Our Third Quarter

[damienc]

Ok. This deserves to be talked about. A lot.

One of the best quarters of footy I've seen us play.

Seven unanswered goals is an extraordinary achievement but to do it against a side as good as Geelong, a team we have not beaten since 2016, is just sensational.

I'm in two minds in determining what or who was the catalyst. Roma's handball from a stoppage to Zac Jones on the run. A finer goal you will never see.

Moments later Sharman's boundary goal was just sublime. We are at our best when we take the game on and at our worst when we don't. Some of our disposal was still terrible. At least two dumb kicks directly to the opposition should have been majors but no negativity will stand in the way of our dominance.

This was a changing of the guard moment. They say the third quarter is where premierships are won or lost. Maybe also where footy teams are defined. Here's hoping it really kick-starts our season. We deserve to be in the eight. We are certainly good enough.

What did it for me is how we ran Geelong ragged. We made them look old and slow and hasbeen. We have some really good players who do the small stuff and the big stuff when it counts.

Ben Long copes a bit of stick in this place and yes he was well beaten early on but he stepped up big time to redeem himself when we really needed him to.

A lot has already been said about Windhager. He's a ripper. He and Owens and NWM and Peris and Kyle are our future.

I would definitely keep Sharman in the team. He did more than enough in my eyes.
And we sure do rely on Roma and Paddy. Let's hope they stay injury free. We are at our best when they both play.

The Saints are now one of the best sides in the competition. Fact. We should play finals footy because we deserve to. Can we win a premiership this year? In footy anything is possible.

But right now, I'm just enjoying that win against a side that has always been unbeatable for us.

Go Saints.

[Goose is king]

I was out and missed the second half and was only able to occasionally glance at my phone. I watched the full replay this morning and even though I knew the final score when we were 21 down half way through the third I grabbed an early morning beer because I knew rest of the match was going to be great to watch. The Jones goal was great, great by him and Marshall.

Cooper Sharmans goal showed how dangerous he can be and how defenders can’t slide off him.
Ben longs goals came from king providing a strong contest and keeping his feet handballing to Billings who got it to Long
Paddy’s tap to Billings was sublime and his finish quality
Seconds later Mason Wood did what he is capable of and kicking a goal with a couple of meters of space.
All that happened in 10 minutes, 10 minutes.

The game looked all too familiar but for this period. We have finally beaten Geelong and I’m so stoked

[skeptic]

For us over the last 2-3 years it’s a tale old as time.

When we take the game on, attack the contest, run lines, lead to the ball and just out right attack/compete… we look sublime.

When we hesitate, chip the ball around, work ourselves into corners then bomb it long to stationary players… we’re bottom 4.

The challenge for us is… we revert to option B way way too readily. I don’t think it’s instructed… but we don’t seem to be able break the mould easily when it starts

[Sainter_Dad]

For us over the last 2-3 years it’s a tale old as time.

When we take the game on, attack the contest, run lines, lead to the ball and just out right attack/compete… we look sublime.

When we hesitate, chip the ball around, work ourselves into corners then bomb it long to stationary players… we’re bottom 4.

The challenge for us is… we revert to option B way way too readily. I don’t think it’s instructed… but we don’t seem to be able break the mould easily when it starts

When we play pro-active Saints Footy - we look good

When we play re-active Opposition Footy - we look shite

[Devilhead]

Having Sharman in the forward line as another tall marking option stretched the Geelong defence and this allowed Paddy to get off the leash a few times and harder to double team Max

Sharman in makes our forwardline more dangerous

[Trev from the Bush]

I would love another ruck option having fantasised about playing Ryder as a permanent forward pocket next to King. Opposition defenders would not sleep the night before a St Kilda game!

[happy feet]

I would love another ruck option having fantasised about playing Ryder as a permanent forward pocket next to King. Opposition defenders would not sleep the night before a St Kilda game!

Agree 100% Trev. We might be able to add another year to Paddy’s career.

[Trev from the Bush]

My missus, a once reluctant Saints follower who only went to games for a day out with me, has developed a pretty good eye for footy over the trip. Yesterday the clock had just ticked over 15 minutes when she said "I don't like it, they look like they have twice as many players as we have and they move the ball too easily".

While silently agreeing with her I could never lose face by saying so. I said "it's about now we switch on and kick a pile of goals like we did against Richmond a few weeks back and West Coast last year".

Right on cue Zak Jones goes bang. "Told ya!" By 3/4 time I'm telling her she married a footballing genius. Thanks Saints!

[sendmehomehappy]

I would love another ruck option having fantasised about playing Ryder as a permanent forward pocket next to King. Opposition defenders would not sleep the night before a St Kilda game!

Agree 100% Trev. We might be able to add another year to Paddy’s career.

Wouldn't it be just fantastic if Paddy could get to 300 games in Saints colours.

Going on yesterday's effort, he's still got plenty in the tank due to his class and athleticism, if he can stay sound.

[WellardSaint]

The look on Scott's face after a couple of our goals- priceless

[Trixilver]

Ratts said it I think addressing the players in the rooms a few weeks ago - we play our best when we're UNPREDICTABLE. You'll notice in the 2nd half whenever a player took the game on, they looked like they were going one way, then changed direction. Jones naturally brings this but when you start to see Long and Wood doing it, then everyone starts doing it. The Cats players didn't know weather to jump up in the air to spoil or stand off to intercept a pass. Just holding onto it for that extra second allows us to cut them up like butter.

The one thing I think we need to get better at though is taking ground when the opposition zones off from the kick taker. Especially out of the backline. Geelong gave us so much space in D50 sometimes but we'd often kick to a pack well before we had to.

[seano1]

the forward line finally spread out making it much harder to defend