Discussion Thoughts at the Bye

[PoppedCorn]

Is weird seeing some of you guys make meaningful comments.

Following this team is a hell of a ride. I signed up a while ago and I ain't getting off anytime soon.

This is why i take the piss with gifs and let others do all the sense talk
Its been a long long road and ive seen it all before and ive lost count how many times that is.

Mids has always been the prob
Look at the fwds we have had over thirty years
Only twice did we have a half decent mid brigade delivering to them........and we still lost the last dance

 

[gringo2011]

It absolutely was Ratts, but not just Ratts. The s**t culture allowed to develop since Ross bailed is hard to get rid of and the proof is that we were far better when most of our players were kids who haven't been in the Saints system that long.

Ross has got zero pressure on him, he could finish the season with a wooden spoon and the sack and still get half the clubs in the AFL begging him to join them. He's loving the Roos style mentoring.

We're heading in the right direction but I didn't expect it to be linear and it's not. This year can still be great, but we need a huge jump from the players, and fearless team selection.

I know, I was just cracking the shits. Ratts and Richo were shit. Just frustrated by the finish line looking a lot further away than it looked a few weeks back.

 

[Dard Ball Get]

I know, I was just cracking the shits. Ratts and Richo were s**t. Just frustrated by the finish line looking a lot further away than it looked a few weeks back.

Finish line? Baby we’re in one of those dreams where you can only “run” in slow motion, and realise you’re naked in front of your school assembly. Oh and there’s writhing snakes on the floor.

This shit is forever.

 

[Joffaboy]

Finish line? Baby we’re in one of those dreams where you can only “run” in slow motion, and realise you’re naked in front of your school assembly. Oh and there’s writhing snakes on the floor.

This s**t is forever.

Yes. Never a flag in our lifetime. Free yourself of the burden of hope and your life will be so much better.

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[MrFoster]

Sack Lyon

Dard mentioned we are 'screaming out for quality mids', only since about 2012.

But nah we take Billings over Bont (total hindsight this one) we take Paddy over Trac ( absolute travesty), we take two half back flankers in Coff and Hunter with Hunter only just getting mid time Coff never there.
Our mid selection Hanners, 15 games in 4 years, Jones, gonski, Bytel and Byrnes late dps.
We get torn to spreads by the 16th placed teams mids yesterday but who does the media link us with as a trade, a half back flanker that's who.
We repeat the same mistakes year after year, we have some young talent who could run through the mids but most have less than 20 games.
We will never ever learn that it starts and finishes in the midfield.


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Agree, need to find our next Goddard, Hays, Dal Santo, Montagna who all can get the ball and deliver it lace out to leading forwards. Apart from Owens, Winghager, Pou, NWM who are all first or 2nd year players, the cupboard is pretty bare. Brynes, Bytel, Clark and Gresham have not proven they can do it so far. Drafting mids again will take time, should also try to speed up the process by smartly trade for young and unloved mids or free agency. We tried in the past by taking chance on injured mids (Freeman, Jones and Hannebury) or drafting flankers (Billings, Acres, Gresham, Mckenzie, Clark, Coffield) hoping they’ll become full time mids. That’s 3 second round picks and 6 first round picks wasted.

Time to flip the page and do it right for a change.

Also need a tall and developing ruck to give Marshall competition. Will be good to see if a genuine tap ruckman like a Ryder or Gardner can super charge the midfield, think it can.

 

[Hubnester]

Our systems and gameplan are clearly better than previous years, simply by virtue of actually having a gameplan.
That alone will hold us in good stead to improve going forward. What's happening now is Ross is seeing who and what he actually has to work with.

Didn't expect finals at the start of the season, and felt even less confident with the injury list we were carrying. If we sneak in, great, but I think that's all we could hope to do. But this season is going to expose a few players I think. I fully expect a considerable list turnover at the end of the year; some unpopular decisions and some long overdue decisions will be made.

 

[Klaatu]

Playing Campbell as the number 1 ruck also stuns the growth & development of Heath, winning games at Sandy should be secondary to developing for seniors if Heath plays as the number 1 ruck he would be closer to seniors then he is.


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[kernelT]

Why does it baffle you? He is the one that signed off on the whole Ratten fiasco. Fires a coach 3 months after re-signing him, lmao.

Cleaned house yet kept Lethlean there, one of the key decision makers, and even promoted him. Many here fault Lethlean as the reason for the mess or at least a huge part of it, yet Bassat moves him up the pecking order.

Changed the club's whole direction based off a convo on a boat cruise. Went after Lyon because Lyon did well for us 15 years ago. The amount of past players and staff at the club now is boys club type stuff. If it just so happened that these types were the best available and it was coincidence that they played or coached for us then fair enough but you'd have to have rocks in your head to believe that.

Not to mention the complete misreading of where we were at as a club, letting us go and appoint established players that weren't getting us to a premiership because in his mind that was what was required.

He's a very messy operator and had to spend the off-season cleaning up the s**t that he originally signed off on.

Agree with the rest of your post. Think we've had some players really come on this year and like I said we look like a better drilled side.

Just no excuses letting a club that is battling for the spoon kick 5 unanswered goals on us in the fourth quarter to win a game.

Have to agree on simon teflon, the club has been hedging both ways 'rebuilding' and topping up for a tilt since he's been at the club. Some serious mismanagement and strategy yet he keeps getting promoted.

If this latest old boys club approach falls over then we'll have burnt the entire favourite sons collection in one hit.

It's pretty fanciful the Ratten completely fell apart in the 3 months between re-signing and getting the arse.

The thing about being the well paid boss is that, if shit goes pear-shaped you're meant to take the hit, not sack every other person in the org and blame them. Not sure what teffers has done to seemingly avoid all scrutiny.

It's 5-6 years since he was appointed GM of football, not sure the list has improved greatly in that time. There's some exciting kids coming through the last couple of years but you have to wonder how much better the list would be long term if we hadn't pissed so many picks up the wall for Hanners, Jones, Hill etc We could be a genuine top 4 sides with a few more young guns instead of a blue collar middling side.

 

[George]

Have to agree on simon teflon, the club has been hedging both ways 'rebuilding' and topping up for a tilt since he's been at the club. Some serious mismanagement and strategy yet he keeps getting promoted.

If this latest old boys club approach falls over then we'll have burnt the entire favourite sons collection in one hit.

It's pretty fanciful the Ratten completely fell apart in the 3 months between re-signing and getting the arse.

The thing about being the well paid boss is that, if s**t goes pear-shaped you're meant to take the hit, not sack every other person in the org and blame them. Not sure what teffers has done to seemingly avoid all scrutiny.

It's 5-6 years since he was appointed GM of football, not sure the list has improved greatly in that time. There's some exciting kids coming through the last couple of years but you have to wonder how much better the list would be long term if we hadn't pissed so many picks up the wall for Hanners, Jones, Hill etc We could be a genuine top 4 sides with a few more young guns instead of a blue collar middling side.

I didn't agree with Gringo at the time but I do now - we rebuilt backwards. We needed to hit the draft and bring through a group of talented kids to grow together like a traditional rebuild would, but we decided to forego the draft and trade in older guys instead. We thought we were much closer than we actually are and it set us back a few years. That's pretty much all on Lethlean, so it's bizarre that he then gets promoted.

I think we are better placed with him out of the football department but we now need to clear out the deadwood and go again. Pou Owens Windy Caminiti is a very good start.

 

[SteeleSaints]

Beno88 posted this on SS titled Deja Vu -

2022 - started 5-1, losing only to Collingwood
2023 - started 5-1, losing only to Collingwood

2022 - lost narrowly to Port after leading comfortably early
2023 - lost narrowly to Port after leading comfortably early

2022 - Scrappy wins over over NM at Docklands & GWS away
2023 - Scrappy wins over over NM at Docklands & GWS away

2022 - At 8-4 lost to the 16th placed team
2023 - At 7-3 lost to the 16th placed team

2022 - then got obliterated by Sydney at the SCG
2023 - next up… Sydney at the SCG

Scary how close the similarities are really....

 

[kernelT]

I didn't agree with Gringo at the time but I do now - we rebuilt backwards. We needed to hit the draft and bring through a group of talented kids to grow together like a traditional rebuild would, but we decided to forego the draft and trade in older guys instead. We thought we were much closer than we actually are and it set us back a few years. That's pretty much all on Lethlean, so it's bizarre that he then gets promoted.

I think we are better placed with him out of the football department but we now need to clear out the deadwood and go again. Pou Owens Windy Caminiti is a very good start.

Seemed pretty obvious that once we'd drafted King that we should be building a side around him, but instead of drafting some mids to grow with him we gave up a kings ransom for some players that weren't even likely to still be on the list when King was ready to dominate.

Just one of Young, Serong or Will Day would be handy, let alone the other boat-load of picks we flushed.

 

[George]

Seemed pretty obvious that once we'd drafted King that we should be building a side around him, but instead of drafting some mids to grow with him we gave up a kings ransom for some players that weren't even likely to still be on the list when King was ready to dominate.

Just one of Young, Serong or Will Day would be handy, let alone the other boat-load of picks we flushed.

Yeah agree. If we don't prioritise the midfield at the end of the year we will just dish up the same stuff. It's bleedingly obvious that it's the mids that are letting us down.

 

[Sully111]

Feels like we're not bold enough at selection to me.

I don't care if we miss finals this year if we are properly building towards a flag. Because of the pressure the industry brings, that never seems to happen.

I'd like to see Owens and Windy play midfield every week. I don't care if they have an off game... leave them in there.

Seb needs to be depth. Right now he's seen as a leader of our club and is talked up after mediocre performances.

We started well but have been playing some very average footy, even when we've won. North game anyone?

I've been a huge Lyon fan over the years and I love his banter but he's been annoying the hell out of me with how he presents. Wants to start giggling at the start of every media encounter. Cuddly Ross this... Cuddly Ross that. GTFO with that bulls*t. Show you're taking the job seriously and pay the supporters enough respect to deliver a message.

I feel like Lyon and Steele don't gel.

Nas, Pou, King, Owens, Windy are the future. I'd like to add Caminiti to that list but need to see more.

Think Stocker has been a great pickup. Have loved Wood's season.

 

[George]

Feels like we're not bold enough at selection to me.

I don't care if we miss finals this year if we are properly building towards a flag. Because of the pressure the industry brings, that never seems to happen.

I'd like to see Owens and Windy play midfield every week. I don't care if they have an off game... leave them in there.

Seb needs to be depth. Right now he's seen as a leader of our club and is talked up after mediocre performances.

We started well but have been playing some very average footy, even when we've won. North game anyone?

I've been a huge Lyon fan over the years and I love his banter but he's been annoying the hell out of me with how he presents. Wants to start giggling at the start of every media encounter. Cuddly Ross this... Cuddly Ross that. GTFO with that bulls*t. Show you're taking the job seriously and pay the supporters enough respect to deliver a message.

I feel like Lyon and Steele don't gel.

Nas, Pou, King, Owens, Windy are the future. I'd like to add Caminiti to that list but need to see more.

Think Stocker has been a great pickup. Have loved Wood's season.

Interesting to hear him say that he wants to create a high trust environment. When Ratten tried to create a high trust environment the players came back horribly out of shape and we went from 5th to 10th. This playing group shouldn't be trusted until they can deliver consistent effort.

He's getting on my nerves too. If the media appearances are just a piss take then the least you can do is show the supporters you are serious instead of ****ing around and cracking jokes. I said it earlier but pre-game he said he doesn't know if they'll turn up. He said it as a joke but I thought it was a terrible look.

 

[Sully111]

Interesting to hear him say that he wants to create a high trust environment. When Ratten tried to create a high trust environment the players came back horribly out of shape and we went from 5th to 10th. This playing group shouldn't be trusted until they can deliver consistent effort.

So much was made of him dropping Milne and Dal and the how that influenced the group. I'm not so sure this version of Ross would make the same decision.

 

[Mowman]

So much was made of him dropping Milne and Dal and the how that influenced the group. I'm not so sure this version of Ross would make the same decision.

Not so sure some in this present group would be influenced

 

[The Boar]

Beno88 posted this on SS titled Deja Vu -

2022 - started 5-1, losing only to Collingwood
2023 - started 5-1, losing only to Collingwood

2022 - lost narrowly to Port after leading comfortably early
2023 - lost narrowly to Port after leading comfortably early

2022 - Scrappy wins over over NM at Docklands & GWS away
2023 - Scrappy wins over over NM at Docklands & GWS away

2022 - At 8-4 lost to the 16th placed team
2023 - At 7-3 lost to the 16th placed team

2022 - then got obliterated by Sydney at the SCG
2023 - next up… Sydney at the SCG

Scary how close the similarities are really....

If 2023 ends up with a second Phillipou, I'll be absolutely stoked!

On Pixel 6a using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[George]

So much was made of him dropping Milne and Dal and the how that influenced the group. I'm not so sure this version of Ross would make the same decision.

The only thing that makes sense is that this group is fragile and he needs to tread carefully until they are ready to go to another level mentally. I hope that's the case because even though it's shit, it's better than the alternative which would be Lyon not getting through to them/up for the challenge.

I can't wait until we see the back of guys like Howard Gresham Billings Jones Ross.

 

[BrutThough]

Beno88 posted this on SS titled Deja Vu -

2022 - started 5-1, losing only to Collingwood
2023 - started 5-1, losing only to Collingwood

2022 - lost narrowly to Port after leading comfortably early
2023 - lost narrowly to Port after leading comfortably early

2022 - Scrappy wins over over NM at Docklands & GWS away
2023 - Scrappy wins over over NM at Docklands & GWS away

2022 - At 8-4 lost to the 16th placed team
2023 - At 7-3 lost to the 16th placed team

2022 - then got obliterated by Sydney at the SCG
2023 - next up… Sydney at the SCG

Scary how close the similarities are really....

Bit off the with comparison on the last 3 points.

 

[jwikked]

Have to agree on simon teflon, the club has been hedging both ways 'rebuilding' and topping up for a tilt since he's been at the club. Some serious mismanagement and strategy yet he keeps getting promoted.

If this latest old boys club approach falls over then we'll have burnt the entire favourite sons collection in one hit.

It's pretty fanciful the Ratten completely fell apart in the 3 months between re-signing and getting the arse.

The thing about being the well paid boss is that, if s**t goes pear-shaped you're meant to take the hit, not sack every other person in the org and blame them. Not sure what teffers has done to seemingly avoid all scrutiny.

It's 5-6 years since he was appointed GM of football, not sure the list has improved greatly in that time. There's some exciting kids coming through the last couple of years but you have to wonder how much better the list would be long term if we hadn't pissed so many picks up the wall for Hanners, Jones, Hill etc We could be a genuine top 4 sides with a few more young guns instead of a blue collar middling side.

I’m not sure why you’d go after Lethlean with those standards, without applying it to the rest of the board and administration from President down.

The entire board should have been spilled after Ratten was sacked. A decade of pure and total incompetence under their control. While I agree with what Bassat did in sacking Ratten and appointing Lyon, his fingerprints are all over the last 10 years too. Bad decision after bad decision, with zero real scrutiny on any of them.

 

[jwikked]

The only thing that makes sense is that this group is fragile and he needs to tread carefully until they are ready to go to another level mentally. I hope that's the case because even though it's s**t, it's better than the alternative which would be Lyon not getting through to them/up for the challenge.

I can't wait until we see the back of guys like Howard Gresham Billings Jones Ross.

I’ve been thinking today that perhaps we do need to do a total clean out of richos heroes. We have a great core of youngsters to move forward with, it’s time to remove the last of the dead weight from the Cho/Ratten era.

 

[bird_man]

As depressing as the last month has been, I'd have taken 7-4 any day and that was before the injury issues.

The question is whether we can turn this slump around this time unlike last year.

The positives for me is being able to win while still playing kids like Caminiti, Owens, Phillipou, NWM, Byrnes etc

The negative is that we haven't backed any youth through the middle yet. Hopefully that changes in the back half of the year. After Lyons press conference yesterday he seemed fairly pissed with the effort of our midfield so hopefully that is the straw that breaks the camels back.

There is plenty to like but also still so much work to be done.

In terms of where we might finish, we still have a decent run home so if we can get back to playing our best we should make the 8. Yesterday was shit but a lot of results went our way yesterday also. We sit 2 games clear of Geelong and Adelaide who both have very tough runs home.

I think we just sneak in.

 

[PoppedCorn]

Beno88 posted this on SS titled Deja Vu -

2022 - started 5-1, losing only to Collingwood
2023 - started 5-1, losing only to Collingwood

2022 - lost narrowly to Port after leading comfortably early
2023 - lost narrowly to Port after leading comfortably early

2022 - Scrappy wins over over NM at Docklands & GWS away
2023 - Scrappy wins over over NM at Docklands & GWS away

2022 - At 8-4 lost to the 16th placed team
2023 - At 7-3 lost to the 16th placed team

2022 - then got obliterated by Sydney at the SCG
2023 - next up… Sydney at the SCG

Scary how close the similarities are really....

20k on sydney next week
Easy money

 

[ScrappyDo]

Pretty sure that everyone's got kent struck by some underdog wins earlier on and and are now coming back to ground with a thud.
IDGAF about the W/L this year and never really have, I always thought playing the kids and drafting were the main goals.

I'm looking squarely at RTB now to reset the agenda over the bye and prioritize the future at the selection table. If not, well then l dunno.

 

[Klaatu]

Could do with Ross coaching off the bench for a few weeks Just to re-enforce his message.


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