Dire predictions for Saints in 2019

[Sanctorum]

Following article published in today's Oz. The season has yet to see the first ball bounced, and journos are already getting stuck into the club. I concede that the team's performance over the past 18 months may well justify a strong sense of pessimism about St Kilda's prospects in 2019, and I like to think that newspaper articles such as this will serve to spur the players on to prove all of these so-called experts wrong! To that extent, Denham could well be doing the club and its long suffering supporters a favour!!

Why struggling St Kilda are wooden spoon certainties by Greg Denham - The Australian 28/02/19

Poor old St Kilda. It must be tough being a Saints fan.

They just aren’t a very good football club and maybe there’s a reason why they’ve won just one premiership in 121 years, back in 1966.
They’ve been lucky over recent years to have been carried by some of the biggest stars of the game — Tony Lockett, Robert Harvey, Lenny Hayes and Nick Riewoldt.
They’ve also benefited from some staunch financial supporters, such as the very generous Gerry Ryan of Jayco Caravans and Mitchelton Wines fame. And some fanatical high-profile supporters such as Molly Meldrum and Eric Bana have somehow kept the faith.
Ross Lyon almost won them a flag but left on bad terms. The coach probably should have won two premierships — in 2009 against Geelong and the following year against Collingwood. But at the end of 2011 he was coaching Fremantle and only wayward kicking cost the Dockers their first flag, against Hawthorn, in his second season out west.
The Saints have not played finals since Lyon’s exit.
Sure they are an easy target, but why?
Off the field they’ve been a disaster for some time. Even new president Andrew Bassat — good luck with the gig, Andrew — has admitted it was a huge mistake to relocate away from their long-time home at Moorabbin out to the sticks at Seaford.
That error has since been rectified with a shift back home last year, but the club still owes about $12 million and has great intentions of reducing that burden with a much-improved stadium deal at Marvel. Playing Port Adelaide in China as the home team may not be as financially rosy as it has been portrayed either.
Having a better stadium deal is all well and good, but to achieve maximum returns fans must first come through the turnstiles. Over the past seven seasons, home attendances at Marvel have decreased by an average of 10,000 down to 25,500 last year.
After teasing with 23 wins across the 2016-17 seasons, and with two top-10 national draft picks at the end of 2017, St Kilda went backwards with a haphazard brand of footy that was unwatchable for most of the year.
They entered 2018 with great optimism but won just four games to finish 16th.
At the start of last season chief executive Matt Finnis said: “We plan to be a contender at the end of the season and that means we plan to play finals. We’re really confident, with the summer we’ve had, the work that our players have put in — they’ve trained harder, but they’ve trained smarter.
“We think we have a group that are now starting to play with enough time together, get enough games under their belt.”
St Kilda general manager of football operations Simon Lethlean added: “We are now a strong, stable Victorian club with a state-of-the-art facility, stable coaching group and a good young list. We are a destination club people want to come to.”
Despite the best intentions of their top two administrators, the poor buggers must have been bashing their heads against a brick wall as the season progressed. St Kilda did not record its second win until round 13.
Without a doubt, Finnis and coach Alan Richardson have the hardest jobs in the competition. For a traditional club in an era of equalisation, that shouldn’t really be the case.
Their counterparts at Gold Coast — Mark Evans and Stuart Dew — are making better inroads compared to the task ahead for the Saints, particularly as the Suns are entering just their ninth season. Time will tell, but the two clubs play each other in the opening round of the premiership season at Marvel Stadium.
You couldn’t meet a nicer bloke than Richardson, but even with two years of his coaching contract to run, he’s on a hiding to nothing this year.
And the events of this week have not helped his cause. After approaching the lead-up to the JLT practice match series — St Kilda plays North Melbourne at Werribee on Saturday — without a number of important players, they now have also lost Jack Steven and Jake Carlisle.
Steven’s absence to deal with a mental health issue will rob the slow Saints of one of their few pace options, and Carlisle, who has a serious back problem, cannot be replaced in defence.
Also set to miss at least the first round are former Swans midfielder Dan Hannebery (hamstring) and No 1 recruit Max King, who is still recovering from last year’s knee reconstruction. Dour defender Nathan Brown is under suspension and won’t start his year until round two.
A proppy Carlisle has been hampered by a disc issue in his back since before Christmas and has struggled to even run this year. “He’s going to need to see a specialist, things aren’t improving,” Lethlean told Melbourne radio yesterday. “He hasn’t been able to train properly for most of January and it’s not getting better, so we need to assess whether surgery’s going to be an option and if it is, that’s going to mean a significant chunk of his season is interrupted.
“If you’re going under the knife, you’re certainly looking at three, four, five months (out of action). We’re not quite there yet but we certainly haven’t found an additional alternative that’s making it better right now.”
The Saints, who get Dylan Roberton back this year from a heart scare, had the third-worst defence in the league last year, where they conceded an average of 97 points a game.
Lethlean said Stevens would be spending the next 10 days away from the club in a “different environment” in his bid to get healthy.
“He’s taking a training program with him and if he wants us to send one of our high-performance guys across to do some work with him, we will, but he thinks he’ll be able to get that work done with the guys he’s staying with,” Lethlean said.
If the Saints can’t beat the Suns first up — and that is probably closer to an even-money contest now — it remains to be seen just when they will taste their first success.
Before their mid-season bye, they then play Essendon, Fremantle in Perth, Hawthorn, Melbourne, Adelaide, GWS, West Coast, Collingwood, Carlton and Port in Shanghai.
They’re all tall orders. The dreaded wooden spoon beckons.

[Harvey To Hayes]

So according to Denham we'll definitely get the wooden spoon because we have a smattering of injuries and a relatively difficult early draw, despite having the overall easiest draw in the league according to Champion Data (which of course is still mainly an educated guess)? Hasn't even addressed our list acquisitions or coaching/staff additions and the new world-class set-up at Moorabbin, yet apparently we're going to go further backwards with an objectively improved list that was widely deemed to have massively underachieved last year? Reeks of clickbait to me...

[MC Gusto]

When did Lethlean join? Denham quotes him at the start of last season??? He didn’t join until the end of last season yeah?

[Moods]

They just aren’t a very good football club and maybe there’s a reason why they’ve won just one premiership in 121 years, back in 1966.

Ouch. That's hard to read. Not sure how I feel about that comment. I guess it's true but bloody hell it starting to smack of getting personal rather than objective journalism.

I thought we were the only ones allowed to bag them.....

[Sainter_Dad]

They just aren’t a very good football club and maybe there’s a reason why they’ve won just one premiership in 121 years, back in 1966.

I thought we were the only ones allowed to bag them.....

You can - just not on this forum (tongue firmly planted in cheek)

[tedtheodorelogan2018]

What a crap, uneducated, uninformed and negative article. He does not point out anything positive that the club has done since the end of 2018. And I thought Barret the Four Eyed Ferret was bad....jesus.

1 premiership. What has that got to do with anything anyway? How can you judge a club today on what has happened over 121 years. How can you compare any sporting club over 121 years. Ridiculous comment. Its like comparing the Germans of today to the 1930's. Its a very naive and ridiculous usage of history. Its a typical journo dog s*** comment to create controversy.

[Beno88]

Seems like a good omen given Denham's opinion of West Coast late in 2017.

https://www.sportingnews.com/au/afl/new ... h9lxn0euz6

[tedtheodorelogan2018]

Seems like a good omen given Denham's opinion of West Coast late in 2017.

https://www.sportingnews.com/au/afl/new ... h9lxn0euz6

Lol. Said it before. Journos like Denham and Barret make s*** up and stir controversy whilst getting paid to do it. Its probably one of the most dishonest jobs going around. They probably don't even lose a wink of sleep over it either.

[saynta]

I refuse to read that rubbish. First line was enough.

From Robbo at the hun.

It’s business as usual at St Kilda ahead of Round 1 despite rumours plus health and injury concerns
Mark Robinson, Herald Sun
February 28, 2019 12:21pm
Subscriber only

It’s been a dramatic 48 hours for St Kilda.

How dramatic depends on where you sit.

The news that Jake Carlisle faces back surgery and could be out for five months is a terrific blow.

The news that Jack Steven has stepped away from football for a short period due to a mental health problem is a sad situation for Steven and unfortunate happening for the Saints.

That high-priced recruit Daniel Hannebery has a hamstring injury adds to the turmoil.

The Saints already have the football world peering at them, perhaps even doubting them, ahead of their Round 1 clash against Gold Coast, and now three of their better players have various levels of scrutiny upon them.

It doesn’t need to be said that the Round 1 game is critical.

A loss and the vultures will be flexing their wings for take off.
St Kilda footy boss Simon Lethlean came out in defence on Dan Hannebery on Wednesday. Picture: Michael Klein

The Saints have the Suns, Essendon (home), Fremantle (away), Hawthorn (home), Melbourne (MCG), Richmond (Marvel), Port Adelaide (away), GWS (away), West Coast (home), and Collingwood (MCG) in the fist nine weeks of the season.

It’s a challenging schedule and would become even more so if they fall to the Suns on the first Sunday of the season.

They need most things to go right ahead of Round 1, the Saints, and the Carlisle, Steven and Hannebery situations are hardly ideal.

Nor is the noise surrounding the Saints in the past couple of days.

If there was a ladder of rumours, the Saints would be on top with the double chance.

It’s a nasty world social media and the Saints have copped it.

But don’t panic, Saints fans, for the club has assured us they are all untrue.

That they have to deal with them, which includes asking their players, has frustrated them.

So it was bizarre to hear Saints football boss Simon Lethlean address some rumours on Wednesday on SEN Radio.
Jack Steven is taking time away from football to deal with his health. Picture: Michael Klein

Indeed, if you were driving in your car and listening, you would have asked yourself: What’s going on at the Saints?

It was a messy morning.

Lethlean was going on the radio, then he wasn’t. Then he was criticised by Garry Lyon and Tim Watson for not doing the interview, then suddenly Lethlean was on the radio and had smacked down an AFL employee over the Hannebery rumours he was peddling, which Lyon and Watson had asked him about.

It was hunky dory in the end, but why Lethlean entertained a discussion about Hannebery rumours was mind boggling.

“He has always had a reputation about social life that he has to deal with,’’ Lethlean said. “And the only way he can do that is by behaving well, pulling his head in when he needs to, and training hard and actually performing like the three-time All-Australian player that he is when he gets the chance to.’’
Jake Carlisle may require back surgery. Picture: Michael Klein

For what it’s worth, the Saints are thrilled with Hannebery and perhaps Lethlean might like his time again.

The scuttlebutt on top of the injuries which is heaped on to fears for Richardson’s future, and all ahead of the Suns Round 1 game, would possibly make some think the Saints were approaching implosion."

[Sanctorum]

The club needs to take a very calm and mature approach to all the media scuttlebutt and negative stuff being aired in social media and if anything, as I mentioned earlier, should use this to motivate the players. The best way to respond is by flogging the Suns and I personally believe they will - let the football do the talking! It will be up to the coaching panel to have the team cherry ripe for Round 1 and we'll get a good indication in the 2 pre-season matches against North and Footscray. Until then it is far too soon to make judgements about the 2019 season...

[Enrico_Misso]

Have to admit it's a bit deflating losing our top 2 players before a ball is bounced in anger.
But locking us in to a spoon is waaaay over exaggerated.

[SaintPav]

Denham is a d**khead

[Scollop]

I think Denham is wrong. I reckon we'll finish 16th

Denham has always been crap at predictions. I use to listen to him nearly every week on KB's show on SEN and he gets it horribly wrong more times than not. Problem is that most of the other stuff he's written is difficult to argue against

[Aussie Jonestown]

From Robbo at the hun.


Lethlean was going on the radio, then he wasn’t. Then he was criticised by Garry Lyon and Tim Watson for not doing the interview, then suddenly Lethlean was on the radio and had smacked down an AFL employee over the Hannebery rumours he was peddling, which Lyon and Watson had asked him about.

It was hunky dory in the end, but why Lethlean entertained a discussion about Hannebery rumours was mind boggling.

“He has always had a reputation about social life that he has to deal with,’’ Lethlean said. “And the only way he can do that is by behaving well, pulling his head in when he needs to, and training hard and actually performing like the three-time All-Australian player that he is when he gets the chance to.’’

Who is the AFL employee being referred to ?

Baseless rumours or a cover up?

I find the response mind boggling also.

[Yorkeys]

We are a good football club. To last as long as we have with one premiership and huge debt is a management achievement Harvard Business School should case study. The thing is we are poor at picking coaches, we sack good ones and replace them with duds (apologies to The Dud). Hannebery was potential only so no actual loss from last year, poor Jake was struggling last year as a few have noted - still a presence that will be sorely missed. Oscar is a bad break, but on the upside Joyce looked good in the interclub as did Dunstan, who could feature in an abs magazine. We just need some of ARs arsy luck to rub off and even he seems to be changing his vanilla persona ( stubble and a few stern words to the gutter press). The injuries mean player churn and who knows what will turn up. Better than AR's morbid inertia on trying different things. Battle looks a beauty, Clark is developing as are others we mention on the forum often. Seb is a constant some under appreciate. Perhaps this run of negative news and naysaying will lift the expectation pressure and the chaps can play unburdened by a need to worry too much what the temporary coach says or an unrealistic goal of finals. We could pull off some exceptional - if spaced wins. Esp. if Lewis plays as well as he is capable of. Go the underdogs. Wouldn't it be ironic if by some miracle AR coached he lights out in 2019 with what he had to work with but missed his 2020 trigger and was sacked at the peak of his powers.

[Cairnsman]

I think Denham is wrong. I reckon we'll finish 16th

Denham has always been crap at predictions. I use to listen to him nearly every week on KB's show on SEN and he gets it horribly wrong more times than not. Problem is that most of the other stuff he's written is difficult to argue against

Denham isn't wrong, he's just plying his craft to cleverly draw in those incapable of free thought.

[Viscount Jeremiah]

After last year we can't expect nice things written about us or people to expect us to do anything good this year.

It angers me that we can't really defend the club verbally because a lot of it is justified... Having said that I have a feeling last season has really resolved the playing group to bounce back and personally that's what I'm waiting for and hoping for.
I'm sick of having to endure looks of sorrow and pity when colleagues or acquaintances find out I'm a saints supporter.

[spert]

One of the easiest jobs around is to be a "controversial' journalist. We can and should come out this season and hit competition hard.. win games, regain respect.

[mr six o'clock]

We need to make a list of all predictions/stories.
Then see how they went during the year .
Then we could ask the employers of these journos why they employ writers who wrong 95% of the time

[Jacks Back]

Every player and couch is scrutinised to the hilt but you'll never here a "journo" apologise when they get it wrong.

[Darth Vader]

From Robbo at the hun.


Lethlean was going on the radio, then he wasn’t. Then he was criticised by Garry Lyon and Tim Watson for not doing the interview, then suddenly Lethlean was on the radio and had smacked down an AFL employee over the Hannebery rumours he was peddling, which Lyon and Watson had asked him about.

It was hunky dory in the end, but why Lethlean entertained a discussion about Hannebery rumours was mind boggling.

“He has always had a reputation about social life that he has to deal with,’’ Lethlean said. “And the only way he can do that is by behaving well, pulling his head in when he needs to, and training hard and actually performing like the three-time All-Australian player that he is when he gets the chance to.’’

Who is the AFL employee being referred to ?

Baseless rumours or a cover up?

I find the response mind boggling also.

Barrett.

[GilsAuPair]

We need to make a list of all predictions/stories.
Then see how they went during the year .
Then we could ask the employers of these journos why they employ writers who wrong 95% of the time

If you look at the predictions from 2018 then the media folk and journos pretty much have NFI. No more or less than anyone else.

https://www.triplem.com.au/story/triple ... ions-86772

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-20 ... fe187d5638

https://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-03-17/ ... redictions

[suss]

I refuse to read that rubbish. First line was enough.

From Robbo at the hun.

It’s business as usual at St Kilda ahead of Round 1 despite rumours plus health and injury concerns
Mark Robinson, Herald Sun
February 28, 2019 12:21pm
Subscriber only

It’s been a dramatic 48 hours for St Kilda.

How dramatic depends on where you sit.

The news that Jake Carlisle faces back surgery and could be out for five months is a terrific blow.

The news that Jack Steven has stepped away from football for a short period due to a mental health problem is a sad situation for Steven and unfortunate happening for the Saints.

That high-priced recruit Daniel Hannebery has a hamstring injury adds to the turmoil.

The Saints already have the football world peering at them, perhaps even doubting them, ahead of their Round 1 clash against Gold Coast, and now three of their better players have various levels of scrutiny upon them.

It doesn’t need to be said that the Round 1 game is critical.

A loss and the vultures will be flexing their wings for take off.
St Kilda footy boss Simon Lethlean came out in defence on Dan Hannebery on Wednesday. Picture: Michael Klein

The Saints have the Suns, Essendon (home), Fremantle (away), Hawthorn (home), Melbourne (MCG), Richmond (Marvel), Port Adelaide (away), GWS (away), West Coast (home), and Collingwood (MCG) in the fist nine weeks of the season.

It’s a challenging schedule and would become even more so if they fall to the Suns on the first Sunday of the season.

They need most things to go right ahead of Round 1, the Saints, and the Carlisle, Steven and Hannebery situations are hardly ideal.

Nor is the noise surrounding the Saints in the past couple of days.

If there was a ladder of rumours, the Saints would be on top with the double chance.

It’s a nasty world social media and the Saints have copped it.

But don’t panic, Saints fans, for the club has assured us they are all untrue.

That they have to deal with them, which includes asking their players, has frustrated them.

So it was bizarre to hear Saints football boss Simon Lethlean address some rumours on Wednesday on SEN Radio.
Jack Steven is taking time away from football to deal with his health. Picture: Michael Klein

Indeed, if you were driving in your car and listening, you would have asked yourself: What’s going on at the Saints?

It was a messy morning.

Lethlean was going on the radio, then he wasn’t. Then he was criticised by Garry Lyon and Tim Watson for not doing the interview, then suddenly Lethlean was on the radio and had smacked down an AFL employee over the Hannebery rumours he was peddling, which Lyon and Watson had asked him about.

It was hunky dory in the end, but why Lethlean entertained a discussion about Hannebery rumours was mind boggling.

“He has always had a reputation about social life that he has to deal with,’’ Lethlean said. “And the only way he can do that is by behaving well, pulling his head in when he needs to, and training hard and actually performing like the three-time All-Australian player that he is when he gets the chance to.’’
Jake Carlisle may require back surgery. Picture: Michael Klein

For what it’s worth, the Saints are thrilled with Hannebery and perhaps Lethlean might like his time again.

The scuttlebutt on top of the injuries which is heaped on to fears for Richardson’s future, and all ahead of the Suns Round 1 game, would possibly make some think the Saints were approaching implosion."

He’s actually pretty fair with his assessments is Robbo. Probably cops a bit more than he deserves.

[Scollop]

I think Denham is wrong. I reckon we'll finish 16th

Denham has always been crap at predictions. I use to listen to him nearly every week on KB's show on SEN and he gets it horribly wrong more times than not. Problem is that most of the other stuff he's written is difficult to argue against

Denham isn't wrong, he's just plying his craft to cleverly draw in those incapable of free thought.

Some of the journos of his generation have killed off too many brain cells to be considered clever. And calling a sporst journo crafty implies that they have talent. You think he's clever and talented?

[Cairnsman]

I think Denham is wrong. I reckon we'll finish 16th

Denham has always been crap at predictions. I use to listen to him nearly every week on KB's show on SEN and he gets it horribly wrong more times than not. Problem is that most of the other stuff he's written is difficult to argue against

Denham isn't wrong, he's just plying his craft to cleverly draw in those incapable of free thought.

Some of the journos of his generation have killed off too many brain cells to be considered clever. And calling a sporst journo crafty implies that they have talent. You think he's clever and talented?

As clever as fishing without bait. Probably is drinking cold beer while his undergrad types up the story.