Autopsy Round 14, 2022: St.Kilda v Essendon *SPUD'S GAME*

[Cairnsman]

always going to stretch us, hindsight is a marvellous thing but Hunter was always going to struggle and so the midfield just needed another 1 or 2 midfielders off their tucker and we were ripe for the picking. need to have some luck with injuries from here and if that happens and we can add steele to this side and some players like Billings can pull their finger out and we can find the instructions on how to use King then who knows what can happen with this soft bunch of marshmallows.

 

[St Bongo]

I would like to hear an explanation for that performance from the coach. No BS excuses, no cliches, no weasel words, an actual EXPLANATION.
I think after being a supporter for over 50 years and a card carrying, paid up member for over 30 of those years, I'm owed one.
It was evident from the first bounce that Essendon were up and about and our players were not.
The final kick stats were even but the overall possession stats were 50 in their favour, that 50 being handballs. Sometimes a high handball count like that is a sign of a team overusing the ball (St Kilda anyone?) or having to handball out of pressure all the time, but in this game it was because the Essendon players ran all over the Saints, giving their team mates with the ball multiple forward and overlap handball options. And our blokes just loped around hoping for a turnover and an easy possession.
There is something seriously wrong with this group that when there is a game against a more fancied opponent in an otherwise normal game, they can lift and win, ie Geelong, Fremantle, but when there is a game they are overwhelmingly expected to win, they go missing. Add in the element of a themed game/round, Maddies Vision, Spuds Game, Good Friday etc and they soil their nappies. That is an indication of not being able to get themselves in the right head space.

 

[True Blue Saint]

Peter Wright going well, he was one being talked up as a possible pick #1 for us in that 2014 draft wasn't he? Could have had him or Petracca or Lever or Brayshaw or Weller. We took Petracca and didn't even keep him on the list though.

Yes my melts are getting wildly off topic, but that is what this club has driven me to.

I wish we did.

 

[Dr Spaceman]

Well I suppose on some level these Spud Games are working by ensuring the Saints members and supporters know exactly what it’s like to be extremely depressed, totally lost and completely without hope

 

[gringo2011]

Time for Patto to have a rest? 66% game time for 8 touches, 0 tackles, 22 metres gained.

Webster and Patto were both struggling. Massimo Drambuie playing his first game look 10 times better. Even Hind looked better than the lot put together.

 

[Veer Right]

IN

Leinert
Mckenzie
Owens
Sharman

Out

Howard - low I.Q and lazy
Clark - slow
Higgins - slow
Paton - needs to do more, no dash

More from tonight..

Gresham - short stumpy legs/tackled easily
Crouch - slow
Marshall can't run/carrying an injury
Jones slow
Ross average
Long has speed and goes missing
Butler ditto
Hill has it but has gone back to his worst self in recent weeks

The team can carry so many slow pokes before things break down. We couldn't use the centre corridor coming out of defence because we were getting owned.

tldr

Our list still needs work. We need more running power.

 

[botts]

Fcuk me Rowan marshal is so bloody overrated

 

[Cairnsman]

is Gresham a fraud ?

 

[Stan_Darsh72]

This club needs to fix its issues with Friday nights.

Cannot shit the bed like that

 

[Pakenhamsaint]

You could tell early on we were not up to it.

 

[phantom13]

10 minutes

I reckon it was closer to 7 but we can round up.

 

[gringo2011]

Yep battle was the only one who could hold his head up high

Gresham was the only thing that got us back into the game. He was a one man midfield and scored most of our goals. Scored as much as Snags and King combined.

 

[Xxxx66]

None of our four ins were great - Clark, Billings, NWM and Byrnes were all underwhelming, D Mac, Wood, Steele and Windhager back in next week.

Billings was ok, Nas missed targets, Hunter just lacks urgency and I I don't think Ronny has the tools to make the leap from VFL to afl

 

[denisp]

Even taking that into account, there was 0 effort displayed. And that's a problem.

Fcuk me Rowan marshal is so bloody overrated

Playing injured for sure

 

[biggiemediums]

What a pathetic perfomance. Should hand their heads in shame.

Sorry to intrude; but this is a great typo. I'm very high and just imagining a whole team handing their heads over to the coach in shame.

 

[Greshs Eye]

what to say. Utterly deflating and unacceptable team performance. Absolutely stepping through the motions, less lateral movement that witches hats. This was as tough a watch as I've had in years. Completely lacking dare or hunger. Absolutely sleep walking. Membrey, Battle, Long, probably earn a pass. We will be butchered by sides in the coming weeks unless we mentally tune up. Confidence is shot it seems. Im just fuming and speechless. Sorry to vent everyone. I hate essendon filth.

 

[Dard Ball Get]

Am I the only one that thinks Hunter Clark is far from the finished product?

His body shape doesn't seem to have changed at all since he came to the club. He shows sporadic flashes of brilliance then seems to go periods without influencing the contest at all. He's also a passenger when it comes to the defensive side of the game. I reckon I can count on one hand the amount of games where he's been consistent throughout 4 quarters.

No you’re spot on. His body shape is inexcusable for his years in the system. Look at Daicos’ rig in his first season.

 

[denisp]

what to say. Utterly deflating and unacceptable team performance. Absolutely stepping through the motions, less lateral movement that witches hats. This was as tough a watch as I've had in years. Completely lacking dare or hunger. Absolutely sleep walking. Membrey, Battle, Long, probably earn a pass. We will be butchered by sides in the coming weeks unless we mentally tune up. Confidence is shot it seems. Im just fuming and speechless. Sorry to vent everyone. I hate essendon filth.

Yea mate it was fkd - not much else to say really

 

[MightySaint]

My main worry is that a lot of this group are just not afl finals standard players: Howard, Butler, Byrnes, Billings, Jones, Long from the current team at minimum.
I don't believe the players don't try or give their best. All of them likely it all out on the ground. Can't overcome a lack of talent unfortunately.

 

[Dard Ball Get]

Fcuk me Rowan marshal is so bloody overrated

Clearly injured. But yes he’s been poor

 

[True Blue Saint]

No you’re spot on. His body shape is inexcusable for his years in the system. Look at Daicos’ rig in his first season.
View attachment 1426576

That's mental.

 

[Xxxx66]

Gresham was the only thing that got us back into the game. He was a one man midfield and scored most of our goals. Scored as much as Snags and King combined.

The gap between his best and worst within the same game is too wide. Got caught lairising too often early in the game

 

[Sainterman]

Playing injured for sure

Thing is, if he is playing injured then that is simply more stupidity from the coaches. Has had a very ordinary year, has he been injured the whole way through?

 

[Saint Shags]

Insipid and lazy. They expected it to just happen. Werent willing to bust a gut and it showed.
Real questions need to be asked about leadership out on field. Gresh tried but we need so much more.

Jones, Butler, Higgins, Howard. I'd rather play others in front of them after tonight.
Hell Membrey is skating on thin ice.
Marshall needs to be rested. Get his body right.
Hopefully Billings wants a trade at the end of the season.
Giving Clark a pass based on it being his first game back.

 

[Verdun66]

I never go into games expecting to win. Followed us for too long. But I expected a lot better than that. Looked like a team who have never played together before. Very disappointing.