Round 17 – St Kilda vs West Coast: R U OK? It’s okay not to be okay

 

Thursday 10 September 2020
7:10 pm
The Gabba

 

10 September 2020 is a) R.U.O.K? Day and b) an important game day for the Saints. And the one-year anniversary of losing Danny Frawley marks the previous day.

 

The loss of Spud shocked the AFL world and recognised the importance of mental issues. The one-year anniversary is the subject to talk about during the week including on Wednesday’s AFL Asia #howgoodsfootyinasia podcast.

 

I have been seeking a better life and want to create a new career path for fulfilment. I have a clear goal with what I want for a job. And gaining new skills will widen more opportunities and bring me a win in the job hunting competition.

 

On Tuesday, I have a positive career consultant and we both agree with taking a course as re-training. Then I visit places to make enquiries but sadly get stuck in a loop. Employment organisations say no for my enquiries (my wish doesn’t meet their criteria) and have no knowledge of alternative organisations where I can seek advice.

 

I try to create positive paths and act with a lot of energies, but hit big walls. It’s like picking footy, running in open space with bounces, and then getting tackled or hitting a wrong target, in close games. In other words, killing/losing opportunities.

 

Sadly I admit I am not okay on the important game day because I feel like losing the Grand Final (more like having a drawn one and then losing the replay of Saints in 2010). Therefore it is hard for me to get pumped up cheering my boys up on Thursday.

 

Getting closer to the game, I am nervous rather than having confidence, even if the Bulldogs beat the Eagles at the previous round. It may be the nature of a Sainter? However as I said, it’s okay not to be okay.

 

After the first bounce, Naitanui hits out with his height advantages. But Saints gain more clearances and have more times in half forward. St Kilda gain more contested possessions and have good ball uses. But changing directions and using the wing give Eagles away more opportunities. It is not okay for the mighty Saints. Why are we killing opportunities voluntary?

 

Scoring 3.5 shows inaccuracies in kicking at the first quarter and advantages of time in half forward don’t help Saints scoring more. Meanwhile Darling fires up and his teammates put good pressures on St Kilda.

 

Second quarter is the worst of the night for St Kilda as we have a scoreless term. St Kilda drop off handpasses and waste time by kicking backwards and changing directions. West Coast handle the footy much better and find the right teammates to pass to. And they have more contested marks. Winning contested marks is important to gain turnovers and to score goals. The Eagles put much pressure on the Saints.

 

Third quarter is better but it’s still a goalless term. Maybe players could ask each other “Are you okay?” to value and encourage others. It is hard to remember more details of these goalless quarters because I am not okay watching footy live. My frustrations come up and my heart beats very hard.

 

Finally Ross kicks a goal in the last term and the Saints are fighting hard. The previous goal was at 21:00 of the first quarter. Then Butler’s goal gets the scores level and Marshall puts us in front with his goal.

 

I start having hopes of winning and it will be ourselves to secure tickets for finals, but the Saints start slowing down again. The returning young forward Max King takes a mark but scores only a behind. He cannot take the second opportunity either.

 

Billings pushes the footy outside the boundary demonstrating good efforts. Hill gains speed and seems to get to the maximum level, but brings only a minor score.

 

Geary and Wilkie put good pressure on the Eagles, but Kennedy and Kelly are flying high. They win contested marks and kick nicely. West Coast forwards are better than our forward in marking contests and kicking.

 

Naitanui’s hit outs are outstanding and we cannot stop gun Eagles. When Marshall gives away a 50-metre penalty and Geary concedes a free kick in the last minute we cannot get any closer.

 

We end up losing by 15 points thanks to Cole’s goal after the siren.

 

They play better than last week against the Bulldogs. The brand of Saints footy is gone now. Western Bulldogs handpass and kick better than us. Eagles on Thursday as well.

 

As commentated on Channel 7, changing directions gives opponents more time to get numbers in our half forward, as well they can tag our forwards. Then they try to get around the ball to win contested marks.

 

Our forwards need to shepherd more and run to the right spot. We need to find the space and at the same time stop key opponent players. Next weekend we have to stop Greene and Whitfield.

 

I am not okay with the result with disappointment, but it is okay to have such emotions because I love the Saints. Remember boys it is not okay to lose on Friday against GWS. I hope the Bulldogs supporters will back us on Friday as the Doggies and GWS are modern rivals.

 

 

ST KILDA             3.5 3.5 3.9 6.14 (50)
WEST COAST      2.1 5.6 5.9 9.11 (65)

 

GOALS
St Kilda: Ryder, Membrey, Lonie, Ross, Butler, Marshall
West Coast: Darling 2, Allen 2, Ryan, Gaff, Kennedy, Kelly, Cole

 

BEST
St Kilda: Clark, Steele, Ryder, Sinclair, Howard, Ross
West Coast: Kelly, Gaff, Naitanui, Ryan, Barrass, Darling

 

OUR VOTES
3. Kelly (WCE); 2. Clark (STK); 1. Gaff (WCE)

 

 

 

 

 

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