Don't get cocky!

SydneySainter · Wed 06 May 2009 12:38pm

Sorry to be fun police, but someone has to say it...

We deserve to be favourites on Monday night, we deserve to be enjoying our top spot on the ladder and we also deserve to take a lot of confidence into this match, but lets please not get cocky!

I'm positive the playing group not only has the maturity but has also learned the hard way to not get carried away with themselves.

Us as the supporters should do the same, there has been too much pain in the past.

GO SAINTS!!!

Sainter_Dad · Wed 06 May 2009 12:42pm

Cocky is what we should be - I am sick and tired of people round the office saying you only beat this and only won that - you were lucky etc!!

We are St Kilda
You have our ball!
Give it back

It is our job to be talking up the Mighty Saints - maybe get a few more on board - Who went to work on Monday and said - yeah well the ball fell in our favour - we were lucky coz we had a lot of shots on goal but we kept them in it? Like f@rk - We won - We have won 6 times - we have won 14 out of the past 16 H&A games!

We ARE St Kilda
DEAL WITH IT!

cowboy18 · Post: # 734870Post **cowboy18** » Wed 06 May 2009 12:44pm

Must be a Sydney thing - I feel the same way!

A horribly undermanned Collingwood smashed us in the H &A season last year and they've been one of the few teams to generate their A game against the likes of Geelong.

Wildcards like Davis, Medhurst and Thomas often have blinders against us - I think it's fortunate that Didak isn't playing. Reading through DaVe86's preview makes me think that a few folk are taking our form for granted. Those wins have been hard fought.

That's not to say that favouritism isn't well deserved - more that the game has to be won and that the opposition will be good enough to take it from us if too much is left to too few.

Ghost Like · Wed 06 May 2009 12:57pm

Is there a difference between cocky and confident? Or is it a fine line separating separate worlds?

I agree with sainter dad to a certain extent, between the media and the supporters it is our job to have faith in our team, to talk them up, to promote of club, not cower in the face of expectation.

Have faith in our coach and players to stay grounded, work diligently and maintain and retain their self belief. It's them who cannot afford to get too far ahead of themselves and continue to work on their game plan to ensure it stands up to the enevitable scrutiny that will come from clubs that are strong and well drilled.

We can only enjoy the ride. I personally am sick of the swagger from supporters of Geelong, Hawthorn, Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. Let's show them, as supporters, we can swagger with the best of them.

Sainter_Dad · Wed 06 May 2009 1:07pm

Exactly Ghostlike - I dont expect the players to feel like they own the world and they just have to turn up to win!

But I want to feel that way. I dont want to have to go to the game thinking - we have won 6 but this week our bubble could burst.

I am at the stage that if we do lose against anyone - including Geelong - then woe betide the team we play next week - I expect to win 22 games this H&A season - and I expect to be there to watch most of them (Rnds 10, 15 and 18 our only misses).

I have never gone to a game before loving the nervous energy - It has always been - we are good enough - would win - Now I go thinking - They cannot stop us - We must win!

SainterK · Post: # 734880Post **SainterK** » Wed 06 May 2009 1:09pm

Hear Hear Sainter Dad

Enjoy the ride people!

InkerSaint · Post: # 734881Post **InkerSaint** » Wed 06 May 2009 1:10pm

Count me in with Ghost Like.

I can't stand the one-eyed supporters who proclaim "your our bunnies, we will crush youse!" (sic).

But if we're going to talk at all, we talk on the basis of form - or nothing. I can't see why there's a problem with being bullish, if a clear-eyed assessment of our form entitles us to be.

PS. Where's the Fox Report?

Saint_Gooner · Wed 06 May 2009 1:13pm

Well said, it's up to the players not to get ahead of themselves, as fans, it's pretty much our job!

No matter where the season goes we've had a fantastic start and shold enjoy it for all it's worth.

Not only that but let people know we're confident about our team. A lot of people seem to be too scared of being let down again, but that's the whole point. The pain from lost opportunities in the past makes it so much better when we win!!

I too expect us to win every week. And I wouldn't be surprised if we do

Sainter_Dad · Wed 06 May 2009 1:13pm

Get Cocky people!

I am putting a flagpole on my house!
September 26th is our 11th wedding anniversary - have postponed the trip to New Zealand! (Just hope its not a CarltonvSt Kilda GF)
I want to unfurl the flag at Belvedere Park for the family day next year!
(but we will still only have 30,000 members)

SydneySainter · Wed 06 May 2009 1:27pm

Although it is in my nature to be quietly confident, your cry to be loud and proud is winning me over!

Marcus1232 · Post: # 734893Post **Marcus1232** » Wed 06 May 2009 1:31pm

Why shouldn't we be able to get a little confident.

I know for a fact that if st.kilda do find a miraculous way to lose this game on Monday i am in a lot of trouble from a lot of friends

spert · Post: # 734901Post **spert** » Wed 06 May 2009 1:52pm

I don't recall supporters of premiership teams of Carlton, Essendon etc, being anything other than cocky

cowboy18 · Post: # 734904Post **cowboy18** » Wed 06 May 2009 1:56pm

spert wrote:I don't recall supporters of premiership teams of Carlton, Essendon etc, being anything other than cocky

I don't recall supporters of runners up in big games being anything but cocky

Until they lost...

bigcarl · Post: # 734907Post **bigcarl** » Wed 06 May 2009 2:16pm

there's no danger whatsoever of me getting cocky. i've been burnt often enough to keep it on an even keel.

the truth is that football is such a competitive game that any drop in intensity can result in a loss.

this week will be as big a test as the bulldogs were. the pies would have been stung by their loss to us in the finals last season and would see this as a big chance for redemption.

they'll be pumped, so i hope we can deflate them. but it would be a mistake not to pay them due respect.

Sainter_Dad · Wed 06 May 2009 2:23pm

Pay them respect - don't take them lightly - but damn - walk proud knowing that you are a Sainter - and WE ARE COMING!

I dont want an iron fist in a velvet glove!
I want an iron fist in a titanium glove!

We are Loud
We are Proud
We are The Saints

cowboy18 · Post: # 734910Post **cowboy18** » Wed 06 May 2009 2:24pm

Interesting - I'll bet those that are more confident fall on the left of the gulf of cockiness based on the age distribution.

The data are from a couple of years ago but I'll bet the <30 yo are flying and >40yo are more circumspect.

Something to do with the years 83-86 I believe.

Sainter_Dad · Wed 06 May 2009 2:29pm

I fall into the category just left of the largest peak (ie the 40 - 45 ge)

I know the 83-86 years - I am loving the 2009 year to date - if at the end of the year (heaven forbid) these are our only 6 wins - why not enjoy them like they are our premiership -

Stomp your feet, shake the bars on your cage, leave your voice at the Dome - Make some noise and walk taller because you are Saints!

Nattens · Post: # 734913Post **Nattens** » Wed 06 May 2009 2:42pm

I am only 19 but I maintain the worry about the St Kilda football club that all you oldies maintain

I saw the great fallover of 2004 and the 1997 GF that we lost when I was a youngun.

markp · Post: # 734927Post **markp** » Wed 06 May 2009 3:39pm

If the team gets too cocky they'll probably get beaten... you'd expect the coaching staff and leadership group are mindful of that, and working to avoid it.

If supporters get cocky... good luck to them, the worst that can happen is they'll have to deal with the disappointment, and perhaps be ridiculed at work on monday (or tuesday).

I expect us to win monday, but I've not penned it in yet. What I'm really enjoying is the fact that my heart doesn't stop when the ball is in our back-line anymore... I get the impression that goes for the players too.

To borrow from The Matrix, we shouldn't think we are, we should know we are... gonna smash the filth.

Griggsy · Post: # 734948Post **Griggsy** » Wed 06 May 2009 5:09pm

I'm the quiet confident type also. I'll just drop little things as my seeds for when we win, such as discussing an upcoming game ill say 'Just you wait'. Then I come storming in after the weekend with a hearty 'told you so'

Unless im in a squabbling mood then, then ill pick off one of the weaker ones like on national geographic and be cocky to them.

saint patrick · Wed 06 May 2009 5:34pm

cowboy18 wrote:Interesting - I'll bet those that are more confident fall on the left of the gulf of cockiness based on the age distribution.

The data are from a couple of years ago but I'll bet the <30 yo are flying and >40yo are more circumspect.

Something to do with the years 83-86 I believe.

Don't forget 71

...yes far too many shattered dreams to be anything like cocky...but hell its a good feeling being confident and expecting to win these days

Also noticed I'm well over the half way mark in the age catagories as of this January just gone

Still in my late 20's in my head

sigh!!!

yipper · Post: # 734957Post **yipper** » Wed 06 May 2009 5:58pm

Look, Rossy Lyon and Greg Hutchison will have the players all focussed and shield them from media speculation. That is their job. They will be switched on totally. Us supporters?? Well we can do what we want - but I am thrilled to bits with this footy season thus far - I am talking us up on any chance I get - our pathetic membership numbers make me sick, so I am getting into anyone I know who hasn't signed up yet and doesn't have a good reason, to get on board - cos this could well turn out to be the year of the Saints.

We are ST KILDA. We are ST KILDA.