Autopsy Round 6, 2020: Fremantle v St.Kilda

[pluggeranddoc]

The final insult would have been if they threw Acres into the ruck and he smacked our collective bottoms.
Cannot believe that he and Bruce went for a combined can of coke and pack of chips whilst we paid more for Hill than Carlton did for Judd!

 

[StCicatriz]

Once again it’s the midfield that just disappears. We’ve done fairly well considering how poor we are in this area.

Saw a lot of Webster for Long talk but that’s not going to take us anywhere. We know Webster isn’t going to take us where we want to go, this might be the only chance we get to bring in Byrnes or Bytel to have a look at them. Until we address our weakest area we’ll show good signs but it won’t be enough for a flag.

First sentence is the most important thing I've read in here in 500 posts.

 

[gringo2011]

Webster is the best half back replacement we have.
Why would we bring in an inside mid for a running half back?

We have plenty of options, Webster, Savage, Roberton, Mc Kenzie and Hind could all play back flank. Webster is overrated on here. He's an injury prone ordinary player. Stuv was so good on our list, easily our best player and he's like Geelong's worst player. Seb was our next best for years, even with a few average additions we are now seeing he's barely AFL standard. Webster is not going to help. If we have to play Geary, send him back and bring in mid and more mids.

 

[saintsrfreak]

Think Ratts speaks really well here, and is dead on about what the problems were today. Better than any "G'day Saints fans" message I've seen from Richo

Video

Watch Senior Coach Brett Ratten's message to the fans after our Round 6 loss to Fremantle

www.saints.com.au

 

[malevu]

The one thing that the strong Hawthorn, Geelong and Swan's teams of the last decade had was a tough, uncompromising midfield group. They could dominate clearances, cause turnovers when they didn't win first possession and they knew how to close up the contest when the game was in the balance.

It's been our greatest deficiency and remains so. When the scores were level late in the game today, any of the above teams would've got the job done. They would've willed themselves to victory. Think Selwood, Chapman, Hodge, Kennedy. We have no one of that ilk.

Steele tries his guts out but is the Lone Ranger in that department for us. Hill is a highly skilfull, outside player who has improved our run and carry no doubt. But he's the icing on an already great cake, not the main ingredient of one just being made. Sadly, Hannebery at this stage of his career isn't the answer either.

As many on here have said, give me mids...plenty of mids. But preferably the A Grade, blue collar variety.

 

[StCicatriz]

Did you ask or something?

Mate its how the entire industry works.

They are not life long fans of this club handing over their hard earned because they love it.

Its a job to them.

Sure they might he unhappy and sure they want to win for their own self interest.

But they don't sit there gutted because the clubs spent a decade out out of finals.

They'd be more upset if the AFL decides to issue pay cuts or if the hotel theyre staying in is shit.

 

[Munga]

The AFL/umpire response to Al Clarkson's whining has made the game disgusting the last two weeks. The ridiculous HTB decisions in the first quarter isn't the game I know and love. Our guys were confused whether to go for the ball or not, all fumbles after qtr time, take posession with an arm already pinned then BAM holding the ball, WTF!

Freo are coached well, they always had a Saint arm held even before the contest, preventing our bloke from reaching the ball and allowing another Freo player to sweep past and clean up. Their gamestyle is a lot about nullifying the contest, keeping the opposition away from the ball, letting the free man sweep through.

 

[Saint12]

Did you ask or something?

No need to ask, the majority if not all footballers couldn't give a toss about the guernsey they play in...its all about mates, flags and money in no particular order. We are the ones that suffer the losses, they worry about form.

 

[BrutThough]

We have plenty of options, Webster, Savage, Roberton, Mc Kenzie and Hind could all play back flank. Webster is overrated on here. He's an injury prone ordinary player. Stuv was so good on our list, easily our best player and he's like Geelong's worst player. Seb was our next best for years, even with a few average additions we are now seeing he's barely AFL standard. Webster is not going to help. If we have to play Geary, send him back and bring in mid and more mids.

Webster is better than your giving him credit for. A good one on one defender and has an elite left foot. Unfortunately his body has let him down recently, but if he is fit then he's our best option to directly replace Long. Geary should tag Smith or Laird next week - their run kills us every time.

The Stuv who was the best player on our list isnt the same Stuv who is overweight and has no fitness currently playing for Geelong. It's ridiculous to suggest otherwise.

 

[gringo2011]

That moment amongst many, our decision making at times was deplorable, couldn't believe what I was seeing. it was like we were trying to lose the game.

If we were the Karachi Saints we would be investigated for match fixing it was that bad, our turnaround in form from the first quarter was literally unbelievable.

I'm still struggling to make sense of how we lost a game from 6 goals up at quarter time where we were dominating to then just turn into a complete rabble.

It wasn't just our bad decision making and turnovers it was the fact that so many Freo players were left free to get easy uncontested possessions.

Something about that game just doesn't add up to me, I smell a rat and I think you all know who I mean.

I don't want to point the finger at Ratts but he was part of that Carlton team in 1995 where there were rumours of them throwing games against both us and the Swans to help fund their end of season trip.

Some hard questions need to be asked here.

Yeah, it was like they got a spray and petulantly decided to do a **** you to the coach. The legitimately looked like they were trying their best to lose.

 

[Browny2Carlisle]

Missing Roughie on the bench

 

[gringo2011]

The final insult would have been if they threw Acres into the ruck and he smacked our collective bottoms.
Cannot believe that he and Bruce went for a combined can of coke and pack of chips whilst we paid more for Hill than Carlton did for Judd!

To be fair WC got the equivalent of King thrown in as steak knives. They are a stupid club as well.

 

[gringo2011]

Webster is better than your giving him credit for. A good one on one defender and has an elite left foot. Unfortunately his body has let him down recently, but if he is fit then he's our best option to directly replace Long. Geary should tag Smith or Laird next week - their run kills us every time.

The Stuv who was the best player on our list isnt the same Stuv who is overweight and has no fitness currently playing for Geelong. It's ridiculous to suggest otherwise.

He played like that for us last year in worse shape and was still our best player.

 

[BrutThough]

Mate its how the entire industry works.

They are not life long fans of this club handing over their hard earned because they love it.

Its a job to them.

Sure they might he unhappy and sure they want to win for their own self interest.

But they don't sit there gutted because the clubs spent a decade out out of finals.

They'd be more upset if the AFL decides to issue pay cuts or if the hotel theyre staying in is sh*t.

If you think all players just want to play shit footy while getting a pay check then you are delusional

If you've heard anyone whose been around the club for a while speak, they are desperate to be a finals side and are trying hard to turn the club around.

We had a terrible game but comments like this that you sit around waiting to write after every loss don't actually help anything and are about as pathetic as the players today.

 

[BrutThough]

He played like that for us last year in worse shape and was still our best player.

No he wasn't.

 

[StCicatriz]

Please stop looking for excuses for this club. Be it umpiring, the travel or the hub.

Please don't accept this as "ah well it happened lets see how they respond next week".

We've got to mature as a club and move past that.

Thankfully it appears outside a handful of posts this didnt happen.

I sense people are just truly over the club delivering this shit on a consistent basis. Over what is it now 10 seasons?

Now off the back of that statement dont try and defending it with "we had to rebuild" or some other excuse.

Accept it. We are shit. We could have turned this around 2-3 times by now.

So what is the club going to do to turn this around?

Because a lot of these blocks have been in place for years now.

Rath is new. Roughy is new.

Some of its been there for a season and a half.

Other parts 5 years plus.

Why do you think it will be any different in 5 years time? What about another 10?

 

[StCicatriz]

If you think all players just want to play sh*t footy while getting a pay check then you are delusional

If you've heard anyone whose been around the club for a while speak, they are desperate to be a finals side and are trying hard to turn the club around.

We had a terrible game but comments like this that you sit around waiting to write after every loss don't actually help anything and are about as pathetic as the players today.

I literally said they dont. That's because of self interest it has nothing to do with the love of the club. It could be carlton and they'd still feel the same way. Or the dogs. Ditto bruce and newnes. You reckon they suddenly feel much better after a loss because its not their beloved saints losing?

They're not desperate to play finals. Its easy to make those statements. Everyone thinks or states they are desperate.

But are they really?

I dont think they are and haven't been for years.

If you're desperate you don't turn in efforts like that.

 

[Saintos The ITK]

I’ve calmed down a bit.
I still love the Saints.

 

[malevu]

Well I'm going to have a nap. Just had a laugh to myself thinking about how we let that slip. Comical stuff sometimes it really is.

At least Liverpool are on at 12am, a team that doesn't let me down.

When you wake up you'll realize you've been asleep longer than you thought and it was just a bad dream. Of course we didn't cough up a six goal quarter time lead against a sh1t team. I mean, seriously, how could we ? Nah mate. Relax, we actually won by 100 points !

Wait a minute.... I've been asleep myself and just woke up and saw the scores. FMD !

 

[plugger66]

Strategy wise he got absolutely smashed today. But that's not the root cause of the issue.

There are bigger issues. Goes beyond just today's performance. Goes beyond the make up of the list or any on field leadership.

I'll go into detail on my thoughts later but its a bit like building a house and completely ******* the site works and foundation. Then neglecting to put in proper drainage. Handful of big winters and you're wondering why there are massive cracks showing up everywhere and your house has sunk.

The owner can bail and sell it. But the problems are still there. New owner comes in and its not a cheap or easy fix.

Way i look at it is we either have to be a good club or have a good side. We almost won 2 flags with a good side. Now we don't have a good side everything shows up warts and all.

We are a poor (not referring to finances here) club with a sub par side.

We may have made some gains in regards to both but theyre not considerable. In regards to the house analogy. We didn't fix the root cause of the issue. We put up some nice paintings and put in some nice furniture. Maybe a slap of paint.

But the massive fu** off cracks in the wall and foundations are still there and as each year goes by they get bigger and bigger.

No where near as bad as you paint it. You do like looking at the worst. Crazy stuff

 

[plugger66]

I’ve calmed down a bit.
I still love the Saints.

I’ve calmed down a bit. I sill love vb and the saints.

 

[gringo2011]

I’ve calmed down a bit.
I still love the Saints.

We all do, but **** they are a pack of heartbreaking campaigners. If they were a girlfriend they'd root all your mates and steal all your stuff and then go out and call you to come pick her up at 3 in the morning because she'd blown all her money on drinks.

 

[plugger66]

Agreed. For a fat lazy squib he lowered Marshall’s colours

He looks like he has wait

 

[AFLOnline]

The most disappointed and frustration I’ve had in a long, long time. We were genuinely pathetic after quarter time...

was it just me though or did it feel like umps have an agenda after the first quarter? Don’t get me wrong, Freo clearly out played us over the course of the whole game, they ran harder their skills were better and I don’t think we held a single contested mark in the 2nd and 3rd quarters (or barely put a score on the board for that matter), but I still feel the dockers got the umpires on their side after the 1st quarter?
Probably me just being salty and looking for excuses though.

 

[stfan]

Cannot believe that he and Bruce went for a combined can of coke and pack of chips whilst we paid more for Hill than Carlton did for Judd!

Think WC did ok with Kennedy 223 and counting games and Masten (215 games)

Though Blues did get 145 games out of Armfield and 145 games out of Judd.