Round 20 – St Kilda v Carlton: There goes another season and the hot air of expectation

 

 

 

 

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About Yvette Wroby

Yvette Wroby writes, cartoons, paints through life and gets most pleasure when it's about football, and more specifically the Saints. Believes in following dreams and having a go.

Comments

  1. Classic, Yvette! You capture the experience of every supporter at some stage of their pilgrimage.

  2. Football Analyst says

    Yvette, I couldn’t agree more with the title of this article,

    One can only hope that St Kilda has good fortune in 2022, regarding less injuries to their most important players and for a shorter timeframe on the sidelines. St Kilda will have a better draw in 2022 if they don’t finish higher than 13th on the ladder, and with St Kilda’s remaining 3 matches, their draw could see that become a reality, not that I want St Kilda to lose its last 3 matches in 2021.

    St Kilda hopefully will come up with a successful, winning game plan for 2022, as well as a good 2nd ruckman as Paddy Ryder is nearing the end, as far as his age is concerned. St Kilda also need to get a good strong bodied centre half back as Carlisle is not only injured but out of favour and may not be at St Kilda in 2022. Josh Battle actually fits the bill for a strong bodied centre half back but the selectors haven’t been playing him in that role, prior to his injury, and he seems to be out of favour too. A fit Jade Gresham in 2022 will certainly help the team generally, if he can play the majority of the games.

    If St Kilda can address those issues mentioned above then in the words of the St Kilda President, Andrew Bassat, St Kilda’s premiership window will begin from 2022. St Kilda needs to dream big to win their elusive 2nd flag and Andrew Bassat has mentioned he will leave absolutely no stone unturned for St Kilda to win another premiership. Don’t forget that Richmond, in 2010, were even in a worse state (but still in Victoria) than St Kilda are in now, when their CEO, Brendan Gale, declared that Richmond would win 3 flags within the next 10 years. He was laughed at, at the time, but he ended up being right.

    I’m not suggesting that St Kilda will win 3 flags in the next 10 years, but it would be fantastic if that happened. I and other St Kilda supporters like yourself, will be more than happy with another St Kilda premiership within a few years, hopefully sooner rather than later, as long as that 2nd flag eventuates.

    St Kilda, don’t think, don’t hope, do!

  3. Football Analyst says

    At first I thought that Yvette had left out the summary of the match, but then I realised it was very clever of her to just do a title only, implying about the result of St Kilda v Carlton match, say no more!

  4. Yvette Wroby says

    Thanks Footy Analyst and Ian… I have run out of footy words fir now …. Let’s hope your analysis proves correct. And I know these balloons could have been in many team colors ! Thanks fir your comments

  5. george smith says

    They had a story in the Age about a game in 1989 where St Kilda destroyed Carlton, just before the Saints v Carlton game last Friday. Always a bit tempting of fate to poke the Showponies like that, I have many bitter memories, even in the good times, of the Showies rising to the occasion and beating our mob pointless, just because. The first year of super coach Buckley in 2012 springs to mind.

    Anyway, in this game Tony Lockett humiliated Silvagni and kicked 10 goals. Makes a bit of a mockery of the so called fullback of the century, and says more about the prejudices of the judges – Messrs Jacobs Healey and Parkin.

  6. Football Analyst says

    Thank you George for mentioning that 1989 match between St Kilda and Carlton at Moorabbin.

    I happened to be in the crowd that day and it was a memorable win for St Kilda. I clearly remember the game and the atmosphere in the stand that day was electrifying. If only St Kilda had a modern day equivalent of Tony Lockett now.

  7. Football Analyst says

    What I also should have also mentioned was that St Kilda will hopefully use the Brendan Gale CEO at Richmond method for success. Richmond finished 13th on the ladder in 2016, having also lost their last home and away match to Sydney by around 120 points at the SCG. Apparently, according to the Footy Almanac’s Matt Zurbo, Brendan Gale told him a few years before Richmond’s 1st of their 3 recent flags in 2017, that in order for a team to achieve premiership success, 3 things are crucial: recruiting, stability and coaching. They are all linked. Brendan Gale also mentioned back in 2011, that in order to win a premiership, a club must be financially strong, but I believe that the Western Bulldogs, the envy of St Kilda, won a flag in 2016 without being financially strong, and may do so again in 2021.

    Therefore, St Kilda finishing in their current 13th on the ladder this year, could be a good omen to win the flag in 2022. If Richmond after a long premiership drought could, so can St Kilda and also, like the Western Bulldogs, St Kilda aren’t financially strong.

    As far as recruiting is concerned, I believe St Kilda have recruited well in recent years with Dan Butler and Jack Higgins (leg speed and goal kickers from Richmond), Brad Hill and Zak Jones (both have great leg speed), Dougall Howard (very good full back and still young), Paddy Ryder (very good tap ruckman but nearing the end), and Brad Crouch (ball magnet and good clearance player).

    Richmond’s matchwinners back in 2017 were Martin, Cotchin, Rance and Riewoldt. St Kilda’s 4 potential matchwinners in 2022 are Rowan Marshall, Max King, Jack Steele and Jade Gresham. Of course, the Western Bulldogs won the flag in 2016 with only a few matchwinners in Bontompelli and Stringer, as they were very even. I believe St Kikda are very even too.

    As far as stability is concerned, St Kilda has a stable board and I have faith in the President Andrew Bassat, CEO Matt Finnis, Football Manager Simon Lethlean and Strategist David Rath.

    As far as the coaching is concerned, St Kilda need to persevere with Brett Ratten, who has the talent with his players, but in 2021 was only as good as St Kilda’s depth, due to many long term injuries to their better players. St Kilda also needs to get another Assistant Coach of the quality of Blake Caracella, who was hired by Richmond at the start of 2017 and was responsible for their improved ball movement. That coach needs to do the same thing with St Kilda’s ball movement and general game plan in 2022. Perhaps, an expert to oversee St Kilda’s injury problems will help too.

    All going well, St Kilda will be Premiers in 2022. I’m prepared to eat my words if they can’t but like Brendan Gale at Richmond, St Kilda needs to dream big to want to be the best and win that elusive 2nd flag.

    In Brendan Gale’s words, St Kilda aren’t here just to compete, they’re here to be the best. Also, in St Kilda President Andrew Bassat’s words “St Kilda aren’t here to survive, we are here to thrive!”

  8. Football Analyst says

    Fantastic win by St Kilda over Sydney!
    St Kilda are still alive in 2021 and are back in the finals race!

    Carn The Mighty Saints!

  9. Yvette Wroby says

    And we can blow up the balloon of expectation once again! Here we go…….

    Thanks for all the Saints love.

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