We Were Gone Last Year Too, Remember?

[Johnny Member]

Round 4 we just beat Freo and leaked nearly 100 points at Docklands.

Got rolled by Port the following week in the worst performance we'd seen for a couple of years.

Stole a win from the Bulldogs in one of the great escapes of the modern era in R6 (scores 46-49).

Pumped by 10 goals by Carlton the next week.

Beaten by Essendon the week after.



We were gone. Cactus. Worked out. Too slow. Too old. Too reliable on one guy etc. etc.

We'd only played 3 decent games (the Swans game in R1 was barely decent) in the first 8.5 games of the season!



I think there's still a pulse this year.

I'm not ready to turn off the life support machine just yet!

[saintspremiers]

Yes bit we did win when we were playing crap.

We weren't playing with the pain of another close HF loss.

No Kim Duthie either.

And whilst we had no Roo, we had The Engine Room Lenny firing.

The Earth is flat IMO.

At best, we will scrap a win over Brissie, but it could be yet another loss.

We are gone for the flag chance and more than likely top 4.

[bigred]

True.

I dunno, but it seems that this year we are playing like absolute crap...even compared to the first half of last year.

It is early days though.

[Johnny Member]

True.

I dunno, but it seems that this year we are playing like absolute crap...even compared to the first half of last year.

It is early days though.

I think the difference is the fact that we aren't 2-1 like we should be.


After the Essendon loss last year, we could have easily been 3-5. We were a tad lucky against Sydney in R1 and terribly lucky against the Dogs!

This year, with an ounce of luck we'd be 2-1.



So although on the ladder things seem pretty horrible, I think really we're quite in a similar situation to last year.

The problem with blowing the Geelong game and the Tigers one, is it now means we really can't afford a little mid-late season slump like we've had the past 2 years.
We've already had our slump.


The next month of course, will tell us exactly what the deal is this year.

[markp]

You may be right... we could very easily be 2-1 (though maybe it's a good thing we aren't, as we cant paper over the cracks), I just think most fans are feeling too jaded to be totally objective, let alone positive at the moment, myself included.

[Richter]

I admire the optomism JM, but watching the games showed a different story. Our game plan is built on a strong defence and an ability to grind out the win in close fought games.

This year we have lost those traits. We lost against a Geelong outfit who were minus Ablett, Ling and Chapman and for whom Selwood left the park early. Similarly the Tiges lost Riewoldt early, and we still managed to throw the win away. In both games we looked clueless going forward - static when it came to a bloke in the midfield looking for a target by foot in front of him, and seemingly unable to handball to another runner.

Against the Bombers we were smashed through the ruck. Our defence leaked horrendously. Going forward, there was actually a slight improvement. We still struggled to find a target by foot, but at least we were able to string a few handballs together - albeit sometimes meeting an opposition wall.

The only straws that I am clutching at is that the forward line can only improve....

Kosi coming back will be vital for our structure, and Schneids looked off the pace last week - he'll be better for the run against the Bombers. Smith added something going forward - he's quick and has good kicking skills. 2 or 3 more of him would be awesome - that's what I'm hoping for out of the likes of Cripps, Crocker, Ledger and Winmar - though it is clear that these players will lack, at least initially, in the defensive abilities that underpin our game plan.

I hope you are right, but many of us read the runes in the Geelong game - there was no such worry last year.

[Dan Warna]

we could easily be 2 premierships up as well...but we aren't.

sorry fatalism kicking in

[matrix]

http://www.afleventoffice.com.au/grand_ ... ?seq=01706

[thejiggingsaint]

One game at a time? and lets see how we go this year. You know, it could just be that we need to take a breath, and just get back to barracking for the team EACH WEEK instead of hypothesising over our possible ladder position at years end. If we don't like whats being said in the media about us then STOP READING ABOUT US! There are a lot of matches between now and September, why not just go back to "going along to the footy" enjoy the POSSIBILITIES of each game and not get hung up on what may or may not happen months away from now. By the way, the Magpies look as if they're not giving the Tiges much respect tonight, by resting Jolly. (wonder how the filth will go without him?)

[Saints94]

Round 4 we just beat Freo and leaked nearly 100 points at Docklands.

Got rolled by Port the following week in the worst performance we'd seen for a couple of years.

Stole a win from the Bulldogs in one of the great escapes of the modern era in R6 (scores 46-49).

Pumped by 10 goals by Carlton the next week.

Beaten by Essendon the week after.



We were gone. Cactus. Worked out. Too slow. Too old. Too reliable on one guy etc. etc.

We'd only played 3 decent games (the Swans game in R1 was barely decent) in the first 8.5 games of the season!



I think there's still a pulse this year.

I'm not ready to turn off the life support machine just yet!

Sorry to wreck for us but who kept the pulse going in the third term against the eagles?.......... Lenny Hayes.

[Thinline]

Yes bit we did win when we were playing crap.

We weren't playing with the pain of another close HF loss.

No Kim Duthie either.

And whilst we had no Roo, we had The Engine Room Lenny firing.

The Earth is flat IMO.

At best, we will scrap a win over Brissie, but it could be yet another loss.

We are gone for the flag chance and more than likely top 4.

Perhaps the difference was we won the sort of games we've drawn and lost so far this year...

As we know too well, sometimes it's just a point here and there...

[thejiggingsaint]

Something of a blessing to get done so badly last week and then the bye. Gives us time to get on with sorting out the problems and Lenny's absence will give us the chance to find out how we can cover for him (an impossible task I know! but we had to find cover for Harves too post 2008)

[SainterK]

I distinctly remember the threads after playing Essendon last year, we weren't even going to make the finals according to many.

I too am worried about the loss of Lenny for his leadership, but with all due respect to him, the midfield went OK. Considering they haven't had much first use given by our rucks, I think the clearances and resulting entries have been at least OK.

Forward line structure, forward pressure.

[Cairnsman]

Our depth was marginally better this time last year and the competition for spots was still high. A premiership contender has the luxury of pressure for spots. It's time to accept that the major difference between the last two years and this year is all above the shoulders. There are other contributing factors, however you cant help but think the players have conceded that they are not contenders this year and so with that will come poor attitude and effort.

As they say in the classics, "making up the numbers".

[SainterK]

You reckon our depth was better CM?

I can't remember much pressure for spots late....all of Geary, Armo and Steven were struggling with injury. Some of the kids pushing for selection this year, certainly weren't.

[Cairnsman]

You reckon our depth was better CM?

I can't remember much pressure for spots late....all of Geary, Armo and Steven were struggling with injury. Some of the kids pushing for selection this year, certainly weren't.

Those same kids were pushing last year but they had no chance because because the immenent dimise didn't arrive until this year. The Ruck still had MG and Mac with King as a backup if required. This year MG is the back up. Geary, Armo and Eddy are all needed in the team this year whereas last year it didn't matter that they were on the sidelines because with the exception of Roo we had massive luck on the injury front.

[SaintPav]

Armo was out injured during parts of the year.

Gram and dal played injured and we misssed Gramy's run and carry for most of the year.

Roo was out for a big chunk of the year just when he was playing the best football of his career.

I wouldn't call this luck at all.

[bigcarl]

Feels different this year though. No fire in the belly, for me as a supporter anyway.

[thejiggingsaint]

Well if a "rebuilding period" it has to be then bollocks to it! I'm IN! ready to give every encouragement I can muster for WHOEVER the coaching panel put up to play!!! You know, it wasn't ALL that long ago that some forum posters were pouring scorn on Richmond and Carlton as our "bitches" Well nothing lasts forever, just as the period of dominance over us by these teams was reversed so too the chances of us being dominant over THEM for much longer fades. We need to get some perspective and (perhaps some humility too?) get down to the job of supporting our team!

[Cairnsman]

Well if a "rebuilding period" it has to be then bollocks to it! I'm IN! ready to give every encouragement I can muster for WHOEVER the coaching panel put up to play!!! You know, it wasn't ALL that long ago that some forum posters were pouring scorn on Richmond and Carlton as our "bitches" Well nothing lasts forever, just as the period of dominance over us by these teams was reversed so too the chances of us being dominant over THEM for much longer fades. We need to get some perspective and (perhaps some humility too?) get down to the job of supporting our team!

Too right Jigstar. My fondest memories of this club were the ones were I used to turn up to Moorabbin every Saturday in the 80s and 90s. Even after a large smashing, I'd wake up the following Saturday and couldn't wait to get on the train and get back to the ground. As far as I'm concerned winning a premiership is not the reason you follow the StKilda Football Club. However, winning a premiership would be the icing on the cake.

[thejiggingsaint]

I can remember walking around in 2000 with a brand new Saints baseball cap! The guy who owned the local laundromat (an insufferable Carlton-following bore) constantly poured scorn on my club and me for following 'em! Did it bother me? YES! but I was buggered if I was going to let HIM see that! I wore that old cap around the neighbourhood all that season and it brassed him off NO END!!!! I got a perverse satisfaction out of it! Of course, we embarked on our wonderful streak of victories against the swines and this character was NEVER EVER anywhere to be seen! As far as I'm concerned this club of ours is forever and I will take whatever comes my way in my support of them!!!
GO SAINTS!GO SAINTS! GO SAINTS!

[fingers]

You may be right... we could very easily be 2-1 (though maybe it's a good thing we aren't, as we cant paper over the cracks), I just think most fans are feeling too jaded to be totally objective, let alone positive at the moment, myself included.

This.

[clarky449]

It is the way we are playing.

[thejiggingsaint]

I remember how we were playing at the start of 2002 a 20 goal thrashing @ "skilled schithole" a week after an 80 point demolition by Port Adelaide in front of a half-empty dome, and then the drawn game against the swans.
Heady stuff! But I never felt like giving it away then, and I don't now.
If we are in a holding pattern for a season or two, what of it? If it means we can improve yet again then so be it!

[Saint_Ash]

I remember how we were playing at the start of 2002 a 20 goal thrashing @ "skilled schithole" a week after an 80 point demolition by Port Adelaide in front of a half-empty dome, and then the drawn game against the swans.

I remember the Geelong game as it was the first time I had been to a game outside of Melbourne, I distinctly remember it because on the train back to melb there was some Geelong moron constantly shouting 122POINTS!!!

And then the draw with Sydney....and that Daniel Wulf poster!!!!

I didn't jump off then and I aint going to now. I have faith and FFS we are only 3 rounds in, we are a good team with good systems, the fire will be re-discovered and when it does watch out. We will be back and we will hand out some smashings before seasons end, and honestly would you rather a form slump in March/April or August/September/October??

Come on everyone, it is too early for this sort of stuff.