An inside joke on Kick2Kick, is Deano in the 2009 pre season St Kilda review having them finish between 9th to 12th. Looking at it 17 rounds later it is obvious it could not be further from the truth but is he the only one who under estimated the Saints in season 2009? In looking at the Kick2Kick experts Season 2009 Predictions, not one of us had them in the top four.
A lot of people have under estimated them but why? What makes them a 17 wins and 0 losses side and has made everyone including other top 6 sides (Adelaide & Bulldogs in successive weeks) look second rate? I have been thinking about this and along with Deano’s recent comment, I think we are now onto something…
Stephen Milne has doubled his average tackles a game along with other Saints players to provide great pressure.
One Percenters & Pressure
A “one percenters“, is the little things that can help turn or even win the game for your team.
Against their win against the Bulldogs, we saw Nick Riewoldt tackling and chasing smaller players and then being rewarded for a gift goal. The biggest surprise is seeing past selfish players tackle in Milne (averages 2.6 tackles a game), Schneider (averages 4.7 tackles) & Ray (4 a game) and smothering like they have been doing it their whole football life. Schneider & Ray were used as trade bait by previous clubs and a lot of clubs rejected them on their lack of defensive pressure.
*All three have doubled their career average of tackles in this season alone.
You listen to comments from other clubs AFL players and they all talk about the pressure of the Saints. They chase and tackle hard and even when they are not near you, you make silly mistakes with the pressure you think is there. This only happens when every player is doing their job 110% of the time.
Tall Forwards
Whether you agree about the need of tall forward or not, Riewoldt & Kosi both fit and healthy has been a great advantage for each others game but also the teams success. Riewoldt and Kosi have kicked 91 goals between them for the year which is about the same for other tandem forward acts of Buddy & Roughead (104 goals) and Brown & Bradshaw (103 goals).
Work Rate
I do not rate half of the regular players in Eddy (5 games), McQualter (17), Jones (17), McEvoy (8), R.Clarke (8), Gwilt (12), Baker (17), Blake (17), Geary (14) and discarded players in Ray (17), Schneider (16), Dempster (3) and Dawson (16) but most have played the majority of the year and their work rate is amazing. For example, McQualter plays forward and while he does not kick many goals (15 goals), his work rate, tackling (averages 4.2 a game), running to provide a tackle or extra player at the contest is amazing.
These players and the stars (who never used to work hard) have a great work rate and they are doing it for each other.
No Injury Worries
There is no doubt that without some of their injury worries to key players in Grant Thomas’ days at St Kilda they would have at least played in one if not more Grand Finals. They had rotten luck and if not for the broken mirrors they could have challenged Brisbane, Port, Sydney & West Coast for premiership glory.
Justin Koschitzke has played majority of the year without his normal injury worries of past years
However that did not happen and what ever they have done, it has worked and they are reaping the rewards without having to limp into the end of the season and giving players a game just because they are fit.
The Coach
Lyon was on the coaching staff when Sydney was at their best with the famous ‘Bloods’ culture that helped the Swans become a modern dynasty that played in consecutive Grand Finals and was one kick from back to back premierships. So he knows about the “one percenters”, importance of a good culture and the ability to pressure clubs into submission.
Lyon has also not been afraid of making the hard call on a players performance. Last year he dropped Nick Dal Santo & Stephen Milne, this sent shock waves and raised many questions. The Result? Milne & Dal Santo are having their best most consistent year to date and have said it was the best thing that happened to them. Now its Ball’s turn who has been out of form and has not lived up to the standard set by the team.
It must also be said, he does NOT ‘gift’ players a game for the sake of it. Maguire is stuck on 99 games and is in good form in the VFL but there are no easy games for players. Another note is that they are also the only team this year not to play a first gamer.
All this equals a solid coach, who can coach and is leading the club into much needed success.
How do we Defeat the Saints come the finals?
If we look at the teams that have challenged the Saints this year in Essendon, Brisbane & Geelong, I can see some possible game strategies:
- Break the zone with running and the ability to take the game on.
- Have a forward line that can
- provide a target and
- pressure and keep the ball in forward 50m
According to Deano:
So how do you beat them?? 17 times teams have tried this year and failed. I think you have to play them at their own game. man on man all over the ground, have about 13 or 14 blokes who tag their best 13 or 14 and rely on your match winners to get you home. The other thing that seems to work is teams that run hard and play risky football. Essendon, Carlton and Brisbane are all up and coming teams who throw caution to the wind and nearly got home against the Saints and likewise when the Cats were five goals down they ran in waves, played on at all costs and nearly pinched it.
What do you think? If you where a coach of one of the other 16 clubs, what would you do different? Do you agree with Deano’s points or is there something that both of us has missed? Let us know via the comments form below.
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