saintal wrote:St Kilda wont be challenging the top teams with so many blokes that can't use the footy effectively. (Gram, Gilbert, Dawson, Clarke, Polo, Steven to name a few..)
Didn't get much out of some the senior players (Riewoldt, Kosi, Milne, Goddard...). On the other hand, McEvoy continues to impress.
Had a "crack", but the Pies rarely had to move out of 2nd gear I felt.
I agree with most of this but I don't buy this 'Pies didn't get out of second gear' stuff. St Kilda's defence stood up really well and I reckon the Pies looked pretty sharp. You are selling your team short. I agree that skill was one of the defining aspects in the result but I thought that Lyon sat on his hands in regards to Leon Davis.
In the Magpie backline Maxwell was either instructed to, or of his own initiative zone off to target the offensive defensive runners of St Kilda. Meanwhile in the Saints back half Leon ran around unchecked. Leon Davis is very damaging by foot and he sliced you to ribbons. He set up a crucial three goal advantage during that first quarter that you guys had to use a lot of petrol tickets to reduce by half time. Cameron Ling was making comments about Davis so your boys could well have done us a good turn. I reckon that tagging Davis could prove to be of more benefit than tagging Pendlebury or Swan. With Shaw bound to be underprepared if you can reduce the effectiveness of backline attacks for the Pies, break even in midfield and have the big defenders to match Cloke, Dawes/Brown then the Pies could be vulnerable.
Saints not far away at all but as you said butchered the ball last night.
regards,
REB
