Preview St Kilda Saints vs. Fremantle Dockers, Round 1 2023

[Vintage]

Another year will help with that. Big bodies don't get any smaller in the wet and regdardless of our improvement last year and this we're still a young side.

Yeah, we’re a very young side still which statistically means we are less likely to make the 8 - not cast iron, but unusual for such young sides not to stumble on the way up.

we were youngest by some margin in the finals, key changes from that team:

• Mundy, Lobb, acres replaced by Jaeger, Jackson and Henry(?). Overall much younger and less gamess
• Logue and Amiss out replaced by Fyfe and tabs. Overall older and more experienced

fyfe and tabs the most injury prone and both would be replaced by younger players in Treacy, amiss or Sturt.

our profile is still a bit inexperienced relative to MOST top 4 sides. Doesn’t mean we won’t make it, but it should help temper expectations.

 

[Eski3]

Round 1 cockiness won't do us any favours, we almost got done by the crows last year. Saints are injured but they'll be up and about and motivated if they're being written off. Their good mids are still playing, I'll take literally any kind of win on their deck

 

[Taylor]

If you take the magnifying glass to the last time we played them over there, replacing Mundy with O'Meara is going to nearly cut off all their centre bounce clearances. With all due respect to Dave, they targeted his opponent to move the ball quickly and it took us too long to work around that.

 

[Son of a Wizard]

NO MERCY! I want us to win by 120 points, go top of the ladder and remain there all year.

HEAVE HO MOFOS!

 

[Son of a Wizard]

Seriously, enough of this self doubt. It is our time. We have been second guessing, feeling sorry for ourselves and being bloody pathetic for way too long.

This is what WILL happen in 2023


We will win every game, regular season, gather round, derbies, finals THE LOT.

Fyfe will not kick 50, he'll kick a tonne. And so will Tabs.

Our back like wont have more than 5 goals kick against them in a game all season.

The All Australian top 40 AA list will be all Freo players, as will the All Australian

Brayshaw, Jackson and Serong will jointly win the Brownlow.

Longmuir will not only win coach of the year, he'll be elected our first Australian President.

The rising star will go jointly to Johnson and Erasmus, even though they only play two games each.

We will win the flag (of course) and part of the ongoing Hawthorn dramas will see they were all drug cheats in 2013 and we will get that as well.


It is our time people. No more self criticism. WE ARE FREO!

WE ARE THE BEST TEAM EVER.



And then we go on for a sixpeat!

 

[A Mantle Full]

Seriously, enough of this self doubt. It is our time. We have been second guessing, feeling sorry for ourselves and being bloody pathetic for way too long.

This is what WILL happen in 2023


We will win every game, regular season, gather round, derbies, finals THE LOT.

Fyfe will not kick 50, he'll kick a tonne. And so will Tabs.

Our back like wont have more than 5 goals kick against them in a game all season.

The All Australian top 40 AA list will be all Freo players, as will the All Australian

Brayshaw, Jackson and Serong will jointly win the Brownlow.

Longmuir will not only win coach of the year, he'll be elected our first Australian President.

The rising star will go jointly to Johnson and Erasmus, even though they only play two games each.

We will win the flag (of course) and part of the ongoing Hawthorn dramas will see they were all drug cheats in 2013 and we will get that as well.


It is our time people. No more self criticism. WE ARE FREO!

WE ARE THE BEST TEAM EVER.



And then we go on for a sixpeat!

Negative Nancy


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Unique Name]

Feel like we should be confident.... but I remember us all saying that last year against the crows.

 

[Quazar]

Seriously, enough of this self doubt. It is our time. We have been second guessing, feeling sorry for ourselves and being bloody pathetic for way too long.

This is what WILL happen in 2023


We will win every game, regular season, gather round, derbies, finals THE LOT.

Fyfe will not kick 50, he'll kick a tonne. And so will Tabs.

Our back like wont have more than 5 goals kick against them in a game all season.

The All Australian top 40 AA list will be all Freo players, as will the All Australian

Brayshaw, Jackson and Serong will jointly win the Brownlow.

Longmuir will not only win coach of the year, he'll be elected our first Australian President.

The rising star will go jointly to Johnson and Erasmus, even though they only play two games each.

We will win the flag (of course) and part of the ongoing Hawthorn dramas will see they were all drug cheats in 2013 and we will get that as well.


It is our time people. No more self criticism. WE ARE FREO!

WE ARE THE BEST TEAM EVER.



And then we go on for a sixpeat!

 

[Joao]

Feel like we should be confident.... but I remember us all saying that last year against the crows.

If we'd kicked straight in the first half we'd have been up by 10 goals in that game. Nothing more frustrating to me than missing easy shots on goal.

 

[Boomer93]

Saints fan here, first three choices for key fwds are out, will be hard to kick a winning score. However, the St Kilda midfield isn't decimated. Jones and Billings aren't best 22 and Ross, which some people mentioned is on the fringe. Coffield (obvs not a mid, but he isn't best 22 either). I reckon you guys win but it will likely be you guys running over us late, Dockers by 19.

Im very suprised to hear you dont think Billings is best 22, and i would have thought seb ross was pretty well cemented in your 22, especially if Billings and Jones arent.

Would you mind taking the time to post your best 22 plus 3 emergencies given a fully fit side?

 

[Nodgey]

Nice to hear Lachie mention in the interview thread that the club has been working over the summer about not giving up starts from the get go. So I'm looking forward to us winning the first quarter, and then cruising on to a comfortable victory.

On the other hand, I've been a member since inception and so I've learnt never to take anything for granted.

 

[Purple Jesus]

Seriously, enough of this self doubt. It is our time. We have been second guessing, feeling sorry for ourselves and being bloody pathetic for way too long.

This is what WILL happen in 2023


We will win every game, regular season, gather round, derbies, finals THE LOT.

Fyfe will not kick 50, he'll kick a tonne. And so will Tabs.

Our back like wont have more than 5 goals kick against them in a game all season.

The All Australian top 40 AA list will be all Freo players, as will the All Australian

Brayshaw, Jackson and Serong will jointly win the Brownlow.

Longmuir will not only win coach of the year, he'll be elected our first Australian President.

The rising star will go jointly to Johnson and Erasmus, even though they only play two games each.

We will win the flag (of course) and part of the ongoing Hawthorn dramas will see they were all drug cheats in 2013 and we will get that as well.


It is our time people. No more self criticism. WE ARE FREO!

WE ARE THE BEST TEAM EVER.



And then we go on for a sixpeat!

 

[freo_leo29]

If we let Phillipou kick 5 goals like we did Rachele then I'll blow a gasket

 

[stfan]

Im very suprised to hear you dont think Billings is best 22, and i would have thought seb ross was pretty well cemented in your 22, especially if Billings and Jones arent.

Would you mind taking the time to post your best 22 plus 3 emergencies given a fully fit side?

Yes Billings is easily best 22. Some fans discount him because he was picked before the Bont and rate him by that, rather than what he has actually delivered in games. He racks up the the numbers in an unobtrusive way, and post game when you check the stats he wins more ball than you thought he would. He is a "mid-tier" player who on his day can be very good. But he does not play midfield, more HF, Wing, HB.

Ross is a good steady mid, with the odd brilliant game. Would still be first 22 at present. The issue this season however is if we get a decent injury list, which we certainly do not have at present, isthat the coaches will want to be getting games into Windhager, Owens and Phillipou.

Ross would also have more competition if Jones could get on the park and stay there. As it stands it seems he cannot and this may be his last season. The advantage of Jones is his pace and aggression, which counters his rough edges.

Sunday it will be good to see how Bytel goes as this is the fittest he has even been with us.

Webster Howard Wilkie
Nasiah Battle Sinclair
Wood Crouch Hill
Billings Hayes Membrey
Higgins King Butler

Marshall Steele Gresham

Jones Ross Windhager Clark

Then Owens Phillipou Bytel Coffield Stocker (who has looked quite capable in the preseason) Personally I see 2023 as a developmental year and so I would want to rotate all our better youth through the games to help push them along.

Windhager is a test for Round 1.
Coffield could be best 22, but Nasiah has looked good playing HB in he preseason, and is a lot stronger than the twig he was in 2022.

So we are probably missing 6 or 7 best 22 players, Though the new younger players may change who is actually best 22 if everyone was actually available to play. King and Membrey are our biggest outs. Plus a fit and firing Jones is valuable to us as he ads things that our others mids do not.

Phillipou oozes class, but is also still raw, and can go missing, but then dominate. With a full list that may or may not play him in the firsts, or rather not every week.

For Sunday I think our backline should be decent, our midfield competent, and that Marshall will have his work cut our against your two rucks.
Our small forwards should be ok, but we lack competent key forwards and a "third tall" (Membrey) and that is also going to make the game harder for our small forwards.. Cordy will toil, but Jack Dyer would have rated him as a GOP. He will try hard, but he is most unlikely to turn the game.

It will interesting to see how the very raw Caminiti goes against quality backs. I am not expecting miracles, but he looks like he has the makings of a decent key forward in a year or two.

 

[DocT]

Y

Yes Billings is easily best 22. Some fans discount him because he was picked before the Bont and rate him by that, rather than what he has actually delivered in games. He racks up the the numbers in an unobtrusive way, and post game when you check the stats he wins more ball than you thought he would. He is a "mid-tier" player who on his day can be very good. But he does not play midfield, more HF, Wing, HB.

Ross is a good steady mid, with the odd brilliant game. Would still be first 22 at present. The issue this season however is if we get a decent injury list, which we certainly d not at present, that the coaches will want to be getting games into Windhager, Owens and Pliilipou.

Ross would also have more competition if Jones could get on the park and stay there. As it stands it seems he cannot and this may be his last season. The advantage of Jones is his pace and aggression, which counters his rough edges.

Sunday it will be good to see how Bytel goes as this is the fittest he has even been with us.

Webster Howard Wilkie
Nasiah Battle Sinclair
Wood Crouch Hill
Billings Hayes Membrey
Higgins King Butler

Marshall Steele Gresham

Jones Ross Windhager Clark

Then Owens Phillipou Bytel Coffield Stocker (who has looked quite capable in the preseason) Personally I see 2023 as a developmental year and so I would want to rotate all our better youth through the games to help push them along.

Windhager is a test for Round 1.
Coffield could be best 22, but Nasiah has looked good playing HB in he preseason, and is a lot stronger than the twig he was in 2022.

So we are probably missing 6 or 7 best 22 players, Though the new younger players may change who is actually best 22 if everyone was actually available to play. King and Membrey are our biggest outs. Plus a fit and firing Jones is valuable to us as he ads things that our others mids do not.

Phillipou oozes class, but is also still raw, and can go missing, but then dominate. With a full list that may or may not play him in the firsts, or rather not every week.

For Sunday I think our backline should be decent, our midfield competent, and that Marshall will have his work cut our against your two rucks.
Our small forwards should be ok, but we lack competent key forwards and a "third tall" (Membrey) and that is also going to make the game harder for our small forwards.. Cordy will toil, but Jack Dyer would have rated him as a GOP. He will try hard, but he is most unlikely to turn the game.

It will interesting to see how the very raw Caminiti goes against quality backs. I am not expecting miracles, but he looks like he has the makings of a decent key forward in a year or two.

You know what you're talking about. Would you like to be a Dockers supporter?
PS What's your take on Ross Lyon?

 

[Arcassius]

Yes Billings is easily best 22. Some fans discount him because he was picked before the Bont and rate him by that, rather than what he has actually delivered in games. He racks up the the numbers in an unobtrusive way, and post game when you check the stats he wins more ball than you thought he would. He is a "mid-tier" player who on his day can be very good. But he does not play midfield, more HF, Wing, HB.

Ross is a good steady mid, with the odd brilliant game. Would still be first 22 at present. The issue this season however is if we get a decent injury list, which we certainly d not at present, that the coaches will want to be getting games into Windhager, Owens and Pliilipou.

Ross would also have more competition if Jones could get on the park and stay there. As it stands it seems he cannot and this may be his last season. The advantage of Jones is his pace and aggression, which counters his rough edges.

Sunday it will be good to see how Bytel goes as this is the fittest he has even been with us.

Webster Howard Wilkie
Nasiah Battle Sinclair
Wood Crouch Hill
Billings Hayes Membrey
Higgins King Butler

Marshall Steele Gresham

Jones Ross Windhager Clark

Then Owens Phillipou Bytel Coffield Stocker (who has looked quite capable in the preseason) Personally I see 2023 as a developmental year and so I would want to rotate all our better youth through the games to help push them along.

Windhager is a test for Round 1.
Coffield could be best 22, but Nasiah has looked good playing HB in he preseason, and is a lot stronger than the twig he was in 2022.

So we are probably missing 6 or 7 best 22 players, Though the new younger players may change who is actually best 22 if everyone was actually available to play. King and Membrey are our biggest outs. Plus a fit and firing Jones is valuable to us as he ads things that our others mids do not.

Phillipou oozes class, but is also still raw, and can go missing, but then dominate. With a full list that may or may not play him in the firsts, or rather not every week.

For Sunday I think our backline should be decent, our midfield competent, and that Marshall will have his work cut our against your two rucks.
Our small forwards should be ok, but we lack competent key forwards and a "third tall" (Membrey) and that is also going to make the game harder for our small forwards.. Cordy will toil, but Jack Dyer would have rated him as a GOP. He will try hard, but he is most unlikely to turn the game.

It will interesting to see how the very raw Caminiti goes against quality backs. I am not expecting miracles, but he looks like he has the makings of a decent key forward in a year or two.

Great post and a balanced perspective enjoyed your insights

Sent from my XQ-BC72 using Tapatalk

 

[Quazar]

Y

You know what you're talking about. Would you like to be a Dockers supporter?
PS What's your take on Ross Lyon?

we don't have anyone that knows what they're talking about...?!

 

[Quazar]

we have the shortest injury list going into Round 1 (as it presently stands!)

Possibly just 1 soldier if Walters is cleared to play (where he plays, I don't know..). Just Trav. I mean, there's quite a few other clubs that only have 3, but still........

 

[E Shed]

Yes Billings is easily best 22. Some fans discount him because he was picked before the Bont and rate him by that, rather than what he has actually delivered in games. He racks up the the numbers in an unobtrusive way, and post game when you check the stats he wins more ball than you thought he would. He is a "mid-tier" player who on his day can be very good. But he does not play midfield, more HF, Wing, HB.

Ross is a good steady mid, with the odd brilliant game. Would still be first 22 at present. The issue this season however is if we get a decent injury list, which we certainly d not at present, that the coaches will want to be getting games into Windhager, Owens and Pliilipou.

Ross would also have more competition if Jones could get on the park and stay there. As it stands it seems he cannot and this may be his last season. The advantage of Jones is his pace and aggression, which counters his rough edges.

Sunday it will be good to see how Bytel goes as this is the fittest he has even been with us.

Webster Howard Wilkie
Nasiah Battle Sinclair
Wood Crouch Hill
Billings Hayes Membrey
Higgins King Butler

Marshall Steele Gresham

Jones Ross Windhager Clark

Then Owens Phillipou Bytel Coffield Stocker (who has looked quite capable in the preseason) Personally I see 2023 as a developmental year and so I would want to rotate all our better youth through the games to help push them along.

Windhager is a test for Round 1.
Coffield could be best 22, but Nasiah has looked good playing HB in he preseason, and is a lot stronger than the twig he was in 2022.

So we are probably missing 6 or 7 best 22 players, Though the new younger players may change who is actually best 22 if everyone was actually available to play. King and Membrey are our biggest outs. Plus a fit and firing Jones is valuable to us as he ads things that our others mids do not.

Phillipou oozes class, but is also still raw, and can go missing, but then dominate. With a full list that may or may not play him in the firsts, or rather not every week.

For Sunday I think our backline should be decent, our midfield competent, and that Marshall will have his work cut our against your two rucks.
Our small forwards should be ok, but we lack competent key forwards and a "third tall" (Membrey) and that is also going to make the game harder for our small forwards.. Cordy will toil, but Jack Dyer would have rated him as a GOP. He will try hard, but he is most unlikely to turn the game.

It will interesting to see how the very raw Caminiti goes against quality backs. I am not expecting miracles, but he looks like he has the makings of a decent key forward in a year or two.

Great post. Thanks for the insights.

How would you say the level of optimism is on your side of the fence? Like are your board quietly confident you guys can get it done or more expecting a loss and hoping for it to be close?

Speaking for myself I'm so traumatised by years of Freo and terrified that of anyone with a point to prove Lyon is more capable than most at engineering wins in adverse situations. The way Freo took Geelong apart on their home deck and on the MCG in finals rank as some of the greatest in club history.

Ross is playing it down but I think behind closed doors he'll be preparing your boys to run through brick walls. Its whether you have the cattle to go head to head for 4 quarters. I reckon its a 50/50 game, how do you see it?

 

[stfan]

You know what you're talking about. Would you like to be a Dockers supporter?
PS What's your take on Ross Lyon?

You read, and hear, what the vast majority of the players who have played under him think of him. The vast majority rate him highly, even ones like Baker that he gave the heave-ho to.

So they rate him, so why would not I?

But yes I rate him as a very good coach. Is he he the best coach in the AFL? Who knows but he was easily the best available coach.

2023 is all about he, and the whole new coaching panel (apart from Enright ) changing how we play, how hard we work, and changing up the list too. There is more of a focus on youth now, which has actually been the case in two drafts running now, after the past "crew" getting ahead of themselves with some odd top ups and trades which as a whole have underperformed.

 

[stfan]

Great post. Thanks for the insights.

How would you say the level of optimism is on your side of the fence? Like are your board quietly confident you guys can get it done or more expecting a loss and hoping for it to be close?

We would all love a win, but Freo are deserved favourites. If we had a full list we would be a lot more competitive.

However Lyon teams work hard, and so if their players come over too cruisey anything could happen. Who knows The Poo might play a blinder. He can certainly roost goals from outside 50.

However the optimism is that under Ratten we seem to play like headless chooks, and our "stop and go" gameplan under him was dreadful. Workrate was poor with one quarter efforts being a hallmark of our season. So the optimism is more the hope, and expectation is more based on us playing more effectively and working harder for more of the game.

The excitements is on how the younger players will go. The very raw Caminiti and The Poo on debut. And Nasiah, Owens and Windhager (if is declared fit who are all having their second season after all going well in their first.). Plus Bytel who is at last fit, will be eagerly watched..

Speaking for myself I'm so traumatised by years of Freo and terrified that of anyone with a point to prove Lyon is more capable than most at engineering wins in adverse situations. The way Freo took Geelong apart on their home deck and on the MCG in finals rank as some of the greatest in club history.

Ross is playing it down but I think behind closed doors he'll be preparing your boys to run through brick walls. Its whether you have the cattle to go head to head for 4 quarters. I reckon its a 50/50 game, how do you see it?

Not 50/50, but yes we are a chance

 

[DocT]

we don't have anyone that knows what they're talking about...?!

Luv ya Quazar. What's the best footy watching pub in Albany?

 

[DocT]

You read, and hear, what the vast majority of the players who have played under him think of him. The vast majority rate him highly, even ones like Baker that he gave the heave-ho to.

So they rate him, so why would not I?

But yes I rate him as a very good coach. Is he he the best coach in the AFL? Who knows but he was easily the best available coach.

2023 is all about he, and the whole new coaching panel (apart from Enright ) changing how we play, how hard we work, and changing up the list too. There is more of a focus on youth now, which has actually been the case in two drafts running now, after the past "crew" getting ahead of themselves with some odd top ups and trades which as a whole have underperformed.

Thx stfan. There was certainly an immediate uptick in individual and team performance from the time RTB walked into FFC.
Maybe by the end of his time there was a feeling that he was outstanding defensively but now the rest of the comp had worked that out and he was struggling to innovate and find the next level.
Anyway, time will tell.
I reckon RTB has been very unlucky and harshly judged by his detractors. I would love him and you guys to win a premiership in the next 5 years provided you defeat the Eagles and we win the other four.
You're welcome back anytime even if we can't drag you over to the Ultraviolet Light.
Here's to an interesting season

 

[Boppo]

Yes Billings is easily best 22. Some fans discount him because he was picked before the Bont and rate him by that, rather than what he has actually delivered in games. He racks up the the numbers in an unobtrusive way, and post game when you check the stats he wins more ball than you thought he would. He is a "mid-tier" player who on his day can be very good. But he does not play midfield, more HF, Wing, HB.

Ross is a good steady mid, with the odd brilliant game. Would still be first 22 at present. The issue this season however is if we get a decent injury list, which we certainly do not have at present, isthat the coaches will want to be getting games into Windhager, Owens and Phillipou.

Ross would also have more competition if Jones could get on the park and stay there. As it stands it seems he cannot and this may be his last season. The advantage of Jones is his pace and aggression, which counters his rough edges.

Sunday it will be good to see how Bytel goes as this is the fittest he has even been with us.

Webster Howard Wilkie
Nasiah Battle Sinclair
Wood Crouch Hill
Billings Hayes Membrey
Higgins King Butler

Marshall Steele Gresham

Jones Ross Windhager Clark

Then Owens Phillipou Bytel Coffield Stocker (who has looked quite capable in the preseason) Personally I see 2023 as a developmental year and so I would want to rotate all our better youth through the games to help push them along.

Windhager is a test for Round 1.
Coffield could be best 22, but Nasiah has looked good playing HB in he preseason, and is a lot stronger than the twig he was in 2022.

So we are probably missing 6 or 7 best 22 players, Though the new younger players may change who is actually best 22 if everyone was actually available to play. King and Membrey are our biggest outs. Plus a fit and firing Jones is valuable to us as he ads things that our others mids do not.

Phillipou oozes class, but is also still raw, and can go missing, but then dominate. With a full list that may or may not play him in the firsts, or rather not every week.

For Sunday I think our backline should be decent, our midfield competent, and that Marshall will have his work cut our against your two rucks.
Our small forwards should be ok, but we lack competent key forwards and a "third tall" (Membrey) and that is also going to make the game harder for our small forwards.. Cordy will toil, but Jack Dyer would have rated him as a GOP. He will try hard, but he is most unlikely to turn the game.

It will interesting to see how the very raw Caminiti goes against quality backs. I am not expecting miracles, but he looks like he has the makings of a decent key forward in a year or two.

Windhager will be a big in if declared fit. Seems like the kinda player Lyon will love to bits the way he goes about it.

 

[Quazar]

Luv ya Quazar. What's the best footy watching pub in Albany?

to be honest wouldn't have a clue, I rarely frequent them. I just stay indoors and watch it at home like Billy-No-Mates!

But I'd have to assume either The Prem on York Street, has its upstairs function, so is quite expansive. Or maybe the London Hotel on Stirling Terrace (???).