Preview Round 17, 2023: St.Kilda v Melbourne - Marvel Stadium, Saturday 8th July, 7:25PM AEST *STEELE 150TH*

[Saints4ever]

Wasn’t confident against eagles
Confident against the Dees
Not confident against the Suns.
It’s a funny comp

 

[Saints4ever]

Also really hoping Hunter Clark

11

Hunter Clark

Age

25

Ht

186cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.5

4star

K

9.5

4star

HB

8.0

5star

M

3.6

4star

T

2.9

4star

CL

1.3

3star

D

16.0

4star

K

9.6

4star

HB

6.4

4star

M

3.1

3star

T

2.9

4star

CL

1.9

4star

D

13.2

4star

K

6.6

3star

HB

6.6

4star

M

2.2

3star

T

2.0

4star

CL

0.0

1star

returns this week.
Last night I couldn’t sleep and I wanted to watch some enjoyable saints footy so I put on the reply of round 2 vs the dogs.
Only made it through the first qtr but Hunter was instrumental in setting up a lot of our plays.
I think we’ve all forgotten how good Hunter was at the start of the year and we’ve underestimated how much we would miss him through injury.
Can’t wait to he’s back.

 

[gringo2011]

Can see May and lever marking everything. We need the Gresham grubbers coming into the forward line rather than the Ross airballs

Hunter Clark is a fine user of the mung-kick inside 50. He knows how to scrub them in to advantage when there isn't a good aerial target. Hopefully we get him and Could-go-anywhere Jones roosting them inside 50.

 

[LuckyBounce!]

Of course Oliver will be ready to come back this week!

 

[aussierulesrules]

Of course Oliver will be ready to come back this week!

Winning clearances and contested possessions hasn’t been an issue in his absence though.

On the weekend they won centre clearances an incredible 14-2 and total clearances by 19 (which would be close to a record), while also winning CP’s by over 40, yet they still kicked just 5 goals, and lost!

 

[EddieMurphy]

Definitely. They’re leading goalscorer for the last few years and this year. And their next best in Pickett has only kicked 8 goals in the last 7 games, while the one who’s kicked their 3rd most for the year got dropped last week (Van Rooyen).

Their forwardline this week will presumably be the weakest on paper in the comp. With the yips to boot.

Unless they turn their goal scoring around in a big way on what they’ve been doing this is an incredible opportunity for us to potentially go a win clear into 4th, with 5 distinctly winnable games to follow.

Doesn't matter how weak it is, playing us expect a return to form. 3+ from Trac, Big Boner Brown to snag 4 or 5.

 

[beside the seaside]

Of course Oliver will be ready to come back this week!

Doesn't sound like he's certain to play. Has to get through fitness tests.

 

[George]

Hope Oliver misses. Fritsch out helps too.

 

[Saints4ever]

To be the best you have to beat the best.
Bring on Oliver no excuses

 

[austinnn]

Grip mark on the knob area very telling

I wonder what Ross saw on that bin. Bet it was a half eaten packet of CCs and he was debating whether or not to grab it.

 

[St Kilda Death]

After all this media on demons kicking woes, we probably allow them half as many inside 50s and they will kick 12.2 or some such, a majority of shots from the boundary 45 out.

Hopefully we kick at least 11.9 though!

 

[Jesuswasacarpenter]

Reckon we'll beat the Dees. Can't show up to a game against division 4 bush league footballers but will turn it on against a top four side. We're bipolar, it's in our nature.

Saints by 27.

Bipolar is so underated!

 

[Jesuswasacarpenter]

Think we'll win. If the bookies have us at decent odds I'll be backing us.

What's you preferred choice of seasoning?

 

[Saints4ever]

Bipolar is so underated!

100% agree absolute words of wisdom, oh what a load of crap why would you even post such crap

 

[Jesuswasacarpenter]

Jones had a heap of the ball in the two's, reckon he's back. Hotton & McKenzie didn't have alot of the ball, but would inject further speed into our same/same slow midfield.
Time to inject the Heath into the team. Just sit him in the goal-square, if our bombs somehow get out the back, he will mark it & won't miss as he's a dead eye dick.
King Cordy for Battle.

The Cordy bit x

 

[Jesuswasacarpenter]

Coz I have been upgraded to the beast...which I never knew was a thing.
I would like to celebrate the achievement...
Pm me you mailing addresses for a Herbal remedy reward.OZ post are gold star at delivering the organic outdoor. Whoever has made me x.
And Gringo I will make sure you get some too

 

[joydivision22]

Listening to sen (Daniel Hoyne) who kindly pointed out the bottom 4 midfielders in the comp for disposals leading to scores. Three of the bottom four -in the league- are Ross, Steele and Crouch (dead last).

We have the three worst on ballers in the league (atm) all playing in the same midfield.

Whilst that would normally translate to a 200pt loss to Melb, if we just play all three pure defensive mid and go super stinge defensive set up, we could rely on turnover chains off half back but hill battling is a worry with that theory. Just need to avoid using our three liabilities on turnover somehow. NWM will need to play the game of his life for us to get close I think

 

[George]

Coz I have been upgraded to the beast...which I never knew was a thing.
I would like to celebrate the achievement...
Pm me you mailing addresses for a Herbal remedy reward.OZ post are gold star at delivering the organic outdoor. Whoever has made me x.
And Gringo I will make sure you get some too

Are you cooked chief

 

[austinnn]

Listening to sen (Daniel Hoyne) who kindly pointed out the bottom 4 midfielders in the comp for disposals leading to scores. Three of the bottom four -in the league- are Ross, Steele and Crouch (dead last).

We have the three worst on ballers in the league (atm) all playing in the same midfield.

Whilst that would normally translate to a 200pt loss to Melb, if we just play all three pure defensive mid and go super stinge defensive set up, we could rely on turnover chains off half back but hill battling is a worry with that theory. Just need to avoid using our three liabilities on turnover somehow. NWM will need to play the game of his life for us to get close I think

What the hell has happened to Jack Steele? I know he's never been The Flash or Superman but he was at various times our leading midfielder, leading tackler, handy goalkicker, Brownlow candidate, hardest trainer, example setter...

Is it his (non) injury, or short rehab? Is it his weight loss from past playing weight? Is it his relationship with RTB? Something is badly wrong here, he's an imposter right now.

He and Rowan Marshall used to be our most valuable players a short time ago. Now they are both barely serviceable. (Yes Marshall is getting his hands on the ball a lot and is influencing the game, but his rucking is crap and his disposals are mostly blind kicks or slow loopy handballs to a contest.) Neither of them are showing the leadership we need right now. We need to fix them both to stand a chance in finals.

 

[seasonedsainter]

Hunter and Jones could make a big difference to the current midfield setup of plodders. Great to see Fritsch and his hair not playing and Oliver will be underdone if he plays. Putting a monkey on us h2h, a wee fancy at overs plus anchoring us in a multi-game. Go Saints!!

 

[stfan]

Hunter and Jones could make a big difference to the current midfield setup of plodders. Great to see Fritsch and his hair not playing and Oliver will be underdone if he plays. Putting a monkey on us h2h, a wee fancy at overs plus anchoring us in a multi-game. Go Saints!!

Yes Oliver spent some time in hospital, and so no foubt will have lost a lot of condition.

 

[Saintbloke]

I'm expecting to see yet another game where opposition midfielders running full pace, get a clean disposal of the centre..we're going to have to do something about it.

 

[pebblesofsand]

Listening to sen (Daniel Hoyne) who kindly pointed out the bottom 4 midfielders in the comp for disposals leading to scores. Three of the bottom four -in the league- are Ross, Steele and Crouch (dead last).

We have the three worst on ballers in the league (atm) all playing in the same midfield.

Whilst that would normally translate to a 200pt loss to Melb, if we just play all three pure defensive mid and go super stinge defensive set up, we could rely on turnover chains off half back but hill battling is a worry with that theory. Just need to avoid using our three liabilities on turnover somehow. NWM will need to play the game of his life for us to get close I think

Given we are 5th with 9 wins, that would suggest our game plan is built around differing strengths of our list than other teams and us having the "worst" three onballers on in the league in one particular stat is not that relevant.

What you've described is pretty much how we have been playing, fold back win the ball off half back and then score either directly through a fast break or through subsequent retention of the ball in the forward half.

That's the way we play because that suits the skill set of our list, Melbourne's game plan relies on winning the ball at stoppages and getting inside 50 as many times as possible because they need to since their forward line ATM is kind of shite.

Out of curiosity, did he mention the top 4 in the league?

 

[bergholt]

Unless they turn their goal scoring around in a big way

Hope you were touching wood when you said that!

Reversion to the mean is a thing. Their goalkicking isn't that bad so they'll have a better goalkicking game at some point, let's hope it's not this week.

 

[Jesuswasacarpenter]

Are you cooked chief

I was ...well roasted.