Saints v Dogs - Preview / Discussion

[SainterK]

Last time these sides met

Round 3 this year
Saints def Dogs 103-40
Highest Disposals: Hayes 30
Highest Goals: Milne 3

Injury concerns: BJ, Roo (both head knocks and knees) Higgins (hamstring)

Surprisingly a few outs since last time even though not long ago, outs include: Stanley, Polo, Cripps, Newnes, Milera

Potential ins: Ray, Wilkes, Clarke, Peake, Milera

I'd like to see Dunell start this week, looked dangerous. Schnieders ability to run out games worries me, still cramps most games late. Maybe he could have a go at being Sub?

Easy as far as tagging goes:
Jones to Griffin
Picken to Dal

Rest of possible potential matchups:
Simpkin v Cordy
Hayes v Boyd
Dempster v Gia
BJ v Murphy is one I'd like to see this week

Should account for the Dogs, though competitive early v Blues, Higgins was the danger guy I thought and the game turned when he went off. From memory pretty sure they won most of the stats last time, but their forward line just isn't functioning.

Lenny won't be that quiet again, he really still is the driving force in the midfield. Dal surely couldn't only have the two clearances again. They should lift this week, think the veteran bodies perhaps felt the two interstaters in a row.

[Old Mate]

Should win comfortably

[SainterK]

Some appear to be implying Gram may be on the chopping block this week?

What would your changes be?

[saintspremiers]

Footscray are rubbish. Ten goal win IMO.

[desertsaint]

Gram out
My grandmother in.

[saintsRrising]

Some appear to be implying Gram may be on the chopping block this week?

What would your changes be?

Not Gram who was ok.

In: Ray

Out: Dunnell

Would love Stanley for Kosi....but Stanley is not available.

Siposs had a stinker, but will find the pressure less against the dogs.

Saad was sad...but has been generally good. Watters will remind him to look for handballs when appropriate.

Roo: Not sure how his knee will shape up. When we play GWS he would be about the one player I would rest.

Kosi: Minson is in great form, and that will probably keep him in to back up Minson.

[Teflon]

will win this
then lose the following week.

yaawn.

[bobmurray]

will win this
then lose the following week.

yaawn.

Hopefully we'll win this week...you never know with this lot

[defacto]

OUT: Gram, Dunnell, Armitage
IN: Ray, Wilkes, Ross

[WellardSaint]

Dogs are a rabble, no forward line. We beat the Bumbers, we will not lose against the dogs

[SainterK]

You know, I think Lenny struggles when Jones tags outside players.

Last week he struggled in the midfield first half, and it wasn't until Jones nullified Black that Lenny was able to impact the game.

Yesterday Jones played on Jetta, did a great job....

I reckon though, that the midfield struggled without his nullifying one of the inside ball winners for Sydney?

It's one of those arguments, would Jetta even get his hands on it if the Saints midfield is on top?

[dragit]

It will be punchsational on here if we lose this one.

Dogs have nothing to lose and we are coming off back to back interstate matches, I don't think it will be as easy as last time.

Shame all the youth from last time aren't up and about Stanley, Cripps, Newnes, Milera, it's exciting seeing a few new guys at once like that, particularly when we win!

[bergholt]

OUT: Gram, Dunnell, Armitage

has armo got some time in lieu accrued that he needs to take?

[bigcarl]

Footscray are rubbish. Ten goal win IMO.

Let's not get ahead of ourselves. We haven't been that flash many times this season

[Thinline]

We lost last week. We'll win this one.

30 pts.

[dcstkfc]

The Dogs really are abysmal, they've only beaten North and the other 4 of the bottom 5 sides. Should be a very comfortable win

[SaintPav]

Saints by 80 points.

[Sobraz]

Referring to the changes since last meeting, what has happened to Cripps? Was a certain starter for much of the first 3 months or so of the year, and has since disappeared... Playing VFL, injured??

[jays]

dogs are terrible we should win buy 50+

[noob]

Wouldn't drop Armitage.. Best player in the comp at the docklands. I wouldn't change the side.

[saintbrat]

Grammy Preparing for his 150th Saints game

[magnifisaint]

The Dogs are history. No one seems to care though

[SainterK]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/ ... fault.aspx

The phrase "honourable loss" is often seen as a cop-out but both these teams had fair claims to taking pride in their performances despite defeats last week.
The Bulldogs led an undermanned Carlton for much of their game before the Blues ran over the top of them in the last quarter while it was a similar tale for St Kilda against the top of the table Sydney Swans last week.

The Saints still have much to fight for this season as a finals position is still up for grabs. The Bulldogs on the other hand are out of the race but still better than the competition's cellar dwellers Melbourne, GWS and Gold Coast. They have little else but pride to play for but that is not to suggest they will not take it up to the Saints this week.

THE FOUR POINTS
ST KILDA
1. The Saints were smashed in the ruck last week, losing the hit-outs 61-36 and the discrepancy probably would have been much higher but for Shane Mumford's injury. Ben McEvoy has been holding the fort but has had little help since Rhys Stanley has been out injured.

2. Brendon Goddard's form has been a little up and down this season but as the old saying goes, form is temporary and class is permanent. Goddard doesn't place a great emphasis on milestone games but he will take pride in a big performance in his 200th match this week. A dominant performance against the lowly Bulldogs will be firmly on his mind.

3. Nick Riewoldt seemed out of sorts at times against the Swans last week, and appeared to be hampered by injury. The St Kilda captain has an amazing resilience and a high pain threshold but as the season wears on, his body has more and more to cope with. The Saints' campaign from here depends greatly on Riewoldt and his form is paramount to any success his team will have.

4. St Kilda has an interesting run home with games against Collingwood, Geelong and Carlton interspersed with the Bulldogs, Melbourne and GWS. This is one of the must-win games and a defeat would be an enormous setback in such a competitive field for those last two finals spots.

WESTERN BULLDOGS
1. Another flying start would be handy. In the opening three minutes against Carlton last week, the Bulldogs kicked the first two goals and didn’t even let the Blues touch the ball. A similarly ferocious approach will be required to unsettle the Saints, who also lost on the weekend after making a strong start.

2. The Bulldogs achieved a better spread of contributors in the midfield against Carlton. Skipper Matthew Boyd usually supplies the most possessions - and often by a considerable margin - but the Dogs struck a better balance against the Blues, with Boyd (25) eclipsed by four teammates - Ryan Griffen (28), Tom Liberatore (28), Daniel Cross (26) and Mitch Wallis (26).

3. The Bulldogs failed to capitalise on their ruck dominance against the Blues, who were without a recognised ruckman. Will Minson amassed 54 of the Dogs' 59 hit-outs, while Carlton had just 19, but he Dogs had just five more clearances.

4. The goal-starved Bulldogs could ill-afford to lose sharpshooter Shaun Higgins with a hamstring injury, but at least Luke Dahlhaus appears to have found his goalkicking shoes again. Before the Blues clash the dreadlocked Dog had managed just 9.16, so a haul of 4.1 was a terrific return.

AFL.com.au verdict: St Kilda by 29 points

[gringo]

bulldogs probably will set themselves as this is the only game they could even possibly win left this year. We should go ok with our forwards now they are playing Williams forward which leaves lake to hold the only key back role. if jones comes in it stretches us a little as one day he will fire up for them and kick a bag. minson v macca will be the crucial contest to me.

[The Redeemer]

We really should kill them. Percentage booster this one.