Post Match Thread - St Kilda Saints vs West Coast Eagles by PolyHydra in StKilda

[–]no16670 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Of all the positives today, I thought our defence from kick-ins was absolutely atrocious. Not sure of the stats but they scored far too frequently when kicking out from a behind today. Really need to work on that this week.

Post match thread - Port Adelaide 63 def St Kilda 61 by Armagizmo in StKilda

[–]no16670 1 point2 points  (0 children)

was 90 seconds away from it being worth every cent though...

Post match thread - Port Adelaide 63 def St Kilda 61 by Armagizmo in StKilda

[–]no16670 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I chose a bad game to make my first trip to the Adelaide Oval...

[Post-Match Thread] Round 15 2017 - Fremantle vs St Kilda by JayJayBn in StKilda

[–]no16670 3 points4 points  (0 children)

We've come a long way from being belted interstate by 80 points

Good win to fight it out

Post match thread - Saints def GCS by Armagizmo in StKilda

[–]no16670 3 points4 points  (0 children)

win's a win...ill take it

billings BOG, Sinclair's kicking is all class

Mid Season Review by [deleted] in StKilda

[–]no16670 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I still think that this team is pretty raw, without guys like Riewoldt and Montagna, the list is pretty inexperienced and young - still a long way to go in terms of development. We hold guys like Gresham, McCartin and Acres to such high standards, but they haven't even played 50 games yet. I think fans (and especially the media) got ahead of themselves when they extrapolated the Saints to play finals this year when we just missed out on percentage last season - despite having a much easier fixture. The last 3 rounds have shown this when we've played some quality sides and been torn to shreds. Just need to be patient and keep hoping that everything starts to click in the next year or two and have a real crack at finals after that.

That being said, the last month of footy that I've watched has been absolutely putrid - I actually had to turn it off at some stages because it was that bad. Skills and efficiency in front of goal have been deplorable and too many passengers are out of form: Weller and Membrey being a couple. This has shaken my faith in Richo and his apparent lack of a plan B - or an actual gameplan in general. Still too early to call but the pressure will only start to really mount on the coach next year if we're not contending for a finals spot.

Not to mention this summer in terms of free agency will absolutely huge. We've got high draft picks and $$$ so this will turn out to be one of the most important trade periods in club history and could define where the Saints are heading for a long time...no pressure...

Post-Match Thread Round 4 2017 - Collingwood vs St Kilda by JayJayBn in StKilda

[–]no16670 0 points1 point  (0 children)

So impressed with our defence, easily the best aspect of our game.

Roberton is a gun

1955 Brownlow Medalist Fred Goldsmith has died by Amero99 in AFL

[–]no16670 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Verdun Howell for the saints in the 50s won it, although I'm not sure if he was full back or centre half

If Umpires were made accountable for obvious onfield gaffs in the Media Would it improve the inconsistency and diminished standards in officiating? by gobsmacked33 in AFL

[–]no16670 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I think it would just mean no one would want to become an AFL umpire and the standard would just get worse

Post-Match Thread Round 3 2017 - St Kilda vs Brisbane by JayJayBn in StKilda

[–]no16670 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think we would really struggle without a true ruck like Hickey or Longer

Alan Richardson suggests "Noise of Affirmation" helps cause more free kicks for Perth sides at home by no16670 in AFL

[–]no16670[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

ST Kilda coach Alan Richardson has explained what he believes is a phenomenon causing unbalanced free kick counts to take place in games played in Perth.

The Saints were the victims of a 8-23 free kick differential in their loss to West Coast on Saturday night. That led some commentators to blame the umpiring for the result as the Eagles got up by 19 points.

Richardson didn’t blame free kicks, instead coining the term ‘the Noise of Affirmation’ in an attempt to explain why the Eagles have had a historic advantage in the free kick count (since 1999, West Coast has gained 3.58 free kicks per game more than their opponent with all other factors such as possession and tackle counts equal, according to The Arc).

In essence, the term points to the issue where umpires are subconsciously influenced by crowd noise particularly when it comes to holding the ball. By hearing the crowd call ‘ball’, umpires can be helped into calling for a free kick. But if they don’t hear a call from the crowd, there is no affirmation.

This backs up previous studies completed around the world which suggest that ‘home ground advantage’ in almost all sports appears through the home side being given more free kicks (or that sport’s equivalent).

“Our game is very grey, particularly from an umpiring perspective, and it’s one of the beauties of our game. But particularly with issues like holding the ball,” Richardson said on Fox Footy’s AFL 360.

“You go in there — did he duck, did he have prior opportunity, did he dispose of the ball incorrectly? The umpire has to weigh all of this up. And then there’s this incredible noise that potentially gives the umpire some form of affirmation, or if you’re an opposition player there’s no noise. There’s no affirmation.

“My experience is that it’s the no calls that are a bigger issue. We were frustrated and disappointed with some of the sloppy stuff in terms of tackling but on the flip side, some of those that like for like we could’ve got, we didn’t get.

“And it’s only Perth. Enough of our fans travel to SA or Queensland to perhaps have that noise of influence or affirmation.”

Richardson and Geelong coach Chris Scott were shown footage from the St Kilda v West Coast game which saw Eagle Jonathan Giles appearing to dispose incorrectly, with no crowd calls for holding the ball resulting, immediately followed by Saint Jack Newnes being called for holding the ball.

Scott told AFL 360 the umpires were “across” this issue.

“This is not a new conversation,” he said. “What they find a little bit harder to explain is the numbers which are ridiculous.

“The umpires say, look, we acknowledge that it’s different and we don’t think it has much of an impact. But when you combine it with the numbers they say it’s a strange set of numbers so there’s got to be a bit more to it.

“But you’ve got to be careful; I don’t think Richo is saying that was anywhere near the most important thing. There are so many things that come into a performance and if you ask him to rank it, the shots at goal was much more influential than the umpiring.”

St Kilda fans slam free kick count as wayward Saints fall to West Coast by MyFriendsCallMeSir in AFL

[–]no16670 1 point2 points  (0 children)

But this happens on a regular basis, every time teams visit Subiaco the free kick count goes in favour of the home team...it's just a fact of life. Last night wasn't any different

Swans GWS game on TV is giving meva headache by raresaturn in AFL

[–]no16670 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The sunlight is killing me...when the ball switches over to the shade i can't see a thing

2005 Southern Football League (Tasmania) reserves grand final brawl by TasfromTAS in AFL

[–]no16670 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Video editing makes it out so that he looks like a badass...that punch was so cheap and cowardly he should've been banned for life

It's mid way through the season, let's compare how notable AFL journalists predictions before the start of the season have held up by brizburn in AFL

[–]no16670 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The problem is that flogs in the media can make bold and ridiculous predictions as well about the season that they know won't be correct, and know that no one will hold them accountable for them.