St Kilda cant Win Flag

[PuntRdRoar]

After seeing them tonight against us...Saints fans will be disappointed. They wont win the flag. Adelaide, Geelong, West Coast and Bullies are all better. St Kilda is 2 slow.

[Tiger Spirit]

Long way to go yet, but Geelong seems to have a more even team at this stage.

Word is that the Saints are ‘pacing’ themselves early in the season and building as the year progresses.

There has to be some question marks about the Saints’ depth.  Doesn’t help their cause any that there seems to be some doubts about Luke Ball’s short to medium term fitness.

At the top end, their top liners are amongst the best in the AFL, but when someone like Peckett is in the starting 22, you start to worry.  I’m sure he does his best, but maybe gives an indication about their depth and that they either still need to add to their list, or others need to improve, before they can be considered a real threat.

[mightytiges]

Kosi is really important to them. Without him they have no genuine ruckman (Simmonds smacked them last night) and they are predictable going forward. Their second tier goes missing too often and against top sides like the ones you've mentioned Ramps they'll be exposed once again in finals. You can't rely on the opposition losing two key defenders in a match and biased umpiring to win a flag.

 

[WilliamPowell]

I am not a fan of the Saints. And I agree RT they seem very slow - god help 'em when they face the Doggies - they'll get a spanking  like we did

I think there are a couple of blokes (but I wont mention their names because I am not allowed too) in their side who don't like contested footy and when they're placed in the situation of being played man on man they really struggle.

[mightytiges]

I think there are a couple of blokes (but I wont mention their names because I am not allowed too) in their side who don't like contested footy and when they're placed in the situation of being played man on man they really struggle.

That wouldn't be Nick "Kleenex" Rie..something or other WP lol  . Maybe the umps gave him soft frees because they thought he might cry  .

[mightytiges]

Yep after last night Saints are still too slow and have a very leaky defence.

[the_boy_jake]

from my vantage:


In premiership mode and good enough:
West Coast - very hungry great midfield.
Adelaide - good list but need senior players on top of game. Reminds me of Lions in 2004.
St Kilda - I really do think they can win it. Port at Port is always tough. No denying they havent hit their straps, but I think this could be their last throw with Gehrig, Harvey, Thompson nearing the end. Unfortunately a good list can get you to the finals, but good coaching wins finals and they have a poor coach. Hayes, Dal Santo, Ball midfield simply top class.

The chasing pack:
Geelong - one year off I think.
Port - on the wane. The list hasn't deteriorated too much, but they play a direct kicking game that relies on a lot of contested marks. Good style to watch, but a few years behind the times I think.
Bulldogs - Have a great senior core and how they found themselves rooted at the bottom for a few years is anyones guess. Will be top 8 but it is too early.
Swans - never an attractive side to watch, but they seem to have to scrap in every game they play. A few of their smaller nimble players (O'Keefe, Buchanan, Ablett etc) look to have spent too much time in the gym and bulked up too much.

Average Sides
Collingwood - lack class. Struggle unless Rocca takes a bag of marks.
Kangaroos - don't seem to be going anywhere at all.
Essendon - have a poor midfield IMO. Hille is awful around the ground and only Hird has clean disposal. Jason Johnson is a poor kick, Lovett, Lovett-Murray and McVeigh lose their head too easily. Couple of promising youngsters.
Hawthorn - Think they will dop off and finish 10-14th.
Freo - Very close to putting them in poor, but have not watched them this season.
Melbourne - Have had their chance I feel. They are at a point where each year they are just topping up but there is not enough class to see them taking this list much further.
Richmond - Think we will finish towards the bottom of this group. We lack a midfield unit and lack the depth to compensate by rotating players through it. Not happy with forward setup. Think the list has a long way to go but lots of upside at Coburg.
 
Poor
Brisbane - I feel sorry for Voss. Should retire now.
Carlton - 5 years off anything. Pagan's reputation is on the line. They are a rabble now.

[mightytiges]

from my vantage:


In premiership mode and good enough:
West Coast - very hungry great midfield.
Adelaide - good list but need senior players on top of game. Reminds me of Lions in 2004.
St Kilda - I really do think they can win it. Port at Port is always tough. No denying they havent hit their straps, but I think this could be their last throw with Gehrig, Harvey, Thompson nearing the end. Unfortunately a good list can get you to the finals, but good coaching wins finals and they have a poor coach. Hayes, Dal Santo, Ball midfield simply top class.

The chasing pack:
Geelong - one year off I think.
Port - on the wane. The list hasn't deteriorated too much, but they play a direct kicking game that relies on a lot of contested marks. Good style to watch, but a few years behind the times I think.
Bulldogs - Have a great senior core and how they found themselves rooted at the bottom for a few years is anyones guess. Will be top 8 but it is too early.
Swans - never an attractive side to watch, but they seem to have to scrap in every game they play. A few of their smaller nimble players (O'Keefe, Buchanan, Ablett etc) look to have spent too much time in the gym and bulked up too much.

It's a shame we are a few years off from being a challenger. Like 2005, this year's flag is wide open. Even all the top sides  have a major question mark over them. The Bullies look awesome at the minute with all their runners but can they keep it up for 22 weeks plus finals.

[mightytiges]

Saints were woeful tonight. Actually their form has been pretty crap all year and they only won last week against the Swans because it was wet so their lack of leg speed wasn't exposed. Too many injured or injury-prone players and too many passengers/duds. A dud coach as well who topped with blokes like Watts (first round pick for 1 game) and Rix who aren't up to it. Our game against them in a month's time could be the decider to see who makes the Eight.

I know we all like to give it to Fiora but you can't defend his marking "efforts" tonight. That one in the 3rd quarter was just embarrassing. Even Commetti was feeling sorry for him. Incredible he's got to 100 games.

LOL @ Spud having all the answers as a special commentator  .

[one-eyed]

This thread is still apt over 2 years later.

The Saints still believe they are premiership material. Robert Harvey says so in the Age today. They are also topping up big time. Not only are they chasing Cousins but now they are interested in another bad boy Demon Nathan Carroll.

Saints zeroing in on flag: Harvey
Greg Baum | October 24, 2008

BEN COUSINS could play for St Kilda for five years, and the Saints could win their long overdue second premiership next year, says recently retired legend Robert Harvey.

Harvey said St Kilda was replete with exciting young talent. "If a few in the middle take that next step up, and the young guys come on, next year is a possibility," he said.

"They finished fourth this year. They're a huge chance in the next two to three years."

Harvey said St Kilda was on track this year until late injuries, most crucially to Luke Ball. But he said the club was ideally set up now to handle this perennial handicap.

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/saints-zeroing-in-on-flag-harvey/2008/10/23/1224351449134.html

[Chuck17]

It sure is, they are so full of it.

They are riding on the petticoats of Riewoldt, their ageing list will mean their play only gets slower and slower and their top-up drafting policy is woeful.

All they are doing is setting themselvelves up for major bad times when the compromised drafts come along.

Harvey has it right in the fact they are zero's though, 0/10 that is.

[WilliamPowell]

This thread is still apt over 2 years later.

The Saints still believe they are premiership material. Robert Harvey says so in the Age today. They are also topping up big time. Not only are they chasing Cousins but now they are interested in another bad boy Demon Nathan Carroll.

I think they should continue down their path of "nothingness"

They are the most over rated team and dysfunctional club in the comp.

Hate 'em 

[mightytiges]

About time we finally knock off these pretenders. Round 13 next year lock it in  .

[wayne]

Harvey said St Kilda was replete with exciting young talent. "If a few in the middle take that next step up, and the young guys come on, next year is a possibility," he said.

I assume Harvey means the guys that are 24-25 years old.

It's funny watching a team think they're a premiership chance, and top up with Ray, Gardiner, King, Schneider, Dempster and possibly Cousins and Carrol.

It's so similar to us at the 2001 draft it's scary.

[Chuck17]

I assume Harvey means the guys that are 24-25 years old.

It's funny watching a team think they're a premiership chance, and top up with Ray, Gardiner, King, Schneider, Dempster and possibly Cousins and Carrol.

It's so similar to us at the 2001 draft it's scary.

Compared to Harvey 24-25 is young.

At least for us in 2001 there weren't compromised drafts coming up, imagine if there were back in 2001 it would mean no Deledio for the Tiges in the 2004 draft

As William said the road to nothingness is beckoning