Discussion - Saints v West Coast - Sunday 20th May

[SainterK]

Battle between 1st v 8th

Last time they played

Rd 17 2012
Saints won 82-61 in what was considered an upset at the time, with Saints mounting a late challenge in the season and WCE flying at the time.
Brownlow votes Dal, Joey, Priddis

Outs for Saints since last played:
Fisher, Peake, Polo, Schneider, Clarke, Gwilt, McEvoy, Gamble, Dawson

Ins: Saad, Milera, Stanley, Siposs, Steven, Wilkes, Geary, Simpkin

(wowsers some of those are key players, but the others, well thats what you call a changing of the guard)

No real injury concerns for the Saints coming into this week, Scott Selwood hurt his back/shoulder v Essendon and Priddis suffered a heavy concussion.

Key matchups?

Hayes v Kerr
Jones v Shuey
Stanley v Nic-Nat
Dempster v Darling
McKenzie v Roo

Think they need to put some time into Hill who has loomed quite dangerous with the change of jumper.

They struggled to score v Essendon, who put them under intense pressure. With Kennedy out, Darling now gets a better defender, and so the flow on effect goes. Nic-Nat coming back in may impact the clearances, as he can clear the congestion quite easily.

Very winnable for mine, alot of their traditional goalscorers missing (Kennedy, LeCras, Embley, Nicoski) which seems to be impacting their ability to score.

Our forward line is functioning very well, almost WCE like of 2011 with a good balance of talls/smalls.

Saints by 18

[SainterK]

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sport/ ... loss-rosa/

But Rosa said the team expected to perform significantly better than they did.

"I don't think you can use injuries as an excuse," Rosa said.

"We send 22 players out there. Sure we've got some great players who are out of the side that you'd like to have in there but you can't dwell on those things.

"You've just got to make sure that if we're playing at our best we're going to be competitive and put ourselves in a situation to win.

"I think we've shown in the last few weeks, when we've had a lot of guys out and when we're up and about and working as one, that we can beat sides.

"We do need to look back and learn from this one and make sure it doesn't happen again."

Naitanui (hamstring), Selwood (hand) and Smith (ankle) trained strongly yesterday during a one-hour session at Patersons Stadium as they pressed their cases to return from injury. Selwood wore a black glove on his injured left hand and was able to handle the ball without apparent discomfort as part of skill work.

The 28-year-old joined Naitanui in finishing the session with a series of sprints in signs that both players are firming to line up against St Kilda on Sunday.

Priddis was one of four senior Eagles not sighted on the track.

Daniel Kerr, Dean Cox and Beau Waters also missed the session.

Priddis, 27, remains in serious doubt to face the Saints after being substituted out of Saturday's 61-point hiding from Essendon with concussion, having been slammed into the turf in a tackle laid by Nathan Lovett-Murray during the first term.

The match review panel yesterday cleared Lovett-Murray of any wrongdoing, saying the Bomber did not sling or drive Priddis into the ground with excessive force.

West Coast have an eight-day break before facing St Kilda, who defeated Carlton last night.

Rosa said the team would use the extended time to work on problem areas from the loss to Essendon.

"It gives us a good opportunity this week to get a lot of training in and work on things that we need to get better at," Rosa said.
"Often coming off a travel we don't have an opportunity, when you've got a seven-day break, to get in as much training as you'd like. That extra day helps."

[dragit]

Outs for Saints since last played:
Fisher, Peake, Polo, Schneider, Clarke, Gwilt, McEvoy, Gamble, Dawson

Ins: Saad, Milera, Stanley, Siposs, Steven, Wilkes, Geary, Simpkin

Wow - makes last nights win even more impressive… We've all been crying out for youth, jeepers… we have youth!

Just can't see us getting it done again without Gamble, Polo, Dawson in the side

Maybe Wilkes has something to prove to the eagles?

Eagles coming off a very ordinary loss, so will be rabid… I hope Natanui needs another week off, but it sounds like he is ready… If Raph Clarke is fit enough, I could handle seeing him in for Gilbert. Whereas I would prefer Gwilt to have a few weeks in the 2's for match practice before returning - not worth risking him at all…

Our mate gears is struggling a little, but to be fair has had some really tough opponents… Doing a lot more defending than attacking, should be kept in for now.

Will be a big match, this forum will meltdown if we win.

[Junction Oval]

An 8 day break, vs a 6 day break, plus travel, is a bit of a worry - WCE fresh legs in the final quarter on a big ground will be quite an advantage I would think. We will need a very good start, which will also help to neutralise the crowd!

[Sobraz]

Priddis potentially out is a big win for us... Very dangerous player, particularly over there...

[Dave McNamara]

Battle between 1st v 8th...

...Very winnable for mine, alot of their traditional goalscorers missing (Kennedy, LeCras, Embley, Nicoski) which seems to be impacting their ability to score...

...Our forward line is functioning very well, almost WCE like of 2011 with a good balance of talls/smalls.

Saints by 18

Sounds pretty good to me. And I love the conclusion!

[SainterK]

Our mate gears is struggling a little, but to be fair has had some really tough opponents… Doing a lot more defending than attacking, should be kept in for now.

Reckon he did good v Gartlett last night.

First time he has been goalless this year.

He kicked 4 v the Saints when they thrashed us in 2010, 3 in 2011 when they beat us by 3 pts early in 2010.

Actually the only time he has been goal-less in his last 16 games is against St Kilda (last night and Rd 24 last year) so coaches must of learned some kind of lesson and try to shut him down after his earlier efforts (wonder who played on him in Rd 24 last year)

[SainterK]

http://www.sportal.com.au/afl-news-disp ... ing-176915

West Coast's injury crisis looks set to ease off ahead of Sunday's home match against St Kilda, with Nic Naitanui leading a quartet of first-choice players poised to return.

Eagles coach John Worsfold declared on Wednesday he was confident that influential ruckman Naitanui would recover from a hamstring injury that has kept him out for the past two games.

Ashley Smith (ankle) is also likely to play, fellow defender Will Schofield is available after a two-week suspension and Adam Selwood is in line to return from a hand injury.






Clearance specialist Matt Priddis remains in doubt after suffering concussion in last week's heavy loss to Essendon, while the ladder leaders are adamant Daniel Kerr will play even though he suffered a heavy bout of food poisoning early in the week.

Priddis was the only one of those six to be absent from training on Wednesday and Worsfold said West Coast were still uncertain about his situation.

"You can't pick it," he said.

"You can't pick whether they pass or not, that's why they do the (concussion) test. You can't look at them and think they're recovered. It really comes down to how they respond to test."

Concerns were raised over Kerr after an image emerged on Twitter on Tuesday of the veteran midfielder's heavily swollen face due to his illness, but Worsfold said the problem had already passed.

"He's 100 percent. He needed some medical treatment, some antihistamines are the normal sort of thing," he said.

"If there were any residual effects, then he wouldn't be training today. But he's back bouncing around and ready to go, having a laugh."

Smith, who has not played since the Round 5 win against Richmond, and Naitanui also took part in Wednesday's session with no apparent lingering problems.

"Talking to (Naitanui) and looking at what he's done, I could take an educated guess that he'll be fit to play but he still does have to tick the boxes tomorrow at our main training session," Worsfold said.

"If he has awareness in his hamstring tomorrow then the medical staff may have another decision.

[jays]

we really have a chance with all there players out

[PJ]

This week presents probably our best chance in a long time to take out the eagles at home. Their form is average and they are down several key players but they'll be smarting from the bombers defeat. If the saints bring the same game they brought to the Carlton game I'd back us because the eagles can react to a little of the physical.

[SainterK]

http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-pre ... witterfeed

West Coast appear likely to have a batch of players, including ruckman Nic Naitanui, back for their home game against St Kilda on Sunday.

Naitanui has missed two rounds with a hamstring problem, but he trained lightly on Wednesday with a number of teammates, who were also unavailable in last Saturday night's 61-point loss at Etihad Stadium.

Adam Selwood (hand) and Ash Smith (ankle) appear likely to be available while key defender Will Schofield has served his two-match ban.

However, midfielder Matt Priddis needs further medical assessment before being cleared after being substituted midway through the loss to the Bombers with concussion.

[dragit]

This week presents probably our best chance in a long time to take out the eagles at home.

We've won the last couple of times we've played them there…

[perfectionist]

..Reckon he did good v Gartlett last night..

I thought he was on Eddie Betts and Jason Gram was on Gartlett.

[SainterK]

I thought Geary was on Gartlett and Dempster was on Betts?

Probably wrong

Also regarding team selection....

Luke Holmesby‏@AFL_Luke

Scott Watters confirms Gwilt in the mix for senior selection, Schneider to play VFL, Fisher probably would play if game was in Melbourne.

[Thinline]

In recent times we've enjoyed Subiaco. I'm feeling upbeat. Monday night would give tremendous belief especially ahead of a road trip.

[markp]

Win this one and we'll be talking about the lid.

It's gonna be a cracker.

[SainterK]

In recent times we've enjoyed Subiaco. I'm feeling upbeat. Monday night would give tremendous belief especially ahead of a road trip.

If there there was going to be a road trip soon, then this is the time...I reckon they are feeling upbeat TL

I just keep thinking about our players that enjoy space, hopefully the youngins travel well and adjust easily to another ground.

[SainterK]

Win this one and we'll be talking about the lid.

It's gonna be a cracker.

It will be a cracker.

You truly reckon the lid will get a mention come Monday if they boys get a win? That would be quite the turnaround....

[markp]

Win this one and we'll be talking about the lid.

It's gonna be a cracker.

It will be a cracker.

You truly reckon the lid will get a mention come Monday if they boys get a win? That would be quite the turnaround....

I think a few may even pop!

One of the less idiotic comments made during the broadcast of the scum game was that our top 6-7 players were the equal of any in the comp. Add to that the new-to-St Kilda phenomenon of a couple of things they apparently call 'depth' and 'speed', and even goal scoring options and accuracy.... and the fact that the field seems wide open this year... mine may rattle a little too.

Still a big 'if', and consistency is another matter, but a very winnable game... and very exciting prospects.

[desertsaint]

Umps will kill us.

[Teflon]

Umps will kill us.

Nothing surer

[saint75]

Umps will kill us.

Nothing surer

We just have to make sure we master the art of ducking our head for this game. We are coming up against some professional head duckers.....

[busso mick]

Umps will kill us.

Nothing surer

We just have to make sure we master the art of ducking our head for this game. We are coming up against some professional head duckers.....

The Free-Oh Duckers

[Sobraz]

Geary is going ok defensively.... But he has become the new major worry by foot coming out of defence (obviously Gilbo is the constant worry).. It was Dempster, his whole game has improved... Blake has never been brilliant by foot, although plays it safe most of the time..

Gears has been increasingly missing his targets the last few weeks.. The kick into the man on the mark last week was a howler, as we were open and away, and it cost us a goal...

On current form, when ready, Gwilt comes in for Geary's spot in the back 6... And to be fair, it'd have to be Fisher for Gilbo...

[plugger66]

Geary is going ok defensively.... But he has become the new major worry by foot coming out of defence (obviously Gilbo is the constant worry).. It was Dempster, his whole game has improved... Blake has never been brilliant by foot, although plays it safe most of the time..

Gears has been increasingly missing his targets the last few weeks.. The kick into the man on the mark last week was a howler, as we were open and away, and it cost us a goal...

On current form, when ready, Gwilt comes in for Geary's spot in the back 6... And to be fair, it'd have to be Fisher for Gilbo...

You cant have Gwilt in for Geary. Geary plays on the likes of Garlett and Rioli, Jimmy could never do that. Jimmy will have to come in for a Gibert, Blake or Simpkin.