Preview Round 2, 2022: Fremantle v St.Kilda - Optus Stadium, Sunday 27th March, 6:20PM AEDT

[MordySaint]

With respect to all my fellow Saints supporters.

Lets get back to analyzing how the F## we are going to win this game.

 

[Premium]

I think that's where Dunstan hurts, he was usually our best or second best clearance mid in the second half of the year, if he was quiet it was usually a player sitting on him and that still left room for Steele to break away. When you get Jones or another mid like Crouch playing well you make it hard for sides to hold you. Gresham and Sinclair need to cover for for Jones and Dunny.

Dunstan's job was to get clearances so it is fully expected he had to be higher than anyone else being a inside mid, but getting a clearance to the opposition is why he not at the club and now we are attempting to find a clearance winner who can actually get the to our advantage.
This is Bytel spot but he is no where to be seen and Hunter the same so Gresham better come good because Jones is gone as well.
If Dunstan was still at the club he would most probably be playing because our inside mids are all missing.
He might of been 5th off the rank but he would be the man now due to the missing in action players.
Sinclair could be a game changer because his disposal is better than any of the mids we have.
But lets see what Ratten comes up with.

Once again it comes down to depth and this is one area we know we lack depth and playing kids like Owens is like taking a lamb to slaughter.

 

[bird_man]

We really should be winning this game with no Fyfe and no Tabenar

 

[gringo2011]

Dunstan's job was to get clearances so it is fully expected he had to be higher than anyone else being a inside mid, but getting a clearance to the opposition is why he not at the club and now we are attempting to find a clearance winner who can actually get the to our advantage.
This is Bytel spot but he is no where to be seen and Hunter the same so Gresham better come good because Jones is gone as well.
If Dunstan was still at the club he would most probably be playing because our inside mids are all missing.
He might of been 5th off the rank but he would be the man now due to the missing in action players.
Sinclair could be a game changer because his disposal is better than any of the mids we have.
But lets see what Ratten comes up with.

Once again it comes down to depth and this is one area we know we lack depth and playing kids like Owens is like taking a lamb to slaughter.

I hope they persist with Sincs in there, he's got star potential. Rory Laird moved from his starring HB role and now plays as an elite mid. He's probably still the most underrated player in footy. Came 11 in stats insider player ratings last year. 13 in final siren's list.

 

[Premium]

I hope they persist with Sincs in there, he's got star potential. Rory Laird moved from his starring HB role and now plays as an elite mid. He's probably still the most underrated player in footy. Came 11 in stats insider player ratings last year. 13 in final siren's list.

I don't know what they will do but people saying we have no game plan and structure surely don't realize it starts from the midfield and if your chasing tail from there everyone is under the pump.
Steele does his job , Crouch is passable but the 3rd guy can not be a liability or the whole midfield falls to bits.
Marshall is the guy who will help improve the midfield but Gresham or Sinclair next to step up.

 

[aussierulesrules]

We really should be winning this game with no Fyfe and no Tabenar

$2.66 to $1.48 suggests otherwise.

 

[Premium]

I fully expect Highmore to be playing this week and Sharman - Kent was given his chance because he was the best player basically in the Sandringham trials - but he showed he just is not good enough when the heat is on sorry to say.
Byrne had a shocker and he needs to get his mojo back at Sandringham.
The only thing is but can you carry Hayes , King , Membery , Sharman , Wood all in the same forward line - so Wood will most likely be the wingman.

 

[Sun Ra]

Who said he does, you said we had no “backup” for Marshall. Marshall is the no. 1. Hayes was his backup and was voted 3rd or 4th best on ground.

Hope he gets a Brownlow vote from his first game.

 

[Sun Ra]

I fully expect Highmore to be playing this week and Sharman - Kent was given his chance because he was the best player basically in the Sandringham trials - but he showed he just is not good enough when the heat is on sorry to say.
Byrne had a shocker and he needs to get his mojo back at Sandringham.
The only thing is but can you carry Hayes , King , Membery , Sharman , Wood all in the same forward line - so Wood will most likely be the wingman.

I admire how positive you are. But......I don't know what to say. Are you a .bot from the club's media unit ? I don't know really......

 

[Premium]

I admire how positive you are. But......I don't know what to say. Are you a .bot from the club's media unit ? I don't know really......

I look forward to the football every year and after years of seeing the struggle with players below par we now have the talented youth in the team to really have a good crack.
We only have a hand full of older players like Membery , Webster , Ross , Hill and Crouch who really should all be in there prime being around the 28 mark and our main core are just starting to get going - Marshall , Howard , Steele , Billings , Gresham , Butler , Sinclair with the younger guys like King , Higgins , Clark , Paton capable of turning a game.

 

[Ads734]

Would love to see all the SA boys out there Sharman Hayes, Highmore Wilkie and NWM a big F U to all the haters of our drafting

 

[Enclosed_Animal]

Not true, Marshall has no backup.

Hmmmm no backup.

So if Marshall gets injured this week, in rd 3 we would just have to ruck Paddy Ryder with Hayes as the 2nd ruck. Looks horrible.
Then if Ryder gets injured, in rd 4 we will have to ruck Campbell with Hayes as backup. Not ideal, but decent enough.
Then if Hayes gets injured, in rd 5 we will have to ruck Campbell with Heath as backup. Injury list now has all of Marshall, Paddy & Hayes
If Campbell gets injured, in rd 6 we will have to ruck Heath with Sharman as backup. Get games into the new kids in an injury crisis.
If Heath gets injured, in RD 7 we would then select .... Tom Hickey!! YAY!!!!

So just in case Ryder AND Marshall AND Hayes AND Campbell AND Heath all get long 5+ week injuries all at the same time, I can really see how it would be great to have Hickey waiting for a game.

Honestly, WTF was our list management doing trading Hickey not having sixth AFL ready ruckman on our list

 

[Stan_Darsh72]

With respect to all my fellow Saints supporters.

Lets get back to analyzing how the F## we are going to win this game.

Kick a higher score then Freo ggez.

But how we are going to do that is the real puzzle.

 

[hangdog]

I've got a crazy idea: what if we tried kicking the ball to our forwards leading towards the kicker instead of roosting it over their heads?

King, Membrey, Marshall, Hayes, Sharman… even Higgins seem like they are pretty good at taking a grab if the ball is put to their advantage.

Honestly, who would that benefit? Aside from us?

 

[El HOSS]

Hump day, time for the glass half full lens. I reckon we'll pinch this one.
Sharman in for Higgins.
Highmore for Owens.
Long in for Kent.

I'd love NWM for Ross but it won't happen. I'd be looking at pushing Hill onto the wing or getting Sincs up near the ball.

We desperately need Highmores intercepting and Sharmans forward craft.

Saints by 13

 

[BrutThough]

We really should be winning this game with no Fyfe and no Tabenar

We have the players to beat them.

 

[hangdog]

But according to Jake Batchelor his aerial contest skills need work to match the way we play.

Isn't that just flat out concerning?

 

[The Boar]

If we let this team walk it out of the middle, with clean possessions to their forwardline again- there's no way to win.

Same story as ever: midfield need to lift, forwards need to take opportunities.

I don't think we have the cattle or the coaches currently. Will be spooked by the flight over

On Pixel 4a using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[gringo2011]

If we let this team walk it out of the middle, with clean possessions to their forwardline again- there's no way to win.

Same story as ever: midfield need to lift, forwards need to take opportunities.

I don't think we have the cattle or the coaches currently. Will be spooked by the flight over

On Pixel 4a using BigFooty.com mobile app

My hope is that with no expectation and hidden in the twilight zone where no fans can enjoy basking in the winning glow ....this is just the type of game we win.

 

[Diehard Saint]

Hump day, time for the glass half full lens. I reckon we'll pinch this one.
Sharman in for Higgins.
Highmore for Owens.
Long in for Kent.

I'd love NWM for Ross but it won't happen. I'd be looking at pushing Hill onto the wing or getting Sincs up near the ball.

We desperately need Highmores intercepting and Sharmans forward craft.

Saints by 13

Very much doubt we drop Higgins.

 

[Minga]

I’d wager that Highmore and NWM will play, as all indicators point that way. Provides interception and precision. Highmore talked up after his VFL game. NVM was the sub last week.

No indicators point to Sharman, (much to the fans dismay). He kicked 4 on Freo with no King in his last game though so it must be frustrating for him.

Not sure who comes out. Maybe a Kent or Owens. Would rather Owens stay in, but the club will do what the clubs gonna do.

Bytel, Jones, Ryder, Clark, Billings, Geary obvs not ready. Long, and the other new draftees highly highly unlikely.

Lienert is another who could play, perhaps as the sub. Could definitely see the club going that way actually. Bit of a half measure if you ask me.

And as a side note on the game itself:

I’m looking forward to seeing the matchups our attacking talls have (Marshall, Membrey, Hayes, King). Expecting some good leading patterns after the debacle which was Friday night.

 

[hangdog]

Very much doubt we drop Higgins.

Nor should we.

He bounced back well after the Sydney game last year. Reckon he'll do it again

 

[Premium]

After all this time and opportunities for smart recruiting and development, in 2022 we are hoping that the return of a 34yo ruckman with a dodgy achilles is going to turn the team around, while waiting an another onballer past his prime with dodgy legs to get better and that will save our midfield, with another recruit past his prime trying to be a half back. What an unproductive decade we have had.

Ryder was just meant to assist Marshall and help him with ruck craft , not many people thought he would have much life left in him , the reason why he left Port.
And Hannerbery well I think we have written him off last year.
We are currently hoping Gresham , Hunter and Jones get us to were we want to go.

 

[tomjoad]

I’d wager that Highmore and NWM will play, as all indicators point that way. Provides interception and precision. Highmore talked up after his VFL game. NVM was the sub last week.

No indicators point to Sharman, (much to the fans dismay). He kicked 4 on Freo with no King in his last game though so it must be frustrating for him.

Not sure who comes out. Maybe a Kent or Owens. Would rather Owens stay in, but the club will do what the clubs gonna do.

Bytel, Jones, Ryder, Clark, Billings, Geary obvs not ready. Long, and the other new draftees highly highly unlikely.

Lienert is another who could play, perhaps as the sub. Could definitely see the club going that way actually. Bit of a half measure if you ask me.

And as a side note on the game itself:

I’m looking forward to seeing the matchups our attacking talls have (Marshall, Membrey, Hayes, King). Expecting some good leading patterns after the debacle which was Friday night.

L-e-a-d-i-n-g P-a-t-t-e-r-n-s.
Lead/ing, Patt/erns.

I know you all know what these are, I'm just hoping that someone from within the club is reading this and can spell it out and clap the syllables for the coaches and tacticians.
Every little bit helps.
For the cause gents.

 

[Jesuswasacarpenter]

Absolutely. Truth is it's probably his last season. Put him in, have some fun, if/when he breaks down at least he had a crack. He'll never be 100% as you said.

Sacrifices are certainly something that comes up time an again in history...best case scenario with the Hannaberry sacrifice...he wins another AA Guernsey