Time to divide the forum again...

[OneEyedSainter77]

7 rounds in. injuries, starting to settle in as usual. 4-3. 5th on the ladder. hawthorn, the cats and geelong flying. Early days, plenty of time left this season.

Who thinks we still can win the flag?

I do.

most people should. Pre-season, without taking injuries into account, i expected us to be 4-3 after 7 rounds, with losses to Geelong, Essendon and Port.

I expected us to finish 15-7 in 4th place, for a crack at Geelong in week one.

We can still do it, we might still do it.

Who here shares the faith?

[Sainter_Boy]

I do - and as far as I am concerned - If you dont - please dont reply

Show some faith - If we tear our own apart after being 4-3 imagine of we were the hapless Demons

SAINTERS for LIFE

literally Believe or BURN!

[mr six o'clock]

dear mr one eyed sainter, I know your one eye only sees red white and black, but surely your nose still works ! A great deal of the football we have played this year smells like S@#$... If it continues there's on way we will contest the flag

[JeffDunne]

Of course we can.

We need most . . . actually make that all . . . of our core players to improve their form but we've still got plenty of time for that to happen.

I don't think there's a player on our list that can't play much better than they are.

[AlpineStars]

We were all pulling ourselves at this time a few years back when we won our first 10, but I would have rather won the last 10. Hopefully we will start to hit our straps after the break.

[Beekay]

We can, but we won't.

Not tough enough.

Not smart enough.

Not skillful enough.


The first one is through choice, the second one is just the way it is, the third one has me stumped.

[Dan Warna]

We can, but we won't.

Not tough enough.

Not smart enough.

Not skillful enough.


The first one is through choice, the second one is just the way it is, the third one has me stumped.

what has me stumped is we've shown we can be tough, smart and skillful in recent games and in recent seasons, these players.

sure some excuses can be made for the new guys, but not for those who have been at the club for a significant period of time.

still at 4:3 we are more than capable of turning it around in teh back half.

[Zed]

who have we beaten so far ..

Sydney - notorious slow starters
Carlton - not a top 8 team
Essendon - not a top 8 team
Richmond - not a top 8 team

No really convincing wins in there either ...

Who did we lose to:
Bulldogs - top 4 contenders
Cats - GF favourites
Port - top 8 contender (but not exactly in peak form)

In other words there arent really any wins to get too excited about

Next 2 weeks will tell the tale.

Collingwood are a top 8 team
Brisbane are an elimination final contender.

Lose both - we are definately a bottom 8 club
Win 1 - we will be contender for a spot in the elimination final only
Must Win both to be a top 4 contender.

[Solar]

yes of course.... I do like the fact that we have barely fired a shot and still are 4-3

It's important to note that the top 3 who are flying are all teams in melbourne. This is important because 4th place looks right up for grabs. Apart from last week the crows have looked second rate, collingwood are struggling and brisbane are very up and down.

Look the best thing is that the team has so much more improving to do. I would be worried that we are 4-3 and were either playing at our peak or struck down with season ending injuries (right now goose is the only one)

plus saturday night we had every reason to lie down and take it but we kept coming. There was alot to like about it, mostly I can't see us being beaten in the middle that much many more times in the future.

[Saints Premiers 2008]

we can and we will

[evertonfc]

The season isn't over, but we're so far short of the league's elite.

I can't see us making top four while we are playing this type of football.

[plugger66]

We probably cannot win it. 4 wins with no injuries and now injuries. Next 3 games decides our destiny this year. Must win 2 or cannot finish top 4. It is basically over if you do not finish top 4.

[Solar]

We probably cannot win it. 4 wins with no injuries and now injuries. Next 3 games decides our destiny this year. Must win 2 or cannot finish top 4. It is basically over if you do not finish top 4.

agree

and if we don't win 2 of the next three we don't deserve to push for higher honours. Should have it all over melbourne and collingwood are totally out of form. He still have a very good set up despite losing goose, roo and x.

6-4 near half way is what I want to see. With two trips to WA against struggling "tanking" teams have gone from tought to better then 50/50.

[LENNY LEADS THE WAY]

Can we make the 8? Yes

Can we be a serious threat in the finals? No

Can we win the flag? Not this year

[meher baba]

Can we make the 8? Yes

Can we be a serious threat in the finals? No

Can we win the flag? Not this year

I would actually have different answers to these questions.

Can we make the 8? Possibly, although it will be a long, hard struggle.

Can we be a serious threat in the finals? If all our key players (bar Goose) are fit and in form, absolutely: even with Lyon's stupid game plan.

Can we win the flag? See the answer to the above question.

Just imagine us lining up for a finals game with the following line-up of fully fit and (this is the crucial bit) in form players.

B S Fisher Hudghton Gilbert
HB Baker Gram Goddard
C X Clarke, Montagna Dal Santo
HF Schneider Riewoldt Harvey
FF Kosi Gehrig Milne
Followers: King Hayes Ball

I/C from: Fiora Armitage M Gardiner R Clarke L Fisher Geary Birss C Gardiner Dempster Blake

I'd back that list to give a difficult game to just about anybody in a final. It would be even better with Goose on board.

We have a very good list when they are all in reasonable form and fully fit.
So many on here seem to have forgotten this fact.

[fingers]

Of course we can. We have seen the upside of some of the players that are very much below their best. Lots of upside for us.

[bobmurray]

Just imagine us lining up for a finals game with the following line-up of fully fit and (this is the crucial bit) in form players.

B S Fisher Hudghton Gilbert
HB Baker Gram Goddard
C X Clarke, Montagna Dal Santo
HF Schneider Riewoldt Harvey
FF Kosi Gehrig Milne
Followers: King Hayes Ball

I/C from: Fiora Armitage M Gardiner R Clarke L Fisher Geary Birss C Gardiner Dempster Blake

Gram at CHB........now i know your pulling our leg

The same 3 talls in the forward line who,so far,have failed to find any cohesion and who allow the opposition to run the ball out like it's a training drill....

We won't do it with that line up,unfortunately.....

[Sainterone]

I reckon we can still win the flag.

First of all, we have to win enough games to make the finals.

Despite logic and history saying that you have to be Top4 to win the flag, I believe that you can win from anywhere.

Maybe the interstate teams won't go so well this year and fewer teams will have to travel interstate for knockout finals.

If we have played our team into form and they work out a gameplan that works by the start of the finals we can move into September thinking we have as much chance as any other team.

[aussierules0k]

[Huzzad]

I share the faith. I have doubts, but beleive we can turn the season around.

Watching Melbourne against Freo, anything is possible. Not that Freo are a great side, but coming from 51 points down is a great effort regardless. We can do it, it is early days. The critics are already against us, which is a great sign. We win more when people are not tipping us.

Keep the faith. When it is later in the season, we can start to panic. If our midfield fires, we dont have much to worry about in terms of injury. Goose can be replaced. Roo can be repalced (although his influence is important). So long as our midfield finds form, we will be very hard to beat.

[Teflon]

Im intrigued at how many arent overly stressed at the loss of Riewoldt.....hhhmmm...is that because many dont see him as a match winner?

[bobmurray]

Im intrigued at how many arent overly stressed at the loss of Riewoldt.....hhhmmm...is that because many dont see him as a match winner?

He's our best player but he is not having a good year.....

I think he is getting closer attention than he ever has,plus the tactics are getting worse...Tunnelling.....body slams onto the surface after the ball has spilt clear.......

We are way too predictable,which was a criticism when that other bloke was running the show.......

Hence Reiwoldt is copping it......

[OneEyedSainter77]

Im intrigued at how many arent overly stressed at the loss of Riewoldt.....hhhmmm...is that because many dont see him as a match winner?

Make no mistake - I am absolutely stressed over the loss of Riewoldt. But we had him out for liek 6 matches in 2005 and still made the prelim. So why not this year?

[killa_gram]

There is not a chance we can win the flag this year, sorry.

[matrix]

yeah we lost roo.....
it wont make any difference tho.
we wont be winning a flag this year anyway, not even with a full strength side and no injuries.

just being realistic