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

[Arcassius]

Interesting number of forwards on the interchange bench

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

Like Square Peg I am mentally preparing myself for Banfield to be joining Hughes on Sunday, I'm not sure I'm going to last long sticking to my resolution of cutting out the negatives towards Freo players on here.

 

[bushchook]

Tabs was giving Adelaide all sorts of problems in the preseason so they pulled him early. He's going to be the Saints defence biggest headache and won't miss while he is fit.

You're just going to have to get used to people continually writing off Tabs on this board. We have a lot of slow learners.

 

[MadMundy]

Treacy has to be in, surely.

 

[serial_thrilla]

I am baffled at how Hughes got ahead of Henry on the wing. That journo from The West was right all along!

 

[Vintage]

Have to play the youth. Treacy doesn’t play and Tabs, Fyfe is preferred? You’d have players looking elsewhere, especially at Treacy’s age.

It’s round 1, Treacy is a 20 KPF drafted as a rookie. He is not going to quit the club or get dejected and stop trying to improve because players like Fyfe, tabs and Jackson are ahead of him in round 1 when all are available.

Lets all give the coaches some credit in their ability to manage performance and expectations of the young guys.

 

[Vintage]

Interesting number of forwards on the interchange bench

It’s a bit misleading, you could swap tabs for O’meara and that would probably be more reflective of reality.

I expect then O’meara and Henry as the bench mids. Walker defender. And then maybe Treacy as final bench. Banfield as sub. (If not, then Sturt as sub)

 

[MrDanggazz]

Hughes on the wing makes no sense to me, the bloke is the most WAFL player I’ve ever seen. I love Switta but I seriously hope we see Sturt or Treacy replace his spot come game day, hopefully they are playing silly buggars with the team sheet.

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

Hughes on the wing makes no sense to me, the bloke is the most WAFL player I’ve ever seen. I love Switta but I seriously hope we see Sturt or Treacy replace his spot come game day, hopefully they are playing silly buggars with the team sheet.

Switta going nowhere bro...

 

[arsesmart]

I don't think it's too silly to think it's a battle between Taberner, Treacy and Sturt for the last 2 spots and sub. Walker and Henry are more likely to stay in, given their field positions.

Either of Tabs, Sturt or Treacy would be reasonable to place in the sub vest. Tabs as a management thing, Treacy given his ability to cover the ruck and his pressure game, Sturt given his versatility of either forward or wing. Mind you, Banfield has a body of evidence of his ability to come on and go.

 

[Alfonz]

I wouldn't rule out both Walker and Wilson playing (or one being the sub) with the St Kilda small forwards being their main avenue to goal.

 

[arsesmart]

I am baffled at how Hughes got ahead of Henry on the wing. That journo from The West was right all along!

It is the more conservative move, in that you put a more battle-hardened, if less polished player out there to start. I have thought they might be just easing Henry in, but I reckon he's ready to go from what I've seen in the preseason.

 

[King Huskii]

Oh boy. Aish and Hughes on the wing. The melts if Henry doesnt play.
Effectively told Acres to * off and Hughes is the replacement.

Only because NOD is underdone otherwise NOD and Aish are wingers

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

I wouldn't rule out both Walker and Wilson playing (or one being the sub) with the St Kilda small forwards being their main avenue to goal.

Doesnt really matter when there is only so many players you can have on the field. Probably means Walker gets the nod as he's defs better than Wilson as a defender

 

[GingerDocker]

The only way St Kilda get near us is with their smalls like Higgins, Butler etc getting off the leash.

Surely Walker is a certainty?

 

[arsesmart]

Only because NOD is underdone otherwise NOD and Aish are wingers

They're more likely to rotate 3 or so players through those wing positions, if it follows on from the scratchies etc.

 

[Kenny_01]

Tabs looked cooked for me. A couple of late Fyfe assists made his numbers look reasonable v Port. But he was very poor IMO. Would much rather Treacy.

Hughes is not everyone's cup of tea but he is tough as nails and covers the ground well. He will be able to get back and support the defence so I can totally see why he is in the side.

 

[MrDanggazz]

I’d rather take the one or two mistakes blooding Henry for the wing then watch Hughes fumble over himself, hopefully he proves me wrong though.

 

[Square Peg]

Now for the most important selection

Umpires
Chris Donlon (1), Daniel Johanson (6), Curtis Deboy (11), Nathan Toner (25)

That Donlon is a Freo hating campaigner but I honestly know nothing about the others, which is probably a positive thing

 

[Ysaye]

Hughes is there to clock kms on the fat wide wing.

They're more likely to rotate 3 or so players through those wing positions, if it follows on from the scratchies etc.

And last year - it was pretty much Aish, Acres, O'Driscoll for most of it.

 

[King Huskii]

I can't wait for O'Driscoll to be fully fit

He's a true winger Hughes is learning
I'd rather Henry

 

[Bigger]

Hughes is there to clock kms on the fat wide wing.

Correct. He will be there to protect the fat side and to scoot back to help team defence. Just running and running. I don't mind it. I wish him well.

Did you know I spent years looking at your avatar thinking it was a blurry pick of some indie musician in a corduroy jacket and that your username was some in-joke. But my daughter is a violinist and I should have known better.

Cue shameless plug for her upcoming show at the Freo Town Hall that you may be interested in.

 

[bushchook]

I don't think it's too silly to think it's a battle between Taberner, Treacy and Sturt for the last 2 spots and sub. Walker and Henry are more likely to stay in, given their field positions.

It is pretty silly. Taberner is our #1 key forward.

 

[Docker82]

Personally I think Aish, Hughes and Henry were all always going to play tbh. We'll see if I'm right tmr.

Reckon it's Taberner, Henry, Wilson/Walker and Treacy/Sturt for the bench spots with Banfield extremely likely to be the medical sub.

 

[Bigger]

It is pretty silly. Taberner is our #1 key forward.

For the first ten rounds or so.