4 minutes ago, The Swimming Dee said:

IMO he adds a point of difference. Seems to have a bit of time and never looks rushed. Hard at it too

The thing I like about him is he seems to play within his means. He's happy to move the ball backwards or sideways from congestion and take a pause.

Even things that didn't work out for him - lofted little kick to Salem - I still think was the right idea. Kick just needed a fraction more juice and Membrey made a great play.

Very impressive ... we were slick, hungry & we backed each other up throughout. The new man on the mark rule might suit us too.

We looked good and the forward line functioned quite well in terms of scoring shots and opportunities at goal

What was most noticeable was the enthusiasm for the contest. And we ran hard all night and made position well. I saw a lot of players put their bodies on the line

The next block of free-to-air games are to be released on Monday and we might even snag a couple of prime time games after that performance tonight

R8 vs Sydney,  R9 vs Carlton,  R11 at Bulldogs (Docklands) & R12 vs Brisbane are possibities

I reckon we get at least 2 evening games out of those 4. 

3 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

The thing I like about him is he seems to play within his means. He's happy to move the ball backwards or sideways from congestion and take a pause.

Even things that didn't work out for him - lofted little kick to Salem - I still think was the right idea. Kick just needed a fraction more juice and Membrey made a great play.

Seems like he has an old head...proper football brain. I agree with your points and am really excited about him. He is the first mod we have blooded for a few years that I really think will be a regular 

Just got home after a skin full with a hoarse voice. South Melbourne market dimmies on the steamer and replay on.

I went tonight expecting a loss, expecting to be run ragged by the Saints.

We rattled them, made them second guess themselves, forced them to kick hurriedly to nobody. It was a beautiful thing to watch.

We didn’t rush ourselves and continued to hit targets with short kicks. Forward entries still need work, but it didn’t matter so much knowing we had dangerous smalls circling like hungry animals.

Although the clearance stats were fairly even, we won the clearances that mattered.

Wasn’t perfect, but we beat a side that has been pumped up to the shizenhousen by the media on their home deck by three goals. Should have been 8 goals.

Haven’t come home feeling so elated after a game of footy for a long time. 

Thanks Dees.

2 hours ago, Graeme Yeats' Mullet said:

And a bit of Practice at Casey next week... Just too costly to keep playing him

Put him in the right pocket for a left footer.. if he's in the wrong pocket have a right footer run past him and take the kick.

in saying that his only goal came from the wrong pocket so perhaps he just needs the practice.

BTW, Kossie has the potential to be the best small forward in the game. The play wher he hit the ball at full speed at the stoppage in the third quarter and missed the snap was unbelievable...difficult to teach that stuff...so glad we traded picks to grab him. Also, his centre bounce work was very good!

8 minutes ago, Bay Riffin said:

grest point. I watched Petracca at the centre bounce and he often moved away from the contest into a dangerous position if he couldn't immediately impact the contest. good positioning but im surprised that wasn't coached our midfielders many years ago. 

Yep.

A poster (forest demons perhaps) made the good point last week that it is quality over quantity.

Better to get one really good clearance that creates a scoring chance than 3 scrappy ones that the team have won by extra numbers at the contest that don't create a scoring chance. Or worse set up an opposition rebound off hb

7 minutes ago, Beetle said:

Just got home after a skin full with a hoarse voice. South Melbourne market dimmies on the steamer and replay on.

I went tonight expecting a loss, expecting to be run ragged by the Saints.

We rattled them, made them second guess themselves, forced them to kick hurriedly to nobody. It was a beautiful thing to watch.

We didn’t rush ourselves and continued to hit targets with short kicks. Forward entries still need work, but it didn’t matter so much knowing we had dangerous smalls circling like hungry animals.

Although the clearance stats were fairly even, we won the clearances that mattered.

Wasn’t perfect, but we beat a side that has been pumped up to the shizenhousen by the media on their home deck by three goals. Should have been 8 goals.

Haven’t come home feeling so elated after a game of footy for a long time. 

Thanks Dees.

Ditto, absolutely stocked about our game tonight, we were hungry, determined and first to the ball. Go Dees!

20 minutes ago, Bay Riffin said:

grest point. I watched Petracca at the centre bounce and he often moved away from the contest into a dangerous position if he couldn't immediately impact the contest. good positioning but im surprised that wasn't coached our midfielders many years ago. 

There was one where Oliver somehow got a kick with 3 guys all over him that fell to Tracc 15m forward of the play. 

Another where Viney was tackled without it and Gresham swooped in for a Saints goal.

We still have to be more defensively minded at times. Spread is good but it has to be spread back to defend rather than just spread forward. 

What was really promising was to see times where mids weren't even picking it up but would just tap it through and draw a tackle and then leave the next guy free. Oliver had a couple of special plays like that over to Viney.

27 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

Fritsch's set shot technique.

They're doing plenty right but leaving a lot out there too.

Actually think his run up and kicking technique is good. Straight, steady etc.

The issue is the ball drop and I wonder if his head is looking up to soon. Also, clearly thinking too much about it

Kozzie=?

 

14 minutes ago, Hellish Inferno said:

Actually think his run up and kicking technique is good. Straight, steady etc.

The issue is the ball drop and I wonder if his head is looking up to soon. Also, clearly thinking too much about it

His first set shot he ran out way to the left and then missed a mile to the right. Took him until shot 4 to go straight at the goals.

3 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

His first set shot he ran out way to the left and then missed a mile to the right. Took him until shot 4 to go straight at the goals.

I’ve noticed quite a few players from all teams doing this. I wonder if players are so focused on the man on the mark not being able to move, and stealing an extra 5-10mtrs by running around the mark, that they forget to just go back and keep their straight run up when in range of goal?

2 hours ago, Deestroy All said:

Basic skill errors stopped that being a 50 point win. That’s our next step. 
 

I was really worried early, after last week and the way we were kicking early I thought they’d carve us up. 
 

But Jackson into the ruck seemed to be a circuit breaker, then when Gawn went back in we continued the dominance. 
 

Kozzie lit it up, he’s special. 
 

Batman and Robin were outstanding in the guts. Saints must love watching Petracca smash em. 
 

I can’t remember Salem playing with that much energy. 
 

Liked Jordon and Sparrow’s games. 
 

Get in!

Batman & Robin - classic! Those nicknames just might stick!

Might be the number, but geez James Jordon visually reminds me of James McDonald on the field.

Jordon will end up being a smaller version of Jack Macrae 

1 hour ago, Tarax Club said:

Goody putting the sleeper hold on Rats!

Brings back memories of World Championship Wrestling and the great Killer Kowalski.

Wasn’t it Mark Lewin who had the sleeper hold? The Killer’s big submission hold was the abdominal stretch!

2 hours ago, Skuit said:

I finally watched Rami Malek's Oscar-winning portrayal of Freddie Mercury last night and now it's just a big mental jumble when Jake Lever goes to fist the ball away.

  

Great minds think alike, but when Jake Lever goes the golden fist, I don't see Freddie Mercury, I see Merv Hughes... 

Plenty to like. Dominated the Saints for two thirds of the game. Only reason they came back in the third was because of dropped marks in front of goal.

Could have been a 10 goal win.

Salem and Rivers were so important off half back. Surprised Rivers has been mentioned more. They are are our outside mids but also don't mind mixing it.

The chasing and harassment in the forward line was first class. Kudos to ANB, Fritta, Spargo and TMac, etc.

One of the best individual games I've seen from Oliver. Brilliant.

Petracca while prolific was a bit too selfish and wasteful for my liking. He is a fair way off last year's form. 

Max played a great team role.

Kozzy is getting there. Spargo was solid.

Langdon needs to kick flatter while Brayshaw in my eyes didn't do enough.

Jordon in the midfield is a point of difference which is encouraging. Does everything neatly and the one percenters.

Nice to get the win.

Nice transition off HB most of the time.  Won the clearances and appeared to either win or neutralise  the loose ground ball most of the time.

The ability of the backline to protect / maintain pressure and clean up some of the rebound from so many awful choices / delivery inside 50 flattered that part of our game.

Some issues to take away from the game.

?  I'll keep on about it and it's a fact...Clarry is our No.1 player by a country mile

? Tracc is close to matching Clarry in a different beast style on the ground and has the ability to go forward and mark/shoot at goal and damage here but... boy that was one of the most wasteful 30 possession games i've ever witnessed.

Had he been cleaner with disposal and smarter after taking those 2 or 3 marks (couple of blaze away shots on goal) around the paint in the last.  Look for a short target or at least kick to the hot zone OR to our forward's favoured side FCS.

 The wayward handball to Viney after the bounce in the last 5 minutes resulting in a turnover and goal to the Saints.   Had the chance to ice the match and put it beyond the Saints by about the 10 minute mark in the last.  Had he just got one of those decisions/executions right.  But instead fluffed it far too often.   Sometimes the short give to someone 20 meters away in the clear is your best option even if it means going lateral around the arc or slightly backwards.  No need to take the game on the burst so often.  Had his moments where he did the right thing and hit up targets beautifully don't get me wrong but the waste.....oh the waste son!  He is not Dusty yet and may never be.  He will be himself in the end but there's plenty of improvement left with some minor adjustments.  If he does he may be a great of the game but there's still just a little too much show boating going on upstairs.  Possibly just a matter of fine tuning when to go long/short and when to go fast or slow.  But the blazing away from outside 50, thats a must fix along with cleaner ball use around congestion, especially by hand.  We've seen him do it before so possibly just a touch / instinctive issue here.

? Thank goodness for Tommy, Kozzie and to a lessor degree Sparrow up forward.  The rest was a dogs breakfast bar a few cameos.

? Old man Jones wasnt too bad at all.

? Rivers redeemed himself

? Fritta gotta learn to nail more of those set shots son as there just isn't enough happening when the opp has the ball otherwise. 1 out of 4 just aint gonna cut it at this level and nearly cost us dearly.

? As much as i love LJs around the ground work in the ruck and attack on the footy up forward, his set shot work is damn awful and needs fixing, even at this early stage.  Poor kicking from 20 to 35 meters out is poor footy.  He also looks a little lost when ball is loose at ground level.  No doubt the last bit will come with time but he's a fair way off the pace at the moment in this area in my view.  Lots of work ahead.  To be expected at this point.

? How many sitters did we drop, mostly in the third and mostly experienced players!!?  Some of those brought the Saints alot closer than they should have been and gave them a sniff late in the third.  Basic things to work on.

?  Any chance we can attempt to hit up more targets around the 30 to 40 meter mark, instead of bombing it to the goal line so often or hitting them either on 50 or just outside?  Fritta was on the receiving end of a few but didnt convert enough, which in some ways made this area of our game look worse but it happens far too often.  We need a genuine leading target that can mark out in front on the lead and convert at a higher percentage vs Fritta and also put extra pressure on when ball hits the turf.  It could be Fritta at some point but at this stage he's too hit and miss here.  Possibly Petty if he is ever played foward again in the McGoos and busts the door down.

? Then there's Gus.  Another that seems to be pretty wasteful given the amount of footy and opportunities he has to deliver.  I'm not sure what it is.  He looks like a million dollars at times.  Other times he looks VFL standard at best.  Possibly choosing when to push and when to switch off and gets a tad lazy upstairs.  Never really hit his heady season form of 2018 other than in patches.

? Maxy was great but i'll repeat...stop trying to thread the needle when you're well outside 50 son.  Too slow to execute and projected to the opp for too many intercepts in dangerous parts of the ground.  Other than wide open targets just look for the give and barring that, just go long down the line pls.  Play the percentages Max.

Having said all that a win is a win and nice to be 2 - zip.  Keep it going.

Can't wait for sideshow to commence up forward.  Might straighten us up a little more as well.  Is there room for him, Tommy and LJ in the same team though?

Edited March 27, 20214 yr by Rusty Nails

Jones bench pressing Butler as Ling called it was even better on the replay. Very important time to break a tackle and start a goal chain late in the third quarter. Thought Jones was more than handy tonight.

A lowlight was the lack of security in the stands, heaps of Covid coaches walking around and wiping hand rails, but no security anywhere to be seen in our section when four Saints’ fans got into a fight amongst themselves. 

I’m still drunk but I love this club and I love all of you. Every single one of you.

And to the 17 people that came up to say hi because I was wearing signed Adam Yze jumper. I love you too

5 hours ago, The heart beats true said:

Honestly we arrested some serious momentum and changed the game. I can’t remember when we last did that and went on to win.

We have some talent on the list. If we manage it well we are going places.

Yes, imagine what we can do when we get our two key forwards in. Will be powerful...

5 hours ago, MF-C said:

- Get ready to see more #36 on the kids Dees jumpers 

- Fritta to have 1,000  shots this week at training

- Clarry to get more recognition (if we lose him end of year we are screwed) 

- Players need to look at cutting out the cute crap and just do the basics 

- May and Lever held up well (did some clumsy things but that happens0

- Tomlinson played really, really well (hats off to him)

- Tracc another solid game



Should be no change to the team heading into next week

Really liked Jacko in the guts and Max up forward 

 

Who can we get to teach Jacko to kick? Gary Lyon, Tom Macdonald??