Anyone else feeling flat about this season?

[The Fireman]

this will be good

[thejiggingsaint]

"flat"about 2016? are you crazy? REALLY? Tell me you're kidding! You're having a laugh? We have not even kicked a ball yet and someone feels "flat"? REALLY? I don't mean to offend, but may I ask you seriously, just WHY are you bothering?
GO Saints! (to hell with the rest!)

[Trev from the Bush]

Flat? You need to go to the soccer if you want to see football played with more flare(s)!

Nope, really looking forward this season with full knowledge we will be competitive, but maybe not combat-ready enough to give the top teams a shove. Bottom 10 clubs will be stretched to beat the Saints.

[saintspremiers]

"flat"about 2016? are you crazy? REALLY? Tell me you're kidding! You're having a laugh? We have not even kicked a ball yet and someone feels "flat"? REALLY? I don't mean to offend, but may I ask you seriously, just WHY are you bothering?
GO Saints! (to hell with the rest!)

Each their own old boy. I have outlined my reasons.

[Joe Bloggs]

<<<MOD EDIT>>>

Questions Bunk....
Were you a McCartin or Petracca fan prior to the 14 Draft?
How well did you initially react to the news we took Paddy??
Was Paddy McCartin in average condition in his 18th year???
Is Paddy McCartin in fact a diebetic????

This is what happens Mart ... <<< MOD EDIT>>> . Ps your views on footy are very solid.

Post edited by mods. Commentary about the poster and not the topic.

[The Fireman]

pass the popcorn

[Sainternist]

Not sure how anyone could feel so pessimistic about a season before it has even started. Big deal about our setbacks. I wouldn't go as far as saying they are massive. Carlisle can bide his time and earn his spot for next year.

2016 is a season in which we have little to lose and EVERYTHING to gain.

It's going to be fun to watch.

[St Chris]

I get it.

I felt that exact way last year - the Bombers story had run all summer and they'd just been cleared by the Tribunal, and there seemed to be no break from the previous season, the papers ran with AFL stories all summer, with regular "events" (draft, fixture annoucement, etc) keeping the AFL in the spotlight. And a really good cricket world cup was just wrapping up, so I had very little interest in gearing up for another AFL year, where even the most positive of supporters thought we were on track for a really poor year.

But then towards the end of Feb, I grabbed my Ipad and logged onto the stream of us against the Brions in the first NAB challenge game. And a little spark lit up. Paddy slotted one in the first quarter and it sparked again. Another spark came when we got within a goal with a couple of minutes to spare. We got rolled, but we were back into it.

We got through the Bombers game with a good win, and then got touched up by the Hawks. But it was back on.

I went to the game against GWS in round 1. We played better than I'd hoped, and GWS played worse than I expected. But we lost. The spark hadn't completely ignited yet, but it was coming.

The next Saturday night, we stumped up against a maturing, highly skilled Gold Coast team that were expected to feature strongly in September. I didn't hold a lot of hope. The fire finally ignited as Newnes chased and tackled Harbrow in the first quarter. The fire was fanned by Bruce catching everything that came anywhere near him, and seeing the young saints having a great win.

So in closing, have faith and the excitement for 2016 will come. By about 4.30 this Saturday you will have seen maybe McCartin kick a handful, or perhaps Gresham running riot in the middle, or it might only be a single moment from a player you never expected, where you go "wow, this kid has something special". And it will build from there.

[iwantmeseats]

Not excited. Modern football is a drain to watch, and if you're not in the hunt it's hard to keep the interest up. In the past you'd go along and hope for a Lockett bag, or Loewe to drag down 15 monster pack marks, watch a blew, see winmar take mark of the year, listen to crowd banter.

That's all gone now

Quoted for TRUTH.
Ill have a passinh interest. Certainly nothing to do with how the Saints might or might not go. The Footy is simply a corprotised mess these days, complete with Ridiculous fit inducing flashing signage.

[ripplug66]

Not excited. Modern football is a drain to watch, and if you're not in the hunt it's hard to keep the interest up. In the past you'd go along and hope for a Lockett bag, or Loewe to drag down 15 monster pack marks, watch a blew, see winmar take mark of the year, listen to crowd banter.

That's all gone now

Quoted for TRUTH.
Ill have a passinh interest. Certainly nothing to do with how the Saints might or might not go. The Footy is simply a corprotised mess these days, complete with Ridiculous fit inducing flashing signage.

Luckily for the game most fans don't think that way.

[saint64]

Like every year I can't wait for the season to start. Hope springs eternal. Naive optimism is what being a supporter is all about.

[prwilkinson]

Not excited. Modern football is a drain to watch, and if you're not in the hunt it's hard to keep the interest up. In the past you'd go along and hope for a Lockett bag, or Loewe to drag down 15 monster pack marks, watch a blew, see winmar take mark of the year, listen to crowd banter.

That's all gone now

Quoted for TRUTH.
Ill have a passinh interest. Certainly nothing to do with how the Saints might or might not go. The Footy is simply a corprotised mess these days, complete with Ridiculous fit inducing flashing signage.

Yup... Today's game day experience.... Drilling a hostage audience with corporate bulls*&t for 3 hours with a splash of 'modern footy' in-between. Improving the so called 'game day' experience with corporate crap just shows how rubbish the actual product of A.F.L is becoming.
Nothing is more exciting than watching a team break into space, only to turn around and kick the ball backwards and among themselves 20 times over a 2 minute period... only then to kick it down the line to a boundary throw in.... as if that was the best option all along. Edge of your seat stuff!

[IanRush]

Turn that frown upside down.
Think big.
Saints - Premiers 2016.

[Dr Spaceman]

If you don't like the way footy's played today, odds are you're not going to like it in the future.

So if it irks you now you may as well find something else to do with your time and money. It will save you a lot of angst in the long term.

I did love the old footy and going to the suburban grounds. But that's all gone and it ain't coming back.

And although the game's changed, I still love it. And I still love the Saints.

And because of that, I'm feeling anything other than flat.

[Zed]

This year is when the heavy lifting starts shifting to the next generation. Last year we saw Armo join Steven as our best 2 players. This year we will see the likes of Billings, Dunstan, Acres, Bruce start playing more leading rather than supporting roles.

The net win-loss ratio I predict will be similar, but slightly better. But the losing margins will get closer.

Watch closely this year and you will see glimpses of the team that will play finals in 2018.

[saintspremiers]

This year is when the heavy lifting starts shifting to the next generation. Last year we saw Armo join Steven as our best 2 players. This year we will see the likes of Billings, Dunstan, Acres, Bruce start playing more leading rather than supporting roles.

The net win-loss ratio I predict will be similar, but slightly better. But the losing margins will get closer.

Watch closely this year and you will see glimpses of the team that will play finals in 2018.

Just a question - do you think we will have any of Fisher, Roo and Joey playing in 2018?

If they all retire by the end of next season, that's a massive hole to fill to play finals as early as 2018.

I hope you are on the money though !

[Bluthy]

There's also a weariness with Hawthorns dominance. Another year, another Hawks flag. Yippee. When Brisbane kept winning year after year it was the same.

[tony74]

This year is when the heavy lifting starts shifting to the next generation. Last year we saw Armo join Steven as our best 2 players. This year we will see the likes of Billings, Dunstan, Acres, Bruce start playing more leading rather than supporting roles.

The net win-loss ratio I predict will be similar, but slightly better. But the losing margins will get closer.

Watch closely this year and you will see glimpses of the team that will play finals in 2018.

100%

[The Fireman]

2018 playing finals ? would be nice ...unfortunately I can't see it. Thats how much little faith in what we have atm..what players who started to show a bit have plateaued and we certainly don't have any super stars ..the ones we have close to being that will be gone next year. Any improvement from what we have would have to be phenomenal to get even close to the top sides atm ..

look.. keep up the hope but keeping it real eases the pain

[st.byron]

2018 playing finals ? would be nice ...unfortunately I can't see it. Thats how much little faith in what we have atm..what players who started to show a bit have plateaued and we certainly don't have any super stars ..the ones we have close to being that will be gone next year. Any improvement from what we have would have to be phenomenal to get even close to the top sides atm ..

look.. keep up the hope but keeping it real eases the pain

It's way too early to be certain we don't have any superstars. They take time to develop. If not into superstars, then into rounded AFL players.

Look at this cross section of our list :

Eli 21 turns y.o this year
Ross 23
Dustan 21
Acres 21
Lonie 20
Billings 21
Newnes 23
Longer 23
Gresham 19
Goddard 20
Membrey 22
Webster 23
Paddy 20
McKenzie 20
Sinclair 21

That's 15 players 23 and under, most of them 20 or 21 who were either high draft picks or have shown promise.

Add to that Bruce, Roberton, Savage, Weller and Carlisle when he plays in the 24 /25 y.o bracket and that's a core of young blokes who could make the guts of a very good team. Then there's Freeman, Curren, White, Pierce, Minchington, Shenton, Hickey who may or may not become solid players. And Armo and Jack, Geary.

I'm optimistic we have recruited well in the past few years. It's way too early to be passing judgement on a group that is so young. I remember Dal and Joey running around at Coburg in the VFL in their second or third years. They needed time for their bodies to harden and to learn the game at the top level.
Patience.

[Con Gorozidis]

Acres only just turned 20 in October. Wont be 21 until the 2017 season. Just a kid still. This is why I just cannot believe some people on here are impatient with the kid.

He is 190cm was only 19 last year and had a few vfl games with 30+ disposals. Give me a call in 2018 when he is 22. Will be a midfield monster by then.

[The Fireman]

I'm patient StBryon..been a member and optimistic fan for a very long time..the optimism isn't what it used to be, all I'm saying is that it may take a lot longer than some think.

I'm the official SS pessimist

[thejiggingsaint]

Some folk will find reasons to be "flat" or "pessimistic" regardless of any positives. It's in their nature to be negative. We should attempt to give them our sympathy, it must be awful to go through life that way.

[The Fireman]

Some folk will find reasons to be "flat" or "pessimistic" regardless of any positives. It's in their nature to be negative. We should attempt to give them our sympathy, it must be awful to go through life that way.

thankyou so much for your concern.

[thejiggingsaint]