This week St Kilda hosts Fremantle at Etihad Stadium, hoping they can put an end to an eleven-game losing streak with what would be a remarkable upset. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 4:40pm (AEST).
The Saints have been in woeful form of late with a loss in Hobart to North Melbourne last week being their eleventh consecutive defeat since losing to the Brisbane Lions in Wellington in Round 6. They haven’t come within five goals of a win in their last ten matches running.
The Dockers on the other hand are on the exact other side of the ledger, boasting eight wins on the trot coming into Saturday’s encounter, and looking certain to extend that to nine. They moved to second on the ladder last weekend with a big win over GWS, and could widen the gap with a percentage booster this week.
Head to head the meetings between these clubs are thrown off by last year’s Round 23 game in which Ross Lyon rested a swathe of players and sent what was essentially his reserves side to be smashed by the Saints while his stars rested at home in preparation for a finals campaign. Before that, Lyon’s Dockers had won the last two against his former side.
The Saints have made a number of changes from the side that performed so poorly against North Melbourne, dropping Sam Dunnell, Cameron Shenton and Sebastian Ross, and losing Tom Hickey to a knee concern. Josh Saunders, Josh Bruce, Brodie Murdoch and Billy Longer come in to replace them.
The Dockers have lost some big name, with Hayden Ballantyne missing through suspension and Aaron Sandilands being managed through a back injury, Clancee Pearce and Michael Apeness have been dropped. Luke McPharlin is a big inclusion, Matt de Boer and Matt Taberner also will return, and Jonathon Griffin will play his first game since injuring his ACL last year.
With two games as the sub under his belt, I think it might be about time for Anthony Morabito to get a full game against what is a relatively soft match-up, and show just what he is capable of. He could make a big splash on Saturday afternoon.
Are the Saints any realistic chance of causing an upset? Or will it be another routine victory for the Dockers on the road?
Prediction
If anyone doubted Ross Lyon’s decision to ditch St Kilda at the end of 2011 in favour of joining Fremantle, they need simply look at these two teams. Had he stayed at the Saints Lyon might well be out of a job now whereas at Fremantle he’s once again in premiership contention. Anything can happen in footy but realistically the gap between these two teams is far too wide for the Saints to overcome.
Fremantle by 72 points.
Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 4:40pm (AEST).
Josh
Expert
It is tough, as it is with most teams, with that bottom six or so. Freo have a pretty good bit of depth, though they have no one who really stands out for the Full Forward position, which is one of their biggest problems.
Josh
Expert
In my defense, I don't think anyone would've been disagreeing with me at the time I made the prediction, ha ha.
Darryl Johansen
Guest
Mr Elliot.Fremantle by 72 points.You win turkey of the century!!!
Pope Paul vii
Guest
ha ha....they had a nervous finish
Don Freo
Guest
They don't need an excuse. They'll just take it on the chin and scrub up again. I have no doubt they'll still finish top two. I expect top...if Hawks take down Sydney. Hawks aren't that good though so I suppose second is ok. That will give them Geelong at home first up in the finals and that's a gimme.
Michael huston
Guest
No but there is no excuse for fumbling a chance at a top two spot. Especially with Sydney and Hawthorn playing each other next week. I don't know what they were thinking.
Don Freo
Guest
No...but it was a tense battle for bottom at the time. I suppose you could argue Sydney won that. Are four points worth less at the start of a season?
Don Freo
Guest
Pretty hard when they are all available. Ibbotson for de Boer. It would probably be decided on match-ups.
Bosk
Roar Rookie
Sheo have enough soft games coming up that they can recover from this, but its a huge blow to their chances. Their draw looks like this: Carlton at home WIN Geelong away 50/50 Hawthorn at home 50/50 Brisbane away WIN Port at home 50/50 The odds that they will take 5 wins out of those games are slim but 4 wins is not impossible. At worst they'll be one game behind the team in 2nd spot at the end of this round, and since they play three of their top 4 rivals their destiny is in their own hands.
Michael huston
Guest
*Lost to Giants by 32 points. And didn't do it when a top two spot was there for the taking six weeks away from September.
Josh
Expert
Okay mate here's my shot. B: P. Duffield Z. Dawson M. Johnson HB: C. Sutcliffe L. McPharlin T. Mzungu C: D. Pearce M. Barlow S. Hill HF: A. Morabito M. Pavlich M. Walters F: H. Ballantyne Z. Clarke M. De Boer Fol.: A. Sandilands N. Fyfe D. Mundy I/C: C. Mayne R. Crowley L. Neale L. Spurr Ibbotson, Suban, Sylvia, Sheridan, Crozier, all missing out narrowly. I don't claim to be an expert on Freo list though.
Josh
Expert
Would've been good to have a couple thou on St Kilda at $14. Ha ha.
Josh
Expert
Well. Building a streak. Of incorrect tips. Two in a row! Bleck. Maybe I can turn my fortunes around with Bulldogs v Essendon tomorrow? Hope you'll all join me for it.
Josh
Expert
Just got to hand it to an absolute legend in Nick Riewoldt this week who had thirty touches, sixteen marks and four goals, willing his team over the line to an enormous upset victory. He is an absolute star of the game. Well done Roo. And what a great way to celebrate the career of Lenny Hayes, too.
Josh
Expert
Well a smashing win to the Saints all things considered. Don't really know what to say. Incredible stuff and it throws the ladder into chaos at both ends. Might be a Brisbane spoon (and no. 1 pick now), might be that the Dockers will have to travel to play in a qualifying final which would severely hurt their flag chances.
Bosk
Roar Rookie
I'm surprised they recruited Sylvia in the first place. Freo's gameplan relies on discipline & pressure from every player for the zone to hold together and Sylvia's career has been anything but disciplined. Worth taking a punt on him for sure though. Ditto Gumbleton who has delivered even less.
Don Freo
Guest
Yeah...I'd say Freo is still the ant's pants. The kick in the pants will fine tune them so they're not slack against the Cats, Hawks and Port. Sandi, Ballas, Ibbotson and Walters will make sure we're not that slack again. Not sure whether McPharlin got injured again but there's Silvagni too. A once off...no problem. Remember Sydney lost to GWS by 70 points. Stuff happens. It was actually good to see the Saints play so well.
Axle an the guru
Guest
Lyon wont be happy with this outcome, if Geelong and Port win,the Fockers will be out of the top four.
Radelaide
Guest
They talk about needing equalization but this year has been a tipsters nightmare
Josh
Expert
Hmm. Not sure. I'll get back to you on that.