Other clubs already reviewed are: Western Bulldogs, Richmond Tigers, Geelong Cats, Fremantle Dockers, Carlton Blues, Essendon Bombers & Melbourne Demons.
No Harvey anymore so someone must lift to fill the void left.
What Happened Last Year
Make no mistake about it, the Saints were the worst team to ever finish in the top four. After the Kangaroos self-destructed in Round 22 and the Bombers rolled over to the tune of 100 points plus the Sainters found themselves in the top four when only six weeks earlier they were sitting outside the top eight. In the post season they were smashed by the eventual Grand Finalists either side of a scrappy win over an injury and suspension ravaged Collingwood outfit.
The New Season
To me they are further away from a Premiership then any team in the Comp. Their drafting over the past few seasons has been uninspiring, relying too heavily on trading and therfore merely treading water. The slow and aging legs of guys like Steven King, Michael Gardiner, Charlie Gardner, Adam Schneider, Shaun Dempster and the hugely inconsistent Farren Ray will not carry a team to a flag. The Saints rely on too few to do too much whilst other ‘highly rated’ players do not carry the load that matches their reputations.
The midfield is one-paced and lacks skill, Robert Harvey’s absence will only expose this area more,(How does a 37yr old finish top 5 in the B&F??), he will be sorely missed. The Forward line is too reliant on Riewoldt and Milne and if these two are kept quiet there are not enough other avenues to goal. The defence is adequate but too much is left to the ageing Hudgton. I suspect that Gram and Fisher may be needed in the midfield so they need some young talent to step up and Matt Maguire to get fit.
It is my belief that the Saints will fall spectacularly in the next few seasons and given that the draft will be compromised for the next few years it will be a long and hard road back for the boys from Moorabbin.
Likely Finish: 9-12th.
Players To Watch
Brendon Goddard: Has one of the best footy brains around and given the Saints lack of alternate options in front of goal he may be forced to spend some time up forward. Given his marking and one on one skills it could prove to be a very smart move.
David Armitage: I love players who put there head over the nut and give 100% at every contest. What he lacks in speed and skill he more than makes up for with hardness, agression and a win at all costs attitude. He is one player who will benefit from Harvey’s retirement.
Justin Koschitzke has the talent and its simply time for him to show it regularly
Need To Improve:
Justin Koschitzke: This bloke has the potential to dominate the League. Strong hands, great size and mobility but a brain and body that won’t keep up. Needs to be put in the one position and allowed to settle, given that he occasionally gets lost on the field I think he belongs in the Goalsquare.
Nick Dal Santo: Another bloke with massive potential. Like when West left the Dogs perhaps Harvey retiring will force the likes of Dal Santo to step up and take ownership of the midfield. He has the skill and endurance to be elite he just needs to work on his defensive, tackling and contested footy skills. Should be aiming for the B&F.
List Cloggers:
Andrew McQualter: Has been de-listed and re-drafted already and should have stayed on the scrap heap. In an age where most midfielders are six foot two and have explosive speed and athleticism you have to be pretty special to make it if you are as small as he is. He aint special.
Xavier Clarke: The Saints need to cut their losses with this guy and stop wasting time. Injuries or no injuries he is still lazy, undisciplined and soft. A wasted top 10 draft pick.
Ralph Clarke: See Above.
Your Views
What do you think of the Saints in season 2009? Can they successfully make the top four again or was 2008 a fluke? Do you think their recycling of players will get them into a Grand Final?
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March 15th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
may just sneak into the eight. Harvey’s abscence will inspire the midfield.
March 15th, 2009 at 5:43 pm
Wow so much for me to comment on… I will tomorrow… about to go to bed.
Harvey finished top 5 because he is a great of the game.
James Roses last blog post..Essendon Bombers 2009 Season Preview
March 16th, 2009 at 8:11 am
okay now that I have more energy your post doesn’t look so bad.
X Clarke will perform this year imo. he has looked good all pre season and is a great talent.
think you were a bit harsh in terms of finishing position
James Roses last blog post..The First Step- NAB Cup Grand Final Review
March 16th, 2009 at 9:17 am
Would love to know what you initially thought..
The Clarke brothers have done exactly what you have said for the whole time they have been on the St Kilda list and that is, tease to perform but show nothing. They were both top 10 picks (from memory) and yet have showed nothing…
I think 9th to 12th is also a bit low but I would personally not have them higher than 6th.
Thanks Craig and James for your comments
March 16th, 2009 at 7:16 pm
Is there another Clarke brother? Raph must be feeling relieved not to be named as a list clogger.
You guys are really going with the take-no-prisoners approach to these reviews, aren’t you?
I’d agree that the Saints haven’t lived up to their billing, but I think 9–12 is a very harsh assessment. That said, their final round performance last year against a ravaged Bombers list was lacklustre. I think there’s a lot of cultural baggage in the Saints rooms and only generational change will see it washed through.
aussierulesblogs last blog post..What is it with mouthguards and kicking for goal?
March 17th, 2009 at 8:35 am
I think you can be nice with previews or you can be totally honest and brutal.
Like I have said several times AussieRulesBlog, gone are the days of having 48 odd on a list where you can allow a player to play 50 odd 2nd tier games (reserves, VFL, WAFL etc) to become a player. Now its if you don’t shape up after a minimum of two years, your out. If you also look at the teams we support, we are also very harsh (I go for West Coast – published Thursday).
The Clarke brothers have showed very little and so I agree with Deano to have them included on the list clogger list. I have not heard from any Saints supporter why they should not be included as list cloggers either.
March 17th, 2009 at 7:22 am
for the saints to make top 4 last year Collingwood had to lose to Freo, The Kangas had to lose to Port at home and the Saints had to beat the Tankers, er sorry Bombers by over 100 points. It is a miracle that one of these things went their way let alone all of them. If the Saints had scraped into the finals and got bundled out in the first week,which is probably what should have happened, would my assessment be so harsh??
March 19th, 2009 at 9:26 pm
If the Clarke bro’s hadn’t been top 10 draft picks I feel we wouldn’t be talking about them as list cloggers…
I agree X in particular has to deliver more but they both have shown enough to remain on the list imo. they are no more a list clogger than Kosi.
James Roses last blog post..Carlton Blues 2009 Season Preview
March 20th, 2009 at 11:45 am
I agree Kosi is a waste so far but he has showed more promise than the two Clarke brothers put together.
I know injury, their dads illness and Ralphs illness etc has not helped them play to a high standard but they have been on the list for a while and have only shown little glimpses. What were they recruited as?
March 20th, 2009 at 8:35 am
@Deano: Tankers?? Try picking a best 22 from 24 fit players, with a decent proportion of your experienced blokes in the medical room. The Saints should have won by 200 points that night if they were a genuine top 4 side, which I know is the point we were both making. I just don’t think the ‘Tankers’ label is justified, even in jest.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:33 am
sorry aussierulesblog, it was a low blow, i was still frustrated at that other essendon supporter on this site. The Bombers were magnificent last season and did better than i thought they would. my apologies mate and i would like to clarify that i DON’T think Essendon tanked it last season. i just wish they had have put up more of a fight ‘cos i can’t stand st.kilda
March 20th, 2009 at 11:46 am
The only tankers last year was West Coast and Carlton the two years before…
May 13th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
Brilliant analysis! As I passed away some years ago, could you fill me in on how the Saints are travelling now?
May 13th, 2009 at 7:35 pm
hmmm, 7 games into the season and you are on top of the ladder, should we just give you the flag now?? oh no that’s right i forgot the season is 22 weeks long. I seem to remember a few years ago a certain team flew out of the blocks, belting everyone they played and looked like worldbeaters for 10 weeks, wait my memory just kicked in it was the Saints. How did that season end up for you again?? hmmm…just as i thought…disappointment. I thought most Saints supporters wouldn’t be stupid enough to get that far ahead of themselves again but hey each to their own. i standby my statements, the only wrong prediction so far was that they would not make the finals.
May 14th, 2009 at 7:54 am
Just admit you were really, really wrong… That’s not so bad, i think a lot of us Saints supporters thought likewise. The only difference is now we are laughing, and you are not…
May 14th, 2009 at 9:02 am
I think its safe to say that St Kilda have surprised many but like Deano said Jon, its a 26 odd week season (inc finals). Look at Geelong last year, I am sure they would have happily lost 3 more games during the season and win the premiership.
@Jon – Thanks for your comments and I look forward to more of your input on Kick2Kick
May 14th, 2009 at 9:50 am
Some teams who finished in the top four were knocked out in “straight sets” – I have been informed that this included Port Adelaide in 2001 and Geelong in 1997 – surely this is not a good effort. I don’t think the Seagulls (or the Saints in the 21st Century if you must!)have won the flag yet, but surely they are not going to finish in the 9-12 bracket. When I passed away in 1919 9th was last!!!
May 15th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
what are you laughing at exactly?? the fact that you have won one flag in your history?? i seem to remember the dogs losing only one of their first 15 last year and still not making the gf. perhaps i should do a first 7 weeks analysis next time instead of a SEASON analysis.
May 15th, 2009 at 8:17 pm
I have very busy been catching up on 90 years of football – after the narrow loss in the “Challenge” Final in 1913 I would have thought St.Kilda would have won a flag before 1966, but there you have it.
But then I have seen that last year St.Kilda pipped Adelaide from 4th place. Many here seem to think Adelaide deserved that spot, but the next week I believe they (5th) played Collingwood (8th) at home in Adelaide, a much longer train trip than Geelong, and yet they lost, and this to a supposedly “injury and suspension ravaged Collingwood”. Someone else has pointed out another top 4 side that went out in “straight sets” also – Carlton in 1994 – goodness me there must have been some poor teams in the top four of this new-fangled “Final Eight”!
May 16th, 2009 at 5:34 pm
do you realise what a difference it makes to being all but guaranteed a free crack at the Cats with the double chance to fall back on to then be all of a sudden at home against an injury and suspension ravaged outfit who have nothing to lose in a winner takes all contest?? They went from hunting to being the hunted and if you don’t believe that it makes a difference then you are a fool. And i don’t care how many top 4 sides got bundled in straight sets, the saints were the worst team to EVER make the top 4. Because Adelaide were a premiership team from outside of the top 4 does that make them the best team of all time?? i think not. i am tired of this discussion because it is pointless. we are a third of the way through the season…no more needs to be said.