Preview Round 4, 2023: St.Kilda v Gold Coast - Marvel Stadium, Saturday 8th April, 7:30PM AEST

[ScrappyDo]

Surely they wouldn’t be the same people now. They decided that injured guys do pretty much a full block of training before coming back. That has made the timeframe stretch out.

Great point pluggs.

 

[Hayes4PM]

Slightly less width to defend at Marvel, the knew Ross game plan got a test out on the G and did pretty well, 3rd quarter we got opened up a little bit, but back to Marvel and the guys have an idea of how to play this style at the MCG now which is good. Gold Coast will be a challenge with King, Witts and Casboult, Collins. They have some good talls, and while our defence is near full strength the ruck area and forwards are a bit slim. Sending Cordy and Owens in will be basically conceding ruck contests, may as well just have players getting ready to tackle Witts.

 

[Minga]

Saints 1st on the ladder and Geelong 18th has me feeling all warm and fuzzy inside.

Freo / Dogs / Essendon all bogey teams we’ve knocked off… my eyes are set on Collingwood. Just imagine if we came up against them, both teams 4-0, and we pumped them despite our major injury list.

If that happened, the lid would be off big time, and by golly it is teetering right now.

One week at a time though, and Gold Coast loom as a threat, get the feeling Ben Long

22

Ben Long

Age

27

Ht

186cm

Wt

81kg

Pos.

D/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.9

3star

K

6.2

2star

HB

4.7

3star

M

3.3

3star

T

2.7

4star

MG

166.8

3star

D

12.8

3star

K

6.7

3star

HB

6.2

4star

M

3.3

3star

T

2.3

3star

MG

129.0

2star

D

13.4

4star

K

6.8

3star

HB

6.6

4star

M

3.2

4star

T

3.2

5star

MG

223.0

4star

could dazzle, but we should get the win if the continued effort is there. My main concern is our forward line, I think we may need to re-jig / refreshen it a little, would be good to find some more aerial presence, butler and Higgins won’t kick 8 between them every week unfortunately. Just going to be a timing thing with handling the loads for Caminiti, Phillipou and Owens I reckon.

I know it’s been said to death but, imagine this team with Max King

12

Max King

Age

24

Ht

202cm

Wt

100kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

7.3

2star

K

4.7

2star

HB

2.6

2star

M

2.7

3star

T

0.7

3star

G

1.4

5star

D

7.3

2star

K

4.7

2star

HB

2.6

2star

M

2.7

3star

T

0.7

1star

G

1.4

5star

D

8.0

2star

K

5.2

2star

HB

2.8

3star

M

2.8

3star

T

0.6

3star

G

1.4

5star

back in it. I dont even dare to imagine. The next King cup will have to wait until 2024.

 

[Premium]

Slightly less width to defend at Marvel, the knew Ross game plan got a test out on the G and did pretty well, 3rd quarter we got opened up a little bit, but back to Marvel and the guys have an idea of how to play this style at the MCG now which is good. Gold Coast will be a challenge with King, Witts and Casboult, Collins. They have some good talls, and while our defence is near full strength the ruck area and forwards are a bit slim. Sending Cordy and Owens in will be basically conceding ruck contests, may as well just have players getting ready to tackle Witts.

It's going to be interesting how they fill Woods position , he has been just one of the reason's we are winning

 

[HunterClarksHeadband]

What an incredible win last night.

Mason Wood

32

Mason Wood

Age

31

Ht

192cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.2

3star

K

7.8

3star

HB

5.4

4star

M

4.0

4star

T

2.2

4star

CL

0.3

2star

D

8.3

2star

K

2.7

1star

HB

5.7

3star

M

1.7

2star

T

1.3

2star

CL

0.0

1star

D

15.8

4star

K

8.6

4star

HB

7.2

5star

M

4.6

5star

T

2.6

4star

CL

0.6

3star

however is simply irreplaceable to our game style with how we use him and the players we have available to fill his spot
With both Wood and J-Web gone, our left side of the ground just took a HUGE hit. Two tough bodies with hard running, defence and a solid left boot.

We could cover a Steele, but now it really is just one too many unfortunately. Seriously, watch the replay and how we use Wood even down to 1v1 marking contests that he shouldn't be winning.

I wanted to win the 150th so badly just for the sake of the club and the outside noise so much so that I'd take a loss this week over last night. I think the Gold Coast are incredibly beatable but I believe it'll be a challenge from here. We are f*kn desperate for some players to come back I tell ya what.

 

[tomjoad]

I wonder if Highmore can play wing? He might be a good Wood fill in. Might save his career.

Was thinking the same thing. Well able to take a grab. His kicking is iffy, but we're playing a handball heavy game so may be a suitable left field option. I don't think he was overly prolific for Sandy's game on Sunday though.

 

[aussierulesrules]

Presumably a huge opportunity for Bytel over the next 2-3 weeks to take his game at AFL level to a new level. You’d imagine he’ll be in there until Steele comes back now.

We can cover Jimmy and Wood, but we’re now at the point where if we get any more injuries before some troops return then there could be a big drop off in quality to those that come in next.

 

[joydivision22]

The only guy I can think of that can compete in the air and on the ground is Owens. I personally thought he would start his career on the wing for this reason and eventually move inside but I reckon we could do worse than use him there now.

Obviously you need to replace his competitiveness in the forward line which we could possibly do by bringing in Campbell who is a strong mark and Peris who is pressure at the ground. Leave everyone else as they are since it’s working so well.

Just a half baked idea

 

[seasonedsainter]

I doubt Highmore will come in, has he even been in the squad yet?

Paton into the starting 22 for Webster.
Bytel comes into the 22.
Byrnes goes to the wing to replace Wood (eeek), reckon Pou will get a look at it as well.
I dount they'll alter Owens' role too much.

 

[stfan]

We can cover Jimmy

Yes. Paton can come into the 22 and play well in defence.

and Wood,

No. Wood has been elite this season. Absolutely elite. Yes we can play Byrnes, Owens, Nasiah or Ross on the wing, but they are not going to play at the standard that Wood has been at this year (or even late last season) at in the modern wing role.

 

[aussierulesrules]

Yes. Paton can come into the 22 and play well in defence.



No. Wood has been elite this season. Absolutely elite. Yes we can play Byrnes, Owens, Nasiah or Ross on the wing, but they are not going to play at the standard that Wood has been at this year (or even late last season) at in the modern wing role.

What I meant by “cover them” was that we have AFL standard guys we can replace them with.

But we’re now pretty much at the end of that line, unless we lose someone tallish up forward and replace them with Sharman.

And I’ll say it again, Hill has been playing mostly high-HF, with Wood and Byrnes the main ones playing wing, so he will presumably be the one to take a big chunk of Masons role on the wing.

Another guy who can run all day and who also has speed who can play a lot more on the wing is Windhager, who won’t be needed on the inside anywhere near as much, if Bytel comes in.

So Byrnes keeps doing his thing on one wing, then Hill and Windhager take the other wing for most of the game.

Are they Mason Wood? No. But one is Brad Hill, and Windy is an emerging jet. Hunter Clark will presumably also spend more time there.

I’d be shocked if Owens gets moved there, as for one he’s a very ordinary kick, and secondly he’s a marking target up forward, and I highly doubt Wang goes back there, unless Leo is in.

 

[The Cobra]

Bytel might not find a midfield amount of the footy but he can quell the influence of a prime-mover from the other side, so that’s handy. Put him on Touk. A similar type to Brayshaw who he did a good job on in R1.

Reckon Windhager to Touk - both really similar attributes.

 

[The Cobra]

Presumably a huge opportunity for Bytel over the next 2-3 weeks to take his game at AFL level to a new level. You’d imagine he’ll be in there until Steele comes back now.

We can cover Jimmy and Wood, but we’re now at the point where if we get any more injuries before some troops return then there could be a big drop off in quality to those that come in next.

Agree, this is definitely his opportunity (& I reckon he is up to it & keen to show what he can do). He looked good at pre season training & was working hard.

Also important the coaches show some faith in him & give him a run of games on ball. Though with our injury list I’m not sure RTB has much other choice!

If he doesn’t perform we will still have gained good intel for list management going forward.

 

[aussierulesrules]

Let max Heath give him a bath

 

[aussierulesrules]

Reckon Windhager to Touk - both really similar attributes.

Ideally and ordinarily I would agree with that, he’s a better fit for Touk, but if Bytel plays- as I think he has to- he’s going to almost certainly be playing a run-with role, and Touk is the one to shut down this week, and we’re not going to play two guys in shut-down roles in the same midfield. If we were, one of them would almost certainly be Seb.

So for that reason it makes sense to me to have Windy join Hill and Byrnes in the wing/high-HF rotation for the time being, with Bytel to do the midfield run-with roles.

Windy could also be an ideal option to go with Nick or even Josh Daicos, the following week.

 

[The Cobra]

Ideally and ordinarily I would agree with that, he’s a better fit for Touk, but if Bytel plays- as I think he has to- he’s going to almost certainly be playing a run-with role, and Touk is the one to shut down this week, and we’re not going to play two guys in shut-down roles in the same midfield. If we were, one of them would almost certainly be Seb.

So for that reason it makes sense to me to have Windy join Hill and Byrnes in the wing/high-HF rotation for the time being, with Bytel to do the midfield run-with roles.

Windy could also be an ideal option to go with Nick or even Josh Daicos, the following week.

Fair call given our injuries & team balance - I’m just not convinced Bytel has the run to go with Touk as he is more an inside mid. Agree Touk is the key mid for them.

In any event let’s see how RTB and the assistants move the chess pieces - they certainly know a lot more than me!

 

[aussierulesrules]

Fair call given our injuries & team balance - I’m just not convinced Bytel has the run to go with Touk as he is more an inside mid. Agree Touk is the key mid for them.

In any event let’s see how RTB and the assistants move the chess pieces - they certainly know a lot more than me!

Touk has a very similar running ability to Brayshaw, who Bytel went with reasonably successfully in R1, so for that reason I imagine he’ll have first crack at him.

 

[seasonedsainter]

Does Windhager go to the wing perhaps - Bytel replaces him in the middle?

 

[Sarcoidevo]

Witts looked a spent force after the Cats game .... even Rowell implied that he was knackered in the post game interview

If the Metricon ground is taxing to play on that bodes well for us with an extra day up our sleeve and no travel

Paton to replace Webster and Bytel to come in (as sub) with .......... Sharman to play the wing role ..... or Mitcho to do that and Sharman goes forward

Or my left field is Highmore in and Wilkie to play up on the wing

 

[gringo2011]

What I meant by “cover them” was that we have AFL standard guys we can replace them with.

But we’re now pretty much at the end of that line, unless we lose someone tallish up forward and replace them with Sharman.

And I’ll say it again, Hill has been playing mostly high-HF, with Wood and Byrnes the main ones playing wing, so he will presumably be the one to take a big chunk of Masons role on the wing.

Another guy who can run all day and who also has speed who can play a lot more on the wing is Windhager, who won’t be needed on the inside anywhere near as much, if Bytel comes in.

So Byrnes keeps doing his thing on one wing, then Hill and Windhager take the other wing for most of the game.

Are they Mason Wood? No. But one is Brad Hill, and Windy is an emerging jet. Hunter Clark will presumably also spend more time there.

I’d be shocked if Owens gets moved there, as for one he’s a very ordinary kick, and secondly he’s a marking target up forward, and I highly doubt Wang goes back there, unless Leo is in.

The thing that appeals about Owens is that the wing is much more of a two way role now but being tall enough to mark for a get out of jail kick is also important. You have to defend and attack. He'd be one of the few fit enough, tall enough and two way enough to be like for like That would make sense for Sharman to get a run in his spot and maybe drop Cordy for a ruck.

 

[Sarcoidevo]

Or maybe Pou plays wing

Our depth is starting to look superb

 

[gringo2011]

Or maybe Pou plays wing

Our depth is starting to look superb

Big job for a kid. He could probably do it for a quarter or something but I'd be worried he'd tear a hammy or something.

 

[Sully111]

Think Byrnes plays wing. Clark can run through there too if needed

 

[Yabadoo22]

As bad as all these injuries are, if we can win enough games by the bye say 8-3, or 9-2, we are going to have a lot of blokes coming back raring to go. This might also mean that we don’t have a heap of sore bodies throughout the back half of the year due to lack of games played by them all, meaning we could really bounce in the second half of the season

 

[Pakenhamsaint]

Witts looked a spent force after the Cats game .... even Rowell implied that he was knackered in the post game interview

If the Metricon ground is taxing to play on that bodes well for us with an extra day up our sleeve and no travel

Paton to replace Webster and Bytel to come in (as sub) with .......... Sharman to play the wing role ..... or Mitcho to do that and Sharman goes forward

Or my left field is Highmore in and Wilkie to play up on the wing

What do you mean no travel. The players have to drive an extra 3km!