We are better than a MOR team. Behind Geelong, we sit equal with the next four or five teams. Unfortunately, we have a gama plan that concerns itself far too much with what the opposition is doing. Our players, who are a talented bunch, have become hesitant and unwilling to take risks. They do a rid...

You just need to release guys like Hayes occasionally. With all this bench/midfield rotation, you have quality players sitting on the pine when they could be on the wing or forward flank. Unfortunately, we don't have any young, quick, enthusiastic midfielders who can spark the team, so that's why th...

Meher, the analogy of the Ferrari taking a trailer to the tip is absolutely spot on. Why waste talented and creative footballers on defensive grunt work? For God's sake, you can bring in Armitage to do that, and then allow Hayes to be creative, rather than a smash and crash man. By the way, I think ...

Sadly though, playing ugly won't win us a flag either. You can't fit a square peg into a round hole. Assess your strengths and play to them. Meanwhile, recruit the right players. Tim Watson made the grave error on focussing far too much on what the other team was doing, and we became a nervous, reac...

The bottom line for me is that we have been excruciatingly boring to watch since the beginning of 2007. I would rather watch us play attacking football and see what comes of it. Concerning yourself with how to shut down the opposition is all very fine, but it's better to the hunted than the hunter. ...

Frankie Coghlan - never laid a tackle in over 100 games.

Craig Devonport - No team ethic and grossly overrated

Robert Mace - Nutjob

Brian Wilson - Pffffft

Barry Brooks - had it all except the most vital ingredient

Aaah, pick 9. The cursed pick in all drafts. We were dead keen on Ben Reid, but the Magpies knew we were after him and got him first. Armitage is tough and hard at the man, but needs the other type of mental toughness, the one exemplified by Harvey and Hayes - the tougness of pushing yourself to the...

I am a bit worried about how he's being managed. I would like to see him rested every third game until about round 12, just to make sure he's not back to where he was last year by round 15. Armitage could fill the gap while he's rested, which would be helpful to his development. Unlike Judd, Ball ha...

The Swans blocked the zone between our defensive 50 and the centre of the ground, eliminating our options to run the ball out of defense. They also had a player guarding our attacking 50 line, so our guys were reluctant to kick to CHF to a contested situation. Their defenders also worked hard at blo...

Top 12 are pretty obvious at most clubs. It was only a struggle with Geelong really. You realise just how even their list is, and how much quality there is in their best 22. It's no wonder their turn came. I could have put 15 into 12 easily. Surprisingly, it didn't take as long as I thought it would...

If you look at the injury stats for most clubs in 2007, you can see why some finished near the top. The most fortunate was Hawthorn, who had 13 players who played every game, or just missed one game. Another 3 players missed just two games. North Melbourne had 10 players who played every game, and a...

Should I pass the Kleenex around?

Poor Wayne. He's done it hard, the poor dear, what with his long standing self esteem issues and awkward shyness to cope with.


Hang in there Wayne, we're all rooting for you.

Nathan Buckley by a country mile. Simply Mark Browning in a Collingwood jumper, that's all. But that's what you get for playing for Collingwood. To even be compared with the true greats of the game is just laughable. I could name 100 better footballers. Matthew Lloyd. The 'Robbie the Robot' of the A...

You only need three or four speedsters in the team to break the lines. Look at Geelong. Their midield has Bartel, Corey, Ling and co. who have never been seen as super-quick. They are no quicker than the Saints, and they had a super season in 2007 True, you need some speed in your team, but just how...

In a pretty one-paced team, Jones is a valuable asset even though his kicking is third rate. Make no mistake, he is super-quick.


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Riewoldt had some cartilege problems when he started at St Kilda. Could it be that this has flared again? The Herald Sun reported last week that he had knee tendonitis, which as I mentioned in a previous post, is a bugger of a complaint - very painful, and reduces a player's ability to do a lot of r...

Andy's been eating the stupid pills again

My wish list: Armitage to show something, and run out the game. Geary to show why he was elevated to the main list Gardiner and King to get though unscathed and have sufficient game time Howard to play, and use his superior pace to advantage Allen and Steven to play, just so we can get a look at them.

Also, I notice in the Herald Scum that Gram has a hip injury. Is this the same hip injury that troubled him for nearly all of last season?

Another worry, as he's in out top 4 most important players.


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My understanding is that Riewoldt's knee soreness has been brewing since mid January. The positive is that it didn't flare up two weeks from the start of the season proper. We know he had a solid base up until January, so some rest now might see it settle down a little bit without adversely effectin...

Knee tendonitis is a bugger of a complaint - very painful, hard to shake off, and can really restrict the ability to do a lot of running during a game. We may be seeing Riewoldt playing out of the goal square a bit this year with Koschitske pushing up the ground. Riewoldt will have to be managed ver...

I think 6PR are on the money!

A couple of those two weekers might be a wee bit longer, though. Don't be at all surprised.....

When does the game start?

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Don't be surprised if Riewoldt or Hudghton don't play.

I think they're being cautious with those two.


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Ladder Position (after H&A): 7
After Finals: 3
Win/Loss: 13/9
B & F: Sam Fisher
Top 3 Brownlow: Dal Santo, Hayes, Gram
Biggest Saints Headline: Top Geary: Jarryn overtakes the fancies.
Best Win: v Hawthorn
Most Improved: Raphael Clarke
Best Rookie: Geary
Under the Radar: Aaron Fiora