Preview Round 9, 2020: St.Kilda v Sydney - Gabba, Saturday 1st August, 5:10PM AEST *PRIDE GAME*

[AirWinmar]

Question is, if we have players with a few niggles - Ross, Kent, Hill, Battle - do we rest them this week so they get a long break before we hit the footy festival, or do we play them as it's a 7 day break and rest them in between the 4 day turnaround games?

 

[puppy_dog7]

Because Sydney will have to get to a hub in Queensland in the next 3 days and our game is in 3.5 days. logistics may be difficult.

but they already have a bye in round 11. Therefore i cant see them postponing this game as well, especially because both us and sydney play 5 days later on the thursday as well.

The only way i can see it change is if we play Gold Coast and they moved forward the Sydney v GWS game in perth to this weekend instead of round 12

 

[Ducky Tie]

Question is, if we have players with a few niggles - Ross, Kent, Hill, Battle - do we rest them this week so they get a long break before we hit the footy festival, or do we play them as it's a 7 day break and rest them in between the 4 day turnaround games?

It's an interesting one. My bet is that we're not going to see as much resting as the media has forecasted. There'll be management of older players I reckon with most clubs, but I think clubs will gamble a bit. The comp is so even that resting several key players makes any game tough to win. I think we're well positioned with such a young team.

 

[D2D3]

What money on Sydney standing a cardboard cutout of Buddy on the 50 metre line to try and throw us off our game?

I'd fully expect a cardboard cutout of buddy to slot at least 4 against us

 

[AirWinmar]

It certainly wasn't Parker's best game - you'll get no argument from me on that - was still a tough game to come in on, but I believe he'll be better for the run, and with the condensed schedule coming up, he's useful to have in the wings. It'll be interesting to see whether we chop him straight back out for someone else (I'd happily see Battle back in too, if fit), or whether Ratts is playing a longer game around getting a game or two into a few extra players.

Absolutely agree regarding Paton - he's the guy who shows up, works hard, and clocks up games without ever being labelled as "the star of the team". Never looks flustered, and will probably play 200+ games while other guys take the credit, barely being noticed, but without him, we'd be a lesser team. Another one of our players who are not yet 22, but look mature beyond those years.

Paton is really an amazing pickup. For me he seems like such an old head so I somehow don't think of him in development terms like Coff and Clarke, but he is very solid and improving. Wilkie similar, yes he is a mature are, but he has only played about 30 games but I view him as a seasoned vet.

 

[#gosaintas]

but they already have a bye in round 11. Therefore i cant see them postponing this game as well, especially because both us and sydney play 5 days later on the thursday as well.

Hopefully you're right. I don't mind if they're a little unsettled.

 

[cooperrules]

hill has been looking proppy the last couple weeks, they might give him a rest this week.

Thats ok bring in langlands hes been effective when hes come in. Hill isnt tearing it apart anyway.

 

[cooperrules]

One more game.

Ratts pretty much said on SEN he will be straight back in for Gold Coast.

Clarke straight into the guts

 

[triggering bro]

The way Ratten has managed Geary this year has been nothing short of brilliant. We have to play him, of course, because he is the captain. But in giving him odd jobs (that work to his strengths, where he isn't required to accumulate disposals, and where he has performed well), it has meant that we can settle each of our lines, being our forwards, mids, and especially our young back 6, despite him being in the team.

Spot on mate. I recall last season when Geary was out injured & after a loss Cho mentioned we missed Geary’s rebound out of D50. Cho’s comment left me gobsmacked. Ratts has identified the appropriate role for Gears & whilst doing so has elevated other players’ games.

 

[PostmanBish]

We're yet to have any bad brain fades in terms of free kicks or anything like that I think.

1. I love that Jones is a bit of a hard-nut ... we've lacked that for a significant period
2. I think the other guys are aware, and step in if he looks like having a brain fade (notable example, Billings against Port) before it escalates into anything which will cost us a free-kick reversal, for example.

Just about to enter his prime years, and is giving us plenty so far ... lock him in for 100+ games with St Kilda, if he stays healthy, is my tip.

 

[SaintersUnite]

For those who constantly criticise Seb Ross I post the following..
Brownlow votes (i cant think of a better measure of a players ability}.

Imports.
Hannaberry 107. Mostly gained while not having black in his jumper.
Paddy Ryder. 19.
Hill. 15.
Carlisle 14
Savage 5
Jones. 2.
Kent 1

St.Kilda players.
Ross. 42
Billings. 28
Tim Membrey. 17
Roberton 7.
Marshall 7
Gresham 6
Dunstan 5
Steele 5
Lonie 4
Geary 3.

Is Lonie twice better than Jones then?


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[Diehard Saint]

Finals and flags aren't won by the team with the best 22 players.
They are won by teams with the best 22 players at the end of a long season which will inevitably injures some of your first choice 22.

Getting to finals having only played largely the same 22 blokes all year is a disaster waiting to happen.
There is a lot to be said for rotating depth players in, especially this year with no VFL.
It is our best long term interest to keep backup guys like savage, webster etc sharp by giving them games.

Guys like savage and webster still have plenty of football left in them, it's not like we'd be bringing in nathan brown at the expense of a kid getting a game.

Yes, I get your point, especially in a regular season, and I did mention that if they need a rest then by all means, bring in others. ( Can’t be Webster as he’s injured again.)

With the short breaks, some others are going to have to come into the team out of necessity.

However, these guys are young, and this year we have a 17 (16 actually due to long break after round 1) game season, not 23, they should not necessarily all require regular rests. (Gears, Ross, Carlisle - the older guys maybe)

Being such a bizarre year I still think we play our best 22 together as much as possible. I doubt this is the year we win it, so let’s use it to gel the group into a tight unit for the future.

 

[The_Steadier]

Clarke straight into the guts

raph or x-man?

 

[SaintersUnite]

Thats ok bring in langlands hes been effective when hes come in. Hill isnt tearing it apart anyway.

Good idea but I’d rather bring in Bytel and move Sinclair to the wing. Sinclair was rated as elite in his position when he played a full year there.


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[Shiv]

Jones has been great this year. Playing as a permanent inside mid and had adapted seamlessly. His disposal, overall, has been pretty good - no different to any other mid. He's been the perfect replacement for Jack Steven.

Did he spend much time playing inside at Sydney?

Good to hear. He was doing a bit of both and playing off the half back.

 

[gringo2011]

i reckon Patton has had his moments this year and people questioning if he should be dropped off the back of those games had some merit, but you can't question his form over the last couple of games. he's been stellar. one of the best performed down back.

it's a bit like coffield, you could mount an argument for him earlier on, to be dropped, but you can't do it now. he's really been solid down there.

tbh i think both players and steele have been helped by geary being used as a bit of a mr fix it. it's freed all three up. geary has been used up forward, down back and even in the midfield as a tagger. so it's allowed those guys to settle into one position and concentrate more on their own game.

which is incredibly pleasing. to have such young players start to cement them selves as best 22. that's what we need.

I don't know where the Paton calls same from to be honest. I thought he was good all year. I assumed it was because he was a late pick that nobody expected anything of him. Coffield had some really average early form but turned it around. He's just your good solid citizen that hits the ground running. He and Wilkie both look like they have been playing AFL for years.

 

[Shiv]

He's been really good. Has played pretty much exclusively as an inside mid which he's thrived in. His intensity at the contest has been terrific. Has been a really good clearance player for us. Shrugs the tackle, gets a short burst in and gets a deep entry inside 50 regularly.

I've found his disposal to be pretty solid. Playing as an inside mid really suits him I think. When he played at half back or a wing for the Swans, I think his bad kicks stood out more whereas now he's often getting a kick out of a stoppage or under pressure where it's less important to hit a clean target.

We're yet to have any bad brain fades in terms of free kicks or anything like that I think.

Ah yep that makes sense. He was one of our main attacking threats getting the ball inside 50, so we had an expectation the quality of kicks would be high. Glad to hear he's found his role as an inside mid. Imo he has just enough accelartion/power to get a quick clearance/burst through the congestion.

 

[AirWinmar]

Is Lonie twice better than Jones then?


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Not after this year, Jones has likely already more than doubled his brownlow tally

 

[gringo2011]

Surprised Hill is so low.

he played behind guns at the Hawks and then at Freo always had Fyfe and Walters taking votes then others like Mundy and Lauchie Neale who look like they win more of their own footy.

 

[Shiv]

S

1. I love that Jones is a bit of a hard-nut ... we've lacked that for a significant period
2. I think the other guys are aware, and step in if he looks like having a brain fade (notable example, Billings against Port) before it escalates into anything which will cost us a free-kick reversal, for example.

Just about to enter his prime years, and is giving us plenty so far ... lock him in for 100+ games with St Kilda, if he stays healthy, is my tip.

Seems like he's matured a bit too.

 

[ScrappyDo]

i reckon Patton has had his moments this year and people questioning if he should be dropped off the back of those games had some merit, but you can't question his form over the last couple of games. he's been stellar. one of the best performed down back.

it's a bit like coffield, you could mount an argument for him earlier on, to be dropped, but you can't do it now. he's really been solid down there.

Yeah, nar... You could mount an argument for almost any player to be dropped at one point or another.
Without directing this at anyone in particular, you'd have to be a fair dinkum numbscull to even suggest dropping Paton at any stage this year.
At his age and number of games, you take his ups and forgive his downs for the sake of continuing his development, which is going extremely well.
Otherwise you're back at selecting players that have no future with StKilda, and aren't any better than Pato on any given day anyway.

If an observer can't understand the benefit of developing quality young players over continually selecting C and D grade hacks, then why even bother with them in the first place...

 

[FQFjt]

he played behind guns at the Hawks and then at Freo always had Fyfe and Walters taking votes then others like Mundy and Lauchie Neale who look like they win more of their own footy.

Wow easy to forget how many guns Freo had in their midfield at one stage.

 

[StFly]

raph or x-man?

Matt.

It's always the one you least suspect...

 

[my name was taken]

King out, only 8 touches, hot and cold, always turns it over. Darragh Joyce in for him. I’ve been watching this club for over 130 years I tell ya!

Am I doing it right?


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You gotta go all in...


Dan butler, 44% disposal efficiency last outing, useless spud and turnover merchant. Wish we had a ryan gamble type pickup in the off season.

(Sorry, Ryan)

 

[StCicatriz]

So much this post.

IMO you are spot on re Geary. We have two settled small backs in Wilkie and Paton, they Coff and Hunter can all use it off half back. The oppo forwards can't lag off any one of them like they did with Gears down back where they would want the ball in his hands because of his average kicking.

What this does is make the team so much stronger, Gears uses his strengths, courage, hard at it, even marking ( two goals v Carlton) and cuts out a damaging ball user.
The others hit targets and all 4 are accurate thereby setting the team up in attack.

couldn't agree more.

your half back flankers who drive the ball forward are becoming more and more important. if they're bad users of the footy you end up turning it over at the worst possible part of the ground.

i remember over my WAFL club had changed coaches to Schofield, we finished last. But what he had done is establish the new backline. in year 2 he would be absolutely irate at anyone of his half backs playing what he called "turn over football". said "you could get away with that shit last season, not this season". he then build a side that lost 1 game 2 seasons. back to back flags. a flag against an AFL side. lost two flags to a side cheating the salary cap, with rules broken by the WAFC to deliver the dockers a WAFL flag. at utterly professional unit built off attack from the HBF. that did not like turning it over from their back 6.

i see that building with us with who we have down there and the pleasing thing is they're all very young bar say carlisle. we are seeing a defence that can really establish it self for the half a decade plus.

plus Gears is getting on. he won't be around in 5 years time. it's allowing those that will to really grow into their roles.

Geary's job on was Gray was amazing. i think he may have spent time on Boak?

plus i think it's good that Geary as captain can float through the various lines and spread his leadership.