What a feeling!?!?!?

[Munga]

Does anyone feel really excited and upbeat about tonight? Almost feels like we won! I think it was great to see us back grinding down the opposition and then busting the game open. I thought a loss tonight would be season over, but if we bring that effort every week the results will come.

Also the kids have been great. I'd be keeping guys like Raph and Zac out though. I saw Zac live last week, damn aweful. The spapce he gave his opponent was rediculous.
A few words on the most discussed players on the forum. Raph makes too many errors for AFL level. McQualter is hit and miss but goes ok, would probably be the player first dropped for in form VFL players. There's still a place for Blake this year, he's smart. I still love Bakes, stopped many forward attacks when we've looked out on our arse. Dempster like McQ is hit and miss and goes from no impact to slight impact. Kosi looked great tonight but maybe shouldn't play outdoors where he moves like hippo, tough call.

The kids. Sippo go you good thing. Cripps likewise.
Smith, Johnson, Ledger, Lynch will all get a crack or two at some stage. I'd like to see Steven get more ball, he's gotta find a suitable role in the team.

Good to have McEvoy and Armo step up this year, we REALLY need it.
And the last word, Riewoldt is his best playing out of CHF.


Really upbeat here. If we keep the chins up we'll get through it. Remember the old "marathon not sprint" theory.

[Thinline]

I like the general sentiment, but we are 1.5 wins a third of the way in.

We'll need at least 12 wins to make a final and probably 15 to make the four.

So we kinda need to go through undefeated to be any chance of redeeming our season!

I'm taking it you're an optimist?

[fonz_#15]

Proud of the effort, shattered about the result. Never happy to lose to that scum

[Munga]

I'm taking it you're an optimist?

Well I was saying before tonight, a loss is season over.
But looking at it we're only two wins outside the eight. We are capable of winning a mass streak, and if we do make the finals it will obviously mean we've put in one all mighty charge going in to the finals.
Just win next week and bring it on I say.

[Thinline]

f*** a win would be lovely.

But a six day swing around after a game like that and against another physical side is gonna make it a challenge.

Bit like that trip to West Coast a few years back?

[Verdun66]

First time I got the heart going this season. Stirring stuff. But we sure made some errors.

Some good signs though....getting games in kids as well.

[St Lenny]

Does anyone feel really excited and upbeat about tonight? Almost feels like we won! I think it was great to see us back grinding down the opposition and then busting the game open. I thought a loss tonight would be season over, but if we bring that effort every week the results will come.

Also the kids have been great. I'd be keeping guys like Raph and Zac out though. I saw Zac live last week, damn aweful. The spapce he gave his opponent was rediculous.
A few words on the most discussed players on the forum. Raph makes too many errors for AFL level. McQualter is hit and miss but goes ok, would probably be the player first dropped for in form VFL players. There's still a place for Blake this year, he's smart. I still love Bakes, stopped many forward attacks when we've looked out on our arse. Dempster like McQ is hit and miss and goes from no impact to slight impact. Kosi looked great tonight but maybe shouldn't play outdoors where he moves like hippo, tough call.

The kids. Sippo go you good thing. Cripps likewise.
Smith, Johnson, Ledger, Lynch will all get a crack or two at some stage. I'd like to see Steven get more ball, he's gotta find a suitable role in the team.

Good to have McEvoy and Armo step up this year, we REALLY need it.
And the last word, Riewoldt is his best playing out of CHF.


Really upbeat here. If we keep the chins up we'll get through it. Remember the old "marathon not sprint" theory.

Yep, pretty much agree. Raph just frustrates the heck out of me. When he cost us that goal it really broke the momentum. For someone who has been with us, what, 8 years, he is very ordinary. Anyway, I know the lovers wont agree. Thought the kids were really great. But I wouldnt play Roo on the forward line at all. You can just tell he doesnt want to kick for goal, so dont make him unless absolutely necessary. Good to see BJ pumping the heart. Very promising, at least they gave it a good hard crack and thats all I ask for. Couple of shocking umpiring decisions dont help, not necesassarily blaming them though.

[Middo]

Does anyone feel really excited and upbeat about tonight? Almost feels like we won! I think it was great to see us back grinding down the opposition and then busting the game open. I thought a loss tonight would be season over, but if we bring that effort every week the results will come.

Also the kids have been great. I'd be keeping guys like Raph and Zac out though. I saw Zac live last week, damn aweful. The spapce he gave his opponent was rediculous.
A few words on the most discussed players on the forum. Raph makes too many errors for AFL level. McQualter is hit and miss but goes ok, would probably be the player first dropped for in form VFL players. There's still a place for Blake this year, he's smart. I still love Bakes, stopped many forward attacks when we've looked out on our arse. Dempster like McQ is hit and miss and goes from no impact to slight impact. Kosi looked great tonight but maybe shouldn't play outdoors where he moves like hippo, tough call.

The kids. Sippo go you good thing. Cripps likewise.
Smith, Johnson, Ledger, Lynch will all get a crack or two at some stage. I'd like to see Steven get more ball, he's gotta find a suitable role in the team.

Good to have McEvoy and Armo step up this year, we REALLY need it.
And the last word, Riewoldt is his best playing out of CHF.


Really upbeat here. If we keep the chins up we'll get through it. Remember the old "marathon not sprint" theory.

Dawson plays tonight we win , blake & baker are gone no leg speed and no confidence. Goddard is our worst performed player at the moment for one of the best in the game , never seen someone so hesitant to take on the game, how many times did he kick into the man ..? Needs someone to tell him to wake up 2010 is done and dusted !!!

[saintspremiers]

First time I got the heart going this season. Stirring stuff. But we sure made some errors.

Some good signs though....getting games in kids as well.

Exactly.

This year is not about winning finals games or the flag it's rebuilding.

I'm
Hoping we can win at least 8 games, maybe 10 tops if a lot goes right.

[Thinline]

I predict Raph - who I think is on his last year (I'm sure I read that somewhere) will be something of a Josh Fraser type deal for GWS.

I want so much for him to replicate something resembling consistent form but it just never comes.

Nice bloke and all, but she's a tough old business.

[Munga]

I predict Raph - who I think is on his last year (I'm sure I read that somewhere) will be something of a Josh Fraser type deal for GWS.

I want so much for him to replicate something resembling consistent form but it just never comes.

Nice bloke and all, but she's a tough old business.

EXACTLY my though after tonight. Shouldn't play again for us, and would be great to get something for him if GWS are interested. Like you said nice guy, but too many errors.
For his time on ground tonight he cost us three times. Minute left in third, Riewoldt to McEvoy for a shot on goal but Raph gets someone high when the blue didn't even have the ball, we don't get a shot at goal. Fast forward 40 seconds and Raph's in the back pocket giving a mark to Setanta. He turns his back on the mark and Setanta plays on improves the angle. Four minutes into the last he drops a CHEST mark which halts our forward thrust, less than a minutes later Setanta goals.

Here's hoping Lynch for Raph next week.

[Tom_Sainter]

Munga, i agree with you it was a really good performance, however i really really hate losing to carlton, and its going to be hard to get back from 1.5 wins from here

[The Fireman]

upbeat losing against Carlton...that brings me back to the good old days at Moorabbin..nearly wow.....just a wake up call guys, we were grand finalists now we are scraping for any possible positives ...it's sounding a bit pathetic ..call it as it is , we are still struggling. our set shots in front of goal are embarrassing , Dempster, Clarke even more so.

[fugazi]

Agree with OP, Hate losing to Carlton more than anyone, but felt like we had a dip....a few good signs there.

[Moods]

To be honest, while we keep playing the kids (which we have to do) we'll finish middle rung. Cripps did some nice things again, but HAS TO GO HARDER and put on some weight. Siposs looked good and I liked him, but still has a lot to learn about positioning in the fwd line. Big Macca's ruck work was terrible in the first half, but he came good in the 2nd half. Great to see Kos take some marks, but more importantly, run and jump at the ball. Jack Steven still get's lost but we have to keep playing him. Chips was absolutely superb. Gwilt is either undermanned for his position or is getting too easily beaten in the air - I can't work out which. How any team can allow O'Hailpan to have such an influence on the game defies belief.

[SainterX]

Umpire ignores Kosi, Gibbs is not given 50 metres, we win. Simple.

[SainterK]

I am genuinely buzzing about lifting enough to close a 28 point margin, this was a team who beat us by 68 points last year WITH Lenny.

I don't think I am imagining that the boys are not going to let the season go without a fight?

[St. Luke]

I keep saying a winning result may be a season starter. Admittedly we are still waiting...amazingly I am still an optimist. Finally tonight we actually looked hungry. Tonight, we actually looked like we wanted to start the season and compete...put in the hard yards.....play for the team......


I'm not out just yet. I still think there is a flicker. Go Saints!!!

[dragit]

Tonight broke my heart, but there were plenty of silver linings…
Kosi was good, if Stanley ever makes that much impact on a game (of AFL) then I will consider his worth in the side, until then Kosi plays when fit.
McQualter's career must surely be over now, as is Raph - they should not be picked ahead of Lynch and Smith anymore.
If our promising younger players can get 10-15 games under their belt this year, the team will be so much better next year.
It doesn't help that our two best players are seemingly possessed, they are barely recognisable, but at least now having a real go.

All this losing takes me back to my childhood.

[gringo]

That was a mystifying 50 is that a first for us again? I love how we seem to be experimental fodder for the umpires. As for Dempster, i thought he really seemed to have a go and made it to contests quickly.

Raph has played one game back as a sub, he made some mistake but also could have had a free when Waite held him without the ball. he looked like he was running a cold engine in a fast paced environment. I think he was played because he is a utility that can play multi roles. Peake is the type that I would prefer, fast and fresh and could run a few ragged, I would love to have him play as a forward wing where he could get some speedy bursts going forward. minis role at a faster pace.

[Richter]

Good positive post Munga.

I came away feeling that the boys had a good crack at it tonight.

In Melbourne we can give a game to any team in the comp. (probably bar Collingwood and the Bombers, who we don't play again this year).

The problem is that out of 3 close games this year we've only garnered 2 points out of a possible 12. in a season where we have a game in Perth, Collingwood twice and Geelong again to come, we'd need to win 10 out of the other 12 games to snag a chance at finals.

A pretty tall order.

[desertsaint]

a bit of carlton were off their game, a bit of we dug a bit deeper. but nothing except the closeness of the game was anything to get too excited about. take chips and milney out tonight and it would've been well over at halftime.
liked armo and kosi tonight, and roo is best playing well away from the forward 50.
bj just pathetic - to see him get meekly bodied out of marking comps, no aggression at the ball at all tonight. raph just about cost us the game singlehandedly - not an afl footballer.
and how many times did we see players handball off and not go on and protect the recipient.
just couldn't get enthused tonight - bar siposs's goal.

[matrix]

lets just hope its not another stab in the heart to the players huh

another bust ya guts effort...and fall short, again

theyll either suck it up and continue that footy or put their heads down and give up mentally
interesting few weeks coming up

[The Fireman]

I feel another loss.

[I Love Peter Kiel]

This was a great effort tonight.

We didn't get the result because corrupt umpires hate Milne. He was punched in the head!

They have to get the Carlton Scum into the finals...led by Judd who sold his soul to shuffle papers for VISY.

Write an article about that, Rohan Connolly. I know this forum is where you get most of your ideas!