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Saturday Night under roof at Etihad Stadium will see the Saints come up against their ‘bogey’ side, Essendon who have won last 4 against the Saints. The last time St Kilda won was Round 8, 2009. Since 2004 it is 6 wins a piece.
St Kilda has some major concerns heading into this week’s clash, their inability to stop sides scoring against them must be causing headaches for all the coaches. So far in 2012 St Kilda has lost 3 games when they’ve scored over 100 points and further 2 games when scoring over 90 points. In previous 3 years this happened on one occasion, Round 19 2009 ironically that was against Essendon. How can a club that has prided itself on its defensive structures all sudden lose forget how it’s done? It might be due to fact majority of their players just don’t have the skills required to play such attacking brand of football and this in turn costs you on rebound.
Essendon will play a very attacking and fast style of game, a lot like North Melbourne but unlike the Roos they will hurt you on turnover earlier and won’t give you second chance. If Saints aren’t switched on early or don’t make it count on scoreboard it could get very ugly very early on.
Michael Hurley, Jobe Watson, Brent Stanton and Stuart Crameri are in career best form and have all taken their game to next level. Hurley has been dominate forward having kicked 11 goals in last 2 games. The Saints will need to shut him down if they are to have anychance.
MEDICAL ROOM
Once again the Saints ruck stocks look like the might have taken a hammering with both backup rucks in Rhys Stanley (hamstring) and Jason Blake (ankle) in some doubt this week. Watters said they will both be accessed today. Apart from those two we are virtually injury free with Jack Newnes (Quad) listed as a test last week so assume he’d be fit to return this week, most likely via VFL. Rookie Warrick Andreoli (shoulder) is only other player on injury list, but that’s likely to change when it gets updated on Tuesday evening.
KEY MATCHUPS
Jobe Watson vs Lenny Hayes – Jobe is kind of player that you can’t seem to tag (bit like Lenny) so maybe we just run the two of them head to head and sit back and enjoy the contest!
Brent Stanton vs Clint Jones – If Jones returns to the side then must get run with role on Stanton who like Dal Santo can never shake the tag.
Michael Hurley/Stuart Crameri vs Sean Dempster/Sam Fisher – Think Crameri maybe under fitness cloud as think he went off injured? With no key defender I honestly have no idea who should play on their key forwards anymore. If Simpkin comes back maybe he takes one of them.
David Hille/Patrick Ryder/Tom Bellchambers vs Ben McEvoy – Reckon its safe to assume the Bombers will play all 3 rucks this week and really try to exploit our weakness, which is lack of rucks and tall defenders. Especially if Rhys Stanley & Jason Blake are out.
CHANGES
The Saints have a few areas of concern at selection table this week. They have been playing players when not 100% fit and not rewarding good VFL form. Justin Koschitzke is clearly player on chopping block after not registering kick, mark or goal and having just 3 handballs for day. He was seen vomiting throughout the game but fact is he hasn’t been in form for couple months. In last 7 games has averaged just 8 disposals and kicked only 5 goals, 3 of which came against Gold Coast. Something needs to be changed and with Beau Wilkes kicking bags every week in VFL and averaging about 4 a game down there its only matter of time that he has to come in. Saving grace for Kosi could be if Stanley & Blake miss with injury as he will be required to give McEvoy some kind of help.
Terry Milera was dropped on Thursday night for what Scott Watters said was drop in form, yet he magically appeared as a late change on Sunday. Question is how can his form have changed all sudden, especially when they took Farren Ray out of squad who has averaged 28 disposals in last 3 VFL games and coming off best on ground 37 dispsosals week before. He will once again push for selection as he gathered another 28 touches and kicked 2 goals in Zebras loss to Port Melbourne.
Ahmed Saad wasn’t himself and it showed that he missed 3 weeks of footy. He’ll be better for the run and will probably keep his place.
Clint Jones & Arryn Siposs were late withdrawals last week due to “general soreness” and Watters has said they’ll be in mix next week.
Tom Simpkin has been missed and had great game playing on Port Melbournes Dean Galea in VFL. He kept him goalless after quarter time after he kicked 3 early goals, 2 of which weren’t due to Simpkin
The issue facing Saints is Sandringham has yet another bye, so whoever they drop won’t have opportunity to play next week so will probably miss next 2 games.
EDIT: Brendon Goddard also likely to come under scrutiny from MRP for hit behind play.
ON CHOPPING BLOCK: Jason Blake (inj), Rhys Stanley (inj), Terry Milera (omit), Justin Koschitkze (omit), Brendon Goddard (susp)
IN CONTENTION: Beau Wilkes, Clint Jones, Arryn Siposs, Tom Simpkin, Farren Ray
Honestly can’t see Saints winning this one and think Essendon will be too strong by about 30 points.
St Kilda has some major concerns heading into this week’s clash, their inability to stop sides scoring against them must be causing headaches for all the coaches. So far in 2012 St Kilda has lost 3 games when they’ve scored over 100 points and further 2 games when scoring over 90 points. In previous 3 years this happened on one occasion, Round 19 2009 ironically that was against Essendon. How can a club that has prided itself on its defensive structures all sudden lose forget how it’s done? It might be due to fact majority of their players just don’t have the skills required to play such attacking brand of football and this in turn costs you on rebound.
Essendon will play a very attacking and fast style of game, a lot like North Melbourne but unlike the Roos they will hurt you on turnover earlier and won’t give you second chance. If Saints aren’t switched on early or don’t make it count on scoreboard it could get very ugly very early on.
Michael Hurley, Jobe Watson, Brent Stanton and Stuart Crameri are in career best form and have all taken their game to next level. Hurley has been dominate forward having kicked 11 goals in last 2 games. The Saints will need to shut him down if they are to have anychance.
MEDICAL ROOM
Once again the Saints ruck stocks look like the might have taken a hammering with both backup rucks in Rhys Stanley (hamstring) and Jason Blake (ankle) in some doubt this week. Watters said they will both be accessed today. Apart from those two we are virtually injury free with Jack Newnes (Quad) listed as a test last week so assume he’d be fit to return this week, most likely via VFL. Rookie Warrick Andreoli (shoulder) is only other player on injury list, but that’s likely to change when it gets updated on Tuesday evening.
KEY MATCHUPS
Jobe Watson vs Lenny Hayes – Jobe is kind of player that you can’t seem to tag (bit like Lenny) so maybe we just run the two of them head to head and sit back and enjoy the contest!
Brent Stanton vs Clint Jones – If Jones returns to the side then must get run with role on Stanton who like Dal Santo can never shake the tag.
Michael Hurley/Stuart Crameri vs Sean Dempster/Sam Fisher – Think Crameri maybe under fitness cloud as think he went off injured? With no key defender I honestly have no idea who should play on their key forwards anymore. If Simpkin comes back maybe he takes one of them.
David Hille/Patrick Ryder/Tom Bellchambers vs Ben McEvoy – Reckon its safe to assume the Bombers will play all 3 rucks this week and really try to exploit our weakness, which is lack of rucks and tall defenders. Especially if Rhys Stanley & Jason Blake are out.
CHANGES
The Saints have a few areas of concern at selection table this week. They have been playing players when not 100% fit and not rewarding good VFL form. Justin Koschitzke is clearly player on chopping block after not registering kick, mark or goal and having just 3 handballs for day. He was seen vomiting throughout the game but fact is he hasn’t been in form for couple months. In last 7 games has averaged just 8 disposals and kicked only 5 goals, 3 of which came against Gold Coast. Something needs to be changed and with Beau Wilkes kicking bags every week in VFL and averaging about 4 a game down there its only matter of time that he has to come in. Saving grace for Kosi could be if Stanley & Blake miss with injury as he will be required to give McEvoy some kind of help.
Terry Milera was dropped on Thursday night for what Scott Watters said was drop in form, yet he magically appeared as a late change on Sunday. Question is how can his form have changed all sudden, especially when they took Farren Ray out of squad who has averaged 28 disposals in last 3 VFL games and coming off best on ground 37 dispsosals week before. He will once again push for selection as he gathered another 28 touches and kicked 2 goals in Zebras loss to Port Melbourne.
Ahmed Saad wasn’t himself and it showed that he missed 3 weeks of footy. He’ll be better for the run and will probably keep his place.
Clint Jones & Arryn Siposs were late withdrawals last week due to “general soreness” and Watters has said they’ll be in mix next week.
Tom Simpkin has been missed and had great game playing on Port Melbournes Dean Galea in VFL. He kept him goalless after quarter time after he kicked 3 early goals, 2 of which weren’t due to Simpkin
The issue facing Saints is Sandringham has yet another bye, so whoever they drop won’t have opportunity to play next week so will probably miss next 2 games.
EDIT: Brendon Goddard also likely to come under scrutiny from MRP for hit behind play.
ON CHOPPING BLOCK: Jason Blake (inj), Rhys Stanley (inj), Terry Milera (omit), Justin Koschitkze (omit), Brendon Goddard (susp)
IN CONTENTION: Beau Wilkes, Clint Jones, Arryn Siposs, Tom Simpkin, Farren Ray
Honestly can’t see Saints winning this one and think Essendon will be too strong by about 30 points.
