Round 10 – St Kilda v Fremantle: For the up coming games

Saturday, 28 May 2016
4:25 pm (3:25 pm Kyoto)
Docklands Stadium, Melbourne

Let’s forget Ross Lyon era and move on.

It’s been said since our coach Alan Richardson started being in charge at St Kilda, but we need some works to achieve this huge goal.

At the third quarter, I was so worried of giving the former coach a win. As North Melbourne’s undefeated record for the season was broken the previous night at SCG, my worries of Fremantle ending their winless season existed.

But we were lucky to win by 34 points at the end. However my boys need to take a huge lesson to be competitive in the away game against Adelaide Crows. And we can’t relax in the following match against Carlton who upset Geelong on Sunday.

At first, let’s review the tough third quarter and I hope my boys learn from the mistake for the upcoming rounds.

Even our good ruckman Hickey made a clearance and passed the ball towards Ross, we lost the ball and the opponent did good ball works. In their goal square, Neale took a mark and scored a goal. Freo led the first time in the afternoon. Five Saints and four Dockers were around the ball, but we couldn’t block them. We needed to trick them or jump higher to touch footy.

After the second bounce, the ball works seemed work well from Gilbert to Riewoldt. But we couldn’t keep the ball. We need to run first or get another player to block an opponent player.

Then our 100th game player Savage kicked from the goal posts toward the right hand side. But Walters caught a ball. We should have tricked them. Either Savage or a midfielder could have done. It was a wrong kick and gave them an opportunity to take an advance.

Defending didn’t work out. But I much prefer attacking footy. Then we needed accurate ball works I have been seeing mostly in this season.

Another concern was kicking or passing the ball slow while an opponent player was close to our boy.

Big space was created on the field, but Freo took advantages. Deploying players in the right space and accurate ball works (kicking and handballs) are essential to continue our attracting attacking footy.

But win was win. Positive sides of the game need to be addressed to encourage my boys.

Paddy’s brilliant mark at the first quarter brought us a massive impact. Geary’s kick went high and he contested with Fremantle’s Collins and Griffin. The ball was drifted but his right hand caught and kept it in his hand while hitting his body on the ground. His mark was nominated as the Mark of the Year. Then as the angle was straight, he kicked a goal.

After struggling in the third quarter, Dempster’s kick was delivered into the congested our goal square. The ball was hit by McCartin and opponent players. At last he hit the ball with the right hand to drop the ball on his foot and scored a goal. What great skills he has. McCartin is so talented!

At the last quarter, Weller attempted to score a goal from inside 50, but it went on the left of the main goal posts. Bruce tried to take a mark but it was contested by a Docker (sorry a footy replay seems not to be able to identify him). The dropped ball was bounce beyond the goal line. Riewoldt kicked the ball like playing world football. Rooey scored a brilliant goal. The club app entitled the highlight video with Soccer-Roo. It’s a good choice to attract Sainters.

We kicked eight goals at the last quarter to seven at the first to third quarters. Keep up boys and be competitive in the next round at the visitor unfriendly Adelaide Oval. And we need to show efforts to scare improving Blues for Round 12.

Then Riewoldt shows great attitudes in the post match. He was so happy to take selfies with my fellow Sainters. Twitter shows his nice characters. Then Luke Darcy made positive comments on Rooey on Channel 7’s Talking Footy program on Monday.

Well done my boys!!

ST KILDA 5.4 6.8 7.9 15.11 (101)
FREMANTLE 3.0 7.1 10.4 10.7 (67)

GOALS
St Kilda: Membrey 3, McCartin 2, Riewoldt 2, Bruce 2, Newnes, Armitage, Murdoch, Steven, Weller, Gresham
Fremantle: Weller 2, Langdon 2, Taberner 2, Walters, Pavlich, Sheridan, Neale

BEST
St Kilda: Steven, Armitage, Riewoldt, Fisher, Geary
Fremantle: Neale, Barlow, Hill, Blakely, Crozier

OUR VOTES
Riewoldt (STK 3), Neale (FRE 2), Steven (STK 1)

Umpires: Donlon, Stephens, Edwards

Official crowd: 17,927

About Yoshihiro Imagawa

Love, passion and pride are seen on the footy that is the biggest part of my life. 1. St Kilda Club member: I am a passionate and crazy Sainter. Just hope we will win the second flag soon, especially after Dogs and Tigers having ended long premiership draughts. 2. The Osaka Dingoes Player and Public Relations Officer: Player number 44 that I chose to honour Stephen Milne with my wish being like a small forward like him. Lenny Hayes' hardworking attitudes are adopted on my trainings and practices. Nick Riewoldt's great plays are in my player audiobook too. 3. Writing: Here on the Almanac and also on the World Footy News. My skills utilise on great footy websites.

Comments

  1. Yvette Wroby says

    Well said Yoshi. Good game report. We were all worried but they stepped up in the last quarter.

  2. Neil Anderson says

    Good report Yoshi. It showed all the tension of watching your team that should have a win but with bad omens suddenly appearing in your thoughts.
    There’s nothing worse than playing a team lower on the ladder who are over-due for a win. Even if your team has been playing much better than the lower team in recent weeks, they tend to tighten up and become over- defensive to ensure a win.
    A lot of those early turn-overs are caused by that tension. It happened to the Bulldogs in the first half against Collingwood.
    It seems to be a fairly even competition at the moment and the teams with the fewest injuries in the second half of the year will probably survive. Depending on where teams play the top opposition is the other factor of course.

  3. Hi Yvette and Neil,

    Thank you for all your compliments on my report. You are so nice to me!

    Yvette – We are so happy to the win, aren’t we? Our boys need to keep playing good footy towards the next match.

    Neil – Your point of view on playing lower clubs makes sense. I reckon that’s how Carlton played against Geelong on Sunday. I was choosing which game to watch on Sunday afternoon. But the scores of Collingwood vs Bulldogs made me to choose Blues vs Cats. But I am happy to see your Doggies won. Probably teams on the top 4 might feel under the pressure?? But the top teams can use experiences well and are smart to win eventually. Or because they have good play list??

    Cheers

    Yoshi

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