My thoughts...

[Beej]

I thought the cards were going to fall for us when Prismall went down early but it wasn't to be.

Lacked composure when the game was there to be won - looked nervous and rushed things when we had more time due to the perceived pressure we were under. Steven King hurriedly kicking it over the heads of a couple of teammates straight to three waiting Cats when he had a lot more time summed the afternoon up for me.

We needed to match them for intensity and toughness for the entire four quarters. We did for about five minutes.

Overawed by the occasion? Possibly. Geelong that much better? Probably.

Tactically I thought our main problem was our inability to break their offensive zone. Just couldn't get any run off our backline which is where games are won and lost today. Death by strangulation it was. Need to figure out a way to cope with it better if we come up against them again.

We almost need to play the perfect game to beat Geelong and also pray that we have luck on our side - a lot to ask for. Hawthorn probably should've beaten them a few weeks ago but missed crucial set-shots. It can be done.

Anything can happen in a game of footy but it just didn't happen for us today.

Maybe they'll underestimate us if there is a next time. They came prepared today.

[SainterX]

How about we play like we did last half against Hawthorn, and the games against Adelaide and Essendon?

On instinct.

When they play like that we cannot be denied, so the clown who told them to slow down and think things through this week should be put down.

They are good, that's for sure, but we are never ever that bad.

[nicko016]

I thought we'd be able to compete a bit better in the middle than we did. We were comprehensively beaten in the clearances and smashed in the contested ball and once this happens you're pretty much doomed. Obviously, no Ball contributed significantly to this as so much of the bullocking work is done by Hayes and Ball. Furthermore, the clearances we got were scrounged and scrambled and didn't really put the ball to our advantage.

We conceded the defensive side of stoppages far too easily and the Geelong are the best at clearing it out the back and attacking that way. However, in the first half at many of the centre clearances they were just forcing the ball forward to easily before evetually clearing the ball, but by this time they were near the HF line. Yet this didn't bother me, as we we're putting on quite a bit of pressure. But as this dropped off in the second half they were instead able to just feed the ball out the back and carve us up this way.

For us to be competitive we needed to at least break even in the centre and we couldn't do this. Yet, while I thought this would be hard we were able to do this for the most part when we played them in Rnd 4 when we smashed them in the clearances.

[saintsRrising]

How about we play like we did last half against Hawthorn, and the games against Adelaide and Essendon?

On instinct.

.

No one plays "on instinct"...not if you want to win.

It is team game....22 players playing on instinct would a disaster.

The Cats are very well drilled.....their team play is superb...playing on instinct = individual play and the sluaghter would be all the worse.

[saintsRrising]

Overawed by the occasion? Possibly.
.

Yes

Geelong that much better? Probably.

.

Yes they are.

IF we can play at our BEST we are a chance...but juts a chance. But anything less when they are on song will be a thrashing.

[SainterX]

Gee wonder if the jokers on Footy Classified are now gonna be frothing at the mouth about a Hawthorn - Geelong grand final even more now

Could be worse though, we could have another Hawthorn game this Friday night where we have to listen to Bruce, Dennis, Tim, Nathan and David all get stiff for their best friend "Buddy" lol

Gee I hope our prelim is not on a Friday night

[StSteven]

How about we play like we did last half against Hawthorn, and the games against Adelaide and Essendon?

On instinct.

When they play like that we cannot be denied, so the clown who told them to slow down and think things through this week should be put down.

They are good, that's for sure, but we are never ever that bad.

We can't play like that because Geelong wont let us. They are too good. To be so upbeat about beating Bendigo Bombers was delusional.


The worst thing is most sides play very poorly aftter being beaten by Geelong.

[Richter]

We were simply outplayed everywhere. The Cats were stronger, harder and more willing to support their teammate when he had the ball.

This meant that they had a decisive edge in every single contested situation. i.e. from every stoppage, be that centre-bounce, sideline throw-in, kick-in.

We can improve but are unlikely to match them this year - that said I favour brining in at least two more ball winning mids for next week - that means 2 of Ball/Birss/Armitage and dropping 2 of CJ/McQ/Eddy.

[SainterX]

We can't play like that because Geelong wont let us. They are too good. To be so upbeat about beating Bendigo Bombers was delusional.

Instincts are simple, they mean we move the ball forward at all costs.

How on earth can Geelong stop us doing that without having extra players on the field?

The extra few seconds the players are taking to think through things cost us dearly today.

For Geelong this style is almost automatic because they have faith in their teammates to always find the space, why can't we do that for each other?

I am so sick of this mantra that suggests you have to go backward to go forward. Lyon should know better if he is the one coaching it. After all his old team kept going backwards til they were extinct

If we can move it forward at all costs against teams like Adelaide and Hawthorn at times why cant we at least make a small effort against Geelong in the same manner?

To me the players looked daunted by Geelong today at times, though it may not have been a bad thing, we now get the finish the filth off and also had the opportunity to see the best first hand.

[WayneJudson42]

Not having a proper fwd line does not help either IMO. If Roo fails, we're stuffed.

We either desperately need a kwy fwd next year... or a key back so that BJ can go fwd. Our mids don't have the class to kick goals, and it was disheartening to constantly see our "playmakers" constantly in the backline.

If think we're still a chance in 09, then get Cousins and have a crack at Kerr. After today, I have made up my mind... Dal should be traded if we can get something better.

[plugger66]

Not having a proper fwd line does not help either IMO. If Roo fails, we're stuffed.

We either desperately need a kwy fwd next year... or a key back so that BJ can go fwd. Our mids don't have the class to kick goals, and it was disheartening to constantly see our "playmakers" constantly in the backline.

If think we're still a chance in 09, then get Cousins and have a crack at Kerr. After today, I have made up my mind... Dal should be traded if we can get something better.

What about Kosi?

[Beej]

Not having a proper fwd line does not help either IMO. If Roo fails, we're stuffed.

We either desperately need a kwy fwd next year... or a key back so that BJ can go fwd. Our mids don't have the class to kick goals, and it was disheartening to constantly see our "playmakers" constantly in the backline.

If think we're still a chance in 09, then get Cousins and have a crack at Kerr. After today, I have made up my mind... Dal should be traded if we can get something better.

What about Kosi?

Needs to be looked at. Sad to say but I think he needs a change of environment. Maybe another club will be able to get the best out of him because we can't.

Talent is undoubted but injuries have taken their toll. His stock has plummeted this year.



Another game note - we let slip a ridiculous amount of tackles. How do you explain that? Soft can be the only explanation imo.

Don't give me "core strength" as I've seen in another thread. Pies stuck their tackles in their 90 point thrashing of Geelong and they wouldn't have better core strength than us.

It's mental. We choked on the big stage.

[ninja]

We are not ready to win the GF and we don't deserve it playing this sort of shite.
The game plan sucks and has sucked since RL took over, the coaching panel suck at explaining how this game plan should be executed and our players suck at understanding and executing the game plan. How we ever finished 4th is beyond me, PURE ARSE!!
Thats not to say that I don't think that our boys cannot play. I just don't think that the style RL has incorporated or now instilled into our playing list is the right one.
We as a club will continue to get smashed playing this way because the likes of Geelong & Hawthorn are now taking the game to next level. Again history will repeat itself and I am sad to say that we will miss the opportunity with the talent that we have all because one man had a vision to stuff around with the football.

[Bernard Shakey]

Pussies are given an inordinate amount of time to get rid of the ball after they are tackled.

They are the only team allowed to take on the tackler every time and get away with it.

It is as close to cheating as I have ever seen.

They have got the umpires completely conned. If we try that, we get pinged every time.

Obviously the AFL wants a game that is so fast, the umpires have no time to react.

[plugger66]

Pussies are given an inordinate amount of time to get rid of the ball after they are tackled.

They are the only team allowed to take on the tackler every time and get away with it.

It is as close to cheating as I have ever seen.

They have got the umpires completely conned. If we try that, we get pinged every time.

Obviously the AFL wants a game that is so fast, the umpires have no time to react.

Cheating from who. The players or the umpires?

[jonesy]

Pussies are given an inordinate amount of time to get rid of the ball after they are tackled.

They are the only team allowed to take on the tackler every time and get away with it.

It is as close to cheating as I have ever seen.

They have got the umpires completely conned. If we try that, we get pinged every time.

Obviously the AFL wants a game that is so fast, the umpires have no time to react.

Yep umpires were disgraceful today. No such thing as holding the ball against Geelong. We were never going to beat them ,but for christ sake,make them earn it ,not hand it to them on a frigging platter.

Milne decision probably the worst I've ever seen

[WayneJudson42]

Not having a proper fwd line does not help either IMO. If Roo fails, we're stuffed.

We either desperately need a kwy fwd next year... or a key back so that BJ can go fwd. Our mids don't have the class to kick goals, and it was disheartening to constantly see our "playmakers" constantly in the backline.

If think we're still a chance in 09, then get Cousins and have a crack at Kerr. After today, I have made up my mind... Dal should be traded if we can get something better.

What about Kosi?

Who?? Time to go IMO.

Has had ample opps this year, and failed at FF. I reckon the only reason he plays up the ground is coz he can't get a touch up fwd.

Will say it again...

ATM: Barry Hall >>> Kosi.

Would like to see BJ up there for a while.

One thing that really pussed me off today, is that we don't seem to have anyone capable of kicking goals from beyond 50m.

[Beej]

We are not ready to win the GF and we don't deserve it playing this sort of shite.
The game plan sucks and has sucked since RL took over, the coaching panel suck at explaining how this game plan should be executed and our players suck at understanding and executing the game plan. How we ever finished 4th is beyond me, PURE ARSE!!
Thats not to say that I don't think that our boys cannot play. I just don't think that the style RL has incorporated or now instilled into our playing list is the right one.
We as a club will continue to get smashed playing this way because the likes of Geelong & Hawthorn are now taking the game to next level. Again history will repeat itself and I am sad to say that we will miss the opportunity with the talent that we have all because one man had a vision to stuff around with the football.

I think that defensively our game plan would be the best way to beat the Cats.

They can pile on the goals very quickly. We need to slow down their scoring and playing tempo footy/denying them possession is the way to go.

We would've been trounced by 20 goals today had we gone the "shoot-out" road and taken them on. Their skill level is on a totally different level to anything the game has ever seen before.

[plugger66]

Pussies are given an inordinate amount of time to get rid of the ball after they are tackled.

They are the only team allowed to take on the tackler every time and get away with it.

It is as close to cheating as I have ever seen.

They have got the umpires completely conned. If we try that, we get pinged every time.

Obviously the AFL wants a game that is so fast, the umpires have no time to react.

Yep umpires were disgraceful today. No such thing as holding the ball against Geelong. We were never going to beat them ,but for christ sake,make them earn it ,not hand it to them on a frigging platter.

Milne decision probably the worst I've ever seen

I think if we had good umpires today we may have got within 52 points. Certainly cost us % today.

[WayneJudson42]

We are not ready to win the GF and we don't deserve it playing this sort of shite.
The game plan sucks and has sucked since RL took over, the coaching panel suck at explaining how this game plan should be executed and our players suck at understanding and executing the game plan. How we ever finished 4th is beyond me, PURE ARSE!!
Thats not to say that I don't think that our boys cannot play. I just don't think that the style RL has incorporated or now instilled into our playing list is the right one.
We as a club will continue to get smashed playing this way because the likes of Geelong & Hawthorn are now taking the game to next level. Again history will repeat itself and I am sad to say that we will miss the opportunity with the talent that we have all because one man had a vision to stuff around with the football.

Tool Did it suck last week?? or against ADelaide?? or Hawthorn?? or Nth Melb???

[saint66au]

My 5c worth..

Whilst CJ, Mini, Gilbo and Eddy's games were full of endeavour, just laying tackles alone cannot justify their selection agaisnt a side like Geelong. At times it appeared that they didnt care if we forced a stoppage, because they knew damn well they'd win the clearance or sooner or later we'd turn the ball over ourselves.

We need a 3rd forward option so badly it hurts. Roo and Milne had bad days, and NO-ONE stood up...No-one. Kosi had a shocker, ditto Charlie cept for a few cheap touches when the game was well over. X...less said the better. Watching Buddy and Roughead on Fri night nearly made me cry. Why cant the Roo and Kosi show be that potent????

Dropping Charlie just brings in Allen or Ferg, both of whom have been tried and found wanting, let alone in the pressure of finals footy. Might as well leave Charlie there I reckon..

We need blokes whose footskills can hurt other top teams, and at the moment we have bugger-all of them..watching Geelong time and again casually deliver the ball lace-out 55m to a bloke in space hurt like hell. I dont think we did it once. Too may times today we were battling our own kicking demons, let alone Geelong's.

Their defence is incredible much as I hate to say it. At one point in the 2nd quarter, there was a pack about 40m from our goal. The umpire blew the whistle. As the whistle blew 3 Geelong players screamed into space on the fat side whilst their St Kilda opponents watched the umpire for the decision. Sure enough it was a Geelong free..30 secs later they had a goal. A similar scenario at the other end would result in the Saint with the ball frantically waving for someone to run and provide an option

OH and one other thing..Kosi had a 'mare no doubting it..but PLEASE tell me they weren't Saints fans who bronx cheered him in the last quarter when he took a mark in front of the GSS?? . I await the "I paid my money Ill sledge our players if I want to" brigade to reply

[saintsRrising]

I am sad to say that we will miss the opportunity with the talent that we have all because one man had a vision to stuff around with the football.

You my friend completely overate the talent that is at the Saints.

We had just about the best list in the comp, back in 2004/2005...but blew are chances then.

The team/list we have now is significantly weaker.

* We have no where near the talent that Geelong have in the midfield.

* Name one Saints midfielder that is a reliable shot on goal on the run?

Genuine Premiership Teams normally have at least three star mids.


We currently only have Lenny....and unfortunately he is not truly elite as he misses gettable goals on the run.

The midfield is the most important part of todays teams...and we are undermanned in it.


Now on our day when our other components are ding well we can match it with the Hawks, Pies and Dogs...but the Cats area step above.

If our players are off..and the cats on...then todays result will occur again..

If both teams are on...then the Saints will need a brilliant effort to match the Cats as they are truly playing great football.

[Bernard Shakey]

Pussies are given an inordinate amount of time to get rid of the ball after they are tackled.

They are the only team allowed to take on the tackler every time and get away with it.

It is as close to cheating as I have ever seen.

They have got the umpires completely conned. If we try that, we get pinged every time.

Obviously the AFL wants a game that is so fast, the umpires have no time to react.

Cheating from who. The players or the umpires?

That would be from whom, plugger66.

Cheating by whomsoever you think may have cheated.