From the video review...

[evertonfc]

Always a good idea to have a look at the game on the tape after watching it at the ground, I reckon. It gives a different perspective - and you certainly watch it with a more relaxed eye.

Here's a few thoughts. Be interested to hear if anybody else watched the game on tape at a later time as well.

- Raph Clarke was a lot better than I originally gave him credit for. He made a few errors but for some reason, he looks a lot worse in the flesh than he does on TV. The fear factor of him stuffing up - because when he stuffs up, he often costs us goals - perhaps makes us more nervous than we should be. I should apologise to Meher Baba on this point, but can't find the old thread. Still felt incredibly nervous on the night and afterwards didn't feel like he did that much, but clearly he did.

- I probably gave Jarryn Geary too much initial praise. He was pretty sloppy. Tough and hard he is, but his kicking efficiency must rise if he's going to make it. I like a lot about him and think he has lots of good attributes, but he needs to work through how to deal with high-pressure situations.

- Sam Gilbert is frequently lathered in praise by this forum, but maybe he's realised what it takes. A great game. He is so bloody awkward that I worry how he'll go in a fast game (just look how he went on Mark Williams in the PF last year) but he has certainly improved. I really hope he can learn to play on and beat quality forwards, with the ability to play as a swingman if required.

- James Gwilt still needs to get stuck in more if he wants to become more than just a 'back-up' player. Did some ok things, did some poor things, but in today's footy, backmen must be very good at either stopping opponants or generating forward movement. Maybe it's just not his natural position. But if it's not, what is? He's certainly not a bad player per se, but I just wonder how we'll get the best from him.

- I was pleased Milne didn't play on when he marked the ball. Sure, he didn't thread a couple of set goals from tight shots when he could have played on, but they were still difficult and I think this will - over a season - probably earn the team around 10 or so goals, which could be very handy.

- King and Gardiner don't always win the hitout, but they are almost never beaten directly. We worked Jolly and White over despite all the commentators praise for White, he was well out-pointed. King was better than I thought - very hungry at ground level, too. Gardiner looked just as good as he did on the night.

- Steven Baker is a big inclusion, but not just as a tagger. He is a quick thinker by hand and foot and has a great sense of balance. A good user of the ball and a robust competitor. Doesn't look to have slipped at all.

Looking forward to Adelaide very much now. It's a match that could really set us on our way in 2009 with two very winnable matches to follow. We really need to be 4-1 by the time we finish with Freo in round 5 if we want to make a play at the top four.

[Armoooo]

Top post, agree with everything here.

We cam into this season with a lot of question marks -
Can Raph continue his form
Can Gilbo step up
Will our rucks be competative
Will Dal Santo and Kosi ever step up
How will we go without Max

IMO we got a glimpse of a few of these answers, I just hope that Gilbo, Gardiner, King, Dal Santo, Kosi and Dawson can keep it up.

Here's to a quick and permanent recovery to Raph aswel....

[evertonfc]

Can I also nudge in that it was a delight to see us playing well for 2.5 quarters without Riewoldt needing to dominate.

This is why it's so important we can develop goal-kicking alternatives, particuarly from midfield.

[villasaint]

must agree. have watched the game on tape twice now.

Gilbert was good playing on Okeefe but wasn't playing anywhere near as deep he was when playing on Williams in the prelim

Baker - you almost forget how reliable he is

Milne was solid, tackled, smothered, crumbed did everything you could ask of him

Raph - one of the players that got us back into the game in the second, cant wait for him to play 10 in a row

Geary, runs hard all game - will improve and be important in Adelaide

[stinger]

surprised to read in the hun that joey had 9 turnovers......

[Saints Premiers 2008]

glad that at least a few of us agree that geary looked average

coming home on the sunday and reading all the pro-geary sentiment made me wonder if i was actually watching the same game

[maverick]

This is a good thread.

I thought Raph was BOG (for us) to half time, continually ran forward with the ball and looked to attack, put himself and the game at risk to be positive. Too many Saints players play the safe option for mine. Yes he can be a flaky when in possession but now that Harvs has gone, he is one of the few in the team that knows where to run to receive the ball.

I thought Geary early on was very ordinary, just not strong enough in the contest, after half time as we imporved I thought he did as well, and although I don't think he will make it, I would be disappointed to see him make way for Hayes. Let him have a crack at making it I reckon.

BTW, I haven't watched the tape yet, but i do agree watching it afterwards does give you the extra dimension.

[Solar]

ev I think the reason why raph's turnovers end up in goals is because

1. he plays back and that will always mean that turnovers will hurt

2. He makes the play. Unlike some backman he takes risks and sets up play. Interesting that BJ's turnovers also lead to a few goals but few rip into him.

jimmy is the polar oppositeto raph IMO. Has all the atributes but no football brain. If raph keeps fit he will lock in that spot and gwilt will just be a depth player.

schneider is extremely important to our structure. Can work into space when we run the ball and is very clever near goals. I can see him doing it again in a prelim if we can get the other parts of our game in order.

[saintbrat]

Milne was solid, tackled, smothered, crumbed did everything you could ask of him

or his captain asks anyway- saw Roo directing him to move to a certain player and he just ran after him till the player had passed the ball off. Almost got him

[evertonfc]

ev I think the reason why raph's turnovers end up in goals is because

1. he plays back and that will always mean that turnovers will hurt

2. He makes the play. Unlike some backman he takes risks and sets up play. Interesting that BJ's turnovers also lead to a few goals but few rip into him.

Perhaps I have some sort of weird disposition that makes it impossible to see his good points - honestly, only did I see it on TV. At the game, in the flesh, he can look clueless at time, something I hate to see in modern footballers. It makes me bloody anxious!

I guess I just hate turnovers, particuarly in defence. I think they're almost inexcusable considering the numbers of players we play in the back half.

BJ made a few bad errors that's true, but they are rare - and he basically ran the entire match off his own boot after half-time.

jimmy is the polar oppositeto raph IMO. Has all the atributes but no football brain. If raph keeps fit he will lock in that spot and gwilt will just be a depth player.

Fair call. Clarke seems to have made peace with himself that he will stuff up, but he'll still back himself to have a dip regardless. That's a good thing.

schneider is extremely important to our structure. Can work into space when we run the ball and is very clever near goals. I can see him doing it again in a prelim if we can get the other parts of our game in order.

FFS - can you speak up when I need help defending him!

Schneids made one or two errors, but some of what he did was absolutely inspiring. Get his body and mind right and we've got a fantastic weapon on our hands.

His reading of the play is absolutely brilliant. Execution on his non-preferred needs a little work, but he adds such a great dimension to our midfield-forward link.

[StPeter]

I always watch a tape of the game after seeing it live.
It confirmed what I thought when I saw it live.
Raph close to best on the ground when he went off injured.
Geary still not good enough to be in our best 22.

[evertonfc]

Geary still not good enough to be in our best 22.

See, I think he can be. He just has to hit more targets because he has some really good attributes in his game.

[Armoooo]

Geary has the tank that is needed in modern footy and he has the grunt and tackling ability that we lack as a team.

He has good enough skills he just hasn't been executing them in match situations, whether that be because of the pace of AFL or just lack of confidence I don't know.

But IMO we must persist with him, he has a lot of potential to be a very very good player but he isn't hurting us in the short term.

[bergholt]

Geary has the tank that is needed in modern footy and he has the grunt and tackling ability that we lack as a team.

He has good enough skills he just hasn't been executing them in match situations, whether that be because of the pace of AFL or just lack of confidence I don't know.

decision making seems to be the kid's problem. too often he overthinks things and freaks himself out and then gets caught or gives a hospital handpass. this is definitely confidence, i think. hopefully a couple more games and he'll be up to speed - otherwise hopefully someone's pushing up to take his spot.