St Kilda to kick on

[B.M]

We won’t win in Geelong

Bug having said that, the ground suits RL as it is easy to defend as it is long and narrow.

[Yorkeys]

We won’t win in Geelong

Bug having said that, the ground suits RL as it is easy to defend as it is long and narrow.

Need. a couple of forwards to kick as many as Cameron and to not let Blicsavs do as he likes.

[B.M]

Wilkie has a great record on Cameron

[Nick DalSanto Claus]

Check out Jesse McClure's "New Year's 2024 Resolutions for St.Kilda". It's on True Footy on Youtube for those that are interested.

I've been a fan of Jesse's work in the past. He does a solid job of summarising our performance in 2023 and has some interesting analysis for what we can expect in 2024.

Unlike other so -called media "experts" he is reasonably confident about our upcoming season, although he doesn't give a prediction as to where we will finish.

It is interesting, well balanced and displays reasonable knowledge of our list, especially for a self-confessed WCE supporter. Give it a look. Better than most similar efforts on the web. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

[samuraisaint]

From today's Hun, not to be read by anyone who disparages the Murdoch press

"ST KILDA TO KICK ON by Jay Clark

They have already been dubbed likely sliders in 2024.

The popular theory is St Kilda caught the opposition off guard in 2023 by making finals but are set to come back to the pack next season.

Ross Lyon will love the cynical view from the outside, knowing the fuel it can add to the Saints’ fire.

Internally there is optimism around the growth from the likes of Mattaes Phillipou, Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, Mitch Owens, Max King and Marcus Windhager, plus new faces Liam Henry and Paddy Dow, that will help inject some midfield quality.

Lyon and his coaches will set the right tone, ensuring no player is comfortable after a strong 2023.

The list still lacks star power, but as Ange Postecoglou keeps saying at Tottenham in the English Premier League, chemistry, commitment and discipline count for more than big names on your team sheet.

Under Lyon, you know the Saints will give everything they have – but will it be enough?

What happened in 2023?

The new era dawned at Moorabbin as Lyon instilled a hard-running midfield ethos and new defensive system that choked the opposition.

They won eight of their first 12 games to lay the foundation for a finals berth even without Max King, who hurt his bung shoulder pre-season. Jack Hayes went down as well, and they pulled Anthony Caminiti from the clouds, replacing his waiter’s apron from his family’s restaurant with the red, white and black jumper.

The small forwards put enough of a score on and kids such as Owens and Wanganeen-Milera came on in a big way.

Ticks everywhere.

But Tim Membrey pulled out the morning of the first final and a slick GWS midfield outfit took care of business in the elimination final.

It was a reminder that there is still a decent gap to the top teams – but there is a vision and a new level of consistency driving the Saints.

Where do they finish in 2024?

Rebuilds aren’t completed in 12 months, and the reality is Lyon and Stephen Silvagni knew the list required some big changes to recalibrate the salary cap.

They now have some play space to make some moves.

The spine will be a key focus next season.

Henry adds class, Dow gives them some burst in the middle and if King can play a full season, he has the potential to kick 60 goals and challenge for the Coleman Medal.

But is he hungry enough? Does he have the durability? The accuracy in front of goal? It is a huge season for the full-forward who the Saints need to become an A-grader.

The midfield has plenty of workhorses but is still in a transition phase as Owens and Phillipou look to step up alongside Seb Ross, Brad Crouch and Jack Steele.

Adelaide, the Western Bulldogs and Gold Coast, in particular, will be desperate to take the Saints’ spot in the eight this year.

LOL at the HS listing the Gold Coast Suns as being a team which are looking to take our place in the top 8 and play finals next season

Based on what? A new coach Or their complete inability to manage to NEVER finish higher than 12th! 12th!! In twelve seasons.
They only won against us because they sacked their coach the week they played us. They even threw away a five-goal lead against North! That's the same North who had previously lost 20 games in a row. And they kicked twenty goals in the process

The Bulldogs potentially yes, I can see that, and the Crows were robbed of their rightful place in the top 8 last season at the expense of Sydney, but the Suns are no chance.

With the list GC have now I can see them finishing top 4 in 2025 and consistently playing finals for the next decade.

I was referring specifically to them replacing us in the Top 8 this season, but you left out the word 'if'. 'If' they hold onto that list. 'If' the new coach is immediately successful. 'If' they don't get key injuries and lose that one important player to injury at critical junctures of the season.

Young teams often fall away badly in the back halves of seasons. We saw it this year with our own team, and 2020 too, if we're being honest. But in both those seasons, our players righted the ship at the right time, and we qualified for finals. I think they should improve under Hardwick, but not enough to replace us in the Top 8 this year.

I don't get the misplaced optimism on them for 2024. Take the two final matches of last season. Allowing Carlton to come back from 40 points behind to beat them at home, then North kicked over 20 goals against them at a windswept Hobart Oval. That was the 'Roos highest score since 2019, and a team which have struggled to kick a goal at times in games recently.

They have had very good personnel for their entire time in the AFL competition and yet have never finished higher than twelfth. Curious indeed, isn't it?

I hope you are right but I doubt it. They have the best young list in the whole comp now. Then when you factor in their Academy is producing top players now I can see them dominating the competition. Whether that translates to premierships I don't know. Look at their recent draft haul. Due to their academy and the sneaky advantages all 4 northern teams have, they got the equivalent of FOUR (4) first round draft picks. Think about that for a moment....

True, that will need to be looked at because it isn't sustainable - and I think plenty of people in AFL clubland have already raised this. Our very own RL did after we played them the second time this season (the first time they had beaten us since 2016 btw).

Regarding their list - they lack on field leadership and that won't change overnight and without attracting that leadership from another club. They have tried this before and it didn't work.

Personally, I don't think it really matters as I believe they are a doomed franchise and may end up having to be relocated, merge or worse. I mean, they can't do what the Lions did and simply pack their bags and move to the Gabba (well, they could, but what would be the point?).

GWS look like they might be starting to get it together on field, but even they are certainly not dominating the competition and lost Hopper and Taranto as recently as last year. But still, nobody goes to watch them play as the Swans have captured the Aussie rules market in Sydney and NSW in general.

Ironically, I think the Suns will get raided by Vic clubs (and probably Sydney) if they ever start to put some consistent performances together.

[samuraisaint]

We won’t win in Geelong

Bug having said that, the ground suits RL as it is easy to defend as it is long and narrow.

It'll be close down there, I think. Given it's round 1, we'll give it a shake. RL has a good record down there (with Fremantle).

Our team is now a lot different to the team which beat them in Round 9, 2022 at Docklands - no Billings, Gresham, McKenzie, Ryder, or Long.

From memory, Coffield, Highmore and Bytel didn't play that night. Significant turnover.

I am not sure Geelong have made as many changes to their team which won the premiership that year. They seem to hold onto their players until they are well into their thirties.

[Yorkeys]

Will Geelong front up as fit as us or try to manage ageing stars through the season to peak in August. Nevertheless there is a huge incentive for them to go hard at the opening of the refurbished facilities in west norlane - that took longer to build than the pyramids. Conversely a lot of pressure on their team.

[NickyDal]

From today's Hun, not to be read by anyone who disparages the Murdoch press

"ST KILDA TO KICK ON by Jay Clark

They have already been dubbed likely sliders in 2024.

The popular theory is St Kilda caught the opposition off guard in 2023 by making finals but are set to come back to the pack next season.

Ross Lyon will love the cynical view from the outside, knowing the fuel it can add to the Saints’ fire.

Internally there is optimism around the growth from the likes of Mattaes Phillipou, Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, Mitch Owens, Max King and Marcus Windhager, plus new faces Liam Henry and Paddy Dow, that will help inject some midfield quality.

Lyon and his coaches will set the right tone, ensuring no player is comfortable after a strong 2023.

The list still lacks star power, but as Ange Postecoglou keeps saying at Tottenham in the English Premier League, chemistry, commitment and discipline count for more than big names on your team sheet.

Under Lyon, you know the Saints will give everything they have – but will it be enough?

What happened in 2023?

The new era dawned at Moorabbin as Lyon instilled a hard-running midfield ethos and new defensive system that choked the opposition.

They won eight of their first 12 games to lay the foundation for a finals berth even without Max King, who hurt his bung shoulder pre-season. Jack Hayes went down as well, and they pulled Anthony Caminiti from the clouds, replacing his waiter’s apron from his family’s restaurant with the red, white and black jumper.

The small forwards put enough of a score on and kids such as Owens and Wanganeen-Milera came on in a big way.

Ticks everywhere.

But Tim Membrey pulled out the morning of the first final and a slick GWS midfield outfit took care of business in the elimination final.

It was a reminder that there is still a decent gap to the top teams – but there is a vision and a new level of consistency driving the Saints.

Where do they finish in 2024?

Rebuilds aren’t completed in 12 months, and the reality is Lyon and Stephen Silvagni knew the list required some big changes to recalibrate the salary cap.

They now have some play space to make some moves.

The spine will be a key focus next season.

Henry adds class, Dow gives them some burst in the middle and if King can play a full season, he has the potential to kick 60 goals and challenge for the Coleman Medal.

But is he hungry enough? Does he have the durability? The accuracy in front of goal? It is a huge season for the full-forward who the Saints need to become an A-grader.

The midfield has plenty of workhorses but is still in a transition phase as Owens and Phillipou look to step up alongside Seb Ross, Brad Crouch and Jack Steele.

Adelaide, the Western Bulldogs and Gold Coast, in particular, will be desperate to take the Saints’ spot in the eight this year.

LOL at the HS listing the Gold Coast Suns as being a team which are looking to take our place in the top 8 and play finals next season

Based on what? A new coach Or their complete inability to manage to NEVER finish higher than 12th! 12th!! In twelve seasons.
They only won against us because they sacked their coach the week they played us. They even threw away a five-goal lead against North! That's the same North who had previously lost 20 games in a row. And they kicked twenty goals in the process

The Bulldogs potentially yes, I can see that, and the Crows were robbed of their rightful place in the top 8 last season at the expense of Sydney, but the Suns are no chance.

With the list GC have now I can see them finishing top 4 in 2025 and consistently playing finals for the next decade.

I was referring specifically to them replacing us in the Top 8 this season, but you left out the word 'if'. 'If' they hold onto that list. 'If' the new coach is immediately successful. 'If' they don't get key injuries and lose that one important player to injury at critical junctures of the season.

Young teams often fall away badly in the back halves of seasons. We saw it this year with our own team, and 2020 too, if we're being honest. But in both those seasons, our players righted the ship at the right time, and we qualified for finals. I think they should improve under Hardwick, but not enough to replace us in the Top 8 this year.

I don't get the misplaced optimism on them for 2024. Take the two final matches of last season. Allowing Carlton to come back from 40 points behind to beat them at home, then North kicked over 20 goals against them at a windswept Hobart Oval. That was the 'Roos highest score since 2019, and a team which have struggled to kick a goal at times in games recently.

They have had very good personnel for their entire time in the AFL competition and yet have never finished higher than twelfth. Curious indeed, isn't it?

I hope you are right but I doubt it. They have the best young list in the whole comp now. Then when you factor in their Academy is producing top players now I can see them dominating the competition. Whether that translates to premierships I don't know. Look at their recent draft haul. Due to their academy and the sneaky advantages all 4 northern teams have, they got the equivalent of FOUR (4) first round draft picks. Think about that for a moment....

True, that will need to be looked at because it isn't sustainable - and I think plenty of people in AFL clubland have already raised this. Our very own RL did after we played them the second time this season (the first time they had beaten us since 2016 btw).

Regarding their list - they lack on field leadership and that won't change overnight and without attracting that leadership from another club. They have tried this before and it didn't work.

Personally, I don't think it really matters as I believe they are a doomed franchise and may end up having to be relocated, merge or worse. I mean, they can't do what the Lions did and simply pack their bags and move to the Gabba (well, they could, but what would be the point?).

GWS look like they might be starting to get it together on field, but even they are certainly not dominating the competition and lost Hopper and Taranto as recently as last year. But still, nobody goes to watch them play as the Swans have captured the Aussie rules market in Sydney and NSW in general.

Ironically, I think the Suns will get raided by Vic clubs (and probably Sydney) if they ever start to put some consistent performances together.

I know a lot of people who say the above. Is it because they really think that or because they hope that happens? I think it is the latter. There is no basis to this argument at all. AFL footy at the grassroots level in QLD is growing massively. They already have more AUS Kickers than South Australia which means in another 10 years or so, in a 2 team state I can see both GCS and Bris both having over 50,000 member each. And if the AFL don't get rid of their Academies they will both be perennial finalists. The AFL are cunning bastards and they have set them up beautifully. It's taken them a while but they have finally got it right at the expense of the struggling Vic teams.

GCS will definitely win their first premiership before we win our second.

[B.M]

I think GC will contend 25-27

And a big show to win one!

[samuraisaint]

They might - but they have to finish above 12th first.

Some of their future academy products are currently linked to other clubs through father-sons, like Boston Everitt for example.

I think if they fail to make finals again this season that a lot of their players will seek greener pastures or head home, like Izaak Rankine did.

GWS, on the other hand, could give it a shake this season though.

[CQ SAINT]

Dads already said Boston will be a Saint if picked..

He is in Melbourne already.

[NickyDal]

Dads already said Boston will be a Saint if picked..

He is in Melbourne already.

From what I have heard he is not good enough but we might rookie him...