So what did we learn from today..?

[skeptic]

For me... not much unfortunately

Membrey, Armitage, Ross, Steele, Savage, Billings, Sinclair - all played amongst their better games for the season or thereabouts
All have been pretty underwhelming this season with exceptions despite the fact that we know they're good players.

It showed that when our middle aged to older core turn on, we can be competitive and kick a score

Even if the likes of Newnes, Dunstan, DMac, Longer & Weller (though they're older) + Joyce and Rice didn't blitzed it though most contributed.

Already we've had a number of posts of the "see Armitage played great today so anyone whoever criticised his performances this season should be ASHAMED' type but they kind of miss the point for mine... it's consistency.
Jack Steele is a good player and could be an elite one... but it's fair to say that he is yet to take the step we wanted this season... has played 13 games, this was pbly the best one

Look at Armitage... is a bull... has always been a bull and this performance today is exactly what we've lacked from him all season (though in fairness fitness has been an issue). This guy should be playing like this all season round and pbly should be our captain. Him and Jack Steven should be a clear #1 and #2

It's a million dollar question...
How do we get consistency out of this group + a Bruce, Longer/Hickey?

[spert]

Great win, but still much to do, especially midfield defensive work- I think Melbourne took us lightly and it was too late by the time they got going.

[SaintPav]

How much we’ve missed Armo.

We can also still find a way to lose, almost.

[Teflon]

Armo cooked
1 game is great we need a season
Honestly we are cellar dwellers for a reason
Let’s keep sight of where we are and where we need to go to compete with top 4 that’s all I’m interested in

[Linton Lodger]

Great win, but still much to do, especially midfield defensive work- I think Melbourne took us lightly and it was too late by the time they got going.

If Melbourne took us lightly after two losses in a row, then they're going nowhere fast.

[Enrico_Misso]

Never tip Melbourne against the Saints

[Teflon]

Great win, but still much to do, especially midfield defensive work- I think Melbourne took us lightly and it was too late by the time they got going.

If Melbourne took us lightly after two losses in a row, then they're going nowhere fast.

Melbourne are brittle - they remind me of RIchmond before they realised they were good enough but right now they’re gettable
Great effort by saints but let’s not get ahead of ourselves we are 3-10
Do that to Sydney for a top 4 spot and we are talking....
This season has been an utter debacle we have an enormous amount of ground to make up

[Linton Lodger]

Great win, but still much to do, especially midfield defensive work- I think Melbourne took us lightly and it was too late by the time they got going.

If Melbourne took us lightly after two losses in a row, then they're going nowhere fast.

Melbourne are brittle - they remind me of RIchmond before they realised they were good enough but right now they’re gettable
Great effort by saints but let’s not get ahead of ourselves we are 3-10
Do that to Sydney for a top 4 spot and we are talking....
This season has been an utter debacle we have an enormous amount of ground to make up

Agreed to an extent. They're not quite Richmond before their realisation, they haven't got a Dustin Martin (Viney's a gun but not in that class) or a Rance.

The season has been a debacle and there's a lot of ground to recover. It was a significant win today and we played really good footy. Our remaining games will show a bit, if we play like that for most of them, then we're back on an upward trajectory and could finish the season in better shape (don't mean W/L) than last year. The question now is, can we deliver consistency?

[The_Dud]

I think it shows with a good game plan and our players playing to their potential, we can be a good side. And with the right development our current list can take us far, with the help of some added outside talent.

[stonecold]

Billy Longer has the best winning % of any Saint this season !!!!!

[kosifantutti]

Billy Longer has the best winning % of any Saint this season !!!!!

I learned that Stoney is still making things up.

[SaintPav]

That we can still find a way to lose, almost

[IluvHarvey]

Billy Longer has the best winning % of any Saint this season !!!!!

Wrong!

[bigcarl]

Billy Longer has the best winning % of any Saint this season !!!!!

Wrong!

Josh Battle?

[Sainter_Dad]

Darragh Joyce!!!

100%

[Cairnsman]

The forward setup of three talls that function as a system could be a thing next season and beyond when the zone rules are introduced. We've got the rest of the season to do trial work.

[Cairnsman]

Oh and Paddy isn't far off ripping a game apart.

[rodgerfox]

I don't think we learnt much really - depending on what you thought you knew prior to the game.


The list is developing nicely. As I've repeated often - we just need to be patient until we get that older group of players. We need a good, solid senior group. Once we have that, in 12-18 months, we'll be a really good side. How good? Time will tell.

I did learn though, from watching McCartin live, that he has some technique issues with his attack on marking contests when on the lead. He needs some coaching on it, as it will hold him back considerably unless he sorts it out.

[spert]

I don't think we learnt much really - depending on what you thought you knew prior to the game.


The list is developing nicely. As I've repeated often - we just need to be patient until we get that older group of players. We need a good, solid senior group. Once we have that, in 12-18 months, we'll be a really good side. How good? Time will tell.

I did learn though, from watching McCartin live, that he has some technique issues with his attack on marking contests when on the lead. He needs some coaching on it, as it will hold him back considerably unless he sorts it out.

I think Paddy's hands were much better in his first season in contested marking- don't know why he doesn't quite clunk as he did.

[rodgerfox]

I don't think we learnt much really - depending on what you thought you knew prior to the game.


The list is developing nicely. As I've repeated often - we just need to be patient until we get that older group of players. We need a good, solid senior group. Once we have that, in 12-18 months, we'll be a really good side. How good? Time will tell.

I did learn though, from watching McCartin live, that he has some technique issues with his attack on marking contests when on the lead. He needs some coaching on it, as it will hold him back considerably unless he sorts it out.

I think Paddy's hands were much better in his first season in contested marking- don't know why he doesn't quite clunk as he did.

I have my 'flat hands and bring it to the front' theory on that one. It has the potential to cost him his career IMO. Coaches will disagree, and point to the impact that Charlie Dixon has using the same method - but in my opinion a guy like McCartin needs to learn to mark first. When he's played 150 games and has become a genuine forward who can hurt the opposition, the 'bring it to the front' thing can be a really effective tool. But if you're just a battler that can't hold a mark because you've been coached not to - then opposition coaches will handle that easily.



Regarding the technique thing, It's the way he approaches the final 10m on the lead when approaching the ball. As a forward, that 10m is where you use your closing speed to gain some separation from the defender and to position your body to protect the ball. McCartin actually slows down in his approach on it. He telegraphs his arms to the ball too early which puts him off balance also. The last 10m of a lead is where a forward will use their lead leg to launch at it and give himself good position to mark it.
McCartin seems to go from being in a really good position on the lead (say 70%-30% of marking it) - to being 50%-50% at best in the that last 10m.

When you approach the ball on a lead, as it approaches you are bracing your body for contact, protecting the ball, and giving yourself the best balance you can to mark the pill with outstretched hands. This all happens in the final 5-10m of a lead.

McCartin doesn't do any of these really. If anything, he slows down slightly, raises his arms predictably and pretty much leaves himself open to being pushed off the contest or spoiled. The best technique, is to slow down earlier in the lead, then burst right at the end to get that separation.



And I think this could back to the earlier part of the post. He makes contests, No doubt. But at his age, and being a number 1 pick - we should be coaching him to be trying to mark every ball as his first instinct. I feel that he's being coached to make a contest first, and marking is secondary.

[SMS]

We have a good list. Could be great.

We have an absolute BEAUTY of a chance this draft season to turn water wine.

IN: Max or Ben King 202cm Ruck/Forward
Cerra Pick 13 and next year's first
OUT: McCartin - he has value now but his diabetes and height mean he can't be the player we need
Sell him to Geelong for pick 13

Loved Ross down back. He read play well have great defense.

Battle. Membrey. B.King (Ruck)
Gresham. Bruce. Long
Billings. Cerra. Clark
Ross. Carlisle. McKenzie
Webster. Austin. Rice

Marshall. Steven. Steele

Acres. Coffield. Dunstan. Sinclair

[Devilhead]

We have a good list. Could be great.

We have an absolute BEAUTY of a chance this draft season to turn water wine.

IN: Max or Ben King 202cm Ruck/Forward
Cerra Pick 13 and next year's first
OUT: McCartin - he has value now but his diabetes and height mean he can't be the player we need
Sell him to Geelong for pick 13

Loved Ross down back. He read play well have great defense.

Battle. Membrey. B.King (Ruck)
Gresham. Bruce. Long
Billings. Cerra. Clark
Ross. Carlisle. McKenzie
Webster. Austin. Rice

Marshall. Steven. Steele

Acres. Coffield. Dunstan. Sinclair

2.3 and 11 score involvemenrs by Paddy says your wrong - guy is 22 and still maturing/ developing

The forwardline won't always work like it did yesterday and it was a huge step forward but the last thing we need now is to trade McCartin when he is on the improve and go back to square one.

No to trading McCartin - yes to picking up Rankine or Walsh or Smith and a couple of mid FAs this year and targetting Kelly or Shiel or another mid after next year

[stonecold]

Billy Longer has the best winning % of any Saint this season !!!!!

Wrong!

Forgot about Joyce, fair enough, did he play though?????

[stonecold]

SMS = a Paddy Whacker!!!!!

So, will never give him any credit, he/she is one of the posters I was referring to in the tractor post!!!!!

[BringBackMadDog]

Great win, but still much to do, especially midfield defensive work- I think Melbourne took us lightly and it was too late by the time they got going.

God, we can't win. If we get smashed we are complete s***, if we beat them they didn't try, or they took us lightly. How about we outplayed them completely, our midfield worked their arses off and shut them down, our forward half is getting games together as a unit and starting to develop understanding and cohesion to match their talent and potential which then led them to get open and lead the right spots giving the players up the field some options to hit instead of kicking long to contests.