Source :- THE AGE NEWS
Ross Lyon’s obsession with all things Chris Scott continues unabated. The St Kilda coach has again thrown Scott’s name into the mix apropos of nothing.
Lyon was fronting the Fox Footy cameras today before the Saints clash with Sydney at Marvel Stadium when he was asked who his new run-with player Hugh Boxshall would tag this afternoon.
“We trained him up in the twos,” Lyon said. “I’ve been really conscious that I haven’t had the (Clinton) Jones or the (Ryan) Crowley, and really I see Chris Scott as one of the best teams and coaches in the comp, and it’s good enough for them, and they can knock two over, and we’ve just been rolling out trying to, we really hadn’t done it a lot.
“So, we trained him up. He got it done. We’ve got to have a look where (Chad) Warner and (ISaac) Heeney and (Errol) Gulden are, and who’s up and going? So there’ll be a bit of flexibility in that.”
Not sure what any of this has to do with Chris Scott, but that’s Rossy for you.
It is 12 degrees and sunny in Launceston as North Melbourne take a five-point lead over Hawthorn in the first term – 21. (13) to 1.2 (8).
Nick Larkey and Harry Sheezel have booted majors for booted majors for the Kangaroos, while Will Day is the only goalkicker for Hawthorn.
A quick glance at the weather forecast suggests there is only a modest 14km/h wind, so there doesn’t seem to be an obvious advantage at either end.
St Kilda have taken the fight up to the more fancied Sydney to lead by nine points at quarter-time – 5.5 (35) to 4.2 (26). Two of their five first-term goals have come from superstar Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera. He kicked a neat banana from the right-hand pocket, and then snapped a beauty from the left-hand pocket. What a gun he is. The Saints have now won 17 first quarters this year.
The Swans have suffered an injury blow after James Rowbottom was ruled out of the game with a broken left hand in the first term after he accidentally ran into the back of Hugh Boxhall. Teammate Tom Papley also has a leg concern, but will play on.
Sydney kicked the first two goals of the game off the back of lightning rebounds out of defence. Their first took 16 seconds coast-to-coast, starting with a Nick Blakey’s kick-in and finishing in the hands of Charlie Curnow.
The Swans’ goal kickers are Logan McDonald (two), Curnow and Jai Serong, while their leading possession winners are Chad Warner, Errol Gulden and Nick Blake all with seven. The Saints goals have come from Wanganeen-Milera (two), Liam Ryan, Max Hall and Hugo Garcia, while Mason Wood tops their disposals with 10.
As St Kilda and the Swans slug it out in an entertaining opening term at Marvel Stadium, the Swans have suffered an injury blow, losing James Rowbottom to a broken hand.
He was taken from the ground in this first term and immediately looked dejected, sensing his injury was on the serious side. He has now gone down into the change rooms.
It is such a shame as the match is keeping the crowd on the edge of their seats.
After dropping the first two goals, the Saints lead by three points: 4.5 (29) to 4.2 (26) in the first quarter.
Finally, St Kilda have some reward for their early dominance. Their star Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera threads a beautiful right-foot banana from a pocket to put their first goal on the board and soon after clever forward Liam Ryan takes a mark and nails a straight-forward kick.
The Saints have dominated centre clearances 6-1, but still coughed up the first two goals of the game.
The Swans put two on the board from quick transitions. Their second major, like their first, started deep in their defence where they were able to rebound and then cut a path through the centre of the ground.
Charlie Curnow booted their first, and Jai Serong their second.
Saints 2.3 (15) lead the Swans 2.1 (13) first quarter.
No bonuses if you have picked Sydney’s first goalkicker. It is gun forward Charlie Curnow.
He puts the first major through at Marvel Stadium against the Saints, finding himself on the receiving end of a looping Brodie Grundy handball as he runs alone into a vacant goal square.
It is first-hand proof of how quickly Sydney move the ball. St Kilda’s Max Hall kicks a point, hitting the post, and before his teammates can set up, the Swans go coast-to-coast for a quickfire goal in 16 seconds. That’s madness.
Nick Blakey took the kick-in, immediately playing on and hammering the ball into the centre square where Tom Papley picks the Sherrin off the deck and delivers it long to Grundy who then handballs to Curnow. What an incredible goal.
Ross Lyon’s obsession with all things Chris Scott continues unabated. The St Kilda coach has again thrown Scott’s name into the mix apropos of nothing.
Lyon was fronting the Fox Footy cameras today before the Saints clash with Sydney at Marvel Stadium when he was asked who his new run-with player Hugh Boxshall would tag this afternoon.
“We trained him up in the twos,” Lyon said. “I’ve been really conscious that I haven’t had the (Clinton) Jones or the (Ryan) Crowley, and really I see Chris Scott as one of the best teams and coaches in the comp, and it’s good enough for them, and they can knock two over, and we’ve just been rolling out trying to, we really hadn’t done it a lot.
“So, we trained him up. He got it done. We’ve got to have a look where (Chad) Warner and (ISaac) Heeney and (Errol) Gulden are, and who’s up and going? So there’ll be a bit of flexibility in that.”
Not sure what any of this has to do with Chris Scott, but that’s Rossy for you.
Don’t get beaten by what you know. That’s the mantra that St Kilda coach Ross Lyon is taking into today’s clash against Sydney at Marvel Stadium, starting at 1.05pm.
So, just what do we know about the Swans, Rossy?
“They got some strong traits or characteristics or signatures,” Lyon told Fox Footy. “Clearly, their back-half ball movement, corridor about 23 per cent whatever it is, really high handball, low on contestant marks.
“So they go back at you pretty quickly. But what’s underrated is their front-half game, their ability to lock it in. But we’ve done analysis on that. So out of the three sources, a lot of it’s from their forward-50 stoppage repeat and their kicking defense. Not so much their possession game, defending their possession game turnover.
“So, we focus on how do we get out of there without turning it over. And then they got their their keys, obviously – (Charlie) Curnow and then (Errol) Gulden’s back, which throws another challenge with (Chad) Warner and (Isaac) Heeney, and then (Nick) Blakey off the back. There is system and some really high-end talent.”
Have your say, footy fans.
Sydney coach Dean Cox reckons it’s one of the toughest tasks in the AFL.
Which is why curbing the influence of St Kilda ace Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera looms large in his thoughts ahead of Saturday afternoon’s Marvel Stadium fixture.
“One of the toughest in football,” Cox said of the challenge in stopping the Saints star.
Sydney tagger James Jordon appears set for the job against the red-hot Wanganeen-Milera, who kicked four goals and gathered 46 disposals last weekend against North Melbourne.
It has been a crisp (but now sunny) morning in Melbourne. Get set for a bumper day of Saturday AFL action.
I’m Danny Russell, and I’ll be joining you early for two ripper AFL clashes – St Kilda versus Sydney at Marvel Stadium, Hawthorn versus North Melbourne in Launceston – followed by the AFLW’s showcase international match between Australia and Ireland in Sydney.
Get set for some excellent entertainment ahead.
