Friday Night = Game On

[LennyBoy]

Typically in the past couple of season's the Saints form on the big stage, Friday Night Footy has been nothing short of poor.

Tomorrow night I'm encouraging every saint’s fan in town to get behind your side, and show the competition that we are a genuine title contender, but playing hard, resilient, in and under football. Anything short of a win and I will be bitterly disappointed.

Brad Johnson is the man and needs to be negated, by Max who has returned to good form; however the big test comes with good forwards from good sides. Johnson, Mooney in the next couple weeks will prove where Max and the Saints defence is really at.

Attack, Attack, Attack run the dogs of their feet, and play hard aggressive football that’s all I ask. Watch out for the wildcard Welsh and his strong overhead marking, and love of the dome, and also Ben Hudson's work around the stoppages. Keep that under control, final result Saints by 34 points and everybody is happy!

[bigcarl]

what he said

[Armoooo]

Bulldogs are a good side on paper but they appear (to me atleast) a team that can be very easily discouraged... Scott Welsh is a front runner, as soon as the dogs go a couple of goals down expect Welsh to disappear.

Cooney is another one who is brilliant on his day and shocking every other... We need someone to give him a good hit early and make sure he doesn't get any early cheap possies to work up the confidence.

Scott West and Daniel Cross are ultra important and consistent but IMO Ball and Hayes will be more damaging then those two.

Akermanis is another danger man who likes playing against us so whoever gets the job on him will need to stick close, I can't really see a great matchup for him, I would probably give it to Gram just because he has the pace to keep up but I wouldn't be surprised to see Akka outclass him.

Hudson is a good ruckman but he's not great, If Gardiner can play like he did last week he will win comfortably, hopefully he will get a bit of help from King though if he starts to struggle.

All shapes up to be a great match, intensity and pressure will be the key, make them work hard and watch them crumble, don't believe the hype, doggies wont go far this year...

[st_Trav_ofWA]

realistically its the first real test for the King/Gardi ruck combo so far we have playd sydney without a dominant ruckman and carltoon with a ruck division who would struggle against a midget holding a broom

the dogs defence is going to be their down fall provided our forwards get pleanty of the ball there is no way the dogs can contain our forwards

the dogs mids are a bit like ours in they have some consistant performers and some that go missing Cooney cant handle the physical attantion and becomes non existant so some one has to go to him early and put him off his game

as for the forwards Johno is going to kick at least 3 goals regardless the task is to make sure that those goals are at times that create a spark in their team they thrive on the emotion so keeping them out of the game is a must . we should win by 30 + points

[CURLY]

Darren Jolley is hardly a push over. Jolley has had very good numbers in the ruck since joining the Swans. In fact you could almost say hed be in the top group of ruckmen in the AFL.

[st.byron]

Darren Jolley is hardly a push over. Jolley has had very good numbers in the ruck since joining the Swans. In fact you could almost say hed be in the top group of ruckmen in the AFL.

Agree Curly. Thought that Jolly was key to the Swans getting back into the game in rd. 1. They started to win teh stoppages and clearances and Jolly was key to that.

[Superboot]

I get the heeby geebies every time we play this mob.

September 1992, and then that shocker we put in at the MCG a couple of years ago.

We are always better than them on paper, but now and again they all play out of their skins against us.

This is a danger game.

[borderbarry]

Was any other SS member at Western Oval that day when their FF Kelvin Templeton kicked 15? What a nightmare that was.

[karnaby]

Was any other SS member at Western Oval that day when their FF Kelvin Templeton kicked 15? What a nightmare that was.

Sadly, yes.

[bigcarl]

from another thread, but i thought it worth repeating

they have pace; we have height and strength.

it is a question of making them play us at our game, rather than getting sucked in to playing them at theirs.

in other words play to our own strengths; not theirs.

imo bj and gram on opposing wings launching it long and direct to our tall forwards (or even kick a goal themselves). dal in the guts with instructions to get forward and have a shot whenever he can.

start kosi at chf, fraser ff and riewoldt where ever he likes in the front half and if it is not working then swap their roles around. each is interchangeable with the other imo.

milne, schneider, xavier, montagna etc to swoop on anything loose.

don't get too obsessed with the match-ups. shut down their main playmakers but otherwise let our guys play the bold and attacking football we all know they are capable of.

[iwantmeseats]

I hope you guys are right and I am wrong, but I think we will flood and it will be a long and painful game, with not necessarily a win at the end of it. This is our game plan/style now. Insanity given the foward line we have, alas.

[Devilhead]

Was any other SS member at Western Oval that day when their FF Kelvin Templeton kicked 15? What a nightmare that was.

Puts hand up

[esaint66]

I get the heeby geebies every time we play this mob.

September 1992, and then that shocker we put in at the MCG a couple of years ago.

We are always better than them on paper, but now and again they all play out of their skins against us.

This is a danger game.

I think that's we've been drawn to play them in this rivalry round.

[saintsrus]

Was any other SS member at Western Oval that day when their FF Kelvin Templeton kicked 15? What a nightmare that was.

Puts hand up

I was in the cheer squad that invaded the ground, whos was the first to run on you may ask? Another famous SS member

[snoopygirl]

Just off topic slightly, but for the first time in months I actually looked at Lennyboys avatar of Lenny having a shot at goal in Rd. 1 2006 over at Subi. Reckon he's just about back to that standard.

Iwantmeseats, I hope you're wrong.

[Saint_in_SA]

I hope you guys are right and I am wrong, but I think we will flood and it will be a long and painful game, with not necessarily a win at the end of it. This is our game plan/style now. Insanity given the foward line we have, alas.

Have to admit, I have a feeling that Ross is trying to emulate the success of Sydney and West Coast in 2005/06 by playing dour, defensive footy, whilst Geelong have changed the face of footy with their play on, aggressive bump and run attacking style. Rather follow the Pussies lead and improve on that than copying a style that was good enough a couple of years ago. The game changes so quicky now, and we must be innovative rather than reactive.

[mad saint guy]

We have absolutely no excuses now. If we lose then we're not good enough. We're only missing Baker (tagger who has been well replaced by Fisher) and Maguire (hasn't had a decent season since 2005...starting to seem like Hamill), Lyon has had time to get the list how he wants it and instill his game plan effectively.

We match up well against the Dogs, it is played at our home ground and we've got a good record against them. We should win.

I think next week will be a better test of where we are in the competition.

[Otiman]

We have absolutely no excuses now. If we lose then we're not good enough. We're only missing Baker (tagger who has been well replaced by Fisher) and Maguire (hasn't had a decent season since 2005...starting to seem like Hamill), Lyon has had time to get the list how he wants it and instill his game plan effectively.

I wouldn't say "replaced" by Fisher, they have played side by side on many occasions. I've noticed Ross using guys like Leigh Fisher, Birss, and Attard as "hard tags", but using Bakes more offensively as he is quite skilful and much more experienced compared to the other blokes.

[n1ck]

I just hope we dont start our captain on the bench this time...

[bigred]

We should not lose this game with the team we have named.

If we do then we are dead set kidding ourselves.

One thing has already become apparent this season after two rounds and that is Geelong being miles ahead of everyone else.

One thing that needs to be discovered is which team can rise to challenge them.

We need to win this game to fill that role.

[SuperSaint]

We should not lose this game with the team we have named.

If we do then we are dead set kidding ourselves.

One thing has already become apparent this season after two rounds and that is Geelong being miles ahead of everyone else.

One thing that needs to be discovered is which team can rise to challenge them.

We need to win this game to fill that role.

Well said. Need to step up to be recognized as a genuine contender this year.

[aussiejones]

The question is will we play to our strengths ....or be reactive or play dour flooding football?

Lets not give them a start this week !

Nor rely on roo . We have the players now .

Welcome back BJ . He will be jumping out of his skin to put in a good one IMO.