Preview Round 5, 2022: St.Kilda v Gold Coast - Marvel Stadium, Saturday 16th April, 1:45PM AEST

[George]

It's as though we've flipped a switch and are in great form going in. Usually we drop our bundle in games we are expected to win but that was the case yesterday and we delivered. Hopefully a turning point for this group.

I think it definitely helps the issues around confidence and overall mentality of the group. We were ruthless yesterday.

This is probably another game we should win. Will go in as favourites. King is leading the Coleman right now so hopefully he gets a hold of them, legitimate match winners in the side is something we've missed for years.

I think the Suns are still a good side and will give us problems but it's a wonderful opportunity to move to 4-1 and set up our season. Bank wins now as the schedule becomes tougher for us in the second half of the year.

 

[tristenlvm]

AFL fixture puts this on the same time but the Saturday.
I'll be out flor lunch for a friend's birthday but will hopefully enjoy the replay later on. Suns match up well against us, seems like the last 3 or 4 times there's been less than a goal winning
margin

 

[FQFjt]

Witts is a worry, especially if Ryder misses and Marshall still out of form. Last time we played him was in 2020, when Ryder and Marshall were in top form, and he game them both a bath.

We will also face more resistance in the midfield than we got from Hawthorn.

But we absolutely should win. I'm glad they had a good game against Carlton, which should ensure we don't get any ideas about taking them lightly.

 

[The Punter]

Higgins will come in for ... somebody.

 

[Hubnester]

Should be a good game if both teams continue their strong form.

Witts and their classy midfield worry me, particularly if they suspend Paddy.
Hayes seems too small for the backup ruck role this week - might be a good opportunity for Campbell to come in and play the true ruck role. He has been more than handy in the VFL and pre-season.

On paper we 'should' win but we'll need to turn up.

 

[Murraj1966]

Higgins for Long or Windhager I'd guess.

Ideally Ryder gets off but knowing St kilda he'll cop a ban. Agree that we need to be mindful of Witts he's a big unit so Campbell might be the play there.

Banana peel game, the Gold Coast are 2-2 and have their early season form kinda ok. Need to control the game early and get them on the back foot

 

[The Punter]

Ryder misses he'll be replaced by Hayes - nothing surer.

 

[BrutThough]

This game won't be easy. Our games against the Gold Coast are always close.

In: Higgins, Hayes
Out: Windhager, Ryder (suspension)

Windy is unlucky but Higgins has to come in. I think Long's pressure has been fantastic and adds something extra to the forward line to make us harder to play against. Would like to see him play alongside Higgins and Butler.

Would like to see a fast start - we typically start terribly against them then play catch up all game. They will be up after their win against Carlton, so to kill that confidence early will be important.

 

[triggering bro]

Gold Coast are such a tricky side. They generally start the season with a bang & plateau out. Can’t take them lightly. We should win this but I imagine it will be a scrap for three quarters. Please don’t concede another two goals in the first minute ffs. Saints by 20 points.

 

[FQFjt]

I don't mind Hayes up against Chol. It will depend on whether the club is confident that Marshall can fight it out with Witts all day.

 

[Klaatu]

Tom Cambell in for Ryder, the bigger body agains Witts is crucial if Ryder plays he's smarts will beat Witts but if he doesn't it will be body on body.

 

[Sun Ra]

Higgins will come in for ... somebody.

They may give him another week off.

 

[Ducky Tie]

If we were happy to let Hayes be the second ruck against Grundy, I don't see why it would be any different against Witts. Hayes isn't going to get hit outs against any genuine rucks, he's not getting picked for that. I expect he'll come in and they'll expect him to compete and get going around the ground if he is second ruck.

 

[Bill Mohr]

This game won't be easy. Our games against the Gold Coast are always close.

In: Higgins, Hayes
Out: Windhager, Ryder (suspension)

Windy is unlucky but Higgins has to come in. I think Long's pressure has been fantastic and adds something extra to the forward line to make us harder to play against. Would like to see him play alongside Higgins and Butler.

Would like to see a fast start - we typically start terribly against them then play catch up all game. They will be up after their win against Carlton, so to kill that confidence early will be important.

Does not make sense to give Windhager only one game though. The same thing happened to Owens. Windhager did have a much better debut than Owens. Higgins in and Long or Wood out. If you looked at the stats WH had a better game than Long but did have a few more clangers though.

 

[BrutThough]

Does not make sense to give Windhager only one game though. The same thing happened to Owens. Windhager did have a much better debut than Owens. Higgins in and Long or Wood out. If you looked at the stats WH had a better game than Long but did have a few more clangers though.

It makes sense to play our strongest side. Higgins has to come in and when everyone plays well, the old adage 'last in, first out' is sometimes the way it should go.

Whoever goes out will be stiff but I'd like to see us play with the 3 small forward which is why I'd have Long stay in and Windhager go out.

 

[Ducky Tie]

Does not make sense to give Windhager only one game though. The same thing happened to Owens. Windhager did have a much better debut than Owens. Higgins in and Long or Wood out. If you looked at the stats WH had a better game than Long but did have a few more clangers though.

There's very different kind of scenarios where a young player comes in and is then dropped after one game. Over the past decade or so, there have been quite a few times when we've brought a young player in, we've lost and dropped them straight away. I agree that that is bad practice and is something that hinders development. It implies fault or inadequacy to the young player who's come in for one game.

In this case though, it is very different. We've had a great win, the whole team is functioning well and Windhager played well. It isn't implying any fault at all if he gets squeezed out. He can take confidence from how he went, but Higgins has to come back in. Long and Windhager are different types, and I reckon we need that extra pressure forward in Long. Windhager will be back soon I'm sure. Injuries will come and he looks very good.

 

[saint_]

Ryder will be a huge loss if he is rubbed out this week.

We will need a big one from Marshall. Rowan at the moment has the lowest hit win rate percentage and the lowest hitouts to advantage percentage from the top 25 rucks in the comp.

EDIT: Put in perspective, Ryder is #1 in AFL for hit win rate percentage.

 

[Sully111]

Don't want another close game against GC. Hope we can put them away but they do worry me a bit, particularly with Paddy potentially missing.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Tom Cambell in for Ryder, the bigger body agains Witts is crucial if Ryder plays he's smarts will beat Witts but if he doesn't it will be body on body.

Marshall will be the one playing on Witts if Ryder is out.

 

[Bill Mohr]

Marshall will be the one playing on Witts if Ryder is out.

The Air Marshall seems a bit out of sorts and not getting to the packs to take those big marks he made his name on. 10 marks this year- thats a slump. Although his best game was our loss against the Pies.

 

[CaptainRisky]

Paddy will get a week just because of the concussion , i cant see how Marshall can go one out against Chol and Witts in the form he is ATM , I think Campbell will come in and also Higgins , Long out as you don't need him as pressure forward.

 

[StCicatriz]

Ryder misses he'll be replaced by Hayes - nothing surer.

Campbell for mine

 

[aussierulesrules]

Banana peel game, the Gold Coast are 3-1

Also known as 2-2!

 

[Plugger35]

A bit of a shame that Ben King

34

Ben King

Age

24

Ht

202cm

Wt

98kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

7.2

2star

K

5.0

2star

HB

2.2

2star

M

3.5

4star

T

0.5

3star

G

1.3

5star

D

7.5

2star

K

5.6

2star

HB

1.9

1star

M

3.6

4star

T

0.3

1star

G

1.5

5star

D

6.8

2star

K

4.4

2star

HB

2.4

3star

M

3.2

4star

T

0.2

3star

G

1.0

4star

is out injured as this match would have been promoted as the battle of the Kings, that being said it helps our chances that he will be missing and even without him Gold Coast are still good enough to beat us if we aren't switched on and take them lightly.

Higgins is an obvious inclusion, not sure who comes out for him, will be a tough call to drop anyone as no one played badly, Windhager possibly but ideally you would like to see him get another game to show what he can do with a game under his belt and the first game nerves out of the way.

If Ryder misses Campbell might be a better replacement than Hayes since he is a bigger body to combat Witts and he looked OK in the preseason games so I'd be happy enough to see him selected but I also love what Hayes brings to the table with his work up forward and around the ground.

A couple of tough calls to make for our selection committee.

 

[Bill Mohr]

Paddy will get a week just because of the concussion , i cant see how Marshall can go one out against Chol and Witts in the form he is ATM , I think Campbell will come in and also Higgins , Long out as you don't need him as pressure forward.

Pittonet did pull out before the game and the Blues dont have a spare ruck as such (Silvangi) so Witts had his way. He will definetly out tap Marshall.