Round One thoughts/opinions?

[WellardSaint]

We're not full strength, with all the injuries, so our Rd 1 team won't represent the best team we can field.

But I wonder how we'll feel about the result.
Win, lose or draw, what does everyone think?

Will the result be viewed as a glimpse of our 2022 season?
Knowing we have best 22 coming back at some stage will improve our chances.

Or will the way we play, be the thing we're all talking about? New coaches- Enright, etc, and how Ratts performs with Merrick giving him feedback.

So, are we going to treat the result as a portent of the season, or will we put all the emphasis on HOW we play?

Does this make sense...

[Gershwin]

I’m all about the 4 points.
An ugly win will be better than to look good but lose due to poor kicking for goal.

In saying that, I’m really hoping we dominate the game and win easily.

[WellardSaint]

I would like us to play confident, aggressive footy, with accurate disposal and winning most of the disputed ball.

I hope we win, but if we lose, i want to see great signs and strong play.

[cwrcyn]

We don't know what Collingwood will throw up with their new coach. In game one anything can happen.

Have we made sufficient ground in fitness?

Can Gresham get through a whole game or will his legs be heavy in the second half?

Is Steele 100% fit?

Is Moore's speed, height, and agility perfect for negating Max King?

Will we put a lock on Steele Sidebottom?

Will Grundy destroy us like last time?

Will Collingwood play Cox and Cameron in an attempt to stretch our lack of height in defense?

[spert]

If the Saints come out play as a team, then we'll win, but the midfield especially need to be switched on from the first bounce as we won't win with a dud first quarter. Not sure how we'll go this year.

[PADDLEPOP1001]

We should take it a game at a time & even with our injuries the pies have Roughue,Maynard & Murphy out from their back 6 that will most certainly help us & unsettle them,we should win & as long as we get the 4 points we can build momentum from there unlike past seasons!

[Wayne42]

I'm going to wait and see what we dish up for round 1, this is St Kilda, anything is possible.

[SaintPav]

It's always nice to get off to a win but it didn't really help us last year.

[Gershwin]

It's always nice to get off to a win but it didn't really help us last year.

Probably would have been even worse had we lost the first match.

[Devilhead]

Saints by 6+ goals

[Vortex]

hopefully intensity from the first ball up is the same intensity shown at the first ball up of a finals game, make a statement for the year ahead right from the get go. Time for this cozy bunch to hurt or be hurt by transcending their inner Stevie Baker and never die wondering at every contest. Keep it simple.

[st.byron]

I want to see some precision and flow going into F50. Not just bombs to big Max with 2 or 3 against him.
I want intensity from the get go.
Run out the game.
And the ability to control the tempo and stop any Oppo run-ons that threaten to develop.
And selection looking to the future, not mired in the mediocre past

[shanegrambeau]

I want to see Plan B …

The bit when the opposition wrestles back back the game, closes down play and we can’t play the overflow running thing.

I want to see plan C..
If the opposition get going on a run, how will we respond.

Against Collingwood, I can’t seeing it get to plan C

[Saints58]

We don't know what Collingwood will throw up with their new coach. In game one anything can happen.

Have we made sufficient ground in fitness?

Can Gresham get through a whole game or will his legs be heavy in the second half?

Is Steele 100% fit?

Is Moore's speed, height, and agility perfect for negating Max King?

Will we put a lock on Steele Sidebottom?

Will Grundy destroy us like last time?

Will Collingwood play Cox and Cameron in an attempt to stretch our lack of height in defense?


Yes I think they will try and stretch our defence with our lack of height as many teams will try.
We should look at Leinert if Battle struggles I would also play Leinert in the 22 not sure where but find a place especially with the kick he has on him.

[Yorkeys]

Maynard out is good. We have a strong squad. Home game. Make noise. Bring them home.

[BadRossco]

If both sides were at full strength we would win comfortably but our outs will have a greater affect than theirs as such I expect a narrow loss

[WellardSaint]

I want to see some precision and flow going into F50. Not just bombs to big Max with 2 or 3 against him.
I want intensity from the get go.
Run out the game.
And the ability to control the tempo and stop any Oppo run-ons that threaten to develop.
And selection looking to the future, not mired in the mediocre past

There's been games where Max takes 3-4 nice marks in the 1st qtr, looks set for a big game, then the next 3 qtrs, our guys kick it very poorly to him and he's got 3 guys on him, gets worked off the ball.
An exception was the Meth Coast Eagles in Perth when his last qtr was electric.

We need to give it to him properly, and Hayes and Skunk need to provide decoys to let Max compete

[Gershwin]

If both sides were at full strength we would win comfortably but our outs will have a greater affect than theirs as such I expect a narrow loss

I think you are over-reacting to our outs. Only Jones would be in our top 12 players. Clark and Coffield have not cemented their places in the 22 and Ryder is a bonus when he plays but will struggle to get on the ground at his age with a chronic ankle injury. Geary and Hannebery? Who knows.

[Ghost Like]

I expect to win and win well. It's round 1, I do not expect it to be pretty or perfect. I agree with Vortex, skills or game plan may not be perfect but intensity, commitment and selflessness should be.

In terms of Hayes or Membrey being decoys(???), surely that can only work if our players actually hit them up, ideally making it a 3 prong threat. Membrey and Hayes need to be dangerous for Max to be the weapon we hope / want him to be.

Game plans by teams are all quite similar IMO, what makes a side different to another is execution of skill, fast ball movement and two way running & spread better than the opposition. Turnovers will kill all three aspects.

I want the ball moved into our forward line quickly, no defence enjoys that and will eventually crack. Exhibit A: The 2021 GF from the 15 minute mark of the 3rd quarter until the very end.

[Teflon]

I want to see some precision and flow going into F50. Not just bombs to big Max with 2 or 3 against him.
I want intensity from the get go.
Run out the game.
And the ability to control the tempo and stop any Oppo run-ons that threaten to develop.
And selection looking to the future, not mired in the mediocre past

Agreed

[ace]

A win would be better than a loss.

[Gershwin]

A win would be better than a loss.

A win is the only good result.

[BadRossco]

Our outs a pretty handy Gershwin, I’d have Billings in our top 12 also and Clark and Ryder when fit would certainly be easily in the top 22. Coffield is still a bit of an enigma and forget Hanners. I agree Jone’s pace will be missed in a side that doesn’t have an abundance of it.

[stkfc1]

Most folks don't have Collingwood making the 8 so we need to be beating these teams if we're serious about finals this year.

Collingwood
Hawks
North
GCS
Adelaide

Must be beating these teams. No excuses.

Sydney
Blues
Freo
Bombers
Giants

Our "there abouts" teams and our biggest competition for spots in the 8. Wins against these teams are going to go along way to us playing finals

The rest are, in theory ahead of us, so wins against these teams are gold.

The only other two teams I think aren't going to go so well this year are West Coast (injuries are going to cripple any chance of them being a threat). They have Suns and North first up. They may well drop one of these games. Then they have a shocking run of last year's Top 8 in the first half of year. Their season could well be over by round 6.

Geelong is the other one. Just my opinion but I think their time is over with too many aging stars. Just don't see them being a threat this year. Probably have egg on my face but just a feeling I have. May still make the 8 but can't see them Top 4.

I have Demons, Tigers, Lions, Dogs and Power ahead of them.

[Otiman]

The time for thinking and speculation is over, it's close enough to just concentrate on what happens on the park this week.

I won't be spending any more energy thinking about the what-ifs until then.