No one rates us at all !

[WinnersOnly]

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/t ... 1vwnc.html

Most at the age think we will slide - I imagine out of the 8 and a lot still believe Brendan GODDARD will go to GWS next year?

Gees if Scotty WATTERS ever needed any motivational material he could use this.

I watched the WCE NAB game again last night and apart from our lack of run (extreme heat) in the last 1/3 of the game we looked OK Dwayne Russell kept banging on about how WCE had 8 of the best team out. I think them not having the bigger bodied players running around in the heat worked to their advantage.

I am nervous about the year ahead and if we get games into a number of younger players it will be a bonus.

[gringo]

Saw that, they all picked Geelong to miss the 8 last year. Bulldogs were sliders too but I thought they already had. Being a favourite never does any good anyway. Sometimes they just pick up on what others are saying, we had a low key build up and not much happening with trading established players so it's probably just that. I still think we could go either way. Win a couple early and the confidence builds, lose a couple they should win and they general mood drops. Interesting times at Seaford, like investing in the current economy, just never know what will happen.

[Thinline]

A lot of it is based on the unknown factor of having so many rel untried dudes trotting about and the fact Roo and BJ were pretty horrible last year.

It's kind of trendy to slag the Saints too. We know that.

But if thew new guys click and the old hands show their mettle who knows? A fit Roo and a revitalised Len and BJ is a pretty enviable trio.

In reality we are on paper as hard as any side to slot on the ladder...

I can see us finishing third last and just as easily have us mid 8. Fair range!

Gonna be a ride.

[SainterK]

To be fair, quite a lot on here have us out of the eight.

Not me, 6th or above.

[Fidelis]

13 out of 19 nominated us as the sliders while 11 chose Freo as the team on the rise.

I understand the logic. Saints with stars on the wane and a shallow pool of youngsters having lost supercoach who had them overachieving with a radical game plan. Freo super talented list held back by mediocre coach now with supercoach who will give them the steel and structure they have lacked.

For me though, and it's hard to distinguish between hope and reason, this is lazy pack thinking.

I can equally make a case for the Saints, reinvigorated by a new coaching panel, some promising talent, a good draw and a bunch of stars desperate for a final shot making a run at it.

At the same time I can envisage the same malaise we saw settle over Moorabbin in Lyon's early days afflicting the Dockers. Their freewheelers will hate the straightjacket and evidence is that it takes time to learn the defensive mindset we expect Lyon to implement there.

How much am I looking forward to that first Saints/Freo clash?

[SaintPav]

like investing in the current economy, just never know what will happen.

Have you heard of the frog being slowly boiled alive but doesn't know it? That is what is happening to the Australian economy. We are in a slow melt especially with all the extremley high level of household debt.

Now with regards to the Saints, it could be the same story. I really hope not though. One positive is that everyone has written us off without looking more deeply at our draw or some of our younger players who could be better than we think.

[SainterK]

13 out of 19 nominated us as the sliders while 11 chose Freo as the team on the rise.

I understand the logic. Saints with stars on the wane and a shallow pool of youngsters having lost supercoach who had them overachieving with a radical game plan. Freo super talented list held back by mediocre coach now with supercoach who will give them the steel and structure they have lacked.

For me though, and it's hard to distinguish between hope and reason, this is lazy pack thinking.

I can equally make a case for the Saints, reinvigorated by a new coaching panel, some promising talent, a good draw and a bunch of stars desperate for a final shot making a run at it.

At the same time I can envisage the same malaise we saw settle over Moorabbin in Lyon's early days afflicting the Dockers. Their freewheelers will hate the straightjacket and evidence is that it takes time to learn the defensive mindset we expect Lyon to implement there.

How much am I looking forward to that first Saints/Freo clash?

Nice post.

[hAyES]

Got them right where we want them.

In all seriousness people probably look at our best players and see most of them are 28+ and when you consider Ross hid most of our young players people don't think we have any. What most people would remember is us putting out players like Eddy and McQualter in the GF and that's given everyone the impression that we don't have any depth.

Let them doubt us like they do every year, with the top end talent we have and guys like Siposs, Ledger, Cripps and Stanley to add to that I can't see us missing the finals.

[Superstar]

13 out of 19 nominated us as the sliders while 11 chose Freo as the team on the rise.

I understand the logic. Saints with stars on the wane and a shallow pool of youngsters having lost supercoach who had them overachieving with a radical game plan. Freo super talented list held back by mediocre coach now with supercoach who will give them the steel and structure they have lacked.

For me though, and it's hard to distinguish between hope and reason, this is lazy pack thinking.

I can equally make a case for the Saints, reinvigorated by a new coaching panel, some promising talent, a good draw and a bunch of stars desperate for a final shot making a run at it.

At the same time I can envisage the same malaise we saw settle over Moorabbin in Lyon's early days afflicting the Dockers. Their freewheelers will hate the straightjacket and evidence is that it takes time to learn the defensive mindset we expect Lyon to implement there.

How much am I looking forward to that first Saints/Freo clash?

All this is fair, you can make a case either way.

FWIW I think Watters, will be looking to play the kids, expect to see alot more of Stanley, Siposs, Ledger, Cripps and CO. Has the makings of a tough development year, but a good year in terms of the future.

[gringo]

13 out of 19 nominated us as the sliders while 11 chose Freo as the team on the rise.

I understand the logic. Saints with stars on the wane and a shallow pool of youngsters having lost supercoach who had them overachieving with a radical game plan. Freo super talented list held back by mediocre coach now with supercoach who will give them the steel and structure they have lacked.

For me though, and it's hard to distinguish between hope and reason, this is lazy pack thinking.

I can equally make a case for the Saints, reinvigorated by a new coaching panel, some promising talent, a good draw and a bunch of stars desperate for a final shot making a run at it.

At the same time I can envisage the same malaise we saw settle over Moorabbin in Lyon's early days afflicting the Dockers. Their freewheelers will hate the straightjacket and evidence is that it takes time to learn the defensive mindset we expect Lyon to implement there.

How much am I looking forward to that first Saints/Freo clash?

All this is fair, you can make a case either way.

FWIW I think Watters, will be looking to play the kids, expect to see alot more of Stanley, Siposs, Ledger, Cripps and CO. Has the makings of a tough development year, but a good year in terms of the future.

I think we will see youth this year but I expect the bulk of improvement if we do to come from the established stars having better outputs. Steven and Macevoy stepped up we just probably need another 2 mids like Cripps and Ledger to add to a pretty good base and probably one of Saad, Milera,Simpkin,Wilkes or Siposs to have a good year and we will go ok.

[saintspremiers]

3 players under 35 with 50 games experience.

We are old and slow.

But we have a soft fixture to help combat it.

[Moods]

Let's face it. We won one NAB cup game against a very young Geelong team that had just played in very hot conditions. Aside from this we got smashed in pretty much every other game - didn't lose by a few points, but got smashed.

The reality is our form pre-season has been horrible. Doesn't mean much, but that's what many scribes will go on. We have given them nothing to hang their hats on. I'm hoping for the best this Sunday, but if the pre-season has done anything, it's managed to make sure I don't get carried away with the upcoming year and have false hopes dashed.

[Megsie]

geelong have lost a few highly regarded players including their captain yet they are not sliding ?????
Some teams are judged too early
on their NAB cup performances in my opinion.
actually feel better that we are written off.......best motivation of all.

[WinnersOnly]

Let's face it. We won one NAB cup game against a very young Geelong team that had just played in very hot conditions. Aside from this we got smashed in pretty much every other game - didn't lose by a few points, but got smashed.

The reality is our form pre-season has been horrible. Doesn't mean much, but that's what many scribes will go on. We have given them nothing to hang their hats on. I'm hoping for the best this Sunday, but if the pre-season has done anything, it's managed to make sure I don't get carried away with the upcoming year and have false hopes dashed.

Well versed Moods - it is hard to get a read on our pre season form. Hopefully we do better than that when the real stuff starts.

[Cairnsman]

like investing in the current economy, just never know what will happen.

Have you heard of the frog being slowly boiled alive but doesn't know it? That is what is happening to the Australian economy. We are in a slow melt especially with all the extremley high level of household debt.

Now with regards to the Saints, it could be the same story. I really hope not though. One positive is that everyone has written us off without looking more deeply at our draw or some of our younger players who could be better than we think.

I've boiled a frog before, actually a green tree frog. The bugger climbed into the kettle during the night obviously for a drink of water but unfortunately was still in there in the morning at about the time I flick it on for my morning cafe. From what I could gather the frog had time to react. Have you got another analogy?

[SaintPav]

like investing in the current economy, just never know what will happen.

Have you heard of the frog being slowly boiled alive but doesn't know it? That is what is happening to the Australian economy. We are in a slow melt especially with all the extremley high level of household debt.

Now with regards to the Saints, it could be the same story. I really hope not though. One positive is that everyone has written us off without looking more deeply at our draw or some of our younger players who could be better than we think.

I've boiled a frog before, actually a green tree frog. The bugger climbed into the kettle during the night obviously for a drink of water but unfortunately was still in there in the morning at about the time I flick it on for my morning cafe. From what I could gather the frog had time to react. Have you got another analogy?

nah, but you just said you've boiled a frog...anyway, you're becoming quite a bit of a stalker in your old age Cairnsman...must be becuase you have to make your own cuppa every morning ya lonley old git...lol...

[gringo]

like investing in the current economy, just never know what will happen.

Have you heard of the frog being slowly boiled alive but doesn't know it? That is what is happening to the Australian economy. We are in a slow melt especially with all the extremley high level of household debt.

Now with regards to the Saints, it could be the same story. I really hope not though. One positive is that everyone has written us off without looking more deeply at our draw or some of our younger players who could be better than we think.

I've boiled a frog before, actually a green tree frog. The bugger climbed into the kettle during the night obviously for a drink of water but unfortunately was still in there in the morning at about the time I flick it on for my morning cafe. From what I could gather the frog had time to react. Have you got another analogy?

Like a drunk sunbathing?

[SaintPav]

I've boiled a frog before, actually a green tree frog. The bugger climbed into the kettle during the night obviously for a drink of water but unfortunately was still in there in the morning at about the time I flick it on for my morning cafe. From what I could gather the frog had time to react. Have you got another analogy?

Like a drunk sunbathing?

lol...good one...death by a thousand cuts...

[perfectionist]

Opinions are like belly buttons. Everyone has one and every now and then you have to spend time picking fluff out of them. Preseason prognostication is very similar.

[Cairnsman]

Like a drunk sunbathing?

I was actually thinking about an analogy that could help with understanding the point trying to be made. Also what is the positive in being written off?

[SaintPav]

Like a drunk sunbathing?

I was actually thinking about an analogy that could help with understanding the point trying to be made. Also what is the positive in being written off?

No you weren’t. You were being a smart arse as usual and you know it. You bait everyone about the club and add no value to this site. Your story about the frog was a load of crap as well. Stop responding to my posts if you don't like or agree with them.

As per your question about the positive about being written off, I could answer that but really can't be arsed with you.

[jays]

i like it like that

[Legendary]

I don't think we will win the flag.

But quite a few of those journo's predicted Geelong to miss the 8 last year, and instead they won the flag.


The way I see it - the ladder currently reads 0-0-0. For every side.

[SaintPav]

I don't think we will win the flag.

But quite a few of those journo's predicted Geelong to miss the 8 last year, and instead they won the flag.


The way I see it - the ladder currently reads 0-0-0. For every side.

probably but I think the media has gone too far the other way and everyone has jumped on to it. We have some glaring weaknesess but our draw is ok and some of the younger players might be better than most think. Also, our older players are still vg and they are good people and have pride in their performance.

At the end of the day, if were not good enough it makes stuff all difference what anyone thinks anyway.

[hungry for a premiership]

The first few rounds will be critical. We haven't had a more important round one clash for quite awhile with regards to the impact it will have in setting the tone for our season.