Round 9 - St Kilda vs Melbourne @ Etihad Stadium

[Papa Juggs]

I we can't win rucking against Stefan Martin our season is over.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

I we can't win rucking against Stefan Martin our season is over.

I thought it had been all but declared.

 

[IllBeTheJudge]

I thought it had been all but declared.

You're right, it's done

This match is on at a good time for me, I hope Siposs and Cripps keep their spots so I can have another look at them. Siposs will be there surely. Cripps deserve another go?

 

[Persevering Saint]

RL conceded last week, so the time has come for change.... finally!!!

FB. winmar dawson lynch
HB. goddard fisher gwilt
C. ray armitage gilbert
HF. heyne riewoldt schneider
FF. milne stanley sippos
F. mcevoy dal santo montagna
B. cripps steven dempster smith(sub)

Don't mind this side.

I wonder if, maybe, just maybe we put in Archer for Heyne. Too tall? But if we're going to try to play Roo further up the ground, and Stanely can go for a run a fair bit of the time too, perhaps having Piggy and Sipp as the two main targets and Milney, Steven etc being crumbers might work?

 

[SaintsSeptember]

You're right, it's done

This match is on at a good time for me, I hope Siposs and Cripps keep their spots so I can have another look at them. Siposs will be there surely. Cripps deserve another go?[/quote]

Not really but lets give him another shot anyway.

Bye for Sandringham on the weekend so Ledger won't really be able to demand a go.
I'd be almost inclined to leave Jones in the team, since he wins a bit of the contested ball, and nobody is going to get better if we they dont touch the ball.
Cripps got no contested posessions.

 

[Squizz]

Ross Lyon's presser said that Siposs and Cripps had done enough to hold their spots, and he was looking for the others to do the same when they get their opportunity.

Is clearly excited by Ledger's potential to have a positive impact on the team (obviously when he builds a fitness base).

One other thing he mentioned was that (with some of the more experienced players) he'd been hoping that they'd turn things around - but that he recognises he needs to keep integrity at selection with players who aren't performing (which hasn't been as much of an issue in the past couple of years when the team is delivering conistently).

 

[Persevering Saint]

That was the key part of the interview, for mine.

How many clearances has Jones been averaging? I was a bit sloppy with that team I endorsed. Still want Dempster and Jones in there - tough grunt.

 

[dg102]

Is Ledger a chance to play? we could do with his clearing run.

 

[Persevering Saint]

He's only just come back from injury, so I'd imagine chucking him into the seniors for his first match would be a tad bit harsh... mind you, it's Melbourne, so he won't be up against hardened bodies. The only thing is that, if he plays this week for us, he needs to play for the next month with us - I don't like the idea of one game then dumped (Archer?!?!?). Not sure it's a wise idea to make the first four games of an already injury prone youngster be Melbourne, Freo in WA, Collingwood, and the Doggies, off virtually no Zebtime.

Mind you, I was amazed when Sipp started playing, given his age and Ross's history with blooding youth, so who knows what the heck is going to happen this week at the table.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

That was the key part of the interview, for mine.

How many clearances has Jones been averaging? I was a bit sloppy with that team I endorsed. Still want Dempster and Jones in there - tough grunt.

Round by round. 1= 4( Lenny and Joey 5 each) , 2=2 ( Armo 9) , 3= 1 ( DalSanto 6) , 5=5 ( Joey 10) ,Round 6 NO STATS, Round 7=0 ( Armo 6)
Round 8 =1 ( DalSanto 5).

Not enough I guess.

 

[Persevering Saint]

Hmmm.

More than anything else, our clearance work is what's killing us. If we don't get the ball at the clearance, then it goes to our defence, and we can't seem to get it out of there until our opposition gets a goal , but that's another story ("why, hellooo Mr Lynch with your pinpoint passes... pleased to meetcha...").

But if we get it forward, we seem to have some potentially potent (potentially potent?!) options. Remember, Riewoldt kicked 3 beauties in the first quarter, before he had got completely stuffed. If he didn't have to kick with a leg full of lactic acid, he might kick a few more (I dream...).

Clearances are a big part of our problem is all I'm saying.

 

[dg102]

Jones was very good against Carlton, he can certainly step up another gear. Looked like he was playing a different role against Hawthorn around half back. But could that be because the ball was always as half back. Dunno, I think in the last 2 he has shown some signs.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

To me the pumped up Carlton game, followed by the insipid Hawks game was strangely reminicent of the GF1 followed by GF2. ( Only in this case a draw in the former would have been welcome in hindsight ).

 

[krusden]

Jones was very good against Carlton, he can certainly step up another gear. Looked like he was playing a different role against Hawthorn around half back. But could that be because the ball was always as half back. Dunno, I think in the last 2 he has shown some signs.

jonesy has shown more in the last two than previously this season for sure. on the way back. from what i dunno, but on the way back.

 

[stkildathunda]

Im all for playing kids, but there has to be a fine balance of playing them and competing and playing them and getting smashed by 60+ points every week. As we already have Armo, Steven, Cripps, Pissoff, McEvoy all still "kids" that we probably wouldnt want to bring anymore then 2 or 3 more in. For the rest of the year rotate all the other kids through the team, giving them the experience and all that jazz.

I can see it now if we bring in 5+ more like some want that week in week out getting done by 60+ that within 10weeks there will be a "Ross Lyon Must Be Sacked" thread going...

Hopefully Lynch is fit enough to play cos out of all the guys playing VFL he has been our most consistent performer for past year or so...

 

[SaintsSeptember]

If the backline can be at least semi functional again ( and thanks to Fish n Gwilt it wasnt terrible last weekend ) at least we are rebounding the ball back into the midfield to give the guys a shot at it.
I think Cripps got 6 touches, ( not forgetting he was only there for half the game ) so I suppose you have to ask, does he get more benefit from those 6 touches in the AFL than he would have had from 20 touches in the VFL. I think the answer is sometimes.

 

[krusden]

If the backline can be at least semi functional again ( and thanks to Fish n Gwilt it wasnt terrible last weekend ) at least we are rebounding the ball back into the midfield to give the guys a shot at it.
I think Cripps got 6 touches, ( not forgetting he was only there for half the game ) so I suppose you have to ask, does he get more benefit from those 6 touches in the AFL than he would have had from 20 touches in the VFL. I think the answer is sometimes.

sort of mirrors the comment made about kosi earlier on when he was coming back from his injury that its better to come back in the AFL rather than throught the Twos.

It seems the players would agree with you SS that what Cripps learnt from the game on the weekend is more than he couldve learnt dominating in the twos.

 

[IllBeTheJudge]

Agreed
You need to be playing against better players to keep improving yourself

 

[SaintsSeptember]

I think its an in and out thing though. If it gets to the stage where the player isnt getting enough of it, it can be also helpful to play VFL and cut loose for a couple of games.
For example when Heyne played AFL last year, he had games with 3 and 6 disposals. I'm not sure he would have benefitted enourmously from that. ( Not withstanding he got to tackle some famous guys ).

 

[krusden]

the interest for me today is who will be playing VFL on the weekend to get some form back into them?

its a fine line thats for sure..... and depends totally on the player and their mindset.
For example, BJ is in terrible form but what would be achieved by dropping him to the VFL? However a younger player may be tired or sore and need a run in the twos for player management.

 

[stkildathunda]

Sandy have the bye this weekend so if people get dropped they dont play at all this weekend...

 

[IllBeTheJudge]

the interest for me today is who will be playing VFL on the weekend to get some form back into them?

its a fine line thats for sure..... and depends totally on the player and their mindset.
For example, BJ is in terrible form but what would be achieved by dropping him to the VFL? However a younger player may be tired or sore and need a run in the twos for player management.

Even though Sandy have the bye, your comments make sense
No point in BJ getting 45 touches in the VFL

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Sandy have the bye this weekend so if people get dropped they dont play at all this weekend...

Maybe they will have to do the Auskick clinic on Sunday.

 

[stkildathunda]

Maybe they will have to do the Auskick clinic on Sunday.

The way they are going the Auskick kids might beat them

 

[SaintsSeptember]

I think BJ should be moved into the backline. Back to basics for him.