Has a small crack appeared?

[perfectionist]

Which reminds me. I must get the plumber in.

[tony74]

Just don't get too carried away. This year was always meant to be a development year and although we obviously want to win every game we play in there's also the need to "experiment" with different structures, game plans, set ups, and personel to set us up for the future, there's nothing worse than getting up near the pointy end of the ladder and then finding when the real test begins you haven't practiced the necessary drills to succeed.
Sure we'll have great games this year where we win or lose admirably. But there'll also be games where we look like we've taken a backward step because for whatever reason the plan on the day was wrong and/ or the players didn't execute it.
The future is very rosy, but we need to prune during the course. That way we'll end up with the perfect result. Finally.

[degruch]

Soooo...will we be back to bottom of the ladder, worst list ever, wasted years, poor recruiting, scrap the board and get a new coach again in 2 weeks time??? The Saintsational roller-coaster continues!

[Sainternist]

Soooo...will we be back to bottom of the ladder, worst list ever, wasted years, poor recruiting, scrap the board and get a new coach again in 2 weeks time??? The Saintsational roller-coaster continues!

It's always a roller coaster as a Saints supporter. There's never a dull year. The club's membership campaign a couple of years ago advertised we were on the road to 2018. I have to say that we just started to find some acceleration going towards that road. Team is moving along in leaps and bounds. Some exciting times ahead!

[Munga]

I think we bottomed out in 2014 (6 o'clock). We're somewhere around 7.30 now.

[Sainter_Dad]

I think we bottomed out in 2014 (6 o'clock). We're somewhere around 7.30 now.

If we are only 7:30pm - I can't wait until 11:59!!!!!

[sunsaint]

Which reminds me. I must get the plumber in.

nothing worse than problems with your waterworks

I think a few of the older long suffering saints may be jumping the gun a bit
This year We still need to put out to pasture
Fisher
I think Roo will hang up the boots this year
and montagna maybe Dempster

if Fisher is still a regular at years end we are in trouble
If montagna & dempster hang up the boots they will leave big holes
and that leaves a no Riewoldt Stkilda - scary thought....

I dont think I would say we still have a way to bottom out yet - but at best that quality leaving will mean a plateau

[tony74]

Just don't get too carried away. This year was always meant to be a development year and although we obviously want to win every game we play in there's also the need to "experiment" with different structures, game plans, set ups, and personel to set us up for the future, there's nothing worse than getting up near the pointy end of the ladder and then finding when the real test begins you haven't practiced the necessary drills to succeed.
Sure we'll have great games this year where we win or lose admirably. But there'll also be games where we look like we've taken a backward step because for whatever reason the plan on the day was wrong and/ or the players didn't execute it.
The future is very rosy, but we need to prune during the course. That way we'll end up with the perfect result. Finally.

Will continue to happen during the year. We're not good enough yet to have the same game plan every week. So we try things out. Didn't work out. But you don't lose your effort and your skills overnight. And we haven't.

[bigcarl]

A small crack has appeared and we have retreated into it

[samuraisaint]

Just don't get too carried away. This year was always meant to be a development year and although we obviously want to win every game we play in there's also the need to "experiment" with different structures, game plans, set ups, and personel to set us up for the future, there's nothing worse than getting up near the pointy end of the ladder and then finding when the real test begins you haven't practiced the necessary drills to succeed.
Sure we'll have great games this year where we win or lose admirably. But there'll also be games where we look like we've taken a backward step because for whatever reason the plan on the day was wrong and/ or the players didn't execute it.
The future is very rosy, but we need to prune during the course. That way we'll end up with the perfect result. Finally.

Will continue to happen during the year. We're not good enough yet to have the same game plan every week. So we try things out. Didn't work out. But you don't lose your effort and your skills overnight. And we haven't.

Exactly - I thought we brought effort today. There is serious talent in that GWS side and we are at present a bottom five side. Next year we will improve again - win a third of our games and probably be in a lot more until the siren, and the year after win half our games. If we develop, draft and trade as we should, a return to the top 4 could happen in 2019, but this year was always going to be similar to last year in terms of results. If we win 7 games this year I will be satisfied.
Look at this way - how much better are we going to be with our 200cm CHB and our 197cm FB in that side? With Roberton returning from injury as well playing a rebounding defensive role and allowing Lee to play as a third tall, who could play up forward just to confuse opponents?

[sendmehomehappy]

That crack has just been poly-filled, sanded and painted over.

What crack?

[BigMart]

If today is what we are up against... Hmmm

They have 5 other first round picks to go into that premiership team

[bigred]

They will get pillaged by FA further.

We are still dreadfully inconsistent. Our worst is horrible. Our best is pretty good.

Long way to go.

[Bluthy]

Just don't get too carried away. This year was always meant to be a development year and although we obviously want to win every game we play in there's also the need to "experiment" with different structures, game plans, set ups, and personel to set us up for the future, there's nothing worse than getting up near the pointy end of the ladder and then finding when the real test begins you haven't practiced the necessary drills to succeed.
Sure we'll have great games this year where we win or lose admirably. But there'll also be games where we look like we've taken a backward step because for whatever reason the plan on the day was wrong and/ or the players didn't execute it.
The future is very rosy, but we need to prune during the course. That way we'll end up with the perfect result. Finally.

Will continue to happen during the year. We're not good enough yet to have the same game plan every week. So we try things out. Didn't work out. But you don't lose your effort and your skills overnight. And we haven't.

Well if they were trying a different game plan yesterday that makes sense of why they seemed a bit off from the get go. When you know exactly what to do, you can go at it with 100% concentration. Their minds did seem in a two different places yesterday. I don't mind this sort of experimentation. It's brave coaching to try and develop different game plans according to players or the oppo or just to have different game style cards up your sleeve.

Good insights Tony. Keep em coming

[BigMart]

2003 we won 11

Our kids were elite

We had Hayes, Harvey, Gehrig, Hamill, Jones.... And more
We were awesome in 04/05
Akin to what we played yesterday

[tony74]

Just don't get too carried away. This year was always meant to be a development year and although we obviously want to win every game we play in there's also the need to "experiment" with different structures, game plans, set ups, and personel to set us up for the future, there's nothing worse than getting up near the pointy end of the ladder and then finding when the real test begins you haven't practiced the necessary drills to succeed.
Sure we'll have great games this year where we win or lose admirably. But there'll also be games where we look like we've taken a backward step because for whatever reason the plan on the day was wrong and/ or the players didn't execute it.
The future is very rosy, but we need to prune during the course. That way we'll end up with the perfect result. Finally.

I know a certain percentage will hammer me again but it's just worth reposting this. Sunday was a disaster all round. But it's not like it's going to cost us a place in the finals. Players, coaches, support staff will learn. Supporters just have to have faith and resilience.

[santazzi]

Just don't get too carried away. This year was always meant to be a development year and although we obviously want to win every game we play in there's also the need to "experiment" with different structures, game plans, set ups, and personel to set us up for the future, there's nothing worse than getting up near the pointy end of the ladder and then finding when the real test begins you haven't practiced the necessary drills to succeed.
Sure we'll have great games this year where we win or lose admirably. But there'll also be games where we look like we've taken a backward step because for whatever reason the plan on the day was wrong and/ or the players didn't execute it.
The future is very rosy, but we need to prune during the course. That way we'll end up with the perfect result. Finally.

I know a certain percentage will hammer me again but it's just worth reposting this. Sunday was a disaster all round. But it's not like it's going to cost us a place in the finals. Players, coaches, support staff will learn. Supporters just have to have faith and resilience.

No hammering from me. What you state in both posts makes sense.

[magnifisaint]

I think we bottomed out in 2014 (6 o'clock). We're somewhere around 7.30 now.

If we are only 7:30pm - I can't wait until 11:59!!!!!

happy rude year!

[magnifisaint]

Just don't get too carried away. This year was always meant to be a development year and although we obviously want to win every game we play in there's also the need to "experiment" with different structures, game plans, set ups, and personel to set us up for the future, there's nothing worse than getting up near the pointy end of the ladder and then finding when the real test begins you haven't practiced the necessary drills to succeed.
Sure we'll have great games this year where we win or lose admirably. But there'll also be games where we look like we've taken a backward step because for whatever reason the plan on the day was wrong and/ or the players didn't execute it.
The future is very rosy, but we need to prune during the course. That way we'll end up with the perfect result. Finally.

You don't want a big bush. You never know what could be hiding in there