In my humble opinion, the Saints play a floating set up not dissimilar to rugby league.
They create a zone 30-60 metres defensive side of the play, a floating flood in simple terms.
They play a 4 man forward structure and place the 2 remaining forwards defensive side of the contest.
Most of their stoppages are set up on the defensive side and the rucks are instructed to place the ball there, similar to Brisbane.

For this structure to work requires 2 main ingredients.
1. Hold up the opposition at all costs when they win disposal.
2. A constant bench rotation as this gameplan requires maximum output from the midfielders.

Their requirement is to run hard when the Saints win possession but to reset the zone if the opposition win the ball. Hence the requirement to hold up the opposition.
Carlton fell into the trap beautifully. We played stop start football and kicked to the contest.
Exactly what the Saints gameplan wants.

How is it beaten?
Teams must go into the game with 2 main objectives and tactical requirements.
Objective 1.
Play on at all costs.
The best way to counter the Saints is to move the ball as quickly as possible. The ball moves faster than the players get back.
Run past at all costs if marks or free kicks are paid to keep the ball moving.
Objective 2.
Maintain possession.
The Swans are experts at this and the Bullies were adequate at it.
If the ball cant be moved quickly which will happen often, dont kick long to the contest.
Players ahead of the play must lead at the player in possession and the short passes must be utilised. This must be continued until a player is in space and in a position to kick long over the zone.

Tactics.
The Saints are very one paced in the midfield and try to get the ball to their wingers at every opportunity.
Black and DelSanto are the targets for handball recieves similar to how Brisbane utilise Power.
More than 50% of Luke Powers stats would be handball recieves, mostly from Simon Black.
DelSanto and Black must be matched with accountable runners.

Be willing to adapt. Teams should play 4-5 man forward lines and place extra players around the contest as much as possible.
A 3 quarter ground squeeze will congest the flood and unsettle the Saints structure.
The Swans played man on man as much as possible and most importantly, every Swans player except Leo Barry was defensive side of his opponent at all times.

The one glaring statistic is the teams that have defeated St Kilda have maintained possession and have finished with more possessions than the Saints.
Dont be afraid to overpossess backward of centre if you cant fast break.
The key is to break up the the flood forward of centre half forward so the forward line is kept open.

Apologies if I have waffled

Fevola reaffirmed his and the players' support for senior coach, Denis Pagan.

"He's got no worries, Denis," Fevola said.

"Denis is Denis and I don't think he's got a worry in the world. The boys love him and we love the way he coaches and the way he communicates with the boys."

"I think everyone's behind him 100 per cent."

It's about tactics in this particular game though Blueboy. Have it your way & we'd have a 150 page thread covering 20 different subtopics...

Instead we have 150 threads covering the same thing. I have read the thread and it is very imformative all im saying if you want to bag the coach put it in one thread.

Just like we have talking players we might need a talking coaches. Its a deppressing time at the moment and alot of people want to have there say and im for it.

But we shouldnt turn this site in to doom and gloom. All the good stories get lost in the denis bashing threads.

BV you should email that to Pagan…he'd have to respond & it would be very interesting to see how.

What's to lose?

I already have a below is his response


I just dont know what goes on in young players minds
We praticed it at training I suppose that what you get when you got a young team.

Nobody knows what we've been through

We discussed this with the players and they came up with the same answers as we did

Give draft picks I give you wins

We are trying to teach them to play four quarters of football

there are no superstars in the closet at Royal Parade rest assured we have looked for them

We just butchered the ball

I just look at Wells and Goddard and whoever anf think gosh they would have made a difference out there.

This coaching is a funny caper a few years back I could sit back and have a Cup of coffee and watch it all unfold

we are taking small steps forward - did mention we are a young side

We are all working very hard

Brendan he was just sensational out there today

I wish I had two Lances

We need bigger bodies

I'll guess will have to go back an have another look at it we had come along way and been competitive in most games we thought we were over this

I already have a below is his response


I just dont know what goes on in young players minds
We praticed it at training I suppose that what you get when you got a young team.

Nobody knows what we've been through

We discussed this with the players and they came up with the same answers as we did

Give draft picks I give you wins

We are trying to teach them to play four quarters of football

there are no superstars in the closet at Royal Parade rest assured we have looked for them

We just butchered the ball

I just look at Wells and Goddard and whoever anf think gosh they would have made a difference out there.

This coaching is a funny caper a few years back I could sit back and have a Cup of coffee and watch it all unfold

we are taking small steps forward - did mention we are a young side

We are all working very hard

Brendan he was just sensational out there today

I wish I had two Lances

We need bigger bodies

I'll guess will have to go back an have another look at it we had come along way and been competitive in most games we thought we were over this