We lack PACE SKILL & FITNESS

kaos theory · Sat 25 Aug 2007 12:40am

The sad fact is that over the last 2 yrs we have been passed by other teams in these critical area.

The skill level of the eagles was singificnatly better than ours, even with their key stars out/injured they still had the edge in skill, pace & fitness.

Another sad fact is that most of the interstate teams can unearth top level talent with their vast resources and knowledg of their states. (e.g. pridis)

We need a classy & pacy goal-kicking & marking half-forward, 2 talented & pacy mid-fielders, and a class, mobile ruckman....& maybe a backman.

IF we have a lot of luck, Garder could fill the ruck role, and with a miracle Hamil could fill that half-forward role (though lacking in pace)....But who would fill the mid-field roles...???

We have 1 elite player, another possible elite player in Dal....and that's it...

We also DEPERATELY need a strong pre-season. Start early and put a lot of work into the clarkes, lenny, get ball right, etc....

evertonfc · Post: # 442254Post **evertonfc** » Sat 25 Aug 2007 12:41am

Toughness and physicality kept us in it, nothing else.

Those three factors you mention are EXACTLY what we lack.

The_Dud · Post: # 442257Post **The_Dud** » Sat 25 Aug 2007 12:42am

all we had to do was keep up the intensity of the first quarter, when our 'lack' of pace and skill didn't look too bad

kaos theory · Sat 25 Aug 2007 12:46am

all we had to do was keep up the intensity of the first quarter, when our 'lack' of pace and skill didn't look too bad

And that is where fitness killed us....Also the eagles went up a gear after half time, and we couldn't match them - not in skill or pace

That is thats the sad truth.

The_Dud · Post: # 442297Post **The_Dud** » Sat 25 Aug 2007 12:50am

i disagree

if our defence could have put in even a tiny wimper tonight, we would have won

we did have a few costly turnovers (mostly from the usual suspects) but so did WCE

widereceiver · Sat 25 Aug 2007 12:59am

I disagree - I assume you mean Roo is the elite player. The other one in my view is Lenny Hayes, back to pre-knee form.

Dal goes missing too often as does Joey Montagna.

While we are on the subject of elite players, the unsigned Kosi is potentially a better CHF than Roo and it's sad he has to be sacrificed as an ordinary ruckman.

I do agree we lack fitness and skills - but we were looking quick in the first quarter tonight - so it's not pace.

kaos theory · Sat 25 Aug 2007 12:59am

if our defence could have put in even a tiny wimper tonight, we would have won

we did have a few costly turnovers (mostly from the usual suspects) but so did WCE

Their skill level and fitness took its toll on us, rather than us going down a peg...IMO

kaos theory · Sat 25 Aug 2007 1:04am

The other one in my view is Lenny Hayes, back to pre-knee form.

There is no way Lenny is elite in 07. Yes in 05 & early 06 before his injury, but atm he is very good, but not elite. Watch a tape of a few games in 05/06 and watch how he has an explosive mix of skill & agression about his play.

He has done really well since his knee reco, but reality is that players need 2 seasons to get fully over such a big injury...Hope next yr he takes it up to his very best...

JeffDunne · Post: # 442337Post **JeffDunne** » Sat 25 Aug 2007 1:04am

The most disappointing aspect of this season for me is how our skills and fitness have fallen away.

In hindsight, given the preseason we had and the early season injuries, we probably shouldn't be suprised.

However, I don't think skills costs us tonight. When we had WC under the pump they had some shockers too. At the start of the 3rd it was like a clanger contest (commentators made comment about there being something wrong with the ball).

West Coast kept at it and were harder when it counted.

saintsRrising · Sat 25 Aug 2007 1:13am

The OP is on the money......footskills were on the whole much better by the eagles...

Yes they had some clangers too....but mainly when they were being harried.

On about 4 or 5 times we had players in the clear who went to pass to other Saints either in the clear or on good leads....and who could get no where near them and instead popped it out on the fal.

Vss and Joey were two culprits...

We simply ahve to many guys that turn the ball over too easily....or cannot hita forward target.

A HUGE plus to me is the game plan....the players are obviously now well versed in the defensive side of our gameplan when the opposition has the ball.

For most of the night we CLAMPED down on the Weagles and they were no where as free running as they normally are.

last year with that much ball the Weagles would have pumped us by 60 points.

As an aside...how good is Cox. Beautiful tap work......our mids would love him.

Carl Mynott · Sat 25 Aug 2007 1:20am

What a shame that this year the draft wont have the depth of other years..

It means we wont be able to clear out as many GOP's as we realistically need to.........

JeffDunne · Post: # 442398Post **JeffDunne** » Sat 25 Aug 2007 1:22am

Hansen kicking at goal?

Don't worry, the Eagles made plenty of skill errors.

Difference was they had a few players that didn't. Pity the same can't be said about us.

Teflon · Post: # 442417Post **Teflon** » Sat 25 Aug 2007 1:27am

saintsRrising wrote:The OP is on the money......footskills were on the whole much better by the eagles...

Yes they had some clangers too....but mainly when they were being harried.

On about 4 or 5 times we had players in the clear who went to pass to other Saints either in the clear or on good leads....and who could get no where near them and instead popped it out on the fal.

Vss and Joey were two culprits...

We simply ahve to many guys that turn the ball over too easily....or cannot hita forward target.

A HUGE plus to me is the game plan....the players are obviously now well versed in the defensive side of our gameplan when the opposition has the ball.

For most of the night we CLAMPED down on the Weagles and they were no where as free running as they normally are.

last year with that much ball the Weagles would have pumped us by 60 points.

As an aside...how good is Cox. Beautiful tap work......our mids would love him.

I agree SR - its the best Ive seen us "shut down" the Eagles game plan in a long time.

Next year the challenge is to upgrade the group where we can AND get the 4 qtr consistency and execution of our game plan and it will be interesting..

widereceiver · Sat 25 Aug 2007 1:30am

Maybe I'm just quibbling kaos, you are right that he hasn't quite recaptured the pre-knee form. The last two weeks he has been been far and away our best mid, dunno what it says about the others! but without Lenny we would have been pumped tonight.