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Rohan Connolly wrote:
ANOTHER challenge. Another big tick. St Kilda continues to rack up the wins and the credits in equal measures, precocious Essendon the latest challenger to bite the dust.
Last night's win over the Bombers at Etihad Stadium wasn't nearly as authoritative as last Monday's demolition job on Collingwood, but did it need to be? What mattered more was that the Saints held off, again, an opponent coming at them like a bull at a gate.
Essendon was always going to try to run the Saints off their legs, try to break up its defensive choke with quick movement and lots of handball. But again, the Ross Lyon method withstood the test.
The problem for the Bombers was that so effective was St Kilda's relentless pressure that even those shorter-range handballs, of which there were 41 more than kicks, too often missed the target, causing turnovers on which the Saints pounced.
And how. The Nick Riewoldt-Justin Koschitzke combination grows more ominous by the week, responsible for seven of the Saints' 13 goals last night. Last week, ground-level sharpshooters Stephen Milne and Adam Schneider shared nine.
They gave it a pretty decent crack, the Dons, but never looked likely to peg back the deficit once St Kilda had split things open with a 6.5 opening quarter. Again, the stinginess was there.
So Scrooge-like have the Saints become about letting opponents score, you suspect there will be serious questions asked at Moorabbin this week about how Essendon was allowed to score even 71 points. After all, that was 17 more than their ridiculously good points-against average of just 54.
Don't forget, too, that it was ground that St Kilda managed to hold despite coming off a preparation three days shorter than its opponent.
The road ahead for the Saints before that already much-anticipated round 14 joust with Geelong reads: Brisbane, Melbourne, North Melbourne, Carlton and Richmond. Only the fanciful would tip St Kilda's opponent in any of them.
This time last year, Geelong, Hawthorn and the Western Bulldogs all presented as serious flag prospects. Right now, there's just two and — three games ahead of their nearest rivals and given how good these Saints and the Cats look — a world of credibility.
Sorry to all the nay-sayers out there and prophets of Doom - but this is exactly how I saw last nights game!
The blokes I was with were saying - we lost the quarter - I replied - yep - by a couple of points - their responses was marvellous - "Is this ow good we are that we are bemoaning letting them win a quarter by 2 points!"
Bring on Round 14 - Bring on the Finals!
BELIEVE OR BURN!!!
“Youth ages, immaturity is outgrown, ignorance can be educated, and drunkenness sobered, but stupid lasts forever.”
― Aristophanes
If you have a Bee in your Bonnet - I can assist you with that - but it WILL involve some smacking upside the head!
My thoughts exactly. Essendon never looked like they were going to win the game. But they certainly challenged us due to us having some pretty heavy legs especially in the 2nd half. A few blokes down on previous form was also evident. But, StKilda is arguably the best team in the country right now - and withstood the challenge with poise, experience and polish. Very impressive effort again by our team.
I want to stand for something. I'm a loyal person and I think at the end of my career it will be great to look back and know that I'm a St Kilda person for life.
- Nick Riewoldt. May 19th 2009.
Viewed one way, yesterday's match was a blueprint for beating the Saints. Viewed another, it was exhibit A in the case to say that the Saints are for now unbeatable.
The Bombers were up for it, well prepared, came with a plan, were honest, gave it their all, inspired a packed house. And lost.
After half time, or even quarter time, our pressure was just down by 30% or so.
Full credit to the bombers. They had a real crack.
But seriously, the inequality in the draw could have been our undoing.
I was not happy about losing quarters. Personally I want us to absolutely break teams by not letting them score, and then spanking them the other way. But hey....four points are four points at the end of the day.
Essendon were good. We could have been much, much better.
Still, another week goes by and we can put a W against it.
"Now the ball is loose, it gives St. Kilda a rough chance. Black. Good handpass. Voss. Schwarze now, the defender, can run and from a long way".....
Rohan Connolly wrote:
ANOTHER challenge. Another big tick. St Kilda continues to rack up the wins and the credits in equal measures, precocious Essendon the latest challenger to bite the dust.
Last night's win over the Bombers at Etihad Stadium wasn't nearly as authoritative as last Monday's demolition job on Collingwood, but did it need to be? What mattered more was that the Saints held off, again, an opponent coming at them like a bull at a gate.
Essendon was always going to try to run the Saints off their legs, try to break up its defensive choke with quick movement and lots of handball. But again, the Ross Lyon method withstood the test.
The problem for the Bombers was that so effective was St Kilda's relentless pressure that even those shorter-range handballs, of which there were 41 more than kicks, too often missed the target, causing turnovers on which the Saints pounced.
And how. The Nick Riewoldt-Justin Koschitzke combination grows more ominous by the week, responsible for seven of the Saints' 13 goals last night. Last week, ground-level sharpshooters Stephen Milne and Adam Schneider shared nine.
They gave it a pretty decent crack, the Dons, but never looked likely to peg back the deficit once St Kilda had split things open with a 6.5 opening quarter. Again, the stinginess was there.
So Scrooge-like have the Saints become about letting opponents score, you suspect there will be serious questions asked at Moorabbin this week about how Essendon was allowed to score even 71 points. After all, that was 17 more than their ridiculously good points-against average of just 54.
Don't forget, too, that it was ground that St Kilda managed to hold despite coming off a preparation three days shorter than its opponent.
The road ahead for the Saints before that already much-anticipated round 14 joust with Geelong reads: Brisbane, Melbourne, North Melbourne, Carlton and Richmond. Only the fanciful would tip St Kilda's opponent in any of them.
This time last year, Geelong, Hawthorn and the Western Bulldogs all presented as serious flag prospects. Right now, there's just two and — three games ahead of their nearest rivals and given how good these Saints and the Cats look — a world of credibility.
Sorry to all the nay-sayers out there and prophets of Doom - but this is exactly how I saw last nights game!
The blokes I was with were saying - we lost the quarter - I replied - yep - by a couple of points - their responses was marvellous - "Is this ow good we are that we are bemoaning letting them win a quarter by 2 points!"
Bring on Round 14 - Bring on the Finals!
BELIEVE OR BURN!!!
The thing I noticed that's a bit concerning was Essendons pressure threw us off and our skill level fell away. Our structure fell apart as well.
We got a bit nervous and indecisive stopping and hanging on to it more instead of moving the ball on quickly like we have been.
We were still good enough to score a goal when we needed to and win with the buffer we had from the first quarter. But let's not let the final result cloud anything they had us a bit rattled for the last three quarters.
Winmar7Fan wrote:The thing I noticed that's a bit concerning was Essendons pressure threw us off and our skill level fell away. Our structure fell apart as well.
We got a bit nervous and indecisive stopping and hanging on to it more instead of moving the ball on quickly like we have been.
We were still good enough to score a goal when we needed to and win with the buffer we had from the first quarter. But let's not let the final result cloud anything they had us a bit rattled for the last three quarters.
All of the above can be explained by tired legs, your skills drop away, and your concentration can wane when you're knackered.
We became more indecisive and held onto the ball as the game went on because we had less options presenting because we had almost stopped running.
The 6 day break in modern footy is a massive handicap especially when you are playing a very young, fast and fit club coming off a 9 day break.
It only took Rohan Connolly and The Age eight (8) weeks.
Nathan Buckley makes Rohan Connolly look like William Shakespeare.
About time we all had a decent read.
The blokes I was with were saying - we lost the quarter - I replied - yep - by a couple of points - their responses was marvellous - "Is this ow good we are that we are bemoaning letting them win a quarter by 2 points!"
Bring on Round 14 - Bring on the Finals!
BELIEVE OR BURN!!!
I had this exact feeling. Halfway through the 3rd quarter we I thought we were being beaten or at least scores close to level. I lloked at the score board and we were 4 goals up. I couldn't believe how upset I was and we were in front by four goals. I turned to my dad and made the comment that it is amazing what happens to you when youwin every week youjus want more.
I walked out of the ground thinking that last night was a better win than Collingwood the week before. Challenged but not really challenged on the scoreboard. Kept them at bay and hd th game in total control.
