Lyon Promises Exciting Footy

[AnythingsPossibleSaints]

Best Saints news I've heard in a while, especially the exciting and aggressive footy part. And enough of this paranoid, cloke-and-dagger-rubbish. Collingwood and Geelong were much more chilled-out and open and welcoming and they were rewarded with two premierships. Death to the "bubble"! Lets have some fun again!

[Thinline]

I'm really liking the balance of this year's draft crop. Polo will hopefully have the burn to reinvent, Gamble will hopefully thrive given responsibility and opportunity (and christ knows how long we've been looking for a mid sized third forward) and the young kids are probably undervalued next to their pick numbers.

I'm old enough not to expect season to season miracles, but at least this time round there's a definite air of optimism and definite value-add.

[InkerSaint]

Death to the bubble indeed. Let's hope that serious hamstring injuries, salary cap scandals and sex allegations are a thing of the past and that pr*ck Malthouse can keep his trap shut around opposition players!

[AnythingsPossibleSaints]

Strauss out second ball of the Ashes. Woohoo!

[markp]

I'm all for it, but... if it wasn't for 'the bubble' this year how far or deep would we have gone?

And if it wasn't for the Lovett 'incident' we would've seen a lot more exciting footy this year.

What we did with what we had, and had to overcome was phenomenal.

Fine tuning and a bit of luck is all we need... but it's now or bust.

[St. Luke]

The closer the season gets, the more excited I feel about seeing the boys attack it again! Roll on 2011!!

[kaos theory]

I'm all for it, but... if it wasn't for 'the bubble' this year how far or deep would we have gone?

And if it wasn't for the Lovett 'incident' we would've seen a lot more exciting footy this year.

What we did with what we had, and had to overcome was phenomenal.

Fine tuning and a bit of luck is all we need... but it's now or bust.

Agreed.

We did expectionally well this yr considering we lost our best player and best forward (all rolled into one) for most of the yr, and a key running mid out also for most of the year (gram), and all the off field dramas.

We hung in there, and its a credit to the players and coaching staff. By GF2 our players were shot (4 or 5 carrying injuries), and many missed shots on goal was too much to over come. Too many people look at the last game and think thats how we played the whole yr...and then balme things like 'bubbles' and slogans....

Assuming we get back to injury levels of 09, plus the game plan adjustments, and maturing of some key young players, and some new faces....I would be feeeling pretty good about next yr.

[matrix]

just saw it on fox sports
an exciting and tough brand of footy for next year apparently
bring it on i say!

also ledger is a cousin of the now passed Heath Ledger, that i did not know.

[Dr Spaceman]

I'm all for it, but... if it wasn't for 'the bubble' this year how far or deep would we have gone?

And if it wasn't for the Lovett 'incident' we would've seen a lot more exciting footy this year.

What we did with what we had, and had to overcome was phenomenal.

Fine tuning and a bit of luck is all we need... but it's now or bust.

Agreed.

We did expectionally well this yr considering we lost our best player and best forward (all rolled into one) for most of the yr, and a key running mid out also for most of the year (gram), and all the off field dramas.

We hung in there, and its a credit to the players and coaching staff. By GF2 our players were shot (4 or 5 carrying injuries), and many missed shots on goal was too much to over come. Too many people look at the last game and think thats how we played the whole yr...and then balme things like 'bubbles' and slogans....

Assuming we get back to injury levels of 09, plus the game plan adjustments, and maturing of some key young players, and some new faces....I would be feeeling pretty good about next yr.

Exactly.

With the year we had we could have finished 5th or 6th, gone out in the first week of the finals and a lot of supporters would have said that was a fantastic effort in the circumstances.

Instead we finish 3rd, win our way to the GF and fail by 1 point to take the flag - yet some people are scathing of our performance (fuelled by the GF2 blowout admittedly)




2011 - I'm up for it

[SainterK]

I'm all for it, but... if it wasn't for 'the bubble' this year how far or deep would we have gone?

And if it wasn't for the Lovett 'incident' we would've seen a lot more exciting footy this year.

What we did with what we had, and had to overcome was phenomenal.

Fine tuning and a bit of luck is all we need... but it's now or bust.

This, the bubble was neccessary....all the players have alluded to this fact.

Lenny mentioned in his B&F speech that if it wasn't for Ross and the bubble grounding them each week, 2010 would of been tough, as there was so much that happened with the potential to derail the season.

[saintsRrising]

To win a flag, you need to play a game on the last Saturday of September that is special.

.

Well while winning the PF is required......I am hoping for something special on the first Saturday on October.

[shmic_s]

I'm all for it, but... if it wasn't for 'the bubble' this year how far or deep would we have gone?

And if it wasn't for the Lovett 'incident' we would've seen a lot more exciting footy this year.

What we did with what we had, and had to overcome was phenomenal.

Fine tuning and a bit of luck is all we need... but it's now or bust.

This, the bubble was neccessary....all the players have alluded to this fact.

Lenny mentioned in his B&F speech that if it wasn't for Ross and the bubble grounding them each week, 2010 would of been tough, as there was so much that happened with the potential to derail the season.

I agree. Was very important this year.

Although we might just see the 'bubble' being refined for 2011.
The club could remain in the bubble. It's just that we can see into it a bit more.

[saintsRrising]

I hope we don't throw away our defensive approach which has worked very well, just learn how to be more spontaneous going forward.

It's a fine balance.

"We thought we did that in '09, we got on a rampage. In '10 there were a lot of hurdles and obstacles in the way and we just did it with determination and teamwork. We really want to be aggressive in everything: attacking the ball, attacking the opposition and really hitting the scoreboard. We're going to try to generate some real excitement to get us up-and-about."


I think those hoping for a Don's like full out attack appraoch will be sorely disappointed.

Great defensive football, including the press, will IMO remain a hallmark of our gameplan.

However we need more goals and less "stupid" turnovers. ie Roo and Peake in GF2.

I certainly expect that we will take more risks when we have the ball, and will look to attack more directly and quicker.

Playing two defensive HF's will be gone, and the backline may be sacrificed slightly by swithing Gilbert to full-time offence.

The Pie's learned from our gameplan and pressed further forward into the forward line....and ran harder and quicker to gain superior numbers at the ball more often. too often we just watched and let them do it.

So more rapid ball movement is required. However it inself is not enough as the Pies showed when playing the Cats (or indeed when we played the Cats).

Our set-up of zones was sometimes too slow making it ineffectual.

In the forward line we need options besides Roo and the smalls that we can go through..and who will score goals.

Gamble is wortha try at thisas he could fill that medium niche.

Gilbert very much so....but his goal0kicking needsa lot of work on. He can be used to feed Schneider, Milne and Gamble too..


Kosi??????? If he dishes up his 2010 form he just does not seem to fit in...as you are basically playing one ma down if he does not mark it. I hope greatlythat Stanley can bloom for he can apply all the forward defensive pressure that Kosi can not. But it may be one year early for Stanley.

Discipline will still be the key to success.

[Dr Spaceman]

Kosi??????? If he dishes up his 2010 form he just does not seem to fit in...as you are basically playing one ma down if he does not mark it.

I hear what you're saying sR but Ross is certainly indicating Kosi is part of the structure for 2011.

Just gotta hope that with the tweaking of the game plan and forward line personnel that it actually helps Kosi find his mojo.

[jays]

cant wait

[Con Gorozidis]

some rock n roll footy!

saints to go from this:





to this

[/img]

[samoht]

There won't be any exciting footy until our forwards start (miraculously) kicking enough goals to make it exciting.

I would start to get excited if our non-goal kicking forwards would at least start chasing down the likes of Shaw, Thomas and O'Brien who showed them a clean pair of heels 2 GF's in a row - and made them look like heels.

If they can't kick goals can't they at least chase down their opponents ?

[Legendary]

To win a flag, you need to play a game on the last Saturday of September that is special.

You need to play an exceptional game, with exceptional performances from several players.

I can't remember a team playing a 'good' GF and winning a flag. I can't remember seeing a team come out and simply do what they've done all year on GF day, and win it.

Special acts of brilliance need to occur, for a team to win on GF day.

The question is, does the way we're coached allow this to happen? Or are we simply sitting ducks on GF day for another club to come out and do something freakish whilst we grind away and play 'low risk' footy?

The way we play, we need our opposition to have an off day, or choke for us to win.
I don't think the way we play allows us to 'win' a GF. It allows to capitalize if the opposition blow it, but I don't think we make ourselves capable of coming out and 'winning' the GF through playing a single game capable of blowing away a very good opponent on a given day.


That's our issue.


We need to adapt to be able to come out on a given day and have all our stars align and overpower an opponent from the opening bounce.

Clearly in 2009 we were close to that. But the nature of our style, no matter how much better on the day than our opposition we are - they're always in the hunt on the scoreboard.

In boxing terms, we're a good counter puncher. The problem with that is that you're fighting their fight.

On GF day, you need to fight your fight. It's the only way you win them.

This is an example of over-analysis to the extreme.


Once bounce of the footy to Milne and a straight kick from Schneider, and we would have 2 premierships.

[BAM! (shhhh)]

Have to admit, I love strangeling the life out of another side But will be very happy to kick more goals.

While it can be tense, one of my favorite things over the last couple of years is to see a tightly contested game across the first 3 quarters... and then watch the Saints steamroll the final term.

I'm with SrR; Doubt we're about to see run'n'gun footy from a Lyon coached Saints outfit.

[Thinline]

Kosi??????? If he dishes up his 2010 form he just does not seem to fit in...as you are basically playing one ma down if he does not mark it.

I hear what you're saying sR but Ross is certainly indicating Kosi is part of the structure for 2011.

Just gotta hope that with the tweaking of the game plan and forward line personnel that it actually helps Kosi find his mojo.

With a fixed ankle he's as good a chance of pulling off an 09 year as he is of anything. But to give him any hope of achieving anything other than crap would be contrary to the spirit of this forum, so I'll shut up...

[Dr Spaceman]

Kosi??????? If he dishes up his 2010 form he just does not seem to fit in...as you are basically playing one ma down if he does not mark it.

I hear what you're saying sR but Ross is certainly indicating Kosi is part of the structure for 2011.

Just gotta hope that with the tweaking of the game plan and forward line personnel that it actually helps Kosi find his mojo.

With a fixed ankle he's as good a chance of pulling off an 09 year as he is of anything. But to give him any hope of achieving anything other than crap would be contrary to the spirit of this forum, so I'll shut up...

Uh-oh

[SainterK]

Kosi??????? If he dishes up his 2010 form he just does not seem to fit in...as you are basically playing one ma down if he does not mark it.

I hear what you're saying sR but Ross is certainly indicating Kosi is part of the structure for 2011.

Just gotta hope that with the tweaking of the game plan and forward line personnel that it actually helps Kosi find his mojo.

With a fixed ankle he's as good a chance of pulling off an 09 year as he is of anything. But to give him any hope of achieving anything other than crap would be contrary to the spirit of this forum, so I'll shut up...

I am not going to start staying his mobility will improve, because he isn't mobile....but the thing is sRs, with a fixed ankle isn't he is more of a chance to mark given he is fond of a leap?

[Spinner]

To win a flag, you need to play a game on the last Saturday of September that is special.

You need to play an exceptional game, with exceptional performances from several players.

I can't remember a team playing a 'good' GF and winning a flag. I can't remember seeing a team come out and simply do what they've done all year on GF day, and win it.

Special acts of brilliance need to occur, for a team to win on GF day.

The question is, does the way we're coached allow this to happen? Or are we simply sitting ducks on GF day for another club to come out and do something freakish whilst we grind away and play 'low risk' footy?

The way we play, we need our opposition to have an off day, or choke for us to win.
I don't think the way we play allows us to 'win' a GF. It allows to capitalize if the opposition blow it, but I don't think we make ourselves capable of coming out and 'winning' the GF through playing a single game capable of blowing away a very good opponent on a given day.


That's our issue.


We need to adapt to be able to come out on a given day and have all our stars align and overpower an opponent from the opening bounce.

Clearly in 2009 we were close to that. But the nature of our style, no matter how much better on the day than our opposition we are - they're always in the hunt on the scoreboard.

In boxing terms, we're a good counter puncher. The problem with that is that you're fighting their fight.

On GF day, you need to fight your fight. It's the only way you win them.

So come out on Grand Final day and play entirely different to the game style that got you there, no matter what style of play... Thats what your asking for.


Rightio.

[saintsRrising]

Kosi??????? If he dishes up his 2010 form he just does not seem to fit in...as you are basically playing one ma down if he does not mark it.

I hear what you're saying sR but Ross is certainly indicating Kosi is part of the structure for 2011.

Just gotta hope that with the tweaking of the game plan and forward line personnel that it actually helps Kosi find his mojo.

With a fixed ankle he's as good a chance of pulling off an 09 year as he is of anything. But to give him any hope of achieving anything other than crap would be contrary to the spirit of this forum, so I'll shut up...

I am not going to start staying his mobility will improve, because he isn't mobile....but the thing is sRs, with a fixed ankle isn't he is more of a chance to mark given he is fond of a leap?

He certainly can get good form back...which is why I said if...

It is not just his ankle. He got his hand on the ball ample times in 2010...he just was not clunking them as well.

Maybe Kosi is a confidence guy, and an injured ankle may have impeded it.

Kosi is now and not mobile though. Did you not how if he was standing the mark that Pie players just ran around him?

Now every player has pros and cons...but if Kosi is not clunking marks and hurting the opposition with goals..then that only leaves pack splitting and that is not enough. unless he can re-invent himself asa ruckman, and I have seen nothing to suggest that he would not be easy meat for any true ruckman.

So Kosi needs to get his marking mojo back.

2010 99 marks in 21 games

2009 in 155 marks in 23 games

2008 in 146 marks 22 games

[AnythingsPossibleSaints]

I'm all for it, but... if it wasn't for 'the bubble' this year how far or deep would we have gone?

And if it wasn't for the Lovett 'incident' we would've seen a lot more exciting footy this year.

What we did with what we had, and had to overcome was phenomenal.

Fine tuning and a bit of luck is all we need... but it's now or bust.

This, the bubble was neccessary....all the players have alluded to this fact.

Lenny mentioned in his B&F speech that if it wasn't for Ross and the bubble grounding them each week, 2010 would of been tough, as there was so much that happened with the potential to derail the season.

I think they took it too far, though. I certainly agree that they handled certain things well, and that the "bubble" worked/helped in certain situations, but I think they may have also used it to hide from some things and I think it alienated many of us unnecessarily.
Maybe they've realised, that, for better or worse, we're also a part of the St Kilda Football Club. They may have realised that it isn't the "St Kilda Football Team", but "Club" and that, as paid-up members of that club, it may be a good idea not to treat us somewhat like "Lepers".
I see his comments as a very positive step forward, for several reasons.
I'm actually looking forward to next year, now, which has not at all been the case up until now.