Dare to dream.....the Bullish Thread

[saintsRrising]

Ok..this is the thread for "rose-colored" glasses where we assume that our excellent early season form continues....

Yes we have only had two rounds...but so far the signs are good, VERY GOOD!!!!! However to win the flag in 2009 we know will require to meet a very high standard..and so improvement is required yet.

THE SIGNS

* We are playing TEAM football. Individual brilliance is always nice...but we are now relying on winning through team play rather than for someone to play a blinder.

* Our work-rate is excellent.

* The Saints seem to have at last mastered the right mix been offensive and defensive pay. Our defensive play (and I mean the WHOLE team and not just the back six) is now exceptional. We can squeeze the life out of teams forcing them to play as we want, rather than vice-verse

* King Gee. Our rucks are the best since the Everitt/Vidovic duo..and we entered a GF that year..though without that duo playing we also lost the GF.

Gardi is at last consistently showing the talent that we all hoped he would. Add to his running and skill the bruising bodywork of King who also has the knack of drifting forward for the occasional mark and goal and you have a great ruck duo that will allow our midfield an advantage. Importantly two the King Gee Unit matches up well with the two most likely GF contenders in Geelong and the Haws. Cox may well still expose them...but I cannot see the weagles being a GF threat and so I am not worried if Cox spanks them in weagles matches. The name of the game is to win the flag...and to have a team that can beat the other likely Grand Finalists...including the Prelim Final.

* Two-Towers
I am personally of a mind that a forward line with two good key-forwards gives one the best chance in big -games..well any game actually. That way you are less reliant if ine has an off game. ie The Crows match where Roo was quiet by Kosi dominated.

The signs are good with Kosi...he seems switched on again and his marking and contested marking are once again shining and this is his strength. If Kosi can be a "good" key forward this year it will be a huge plus for us. If he can "star" in some games then that is just the bonus for me.

Roo has stared the year slowly...but this is I believe just due to an interrupted pre-season. I fully expect to see the real-Roo once he runs into full-match fitness.

*Milne and Schneider.
These two both have that knack of snagging goals.... Milne has also greatly improved the team aspects of his game and now applies good defensive pressure. Still has trouble sticking tackles..but this side of his game has much improve.

Schneider basically did not play pre-season....and so I fully expect him improve with match practice and he regains his "touch & timing".


* Midfield

No Harvey....but our midfield actually looks to be better and more varied in 2009.

ball is fit..and while his long-kicking does not seemed to have returned as yet he would seem capable of being a very good in and and under mid for us in 2009.

More options down back mean that BJ, Gram and Fisher can all be used more in the midfield rotations. And while ray at present has mainly been a running back..I expect him to be part of the midfield too.

Joey looks to have stepped up another cog....

Bakers early form has been very good dismissing the worry and fear that he may not be able to come back successfully from last years injuries. While baker may often be playing down back, he will be used in midfield tagging roles as well.

Add to this CJ's very good form as a quick s*** down tagger role that is also good in packs and would now seem to have two good tagging options.

Dal's first two games have been very good...truly elite. We need this from Dal most wees for while one needs a deep midfield there is also no doubt that one needs a touch of class in the midfield. Lenny will get better with match practice....and so if Dal can be an elite mid along with Lenny who is an elite mid then this will improve our chances markedly in 2009. Also for dal do not underestimate the value of KingGee's bodywork and tapwork in creating opportunities for him.

And...yes there is more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Armo unfortunately has been injured...but is primed to be part of our midfield this year. Add to that that Steven who was taken bottom-age and suddenly our midfield is looking deep with a good spread of talent. Geary too is showing some good signs.We need some of that talent to step up though...

X remains an X -factor. Talented yes, but injury prone as well. However he could surprise to be some very nice icing on a midfield cake.

The Backline

The really impressive thing about our backline in recent years is that it almost does not seem to matter who plays in our back-six.....they always play well...even when lack of performance by our midfield has put them under enormous pressure. " Me-thinks" that lot of credit needs to go to SOS.

Blake has really stepped up over the last two seasons to be a genuinely good defender.

Max is an elite Full Back.

The early form of Zac has been good as we lacked another tall defender for down-back. Particularly as then is still a large cloud over Goose.....but with having aquired Zac that cloud now threatens our team less...as Zac would seem capable of asa minimum playing "useful" football.

Gilbert.... in 2007 he really emerged..but in 2008 he dipped a bit. 2009 Gilbert looks set to stepped up again.

Dempster should be back mid-year to add to our options in building towards the finals.

Raph continued from his good finals form. Unfortunately too so did his injury proness. Still our backline now seems to have many options.

* What base is not covered???

The team is now looking very well-balanced and structured.

The most glaring deficiency however is that we still do not have a "third forward"...that mid-sized player who has knack of kicking goals who every now and again bobs up with a bagful...and who eases the load on ones' two key forwards by always being dangerous marking option that cannot be left unguarded (ie meaning that Roo would be double teamed less).

Heyne could well be such a player...but in 2009 it is probably a bit much to expect it of him just yet.

Gilbert however could well be the king of swing to be thrown forward on occasions.

* Depth

Our depth is looking much better this year...and some of the kids stepping up and emerging should only improve this. However I think our kids are more about our sustained future rather than about 2009.
However it would be nice if Armo, or Steven or another could "emerge" in 2009. Armo is the most likely after his apprenticeship to date.

Eljay may surprise many...but I think it may be in 2010 rather than in 2009.



So after two rounds..we have started the season very well....lets hope that the momentum continues.

[gringo]

IMO the thing we need is a speedy defensive small, Milne and Schnides both lake a bit of run down ability.

The best hope I have comes from the fact that Neil Craig said in todays age that the pressure the saints applied was the best he had ever seen in the home and away rounds and he is using it to show his young guys that you can sustain it for long periods.

We strangled the swans and apart from a fade in the last quarter thought the presure was awesome.

I hope they dont wear out, but would rather be winning as it build belief. Geelong just are going and Hawthorn look like 8 players are missing makes me dream of Saints Blues premership where we smash them by 10 goals nice fantasy I know.

[saintsRrising]

IMO the thing we need is a speedy defensive small, Milne and Schnides both lake a bit of run down ability.

.

This could well be Eljay....but more likely in 2010..

Choo Choo is also another possibilty for this...but again not in 2009.

Though both of these players also have attackling flair and skills.

[bigcarl]

The most glaring deficiency however is that we still do not have a "third forward" ... that mid-sized player who has knack of kicking goals who every now and again bobs up with a bagful.

good post SRR and i'm with you on this particular part of it.

imo. gilbert or bj ... if we can spare him.

gwilt to me doesn't seem capable of kicking enough goals and the third tallish forward needs to be able to contribute significantly on the scoreboard.