No hardmen!!

[saintkev]

We need some toughness. At least one in defence, through the centre and up forward. Apart from Steele, in the present side, we have no-one capable of breaking the lines, smashing packs, crunching tackles. We have no enforcers whose presence caused doubt and footsteps fear in the opposition. There isn’t anyone to protect and direct the youngsters by example. We have an array of overpaid front runners and receivers. Bring back Webster and Dunstan. Start by brainwashing Carlisle into believing that he’s a fearless warrior. Have that big unit Marsh believing that his value to the side is sowing the seeds of doubt in opposition defenders by playing hard.

[BarryGrogan]

We have an array of overpaid front runners and receivers.

Don't agree with that.

Those guys are required, and all teams need them. They're hard to come by.

I agree we're lacking 1 quality mid - but when (if) we get him, these 'front runners' will be worth their weight in gold.

[The_Dud]

Battle has a bit of mongrel in him

[Laurie]

Billings is tough boom boom

[bigcarl]

Battle has a bit of mongrel in him

I agree, So does Geary

[Cordz2]

What about Geary, Steele, Jones, Wilkie, Dunstan, Membrey, Marsh.
I think you’re referring to leadership that when the chips are down they choose to step up and perform tough or brave acts to inspire the team.
There’s a difference between tough and brave. Both inspire. Executing these at crucial times in a game shows leadership.
Long did some tough things.
Battle can be brave.
We’re looking for someone to lift when we need it to do these things at the right moments.
Maybe 3-4 potential players Need to be able to do that in a finals team.
I was hoping Hanners would be one. Haven’t seen it yet.

[desertsaint]

have a feeling carlisle, hanners, hill and ryder are there to earn coin, not to put their bodies on the line. zac and butler luckily are just the type that don't know any other way but hard at the ball. howard's young enough to come to love the club as a club and not just an employer.

[spert]

What about Geary, Steele, Jones, Wilkie, Dunstan, Membrey, Marsh.
I think you’re referring to leadership that when the chips are down they choose to step up and perform tough or brave acts to inspire the team.
There’s a difference between tough and brave. Both inspire. Executing these at crucial times in a game shows leadership.
Long did some tough things.
Battle can be brave.
We’re looking for someone to lift when we need it to do these things at the right moments.
Maybe 3-4 potential players Need to be able to do that in a finals team.
I was hoping Hanners would be one. Haven’t seen it yet.

A lot of hard men of the Saints were standing around watching Collingwood players run away with the ball! We need smart players and should recruit from universities not the standard recruiting streams.. a few academics would outthink a team like Collingwood for a win.

[Joffa Burns]

I think the days of a hard man putting the wind up the opposition went out in the 90’s but the point is very valid.

We need uncompromising players at the contest and tackle. Jones, Steele & Long are guys who provide that,
Long is probably the lightest player at the club but dishes out the best hip and shoulder.

Hill & Billings are outsider runners with skills and you need these players.

Hannebery was supposed to bring leadership to the club, I’d like to see it on game day not just on the training track.

[Yorkeys]

Grundy set it up. The mids just couldn't counter what was going on and desperation seemed to cause fumbling, poor decisions, skill errors - and it all compounded. The mids had no plan B. I think we tried but were outclassed. Lack of footskills by some highly paid recruits who shall remain nameless blew any chance of us hanging in or sowing seeds of doubt. When we play Pies we have to concede Grundy will give his mids first crack and have a tactic - running hard a yard behind Pendlebury and co is futile - as we saw. Turnovers were excruciatingly wasteful. We paniced a bit which is not a good sign. Leaders?

[The Fireman]

Loni is our hardman.

[desertsaint]

Loni is our hardman.

haha. saddly much more than a grain of truth in that.

[Special]

Collingwood’s pressure rating was through the roof in the first half according to Foxtel.

They were playing at finals intensity.

It totally floored us and we weren’t prepared for that level of attack.

[Laurie]

Billings would have to be our hardest at the ball and tough and hard the man as well.Boom boom

[Joffa Burns]

Billings would have to be our hardest at the ball and tough and hard the man as well.Boom boom

Boris, is that you?

I remember a poster years ago used to write "bang bang" at the end of his/her posts.
Was that you Laurie and have you changed your catch phrase to boom boom?

[Laurie]

No Joffa this is not Boris Boom Boom

[The Fireman]

Collingwood’s pressure rating was through the roof in the first half according to Foxtel.

They were playing at finals intensity.

It totally floored us and we weren’t prepared for that level of attack.

so we are saving our intensity for another game ?

[St Plugger]

Collingwood’s pressure rating was through the roof in the first half according to Foxtel.

They were playing at finals intensity.

It totally floored us and we weren’t prepared for that level of attack.

so we are saving our intensity for another game ?

To be fair, the majority of this team hasn't experienced that level of intensity in order to understand what to expect. Evidence to this was how well Dan Butler played with his recent finals experience.

[Scollop]

Battle has a bit of mongrel in him

Absolutely wrong decision not to play Battle

If Collingwood can find a spot for Rupert Wills surely we can find a position for Joshy

Too many Saints 'star' recruits and 'star' draftees just going through the motions and basking in the glory of 1 good game a month

Billings was pathetic after coming off a BOG performance. Ratts better not give him a fat head again with 5 in the coaches votes.

Billings coughed up the footy on several occasions and had zero fight in him. He actually preferred to handball blindly rather than cop a hit or a tackle

If he was sore, he should put his hand up and ask to be rested rather than getting match payments for creating multiple opportunities for the opposition to score

His preparation needs to be a few sparring rounds again with Sam Soliman instead of jogging laps and kicking to his mates

[Sanctorum]

Surprised that no-one has mentioned Zak Jones who to my mind is an absolute hard man. His attack on the ball and aggressive tackling is second to none and he never takes a backward step.

An excitement machine whenever he gets the ball and has blinding pace to deliver the ball into the forward line.

[takeaway]

Battle has a bit of mongrel in him

Absolutely wrong decision not to play Battle

If Collingwood can find a spot for Rupert Wills surely we can find a position for Joshy

Too many Saints 'star' recruits and 'star' draftees just going through the motions and basking in the glory of 1 good game a month

Billings was pathetic after coming off a BOG performance. Ratts better not give him a fat head again with 5 in the coaches votes.

Billings coughed up the footy on several occasions and had zero fight in him. He actually preferred to handball blindly rather than cop a hit or a tackle

If he was sore, he should put his hand up and ask to be rested rather than getting match payments for creating multiple opportunities for the opposition to score

His preparation needs to be a few sparring rounds again with Sam Soliman instead of jogging laps and kicking to his mates

I'd prefer Roberton to Battle, unless we are looking for someone who may be able to pinch hit forward.

As for Billings, certainly wasn't the worst, still had 16 possessions, I think every player lost possession at some point, Pies were that good. Billings has been our best player so far this season, and has now reached a level where the opposition are paying him close attention. He's got to work through that. Got shifted forward to break the tag, difficult in there are most kicks went in haphazardly, often too high, and airman Howe was generally his opponent. Jack tackles well, but we don't want him under packs all day, "showing mongrel". He needs to be receiving the ball on the outside, like Hill, using his skill, delivering with precision, or linking with handballs.

Battle should get a game soon, let's hope he develops to reach Billing's level, where he needs to be given special attention by the opposition. Long way to go though.

[Joffa Burns]

Surprised that no-one has mentioned Zak Jones who to my mind is an absolute hard man. His attack on the ball and aggressive tackling is second to none and he never takes a backward step.

An excitement machine whenever he gets the ball and has blinding pace to deliver the ball into the forward line.

We need uncompromising players at the contest and tackle. Jones, Steele & Long are guys who provide that,
Long is probably the lightest player at the club but dishes out the best hip and shoulder.

[BarryGrogan]

Billings coughed up the footy on several occasions and had zero fight in him.

Agree with that. That was certainly the sense I got whilst watching him.

Was disappointing.

[Scollop]

"As for Billings, certainly wasn't the worst, still had 16 possessions"

Jfc!! If a player coughs it up with turnovers and clangers he'd be more valuable to the team if he got zero possessions.

AFL player ratings compare not only overall ratings but ratings within each game. Billings is a very important player for us overall, as is Sebby, but in last weeks game I think they were poor

https://www.afl.com.au/video/7078/the-a ... 8064800001

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-20 ... 103d992c32

[freely]

"As for Billings, certainly wasn't the worst, still had 16 possessions"

Jfc!! If a player coughs it up with turnovers and clangers he'd be more valuable to the team if he got zero possessions.

AFL player ratings compare not only overall ratings but ratings within each game. Billings is a very important player for us overall, as is Sebby, but in last weeks game I think they were poor

https://www.afl.com.au/video/7078/the-a ... 8064800001

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-20 ... 103d992c32

As poor as hill and hannebery?