Dreading heartbreak so before it - Great season

[older saint]

I am dreading heart break tonight , a fear of years of supporting the Saints , go in not expected to get close, will tease and at some point in the last quarter be in a position to make my no expectation attitude flip, as much as I know I shouldn't, to a " we go this' only for something extra ordinary to happen and rip me heart out again.

Therefore i wanted to say what a great season this has been for the club. Record membership in the most f*cked up year I can remember, a team with a plan , a team that will be better next season before any trades are made, a team with a system and a purpose , and a team off field that appears stable and all on the same page .

We have some really promising kids, our recruits across the board have all been ticks and all this with everything else going on.

Last time we were in this position I think was 2003 - developing kids, solid base of experienced players and a destination to be.

Regardless of tonight's result ( I dare not dream of the season extending) this has been the best season since 2010, not just results but because we can see a light at the end of the the tunnel - and it isn't a train!

Go Saints

[remboy]

We’ve already exceeded my expectations for the year by winning a final, so anything else is a bonus. No pressure on us tonight at all.
This season is setting us up to explode next year.

[The Fireman]

??? Heartbreak is our mantra

[Waltzing St Kilda]

Don't forget the maggots doing everything to snuff us out if we look we might pull it off.

[Trev from the Bush]

Nothing will break my heart about our 2020 season.

Win or lose tonight, we have already won the RESPECT of the broader football world. The recruitment of Bradley Hill was widely applauded, along with Howard to an extent. Zac Jones was considered 50/50 as half back flankers go. Paddy "Steak Knives" Ryder was considered a bit over the hill and would only hinder Marshall's development. Many suggested he might only get 4 or 5 games. And Dan Butler! What value was a small forward who couldn't get a game with the Tigers bring to the club. We let our key forward Josh Bruce, 150 game winger Jack Newnes walk to other clubs for virtually nothing while 75 game utility was unceremoniously packed off to Freo to get Hill. Plus, we traded future craft picks. StKilda was seen as extremely brave or extremely stupid.

All of which turned into positives for the club.

Come the Wuh Flu lockdown, the club achieved record membership even though most of us were consigned to watch every game on the telly. When "hubs" started, other clubs took away squads of players. We took the entire bloody list! When players from "respected clubs" were caught doing the wrong thing, our club was making the most of becoming the tightest group since GT let Big Bad and Spida go.

Of the teams left in the finals, we appeared putrid against Geelong, lazy against the Magpies but kept with them in the second half, were stiff to lose to Brisbane by two points, played with Richmond like it was a ball of wool and we were a kitten and, in the best game of the year, blew Port Adelaide out of the water after resisting its third quarter surge. Yet, media talking heads are writing us of. Mainly because they are too lazy to have a good look at what we did to the Giants and, for three quarters, to the Bulldogs. The Tigers? They were extremely undisciplined but won't do that again, apparently.

So, whatever happens tonight will determine whether we play next week or not. I hope we do, and believe we have already done more than enough to win over the doubters this year. On and Off the field, the StKilda Football Club gets a big red tick for 2020. And, we will get even better.

[Gershwin]

No way. Stop this dreadful thinking. Hope the players aren't feeling this way.

[Vortex]

Im going nude for a week if we win

[StPeter]

I wasn't feeling good about tonight, but after watching this afternoon a replay of our win against Richmond earlier in the season, I feel more confident and believe it is possible.

Changes from that game-
In: Savage, Geary, Sinclair
Out: Gresham, Carlisle, Long.

[thejiggingsaint]

Regardless of the result this evening (and make NO mistake we have EVERY chance to produce an upset!) season 2020 HAS been a success! Forget, just for a second, folks, results. Yes, results have been 10000000% better than last year, but more than that...MUCH more than that! this coach, his players and support staff have given us back our SELF RESPECT and PRIDE IN OUR CLUB!!! For that alone, I thank Mr Ratten and the boys!

Go Saints! (to hell with the rest!)

[meher baba]

I don't see how it can possibly be heartbreak if we lose. We are playing the team that won last year's GF by 89 points. We are missing our best player from last week and two more key contributors to our win over the Bulldogs.

If we win tonight it will be a massive upset. If we can keep the scores close it will be a major achievement. When they play at their best, the Tigers are a 6 goal better team than their nearest rivals in the comp (who, in normal circumstances, would be Geelong and the Pies IMO).

What I'm particularly hoping to see tonight is that Ratten and his team have come up with a good game plan for countering the Tigers' main strengths. And for our young up and comers to play out of their skins. And for the more seasoned players make good professional contributions.

I feel pretty confident that both of these things will happen. Assuming that they do, then we can win if the Tigers have an off night. On the other hand, if the Tigers' stars play to their fullest potential, there's really no way our list can hope to beat them.

I'm not being negative, just realistic.

Come on Sainters.

[silverhalo]

Love your positivity guys....

[Jacks Back]

Im going nude for a week if we win

As if I wasn't sick enough already before this game. Sheesh!

[perfectionist]

Mine broke 1 minute before the end of the game last week. I still can't believe it - a re-run of 1997.

[saynta]

Im going nude for a week if we win

[beebarry]

heartbreak only happens to full and proud hearts ....do us and yourselves proud tonight Saints .....thats all that matters .....if that means winning then all the better.....either way make damn sure the Tigers know they have been in a real contest ....

[saynta]

heartbreak only happens to full and proud hearts ....do us and yourselves proud tonight Saints .....thats all that matters .....if that means winning then all the better.....either way make damn sure the Tigers know they have been in a real contest ....

f****** oath

[Wayne42]

Im going nude for a week if we win

You're safe, unless the team has the best 2nd half of 2020.

[The_Dud]

Im going nude for a week if we win

Are you going to watch the game?

[The_Dud]

Has been a great year for the Club.

Have another good off season and we’ll be a real danger next year.

Can’t wait to see King dominating under the roof for the next 10 years!

[mr six o'clock]

Yep
Very happy with the season .
Hopefully better preformances next year

But eff me dead
What a typical Saints effing game .
Kick effing goals and we were in it .
If we'd kicked 13.6 instead of 6.13 and got done , well
So be it . We weren't good enough.
Just so effing frustrating.

[Trev from the Bush]

Im going nude for a week if we win

The team must have read your post and where repulsed!