Rock and a Hard Place

[CURLY]

What was Ross Lyon to do? He had just seen his team give absolutely everything in a Grand Final and tie. He loses his number one ruckman during the game. Players who he would of asked for one more effort like Gram, Dal Santo, Jones , Baker and Kosi were screaming out for the summer break. Now he had to ask them again to reproduce and somehow trick their injured bodies to lift again. Surely Ross in his mind knew that his players had given him everything they had in a season that was littered with dramas on and off the field. A team that was written off more than once throughout the year but still managed to scrap and fight to get to the big one.

What choice did he have in regards to his team? Many of his back ups hadnt played for up to five weeks. This team that had won more games than any other in the last two seasons was so close to grabbing the flag was there a need to change? In the rematch and in the wake of it all we can all sit back and say yes perhaps it does. The same team that had showed us courage and spirit was dead on its feet by 5 minutes into half time. Gram already playing under sufferance gets knocked out five minutes in Eddy breaks an arm and Bakes is wearing a glove to hide an obvious wound. Could the players hang on after already playing a grand final with 21 fit men the week before. The second quarter we reloaded and with every missed oppurtunity you could see the players take the hit personaly. Kosi whos body must have felt like a battering ram after last weeks monsterous effort in the ruck was starting to look tired and sore and the cracks were opening.

Lyon would have went in a thalf time pleading to lift but in reality he would have known he was flogging a dead horse. His head would have sunk even further when Sneider hit the post 20 seconds in. More grief a minute later when our best defender Fisher came limping to the bench. The flood gates were open.

I feel for Lyon and am dissapointed the flack he and his players are getting. He got his side up for the biggest game of the year and fell just short. He has to and will make changes and lets hope these players respond and perform to the level thats required to finish this job. I know a lot of people are bagging the performance of a few of our lesser lights but lets remember they took us here two years straight. Maybe a few of our more talented youngsters can use these guys to motivate themselves to put in the effort these guys do that has earnt them their spot in the team.

Right now 2011 cant come quick enough.

[Dr Spaceman]

What was Ross Lyon to do? He had just seen his team give absolutely everything in a Grand Final and tie. He loses his number one ruckman during the game. Players who he would of asked for one more effort like Gram, Dal Santo, Jones , Baker and Kosi were screaming out for the summer break. Now he had to ask them again to reproduce and somehow trick their injured bodies to lift again. Surely Ross in his mind knew that his players had given him everything they had in a season that was littered with dramas on and off the field. A team that was written off more than once throughout the year but still managed to scrap and fight to get to the big one.

What choice did he have in regards to his team? Many of his back ups hadnt played for up to five weeks. This team that had won more games than any other in the last two seasons was so close to grabbing the flag was there a need to change? In the rematch and in the wake of it all we can all sit back and say yes perhaps it does. The same team that had showed us courage and spirit was dead on its feet by 5 minutes into half time. Gram already playing under sufferance gets knocked out five minutes in Eddy breaks an arm and Bakes is wearing a glove to hide an obvious wound. Could the players hang on after already playing a grand final with 21 fit men the week before. The second quarter we reloaded and with every missed oppurtunity you could see the players take the hit personaly. Kosi whos body must have felt like a battering ram after last weeks monsterous effort in the ruck was starting to look tired and sore and the cracks were opening.

Lyon would have went in a thalf time pleading to lift but in reality he would have known he was flogging a dead horse. His head would have sunk even further when Sneider hit the post 20 seconds in. More grief a minute later when our best defender Fisher came limping to the bench. The flood gates were open.

I feel for Lyon and am dissapointed the flack he and his players are getting. He got his side up for the biggest game of the year and fell just short. He has to and will make changes and lets hope these players respond and perform to the level thats required to finish this job. I know a lot of people are bagging the performance of a few of our lesser lights but lets remember they took us here two years straight. Maybe a few of our more talented youngsters can use these guys to motivate themselves to put in the effort these guys do that has earnt them their spot in the team.

Right now 2011 cant come quick enough.

Many will disagree with you CURLY.

I for one agree with everything you've written here and indeed thank you for taking the time to write it so well.

[Legendary]

Great summary.

[Thinline]

Summarise my thoughts perfectly, Curlster.

[falka]

Well said.

[Beej]

As Paul Roos alluded to in his article, it's an underrated coaching performance by Lyon to get this team into two grand finals.

3-4 elite footballers, 5 very good and the rest are extremely average to good.

Ross' system and structure is what makes us competitive.

There's fk all he can do when his players wilt under pressure in all three grand finals.

Or is there?

Maybe he needs to approach grand finals differently with the group. Do something to get them right mentally before the game. In the head - that's where it was lost.

Maybe enough of this round 25 round 26 crap and prepare the players better mentally for what type of game it will be instead of hiding from the fact it's a grand final which is a different level of pressure. We did not cope with it.

Two pathetic first halves in a row. Second quarter on Saturday was an absolute choke-fest.

[saintlee]

Frankly, I don't think we have the cattle anymore. RL did a great job with this list, but we simply don't have the same quality as other top 4 teams below our top 6 players....time to bring in some youth

[CURLY]

As Paul Roos alluded to in his article, it's an underrated coaching performance by Lyon to get this team into two grand finals.

3-4 elite footballers, 5 very good and the rest are extremely average to good.

Ross' system and structure is what makes us competitive.

There's fk all he can do when his players wilt under pressure in all three grand finals.

Or is there?

Maybe he needs to approach grand finals differently with the group. Do something to get them right mentally before the game. In the head - that's where it was lost.

Maybe enough of this round 25 round 26 crap and prepare the players better mentally for what type of game it will be instead of hiding from the fact it's a grand final which is a different level of pressure because we could not cope with it.

Two pathetic first halves in a row. Second quarter on Saturday was an absolute choke-fest.

You dont understand football at all do you? To say the players choked on Saturday is a disgrace. The game was always going to be a blowout just depending on which way it went. If you believe the players wilted under the preasure in Grand Finals I tell you not many side come back from 24 points down a thalf time. Hardly wilting. Sure we need to improve but you can hardly blame Lyon for backing his group that has won more games than any team in two years.

[Con Gorozidis]

THE GF was a culmination of years of player development neglect. The fact is we played injured players but eery saints fan knows we have no depth and cant cover injuries. We havent developed anyone under 21 for ages. Gilbo and Gwility and Zac are our success stories and they have all been around the traps. We needed more games in Miles And A Smith just in case lo and behold dal santo and gram get injured....

Its contingency. And it takes years of planning.

Also I think besides the Bombers we have the worst facilities - most out of date and were the slowest to upgrade.

[Thinline]

Con. Give it a rest for a bit mate. You make the same point in a million different threads when once is enough. Appreciate you're disapointed, but f*** me the whinging is becoming fair dinkum intolerable mate.

[resaintlee]

You raise many worthy points but one in particular I think could be worked on. Sandringham needs to become a more competitive team, not only so they play a longer season by playing finals, but the players need to receive quality game day support. I only see it on television but am left wondering how difficult it must be for players to step up from this standard to AFL level.

[Thinline]

You raise many worthy points but one in particular I think could be worked on. Sandringham needs to become a more competitive team, not only so they play a longer season by playing finals, but the players need to receive quality game day support. I only see it on television but am left wondering how difficult it must be for players to step up from this standard to AFL level.

ALIGNED is the word.

Lovell had GC earmarked from early in the year and I believe (but do not know) that his heart was simply nowhere near in it enough to be able to meet RL's exacting standards.

Your point is a very good one.

Two squads. One page. No listed player coming through should EVER look like a deer in the headlights when they get their chance. Make it happen.

[Beej]

As Paul Roos alluded to in his article, it's an underrated coaching performance by Lyon to get this team into two grand finals.

3-4 elite footballers, 5 very good and the rest are extremely average to good.

Ross' system and structure is what makes us competitive.

There's fk all he can do when his players wilt under pressure in all three grand finals.

Or is there?

Maybe he needs to approach grand finals differently with the group. Do something to get them right mentally before the game. In the head - that's where it was lost.

Maybe enough of this round 25 round 26 crap and prepare the players better mentally for what type of game it will be instead of hiding from the fact it's a grand final which is a different level of pressure because we could not cope with it.

Two pathetic first halves in a row. Second quarter on Saturday was an absolute choke-fest.

You dont understand football at all do you? To say the players choked on Saturday is a disgrace. The game was always going to be a blowout just depending on which way it went. If you believe the players wilted under the preasure in Grand Finals I tell you not many side come back from 24 points down a thalf time. Hardly wilting. Sure we need to improve but you can hardly blame Lyon for backing his group that has won more games than any team in two years.

I think it might be you who doesn't understand much about football.

Couldn't stand the heat. The pressure got to them. They choked.

Just as they did in 09 when they blew countless chances in the first half that could've almost killed the game off.

Coming back after being 24 points down at half-time last week was a great effort, but why were we 24 down in the first place?

Good thing we made the most of our opportunities while they squandered theirs or else there wouldn't have been a replay. That's fine though, we learn from it. We got out of jail and perhaps could've stolen it.

So what happens on Saturday? Surely with the week before fresh in our minds we steel ourselves for a better first half?

1.9 at half time after missing countless opportunities in front of goal and coughing the ball up time and time again.

The game was always going to be a blowout just depending on which way it went.

That is flat-out stupidity. No game has to be anything. It was a blowout because we failed to apply scoreboard pressure during the moments of the first half when we had the ascendancy while we gift-wrapped them goals by turning it over.

[CURLY]

THE GF was a culmination of years of player development neglect. The fact is we played injured players but eery saints fan knows we have no depth and cant cover injuries. We havent developed anyone under 21 for ages. Gilbo and Gwility and Zac are our success stories and they have all been around the traps. We needed more games in Miles And A Smith just in case lo and behold dal santo and gram get injured....

Its contingency. And it takes years of planning.

Also I think besides the Bombers we have the worst facilities - most out of date and were the slowest to upgrade.

So what player do you walk up to and say " Your doing a great job for the team but were dropping you to give a kid a run". I know I wouldnt be happy if it was me.
Just on the topic of depth just say Collingwood were in our shoes on Saturday and the following didnt play?

Jolly- Gardiner
Penndlebry- DalSanto
Shaw - Gram

Now that would mean Fraser would have rucked against Gardiner a win for us clearly. Who'd the replace the other two with? I mean lets be fair no team has great depth when ere talking key players and the pointy end of the season.

[Thinline]

Beej, the replay was there to be won. No doubt. But it would always favour the team that took early chances. We didn't. They did. Their first terms ALL year have been rampaging. Still we surged in the second term, but didn't kick straight. No amount of Lyonising can kick the ball for the players. Fisher hobbles off. Gram knocked out. Rotations shot. Players f***ed. Game gone. Not excuses. Just valid explanations.

[CURLY]

As Paul Roos alluded to in his article, it's an underrated coaching performance by Lyon to get this team into two grand finals.

3-4 elite footballers, 5 very good and the rest are extremely average to good.

Ross' system and structure is what makes us competitive.

There's fk all he can do when his players wilt under pressure in all three grand finals.

Or is there?

Maybe he needs to approach grand finals differently with the group. Do something to get them right mentally before the game. In the head - that's where it was lost.

Maybe enough of this round 25 round 26 crap and prepare the players better mentally for what type of game it will be instead of hiding from the fact it's a grand final which is a different level of pressure because we could not cope with it.

Two pathetic first halves in a row. Second quarter on Saturday was an absolute choke-fest.

You dont understand football at all do you? To say the players choked on Saturday is a disgrace. The game was always going to be a blowout just depending on which way it went. If you believe the players wilted under the preasure in Grand Finals I tell you not many side come back from 24 points down a thalf time. Hardly wilting. Sure we need to improve but you can hardly blame Lyon for backing his group that has won more games than any team in two years.

I think it might be you who doesn't understand much about football.

Couldn't stand the heat. The pressure got to them. They choked.

Just as they did in 09 when they blew countless chances in the first half that could've almost killed the game off.

Coming back after being 24 points down at half-time last week was a great effort, but why were we 24 down in the first place?

Good thing we made the most of our opportunities while they squandered theirs or else there wouldn't have been a replay. That's fine though, we learn from it. We got out of jail and perhaps could've stolen it.

So what happens on Saturday? Surely with the week before fresh in our minds we steel ourselves for a better first half?

1.9 at half time after missing countless opportunities in front of goal and coughing the ball up time and time again.

The game was always going to be a blowout just depending on which way it went.

That is flat-out stupidity. No game has to be anything. It was a blowout because we failed to apply scoreboard pressure during the moments of the first half when we had the ascendancy while we gift-wrapped them goals by turning it over.

Never played I take it? Lyon somehow managed to get Dal, Gram Bakes Jones and Kosi to the big game. One special effort was required and they did that. FFS the guys gave everything to tie that game and would never have played had it been a home and away game probably extended spells to. Now you expect these guys to back it up? We were down to 19 fit players 5 min into the third and thats not including Dal, Kosi and BAKES.

What would you like the players to do sometimes the wall becomes to much.

[Beej]

Beej, the replay was there to be won. No doubt. But it would always favour the team that took early chances. We didn't. They did. Their first terms ALL year have been rampaging. Still we surged in the second term, but didn't kick straight. No amount of Lyonising can kick the ball for the players. Fisher hobbles off. Gram knocked out. Rotations shot. Players f***ed. Game gone. Not excuses. Just valid explanations.

It was cruel, but all that aside, the footy we played at times on Saturday was comical, particularly in the first half when the game was still there to be won.

We displayed no composure with the footy whatsoever.

It was deer in headlights stuff.

This is from Paul Roos:

In the first quarter I counted at least 10 turnovers from Saints players under little or no pressure, in this order: Adam Schneider, Nick Riewoldt, Sam Gilbert, Nick Dal Santo, Schneider, James Gwilt, Gwilt again, Lenny Hayes, Riewoldt and Gilbert.

[Thinline]

Beej, the replay was there to be won. No doubt. But it would always favour the team that took early chances. We didn't. They did. Their first terms ALL year have been rampaging. Still we surged in the second term, but didn't kick straight. No amount of Lyonising can kick the ball for the players. Fisher hobbles off. Gram knocked out. Rotations shot. Players f***ed. Game gone. Not excuses. Just valid explanations.

It was cruel, but all that aside, the footy we played at times on Saturday was comical, particularly in the first half when the game was still there to be won.

We displayed no composure with the footy whatsoever.

It was deer in headlights stuff.

This is from Paul Roos:

In the first quarter I counted at least 10 turnovers from Saints players under little or no pressure, in this order: Adam Schneider, Nick Riewoldt, Sam Gilbert, Nick Dal Santo, Schneider, James Gwilt, Gwilt again, Lenny Hayes, Riewoldt and Gilbert.

I count turnovers as chances, mate. So I think we agree. Couldn't see them missing too many targets.

[Beej]

Never played I take it? Lyon somehow managed to get Dal, Gram Bakes Jones and Kosi to the big game. One special effort was required and they did that. FFS the guys gave everything to tie that game and would never have played had it been a home and away game probably extended spells to. Now you expect these guys to back it up? We were down to 19 fit players 5 min into the third and thats not including Dal, Kosi and BAKES.

So you had already conceded defeat after the draw?

You gave us no chance on Saturday?

Listen to you, excusing the players for their performance.

We haven't seen the club win a flag in our lifetime and you're hanging your hat on a draw. Blimey.

[CURLY]

Never played I take it? Lyon somehow managed to get Dal, Gram Bakes Jones and Kosi to the big game. One special effort was required and they did that. FFS the guys gave everything to tie that game and would never have played had it been a home and away game probably extended spells to. Now you expect these guys to back it up? We were down to 19 fit players 5 min into the third and thats not including Dal, Kosi and BAKES.

So you had already conceded defeat after the draw?

You gave us no chance on Saturday?

Listen to you, excusing the players for their performance.

We haven't seen the club win a flag in our lifetime and you're hanging your hat on a draw. Blimey.

I never conceded defeat before this Saturdays game. I would have been confident beyond beleif if Collingwood had our injury list and we had theres.

By the way if you think bagging the s*** out of the players now helps it doesnt. These guys your now bagging you obviously had faith in three days ago or you'd have conceded.

[Beej]

Thank god you're not coaching us CURLY.

I can see you now patting the boys on the back in the rooms post-game with a massive smile on your face.

"Forget about today. That draw last week was incredible fellas, just remember that! I didn't expect you guys to win today, you spent it all last week. That's ok with me though boys, you're all heroes in my eyes."

[CURLY]

Thank god you're not coaching us CURLY.

I can see you now patting the boys on the back in the rooms post-game with a massive smile on your face.

"Forget about today. That draw last week was incredible fellas, just remember that! I didn't expect you guys to win today, you spent it all last week. That's ok with me though boys, you're all heroes in my eyes."

You are a clown. Of course Lyon would be pissed Im pissed all of us are and rightfully so. Lyon along with a lot of us would also know what he was up against unlike you. Your ready to pay out on about everything but offer no solution. What options did Lyon have his hands were tied. Do you think he was happy he lost Raph? Or Gadiner? Do you think he wanted Gram Dal Santo and Jones going in with injuries?

[Beej]

You know, I'm starting to get your point CURLY and I apologise.

Also, I have an idea!

Let's get half a premiership cup made up to celebrate the mighty draw and give it to the club to put in its trophy cabinet as well as a set of half premiership draw medallions to give to the players.

Maybe we can request for the AFL to insert an asterisk into the record for the 2010 season to acknowledge that we were up against it.

Premierships: 1½ (1966, 2010*)

[aussierules0k]

[Thinline]

Dust off. Reload. Fire up.

There is no other way.