Why have we lost ground to the Saints?

[GVGjr]

Perplexing to me is why we have lost ground to the Saints.
They lost their best key forward in King for a lot of the season and only got 7 games from Membrey but did exceptionally well from Mason Wood.
Marshall had a great season in the ruck but he didn't have a lot of support
Their captain Steele didn't have a great by his previous standards and Zak Jones played just 4 games and Hill has returned to some form for their midfield.
Their defense was brilliantly led by Sinclair and Wilkie but they also had disappointing performances from Howard and they lost Coffield for the season.

Where they really had an edge on us with the performances of many youngsters in Owens, Windhager, Phillipou, Sharman, Wanganeen-Milera and Caminiti.

I'd be interested to hear some thoughts on why the Saints out-performed us this year?

[azabob]

Re: Why have we lost ground to the Saints?

Ross Lyon gets the most out of his players.
He must have a very simple defensive game plan that is easy to understand and implement.
Do we focus too much on individual over team?

[Bornadog]

Re: Why have we lost ground to the Saints?

They won one more game than us - hardly went pass us

[Grantysghost]

Re: Why have we lost ground to the Saints?

We haven't they're terrible.

Probably had an easier draw.

[Bulldog Joe]

Re: Why have we lost ground to the Saints?

The answer is pretty simple.
They have a coach who demands better defensive efforts from his players.
They don't concede the easy goals that our game plan has allowed for the last 7 years.

[Grantysghost]

Re: Why have we lost ground to the Saints?

The answer is pretty simple.
They have a coach who demands better defensive efforts from his players.
They don't concede the easy goals that our game plan has allowed for the last 7 years.

Just conceded 5 pretty easy ones.

[GVGjr]

Re: Why have we lost ground to the Saints?

We haven't they're terrible.

Probably had an easier draw.

You mean like beating North, West Coast and Hawthorn?

Well they split games with the Hawks like we did, beat North where we won as well and beat West Coast where we lost so against the 3 bottom sides so it's a slight advantage to the Saints there.

I'd rate our list as vastly superior and yet the Saints played above their list quality

They got off to a faster start winning 4 in a row before dropping a close game against the Pies which indicates they might have started the season fitter than we did. Perhaps there is something there.

We brought in the experienced Lobb, Jones along with Baker where they brought in Cordy and that might be about it so advantage Doggies there.

We were ahead of them at the end of 2022 and behind them in the end of 2023. I agree with you that their list isn't impressive so why have we lost some ground too them?

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Why have we lost ground to the Saints?

Well someone had to get embarrassed in a cut throat final. Just swapped blue for black in the jumper.

[Grantysghost]

Re: Why have we lost ground to the Saints?

I don't think we have.

They won one more game.

Don't think they'll make finals next season

Ross' game plan is seriously being destroyed in a modern game here.

I think you're right with the fast start G. That new coach bounce got them over the line.

[GVGjr]

Re: Why have we lost ground to the Saints?

I don't think we have.

They won one more game.

Don't think they'll make finals next season

Ross' game plan is seriously being destroyed in a modern game here.

So if it's as simple was that, lets change the question slightly and ask why are we on a somewhat level field as they Saints?

I'm looking at the Saints today and I'm thinking we have more match winners than they do and it's annoying to see them in the finals getting thrashed by a team we had beat up in Ballarat after a strong lead and a couple of injuries wrecked it for us.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Re: Why have we lost ground to the Saints?

Says more about us than them.

We're a very ordinary outfit as demonstrated by the last 2 years.

[jeemak]

Re: Why have we lost ground to the Saints?

At some point the hyper-analysis of a shit year turns into straight up masochism. If we hadn't reached that point already, we're there now.

[Grantysghost]

Re: Why have we lost ground to the Saints?

So if it's as simple was that, lets change the question slightly and ask why are we on a somewhat level field as they Saints?

I'm looking at the Saints today and I'm thinking we have more match winners than they do and it's annoying to see them in the finals getting thrashed by a team we had beat up in Ballarat after a strong lead and a couple of injuries wrecked it for us.

Ah.

Well. They maybe performed at 110 percent we 90?

Why... Um.

I could guess everyone on the same page, new coach and ideas, players wanting to impress etc.

They lost to Hawks. Fell across the line v Eagles 8 points and fell across the line v North by 8 points.

Didn't beat anyone of note.

You could compare 17 teams to us at the moment and probably find a reason they were better this season.

[macca]

Re: Why have we lost ground to the Saints?

So if it's as simple was that, lets change the question slightly and ask why are we on a somewhat level field as they Saints?

I'm looking at the Saints today and I'm thinking we have more match winners than they do and it's annoying to see them in the finals getting thrashed by a team we had beat up in Ballarat after a strong lead and a couple of injuries wrecked it for us.

They got more improvement from their youngsters and recycle players . They have done very well out of their mature picks in : stocker, Wood , shaman , Wilkie , even Cody
Ross Lyon gets the best out of limited players

[Mofra]

Re: Why have we lost ground to the Saints?

They did a lot more running than us during pre-season and got a fair jump on the competition over the first two months.
They were brought back to the pack pretty quickly but those early wins got them into the 8