Preview Round 13 2024 AFL Season: St.Kilda Saints v Gold Coast Suns, Saturday 8th of June 7:30pm, Marvel Stadium

[Sully111]

It's impossible to really judge our forwards right now.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Obviously the 77.3% is an anomoly, I wonder if its for players with such high uncontested levels?

Surely you can see the guy (Bonner) cant DEFEND and playing a HBF role irrefutably has to be his first job. The ball has lived in our defensive zone for most of the year and I cant recall one occasion when he has gone back with the flight or laid a game stopping tackle or spoil. I am not relying on stats its the old 'eye test' and we simply cant rely on him to win a one on one contest on the rare occasions he is matched up on an opponent. If we didnt need Sinclair in the midfield I doubt he gets a game, so I guess its a moot point to some degree.

Having said the above I would much prefer to be getting games into players with a future like Hastie or Shoenmaker, if not them then Paton for me provides a hard edge we are missing in defence.

We don't need Sinclair in the mid-field.
Its not like Sydney moving Heeney to the mid-field. He goes OK and that's all.
So we've taken "excellent" out of one are for ordinary in another.
Lets put him back where he's excellent, and play Hall , or whoever in the midfield.

 

[MOLTEN GANGLANDS]

We don't need Sinclair in the mid-field.
Its not like Sydney moving Heeney to the mid-field. He goes OK and that's all.
So we've taken "excellent" out of one are for ordinary in another.
Lets put him back where he's excellent, and play Hall , or whoever in the midfield.

agree, he and we looked much better with NAS/Sinclair coming off HBF, compared to the NAS/Bonner combo..

only thing I'd say re sincs is he goes about his work quietly in the midfield, without properly watching the footage it's hard to say how effective he has been

 

[SteeleSaints]

We don't need Sinclair in the mid-field.
Its not like Sydney moving Heeney to the mid-field. He goes OK and that's all.
So we've taken "excellent" out of one are for ordinary in another.
Lets put him back where he's excellent, and play Hall , or whoever in the midfield.

I agree his best position is HBF, but we have needed him in the midfiled at times we have had no one. It doesnt matter how good a HBF he is if we are getting smashed out of the middle he would be just watching the ball going over his head. Now we have Dow, Clark and Crouch back we all hope Sincs can move back to his HBF. I think RTB will still use him for brief stints in the centre like he did last year.

 

[Desperate saint]

Supporters contradict themselves if they want Sharman to replace Bonner.

Sharman is without doubt a VFL player and not capable at AFL level.

Why all of this negative focus on Bonner but then calls for a VFL grade player to be selected. It's time to move past Sharman as he won't improve us as he's been gifted 40 odd games to prove himself and just hasn't even come close.

still young- Sharman will make it lock him into the fwd line he did kick 3 in a final

 

[Cairnsman]

hayes i think is 5-6 weeks off.

I fear Hayes won't make it at AFL level due to his body letting him down, will be a crying shame if that happens because he is a brilliant prototype for a forward/ruck.

 

[Bill Crouse]

Gold Coast @ Marvel
Brisbane @ Gabba
Port @ Marvel
Sydney @ Marvel
Adelaide @ AO
WC @ Marvel
Essendon @ Marvel
Brisbane @ Marvel
Richmond @ Marvel
Geelong @ Marvel
Carlton @ Marvel

Only need 9 wins

When you put it like that, it doesn't seem that bad. I don't think we are any chance of winning at the Gabba, but I really don't think most of those teams are that good. We aren't any good either, but it says a lot about the quality of teams this year if Essendon are 2nd after 12 rounds.

 

[Cairnsman]

Ha ... talk about cherry picking

Let's pick one side who have recently beaten 4 sides outside the 8 .... sitting 11th, 13th 14th 15th

Let's look at the forward lines of sides inside the 8 and just outside the 8

Swans - McDonald, Amarty, McLean
Essendon - Wright, Langford, Jones
Geelong - Hawkins, Cameron, Neale
Port - Dixon, Marshall, Finalyson
Carlton - Curnow, McKay, De Koning
Fremantle - Amiss, Treacy, Jackson
GWS - Hogan, Cadman, Riccardi
Gold Coast - King, Lukosius, Walter
Dogs - Naughton, JU-H, Darcy

Also Plugger wasn't our problem .... our problem was having a one man midfield (Harvey) and leaking a score more than Plugger could kick.

whoa...that's fair strawman you've built there.

 

[Diehard Saint]

We don't need Sinclair in the mid-field.
Its not like Sydney moving Heeney to the mid-field. He goes OK and that's all.
So we've taken "excellent" out of one are for ordinary in another.
Lets put him back where he's excellent, and play Hall , or whoever in the midfield.

With Crouch and Clark back in and now Dow, I’m leaving Sincs in the position he excels. All he needs to do now is get a move on with that mullet.

 

[Premium]

I fear Hayes won't make it at AFL level due to his body letting him down, will be a crying shame if that happens because he is a brilliant prototype for a forward/ruck.

They could well right him off , it's a pity because if he was sound he would of been a very useful player.

 

[seasonedsainter]

Crouch should be in this week.

If he's AFL fit you'd think so yeah. Some of the comments around his movement between contests in the VFL gave me pause.

 

[Cairnsman]

They could well right him off , it's a pity because if he was sound he would of been a very useful player.

It will break my heart if he doesn't make it, he's just a ripping guy and one of the most honest hard working players that plays the game the right way and actually when he's got going in those brief moments he's been quite brilliant. Fingers cross he has some luck soon with his body.

 

[Cairnsman]

still young- Sharman will make it lock him into the fwd line he did kick 3 in a final

the problem with his finals performance is it was 14 games in the rear vision mirror., he's averaging 1 ok performance every 15 or so games, just not up to it unfortunately, will he make it, my personal view is he doesn't look like he's comfortable at the level.

 

[Sarcoidevo]

whoa...that's fair strawman you've built there.

You cherry picked one side who sit outside the 8 who have recently beaten other teams that .... sit outside the 8 .... I listed 9 better teams to blow your argument out of the water

Claiming Caminiti makes our midfield better is mind blowing dumb .... adding Clark makes our midfield better, getting games into Dow makes our midfield better, bringing in a fit Crouch makes our midfield better

In the last quarter Caminiti was directly involved in one chain where we got a goal ... a handball receive which he gave to Butler who threw it to Snags for a snap goal.

I like Caminiti ... I like his desperation .... but he is not the answer as our key forward saviour going forward ... he is a honest battler in the Mihocek mould but currently without the guile and the goal kicking craft.

Our biggest issue in the forwardline is our lack of quality smalls .... Higgins is playing a lone hand at the moment and needs help .... find a 2nd zippy, crafty, accurate kicking small forward who is a good mark overhead and our forwardline will be a damn sight better

 

[beside the seaside]

At some stage we have to have a look at Arie don't we?

 

[Desperate saint]

With Crouch and Clark back in and now Dow, I’m leaving Sincs in the position he excels. All he needs to do now is get a move on with that mullet.

the beauty about sincs is he is great defensively one on one if he needs to be- Bonner has not got a defensive bone in his body

 

[beside the seaside]

Witts out is a bonus.

 

[Sarcoidevo]

It certainly is

 

[Saintscomemarchingin]

With Witts likely to miss again, might be worth giving Heath a debut & see how he matches up against another young Ruckman in Moyle.
Then gives Marshall the chance to rest forward.
Ins. Crouch & Heath
Outs. Membrey & Ross

 

[pebblesofsand]

With Witts likely to miss again, might be worth giving Heath a debut & see how he matches up against another young Ruckman in Moyle.
Then gives Marshall the chance to rest forward.
Ins. Crouch & Heath
Outs. Membrey & Ross

Underestimating Moyle. He can more than hold his own at AFL level.

Averaging 15 possessions, 31 hitouts and 5 clearances in his games this year.

 

[Sarcoidevo]

Howard Battle Wilkie & Webster to do a tight job on King Lukosius Walter & Long

Windy to take out Anderson or Miller and Steele Clark Dow Crouch & Henry to get busy

Higgo 3rd game back should be sharper with King Owens Hammer & Membrey to be handful up aireally up forward

Wood, Wilson Nas Hill & Sincs to run all day front to back & back to front

And its at Marvel

 

[Premium]

Check out GWS and Carlton’s ladder position and record this time last year… they both made the prelim, ain’t over till it’s over sainters!
View attachment 2010429

I really thought we would have a chance this year to even push for the top 4.
However not having a midfield has cost us badly and without getting your hands on the ball first any type of game plan is rooted.

Other things that have cost us , Crouch to me is a huge out knowing he always gets his fair share of the ball.
King not really delivering the goods - but then again he still has not played 3 continuous games this season hampered by suspension and injury.

Henry not playing has cost us with his slippery skills , even losing Higgins for 3 games ensured we would kick less goals than we usually do.

Clark , Dow not being ready also didn't help.

Add on Wood doing his collar bone at the start of the year and Webster getting reported and missing the best part of the start of the year.

These are excuses for sure but you take out 6 first team role players out of any side and it will hurt.

Crouch , Webster , Clark , Wood , Henry , Dow , Butler - you could add on Hayes as well but he seems to have difficulties staying sound.

For sure they are not superstars but they are very good role players and mesh everything together.

Hopefully we can get a steady 22 to stay on the park and Lyon and get his game plan working.

 

[Premium]

Underestimating Moyle. He can more than hold his own at AFL level.

Averaging 15 possessions, 31 hitouts and 5 clearances in his games this year.

Moyle is probably a better ruckman than Marshall - I'd love Heath to get a run but really if we are bringing in a ruck it has to be the best we have and that's Campbell.
Heath will get there but in terms of ruckmen he is still raw and young - another full season in the 2s will be good for his development.

 

[Diehard Saint]

With Witts likely to miss again, might be worth giving Heath a debut & see how he matches up against another young Ruckman in Moyle.
Then gives Marshall the chance to rest forward.
Ins. Crouch & Heath
Outs. Membrey & Ross

At some stage we have to try Heath surely?
Sounds like he’s doing well at Sandy.

 

[Cairnsman]

You cherry picked one side who sit outside the 8 who have recently beaten other teams that .... sit outside the 8 .... I listed 9 better teams to blow your argument out of the water

Claiming Caminiti makes our midfield better is mind blowing dumb .... adding Clark makes our midfield better, getting games into Dow makes our midfield better, bringing in a fit Crouch makes our midfield better

In the last quarter Caminiti was directly involved in one chain where we got a goal ... a handball receive which he gave to Butler who threw it to Snags for a snap goal.

I like Caminiti ... I like his desperation .... but he is not the answer as our key forward saviour going forward ... he is a honest battler in the Mihocek mould but currently without the guile and the goal kicking craft.

Our biggest issue in the forwardline is our lack of quality smalls .... Higgins is playing a lone hand at the moment and needs help .... find a 2nd zippy, crafty, accurate kicking small forward who is a good mark overhead and our forwardline will be a damn sight better

I'd have Mihocek over King in the blink of an eye. Is incredibly durable and always available for selection, is really strong in aerial contests and an accurate kick for goal and is very strong defensively. A very underrated footballer and possibly the best value for money player in the past 10 years.

Premierships aren't won with Messiahs which we have proved over the past 50 or so years. King is not the weapon he was expected to be and after 6 years in the system is yet to have his breakout that catches the eye of the competition.

I'm frustrated and concerned in equal doses and I'm certainly becoming concerned with the excuses he is still afforded.

Hopefully he can turn it on soon and meet the lofty expectations when he was crowned Winx and bestowed the number 12 guernsey.