5 AREAS WHERE THE GAME WILL BE WON

WIN THE FOOTBALL The Suns need to get back to old-style footy, roll up the sleeves and be prepared to scratch and scrap for possession at the stoppages. Their 301 possessions last week was the lowest in the league and with Gary Ablett below his best it proved just how much this team is missing the inside wins of Jaeger O’Meara and the likes of Danny Stanley.

ACCOUNTABILITY The workrate can’t drop off when Saints take possession deep in their backline. The camera angle down the ground last weekend showed time and again just how easily the Demons opened the Suns up through the corridor. If the Suns are not prepared to harrass and press to the defend against the rebound they will again be cut to ribbons.

OPERATION RIEWOLDT Stopping Nick Riewoldt hitting the scoreboard has been the formula to keeping St Kilda at bay and nothing has changed. Riewoldt may not be 100 per cent after he copped a heavy knock from behind in last week’s tight loss. But Steven May and Rory Thompson must hard against the veteran star so he cannot kickstart the Saints.

PROTECT GAZ It won’t sit well with the Suns skipper that he needs a little protection in his comeback from shoulder surgery. Every club would have watched Jack Viney target Ablett last week and be willing to try similar tactics so it would be negligent of the Suns not return serve with interest on any player who goes out of his way to lay body on Ablett.

MAKING UP FOR LOST TIME Suns fans would be hoping Tom Lynch squirmed through every agonising minute of last week’s insipid performance against Melbourne at the MCG. He was ruled out as a result of an on-field NAB Challenge indiscretion and owes it to his teammates to present at every opportunity and hit the scoreboard as he did with 46 goals last season.