Where has our aggression gone??

[BringBackMadDog]

The glaring difference between us and Geelong was their absolute agression at the ball and the man at the ball. In 2004 and 2005 we were the hunters we attacked the ball with a ferocity that made other sides nervous. I still get chills when I watch the replay of the Wizard GF when Ling got cleaned up and the Powelly taunted him. Sadly that is long gone. I cannot believe that when X got knocked out not one player remonstrated with West, it was a disgrace. Even when Kingy was wrestling with Blake where was the show of strength? We have become weak and insipid and other sides know that they can push us around with no consequence. WE NEED TO HARDEN THE F**K UP!!!

[matrix]

we're soft.
the end.

[st.byron]

The glaring difference between us and Geelong was their absolute agression at the ball and the man at the ball. In 2004 and 2005 we were the hunters we attacked the ball with a ferocity that made other sides nervous. I still get chills when I watch the replay of the Wizard GF when Ling got cleaned up and the Powelly taunted him. Sadly that is long gone. I cannot believe that when X got knocked out not one player remonstrated with West, it was a disgrace. Even when Kingy was wrestling with Blake where was the show of strength? We have become weak and insipid and other sides know that they can push us around with no consequence. WE NEED TO HARDEN THE F**K UP!!!

sadly, agree with this. No desperation.
Seems to me that we are not playing as a cohesive unit. There's no killer instinct, no passion. Very disappointing.

[Richter]

Well I don't agree. I thought we showed a lot more aggression and determination on Saturday. This was reflected in the centre clearances which we won convincingly. This was a massive turn around compared with the Bulldogs game when we were SOFT - I'm hoping that game was a one-off.

Re the X incident, I'm pretty sure that none of the players saw it - I certainly didn't from my vantage point not far from the incident. Mpst that I talked to who did see it said that it semed like he might have hit his head on the ground.

Our problems this week were lack of killer instinct esp. when kicking for goal on the run and inability to stop the Cats surges - they had two periods when they bagged four goals in 5 minutes.

[Saints Premiers 2008]

aggression comes with confidence within yourself and with the team...when you are winning

watch us string a few wins together and our aggression and attitude will rise dramatically...

loosing a few isn't going to help

we all want to see our boys fly the flag however that comes with being successful and really wanted to stick up for the boys that are part of the winning team

hence geelong...

[Buckets]

aggression comes with confidence within yourself and with the team...when you are winning

watch us string a few wins together and our aggression and attitude will rise dramatically...

loosing a few isn't going to help

we all want to see our boys fly the flag however that comes with being successful and really wanted to stick up for the boys that are part of the winning team

hence geelong...

Looking at it like that shouldnt our confidence and our aggression be up winning the NAB and then the first 2 games of the season? Wouldn't that be enough in terms of stringing a few wins together? Just asking not meaning to be condacending.
I really feel that our aggression and heart have really been something that we have lacked...yes there have been examples given but on the majority those examples are of a minority trying to do the team thing. How many times in a match has anyone seen our boys gang tackle with such feriocity that their opponents have second guessed themselves for the entire match? I reckon the closest we have been to that standard was for Harvey's 350th and even then i don't think that it was all there!

[saintsRrising]

The glaring difference between us and Geelong was their absolute agression at the ball and the man at the ball.

disagree.


Our attack on the ball and the opponent was basically ok.

The Cat's players are however "beefier"..and played a touch meaner.

So the thing you have to understand is that when the opponent is assertive that agreesion does not intimadte them.

The Cat's are not the handbag pussies that they used to be.

I cannot believe that when X got knocked out not one player remonstrated with West, it was a disgrace.

To be honest I don't think many players would have seen it...

The ball was disposed of and on its way upfield which is where the focus would have been

Due to this I think most if not all Saints players would not have seen West clean up X.

[Buckets]

The glaring difference between us and Geelong was their absolute agression at the ball and the man at the ball.

disagree.


Our attack on the ball and the opponeent was basically ok.
The Cat's players are however "beefier"..and played a touch meaner.

I cannot believe that when X got knocked out not one player remonstrated with West, it was a disgrace.

To be honest I don't think many players would have seen it...

The ball was disposed of and on its way upfield which is where the focus would have been

Due to this I think most if not all Saints players would not have seen West clean up X.

But SRS is basically OK the standard of which we should set ourselves?

[saintsRrising]

But SRS is basically OK the standard of which we should set ourselves?

That is a different question to that which the OP stated.

Would I like a bit more appropriate aggression and toughness in the team?

= Yes


Do I think that this was a critical factor in the Cat's defeating us? = No



The most galring difference to me was that when there wasa goal to be kicked...that the ctas basically got it....wheres the saints often missed.

Add to that that we hadd sloppier disposal around the ground and then for me is this one match the most critical difference was executed footskills.

Remember too that many of our sloppy kicks were by players in the clear....so sloppy kicks cannot be sheeted home to Cat's aggression.

[saintsRrising]

PS..The Cat's used to be a team that you could bully. They have "grown" up and so kicking sand in their face now tends to gain a black eye in return rather than the former hastey retreat.

[Persuader]

I don't believe we can underestimate the loss of Aaron Hamil.

[saintsRrising]

I don't believe we can underestimate the loss of Aaron Hamil.

Was the complete package...skill, aggression, contested ball winner, applier of enormous forward pressure and could actually kick goals!!!

[evertonfc]

I don't believe we can underestimate the loss of Aaron Hamil.

Was the complete package...skill, aggression, contested ball winner, applier of enormous forward pressure and could actually kick goals!!!

I always said we couldn't win a premiership without him.

We miss him like crazy. A bustling, mobile forward who worked his arse off and always put the team first - and the team lifted for him in return.