Preview St Kilda vs Western Bulldogs @Etihad Sat 2nd 7:25pm. Nick Riewoldt's 300th

[Phoenix_9]

I reckon Paddy is a shoe in. They've changed Roo's role purely to get games into Paddy so seeing that he is fit (and arguably in form), he will play IMO.

Sinclair and Minchington the other possible inclusions, both had big days in the VFL and would probably have had a bigger impact than a couple of others yesterday.

As for outs: Templeton, Gresh and Dunstan were probably our bottom 3 (although Roo and Dempster weren't much better), but I'm not sure any of them were disappointing enough to be dropped.
Gears had a shocker, but unless he gets suspended he won't be going anywhere.

Unfortunately, I'd advocate for the following changes:
Ins: Paddy, Sinclair/Minchington (whoever the coaches were more impressed with)
Out: 2 of Templeton, Dunstan, Gresham.

Even though Gresham was arguably quieter than the other two, I don't get the point in a debut and then a dropping. He probably needs another one to adjust to the increase in speed and intensity.

Templeton and Dunstan both have things to work on... And really they haven't improved a lot since last year. I think it would do wonders for Dunstan's confidence to get down and dirty and dominate some VFL footy, his development has stalled playing in the AFL IMO. In saying that he did have the wind knocked out of him and the coaches might take that into consideration.
Similarly for Templeton, if Sinclair was told to win more possessions, then I don't think Templeton has shown he can do this either and shouldn't be offered any leaniency either.

Wouldn't be surprised to see just Paddy in either.

 

[bird_man]

As I said in another thread, Dunstan did not get a lot of the footy, but he did have 6 clearances (Ports best was Gray, 8) and 9 tackles. He was very good in close but didn't get enough footy on the spread. I wont be disappointed in Richo thinks he needs a run in the VFL, but he wasn't as bad as people are suggesting.

McCartin should come in IMO, probably for either Templeton or Dunstan. I don't think Templeton was too bad either, he didn't get a lot of it but he did some good things, same with Gresh (90% disp eff).

Would be amazed if Gresh was dropped after one game.

 

[ebony_]

milestone games make me nervous but this game is winnable and will be disappointed for the loss. If we do win then the following games against the pies imo is a real chance to win.

Big crowd saints home game lets do this!!

 

[Defacto]

this is how i feel:

 

[aussierulesrules]

IMO zero chance gresh gets dropped. what did he do wrong? don't think the club would bring him in for round 1 then drop him a week later, he'll stay in the side.

I think him going unsighted for very long periods at a time will go against him if the club feel Sinclair for instance needs to be brought back in. Billings was dropped after his first game, so if we can do that to him, we can do it to anyone. Jack then killed it in the VFL for the next 3 weeks and was a lot better for it once brought back in. Two or three weeks playing on the ball in the VFL (to build match-fitness, as much as anything else) could be just what Gresh needs. It's a whole new ball-game this year with no sub rule to ease him into it and with interchange restrictions at 90, so he may not be physically ready yet.

As I said in another thread, Dunstan did not get a lot of the footy, but he did have 6 clearances (Ports best was Gray, 8) and 9 tackles. He was very good in close but didn't get enough footy on the spread. I wont be disappointed in Richo thinks he needs a run in the VFL, but he wasn't as bad as people are suggesting.

Yeah that's a good point that he had 6 clearances (and also 3 centre clearances, which are like gold), so it's hard to see him losing his spot when he also had 9 tackles, which are so important to Richo.

It's funny, Seb had 30 possies to Dunstan's 10 and they play such similar roles, yet despite him having had only a third of the total disposals of Seb, Luke had more contested possessions (8 to 7) and twice as many clearances!

Gilbert???

27 touches, 4 clearances, 4 inside 50's, 5 tackles....

...1 goal, 12 contested possessions, 6 score involvements, 20 pressure acts, 4 intercepts...

27 is also the most disposals he's had in a game since round 15, 2010, the year he came 3rd in our B&F.

His kicking was bad yesterday, even for him, but he didn't have a lot of them (10) and I thought his handballing was excellent.

 

[lewdogs]

Can't see us winning this one as the Dogs look incredible right now. Still can't wait though and I know we'll be hungry. Go Saints!

 

[BrianSpeaking]

IMO zero chance gresh gets dropped. what did he do wrong? don't think the club would bring him in for round 1 then drop him a week later, he'll stay in the side. geary won't get dropped either, i reckon it'll be minchington in for templeton and that will be the only change. acres, weller and dunstan did enough to keep their spot, but paddy and sincs not far away from a call up

I think Gresham was more a 'members pick' than a genuine selection. He's a jet but not sure it was fair to throw him into the furnace of yesterday.
As far as winning next week, the Dogs are one of the quickest teams in the league, will be a good game but they have more talent than we do at the moment.
I can see us maybe winning 2 of our first 10 games, although don't underestimate the passion of Roo's 300th.

 

[cartel]

Not sure why everybody is posting about dropping Dunstan. He was one of worse players yesterday, but he was still good in close. He has potential to be 10 year player for us, needs gametime in senior side I think.

Templeton out for McCartin, no other changes IMO.

 

[Jade Buddha]

IMO zero chance gresh gets dropped. what did he do wrong? don't think the club would bring him in for round 1 then drop him a week later, he'll stay in the side. geary won't get dropped either, i reckon it'll be minchington in for templeton and that will be the only change. acres, weller and dunstan did enough to keep their spot, but paddy and sincs not far away from a call up

It's nothing against Gresham but you need to ask yourself what the selection criteria is.

We need to be rewarding form. Players don't stay in the team because they didn't do anything wrong, they get picked on what they produced against what they were asked to do. I'm still unaware of any meaningful stats that he has produced to warrant his selection.

 

[Persevering Saint]

i reckon it'll be minchington in for templeton and that will be the only change.

One good 'ton deserves another.

 

[dct66]

Bulldogs have a short backline so there is an argument to put Paddy in but if he and Bruce don't fire then the Bullies will run it hard from defence. We need to be smart bringing the ball into 50 and apply lots of pressure when the ball comes to ground. The tall forwards didn't work for Freo but they were not in game mode for any part of the game.

 

[Glen Buterol]

Paddy vs Boyd
Billings vs The Bont
It's gonna be a beauty

 

[bird_man]

Yew! Vics on top now!

Edit: Wrong thread.... Wrong game.... Go Saints!

 

[lewdogs]

Paddy was just playing vfl to get his fitness up. The fact he kicked 7 won't have hurt his cause. He will definitely come in.

The other changes will be interesting. O wonder of they may want Sincs to work on something at vfl for a few weeks before coming back.

 

[NarrowMind]

Paddy in for Eli and Sinclair in for Gresham.

Over the moon to hear Paddy was clunking contested marks inside 50 as we were certainly missing a direct forward target against Port.

Minchington needs to string a few more performances similar to this weekend for Sandy together to look at getting promoted. Dropping Dunstan for Minch at this stage of the season wouldn't make a tremendous amount of sense as Luke deserves a fair run at things before his heads on the chopping block. I also feel his pressure will be important against the Dogs.

 

[Phoenix_9]

Apart from Minchington's size, what's his weaknesses? Because it seems to me he has neat skills, is tough, can find the ball and the goals.

 

[Glen Buterol]

Apart from Minchington's size, what's his weaknesses? Because it seems to me he has neat skills, is tough, can find the ball and the goals.

Fitness, which is good at VFL level however not quite up to standard at AFL level. Unsure but perhaps he's improved this area over the preseason.

 

[plugger66]

Apart from Minchington's size, what's his weaknesses? Because it seems to me he has neat skills, is tough, can find the ball and the goals.

Fitness has always been an issue for him.

 

[Phoenix_9]

Fitness, which is good at VFL level however not quite up to standard at AFL level. Unsure but perhaps he's improved this area over the preseason.

Surely a bloke that can get 44 disposals is fit enough, let's hope he's gone to the next level after another preseason. Deserves a crack to make it this year. Dream scenario, he does an Aaron Hall.

 

[Glen Buterol]

Surely a bloke that can get 44 disposals is fit enough, let's hope he's gone to the next level after another preseason. Deserves a crack to make it this year. Dream scenario, he does an Aaron Hall.

In regards to fitness it's a big step up from the magoos to 1's. Minch was hampered with injuries when he first came to the club thus couldn't apply the progressive overload principle to increase his fitness base. He's coming from a distance back but looks like he's starting to put it all together. Hopefully he's given a go soon.

 

[Adam H]

I take it Stringer got a week for belting the bloke in the jaw.

 

[RobbieMuir]

I went to the Footscray v Essendon VFL practice match on Saturday and I got talking to Toby McLean from the Doggies. He was talking about how good their depth was and how they had about twenty seven or twenty eight players that deserved a game against Freo on the weekend. That would suggest that they have probably got about ten odd players that are playing for a spot in the team, which would have helped with their intensity levels on Sunday. I think the Saints are in a similar position with so many of our guys desperate to keep their place in the team, so it wouldn't surprise me if we matched them in the intensity stakes.

If anything, we might actually have benefited from playing such a strong, fit side as Port, compared to the insipid opposition the Dogs got from Ross Lyon's boys. The Dogs might be in for a shock if we can come out all guns blazing (like we did in the first half yesterday) as they might subconsciously think that what Freo dished up is going to be the norm.

(Toby McLean was a very friendly, down-to-earth guy by the way.)

 

[Yabadoo22]

In: McCartin Sinclair
Out: Templeton dunstan

B: geary Dempster roberton
Hb: Webster fisher savage
C: newnes armitage Montagna
Hf: billings Riewoldt Sinclair
F: lonie Bruce McCartin
Foll: hickey ross Steven
Int: Gresham acres Gilbert Weller

Emer: minchington Templeton membrey

Play Riewoldt forward with Bruce and McCartin and stretch the undersized Bulldogs defence. Sinclair big saints fan growing up will step up playing in Roeys 300th! Dunstan stiff but the dogs play such a fast brand of football on the outside so go with Gresham for that extra pressure and pace. Big chance go saints

 

[bird_man]

The big question for me is, who plays on Jake Stringer? The guy is a freak and is either too fast or too strong for anyone we have back there.

 

[Adam H]

The big question for me is, who plays on Jake Stringer? The guy is a freak and is either too fast or too strong for anyone we have back there.

Surely suspended after he belted that Freo guy in the jaw.