Putting all the personnel aside and looking at the game it was a pure joy to see the use of 'clever' football. After years of dour negative style playing here we saw the consummate opposite.

Talking with mate (and Saint supporter ) I suggested the biggest change is almost along the lines of glass half full/ half empty style of argument.

With Goodwin the focus was on stoppages, on defence. Even the forwards were bogged down with defending inside the fwd arc. Something that always befuddled me ( as a forward,long long long time ago ) Goody played a team of 18 defenders.

FFwd

We now setup up attacks as far back as deep in our defended arc. KING thinks of the game as having 18 attacking players.

Instead of getting mired in ballups and stoppages we now try to get the ball moving and intelligently. The next kick isn't necessarily to a player...it's to advantage... We are no longer dropping bombs on heads we're kicking and creating opportunities for leads.

Anyone who's played this game knows none of this is new but it's been quite a while since most of us have seen blokes in a Red & Blue jumper playing this way, and playing well.

To think it took just ONE preseason .. just one 🤔🙄

Our game is still a tad rough and raw but the signs are there.

We're not finishing 14th..... just saying

Edited 43 minutes ago43 min by beelzebub

3 hours ago, titan_uranus said:

The fact that we had a number of players who were down is a positive IMO. 120 points with Koz kicking 1 goal, for example. Personally I think Lever was fine and nowhere near as bad as he’s copping on here, other than the two awful kick turnovers (he has to learn to stop trying those kicks, he routinely misses them).

Agree re Latrelle. How many times did he find himself in space and with the ability to impact? He was behind the pace of AFL level, and not fit or strong enough, but the sign is there IMO that he can be damaging once he adjusts.

we had 340 disposals which is around average or higher and that's without a couple of players getting 35. It'll vary week to week and if one player kicks it then another doesn't, so there'll always be a couple of players down on possessions. Saints had 70 more possessions but most were just fiddling around, whereas ours were direct and going forward.

16 hours ago, DiscoStu17 said:

Some interesting team stats I was just looking at.

It looks like the Saints had more of everything, except 2 crucial stats – we had more bounces, and more tackles.

Either we are being very efficient, or they are squandering the ball.

Interestingly, in Ross’ presser, he stated that both teams had the same number of attempted tackles, but Melbourne was more efficient at 82% successful, compared to Saint Kilda at 50% successful.

I’m too lazy to verify these statistics.

It is true that broken tackles cost matches.

4 hours ago, binman said:

OR is ridiculous, and I've found it interesting how many coaches have been prepared to say so.

So emblamatic of the AFL's philosophy of putting profit and market share over ensuring the competition is as fair and equitable as possible.

I mean it creates a potential inequity from the very beginning of the season.

But if they ARE going to have an OR, surely the logical thing to do would for all 8 teams who play OR to play a team who also played in OR in round one.

Just make them all intra-state derbys......

19 hours ago, Dee-licious said:

Kolt was so good defensively today. 8 scoring involvements to 6 and ran par on disposals and metres gained. He went head to head with “the best player in the afl” (he’s no Max) and walked away breaking even and dominated after quarter time. I hope this is the turning point for him. Trusted in the forward line, back line; and centre bounce. We don’t win without his efforts.

Nowhere near the best.

Edited 1 hour ago1 hr by YesitwasaWin4theAges

46 minutes ago, Pennant St Dee said:

Great win, effort there all day but FFS

Some of you should be embarrassed with your comments on the game day thread, I’ll give you a tip Rd 1 next year we’ll also be a little rusty.

Max take a bow

4 hours ago, poita said:

Bit of a weird game overall, lots of players contributed but only Van Rooyen and Gawn (after 1/4 time) really dominated. Nevertheless a very enjoyable win, and the improved composure of the group late was pleasing.

Clearly our ball movement and our forward line structure were infinitely better than anything we've seen in the past two years. Time will tell whether we can maintain this against better opposition.

We haven't had a genuinely unselfish, team-oriented key forward since 2021 Ben Brown. The only issue I have with Mihocek is that we didn't land him three years ago when he could have helped deliver a second premiership. His impact on Van Rooyen and the other forwards will be immense, regardless of his own contributions.

It was fantastic to see the likes of Sharp and Tholstrup play important roles, and clearly King has come in with fresh eyes and fresh ideas to rejuvenate some of these players.

On the flip side, the defence was a hot, stinking mess for most of the day. Lever was appalling throughout and must be dropped for McDonald this week. As I've said for a long time, Lever and Turner should never play in the same team as both are trying to play the same role.

Salem and Jiath are also a concern as neither wants to be accountable for an opponent. Both had some decent moments with the ball, but they will be easily exposed against better opposition.

St Kilda's lack of height allowed us to play an extra utility on the bench, but we probably need to play another tall this week. Petty was very good when he rucked, but we will need him to stay back against Freo. Gawn rucking 90% of the game is also not sustainable long term, so hopefully Heath comes in (perhaps for Sparrow).

Not much to unpack here, because I agree with most of it. Premature to drop Lever, but he is on watch, but I would definitely add Heath

Too early to say Culley has a bit of Nathan Fyfe about him?

Massive unit, great mark, plays mid. His skills surprised me too

We are having a good run in the media and socials. Feels like we are the feel good story and we are the fun team to watch.

Let's keep the confidence and good feeling going!

3 hours ago, Ghostwriter said:

Who’s laughing now, chumps!

It looked like it was made out of bin liners.

3 hours ago, hardtack said:

Maybe, like the players, they’re a bit rusty. Also, they now have a few new rules that they have to get their heads around. I refuse to believe that they are somehow under orders to disadvantage our club… that’s one conspiracy theory that doesn’t sit well with me (I’m not saying that you are a conspiracy theorist DemonOx, but there are those who definitely fit the bill)

I’m of the opinion that they probably aren’t paid enough, considering the level of abuse that is directed at them.

The inconsistencies are well above "the not paid enough" mild synopsis.

That defensive play Petty made late in the game, bravo fella. A bit maligned but hopefully he can have a ripper year.

4 hours ago, Dee Viney Intervention said:

Couldn’t agree more. However the boundary umpires had a shocker. Clear “lasoo” feee to Melbourne not paid, but I was staggered how shallow most boundary throw ins were, falling way short. Rucks didn’t really adjust but still way too short.

There was also a lasso paid to them off a kick that Lingers had touched on the members wing. I could hear the thud as it was touched from the second deck of the Olympic stand.

3 minutes ago, Rab D Nesbitt said:

There was also a lasso paid to them off a kick that Lingers had touched on the members wing. I could hear the thud as it was touched from the second deck of the Olympic stand.

they certainly couldn't throw in the required 18-20m - they were even coming 5m in from the boundary and still struggling to make the required distance

goal umpires were no better either; there was a clearly touched ball on the goal line that i could see from my position on the wing that the goal umpire couldn't see when they were standing straddling the line

the problem with being the 'late' games in the weekend is you definitely get the lesser officiators across the board

26 minutes ago, DubDee said:

Too early to say Culley has a bit of Nathan Fyfe about him?

Massive unit, great mark, plays mid. His skills surprised me too

Haven’t seen him in enough positions to say with 100% confidence but his physical attributes tell me he could be a Blicsavs type utility. I reckon wherever you put him, he’ll do a job for you. He looks smaller than he is because he moves so well.

33 minutes ago, DubDee said:

Too early to say Culley has a bit of Nathan Fyfe about him?

Massive unit, great mark, plays mid. His skills surprised me too

his set shot is better than Fyfe's. slotted his goal yesterday beautifully.

23 minutes ago, roy11 said:

That defensive play Petty made late in the game, bravo fella. A bit maligned but hopefully he can have a ripper year.

Yes commented upon that somewhere..

The one on the Saint's two ??

Was very well done. Ould easily have been a goal and dramatically changed momentum.

I just feel we're just a little lacking in defence atm. Could be opened up by better teams 🤔

36 minutes ago, Rab D Nesbitt said:

It looked like it was made out of bin liners.

Handy if such..

Aged well.... and probably went straight into one 😉

2 hours ago, ElDiablo14 said:

Celebrating a nothing game. Pathetic.

How do they feel about their millionaires club now?

They actually had t-shirts printed straight after that match last year… “Miracle at Marvel” with a picture of NWM taking a speccy. I wish I could say I’m joking, but sadly it’s true.

3 minutes ago, Ghostwriter said:

They actually had t-shirts printed straight after that match last year… “Miracle at Marvel” with a picture of NWM taking a speccy. I wish I could say I’m joking, but sadly it’s true.

Bless their little hearts ....