Round 10,11,12 – Saints’ two wins and one loss: I am happy but have difficulty in feeling comfortable

Round 10: Away game against Gold Coast Suns
Thursday 6 August 2020
8:10 pm
Metricon Stadium, Gold Coast

 

Richmond winning over Brisbane Lions on Tuesday sent Saints lower on the ladder to fourth, but the win brought us an opportunity to climb up to the second on Thursday night. And the mighty Saints were favourites for the Round 10 match.

 

With views of St Kilda’s last three matches, I thought that the game against the Suns would be an easy one.

 

And it was the first occasion the King twin (Max of St Kilda and Ben for Gold Coast) faced each other.

 

But it was not easy from the beginning as Gold Coast marked the first clearance in the centre. The home side put a lot of pressures on St Kilda’s skilled forward and midfield. Plus they took height advantages too. St Kilda lost many contested marks during the game. And the Suns laid more tackles.

 

St Kilda made errors on decisions. At last half, we could have kicked for offenses but instead handpassed and unfortunately they were inaccurate and caused turnovers.

 

I wonder if players had knowledge of opponents trying to lay a tackle or to take a stoppage, or not. Or simply they had confidence that they could deliver the footy to the goal square?

 

Also kicking backwards worried me and I thought it was wasting opportunities and times. Why didn’t we focused on attacking footy?

 

Dan Butler was different from the majority of players that I wonder above, at least. He saw Weller chasing him, but it was no worries. The former Tiger just ran and scored the winning goal.

 

Luckily we won the close game as well as unfair umpiring on holding balls. That close win has good meaning for us as we are rising into the second of the AFL ladder but Saints need to work hard in order to win the next game against Geelong.

 

Our players have tough times being in the quarantine hub in Noosa and I feel sorry for it. And Victorians are under the stage 4/3 lockdown and I will be out of work again from Tuesday onwards. Let’s appreciate AFL to run the competition.

 

Go the mighty Saints!

 

GOLD COAST 2.1 6.5 8.7 11.8 (74)
ST KILDA 3.2 6.2 9.4 12.6 (78)

 

GOALS
Gold Coast: King 3, Miller 2, Powell 2, Rankine 2, Anderson, Lemmens
St Kilda: Butler 4, Battle 2, Steele 2, Gresham, Kent, King, Marshall

 

BEST
Gold Coast: Greenwood, Collins, Miller, Ainsworth, Swallow, Powell
St Kilda: Billings, Butler, Clark, Gresham, Steele, Carlisle

 

OUR VOTES
3. Butler (STK); 2. Clark (STK); 1. Greenwood (GCS)

 

 

Round 11: Home game against Geelong
Monday 10 August 2020
5:10 pm
The Gabba

 

After the tight win over Gold Coast Suns, I was unlikely to expect us to win, but not a heavy defeat.

 

It was the last full working day for a while (my premise has been closed indefinitely from the following day, while I would fill in another premise on Friday evening), so I missed watching the big clash.

 

Checking the score after the work, I was very disappointed and sad with the huge loss. Needless to say, I didn’t watch the replay at all.

 

ST KILDA 2.1 4.6 4.8 4.10 (34)
GEELONG 2.4 7.5 11.7 14.9 (93)

 

GOALS
St Kilda: Phillips 2, Battle, Billings
Geelong: Hawkins 5, Rohan 4, Menegola 2, Dangerfield, Duncan, Tuohy

 

BEST
St Kilda: Steele, Sinclair, Long, Phillips
Geelong: Menegola, Hawkins, Dangerfield, Rohan, Duncan, O’Connor

 

Round 12: Home game against Essendon
Sunday 16 August 2020
3:35 pm
The Gabba

 

It’s a good win for the Saints but I admit I can’t feel comfortable or relaxed while watching the game.

 

We miss opportunities to bag goals at the last half and I mostly see the Bombers putting us under a lot of pressure.

 

Kicks are made from midfield delivering to the forward line in order to demonstrate attacking footy. But Saints hardly win contested marks and instead allow Essendon turnovers.

 

Saints just beat pressures and get more opportunities to score goals as well as place more pressures on Essendon.

 

Probably I want fast offensive games. When the Saints don’t score many goals, I can’t find anything attractive in games. Maybe I would be more excited if the Saints bag goals even at last quarter like when we played Port Adelaide and Sydney several weeks ago.

 

Or I could compare it with the fast game of the Western Bulldogs versus Adelaide Crows? I watched the first footy of Sunday and found it a powerful game. Then it is hard for me to feel attractive for my game…

 

But I find positives on my boys’ performances to be honest (maybe they should be addressed first).

 

Zak Jones – You performed brilliantly in picking footy, running and kicking with quick actions. And your tackles are great as always.

 

Seb Ross – Your possessions are well gained as well as I am impressed with accurate disposals in kicking and handballing.

 

Tim Membrey – I had longed your accurate set shots. After three quiet nights, I am very happy seeing your goal kickings and arm raising celebrations.

 

Nick Coffield – Your intercept marks and efforts on turnovers have been great in the last several games. You are doing amazing jobs in the back line. Indeed the Sunday match was the same.

 

Josh Battle – You are a great multitask player in the forward and defense lines. Not only kicking goals but also putting pressures on opponents are brilliant. You are so valued at the footy club.

 

Jarryn Geary – Your efforts creating turnovers in the back line are more than good. And your leadership is priceless. Without you, how many goals would opponents kick more?

 

Jack Billings – I want you to bag goals, but your kickings and handpasses in the midfield are important with accuracy. You create traffic towards the forward line. And you cover the field a lot so are the team player.

 

Jack Steele – You are an important midfielder demonstrating good workloads with brave tackles, good possessions and accurate kicks. We won’t deliver footy beyond the centre much if we don’t have you on the field.

 

Max King – You are a talented young forward with big hands. Your marking skills are good and set shots are accurate. I wish you can take more marks in the hot spot and kick more goals, but experiences will follow. Keep doing your job young fella, and you will enter us St Kilda supporters more.

 

Paddy Ryder and Rowan Marshall – You two are doing very well at rucking. Having good ruckmen is great in order to gain more hit outs and clearances. Clearances are important to hit goal posts.

 

It is a good win, but to be honest we need better workloads and more efficiency to beat the Lions who are the second on the current ladder.

 

We can do it as we beat my least Port Adelaide. I hope Saints accelerate on the run and bag goals next Sunday.

 

ST KILDA 4.4 7.5 9. 10.8 (68)
ESSENDON 1.0 2.0 4.1 5.3 (33)

 

GOALS
St Kilda: King 3, Membrey 2, Battle, Butler, Hind, Lonie, Ryder
Essendon: Begley, Langford, McDonald-Tipungwuti, Saad, Townsend

 

BEST
St Kilda: Jones, Battle, Billings, Steele, Clark, King
Essendon: Parish, Shiel, Merrett, McGrath, Langford

 

OUR VOTES
3. Jones (STK); 2. Battle (STK); 1. Parish (ESS)

 

Open letter to Channel 7

Thanks for covering footy matches for my interests via Watch AFL App. But I would like to express opinions on your commentating.

 

Your commentating is like wrong making decisions in umpiring because who commented positively on St Kilda games (Gold Coast vs, and vs Essendon), I perceive, as I didn’t find anything positive on St Kilda.

 

As a person who has learnt journalism online, I understand that journalists have responsibilities in reporting reasonably. I think this golden rule applies to commentating too.

 

Sadly modern media are more likely to focus on attracting audience with headlines. Your commentators seem to follow this fashion.

 

Please see how my hero, Nick Riewoldt is doing on Fox Footy. He is a St Kilda bloke and appears on St Kilda games. But he sees opponents reasonably and fairly with good analysis.

 

I want Bruce McAvaney, Brian Taylor and James Brayshaw to learn good commentating from the St Kilda legend. If they can’t, unfortunately I think they should go.

 

 

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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.

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