Review What we learnt: Round 6 Edition

[IllBeTheJudge]

1. The more time and experience we get into the kids, the better. Even if we make the 8, I suspect we'd simply be making up the numbers so we may as well focus on getting as much game into the promising kids as possible to have a serious tilt in 2014

2. I don't know when St Kilda train. If McEvoy was injured when the teams were announced, no reason to play smoke and mirrors about whether Koschitzke plays or not. Of course, McEvoy may have been injured on Friday ...

3. We are going to be challenged big time defensively over the next 3 weeks in particular. We fell apart down back when Fisher was off, especially in the last quarter. Could be the making of Simpkin

4. Even the worst umpiring I have ever seen doesn't impact the final result. We were lucky that the Hawks were so inaccurate going into halftime

5. Gram will not get dropped after having 24 disposals (6 contested), 6 marks, 4 inside 50s (however they were delivered) at 79% efficiency. And nor should he be

 

[stkildathunda]

Completely disagree with point 1. Tom simpkin has already gone past Dawson in every way and is well on his way to being a dead set gun!!! Has he been beaten at all this year? Did you see that bump on buddy?!?! I really have no idea where your coming from here as I think he has been one of our shining lights this year!!

Sorry, Simpkin is going good but think your going a bit far with that statement. Zac Dawson was extremely important to us, and if u look back you'll find Franklin never beat him. Simpkin isnt playing on the tall forwards either like Dawson.

Also if your going to cream your pants over that bump, Zac did awesome bumps aswell... Do u remember this bump by Zac on Barry Hall?

[YOUTUBE]QMx4ystVT-s[/YOUTUBE]

 

[AC for PM]

All this talk about bad umpiring, I feel like I'm back on our board...

 

[OhMyGoddard]

1. I knew we couldn't win it once Chips put on the red vest... but I hoped we would still crack in, which we did.

2. Goddard and Kosi were huge! Stood up when we needed them to.

3. If Rhys Stanley marks inside 50, it's play on.

4. Milne can chase the ball whilst giving Shaun Burgoyne a piggyback ride. Again, no free.

5. Buddy can hold Dempster's jumper like it's a security blanket, but touch a Hawks player, and the ump can't yell "Holding" fast enough.

6. For some reason the umps hand Hawthorn an Invincible Mario Star at the MCG, and they just all run around going "Di di di di di di Di di di di di di Di di di di di di di di di di"

 

[gilbert the best]

.1.Wilkes should have played after being subbed off wrongly last week.
.2.Dempster should played on reioli.
.3.Cant survive without blake and fisher missing in the backline(thankfully gwilt is not far away)
.4.Blake should have been moved back when fisher was subbed off and stanley rucked for the second half (needed wilkes in the side).
.5.Need to keep rotating the kids to get games into them but not overwork them.
.6.Probably wont make the eight, but if we did would be a chance to get final game experience into some of the kids.
.7.Hawthorn are a lot better side then us.
.8.Unless things turn around, could lose five games in a row.

 

[The Punter]

All this talk about bad umpiring, I feel like I'm back on our board...

Why don't you go back there?

 

[Half Back Pocket]

All this talk about bad umpiring, I feel like I'm back on our board...

Mate, there's no doubt that most of the 50/50 decisions went the Hawks way.

1). Stanley "play on" call
2). Rioli's Head High contact
3). Burgoyne on Milne in the goal square
4). Buddy's huge fist full of Dempsters jumper

to name but a few.

Don't think it was the difference between the 2 teams, but it certainly helped swing momentum.

 

[The Punter]

You forgot Rioli running back, not looking at the ball, infringing on Gilbert, spilled mark, Franklin goal. Also Dempster on Franklin in the 1st quarter - admitted on the TV coverage that is was "pretty soft".

 

[Half Back Pocket]

You forgot Rioli running back, not looking at the ball, infringing on Gilbert, spilled mark, Franklin goal. Also Dempster on Franklin in the 1st quarter - admitted on the TV coverage that is was "pretty soft".

I replayed the Rioli one about 5 times Punter. I think the little wizard actually did quite well, by turning his head towards the ball at the last second. Still chopped the arms though...as a St Kilda supporter, i don't expect to ever receive a chopping free kick. Roo & Kosi get hacked at virtually every contest without getting rewarded.

 

[Plugger35]

Franklin and Rioli only had to go near the ball to get a free kick while once again our forwards could get mauled and infringed and it's play on. Deja vu from the Freo game.

Seriously it's not just a few poor decisions that have gone against us in games this year, that happens to every team, in the Port, Freo and Hawthorn games you got the distinct impression that the umpires were deliberately favouring our opposition and doing everything in their power to help them win the game.

I really don't understand why they seem so biased against us. One theory might be that St Kilda have been playing finals for a long time now and maybe the AFL wants other teams to play finals rather than us. Hawthorn needed to win against us to keep their finals and top 4 hopes alive and the umpires did their darndest to make sure that happened.

 

[Fehring]

Completely disagree with point 1. Tom simpkin has already gone past Dawson in every way and is well on his way to being a dead set gun!!! Has he been beaten at all this year? Did you see that bump on buddy?!?! I really have no idea where your coming from here as I think he has been one of our shining lights this year!!

It's not Simpkin v Dawson. Simpkin is v impressive at this stage, but he's not big enough to be a genuine fb. Maybe after a few preseasons his bulk will offset his height, but for now he's a bit small.

 

[The Punter]

I hope everyone learned two things

- McEvoy is bloody important
- Dawson did a good job on Franklin the last few years

 

[Tragic sainter]

Sorry, Simpkin is going good but think your going a bit far with that statement. Zac Dawson was extremely important to us, and if u look back you'll find Franklin never beat him. Simpkin isnt playing on the tall forwards either like Dawson.

Also if your going to cream your pants over that bump, Zac did awesome bumps aswell... Do u remember this bump by Zac on Barry Hall?

[YOUTUBE]QMx4ystVT-s[/YOUTUBE]

Simpkin started on roughead, and beat him. Roughead only looked dangerous when he moved into the ruck. And simpkins disposal is FAR better than dawson's is. Zac did do well on buddy but simpkin was never given a chance so who knows.

 

[Tragic sainter]

It's not Simpkin v Dawson. Simpkin is v impressive at this stage, but he's not big enough to be a genuine fb. Maybe after a few preseasons his bulk will offset his height, but for now he's a bit small.

As previously stated he started on roughead who is quite big. But simpkin hasn't had the chance to play on a cloke or a petrie yet. But I reckon he could beat them with smarts rather than trying to engage in a wrestling match. Dawson always sucked when caught in a wrestle as he wasn't big enough either.

Tom simpkin 191cm 91kg
Zac Dawson 195cm 95kg

 

[stkildathunda]

I must have missed the two finals series Tom Simpkin was named player of finals & runner up in player of finals....

 

[Tragic sainter]

I must have missed the two finals series Tom Simpkin was named player of finals & runner up in player of finals....

I'll give you Dawson was awesome in finals and I liked Dawson I just think Tom simpkin is better. Better disposal, better discipline, and so far hasnt been beaten yet. Whose to say if Tom played finals he wouldnt've done as well?

 

[Baldur]

1 Hawthorn are thugs, Armo among others paid the price
2 Big Ben is important to our structure
3 Fisher is arguably our most vital player
4 Kosi is a good player when the ball is kicked near him instead of the other side of the ground to a triple teamed Roo
5 We are off the pace of the top teams. We will be lucky to make the bottom half of the eight
6 Our backs cannot handle one to one match ups with Rioli & Franklin (but then again not many if any can)
7 Disappointed at the last quarter fadeout. We need to toughen up & play the game out
8 While we remain good at locking the ball in our forward 50. If it gets out it seems to go though the midfield at express speed. This leaves the backs exposed.
9 Not enough tackling, we need more tackles if we are going to compete
10 The umpires will never give us a fair go

 

[mysainters]

I hope everyone learned two things

- McEvoy is bloody important
- Dawson did a good job on Franklin the last few years

Did he?

If he played on Buddy the last two years, he kicked 5/5 and took 10 marks last year, and kicked 5/3 and took 6 marks the year previous.

Like it or not, the guy struts out v the Saints believing he can for whatever reason.

I don't think we had another choice. Simpkin took who was the most damaging forward going into the game, and kept him quiet. Had we moved him onto Buddy, Roughead would of popped up.

 

[The Punter]

I'm not suggesting for one second we could do anything but put Dempster on him - that was the match up I would have had. But many Saints fans were unfairly critical of Dawson. I'd prefer it if he were still at St Kilda. I have little doubt Simpkin will be a better footballer that Dawson. Next year, perhaps 31 goes to 23.

 

[Persevering Saint]

1. If you think we're meant to be going for a flag this year, get depressed. If you think we're transitioning for our next tilt, get excited. Our young players did okay - Sippa was far from average. He's just learning the hard lesson that just because you think you're awesome don't make it so. I disagree with AT here - let him play 4 matches against real teams, and learn the hard way that it's not going to just all fall in his lap like he and his daddy think it will.
2. SainterK is always right. ALWAYS.
3. But Wilkes should have still played, just alongside Kosi. Riewoldt to the backline.
4. You can't stop a brilliant Aboriginal player when their beloved uncle has died.
5. Our newbie coach still needs to learn about his players, and his matchups. Dempster to Buddy and not to Rioli hurt us enormously. But, if he HAD got those right, we could have gone okay.

 

[Persevering Saint]

Oh, and 6. We have absolutely nothing to lose in these next three games. If we lose them all, that would be expected. As such, let's just go in to teach our young'uns what it takes to be elite. Keep our best elder-statesmen out there to show them how to be noble, win or lose. If we snag a miracle win, all good.

 

[bluejay]

You forgot Rioli running back, not looking at the ball, infringing on Gilbert, spilled mark, Franklin goal. Also Dempster on Franklin in the 1st quarter - admitted on the TV coverage that is was "pretty soft".

You're also forgetting the one where Simpkin (I think it was him) took a mark in one of the wings, and suddenly Roughhead just steals the ball from his hands and keeps running, and the umpires just went with play on! I was flabbergasted!
It was one of the worst decisions I've ever seen. He clearly grabbed it and took a mark. It should have been even a 50-m penalty to Roughhead. They even acknowledged that on TV, which is not normal when decisions go against the Saints. It has to be a really really really clear infringement that no idiot announcer with bias can even say anything against.

Others of note (that no one mentioned yet) were when Jones tackled someone in mid-air, this someone just decided to drop on his knees and then land to the floor to make it look like an in-the-back, which was paid instantly. The player tackled weighted more than Jones and could easily draw him onto his back after the tackle. Or also a lot of 50-50 plays in the ruck where Blake was clearly infringed but never got a damn free.

In the past seasons, umpires had many mistakes, but they usually went some to one team, and some to the other team, and in the end got even a bit most times. But this season, St Kilda has been trashed with bad decisions AT EVERY EFFIN GAME!

This doesn't mean we lost most games because of this decisions, but it sure is frustrating to watch.

On to the topic:

1-Good to see Kosi and Rooey back on track
2-I don't understand either why Stanley wouldn't be our first ruckman in this game
3-It's been said already, but I will say it again. Rioli and Buddy matchups were badly chosen. Don´t get why they wouldn't change that during the game. (tbh, they changed Geary for Gilbert, but that's about it)
4-Our defense is good when they all help each other, but in one on one situations with very good players like Rioli or Franklin, they are just average and suspect. Especially with Fisher and Gwilt out. Also, Blake playing ruck didn't help.
5-I like that, at least, we're playing young players and competing with good teams. And we're making them work hard to win games. In other words, we're not getting smashed, good learning process for the youngsters.

 

[Reminiscence]

Watter's 6 games into his head coaching career, already a better coach than Matthew Primus

 

[Ducky Tie]

1. Sean Dempster isn't a key defender. Has a huge tank and gives it everything but simply isn't a key defender. Yes he does a good job on Pav but mainly when Pav is in the midfield. Hindsight is easy but I would have gone Simpkin to Buddy, Dempster to Cyril, Blake to Roughhead and Stanley more time in the ruck.
2. Roo is very hashly judged. Not on Saints board but everywhere else and in media. Played a quality game imo but all we hear is how he's past his best and how he missed an easy goal. We don't hear anything about Buddy kicking six points.
3. Kosi is the Saints player I'd want kicking for my life. 14 straight speaks for itself.(Apologies if he comes out and kicks 0-4 this week).
4. We are very quick to to judge young players. Siposs' first game of the year at AFL level and is copping it for a 'poor' peformance. Cannot judge him on one game, especially when he is playing in a position hes not familiar with. Give him at least a couple more and if still not peforming, put him back to Sandy.

 

[Persevering Saint]

Just flat out do not understand the criticism of Sippos. First game, first game. Did I mention, first game?

He needs to lose at AFL against really good teams. He needs it, so that he can get that "I deserve to be a superstar" attitude, and realises AFL footy is HARD. Toughen up, and realise that just because you and your dad and a bunch of fans on a footy site think you're great, don't make it so.