Bloody Expectations!

[Linton Lodger]

Last night was a gut wrenching loss, frustratingly wasteful for the first three quarters, should have been 3 or 4 goals ahead at the last change. Then a magnificent last quarter marred by the last 2 minutes when we completely coughed up the game we had in our grasp. The poor finishing has been a pattern all year, I can only recall our finishing been good in 2 of our 18 games (GWS & Richmond)! There may be one or two games I've forgotten, but there's no argument that our finishing has been sub par most of the season. It cost us the game last night and has probably cost us a couple of others and a good bit of percentage.

Then those last two minutes, when we were beaten in desperate contests by a bigger and more desperate Port, they were allowed to kick those 2 goals too easily! We certainly had given them sweet bugger all until then, aside from late in the first quarter. However their bigger bodies (on average their players have 40 more games under their belt than ours) had troubled us all night and got us in the last two minutes.

It has probably left us with little chance of playing finals. Sure if we win our last 4, that's 13 wins and that may get us there, but so what, we're not ready. The season's pattern of poor finishing, the inconsistency over the season and within games and what happened in the last 2 minutes, all between the ears and the symptom of inexperience. Billings and Gresham had some bad misses, they are both elite by foot, all between the ears. All symptomatic of a list that has still not matured completely and list that is still not fully constructed.

My personal view is that I don't get excited about making finals if we're not a Premiership contender. So I didn't think that making finals this year was the be all and end all, because I didn't believe that we'd be a Premiership contender. All I was hoping for was continued improvement and development and I think we have achieved that, although some on here will disagree.

Let's put things in perspective, we won 12 games last year and only missed the finals because of a stupid loss to the Gold Coast who were crap. Thank god we didn't make the finals last year, we would've gotten way ahead of ourselves. Many underestimate the impact of our draw last year, four games (16 points) against Carlton & Essendon who were virtual witches hats last year. In reality last year, we were an 8 to 10 win team. This year we have advanced and in reality are about a 10 to 12 win team.

The Club embraced our finals chances and talked them up along with the media, only based on the fact that we finished 9th last year and any progression surely meant finals. I suppose from a good governance perspective the Club had to talk it up to increase membership numbers, which they succeeded in doing. However, I'll never forget Richo on his first AFL 360 appearance before Round 1. He looked really uncomfortable with all the talk of finals and rightly so.

The objective is to build a Premiership list and that overrides playing finals this year. Whilst finals may be a good experience for the List, the building of a Premiership list hardly turns on whether or not we play finals this year. Unfortunately, because the Club embraced the finals talk, I think development took a back seat to our finals aspirations. It was lamentable to see McCartin injured playing for Sandringham because he was squeezed out of the senior team due to structure! At this stage, I don't believe there is a lot Paddy can learn playing for Sandy. Also, where has Brandon White been hidden all year!

The source of great impatience among Saints supporters is The Bulldogs premiership and Melbourne's form this year. Such comparisons are pointless folly. The Bulldogs Premership was a gigantic fluke, that won't be seen again for some time. Just because of that you don't cross your fingers and hope for a Bulldogs like fluke. Melbourne's rebuild started in 2008! Guess what just like us, they're not ready either. Sure they may get there because in the end they have not been as wasteful as us. Yet their loss to North yesterday and a number of other ordinary performances against ordinary opponents demonstrate that they're no more advanced than us.

We still need to add some quality to the midfield, the Club have always known that. We have taken care of the spine (absolutely critical), got a good group of hard working mids who will get better, Armitage has been sorely missed I think we underestimate what a loss he has been. Now we need to add some cream in the middle. Josh Kelly would be perfect. For what its worth, Brian waldron seems certain we've got him. In a discussion with Kevin Bartlett on SEN he said emphatically "Dustin (Martin) is staying put, Kelly is going to St Kilda". He didn't indicate whether that was a theory he was confident with or whether he knew something.

Nonetheless, we should be very excited about Nathan Freeman. We've all heard about his explosive pace, but what I've noticed is his super clean hands, I personally haven't seen him fumble, a good sign indeed. He plays a lot in the Kelly mould. Then if we don't get Kelly, Whitfield and Devon Smith are guns that would suit our needs nicely.

In the end, even if we win our last 4 (far from impossible) and get to the finals, I don't believe we deserve to be there or are in any way ready to make an impact. We are a 10 to 12 win team. I'm already looking to 2018 with some confidence regardless of how the rest of the season pans out. I would hope to see McCartin, Battle, Marshall and Rice play in some of those 4 games.

It has been a frustrating season and who knows what's yet to come, but I think the worse thing about it has been over inflated expecations from a number of corners.

[saynta]

Whitfield would be a good get, but we are seriously in need of a fullback.

[degruch]

I think there were only really two genuine expectations, as preached by the club; being improvement in consistence, or increased win tally, which obviously extended to the F-word, finals. Neither of these seem to have occurred. I'd go as far as to say, and not an orphan in doing so, that we were wildly inconsistent this year and clearly regressed in this area. So, it would be fair to say, ignoring the media, we've failed to meet even internal expectations...they can be met, but there needs to be a hard internal review off-season as to why we missed the mark.

Anyways, we've got 4 weeks to turn things around...15 wins would be nice

[Con Gorozidis]

Good OP.
The club got caught up in media and marketing spin about finals prospects rather than taking a sober realistic assessment that we are still in a development phase.

If we finish 9th with a young side in the development phase - then everyone is happy with that - me included.

If the club hypes us up as a ready to go top 6 side - then 9th feels like a disappointment.

Don't believe your own publicity. You can't; you'll start thinking that you're better than you are.

[thejiggingsaint]

I think there were only really two genuine expectations, as preached by the club; being improvement in consistence, or increased win tally, which obviously extended to the F-word, finals. Neither of these seem to have occurred. I'd go as far as to say, and not an orphan in doing so, that we were wildly inconsistent this year and clearly regressed in this area. So, it would be fair to say, ignoring the media, we've failed to meet even internal expectations...they can be met, but there needs to be a hard internal review off-season as to why we missed the mark.

Anyways, we've got 4 weeks to turn things around...15 wins would be nice

Nice post! Kudos!

[David-Lee]

I guess my disappointment is based on the club claiming we are building a future...but this year at BEST we have stagnated and gone backward in the development of many of our promising youngsters.
A massive list of stars yet few emerging most back peddaling.
A few have improved and Ross has picked up the disposals Stevens has lost but not to great effect most weeks.
Expectations of success means we improve every year. So far we have not improved.
Based on our current state of play I expect us to lose to West Coast, Melbourne and Richmond and beat North Melbourne.
That is 10 wins for 2017. Not improvement.

I was excited after 2016 - especially the second half where we won 8 of our last 10 and Ross and Steven dominated ( Steven has slipped so far an arguement could be made to drop him)...Membrey kicked 44 goals Bruce and Reiwoldt both have declined in marks/goals this year but faired much better in 2016 with Roo leading marks taken.
In 2016 Hickey averaged 28 hitouts a game. He is now vfl fodder.
Gresham shone and Acres got a Rising Star....2017 has been utterly disappointing.
Yes I too hope for 2018 but going backwards is only inspiring when a team is strategically rebooting...we already rebooted and are meant to be climbing...remember 2015? Richo the new coach is taking is towards our future?


2015 - 6 wins
2016- 12 wins
2017-10 wins....

[Con Gorozidis]

Anyways, we've got 4 weeks to turn things around...15 wins would be nice

We are on 9 wins and there are 4 games to go....
13 is our max.

[WellardSaint]

the OP- TL;DR

[Premium89]

the OP- TL;DR

"Too logical, daren't reply?"

Loved the post - think a lot of us forgot about the harder draw etc etc, once we got into finals contention. Still hard to swallow all this inconsistency.

Especially the inconsistent kicking for goal - must sort that out for 2018.

[Linton Lodger]

I don't think we've gone backwards. Worst case scenario is that we only win a couple of our last 4 or we could win all four. I don't think we'll drop all four, so we are looking at 10 to 13 wins.

Last year we had at least 5 soft games, Essendon & Carlton twice and Brisbane. This year soft games have been non existent and we've had a generally tougher draw. 10 to 13 wins this year is substantially better than the 12 last year.

Billings, Ross, Gresham, Roberton, Webster, Membrey and Sinclair have all gone up another level. Our team have gone up a level (maybe not good enough to make finals). Our final quarter against GWS and the first half of the Richmond game was beyond our 2016 team. Sure some players have had poor years thus far, Hickey and Weller being examples. McCartin hasn't kicked on (mainly due to injury) as we expected, but that happens every season. Dunstan hadn't gone forward, but has had two mighty games in the last two weeks.

Hardly a case to say we've gone backwards. We've moved forward, just haven't moved as far as we'd like. It certainly isn't crisis time!

[Devilhead]

2nd youngest side in the league playing yesterday

Hate to say it but the quicker Roo and Monty probably move on the better

All 4 games coming up are winnable but we likely need % as well to slip into the 8

Lot of hard lessons learnt this year - can only hope the players absorb it, learn, move forward and keep working hard - the physical talent is there but the mental war is crux for us to take the next step

and we have that juicy war chest ......

[Con Gorozidis]

2nd youngest side in the league playing yesterday

There were only four matches yesterday.

[Devilhead]

2nd youngest side in the league playing yesterday

There were only four matches yesterday.

This week then smartarse - 2nd youngest behind Brions that just got flat tracked by the Freeagles

And that's with a few of our more experienced players - in Steven, Weller, Brown and Newnes having average ones

[Con Gorozidis]

2nd youngest side in the league playing yesterday

There were only four matches yesterday.

This week then smartarse - 2nd youngest behind Brions that just got flat tracked by the Freeagles

And that's with a few of our more experienced players - in Steven, Weller, Brown and Newnes having average ones

Gold Coast were younger as well.
Check your facts before mouthing off.

Add to that, Freo, Melbourne and Carlton were pretty similar to us.

[thejiggingsaint]

I don't think we've gone backwards. Worst case scenario is that we only win a couple of our last 4 or we could win all four. I don't think we'll drop all four, so we are looking at 10 to 13 wins.

Last year we had at least 5 soft games, Essendon & Carlton twice and Brisbane. This year soft games have been non existent and we've had a generally tougher draw. 10 to 13 wins this year is substantially better than the 12 last year.

Billings, Ross, Gresham, Roberton, Webster, Membrey and Sinclair have all gone up another level. Our team have gone up a level (maybe not good enough to make finals). Our final quarter against GWS and the first half of the Richmond game was beyond our 2016 team. Sure some players have had poor years thus far, Hickey and Weller being examples. McCartin hasn't kicked on (mainly due to injury) as we expected, but that happens every season. Dunstan hadn't gone forward, but has had two mighty games in the last two weeks.

Hardly a case to say we've gone backwards. We've moved forward, just haven't moved as far as we'd like. It certainly isn't crisis time!

Linton Lodger; you've made some really excellent points there, Colleague. A well constructed, and cogent argument, for refusing to write off the season. It's now almost twenty four hours since I was standing at Adelaide Oval, in a state of abject misery at "the one that got away". With the benefit of time, and calming down somewhat, I can see just how well many of our younger guys performed. In my humble opinion, Lukey Dunstan was outstanding in his overall effort and intensity. Sadly, Jade showed a lack of maturity and experience when trying to dribble THAT goal, but otherwise, (IMHO) was as hard at it as the rest of the boys. I don't like "honourable losses" at any time, a loss is a loss, is a loss.

However, it's entirely appropriate to give credit when it's due, and as someone who was there, the hostility of that crowd had to be experienced to be believed. They started getting VERY loud, and VERY feral in the final stanza when Port were (seemingly) "coasting". Not one Saints player let it get to them. I've seen some nonesense posted on here about players "dropping their bundle" what an absolute crock! A poor set up defensively and doggedness from a couple of Port players was the reason for those disastrous final seconds.

People see things differently, in life, in football. Some may choose to see us "laying down" or "surrendering" at the death. I saw it differently; I saw guts, determination, pride in the club being rewarded and then snatched from us, not by anything other than human error and inexperience.

I see GREAT things ahead for the St Kilda Footy Club........ others don't. That's ok, we agree to disagree as colleagues in the overall task of making this club GREAT.

Our immediate task, is to ensure that as many of us as possible, get along next sundee, to the "Dome we call home" and ROAR like lions! Let those boys hear a crowd roaring them ON! Rather than baying for their blood!

There are games that can define a club, and this season (albeit briefly) we've seen three games where those boys have shown us just what potentially we are going to be seeing more of in the coming seasons. The matches against GWS, Fremantle and Richmond were peeks at the future. Yesterday, showed us another dimension to the collective spirit that CAN be built up and expanded over coming seasons.

I choose to be positive.

[Devilhead]

2nd youngest side in the league playing yesterday

There were only four matches yesterday.

This week then smartarse - 2nd youngest behind Brions that just got flat tracked by the Freeagles

And that's with a few of our more experienced players - in Steven, Weller, Brown and Newnes having average ones

Gold Coast were younger as well.
Check your facts before mouthing off.

Add to that, Freo, Melbourne and Carlton were pretty similar to us.

GC were younger because of the Gaz late out - so before this we were - either way whats your issue?

We fielded a young side and nearly beat a more experienced Port in Adelaide - surely that's cause to be a little positive

[Stephen Theodore]

I don't think we've gone backwards. Worst case scenario is that we only win a couple of our last 4 or we could win all four. I don't think we'll drop all four, so we are looking at 10 to 13 wins.

Last year we had at least 5 soft games, Essendon & Carlton twice and Brisbane. This year soft games have been non existent and we've had a generally tougher draw. 10 to 13 wins this year is substantially better than the 12 last year.

Billings, Ross, Gresham, Roberton, Webster, Membrey and Sinclair have all gone up another level. Our team have gone up a level (maybe not good enough to make finals). Our final quarter against GWS and the first half of the Richmond game was beyond our 2016 team. Sure some players have had poor years thus far, Hickey and Weller being examples. McCartin hasn't kicked on (mainly due to injury) as we expected, but that happens every season. Dunstan hadn't gone forward, but has had two mighty games in the last two weeks.

Hardly a case to say we've gone backwards. We've moved forward, just haven't moved as far as we'd like. It certainly isn't crisis time!

Linton Lodger; you've made some really excellent points there, Colleague. A well constructed, and cogent argument, for refusing to write off the season. It's now almost twenty four hours since I was standing at Adelaide Oval, in a state of abject misery at "the one that got away". With the benefit of time, and calming down somewhat, I can see just how well many of our younger guys performed. In my humble opinion, Lukey Dunstan was outstanding in his overall effort and intensity. Sadly, Jade showed a lack of maturity and experience when trying to dribble THAT goal, but otherwise, (IMHO) was as hard at it as the rest of the boys. I don't like "honourable losses" at any time, a loss is a loss, is a loss.

However, it's entirely appropriate to give credit when it's due, and as someone who was there, the hostility of that crowd had to be experienced to be believed. They started getting VERY loud, and VERY feral in the final stanza when Port were (seemingly) "coasting". Not one Saints player let it get to them. I've seen some nonesense posted on here about players "dropping their bundle" what an absolute crock! A poor set up defensively and doggedness from a couple of Port players was the reason for those disastrous final seconds.

People see things differently, in life, in football. Some may choose to see us "laying down" or "surrendering" at the death. I saw it differently; I saw guts, determination, pride in the club being rewarded and then snatched from us, not by anything other than human error and inexperience.

I see GREAT things ahead for the St Kilda Footy Club........ others don't. That's ok, we agree to disagree as colleagues in the overall task of making this club GREAT.

Our immediate task, is to ensure that as many of us as possible, get along next sundee, to the "Dome we call home" and ROAR like lions! Let those boys hear a crowd roaring them ON! Rather than baying for their blood!

There are games that can define a club, and this season (albeit briefly) we've seen three games where those boys have shown us just what potentially we are going to be seeing more of in the coming seasons. The matches against GWS, Fremantle and Richmond were peeks at the future. Yesterday, showed us another dimension to the collective spirit that CAN be built up and expanded over coming seasons.

I choose to be positive.

Well described Jiggster, was also at game, first Saints game this year (live) feral mob, poorly set up last stanza (no surprise given outcome) I wonder if an experienced guy like Gilbert was there would we have structured differently.

[thejiggingsaint]

I don't think we've gone backwards. Worst case scenario is that we only win a couple of our last 4 or we could win all four. I don't think we'll drop all four, so we are looking at 10 to 13 wins.

Last year we had at least 5 soft games, Essendon & Carlton twice and Brisbane. This year soft games have been non existent and we've had a generally tougher draw. 10 to 13 wins this year is substantially better than the 12 last year.

Billings, Ross, Gresham, Roberton, Webster, Membrey and Sinclair have all gone up another level. Our team have gone up a level (maybe not good enough to make finals). Our final quarter against GWS and the first half of the Richmond game was beyond our 2016 team. Sure some players have had poor years thus far, Hickey and Weller being examples. McCartin hasn't kicked on (mainly due to injury) as we expected, but that happens every season. Dunstan hadn't gone forward, but has had two mighty games in the last two weeks.

Hardly a case to say we've gone backwards. We've moved forward, just haven't moved as far as we'd like. It certainly isn't crisis time!

Linton Lodger; you've made some really excellent points there, Colleague. A well constructed, and cogent argument, for refusing to write off the season. It's now almost twenty four hours since I was standing at Adelaide Oval, in a state of abject misery at "the one that got away". With the benefit of time, and calming down somewhat, I can see just how well many of our younger guys performed. In my humble opinion, Lukey Dunstan was outstanding in his overall effort and intensity. Sadly, Jade showed a lack of maturity and experience when trying to dribble THAT goal, but otherwise, (IMHO) was as hard at it as the rest of the boys. I don't like "honourable losses" at any time, a loss is a loss, is a loss.

However, it's entirely appropriate to give credit when it's due, and as someone who was there, the hostility of that crowd had to be experienced to be believed. They started getting VERY loud, and VERY feral in the final stanza when Port were (seemingly) "coasting". Not one Saints player let it get to them. I've seen some nonesense posted on here about players "dropping their bundle" what an absolute crock! A poor set up defensively and doggedness from a couple of Port players was the reason for those disastrous final seconds.

People see things differently, in life, in football. Some may choose to see us "laying down" or "surrendering" at the death. I saw it differently; I saw guts, determination, pride in the club being rewarded and then snatched from us, not by anything other than human error and inexperience.

I see GREAT things ahead for the St Kilda Footy Club........ others don't. That's ok, we agree to disagree as colleagues in the overall task of making this club GREAT.

Our immediate task, is to ensure that as many of us as possible, get along next sundee, to the "Dome we call home" and ROAR like lions! Let those boys hear a crowd roaring them ON! Rather than baying for their blood!

There are games that can define a club, and this season (albeit briefly) we've seen three games where those boys have shown us just what potentially we are going to be seeing more of in the coming seasons. The matches against GWS, Fremantle and Richmond were peeks at the future. Yesterday, showed us another dimension to the collective spirit that CAN be built up and expanded over coming seasons.

I choose to be positive.

Well described Jiggster, was also at game, first Saints game this year (live) feral mob, poorly set up last stanza (no surprise given outcome) I wonder if an experienced guy like Gilbert was there would we have structured differently.

I can honestly say, I've never felt emotions like that walking away from the ground yesterday. I'm curious to know, if anyone else there was feeling the same way. I was totally gutted, beside myself in grief at the lost opportunity, BUT..... and I have NO rational explanation for this ( though I've a shrewd idea that one or two posters will " enlighten" me )..... I felt such a surge of positive energy and pride too! There was " something" something intangible, but firmly lodged in my consciousness that THIS is the group, and the coach to take us forward.

As I say, many will scoff, and disagree, but I believe we're on the cusp of something VERY special.

[degruch]

Anyways, we've got 4 weeks to turn things around...15 wins would be nice

We are on 9 wins and there are 4 games to go....
13 is our max.

I was generous and chucked in a couple finals wins

[CURLY]

Good OP.
The club got caught up in media and marketing spin about finals prospects rather than taking a sober realistic assessment that we are still in a development phase.

If we finish 9th with a young side in the development phase - then everyone is happy with that - me included.

If the club hypes us up as a ready to go top 6 side - then 9th feels like a disappointment.

Don't believe your own publicity. You can't; you'll start thinking that you're better than you are.

Im more than 100% sure the club knows where it was sitting and didnt rely on any outside hype. Im even morethan certain if the club believed we were a top 6 chance they would have loaded up on a mature free agent or traded in a gun rather than send our first rounder off for a future first round.

[saintspremiers]

Good OP.
The club got caught up in media and marketing spin about finals prospects rather than taking a sober realistic assessment that we are still in a development phase.

If we finish 9th with a young side in the development phase - then everyone is happy with that - me included.

If the club hypes us up as a ready to go top 6 side - then 9th feels like a disappointment.

Don't believe your own publicity. You can't; you'll start thinking that you're better than you are.

Im more than 100% sure the club knows where it was sitting and didnt rely on any outside hype. Im even morethan certain if the club believed we were a top 6 chance they would have loaded up on a mature free agent or traded in a gun rather than send our first rounder off for a future first round.

The Hawks pick swap deal was widely regarded as heavily in our favour, to the extent some throught the AFL wouldn't allow it.

I reckon we would've done that deal any year regardless of where we were at.

[CURLY]

Good OP.
The club got caught up in media and marketing spin about finals prospects rather than taking a sober realistic assessment that we are still in a development phase.

If we finish 9th with a young side in the development phase - then everyone is happy with that - me included.

If the club hypes us up as a ready to go top 6 side - then 9th feels like a disappointment.

Don't believe your own publicity. You can't; you'll start thinking that you're better than you are.

Im more than 100% sure the club knows where it was sitting and didnt rely on any outside hype. Im even morethan certain if the club believed we were a top 6 chance they would have loaded up on a mature free agent or traded in a gun rather than send our first rounder off for a future first round.

The Hawks pick swap deal was widely regarded as heavily in our favour, to the extent some throught the AFL wouldn't allow it.

I reckon we would've done that deal any year regardless of where we were at.

If the club thought we were going to go deep in the finals Im sure they would have tried to land a gun mature age player.

[Linton Lodger]

I don't think we've gone backwards. Worst case scenario is that we only win a couple of our last 4 or we could win all four. I don't think we'll drop all four, so we are looking at 10 to 13 wins.

Last year we had at least 5 soft games, Essendon & Carlton twice and Brisbane. This year soft games have been non existent and we've had a generally tougher draw. 10 to 13 wins this year is substantially better than the 12 last year.

Billings, Ross, Gresham, Roberton, Webster, Membrey and Sinclair have all gone up another level. Our team have gone up a level (maybe not good enough to make finals). Our final quarter against GWS and the first half of the Richmond game was beyond our 2016 team. Sure some players have had poor years thus far, Hickey and Weller being examples. McCartin hasn't kicked on (mainly due to injury) as we expected, but that happens every season. Dunstan hadn't gone forward, but has had two mighty games in the last two weeks.

Hardly a case to say we've gone backwards. We've moved forward, just haven't moved as far as we'd like. It certainly isn't crisis time!

Linton Lodger; you've made some really excellent points there, Colleague. A well constructed, and cogent argument, for refusing to write off the season. It's now almost twenty four hours since I was standing at Adelaide Oval, in a state of abject misery at "the one that got away". With the benefit of time, and calming down somewhat, I can see just how well many of our younger guys performed. In my humble opinion, Lukey Dunstan was outstanding in his overall effort and intensity. Sadly, Jade showed a lack of maturity and experience when trying to dribble THAT goal, but otherwise, (IMHO) was as hard at it as the rest of the boys. I don't like "honourable losses" at any time, a loss is a loss, is a loss.

However, it's entirely appropriate to give credit when it's due, and as someone who was there, the hostility of that crowd had to be experienced to be believed. They started getting VERY loud, and VERY feral in the final stanza when Port were (seemingly) "coasting". Not one Saints player let it get to them. I've seen some nonesense posted on here about players "dropping their bundle" what an absolute crock! A poor set up defensively and doggedness from a couple of Port players was the reason for those disastrous final seconds.

People see things differently, in life, in football. Some may choose to see us "laying down" or "surrendering" at the death. I saw it differently; I saw guts, determination, pride in the club being rewarded and then snatched from us, not by anything other than human error and inexperience.

I see GREAT things ahead for the St Kilda Footy Club........ others don't. That's ok, we agree to disagree as colleagues in the overall task of making this club GREAT.

Our immediate task, is to ensure that as many of us as possible, get along next sundee, to the "Dome we call home" and ROAR like lions! Let those boys hear a crowd roaring them ON! Rather than baying for their blood!

There are games that can define a club, and this season (albeit briefly) we've seen three games where those boys have shown us just what potentially we are going to be seeing more of in the coming seasons. The matches against GWS, Fremantle and Richmond were peeks at the future. Yesterday, showed us another dimension to the collective spirit that CAN be built up and expanded over coming seasons.

I choose to be positive.

Well described Jiggster, was also at game, first Saints game this year (live) feral mob, poorly set up last stanza (no surprise given outcome) I wonder if an experienced guy like Gilbert was there would we have structured differently.

I can honestly say, I've never felt emotions like that walking away from the ground yesterday. I'm curious to know, if anyone else there was feeling the same way. I was totally gutted, beside myself in grief at the lost opportunity, BUT..... and I have NO rational explanation for this ( though I've a shrewd idea that one or two posters will " enlighten" me )..... I felt such a surge of positive energy and pride too! There was " something" something intangible, but firmly lodged in my consciousness that THIS is the group, and the coach to take us forward.

As I say, many will scoff, and disagree, but I believe we're on the cusp of something VERY special.

I felt the same way Jiggster, albeit I wasn't at the game. I think that's why it was so heartbreaking, they way they hung in continually even after blowing opportunity after opportunity, then the way they just blew Port apart in a dazzling few minutes. Then alas they didn't keep their heads when they should have had it done. It was bitter sweet, bitter for the 4 points and THIS year's aspirations, sweet for the road forward.

Our list, although still needing some work is good and in good hands. There was plenty to like about our resilience and they way we took control, all without Riewoldt, Montagna and the mighty Gilbo.

We are on the verge of something and I don't mean a Bulldogs like fluke, we are building a team of real substance. Our Coach, despite being economical with language, is also a man of substance. This season is just a stepping stone.