Of course I'm not celebrating this news, but it looks as if the stars are aligning for our first round 1 win in some time.

Steven out for 6 or more weeks with a foot injury so that's another one down in their midfield.

Steven

Montagna

Dal Santo - (north)

Gilbert (backman)

And an under-done Hayes and Riewoldt for the moment.

Meanwhile, our injury list is as healthy as it's ever been.

bitter/sweet news?

You can add Ben "Big Boy" McEvoy to that list

Of course I'm not celebrating this news, but it looks as if the stars are aligning for our first round 1 win in some time.

Steven out for 6 or more weeks with a foot injury so that's another one down in their midfield.

Steven

Montagna

Dal Santo - (north)

Gilbert (backman)

And an under-done Hayes and Riewoldt for the moment.

Meanwhile, our injury list is as healthy as it's ever been.

bitter/sweet news? Or just sweet?

Dont curse us.

would have made any swap for jack steven.

will be the midfield champ for the next 7 years.

respected and admired .

lets hope hes back soon after our game.

I'd rather beat a full strength Saints side. If we are to be competitive we need to preform against the best players/sides.

I'd rather beat a full strength Saints side. If we are to be competitive we need to preform against the best players/sides.

I'd rather a round 1 win from where we're coming from, regardless of the opposition and who they have in or out.

We need to remember what it feels like to play well and win.

It's a non-negotiable.

Keep 'em coming. I want to smash the Aints.

It's been a long time.

Keep 'em coming. I want to smash the Aints.

It's been a long time.

settle down gramps and have an angina pill.

the boys have got the 4 points pencilled in already.

happy days.

Good/bad news.

Just puts more expectation on us and makes the loss more disappointing if we lose.

No Clark. Probably no Garland. Maybe no Dawes or Viney. Jamar and Gawn not healthy enough in time to put real pressure on Spencer and 2 games to get through unscathed first.

But Montagna suspended and Steven out means their best 2 midfielders are missing.

Their midfield will likely be something like:
C: Ray Armitage Savage

Foll: Hickey Hayes Jones

Int/forwards (from): Newnes, Ross, Curran, Dunstan, Saunders, Murdoch. Billings

If the midfield really is our weakness there can be no excuses against that lot.

Good/bad news.

Just puts more expectation on us and makes the loss more disappointing if we lose.

Can see it now. We lose to the saints who then go ahead and cop hidings for the next month and the question gets asked just how bad are Melbourne! Then again I'm trying to stay positive.

I'd rather beat a full strength Saints side. If we are to be competitive we need to preform against the best players/sides.

I know exactly what you are saying, I agree totally, expect for. Nobody gave a 2nd thought to us when we were being mishandled, and belted.

An indictment on the league we were, getting raped in the media. I say never give a sucker an even break. I want to see ruthless, uncompromising and a win on the board. (I wish Stevens all the best with his foot, I hope he can learns something when we smash the aints)

I'd rather beat a full strength Saints side. If we are to be competitive we need to preform against the best players/sides.

Of course, but I'd rather beat an under strength Saints side than get beaten by a full strength one! Don't worry Demonsterative, we'll have plenty of opportunities to test ourselves against good opposition during the course of the year

I'd rather beat a full strength Saints side. If we are to be competitive we need to preform against the best players/sides.

Id rather beat any side we need all the luck we can muster and we probably deserve it.

You can add Ben "Big Boy" McEvoy to that list

And Milne no longer there either.

Nothing good comes out of injuries. Be it with opposition clubs or ours. I won't be cheering Jack Stevens injury under any circumstances. As I said, I'd rather play against a full strength Saints side. If we beat the saints then cop more 100 point loses to the Hawks, Bombers etc, then a win against the Saints mean very little IMO

The difference of winning or losing round one could be the positive impact the playing list needs to instill confidence and thus prevent those hundred point floggings.

I'll take any win we can get.

Nothing good comes out of injuries. Be it with opposition clubs or ours. I won't be cheering Jack Stevens injury under any circumstances. As I said, I'd rather play against a full strength Saints side. If we beat the saints then cop more 100 point loses to the Hawks, Bombers etc, then a win against the Saints mean very little IMO

What would you rather we forfeit the game??

Now we're debating the philosophy of a good/bad win?

I don't give a rats about St Kilda….we've had our own seven years of misery!

A win.

That is all.

It's seems to me supporters have been beaten to a pulp in the last many years. Standards and expectations are very low. I think the club has it right. Percentage will be the real indicator to our success this year. I read this as minimising our losses to the top teams. Therefore getting closer to being a top club ourselves in the future.

Beating an undermanned St Kilda, will be a level higher than beating GWS! The players will gain real confidence in competing against the best teams for long periods. Roos isn't here to beat bottom 4 teams, he is here to set up a successful future.

I'll take the win under any circumstance. But the club needs to be competitive against the league leaders. The best way for this to happen is to play the best regularly.

What would you rather we forfeit the game??

Your funny WYL. You consistently write absolute crap

I'd rather a round 1 win from where we're coming from, regardless of the opposition and who they have in or out.

We need to remember what it feels like to play well and win.

It's a non-negotiable.

No one cares when we play them and have a heap of injuries so if they have a few I don't care; I'm over saying I'd like to play them at full strength I just want to beat them. If they have a few injuries then so be it, all clubs do.

Over the last 2 years they've lost from round 1 Goddard, Milne, McEvoy, Montagna, Dal Santo, Gilbert and now Steven.

It will take some weeks for our game-plan to click under Roos, but if we lose round 1 something is horribly wrong. Again.

It won't be.

It's seems to me supporters have been beaten to a pulp in the last many years. Standards and expectations are very low. I think the club has it right. Percentage will be the real indicator to our success this year. I read this as minimising our losses to the top teams. Therefore getting closer to being a top club ourselves in the future.

Beating an undermanned St Kilda, will be a level higher than beating GWS! The players will gain real confidence in competing against the best teams for long periods. Roos isn't here to beat bottom 4 teams, he is here to set up a successful future.

I'll take the win under any circumstance. But the club needs to be competitive against the league leaders. The best way for this to happen is to play the best regularly.

I'd bet they're not hoping that Dawes and Clarke and Garland are all fit enough to play round one.

If we want to be equal we should rest Vince and jones.

Your funny WYL. You consistently write absolute crap

that's what i thought when i read your comments in this thread mate.

You can only play who the opposition trots out.

If our chances improve because of this great.