disposals, effective disposals, effective kicks, rebound 50s,
2nd in metres gained,
3rd in intercepts
5th in disposal and kicking efficiency,
7th in score involvements (despite playing half back)
Only 7th in clangers despite getting so much of the ball.

Just a joy to watch though. Loves to run. 27 bounces and the next highest Saint has 6. Reminiscent of many great indigenous players.

In fact he's 5th in the AFL in bounces
2nd in effective kicks
6th in metres gained
9th in rebound 50s

If St Kilda wins more games on the run home he should be in the AA conversation based on those numbers

Not bad for someone who turned 21 in February

 

[SaintTwitch]