Autopsy Round 7, 2024: Port Adelaide v St.Kilda

[gringo2011]

I happened to have a meeting Cordy last week the day after the Dogs loss. I asked him if he was upset about it - he said “nah just another day at the office” with zero emotion.

Always been the case that the supporters care more than the players but it’s even more apparent these days.

Psychologically you probably want to move on quickly from a thrashing. It happens and you get nothing out of it. If you dwell on the negatives you lose confidence.

 

[gringo2011]

Trading McEvoy was probably the worst I've seen from the Saints. A player we had developed. was touted as a future captain, was tracking extremely nicely and playing well. He bleed St Kilda and pleaded to stay.

Shame

To trade a young high grade player when you aren't over stocked in that area was just dumb. We paid up big for Hickey and Longer and it seemed to be illogical.

 

[gringo2011]

To be fair to our lad Sheelel has looked completely overwhelmed when playing in the centre. Mattaes hasn't.
Not knocking HS at all but he's not playing the hardest position on the ground.

Sheezel is a star quality player and was from day one. I'd swap them without even thinking about it.

 

[gringo2011]

I see a lot of Kosi in Caminiti, reckon he'll be a great second banana when he learns how to play with King. Always gives everything too, which I love. Teach him spilling spoiling rucking and solidify the marking and we've got a ripper.

Don't see them as similar types but think he'll be a gun. I reckon he has more of a power forward vibe than King. Great mark, good hard leading game style, likes to use his body to hurt and okay kick on goal. I reckon he's going to be at least a good forward but maybe even a gun. He looks like he'll fill out and be a real pack crasher, probably similar in style to a Charlie Dixon mixed with Casboult but with better kicking.

 

[The Punter]

On the actual game (which I attended):

• Sinclair better
• I know we all love the Pou, and he was better on Friday. But that Darcy Wilson game was better than any single game Phillipou has played for the club so far. He's now using the stand rule to get an extra few metres on opponents. He was exceptional on Friday night.
• Surely the end of the Howard era. I know we were flogged and everything, but Howard gave away two goals through incompetence and we lost the game by 10 points. On the other hand, Cordy takes nothing off the table and his kicking is improved.
• I know he made one "bite off too much with the kick" mistake on Friday, but I'll happily take any bet you won't see "Out: Bonner (omit) this week in the team sheet. We had only six players with 20 touches on Friday, yet it seems everyone wants to drop two of them (Byrnes the other).

 

[SaintsSeptember]

To trade a young high grade player when you aren't over stocked in that area was just dumb. We paid up big for Hickey and Longer and it seemed to be illogical.

We already had Hickey, and under the 3rd man up rules at the time he was pretty good, he probably seemed like we had a redundant first ruckman.
Worried that StKilda may have actually done something to move their list forward, the AFL changed the rules.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

On the actual game (which I attended):

• Sinclair better
• I know we all love the Pou, and he was better on Friday. But that Darcy Wilson game was better than any single game Phillipou has played for the club so far. He's now using the stand rule to get an extra few metres on opponents. He was exceptional on Friday night.
• Surely the end of the Howard era. I know we were flogged and everything, but Howard gave away two goals through incompetence and we lost the game by 10 points. On the other hand, Cordy takes nothing off the table and his kicking is improved.
• I know he made one "bite off too much with the kick" mistake on Friday, but I'll happily take any bet you won't see "Out: Bonner (omit) this week in the team sheet. We had only six players with 20 touches on Friday, yet it seems everyone wants to drop two of them (Byrnes the other).

Our key defender issue is making me think of the Delaney days, and i kind of miss Nathan Brown's competence.

 

[The Punter]

Our key defender issue is making me think of the Delaney days, and i kind of miss Nathan Brown's competence.

I don't think we have an issue if we just play Cordy, Wilkie and Battle.

 

[gringo2011]

On the actual game (which I attended):

• Sinclair better
• I know we all love the Pou, and he was better on Friday. But that Darcy Wilson game was better than any single game Phillipou has played for the club so far. He's now using the stand rule to get an extra few metres on opponents. He was exceptional on Friday night.
• Surely the end of the Howard era. I know we were flogged and everything, but Howard gave away two goals through incompetence and we lost the game by 10 points. On the other hand, Cordy takes nothing off the table and his kicking is improved.
• I know he made one "bite off too much with the kick" mistake on Friday, but I'll happily take any bet you won't see "Out: Bonner (omit) this week in the team sheet. We had only six players with 20 touches on Friday, yet it seems everyone wants to drop two of them (Byrnes the other).

Agree on Byrnes and Bonner. Both are work horses, neither are high end but both are Lyon style grunt players. Byrnes kicking has improved but turned over a few under pressure for the first time in ages. Bonner was pretty good even one on one which is his downfall usually.

Wilson seems to have taken a huge lift in confidence from his rising start nom. He played like a guy who knew he belonged. He's been trying few tricks up until now and they don't quite come off but he's realised that he can just outwork his opponent through his elite tank now and doesn't need the flashy stuff.

Byrnes is like the low budget version. He's a runner who gets end to end with the play and always pressures. His skills are a bit downmarket in comparison but he's the type that Lyon first picks.

Hard to judge Howard after such a long layoff. He gets a few games to wind back into it and then you'd question his future. It was a weird side selected with a lot of height and it didn't really work.

 

[Saint Watto]

On the actual game (which I attended):

• Sinclair better
• I know we all love the Pou, and he was better on Friday. But that Darcy Wilson game was better than any single game Phillipou has played for the club so far. He's now using the stand rule to get an extra few metres on opponents. He was exceptional on Friday night.
• Surely the end of the Howard era. I know we were flogged and everything, but Howard gave away two goals through incompetence and we lost the game by 10 points. On the other hand, Cordy takes nothing off the table and his kicking is improved.
• I know he made one "bite off too much with the kick" mistake on Friday, but I'll happily take any bet you won't see "Out: Bonner (omit) this week in the team sheet. We had only six players with 20 touches on Friday, yet it seems everyone wants to drop two of them (Byrnes the other).

Great post TP.

 

[MightySaintas]

I don't think we have an issue if we just play Cordy, Wilkie and Battle.

100% agree with this. Howard belongs anywhere but in our senior side. Bloke is a walking disaster.

 

[Saintbloke]

Not Howard's best game, but the free against him for holding, resulting a PA goal, was appalling by the umpires- an outright wrong decision.
Bonner and Byrnes are doing OK, but lacking support. Those who don't get enough of the ball, or don't get involved on 50/50 contests should be looked at a bit harder.

 

[Nutsngum]

Not Howard's best game, but the free against him for holding, resulting a PA goal, was appalling by the umpires- an outright wrong decision.
Bonner and Byrnes are doing OK, but lacking support. Those who don't get enough of the ball, or don't get involved on 50/50 contests should be looked at a bit harder.

The only genuine gaff I remember him doing was his backwards handball that missed the other Saint player behind him. It was an overall risky play but honestly I dont blame him for not risking getting straight up pinned by the crooked as **** umpires for daring to take possession near the goals.

 

[The Punter]

The only genuine gaff I remember him doing was his backwards handball that missed the other Saint player behind him. It was an overall risky play but honestly I dont blame him for not risking getting straight up pinned by the crooked as * umpires for daring to take possession near the goals.

Some of the most sublimely skillful players in AFL history wouldn't have pulled off that handpass. Just hold onto the ball and see what the umpires do.

I'm not a Howard hater - I was backing him in for some time, and in 2020 he was excellent. He's a shadow of that player now.

 

[Yawkey way]

Sheezel is a star quality player and was from day one. I'd swap them without even thinking about it.

Sheezel is a very good young player and frankly you can’t do much more than he’s currently doing. Having said that he gets a lot of uncontested ball and is a very different player to poo who I think will be a game changer in a few years. I’m pretty happy with the player we have and wouldn't swap him. Sheezel is also benefitting from the current trend where half backs seem to find insane amounts of the ball. Strange time in football with a lot of guys running up high 30’s or more, no accountability individually, no tags.

 

[gringo2011]

Sheezel is a very good young player and frankly you can’t do much more than he’s currently doing. Having said that he gets a lot of uncontested ball and is a very different player to poo who I think will be a game changer in a few years. I’m pretty happy with the player we have and wouldn't swap him. Sheezel is also benefitting from the current trend where half backs seem to find insane amounts of the ball. Strange time in football with a lot of guys running up high 30’s or more, no accountability individually, no tags.

Hopefully Pou is the player we all want him to be in a few years but I don't get the haters with Sheezel. Plays in one of the worst sides in footy and is a level above most on his list and often best on ground in a side that gets smashed in defence.

HS is a great kick, calm under pressure and an absolute pro. Probably the quickest player to hit the ground running I can remember, even Naicos.

He was number one in FA scores for any player in 2023 despite playing less games than finals sides, first in marks per game, 3rd in kicks, 8th in rebound 50s, 1st in effective disposals, 2nd total disposals, 9th in meters gained and about a billion other stats in a side that was absolute shite.

If he was at Collingwood people would be jizzing themselves like they do about Daicos. He's just hit 30 games and already looks like a 200 game veteran.

He was drafted as a lead up mid sized forward who could roost 50 meter goals. He's never going to be a contested brute but neither is Daicos.

 

[Ads734]

Watching the game again, some of the umpiring in the third quarter was an absolute disgrace there were at least three occasions when the umpire the blew the whistle and the saints guys assumed it was our free kick only for it to be given to Port. Some really shocking umpring.

 

[Ads734]

Wilson is a gun and so will Pou. pou is playing one of the hardest positions on the ground in a team thar can;t hit targets inside 50 anyways. I keep saying it but as soon as he gets a 25+ game his confidence will skyrocket.

 

[BrutThough]

Some of the most sublimely skillful players in AFL history wouldn't have pulled off that handpass. Just hold onto the ball and see what the umpires do.

I'm not a Howard hater - I was backing him in for some time, and in 2020 he was excellent. He's a shadow of that player now.

He's played 1 game after about 9 months out.

He had some poor moments on the weekend but it seems very reactionary to be calling him a shadow of what he use to be.

 

[The Punter]

He's played 1 game after about 9 months out.

He had some poor moments on the weekend but it seems very reactionary to be calling him a shadow of what he use to be.

I'd be happy to concede that if there had not been a deterioration last year. There is a reason Cordy was preferred to him in the final last year.

We were too tall back on Friday night, and Howard does not deserve a game at the moment ahead of any of Cordy, Wilkie or Battle.

 

[BrutThough]

Sheezel is a very good young player and frankly you can’t do much more than he’s currently doing. Having said that he gets a lot of uncontested ball and is a very different player to poo who I think will be a game changer in a few years. I’m pretty happy with the player we have and wouldn't swap him. Sheezel is also benefitting from the current trend where half backs seem to find insane amounts of the ball. Strange time in football with a lot of guys running up high 30’s or more, no accountability individually, no tags.

Also if we had Sheezel, he wouldn't be playing that unaccountable half back role given we have Sinclair and NWM doing that.

He would likely be playing at half fwd role which is much harder. Given his performance, he would probably be doing better than Phillipou has this season but it's a difficult role and much harder when the rest of the forward line is completely dysfunctional.

 

[BrutThough]

I'd be happy to concede that if there had not been a deterioration last year. There is a reason Cordy was preferred to him in the final last year.

We were too tall back on Friday night, and Howard does not deserve a game at the moment ahead of any of Cordy, Wilkie or Battle.

That reason was because Howard had been out for 7 weeks injured without playing a game while the backline had been in good form. And by that same token, there was a reason why Howard was the preferred as the full back until he got injured and throughout the pre season. Cordy has been solid to start the season but he is also prone to mistakes and bad decisions, he just doesn't get judged as harshly by supporters when he has them.

Was there a deterioration last year? He had a bad game here or there (same said for all our defenders) but his numbers were up on previous years, he wasn't having bags kicked on him and our defence as a whole was functioning fantastically so it's not as if was negatively impacting his fellow defenders performance.

 

[The Punter]

That reason was because Howard had been out for 7 weeks injured without playing a game while the backline had been in good form. And by that same token, there was a reason why Howard was the preferred as the full back until he got injured and throughout the pre season. Cordy has been solid to start the season but he is also prone to mistakes and bad decisions, he just doesn't get judged as harshly by supporters when he has them.

Was there a deterioration last year? He had a bad game here or there (same said for all our defenders) but his numbers were up on previous years, he wasn't having bags kicked on him and our defence as a whole was functioning fantastically so it's not as if was negatively impacting his fellow defenders performance.

I don't really remember any bad Wilkie or Battle game last year.

Also, sometimes it is the depth of the poorness. An AFL quality player shouldn't have even attempted that handball that gifted Port Adelaide a goal on Friday night.

I'll be happy if he improves. I'm just not going to rely on it in any way, shape or form.

 

[gringo2011]

I'd be happy to concede that if there had not been a deterioration last year. There is a reason Cordy was preferred to him in the final last year.

We were too tall back on Friday night, and Howard does not deserve a game at the moment ahead of any of Cordy, Wilkie or Battle.

Howard had been out injured and would have been a risk. Don't think it was because we though Cordy was a better back.

 

[Rogue Warrior]

Howard needs to be cut some slack off a long layoff, I still believe he is the superior option to Cordy, who was given an absolute bath by Naughton last week. But in the long-term it’d be nice to not require either.
Bonner is a genuine liability. Not only can he not defend, he doesn’t put his head over the ball and hold the ball in when that’s the obvious defensive play. In addition, his well lauded kicking has consistently let us down. Sure he racks up disposals but chipping it around in the back line will pad out anyone’s stat line.
Stocker made a couple of blue’s on the weekend but he’s been pretty reliable over his time at the saints. And to echo a previous poster, with Webster back he will be better supported and be able to shine. Overall the backline needs to build continuity with a set 6/7. This will solidify us defensively and enhance our offence out of the back half.