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Robert Harvey inducted into St Kilda’s Hall of Fame
  • Robert Harvey inducted into St Kilda’s Hall of Fame
    Robert Harvey inducted into St Kilda’s Hall of Fame
    At St Kilda’s 140th Birthday/Hall of Fame function on Saturday 4 May 2013 club games record holder Robert Harvey became the 42nd person to be inducted into the St Kilda Football Club Hall of Fame.  During an illustrious career over a VFL/AFL record 21 seasons from 1988 to 2008 Harvey won back to back Brownlow Medals in 1997 and 1998, was selected in the All-Australian team eight times and won the St Kilda best and fairest four times. Harvey’s greatest strengths were his relentless running, sublime evasive skills, brilliant ball winning ability and the capacity to perform at an exceptional level in the big matches. Harvey played 17 finals for St Kilda and represented Victoria eight times, remarkably in 20 of these 25 matches Harvey was named in his side’s six best players, including winning three EJ Whitten medals for being Victoria’s best player and and being named St Kilda’s best player in the official AFL records for five of the six finals that St Kilda won during Robert’s decorated career.  When Lenny Hayes announced that his former teammate Robert Harvey had been inducted into St Kilda’s Hall of Fame he commented "Harvey's record stands supreme... He is the only player in league history to receive Brownlow votes in more than 100 games." In the same manner that Lenny Hayes and Nick Dal Santo looked up to Robert Harvey when they started their AFL careers Harvey looked up to Trevor Barker. On the night that Harvey was inducted into the St Kilda Football Club Hall of Fame Trevor Barker was elevated to Legend of the St Kilda Football Club. During his acceptance speech Harvey said “Trevor Barker took me aside as a 16 year old and showed me the passion and pride of the club, he really loved the club and its supporters.” Harvey went on to say “I would like to thank all the players I played with” but he made special mention of several of his ex-teammates including Danny Frawley, Nathan Burke, Stewart Loewe Barker, Nick Riewoldt and Lenny Hayes. Robert’s magnificent career in football is comprehensively covered below, from his time as a junior footballer, his rapid progression from the St Kilda under 19s to the St Kilda seniors where he remained for a staggering 21 seasons, through to his time as an assistant coach once his playing career ended. Football has changed dramatically since Robert Harvey made his debut as a 16 year old in 1988, then the league was known as the VFL and had only expanded from 12 clubs to 14 the previous year. St Kilda played their home games at Moorabbin, teams only had 20 players and the interchange bench was usually the domain of players who had been dragged or were injured during the match, there was no such thing as rotations, and most matches were played on a Saturday afternoon. It has been quite a journey for Harvey and was undertaken in a far different landscape to the one faced by current players who enter the AFL via the draft, even players recruited from Victoria, the state that easily have the most clubs in the AFL have little more than a 50% chance of being recruited by a Victorian AFL club. When Harvey entered the VFL system it was done through a zone rather than the draft, and Seaford was in St Kilda’s zone. Robert first went to the St Kilda Football Club in November 1985 to train with the St Kilda under-15s squad for the 1986 Victorian under-15 schoolboy championships.  During 1987 Harvey played in an under-17s premiership with his suburban club Seaford. Months later in early 1988 Harvey turned up to under-19s training with St Kilda and was daunted to find 100 other young blokes there also trying out. Not knowing anyone else Harvey found it a very different proposition to playing with his mates at Seaford.  Once the practice matches started Harvey felt more comfortable.  One of the other players trying out was Shane Warne who ended up playing under-19s football for St Kilda and one reserves game before getting cut at the start of the 1989 season. Warne is considerably more famous for playing cricket for Australia, developing into one of the best leg spinners the world has ever seen and taking over 700 test wickets. In his first under-19s game for St Kilda Harvey played in the back pocket – a position he had never played in previously, and he was dragged before the end of the first quarter. Harvey was certain that he would be dropped for the following weeks match, however he survived – just, getting picked on the bench. Harvey was worried that if he didn’t perform well in this game he might get cut, looking back at this time Robert recalled “Our gun midfielder went down with a knee injury early in the game, so they threw me in the centre. Thankfully I grabbed my opportunity.”1  As humble as ever Harvey  commented “If it wasn’t for someone else’s misfortune, I might never have made it at St Kilda.”2 Harvey was reluctant to try out for Victoria’s 1988 under-17 Teal Cup team as he didn’t want to step out of his comfort zone and was content playing football with his mates. After encouragement from his parents Robert finally agreed to try out. Robert made the 1988 under-17 Victorian team, after impressive performances he was selected in the All-Australian team alongside future VFL/AFL players Wayne Carey and Jose Romero.  Playing Teal Cup football for Victoria had been a great confidence building experience for Robert and he benefitted immensely from playing against the best junior footballers in the country and realising that he belonged out there with them. Harvey was recruited by St Kilda from Seaford via the Saints VCFL zone in 1988. Encouraged by his exploits playing junior representative football for Victoria Harvey had a whirlwind year with St Kilda in 1988 and quickly progressed through the ranks with eight games for the under-19s and six  matches in the reserves before being promoted to the senior St Kilda side late in the 1988 VFL season. Weeks before his 17th birthday Robert Harvey made his VFL debut for St Kilda in Round 19, 6 August 1988 against Footscray at the Western Oval (now Whitten Oval) in front of just 10,477 people. Harvey started the match on a half-forward flank and had the first kick of the game, he finished the match with seven kicks and five handballs.  Harvey played the final four games of the season for St Kilda in the VFL and was one of the Saints best players in Round 21 against Hawthorn with 19 possessions and two goals. During his debut season Harvey played four matches, averaging 10.3 kicks, 3.8 handballs, and 1.8 marks per game. St Kilda’s 1988 coach Darrel Baldock was a strong advocate in blooding new talent and had assured Harvey and fellow teenager Brett Bowey when they were promoted to the senior side in Round 19 that their positions were safe and that they would have the remainder of the season to settle into the senior team. By showing this confidence in his young players Baldock significantly reduced the pressure that they felt.  Baldock commented about his early impression of Harvey “You could virtually see from the first minute that Robert Harvey was going to make a top footballer. He had the natural ability and the right temperament to make it. I’ve never seen someone so young just jump immediately into senior football.”3 St Kilda struggled during the 1988 season eventually finishing on the bottom, however their focus on developing  younger players paid long term dividends with six teenagers from the Round 22 1988 side each going on to play more than 50 VFL games, Harvey, Bowey, Nathan Burke, Jayson Daniels,  Gordon Fode and Mick Dwyer.  Burke and Harvey would each go onto play more than 300 VFL/AFL games and captain St Kilda whilst Daniels played more than 150 games including over 100 for St Kilda across two stints,  spending a few years at Sydney in the middle of his career.  So inexperienced was St Kilda’s side from the final round in 1988 that it contained only three players older than 26, 28 year old Ken Sheldon who would later coach the Saints, 29 year old Geoff Cunningham and the late Trevor Barker who was then 31. After wearing number 52 in 1988 Harvey started to wear number 35 in 1989, he would retain this number for the rest of his career and in 2002 he broke the record for most games wearing number 35 which was held by Peter Daicos with 250. Harvey retained his position in the St Kilda seniors and continued to play across half forward early in the 1989 season however in Round 5 Baldock moved Harvey into the midfield against Essendon.  Harvey proved to be a revelation collecting 14 kicks and 15 handballs as one of the Saints best in the 54 point loss.  The following week against Sydney at Moorabbin Harvey continued to take to the midfield like a duck to water, racking up an astronomical 27 possessions up until the 20 minute mark of the third quarter, however disaster then struck as Harvey broke his ankle. Whilst Harvey was frustrated with getting injured he now knew that he could compete at the highest level which made it easier to deal with the healing process and spending months on the sideline rehabilitating. In Round 17 1989 against Essendon Harvey returned to the St Kilda side and didn’t miss a beat, getting his first Brownlow Medal votes , receiving two votes for a performance in which he had 20 kicks, 13 handballs, six marks and kicked two goals. Harvey also received two votes in Round 21 against Melbourne, having 18 kicks, 12 handballs, five marks and again kicking two goals.  In Round 20 against Carlton Harvey had his best game for the season with 15 kicks, 21 handballs, five marks and kicked four goals three behinds. Harvey played 12 matches during 1989, averaging 11.3 kicks, 10.0 handballs, 3.5 marks and 1.1 goals per game.  Robert won St Kilda’s best first year player award and was ranked sixth for total handballs at St Kilda even though he played just over half the season. Harvey was 181 centimetres tall and after making his debut as a skinny 16 year-old in 1988 he needed to bulk up considerably, during the 1990 pre-season Harvey added considerable muscle to his frame allowing him to match the strength of opposition midfielders. From Round 3 to Round 11 1990 Harvey showed great consistency for a teenager to have at least 22 possessions in all nine games.  In Round 11 against Geelong Harvey kicked four goals in a game (all in the final quarter) and failed to receive a Brownlow vote for the second time in his career after kicking four goals. Despite missing the final four games of the 1990 season with glandular fever Harvey finished third in St Kilda’s best and fairest with centre-half forward Stewart Loewe winning the award.  In 1990 Harvey played 18 matches predominantly in the midfield, averaging 13.9 kicks, 10.7 handballs and 2.6 marks per game. During 1991 Harvey had an injury free year playing all of St Kilda’s games, from Round 3 to Round 8 Robert had a purple patch averaging 32.6 possessions a game and receiving a total of five Brownlow Medal votes during this five match period (St Kilda had the bye in Round 5). Harvey was rewarded for his outstanding form with selection in Victoria’s State of Origin team for the match against South Australia. Harvey had no trouble stepping up to the higher level and kicked two goals in Victoria’s 16 point victory. After two wins, a draw and two losses in their first five matches in 1991 St Kilda won seven of their next eight matches to place themselves in a commanding position to make their first finals appearance in 18 years.  The Saints then lost four of their next five games to fall back to a pack of teams fighting for the final three spots in the top six. St Kilda finished the season well, winning their final four games to finish the home and away season in fourth position with 14 wins, seven losses and a draw. West Coast had been the dominant side of the season and finished on top with 19 wins, three games clear of Hawthorn and Geelong. Under coach Ken Sheldon St Kilda played an entertaining brand of football in 1991 and the side that played Geelong in the Second Elimination Final included four All-Australians from that season, Tony Lockett, Stewart Loewe, Nicky Winmar and David Grant, with other prominent players being captain Danny Frawley, and emerging stars Burke and Harvey.  Harvey had a game-high 29 possessions against Geelong and along with Nicky Winmar and Gilbert McAdam provided great supply to full forward Tony Lockett who was superb kicking nine goals, five behinds. The Saints lost David Grant and Nathan Burke early in the game after they were both knocked unconscious by Gary Ablett in separate instances. St Kilda started the second half 19 points in front, however not being able to use their interchange bench at all due to the loss of Grant and Burke proved to be extremely telling as Geelong led by Billy Brownless with eight goals finished stronger to overrun the Saints and win by seven points. In 1991 Harvey played all 23 matches, averaging 13.8 kicks, 13.0 handballs and 2.9 marks per game. Harvey was developing into one of the top ball-winners in the VFL, being ranked equal fifth in the competition for most handballs during the 1991 home and away season with 285, and being ranked second at St Kilda for kicks behind Nathan Burke. Harvey elevated his game to an even higher level in 1992 with his strengths being his hard running, reading of the play and his evasiveness, on six occasions he had more than 35 possessions, five of these games were in a hot streak between Round 17 and Round 22. St Kilda scraped into the finals in 1992 – taking sixth position with 14 wins and were only percentage ahead of Carlton who thankfully for the Saints lost the final game of the home and away season to West Coast at Subiaco, enabling St Kilda to make the finals. The sixth placed Saints faced third placed Collingwood in an Elimination Final at Waverley Park. In a thrilling contest St Kilda prevailed by eight points. Harvey was best afield with 24 kicks and 10 handballs to further enhance his reputation as a big match performer. The following week Footscray defeated St Kilda by 29 points in a Semi Final at Waverley Park, Harvey was again amongst the Saints best with 15 kicks, 12 handballs and a goal. During 1992 Harvey played all 24 matches, averaging 16.6 kicks, 12.0 handballs and 3.8 marks per game.  Harvey was ranked first at St Kilda for handballs and second for kicks, a solitary kick behind Winmar. Harvey made his first All-Australian team in 1992 being named at half-forward alongside his St Kilda teammate Loewe, Tony Lockett was named in a forward pocket resulting in half of the players in the six man forward line being from St Kilda for the second successive year. Harvey won St Kilda’s best and fairest with Lockett and Loewe finishing equal second.  Robert also won the E.J. Whitten Medal for being Victoria’s best player in the 13 point loss to South Australia. In 1993 Harvey played 17 of a possible 20 matches, missing a few games with a quadricep injury and averaged 15.6 kicks, 12.5 handballs and 3.4 marks per game.  Harvey finished third in St Kilda’s best and fairest and won the E.J. Whitten Medal as Victoria’s best player with 33 possessions in the 12 point loss to South Australia at the MCG. Harvey was ranked third at St Kilda for kicks behind Burke and Winmar, first for handballs and seventh in the AFL for average disposals per game. The 1994 AFL Media guide said “One of the game’s most gifted players. Harvey had a great year in 1993, despite playing with leg injuries for most of the season.” 4 Robert finished equal 11th in the Brownlow Medal with 12 votes, although Harvey did not poll a vote in the first 12 Rounds he finished magnificently to poll best on grounds in Rounds 13, 16, 19 and 20. Harvey was the leading Saint and finished only six votes behind winner Gavin Wanganeen who excelled playing in the back pocket for Essendon. The Saints found it very difficult to cover for full-forward Tony Lockett who missed half of the 1993 season. St Kilda finished 12th only two wins behind the sixth placed West Coast Eagles, however the Saints had never looked like making the finals and restored some pride by winning five of their last six games of the season. In 1994 Harvey played 18 matches, averaging 14.6 kicks, 12.5 handballs and 2.3 marks per game. Harvey was named ruck-rover in the All-Australia team and won his second St Kilda best and fairest. Robert’s younger brother Anthony, made his debut for St Kilda in Round 8 and played four games for St Kilda during 1994. Anthony later captained Norwood to the SANFL premiership in 1997. After playing the first two rounds of 1995 Harvey missed the next four games with a hamstring injury. After his return in Round 7 Harvey had at least 26 possessions in his next eight games and missed only one more match for the season, Round 19 with a shoulder injury. Robert had an outstanding season, finishing equal fourth in the Brownlow Medal with 16 votes, five votes behind the winner, Sydney midfielder Paul Kelly. In 1995 Harvey played 17 matches, averaging 13.8 kicks, 12.8 handballs and 2.8 marks per game. Harvey made his third All-Australian team, being named ruck-rover for the second year in a row, he was also selected to play State of Origin football for Victoria against South Australia. In 1994 and 1995 Harvey was ranked second in the AFL for average disposals per game. Harvey was very consistent throughout 1996 playing in his customary ruck-rover position, being kept to under 22 possessions only once, Robert missed only one match, Round 16 with a strained hamstring and played his most games in a season since 1992. Harvey had 296 handballs for the season to lead the AFL, one ahead of Brisbane midfielder Craig Lambert. Harvey led the AFL in disposals per game with 28.4, ahead of teammate Burke on 26.4 and Lambert on 26.2. Harvey polled 17 votes in the Brownlow Medal, finishing equal seventh overall in a very close count and equal second at St Kilda with key forward Stewart Loewe. Harvey did not poll a vote in the first nine rounds but finished the season very strongly to poll in nine of his last 13 games of the season. Fellow St Kilda midfielder Nathan Burke played a career best season, polling 20 votes. Michael Voss and James Hird were joint winners of the Brownlow Medal with 21 votes, Corey McKernan also finished with 21 votes but was ineligible due to being suspended during the season, becoming the first ineligible player to poll the outright or equal most votes in a season. During the 1996 season Harvey played 21 matches, averaging 14.3 kicks, 14.1 handballs and 3.3 marks per game. Harvey finished third in St Kilda’s best and fairest with 110 votes, Nathan Burke was a run-away winner with 192 votes and Stewart Loewe finished second with 125 votes.  Harvey won his third E.J. Whitten Medal for his superb performance in Victoria’s 53 point victory against the Allies and he was also selected in the All-Australian team for the fourth time, again being selected as ruck-rover. St Kilda started the 1997 season in disappointing fashion, losing four of their first five games with their only win being against Collingwood by seven points in Round 3. In Round 6 St Kilda played Melbourne who had also won only once in their first five games, the consequences for the loser could be dire. Harvey was one of St Kilda’s best having 14 kicks, 11 handballs playing on 1991 Brownlow Medallist, ruckman Jim Stynes except at the ruck contests, Robert did a superb job limiting Stynes to 16 possessions and received two Brownlow Medal votes, helping St Kilda dominate from start to finish and win by 86 points. Melbourne lost their next three matches after playing St Kilda and sacked their coach Neil Balme after only nine rounds of the 1997 season.  The Saints meanwhile were rapidly building momentum in the weeks following the match against Melbourne, winning their next three games. After nine rounds St Kilda had five wins, four losses and had recovered from their slow start to be right in finals contention. From Round 10 to Round 15, St Kilda had three wins and three losses, with two of the losses being away to Geelong by 28 points at Kardinia Park and to Adelaide by 10 points at Football Park. The Western Bulldogs also defeated St Kilda by 17 points at Waverley in Round 13, Harvey was restricted to 18 possessions, one of only two games for the 1997 season that he had less than 20 possessions. In the third quarter of the Round 11 match against West Coast Harvey produced one of the goals of the season, lining up outside his range, 60 metres from goal Harvey ran in as though he was going to pass to a teammate but bulked at the last moment to get past the man on the mark Paul Symons and proceeded to run closer to goal before kicking a goal in wet conditions from 40 metres out just inside the boundary line. With Harvey’s sublime goal St Kilda regained the ascendency and went on to win the match by 16 points. The 1997 season was shaping as one of the closet in the history of the VFL/AFL, and after 13 rounds St Kilda were seventh on the ladder with seven wins, six losses and a percentage of 106.1%. In 1997 the top eight teams made the finals, amazingly only two games and percentage separated Geelong second on the ladder with eight wins and Fremantle who were 13th with six wins. St Kilda were one of seven teams from fourth to 10th with seven wins. Sydney entered their Round 19 match against St Kilda at the SCG having not lost in their past 20 matches at the SCG and looked to be in complete control after they led St Kilda by 38 points during the second quarter. Harvey finished the match with 25 kicks, 10 handballs and two goals to play a pivotal role in St Kilda’s amazing comeback to record a 10 point victory over the Swans.  With the Round 19 victory St Kilda were guaranteed of playing finals for the first time in five seasons. Robert Harvey finished the 1997 home and away season in exceptional form, having more than 34 possessions in four of the last seven games of the season and being judged best on ground by the umpires in each of these four games. St Kilda finished the season in barnstorming fashion, winning their last seven games to finish on top of the ladder with 15 wins and seven losses. St Kilda trailed Brisbane by five points at half time of their Qualifying Final at Waverley Park but the Saints clicked into top gear during the second half to outscore the Lions 15 goals to seven in the second half to run out 46 point winners. Harvey had 23 kicks, 10 handballs and kicked a goal to yet again be one of the Saints most influential players. For the majority of the season St Kilda had a very good run with injury, however the injuries were starting to mount at the business end of the season. In Round 22 against Port Adelaide back-up ruckman Lazor Vidovic injured his knee and missed the rest of the season. Peter Everitt fractured his collarbone in the win over Brisbane in the Qualifying Final and also missed the rest of the season. With his ability to play in the ruck and the forward line Everitt had provided the Saints with flexibility. The Kangaroos were a very experienced outfit and despite only finishing seventh on the ladder had  upset Geelong by 18 points in a Qualifying Final and then defeated West Coast by 13 points in a Semi-Final.  North Melbourne were the reigning premiers, and were in their fourth consecutive Preliminary Final which had contributed to them being instilled as the premiership favourites before their Preliminary Final against St Kilda. Due to the injuries to Vidovic and Everitt, Brett Cook came into the St Kilda side for only his seventh game of the season. During the first quarter Cook combined with rover Nathan Burke to lay a fierce tackle on Corey McKernan which resulted in the North Melbourne ruckman suffering a dislocated right shoulder.  McKernan had been a match winner the previous week against West Coast with 15 possessions, 17 hit-outs and four goals but would play no further part in the match against St Kilda. At half-time St Kilda led by 10 points and set up a winning break with four unanswered goals in the third quarter. Harvey had 25 kicks, five marks, nine handballs and kicked a goal to be one of St Kilda’s best in the 31 point victory along with full-forward Jason Heatley, Stewart Loewe, Nicky Winmar, Nathan Burke and Darryl Wakelin. With their victory over North Melbourne St Kilda extending their winning sequence to a club record nine matches and entered the Grand Final against the Adelaide Crows as raging favourites. In the Grand Final against Adelaide, despite being met heavily in the opening minutes Harvey continued to give a determined, hard-running performance having 23 kicks and 13 handballs to be one of the Saints best. St Kilda started the second half with a 13 point lead but were over-run by the Adelaide Crows with Darren Jarman playing a key role up forward and finishing the match with six goals. Adelaide started the last quarter with a 10 point lead and kicked away to win the Grand Final by 31 points. In Champions: Conversations with Great Players and Coaches of Australian Football Harvey commented: “We had the form – we’d won our previous nine games – and being favourites only made it worse because we weren’t ready for what we faced on the day. Also, I think Adelaide had a nothing-to-lose mentality because they were the underdogs. They handled the pressure of the occasion much better, especially in the second half when they ran all over us.”5 Harvey won the AFL Players Association MVP in 1997, playing 25 matches, averaging 18.1 kicks, 12.1 handballs and 3.6 marks per game.  For the second year in a row Harvey led the AFL in disposals and Burke was ranked second, with 30.2 and 26.8 disposals per game respectively. Harvey won the Trevor Barker Award as St Kilda’s best and fairest with 120 votes, 12 ahead of Nathan Burke. Robert was ranked fifth in the AFL for kicks and first for handballs. In Grand Final week Robert Harvey won the Brownlow Medal with 26 votes, five ahead of fellow midfielders Peter Matera and Paul Kelly. Western Bulldogs key forward Chris Grant polled 27 votes, one more than Harvey but was ineligible for the Brownlow due to being suspended for one match for striking Hawthorn’s Nick Holland in Round seven.  Harvey polled votes in 10 games and was best afield seven times. During 1998 Harvey played football at a level that few players in the history of the VFL/AFL have been able to maintain for a season, however the season started in disappointing rather than spectacular fashion.  After commencing the season with an injury concern, things got worse for Harvey when Geelong’s Michael Mansfield laid a forceful tackle on him early in the Round 1 encounter which resulted in Harvey playing little part in the match and finishing with just one possession. Although still obviously well short of being 100% fit Harvey took his place in the Round 2 side having eight kicks and 11 handballs during the loss to Essendon. There was speculation that Harvey might be a late withdrawal from the Round 3 match against Adelaide at Waverley Park, not only did Harvey play, he ended up being one of the best players, racking up 24 kicks, seven handballs, five marks,  kicking a goal and laying four tackles in the 22 point win which resulted in Harvey receiving two Brownlow Medal votes.  After his injury troubles in first two rounds Harvey had 30 or more possessions in 17 of the remaining 20 games of the home and away season. St Kilda  failed to live up to expectations in 1998, after finishing the home and away season in sixth position St Kilda lost a Qualifying Final against Sydney by two points at the SCG and were soundly beaten the following week by Melbourne to the tune of 51 points in a Semi Final at the MCG.  The Saints acted swiftly, sacking coach Stan Alves on the day of the 1998 Brownlow Medal count – only nine days after St Kilda’s season had finished. In 1998 Harvey played all 24 matches, averaging 20.1 kicks, 9.8 handballs and 3.1 marks per game. Harvey led the AFL in kicks and disposals, was ranked first at St Kilda for handballs, inside 50s, hard-ball gets, and loose-ball gets, third for rebound 50s and equal fifth for marks. Harvey won his second successive Trevor Barker Award, his fourth best and fairest overall, equalling Bill Cubbins St Kilda record. Current St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt has since broken this record, winning his fifth Saints best and fairest in 2009. Despite their best efforts taggers from opposition clubs were unable to minimise the impact Harvey was able to have on games.  With his legendary hard running, superb change of direction and brilliant reading of the play Harvey was an extremely difficult player to contain throughout an entire match. During an interview in the twilight of his career on his battle with taggers Harvey said “I wanted a tagger to be dead on his feet by the end of the game. Win, lose or draw, without fail, I made sure he was completely exhausted. I tried to make it a battle of attrition, survival of the fittest. You’re both fit, but my attitude was: ‘I know I’m fitter because I’ve done more work than he has.’”6 Whilst the concluding stages of the 1997 Brownlow count had been unusual with Chris Grant polling one more vote but being ineligible due to suspension, in 1998 Harvey was a run-away winner with 32 votes, eight more than runner-up Nathan Buckley with third placed Scott West a further vote behind.  In 1998 Harvey equalled the record for polling votes in the most games of a season with 14, including votes in seven consecutive matches from Round 8 to Round 14. During this sequence Harvey took the lead in Round 10 and did not relinquish it for the rest of the night. Although Harvey won back to back Brownlow Medals in 1997 and 1998 the circumstances of each win and indeed the entire Brownlow Medal week were vastly different.  On Brownlow Medal day in 1997 St Kilda had an afternoon training session in preparation for that week’s Grand Final.  The next day Harvey attended the traditional Carbine Club luncheon but said no to the other functions that week as he had a Grand Final to focus on. Without a Grand Final to prepare for Harvey was able to celebrate his 1998 win more and attend all of the Grand Final week functions. In comparing his two Brownlow Medal winning seasons Robert Harvey said “I always thought in ’98 I had a much better year than in ’97. Obviously there were controversial circumstances in ’97, so it was good to get recognised aside from everything that went on the year before.”7 Tim Watson was appointed as St Kilda’s new coach for the 1999 season, Harvey was a passionate Essendon supporter as a kid and had idolised Watson when he was growing up.  One of Harvey’s trademarks was doubling over just before throw-ins which often gave the false impression that Robert was close to exhaustion, during his career when asked about this habit Harvey responded “It’s just something I do. As a kid I used to watch Tim Watson and he did it. Nowadays I’m not even aware that I’m doing it.” 8 Harvey played the first 12 games of the 1999 season, in his first four games he averaged a respectable 23.3 possessions a game but had been unable to recapture his dominating form of the 1997 and 1998 seasons. Harvey then had four consecutive games with more than 32 possessions including back to back best on ground performances in Round 5 against the Kangaroos and Round 6 against Carlton. After losing to Sydney by 29 points in Round 11 the Saints looked set to rejoin the winners list the following week when they led Hawthorn by 63 points in the second quarter at Waverley Park.  The Saints then lost their way and were over-run by Hawthorn, eventually losing to the Hawks by 13 points. The loss to Hawthorn proved to be the season defining moment for the Saints, suffering such a heart breaking loss seemed to sap St Kilda of confidence and they were unable to recover for the rest of the season. In Round 19 1999 against the Western Bulldogs Harvey played a scintillating game having a career high for possessions, he had 31 kicks, 14 handballs, took eight marks and kicked three goals to earn himself another 3 Brownlow Medal votes. Despite Harvey’s outstanding performance the Western Bulldogs had a four goal victory. Harvey missed four games in the second half of the season with a calf injury and St Kilda faded badly in the second half of the season to win only three of their last 12 games of the season to finish in 10th position with 10 wins, a game and percentage behind the eighth placed Sydney Swans. Robert Harvey was selected as the ruck-rover  in the 1999 All-Australian team, the third straight year that he had received this honour and his seventh selection overall.  Fellow St Kilda midfield stalwart Nathan Burke also made the team, being selected on the interchange.   In 1999 Harvey played 17 matches, averaging 17.6 kicks, 11.0 handballs and 3.5 marks per game.  Harvey finished third in St Kilda’s best and fairest on 200 votes, 27 votes behind the winner Nathan Burke and only 4 votes behind runner-up Matthew Young.  Harvey polled 11 Brownlow Medal votes the equal most at St Kilda with Burke and in the top 20 overall. Harvey was ranked third in the AFL for average disposals per game, first at St Kilda for handballs received, second for handballs, hard-ball gets and loose-ball gets and third for kicks, inside 50s and rebound 50s. After playing the first six games of the 2000 season Harvey was a late withdrawal in Round 7 due to a groin injury, he ended up missing the Round 8 match as well. Harvey returned in Round 9, having seven consecutive games with 28 or more possessions, however it was proving to be a very unsuccessful season for the Saints who didn’t record their first win of the season until Round 11 against Port Adelaide by 62 points at Colonial Stadium (Docklands). Harvey missed Round 17 to Round 20 with a hamstring injury but returned to play the final two games of the season. St Kilda finished on the bottom of the ladder with only three wins and a draw. Harvey was runners-up in St Kilda’s 2000 best and fairest, finishing with 27 votes, one vote behind Andrew Thompson, and narrowly ahead of Nathan Burke on 26 votes and Max Hudghton in fourth position with 25 votes.  Missing six games proved costly for Harvey as Thompson only missed one match, whilst Burke and Hudghton played all 22 games. In 2000 Harvey played 16 matches, averaging 15.4 kicks, 12.1 handballs and 4.6 marks per game.  Harvey was ranked third at St Kilda for kicks, second for handballs, handballs received and hard-ball gets, and fourth for loose-ball get. Harvey polled five Brownlow Medal votes ranked third at St Kilda behind Stewart Loewe on seven votes, and Nathan Burke second on six votes. Tim Watson resigned as coach during the 2000 season and was replaced by two time premiership coach Malcolm Blight. St Kilda were aggressive in the off-season recruiting experienced AFL players, Aaron Hamill, Fraser Gehrig, Craig Callaghan, Matthew Capuano, Steven Lawrence and Brett Voss.  St Kilda had the first two selections in the 2000 National Draft, picking Nick Riewoldt and Justin Koschitzke. In late January 2001 Harvey was appointed St Kilda’s captain, in his first game as captain Harvey had 22 kicks, 11 handballs, took eight marks and kicked a goal in the five point win against the Western Bulldogs at Colonial Stadium.  Harvey received two Brownlow Medal votes against the Western Bulldogs, was judged best on ground in Round two against Geelong and received one vote in Round 3 against West Coast. Harvey was having a greater impact on the scoreboard and in both of the matches against Geelong and West Coast he kicked three goals. Robert missed Rounds 5 to 7 with a hamstring injury, returning in Round 8, however in Round 12 after being slung to the ground in a tackle against Fremantle at Subiaco Oval he seriously injured his knee which caused him to miss the rest of the season and he required a knee reconstruction. Throughout the 2001 season Harvey was limited to nine matches, averaging 15.0 kicks, 9.4 handballs, and 4.0 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 79.1%. Robert averaged exactly a goal a game in 2001, the only time in his career that he bettered this was in 1989 kicking 13 goals from 12 games.  Although Harvey played only nine of St Kilda’s 22 games he finished seventh in St Kilda’s best and fairest and was the leading Saint at the Brownlow, polling seven votes, one ahead of Barry Hall. Harvey was ranked fifth at St Kilda for hard ball gets with 42, 21 behind club leader Peter ‘Spider’ Everitt and only 11 behind Steven Baker, ranked third. Malcolm Blight was sacked 15 rounds into the 2001 season with Grant Thomas taking over as caretaker coach  for the remainder of the season and later on being appointed as the head coach for the 2002 season. St Kilda’s team of the century was announced during 2001, Harvey was selected as the ruck-rover and five players that had been team-mates of Harvey at the Saints were also included in the team, being: Trevor Barker (half-back), Nicky Winmar (wing), Stewart Loewe (half-forward), Tony Lockett (full-forward) and Nathan Burke (forward pocket). After recovering from his knee injury Harvey took his place in the Round 1 2002 side against Carlton and made an immediate impact, being judged best on ground in the 24 point victory at Colonial Stadium. A calf injury forced Harvey to miss four matches from Round 3 to Round 6. Harvey returned in Round 7 and played his 250th AFL game in Round 9 against Richmond, becoming just the sixth person to play 250 games for St Kilda. A vintage Harvey display, with 19 kicks and 10 handballs was the catalyst for St Kilda to record a nine point victory, Robert was judged best on ground for the second time of the season in only his fifth game.  Harvey was building an unbelievable record in his milestone games, having been best afield in his 150th and 200th matches and inspiring the Saints to narrow victories in both of these matches. The following week against West Coast, Harvey injured his calf early in the game which caused him to miss Round 11 against Brisbane. Harvey returned in Round 12 and yet again put in a dominating performance against the Western Bulldogs, having 21 kicks, 15 handballs, taking six marks and kicking two goals. A shoulder injury caused Harvey to miss the final seven games of the season and he required a shoulder reconstruction. In 2002 Harvey played 10 matches, averaging 12.2 kicks, 7.2 handballs, and 2.8 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 80.9%. Harvey polled seven Brownlow Medal votes, ranked second at St Kilda behind 2002 Rising Star winner and St Kilda best and fairest Nick Riewoldt who was just 19 years old at the time. During 2001 and 2002 whilst he was injured, Harvey spent some time in the St Kilda coaches box which provided him with a new perspective and enabled Robert to identify ways in which he could provide more assistance to his younger teammates out on the ground when he returned from injury in 2003. From the 2003 season onwards St Kilda coach Grant Thomas implemented a rotational captaincy policy which resulted in the captain being changed each season.  This resulted in Robert Harvey relinquishing the captaincy at the end of the 2002 season. In two seasons as captain injuries had restricted Harvey to only 19 of a possible 44 matches. From 2000 to 2002 St Kilda had only 11 wins, two draws and finished in the bottom two teams on the ladder in all three seasons. From 1996 to 1998 Harvey had been remarkably durable, playing 70 of a possible 71 games however from 1999 to 2002 he had only managed 52 of a possible 88 games for St Kilda and entering the 2003 season he knew that if he had another serious injury it could signal the end of his career.  At the commencement of the 2003 season Harvey had played 255 VFL/AFL games ranked sixth on St Kilda’s all-time games list behind Loewe, Burke, Barry Breen, Gary Colling and Kevin ‘Cowboy’ Neale. In a remarkable transformation Harvey was able to remain injury-free during 2003 and played every game, the fortunes of the club were also rapidly improving with the development of younger players playing a key role in this. Although the Saints missed the finals for the fifth year in succession they had finished the season with a flurry winning four of their last five games of the season, with each win being by at least 10 goals. In one of the best finishes of the 2003 season St Kilda trailed the Kangaroos by a points in their Round 16 match at Docklands, with just under a minute to go Harvey ran through the centre of the ground and received a handball from captain Aaron Hamill, Harvey took a bounce, sprinted to 65 metres out and kicked the ball perfectly to allow Fraser Gehrig to run on to it and take a chest mark on the lead 15 metres out from goal. Gehrig registered the final score of the match – a goal, to give the Saints a memorable victory.  The match against the Kangaroos was one of the nine games throughout 2003 that Harvey received Brownlow Medal votes. Harvey and Lenny Hayes proved to be a formidable midfield combination for St Kilda and were both ranked in the top five of the AFL for total possessions during the 2003 home and away season. Harvey was selected in the 2003 All Australian team on the bench whilst team-mate Hayes made his first All-Australian team, being named on the wing. It was fitting that Hayes was selected in his first All-Australian team in the same year that Harvey was selected for the eighth and final time as Hayes drew inspiration from the commitment, determination and work ethic of Harvey in a similar fashion that Hayes inspires the young current day St Kilda players.  In the past 25 years few players in the AFL have been as universally admired as Robert Harvey and Lenny Hayes. In 2003 Harvey played all 22 matches, averaging 109 minutes game time, 16.4 kicks, 10.0 handballs, and 5.2 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 81.6%.  Harvey was ranked first at St Kilda for kicks and handballs received, second for handballs, loose ball gets, inside 50s and rebound 50s, third for hard-ball gets and fourth for marks and tackles  Harvey was second in St Kilda’s best and fairest with 137 votes, 13 votes behind Lenny Hayes who won his first Trevor Barker Award.  Harvey polled a club-high 18 votes in the Brownlow Medal to finish equal 10th, four votes behind joint winners, Nathan Buckley, Mark Ricciuto and Adam Goodes. In its profile of Harvey, AFL 2004 – The official statistical history of the AFL commended Harvey on his 2003 season, saying “The second-highest ball-winner in the competition over 22 rounds (580 at an average of more than 26 per game) was just part of the story as he added a defensive element to his game that saw him also shut down many big names.” 9 During 2004 Harvey only missed two games, Round 9 with a calf injury and Round 22 when he was a late withdrawal with a hamstring injury. Whilst the Saints midfield in 2003 had been very reliant on Harvey and Hayes, in 2004 the workload was spread more evenly with several Saints taking on more responsibility, young midfielders Nick Dal Santo & Luke Ball showed considerable improvement and both finished in the top five of St Kilda’s best and fairest. St Kilda had a superb start to 2004 winning the Wizard Cup and the first 10 games of the home and away season – setting a new record for the longest winning sequence in St Kilda’s VFL/AFL history. Harvey won the Michael Tuck medal for being best afield in the Wizard Cup Grand Final victory against Geelong.  Harvey’s best performance for the 2004 season was in Round 19 against Adelaide when he was best afield with 21 kicks, 16 handballs, six marks and two goals. St Kilda had a form slump between Round 11 and Round 15, winning just one of their five games during this period. The Saints finished strongly winning five of their last seven games of the home and away season to finish in third position with 16 wins and six losses, only percentage behind the second placed Brisbane Lions and a game and percentage behind minor premiers Port Adelaide. In their first final for six years St Kilda travelled to the Gabba and were comprehensively outplayed by Brisbane, trailing by 46 points at half-time and losing the match by 80 points.  The young Saints responded brilliantly the following week to defeat Sydney by 51 points at the MCG, Harvey was one of the Saints best with 18 kicks and eight handballs. The Preliminary Final against Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium was Robert Harvey’s 300th game, making him just the fourth Saint to reach this milestone after 1966 Grand Final hero Barry Breen and two of Robert’s peers, Stewart Loewe and Nathan Burke. In a high standard, close game Port Adelaide prevailed by six points and would win the Premiership the following week when they defeated Brisbane.  One of the lasting images of the 2004 season  was Harvey hunched over, moments after the siren coming to terms with narrowly missing out on making the Grand Final. St Kilda had made remarkable improvement to go from 15th in 2002 to become a premiership contender during 2004 and get tantalisingly close to a Grand Final berth. In 2004 Harvey played 23 matches, averaging 96 minutes, 13.1 kicks, 8.6 handballs and 4.3 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 74.9%. Harvey finished seventh in St Kilda’s best and fairest, was ranked third for kicks, handballs and handballs received, fifth for marks,  fifth for rebound 50s, fourth for hard-ball gets and second for loose-ball gets. Hamstring injuries hampered Harvey during the 2005 season, causing him to miss seven matches in the first 17 rounds. Harvey still had some fine performances during this time, however it was after returning from injury late in the season that Harvey wound the clock back and reinforced that he remained a match-winner. After returning from his hamstring injury in Round 18 Harvey had at least 22 possessions in all seven of his games and polled five Brownlow Medal votes. St Kilda had 14 wins and eight losses during the 2005 home and away season to finish fourth on the ladder, for their second final in a row the Saints travelled to AAMI Stadium to play the minor premiers, this time it was a Qualifying Final against the Adelaide Crows.  Harvey was sublime with his evasiveness, hard-running and brilliant ball use to rack up 17 kicks, 14 handballs and 11 marks, numbers any elite midfielder would be proud to have, however Harvey also proved to be very damaging around goal to kick a team-high three goals in a low scoring game that had a total of only 18 goals kicked. Harvey’s best afield performance proved to be the difference between the two sides with the Saints winning by eight points.  Despite being the oldest player in the AFL Robert Harvey was able to play arguably his greatest ever game in an extremely illustrious career and inspire the Saints to a memorable victory. In the Preliminary Final against Sydney at the MCG the Saints fought back from a two goal deficit at quarter time to lead Sydney by 13 points late in the third quarter, however the Swans completely outplayed St Kilda from this point on to kick the final six goals of the match and win by 31 points. After the euphoria at the end of the previous match it was an extremely disappointing manner for a season that had promised so much to end. In 2005 Harvey became only the second player in VFL/AFL history to have been the youngest player in the VFL/AFL at the start of their career and then become the oldest player in the VFL/AFL late in their career. The first player to do so was Fitzroy’s Kevin Murray who began his VFL career in 1955 aged 16 and retired at the age of 36 in 1974. Harvey played 17 matches in 2005, averaging 91 minutes, 12.2 kicks, 9.4 handballs, and 5.3 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 82.3%. Robert was ranked fifth at St Kilda for kicks, inside 50s and hard-ball gets and first for score assists with 28. “Heading towards the twilight of his career and averaging only 91 minutes game-time in 2005, Harvey’s ability to find the ball was still elite. Harvey not only won plenty of the ball averaging a disposal every four minutes and 15 seconds played – ranked fifth in the competition, but also had a higher efficiency rate (82%) than any season since 1999.”10 In 2006 for the first time since his debut season in 1988, Harvey did not have a 30 possession game, however he was being used in a different fashion. Whilst Harvey wasn’t having the huge possession games of seasons past, he adapted very well to a changed role, spending more time playing at half-forward and his damaging ball-use contributed to him being one of St Kilda’s most influential players during the 2006 season.  Playing this role eased the workload on Harvey’s body which reduced the risk of being injured and contributed to Harvey remaining very effective when he played in the midfield. There is no question that Harvey was also benefitting due to opposition teams focusing more defensive energy on Harvey’s team-mates, including Hayes, Dal Santo, and Ball. Despite being the oldest player in the AFL Harvey showed great durability to be one of six St Kilda players to play all 23 matches during 2006 along with Nick Dal Santo, Brett Voss, Nick Riewoldt, Jason Gram and Sam Fisher.   St Kilda finished the home and away season in sixth position and were in a strong position leading Melbourne by 20 points at half-time of their Elimination Final at the MCG. Melbourne outclassed the Saints in the second half, kicking 10 goals to four to defeat the Saints by 18 points. After making two consecutive Preliminary Finals St Kilda reacted quickly to the Elimination Final loss to Melbourne, sacking head coach Grant Thomas and replacing him with Ross Lyon. Harvey was the highest polling St Kilda player at the 2006 Brownlow Medal with 12 votes including three best on ground performances, and he finished equal 14th overall.  Harvey was ranked fourth at St Kilda with 18 goals including three games with three goals, in two of these games against Hawthorn in Round 13 and against Brisbane in Round 21 Harvey received the three Brownlow Medal votes.  With his three votes against Hawthorn Harvey achieved the milestone of 200 career Brownlow Medal votes becoming only the third player in VFL/AFL history to reach this landmark, after Footscray and North Melbourne ruckman Gary Dempsey and Hawthorn rover Leigh Matthews. In 2006 Harvey played 23 matches, averaging 13.0 kicks, 7.7 handballs, and 6.3 marks per game in 90 minutes game time with a disposal efficiency of 81.1%. Harvey was ranked fifth at St Kilda for kicks and hard-ball gets, fourth for marks, handballs, handballs received, inside 50s and tackles  and third for loose-ball gets. Harvey finished fourth in the Trevor Barker Award for St Kilda’s best and fairest behind winner Nick Riewoldt, Jason Gram and Sam Fisher. Harvey played the first nine games of the 2007 season before missing Rounds 10 and 11 with a hamstring injury and Round 21 with a thigh injury.  Harvey polled seven Brownlow Medal votes including three votes in Round 3 against the Western Bulldogs with 16 kicks, eight handballs and seven marks during the 50 point victory. Without question the highlight of St Kilda’s 2007 season occurred in Round 12 against West Coast at Subiaco when Robert Harvey became just the 10th player in VFL/AFL history to play 350 games. St Kilda entered the game languishing in 14th position with only four wins, had lost their last four matches and were given little chance of defeating West Coast who were second on the ladder, level with the top team Geelong on eight wins. St Kilda played inspired football to go into the half-time break with a 37 point lead. After West Coast had fought back to reduce the margin to five points in the last quarter, the Saints retained their composure to kick away and win by 23 points. Harvey played a superb game, having 15 kicks, 15 handballs and receiving a Brownlow Medal vote.  In the post-match interview on Subiaco Oval Harvey said “I’d love to play in another Grand Final, but if I don’t play in another premiership, you’re not going to get much better than today.” The fighting win kick-started St Kilda’s season, with the resurgent Saints having seven wins and a draw in the second half of the season to rise up the ladder. However it was not quite enough and the Saints paid the price for their poor first half of the season, finishing ninth in 2007, only two premiership points and percentage behind the eighth placed Adelaide Crows. In 2007 Harvey played 19 matches, averaging 86 minutes, 12.2 kicks, 8.5 handballs, and 5.5 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 76.8%. Harvey finished seventh in St Kilda’s best and fairest and was ranked fourth at St Kilda for handballs, and handballs received, second for disposals per minute and equal third for loose-ball gets. In the first 18 rounds of the 2008 season Harvey continued to be a valuable contributor for the Saints, missing only one game – Round 11 with a calf injury. In the eight point Round 13 victory against Fremantle Harvey had 21 kicks, 10 handballs, 12 marks and received three Brownlow medal votes, the final votes of his career. On 6 August 2008 Robert held a press conference saying at the start of it “I’m sure it’s no surprise to many but I’d like to announce my retirement effective at the end of the season, whenever that may be for us. I’m very happy and honoured to have stretched my career out as long as I did.” Later in his press conference Harvey said “It has never become a chore. Pre-season is something I have always been able to tick off as something that I enjoy. I might still actually do a pre-season and not play! I do enjoy keeping fit, I love playing, that hasn’t wavered. I think as the game has modernised I have been able to roughly adjust to it in my own way.” After 18 rounds of the 2008 season St Kilda were in seventh position, a win and percentage clear of ninth and only half a game behind Sydney in fourth position. The following week St Kilda lost to Collingwood by 14 points at the MCG making the likelihood of a top four position appear remote at best. St Kilda responded well the next week to defeat Fremantle by 43 points at Subiaco.  Round 21 against Adelaide at the Telstra Dome (Docklands) was the Robert Harvey tribute match. Perhaps overawed by the occasion St Kilda got off to a slow start and trailed the Crows by two goals at quarter time, however the Saints dominated for the remainder of the match outscoring Adelaide 13 goals to three after quarter time to win by 52 points and sew up a finals berth. St Kilda played their Round 22 game on the final day of the home and away season and knew that a win would see them finish no lower than fifth and a win by about 100 points would see the Saints displace Adelaide from fourth position.  Amazingly St Kilda achieved just this defeating Essendon by 108 points and finishing in fourth position with a percentage of 110.56 compared to Adelaide’s 109.74. Adelaide commenced the Round 21 match against St Kilda in fifth position with a percentage of 113.01 – 10.45% ahead of St Kilda on 102.56% a game behind in eighth place. Rarely has the importance of percentage been made as clear as it was in the final fortnight of the 2008 season. In his final game for St Kilda, the 54 point Preliminary Final loss to Hawthorn, Robert Harvey broke yet another record – the club record for most finals played for St Kilda, with 17, one ahead of 1966 premiership player Kevin ‘Cowboy’ Neale. Nick Dal Santo and Nick Riewoldt have since equalled Harvey’s club record of 17 finals. In 2008 Harvey played 23 matches, averaging 79 minutes, 12.1 kicks, 9.0 handballs and 5.4 marks per game. Harvey ranked second at St Kilda for score assists, equal first for loose-ball gets, fourth for handballs and hard-ball gets, fifth for average clearances, marks and handballs received. Harvey started on the bench 13 times for the season and was on the bench a total of 153 times during the 2008 season, the most of any St Kilda player. Harvey predominantly played at half-forward and also had some stints on the ball.   In his final AFL season Harvey finished fifth in St Kilda’s best and fairest behind, Sam Fisher, Nick Riewoldt, Lenny Hayes and Max Hudghton. Over his 383 game VFL/AFL career Harvey averaged 14.7 kicks, 10.5 handballs, 4 marks, 0.56 goals and 0.59 Brownlow votes per game.  In 11 of his 21 seasons Harvey was ranked in the top 10 of the AFL for average disposals including 10 consecutive seasons from 1992 to 2001, in 1996, 1997 and 1998 Harvey led the AFL in disposals.  Averaging 25 disposals per game places you firmly in the AFL’s elite for this category, during Harvey’s 21 season career the average number of players to have at least 25 disposals in a season was 8.5. Robert Harvey’s ability to win possession was phenomenal as highlighted by his career average of 25.2 disposals a game, a mark that most players would be extremely happy to achieve in one season let alone a career spanning over two decades. Harvey was a “remorseless individual on the training track and often coach Stan Alves would tell him to go inside for a rest only to find out that Harvey went for a long run around the streets.”11 Harvey commented “I went through a stage in my early 20s where I was a bit out of control with the amount of training and running I did. For a while there, neither I nor anyone else could rein me in. It was an obsession. I thought more was better. But I got injuries because of it – shin splints and soft-tissue stuff. I was my own worst enemy. Outside normal training, I’d do all the extra work. I couldn’t stop myself.”12 As he got older Harvey learnt that doing extra training sessions could be detrimental rather than helpful and in his last six AFL seasons from 2003 to 2008 he proved to be remarkably durable, playing 128 of St Kilda’s 141 games representing 90.8% of all their matches during this time. There is no doubt that he benefitted greatly from managing his body better than he had earlier in his career.  In early 2007 Harvey said “I just didn’t listen and I’d keep training. But in the end no-one remembers if you trained, it’s about playing games. I’m better now at knowing when I’m tight in an area and leaving it alone and telling the fitness staff. “13 Harvey joined Carlton as a development and fitness coach late in 2008 and predominantly worked with Carlton’s younger players during the 2009 season.  Harvey was excited about working with and assisting in the development of Carlton’s younger brigade. St Kilda had offered Harvey a full-time position at the club for 2009 however Robert felt that he would be able to develop more by going to another club, working with new people and learning different systems and game-plans. For the 2010 season Harvey was promoted to an Assistant coach, and together with Mark Riley he was responsible for the midfield. In 2008 Carlton had finished 11th two games and percentage behind Collingwood in eighth place. During his time at Carlton Harvey played a crucial role developing Carlton’s younger players and then coaching the midfield. In both 2009 & 2010 Carlton made the finals only to suffer narrow losses in Elimination Finals during the first week of the finals on both occasions. Just over a week after Carlton’s 2010 finals campaign ended it was announced that Harvey would be returning to St Kilda as an assistant coach of the midfield. About his two years spent at Carlton Harvey said “It has been greatly beneficial for me. I'm obviously not a senior coach but what I learnt from the early days at Carlton to take into this period at St Kilda has been great. It's something you can't pick up (otherwise). I've learnt a lot and it was important for me to be able to get away and learn that."14 During his two years at Carlton Harvey stayed in regular contact with St Kilda head coach Ross Lyon, during the 2010 season several of St Kilda’s assistant coaches left, which coincided with Harvey being  out of contract at the end of the 2010 season so it fitted in well and the timing seemed right for Harvey to return to the Saints. In the two seasons that Harvey had been away from the club St Kilda made the Grand Final in each season, and both years fell agonisingly short of winning the club’s second Premiership. Whilst there had been changes to the playing list most of the players on the St Kilda list for 2011 had been teammates of Robert’s in his final AFL season in 2008. Being coach of the midfield Harvey had the opportunity of working with teammates he had played with for years including Hayes, Dal Santo and Leigh Montanga, as well as the emerging David Armitage and Jack Steven. St Kilda finished sixth on the ladder in 2011 with 12 wins, nine losses and a draw. The Saints hosted  Sydney in an Elimination Final at Etihad Stadium however Sydney comfortably accounted for St Kilda, winning by 26 points.  After five years in the job Head Coach Ross Lyon left St Kilda in sensational circumstances to join rival Fremantle in the same role. Despite not playing their next AFL match for several months St Kilda appointed Robert Harvey as interim head coach. Harvey applied for the full-time position as St Kilda head coach but Scott Watters won the role. During 2010 and 2011 seasons Watters had been an assistant coach at Collingwood. At the end of the 2011 season Harvey joined Collingwood as an assistant coach (midfield), working with players including Scott Pendlebury, Dane Swan and ex-teammate Luke Ball as well as the club’s younger midfielders.  In 2013 Harvey has continued in his role as assistant coach (midfield), working closely with Head Coach Nathan Buckley. At the time of Harvey’s appointment as Collingwood assistant coach Buckley said “"There is no doubt that Robert's character and work ethic will help drive our young midfield group,''15 The book Heroes with Halos by Russell Holmesby looking at St Kilda’s One Hundred Greatest was published in 1995, although Robert Harvey had only played 116 games and was about a third of the way into his VFL/AFL career he was ranked 17th. The top three players in order were Ian Stewart, Tony Lockett and Darrel Baldock. These three players together with St Kilda’s only premiership coach, Allan Jeans were the first four people elevated to Legends in the St Kilda Football Club Hall of Fame. If a similar book to Heroes with Halos was to be published today Harvey would be at the top of the list, or very close to it. Harvey’s dedication, passion, commitment and work-ethic enabled him to get the most out of himself, he clearly had all of these traits from when he was very young as at 13 years of age Harvey completed the Melbourne Marathon, running from Frankston to Melbourne despite not having trained for it, he simply dug deep and found a way to finish.  Harvey later competed in state championships at Olympic Park for middle distances but didn’t consider himself an outstanding runner at that level. Sporting prowess runs in the Harvey family, Robert is the grand nephew of cricketer Neil Harvey the great left handed batsman who played 79 tests for Australia between 1948 and 1963, and the grandson of Merv Harvey who played one test for Australia. Robert was a very good cricketer himself, playing district cricket and was selected for in a Victorian under-19 team. Robert had incredible endurance enabling him to run just as hard in the last quarter as he did in the first, the ability to weave through packs mesmerising his opponents and evading their attempts to tackle him leaving spectators spellbound.  Harvey was a superb reader of the play and ball-winner amassing more disposals (9656) from 1981-2013 than any other player in the VFL/AFL.  In June 2012 Harvey was inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame. Early in 2008 midfielder Nick Dal Santo said “When I first arrived at the Saints (in 2001) I looked up to the likes of Harves, who picked me up for the first 2-3 weeks of my football life as I wasn’t able to drive. This was a great introduction to football, as to a degree, Harves took me under his wing. I also looked up to other players like Lenny Hayes and to have those sorts of guys as role models was extremely beneficial.”16 It is an amazing achievement to play at AFL level for 21 years, to survive for that long Harvey needed to be able to adapt and use the circumstances he faced at a particular point in time to his advantage. Harvey had no trouble doing this and was able to perform several different roles with distinction throughout his career. Throughout much of his career Harvey was able to break the spirit of his opponents with his incredible endurance, however towards the end of his career the interchange had expanded to four players and Harvey was able to make use of this change by becoming more of a burst player with his game time dropping significantly. Over the course of his career an astronomical 211 players were St Kilda teammates of Harvey’s for at least one game. Fellow 300 game players Burke and Loewe played the most games with him, Harvey and Burke were teammates for 253 games, whilst Harvey, Burke and Loewe were all in the same St Kilda team on 212 occasions with the trio playing their first game together in Harvey’s Round 19 1988 debut and their last game together in Round 2, 2002.  Some of Harvey’s teammates in latter seasons hadn’t even been born when Harvey made his VFL debut on 6 August 1988, including Jack Steven  and Ben McEvoy. Harvey finished in the top three of St Kilda’s best and fairest 10 times, comprised of four wins in 1992, 1994, 1997 and 1998, two second places in 2000 and 2003 and four third places in 1990, 1993, 1996 and 1999. It might seem a strange comment to make about a two-time Brownlow Medallist but a case could be put forward that despite all his achievement’s many members of the wider football community still underrate Robert Harvey. Frequently when people talk about the greatest midfielders of Harvey’s generation the names mentioned first are James Hird, Michael Voss and Nathan Buckley, for some reason Harvey is generally considered to be a step behind these three players. I’m unsure what else Harvey had to achieve to be considered at least the equal of the three aforementioned players. Harvey had an outstanding career, performing at a high standard right up to the end and finishing third on the VFL/AFL all-times games list with 383, behind only Michael Tuck (426) and Kevin Bartlett (403). Harvey is also a two-time Brownlow Medallist, four-time St Kilda best and fairest winner and eight-time All-Australian, however he also gave exceptional performances in the big games which seems to get understated, possibly because he didn’t play in a premiership. In the official AFL records Harvey was named in St Kilda’s half-dozen best players an astronomical 14 times from his 17 finals, in 11 of these games Harvey is listed in the top three Saints including five matches as St Kilda’s best player. Throughout Harvey’s illustrious 21 year career with St Kilda the Saints won six finals, in the first five of these victories Harvey was named as St Kilda’s best player every single time. Harvey also had the remarkable record of playing eight State of Origin matches for Victoria, winning three E.J Whitten Medals for being best afield for Victoria, he was in Victoria’s best half a dozen players another three times. Few players in VFL/AFL history have been able to produce their best football in the biggest matches throughout their career as consistently as champion midfielder Robert Harvey did. True Sainters would like to congratulate Robert Harvey on being inducted into the St Kilda Football Club Hall of Fame. This induction provides thoroughly deserved recognition for Harvey’s brilliant 21 season career during which he thrilled St Kilda fans with his ball-winning ability, sublime evasiveness and exceptional big game performances, and earned the respect and admiration of the entire football community.   By Dean Andrews   1 The Slattery Media Group,  Harves St Kilda legend, page 28, 2 The Slattery Media Group,  Harves St Kilda legend, page 28, 3 Playright Publishing Pty Ltd, Heroes with Halos – St Kilda’s One Hundred Greatest by Russell Holmesby, page 122 4 AFL, 1994 AFL Media Guide, page M175 5 The Slattery Media Group, Champions: Conversations with Great Players and Coaches of Australian Football, 1998 6 The Slattery Media Group, Harves St Kilda legend, page 31, 7 Geoff Slattery Publishing Pty Ltd, The Brownlow –A tribute to the greats of Australian Football, page 321 8 Playright Publishing Pty Ltd, Heroes with Halos – St Kilda’s One Hundred Greatest by Russell Holmesby, page 121 9 AFL, AFL 2004 - The official statistical history of the AFL, page 255 10 Champion Data, AFL Prospectus – the essential number cruncher for season 2006, 1st edition, page 234. 11 Bas Publishing, The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers by Russell Holmesby & Jim Main, page 306 12 The Slattery Media Group,  Harves St Kilda legend, page 30 13 St Kilda Football Club, The Saint 2007 Season Guide, In for the long run by Russell Holmesby, page 17, March 2007 14 St Kilda.com.au, Harvs adjusts to outsider status by Luke Holmesby, 8 December 2010 15 HeraldSun.com.au, Harvey joins Buckley at Pies for 2012 by Matt Windley, 26 October 2011 16 St Kilda Football Club, The Saint 2008 Season Guide, Nick Dal Santo Player feature interview  by Vanessa Gigliotti, page 9, March 2008
  • Round 6: Collingwood v St Kilda preview
    http://www.truesainters.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/saintsmagpies.jpg
    Round 6: Collingwood v St Kilda preview

    By Nick Ciantar

    Round 6,

    Etihad Stadium, Friday 7.50pm

    Recent History: Round 19 2012: Collingwood 12.19 (91) defeated St Kilda 13.7 (85). Dayne Beams and Steele Sidebottom 32 disposals, Stephen Milne and Ahmed Saad 3 goals. Last 10 matches:  Collingwood 5 wins, St Kilda 4 wins, 1 draw Collingwood's Form: WWLWL St Kilda's Form: LLWLL   Collingwood: The Pies were shocked with a 45 point smashing in front of a packed MCG on ANZAC Day. They could not match the Bombers intensity and suffered a gut-wrenching knee injury to star defender Alan Toovey. Collingwood has been forced to make a number of changes after last week’s humiliating lost. Toovey (knee), Ben Hudson (leg soreness), Jordan Russell, Alex Fasolo and Ben Sinclair (omitted) are all out. Darren Jolly, Josh Thomas, Jarrod Witts, Ben Kennedy and Andrew Krakouer are all in.   St Kilda: The Saints returned from New Zealand with no points but the trip was a success. The game attracted over 22,000 people and their youngsters played gallantly against the reigning premiers Sydney. After a consistent performance last week, St Kilda has only made two changes with Trent Dennis-Lane (omitted) and Tom Lee (achilles) out. Small forward Stephen Milne returns from suspension as well as Arryn Siposs.   Stat’s that matter: Collingwood are ranked 16th for free fors this year (88) while St Kilda are ranked 17th (85) The Pies are ranked first with marks inside 50 this year (71) and the Saints are 7th (62) St Kilda has not beaten Collingwood since round 3 2010, the game in which Nick Riewoldt severely injured his hamstring. Injuries and Suspensions: Collingwood: Nick Maxwell (wrist), Ben Johnson (calf), Caolan Mooney (calf), Dayne Beams (quad), Brodie Grundy (back), Lachlan Keefe (knee), Clinton Young (hamstring), Michael Hartley (shoulder), Tim Broomhead (glandular fever), Jackson Ramsay (wrist), Alan Toovey (knee) St Kilda: Daniel Markworth (knee), Adam Schneider (hamstring), Beau Maister (wrist) Player’s on a hot streak: Collingwood: Dane Swan, Ben Reid, Steele Sidebottom St Kilda: Nick Riewoldt, Clint Jones, Jack Steven Player’s on thin ice: Collingwood: Paul Seedsman, Sam Dwyer St Kilda: Ahmed Saad, David Armitage Key Match Ups: Ben Reid v Nick Riewoldt: Riewoldt has been St Kilda’s best player this year and ran Heath Grundy and Ted Richards into the ground last week. The star forward had 19 disposals and eight marks to half time and this will be a tough ask for Reid. However, Reid will haunt Riewoldt after he dominated ‘Roo’ in the 2010 Grand finals. Prediction: The Pies sit in a rocky position with three wins and two losses, but they are expected to climb higher up the ladder. For the Saints, it is all about the kids – and the kids are showing some dash. Underrated Pies defender, Alan Toovey, is a massive out and will be very hard to replace. Whereas for St Kilda, Lenny Hayes returned to form with 28 disposals and 8 very familiar tackles. But the Pies are a few gears above the Saints. Dane Swan has been modest, Scott Pendlebury has been strong and honest, while Travis Cloke has been in ripping form. Nathan Buckley has changed his former mentor’s game plan and the Pies are playing straight down the ‘guts’. But the statistics show a different sign for the Pies. Collingwood is only ranked 14th for centre clearances (St Kilda 13th), both teams are ranked 14th for clearances, they are ranked an average 10th for contested possessions (St Kilda 13th) and are last for hit-outs (St Kilda ranked 12th). To be fair to Collingwood, they have missed star ruckmen Darren Jolly since round two. Jolly’s ability to hit the chest of Swan, Pendlebury and Steele Sidebottom is crucial to the team and he is a massive in this week. However, something is lacking at Collingwood and St Kilda could provide one of the biggest upsets of the year. The Saints have showed some promise and they have blooded some kids. Brodie Murdoch and Josh Saunders were terrific in their first game, while Dylan Roberton has been one of the best all year off half-back. St Kilda has been up and down, but at the same time they have ticked some crucial boxes. St Kilda does have the experience and they only lost by a goal the last time these sides met. Both teams will benefit with an eight day break and these are the keys to victory for the Pies: stop Riewoldt, force St Kilda to make turnovers and double-team Ben McEvoy. St Kilda’s keys are: play on at all costs, double-team Cloke and use the mosquito fleet of Ahmed Saad and Stephen Milne. Overall, Collingwood has the talent and the return of Jolly will be the difference. But the Saints will frighten the Pies in a tight affair. Pies by 10 points, Scott Pendlebury 30 disposals, Travis Cloke 2 goals and 4 behinds.
  • Round 5: St Kilda v Sydney preview
    Round 5: St Kilda v Sydney preview

    By Nick Ciantar

    Round 5,

    Westpac Stadium, New Zealand, Thursday 7.50pm NZST (5.50pm AEST time)

    Recent History: Round 17 2012: Sydney 15.15 (105) defeated St Kilda 10.16 (76).     Josh Kennedy 35 disposals, Stephen Milne 5 goals Last 10 matches: St Kilda 5 wins, Sydney 5 wins St Kilda’s Form: LLWL Sydney’s Form: WWWL St Kilda: St Kilda was smashed by Essendon last week, losing by 37 points. Former Saints player Brendon Goddard was one of the best for Essendon and St Kilda had no answer for the Bombers’ class. Beau Maister misses for the Saints with a wrist injury, while Stephen Milne is suspended for his clash with Courtenay Dempsey. Terry Milera and Tom Simpkin have both been omitted. Justin Koschitzke, Tom Lee, Arryn Siposs, Sean Dempster and Tom Hickey all come into the squad. Josh Saunders and Brodie Murdoch have also made the trip and could debut. Sydney: The Swans were shocked by a rampaging Geelong in the third term last week, going down by 21 points at home. Josh Kennedy was one of many Swans players’ influences cut short by a consistent Cats team. Lewis Roberts-Thompson is set to have a stint on the sidelines due to a knee injury. Andrejs Everitt, Tommy Walsh, Jesse White and Craig Bird all come into the side on an extended bench.   Stat’s that matter: St Kilda is ranked third for most bounces of the ball this year (55), Sydney is ranked 11th (35). Sydney is the best contested possession winners in the league (660), St Kilda are the second worse (543). The last time Stephen Milne missed a game was in round 22, 2010. He has played 53 games in a row, kicking 127 goals.   Injuries and Suspensions: St Kilda: Stephen Milne (suspension), Beau Maister (wrist), Jackson Ferguson (knee), Daniel Markworth (knee), Jack Newnes (jaw), Adam Schneider (hamstring), James Gwilt (knee) Sydney: Alex Johnson (knee), Sam Naismith (thumb), Lewis Roberts-Thomson (knee), Gary Rohan (leg), Rhyce Shaw (abdominal strain)   Player’s on a hot streak: St Kilda: Clint Jones, Ben McEvoy Sydney: Nick Malceski, Jarrad McVeigh, Daniel Hannebery   Player’s on thin ice: St Kilda: Nathan Wright, Sam Gilbert Sydney: Lewis Jetta   Key Match Ups: Clint Jones v Josh Kennedy: Both players are in ripping form for their respective clubs. Kennedy is the Swans main go-to man, however, Jones is the Saints tagger and he is enjoying a solid start to the season, averaging 24.2 disposals. Kennedy is such a pivotal part to the Swans team and Jones is the main that could stop his ability to break-open the game. Prediction: This is the first game for points outside of Australia and it could be a massive victory for the Swans. Sydney was shut down by in-form Geelong last week and that is the only turbulence for the flying Swans this year. For St Kilda, they have struggled and they were comprehensively smashed by Essendon last week. Out of the key statistics of contested possessions, hit-outs and clearances, the Swans lead the competition. They are such vital areas of the game and those will be the difference in the tale of two completely different teams on Thursday. Kennedy is on fire for the Swans and is leading the competition for contested possessions with 71 (averaging 17.1 a game). If the Saints are any hope of beating the Swans, they simply need to tag Kennedy out of the game. But you can not say that the Swans are a one man team. Nick Malceski has been flying off half-back, Daniel Hannebery has been one of the most improved this year and Adam Goodes keeps on going in the forward line. For the Saints, big Ben McEvoy is the shining light in the ruck with 106 hit-outs (ranked 7th) so far. Dylan Roberton has been consistent in defence, whilst athletic ruckmen Rhys Stanley has surprised many with his ability to play as a tall defender. Beau Maister was showing some good form with seven goals before his injury and Nick Riewoldt is glowing with 12 goals this year. The Saints’ keys to victory are: win the contested ball and hit-outs, stop Kennedy and use their pace. The Swans’ keys are: get their hands on the ball first, man-handle Riewoldt and isolate St Kilda’s short defenders. The reigning premier’s team will be too strong for an out of focus St Kilda outfit and the Swans will run-away with the victory in-front of a big Kiwi crowd. Swans by 35 points, Kennedy 38 disposals, McVeigh 4 goals. You can follow me on twitter at: @nick_saint13
  • Round 4: St Kilda v Essendon preview
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    Round 4: St Kilda v Essendon preview

    By Nick Ciantar

    Round 4,

    Etihad Stadium, Saturday 4.40pm

    Recent History: Round 15 2012: St Kilda 21.7 (133) defeated Essendon 8.14 (62) by 71 points. Nick Dal Santo 27 disposals, Stephen Milne 5 goals Last 10 matches: St Kilda 5 wins, Essendon 5 wins St Kilda’s Form: LLW Essendon’s Form:

    WWW

    St Kilda: The Saints were fearless in their round three demolishing of GWS, winning by 72 points. David Armitage was the main antagonist with a game high four goals and 31 disposals. After tight losses in their first two games, St Kilda finally managed to get a win on the board and many players played an encouraging game. Jack Newnes is forced out of the side with a fractured jaw this week while Jason Blake has been omitted. They are strengthened with the return of full-back Tom Simpkin and pin-point half-back flanker Arryn Siposs. Essendon: After another disastrous week for the club, Essendon fought off Fremantle with an emotional four point come from behind victory. However, the result was soured with an arm injury in the dying minutes of the game to Michael Hurley. Hurley is fit to play this week, but it will be interesting to see if he plays the whole game. The ‘Dons’ have made five key changes. David Hille, Jason Winderlich, Tayte Pears, Mark Baguley and Jackson Merrett are in; whilst Paddy Ryder (suspension), Travis Colyer (omitted), Nick Kommer (suspension), Elliot Kavanagh (omitted) and Dustin Fletcher (groin) are out. Stat’s that matter: Essendon are the 3rd best contested possession winners in the league (478) and St Kilda are the 16th best (408) St Kilda has the best disposal efficiency in the league (75.5%), but has produced the 2nd most clangers this year (157) The last time Brendon Goddard played against Essendon in round 3, 2011 (Saints loss by 52 points), Goddard had 28 disposals and six tackles. Injuries and Suspensions St Kilda: Daniel Markworth (knee), Adam Schneider (hamstring), Sean Dempster (hand), James Gwilt (knee), Jack Newnes (fractured jaw), Jackson Ferguson (knee) Essendon: Paddy Ryder (suspension), Nick Kommer (suspension), Dustin Fletcher (groin), Alex Browne (hamstring) Player’s on a hot streak: St Kilda: David Armitage, Nick Riewoldt, Jack Steven, Beau Maister, Clint Jones Essendon: Jake Carlisle, Michael Hibberd, Brendon Goddard, James Hird Player’s on thin ice: St Kilda: Sam Gilbert, Tom Lee Essendon: Alwyn Davey, Mark Baguley Key Match Ups: St Kilda v Brendon Goddard: This is the biggest match up of the game and arguably for the year. Who plays on the former St Kilda champ? Where will he play? Will St Kilda players ‘snipe’ him? If he plays in the midfield expectFarren Ray to get the gig, as Ray is renowned for his tagging roles. If it is in defence, expect Dylan Roberton or one of his great mates in Sam Fisher to get the job. This will be an enthralling match-up and to quote the famous Brian Taylor: “oh boy, wow wee!” Prediction: Essendon will come into this match with no weight on their shoulders and expecting to get the job done. They have won every match this year, despite the growing speculation and stress off the field. They will also be confident as they have the advantage in most of the key statistics. The Bombers are the 3rd best in hit outs this year (137) and St Kilda are lowly ranked 14th (102). Ryder is a big out for Essendon, however, overall in hit outs he was only ranked 18th (54), with his teammate Tom Bellchambers ranked 7th (80). Hille comes into the side to support Bellchambers and they will face in-form Ben McEvoy and Rhys Stanley. Hit outs is not the only area the Bombers dominate. They have also been ferocious with their tackles this year as they are ranked 2nd (220). The Saints on the other hand are the 3rd worse tackling side (146). When you look at the form and key statistics, this should be a walk in the park against the ‘rebuilding’ Saints. The Saints much publicized defence will be stretched again with the likes of Hille, Hurley, Stewart Crameri and Goddard powering the Bombers forward line. It will be the battle of both midfielders, however, the aging Saints may just be a couple of paces behind Brownlow medalist Jobe Watson’s front line. The Saints forwards have been in form and their pace may surprise, just like the last time these two sides met. St Kilda’s keys are to hit their targets, irritate the easily annoyed Goddard and win the contested ball. Essendon’s keys are to win the hit outs, not get carried away by St Kilda’s tactics on Goddard and use their tall forward’s at all times. Overall, Essendon have the better form and have more confidence. The Saints will have some belief, but they only beat GWS last week and their defence will be the issue again. Essendon by 25 points. Watson 33 disposals, Hurley 3 goals
  • Video Review: Round 3 vs GWS
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    Video Review: Round 3 vs GWS
    Jake Bertone reviews the Saints win over GWS, round 3 2013. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gmb0LWin1nU
  • Round 3: GWS v St Kilda preview
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    Round 3: GWS v St Kilda preview

    By Nick Ciantar

    Round 3,

    Manuka Oval, Saturday 4.40pm

    Recent History: Round 22 2012: St Kilda 25.13 (163) defeated GWS 5.5 (35). Toby Greene 34 disposals, Stephen Milne 5 goals GWS’s Form: LL St Kilda’s Form:

    LL

    GWS: An emotional Port Adelaide outfit was too strong for a young Greater Western Sydney team last round, losing by 56 points. The Giants had no answer for Justin Westhoff who kicked a career high five goals. Number one draft pick Lachie Whitfield was fantastic in his second game and Callan Ward led the team from the front. Dylan Shiel has been in great touch for the Giants and has improved drastically from his debut season. Toby Greene was the Giants best the last time these sides met with 34 disposals. He is a ‘ball-magnet’ and broke the lines on several occasions last year. Phil Davis was lucky that he had to handle Beau Maister last time, but this time he has Nick Riewoldt who is showing ominous signs. St Kilda: The Saints are in reverse. They’re reversing furiously down the highway and at the moment, they do not look like they are heading in the right direction. Injuries have destroyed their backline and people are questioning whether their best players should be played every week. The one positive to come out of St Kilda’s tight 17 point loss to Richmond was the return to form of Riewoldt. ‘Roo’ kicked four goals and showed glimpses of his magnificent best. Leigh Montagna returned from suspension and gave the midfield some desperately needed run and carry. Sean Dempster (fractured hand) and Adam Schneider (hamstring) miss, but Tom Lee and Nathan Wright debut for the club. It is an exciting time for the Saints as they have finally decided to blood some youth.   Milestones: Lenny Hayes will play his 266th game, passing Gary Colling (265) into 5th place on all time list for St Kilda. Nick Riewoldt, Stephen Milne and Nick Dal Santo will play their 200th game together, 7th on the all time list.   Stat’s that matter: GWS has had the most clangers this year (113), with St Kilda the 4th worse offender (107) St Kilda has the 8th most inside 50’s (111) this year and is the 5th best team at marks inside 50 (25). Sean Dempster had a career best 16 marks the last time these sides met and is big loss to St Kilda’s defence.   Injuries and Suspensions GWS: Taylor Adams (hip), Matthew Buntine (lung), Dom Tyson (knee), Chad Cornes (shoulder), Rhys Palmer (calf) St Kilda: James Gwilt (knee), Sean Dempster (fractured hand), Daniel Markworth (knee), Farren Ray (hip), Tom Hickey (foot), Jackson Ferguson (knee), Adam Schneider (hamstring)   Player’s on a hot streak: GWS: Lachie Whitfield, Dylan Shiel, Callan Ward St Kilda: Dylan Roberton, Nick Riewoldt, Clint Jones   Player’s on thin ice: GWS: Curtly Hampton, Will Hoskin-Elliot St Kilda: Terry Milera, Jack Newnes, Arryn Siposs, Stephen Milne, Sam Gilbert   Key Match Ups: Toby Greene v Jack Steven: This is a match-up that could possibly be the start of something exciting. Steven is teasing St Kilda fans this year for a best on ground performance, whilst Greene has gone from strength to strength. Steven’s time is surely due and this is a match-up of potential elite midfielders in the years to come. Prediction: The Saints have been showing some signs of improvement, but it is their lack of tall defenders that has cost them dearly. They conceded 25 scoring shots in round one and 29 scoring shots in round two. They do have the eighth best defence in the league, but it is simply the pressure that tall forward’s put on their defenders which is the problem. St Kilda gets a reprieve this week against a young Giants forward line. Jon Patton is into his second year and is showing remarkably similar signs to a young Jonathon Brown. Jeremy Cameron has sparkled and Devon Smith has arguably been one of the side’s best. St Kilda has an advantage with the more experienced midfield. Lenny Hayes is still fighting, Montagna was the best last week and Nick Dal Santo was solid. Ward has been gallant for the Giants, Adam Treloar is a surprise packet and Stephen Coniglio is the everywhere man. These names are kids – with the exception of Ward – and their experience is lacking. If the Saints can win the ball out of the midfield – which is expected – then the Saints will run away with the victory. The Saints simply need to support their defenders, use their speed in Jack Steven and Terry Milera and kick it to Nick Riewoldt. The Giants need to be brave, they need to isolate Patton one-on-one and counter attack at all costs. St Kilda has the more experienced players and gave the Giant’s kids a shellacking last time. Confidence is St Kilda’s key, while it is being bold and daring for the Giants. St Kilda by 50 points, Jack Steven 35 disposals, Nick Riewoldt 7 goals.   You can follow Nick on Twitter at: @nick_saint13
  • Round 2: St Kilda v Richmond preview
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    Round 2: St Kilda v Richmond preview

    By Nick Ciantar

    St Kilda v Richmond

    Round 2,

    MCG, 7.50pm, Friday Night

    Recent History: Round 10 2012: Richmond defeated St Kilda by 8 points – 18.13 (121) to 16.17 (113). Brett Deledio and Trent Cotchin 29 disposals, Jack Riewoldt 8 goals. Last ten matches: St Kilda 8 wins, Richmond 1 win, 1 draw. St Kilda’s Form: L Richmond’s Form:

    W

    St Kilda: St Kilda was outclassed by a young Gold Coast Sun’s team last round, losing by 13 points. After leading for the majority of the match, Gary Ablett starred in the last quarter and the Suns overran the Saints. The Saints will be focused on bouncing back this week against the Tigers. They are boosted by the returns of classy half-back Sean Dempster, All-Australian centre half-back Sam Fisher, experienced midfielder Leigh Montagna and sneaky forward Adam Schneider. Farren Ray (hip), James Gwilt (knee), Tom Hickey (foot) and Trent Dennis-Lane are out. Richmond: The Tiger’s finally broke the Carlton curse and defeated the Blues by five points – and still managed to scare their fans. They lead by 36 points at three quarter time and seemed to “tire” in the last quarter, holding on with superb desperation. With an extra day’s break advantage the Tiger’s will have the fresher legs. After last week’s near capitulation, the Tiger’s will have the confidence that they can run this game out. Ricky Petterd is set to play his first game in yellow and black, whilst Dylan Grimes returns to the Tigers’ defence. Robin Nahas and Ben Griffiths make way. Milestone: Ivan Maric’s 100th game. Stat’s that matter: Richmond had 158 contested possessions (ranked 2nd) last round, St Kilda had 139 (15th) St Kilda was the most efficient side last round at 77.5%, Richmond was 11th (69.9%) Richmond won 41 clearances last round (8th overall), St Kilda won 30 (17th) Injuries and Suspensions: St Kilda: James Gwilt (knee), Farren Ray (hip), Tom Hickey (foot), Daniel Markworth (knee), Jackson Ferguson (knee) Richmond: David Astbury (foot), Nathan Foley (achilles) Player’s on a hot streak: St Kilda: David Armitage, Jarryn Geary Richmond: Brett Deledio, Trent Cotchin, Tyrone Vickery Player’s on thin ice: St Kilda: Jack Newnes Richmond: Brandon Ellis Key Match Up: Sean Dempster v Brett Deledio: Dempster is the ideal match up for Deledio. Dempster can play on small or tall players and can play at either ends of the ground. Dempster’s fitness will be his major query, as he has missed most of the pre-season training. Deledio can play anywhere and was arguably best on ground last week. Prediction: Richmond was the “laughing stock” of the competition, now they have a serious chance to play finals footy. St Kilda on the other hand is going in the opposite direction. Many question’s were raised after last week’s defeat to the Suns and many think that they may slide further down the ladder than what was first thought. This game will go down to confidence. The Tiger’s are playing some great footy, whilst the Saints are struggling to find their feet. Brett Deledio, Dustin Martin, Trent Cotchin, Daniel Jackson and Shane Tuck dominated Carlton’s midfield last week and are showing signs of having an impressive year. Cotchin is in sublime form and had 33 disposals, seven clearances and six inside 50’s last week. Richmond’s tall forward stocks will cause pain for St Kilda’s fragile defence. Jack Riewoldt was goalless last week, but he is one of the stars of their team and kicked eight goals against St Kilda last year. Tyrone Vickery had a very impressive first game, including nine marks and three goals. Luke McGuane is also the “joker” of the Tiger’s team and may be Jason Blake’s best match up. The Tiger’s ability to have three tall forwards will be the turning point in this game. Dempster, Blake, Sam Fisher, Rhys Stanley and Dylan Roberton are the Saints’ only hope of reducing their impact. St Kilda’s main priorities are stopping the Tiger’s clearance work, stop Deledio and congest Richmond’s forward line. Richmond’s priorities are to open the game up, tag Dempster and start the game with a bang. This game should be closer than what most would think, however, it could be a blowout if Richmond do everything right and if St Kilda can’t find their rhythm. The Saints do gain 709 games experience with the returning four and these players could be a vital factor to the outcome. But Richmond will be too strong and talented, however, the Saints’ guns may frighten the Tiger cubs. Richmond by 20 points. Trent Cotchin 35 disposals, Tyrone Vickery 4 goals.   You can follow Nick on Twitter: @nick_saint13
  • Round 1: Gold Coast v St Kilda preview
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    Round 1: Gold Coast v St Kilda preview

    By Nick Ciantar

    Metricon Stadium, Saturday 7.45pm ADST (6:45pm Queensland time)

    Recent History: Round 11 2012: St Kilda defeated Gold Coast by 95 points – 21.18 (144) to 7.7 (49). Jason Gram had 30 disposals, Nick Riewoldt kicked 7 goals. St Kilda has won all three matches between the two clubs. Gold Coast’s Form: NAB Cup form: LLLW St Kilda’s Form: NAB Cup form: WWLW Gold Coast: Gold Coast had a reasonably low key summer. Promising forward Tom Lynch has had a minor setback with a foot injury and key defender Nathan Bock is still recovering from a broken leg. They were smashed by 91 points in their last game of 2012 by Adelaide, but despite that obliteration, the young Suns look ready to make an impact this year. Highly-rated midfielder Jaeger O’Meara was very impressive over the summer and is favourite to win the NAB Rising Star award. Midfielders Harley Bennell and Brandon Matera and exciting ruckmen/forward Charlie Dixon are ready to show the football world their talents. Handy half-back Greg Broughton was traded to the club from Fremantle and is a disposal king. St Kilda: St Kilda’s quiet off-season was a welcome change, however, they did lose star utility Brendon Goddard via Free Agency to Essendon. The Saints drafted and traded a vast amount of youth, including Tom Hickey from Gold Coast and Trent Dennis-Lane from Sydney. The Saints ended 2012 with a 15 point victory against Carlton. In a dead rubber, St Kilda gave their youth vital experience. Ben McEvoy is set to have a breakout year in the ruck, whilst David Armitage and Jack Steven could possibly do the same in the midfield. Stat’s that matter: St Kida were the 4th (73.6%) best disposal efficient team in 2012 and Gold Coast was 11th (71.8%) St Kilda only averaged 33.8 hitouts per game in 2012 (17th overall) and Gold Coast managed 30 (18th) St Kilda took the 7th (95.4 avg per game) most marks in 2012 and Gold Coast took the 17th (81.2) most Injury Room and Suspensions: Gold Coast: Nathan Bock (leg), Tom Lynch (foot), Trent McKenzie (knee), Seb Tape (knee), Campbell Brown (suspended) St Kilda: Sam Fisher (foot), Sean Dempster (hamstring), Daniel Markworth (knee), Jackson Ferguson (knee), Leigh Montagna (suspended) Player’s on a hot streak: Gold Coast: Jaeger O’Meara, Steven May, Jared Brennan, Harley Bennell St Kilda: Ahmed Saad, Jack Steven, David Armitage, Jack Newnes Player’s on thin ice: Gold Coast: Sam Day, Jarrod Harbrow St Kilda: Sam Gilbert, Clint Jones Key Match Up: Rory Thompson v Nick Riewoldt: Riewoldt demolished the Suns last time by kicking seven goals. He completely destroyed the Suns back line and threatens to do the same. At 200cm tall, Thompson will need to use his height to intercept Riewoldt’s superb marking skills. Prediction: Both teams will come into the game fully confident that they can get the victory. Gold Coast is expected to show the football world their talent this year and could surprise many teams. Many believe that St Kilda will fall this year and in this early season game, many questions could be answered. Gold Coast’s problem will be their ruck. They lost Hickey to St Kilda and Zac Smith will be told to shoulder most of the ruck load this year, as regular ruckmen Josh Fraser retired. Smith had the 21st most hitouts in 2012 and Hickey was 39th. Hickey is a major boost to St Kilda’s ruck stocks, as the club was 17th last year in hitouts and he will relieve the pressure off McEvoy. St Kilda’s forwards and midfielders will be too strong for Gold Coast. The Saints stars may be aging, but Lenny Hayes, Nick Dal Santo, Nick Riewoldt and Stephen Milne are still playing quality football. These may be familiar names, but Armitage, Steven, James Gwilt, Jarryn Geary, Ahmed Saad and Arryn Siposs are leading the next generation. The Sun’s aims will be to minimize St Kilda’s midfield talent, find a way to stop Nick Riewoldt and worry St Kilda’s defenders. St Kilda’s aims will be to expose Smith, pressure the young Suns’ midfield and win the contested football. The Saints are two steps ahead of the Suns and have accumulated a massive 207 points winning margin over there three encounters. St Kilda has much more experience and will be too strong up at Metricon Stadium, but Gold Coast will put in a fight. Saints by 30. Jack Steven 30 disposals, Nick Riewoldt 5 goals. You can follow Nick on Twitter at: @nick_saint13 or read more of his work at ciantarpress.wordpress.com
  • Time to rebuild at Seaford
    http://www.truesainters.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Nick+Riewoldt+AFL+Club+Captains+Media+Session+gWDjp7kBfIvx.jpg
    Time to rebuild at Seaford
    By Nick Ciantar The St Kilda juggernaut finally came to an end last year when the team missed the finals for the first time since 2007. Scott Watters gave youth some valuable time and the Saints did some future planning. Youngster Tom Simpkin stood tall in defence, inexperienced midfielders Jack Steven and David Armitage had a consistent year, whilst new draftees Terry Milera and Ahmed Saad were exciting in the Saints forward line. Brendon Goddard was the noticeable departure from the club during the off-season. Goddard went to Essendon during the Free Agency period and it has left a gapping hole in the Saints team – despite it dramatically freeing up the salary cap. The Saints made some additions with exciting ruckmen Tom Hickey, prominent forward Tom Lee, speedster Trent Dennis-Lane and key defender Dylan Roberton during the trade and Free Agency periods. Youth will be the focal point of 2013, as Lenny Hayes (33 years old), Nick Riewoldt (30), Justin Koschitzke (30), Jason Blake (32), Sam Fisher (30) and Stephen Milne (33) are all over thirty. Their stars are aging and a new bunch of players will need to come through. St Kilda still has the ability to play finals footy, but they do need to rebuild to strengthen their team for their next big premiership attack. Best 22: FB: Tom Simpkin, James Gwilt, Jarryn Geary HB: Sean Dempster, Sam Fisher, Arryn Siposs C: Farren Ray, Leigh Montagna, Jack Steven HF: Brodie Murdoch, Nick Riewoldt, Adam Schneider FF: Ahmed Saad, Rhys Stanley, Stephen Milne R: Ben McEvoy, Lenny Hayes, Nick Dal Santo INT: Tom Hickey, David Armitage, Jack Newnes, Dylan Roberton (sub) EMG: Sam Gilbert, Beau Maister, Tom Ledger   Key player for the team: Sam Fisher: The days of Nick Riewoldt, Brendon Goddard and Lenny Hayes being the key players for St Kilda are over. Whilst Fisher has been a key player for the last five seasons, his presence this year in defence is more important as he is the most experienced defender. The Saints had the eighth best defence last year and with Simpkin, Roberton, Jarryn Geary, Sean Dempster, Sam Gilbert and potentially Rhys Stanley in defence, Fisher is the most important player. He has the most hardened body and is one of the best trackers of the ball. His ability to smash a contest and take a contested mark is superb and he will need to do the same this year as there is a massive weakness in their defence. Fisher is more suited as a loose defender, however, this year he will be increasingly used as a key defender as he can hold-down some of the best forwards in the game.   Needs a big year: Rhys Stanley: Stanley’s time to shine is now. Drafted at pick 47 in 2008, the athletic and speedy ruckmen has not been able to play a whole year of football. His body has not been able to handle the rigors of AFL and he will need to have a consistent year. With only 21 games over three years, Stanley needs to play the majority of 2013 otherwise his future at the club will be questioned.   Sam Gilbert: Gilbert’s position in the team is not as stable as one would think. He has played 131 games over seven seasons, however, he has had kicking issues every year. He was at his best when St Kilda was at their strongest in 2009-2010 and he added another asset to his game by being a forward. With many youngsters breaking through, Gilbert is one of many senior Saint players that will be fighting for their spots this year.   Clinton Jones: The golden-haired tagger had a rocky 2012 season. Jones managed 17 games last year, but at the age of 29, he was not able to consistently play in the senior team. His kicking is still an issue and with younger midfielders coming through, Jones will need to address these issues if he wants to cement a spot in St Kilda’s team.   Biggest game of the year for St Kilda: St Kilda v Essendon, round 4, Etihad Stadium, Saturday Twilight This is by far St Kilda’s most anticipated game of the year. Highly respected Brendon Goddard returns to face his old team at the ground in which he dominated for several years. The ‘dome’ will be near capacity and it will be eagerly awaited to see how St Kilda fans treat their former star. This is also the first of five hard games for St Kilda. They then play reigning premiers Sydney in New Zealand, Collingwood and Carlton at Etihad Stadium, followed by Adelaide away. If the Saints are serious about making finals, they will need to win at least two of these games – as three of these teams played finals last year.   2013 Prediction: The Saints will be looking to rebuild this year. They drafted half-back flanker Nathan Wright, key forward Spencer White, talented midfielder Brodie Murdoch, silky midfielder Josh Saunders and developing ruckmen Lewis Pearce. All five players will want to play senior footy this year and they may get that chance. The Saints also have a vast amount of others to choose from including fast midfielder Tom Ledger, gutsy midfielder Tom Curren, utility Arryn Siposs, coolheaded Sam Dunell and multi-purpose Rhys Stanley. The Saints have all areas of the ground covered and it may be the time where they give everyone a go.   They will certainly look at making the finals, but with the third oldest list in the AFL it looks highly unlikely. They do have the talent to make a finals impact, but the Saints will take a more conservative approach and will want to play the kids.   Prediction: 12th   You can also check out each player’s prediction for the upcoming season: http://ciantarpress.wordpress.com/2013/03/19/st-kilda-2013-player-by-player-preview/ You can follow Nick on Twitter at: @nick_saint13
  • St Kilda 2013 player-by-player preview
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    St Kilda 2013 player-by-player preview
    #1 Tom Hickey: 201cm, 94kg, 22yrs Traded to St Kilda during the off-season, the talented young ruckmen is a breath of fresh air for the club. Standing at 201cm, he relieves the ruck pressures off Ben McEvoy. At only 22 years of age, Hickey has his best footy ahead of him and is expected to work in tandem with McEvoy. #2 Arryn Siposs: 189cm, 90kg, 20yrs. Where do you play him? Groomed as the Brendon Goddard replacement, Siposs can use his deadly right-foot off half back, can be a big presence in the midfield or can kick a bag of goals up forward. He is another player with his best footy ahead of him and he should play the majority of the year across half-back. #3 Jack Steven: 180cm, 79kg, 22yrs. The man with the “awkward running action” extended his contract for an extra two years. The exciting midfielder looks ready to breakout this year. Steven can also specialize around goal – as he kicked 17 goals last year. #4 Clint Jones: 183cm, 83kg, 29yrs. Jones’ career is at the crossroads. Senior coach Scott Watters gave the 28 year old tagger an extra year and he will need to perform to keep his spot on the list. With Watters’ youth policy in full swing, Jones will need to perform at his best or he could be spending the majority of the year with Sandringham in the VFL. #5 Ben McEvoy: 200cm, 103kg, 23yrs. ‘Big Mac’ is the strength of the Saints midfield. His ability to ruck to advantage and to move around ground is sublime and he can only get better. He averaged 25.3 hitouts last year in 16 games and kicked seven goals. McEvoy can potentially break into the All- Australian side. #6 Seb Ross: 187cm, 86kg, 19yrs. The youngster had to wait to round 22 to debut against Greater Western Sydney. He had five disposals and four tackles in the match and showed signs of the future. Picked at number 25 in the 2011 draft, he has his future ahead of him. However, another year at VFL level may do the trick for the progressively improving, silky-smooth midfielder. #7 Lenny Hayes: 186cm, 85kg, 33yrs. Hayes is the heart of the St Kilda team. The evergreen midfielder pours every bit of strength and determination onto the field and gets reward for effort. He came back from a will not stop him from giving his all again this year. #8 Trent Dennis-Lane: 182cm, 75kg, 24yrs. Dennis-Lane was a surprise pick-up during the trade weeks. Traded for low picks, the small forward/midfielder was an emergency in the Sydney Swan’s premiership team last year. Known for his agility and speed, Dennis-Lane may get several chances this year. However, he will be one of five players fighting for two or three small forward spots on the field – unless he can find another position. #9 Tom Lee: 194cm, 91kg, 22yrs. The ex-Adelaide Crow finally got a second chance. He did not debut for Adelaide and then spent three seasons at Western Australian WAFL side, Claremont. In 2012 he kicked 60 goals and has improved on many aspects of his game. He will be fighting for his spot this year, however, if St Kilda applies a youth policy, Lee may get some vital game time. #10 Daniel Markworth: 189cm, 84kg, 20yrs. Markworth had an exciting 2012 season with Sandringham in the VFL. He played 14 games and kicked three goals in the elimination final loss. Playing as a midfielder/half- forward, all things were looking positive until he sustained an ACL injury in Colorado during the pre-season. He is set to miss the majority of the 2013 season. #11 Leigh Montagna: 178cm, 78kg, 29yrs. Consistency is the word that comes to mind for Montagna. He played every game in 2012 and averaged 23.6 disposals – down on seasons gone by. His ability to break the lines was still a factor, however, at the age of 29, his experience and leadership is now more useful for the younger brigade. Montagna will be a regular player this year. #12 Nick Riewoldt: 193cm, 96kg, 30yrs. The Riewoldt of old looked to have returned in 2012, until a knee injury derailed his season in round 20. He kicked 47 goals in 19 games and was a superb leader. With younger players such as Rhys Stanley, Spencer White and Tom Lee looking for vital experience, ‘St Nick’ will remain in the team but at a lesser role to help develop the next generation. #13 Adam Schneider: 175cm, 79kg, 28yrs. Schneider was dogged by injuries in 2012. He only managed eight games, with his first game coming in round 11. Schneider is still a valuable member of the team, but he will be fighting for his spot with the likes of Ahmed Saad, Terry Milera and Trent Dennis- Lane in the second small forward position. He may be looking for greener pastures, with a spot in the midfield or half-back a reasonable switch. #14 Jarryn Geary: 183cm, 82kg, 24yrs. ‘Gears’ finally made a statement last year. After fighting for a spot for several years, he finally held a spot across half-back with 20 games. He missed two games to injury and beat several quality opposition players. With his best years ahead of him, he will be looking for the same this year. #15 Tom Ledger: 178cm, 79kg, 21yrs. Ledger gained key experience last year with four games at AFL level and 13 games at VFL level. The speedy midfielder showed his fans his talents’, with 21 disposals and a goal against GWS as his best game. As he is one of the next generation of midfielders, Ledger will be expected to get valuable game time this year. #16 Jack Newnes: 184cm, 81kg, 20yrs. Newnes was a surprise packet last year. Playing across half-back, the gutsy runner showed his grunt and skills. He only managed the seven games in the end, however, he did show what he is capable of and is certainly able to hold down a spot in the senior team this year. #17 Dylan Roberton: 194cm, 88kg, 21yrs. Roberton was St Kilda’s last player picked up, which was in the delisted Free Agency period. He fought for his ten games at Fremantle last year and was picked up to play as a key defender. He is highly rated by Watters and will be expected to play at the highest level for the majority of the season. #18 Spencer White: 196cm, 84kg, 18yrs. Spencer White was St Kilda’s second pick in the draft, at pick 25. It was a surprise to the majority of the public, as St Kilda were desperately looking for a key defender and went for a key forward instead. Rated as a future star, the athletic teen will spend the majority of the year at VFL level – as he has a developing body. #19 Sam Gilbert: 194cm, 92kg, 26yrs. The lanky half-back had a consistent year. Gilbert did not tear the game apart, but he did the job that needed to be done. His kicking is still an issue but it is improving. Touted as a potential forward yet again, the defender stayed in his familiar defensive role for the majority of the year. Gilbert should keep his spot in the team this year, however, his younger team mates may keep him on his toes. #20 David Armitage: 183cm, 87kg, 24yrs. Armitage finally had a fantastic year. He was handed the responsibility of being the in- and-under midfielder in 2011 after Hayes’ injury and he has taken his game to another level, yet again. He increased his disposal averages from 15.3 in 2011 to 20.3 last year and will want to take that up another notch this year. Armitage has the talent to become an elite player and he will want to take that step. #21 Ahmed Saad: 175cm, 78kg, 23yrs. With the slowest set shot for goal in the game, Saad has freakish talent. Saad was an excitement machine in the forward line last year and worked in tandem with Stephen Milne and Terry Milera. He kicked 28 goals from 16 games, including a bag of four against Brisbane. He will be fighting for his position with Adam Schneider, Trent Dennis-Lane and Milera, but he looks like the front runner after a stunning pre-season. #22 Farren Ray: 187cm, 84kg, 26yrs. Ray had a frustrating 2012 season, only playing 11 games. Ray’s name was thrown around during the trade period, however, Watters gave him another chance and he will want to reward Watters’ faith in him with starring performances. It is yet to be seen if Ray will attain a senior spot, but he does have the talent and if he keeps a positive attitude, Ray could be a key member of the team this year. #23 Justin Koschitzke: 197cm, 97kg, 30yrs. Koschitzke showed us his talent last year, playing 19 games and kicking 27 goals. He played the majority of the year in the ruck, however, he is best suited to the forward line. The Saints do have the forward and ruck depths and ‘Kosi’ will need to impress to keep his spot. Koschitzke will need to have a stand-out year, otherwise he could spend the year with Sandringham and possibly hang-up the boots at the end of it. #24 Sean Dempster: 191cm, 87kg, 29yrs. Dempster had a first-class 2012 season. He played every game across half-back and beat highly rated opponents such as Adam Goodes and Steve Johnson. In a terrific end to the year, he finished third in the best and fairest – his best result at St Kilda. He is the lieutenant to the Saints defence and is certainly in St Kilda’s top ten players. His off- season has been marred by a hamstring injury and looks likely to miss the first couple of games. #25 Sam Fisher: 191cm, 94kg, 30yrs. Fisher is St Kilda’s most important player. Dempster is the lieutenant to the defence and Fisher is the general. His ability to read the play is phenomenal and he leads with great example. He is the most experienced in defence and he will be leading a very young back six. He is best suited as a floating defender, however, this year he will take the role of centre half-back as there are no other suitors. Rhys Stanley could potentially play as a half-back, but Fisher is the man for the job. #26 Nick Dal Santo: 185cm, 85kg, 29yrs. Silky-smooth mover of the footy, Nick Dal Santo, had another fantastic year. He played every game yet again and kicked an acceptable 17 goals. There are no fears when Dal gets the ball and 2013 will be much the same. He is getting towards the end of his career, but he is still producing game-breaking football. #27 Jason Blake: 189cm, 91kg, 32yrs. Blake was riddled with injuries in 2012 and only managed 13 games. He is easily St Kilda’s gutsiest defender and is also one of the most respected. 2013 will be an interesting year for the veteran, as he will have to fight for his spot. He may not have the skills like Sam Fisher, however, he gives his all for the team and will be on the fringe for senior selection this year. #28 Rhys Stanley: 200cm, 96kg, 22yrs. This is the season in which Stanley needs to consistently play well. He has talent but where he is best suited, no one knows. He can kick goals up forward, win a hitout in the ruck or can play as a very tall defender. Defence may be his best avenue, seeing that St Kilda lack key defenders and have everywhere else covered. He is coming off a bone bruising injury and may miss the first two games of the year. #29 Jimmy Webster: 188cm, 78kg, 19yrs. Webster played the majority of the 2012 season for Sandringham’s Development Squad, as he was recovering from leg injuries. Playing on a wing/half-forward, Webster will want to make his debut for St Kilda this year, but expect him to play the majority of the year with Sandringham’s seniors. #30 Brodie Murdoch: 188cm, 78kg, 19yrs. A tough-edged medium sized forward, Brodie is the younger brother of Geelong’s, Jordan Murdoch. Brodie has played senior footy with Glenelg in the SANFL and has strong hands. He is expected to play the majority of the year with Sandringham, but don’t be surprised if he gets a few games with St Kilda. #31 Tom Simpkin: 191cm, 92kg, 22yrs. Simpkin stood tall and proud as St Kilda’s key defender last year. After the departure of controversial full-back, Zac Dawson, Simpkin took over his reigns and did an impressive job. He has slowly but steadily learnt the game and is afraid of no-one. He played 19 games last year and will be expected to play every game this year. #32 Terry Milera: 183cm, 77kg, 25yrs. Speedy midfielders that kick goals are a rare sight at St Kilda – until Terry Milera walked into the club. He kicked 19 goals from 15 games as a forward, though also played in the midfield. Milera’s position this year may come under question due to the amount of small forwards and his consistency, but after a sparkling 2012 season, you can’t see why he won’t be in the team most weeks. #33 James Gwilt: 188cm, 96kg, 26yrs. Gwilt had a shaky 2012 season. He returned to the team in round nine after a serious knee injury ended his 2011 season. He looked uncertain in defence and took a while to find his feet. Gwilt is a class player and with a full pre-season under his belt, 2013 should be another solid year for the key defender. #34 Nathan Wright: 185cm, 77kg, 19yrs. Wright was the first pick in last year’s draft and is an “explosive stoppage player who can play in the midfield or off a back-flank” (St Kilda bio). As this will be his first season for the club, his spot in the 22 will depend on his form. He is certainly capable of playing senior footy, but his Sandringham form will be the factor. #35 Josh Saunders: 180cm, 78kg, 18yrs. Saunders is just like Wright. He is a fast midfielder and can play as an inside or outside midfielder. His year will also go down to form, as the club has many talented players just like him. #36 Jay Lever: 200cm, 87kg, 19yrs. Lever is a lightly built ruckmen that can also play in defence. He spent the majority of 2012 with Sandringham’s Development Squad, but also managed four games with the seniors. He will be hoping for more game time with the Zebras seniors and will need another summer in the gym. But after a solid pre-season, Lever has a good chance at making his debut. #37 Beau Maister: 194cm, 98kg, 27yrs. The former West Coast Eagles player was the club’s cult figure last year. He played 10 games with 15 goals and kicked a bag of five in round 20 when Nick Riewoldt went off injured. Maister has the ability to play in defence, which adds an extra element to his game. It is unsure how Watters will field his forward line-up this year, however, Maister’s ability to play in defence may be that extra string to his bow. #38 Sam Dunell: 189cm, 84kg, 23yrs. Coolheaded Dunell impressed in his first year at the club. He played 15 games for Sandringham and kicked 14 goals – including a five goal haul in round two. He specializes up forward but can also use his sublime judgement skills down back. He was rewarded with his efforts by being upgraded off the rookie list at the end of the season and he could be a big part of St Kilda’s team this year. #42 Lewis Pearce: 202cm, 88kg, 18yrs. The developing ruckmen was St Kilda’s last pick in the draft. He has had a history of injuries and will take time to develop. Known for his leadership skills, Pearce is one for the future and will spend the year with Sandringham. #44 Stephen Milne: 176cm, 83kg, 33yrs. Arguably the best small forward the game has seen, Milne just keeps on going. He has kicked over 50 goals for four of the last five seasons and keeps on pestering the opposition. Milne will be a small forward teacher this year, as he will guide the young forwards of Spencer White, Trent Dennis-Lane, Ahmed Saad and Terry Milera. Rookies: #39 Cameron Shenton: 188cm, 83kg, 22yrs. The former Norwood goal-sneak spent 2012 with Sandringham in defence. In what was a big change, he played as a negating defender and added another asset to his game. Shenton will need to impress again this year and he should maintain his spot in Sandringham’s defence. #40 Jordan Staley: 194cm, 93kg, 19yrs. Staley only managed two games in Sandringham’s seniors and battled with injuries. He played the majority of the year with their Development Squad as a tall forward. Staley will be hoping to play more games for their seniors and could be a surprise packet for St Kilda, as he does have a big body. #41 Darren Minchington: 179cm, 82kg, 19yrs. Minchington sparkled for Sandringham last year. He played nine games with eight goals until a hip injury ended his season early. He played as a small forward and used his speed to beat his opponents. Named in the best on several occasions, Minchington’s goal will be for a full season and he is definitely one that could sneak into St Kilda’s team. #43 Thomas Curren: 178cm, 78kg, 20yrs. Curren was Sandringham’s star for 2012. He won the club’s best and fairest, played every game and kicked 13 goals. He broke the lines and can play as an inside midfielder. Curren has a very positive future ahead of him and is the number one choice to be upgraded off of the rookie list – if there is a long-term injury. #45 Jackson Ferguson: 194cm, 89kg, 20yrs. Ferguson enjoyed a full season as Sandringham’s full-back. He helped defend Sandringham’s fort and could become handy for St Kilda’s team this year, especially seeing the club is short on tall defenders. His start to the year will be delayed, as he is battling a knee injury. First appeared on ciantarpress.wordpress.com. You can read more of Nick's work here and also follow him on Twitter at: @nick_saint13
  • St Kilda 2013 Season Preview
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    St Kilda 2013 Season Preview
    The following post, written by Shaun Curnow, originally appeared on Football Nation and is reprinted here with permission. Team: St Kilda Coach: Scott Watters Player Losses: Retired: None Delisted: Jason Gram, Warrick Andreoli, Raph Clarke, Nicholas Winmar, Sam Crocker, Dean Polo, Daniel Archer, Brett Peake Traded:  Jamie Cripps (West Coast Eagles) Free Agency: Brendon Goddard (Essendon) Player Additions: Traded:  Tom Lee (Pre-Listed GWS Player, Claremont), Tom Hickey (Gold Coast), Trent Dennis-Lane (Sydney Swans) Free Agency: None Delisted Free Agency: Dylan Roberton (Fremantle) National Draft: Nathan Wright, Spencer White, Brodie Murdoch, Josh Saunders, Lewis Pierce, Sam Dunell (promoted rookie) Rookie Draft: None Pre-season Draft: None   Last Year’s Finish: 9th (12-10-0) This year’s prediction: 8th-10th 2013 will be hard to predict for St Kilda with all signs pointing directly to them to continue to drop down the AFL ladder. However, if everything goes according to plan, The Saints could be playing finals football come September. Three things you need to know: 1. St Kilda will play the first official AFL match outside of Australia on ANZAC Day against reigning premiers Sydney at Wellington’s Westpac Stadium, New Zealand. 2. Mark Round 4, St Kilda v Essendon [Saturday April 20] down in your calendar as must watch game! This will be the first time former Saints star; Brendon Goddard comes up against his old side since he walked out on them during the 2012 Free Agency period. 3. Despite turning over half their list in last two years, St Kilda are still the second oldest and fifth most experienced list in The AFL. Will make the finals if/will be doomed if: If St Kilda is to play finals, then their second and third tier players need to step up and take some pressure off the ageing stars, in particular Hayes, Milne, Riewoldt and Fisher. This means likes of Jack Steven, David Armitage, Ben McEvoy, James Gwilt, Arryn Siposs, Rhys Stanley and Tom Simpkin all need to play 20 to 22 games each in 2013 and finish in top 5-10 of Saints Best and Fairest. The Saints have had to heavily rely on players such as Hayes, Milne, Riewoldt, Fisher and Dal Santo in the past couple years, but at their age the game can fly past them at any minute. This means if the younger guys don’t step up, it could be a long year for St Kilda. Best player(s): Dual All Australian and small forward, Stephen Milne, has been the Saints most consistent and reliable goal kicker during his career with an average of 46 goals per season. Milne is showing no signs of slowing down and along with his new partner in crime, Ahmed Saad, he is looking likely to have another great year. Despite coming off a serious knee injury and playing year with heart issue, Lenny Hayes had arguably had his greatest season in 2012 and went on to win St Kilda’s Best and Fairest. In what could be his final year, Lenny will be looking to continue his recent good form. Sean Dempster has long been known as the “steak-knives” in a trade that netted St Kilda’s Adam Schneider from Sydney, but these days is one of first pick for the Saints. Dempster has finished third in the club’s last two Best and Fairest along with wining Most Professional Player Award for two consecutive seasons. In 2012, Dempster was named in the back pocket in The All Australian side after outstanding season. He can play on either small or tall forwards, can run with midfield, or as he showed last season, can be an important intercept and link player. Player on the rise: Rhys Stanley has teased St Kilda for the last few years but it’s injuries in which keep setting him back. If [fingers cross] Stanley can have injury free season, he is sure to feature prominently in Saints line-up. He has ability to play forward, in the ruck and could be groomed as tall defender, which the club has been looking for. Player on the way down: Justin Koschitzke faces a tough task to keep his spot in Saints best 22 in 2013, after St Kida added some much needed depth to their tall forward stocks in trade period. Koschitzke could battle it out with Stanley, Beau Maister, Thomas Lee and potentially Tom Hickey and Ben McEvoy if they decide to play two ruckman this year. Koschitzke hasn’t found himself having to fight for his position very often; mainly due to lack of talls on The Saints list, but they will be hoping it will get best out of him. General Comment: In 2012, St Kilda averaged 106.7 points a game, being 22.4 more than under previous coach Ross Lyon. The problem they encountered however was they leaked goals too easily, averaging 86.5 points a game against (up 11 from 2011).  This was due to their key forwards being able to get on top of their backline. The absence of a key defender could well again prove costly for the Saints. St Kilda could have one quickest and most exciting forward lines in 2013, if the early stages of pre-season are anything to go by. Stephen Milne, Ahmed Saad, Terry Milera and Trent Dennis-Lane (otherwise known as the ‘mosquito fleet’) will cause much headaches for opposition defenders. Whether there is room for all four of them in the one team, is entirely another question!
  • Pain and suffering with the occasional euphoric high
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    Pain and suffering with the occasional euphoric high
    By Shaun Curnow Pain and suffering with the occasional euphoric high. It’s the best way to describe the life of a Saints fan. But why is it that we continually come back week after week, year after year? Talking to Saints fans from all ages and backgrounds, whilst their experiences are varied, there is one similarity! The continuous love and passion for the St Kilda Football Club. Many say we are suckers for punishment, however in reality, footy is like a drug. You ride the wave of emotions, from the highs and the lows, which can make you feel so good, whilst knowing it’s doing your heart and head in. Yet, at the end of the day, we simply keep coming back for more. People who say, “It’s only a game” simply don’t get it! It’s about emotion. It’s about hugging total strangers when you win and yelling at your friends when you lose. It’s about a natural high that could never be imitated by chemicals or a horse winning a race. It’s about watching the Saints lose week after week and still going without fail the next week. It’s about bragging on Friday’s that the Saints are gonna “flog em” when you know they don’t stand a chance! St Kilda may not be the most successful club in AFL history, but supporting the Saints has taught us to never give up on your dream. With only 1 premiership and 26 wooden spoons in 140 years, the fans have shown loyalty like no other.  It will make winning the premiership (which will happen) that much sweeter. So, what is it that makes us bleed Red, White and Black? “It’s a little like the great American Football coach famously said, Football is not a matter of life or death, it’s much more important than that.” Saints fan Len West explains. “I do appreciate that AFL is merely a game, but the thrill of the match, the sense of belonging, the values of the club, have carried through with me from childhood. The values in team sport and AFL in particular, are such a great thing to learn and then to have throughout your life.” People go to extraordinary lengths to support and follow St Kilda. “I lived in the Northern Territory for 15 years, with three of those years at Nguiu on Bathurst Island (one of the two Tiwi Islands). At this time the only way you could watch AFL, was through the commercial TV channel in Darwin. Unfortunately its reception did not reach Nguiu.” explained Len. “As I had to get my weekly fix of AFL and the occasional broadcast game of the Saints, myself and a number of eager ex-Victorian friends, bolted and welded a gigantic TV aerial together. We then used five, Toyota four wheel drives to hoist it aloft, until it was secured by cables, to anchor points on the ground, beside my house. “Unfortunately still no signal, so down it came, more electronics added to the top of the mast, to boost the signal, tower dragged aloft again and then YES we had a TV signal. This was the dedicated venue, then for all AFL matches, in my time there. Pity at that time, it was Hawthorn and Essendon dominating and not the Saints though.” People often ask us why we love St Kilda like the way we do and how can we be so obsessed? Surely there are more important things in life to worry about, they say. “It’s the air of expectation, will we win, who will kick the goals, who will stop the opposition’s best player. It’s the anxious times, biting your nails as you are a point in front with 30 seconds to go. It’s the thrill of a win no matter how big or small. It’s the pride when that final siren goes and your team of warriors have done all they can. It’s the joy of watching a skinny young kid turn into a champion. It’s the excitement of watching that specie being taken or that goal being kicked.” Shae Williams explained. “It’s the frustration when the umpires make a bad decision. It’s the anger when the opposition do something you don’t like. It’s the sadness when you lose that important game. It’s the rollercoaster of emotions that you experience watching footy and supporting a team. You vest so much of yourself into it, it can be both emotionally and physically draining.” For those growing up in the “dark years”, it was tough, but it definitely had a significant influence on the individual they are today. “The Saints to me and many others are more than just a team. They molded me into the person I am today. Throughout Primary School we were fairly woeful and this taught me more than anything else to be patient and appreciate small mercies.” said BigFooty poster NarrowMind. “This also led me to celebrating any small victory and probably getting caught up on things, but the Saints to me are more than 20 something blokes running around – It’s the ethos and ideas of the club that keep me coming back. I have always hoped that after we lift the cup again we stay the same as a club, players and as individual people.” The 1980’s is simply another chapter in the Saints history that, while not littered with success, was a new frontier for many.  The team was terrible, copping huge thrashings week in week out. St Kilda won only 48 games and drew 2 from 220 games during this time. “No one said being a Saints supporter was easy and nothing could be truer than growing up in the 80’s. St Kilda was terrible, cellar dwellers and the winner of more wooden spoons than we care to remember.” Shae Williams explains. “On one cold winter’s day at a suburban primary school, hundreds of children made their way onto the oval to see their VFL heroes. Amongst a sea of brown and gold stood two blonde kids in Red, White and Black with number 1’s proudly on their backs and badges pinned to their chest like medals of honour. “My friend and I were the only kids at school who supported St Kilda. Enduring years of taunts, we stuck together like our life depended on it.” Shae said. “We weren’t embarrassed or ashamed of our support though, we were proud and passionate. Each Monday we would come to school after another thrashing, we had already grown a thick skin to let the cruel jibes roll off us and now we were becoming comedians with some great witty comebacks. “The teasing only made us stronger and more determined to support the Club. To this day, the two blonde kids are still friends and even though thousands of miles separate them, the talk is always about the Saints.” Although, whilst it might seem like it, it’s not always doom and gloom for Saints fans. Believe it or not, there have been some remarkable successful periods. In the past ten years, St Kilda has registered a positive win/loss ratio every season and whilst the club has never won the ultimate prize, the fans have stuck fat and always believe that their time will come. The 2000’s was a rollercoaster decade. Early on there were more losses than wins, a familiar feeling for most, but it brought new hope with a new hero and big blonde up forward. 2009 was like a dream and for many fans, which was labelled the best season they have experienced. Why? Because we were finally playing well. In fact, we were playing beyond well under coach Ross Lyon. Win after win; we knew we were witnessing something very special. To other club supporters, it seemed strange but winning was a new feeling to us and it became like a drug.  We just had to win and you couldn’t miss a minute of it. It was an electric feeling. The lid was certainly off after the win in Round 14 in the top of the table clash against the undefeated Cats. On the way home every fan couldn’t help but think, is this our year? Would all the years of hurt and heartbreak finally come to an end? And just like that, before our very own eyes, the heart break came back and it hit just as hard. The emptiness in the pit of your stomach is something we wish never to feel again, however ultimately we know we will. That’s the life of a St Kilda fan, but we wouldn’t have it any other way.
  • 2013 Player Sponsorship of Sean Dempster - Shares Now Available
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    2013 Player Sponsorship of Sean Dempster - Shares Now Available
    We are very proud to announce that True Sainters will be sponsoring SEAN DEMPSTER once again in 2013. In addition to sponsoring at least one St Kilda player we will be sponsoring a Sandringham player as part of our official role with the Sandringham Football Club through True Zebras. This is just an added bonus of purchasing a share in our StKilda Player Sponsorship Program. We are hopeful of sponsoring 2 players once again but will make the decision on the second player at a later date once all the shares for Sean Dempster are sold and we can judge the interest in this again. Shares will remain at $20 each. As with 2012 1 share will get you 1 ticket in the raffle for the "prizes". You will only be able to win once throughout the year. If you purchase 5 or more shares you are eligable to win multiple prizes. You can purchase shares via our online shop here (via paypal etc) - http://www.freewebstore.org/True-Sai...6_4740620.aspx or if you prefer to pay via bank deposit or any other way PM me. We are opening it up early so we can try sell as many shares as possible and so we can get the players we want. Also as a added bonus, thanks to our friends at MeatHead.com.au if you purchase shares before November 30th you will go in draw to win a voucher to their shop! If any questions feel free to ask in our sponsorship thread on forum - http://www.truesainters.com/truesainters/showthread.php?1704-2013-Player-Sponsorship-Shares-Now-Available This is what you could win by purchasing shares. Please note only 1 ticket to function per person. • Two (2) invitations to the St Kilda Football Club’s 140 year celebration event, including an exclusive pre-event function (date TBC) • Priority access to purchase additional tickets to the Official 2013 St Kilda Football Club 140 year celebration • Two (2) invitations to the 2013 St Kilda Football Club Best and Fairest (date TBC) • Two (2) invitations to an exclusive Player Sponsor game day function and VFL experience at Trevor Barker Beach Oval, Sandringham (date TBC) • Two (2) invitations to an exclusive Player Sponsor Movie Night, held at Village Cinemas Southland (date TBC) • One (1) signed and framed football boot
  • Stephen Milne – 2012 All-Australian
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    Stephen Milne – 2012 All-Australian
    In September St Kilda small forward Stephen Milne was named in the forward pocket of the 2012 All-Australian team. Milne finished sixth in the Coleman Medal with 56 goals and was the leading goalkicker among small forwards. Milne was one of seven players selected in the team for the second year in a row, 15 players made their first All-Australian team including Milne’s St Kilda teammate Sean Dempster who was named in the back pocket. Milne polled three Brownlow Medal votes in 2012, comprised of the single vote three times, Round 15 vs Essendon, Round 17 vs Sydney and Round 22 vs Greater Western Sydney. Before the Round 15 match against Essendon Milne had kicked 27 goals from 13 matches in 2012 at an average of 2.08 per match, however from Round 15 onwards he dramatically increased his output, kicking 29 goals in his last nine matches of 2012 at an average of 3.22 goals per match. During a 250th match to saviour against Essendon at Etihad Stadium Milne kicked five goals and had two goal assists, setting game-highs in both categories. In the second quarter Milne kicked a superb set-shot goal from 48 metres out on the non-preferred side for a right footer. St Kilda started the second half leading by 23 points, during an electrifying third quarter Milne kicked four goals, all in a different fashion to play a pivotal role in St Kilda increasing the lead to 46 points at three quarter time, by the final siren St Kilda’s winning margin had extended to 71 points. Against Sydney in Round 17 at the SCG Milne had eight kicks, two marks, laid five tackles and kicked five goals including several from outside 50 metres and a goal of the week nomination in the first quarter. During a marking contest Milne spoilt Marty Mattner in the left forward pocket, Stephen gained possession close to the boundary line, under pressure from three Sydney players Milne twisted, turned, evaded, then ran away from goal and kicked a magnificent right foot snap goal from 30 metres out. With five first half goals against GWS in Round 22 Milne was a catalyst in the Saints winning by 122 points to record St Kilda’s third largest victory of all time. Milne had 13 kicks, seven marks including six inside 50, two handballs and two goal assists in the thrashing of the Giants. During 2012 Milne reached two significant milestones, kicking his 500th goal in Round 5 against Melbourne and playing his 250th match in Round 15 against Essendon to become just the second St Kilda player after Stewart Loewe to reach both milestones. At the end of the 2012 season Milne was ranked seventh on the Saints all-time games list with 258 and fourth on the all-time goals list behind Tony Lockett, Bill Mohr and Stewart Loewe. In 2012 Milne played all 22 matches, averaging 86% game-time, 9.9 kicks, 2.5 handballs, 3.7 marks and 2.5 goals a game with a disposal efficiency of 59.5%. Milne led St Kilda in goals and goal assists, was ranked second for marks inside 50, and was ranked 17th in the AFL for marks on a lead. Throughout his football career, even dating back to before he made his AFL debut Milne has had to fight hard to get the opportunities and recognition that have come much easier for many other players. A couple of years after concluding his junior football career it appeared a distinct possibility that Stephen Milne would not be given the opportunity of playing one AFL game, so the chances of having an AFL career during which he would become one of the best small forwards of his generation appeared extremely slim. Despite kicking 49 goals for the Dandenong Stingrays in the 1997 TAC Cup and being the leading goalkicker in the competition Milne had to wait several years to get onto an AFL list, being drafted by St Kilda with selection 23 at the 2000 Rookie Draft. Milne was promoted off the St Kilda rookie list and made his AFL debut at 21 years of age against Port Adelaide in Round 4 2001 at AAMI Stadium. Milne played 17 games in 2001, only missing two games after his debut, Round 15 and 16 when he was dropped to the VFL. Milne kicked 27 goals in his debut season to be ranked fourth at St Kilda. In 2002 St Kilda didn’t have a dominant key forward and Stephen Milne was a revelation, proving to be equally adept as a leading target in his own right or playing the role of traditional small forward as a crumber. During 2002 Milne was outstanding, kicking 50 goals, 11 behinds to easily be St Kilda’s leading goalkicker with more than twice as many goals as the second ranked Saint, Aaron Hamill with 22 goals. Milne had phenomenal accuracy registering a goal with 82% of his scoring shots. The opportunities for Milne to be a leading target reduced from 2003 onwards with the move of Fraser Gehrig to the St Kilda forward line from defense, together with Nick Riewoldt spending more time in the forward line than he had in his first two seasons. In five consecutive seasons from 2003 to 2007 Gehrig, Riewoldt and Milne formed a formidable combination and were St Kilda’s three top ranked goalkickers. During the 2004 home and away season Gehrig, Riewoldt and Milne were all ranked in the top 12 goalkickers in the AFL and the potency of the St Kilda forward line was a key factor in the Saints finishing in the top four in 2004 and making the finals for the first time in six seasons. Milne has gone on to play 16 finals during his career, one behind the St Kilda club record held jointly by Riewoldt, Robert Harvey and Nick Dal Santo. In Round 22 2005 against Brisbane Milne kicked 11 goals straight at Docklands, the most goals in a match during 2005 and became just the eighth St Kilda player to kick 10 goals or more in a VFL/AFL match. Milne had 15 kicks, one handball, took six marks and received the three Brownlow Medal votes in St Kilda’s 139 point victory against Brisbane, the greatest winning margin in club history. Throughout his 12 years at St Kilda Milne has proven to be extremely durable, playing at least 21 games in 10 seasons, including all nine seasons from 2004 onwards. In all 12 seasons Milne has kicked at least 26 goals, including 50 goals or more six times, 2002-50, 2005-61, 2008-60, 2010-57, 2011-56 and 2012-56. During every season that Milne has kicked at least 50 goals he has finished in the top 10 of the Coleman Medal, with a career best finish of equal fourth in 2011. Milne has played the second most games of all players recruited through the Rookie Draft, behind James MacDonald who retired at the end of the 2012 season after playing 264 AFL games, Stephen needs only seven more matches to overtake MacDonald. Milne’s creativity and superb goal awareness have resulted in him regularly featuring in the goal of the week nominations throughout his career, including a phenomenal period during the first 12 rounds of 2010 in which he received four goal of the week nominations. Milne holds the record for most goals kicked at Etihad Stadium with 337 goals from 136 matches at an average of 2.48 goals per game, having kicked his 300th goal at the ground in Round 21 2011 to break Matthew Lloyd’s record. Throughout his 258 game career Milne has kicked 546 goals, 304 behinds for 64% accuracy at an average of 2.12 goals per goal. Milne ranks 43rd on the AFL’s all-time goalkicking list placing him in the top 0.4% of the 12,000 plus VFL/AFL Footballers from 1897 to 2012. Milne’s goalkicking accuracy stacks up well against the leading goalkickers in VFL/AFL history, of the 42 players that have kicked more goals than him only 10 have an accuracy better than 64%. Milne polarises opinion like few players in the AFL, St Kilda fans love him for his creativity, passion and great goal sense as well as the enthusiasm he shows, singing the St Kilda theme song and finding a way to get under the skin of his opponents. The Milne traits that St Kilda fans appreciate, opposition fans find annoying and throughout his career Milne has regularly featured on most hated player lists. Milne has led St Kilda’s goalkicking four times, 2002 and three consecutive seasons from 2010-2012. In 2010 St Kilda captain and key forward Nick Riewoldt seriously injured his hamstring in Round 3 and missed half the home and away season. During Riewoldt’s absence Stephen Milne led the St Kilda forward line admirably to be St Kilda’s most effective marking option inside 50, returning to the role he had eight years prior as the go-to man in St Kilda’s forward line. Over the course of his career Milne’s ability to provide goal assists for teammates has improved, and in 2011 and 2012 he set a new career high with 19 goal assists in each season to lead St Kilda in this category for both years. In November 2011 St Kilda mindful that Stephen Milne was nearing the end of his career recruited mature-age small forwards Ahmed Saad and Terry Milera. Milne has played a key role in this planning for the future by mentoring Saad and Milera who each played at least 15 games in 2012 and averaged more than a goal a game. Half-way through 2012 Milne was unsure if he would play on in 2013 however after an extremely strong finish to the season he signed a one-year deal late in August. When Stephen Milne made his AFL debut back in 2001 not even his biggest fans would have envisaged what he would achieve during his career, providing countless highlights and being ranked in the top 10 for games and top five for goals on St Kilda’s all-time list. Stephen Milne has spent the majority of his career playing as a small forward, a role that is generally considered to have a limited life span, however due to his resilience, adaptability and skills he has been able to not just survive, but thrive as a small forward during an outstanding career in which he has had six top ten finishes in the Coleman Medal and has been deservedly rewarded with All-Australian selection in the past two seasons. By Dean Andrews
  • meathead.com.au - The Shop For Blokes Who Hate To Shop
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    meathead.com.au - The Shop For Blokes Who Hate To Shop
    True Sainters are proud to announce that MeatHead.com.au have come on board as a sponsor of our site. We can highly recommend their clothing as we have purchased from them on numerous occasions. So make sure you show your appreciation by checking out their website.

    For too long now, blokes like us have been forced to endure something no man should ever have to - The Shops.

    If you're like us however and have far better things to be doing (drinking, sleeping & eating all count) then there is only one shop for you - meathead.com.au. The online shop for blokes who HATE to shop!
  • Official 2013 List Changes
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    Official 2013 List Changes
    All the latest list signings and departures at St Kilda. OUTGOING: DELISTED Brett Peake Sam Crocker Dean Polo Raphael Clarke Jason Gram Nicholas Winmar Daniel Archer (Rookie) Warrick Andreoli (Rookie) FREE AGENCY Brendon Goddard (to Essendon) TRADE Jamie Cripps   INCOMING: TRADE Tom Lee (Adelaide/Caremont) Tom Hickey (Gold Coast) Trent Dennis Lane (Sydney) DRAFT #24 Nathan Wright #25 Spencer White #40 Brodie Murdoch #43 Josh Saunders #75 Lewis Pierce ROOKIE UPGRADE #90 Sam Dunell UNCONTRACTED FREE AGENT Dylan Roberton   OUTGOING (STAFF) Peter Burge (High Performance Manager) Scott Fitzgerald (Business Development Manager) INCOMING (STAFF) Bill Davoren (High Performance Manager) Simon Kearney (Sports Science Manager) Luke Vella (Exercise Physiologist) Tony Micale (Player Academy Manager) Shane Wakelin (General Manager of Commercial Operations) Luke Holmesby (Chief Football Writer/Editor) INCOMING DIRECTORS Jack Rush QC Danni Rush Paul Kirk Russell Caplan
  • Brodie Murdoch
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    Brodie Murdoch
    • DOB:20/01/1994
    • Height:187cm
    • Position:Forward
    • Weight:86kg
    • Drafted from: Glenelg
    Athletic medium forward with a booming left foot and plenty of speed. Has also spent spells in defence. Has terrific athleticism highlighted by his pace, agility and vertical leap. Strong overhead and has a terrific work ethic in games as a lead-up forward. Is a long penetrating kick and has the tools to play well in defence. He averaged 12.2 disposals, 4 marks and 2.4 tackles in 5 matches for SA in the NAB AFL U18s this year. Older brother Jordan is on Geelong's list. In his own words: “As a junior I was a midfield/forward. I was mainly in the midfield in the younger grades and as I got towards A-grade at country level I played at full-forward. Last year I played in the backline and midfield and all over the place. I’m not sure what position the coaches are interested in me playing but I can’t wait to find out.” Brodie Murdoch told     saints.com.au   What the experts say: St Kilda Head recruiter Tony Elshaug: “Brodie came up through South Australia last year and played half a season. He did very well as a forward and kicked a lot of goals. He joined the AIS program at the start of this year. He made his debut for Glenelg, he tested really well at the camp and he is a beautiful left-foot kick who brings a lot of versatility to the club.” Respected draft watcher Kristian Pisano from Footy Tragic: “He’s not too dissimilar from his brother Jordan either, playing high half forward with stints in the middle and can also play off half back. He played 10 SANFL reserves games, averaging 8 kicks, 4 handballs, 12 disposals, 4 marks, 3 inside 50’s, 2 tackles, 1 clearance and kicked 2 goals and 4 behinds. At the Combine he tested outstandingly for endurance. He possesses a very nice left foot kick and has a nice leap on him too, so he can take a grab.” Respected draft watcher Knightmare from BigFooty: “Murdoch is an undersized key forward who might need to settle into more of a 3rd tall leading role which he is probably more suited to at the next level. At U18 level gets impressive mark totals, but at senior level I suspect this might dry up because with zones it is a lot harder for these leading type forwards to have a great impact. For a tall I really like Murdoch’s kicking and has a really nice left foot on him. Like his brother is also a very high level athlete and has the speed, agility and leap on him.” Respected draft watcher Chris25 from BigFooty: “Not a player many would know much of, again people would probably only know the name because of his brother Jordan. He wasn't part of the South Australian U18 squad last year, and only played 6 games for Glenelg in the SANFL U18s - so he only has limited exposure, although kicking 31 goals in those 6 games has certainly helped in getting his name out. I really like what I've seen of him though, and I know there has been some interest in him already. Whereas Jordan was a half forward, Brodie is more of your classic full forward. Tends to play deep, and leads at the ball. He leads really well, and is a strong mark too. Like Jordan though, he is also a very good kick. He is not unlike Shane Kersten, just not as physically developed yet. It's still very early days for him, but I'm going to say he could be a fringe first round pick this year - provided he measures in well (height wise).”
  • Peninsula Toy Run
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    Peninsula Toy Run
    Yesterday, St Kilda announced that they will be donating items for this year’s Peninsula Toy Run. They are encouraging all members and supporters to dig deep and help in any way they can. Hundreds of motorcyclists meet every year to distribute much-needed goods to children along the Mornington Peninsula as part of the cause. On Saturday December 1, around 700 motorcyclists will take part in the ride from Frankston pier to Rosebud, delivering clothes, food and toys to underprivileged families on the Peninsula. In the spirit of the season of giving and helping those less fortunate, we at True Sainters have some very Saintly volunteers who will help collect donations from you and drop them off to the Club. We are proud to support this very worthy cause and encourage any donations of canned and packaged food and unwrapped toys and gifts to be delivered Linton St Moorabbin. Donations can be made from 9am - 5pm up until 30 November. Donations will also be accepted at the Saints carols night on December 18. If you are unable to get to Linton St, please let us know and our True Sainters volunteers will happily come to your home to collect the items (obviously within reason distance wise). For our country and interstate members, or anyone that doesn't have any items to donate; but would still like to contribute, we will accept cash and shop on your behalf. We will produce all receipts as proof of purchase. For more details or to arrange a pickup, please contact shaun@truesainters.com
  • Saints Twilight Carols
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    Saints Twilight Carols
    Saints Twilight Carols Where: Moorabbin Oval, Linton Street Moorabbin When: 6pm - 8pm, Tuesday 18 December Registration is essential; please advise the Club that you are attending by clicking here. St Kilda Football Club will host an inaugural Christmas carols BBQ event exclusively for 2013 members on Tuesday 18 December to celebrate the festive season. Saints Twilight Carols will be held in the Club’s heartland at Moorabbin Oval with gates opening from 6pm and plenty of entertainment and fun to be had. Join your favourite Saints players and their families, as well as Senior Coach Scott Watters for a night not to be missed. Dorothy the Dinosaur will make a special guest appearance, along with all of her friends.  Don’t forget the main visitor of the evening who will be joining us all the way from the North Pole, Santa Claus! There will be heaps of entertainment to get you into the Christmas spirit, including a performance from the Young Voices of Melbourne along with live music. FOR FULL ARTICLE & DETAILS PLEASE VISIT SAINTS WEBSITE HERE  
  • Pre-season Training 13/11/2012 (Photos by Dave Savell)
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    Pre-season Training 13/11/2012 (Photos by Dave Savell)
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  • Why The Saints?
    Why The Saints?
    Over the past day we thought it would be interesting to see why people started supporting the might Saints. Was it family brainwashing or just random cos of the colors? We were quite surprised with the amount of people that support the Saints due to family.
    Sharyn: My mum grew up nearby the junction oval so followed the saints. In 1965 when the saints came to Moorabbin we were living the other side of South Road in East Bentleigh. This close proximity made it possible for Mum to pack up lunches, 4 kids, and spend Sat. afternoons watching the mighty saints. I remember my brother and myself (10yo and 9yo) would have to queue at the gates in Linton Street, when they opened run in and spread out the blanket along the seat on the boundary fence which we guarded with our lives. Around lunchtime Mum would arrive with the younger two kids and we all would spend the rest of the afternoon, packed in like sardines, loving every minute of our afternoon. Thanks Mum, you certainly have paid your dues and showed what true supporters do.   Lenh191: My dad and his dad were both Saints members and dad converted mum from the Hawks before they got married. When I was 6 we moved to Bougainville (no TV and only radio Australia) and it wasn't until I started back at boarding school at 12 that I became aware of the game really. Saints by then were at the bottom of the ladder, but I didn't know this, when I turned up at St Francis Xavier college in Ballarat I only knew one teams name, so when I got asked who I barracked for about 5 mins after arriving my natural reply was the saints. I came to love them very quickly, despite the tragic timing and they are a significant part in the definition of me as a person. Ironicly my parents became foundation WCE supporters as they now live in Perth, I will probably never forgive them for this. Saint Daz: It was 1993, I was cheering for Essendon.....never liked them just followed my brother and best mate who went for them and recruited me into the group. Round 8 1993, St. Kilda (67) vs Essendon (125) the game that changed me to the Saints....we lost, but watching Robert Harvey and Tony Lockett made me a Saint! Thanks lads! UltraLord: Nothing as fancy or moving in mine, Huzz (my big bro for those who don't know) came home from school one day to inform me that AFL was the best sport in the world and that the Saints are the best, disagreeing with him surely meant I would be beaten up. Time went on and Saints became the family team, everyone would watch when they came on, and if they come to NSW for a match we always go (Or at least try very hard to). One day when screaming at the TV in front of friends I realised I actually did love the team and the sport very much.
    [tweet https://twitter.com/Smith_Toni/status/255612138624786432] [tweet https://twitter.com/megsylu/status/255613408907513857] [tweet https://twitter.com/3LeahHutchie12/status/255613753016606720] [tweet https://twitter.com/JamesSaretta/status/255613860684374016] [tweet https://twitter.com/World_Cuppa/status/255614196945932288] [tweet https://twitter.com/Andrea3371/status/255615221450801152] [tweet https://twitter.com/thurbonator/status/255615936508350464] [tweet https://twitter.com/hubris999/status/255617877317672960] [tweet https://twitter.com/johnstewart23/status/255618681478987776] [tweet https://twitter.com/sculls_6/status/255619424617373696] [tweet https://twitter.com/backpacknsteve/status/255619444838117376] [tweet https://twitter.com/ItisLJ_/status/255620737589727232] [tweet https://twitter.com/RealRyanPearce/status/255622123782021120] [tweet https://twitter.com/Town66/status/255622251980935169] [tweet https://twitter.com/74Saintsfan/status/255624738209161216] [tweet https://twitter.com/ilikeyourshoes7/status/255629259421401088] [tweet https://twitter.com/itsrach4/status/255629839090995200] [tweet https://twitter.com/WallyWoz/status/255634257895104512] [tweet https://twitter.com/veemon27/status/255636046979670016] [tweet https://twitter.com/majagray75/status/255641843478437889] [tweet https://twitter.com/fuckseparation/status/255645843561000961] [tweet https://twitter.com/john_costin/status/255646388879228928] [tweet https://twitter.com/danash0507/status/255834725166493697] [tweet https://twitter.com/stephenhuppert/status/255765910298718208]
  • 2012 AFL Grand Final Preview: Hawthorn vs Sydney
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    2012 AFL Grand Final Preview: Hawthorn vs Sydney

    by Nick Ciantar

    twitter: @nick_saint13

    Grand Final, MCG

    2.30pm

    Last Time: Hawthorn 15.12 (102) defeated Sydney Swans 14.11 (95), round 22, 2012 at the SCG.

    It is finally here. Just like die hard fans of Kim Kardashian waiting to meet her last Friday at Southland Shopping Centre. Fans have been agonizingly waiting for months, and it is finally here. On Saturday at 2.30pm, the two best teams of the season will battle it out at the home of football.

    Hawthorn: Hawthorn come into this game as big favourites, but their preliminary final against Adelaide tells a different story. The Hawks won a thriller by 5 points, although everyone expected them to win by a big, big, margin. To the Crows credit, they defied the odds and almost snatched an unwinnable game. Hawthorn’s kicking was their worry. They have the best kicking efficiency in the league at 75%, however, their disposal efficiency on the weekend was 72.7%. What was more glaring, was their goal kicking accuracy. Hawthorn kicked 13 goals and 19 behinds and had 10 more scoring shots than the Crows (14 goals 8 behinds). Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin kicked 3 goals 5 behinds, Luke Bruest and Cyril Rioli both had 2 goals 3 behinds and Jarryd Roughead 2 behinds. If Hawthorn lost the game, they would be ruing their goal kicking accuracy, and will need to fix that quickly. David Hale will be Hawthorn’s most important player on Saturday. Yes, they have ‘Buddy’, Luke Hodge and Sam Mitchell, but he will need to pull one out of the bag against Sydney. Nevertheless, Hale has had a fantastic year. He has kicked 22 goals, leads the club with 517 hitouts (9th overall) and second at the club with 32 contested marks (18th overall). However, Sydney’s ruck duo of Shane Mumford and Mike Pyke has been consistent. It is their feeding of the ball to contested possession star Josh P. Kennedy that has been the most damaging. Sydney: Sydney was too strong for an emotional Collingwood team. For the last two weeks, the Pies were on an emotional rollercoaster ride and could not keep up with a strong Swans team. The Pies were slow-out-of-the-blocks and the Swans took full advantage, with a 5 goal to 2 first quarter. The Swans eventually won by 26 points and broke a seven-year hoodoo. They won the hard ball. Kennedy was at his best, finishing with 19 contested possessions (averages 17 a game). The Swans had 28 more contested possessions and 9 more inside 50’s. They were able to get their hands on the ball first, which enabled them to have 10 more scoring shots. Shane Mumford (32 hitouts) and Mike Pyke (16 hitouts) were too strong for Darren Jolly (34 hitouts) and Chris Dawes (3 hitouts) in the ruck. Kennedy is in career best form. After blossoming in last years finals series, the former Hawk had a stand-out 2012 season. Kennedy finished 8th in the Brownlow and was the Swans highest placed. He leads the competition with contested possessions (408), clearances (185) and handballs (389). His ability to handball to teammates in traffic is horrifying the Hawthorn coaching panel. If the Hawks allow Kennedy to be best on ground, then the Swans will win. Key Players: Hawthorn: Lance Franklin, Sam Mitchell, Clinton Young, Josh Gibson, David Hale. Sydney: Josh Kennedy, Shane Mumford, Lewis Roberts-Thomson, Adam Goodes, Lewis Jetta. Who’s Missing: Hawthorn: Brent Guerra, Stephen Gilham, Michael Osborne, Brendan Whitecross, Tom Murphy, Max Bailey. Sydney: Ben McGlynn, Gary Rohan. Key Match Ups: Lance Franklin vs. Ted Richards: Push Franklin to the right side of the ground for left-footers. As funny as this may sound, this will give Richards the upper-hand as ‘Buddy’ has been missing some easy shots at goal. His natural arc works better on the opposite side of the ground, so if you can’t stop Franklin, just push him to his non-preferred side. Clinton Young vs. Craig Bird: Young is one of the best kicks in the game, if not, the best. His pin-point left foot sets up the Hawks forwards. Bird will need to minimize his kicking, as the Swans will not be able to defend his deadly left foot. Brad Sewell vs. Josh Kennedy: Sewell is in career best form and will need to be against the best inside midfielder. There will need to be a direct tag for Kennedy, as letting him roam free will be costly for the Hawks. Josh Gibson vs. Lewis Roberts-Thomson: Gibson is the leagues best spoiler. He will need to be nullified, if the Swans forwards want to get their hands on the ball. In comes ‘LRT’. He is mister fix-it at the Swans. He can play in defence, in the ruck or up forward. If he can take out Gibson and kick a couple of goals, then the Swans forwards will be in pole-position. Prediction: Grand finals are not just won on the statistics, they are won on attitude, effort and luck. Whoever has the better attitude, produces the more effort and has the better luck, will win. Making a grand final is one of the hardest things in footy, to win one, is even harder. Some players will play over 300 games, and not even make a grand final. On Saturday at approximately 5.15pm, we will be telling our kids of ‘that moment’ in the 2012 grand final. The Hawks have the class. They have ‘Buddy’, Mitchell, Hodge, Sewell, Young, Roughead, Rioli and Shaun Burgoyne. They have the winning game style and the grand final experience. The Swans have the attitude. They have Goodes, Mumford, Jetta, Kennedy, Richards, Ryan O’Keefe and Jude Bolton. They have the confidence and an extra day’s break. To win a game of footy is easy – you just need to win the basics. Win the hitouts, get your hands on the ball first and kick it quickly to an open forward line. The Hawks have the best forward line in the competition, whereas the Swans have the best defence. The Swans’ ruck combination is in fine form, whereas Hale and Roughead are getting the job done. The Hawks nearly stumbled last week and will want to start like Usain Bolt at the 100m final this year. John Longmire will compose the Swans and will remind them to just do the basics. Mitch Morton for Sydney and Jack Gunston for Hawthorn could be wildcards. Morton has only played the four games and only kicked the 3 goals, however, he creates another avenue for goal if the Swans forwards have been taken out of the game. 2012 was a breakout season for Gunston. He played the 18 games and kicked 37 goals off half-forward. Highly rated as a youngster, he has grown with confidence and deserves his place in the grand final team. There are key players on both teams that need to be stopped, however, grand finals are won by experience and composure. The Hawks have 10 players from the 2008 premiership, compared to the Swans 7 players with grand finals experience (2005-2006). The Hawks have more talented players and match-up better across the ground. They were startled last week and will do enough to beat a composed Swans team. Hawks by 5 points.
  • St Kilda Season Review by Nick Ciantar
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    St Kilda Season Review by Nick Ciantar

    follow on twitter: @nick_saint13

    Ladder: 9th: 12 wins, 10 losses, 123.33% Most goals:     Stephen Milne (56) Most disposals: Lenny Hayes (538) Most handballs: Lenny Hayes (283) Most kicks: Leigh Montagna (324) Most tackles: Lenny Hayes (130) Most clearances: Lenny Hayes (119) Most contested possessions: Lenny Hayes (238) Most marks: Sean Dempster (155) Most inside 50′s: Leigh Montagna (94) Most rebound 50′s: Sean Dempster (72) Most hit outs: Ben McEvoy (405) Played Every Game: Lenny Hayes, Leigh Montagna, Sean Dempster, Nick Dal Santo, Stephen Milne. Debutants: Seb Ross, Jack Newnes, Ahmed Saad, Terry Milera, Beau Wilkes (debuted for West Coast in 2008), Sam Dunell. Rising Star Nominee: Arryn Siposs (round 15). Review of Season: Scott Watters started his coaching campaign with a 4 point defeat to Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium. The Saints then went on to win the next two games against the Suns (92 points) and Dogs (63 points). Under a new coach and an attacking game style, the team was always going to take some time to adjust. The Saints then faced Fremantle and previous coach Ross Lyon at Etihad Stadium in round 4. The Dockers won a thrilling game by 13 points. From rounds 3 to 12, St Kilda maintained a win/loss ratio. They could not get consistency in their games. The streak was broken after the bye with a round 14 defeat to North Melbourne (33 points). For the last 9 games of the season, St Kilda won six games. They outclassed Essendon in round 15 (71 points) and were too strong for the Bulldogs (76 points), Melbourne (25 points) and Giants (128 points). The three games they lost were against top 8 teams. They were competitive against Sydney (29 points), nearly snatched a victory against Collingwood (6 points) and outclassed by Geelong (42 points). St Kilda would be disappointed that they could not make the finals this year, however, they still proved a force to be reckoned with. 3 Best Games: St Kilda vs. Carlton Round 7: Stephen Milne (4 goals), Terry Milera (3 goals) and Ahmed Saad (2 goals) were dominant in a 24 point victory. Carlton had no answer for the small forwards. A 6 goal to 3 second quarter set up the victory. St Kilda vs. Sydney Round 9: St Kilda outclassed Sydney in the second quarter with a 28 point victory. Sydney could not matchSt Kilda’s intensity and were down by 42 points at three quarter time. St Kilda vs. Essendon Round 15: St Kilda was too strong for Essendon defeating them by 71 points. Nick Riewoldt played his best game for the year with 4 goals, 24 disposals and 11 marks. A 12 goal to 3 second half set up an impressive victory. What went Right: The kids: 6 kids debuted this year, the most since 1999. Sam Dunell, Seb Ross, Jack Newnes, Ahmed Saad, Terry Milera and Beau Wilkes all had impressive years at VFL affiliate Sandringham and took their chances at AFL level. Pace: St Kilda has been known to be a ‘slow’ team, however, this year they were not. Saad and Milera injected some pace into the sides and they did not disappoint. Attacking football: You had to go back to 2005 for consistent big wins. St Kilda played the slow, flooding football for the past 5 seasons and it was effective. However, the change to consistent attack was much needed and revitalised the playing group. What went Wrong: Consistency: St Kilda had a win/loss ratio for 10 games in a row this season. They were not able to win two games in a row and it cost them dearly at the end of the season. They eventually got more consistent as the year went on. Lack of tall defenders: St Kilda’s tall defender of Zac Dawson left at the end of last season. At 195cm, Zac may have frustrated the fans, however, he helped by limiting the tall forwards. Tom Simpkin (191 cm), Sam Fisher (191cm) and James Gwilt (188cm) are quality defenders, yet they lack the height of Dawson. Ruck stocks: From rounds 9-11, St Kilda had no ruckmen. Ben McEvoy (knee) and Rhys Stanley(hamstring) were both out which lead Justin Koschitzke, James Blake and even Beau Wilkes to take on ruck duties. Players were unexpectedly moved around and questions were raised as to whether St Kilda should draft or trade for another ruckman. Most valuable player: Lenny Hayes: Hayes had a stellar year. He won the Best and Fairest and played every game. At the age of 32, he came back from a serious knee injury and played career best football. At the end of the year, the club stated that he played the entire season with a heart problem. Hayes’ contested work and ability to come back after a serious injury shows how vital he is to the club. Big Improver: Jarryn Geary: Geary surprised many with a fantastic year. Many may have thought that this season would be his last chance, however he proved wrong by having a breakout year. He played 20 games off half back and defeated many highly rated opponents. He finished 6th in the best and fairest in a make or break year. Next Star: Arryn Siposs: At the age of 19, many Saints fans are getting excited. He debuted last year as a forward, however, he played 11 games this year switching from half back to half forward. His kicking is pin point and can take contested marks. What we need: Tall defender: On many occasions this year St Kilda’s defence leaked goals. Watters’ has already stated that the club is looking for a key defender. Troy Chaplin and Mitch Brown have been linked to the club. Tall ruck/forward: St Kilda’s talls of McEvoy, Stanley and Koschitzke all had terrific years. Though when Stanley and McEvoy were out of the team, there was no recognised ruckman. Koschitzke is 30 years old and only has a couple of years left. Stanley seems to play better as a forward, so ideally, St Kilda would be best placed to draft a young ruckman. Inside Midfielder: Hayes is 32 and Armitage will take his spot once Hayes retires. Another inside midfielder is needed, to give the team more depth. Although this may not be a top priority, St Kilda will need one in the future. What to expect in season 2013? St Kilda will be looking at nothing less than a finals spot. After an inconsistent start to the season, St Kilda rallied hard towards the end and could have easily made the finals. With kids debuting this year and senior players revitalising their careers, the clubs future looks ideally placed. If St Kilda can land a tall defender, then St Kilda could challenge for the top part of the eight. Watters’ has worked wonders with the list and they matched it with nearly every team this year. Summary: C+
  • Sandringham End of Season Review
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    Sandringham End of Season Review

    By Nick Ciantar twitter: nick_saint13

    Sandringham Season Review: Senior Coach: Simon McPhee. Ladder position: 6th: 10 wins, 8 losses, 104.48%. Leading Goal Kicker: Daniel Archer: 30 goals. Development Squad: Ladder Position: 6th: 9 wins, 9 losses, 95.83%. Leading Goal Kicker: Darcy Brown: 19 goals. Season 2012 Review: Sandringham started 2012 with an impressive 54 point win against Box Hill at Trevor Barker Beach Oval. They then went on to beat North Ballarat by 55 points away. They started the year strongly before losing their next two games by small margins against Coburg (5 points) and Williamstown (19 points). Sandringham won their next 4 games and had good momentum going into a two week break. The Zebras narrowly defeated a fighting Frankston team away from home to make it 5 wins in a row and sat 3rd on the VFL ladder. However they could not take the same form into the next 4 games, losing to Werribee by 79 points in round 12. Werribee kicked 8 goals to the Zebra’s 0 in the last quarter. The Zebras lost the next 3 games to top two teams Casey Scorpions (4 points) and Port Melbourne (30 points) and 8th placed North Ballarat (30 points). The Zebras hopes for finishing top four were fading and they went into the bye sitting 6th on the ladder. “We found our way again with a big win in Bendigo,” says Assistant coach Brendan Allen. After losing four games in a row, the Zebras defeated a strong Bendigo team by 11 points in round 17. The Zebras gained some valuable form with big wins against Frankston (44 points) and Collingwood (74 points). The Zebras ended their year with losses against Williamstown (66 points) and were competitive in a loss against Casey (19 points). Sandringham was defeated by Box Hill Hawks in the elimination final by 30 points. Sandringham went into the main break at 50 points apiece, however they could not match the Hawks’ strength in the second half. Sandringham were able to beat the teams below them, however Geelong was the only team they defeated that was above them on the ladder. Sandringham and senior coach Simon McPhee would be disappointed after a positive start to the season. “To play finals is a fair effort. But we probably think as a coaching group that we had a fair bit more talent and could have gone deeper come finals,” says Brendan Allen.   Most Valuable players: Myke Cook: Played 18 games. Average Disposals: 18.94. Average Tackles: 4.94. Goals: 18. Cook moved over to Sandringham during the summer after being delisted by Adelaide. Cook had a terrific year by being among the best many times. He played the majority of the year in the midfield and also played up forward. Cook had a terrific year and also played in the State game. Adam Cockie: Played 19 games. Average Disposals: 20.21. Average Tackles: 7.63. Goals: 8. Cockie was another player to move across to Sandringham over the summer. He came from Subiaco in the WAFL and was the engine room of the Zebras midfield all year. He tackled hard and managed to set the forwards up with long passes. Marcus Marigliani: Played 9 games. Average Disposals: 16.55 Average Tackles: 1.8. Goals: 9. Marigliani played 9 games (another 2 in the Development League) after returning from serious knee injuries. He played every game of the second half of the season and helped set the team up with his impressive midfield work. “It’s a testament to his work ethic that he has actually even played finals… was a fantastic effort,” says Brendan Allen on Marcus Marigliani’s year.   What lies ahead for season 2013? Sandringham will be looking at going deeper into the finals series next year. After a positive start, inconsistency came into their games in the second half of the year. With Myke Cook and Adam Cockie having stand out years, they could get drafted or rookie listed by AFL clubs. “At Sandringham club level, there will be people looking for different opportunities. We’ll recruit, we’ll lose a few,” says Brendan Allen. Darcy Brown (2 senior games), Jackson Coleman (8 senior games) and Jack Williams (4 senior games) played the majority of the year in the Development Squad and they are some names of the future of the club. “Jackson’s (Coleman) defiantly a talent. He’s got a bright future ahead of him, be it at VFL level or possibly AFL level.” Sandringham will be looking at keeping the same list including Coleman. At the start of the year they picked up Michael Sikora and he had a great year in the ruck (averaging 26.3 hit outs a game). Captain Beau Dowler was solid in defence and was able to kick goals when moved up forward (9 goals). Sandringham would be happy that they made finals for the first time in four years, however they will be looking at going deeper in September next year. “We’ve set a bench mark with our first elimination final this year so to progress, we’ve got to go second week of finals next year.” [caption id="attachment_3111" align="alignleft" width="605"]     Darcy Brown
    Senior Games: 2
    Senior Goals: 3
    Senior Averages: 11.5 disposals, 2.5 marks and 1.5 tackles
    Dev Squad Games: 18
    Dev Squad Goals: 19
    Photo by Arj Images Online[/caption] [caption id="attachment_3109" align="alignleft" width="1024"] Hamish Shepheard
    Games: 17
    Goals: 1
    Averages: 10.75 disposals, 9.11 hitouts, 2.76 marks and 3 tackles
    Photo by Dave Savell[/caption] [caption id="attachment_3107" align="alignleft" width="1024"] Michael Sikora
    Games: 18
    Goals: 3
    Averages: 7.77 disposals, 26.3 hitouts, 1.38 marks and 2.66 tackles
    Photo by Dave Savell[/caption] [caption id="attachment_3105" align="alignleft" width="1024"] Chris Michaliades
    Senior Games: 7
    Senior Goals: 3
    Senior Averages: 9 disposals, 1.57 marks and 5.86 tackles
    Dev Squad Games: 13
    Dev Squad Goals: 9
    Photo by Dave Savell[/caption] [caption id="attachment_3103" align="alignleft" width="800"] Jackson Coleman
    Senior Games: 8
    Senior Goals: 15
    Senior Averages: 8.1 disposals, 3.75 marks and 0.75 tackles
    Dev Squad Games: 11
    Dev Squad Goals: 13
    Photo by Arj Images Online[/caption] [caption id="attachment_3101" align="alignleft" width="800"] Marcus Marigliani
    Games: 9 games
    Goals: 9
    Averages: 16.55 disposals, 1.8 tackles and 4.5 marks
    Photo by Arj Images Online[/caption] [caption id="attachment_3100" align="alignleft" width="1024"] Myke Cook
    Games: 19
    Goals: 18
    Averages: 18.94 disposals, 3.17 marks, 4.94 tackles
    Photo by Dave Savell[/caption] [caption id="attachment_3099" align="alignleft" width="1024"] Adam Cockie
    Games: 19
    Goals: 8
    In 2012 Adam Cockie averaged 20.21 disposals, 2.95 marks & 7.63 tackles a game.
    Photo by Arj Images Online[/caption]
  • St Kilda Saints: 2012 Year In Review
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    St Kilda Saints: 2012 Year In Review
    St Kilda Saints: 2012 A Year In Review by Winmar7 Ninth position always leaves question begging – what if?  The Saints’ 9th in 2012 comes with a record of 12 – 10, which was good enough for sixth spot and a home elimination final last year.  Were the Saints good enough to play finals this year?  No.  If the distance to eighth was less than two games a case could be argued, but if you can’t beat Port Adelaide, Richmond or Fremantle in Melbourne then you do not deserve to be playing finals.  The Saints did show that their best was good enough for almost anyone, with some impressive wins and close losses to top eight sides.  A 2012 ninth is a glass half full for St Kilda, with the Saints unveiling plenty of reasons for fans to be optimistic about 2013 and beyond. Wins (12) Gold Coast, Western Bulldogs, Melbourne, Carlton, Sydney, Gold Coast, Essendon, Brisbane Lions, Western Bulldogs, Melbourne, GWS, Carlton Losses (10) – Port Adelaide, Fremantle, Hawthorn, WCE, Richmond, Adelaide, North Melbourne, Sydney, Collingwood, Geelong Six of the best Round 7 – vs. Carlton In the two previous Monday night fixtures the Blues had the better of the Saints and coming in to this years game Carlton were a warm premiership favourite, having won 6 of their first 7 games.  The game would again be a showcase of small forwards, however this time around they wore the red, white and black, with Milne, Milera and Saad kicking 9 goals between them.  Two more from Rhys Stanley, a typical Clint Jones shut down job on Marc Murphy and another solid game from young gun Jack Steven saw the Saints win by 4 goals and earning wide praise for their exciting and fast brand of football under new coach Scott Watters. Round 9 – vs. Sydney Was the result of this game ever really in doubt?  With St Kilda legend Lenny Hayes lining up for game number 250 the Saints were never going to let this one slip.  Once again, the Saints faced a premiership favourite and triumphed, in the end comfortably.  After being nine points down at quarter time, the Saints opened up a 21 point half time lead and controlled the rest of the match, thanks largely to winning the all important contested ball.  Hayes was amongst the best yet again as 35,000 came out to see one of the all time great Saints. Round 15 – vs. Essendon In another milestone game, this time for the ‘Tip Rat,’ Stephen Milne, the Saints took on a red, black and grey Essendon.  The Bombers, in yet another horrible AFL ‘clash’ jumper played grey football and were taken apart by a ferocious St Kilda team.  Five goals to Milne and 4 to old mate Nick Riewoldt saw the Saints move to 7-7 and back into finals contention.  The win over the Bombers was also a victory for the coach’s box.  Scott Watters’ decision to allow Dal Santo and Montagna to run with Watson and Stanton, instead of employing hard tags, proved a masterstroke.  Elsewhere Hird and Thompson had no plan B as the Saints old firm of Riewoldt, Milne and Hayes combined with young guns Siposs, Saad and Armitage ran rampant in a 71 point drubbing. Round 16 – vs. Brisbane Lions For the second time in 2012 the Saints posted back to back wins.  The ‘Gabba has never been a happy hunting ground the Saints and the Lions at home proved a challenge, especially without Jack Steven and Brendon Goddard.  With the lead changing six times in the last quarter the game was there for the taking.  In the end it was the Saints’ extra touch of class and experience, with two goals to captain Nick Riewoldt and one each to Milne and Siposs that got them over the line.  Their work came on the back of a sublime night for Ahmed Saad who kicked 4 goals, 3 of them from mid air.  The win put the Saints back into the black, at 8-7. Round 22 – vs. Greater Western Sydney Giants A win against the Giants can hardly be regarded as a highlight by any club who takes themselves seriously, however the Round 22 victory does come with something of an asterisk.  With a handful of stars missing, including Riewoldt, Koschitzke, Fisher, Gram and Armitage, the Saints gave a glimpse of the future with youngsters Cripps, Newnes, Siposs, Ross and Ledger given greater game time.  The resulting 128 point thrashing was pretty standard for the GWS this year, however for such an inexperienced Saints line up to do it promises a bright future ahead for the Saints. Round 23 – vs. Carlton In the final game for Carlton coach Brett Ratten the Blues were always going to come out firing and it started before the ball had even bounced, with Andrew Walker and Stephen Milne trading blows on the goal line.  A 65 metre torpedo from Gram set up the Saints first goal, to Milera, and right up until the final few minutes this spiteful affair could have gone either way.  Poetically, it was Milne who put the Saints in front, with a kick off the ground before Ahmed Saad sealed the win.  The final margin of fifteen points was as much of a lead as either team had all day.  The win saw the Saints finish the season with a 12-10 win loss record, good enough for sixth last year, only 9th in 2012.  

    Saints legend Lenny Hayes celebrating game 250

     Biggest improvers of 2012 Sean Dempster – transformed himself from a trusty and reliable defender to arguably the Saints’ most important backman.  Dempster developed the all important ‘consistency’ this year, became a more confident contested mark and is able to play on both smalls and talls.  After a stellar 2012, he is in the running for all Australian selection and possibly a best and fairest. Jarryn Geary – had a break out year in 2012.  Geary has always been brave and ok, without ever instilling real confidence in fans.  This year he turned it all around.  He improved his marking and kicking and coupled with his courage to fly back into packs and fill the holes, Geary has ensured he will play an important part in the planning for the future Saints’ defence. Ben McEvoy – for a few years ‘Big Boy’ developed in the shadows of Steven King and Michael Gardiner.  In 2012 McEvoy has made the no.1 ruck position at St Kilda his own and has arguably surpassed his fellow top ten ruck draftee Matthew Kruezer.  McEvoy’s nous to drop back for intercept marks or push forward for contested marks has proved invaluable.  Has also been nominated by Nick Riewoldt as a potential captain. Jack Steven – after a fantastic 2011, Steven has continued to improve throughout 2012.  Most importantly he has begun kicking more goals, the mark of an elite midfielder.  His only hiccup this year happened to be while he was attached to a police breathalyser and he was given a week off by the club.  Steven responded well, with a solid finish to the season and at almost a goal a game, expectations are growing already for 2013. Tom Simpkin – Simpkin is the perfect example of how a coaches faith in a player can fast track their development.  Prior to 2012 Simpkin had only 2 games to his name.  Playing almost every game this year, Simpkin has shown his courage and talent, to develop alongside Geary and Dempster into one of the first picked of the Saints defenders.

    Sean Dempster, one of the Saints big improvers of 2012

    Possible Retirements and Delistings Raphael Clarke – the perennial St Kilda whipping boy played only 3 games in 2012.  His half back position looks to have been usurped by Tom Simpkin.  Not sure how much he would attract on the market.  If he stays he should play forward. Brendon Goddard – Goddard’s signature is the only one missing from the wanted list.  The rumour mill is largely silent on Goddard, which bodes well for him staying.  A more permanent role forward or in the midfield would see Goddard back to his 09/10 best, rather than his continual uncontested sweeping across half back. Jason Blake – a great servant of the club, will most likely retire, having got the most out of himself for over 200 games.  Sadly, would depart without a Brownlow vote. Brett Peake – was handy after crossing over from Fremantle, however has not been able to crack into the senior side this year and at 29 is not going to get any quicker.  A focus on youth should see Peakey squeezed out. Dean Polo – has shown glimpses during his time at the Saints, but that is all.  His consistency is not up to AFL standard and should be shown the door.

    To be or not to be?

     The new breed Arryn Siposs – a lifelong Saints supporter, Siposs has shown exciting glimpses of his talent this year.  He is a good height, can take a strong mark and is an excellent kick for goal – from a set shot or on the run.  After 11 games this year, should be aiming for 15 – 18 next year. Rhys Stanley – has been earmarked by Saints insiders for a few years.  With a solid pre season under his belt, extra kilos and if he is able to string some games together, Stanley should be set for a break out year in 2013. Ahmed Saad – hands down the find of the year.  Along with Terry Milera, Saad has bought much needed speed and goal kicking to the Saints in 2012.  The young forward has captivated fans and commentators alike with his goal kicking technique and soccer goals.  He and Milera will form a formidable duo when Milne and Schneider retire. Terry Milera – Milera started 2012 strongly, using his speed, goal kicking and creativity to inject a different style into the Saints’ play.  Fell out of favour mid year when Saad hit a patch of form, however recovered to play the last couple of games and ensure he will be back again for 2013. Jamie Cripps – you don’t get handed the number 35 at St Kilda unless you have some talent.  Cripps played 12 games in 2012 and showed some positive signs without setting the world on fire.  Will turn 21 at the start of next season and should be a regular name in the Saints of 2013. Beau Wilkes – ‘Booth’ has been a handy pick up for the Saints.  Can take a strong, contested mark, is a good shot on goal and has also had stints in the ruck.  Unfortunately has not been able to string games together, but if Kosi or Roo go down next year, Saints fans can be confident Wilkes can fill the gap.    
  • VFL Elimination Final Review: Box Hill defeats Sandringham
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    VFL Elimination Final Review: Box Hill defeats Sandringham
    Box Hill has upset Sandringham by 30 points in Saturday's Elimination Final at Trevor Barker Beach Oval. With scores level at half time, Box Hill led by Broc McCauley with 4 goals kicked away in second half. The Hawks three ruckman Max Bailey, Adam Pattison and Broc McCauley kicked 8 of their 18 goals for day and caused massive headaches for Sandringham's defence. Marcus Marigliani, Tom Curren and Adam Cockie kept Zebras in the game with standout performances and Daniel Markworth continued his good form with 3 goals and threatened to open the game up with his pace throughout the day. Sandringham's Development Squad were also knocked out of finals, going down to impressive Box Hill in a dominant display by 60 points. MORE TO COME Box Hill too strong Sandringham - By Nick Ciantar Sandringham hosted Box Hill at Trevor Barker Beach Oval with perfect conditions on Saturday for the elimination final. However Box Hill were too classy for the Zebras winning by 30 points, 18.10 (118) to 14.4 (88). Both teams started strongly in the first quarter. Beau Dowler was moved up forward yet again and kicked the first goal of the day. The intensity was strong and the first quarter went goal for goal. Jackson Coleman went off for the Zebras with a knee injury and played no further part in the game. At quarter time the Zebras led by 12 points. The Hawks started the second quarter impressively, with a great clearance by Matthew Jones who kicked to Broc McCauley and goaled. Tom Curren increased his work rate and kicked a goal after tapping it to himself in the ruck. The Zebras maintained a two goal lead before the Hawks kicked the last two goals of the quarter. The Hawks had the momentum into the main break and the scores were even at 8.2 (50). Box Hill started the third quarter just like they finished the second. They kicked the first four goals and got out to a 24 point lead. The Hawks’ ball use and pressure was outstanding and they kept the Zebras out of their forward line. The Hawks were able to win the ball out of the middle through the impressive ruck work of Max Bailey, Adam Pattison and McCauley. The Zebras got their first goal of the quarter at the 15th minute mark through Daniel Markworth. Marcus Marigliani kicked the Zebras second in a row and got the Zebras within three goals. Young Hawk Mitch Hallahan had a terrific quarter with his impressive ball use and clearances. The Hawks kicked the last goal of the quarter through an intercepted mark by Bailey, who passed to Luke Andrews. Their lead was 20 points going at the final break. The Zebras needed to start strongly to give them any chance of playing next week, however in the first five minutes it was all in the Hawks’ half. The Hawks were winning the clearances and the hit outs and the Zebras could provide no answer. Xavier Ellis marked deep in the Hawks 50 and kicked a goal to extend the margin to 29 points. The Hawks had a healthy lead, however Markworth kicked the next two goals for the Zebras to bring the margin down to 17 points. The home crowd dared to believe but the class of the Hawks was too strong for the Zebras and they ran out 30 point winners. Luke Andrews was one of the best all day for the Hawks, finishing with 23 disposals, 2 goals and 3 tackles. His ability to win the football enabled the other players to move the ball quickly into their forward line. Bailey’s ability to win the hit outs enabled the Hawks to get the ball first. He finished with 15 disposals and 2 goals and his work rate around the ground set the Hawks up with the victory. Hallahan finished with 21 disposals and 3 tackles and his attack on the football and clearances helped the Hawks get quick access into their forward line. For the Zebras, Markworth was one of the best for Sandringham all day, finishing with 18 disposals, 5 tackles and 3 goals. He provided some highlights and his ability to use the ball well under pressure was outstanding. Marigliani played another terrific game for the Zebras finishing with 22 disposals and 3 goals. His long kicking and poise under pressure helped the Zebras in the first half. Box Hill will be eagerly waiting to see who they will be playing next Sunday at Casey Fields. They will face the loser of the Port Melbourne vs. Geelong game, whereas for Sandringham, their season is over and they will be looking at regrouping with a strong preseason for 2013. 2012 Peter Jackson VFL Sandringham   5.1  8.2  10.3  14.4 (88) Box Hill Hawks   3.1  8.2  13.5  18.10 (118) GOALS: Sandringham: Marigliani 3, Markworth 3, Archer 2, Curren 2, Coleman,  Peake,  Dowler,  Shenton Box Hill Hawks: McCauley 4, Ellis 3, Bailey 2, Pattison 2, Pratt 2, Andrews 2, Cassidy,  Frank,  Savage BEST: Sandringham: Markworth, Dunell, Curren, Sikora, Williams, Shenton Box Hill Hawks: Andrews, Schneider, Savage, Hallahan, Duryea, Bailey 2012 AFL Vic Development League Box Hill Hawks   5.5  10.8  15.16  16.22 (118) Sandringham   2.0  6.0  6.2  9.4 (58) GOALS: Box Hill Hawks: Johnson 3, Otten 2, Hughes 2, Monkhorst 2, Grimley 2, Kelly,  Cooper,  Lock,  Ralph,  Northe Sandringham: Lever 3, Slade 2, Staley 2, La Rocca,  Brown BEST: Box Hill Hawks: Northe, Gordon, Kelly, Lock, Tobin, Post Sandringham: Waller, Jones, Barnhoorn, Sands, Stapleton, Beech Here is a selection of the best photos taken from the match. You can view all of Dave Savell's photos HERE
  • Brendon Goddard’s eventful journey to 200 matches and beyond
    Brendon Goddard’s eventful journey to 200 matches and beyond
    Earlier this season Brendon Goddard became the 26th person to play 200 VFL/AFL games for the St Kilda Football Club, when he achieved this milestone in Round 18 against the Western Bulldogs Brendon was 27 years and 70 days old making him the third youngest to play his 200th game for the Saints, behind past teammates Nathan Burke and Robert Harvey and just ahead of current teammate Nick Dal Santo. During his decade in the AFL Goddard has shown great durability to play 204 of a possible 237 matches to be ranked first for games played by the players selected in the 2002 National Draft.  After injuring his knee in Round 7 2007 Goddard required a knee reconstruction, he missed 17 games and made his comeback in Round 3 2008. This is the only time in his AFL career that Brendon has missed four consecutive games or more. In his 204 games for St Kilda Brendon has averaged 12.6 kicks, 8.7 handballs, and 6.1 marks per game with a superb disposal efficiency of 80.1%. During his career Goddard’s strengths have been his skilful ball-use, spectacular marking, and versatility which has allowed him to be a damaging player in all three areas of the ground, defense, midfield and the forward line. In each of his first three seasons Goddard averaged less than 15 possessions a game, he then had a breakout season in his fourth year at the Saints in 2006 to be ranked second at the club for kicks and marks resulting in his first top finish in the St Kilda best and fairest. The only season since 2006 that Brendon has not finished in the top 10 of the Trevor Barker award was his injury affected 2007 season. St Kilda were Grand Finalists in 2009 and 2010 and it was during these two seasons that Goddard’s sublime skills, excellent decision making and ability to significantly impact on the scoreboard despite earning the majority of his disposals in the defensive half elevated him into the elite of the AFL competition earning him All-Australian selection and a top three best and fairest finish in each of these seasons. Although Goddard ranked in the top five at St Kilda for kicks, marks and handballs during each of the 2011 and 2012 seasons he averaged 24.0 disposals over the past two seasons a drop of 14.3% from 28.0 disposals per game in 2009-2010. During 2011-2012 Goddard has remained a very good ball-user with a disposal efficiency of 76.5% down slightly from 78.2% in 2009-2010 however he has not been as influential with his possessions which  resulted in his scoreboard impact falling significantly. After 22 Rounds of the 2012 season Goddard has polled 12 votes in the True Sainters Player of the Year Award to be in third position behind Lenny Hayes on 18 votes and Nick Riewoldt on 15 votes. In the final year of a three year contract, speculation about Brendon Goddard’s future has continued to rise throughout 2012. St Kilda have offered Goddard a contract however he has decided to test the market as a restricted free agent before deciding which AFL club to sign his next contract with. Speaking about Goddard’s contract situation St Kilda coach Scott Watters said "I'm confident and really optimistic. He is a really committed Saints person. It's a challenging time for Brendon and it is a different situation that AFL clubs haven't been in before." 1 Whilst Watters isn’t comfortable with the uncertainty surrounding Goddard’s future he is confident that the 27 year old utility will remain at St Kilda for 2013 and beyond. Against Carlton this afternoon Brendon Goddard will play the final game of his 10th AFL season and possibly his last game with the St Kilda Football Club. Goddard grew up as a Carlton supporter and after Carlton finished on the bottom of the ladder in 2002 and received a priority pick giving them the first two picks in the 2002 National Draft it appeared certain that Goddard would join Carlton as the number 1 selection. Before the 2002 National Draft Carlton were penalised for gross salary cap breeches which resulted in them forfeiting the first two selections at the 2002 National Draft.  St Kilda who finished second last in 2002 with five wins, a draw and 16 losses were promoted from selection 3 to selection 1 due to the penalties imposed on Carlton. In the AFL Under 16s in 2001 Goddard won the Kevin Sheehan medal for best player at the 2001 National Under 18 Championships, he captained the Australia Under 17 team against Ireland in an International Rules test and made the  All-Australian team at the National Under 18 Championships in 2002. Goddard was a member of the AIS/AFL academy in 2001/2002. The St Kilda Football Club selected Brendon Goddard with No. 1 selection at the 2002 AFL National Draft. At the time of being drafted at 17 years of age Goddard was 189 centimetres tall and weighed 82 kilograms.   His profile in AFL 2003 the official statistical history of the AFL said “Can play midfield, forward or back, reads the play well, is strong overhead and a superb kick with either foot.”2 Brendon Goddard played two games in the VFL before making his AFL debut at 17 years of age in Round 4 2003 on Easter Monday against Richmond at the Telstra Dome (now Etihad Stadium). On debut Goddard had seven kicks, four handballs, four marks, laid four tackles and kicked a goal. In Round 6 against the Western Bulldogs, Goddard took one of the Marks of the Year and then a week later against Carlton in Round 7 received a Rising Star nomination for a performance in which he had 14 kicks, six handballs, four marks and laid three tackles, he used the ball superbly to have a disposal efficiency of 90% and one goal assist. After Goddard debuted in Round 4 he played 18 of the remaining 19 games of the 2003 season, missing Round 18 with a thigh injury. During his debut AFL season Goddard also completed his VCE. Goddard spent time playing in the forward line and defense, during a debut season in which he showed great promise it was Brendon’s impeccable and penetrating kicking that stood out the most. In 2003 Goddard averaged 93 minutes, 8.7 kicks, 4.6 handballs and 4.3 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 85.0%. Goddard was ranked third at St Kilda for Rebound 50s with 42, behind Aussie Jones and Robert Harvey. In 15 games during his debut season Brendon had a disposal efficiency of at least 80% and he had more than 16 possessions on seven occasions. Of the 23 nominations (Matthew Lokan and Ashley McGrath were both nominated in Round 22) for the AFL Rising Star award in the 2003 season nine players received votes from at least one of the seven voting members who voted 5,4,3,2,1. The top five players were Sam Mitchell 33 votes, Graham Polak 26, Luke Ball 17, Daniel Wells 12 and Adam Schneider 8.  Of the top five only Mitchell and Wells have remained at the club that drafted them for their entire career, being Hawthorn and North Melbourne respectively. Future All-Australians Aaron Sandilands (Round 14), Goddard, and his St Kilda teammate Leigh Montagna (Round 20) all failed to poll a vote. Goddard played all four games in the Saints 2004 Wizard Cup including the Grand Final victory over Geelong. Brendon had at least 10 possessions in the first seven rounds of 2004, however after having less than eight possessions three times in seven matches from Round 8 onwards he was dropped for Round 15, being named an emergency, ending 20 consecutive games at AFL level for St Kilda. After being recalled to the St Kilda side in Round 16 Goddard had at least 17 possessions four times in  seven games and received the first Brownlow Medal votes of his career in Round 22 against Fremantle with the umpires judging him to be best afield. Goddard had eight kicks, a game-high 13 handballs, six marks, four hit-outs, laid three tackles and had a disposal efficiency of 86% in the 29 point victory against the Dockers. In 2004 St Kilda made the finals for the first time in six years and Brendon played in all three games however after getting 12 possessions in 76% game-time in the Elimination Final loss to Brisbane at the Gabba he played less than 20% game-time in each of the next two finals, the Semi Final victory against Sydney at the MCG and the Preliminary final loss to Port Adelaide at Football Park, having one kick and one handpass in each game. Playing predominantly at half-back during 2004 Goddard played 24 matches, averaging 87 minutes, 7.3 kicks, 5.3 handballs and 4.5 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 79.5%. Goddard was ranked third at St Kilda for marks and signed a two-year contract with the Saints. During the first 17 rounds of the 2005 season Goddard only missed one match, Round 11 when he was a late withdrawal due to having the flu, however he only played three of St Kilda’s final seven games of the season due to injuries. Brendon missed Round 18 and Round 19 with a hamstring injury and was named an emergency for Round 20. Goddard returned to the St Kilda side in Round 21 however he injured his calf the following week against Brisbane which forced him to miss the Qualifying final victory against Adelaide. Brendon returned to the St Kilda side for the Preliminary Final loss to Sydney. Goddard played with greater consistency in his third season and had less than 11 possessions only once in 2005, Round 22 when he injured his quad and had five possessions in 33% game-time. In Round 8 against West Coast Goddard had 26 possessions, five more than his previous best and played a brilliant all-round game with 17 kicks, nine handballs, nine marks and 92% disposal efficiency. During 2005 Goddard played 19 matches, averaging 102 minutes, 9.4 kicks, 5.5 handballs and 4.8 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 82.0%. In 2004 and 2005 Goddard received much criticism with his harshest critics saying that he was not quick enough to be an effective midfielder and was not big enough or strong enough to hold down a key position. It is concerning that early selections from the National Draft are under even more scrutiny in the early stages of their career now than what Goddard was. Young draftees frequently need a second pre-season under their belt before they even come into consideration for senior selection due to the increased physical demands at AFL level compared to Under 18s level. Over his first three years at St Kilda Goddard had added considerable muscle to his frame and at the start of the 2006 season he weighed 96 kilograms an increase of 14 kilograms from when he was drafted, which had him much better placed to handle the rigours of playing in the AFL. Against West Coast in Round 1 2006 Goddard had 22 possessions, the second highest tally of his career, however after having 10 possessions in Round 2 against Richmond and 13 possessions in Round 3 against Brisbane he was dropped for Round 4, being named an emergency. After one week out of the St Kilda side Brendon returned in Round 5 and played the remaining 19 games of the season with the Saints. In 2006 Goddard predominantly played on a half-back flank and elevated his game to a new level to average 21.7 possessions a game, an increase of 6.8 possessions a game on his previous best of 14.9 per game in 2005. In 61 games during his first three seasons Brendon had more than 21 possessions only once, however with significant improvement in his fourth AFL season he averaged over 21 possessions a game. During 2006 Goddard played 22 matches, averaging 103 minutes, 14.6 kicks, 7.1 handballs and 8.0 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 81.3%. In recognition of his very good form throughout  2006 Goddard represented Australian in the International Rules Series played in Ireland. Goddard finished equal fifth in St Kilda’s 2006 best and fairest and was ranked second for kicks and marks, third for inside 50s and rebound 50s, fourth for loose-ball gets and fifth for tackles. Brendon polled six Brownlow medal  votes in 2006 comprised of two best afield performances in Round 6 against the Western Bulldogs and Round 14 against Collingwood.  In the 14 point Round 6 victory against the Western Bulldogs Goddard had 15 kicks, 10 handballs, 11 marks and 92% disposal efficiency. In the 59 point Round 14 victory against Collingwood Goddard had 14 kicks, 12 handballs, six marks and kicked a goal. The profile for Goddard in the AFL Record Guide to Season 2007 said “The strong utility is at his best across half-back, where he distinguished himself with his strong marks and accurate disposal.”3 Continuing to play across half-back Goddard commenced the 2007 season in the same strong form that he displayed during his 2006 season, however in the first half of St Kilda's Round 7 game against the Sydney Swans, Goddard fell hard on his left knee which resulted in a ruptured Anterior Cruciate Ligament and forced him to miss the remainder of the season. In the first six matches of the 2007 season Goddard had between 12 and 16 kicks and at least 97% game time in every game, he had the highest kick to handball ratio of his career with 2.2 kicks to every handball. In three of his matches, Round 1 against Melbourne, Round 3 against the Western Bulldogs and Round 4 against Essendon Goddard had at least 22 possessions and greater than 94% disposal efficiency. Goddard played seven matches in 2007 averaging 103 minutes, 12.7 kicks, 5.9 handballs and 8.0 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 89.2%. “In the first six games he ranked No. 1 at the Saints in marks and effective kicks, and was also ranked second in uncontested possessions, highlighting St Kilda’s desire in getting the ball in his hands.”4 In Round 2 of the 2008 season Goddard returned through the VFL and after only one match at this level he made his return to the St Kilda side in Round 3 against the Western Bulldogs, 11 months after suffering the knee injury, Brendon didn’t miss a beat having 13 kicks, seven handballs, 10 marks and was outstanding with his ball-use to have 95% disposal efficiency. After his return to the seniors Goddard played in all of St Kilda's remaining 23 games including three finals. Whilst Goddard continued to play at half back during the first half of the season, he then started to spend more time in the midfield. Brendon relished the increased opportunities in the midfield to average 26 possessions per game in 13 matches from Round 13 onwards compared to 19.9 possessions per game in 10 games up to Round 12. At the half-way point of the season St Kilda were in ninth position with five wins and six losses. During the second half of the season when Brendon spent more time in the midfield he was voted best on ground by the umpires in Round 19 against Collingwood and Round 21 against Adelaide.  Against Collingwood Goddard had 17 kicks, 15 handballs, a team- high 10 marks and kicked a goal, whilst in the win again Adelaide he had 17 kicks, 13 handballs and a game-high 13 marks, seven clearances and kicked two goals. The Saints finished the home and away season very strongly, defeating Essendon by 108 points in the final game of the home and away season to finish in fourth position 0.82 per cent ahead of the Adelaide Crows who also finished the 2008 season with 13 wins and nine losses. Whilst Goddard didn’t poll a Brownlow vote in Round 22 against Essendon he was phenomenal with his ball use to have 100% disposal efficiency whilst amassing 30 possessions comprised of 20 kicks and 10 handballs. After Geelong defeated St Kilda by 58 points in a Qualifying Final St Kilda responded in great fashion, recording a comfortable 34 point victory over Collingwood in a Semi Final. For the third time in five years St Kilda lost to the eventual premier in a Preliminary Final with Hawthorn recording a 54 point victory. In 2008 Goddard played 23 matches, averaging 111 minutes, 14.7 kicks, 8.7 handballs and 7.9 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 81.4%.  Brendon had the most consistent season of his career to that stage, having at least 19 possessions in every game except Round 7 against Richmond when he had 15 disposals. Goddard was ranked third at St Kilda for kicks and marks, second for rebound 50s and loose-ball gets, despite missing the opening two rounds and returning from a knee reconstruction Goddard finished seventh in St Kilda's 2008 Best and Fairest. With a scintillating start to the 2009 season Goddard polled six votes in the Brownlow Medal during the first three rounds of the season comprised of best afield performances against Sydney in Round 1 and West Coast in Round 3. In the 15 point victory against Sydney at Etihad Stadium Brendon had 12 kicks and14 handballs, he also had season highs for contested possessions and clearances with 12 and seven respectively. Goddard displayed that he could be utilised as an extremely damaging key forward when he started the Round 3 match against the West Coast Eagles at Full Forward and dominated, proceeding to kick four goals in the first quarter. Goddard spent most of the match after quarter-time playing up the ground and did not kick another goal for the game but gained 28 disposals, took 11 marks and proved to be extremely effective for St Kilda in a variety of roles throughout the 97 point victory. For the remainder of the 2009 season Goddard was rarely used in the forward line and kicked multiple goals on only one other occasion, two goals in Round 10 against Melbourne.  With 15 goals for the season Goddard was ranked seventh at St Kilda, the top Saints goalkickers four proved to be very potent, comprised of Riewoldt (78 goals), Justin Koschitzke (48), Stephen Milne (46) and Adam Schneider (34). In 2009 Goddard polled 14 Brownlow Medal votes, ranked fourth at St Kilda behind Hayes (20 votes), Dal Santo (17) and Riewoldt (15). Brendon was voted best afield four times and polled the single vote twice, his best afield performances after Round 3 were against Richmond in Round 13 with 20 kicks, 15 handballs and seven marks, and for the second time that season against Sydney in Round 18 with 18 kicks and 11 handballs. The only match that Goddard missed during 2009 was against Hawthorn at Aurora Stadium, with  other St Kilda stars Dal Santo, Fisher, Hayes, Montagna and Riewoldt also missing the Saints played outstanding intense football to defeat the Hawks by 25 points to take their winning sequence to a club record 19 matches. This sequence was broken the very next week with a two point loss to Essendon, followed by a five point loss to North Melbourne in Round 21 with both matches being at St Kilda’s home ground, Etihad Stadium.  Brendon was restricted to 18 possessions in the loss against Essendon, one of only two games in 2009 that he didn’t have at least 21 possessions, the other time was in Round 2 against Adelaide with 17 possessions. Throughout 2009 Goddard was mainly used as an attacking half-back and in the midfield, he further elevated his status during the 2009 season to that of elite footballer and was a critical player during St Kilda's outstanding 2009 season in which they won 20 of 22 home and away games. St Kilda recaptured their form from earlier in the season to comfortably defeat Collingwood by 28 points in a Qualifying Final and recorded a seven point victory over the Western Bulldogs in a low scoring Preliminary Final in which immense pressure was almost always applied to the ball carrier by the team without the ball. Goddard continued his excellent season being named in St Kilda's best in both finals and despite the increased pressure applied in finals football he remained remarkably composed to have a disposal efficiency of at least 90% in both of these matches. Goddard broke his collarbone in the third quarter of the 12 point loss to Geelong in the 2009 Grand Final, but continued to play out the game with the injury in an attempt to help his team to victory. Even though Goddard was hampered by his injuries when he returned to the field he had 21 disposals, laid nine tackles, (the second most by a Saint behind Jones with ten) and kicked a goal to be named in the Saints best yet again. Goddard revealed the extent of his injuries, explaining how he continued to play in such dire physical condition during the Grand Final. "I was slightly concussed, but was pretty good, I broke my nose first and it was probably only a space of five or 10 minutes after coming back on that I broke my collarbone. I was just restricted in my movement across my body. I could do most things, but was obviously pretty weak and I didn't have full strength in my arm to do a lot of things. I just managed to get through." During the 2009 season Goddard averaged a career best 27.2 possessions per game and had his time in the midfield increase again. Brendon finished runner -up to his captain Nick Riewoldt in St Kilda's Best and Fairest receiving 638 votes, only four votes behind Riewoldt. It was one of the tightest best and fairest counts in St Kilda’s history with Leigh Montagna finishing third on 635 points, only seven votes behind Riewoldt followed by Dal Santo 618, Hayes 603 and Clinton Jones in sixth position on 587 votes. Brendon Goddard made his first All-Australian team in 2009 being named on the interchange, and was joined in the team by his four St Kilda teammates that had finished in the top five in the Trevor Barker award. Riewoldt was named centre half-forward and captain, Hayes in the centre, Montanga on a wing and Dal Santo joined Goddard on the bench. In 2009 Goddard played 24 matches, averaging 107 minutes, 15.0 kicks, 12.2 handballs and 6.3 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 77.3%. Goddard was ranked third at St Kilda for kicks, second for handballs, third for disposals, fourth for handballs received, rebound 50s and hard-ball gets. Goddard ranked in the top dozen players in the AFL for disposals, kicks and effective kicks. In December 2009 Goddard and Montagna each signed three year contract extensions that kept them at St Kilda until the end of 2012. The profile for Goddard in AFL Prospectus 2010 said “He generated the sixth-most inside 50s at the club, with 31% of these resulting in a goal – the best strike rate of any midfielder at St Kilda – while he was involved in 28% of the Saints’ scoring chains when he played, ranked second at the club.”5 In Round 2 2010 against North Melbourne Goddard was very effective in the midfield and in the forward line, having 29 possessions, taking 11 marks, kicking four goals and setting up another to receive two Brownlow Medal votes, it was only the third time in his career that Goddard had kicked more than three goals in a match. Against Fremantle in Round 4 at Etihad Stadium St Kilda were missing their two highest goalkickers from the previous season, captain Riewoldt with a severe hamstring injury suffered the previous week against Collingwood and Koschitzke through suspension.  Goddard spent most of the match playing as a key forward and provided St Kilda with a much needed marking target in the forward line. Goddard kicked a career best five goals and had 21 disposals to be among the Saints best during their hard fought 15 point win against Fremantle. Goddard’s instrumental performance against Fremantle  earnt him a match- high eight votes in the AFL Coaches Award, Goddard had six inside 50s, one goal assist and took nine marks including a brilliant one hander against Chris Tarrant. The Saints midfielders could be just as confident kicking the ball to Goddard whether he was on the lead or in a contested situation as they would have been if they were delivering the ball to regular centre half forward Nick Riewoldt. In a game in which only 21 contested marks were taken, Goddard took four of them, behind only Fremantle ruckman Aaron Sandilands with five. Goddard kicked five goals two behinds, to have the astoundingly accurate total of 12 goals two behinds to that point of the 2010 season. In Round 5 2010 Koschitzke returned from his three match suspension which led to Goddard spending less time in the forward line,  half of Brendon’s 24 goals for 2010 were kicked in the first four rounds of the season. Goddard had a massive few weeks in the middle of the 2010 season being judged best afield by the umpires in back to back games against Richmond in Round 11 and Fremantle in Round 12, followed by his 150th match in Round 13 against Geelong. From the half-back line Goddard repelled many of Richmond’s attacking forays and with his precise kicking was able to quickly turn defence into attack to be a key factor in St Kilda gaining control of the Round 11 encounter. Goddard had a career high 38 possessions, took seven marks and had four clearances in the 38 point victory. Against Fremantle in Round 12 Goddard had 33 possessions including a game-high 14 contested  and took 10 marks playing mainly in defense  but he also spent some time in the midfield. At just 25 years and 36 days of age Goddard played his 150th AFL match against Geelong in Round 13 2010, after trailing by 16 points at half-time the Saints dominated, keeping Geelong goalless in the second half whilst kicking six goals themselves to convincingly win by 24 points.  Goddard was one of the Saints best with 17 kicks, 10 handballs and eight tackles, ranked second at St Kilda. With regular midfielders Hayes and Jones missing the Round 21 match against Richmond Goddard spent more time in the midfield then in the previous few weeks and was very effective with seven clearances, 19 kicks, 10 handballs, five tackles, two goals and a goal assist. Goddard took 10 marks including one of the marks of the year midway through the second quarter, with a pack of five players including Richmond's Jack Riewoldt in front of him, Goddard went soaring into the air and took a magnificent overhead mark as his knees landed on teammate Sam Fisher's shoulders. Goddard's momentum took him over the top of Fisher however he was able to hold onto one of the best marks of the season cleanly as he fell to ground. Goddard polled 22 votes for the 2010 home and away season to finish second in the True Sainters Player of the Year Award, three votes behind vice captain Lenny Hayes. In the Qualifying Final against Geelong utility Brendon Goddard was dominant from half way through the first quarter to the end of the second quarter, racking up 20 first half possessions including a brilliant 60 metre pinpoint pass to Riewoldt running into space towards goal, Riewoldt took the mark and played on to kick a goal from the goal square.   Cameron Ling was moved onto Goddard after half-time and reduced his influence in the second half, however this move did free Ling’s regular St Kilda opponent Nick Dal Santo up. Goddard finished the match with 15 kicks, 11 handballs, six marks, a goal from 50 metres out on the run and was great with his ball use to have a disposal efficiency of 85%. St Kilda defeated Geelong by four points to progress to their third straight Preliminary Final. The Western Bulldogs led St Kilda by a goal at half-time of the Preliminary Final however accuracy around goal proved to be critical in the second half with the Saints kicking 10 goals four behinds after half-time to the Western Bulldogs four goals 10 behinds to win by 24 points. During the Grand Final against Collingwood Goddard enhanced his claim to the title of most versatile player in the competition with a superb all round game, he covered enormous territory and had an innate sense of knowing exactly where to run on the ground to have the most impact. Goddard took two superb pack marks deep in St Kilda’s forward line that set up his two goals and he also offered great support to St Kilda’s backline deep in defense several times throughout the match. Goddard had 18 kicks, 13 handballs, took five marks including three contested and won a game high 14 contested possessions. Saints Lenny Hayes and Brendon Goddard were clearly the best two players during the Grand Final and were instrumental in St Kilda getting back in the game after trailing by 24 points at half-time. Without the heroics of Hayes and Goddard along with resilience shown by the St Kilda defense led by Sam Fisher the St Kilda Football Club would not have been able to get back into the game and create what ended up being a nail-biting contest. Shortly before time-on of the last quarter Hayes kicked the ball deep into St Kilda’s forward line, Goddard came in from the side, launched himself and produced phenomenal elevation to have his knees land on Harry O’Brien’s shoulders, Goddard grabbed the ball cleanly to take a spectacular mark, he then kicked the goal from 20 metres out to put St Kilda six points in front with just under seven minutes to play. Collingwood scored the last goal of the Grand Final through Travis Cloke and the match ended in a draw, 68 points apiece with the Saints kicking 10 goals, eight behinds to Collingwood’s nine goals 14 behinds. Many panels of experts found it very difficult to judge whether Hayes or Goddard were best afield in the Grand Final with several panels including the Sunday Age and the Herald Sun giving Hayes a very slight advantage. True Sainters members were no different with Hayes defeating Goddard by the narrowest of margins 50 to 49. The only panel that made a clear-cut decision in relation to best on ground for the 2010 Grand Final was the five person panel casting their votes to determine the winner of the Norm Smith Medal who  awarded it Hayes 13, Goddard 7, Dale Thomas 6, Sam Fisher 2 and Nick Maxwell 2. Just as he had been for most of the season Brendon Goddard was one of St Kilda’s most influential players during the Grand Final Replay and made an impact all over the ground. Goddard had 11 kicks, 18 handballs and won a game-high 14 contested possessions. Goddard was clearly St Kilda’s best player in the first half, having 19 possessions and kicking the Saints only goal. True Sainters members awarded Goddard five votes as best Saint in the Grand Final replay, Goddard polled 11 votes in the True Sainters 2010 Player of the Finals award to be the runner-up two votes behind Lenny Hayes. In 2010 Goddard played 25 matches, averaging 107 minutes, 14.7 kicks, 14.0 handballs and 6.9 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 79.0%. From Round 6 against the Western Bulldogs to the Qualifying Final against Geelong Goddard showed remarkable consistency to have at least 26 possessions in 17 consecutive matches.  During 2010 Goddard was ranked third at St Kilda for kicks, rebound 50s, handballs received and loose ball-gets, first for contested possessions, handballs and contested marks, fourth for marks and hard-ball gets, and second for inside 50s. Two Saints, Goddard and Leigh Montagna were selected in the All-Australian team with Goddard being selected on a half-back flank and Montagna on a wing. The 2010 Trevor Barker award was won by Lenny Hayes with 528 votes from Montanga on 451 votes with Goddard and Sam Gilbert equal third on 435 votes. In AFL Prospectus 2011 they wrote about Goddard's 2010 season “He recorded the fifth-best disposal efficiency of the top 50 ball-winners and in the H & A games he played he was involved in 34% of St Kilda’s scores  – the second highest percentage of any player in the competition with more than three games.”6 Goddard polled 14 votes at the 2010 Brownlow Medal to be ranked third at St Kilda behind Hayes (19 votes) and Montagna (16 votes).  During 2010 Goddard averaged 130.2 Supercoach points per game, the highest in the AFL with Gary Ablett (129.7) and Dane Swan being ranked second and third respectively. Goddard had a season high of 187 points against Richmond in Round 11 and a season low of 93 points in Round 16 against Collingwood,underlining his great consistency in 2010 he was the only player ranked in the top 50 to score more than 80 points in every game they played. From Round 8 2008 to the end of the 2010 season Goddard had at least 17 possessions in 67 consecutive games, however after his spectacular 2010 season opposition clubs were now putting more time into how to limit Brendon’s impact on games and in the opening third of the 2011 season he was getting tagged more regularly. Three times in the opening eight rounds Goddard had less than 17 possessions, including 15 opposed to Brett Deledio in the Round 2 draw against Richmond, and 16 opposed to Bryce Gibbs in the three point loss to Carlton in Round 7. In these matches playing on Goddard Deledio had 29 possessions, kicked a goal and was one of Richmond’s best whilst Gibbs had 26 possessions, kicked two goals and received the three Brownlow Medal votes. After another quiet game against Hawthorn in Round 8 with only 14 possessions Goddard bounced back to form in Round 9 against Melbourne at Etihad Stadium, receiving the three Brownlow Medal votes for a performance in which he had 13 kicks, 24 handballs and took nine marks. In Round 10 against Fremantle at Patersons Stadium, Goddard was having his most productive quarter of the year with 10 possessions and three clearances in the opening term however with 20 seconds remaining in the first quarter teammate Zac Dawson’s right hip made contact with the left side of Goddard’s face during a marking contest that left Goddard writhing in pain on the ground and  being taken from the field on a stretcher and then in an ambulance to Charles Gairdner Hospital. Although Goddard wasn’t knocked out St Kilda were concerned about a possible neck injury, however Brendon recovered well to be able to fly back to Melbourne with his St Kilda teammates late that night and he played in the Saints side against Collingwood the following week. Goddard was a key performer in the 24 point Round 12 victory against the Western Bulldogs with 13 kicks, 13 handballs, nine tackles, five marks and 10 contested possessions to earn two Brownlow Medal votes. Throughout his career Goddard has regularly featured on the highlight reel due to his spectacular marking, however against the Western Bulldogs he made it for a goal at a critical stage of the match, after receiving a handball from David Armitage 70 metres out from goal Goddard took three bounces and kicked a goal from 25 metres out with Callan Ward in close pursuit to extend St Kilda's lead to 16 points half-way through the final quarter. Goddard is one of the most versatile players in the AFL and in Round 15 against North Melbourne this was on full display as he spent periods of the match in all three areas of the ground, defense, midfield and attack. With his penetrating kicking Goddard led St Kilda in inside 50s and rebound 50s with seven and six respectively. Brendon had 21 kicks, seven handballs and 11 marks whilst using his vision to great effect to have a game-high three goal assists. Twice during the match Goddard was forced to leave the field due to a problem with his knee, on one of these occasions his knee locked up and he appeared to be in serious trouble. After getting his knee looked at he was able to return to the field and got through the rest of the match unscathed. Due to his composure and precision skills the Saints love seeing the ball in Goddard's hands, against Adelaide in Round 18 he was able to find plenty of space and accumulate 28 uncontested possessions. In the 103 point victory Goddard had 18 kicks, 12 handballs and was ranked third at St Kilda with 11 marks, being one of six Saints to take at least 10 marks.  Brendon had a disposal efficiency of 90% and set-up many attacking forays from defence for the Saints with a game-high eight rebound 50s, four more than the next ranked Saints, Jason Gram and Leigh Montagna. In a blistering first quarter against Gold Coast in Round 19 Goddard was prolific, having 14 possessions to play a pivotal role in St Kilda kicking the first three goals of the match.  Goddard finished the match with 37 possessions, just one shy of his career best, took 13 marks and propelled St Kilda inside 50 on 10 occasions. After eight rounds of 2011 St Kilda’s record was one win, one draw and five losses. During this period Goddard averaged 20.3 possessions per game, from Round 9 onwards St Kilda’s form improved significantly to win eight of their next 10 games to finally be inside the eight after the victory against the Gold Coast. Goddard played his role in the Saints resurgence averaging 27.3 possessions a game in ten matches from Round 9 to Round 19. In one of these games, Round 10 against Fremantle Brendon took no further part in the match after quarter time, during his nine other games from Round 9 to Round 19 he has had at least 24 possessions. In both matches against North Melbourne in 2011, Round 15 and Round 23 Goddard received two votes from True Sainters members.  In the second encounter Goddard had 11 contested possessions from his 18 kicks and 13 handballs, he also took seven marks, had six inside 50s, five tackles and four clearances, ranked equal second at St Kilda. After their slow start to the season St Kilda fought back magnificently to finish the home and away season in sixth position to earn a home final against Sydney at Etihad Stadium. Sydney were too strong defeating St Kilda by 25 points. In 2011 Goddard played 23 matches, averaging 103 minutes, 13.4 kicks, 10.1 handballs and 5.7 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 77.3%. Goddard was ranked third at St Kilda for kicks, marks and handballs, fourth for handballs received, fifth for tackles, second for inside 50s and  fourth for rebound 50s.   For the first time in his AFL career Goddard played every game for St Kilda in 2011. Goddard was ranked third at St Kilda in 2011 with nine Brownlow medal votes, behind overall runner- up Nick Dal Santo with 28 votes and Leigh Montagna with 10 votes.  The St Kilda match committee proved to be harsher judges of Goddard’s 2011 season which saw him finish ninth in the Saints best and fairest with 376 votes but only 42 votes behind Milne in fifth position. The official AFL records had Goddard listed in the Saints best players in 10 games during 2011, tellingly nine of these were victories underlining what a barometer of the Saints Goddard was in 2011. Goddard had under 20 possessions seven times in 2011, the previous season that he had seven sub 20 possession games in was 2006. The profile for Goddard in AFL Prospectus 2012 said in 2011 “he was no longer an elite ball-winner and his overall scoreboard impact dropped. He ranked in the top 15 in just two of the top 20 KPI’s last year, down from 10 “top-15” rankings in 2010 and continued to win the majority of his disposals in the back half of the ground.”7 Throughout the 2011 season Goddard averaged 23.6 disposals a game, down 5.1 disposals from 2010 however his kicking efficiency improved slightly from 72.2% to 73.1%, and he had the third best retention rate of the top 20 ball-winners.  The area that Goddard fell away the most was making an impact on the scoreboard, in 2010 he kicked 24 goals and had 24 goal assists which fell to 13 goals and 15 goal assists in 2011. Whilst his disposal remained elite in 2011 he wasn’t as damaging around goals as he was further up the ground, after being an accurate shot at goal from 2008 to 2010 Goddard’s conversion rate was just above 50% in 2011, with 13 goals 11 behinds. During the first five seasons of his career Goddard kicked 29 goals, 25 behinds, a conversion rate of 53.7% which is 0.5% lower than 2011. From 2008 to 2010 Goddard was very reliable around goal kicking 50 goals 22 behinds, a conversion rate of 69.4%. Goddard polled six votes from True Sainters members in the first three rounds of the 2012 season comprised of 2 votes against Port Adelaide in Round 1, 3 votes against Gold Coast in Round 2 and 1 vote against the Western Bulldogs in Round 3. In Round 2 against the Gold Coast Goddard had 19 kicks, 14 handballs took nine marks kicked a goal and laid five tackles, he followed up the next week with 12 kicks, 11 handballs, 10 marks and two goals against the Western Bulldogs. Against Richmond in Round 10 Goddard had 17 kicks, eight handballs, seven marks, kicked a goal and had one goal assist earning 3 votes from True Sainters members. Brendon was suspended for two matches for striking North Melbourne’s Sam Wright in Round 14 bringing to an end a sequence of a career best  47 consecutive matches dating back to Round 16 2010 against Collingwood. In Round 18 against the Western Bulldogs Brendon Goddard at 27 years and 70 days of age became the third youngest player to reach 200 matches for the St Kilda Football Club. Youngest to play 200 VFL/AFL matches for St Kilda
    1. Nathan Burke                    26 years 194 days
    2. Robert Harvey                   27 years 1 day
    3. Brendon Goddard       27 years 70 days
    4. Nick Dal Santo                   27 years 82 days
    5. Gary Colling                        27 years 128 days
    6. Aussie Jones                      27 years 329 days
    7. Stewart Loewe                   28 years 3 days
    8. Nick Riewoldt                    28 years 175 days
    9. Jeff Sarau                            28 years 180 days
    10. Barry Breen                        28 years 199 days
    In an interview for Saints.com.au looking back on his journey from his time as a junior footballer to now playing his 200th match for St Kilda Brendon said “It probably wasn’t realistic or a dream of mine to be honest because I didn’t think it was a realistic chance. I’m very honoured and privileged to be able to play 200 games for the St Kilda Football Club.” 8 In his 200th match Brendon Goddard played predominantly in the midfield and was a fixture of the centre square set-up going head to head with Bulldogs captain Matthew Boyd. Goddard was voted best St Kilda player by True Sainters members for the third time in 2012 and was superb with 16 kicks and 17 handballs, including 10 contested possessions. Brendon laid an equal career high nine tackles, had two goal assists, won five clearances and had 82% disposal efficiency. After Brendon’s 200th match Saints midfielder David Armitage commented “His leadership is awesome around the club and the way he helps out the younger guys is really good. He's helped me a lot, especially with learning how to train and getting it across how hard you have to train [as an AFL player]."9 Whilst Goddard’s on-field body language and intensity has been criticised during 2012 Brendon thinks there has been little change to previous seasons saying “I think I've always been like that. It's probably highlighted because of the circumstances we're in as a footy club. I don't think my body language has changed too much; that's just me being the competitive person I am in wanting to win. I think I've improved in a lot of ways in regards to my teammates and how I give feedback."10 Up until the end of Round 22 in 2012 Goddard played 19 matches, averaging 88% game-time, an equal career high 15.0 kicks, 9.5 handballs and 5.7 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 75.7%. Goddard is ranked second at St Kilda for kicks and uncontested possessions, fifth for handballs and contested possessions, fourth for disposals, third for marks and equal third for rebound 50s and goal assists. Overall Goddard’s numbers have been similar during the past two seasons, in 2012 his possessions per game have increased by 0.9  to 24.5. Whilst Goddard has been criticised for not winning enough of his own ball in 2012 this increase has actually been brought about by winning an extra contested possession per game increasing from 7.4 in 2011 to 8.4 in 2012, his second best season in this category, behind the 10.2 contested possessions per game he won in 2010. Goalkicking has continued to be a concern with his conversion having dropped just below 50% with 11 goals, 12 behinds this season, whilst goal assists have improved by o.1 to 0.8 per game. In late August 2012 Scott Watters confirmed that a contract offer had been made to Brendon Goddard saying “We’re comfortable with what we’ve put in front of Brendon and the way that’s been managed to this point.”  Watters went on to say” At no stage would captaincy be offered as cream on the cake for a contract. That would be disrespecting the privilege of being a captain. Captaincy’s earned. To me it shouldn’t be an incentive. I think Brendon has really strong leadership potential. I think he started to show that internally at the club this year so he would be in strong contention for that type of role going forward but it wouldn’t be a gift on top of a contract. Not while I’m here.”11 This afternoon against Carlton Brendon's first decade in the AFL comes to a close. It has been an eventful journey which has taken him to 200 matches and beyond, he has been a pivotal player in one of the most successful era's of the St Kilda Football Club, yet one which thus far has fallen agonisingly short of winning the clubs elusive second premiership. If  Goddard chooses to sign with St Kilda the opportunty exists to reamin a one club player and join Robert Harvey, Nathan Burke, Stewart Loewe and Barry Breen as 300 game players for the Saints. More importantly if he chooses this path the quest for Brendon of playing a role in winning St Kilda's second premiership would get to continue. At 27 years of age Brendon Goddard has still got several years of AFL football ahead of him in which he will continue to make an impact with his sublime skills, decision making and spectacular marking. Before Goddard embarks on season number 11 he has got an important  decision to make, which AFL club to sign his next contract with. Whilst many chapters are yet to be written in the Brendon Goddard story few events will be as critical as the direction Goddard decides to turn at this fork in the road. By Dean Andrews
    1. AFL, Calm Watters by Luke Holmesby, 30 August 2012, AFL.com.au
    2. AFL, AFL 2003 The official statistical history of the AFL, page 255.
    3. AFL, AFL Record Guide to Season 2007, page 263.
    4. Champion Data, AFL Prospectus 2008 – The essential number cruncher guide for season 2008, 3rd edition, page 269.
    5. Champion Data, AFL Prospectus 2010 – The essential number cruncher guide for season 2010, 5th edition, page 227.
    6. Champion Data, AFL Prospectus 2011 – The essential number cruncher guide for season 2011, 6th edition, page 4.
    7. Champion Data, AFL Prospectus 2012 – The essential number cruncher guide for season 2012, 7th edition, page 278.
    8. St Kilda Football Club, Dream becomes a reality by Megan Griffin, 25 July 2012, www.saints.com.au
    9. St Kilda Football Club, Goddard enjoys the moment by Callum Twomey, 30 July 2012, www.saints.com.au
    10. AFL, Goddard’s intentions clear by Luke Holmesby, 24 July 2012, AFL.com.au
    11. St Kilda Football Club, Watters confirms Goddard offer by Megan Griffin, 24 August 2012, www.saints.com.au
  • Round 23 Match Preview: Carlton vs St Kilda
    Round 23 Match Preview: Carlton vs St Kilda

    By Nick Ciantar. twitter: nick_saint13

    Round 23,

    Sunday 1.10pm, Etihad Stadium.

    Carlton: The Blues were shocked by a fast starting Gold Coast team last round, to lose by 12 points up at Metricon Stadium. They are now officially out of the finals. The ramifications of that game led to coach Brett Ratten being sacked by the club. After a dignified speech to the media on Thursday, Ratten will coach the last game of the year against St Kilda. Carlton will go into this game to give the kids a taste of AFL footy. After their VFL affiliate, the Northern Blues finished their season last week, Pat McCarthy and Luke Mitchell will debut for the club. After an impressive first half of 2012, Carlton succumbed to injuries and had an ordinary second half of the season. St Kilda: St Kilda defeated Greater Western Sydney by 128 points last Saturday. At the end of the game they still had the slightest chance of making finals, however their dreams ended when Fremantle defeated North Melbourne on Sunday. With their VFL affiliate Sandringham playing an elimination final against Box Hill (Hawthorn), Watters has brought a full strength team in against Carlton. As this game is a ‘dead rubber’, Watters will test his young players in a finals type game in the VFL. With Nick Riewoldt (knee), Sam Gilbert (shoulder), Adam Schneider (foot) and Sam Fisher (toe) all out, Watters may experiment by putting players in different positions.  Nonetheless, Watters will want to end the year with a win, however he will have one eye on the future of the club. Key Players: Carlton: Chris Judd, Matthew Kreuzer, Bryce Gibbs, Heath Scotland, Marc Murphy. St Kilda: Lenny Hayes, Nick Dal Santo, Brendon Goddard, Rhys Stanley, Stephen Milne. Who’s Missing: Carlton: Shaun Hampson, Lachie Henderson, Michael Jamieson, Jeremy Laidler, Robbie Warnock, Matthew Watson. St Kilda: Nick Riewoldt, Adam Schneider, Sam Fisher, Dean Polo, Sam Gilbert, Jason Blake, Justin Koschitzke. Key Match Ups: Marc Murphy vs. Nick Dal Santo: Both players are stars of the competition and are both known for their ‘silky skills’. Murphy, the up and coming star of the Blues midfield, has only played the 15 games this year due to a serious shoulder injury. Dal Santo has played every game this year and has averaged 23.8 disposals and kicked 17 goals. Both are stars and will line up on each other at some stage of the game. Andrew Walker vs. Brendon Goddard: Walker has been named to play in defence and I suspect that Goddard will play the majority of the game in the forward line. Walker has been used in a variety of positions this year due to the amount of injuries the club had. The same has happened for Goddard, but for different reasons. Goddard is most damaging as a half back, however he can change the momentum of games when playing up forward. Walker stands at 190cm and 89kg, whilst Goddard at 189cm and 93 kg. This is an ideal body-match up and it will be interesting to see who can come out on top. Prediction: Both teams cannot make finals and both teams will tweak their game style and structures. The Blues may do less of this, as Ratten will not be there next year, however Watters will have one eye on the Saints future. Both teams are evenly matched statistically, however the Blues have a big advantage in clearances (ranked 4th to Saints 11th). The Blues will need to win the ball out of the midfield first as the Saints are the 4th most attacking team in the league (Blues 11th). St Kilda may be without their ‘twin towers’ in Nick Riewoldt (47 goals) and Justin Koschitzke (27 goals), but they still boast Stephen Milne (55 goals) and Ahmed Saad (27 goals). Carlton will need to find a way to stop a small attacking forward line. The game may be a ‘dead rubber’, however there will still be some fascinating duels. In the midfield; Chris Judd, Marc Murphy, Andrew Carrazzo and Kade Simpson for the Blues, whilst Lenny Hayes, Nick Dal Santo, Leigh Montagna and David Armitage for the Saints. The midfield battle will be pivotal as both teams have holes in their defences. St Kilda has the stronger team and has the better form. It is hard to judge how the Carlton players will go into the game after a tough week. St Kilda will be too strong and the St Kilda small forwards of Milne and Saad may be the difference. St Kilda by 25 points.
  • VFL Elimination Final Match Preview: Sandringham Zebras vs Box Hill Hawks
    VFL Elimination Final Match Preview: Sandringham Zebras vs Box Hill Hawks
    Elimination Final: Sandringham Zebras vs Box Hill Hawks Trevor Barker Beach Oval Saturday 1st September Dev Squad: 11am Seniors: 2pm It’s been 4 long years since Sandringham have tasted finals football, but this Saturday afternoon it’s all about to change when they face Box Hill Hawks at Trevor Barker Beach Oval. "It is really exciting for the club to be playing finals for the first time since 2007. It's a great opportunity for our guys to experience finals football and to play at home is a bonus too. “said Sandringham operations manager, Lucas Blatman. “The main thing we can take from last week’s game against Casey is that we were in a position to win that match. If we can control the contested ball and produce a four quarter effort we are a strong chance" The Zebras march to finals has been on the back of outstanding seasons to both Sandringham and St Kilda listed players. During the off season, Sandringham went on recruiting rampage with no more than 17 new faces joining the club, including several former AFL players , all who were looking for a second chance. Myke Cook, Adam Cockie, Hamish Shepheard, Beau Dowler, Michael Sikora, James Hallahan have all been key factors in the Zebras rise up ladder. They have been well supported by Saints listed players with Tom Ledger, Tom Curren, Jackson Ferguson, Brett Peake and Raph Clarke. The Zebras hopes might hinge on how St Kilda approaches their final game of season against Carlton. If they put more senior players out to rest then the Zebras depth will be tested. Last week, Sandringham lost Arryn Siposs, Terry Milera, Jack Newnes, Seb Ross and Tom Ledger to the Saints and had to bring in 5 players from the Development Squad. Hamish Shepheard has missed last 2 games with knee soreness will be put through his paces later in week and Sandringham will be hoping he is available as he is vital to their success. Jackson Coleman (18 disposals, 3 marks, and 2 goals), Sam Maley (26 disposals, 5 tackles, 3 marks) and Matt Stapleton (24 disposals, 1 tackle, 7 marks and 2 goals) are putting pressure on to be selected in the seniors after standout performances in Development Squad on Sunday. Box Hill’s hopes also depend on what Hawthorn’s plans are with their AFL listed players. In recent weeks, Box Hill has had Shane Savage and Stephen Gilham playing for them. With Hawthorn fighting for top spot in AFL their young players will be out to impress in hope of getting a call up over next few weeks. Box Hill’s ruck division has featured four players this year – Max Bailey (now in Hawthorn squad), Luke Lowden (out for rest of season injured), Adam Pattison (didn't play last week – not sure this week) and Broc Macaulay (ex Brisbane player who has also played a few games for Hawthorn this year). Their key on-ballers include two or three players who most believe are the best bets for the best and fairest – Luke Andrews, Chance Bateman, Tom Schneider, Xavier Murphy and Beau Muston (co-captain). Stephen Gilham, Tom Murphy, David Mirra (who is a chance to be drafted), Kyle Cheney, and Taylor Duryea have been standouts down back this season. Their most effective forwards have been Jack Gunston (now playing for Hawthorn), Amos Frank (tiny pocket dynamo) and their co-captain Daniel Pratt (ex North Melb and Brisbane defender, now Box Hill Hawk forward). Damien Carroll likes to spring the odd surprise and how they will line up on Saturday will also depend on the availability of a few key players KEY MATCHUPS Michael Sikora (Sandringham) v Broc McCauley (Box Hill) – Sikora is one of the elite ruckman of VFL this season, averaging 28 hitouts a game. McCauley (ave 19 hitouts) will need to be on his game against the 206cm Giant from Sandringham and will be hoping Adam Pattision is available after missing last couple games with injury to help him out. Raph Clarke (Sandringham) vs Daniel Pratt (Box Hill) – Pratt is Hawks leading goal kicker in 2012 and if Beau Dowler plays up forward you can expect Raph Clarke to be given task of minding Pratt. Jackson Ferguson (Sandringham) vs Will Johnson (Box Hill) – Last year they were teammates down at StKilda/Sandringham and only year later they might find themselves lining up on each other. Ferguson has come on leaps and bounds this year and has rarely been beaten. Adam Cockie (Sandringham) vs Chance Bateman (Box Hill) Daniel Archer (Sandringham) vs Stephen Gilham (Box Hill) PREDICTION Just like in the AFL, this season has been one of most even in recent history and on their day any team is capable of defeating all other finalists. This game is no different. Sandringham and Box Hill have at times been inconsistent throughout 2012 and have struggled to put 4 quarters together on regular basis. Both clubs come into this week’s match on the back of winning 3 of their last 5 games. Sandringham by 23 points. TEAMS Sandringham B: Andreoli, Dowler, Williams HB: Hallahan, Ferguson, Clarke C: Dunell, Cockie, Cook HF: Peake, Shepheard, Markworth F: Michaliades, Archer, Marigliani R: Sikora, Jones, Curren INT: Sands, Coleman, Polo, Ross, Gram, Ledger, Milera, Waller, Newnes, Steven, Shenton, Winmar, Kosichitzke IN: Polo, Ross, Koschitzke, Newnes, Steven, Gram, Ledger, Milera, Coleman, Williams, Sands, Shepheard OUT: Fallon, Blake, Crocker, Lever Box Hill Hawks B Langford, Gilham, Thompson HB Duryea, T. Murphy, Cheney C Bateman, Hallahan, Savage HF Frank, Ellis, Wanganeen F McCauley, Pratt, Pattison R Bailey, Schneider, Hill Int Johnson, Cassidy*, Lock, Andrews, Jones, Mirra, X. Murphy, Muston, Litherland DEVELOPMENT SQUAD Sandringham B: Soriano, Barnhoorn, Plostins HB: Webster, Lever, Shakallis C: Crocker, Stapleton, La Rocca HF: Widdoswon, Staley, Stevens F: Brown, Jones, Mavric R: Beech, Sands, Maley INT: Bowles, Coleman, Fallon, Waller, Smith-Cameron, Slade, Bruno EMG: Stuart Hobijn-Allen, Mathew Kreymborg IN: Mavric, Fallon, Waller, Smith Cameron, Slade, Bruno OUT: Williams, Cavallaro, Gibson, Hobijn-Allen Box Hill Hawks B Gordon, Boumann, Litherland HB Tobin, Thompson, Mirra C Kelly, Northe, Gilchrist HF Muston, Johnson, Hughes F Otten, Grimley, X. Murphy R Post, Lock, Andrews Int Lawlor, Bolton, Ralph, Monkhorst, Johns, Wilsen, Phelps, D. Cooper, Cust VFL finals entry prices: Adults $15 Pensioners/Concession $10 Kids & Under 15 are FREE MEDIA For live updates throughout game follow @TrueZebras on Twitter. Saturday's game will be broadcast via 94.1FM (across a fair bit of Melbourne), via the internet www.3wbc.org.au and via the TuneIn radio app (3WBC) Finals Eligibility - AFL Players St Kilda players eligible to play VFL Finals: Tom Ledger, Sam Dunell, Farren Ray, Dean Polo, Beau Wilkes, Jamie Cripps, Arryn Siposs, Daniel Archer, Tom Curren, Jackson Ferguson, Cam Shenton, Daniel Markworth, Brett Peake, Nick Winmar, Warrick Andreoli, Raph Clarke, Jack Newnes, Terry Milera, Jason Blake, Sam Crocker, Jordan Staley, Seb Ross. With all AFL clubs still involved in the home and away season in the opening week of the VFL finals, VFL clubs can still access players who are not selected in the AFL. But once the AFL home and away season finishes that access is restricted. If an AFL club is involved in the AFL finals and its VFL aligned is also in the VFL finals then players not selected in the AFL team can play with its VFL affiliate. If an AFL club is not playing finals then eligibility is governed under the following rules:
    • Players who have not played at least one AFL or VFL senior or AFL Victoria Development League match in the 2012 season are ineligible to play in the VFL senior finals.
    • Players who have played with the AFL Senior team of any AFL Club after July 1 of this season are ineligible to play in the VFL senior or AFL Victoria Development League Finals unless they have played a total of at least six senior VFL or AFL Victoria Development League matches in the same season.
    LAST TIME THEY MET: ROUND 1, 2012 A big crowd packed Trevor Barker Beach Oval on Sunday, to witness the Sandringham and Box Hill Hawks first game of the season. It was a game listed with over 30 AFL primary and rookie listed players, but in the end Sandringham prevailed with a comfortable 54 point victory as Nicholas Ciantar reports. Both teams had a productive offseason, with key signings to bolster their 2012 lineups. The signings of Adam Cockie and Myke Cook for the Zebras enhanced the midfield of Sandringham, which was obvious in the first game. Cockie kicked 2 goals, had 23 disposals and amassed 10 tackles in great debut. “He’s just a bull in the middle and he gets his hands on the ball and gets it forward.” Assistant coach for Sandringham, Jaymie Graham said about Cockie. Cook also had over 20 disposals, kicking 3 goals and laid over 5 tackles as well. Cook played a terrific game, in which he was the best on the ground. In a game which was filled with many gut running bursts and long kicks, Sandringham always had the advantage by leading at each of the breaks. Sandringham dominated the first quarter, through Box Hill turnovers and pieces of individual brilliance by Zebra players. Sandringham had more run and carry and that showed on the score board by setting up an 18 point margin leading into the first break. They led by a healthy 40 points at half time, but that did not deter Box Hill from fighting back. In the 3rd quarter, Box Hill got on a run of 3 goals to make the margin only 33 points, and it looked like the game had turned into the Hawks favour. In the longest quarter of the day, over 33 minutes long, the Hawks looked to be crawling their way back, until some Terry Milera brilliance for the Zebras. Sandringham then kicked 3 in a row, to put them up by 51 points and what looked like an unbeatable margin at the three quarter time break. The main target for the Zebras was Beau Wilkes. Wilkes kicked 3 goals, in which was a strong performance by the new Saint. Wilkes smashed the packs to take contested marks, but if he didn’t mark them, crumbers such as Saad, Sam Dunell and Jackson Coleman pounced on the ball. Coleman showed plenty of positive signs, one for instance kicking a beautiful left footed goal near the boundary line in the last quarter. This was the play of the match, as Coleman finished it off nicely to edge the score over 50 points. For the Box Hill Hawks, Kyle Cheney had a ripper of a first quarter and was arguably Box Hill’s best. He played mainly in defence, in which he amassed over 25 disposals. A low light for the Hawks was the arm injury to youngster Mitch Hallahan in the third quarter. He played no further part in the game. As it was the first game for many this year, it didn’t disappoint in the highlights reel. A great pack mark in the 3rd quarter by Hawks ruckmen Sam Grimely, had the fans screaming loudly. He came from three deep, to take a spectacular mark. The game was also filled with great courage, shown by Zebras player Tom Simpkin. He went back with the flight of the ball, to set up a shot at goal. Sandringham did have mainly a St Kilda listed squad, but the senior Zebra players do know that they will get their chances this year. "They realize it is going to be a tough year,” Graham said regarding the senior Zebra players that played for the Development Squad. “They went back with positive attitudes and all played very well.” Sandringham had the better of the play all day, by winning it out of the middle on many occasions. The Zebras ball usage was more efficient and they defended very well. The Hawks showed some promising signs, but by the Zebras having the more experience, they were able to defeat the Hawks in most aspects of the game. Sandringham: 20.17.137 Box Hill: 12.11.83 Goals: Wilkes, Cook, Coleman 3, Cockie, Saad, Milera, Dunnell 2, Ray, Minchinton, Armitage Best: Cook, Cockie, Wilkes, Armitage, Blake, Dunell
  • VFL Round 22 Sandringham vs Casey Scorpians Review
    VFL Round 22 Sandringham vs Casey Scorpians Review
    Sandringham have gone down to Casey Scorpians by 19 points. Sandringham led by 10 points at 3 quarter time but Casey, led by strong breeze kicked 6 goals to 2 in final quarter to run over top and claim the 4 points. Captain Beau Dowler led from front with 3 goals and Michael Sikora was best ruckman on ground and was terrific all day. Clint Jones, Tom Curren and Adam Cockie worked hard all day in midfield. Casey Scorpions  12.14 (86) Sandringham  10.7 (67) GOALS: Casey Scorpions: Fitzpatrick 4, Matthews 2, Petropoulos,  Gysberts,  Gent,  Bate,  Tynan,  Sheahan Sandringham: Dowler 3, Archer 2, Hallahan 2, Michaliades, Dunell, Waller BEST: Casey Scorpions: Collins, Sheahan, Fitzpatrick, Tynan, Gysberts, Magner Sandringham: Hallahan, Sikora, Curren, Jones, Cockie STATS Marcus Marigliani (11 disposals, 2 tackles, 1 mark) Beau Dowler (14 disposals, 4 tackles, 4 marks, 3 goals) James Hallahan (11 disposals, 2 tackles, 2 marks, 2 goals) Chris Waller (19 disposals, 5 tackles, 1 mark, 1 goal) Myke Cook (10 disposals, 3 tackles, 1 mark) Michael Sikora (7 disposals, 2 tackles, 3 marks, 24 hitouts) Chris Michaliades (9 disposals, 8 tackles, 1 mark, 1 goal) Adam Cockie (22 disposals, 6 tackles, Warrick Andreoli (7 disposals, 5 tackles) Brett Peake (12 disposals, 5 tackles, 1 mark) Jay Lever (6 disposals) Clint Jones (26 disposals, 5 tackles) Sam Dunell (10 disposals, 1 mark, 1 goal) Cam Shenton (14 disposals, 4 marks) Tom Curren (29 disposals, 1 tackle, 2 marks) Daniel Archer (12 disposals, 3 tackles, 3 marks, 2 goals) Ned Fallon (1 disposals, 3 tackles) Sam Crocker (6 disposals, 3 tackles, 1 mark) Jackson Ferguson (12 disposals, 2 tackles, 3 marks) Nicolas Winmar (22 disposals, 3 tackles, 6 marks) Raph Clarke (21 disposals, 2 tackles, 2 marks) Daniel Markworth (9 disposals, 5 tackles) Jason Blake (12 disposals, 3 tackles, 3 marks)   READ THE VFL WEBSITE MATCH REPORT HERE - http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?client=1-118-0-0-0&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=20404939   2012 AFL Vic Development League Sandringham   2.1  2.5  3.8  8.8 (56) Werribee Tigers   3.2  8.9  10.14  18.16 (124) GOALS: Sandringham: Coleman 2 Stapleton 2 La Rocca  Sands  Staley  Widdowson Werribee Tigers: Ablett 5 Risol 3 Schibeci 3 Barbuto 2 Treloar  Davis  Tudor  Panayi  Tuck BEST: Sandringham: Sands Jones Beech Maley Coleman Barnhoorn Werribee Tigers: Paliouras White Ablett Barbuto Fairley Schibeci
  • Round 22 Match Preview: St Kilda vs Greater Western Sydney
    Round 22 Match Preview: St Kilda vs Greater Western Sydney

    By Nick Ciantar (twitter: nick_saint13)

    Round 22,

    Saturday 1:45pm,

    Etihad Stadium.

    St Kilda: St Kilda was outclassed against Geelong last round losing by 42 points and their finals chances are now very slim. They challenged Geelong in the third quarter, however Geelong ran away from them in the last. St Kilda has made five changes to the team this week. Sam Fisher (toe), Adam Schneider (foot), Justin Koschitzke, David Armitage (both soreness) and Jason Gram are all out. Arryn Siposs, Terry Milera, Jack Newnes, Seb Ross and Tom Ledger all come in. Ross will debut for the club. Rhys Stanley has had an unlucky 2012 season. After playing the first eight games, he missed the next five games to a hamstring injury. He returned and then re-injured his hamstring and missed the next six games. He played against Geelong last week, however was involved in a courageous collision with Tom Lonergan and was sent to hospital for chest scans. Stanley started the year promisingly and will be looking at ending the year in the same manner. Milestone: Jack Steven 50 games. GWS: GWS went down to Melbourne by 25 points last round. GWS were kept to just four goals in the first three quarters and were outplayed for the entire game. Melbourne had 52 more disposals, however GWS had 16 less tackles. Their pressure on the ball carrier was below par although Melbourne did not make them pay on the scoreboard. Adam Treloar would be one of the most promising of the Giants’ youngsters. He’s played 16 games this year and is averaging 21.1 disposals a game. In round 18 against Collingwood, he had a season best 37 disposals and also won a nomination for the rising star award. Treloar will be one of the most dangerous on Saturday and a fine football career awaits him. Key Players: St Kilda: Brendon Goddard, Lenny Hayes, Ben McEvoy, Tom Simpkin, Ahmed Saad. GWS: Devon Smith, Adam Treloar, Jonathon Giles, Callan Ward, Chad Cornes. Who's Missing: St Kilda: Jason Blake, Nick Riewoldt, Clint Jones, Justin Koschitzke, Jason Gram, Sam Fisher, Adam Schneider, David Armitage. GWS: Dean Brogan, Jeremy Cameron, Stephen Coniglio, Jon Patton, Dylan Shiel, Tom Scully, Israel Folau, Anthony Miles, Matthew Buntine, Key Match Up: Ben McEvoy vs. Jonathon Giles: This will be an interesting battle. McEvoy the young St Kilda ruckmen, is learning rapidly and can now be regarded as one of the best ruckmen in the league. Whilst McEvoy was a high draft pick, Giles has had to work his way to the top. He spent four years at Port Adelaide without a game, before being delisted and is now an integral part to the Giants list. Both are in career best form and it will be an enticing match up. Prediction: St Kilda’s final chances are seemingly over and are set to play the kids. It is still mathematically possible for them to make the finals, however realistically it is over. St Kilda will go into the match nearly unbeatable, due to the fact that they are playing a tired Giants team. The Giants have had a tough first year, winning two games (Gold Coast and Port Adelaide) and will be looking forward to the end of the season. St Kilda has the clear advantage in all of the statistics, except for the hit outs (ranked 16th to the Giants 14th). The Giants have lost many of their young stars to injury and their team will be tired after a tough first year. They have 6 experienced players in and this will not be enough against an experienced St Kilda. The average age of St Kilda’s team is 24.2, whilst the Giants is 21.6. A clear differential and St Kilda will be too strong all over the ground. Saints by 70.
  • VFL Round 21 Williamstown vs Sandringham Review
    VFL Round 21 Williamstown vs Sandringham Review
    Williamstown has defeated Sandringham by 66 points in extremely muddy conditions at Burbank Oval. There wasn't much to write home about for Sandringham, being kept scoreless in two quarters and only kicking 5 goals for day when kicking with the strong breeze. The Zebras were comprehensively outplayed all day. Adam Cockie was again amongst it all day and continues to press his claims for AFL club to give him a second chance. The loss of Beau Dowler and Hamish Shepheard was well felt down back, but Raph Clarke, Jackson Ferguson and Cameron Shenton were very good considering the amount of pressure they were under all day. Williamstown 5.5 5.6 13.14 15.14 (104) Sandringham 0.0 2.4 2.4 5.8 (38) GOALS: Williamstown: McCallum 6, McHarg 2, Georgiadis 2, Hooper 2, Carr, Hill, Sherman Sandringham: Polo, Marigliani, Archer, Cook, Jones BEST: Williamstown: McCallum, Georgiadis, Grant, Sherman, Wall, Campbell Sandringham: Archer, Siposs, Dunell, Jones, Blake,Newnes STATS: Stoppages: 116 Inside 50's: Sandringham 36 - Williamstown 51 Hitouts: Sandringham 43 - Williamstown 34 Free Kicks: Sandringham 25 - Williamstown 39 Marcus Marigliani (14 disposals, 2 tackles, 2 marks, 1 goal) Myke Cook (11 disposals, 5 tackles, 2 marks, 1 goal) Michael Sikora (4 disposals, 7 tackles, 45 hitouts) Chris Michaliades (2 disposals, 6 tackle) Adam Cockie (16 disposals, 2 marks) Brett Peake (14 disposals, 3 tackle, 2 marks) Terry Milera (8 disposals, 2 marks) Dean Polo (10 disposals, 3 marks, 1 goal) Clint Jones (14 disposals, 13 tackles, 1 mark, 1 goal) Sam Dunell (24 disposals, 10 marks, 3 tackles) Cameron Shenton (17 disposals, 1 mark) Tom Curren (9 disposals, 2 tackle, 2 marks) Daniel Archer (8 disposals, 1 tackle) Ned Fallon (4 disposal, 1 mark, 2 tackles) Tom Ledger (16 disposals, 2 tackle, 4 marks) Arryn Siposs (21 disposals, 2 tackles, 4 marks) Jack Newnes (17 disposals, 3 tackles, 1 mark) Jackson Ferguson (10 disposals, 2 marks) Nicolas Winmar (7 disposals, 3 marks) Raph Clarke (15 disposals, 4 marks, 2 tackles) Seb Ross (14 disposals, 2 tackle, 2 marks) Daniel Markworth (7 disposals, 1 mark, 6 hitouts ) Jason Blake (18 disposals, 3 marks, 3 tackles, 8 hitouts) 2012 AFL Vic Development League Williamstown   6.7  8.8  12.12  12.14 (86) Sandringham   2.2  5.3  6.4  10.9 (69) GOALS: Williamstown: Conway 3, Lyons 2, Anastasio 2, Lockwood 2, Gray,  Bugeja,  Mead Sandringham: Stevens 2, Mavric 2, Barnhoorn,  Crocker,  Stapleton,  Staley, Andreoli, Widdowson BEST: Williamstown: Frost, Conway, Cravino, Woods, Lockwood, Giles Sandringham: Mavric, Coleman, Brown, Stapleton, Barnhoorn, Widdowson View photos from the game here - http://commercial.aflphotos.com.au/photography/results/?q=collection:VFL%202012%20Rd%2021-%20Williamstown%20v%20Sandringham&sub_code=all
  • Round 21 Match Preview: Geelong vs. St Kilda
    Round 21 Match Preview: Geelong vs. St Kilda

    By Nick Ciantar

    twitter: @nick_saint13

    Round 21

    Etihad Stadium, Friday 7:50pm

    Geelong: Geelong fought gallantly against the Eagles last round, however they just lost by 5 points. Geelong lost the contested possession by 17 and also lost the hit outs by 42. The Cats will value the return of Trent West, however they did come up against the in-form ruck duo of Nick Naitanui and Dean Cox. Geelong is strengthened by the return of James Kelly, Joel Corey, Paul Chapman, West and Josh Hunt. Jimmy Bartel is an underrated Cats player and he is crucial to the team’s structure. He can play in the midfield, float across half back and even half forward. His durability and ability to mark above his head is a big asset to his game. His statistics are lower than previous years though it’s his work rate and valuable experience which is underrated. St Kilda: St Kilda comfortably defeated the Demons last round by 25 points. St Kilda lost star forward Nick Riewoldt in the first quarter to a knee injury and is out of this week’s clash. Beau Wilkes was the shinning light for the Saints with five goals. In his best game of the year, he marked strongly and provided another avenue for goal when Riewoldt was subbed off. Lenny Hayes is the ‘heart and soul’ of St Kilda and is vital to St Kilda’s midfield. He leads the club with disposals, contested possessions, clearances and tackles this season. Hayes may be 32 years old, but he is in career best form. Key Players: Geelong: Jimmy Bartel, Joel Selwood, Steve Johnson, Tom Hawkins, Josh Hunt. St Kilda: Lenny Hayes, Beau Wilkes, Stephen Milne, Nick Dal Santo, Jason Blake. Who’s Missing: Geelong: Travis Varcoe, David Wojcinski, Allen Christensen. St Kilda: Rhys Stanley, Nick Riewoldt, Clint Jones. Key Match Ups: Jimmy Bartel vs. Lenny Hayes: The two stars of their respective teams will line up on each other at some stage during the evening. Their most famous encounter was the 2009 Grand Final, when Bartel tagged Hayes from the 2nd quarter onwards and defeated him after Hayes had an extraordinary first quarter. There may not be a direct tag, however they are the players to keep your eye on during the night. Josh Hunt vs. Stephen Milne: If Stephen Milne kicks 5 goals, St Kilda will win. With Adam Schneider returning, Milne will play 99% of the game up forward. Hunt and Milne have battled over the years and Milne has a slight advantage. It is the most crucial match up on the night, as it will decide the result. Prediction: St Kilda need to win for a chance to make finals and Geelong need to win to cement a spot in the final eight. Both teams match up statistically well, however the loss of Riewoldt will hurt the Saints. Geelong leads the competition with marks inside 50, with Tom Hawkins leading individually with 71. Riewoldt sits 3rd with 55 and the Saints are 5th overall. Hawkins has 48 goals (5th overall) whilst Riewoldt is right behind with 47. For the Saints to win, they need to limit Hawkins’ marking power and the Saints need to find another key forward. Wilkes and Koschitzke are vital to St Kilda, as they are the only available talls for the Saints. Both teams boast a strong midfield. The Cats have Bartel, Joel Selwood, Joel Corey, James Kelly and Steve Johnson. The Saints have Hayes, Nick Dal Santo, Leigh Montagna, David Armitage and Brendon Goddard. Both midfields have battled over their years of dominance and are both evenly matched. Both teams’ midfields average age is 27.8 and the battle will go down to who can perform better on the night. Both teams have won 3 of their last 5 games this season with the losses against the top five teams. In their last five encounters, Geelong has won 3. The midfield battle will be immense however the game will go down to both teams’ forward lines. Hawkins is in career best form and may be too powerful for St Kilda’s ‘short’ defence of James Gwilt, Sam Fisher and Tom Simpkin. Wilkes and Koschitzke will need to be at their best for the Saints, whilst Milne will be vital when the taller forwards bring the ball to ground. Both teams are evenly matched, however Geelong’s tall forwards will be too strong for the Saints. Cats by 7 points.
  • VFL Round 20 Sandringham vs Collingwood Review
    VFL Round 20 Sandringham vs Collingwood Review
    It’s been 4 years since Sandringham has tasted finals football but that is about to change after the Zebras secured their spot in this year’s finals with a dominate 74 point win over Collingwood. The Zebras were led by Terry Milera and Arryn Siposs who kicked 4 goals each and Jack Newnes who showed his class with 3 goals and composure around the contest. Tom Curren (34 disposals) and Marcus Marigliani (32 disposals) led Zebras midfield and were well supported by Adam Cockie and Myke Cook who continue to press their claims for 2nd chance in AFL . Beau Dowler was used all over ground and managed to kick 2 goals, one a worthy nomination for goal of year from impossible angle on boundary. The winner of Sandringham’s best first year player award in 2011, Chris Michaliades was again impressive with 16 disposals, 2 marks, 4 tackles and kicking 1 goal. This came on the back of playing only limited game time after staring in the Development Squad on Saturday where he was named in the best collecting 13 disposals and 9 tackles. "With the Development Squad playing on Saturday and the late change coming on Sunday it meant we would have played one short if Chris didn't play. Obviously it wasn't ideal.” Operations Manager, Lucas Blatman said. ”He was on limited minutes but as always Chris really had a crack and contributed to the win. He had 16 touches in about a half of footy, his pressure around the contests are always first rate and he was rewarded with a goal in the last quarter but I think he would have slept pretty soundly last night"

    Sandringham too strong for Collingwood - By Nick Ciantar

    With perfect conditions at Trevor Barker Beach Oval, a big crowd came to see the home team take on Collingwood and comfortably defeated the Pies by 74 points, 24.15 (159) to 13.7 (85). The Zebras’ strength in the midfield and strong opening first half set up a strong win leading into the finals. Sandringham began the game smoothly with minor adjustments to their structure. Captain Beau Dowler moved up forward in the first quarter and was instantly awarded with a goal. Dowler also played in the ruck, which enabled ruckmen Hamish Shepheard and Michael Sikora to play in the forward line. “It gives us the opportunity of having three guys rotating through the centre,” said Sandringham Assistant Coach Ryan Webster on the Zebras ruck rotations. The Zebras kept the Pies locked in the Zebras forward line and they held a handy 19 point lead into the first break. The second quarter saw the Zebras get on top in the midfield. Myke Cook, Tom Curren and Marcus Marigliani led the Zebras midfield from the front and helped set up a seven goal to four goal quarter with their clearance work. Webster said: “They (Cockie and Cook) win a lot of contested footy for us. Tommy Curren was very, very good the whole game, consistent four quarter performer.” Sandringham’s quick movement of the ball set up many players across the ground. Terry Milera kicked their last goal of the quarter after a quick handball from a Brett Peake mark. The Zebras went into the main break with a 39 point lead. Sandringham started the second half just like they started the first. Their clearance work was better than the Pies which enabled the Zebras to enter their forward line 25 more times than the Pies. Whilst Ben Johnson and Ricky Ferraro were consistent for the Pies, they were outclassed by the Zebras’ midfield. In a simple play of footy in the third quarter, Sandringham handballed through the Pies’ forward press, Jack Williams then kicked to an open Milera in the forward line and went on to kick a goal. At the final break, the Zebras extended their margin to 59 points. Curren (34 disposals, 3 tackles) and Marigliani (32 disposals, 5 tackles, 1 goal) kept the same pressure and intensity that was seen all day in the last quarter. Marigliani played his best game of the year and was the best on the ground. He has worked his way into the team this year after recovering from serious knee injuries. “He trains his heart out every week; he plays his heart out every week. His ball use kicking inside our 50 was the highlight of his game.” The depth of the Zebras’ midfield was too strong for the Pies; as Cook (18 disposals, 3 tackles, 1 goal), Peake (23 disposals, 1 goal) and Jack Newnes (15 disposals, 3 tackles, 3 goals) all had great games. Sandringham wanted to guarantee a finals place and it showed with them having “a lot of contributors in the midfield,” said Webster. Ferraro (23 disposals, 2 goals) and Johnson (22 disposals) were two of the best for Collingwood, whilst Jarrod Witts (20 disposals, 20 hitouts) played strongly as a ruck and in various positions across the game. Sandringham’s first half set up the victory and they continued with it in the second half. Sandringham faces a tough away game against Williamston at Burbank Oval next Saturday, whilst Collingwood meets Casey Scorpions at Victoria Park also on Saturday. WATCH FULL REPLAY OF SUNDAY'S GAME HERE -     http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?client=1-118-0-204557-0&sID=91640&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=20243450 Sandringham  24.15 (159) Collingwood  13.7 (85) GOALS: Sandringham: Milera 4, Siposs 4, Newnes 3, Polo 2, Dowler 2, Marigliani,  Peake,  Ross,  Michaliades,  Archer,  Cook,  Shenton, Winmar, Sikora Collingwood: Corr 2, Ferraro 2, Ceglar 2, Wallace 2, Cathcart 2, Young,  Krakouer,  Witts BEST: Sandringham: Shenton, Curren, Marigliani, Ferguson, Sikora, Newnes Collingwood: Ferraro, Witts, McNamara, Thomas, Wallace, Johnson  STATS: Arryn Siposs (22 disposals, 7 marks, 3 tackles, 4 goals) - Watch highlights HERE Terry Milera (14 disposals, 2 marks, 1 tackle, 4 goals) - Watch highlights HERE Jack Newnes (16 disposals,6 marks, 3 tackles, 3 goals) - Watch highlights HERE Clint Jones (21 disposals, 5 marks, 1 tackle) Marcus Marigliani (32 disposals, 11 marks, 5 tackles, 1 goal) Beau Dowler (13 disposals, 5 marks, 1 tackle, 2 goals) Myke Cook (18 disposals, 4 marks, 3 tackles, 1 goal) Michael Sikora (8 disposals, 1 mark, 2 tackles, 1 goal, 23 hitouts) Chris Michaliades (16 disposals, 2 marks, 4 tackles, 1 goal) Adam Cockie (23 disposals, 6 marks, 1 tackle) Brett Peake (23 disposals, 6 marks, 1 tackle, 1 goal) Dean Polo (20 disposals, 6 marks, 2 goals) Cameron Shenton (22 disposals, 3 marks, 5 tackles, 1 goal) Tom Curren (34 disposals, 7 marks, 3 tackles) - Watch highlights  HERE Daniel Archer (15 disposals, 8 marks, 1 goal) Hamish Shepheard (10 disposals, 5 marks, 1 tackle) Jack Williams (15 disposals, 3 marks, 3 tackles) Jackson Ferguson (13 disposals, 3 marks, 1 tackle) Nicolas Winmar (17 disposals, 6 marks, 1 goal) Raph Clarke (19 disposals, 5 marks, 1 tackle) Seb Ross (20 disposals, 4 marks, 1 tackle, 1 goal) Daniel Markworth (18 disposals, 4 marks, 2 tackles) Jason Blake (5 disposals, 2 marks) 2012 AFL Vic Development League In Development Squad Sandringham came from 29 points down at 3 quarter time against 2nd placed Casey Scorpians to record a 3 point win. Sandringham 18.17 (125) Casey Scorpions 19.9 (123) GOALS: Sandringham: Fallon 3, Maley 3, Coleman 2, Staley 2, Soriano 2, La Rocca, Stapleton, Beech, Andreoli, Mavric, Widdowson Casey Scorpions: Weekes 4, Galvin 3, Lang 2, Fieldsend 2, Thompson 2, Pollard 2, Eddy 2, McInnes, Salton BEST: Sandringham: Plostins, Maley, Michaliades, Jones, Beech, Staley Casey Scorpions: Corry, Lang, Pollard, Rosier, Petropoulos, McInnes Here are some of best photos from Zebras big win taken by Dave Savell. You can view them all HERE
  • Round 20 Match Preview: St Kilda vs. Melbourne
    Round 20 Match Preview: St Kilda vs. Melbourne

    By Nick Ciantar.

    Round 20

    Saturday 1:45pm, MCG.

    St.Kilda: St Kilda had a heartbreaking defeat against Collingwood last round. The Saints now need to win all of their remaining games to make the finals and will be looking at bringing in the same form as last week. They matched it with the Pies, however they lost the clearances (-10) and contested possession (-22) statistics convincingly. Sam Dunell has been the substitute in all of his four games this season and is rapidly improving his football skills. His role has been on the wing which has changed from his normal position as a forward in the VFL. With Sandringham, he has played 12 games and kicked 13 goals, including a 5 goal haul in round 2 against North Ballarat. Dunell has shown that he is capable of playing in a variety of positions and a full game of footy awaits. Melbourne: Melbourne easily defeated bottom of the ladder Gold Coast last round by 42 points. Brad Green had one of his best games of the year finishing with 5 goals. In what has been a tumultuous year for him and the club, he announced during the week his end of season retirement. The Dees last week lost the clearances (-12) and contested possession (-18) and will be looking at a much different result this week. Melbourne has been severely hampered by injuries this year and will go into the game with 10 senior players out. Promising youngster Sam Blease has been in solid form the last few rounds. Blease has played 12 games this season, including the last 11 games. Known for his accurate left boot, Blease has been eased into senior action after a broken leg in 2009. The quick half back will be looking at a solid game against seasoned bodies after his 15 disposals and 2 goals against Gold Coast. Milestone: Jack Grimes – 50 games. Key Players: St.Kilda: Brendon Goddard, Ben McEvoy, Ahmed Saad, Justin Koschitzke, Jason Gram. Melbourne: Sam Blease, Jake Spencer, Nathan Jones, James Sellar, Colin Garland. Who’s Missing: St.Kilda: Rhys Stanley, Arryn Siposs, Jason Blake, Adam Schneider. Melbourne: Stefan Martin, Jack Watts, Ricky Petterd, Clint Bartram, Mitch Clark, Aaron Davey, Mark Jamar, Liam Jurrah, Cale Morton, James Frawley. Key Match Ups: Brendon Goddard vs. Jordie McKenzie: Earlier this year in round five, McKenzie kept Goddard to 15 disposals and well and truly got under Goddard’s skin. He niggled at ‘BJ’ and kept by his side for the entire match. Mark Neeld will match them up again, especially seeing that Goddard has recently been in impressive form. Justin Koschitzke vs. James Sellar: Koschitzke missed the last game against Melbourne and his recent form has been up and down. Sellar a former ruckmen, will get the job on Koschitzke and will need to play at his best as ‘Kosi’ has showed signs of a possible best on ground game. Prediction: The Saints’ statistically outnumber the Dees in most of the areas expect for hit outs (Dees 8th overall, Saints 17th) and rebound 50’s (Dees 3rd, Saints 13th). However the Dees will go into this match without their recognized ruck of Mark Jamar. The Dees have been able to rebound out of 50, however their movement of the ball has broken down across the midfield and into their forward line. Their recognized forward Mitch Clark (29 goals out of Melbourne’s 185 this year) is out for the rest of the season with a foot injury and it has taken its toll. In round five, the Saints were still adjusting to Scott Watters’ new game style and unconvincingly defeated a fighting Dees’ team by 18 points. A lot has changed since then and St Kilda has shown that they are rapidly learning from Watters new game style. The Saints have the three tall forwards this week and two goal sneaking forwards in Ahmed Saad and Stephen Milne. The talent of the Saints forwards will be too strong for the Dees defence and the Dees will have to work out another solution to pass the Saints forward pressure. Saints by 40.
  • VFL Round 19 Sandringham vs Frankston Review
    VFL Round 19 Sandringham vs Frankston Review
    Sandringham defeated Frankston by 43 points in extremely blustery conditions at Trevor Barker Beach Oval on Sunday. The win sees Zebras move up to 5th spot on ladder and now sit only 4 points out of top 4. SENIORS Sandringham: 12.17.89 Frankston: 5.16.46 GOALS: Sandringham: Cook 3, Wilkes 2 Marigliani, Cripps, Peake, Archer, Winmar, Milera, Siposs Frankston: Fox, Ongarello, Potts, Matheson, Simpson BEST: Sandringham: Ferguson, Cripps, Cook Siposs, Ledger, Shenton Frankston: Martin, Van Unen Delahunty, Heddles, Bosward, Haretuku REPORTS: Brett Peake was reported for misconduct via video on Monday   Sandringham prevails in windy conditions - By Nick Ciantar In windy conditions, Sandringham comfortably defeated Frankston at Trevor Barker Beach Oval by 43 points. It took both teams some time to adjust to the uneasy weather conditions, however the Zebras’ strength prevailed over the Dolphins team, winning 12.17 (89) to 5.16 (46). The Dolphins started well by kicking the first goal of the day through Jarryd Matheson. Brad Sykes started well for the Dolphins, playing across half back and the midfield. It didn’t take long for the Zebras to reply, with Myke Cook kicking his first goal. The Zebras were inaccurate at goal in swirly conditions early on. The Zebras went into the break with an 8 point lead through a late soccer style goal from Brett Peake. The second quarter started very much like the first. Both teams struggled and there was no flow in the match. At the 8th minute mark, Cook kicked his second and the Zebras kicked 4 unanswered goals to keep the Dolphins to three behinds for the quarter. Sandringham had more of the ball in their 50 and Frankston could not clear it pass the Zebras press. Michael Sikora was dominant in the ruck, which set up Cook and Tom Ledger with many clearances. St Kilda player Arryn Siposs provided the highlight of the quarter kicking a 60m goal to set up a 35 point lead into the main break. Both teams were equally matched in the third quarter but Frankston proved to be inaccurate in front of goal. They kicked two goals seven behinds and did not take full advantage of the then goal kicking end. Sandringham was able to hold off Frankston’s pressure and maintain a 33 point lead going into the final break. The Dolphins gave their travelling fans a faint hope of victory, with Anthony Simpson kicking the first goal of the quarter to bring the margin down to 27 points. However the Zebras quickly replied with goals to Beau Wilkes and Cook and shut off any hope of victory for the Dolphins. Sikora was one of the Zebras most influential on the day through his tap work in the ruck. He finished with 23 hit outs and 9 disposals and his work around the ground provided Sandringham with many more clearances than Frankston. Cook had another terrific game for the Zebras, finishing with 21 disposals, 4 tackles and 3 goals. He missed the last game against Bendigo (2 weeks ago due to the bye) and he did not miss a beat. Captain Beau Dowler was strong down back intercepting many Frankston inside 50’s. Jamie Cripps had a solid game on a half forward flank kicking 1 goal whilst also finishing with 21 disposals. Kyle Martin was the best for Frankston, finishing with 32 disposals. Playing in the midfield and half forward, he created many chances for the Dolphins’ forwards. Khan Haretuku was forced to play in the ruck and was taken out of his normal full forward position. He still played a good game finishing with 15 disposals and 17 hit outs and his presence in the forward line was sorely missed. Sandringham was too strong in the blustery conditions and replied instantly when Frankston rallied. The Zebras’ depth in the midfield was too classy for the Dolphins team. Sandringham meets Collingwood at Trevor Barker Beach Oval next Sunday at 2pm, whilst Frankston takes on Coburg at Highgate Recreation Reserve at 2pm on Saturday. SENIOR STATS Tommy Ledger 29 disposals, 9 marks Raph Clarke 23 disposals, 9 marks, 1 tackle Myke Cook  21 disposals, 3 marks, 4 tackles and 3 goals 2 behinds Nicolas Winmar 22 disposals, 7 marks, 1 tackle, 1 goal Jamie Cripps 21 disposals, 6 marks, 2 tackles, 1 goal 3 behinds Tom Curren 19 disposals, 5 marks, 1 tackle Jackson Ferguson 19 disposals, 6 marks Brett Peake 18 disposals, 4 marks, 1 tackle, 1 goal Adam Cockie 17 disposals, 4 marks, 4 tackles Jack Newnes 16 disposals, 3 marks, 3 tackles Daniel Markworth 16 disposals, 2 marks, 3 tackles Jack Williams 15 disposals, 3 marks, 1 tackle Jack Williams 15 disposals, 3 marks, 1 tackle Terry Milera 14 disposals, 6 marks, 4 tackles, 1 goal Beau Dowler 14 disposals, 8 marks, 1 tackle Beau Wilkes 11 dispsosals, 6 marks, 3 tackles, 2 goals 1 behind Daniel Archer 11 disposals, 4 marks, 2 tackles, 1 goal Jimmy Webster 11 disposals, 1 mark, 2 tackles Cameron Shenton 10 disposals, 5 marks Marcus Marigliani 9 disposals, 4 marks, 4 tackles, 1 goal Michael Sikora 9 disposals, 1 marks, 23 hitouts Hamish Shepheard 9 disposals, 2 marks, 1 tackle, 10 hitouts Chris Michaliades 6 disposals, 3 marks, 3 tackles DEVELOPMENT SQUAD Sandringham: 17.14.116 Frankston: 3.6.24 GOALS: Sandringham: Waller 3 Brown 2 Widdowson 2 Shakallis 2 Coleman 2 Meehan 2 Hallahan Bowles Barnhoorn Fallon Frankston: Viney Greeley Jennings BEST: Sandringham: Waller, Stapleton, Mavric Shakallis, Plostins, Jones Frankston: Wells, Kennedy, Greeley, Jennings, Sutton, Gardiner Here are some of the best pictures taken by Dave Savell. You can view them all HERE
  • Round 19 Match Preview: Collingwood vs. St Kilda
    Round 19 Match Preview: Collingwood vs. St Kilda

    By Nick Ciantar.

    Round 19, MCG.

    Collingwood: Collingwood comfortably defeated GWS last round by the tune of 120 points. Travis Cloke returned to form kicking six goals. Cloke has been under scrutiny this year both on and off the field and his standout game against the Giants will give his confidence a much needed boost. The Pies will be bolstered by the returns of Darren Jolly, Harry O’Brien, Dale Thomas, Steele Sidebottom and Sharrod Wellingham. All were rested against GWS although Wellingham is returning from a much talked about suspension. Dayne Beams has taken his footy to another level this year. Averaging 30.6 disposals a game (15 games), he has been able to get more of the ball and utilize it well. Beams is a workhorse at the club and is also one of the most dangerous. As an attacking midfielder, Beams has kicked 19 goals so far this year. St Kilda: St Kilda was too strong for a ‘rebuilding’ Dogs team. The Saints defeated the Dogs by 76 points with key forward Nick Riewoldt kicking four goals. Riewoldt kicked three of his four goals in the first ten minutes of the game, which reminded fans of the vintage Riewoldt. The Saints have won three of their last four games, with their only loss coming against ladder leaders Sydney. The Saints have been in solid form and will need a four quarter effort against one of the best teams in the league. Farren Ray comes into the side to replace an injured Adam Schneider and his presence will be much needed. Ray has only played the seven games this year, however he has been a standout at VFL affiliate Sandringham several times. He has been known for his tagging jobs, most particularly Dane Swan in the second half of the 2010 Grand Final. He will expect a similar role to one of the many good Collingwood midfielders on Saturday night. Key Players: Collingwood: Dane Swan, Chris Tarrant, Darren Jolly, Ben Reid, Dayne Beams. St Kilda: Lenny Hayes, Nick Riewoldt, Ben McEvoy, Sam Fisher, Farren Ray. Who’s Missing: Collingwood: Luke Ball, Andrew Krakouer, Ben Johnson, Brent Macaffer, Nathan Brown, Martin Clarke, Alan Didak. St Kilda: Adam Schneider, Jason Blake, Arryn Siposs, Brett Peake, Rhys Stanley. Key Match Ups: Dayne Beams vs. Farren Ray: St Kilda will need to stop the run and carry from either Dayne Beams or Steele Sidebottom. Collingwood have many good players and St Kilda’s best tagger Clint Jones will get the job on Scott Pendlebury or Swan. Ray will get the job on Beams, as he is the most dangerous Pies player. Ben Reid vs. Nick Riewoldt: Riewoldt has been in terrific form and he will come up against a player that he has famously struggled with in the past. Reid has only played the 12 games this year, however he has the ability to run with the best endurance runner in the league. This will be an enticing match up and Riewoldt is the most vital part to the Saint’s scoring power. Prediction: Apart from the blockbuster on Friday night between Hawthorn and Geelong, this will be the biggest game of the round. Collingwood are aspiring for a top four position, whilst the Saints are desperate for a top eight spot. The Pies regain five quality players, however their form and team balance will be closely looked at. They have not been able to maintain the same back six all year and this will be pressured against the 5th best attacking side in the league. On the other hand, the Saints only made the one change and are settled on team selection and have good form. Both teams statistically match up well, although the major difference is the contested possessions, which sees Collingwood 5th and St Kilda 14th overall. The match looms to be a classic fight to the death with great match ups all over the ground. Jolly and McEvoy in the ruck, Sam Fisher on Chris Dawes in the Pies forward line and Chris Tarrant on Stephen Milne in the Saints forward line. Both teams have stars in the midfield with Lenny Hayes, Nick Dal Santo and Brendon Goddard for the Saints; whilst the Pies have Swan, Pendlebury and Beams. The Pies have the upper hand in team class, however the Saints have a vast number of players with finals experience. The Pies will just outclass an attacking Saints team. Pies by 4 points.
  • Hard work is the key for new recruit
    Hard work is the key for new recruit
    Hard work is the key for new recruit By Shaun Curnow After the disappointment of not being drafted in 2010, the former Murray Bushrangers captain, Brendan Allen, decided to take a year out from the game. In his year off, he played a handful of games for his local club Euroa and only trained occasionally. He continued to work on his career outside of football and was successful in obtaining his real estate licence. Allen recently signed with Sandringham for 2012 and says now it is time to work hard and start playing good footy again. Having followed the Zebras success throughout his younger years, he was excited to join the club that he had watched and admired and it became a main factor in his signing. “I watched a lot of VFL footy when I was younger and with Nick Sautner up forward kicking a bag each week, Sandringham always seemed to win!” explains Allen. “I was also very impressed with the culture of the club. Coming from the country, the place really does have a country footy club feel about it and a lot of pride is shown in wearing the jumper.” Whilst the new lease of life that the St Kilda and Sandringham alignment has received is well documented, Brendan didn’t see that as a major factor in his decision to join the Zebras. However he can see the benefits that it brings to the club. “It’s very apparent that the alignment is stronger than ever with both Macca {Simon McPhee} and Scott Watters publicly endorsing the alignment.” Allen said. “Also, a number of guys were given the opportunity to have a run around in St Kilda’s Intra Club matches over the preseason, which is terrific for our own personal development.” Having now settled into life at the Zebras, Brendan is keen to work harder than ever to play the best football of his career. When speaking to Brendan, it is apparent that hard work is a key attribute to him fulfilling his goals. “I'd say I'm pretty hard-working and disciplined player, who is very team orientated. I don't really try and model my game on anyone in particular as I just try and work as hard as I possibly can on my whole game and the team structure each week” explains Allen. “I think my strengths would be my work rate, endurance and decision making. My weakness would be my speed which is something I am working hard on improving.” “My main goal in 2012 is too obviously play as much senior football as possible and see how far we can get as a team, with the view of playing finals and chasing a flag. In future seasons, my goal would be to just work as hard as I possibly can and play the best footy I can.” Having played in the Seniors in the first practice match Allen missed the 2nd with soreness, Brendan hopes to have a final warm up against Port Melbourne this Saturday. He continues to impress and will be pushing for Senior selection come round 1. *** Please Note this is article I wrote for SandringhamFC at start of 2012. You can see original here *** _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ True Zebras is your official online forum for the Sandringham Football Club. With the latest news and information, the forum will provide a one stop shop for fans to discuss all things Zebras. The Club will also have their own official account on the forum where you will be able to go straight to the source with any questions you may have. True Zebras officially launched a few weeks ago. You are able to access the website via the following link: www.truezebras.com You can also “like” True Zebras on Facebook to keep up to date with all the latest news – Click here to go to the page: http://www.facebook.com/truezebras or find them on twitter @truezebras
  • Sikora Aims To Become Zebs Number 1
    Sikora Aims To Become Zebs Number 1
    Sikora Aims To Become Zebs Number 1 By Shaun Curnow Having just completed his 2nd preseason, 206cm ruckman Michael Sikora is hoping to break into the Sandringham senior side and push to become the number 1 ruckman. Having played only 13 reserves games in 2011, Michael feels that he has worked hard to improve his fitness and core strength to take that next step in 2012. “This year I’d like to play as many senior games as possible for the Zebras and to try and become their number 1 ruckman. I also look forward to being given the opportunity to play up forward and try to kick some goals” Michael Sikora said. “Obviously at the end of the year I’d love to be picked up by an AFL Club and play senior footy. It’s a long while yet but I’ve got the determination to do it, but it all starts with having a good year with the Zebras so we can play finals footy.” During the preseason Michael was given the opportunity to take part in St Kilda’s Intra Club match and he was able test himself out against one of the best up and coming ruckman in the AFL. “Playing in the St Kilda Intra Club match was an experience for me, putting the game plan structures into play I was able to learn a lot from it. It’s something I could really get used to!” explains Sikora. “Playing against Ben McEvoy was great. It’s impressive to see how much he has achieved playing at the Saints at such a young age. It usually takes ruckman a few good years to develop into solid senior players where he has taken a lot of responsibility in becoming their number 1 ruckman” Throughout his short career Michael taken it upon himself to watch and learn from more experienced players, in particular the recently retired Michael Gardiner. "When Michael Gardiner was playing at Sandringham last year, I'd always make sure I'd stay for the whole game to see how he goes about it because he reads the play so well and gets to the right positions.” "Id like to think I’m a hard at it player I enjoy using my big body to crash packs and trying to out body other players in the ruck. I don’t really model myself on a particular AFL player but I enjoy watching the way different ruckman go about playing on the field” Having been with the club now for 2 years, Michael he has been able to witness the change in direction that the Zebras alignment with St Kilda has taken this preseason. A larger than normal turnover of 12 players at St Kilda has seen the arrival of new faces with fresh attitudes that are ready to make the most of their opportunities. This has filtered its way down into the Sandringham ranks where 17 new players have made their way to club. “After a big turn around of players from last year, a lot of the 2nd and 3rd players are now becoming leaders at a young age. I’m personally trying to make the new players to club this year welcome at the zebras, so we gel and can have a successful year. “I think Beau Dowler will be one to watch this season. He is a solid back man whose intent is always at the ball and has the great ability to move up forward and kick goals. “Adam Cockie from WA also has an impressive history and hopefully can bring some of that over here so we will play finals footy this year.” The turnover was not only limited to the players as there has also been a major re-structure of the coaching panel, with newly appointed coach Simon McPhee & his assistants all having a role at both clubs. This means, that for the first times in years, the game plan will be the same at both clubs. “The re-structure {of the coaching panel} is a positive move for Sandringham and St Kilda. With both teams playing under the same game plan it will make it easier to understand each other and win games.” explains Sikora “Hearing from St Kilda coach Scott Watters that both teams players will be judged on their own merits for selection at Sandringham make me want to push myself harder at training and to do the extras outside the club and working on recovery. I just hope it stays like that through out the whole season.” On a personal note and as with most VFL footballers, Michael finds it’s hard to juggle a working career and the commitments of a football career. “I’m a 4th year apprentice electrician and it does affect my footy somewhat. But I do have a boss that loves his footy and he understands my situation and makes sure I’m at training when I have to be. “In saying that there never seems to be enough hours in the day to fit in gym session off legs session recovery also fitting in a girlfriend and social life somewhere in there, but I can’t complain I love playing footy!” Sandringham officials are impressed with the progress Michael has made in short period of time he has been at the club. “Michael has certainly come a long way since coming to the club last year, he has dropped a heap of weight and his fitness has got much better. He didn't play junior footy so he is still learning the game.” Operations Manager, Lucas Blatman said. “It was great to see him have a hit out in the seniors on the weekend. He had 23 tap outs against AFL listed Ruckman in a shortened game so it really shows how much hard work he has put in over the off season.” *** Please Note this is article I wrote for SandringhamFC at start of 2012. You can see original here *** _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ True Zebras is your official online forum for the Sandringham Football Club. With the latest news and information, the forum will provide a one stop shop for fans to discuss all things Zebras. The Club will also have their own official account on the forum where you will be able to go straight to the source with any questions you may have. True Zebras officially launched a few weeks ago. You are able to access the website via the following link: www.truezebras.com You can also “like” True Zebras on Facebook to keep up to date with all the latest news – Click here to go to the page: http://www.facebook.com/truezebras or find them on twitter @truezebras
  • Round 18 Match Preview: St Kilda vs. Western Bulldogs
    Round 18 Match Preview: St Kilda vs. Western Bulldogs

    By Nick Ciantar.

    Round 18, Etihad Stadium.

    St.Kilda: St Kilda matched the ladder leaders last week for 3 and a half quarters although the Swans were too strong in the end. The Saints were heavily defeated in the hit outs (61-36), but had more tackles than the Swans (73-51). The last time St Kilda played the Western Bulldogs was in round 3 and the Saints emphatically defeated the Dogs by 63 points. Tackling was St Kilda’s strong point (69-54) and keeping the Dogs to only 5 goals for an entire match was a very good result for the Saints. St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt has been under the spotlight this year. He sits 5th on the goal kicking leader board with 40 goals. In St Kilda’s previous match against the Swans he was goalless, however his presence and leadership in the forward line is much needed, as it will free up Justin Koschitzke, Ben McEvoy and the small forwards will be more dangerous. Milestone: Brendon Goddard plays his 200th game. Western Bulldogs: The Dogs fought hard against the Blues, however they fell short by 18 points. The Dogs demolished the Blues in the hit outs (59-19) with Will Minson amassing 54 tap outs. The Blues were undermanned in this department and the Dogs will want a similar result against St Kilda’s ruck combination. The Dogs will want to get more of the ball against the Saints. They are ranked 2nd in the league for most disposals whilst St Kilda are ranked 14th. They were strangled last time and will need to win the ball out of the midfield. Matthew Boyd has set the standard once again, being one of the Dogs’ finest all year and has the most disposals in the league. Averaging 31.8 disposals and 13.6 contested possessions (6th overall) a game, Boyd is the main artillery in the Dogs midfield. Key Players: St.Kilda: Nick Riewoldt, Ben McEvoy, Lenny Hayes, Clint Jones, Brendon Goddard. Western Bulldogs: Matthew Boyd, Will Minson, Liam Jones, Ryan Griffen, Daniel Cross. Who’s Missing: St.Kilda: Farren Ray, Brett Peake, Jason Blake, Rhys Stanley. Western Bulldogs: Dylan Addison, Adam Cooney, Shaun Higgins, Dale Morris, Ryan Hargrave. Key Match Ups: Nick Dal Santo vs. Ryan Griffen: Both players are prime users of the ball and this will be a fascinating match up as they will play off each other instead of being heavily tagged. Both are in career best form and this will be one of the most interesting contests on the ground. Clint Jones vs. Matthew Boyd: Boyd is a strong chance to win his first Brownlow and Jones is the man to stop the in-form player in the competition. Boyd is near the category of ‘tag less’, however Jones is one of the best in the business and will need to be at his best. Prediction: After falling short against Sydney, St Kilda lost their place in the 8 and now sit 10th on the ladder. The Dogs sit 15th and can be deemed to be ‘rebuilding’, even if the club does not say so. The Dogs have one of the youngest lists in the league and have lost an abundance of stars. They are 5th overall with contested possession whilst the Saints sit 14th. They also outrank the Saints in clearances (4th – 9th). A key statistic that the Saints have a clear advantage in is the goal kicking (4th – 15th). The Saints this year have added an extra dimension to their forward line and the weary Dogs’ defence will not be able to keep up with the experienced Saints forwards. The midfield battle will be a blast from the past, as both teams fought gallantly against each other in the 2008-2010 years of dominance. The Dogs are without Adam Cooney and Shaun Higgins and they are both vital to their midfield. The Saints experience and effort against the top teams will be too strong for a ‘rebuilding’ Dogs team. Saints by 40.
  • SCG Open Training Report
    SCG Open Training Report
    St Kilda Open Training SCG This afternoons St Kilda training session was short, sharp and shiny. The rain held off, however the southerly wind was strong, gusting around 40kmh making the temperature feel like we were in Alaska. If I had a dollar for every time I heard someone say “It’s colder than Melbourne” I would be a rich person. The players were dressed for the conditions, rugged up in their skins and hoodies.   And tomorrows weather forecast looks much the same as today’s. Everyone was accounted for as per team list. Farren Ray and Terry Milera were still in Melbourne having a run with Sandringham who had a win today against Bendigo. Well done Zebras. That left only one emergency in Beau Wilkes up in Sydney. The club are confident in the list and do not envisage any late withdrawals however they are keeping Farren Ray on stand-by and he will fly up Sunday morning if required. Saints training commenced indoors and was closed to the public and fans. Luckily the indoor venue had a wall of glass so I could see they were just doing a warm up and stretches. Nothing secret! They moved from the indoor room which looks like the indoor cricket training room, a few of the boys having a pretend run up and bowl in the nets and a laugh. Spirits were great among the group. From here they proceeded to the ground. The awesome SCG I remember was not looking so awesome. The grassed area was good but down the end of the ground was open space and rubble where a Grandstand used to be. It looked like the aftermath of an earth tremor. And there was no rest day for the workmen. They had the cranes cranked and working throughout the afternoon while we were there. The centre of the oval had the covers over it so the players were taken to the farthest part of the ground to do their drills and then some kicks for goals. Being so far away from us and dressed in their cold weather attire made it difficult to work out who was who. There were no incidents nor injuries nor disappointments. It was an all round uneventful session. Bravo! It was a quick light session. They were only out there for about 30 minutes and then they made every effort to engage with all the fans at the fence. Every player was obliging to any request for autographs and photographs. They spent longer than normal with the fans as I am sure they were wary of perceptions from the previous weeks ‘news’. No-one was denied and they were all approachable and magnificent and giving of their time. They then finished off their session back in the indoor cricket training room. Again a closed session with burly guard at the door; however thanks to the glass wall anyone could see that they were just having a chat in their groups. I watched Nick Dal Santo go through some tactics and different moves with the midfield group for about 10-15 minutes. If I knew lip reading then I could write more about this bit!! So that was training... on the field. Off the field was the highlight of the day. A 10 year old St Kilda supporter added a warm vibe to the cold quiet hour by surprising fans, players and officials alike with an impromptu solo saxophone performance of “When the Saints go marching in” midway through the session. His name is Matthew Downing and it was his first ever public performance. He has been learning and practicing for two years. He did a great job and received a big round of applause, and was asked for an encore at the end of training. His dad Rob has been a St Kilda supporter for 30 years and even although has now been based in Sydney for many years has passed the Saints love down to Matthew and his other two young sons. Matthew will be performing outside the SCG tomorrow before the game. So look out for him Sainters and maybe toss him a coin or two for his efforts. A very polite and humble young man. Today was also the first ever training session that Matthew has been to. His favourite player is Lenny Hayes so when training finished, I took him down to the fence to meet his hero. Lenny was more than happy to sign Matthew’s footy jumper and pose for a photo. It made his day. Good luck tomorrow Matthew, you will be great champ. At the conclusion of training I had a chance to have a one on one chat to Nick Dal Santo and asked him a few questions about his involvement with GenYFooty with Dean and Frankie. Dean and Frankie have left this week for London and I asked Dal now that the boys were gone for the month was there any chance that he might continue on with the show without them. He said he does enjoy doing the shows and did see our tweets to keep it going over the next month, however, he says he is actually going to have a break from it as well and is looking forward to coming back to it all refreshed in a month’s time. So I’m sorry Shaun, I tried to get you the gig!! But Dal wants a rest!! The players got on the bus and left, and then I got very lost walking in this big cold dark city. And last of all, can’t sign off without mentioning that the AFL is celebrating ‘Women’s Round’ this weekend to acknowledge the contribution of women to the game. To all the True Sainter’s gals out there and footy land in general, Cheers to you all. My passion for this game would not be the same if I didn’t have a nice mixture of Venus and Mars to share it with. Greetings from Sydney Town. Jules Go Saints.
  • Round 17 Sandringham vs Bendigo Review
    Round 17 Sandringham vs Bendigo Review
    Bendigo 12.12 (84) Sandringham 14.11 (95) GOALS: Bendigo: Little 6, Lonergan, Maddern, O'Brien, Colyer, Kavanagh, Putt Sandringham: Archer 3, Polo 2, Marigliani 2, Markworth 2, Peake, Michaliades, Shepheard, Curren, Sikora BEST: Bendigo: Kavanagh, Pears, Slattery, Little, Merrett, Ladson Sandringham: Clarke, Polo, Michaliades, Marigliani, Ross, Cockie   Sandringham defeats a fighting Bendigo - By Nick Ciantar On a perfect Saturday afternoon up in Bendigo, the Bendigo Gold hosted the Sandringham Zebras at Queen Elizabeth Oval. The Zebras were victorious against a fighting Gold team, winning 14.11 (95) to 12.12 (84). Both teams were slow out of the blocks in the first quarter with only 4 goals kicked. The Gold kicked two early goals through Matt Little and Elliot Kavanagh, though the Zebras responded through Daniel Archer and Chris Michaliades. The scores were level at quarter time at 2.3 apiece. Little continued his good start to the game kicking his second goal and the Gold's only goal of the second quarter within the first five minutes. Brent Prismall made his long awaited comeback from a knee injury. He started the second quarter on the field after sitting on the bench in the first quarter. The Zebras started to get on top of the contest through some individual brilliance. Terry Milera's run and carry across the wing set up a goal to Tom Curren. The Zebras piled on five unanswered goals to lead by 22 points at half time. The third quarter started just how the second quarter ended for Sandringham, with Dean Polo kicking a great goal from the boundary line. The Gold quickly replied through Sam Lonergan, however Marcus Marigliani played some of his best footy in the space of five minutes. Marigliani took two great contested marks in the goal square and converted with goals. Archer kicked his third goal of the match to extend the margin to 32 points. Bendigo did not give in and Little gave them some hope, kicking his forth goal to bring the margin down to 29 points at the final break. The Gold started the last quarter with a faint hope of victory and responded quickly by kicking the first four goals to make it a five point ball game. The Bendigo crowd erupted, however the talented Zebras replied with two quick goals to seal the win. Marigliani finished with 13 disposals and 2 goals and his five minutes of brilliance in the third quarter helped the Zebras set up the victory. Michael Sikora was strong in the ruck, finishing with 28 hitouts and 1 goal. Adam Cockie had another impressive game in the midfield, finishing with 22 disposals and 8 tackles. Michaliades was strong in the forward line, kicking 1 goal and laying 6 tackles. St Kilda youngsters Tom Ledger and Seb Ross were stars in the midfield. They had 27 and 29 disposals respectively and took full advantage of Sikora's strength in the ruck. Raph Clarke was a stand out in the back line, finishing with 25 disposals. His run and carry set up the Zebras midfielders and forwards all day. For the Gold, Tayte Pears was solid down back. He finished with 25 disposals and 13 marks and came across as third man up on many occasions. Brendan Lee played a solid game in the midfield with 27 disposals and was one of the Gold's best. Little finished with 6 goals and was the most dangerous forward on the ground. The Zebra's second and third quarters helped set up a solid win on the road. They responded in the last quarter when challenged and are well and truly in the finals race. Sandringham has the bye next week, whilst Bendigo meets Geelong at Simonds Stadium at 10am. TEAM STATS TACKLES: Sandringham 44 – Bendigo 47 MARKS: Sandringham 87 - Bendigo 122 HITOUTS: Sandringham 46 - 34 FREES: Sandringham 21 – Bendigo 28 INSIDE 50’s: Sandringham 48 – Bendigo 45   PLAYER STATS Seb Ross 29 disposals, 1 tackle & 3 marks Tommy Ledger 27 disposals & 1 mark Raph Clarke 25 disposals, 1 tackle, 10 marks Adam Cockie 22 disposals, 8 tackles, 5 marks Dean Polo 21 disposals, 4 tackles, 10 marks & 2 goals Jamie Cripps 18 disposals, 1 tackle & 2 marks James Hallahan 17 disposals, 7 marks Jackson Ferguson 17 disposals, 2 tackles, 7 marks Farren Ray 17 disposals, 3 tackles & 6 marks Tom Curren 15 disposals, 1 mark & 3 goals Jack Williams 15 disposals, 3 tackles, 3 marks Daniel Markworth 13 disposals, 2 tackles, 4 marks & 2 goals Brett Peake 13 disposals, 5 marks, 1 goal Marcus Marigliani 13 disposals, 2 tackles, 5 marks & 2 goals Chris Michaliades 13 disposals, 6 tackles, 1 mark & 1 goal Terry Milera 10 disposals, 2 tackles, 5 marks Daniel Archer 9 disposals, 4 tackles, 3 marks & 3 goals Tim Mavric 9 disposals, 1 tackle, 4 marks Matt Stapleton 9 disposals, 1 tackle Hamish Shepheard 8 disposals, 1 tackle, 3 marks, 13 hitouts & 1 goal Michael Sikora 5 disposals, 1 tackle, 1 mark, 28 hitouts & 1 goal Jimmy Webster 3 disposals, 1 tackle   2012 AFL Vic Development League Sandringham 7.6 (48) Box Hill Hawks 18.13 (121) Sandringham: Maley Waller Shakallis Slade Meehan Fallon Brown Box Hill Hawks: Monkhorst 4 Cooper 3 Cass 3 Graham 2 Cust Otten Lock Lawlor Northe Post BEST: Sandringham: Plostins Fallon Maley Shakallis Meehan Hobijn-Allen Box Hill Hawks: Ralph Cust Northe Johns Gordon Otten REPORTS: Jordan Staley has accepted a one-week suspension for striking   DEVELOPMENT SQUAD PLAYER STATS Nicolas Winmar 27 disposals, 5 tackles & 2 marks Sam Crocker  16 disposals, 2 tackles & 6 marks Jay Lever 5 disposals, Jordan Staley 7 disposals, 2 marks Michael Meehan 15 disposals, 2 tackles, 6 marks & 1 goal Jesse Plostins 14 disposals, 1 tackle, 7 marks Daniel Sands 17 disposals, 1 tackle Michael Lourey 13 disposals, 4 tackles, 2 marks Peter Shakallis 23 disposals, 2 marks, 3 marks, 1 goal Darcy Brown 19 disposals, 1 tackle, 4 marks, 1 goal Chris Waller 14 disposals, 8 tackles, 1 mark & 1 goal Keiffer Smith-Cameron 8 disposals, 2 marks & 1 mark Mathew Bowles 10 disposals, 6 tackles, 1 mark Anthony Soriano 6 disposals Billymo Rist 5 disposals, 3 tackles, 3 marks Tom Stevens 12 disposals, 5 marks Travis La Rocca 17 disposals, 2 marks Sam Maley 15 disposals, 9 tackles, 1 mark & 1 goal Luke Barnhoorn 14 disposals, 5 marks Ned Fallon 14 disposals, 3 tackles, 3 marks & 1 goal Josh Slade 18 disposals, 1 tackle, 5 marks & 1 goal
  • Round 17 Match Preview Sydney vs St Kilda
    Round 17 Match Preview Sydney vs St Kilda

    Round 17,

    SCG

    Sydney: Sydney impressively defeated a weakened West Coast team at Paterson’s Stadium, to jump to first on the AFL ladder. They have won their last six games, with their last loss coming against St Kilda at Etihad Stadium in round 9. The Swans rise to the top of the ladder, has seen the findings of some young talent. Sam Reid has been impressive up forward, kicking 24 goals this year. Lewis Jetta has also had an impressive year, playing on a half forward flank (36 goals) and also in the midfield. Though the real finding, is tall defender Alex Johnson. At 193cm tall, he will be the ideal match up for Arryn Siposs or as a loose defender. Johnson has played every game this year and has been pivotal to the defence, as he can play as a second tall and free up either Heath Grundy or Ted Richards. St Kilda: St Kilda just defeated a strong Brisbane Lions team last round, to record their first two game winning streak since round three. St Kilda has been up and down this year, though their biggest defeat was 35 points against Hawthorn in round six. This week, they will be strengthened by the return of Brendon Goddard and Jack Steven. Both are critical to the Saints midfield and will relieve the pressure off Lenny Hayes and Nick Dal Santo. This is a game where Clinton Jones will be very valuable. Jones has been known for his defensive tagging roles in the midfield and he could get the job on star midfielders Josh Kennedy or Kieren Jack. Key Players: Sydney: Adam Goodes, Shane Mumford, Kieren Jack, Alex Johnson, Ryan O’Keefe. St Kilda: Lenny Hayes, Ben McEvoy, Clint Jones, Ahmed Saad, Sam Fisher. Who’s Missing: Sydney: Gary Rohan, Mark Seaby. St Kilda: Jason Blake, Rhys Stanley, Raph Clarke, Brett Peake, Farren Ray. Key Match Ups: Josh Kennedy vs. Clint Jones: Kennedy is the second best player in the competition when it comes to contested possession and he will need to be stopped to disallow easy access into the Swans forward line. Jones is the man to tag him, as he has been impressive in stopping players in the past. Martin Mattner vs. Ahmed Saad: Saad has started his AFL career in fine form, with 17 goals from 9 games. Mattner will get the job on Saad and this will be an enthralling contest, as Mattner has been in career best form. Prediction: St Kilda defeated an in form Sydney in round 9 by 28 points. The Saints were just better in the stats, however they heavily defeated the Swans with 13 more inside 50’s and 16 more tackles. The Swans were without champion Adam Goodes, although they still had a number of stars playing. The Swans this year are ranked 4th in inside 50’s, whilst the Saints are ranked 8th. The Swans also outrank the Saints in tackles, respectively ranked 2nd and 6th. The Saints will need to produce what they did in round 9 again, as the Swans also have a heavy advantage in the contested possession count, ranked 2nd to 14th. If Swan players such as Jack, Kennedy and Jude Bolton can get their hands on the ball first; Reid, Goodes and the Swans other forwards will be able to capitalize on the score board. Both teams have a strong forward line, though the Swans edge the Saints in the midfield. This will be a close game, however the Swans’ impressive form will edge out a fighting Saints. Swans by 10.
  • Arryn Siposs makes the transition from childhood Saints fan to Rising Saints Star
    Arryn Siposs makes the transition from childhood Saints fan to Rising Saints Star
    For the fifth successive match Arryn Siposs had at least 14 possessions against Brisbane in Round 16 at the Gabba and he has averaged 16.0 possessions a game in his last five games. In his first eight AFL matches before this sequence begun Siposs averaged 5.3 possessions a game and his most possessions in a game was 11. During the 71 point Round 15 victory against Essendon at Etihad Stadium  Siposs played brilliantly to have 12 kicks, five handballs, six marks, kick two goals, have one goal assist and use the ball superbly to have a disposal efficiency of 88%. In recognition of this performance Siposs received the Round 15 AFL Rising Star nomination, becoming just the fifth St Kilda player to receive a nomination since the start of the 2004 season, joining Rapael Clarke (Round 22, 2005), Sam Gilbert (Round 16, 2007), Jarryn Geary (Round 8, 2009) and Jack Steven (Round 10, 2011).
    After receiving the Round 15 Rising Star nomination Siposs said "It’s definitely a dream come true for me to play with guys I've been watching for a long time, and I'm just trying to make the most of it."1
    Siposs kicked 99 goals in a season in the Under 16s for Beaconsfield in the Mornington Peninsula Football League however it was a school football match that led to Siposs finally getting a spot on the Dandenong Stingrays list for the 2010 season. Playing for his school Hallam, Siposs kicked eight goals against a Wondonga side that included seven members from the Murray Bushrangers Under 18s side in the TAC Cup. Siposs made the most of his opportunity with the Dandenong Stingrays under 18s in 2010, playing 15 games and kicking 37 goals, ranked fifth in the TAC Cup, he averaged 9.3 kicks, 5.1 handballs and 5.1 marks per game.  Arryn’s Stingrays form resulted in him playing one match for Vic Country at the 2010 NAB AFL Under-18 Championships in which he had 12 possessions including eight contested, kicked one goal and had two goal assists. Torn hip cartilage sustained in the TAC Cup 2010 finals ruled him out of physical testing at the 2010 AFL Draft combine. When the St Kilda Football Club drafted Arryn Siposs with the number 75 selection at the 2010 AFL National Draft he was 188 centimetres tall and weighed 82 kilograms. Hearing his name called out by St Kilda was the ideal result for Arryn and his family who were passionate supporters of the St Kilda Football Club. Arryn’s 2011 pre-season was hampered by a quadriceps injury and after playing the first three Rounds of the 2011 season in the VFL and being named an emergency for Round 6 Arryn Siposs made his AFL debut at 18 years of age in Round 7 2011 against Carlton at Etihad Stadium, becoming the fifth Saint to make their AFL debut in 2011. The week before Arryn made his AFL debut St Kilda football manager Greg Hutchison commented on Siposs "His work without the ball has been good. He's been able to chase and tackle and put some pressure on in the forward line, and his knowledge on where to go to be a target in the forward half has been impressive for (VFL affiliate) Sandy."2 On debut  Siposs showed great composure at the 19 minute mark of the last quarter to kick a set-shot goal from sixty metres out, assisted by a Stephen Milne sheppard in the goalsquare. Against Carlton Siposs had three kicks, one handpass, three marks and 100% disposal efficiency. In the first six minutes of the Round 8 match at the MCG against Hawthorn Siposs showed great composure to set up the opening two goals, both times  with great passes to Nick Riewoldt that allowed the Saints captain to take easy marks whilst running back towards goal. Siposs was in St Kilda’s best players with seven kicks, four handballs, four marks, two goals, two goal assists and 91% disposal efficiency. St Kilda defeated Melbourne by 20 points in Round 9 and Siposs was one of four players along with Jamie Cripps, Nick Winmar and Dean Polo to play in their first victory with the St Kilda Football Club. St Kilda’s opening goal against Melbourne was set up by a precision pass from Siposs which enabled Stephen Milne to take a chest mark. At the start of the last quarter Jamie Cripps was substituted onto the ground to replace fellow 2010 draftee Siposs. After three matches in a row with six possessions from Round 9 to Round 11 Siposs was dropped to the VFL for Round 12 where he remained until Round 20, a shin injury brought his 2011 season to a premature end. Siposs played 5 matches in 2011 averaging 93 minutes, 4.2 kicks, 2.4 handballs, 3.0 marks and 1.0 goals per game, with an elite disposal efficiency of 90.9%. Whilst Siposs only averaged 6.6 possessions a game in 2011, he demonstrated great composure and an ability to make an impact with limited possessions due to his damaging ball use, particularly around goal or delivering the ball inside 50. Siposs was injury free during his second pre-season at AFL level enabling him to increase his strength, by the start of the 2012 season he had added five kilograms to his draft weight, increasing to 87 kilograms. After commencing the season in the VFL Siposs played his first AFL match of the 2012 season in Round 6 against Hawthorn and had more than six possessions for only the second time in his career (coincidently both matches were against Hawthorn), having eight kicks, three handballs and taking four marks. For Round 7 against Carlton Siposs started as the substitute and had four possessions in 13% game time. Siposs was dropped for Round 8 and again used as a substitute in Round 9 against Sydney. Arryn Siposs set a new career high in his ninth AFL match, Round10 against Richmond with 12 possessions in only 28% game time after starting the match as the substitute.  In each his four matches since playing Richmond he has had at least 14 possessions, with 20 in Round 11 vs Gold Coast, 14 in Round 14 vs Adelaide, 17 in Round 15 vs Essendon and 17 vs Brisbane in Round 16. Up to Round 16 Siposs had played eight matches in 2012 averaging 63% game time, 8.6 kicks, 4.0 handballs, 5.0 marks and 1.0 goals per game, with a disposal efficiency of 73%. Throughout 2012 Siposs has spent time playing on a wing as well as in the forward line. Throughout his football career Siposs had never played in the midfield before this season, one of the aims of the move is to develop Arryn into a more rounded footballer and strengthen the defensive side of his game. Siposs has relished increased game-time in recent weeks having played at least 82% game-time in each of his past four games. During this time Siposs has been making a greater impact on the scoreboard, having one goal assist and at least three scoring shots in each of these matches. Four times throughout his carrer Siposs has kicked two goals, his past three matches and Round 8 2011 vs Hawthorn. Against Brisbane on Saturday Siposs kicked a classy goal in general play from the right forward pocket in the second quarter and extended St Kilda’s lead to 11 points with the final goal of the match at the 24 minute mark of the last quarter after taking a well judged contested mark . In the week following Arryn’s Rising Star nomination St Kilda coach Scott Watters said. ``His capacity to play multiple roles combined with his elite kicking skills are highly valued. And with a continued focus on improvement we believe Arryn can develop into an extremely versatile player.''3 The greatest strengths of Arryn’s during his AFL career so far have been his poise and the quality of his ball-use which has resulted in him having a disposal efficiency of at least 80% in nine of his 13 matches. It has been a rapid rise for Arryn Siposs who three years ago in 2009 was not even on the Dandenong Stingrays Under 18s list, he has now made the transition from childhood Saints fan to Rising Saints Star. By Dean Andrews
    1 AFL, Saint Siposs steps up by Ben Collins, AFL.com.au, 10 July 2012
    2 Herald Sun, St Kilda debutant has the Golden Boat by Sam Landsberger, May 9 2011 3 Herald Sun, Versatile Saint Arryn Siposs named AFL Rising Star by Bruce Matthews, July 10 2012
  • Dal Santo OK after knee scare
    Dal Santo OK after knee scare
    During StKilda's round 16 win against Brisbane, Saints midfielder Nick Dal Santo sent a scare through the club and fans when he went down with what looked like a serious knee injury. Speaking with Dean and Frankie on GenYFooty, Dal Santo reveals his initial thoughts on the extent of the injury. "I did get little bit nervous when it happened, I went down and thought I was in little bit of strife." “I just thought I was in a little bit of pain and thought I couldn’t put much weight on it. As I started to walk I actually thought I could get through this and if I could just keep running, I’d be OK." Dal Santo has given himself the all clear and will make himself available for this weeks crucial match against Sydney. “I will be right to play" “Obviously the doctor paid a little bit of attention and I got through it and finished out the game, so should be right to go”
  • Sandringham Zebras vs North Ballarat Round 16 Review
    Sandringham Zebras vs North Ballarat Round 16 Review
    Match report - By Nick Ciantar A 10 goal to 4 second half, sees North Ballarat comfortably defeat Sandringham. On a blustery day at Trevor Barker Beach Oval, Sandringham hosted North Ballarat. With both teams fighting for a finals position, North Ballarat needed to win to strengthen their chances of finishing in the final eight. The Roosters did just that, prevailing by a comfortable 30 points, 18.14 (122) to Sandringham’s 13.14 (92). Both teams started strongly in the first quarter, going goal for goal until Sandringham kicked the last two. Zebra defenders Beau Dowler and Raph Clarke started the game up forward and the change of position seemed to work, with Dowler kicking two early goals and one goal for Clarke. Jack Newnes started the game strong for Sandringham, kicking two goals and had six disposals in that quarter (14 for the game). They led by seven points at the first break. Sandringham’s impressive ball use and structures were starting to show on the scoreboard. They kicked the first three goals of the second quarter and extended their margin to 26 points. However at the 25th minute mark, Ben Cunnington intercepted a Jay Lever kick and kicked the Roosters first goal of the quarter. They then managed to kick the next two goals, to finish the quarter only six points behind Sandringham. The Roosters’ momentum late in the second quarter flowed into the third, by kicking the first two goals. The Roosters were able to get their hands on the ball first and move it into their forward 50 quickly. Myles Sewell was the best on the ground, finishing with 34 disposals and 8 tackles. His work rate in the midfield was outstanding and his 10 disposal third quarter, helped the Roosters gain supremacy in the game. The Roosters kicked six goals to the Zebras two and went into the final break with a 19 point lead. As the rain started to fall in the last quarter, the Roosters continued to stamp their authority on the game. They kicked four goals to Sandringham’s two and their work rate and structures over the entire ground saw them turn the tables in the contest. Gavin Urquhart was strong in the back line, whilst Derick Micallef kicked five impressive goals up forward. Lachlan George’s and Cruize Garlett’s (25 disposals each) run and carry in the midfield set up their scoring options, whilst Cameron Richardson (24 disposals, 6 tackles, 2 goals) was very impressive across a number of positions. For the Zebras, Adam Cockie continued his impressive year in the midfield, finishing with 26 disposals and one goal. Brett Peake (26 disposals) played one of his best games of the year, playing as a rebounding defender and at times a forward. However the Zebras could not match the strength of a determined Roosters team in the second half. North Ballarat turned around a slow start in the second quarter to comfortably defeat Sandringham. Their 10 goals to 4 second half, recorded an impressive victory on the road. They meet Coburg at Mantello Holden Oval next Saturday at 1.10pm, which will be televised on ABC. Sandringham will meet Bendigo at 2pm at Queen Elizabeth Oval. 2012 Peter Jackson VFL Sandringham   6.4  9.7  11.10  13.14 (92) North Ballarat   5.3  8.7  14.11  18.14 (122) Sandringham: Newnes 2 Dowler 2 Cockie  Polo  Marigliani  Peake Curren  Milera  Winmar Clarke  Markworth North Ballarat: Micallef 5 Cunnington 3 McMahon 2 Richardson 2 McKenzie 2 George  Sewell  Edwards  Black BEST: Sandringham: Shepheard Cockie Peake Clarke Ledger Webster North Ballarat: Sewell Richardson Couch George Garlett Cunnington STATS Brett Peake 26 disposals, 1 tackle, 5 marks & goal Adam Cockie 26 disposals, 4 tackles, 4 marks & 1 goal Tom Ledger 18 disposals & 2 tackles Jimmy Webster 17 disposals, 1 mark Seb Ross 17 disposals, 7 tackles, 2 marks Jackson Ferguson 16 disposals, 3 marks Marcus Mariliani 15 disposals, 1 tackle, 5 marks & 1 goal Jack Newnes 14 disposals, 2 goals, 2 tackles & 3 marks Raph Clarke 13 disposals, 1 tackle, 5 marks, 1 goal 2 behinds Terry Milera 13 disposals, 1 goal 4 behinds, 2 tackles & 3 marks Myke Cook 13 disposals, 2 tackles, 3 marks, 1 behind Hamish Shepheard 12 disposals, 2 tackles, 21 hitouts and 2 marks Cameron Shenton 12 disposals, 2 tackles, 2 marks Tom Curren 12 dispsols, 4 marks, 1 goal Daniel Markworth 11 disposals & 1 goal Jay Lever 10 disposals, 3 marks Nicolas Winmar 10 disposals, 4 marks, 1 goal Jamie Cripps 10 disposals, 2 tackles, 1 hitout, 1 behind Beau Dowler 10 disposals, 1 tackle, 3 marks, 2 goals Dean Polo 8 disposals, 1 tackle, 3 marks, 1 goal 2 behinds Sam Crocker 6 disposals, 1 tackle. Daniel Archer 5 disposals, 1 mark, 7 hitouts Jack Beech 2 disposals, 1 tackle, 7 hitouts 2012 AFL Vic Development League Sandringham   4.3  9.9  11.11  16.19 (115) North Ballarat   5.5  6.5  8.9  11.13 (79) GOALS: Sandringham: Brown 4 Sikora 3 Lourey 2 Michaliades 2 Waller  Widdowson  Coleman  Meehan  Maley North Ballarat: Grigg 5 Ross  Nicholls  Evans  Graham  Conroy  Schache BEST: Sandringham: Michaliades Mavric Sikora Lourey Shakallis Brown North Ballarat: Schache Evans Grigg Currie Keeble Watchorn STATS Michael Lourey 25 disposals, 2 goals, 5 marks, 1 tackle Michael Sikora 3 goals, 16 disposals, 43 hitouts, 1 tackle, 2 marks Darcy Brown 4 goals 2 behinds, 9 disposals, 1 tackle Tim Mavric 27 disposals, 12 tackles, 3 marks Chris Waller 20 disposals, 6 tackles, 2 marks, 1 goal Chris Michaliades 15 disposals, 2 goals, 4 tackles, 1 mark Here are some of the best photos from Sundays match, taken by Arj Online Images

    Brett Peake continues to press for recall to StKilda side with another dominant display, collecting 26 disposals, 1 tackle, 5 marks kicked 1 goal which included 22 in first half.

    Adam Cockie had 26 disposals, 4 tackles, 4 marks & 1 goal

    Marcus Mariliani 15 disposals, 1 tackle, 5 marks & 1 goal

    Cameron Shenton 12 disposals, 2 tackles, 2 marks

    Jackson Ferguson 16 disposals, 3 marks

    206cm giant Michael Sikora, who was dropped to Development Squad had massive game in their win over North Ballarat on Sunday. Sikora kicked 3 goals and had 16 disposals, 43 hitouts, 1 tackle, 2 marks.

    Raph Clarke was used up forward for majority of game and had 13 disposals, 1 tackle, 5 marks, 1 goal 2 behinds.

    Terry Milera  had up and down day missing few easy shots and ending game with 13 disposals, 1 goal 4 behinds, 2 tackles & 3 marks

    Jay Lever played down back and collected 10 disposals and 3 marks

    Hamish Shepheard was brilliant in the ruck with no Michael Sikora. Shepheard finished with 12 disposals, 2 tackles, 21 hitouts and 2 marks

    The game threatened to be interrupted by this streaker!

  • Round 16 Match Preview: Brisbane vs. St Kilda
    Round 16 Match Preview: Brisbane vs. St Kilda

    Round 16, The Gabba.

    Brisbane: Brisbane was heavily defeated by 47 points against Sydney last round at the SCG. Sydney took full advantage of Brisbane’s fragile defence, with youngster Sam Reid kicking six goals. The Lions this year have experimented with key defender Daniel Merrett moving into the forward line. In his 14 games this year, he has kicked 21 goals. He is vital to Brisbane’s defence, though he and Jonathon Brown have worked in tandem up forward. Another player that has been vital for Brisbane this year is Pearce Hanley. The lightly built Irishman is a rebounding defender and has played a pivotal part in setting up scoring options. St Kilda: St Kilda destroyed a strong Essendon team by the tune of 71 points at Etihad Stadium last round. St Kilda’s tackling pressure and foot skills were sublime. This week, the Saints play the first of two away games up at the Gabba, before they head to Sydney. They will miss Jack Steven, who has been suspended due to off field indiscretions. It is hard to fault any of the Saints players’ performance against Essendon and there are many players that can be applauded. Beau Wilkes came into the side and played well on Dustin Fletcher. He kicked two goals and by having him as the third tall in the Saints’ forward line, it released the pressure off Justin Koschitzke and Nick Riewoldt. Wilkes’ presence will be vital again, as it will stretch the fragile Lions defence. Milestone: St Kilda: Jason Gram will play his 150th game. Key Players: Brisbane: Pearce Hanley, Daniel Merrett, Dayne Zorko, Andrew Raines, Tom Rockliff. St Kilda: Ben McEvoy, Nick Dal Santo, Tom Simpkin, Beau Wilkes, Sean Dempster. Who’s Missing: Brisbane: Brent Staker, Ash McGrath, Jarrod Polec, Matthew Leuenberger, Mitch Golby, Cheynee Stiller. St Kilda: Rhys Stanley, Jason Blake, Dean Polo, Raph Clarke, Brett Peake, Jack Steven, Brendon Goddard. Key Match Ups: Pearce Hanley vs. Sean Dempster: Hanley is one of Brisbane’s most influential players and he will need to be stopped. Dempster is one of the Saints best stoppers and this is a great match up. Hanley’s run and carry is one of the Lions best and Dempster will need to be at his peak to stop Hanley run the ball out of defence. Andrew Raines vs. Nick Dal Santo: Dal Santo is in great form for the Saints. He was one of the best against Essendon and Andrew Raines will be the perfect match up to stop his influence. Raines has gotten under the skin of Gold Coast champion Gary Ablett and Dal Santo’s near perfect use of the ball, will need to be stopped. Prediction: The game is at the Lions home, though the Saints have won their last two games at the Gabba, with Brisbane’s last win at home against the Saints in round 9, 2008. The Saints are coming off a near flawless win against one of the in-form teams. The Lions have been up and down and are still a young team. Both teams match up well statistically, though the Saints this season have had more marks inside 50 (178 to 151) and more inside 50’s (754 to 661). Brisbane has the advantage in rebound 50’s (534 to 442). The game will go down to which team can rebound out of their 50 better and which team can utilize the ball once marked in their respective 50’s. The Saints’ midfield edges the Lions’ in class and the Saints also have good marking targets and small men up forward. The young Saints defence may have its hands full against Brown and Merrett, although Tom Simpkin has shown that he can battle hard against experienced bodies. The Saints will be too strong for a fighting Lions teams. Saints by 30 points.
  • Hard work rewarded for Arryn Siposs
    Hard work rewarded for Arryn Siposs
    Arryn Siposs has become just fifth Saint in nine years to win a Rising Star nomination after gathering 17 disposals, 6 marks and kicked 2 goals in St Kilda’s 71 point win over Essendon on Saturday Night. The Rising Star nomination has capped off good few weeks which has seen him kick 5 goals and average 17 disposals, 6.6 marks, 3.33 tackles in his last 3 games. Speaking with Daniel Harford on SEN’s HarfTime, St Kilda’s defensive coach Danny Sexton said Arryn had to really work defensively to break into strong St Kilda forward line and his nomination is good reward for all his hard work. “He {Arryn} had a good apprenticeship, he played 5 games last year and unfortunately for Arryn and the club he got injured and he had to come in and basically earn his stripes over again.” Sexton said. “There’s been a lot pressure for spot in forward line this year because Schneider and Milne are proven players and into side this year has come Milera and Saad who have played most games. So Arryn has really had to work hard defensively because with ball he is very clean and he can sniff out a goal.” “But thing we have been very happy with Arryn is he’s been chasing and tackling and referencing to a bloke and opponent much better, so that’s side of his game which he’s lifted and that’s side of his game that has allowed him to get into the team and keep his spot. “It was good for him to have well rounded game on weekend and I think he deserves his Rising Star nomination.” St Kilda coach Scott Watters also praised Arryn’s hard work and development he has made this year. "This year Arryn has dedicated himself to becoming professional in the way he prepares. So to receive a AFL Rising Star nomination on the back of the work he has been committed to is rewarding," Watters said. "His capacity to play multiple roles combined with his elite kicking skills are highly valued. And with a continued focus on improvement we believe Arryn can develop into an extremely versatile player for the Saints." Arryn Siposs was recruited from Beaconsfield Junior Football Club with selection 75 in 2010 AFL Draft and he told saints.com.au that it’s good to get rewarded for some good and consistent form. “To win NAB Rising Star means a lot to me, it’s been good to play some reasonable footy of late and its good to get rewarded for it.” Arryn said. “I’ve been happy I’ve been hitting some form of late; the last 3 games have been reasonably consistent. But now is time to really be consistent and try to keep my spot in the team and finish off season really well.”
  • Stephen Milne stars in his 250th match with five goals in St Kilda’s 71 point win
    Stephen Milne stars in his 250th match with five goals in St Kilda’s 71 point win
    In last night’s 71 point victory against Essendon at Etihad Stadium creative St Kilda small forward Stephen Milne starred in his 250th match with five goals and two goal assists, setting game-highs in both categories.  It was the 16th time in his AFL career that Milne has kicked five goals or more in a match, having reached this mark at least once in nine of his 12 seasons, the exceptions being his debut season of 2001, 2006 and 2007. In the second quarter against Essendon Milne kicked a superb set-shot goal from 48 metres out on the non-preferred side for a right footer to extend the Saints lead to 10 points, he then took centre stage in the third quarter, kicking four goals, all in a different fashion  to put the result of the match beyond doubt.  Milne’s second goal for the match came in the opening minute of the second half, marking a pass from Arryn Siposs 30 metres out from goal on the boundary line, Milne played on, running around to improve the angle but miskicked the ball which led to it landing a couple of metres short, luckily the ball bounced high to evade the outstretched hand of David Myers and went through for a goal. Goal number three was a set-shot 45 metres out from goal as a result of a free kick for being tackled whilst not in possession of the ball. For his fourth goal Milne timed his run to a boundary throw-in to perfection, gathering the loose ball whilst running hard towards goal and snapping truly from 25 metres out.  For his fifth and final goal Milne was running towards goal chasing a loose ball, in trademark Milne fashion whilst under pressure from an opponent he went to ground, gathered the ball, quickly sprung to his feet and kicked the goal from five metres out. St Kilda started the round just outside the eight in ninth position and were given little chance of defeating their bogey side, Essendon who were fourth on the ladder with 10 wins and three losses by a combined margin of 11 points. The Saints performance in which they completely dismantled the Bombers to record a comprehensive victory, gain much needed confidence and bounce back into the eight, together with Milne playing a key role in the victory with his best football for the 2012 season meant that at the end of the night Milne couldn’t have written a better script than what unfolded to celebrate his 250th match for the St Kilda Football Club. In the Round 15 match against Essendon livewire small forward Milne became just the second player to kick 500 goals and play 250 games for St Kilda, joining Stewart Loewe who reached both milestones late in the 1998 season. Reaching the two significant milestones during the 2012 season is a great reward for the persistence and resilience of Stephen Milne who didn’t make his AFL debut until six weeks after turning 21. Throughout his football career, even dating back to before he made his AFL debut Milne has had to fight hard to get the recognition and opportunities that have come much easier for many other players. Despite showing prowess around goal and the ability to get possessions up the ground as a junior footballer Milne had to bide his time and continue persevering before making his AFL debut for St Kilda as a mature age player in 2001. Of the 12,000 plus VFL/AFL players from 1897-2012 Stephen Milne is ranked 47th for career goals with 522, placing him in the top 0.4% of players in the history of the VFL/AFL.  At just 176 centimetres tall Milne is considerably shorter than many of the players surrounding him on the goalkicking list and whilst Milne gets many of his goals as a traditional small crumbing forward would, he also has another string to his bow, being an effective leading target when required which came to the fore during Nick Riewoldt’s abscence for half of the 2010 season due to a hamstring injury. Milne’s teammate Lenny Hayes comments “Sometimes I think he plays like a key forward, not a small forward. When he leads, he’s always in the right spot. He was forever getting told off for being in front of the big fellas when he was meant to be at their feet. He just knew where to go.”1 Five players have kicked their 500th career goal in 2012, with Milne and three current club captains, teammate Nick Riewoldt, Jonathan Brown and Matthew Pavlich being joined in the 500 goal club by Hawthorn’s Lance Franklin today.  After 15 rounds of the 2012 season Milne ranks equal sixth in the AFL for goals with 32, Franklin is leading with 51, ahead of Jack Riewoldt (39) and Nick Riewoldt (38). Throughout his career Milne has kicked 522 goals, 292 behinds for 64% accuracy. Of the 46 players ahead of him on the goal-kicking list only 10 have an accuracy of better than 64%. Milne has shown remarkable durability to play at least 21 matches in nine of his 11 completed seasons, the exceptions being his debut season 2001 (17 games) and 2003 (14). In 1997 playing for the Dandenong Stingrays Milne led the TAC goalkicking with 49 goals. Only one other player from the top nine goalkickers went on to play AFL football, Cameron Ling who kicked 33 goals in 1997 for the Geelong Falcons. Whilst Ling was handy around goal for Geelong throughout his 246 game AFL career he was much better known for his exploits as a hard running midfielder than as a goalkicker. The Dandenong Stingrays finished on top of the ladder with 16 wins and two losses but lost the Grand Final to the North Ballarat Rebels with Rebel Adam Goodes winning the medal for best afield. Despite leading the goalkicking in 1997 Milne was not selected in the TAC Cup team of the year. Milne played for the Essendon Reserves in 1999, kicking 35 goals from 24 matches.  Milne played well rotating between the midfield and forward line to kick three goals in the Grand Final win against St Kilda, the club that he would join months later. In 2000 St Kilda picked Stephen Milne with selection number 23 at the AFL Rookie Draft after Milne had been overlooked by all 16 clubs at the National Draft.  Milne played his junior football with Noble Park and Dandenong Stingrays Under 18s,  he was 176 centimetres tall and weighed 75 kilograms at the time of the draft. Milne was promoted off the St Kilda rookie list at 21 years of age to make his AFL debut in Round 4 2001 against Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium.  In a superb debut Milne had 14 kicks, three handpasses, took seven marks, laid three tackles, kicked two goals and had a disposal efficiency of 88%. Throughout his career Milne has shown that he can be very damaging despite not getting many possessions, one of the first times that this came to the fore was Round 12 against Fremantle at Subiaco, although he was restricted to seven possessions for the match, all kicks, Milne was instrumental in the 10 point victory with three final quarter goals. In his debut season Milne averaged 7.8 kicks, 1.5 handballs, 2.9 marks and 1.6 goals per game with 67% disposal effectiveness. Milne kicked three goals or more four times with a season best of four goals in Round 19 against Port Adelaide at Colonial Stadium. Milne kicked 27 goals for the season, ranked fourth at St Kilda behind Barry Hall, Peter Everitt and Aaron Hamill. Milne played 17 games in 2001, only missing two games after his debut, Round 15 and 16 when he was dropped to the VFL. The Saints had a turbulent 2001 season finishing second last and sacking Malcolm Blight as coach after only 15 Rounds. Grant Thomas was the caretaker coach for the remainder of the season and was appointed the permanent head coach for the 2002 season. Milne only missed one match in 2002, Round 12 when he was a late withdrawal due to an elbow injury. Stephen kicked three or more goals on nine occasions, with a seasons best of five goals in Round 10 against the West Coast Eagles at Colonial Stadium, however his best game of the season was against Sydney in Round 5 at Colonial Stadium even though Milne kicked only one goal. In Round 4 Geelong had thrashed St Kilda by 122 points at Skilled Stadium, the Saints were severely undermanned against Sydney with Nathan Burke, Peter Everitt, Fraser Gerhig, Heath Black, Aaron Hamill, Robert Harvey, Justin Koschitzke and Stewart Loewe all missing due to injury. To prevent a repeat effort of the previous week St Kilda employed defensive tactics and flooded heavily against the Swans turning the game into a low scoring arm wrestle. Spending more time playing up the field than usual Stephen Milne stood out like a beacon, using his creativity to great effect in the congestion to bring his team-mates into the play with his superb ball-use. Milne amassed 18 possessions comprised of 17 kicks and one handball, he also took a season high six marks.  The brave Saints drew with Sydney eight goals, eight behinds apiece and Milne received the first Brownlow votes of his career, being judged best afield by the umpires. Milne polled in one other game during 2002, receiving two votes for his five goal, 15 possession game against West Coast in Round 10. Milne finished sixth in the 2002 Coleman Medal, and was remarkably accurate, kicking 50 goals and only 11 behinds for an elite accuracy of 83.3%.  Milne’s greatest strength besides his accuracy was his unpredictability, enabling him to create goals seemingly from nothing. Milne was rewarded for his great 2002 season with selection in Australia’s International Rules team and seventh place in St Kilda’s best and fairest. In 2002 Milne played 21 matches, averaging 8.4 kicks, 2.3 handball, 2.3 marks and 2.4 goals per game, with 76% disposal effectiveness.  Milne crumbed well in the forward line to record 2.8 groundball gets inside 50 per game, placing him among the league leaders in this category. During the 2002 season Milne easily led the St Kilda goalkicking with 50 goals, more than twice as many goals as the next highest Saint, Aaron Hamill with 22 goals. The only other Saint to kick 20 goals or more was 19 year old Nick Riewoldt (21), who in his second AFL season won St Kilda’s best and fairest and the AFL’s Rising Star award. Milne “began 2003 in slashing form with nine goals in the opening two rounds and 16 from the first five, but a two-game suspension for striking took the wind out of his sails.”2  Milne missed St Kilda’s Round 6 & 7 matches with suspension and returned to the St Kilda line-up for Round 8, however he was unable to recapture his brilliant early season form and was dropped for Round 16. Milne returned to the St Kilda side in Round 17 kicking two goals, however he was suspended again, this time missing one week. Milne returned through the VFL and was unable to regain his place in the St Kilda side for the rest of the season.  In the final five games of the year Milne watched from the sidelines as St Kilda had four successive 10 goal plus victories from Round 18 to Round 21 before losing to Geelong by 19 points at Skilled Stadium in Round 22. The young St Kilda side showed significant improvement in the second half of the season and competition for spots in the side was hotting up. During 2003 Milne averaged 98 minutes, 6.9 kicks, 1.4 handballs, 2.3 marks and 1.9 goals per game with 65% disposal effectiveness. Whilst Milne’s disposal effectiveness still remained very good for a small forward, his average disposals and the impact that he was making on the scoreboard had reduced.  Whereas his accuracy placed him in the absolute elite during 2002, in 2003 he was about average, kicking 26 goals 19 behinds from his 14 games to be ranked third for goals at St Kilda behind Fraser Gehrig and Riewoldt. In Round 2 2003 Milne had 12 kicks, two handpasses, three tackles and kicked five goals against the Adelaide Crows, receiving two Brownlow Medal votes for his brilliant performance in the eight point victory. On three occasions Milne kicked more than three goals, with all of these matches being in the first five rounds, with a season best of five goals and he kicked four goals twice, in Rounds 1 and 5. After Round 5 the most goals he kicked in a game during 2003 was two, three times. Milne’s season had been de-railed by his two suspensions, and in order to remain a key part of the St Kilda side he needed to be more disciplined in the future and avoid missing games due to suspension. Even though he had finished the season in the VFL Milne signed a three-year contract with St Kilda in October 2003. Milne played in St Kilda’s 2004 Pre-Season Wizard Cup premiership against Geelong and although he was having some off-field issues he was able to remain focussed and unaffected whilst representing St Kilda, playing very well during the first 16 rounds, kicking 41 goals and nine times he  kicked at least three goals. Milne received Brownlow Medal votes in two matches during 2004, receiving the single vote in Rounds 8 and 13. Against Collingwood in the Round 8 47 point victory  Milne had 11 kicks, one handball, five marks, one goal assist and kicked five goals.  St Kilda defeated Hawthorn by 66 points in Round 13, Milne was instrumental in the big win with 13 kicks, two handballs, five marks and five goals. Stephen had 17 possessions, two goal assists and kicked six goals in the 108 point Round 10 victory against Carlton at the Docklands but didn’t poll a Brownlow vote, Fraser Gehrig kicked nine goals to receive one vote, with midfielders Nick Dal Santo and Lenny Hayes polling three and two votes respectively. It was the Saints second successive 100 point victory, having defeated West Coast by 101 points the previous round.  After winning their first 10 matches of the season St Kilda were on top of the ladder three games and more than 40 per cent clear of four teams on seven wins. The Saints fell away from Round 11 onwards, splitting the rest of the home and away season with six wins and six losses which resulted in St Kilda slipping to third on the ladder and losing the all important home ground advantage for the first week of the finals. After kicking four goals in Round 16, Milne failed to kick a goal in Round 17 and 18 which resulted in him being dropped. After being named an emergency in Round 19 and Round 21 Milne returned to the St Kilda side for Round 22, he kicked one goal and was left out of the Qualifying Final team to play Brisbane. It was the first final St Kilda had played in since 1998 and Brisbane comprehensively defeated the Saints by 80 points at the Gabba. In wet conditions during the Semi-Final against Sydney at the MCG, a recalled Milne was back to his opportunistic best, scoring four goals from just six kicks as the Saints recorded a 51 point victory and progressed to a Preliminary Final against Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium. Port Adelaide and St Kilda played one of the matches of the season in a great Preliminary Final. St Kilda full-forward Fraser Gehrig registered his 100th goal of the season early in the match which resulted in play being halted for more than five minutes due to many members of the crowd running onto the ground. After leading by a point at three quarter time the Saints fell just short losing by only six points to Port Adelaide. Milne was held goalless as Gehrig, Nick Riewoldt and Luke Ball kicked 10 of St Kilda’s 13 goals between them. In 2004 Milne played 21 matches, averaging 88 minutes, 5.9 kicks, 1.7 handballs, 2.7 marks and 2.2 goals per game with 67.7% disposal effectiveness. On 11 occasions Milne kicked at least three goals, with a season best of six goals, two games with five goals. Milne finished third in St Kilda’s goalkicking with 46, behind Coleman Medallist Gehrig with 103 and Riewoldt with 67. Milne was one of six Saints along with Steven Baker, Luke Ball, Nick Dal Santo, Lenny Hayes and Brett Voss to play all 24 matches in 2005. Milne kicked at least three goals 11 times, including five occasions with four goals or more. Milne polled six Brownlow Medal votes in 2005 comprised of three in Round 22, two in Round 5 and one in Round 10.  In St Kilda’s 68 point Round 5 victory against Richmond Milne had 11 kicks, six marks, six handballs, three goal assists and kicked five goals. Against Sydney in Round 10 Milne had 14 kicks, two handballs, took four marks, kicked three goals, had one goal assist and was sublime with his ball use to have a disposal efficiency of 88%. In Round 22 against Brisbane, Milne had a night out kicking the most goals in a match during the 2005 AFL season with 11 goals straight at the Telstra Dome and becoming just the eighth St Kilda player to kick 10 goals or more in a VFL/AFL match, joining Dave McNamara, Bill Mohr, Allan Davis, George Young, Mark Jackson, Tony Lockett and Fraser Gehrig. Milne had 15 kicks, one handball, took six marks and for just the second time in his career received the three Brownlow Medal votes. St Kilda defeated Brisbane 186 points to 47, registering their third highest score in club history and recording their greatest winning margin with 139 points, eight more than the previous best against Adelaide in Round 7 1991 at Moorabbin. During 2005 Milne’s “scoring accuracy was the best of any forward in the competition at 75%, which included 86% accuracy from set shots. Milne’s average of three groundball-gets inside 50 was the best in the competition, yet he also took 40 marks in the forward 50 and booted more of his goals from marks than from general play.”3 In 2005 Milne was able to maintain very good form throughout the season, kicking 61 goals to finish equal seventh in the AFL goalkicking. Stephen played 24 games, averaging 96 minutes, 8.5 kicks, 2.7 handball, 3.5 marks and 2.5 goals per game, with a disposal efficiency of 69.8%. Milne finished seventh in St Kilda’s 2005 best and fairest and second in the Saints goalkicking behind Fraser Gehrig who won his second Coleman Medal in a row. Milne was ranked fifth at St Kilda for loose-ball gets with 54, behind Nick Dal Santo, Ball, Lenny Hayes and Aussie Jones. While Milne predominantly played as a small forward he also spent some time in the midfield and recorded 17 goal assists and 25 score assists. In 2006 Milne played 22 of St Kilda’s 23 games, having been being dropped for Round 7 against Geelong at the Telstra Dome. Milne averaged 102 minutes, 9.8 kicks, 2.6 handballs, 3.7 marks and 1.3 goals per game with a disposal efficiency of 63.4%. Milne was ranked fifth at St Kilda for score assists and third for goals behind Gehrig and Riewoldt. Milne’s accuracy which had been very good throughout his AFL career, let him down during the 2006 season as he kicked 29 goals, 29 behinds. Milne was only able to kick three goals in a game on three occasions however he spent less time inside forward 50 than in previous seasons and set a new career best with 273 possessions for the season. In their profile of Milne AFL Prospectus 2007 said “Milne pushed up the ground more than ever last season, winning only 41% of his possessions in the forward 50 compared to 59% previously in his career.”4 St Kilda had a disappointing 2006 season and were defeated by Melbourne in the first week of the finals. The St Kilda board reacted swiftly, sacking head coach Grant Thomas and replacing him with Ross Lyon who had been an assistant coach at Sydney for the previous three seasons including the 2005 Premiership.  This decision by the St Kilda board had a direct impact on Milne as Thomas has gone on record as saying that if he had remained as St Kilda’s coach for the 2007 season Milne would not have been playing their as the Saints would have sought a trade for him.  With Thomas being sacked and Lyon becoming St Kilda’s coach, Milne got a reprieve and remained a Saint. Milne played all 22 games during the 2007 season and had a purple patch kicking 13 goals between Round 3 and 7, three times kicking three goals and twice kicking two goals, however Milne did not kick more than two goals in a game for the rest of the season and finished with 32 goals, 22 behinds. In 2007 Milne played 109 minutes a game, averaging 10.1 kicks, 2.1 handballs, 4.5 marks and 1.5 goals per game with a disposal efficiency of 60.7%.    Stephen was ranked number 1 at St Kilda for total minutes played, third for goals and goal assists and fifth for contested marks. “Milne’s scoreboard impact has been slashed in half in the past two seasons after booting a career-high 61 goals in 2005. He has totalled only 61 in the two years since and has been used up the ground more in a bid to increase his impact.”5 Milne received three Brownlow Medal votes for the third time of his career in Round 7 2008 for a scintillating performance against Richmond in which he had 17 possessions, took six marks including five inside 50 and kicked seven goals in St Kilda’s thrilling three point win at the Docklands. Milne was one of only two players to kick more than two goals in the match, the other one being Richmond’s 33 year old Matthew Richardson who had been reinvented as a wingman in 2008 and kicked five goals against St Kilda to receive two Brownlow Medal votes. In the first 12 rounds of the 2008 season Milne kicked 27 goals at 2.3 goals per game which is slightly above his career average of 2.09, and considerably higher than his output during the 2006 and 2007 seasons. St Kilda took the surprise step of dropping Stephen Milne and midfielder Nick Dal Santo for the Round 13 match against Fremantle. At the time of being dropped Dal Santo and Milne had the two longest current consecutive games streaks for the Saints with 114 and 50 games respectively. St Kilda had a hard fought eight point win against Fremantle and Milne and Dal Santo returned the next week to both be named in St Kilda’s best players for the Round 14, 15 point victory over the Kangaroos. Milne had 11 possessions and kicked four influential goals against the Kangaroos, earning him two Brownlow Medal votes. Given that Dal Santo and Milne only spent one week each out of the Saints side it is likely that St Kilda dropped them both to send a message to the entire playing list not just these two players, and encourage the entire team to focus more on the team aspects of their game including sacrificial acts to assist teammates. Whatever the reasons, the entire St Kilda football team looked rejuvenated and a different team after Dal Santo and Milne were dropped. That Milne took the feedback on board from the St Kilda coaches and has been able to adjust his game to become a better player is a credit to him and St Kilda, as some players aren’t prepared to adapt their game for the greater good of the team. In his second game back in the St Kilda side, Round 15 against Carlton Milne was brilliant with 13 kicks, four handballs, four marks, five goals, two goal assists and a disposal efficiency of 82%. Between his career best haul of 11 goals against Brisbane in Round 22 2005 and being dropped in Round 13 2008 Stephen Milne played 58 matches and kicked more than three goals on two occasions, both in 2008, yet after being dropped his form instantly transformed and he kicked more than three goals in his first two matches back in the St Kilda side. Milne suffered a fractured cheekbone in Round 20 2008 against Fremantle at Subiaco. To reduce the risk of further damage he was driven back from Perth to Melbourne with St Kilda medical staff.   Milne showed great courage and mental toughness to play with the fractured cheekbone the very next week against Adelaide in Robert Harvey’s Tribute game at the Telstra Dome. Milne had 20 possessions, took a season high 10 marks and kicked two goals, making a valuable contribution in St Kilda’s 48 point victory. St Kilda registered a 108 point win over Essendon in Round 22 at the Telstra Dome to sneak into fourth place on percentage ahead of Adelaide, Milne played a key role in the thrashing having a then career best 24 possessions and kicking seven goals to receive two Brownlow Medal votes. In 2008 Milne had his most accurate season since 2005 to kick 60 goals 32 behinds and finished second in St Kilda’s goalkicking, five goals behind Captain Nick Riewoldt. In 24 matches during 2008 Milne played 106 minutes a game, averaging 10.6 kicks, 3.3 handballs, 4.3 marks and 2.5 goals a match with a disposal efficiency of 63.2%, he was ranked fifth at St Kilda for inside 50s.  Milne kicked three goals or more eight times, including two bags of seven in Round 7 against Richmond and Round 22 against Essendon. Milne proved to be a barometer of St Kilda during 2008, on all eight occasions that he kicked at least three goals the Saints won. Milne’s tally of seven Brownlow Medal votes was a new career best and ranked him fourth at St Kilda behind Hayes, Riewoldt and Montagna for 2008. In Round 19 2009 with a host of stars missing St Kilda defeated Hawthorn by 25 points at York Park in Tasmania, Milne had 17 possessions, kicked three goals, laid five tackles and received 2 Brownlow medal votes. With a great all round game in Round 22 against Melbourne Milne kicked two goals, had two goal assists and set a career high for disposals with 26, comprised of 14 kicks and 12 handballs, he was also an effective leading target, taking an equal game-high 11 marks in the 47 point victory. During 2009 Milne averaged exactly two goals a game, kicking 46 goals, 28 behinds from 23 matches.  The profile for Milne in AFL Prospectus 2009 said “perceived as a selfish player, he does bring his teammates into the game, recording at least 24 score assists in each of the past three seasons.”6 Like many of his St Kilda teammates Milne increased the defensive pressure that he applied during the 2009 season which resulted in him almost doubling his tackles per game from 1.5 in 2008 to 2.7 in 2009.  In his first eight seasons Milne’s best had been 1.8 tackles per game during the 2006 season. In 2009 Milne averaged 106 minutes, 9.3 kicks, 4.0 handballs, 4.7 marks and 2.0 goals per game with a disposal efficiency of 60.5%. Milne finished third in St Kilda’s goalkicking, behind Riewoldt with 78 goals and Justin Koschitzke with 48 goals. Milne kicked three or more goals 10 times, with a season best five goals against the Western Bulldogs in Round 17.  The dynamic Milne was selected in the initial All-Australian squad of 40. Milne kicked a total of two goals from three finals in 2009, and whilst he wasn’t as damaging on the scoreboard as he and St Kilda would have liked, his work-rate and defensive pressure was still there as he averaged 11.3 possessions and 3.7 tackles a game. At quarter time in Round 3 2010 Stephen Milne was involved in an altercation with several Collingwood staff including their head coach Mick Malthouse. Many players after being involved in such an incident would have been distracted and found it difficult to perform at a high standard for the remaining three quarters. Exacerbating matters Nick Riewoldt seriously injured his hamstring in the final minute of the first half against Collingwood, it was imperative that the Saints found another leading target in the forward line for the second half. Milne was the Saint to step up and provide this target, although he kicked just one goal, he played a great team game, having nine kicks, nine handballs,  seven marks and laying three tackles during St Kilda’s gutsy 28 point victory. In the 15 point Round 4 victory against Fremantle at Etihad Stadium Milne kicked five goals straight including the goal of the week when he used great body positioning to get away from Paul Duffield and proceeded to kick a sublime dribble goal from the right forward pocket at the Coventry end to put the Saints 20 points up in the last quarter. Milne received one vote from True Sainters members for his performance against the Dockers with 12 kicks, nine handballs, five marks including three inside 50, and a goal assist. Milne was at his lively best in Round 11 against Richmond, having 16 kicks, five handballs and kicking five goals, five behinds to receive two Brownlow Medal votes. Milne was a great focal point in attack for St Kilda taking 11 marks including an incredible nine inside 50 and was as effective as ever gathering the loose-ball inside 50, with his 399th career goal he managed to kick another goal of the week contender. Shortly afterwards Milney brought up his 400th career goal with a set shot in the second quarter. In Round 12 against Fremantle at Subiaco, Stephen Milne became only the 21st player to reach 200 career games for St Kilda. In his 200th game Stephen Milne gave St Kilda the perfect start when in true Milne style he managed to dodge three Dockers before snapping truly to register the first goal of the match, earning himself another goal of the week nomination.  Milne had a 200th game to celebrate, kicking four of St Kilda’s eight first half goals and was a major reason for St Kilda enjoying a 25 point lead at the main break which setup the 18 point victory. Milne’s fantastic goal against Fremantle was his fourth goal of the week nomination for 2010.  Given that approximately 200 goals are scored in each AFL round and that Stephen Milne averaged 2.5 goals a game during the first 12 rounds of 2010, for the average AFL player this would result in approximately a 3.75 % chance of being nominated for goal of the week in each round which would equate to one nomination every 27 weeks. As we all know Stephen Milne is not your average AFL footballer, but to be nominated for goal of the week four times in 12 rounds is absolutely extraordinary and underlines Milne’s freakish ability around goal. During captain Nick Riewoldt’s absence Stephen Milne led the St Kilda forward line admirably to be St Kilda’s most effective marking option inside 50, and hurt the opposition on the scoreboard, several times kicking team-lifting goals when the Saints needed them most. Riewoldt returned to the St Kilda side in Round 15 against Brisbane at the Gabba. In the four point Qualifying Final victory against Geelong Stephen Milne was voted best Saint afield by True Sainters members for a brilliant performance both around goal and gaining possessions up the ground. Milne spent time playing in the midfield as well as his customary role as a small forward and was the only player in the match to have two goal assists, he also had 19 possessions, nine marks including four inside 50 and an equal game high three goals.  Milne made a significant contribution when he played in the midfield and laid seven tackles, ranked second at St Kilda behind Hayes with nine. During the second quarter Stephen Milne took centre stage kicking three consecutive goals in six minutes during the middle of the quarter, including the goal of the week when he outbodied his opponent Josh Hunt to mark and played on immediately to kick a dribbling goal from close to the boundary line in the right forward pocket.  During six minutes of Milne magic no other player on the ground scored and St Kilda’s lead extended from two points to 20 points, which ended up being the half-time margin. In 2010 Milne played 25 matches, averaging 106 minutes, 10.4 kicks, 4.6 handballs, 4.4 marks and 2.3 goals per game with a disposal efficiency of 59.7%. Milne finished ninth in St Kilda’s best and fairest and kicked 57 goals, ranked seventh in the AFL and first at St Kilda. Milne received three Brownlow Medal votes in 2010 comprised of two votes in Round 11 against Richmond and one vote a week later in his 200th match against Fremantle.  Milne kicked at least three goals ten times including four consecutive games from Round 9 to Round 12. The profile in the AFL Record Season Guide 2011 said Milne “was comfortably St Kilda’s leading goalkicker and became the go-to man in the absence of Nick Riewoldt for much of the season.”7 In the Round 2 2011 draw against Richmond at the MCG Milne received two Brownlow Medal votes for his performance with 24 possessions, five marks, 11 scoring shots and two score assists. With straight kicking Milne would have been the match-winner and clearly best afield, however his accuracy let him down as he kicked four goals, seven behinds. Small forward dynamo Stephen Milne kicked the second biggest bag of his career, with eight goals against Adelaide in Round 18 and more than doubled Adelaide’s score with 50 points to the Crows 24. Not surprisingly Milne received the three votes on Brownlow Medal night. As well as kicking crumbing goals in the traditional manner for a small forward Milne also proved to be very effective as a leading target, taking an equal game-high three marks inside 50. The modern small forward is expected to attack and make a contribution on the scoreboard whilst also working hard the other way and applying great defensive pressure. Milne was superb in both areas to take full advantage of his opportunities around goal to kick a very accurate eight goals two behinds and he also laid an equal career best seven tackles to be ranked equal third on the ground in this category behind teammates David Armitage and Clinton Jones. In Round 23 against North Melbourne Milne had 14 kicks, three handballs, seven inside 50s, seven marks, and had a significant impact on the scoreboard, kicking four goals and having four goal assists. In 2011 Milne played all 23 matches, averaging 108 minutes, 10.0 kicks, 3.3 handballs, 4.0 marks and 2.4 goals a game with a disposal efficiency of 61.4%. Milne led St Kilda for goals, goal assists and was ranked sixth for kicks, fifth for inside 50s, fourth for loose-ball gets and second for marks inside 50 with 48, five behind Riewoldt.  Milne kicked at least three goals 12 times during 2011 including six straight games from Round 15 to Round 20 when the Saints had a season best six game winning streak.  Milne finished a career best fifth in St Kilda’s 2011 best and fairest. Stephen Milne was named in the forward pocket of the 2011 All-Australian team.  Milne kicked 55 goals during the 2011 home and away season to finish equal fourth in the Coleman Medal with Barry Hall, behind key forwards Lance Franklin, Jack Riewoldt and Travis Cloke. Milne was one of nine players selected in their first All-Australian team and was joined in the team by St Kilda team-mate Nick Dal Santo who was selected in the team for the third time, having previously been chosen in 2005 and 2009. Milne was St Kilda’s best forward during 2011 and was consistently the player to kick-start the Saints into action, having the phenomenal record of kicking the opening goal of the game 11 times from 23 matches, for a strike-rate of 47.8%, head and shoulders above the next best player in the AFL. In 2012 Milne has played all 14 matches in the first 15 rounds, averaging 84% game-time, 10.0 kicks, 2.5 handballs, 3.8 marks and 2.3 goals per game with a disposal efficiency of 58.9%. Milne has kicked 32 goals, ranked second at St Kilda, he is also first for goal assists and second for marks inside 50. Milne has kicked three or more goals five times in 2012, including five goals against Essendon in Round 15 and four goals against Carlton in the Round 7 24 point win at Etihad Stadium. Milne has kicked at least one goal in his past 25 matches, the last time he was kept goalless was Round 13 2011 vs Geelong. In an interview with AFL.com.au in the week of his 250th match Milne commented about the infamous moment from the drawn 2010 Grand Final against Collingwood "There's not a night that goes by where I don't think of that moment in my life. Where would I be right now if that ball had have bounced my way? It would have changed my life and the footy club's life, but everything happens for a reason and we've still got a pretty good chance this year."8 Whilst the ball didn’t bounce Milne’s way on that fateful last Saturday in September 2010 if it wasn’t for some luck and having the right contacts Stephen Milne might not have been provided with the opportunity to play one AFL match let alone 250.  With Essendon short of players for a pre-season practice match in 1999 new recruit Adam Ramanauskas was asked if he knew anyone that could make up the numbers. Ramanauskas suggested his close mate Stephen Milne which resulted in Milne being invited to take part in the Essendon practice match. Milne went on to get a spot Essendon’s supplementary list and played in their 1999 reserves premiership against St Kilda. Whilst Milne never got put on Essendon’s main list and was overlooked by all 16 AFL clubs in the National Draft it was his performances for the Essendon Reserves that led to  St Kilda selecting him in the second round of the 2000 Rookie Draft. It was a football tragedy that the AFL career of Adam Ramanauskas was adversely affected by and cut short by cancer. Ramanauskas was runner-up in the 2000 AFL Rising Star award behind Fremantle’s Paul Haselby and ahead of 20 other nominees including Matthew Pavlich, Andrew Embley, Jude Bolton, Matthew Scarlett and Chad Cornes. Adam was a member of Essendon’s 2000 Premiership side and finished third in the 2002 Essendon best and fairest. In 2002 Ramanuskas was extremely impressive with clean ball handling skills and great composure, averaging 17.3 disposals and a disposal efficiency of 88.7% which placed him in the AFLs elite for this category. Early in the 2003 season at just 22 years of age and in his fifth AFL season Ramanauskas was diagnosed with cancer, and whilst he continued playing AFL football until his retirement in 2008, understandably he was never able to recapture the great heights he had reached during his first four AFL seasons. I am grateful that Adam Ramanauskas was able to make such a brilliant start to his AFL career allowing the football world to witness the great performances that he was capable of as an Essendon midfielder/ half back. I am also thankful that Adam was great mates with Stephen Milne since without this mateship we might not have had the privilege of being enthralled by Milney’s 250 games of brilliant goal sense and creativity at its finest. Of the 64 players selected in the 2000 Rookie Draft Milne is one of only six players still on an AFL list in 2012, along with Michael Doughty (selection 4 – Adelaide), Shane Tuck (23-Hawthorn), Dean Brogan (26-Port Adelaide), Dean Cox (28-West Coast) and James Podsiadly (58-Essendon).  Shane Tuck didn’t play any AFL games for Hawthorn, but has gone onto play more than 150 games for Richmond after they picked him with selection 73 at the 2003 National Draft. James Podsiadly had to wait even longer, only making his debut in 2010 as a 28 year old mature age Rookie for Geelong after they picked him with selection 50 at the 2010 Rookie Draft. Milne has played the second most games of all players recruited through the Rookie Draft, behind only James MacDonald who has played 261 games, comprised of 251 with Melbourne and 10 with Greater Western Sydney this season. In all 12 seasons in the AFL Milne has kicked at least 26 goals, including 50 goals or more five times, 2002 -50, 2005 – 61, 2008 – 60, 2010 – 57 and 2011 – 56. On several occasions before 2011 Milne had been close to making the All-Australian team without being able to break through into the final team. In 2011 Milne kicked more goals than any other small forward, and was also adept at setting up goals for his teammates, leading St Kilda in goal assists. Milne has been one of the best small forwards in the AFL for many years now and it was much deserved that he received recognition with selection in the 2011 All-Australian team. This led to Milne finally being rewarded with a berth in an All-Australian team. Milne holds the record for most goals kicked at Etihad Stadium with 326 goals from 132 games at an average of 2.47 goals per game.  Milne kicked his 300th career goal at Etihad Stadium in Round 20 2011 against Collingwood to break Matthew Lloyd's stadium record of 299 goals. Stephen Milne polarises opinion like few players in the AFL, St Kilda fans love him for his creativity and great goal sense as well as the enthusiasm he shows with his goalkicking celebrations, leading the way singing the St Kilda theme song and finding a way to get under the skin of his opponents. Opposition supporters don’t share the above view and Milne regularly features prominently on most hated player lists, having finished at number one several times. In order to get booed or feature on 'most hated' lists you must be doing something right and making a valuable contribution for your team or else the opposition supporters wouldn't be concerned about you. Milne wouldn't be bothered in the slightest about featuring on these lists. The milestones that Milne has achieved in recent seasons of reaching 250 games, 500 goals and playing more than 10 seasons in the AFL has led to many football followers and people within the football industry reassessing his career and realising that they had under-rated Milne throughout his career and in the past couple of years he has been deservedly receiving greater recognition for his career achievements.  Late in his career Milne has developed into a more consistent player and in each of his past completed four seasons he has kicked at least 45 goals and had at least 300 possessions. In the press conference after Milne’s 250th match St Kilda coach Scott Watters was effusive in his praise for Milne, saying “the way he cares for his family, the way he cares for his teammates, the passion that he brings to our footy club, training-wise and on game day. To do that over 250 games, the impact is immeasurable. He’s a champ, there’s no doubt about it.” Stephen Milne has shown great perseverance, fighting spirit and a positive attitude to bounce back from setbacks and adverse situations throughout his career. The resilience and adaptability Milne has shown to thrive in the AFL for more than a decade as a small forward and become just the ninth Saint to play 250 matches and one of five to kick more than 500 goals, being ranked fourth with 522, behind Tony Locket (898), Bill Mohr (735) and Stewart Loewe (594), and just ahead of Nick Riewoldt (511) highlights the magnificent contribution that Stephen Milne has made to the St Kilda Football Club throughout his career. By Dean Andrews 1. The Age, An unlikely bromance as told to Martin Blake by Lenny Hayes, 7 July 2012 2. AFL, AFL 2004 the official statistical history, page 256. 3. Champion Data, AFL Prospectus 2006 – The essential number cruncher for season 2006, 1st edition page 236. 4. Champion Data, AFL Prospectus 2007 – The essential number cruncher for season 2006, 2nd edition page 258. 5. Champion Data, AFL Prospectus 2008 – The essential number cruncher guide for season 2008, 3rd edition, page 273. 6. Champion Data, AFL Prospectus 2010 – The essential number cruncher guide for season 2010, 5th edition, page 233. 7. AFL, AFL Record Season Guide 2011, page 283. 8 AFL, Saint Survivor by Luke Holmesby, 4 July 2012, AFL.com.au
  • Round 15 Match Preview StKilda vs Essendon
    Round 15 Match Preview StKilda vs Essendon
    Saturday Night under roof at Etihad Stadium will see the Saints come up against their ‘bogey’ side, Essendon who have won last 4 against the Saints. The last time St Kilda won was Round 8, 2009. Since 2004 it is 6 wins a piece. Essendon have been one the inform sides of competition this season, having lost only 3 matches for season by combined total of 11 points. On other hand the Saints up and down season continues having been knocked out of the eight after last week’s loss to North Melbourne. St Kilda has some major concerns heading into this week’s clash, their inability to stop sides scoring against them must be causing headaches for all the coaches. So far in 2012 St Kilda has lost 3 games when they’ve scored over 100 points and further 2 games when scoring over 90 points. In previous 3 years this happened on one occasion, Round 19 2009 ironically that was against Essendon. How can a club that has prided itself on its defensive structures all sudden lose forget how it’s done? It might be due to fact majority of their players just don’t have the skills required to play such attacking brand of football and this in turn costs you on rebound. Essendon play a very attacking and fast style of game, a lot like North Melbourne but unlike the Roos they will hurt you on turnover earlier and won’t give you second chance. If Saints aren’t switched on early or don’t make it count on scoreboard it could get very ugly very early on. The Bombers will be keen to make most of every opportunity in front of goal after being little wasteful in previous weeks. MEDICAL ROOM Once again the Saints ruck stocks have taken a hammering with both backup rucks in Rhys Stanley (hamstring) and Jason Blake (ankle) out for next 4-6 weeks. Rookie Warrick Andreoli (shoulder) is only other player on injury list. Essendon is relatively injury free aswell. David Zaharakis will miss another 4 weeks due to quad injury and Mark McVeigh and Angus Monfries 1-2 weeks away. Brent Prismall has been placed on clubs long term injury list. KEY PLAYERS Michael Hurley has kicked 18 goals this season but has kicked 11 goals in last 2 games. Jobe Watson is the red hot favourite for this year’s Brownlow medal after averaging 29 disposals a game, but more remarkably also averages 1.2 goals a game. Brent Stanton averages 27.6 disposals, 7.4 marks & 4.8 tackles and is in career best form. Sam Fisher, James Gwilt and Adam Schneider have recently returned to Saints lineup after part of season with injury and all are showing signs their best is just around corner after getting much needed minutes into their legs. KEY MATCHUPS Jobe Watson vs Lenny Hayes – Jobe is kind of player that you can’t seem to tag and in past St Kilda has run Lenny Hayes on him. Can probably expect to see the same again. Brent Stanton vs Clint Jones – Jones has returned to side after being late withdrawel last weekend and given Stantons inability to cope or have real impact when given a hard tag I think we’ll see Jones go to him. In recent matches Jones has tagged Stanton limiting him to 16 touches in Rd 3 2011, 11 touches in Rd 8 2010, 13 touches in Rd 8 2009 and 18 touches in Rd 22 2008. David Hille/Patrick Ryder vs Ben McEvoy – The Bombers have thrown surprise by not including the 3rd ruckman but even still McEvoy will have work cut out for himself coming up against one of best combos in competition. He won’t win hitouts but if he can provide a contest and win matchup around ground it will go a long way for Saints. CHANGES ST KILDA St Kilda made 5 changes to team that lost to North Melbourne, of which 3 were forced with injuries to Stanley/Blake and a 2 week suspension to Goddard.  Terry Milera, who was given last minute reprieve last week was omitted again and possibly the surprise was Raph Clarke who most fans thought had been good over last few weeks. After averaging 31 disposals, 5 marks, 4.66 tackles & kicked 2 goals in last 3 weeks in VFL Farren Ray has been rewarded with a recall alongside Tom Simpkin, Clint Jones, Arryn Siposs and Beau Wilkes. Saints fans will be hoping Wilkes can continue his good VFL form after averaging about 4 goals a game. In: Clinton Jones, Farren Ray, Tom Simpkin, Arryn Siposs, Beau Wilkes Out: Jason Blake (Ankle), Raphael Clarke, Brendon Goddard (Suspension), Rhys Stanley (Hamstring), Terry Milera ESSENDON The Bombers lose one their key forwards, Stuart Crameri due to suspension and Cory Dell’Olio has been omitted. Crameri who has kicked 27 goals this season will be big loss but they have regained Alwyn Davey (22 goals) who they hope can make up for the loss. Ricky Dyson also comes into side. In: Ricky Dyson, Alwyn Davey Out: Stewart Crameri (Suspension), Cory Dell'Olio PREDICTION Essendon by 30 points
  • The 44′s
    The 44′s
    This weekend, Stephen Milne, aka the Tip Rat, Yapper, Milney, or ‘you f*ing rapist!’ if you are Mick Malthouse, reaches yet another milestone – 250 games.  Having long ago sewn up the title of the AFL’s most hated player, this season he became only the 4th Saint and 50th player in Aussie rules history to score 500 goals – and only the 3rd small forward to do it, after Kevin Bartlett and Peter Daicos.  Wherever Milne sits amongst that company depends on who you ask, however the fact that he is mentioned in their company says something about his ability and longevity, in one of the most difficult positions in the game. Apart from goal kicking company, Milne shares membership of another exclusive AFL club – the 44’s.  High guernsey numbers, greatness and longevity rarely go together in football.  Many of the games legends – Matthews, Whitten, Lockett, Voss, Hird, Buckley, Ablett, Stewart, Farmer, Judd, Baldock and so on made their names in single figures.  While some such as Barassi, Daicos, Harvey, Koutoufides, Kirk, Walls and Ling have made famous their high numbers, they are the exception to the rule.  It is often seen as a privilege to ‘move down’ as it were, a sign a player has made it.  Following the Saints near perfect 2009 season Zac Dawson moved from 43 to 6 and Clint Jones from 39 to the coveted 4.  The 29 is an interesting guernsey for number nerds with Nathan Burke, Andrew Thompson and then Aussie Jones all moving from it, to 3, 4 and 5 respectively.  For whatever reason, Milney has stuck with the 44 and is part of another select group… Justin ‘Harry’ Madden Essendon 1980-82, 45 games Carlton 1983-96, 287 games After overcoming being shot in the chin as a child, ‘Harry’ began his career at Essendon, although was overshadowed by his brother Simon, no mean feat when you are 206cms.  Moving to Carlton, Madden finished second, by one vote, behind Brad Hardie in the 1985 Brownlow Medal count.  Despite his rivalry with James Manson for the title of most ungainly player in the AFL, Madden went on to become of the greats of Carlton’s 1987 and 1995 premiership teams. [caption id="attachment_2760" align="aligncenter" width="233"]Justin ‘Harry’ Madden Justin ‘Harry’ Madden[/caption] Richard Osborne Fitzroy 1982-92, 187 games Sydney 1993, 16 games Footscray 1994-96, 51 games Collingwood 1997-98, 29 games While he ended up playing at four different clubs, often the mark of unfulfilled potential, Richard Osborne was an excellent player, kicking 574 goals, representing Victoria on seven occasions, topping his clubs goal kicking five times and most importantly taking the pride of the number 44 guernsey with him to each club.  Osborne was the victim of a couple of gruesome injuries in his time, a sickening knee injury, which you can watch here and a head clash at the SCG where he had to leave the ground in an ambulance.  Amazingly he was back playing 3 weeks later, albeit in a helmet. [caption id="attachment_2761" align="aligncenter" width="233"]That’s a Fitzroy jumper, for all you kids out there That’s a Fitzroy jumper, for all you kids out there[/caption] John Platten Hawthorn 1986-97, 258 games The other breed of ‘Rat’ to wear the 44, Platten’s signature was won by the Hawks after a battle with the Blues.  They were repaid almost immediately with Platten sharing the 1987 Brownlow Medal with legendary Saint Tony Lockett.  Over ten years and 250 games later, Platten returned to South Australia regarded as one of the finest rovers of his era and a four time premiership player, a five time all Australian, a state representative on 17 occasions and still with one of the worst hairstyles ever seen on a football field. [caption id="attachment_2762" align="aligncenter" width="300"]Platten in action for South Australia Platten in action for South Australia[/caption] Nigel Lappin Brisbane Bears / Lions 1994-2008, 279 games A member of Brisbane’s ‘Fab Four’, along with captain Michael Voss, Simon Black & Jason Akermanis, they dominated the competition in the early noughties.  Lappin played in all three of the Lions flags and earned all Australian selection from 2001 – 04.  Other individual awards included Victorian selection in 1996, 97 and 99, club captain in 2007 and Australian Asthma Sportsman of the Year 1998. [caption id="attachment_2763" align="aligncenter" width="254"]Nigel Lappin in action against the Western Bulldogs Nigel Lappin in action against the Western Bulldogs[/caption] Corey Enright Geelong 2001- present, 227* games Underrated, quiet achiever and ever reliable are common terms used when discussing Cats defender Corey Enright.  In his first season at Kardinia Park Enright was named best first year player.  A decade later he is a triple premiership player, four time all Australian and best and fairest winner in a premiership year, an honour he shares with former team mate Gary Ablett Jnr and VFL / AFL legends Leigh Matthews, Kevin Bartlett, Jason Dunstall, Simon Black and Michael Voss.  Despite the accolades Enright is still not immune to the wrath of the football gods, as can be seen here. [caption id="attachment_2764" align="aligncenter" width="263"]Enright celebrates another Cats flag Enright celebrates another Cats flag[/caption] David Wirrpanda West Coast 1996-2009, 227 games The only indigenous player thus far to make the number 44 famous, Wirrpanda debuted at age 16 for the Eagles, their youngest ever debutant.  After years of inconsistency Wirrpanda finally hit his straps and earned all Australian selection in the 2005 season, in the next he played in the Eagles’ third premiership.  Since retiring in 2009 Wirrpanda has gone on to fatherhood, dancing with the stars and being immortalised in song. [caption id="attachment_2765" align="aligncenter" width="292"]Young Eagle Gerrick Weedon will continue the indigenous tradition of Wirrpanda’s 44 Young Eagle Gerrick Weedon will continue the indigenous tradition of Wirrpanda’s 44[/caption] Andrew Carrazzo Carlton, 2004 – present, 144* games While not yet in the bracket of the aforementioned, ‘Carrotts’ has been a consistent contributor for the Blues.  A life long Carlton supporter, Carrazzo, was initially drafted by Geelong, however could not crack the senior team in 2002 & 03.  In 2007 he won the Blues’ best & fairest and this year became father to triplets – Grace, Charlotte and Sophia. [caption id="attachment_2766" align="aligncenter" width="199"]Blues midfielder Andrew Carrazzo Blues midfielder Andrew Carrazzo[/caption] Peter Caven Fitzroy, 1991-1993, 39 games Sydney, 1994-1995, 18 games Adelaide, 1996-2000, 82 games Caven did not always wear the number 44, although he did play the bulk of his 139 games in it.  As centre half back for the Adelaide Crows, Caven won two flags in 1997 and 98, although he is best remembered for fainting at the SCG in 1994. [caption id="attachment_2767" align="aligncenter" width="300"]Peter Caven, after his vicious headbutt on Tony Lockett’s elbow in 1994 Peter Caven, after his vicious headbutt on Tony Lockett’s elbow in 1994[/caption] Congratulations to Stephen Milne on his 250th game, click here to watch some of the highlights of the Tip Rat from the past ten and a bit years, including his 11 goals straight against the Brisbane Lions in 2005. To see who Milney rates as his best small forwards, go here. GO SAINTS!!!

    This article was written by Wimnar7 and would like to thank him for allowing us to re-publish it here. You can check it out in its original form on his own personal blog HERE

  • Sandringham Mid Year Review
    Sandringham Mid Year Review

    By Nick Ciantar

    Ladder position after round 13: 5th. Played 11 games: 7 wins, 4 losses, 109.11%. Leading Goal Kicker: Beau Wilkes: 20 goals. Development Squad: Ladder Position after round 13: 5th. Played 11 games: 6 wins, 5 losses, 96.86%. Leading Goal Kicker: Matthew Stapleton and Michael Lourey: 11 goals. Year so far: Sandringham has had a solid start to season 2012. At the half point, they sit 5th on the ladder with four defeats. They started the year strongly, with two fifty plus victories against Box Hill at home and North Ballarat away. They then went on to lose their next two games to Coburg and Williamstown at home, by a combined total of 24 points. Apart from the heavy defeat to Werribee in round 12, Sandringham would be pleased with their progress so far. They have fought admirably in most games and challenged Casey in the last quarter. A worrying sign for Sandringham this year would be the fourth quarter fade outs. Werribee kicked 8 goals to Sandringham’s 0 in the last quarter, which turned a winnable game into a sour defeat. However they turned the tables the following week, starting the last quarter strongly against Casey and almost snatched a game that Casey had control of. Player Watch: Sandringham has been inundated with St Kilda talent and some of their own. From St Kilda; Beau Wilkes has been a stand out in the forward line, Sam Dunell has quietly impressed through various positions and Jackson Ferguson has been solid as a full back. Whilst Tom Curren and Tom Ledger have been consistent in the midfield. Sandringham drafted Adam Cockie, Myke Cook, Michael Sikora, Jackson Coleman, Beau Dowler and Hamish Shepheard at the start of the year. They have all been consistent for the Zebras and Beau Dowler was appointed captain. Cockie and Cook have had stand out years for the Zebras in the midfield, being consistent week in and week out, whilst also kicking goals. Cook played in the State league game and has improved in many areas of his game. Dowler has had a terrific year down back, whilst Sikora has had a terrific year in the ruck. Due to St Kilda’s depth and not many injuries, many of the Sandringham players have not been able to cement a spot in the senior squad. James Hallahan is one of few to play all senior games this season and he has been strong down back, whilst also moving forward on occasions and kicking goals. Michael Lourey, Chris Irving, Chris Michaliades and Darcy Brown have all been in and out of the senior squad, though have taken their chances when given them. Marcus Marigliani played his first senior game in round 13 and impressed. What lies ahead for the second half of the season? Sandringham will go into the second half of the season with confidence. After a strong first half of the year, they will be looking at doing the same. They will be looking at consistency with their game, as fade outs have occurred. They have multiple forward targets, a strong midfield unit and a structurally sound defence. There are many senior players playing in the Development Squad and not many injuries to talk about. Sandringham have the talent to finish in the top four, however consistency will need to be in their mind. They are capable of beating the teams around them (Geelong and Bendigo) and will need to continue that to look at a top four position. With 7 games (not including finals) left in the season (3 at home), Sandringham will be looking at consistency and a top four spot. If they continue the year the way they started, then a top four spot looks likely. Prediction: 4th.
  • "We need to be more consistent" - Nick Dal Santo
    "We need to be more consistent" - Nick Dal Santo
    Speaking with Dean & Frankie on GenYFooty, St Kilda midfielder Nick Dal Santo says the Saints need to find some consistency in their game as they head into the second half of the season. “We’ve never spoken about position on ladder, obviously everyone wants to win premierships and to play finals, so that’s unspoken goal. But I think he {Saints coach Scott Watters} wanted to come in and get used to the group of guys and for us get used to him and be able to improve as a club.” Dal Santo said. “I don’t think we would be overly happy. I think we’d like to have won some more games. We’ve played some really good football in parts but we’re not happy where we are. It is what it is and we will improve from here” “We need to be more consistent, think there are lot clubs in similar situation as us. Some consistency within games but also from week to week. I think competition is so even you don’t have to be off your game by much to be made to look like a fool.” Dal Santo also dismissed talk that the Saints season would be over if they lost to North Melbourne this weekend. “If we happen to lose this weekend it would make us 6 wins, 7 losses and we’d still be in the mix, so there’s still a possibility and there’s still nine games after that. If we can get little bit of a run on, even if we do happen to lose this week which don’t think we will, then we are still in contention. “The bye will freshen us up, like it did for Adelaide when we played them 2 weeks ago and we didn’t have a bye. I think bye will do us world of good.”   YOU CAN WATCH FULL EPISODE OF GEN Y FOOTY BELOW [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaBOl7rHLS8]
  • David Armitage has developed into an integral member of St Kilda’s team
    David Armitage has developed into an integral member of St Kilda’s team
    Over the first half of the 2012 season David Armitage has played the best football of his AFL career and has improved his consistency to frequently feature in St Kilda’s best players, this has resulted in David polling True Sainters votes six times in the first 12 rounds, the equal most with fellow inside midfielder Lenny Hayes. After St Kilda selected him in the first round of the 2006 National Draft it took Armitage longer than expected to cement his position in the St Kilda side, however over the past season and a half he has been a fixture in the Saints line-up having played 34 of the Saints 35 matches from Round 1 2011 onwards. Over his first two seasons in 2007 and 2008 Armitage played a total of 16 matches, during this period Armitage frequently played his best games at AFL level in his first or second week back in the Saints side however his form would then start to drop off which resulted in him being dropped several times in his first two seasons. Whilst Armitage improved during his third and fourth seasons he only managed a total of 12 matches for St Kilda during 2009-2010, four games less than the combined total of his first two seasons. During the 2009 and 2010 seasons there was very strong competition for spots in the St Kilda side, over these two seasons the Saints had 39 wins, 10 losses, and two draws to win a phenomenal 76.5% of their matches during this period. In 2009 St Kilda had the most dominant home and away season in their history and the Saints made the Grand Final in 2009 and 2010. Several times during his third and fourth seasons Armitage after being named in the Saints best players in at least one of his previous two matches was dropped to make way for a star teammate returning from injury. A knee injury in 2010 prevented him from playing at either VFL or AFL level between Round 12 and Round 18 and whilst he returned to the Saints side late in the 2010 season Armitage was hampered by losing considerable match conditioning during his time on the sidelines which prevented him from keeping his place in the Saints team for the finals. At the conclusion of the 2010 season Armitage was ranked 40th of the 80 players selected at the 2006 National Draft with 28 matches, 17 of David’s peers from the 2006 National Draft had played 50 matches or more, headed by Joel Selwood with 94 matches. Armitage started the 2011 season in outstanding fashion to average 20.5 possessions in St Kilda’s first six games of the season and he polled four Brownlow Medal votes during this time.  In his fifth season of AFL football David Armitage cemented his position in the St Kilda side playing 22 of the Saints 23 matches, missing Round 24 against Carlton with suspension. During the first 12 rounds of the 2012 season the left-footed Armitage has played every game for the Saints and is currently in career best form, averaging 22.5 possessions a game over his last six games. Armitage grew up in the Queensland coastal city of Mackay and played for junior club the Eastern Swans, whilst Mackay had a population of approximately 75,000 people at the start of 2005 it had never produced an AFL footballer. To increase his chances of making it onto an AFL list, Armitage at the age of 16 moved almost 1,000kms south to Brisbane for the 2005 football season, with his parents and two siblings remaining in Mackay. Armitage spent two seasons playing for Morningside in the QAFL and whilst he suffered from home sickness during this time David says “They had a great culture at Morningside. I got on really well with all the older blokes, but I was also there with Gavin Urquhart (now at North Melbourne) Courtney Dempsey (Essendon) and Lee Spurr (Fremantle).” 1 David represented Queensland at the National Championships in 2004 for the under 16 side and in 2005 and 2006 for the under 18 side. David’s strengths during these Championships were his clearance work, contested possessions and score assists.  In three matches for Queensland at the Under 18 Championships in 2006 Armitage averaged 12.3 kicks, 7.7 handballs, 2.3 marks and 4.7 clearances per game with a disposal efficiency of 75.0%. David’s superb form at the 2006 Under-18 Championships resulted in him being named at half back in the All-Australian Under-18 Team. Armitage was a member of the 2006 AIS/AFL academy, joined by four fellow Queenslanders including Morningside teammate Gavin Urquhart. Before moving to Brisbane in 2005 David had already played senior football, making his senior debut for the Eastern Swans in Mackay when he was just 14 and David performed superbly to kick five goals on debut at senior level. In 2006 Armitage played in defence and the midfield for Morningside in the seniors and he won the Rising Star Award in the AFL Queensland League, polling 60 votes to beat Ricky Petterd (41), Kurt Tippett (26), Ben Warren (26) and Brent Renouf (21), all four of these players have gone on to play in the AFL.  The profile for Armitage in the AFL Prospectus 2007 said “He ran the quickest time in the agility testing at the 2006 NAB AFL Draft Camp and was also in the top 15% in the 3 km time trial.”2 During his two seasons at Morningside David’s draft prospects improved dramatically, in his first season he was considered a chance to be drafted, however after great form in 2006 and strong testing results at the 2006 NAB AFL Draft Camp, on the eve of the 2006 National Draft Armitage  was widely expected to be selected in the first round and there had been speculation that David could be taken as high as pick four by his home state AFL club, the Brisbane Lions. The Lions picked ruckman Matthew Leunberger at number 4 and David Armitage was picked by St Kilda with selection 9 at the 2006 National Draft. Armitage was recruited from Queensland club Morningside at 18 years of age, he was 183 centimetres tall and weighed 80 kilograms. During his two years living in Brisbane two families provided David with a place to live for a year each, one of these families was the Urquharts, and their son Gavin was selected in the same year as David with selection 21 by North Melbourne. David was the first player selected from the QAFL in 2006 and Gavin Urquhart was the third, with Shaun Hampson splitting them, being recruited from Mt Gravatt with selection 17 by Carlton. At the start of the 2006 season David Armitage was not included in Champion Data’s list of Potential Top 25 selections at the 2006 National Draft, he was one of three players selected in the top 12 that weren’t included on the 25 player list with the other two being Travis Boak and James Frawley, selected with picks 5 and 12 respectively. In the AFL Prospectus 2007 when looking at the top 25 selections missed by Champion Data in the previous year Adrian Caruso and Glenn Luff wrote “Boak was in the mix and stiff to miss out, however we believed that Armitage’s form to that date did not warrant his inclusion and it was his significant improvement in 2006 that boosted his stocks.”3 After starting the 2007 season with St Kilda’s VFL affiliate club, the Casey Scorpians and being named an emergency for Rounds 6 and 7 David Armitage made his AFL debut at 18 years of age in the  Round 8 28 point loss against Hawthorn at the MCG. On debut Armitage had five kicks, four handballs, took three marks and laid four tackles. Armitage retained his position in the St Kilda side for the next two games but had less than 10 disposals in each of these games and was dropped for Round 11. Armitage spent the rest of the season playing for Casey and was frequently in the Scorpians best players. In 2007 Armitage played three AFL matches averaging 48 minutes, 3.7 kicks, 3.0 handballs, 2.3 marks and 2.3 tackles per game with an exceptional disposal efficiency of 90.0%. Armitage played 17 games for Casey in the VFL during 2007 and averaged just under a goal per match with a total of 16 goals for the season. Armitage played all four 2008 pre-season games for St Kilda including the Wizard Cup Grand Final win against the Adelaide Crows at AAMI Stadium, David kicked four goals during the pre-season competition, ranked equal fourth at St Kilda. St Kilda overlooked Armitage for the Round 1 2008 side, the VFL season started a week later and in his first game for the season David received a one match suspension. After serving his suspension Armitage played one game in the VFL and was selected in the St Kilda side for Round 5 against Essendon. Armitage was impressive against the Bombers with 13 kicks, seven handballs, four marks, three tackles and two goals. Armitage played the next three matches for St Kilda, kicking four goals during this period but failing to have more than 10 possessions in any of these games and was dropped for Round 9, being named an emergency.  Armitage was recalled for Round 10 against Melbourne, having 16 possessions and laying four tackles but after having 10 possessions and laying one tackle in the 27 point loss to the Western Bulldogs the following week David was again dropped. For the second time in a month Armitage spent just one week in the VFL before being brought back into the St Kilda side and he played five consecutive games from Round 13 to Round 17. In his first two games back David had at least 11 possessions but after having less than 10 possessions in each of his next three games he was dropped back to the VFL for the third time in 2008. Armitage was named an emergency for Round 22 and the Qualifying Final against Geelong and then returned to the St Kilda side for the Semi Final, having 10 possessions against Collingwood.  In the 54 point Preliminary Final loss to Hawthorn Armitage had a then equal career low four possessions whilst setting a new personal best with seven tackles. The profile for Armitage in the 2009 AFL Prospectus said Armitage “was dominant at VFL level, being named in the best players in eight of 11 games and averaging 24 disposals, which made it even more surprising that he struggled to get more opportunities at senior level.”4 Seven times during the 2008 season Armitage had at least 10 possessions, on four of these occasions David did not play in the AFL the previous week and in his first two seasons a strong pattern had emerged with Armitage’s best performances coming in the first week or two after being recalled to the St Kilda side and then his output would drop significantly after several consecutive games for the Saints in the AFL. In 2008 Armitage played 13 matches averaging 74 minutes, 5.9 kicks, 4.3 handballs, 3.0 marks and 3.3 tackles per game with a disposal efficiency of 76.7%.  During 2008 Armitage averaged 0.77 goals per game, ranked sixth at St Kilda behind Nick Riewoldt (2.71 goals per game), Stephen Milne (2.5),  Adam Schneider (1.47), Justin Koshitzke (1.36) and Jason Gram (0.8). The profile for Armitage in the AFL Record Guide to Season 2009 said “The former Queenslander knows how to win the ball at stoppages, but needs to develop his run and outside game.”5 St Kilda were the dominant side during the 2009 home and away season and Armitage was on the cusp of senior selection for much of the season having been named an emergency nine times in the first 18 rounds. Even with a host of stars including Lenny Hayes, Leigh Montagna, Nick Riewoldt and Brendon Goddard missing the Round 19 match against Hawthorn at Aurora Stadium Armitage was still overlooked, being named as an emergency yet again. It was only when Nick Dal Santo was a late withdrawal with illness that Armitage was brought into the St Kilda side. Armitage made the most of his late call-up and was outstanding with 17 kicks, five handballs, five marks, a goal and 10 tackles. The Saints applied immense defensive pressure, laying 115 tackles to Hawthorn’s 68 during the 25 point victory. Armitage received the first Brownlow Medal votes of his career, being judged best afield even though he spent most of the final quarter off the ground due to an injury concern. St Kilda’s star players returned for Round 20 against Essendon, yet the Saints suffered a shock two point loss. Armitage kicked two goals and was kept to only seven possessions against Essendon, he was dropped for the Round 21 match against North Melbourne, being named as an emergency. Lenny Hayes was a late withdrawal for the match against the Kangaroos which resulted in Armitage being a late inclusion to the St Kilda side for the second time in three weeks. David had nine kicks, nine handballs and laid 13 tackles against North Melbourne to be named in St Kilda’s best players in the official AFL records. St Kilda lost to North Melbourne by five points to make it two losses in a row after starting the season with a club record 19 straight wins. St Kilda vice-captain Lenny Hayes returned to the St Kilda line-up for Round 22 against Melbourne at the MCG. David Armitage was the one who lost his spot and could be considered very unlucky after being named in St Kilda’s best players in two of his three matches. Armitage was unable to get back into the St Kilda side during the 2009 season, being named an emergency for the Preliminary Final against the Western Bulldogs and the 12 point Grand Final loss to Geelong. In 2009 Armitage played three matches averaging 83 minutes, 10.0 kicks, 5.7 handballs, 3.0 marks and 8.7 tackles per game with a disposal efficiency of 68.1%. Armitage continued to excel in the VFL, finishing second in Sandringham’s best and fairest. Armitage had a strong pre-season and played all four of St Kilda’s 2010 NAB Cup matches with the highlight being 26 disposals and seven tackles in the opening round of the NAB Cup against Collingwood. David commenced his fourth AFL season in the St Kilda side and played the first six matches of the 2010 season setting a new personal best for consecutive matches at AFL level. David played with greater consistency than in previous seasons and had at least 10 possessions in all six games with the highlight being 12 kicks, 12 handballs, five marks and five tackles  in the 15 point Round 4 victory against Fremantle at Etihad Stadium. Although Armitage had only 10 possessions in Round 6 against the Western Bulldogs he was influential in the Saints great fightback, kicking two of the last four goals of the match allowing St Kilda to remain within striking distance of the Western Bulldogs, the Saints kicked three goals to nil after the 18 minute mark of the last quarter to gain a hard fought three point victory, 49 points to 46 in a dour contest. In Round 7 Jason Gram returned after two weeks on the sidelines with a groin injury and Armitage was the player who lost his spot in the team.  Armitage returned to the St Kilda side in Round 8, having 13 possessions and laying six tackles against Essendon. Armitage was dropped from the St Kilda side, Sandringham had the bye in Round 9, he played  in the VFL in Round 10 was named an emergency by St Kilda for Round 11, he then suffered a set-back with a knee injury that  forced him to miss six VFL matches. After returning through the VFL in Round 19 Armitage was named in St Kilda’s side for Round 21 against Richmond.  Armitage had 13 possessions against the Tigers followed by 21 disposals and seven tackles against Adelaide in Round 22. Stephen Milne returned from an ankle injury for the Qualifying Final against Geelong, David was dropped and he didn’t play in any of St Kilda’s four finals in 2010 however he was named an emergency for the Qualifying Final as well as Grand Final Replay against Collingwood. When Armitage was recalled to the St Kilda side for Round 21 he had only played two games at VFL level after missing six matches with his knee injury. Armitage commented “My goal was just to get back to play senior footy and it was pleasing to get a couple of games at the end of the season.” Armitage goes on to say “However, there was no way I could have played in the finals because I wasn't fit enough. I understand that completely. I'm a realist."6 In 2010 Armitage played nine matches averaging 83 minutes, 7.1 kicks, 8.7 handballs, 3.2 marks and 5.6 tackles per game with a disposal efficiency of 71.8%. In the first six Rounds of the 2010 season Armitage was ranked sixth at St Kilda with 0.90 supercoach points per minute, however he played only 66% game time during this period.  During 2010 Armitage “averaged the least game time of any midfielder at the Saints, but had an impact when he was on the ground, leading the club for disposals-per-minute during Rounds 1-8.” 7 Many people had expected that with the departure of Luke Ball after the 2009 season Armitage would be able to cement his position in the St Kilda side during the 2010 season by taking Ball’s spot as an inside midfielder.  Although Armitage again showed throughout the 2010 season that he was capable of playing some very good football for St Kilda he was unable to do so consistently enough to the satisfaction of the match committee to hold a permanent position in the St Kilda side. Armitage fans could argue that he wasn’t given enough opportunities in terms of playing games for St Kilda and then getting enough game-time when he was in the side.   Due to a variety of factors Armitage received increased opportunities to play for St Kilda during the 2011 season. St Kilda placed a greater emphasis on playing their younger players and due to the introduction of the substitute player during 2011 the ability of clubs to rotate players diminished. The season ending knee injury to champion midfielder Lenny Hayes also created more opportunities for other inside midfielders to step up and take on more responsibility for the Saints. During the Round 2 2011 Friday night draw against Richmond David Armitage set a new career high for possessions having 10 kicks and 15 handballs, he also laid eight tackles. Armitage won a game-high 14 contested possessions and was great around the stoppages having a game-high nine clearances. Armitage received three votes in the True Sainters Player of the Year award for his performance against Richmond and was also one of St Kilda's best players in Round 3 against Essendon. It was just after half-time of the Round 2 match against Richmond that Lenny Hayes suffered a knee injury that required a reconstruction. In May 2011 Armitage said about Lenny Hayes "I speak with him every day, before and after training. We talk about blokes I might likely play against and how to play against them. I try to feed off him and learn from him.”Armitage went on to say "If I can be half the player Lenny is I'd be going all right. I am learning so much from him, but I have a lot of things to work on."8 At Football Park in Round 6 against the Crows Armitage was great around the stoppages, winning a game-high 17 contested possessions and 11 clearances. David finished the game with 14 kicks, 12 handballs and through his work-rate he was able to win six free kicks whilst conceding only one. Armitage received one Brownlow Medal vote for his outstanding match against Adelaide. Armitage polled one vote from True Sainters members for his performance in the Round 9 victory against Melbourne, having nine kicks, eight handballs, laying five tackles and one goal assist. Over the first nine rounds Armitage developed into a fixture of St Kilda’s centre clearance set-up and with 10 contested possessions against Melbourne he moved to 83 for the year to lead St Kilda in this category, seven ahead of second placed Dal Santo. Over the first half of the 2011 season played a similar role to the one Hayes usually plays, spending  a lot of time in the midfield and being a fixture of the Saints centre clearance set-up however in the second half of the season Armitage’s role changed and he was used more in the forward line than the midfield. In the 65 point Round 23 victory against North Melbourne Armitage had 17 kicks, four handballs, laid eight tackles and kicked a goal however he also received a one match suspension as a result of a rough conduct offence against North Melbourne’s Leigh Adams in the second quarter. The Round 24 match against Carlton was the only match David missed in 2011. During 2011 Armitage “ranked second at the club for groundball-gets won inside 50 and fourth for disposals in the zone, also applying the fourth most forward-half pressure acts for the Saints.”9 In 2011 Armitage played 22 matches averaging 90 minutes, 8.2 kicks, 7.1 handballs, 2.9 marks and 4.5 tackles per game with a disposal efficiency of 69.0%. Armitage ranked third at St Kilda for tackles, equal third for hard-ball gets, fourth for clearances and sixth for contested possessions with 167, only 13 behind Leigh Montagna in second place. In the 63 point victory against the Western Bulldogs in Round 3 2012 Armitage laid an equal game-high eight tackles, kicked one goal, had three goal assists, nine kicks, 10 handballs and used the ball well to have a disposal efficiency of 79%. Against Sydney in Round 9 Armitage received two votes from True Sainters members for a superb performance in which he led St Kilda for disposals with 21 kicks and eight handballs.  David also had eight marks, five clearances and 76% disposal efficiency in the 28 point victory. In Round 10 against Richmond Armitage was impressive with two goals, 15 kicks, seven handballs and six marks. Armitage led St Kilda in clearances and contested possessions with seven and 12 respectively. Up to the Round 13 2012 bye  Armitage has played all 12 matches averaging 78% game time, 12.1 kicks, 8.0 handballs, 4.0 marks and 5.2 tackles per game with a disposal efficiency of 73.9%. Armitage ranks sixth at St Kilda for kicks and disposals, third for tackles and centre clearances and fourth for contested possessions, he is also in the top 10 for handballs, marks, goals and goal assists. In every season from 2009 onwards more than 40% of David Armitage’s possessions have been contested, and from 2009 to 2012 Armitage has had a higher proportion of contested possessions than any other midfielder on St Kilda’s 2012 list. David’s proportion of contested possessions has dropped from 47.9% in 2011 to 41.5% in 2012, however this has been as a result of improving his reading of the play which has led to winning more uncontested possessions, improving dramatically from 8.3 per game in 2011, ranked 18th at St Kilda to 12.0 per game in 2012, ranked equal sixth at St Kilda.  Armitage has also slightly improved his contested possessions per game from 7.6 in 2011 to 8.3 in 2012 to be ranked in the top six Saints for both seasons. In 11 of his first 50 matches Armitage had 19 disposals or more, in 2012 Armitage has had 19 or more disposals in eight of his 12 matches including at least 22 disposals in each of his past four games. From 2009 to 2011 Armitage averaged between 15.3 possessions and 15.8 possessions per game in each season, this has increased by more than 25% to 20.1 disposals per game in 2012. Throughout 2011 and 2012 Armitage has benefited from remaining healthy and having much greater continuity with his football which has resulted in his confidence and self-belief growing which in turn has resulted in his consistency improving. In his sixth season of AFL David Armitage is equal third in the 2012 True Sainters Player of the Year Award, having polled nine votes after 12 rounds to be level with Brendon Goddard, four votes behind leader Lenny Hayes with captain Nick Riewoldt second on 10 votes. Nick Dal Santo and Jack Steven are equal fifth on eight votes and no player outside the top six has polled more than three votes. The improvement over the past 18 months of David Armitage who turned 24 earlier this month on June 16 and 22 year old Jack Steven has led to the Saints having increased depth in the midfield and not being as reliant on Hayes, Dal Santo, and Montagna. After being a fringe player at the end of the 2010 season David Armitage has made the much awaited progression over the last season and a half to become an integral member of the St Kilda team. By Dean Andrews
    1. Herald Sun, David Armitage rewarded for staying power by Matt Windley, 1 June 2012
    2. Champion Data, AFL Prospectus the essential number-cruncher for season 2007, page 248
    3. Champion Data, AFL Prospectus the essential number-cruncher for season 2007, page 12
    4. Champion Data, AFL Prospectus the essential number-cruncher for season 2009, page 240
    5.  AFL, AFL Record Guide to Season 2009, page 262
    6. Herald Sun, St Kilda onballer David Armitage poised to fill star Saint Lenny Hayes’s shoes by Rod Nicolson,  9 May 2011
    7. Champion Data, AFL Prospectus the essential number-cruncher for season 2011, page 245
    8. Herald Sun, St Kilda onballer David Armitage poised to fill star Saint Lenny Hayes’s shoes by Rod Nicolson,  9 May 2011
    9. Champion Data, AFL Prospectus the essential number-cruncher for season 2012, page 275
  • St Kilda Mid Season Review
    St Kilda Mid Season Review
    There has been much discussion over the appointment of Scott Watters as head coach after the shock departure of Ross Lyon. It’s been well documented his experience ranges from coaching in WA, to working with troubled teens, to working closely with Mick Malthouse in a premiership team. His wide and varied skills would be put to the test when working with a team that for many years had been at the top of their game and almost achieved ultimate glory. Many stars of the team were considered too old, too injured or too jaded to go around again and be competitive. Could Watters bring all that he had learnt with a fresh approach and revitalise a tired and in what the media liked to call a “spiritless” Club? Watters introduced a new coaching panel which included a couple of favourite sons. In the roles of specialist coaches, Max Hudgton, Aaron Hammil and Troy Schwarze, who all had great playing careers in their own right, bring a wealth of knowledge from not only their playing days but coaching at a variety of levels. Their main function was to work one on one with players in their respective areas. Their impact has been immediate and positive. The development of players such as Simpkin, Saad, Milera, Newnes & Siposs has been fast tracked with all playing invaluable senior games. Tom Simpkin is in the same mould as Hudghton, not only in height and weight but in endeavour and courage. The youngster, who up until this year had only played 2 senior matches, has taken on some of the leagues’ biggest and best full forwards. The specialist mentoring he is receiving is evident as he continues to master one of the hardest positions on the field. One of Watters main focuses was to create a team that was balanced with both older more experienced players with an injection of youth. Along with the specialist coaching, the senior players have also taken on a mentoring role both on and off the field. The issue of real depth, not just names on paper, has been at the forefront for the Saints recruiting and coaching staff. Most of the media and wider football community has believed St Kilda had no depth and no quality youngsters coming through. After 12 rounds, the Saints have blown that theory out of the window. While Jack Steven, Jarryn Geary & David Armitage have been on the seniors list for a number of years, they had limited game time under the previous coach, however this year, consistency in playing and injury sees them all playing solid senior footy and have taken their games to the next level. The two new excitement machines in Milera and Saad have added speed, agility and abit of an unknown factor to the forward line. They know where the goals are but are also working on the defensive pressure side of their games. This was on display against Carlton when Saad amassed a massive 11 tackles. Until his injury, Rhys Stanley was working hard in becoming a good and solid backup ruckman and mobile forward to assist Riewoldt and Kosi. Both Cripps and Newnes look composed and settled running off the half back line. While they are still learning these positions, the signs are there that they havve what it takes to be very good footballers. All of these guys have made life tough for Dean Polo, Farren Ray, Brett Peake and Raph Clarke to break into the senior team. Throw in Tom Ledger and Beau Wilkes who are also performing extremely well in VFL, it means you have 30-32 players fighting for spot in the side. Last year’s top draft pick, Sebastian Ross, has also been a very consistent performer in the VFL and coach Scott Watters has hinted he will likely play a few games later in season to get a taste so he can build on it for 2013 preseason. Rookies Sam Dunnel, Tom Curren and Jackson Ferguson have been standouts and have put their hand up to be promoted under the AFL' nominated rookie rules. This season has seen St Kilda be transformed from the most defensive sides in the competition to one of the most attacking. To date, St Kilda has averaged 106 points a game, that’s a whopping 20 points more than in 2010 & 2011 and sees them ranked 3rd in AFL. To get a more realistic look you need to go back to the Grant Thomas era of 2004 & 2005 to find a Saints side that averaged over 100 points, in those years we were averaging 108 & 106 respectively. Scoring more has come at a price however as teams are now scoring more freely against us. After 12 rounds, the Saints opposition has averaged 87 points against, which is 16 points more than their average over the previous 3 years. On three occasions in St Kilda has lost a game scoring over 90 points, two of those times scoring over 100. In the previous 3 years this only happened on one occasion, Round 19 2009 against Essendon. The Saints are 6-6 heading into the bye after a few close losses which could have easily turned into wins. Losses against Port (4 points), Fremantle (13 points), Richmond (8 points) and Adelaide (4 points) might come back to haunt us at the business end of the season. Inaccurate kicking has been factor in most of the losses with Kosi, Milne & Riewoldt all missing very easy goals on multiple occasions. Since Round 3 we haven’t been able to string consecutive wins together, with 10 game win/loss streak. In recent weeks St Kilda has received boost with key players Ben McEvoy (knee), Sam Fisher (hamstring) and Adam Schneider (hamstring) returning from fairly long stints on sidelines. Heading into the bye the Saints are relatively injury free with Rhys Stanley the only key player still a few weeks away from a return. Nick Riewoldt is having scans on his calf which officials say he strained within opening minutes of their Round 12 clash against Adelaide and there is some concern he might miss the Round 14 clash against North Melbourne. This healthy list sets St Kilda up for an assault on second half of the year, where history shows they come home strong. From 2007 to 2011 St Kilda has win/loss record of 32 wins, 1 draw and 22 losses in first half of season. In second half season they have record of 39 wins, 2 draws & 14 losses. They have a favourable draw in the run home with winnable games against North Melbourne, Brisbane, Bulldogs, Melbourne and GWS. That won’t be enough to play finals though, so St Kilda will need to win 2 or 3 against Essendon, Sydney, Collingwood, Geelong or Carlton. There’s no reason why they can’t win most of those, after all they demolished Sydney & Carlton earlier in season and Geelong aren’t the team they used to be. Whilst top 4 is out of the question, it is such an even competition that this could be year a club comes from bottom half of eight to win the flag, if everything falls into place. One thing is for certain, the Saints aren’t the big “sliders” that all the experts claimed at start of the year and you would be brave person to say they won’t feature in September. PLAYERS IN FOCUS DAVID ARMITAGE 2012: 12 games, 20.1 disposals, 4 marks, 5.2 tackles, 0.8 goals 2011: 22 games, 15.3 disposals, 2.9 marks, 4.5 tackles, 0.6 goals Many people wondered where David Armitage was in his career leading into this season. Under Ross Lyon he appeared to be “on the outer” and used as a forward tagger which really didn’t suit him. In 2012 he has been used in midfield and it has seen him have a “breakout” year. He has increased his stats in all areas (as shown above) and has become one of the clubs most consistent performers. He has polled votes in True Sainters Player Of Year on 6 occasions and currently sits in 3rd spot only 4 votes behind the leader. LENNY HAYES Ave: 12 games, 25 disposals, 3.1 marks, 6.2 tackles After stepping away from an “official” leadership role, many believed the road back from a serious knee injury would be too much for the heart and soul of the Club. Boy, were they wrong! Lenny has proven once again why he is one of the most respected players in the league. His work ethic, hardness at the contest, ferocious tackling and don’t forget that beautiful sidestep have the veteran playing with a renewed vigor. He is arguably in career best form and polled an incredible 6 times in opening 8 rounds in True Sainters Player Of The Year award, including 3 best on grounds in row from Rounds 3-5. It’s no surprise St Kilda’s clearance stats have skyrocketed this season with inclusion of Lenny back into midfield. NICK RIEWOLDT Ave: 15.2 disposals, 6.8 marks, 2.6 tackles, 2.8 goals Champions are champions for a reason. After admitting 2011 was a year to forget for various reasons, a weight seems to have been lifted. Successful surgery on the troublesome and much talked about knee and the releasing of demons past has the captain playing like the centre half forward that has made him the most decorated player in St Kilda history. With a restructure of the forward line and introduction of new players, the focus has moved from the “kick it to Roo” game plan. This has released him somewhat and given him more freedom to roam higher up the ground. His work off the ball and his gut running is still there and his confidence is his marking and goal kicking is returning. Roo might not be the player of previous years but he is having a much bigger impact than people realize. Not only is he ranked 3rd on the goal kicking ladder but he ranks 3rd in marks, 4th goal assists and 2nd goals contributed. JASON BLAKE Ave: 14.2 disposals, 4.7 marks, 3.3 tackles, 7.7 hitouts A Club and fan favourite, the record holder for playing the most games without a Brownlow vote seemed destined to play another season as a bit player. With the untimely injuries to Ben McEvoy and Rhys Stanley, Blake has had to take the mantle as number 1 ruckman. Given his size many laughed at the idea that he could match it with those towering big men. He has stepped up and taken on the role with aplomb and his past month would see him as one of the best and most valuable players in the team. SEAN DEMPSTER Ave: 17.1 disposals, 6.7 marks, 2.1 tackles Sean Dempster is arguably having his best season of his career, which is a big call considering he came 3rd in Saints Best & Fairest in 2011 and made name for himself as best stopper in the game. He has improved across every statistical category. He ranks 5th in AFL for total marks and at Saints he ranks 2nd for marks, 3rd for one percenters, 3rd for rebound 50’s, 8th in disposals. He is also ranked 8th in disposal efficiency, which has been area of concern in past. JACK STEVEN Ave: 20.8 disposals, 4.5 marks, 4.5 tackles, 0.9 goals In his first 14 AFL matches Jack Steven averaged 11.8 possessions a game and only had more than 14 possessions twice. Since then Steven has played a further 28 matches averaging 21.4 possessions a game and had less than 15 disposals three times. The foundations were set last year, when his mentor Lenny Hayes went down with a season ending injury. Jack had to quickly fill a hole and learn a hard attacking midfield position on the run. The experience, game time and behind the scenes tutoring have worked wonders with him taking his game to the next level this year. He has now become an invaluable and mainstay of the very important midfield team. Jack's work rate, fitness, tackling and running have all markedly improved. ARRYN SIPOSS Ave: 11.2 disposals, 4.3 marks, 2.7 tackles, 0.7 goals Playing and living the dream would be hard for any young kid but in his second year, Arryn seems to be finding his feet and learning the craft of the game. His role seems to have changed somewhat and while that has taken some getting used to, good form in the VFL has led to him playing a number of consecutive senior games. The past 2 games have seen Arryn play his best footy and if he can string a few more games together might find himself receiving Rising Star nomination.
  • Some things in footy can’t be measured by stats
    Some things in footy can’t be measured by stats
    Some things in footy can’t be measured by stats. Emotions are one of them. Sometimes we can control them, put a lid on them, hide them, disguise them or show them openly. We learn from them and they impact our lives re-actively and pro-actively. This is an insight into my emotions / observations / experiences at Saints training sessions over the past couple of weeks. Nick Dal Santo is a happy man, he is a giving man. Out of all the players at training he is the one who gave the most to the fans. Watching him brings me joy. He goes out of his way to pose for photos, give autographs, have conversations with kids, grannies, ferals, everyone. He treats everybody the same, he shows no ego. He is respectful and professional, consistently. Enter BJ Goddard. He presented as an angry, grumpy frustrated man. Last week at training (Gold Coast) while the rest of the team were up and about and had a spring in their step, he was just simply pissed off. He didn't like his boots so took them off right in front of the 200 odd fans who had gathered for their once a year opportunity, and threw them down in disgust on the sidelines right where the trainers were congregated. At the end of that session when he ran off the ground, he realised he had left the said boots on the sidelines and instead of walking 10 metres to gather them up, he yelled at a trainer to get them for him, again in front of the fans. This week at training (Adelaide) the same angry man returned. While waiting for each other to arrive on the track at training, the players have a handball game and a laugh together. BJ doesn’t. He has the same serious face. The looks are of a man with a lot on his mind. At the end of the training session, one of the trainers made a compliment on a good goal he kicked during the session, and BJ grunted at him and made a snappy comment with the same grumpy face. His frustration frustrates me. I wanted to shake him and snap him out of it. Nick Riewoldt - there was a big difference between the two training sessions. At Gold Coast training, our captain was 'normal Nick'. He was first out on the track, moving well, leading well, kicking goals, there was a great vibe around the place. So many little kids continually yell out his name. They all love him. They don’t call him Nick or Roo, they call him again and again by his full name. He acknowledges them, high 5s them, chats to them, poses umpteen times for photos with them, signs footballs, signs guernseys, he genuinely enjoys the interaction. He was engaging with the fans so long that one of the trainers had to blow a loud whistle to let him know that it was time to go. He was the last one to leave the track. First on, last off. He made me feel proud. Fast forward one week to Adelaide training. It started off as ‘normal Nick’. He ran on the track with the same high 5s to the kids at the fence, joined in the handball game while waiting for all the players to emerge and had a laugh or two. Then, while participating in the scratch match something changed. He went to the sidelines away from the bay of about 50 fans, ignoring all their screams of 'Nick Riewoldt, Nick Riewoldt'. That was out of character. This is where I started to feel anxious. Something was wrong. He was right in front of me, and he was talking to a couple of trainers. It was obvious something was troubling him with his left knee. He was touching it in different areas and discussing with the trainers. He then went down the race with them, right past the same kids yelling his name continually, ignored them all as if they weren’t even there. He had a look of something much more important and serious on his face. The training session continued minus our captain. At first I don’t think any of the players noticed, they were all too busy focussing and perfecting their game, and to be honest I don’t think the few onlooking fans were switched on to what was happening either. Most of them were kids. Nick was gone for what seemed like an eternity. I was scared, impatient and worried all at the same time. As the training session was finishing up and players were leaving the track, he emerged. The kids were yelling out to him again, their little hands positioned for a high 5 and they got nothing, and once again he walked right on past them as if they weren’t there and I knew from looking at him that my St Kilda heart was about to break. And he looked a broken man. He had a dot of fresh blood on his knee from an obvious injection and in that moment he crossed paths with the other players who were walking off the track, it was then that they clicked as well. Uh oh, something’s not right with Nick. The kids were oblivious to the situation and still screaming for him to acknowledge them, and one of the trainers yelled at them all to be quiet and let him be. Silence! The vibe of the whole session was changed. Nick went for a jog to the other side of the ground by himself with all trainers eyes on him in anticipation, collective breaths held. At this stage I needed a level head. In my hands I had a pen, a note book, a camera, a mobile phone and trying to use all simultaneously. The kids really had no idea what was going on, their little minds were quickly distracted by the other players giving them a high 5 and an autograph as they went down the race. Normal training was over. But Nick was now down the south end of the ground on his lonesome having a few kicks for goal. Scott Watters and the trainers were all near the dugout, watching him from a distance, and waiting for a miracle that wasn’t going to happen. Nick came back after a few minutes. He was slowly jogging and he looked like the saddest, disappointed man in the land. To his credit as shattered as he was, he managed to give a high 5 to a couple of the little kids who were still waiting for their hero at the race. And then he was gone. Emotions engulf us all, we cannot avoid them, and they all impact us somehow, positive and negative. Last night Dal Santo had a great game, BJ had an indifferent game, Scott Watters played Riewoldt for a reason and Riewoldt never gave up. In all instances, emotions would have impacted their actions, we can’t measure how much, but they impact results and are just as important as the hard ball gets and the tackle counts. This time we didn’t win. And so another emotion kicks in. But one day when it’s meant to be, and all the collective St Kilda souls and emotions are perfectly aligned like ducks in a row we will all share together the best emotion of all, Premiership Elation. And until then, a mixture of emotions will always be within us, the goal is to not avoid them, but to understand them and learn from them and manage the chaos they create. It’s what makes the footy world go round after all. Go Saints! Written by True Sainters member, Jules Anderson (True Blue)
  • Round 12 Match Preview: Adelaide vs. St Kilda
    Round 12 Match Preview: Adelaide vs. St Kilda
    Round 12, AAMI Stadium, 8.10pm Adelaide: Adelaide had the luxury of the bye last week. So far this year they have been in some impressive form with new coach, Brenton Sanderson. The Crows have been strong at home this season, only losing the one game against Collingwood. The improvement of many youngsters has seen the Crows improve in many areas of the game. Patrick Dangerfield, Rory Sloane, Jared Petrenko and Taylor Walker have given the Crows more class. Dangerfield and Sloane have risen to great midfielders, whilst Petrenko and Walker have created more options in the forward line. Walker is the club’s leading goal kicker (27) and has become a formidable force with Kurt Tippett. Their midfield of Dangerfield, Sloane, Scott Thompson and Nathan van Berlo is arguably now one of the best in the competition. The game is also Richard Douglas’ 100th. St Kilda: St Kilda will come into this game with heaps of confidence, after rolling the Suns last week on the Gold Coast. Nick Riewoldt kicked his 500thgoal and finished with 7 for the day. Raphael Clarke and Adam Schneider returned from their injuries and both looked to have settled in. St Kilda won the majority of statistics last week and will be looking at doing the same this week. They will come up against a much stronger opponent and will be looking at a full team performance again. Sam Fisher and Ben McEvoy return and will be much needed against the likes of Taylor Walker and Sam Jacobs. Arryn Siposs played his best game for the year, finishing with 1 goal and 3 behinds. He creates an extra dimension to the team’s forward line and can also be used in defence. Key Players:  Adelaide: Patrick Dangerfield, Taylor Walker, Sam Jacobs, Michael Doughty, Rory Sloane. St Kilda: Ben McEvoy, Nick Riewoldt, Jason Blake, Sam Fisher, Stephen Milne. Who’s Missing: Adelaide: Bernie Vince, Graham Johncock. St Kilda: Rhys Stanley, Farren Ray, Jarryn Geary, Tom Simpkin. Key Match Ups:  Taylor Walker vs. Sam Fisher: This will be one of the main battles in the Crows forward line. Walker is in career best form and may have returning Saint, Sam Fisher. It will be enticing to watch, but the Kurt Tippett vs. James Gwilt battle will also be good. Rory Sloane vs. David Armitage: These are the two new midfield stars. Rory Sloane played his best ever game against Fremantle two rounds ago; finishing with 33 disposals, 9 clearances, 7 tackles and 3 goals. He will most likely come up against David Armitage. Armitage is in career best form and this match up will be pivotal to the game's outcome. Prediction:  This will be one of the most fascinating games of the year. It is the battle of the tall forwards and the midfields. Taylor Walker and Kurt Tippett at the Crows end, whilst Nick Riewoldt and Justin Koschitzke at the other. All four players are in good form and I wouldn’t be surprised if it is a shoot out. The game will be won out of the midfield. Both teams have a stand out midfield with Thompson, Dangerfield, van Berlo and Sloane for the Crows; whilst Lenny Hayes, Nick Dal Santo, Leigh Montagna, David Armitage and Jack Steven for the Saints. The team that can win more clearances may have the better chance at winning. The ruck stocks on both teams will be even, as Jacobs is in career best form for the Crows, whilst McEvoy returns for the Saints. Both teams are statistically even, though there are some big differences. The Crows have more contested possessions, hit outs and clearances; whilst the Saints have the better disposal efficiency and marks inside 50. Both teams are recognized as teams that handball little, so expect the game to be filled with quick movements into their 50’s. With that being said, the Crows seem to match up better and the game is at home, though it will be close. Adelaide by 15.
  • Robert Harvey – Assistant Coach for the midfield, the return of a St Kilda legend
    Robert Harvey – Assistant Coach for the midfield, the return of a St Kilda legend
  • Gold Coast vs St Kilda Preview
    Gold Coast vs St Kilda Preview

    Round 11, Metricon Stadium, 4.40pm By Nick Ciantar.

    Gold Coast: After a miserable performance against Collingwood last week, the Suns will be looking at a much better effort at home this Saturday. They were heavily defeated in clearances (-30) and contested possessions (-47) and will need to dramatically improve these areas this week. A highlight was Gary Ablett amassing a staggering 53 disposals. Though it begs the question, is it helping or hindering the young team? Nonetheless, Ablett is a champion and will be the man the Saints need to stop. Harley Bennell has been a positive for the Suns this year. After an impressive debut season, he has backed that up with a solid second year. Playing on a half forward flank, Bennell is one of the most impressive youngsters at the Suns. The Suns will be strengthened by the return of Jared Brennan and Brandon Matera. St Kilda: St Kilda fell just short of a victory against the much improved Tigers last Friday night. In what was dubbed the ‘game of the year,’ the Saints matched the Tigers in nearly every aspect of the game. Their main concern was the 12 hit outs (-31) for the match. This week, Jason Blake and Justin Koschitzke come up against Tom Hickey. Some key statistics that the Saints are beating the Suns in are: clearances (ranked 9th to Suns 18th), marks inside 50 (ranked 3rd to Suns 18th) and inside 50’s (ranked 11th to Suns 18th). If the Saints can win it out of the middle, they should be able to utilize this up forward, as they are the third best inside 50 marking side in the league. Ahmed Saad has been impressive so far this year. Saad debuted in round six and has played every game since and kicked at least 1 goal in those 5 matches. His pace and creativity in the forward line, has excited the Saints fans and has relieved some pressure off Stephen Milne. Key Players: Gold Coast: Gary Ablett, Harley Bennell, Sam Iles, Michael Rischitelli, Matthew Warnock. St Kilda: Nick Riewoldt, David Armitage, Jason Blake, Brendon Goddard, Jack Steven. Who’s Missing: Gold Coast: Nathan Bock, David Swallow, Dion Prestia, Tom Lynch, Jarrod Harbrow, Zac Smith. St Kilda: Adam Schneider, Raph Clarke, Sam Fisher, Ben McEvoy, Rhys Stanley, Jarryn Geary. Key Match Ups: Gary Ablett vs. Clint Jones: Ablett is in career best form and is seen as impossible to stop. However, he comes up against an old foe in Clint Jones. In the glory years of 2008-2010, they matched up on each other and it can be seen as 50/50. Gary can still get the ball, though can Clint still minimize his influence? Jared Brennan vs. Sam Gilbert: Both of these players have been criticized more then appreciated and it would be a very interesting match up. They both are athletic and can provide the odd highlight in a game. Brennan will most likely be used as a target up forward and this could be a very tantalizing match up. Prediction: The Saints fell short and the Suns got steamrolled last round. The Saints will go into this game as short priced favourites and there is no reason as to why they shouldn’t. The key areas of clearances, contested possessions and tackles are all in St Kilda’s favour. The improvements of Jack Steven, David Armitage and Tom Simpkin; has added some extra stability to the team. All three can now be seen as regulars in the squad, whereas with the Suns, it is a slow building progress and they would be happy with the improvements of Harley Bennell, Karmichael Hunt and Josh Caddy. The Saints on paper look too strong, though it is not a game that they would want to look at as ‘easy.’ The Suns have lost their last 12 games at home and would be looking at changing this on Saturday. Whoever can win the basics of clearances, contested possessions and tackles; should come out on top. With that being said, St Kilda should have all of them areas covered and will be too strong for a fighting Suns team. Saints by 40.
  • St. Kilda vs. Richmond Preview
    St. Kilda vs. Richmond Preview

    Round 10,

    Etihad Stadium By Nick Ciantar.

    St.Kilda: St. Kilda had a terrific win against Sydney last week. The Saints kicked away in the 2nd and 3rd quarters, to win by 28 points. The much publicized ruck problem was diminished, with Jason Blake having the most hit outs on the ground and being named in the Saints best. The Saints played a tough opponent, however they come up against a rampaging Tigers team tonight. The Saints midfield and forward line will be pivotal again. The emergence of Ahmed Saad and Terry Milera, has added some much needed spark and pace to the Saints forward line. Though, two players that are underrated are Jack Steven and David Armitage. Both are in career best form and have added some extra grunt to the midfield. The Saints tonight will need to win more of the ball. Richmond is ranked 2nd in the league for most disposals this year, whereas St. Kilda is ranked 13th. This may seem as not a key statistic, but the Saints will need to win more of the ball out of the centre. Ivan Maric for Richmond is in career best form and the Saints will need to get their hands on the ball first. The Saints are ranked 8th for clearances, whereas the Tigers are ranked second last. If the Saints can get their hands on the ball first and win the clearances, it will go a long way towards a victory. Richmond: Richmond destroyed the Hawks in the final quarter last week, to win by 62 points. They out muscled the Hawks in the midfield and everyone played their roles. They won almost every aspect of the game and will be looking to do the same tonight. An area that Richmond has improved in is their disposal efficiency. For the last few years, they have been criticized for their disposal; however they have corrected that this year. The improvement of Alex Rance, Reece Conca and Jake Batchelor has added extra flexibility and depth to the Richmond team. These players have been very strong down back this year and it is one of the reasons as to why they have improved. The recruitment of Ivan Maric is a big positive for the Tigers. Maric is in the top five for most hitouts this year and the opposing teams have to deal with his presence. He has also kicked some goals this year and with Tyrone Vickery in the team, they have the upper hand against Jason Blake and Justin Koschitzke. The game will also be Shane Tuck’s 150th and Jack Riewoldt’s 100th. Key Players: St.Kilda: Jason Blake, Jack Steven, David Armitage, James Gwilt, Nick Riewoldt. Richmond: Trent Cotchin, Brett Deledio, Ivan Maric, Alex Rance, Jack Riewoldt. Who’s Missing: St.Kilda: Sam Fisher, Rhys Stanley, Ben McEvoy, Adam Schneider, Jarryn Geary, Raph Clarke. Richmond: Dylan Grimes, Kelvin Moore, Luke McGuane. Key Match Ups: Nick Riewoldt vs. Ben Griffiths: The star against the upcoming kid. Riewoldt has played some great footy this year and if he keeps it up tonight, the star could kick a few goals. It is Griffiths’ second game of the year and he will be faced with a big task. Griffiths played well last week and if he repeats that tonight against one of the best forwards, it will give the Richmond coaches plenty of praise for the young man. David Armitage vs. Trent Cotchin: These are the two new stars on the block. Cotchin can now be rated as one of the best midfielders and Armitage is not that far behind him. Both players can get their own ball and have silky skills. They are both pivotal to their team and they should be lined up on each other at some stage of the night. Prediction: This game has already been hyped as the match of the round. Etihad Stadium will be near full capacity and the game should not let down. The experienced Saints are facing the re-born Tigers. Both teams have been playing some great footy and have both taken some big scalps. The game also has its stars. Riewoldt, Hayes, Dal Santo, Montagna, Armitage and Goddard for the Saints; will come up against Riewoldt, Deledio, Cotchin, Tuck, Foley and Martin. It is the battle of the seasoned stars against the new kids on the block. The game is also important for the ladder. St. Kilda sit in the eight, however the Tigers are hovering just outside with one less win. Both teams will want the win, to prove they are finals contenders. The game will simply go down to who can win the ball out of the middle. The Saints have the stars, though can they match it against one of the in form midfields in the league? This will be pivotal, as both teams have a very strong forward line. Will the Tigers young defence be able to stand up against the likes of Riewoldt, Milne and Koschitzke? If the Tigers defence can not hold their own, the Saints forwards will be too strong. With that being said, the Saints seem to be too strong all over the ground. Saints by 10.
  • St. Kilda vs. Sydney Preview
    St. Kilda vs. Sydney Preview

    Round 9,

    Etihad Stadium.

    By Nick Ciantar.

    St.Kilda: St Kilda fought gallantly against the Eagles last week. After a slow start, St. Kilda bounced back in the second half to lose by thirty points. They lost ruckman Rhys Stanley early in the game and he will be sorely missed. St Kilda kept up with the Eagles in the statistical area, though the Eagles were just too strong. The Saints will be bolstered by the return of key backman James Gwilt. Gwilt has played 4 games with Sandringham and will help the Saints defence. The area that will hurt the Saints, will be having no recognized ruckmen. Justin Koschitzke and Jason Blake will shoulder the ruck loads, though they are not the Ben McEvoy’s or Rhys Stanley’s of the competition. This is where St Kilda will need to use the advantage of the Sydney ruckmen. The game will also be celebrated as Lenny Hayes 250th and Farren Ray’s 150th game. Sydney: The Swans will go into this game with heaps of confidence. After demolishing the Dees last week, they will be looking at bringing the same form into this game. The Swans have won the last two against the Saints, with the last being the famous elimination final at Etihad Stadium. Josh Kennedy has had a stand out year for the Swans. He is first in the league for contested possessions and can kick some goals. Sydney has only lost two games this year, though it is their first game at Etihad Stadium. An area that the Swans would like to improve on, is their marks inside 50. They are ranked first for inside 50’s, though are only ranked 12th for marks inside 50 in the league. With players such as Reid, Roberts-Thomson, O’Keefe and Walsh, they will need to utilize them more to fix this area of their game. Martin Mattner will also play his 200th game. Key Players: St.Kilda: Justin Koschitzke, Jason Blake, Lenny Hayes, Tom Simpkin, Clint Jones. Sydney: Josh Kennedy, Mike Pyke, Ryan O’Keefe, Kieren Jack, Lewis Roberts-Thomson. Who’s Missing: St.Kilda: Rhys Stanley, Adam Schneider, Sam Fisher, Raph Clarke, Ben McEvoy. Sydney: Adam Goodes, Shane Mumford, Gary Rohan, Mark Seaby. Key Match Ups: Clint Jones vs. Josh Kennedy: Kennedy has been in some ripping form and he will come up against one of the best taggers in the game. He has taken that next step and can be seen as one of the best midfielders in the game. Jones will need to play at his best, to stop one of the in form players. Brendon Goddard  vs. Ryan O’Keefe: This will be a cracking match up. Both players should line up on the wing this afternoon. They may not tag each other, though they will play off each other. Both players can be lethal by foot and are very important to their teams. They should be matched up on each other at some stage of the game. Prediction: This will be one of the best games of the round. The Saints have been playing some great footy, though they will miss their two best ruckmen. The Swans though, have been up and down. The loss of Adam Goodes has hurt, though the emergence of Josh Kennedy is great to the team. The Swans also have their ruck problems. They have no Shane Mumford and Mark Seaby is also not playing. It will be Mike Pyke against Justin Koschitzke. Both have their experience in the ruck, though not much off it. The Swans will be getting a lot of inside 50’s and the same with the contested possession. Though, the game is at Melbourne and the Saints will be playing that little bit extra for Lenny Hayes. St. Kilda has been playing some great footy and the ruck crisis is not as bad as everyone thinks. St. Kilda has a second six day break and that will challenge the fitness of some players. The return of Gwilt and the Saints midfield class, may just get them over the line. Saints by 22.
  • On Saturday evening champion St Kilda midfielder Lenny Hayes reaches 250 matches in style
    On Saturday evening champion St Kilda midfielder Lenny Hayes reaches 250 matches in style
    In the Saturday evening Round 9 match against the Sydney Swans at Etihad Stadium champion midfielder Lenny Hayes plays his 250th games for the St Kilda Football Club. Lenny’s return to AFL football in 2012 after a left knee reconstruction early last season has been phenomenal with Hayes continuing in the same superb form he had at the start of 2011 and during his best and fairest winning 2010 season. Players returning from knee reconstructions to the field after close to 12 months on the sidelines are expected to take some time to regain their match conditioning and form however Lenny Hayes has been the exception rather than the rule and over the first eight Rounds of the 2012 season Hayes has been in scintillating form to be one of the form players of not just St Kilda but the entire AFL. Hayes polled votes in five consecutive games of the 2012 True Sainters Player of the Year Award  from Round 2 onwards and after eight rounds he leads  with 13 votes, seven ahead of Brendon Goddard and Nick Riewoldt, Hayes is also equal seventh in the Age Player of the Year Award. On Saturday Hayes will become the eighth player to reach 250 games for St Kilda, joining four ex-teammates Robert Harvey (383 games), Nathan Burke (323), Stewart Loewe (321) and Justin Peckett (252) in this group along with three Saints who made their debuts between 1965 and 1968, Barry Breen (300), Gary Colling (265) and Kevin ‘Cowboy’ Neale (256). Over his outstanding career Lenny has had many significant achievements, including being a three-time All-Australian, two-time best and fairest winner and finishing third in the 2009 Brownlow Medal. However, arguably the greatest achievements throughout Lenny’s brilliant career have been the ability to get the absolute maximum out of himself whilst also providing great leadership both on and off the field to his teammates. One of  Lenny's fantastic traits has been the ability frequently when it looked as though games were slipping away from St Kilda to will himself to elevate his performance to another level, in the process inspiring his teammates to lift their output leading to a St Kilda comeback victory, this was particularly apparent during the 2010 season. Lenny Hayes had an outstanding junior football career which culminated in him captaining his under 18s club NSW-ACT Rams and winning the 1998 Morrish Medal as the best and fairest player in the TAC Cup.  Hayes made his debut for the NSW-ACT Rams at the age of  15 and when he graduated to the AFL he held the Rams games record. Hayes grew up deep in Rugby territory in Pennant Hills, a suburb in Sydney. “Born in Sydney, Hayes’ interest in Aussie Rules was stirred by his father Chris, a Victorian who had played good football at school level.”1  Lenny’s great grandfather Vin Maguire played 43 games in the VFL for Geelong from 1915 to 1918. Lenny was named after his maternal great uncle Leonard. Hayes was a Sydney supporter growing up and would frequently be taken to Sydney’s home games at the SCG by his dad Chris. As a kid Lenny had number 14 on his back, being the number of his idol, 1995 Brownlow Medalist Paul Kelly, it was a very good choice by Lenny and he has gone on to play in the same courageous style as his idol.  During the1998 season Hayes played one reserves match for the AFL club he grew up supporting, Sydney. Before the 1998 National Draft St Kilda Recruiting Manager John Beveridge went up to Sydney, met with Lenny and his parents and discussed the possibility of St Kilda drafting Lenny. The Saints first selection at the 1998 draft was number 11, however St Kilda expected that Sydney would select Hayes with one of their three selections in the first eight picks overall. Sydney’s first two draft selections in 1998 were two players recruited from the SANFL, Nic Fosdike and Ryan Fitzgerald taken at numbers 3 and 4 respectively.  Sydney had their third draft pick of the 1998 National Draft at selection number 8, three choices before St Kilda and chose Jude Bolton from the Calder Cannons who has gone on to become a premiership player and play over 250 games for the Swans. When it was time for St Kilda to make their selection at pick 11 in the 1998 National Draft they were delighted that Lenny Hayes was still available and they had no hesitation in selecting Hayes with this pick.  A sign of how impressed St Kilda were with Hayes was that after the draft John Beveridge offered him  the number 7 jumper, a number that had previously been worn by greats, including most recently, St Kilda Team of the Century wingman Nicky Winmar. Lenny said “I was pretty shocked at first, I hadn’t proven myself or done anything. I’d just been drafted and hadn’t even trained at that stage.”2 John gave Lenny some time to think about it, and after talking to a few people and listening to what St Kilda felt Lenny would be able to offer them throughout his career Hayes accepted the offer to wear the number 7 jumper. Many people were surprised that Sydney didn’t select a local with any of their three first round selections at the 1998 National Draft, however Hayes was not the first New South Wales player picked as Lenny’s teammate from the NSW-ACT Rams Mark McVeigh was selected by Essendon at number nine, one pick after Bolton and two picks before Hayes. The NSW-ACT Rams had five of their players drafted with McVeigh and Hayes being joined by Nick Davis (pick 19), Craig Bolton (34) and Ray Hall (79). Looking back now all three clubs can be very satisfied with their selections of Hayes, Bolton and McVeigh, all three  have become 200 game players with the club that selected them and 14 years after being drafted are still playing in the AFL, long after many of their peers from the first round of the 1998 National Draft have retired. None of the other picks in the top 11 went on to play 200 AFL games with the club that selected them at the 1998 draft and no other first round selections from 1998 are still playing in the AFL after the retirement at the conclusion of the 2011 season by three-time North Melbourne best and fairest winner Brady Rawlings who was selected at pick 15. Whilst Hayes was at the NSW-ACT Rams he was coached by former Sydney rover Steve Wright who was surprised that Hayes snuck through to selection 11 at the 1998 National Draft. Wright said about Hayes “He was excellent in-close, he had very good hands and vision, and he was courageous, we thought those things maybe outweighed the question marks about his lack of pace” Wright added “you’ll notice now that he doesn’t caught too often: he’s got a very good awareness.”3 After starting the 1999 season in the Reserves and being named an emergency in Round 4 Hayes  made his AFL debut aged 19 in Round 5 1999 against the Kangaroos in Sydney, his old home town and after he gathered a bouncing ball on the wing in the last quarter he was knocked down by a legitimate Glenn Archer shirtfront that Lenny still cops a ribbing about to this day from his mates. More importantly Lenny was unflustered and got straight back up after the trademark Archer hip and shoulder. Hayes was dropped twice during the 1999 season, both times spending only one week in the Reserves, in Round 12 and Round 20. Hayes played 16 matches in 1999 averaging 6.0 kicks, 5.1 handballs and 1.9 marks per game. Hayes received a Rising Star nomination for his performance in the 41 point Round 22 victory against the West Coast Eagles at Subiaco Oval in which he had 10 kicks, nine handballs and laid three tackles. The top four players in the 1999 Rising Star award were Adam Goodes, Brett Burton, Simon Black and Dean Rioli. In the 1999 trade period the Sydney Swans enquired about a possible trade for Lenny Hayes after they had been heavily criticised for not drafting a local player in the first round of the 1998 National Draft.  St Kilda were not interested in trading Hayes as they were impressed with Lenny’s first season  and from the moment they drafted him they saw Lenny  having a very long and bright future with the Saints. Under pressure Hayes showed composure to kick a classy goal late in the final quarter of the Round 3 2000 match against West Coast at Docklands, the match ended in the first draw at the new stadium.  Hayes was among the best players, setting a new career high for kicks with 20, seven more than his previous best, he also had five handballs, laid five tackles and took three marks.  Hayes good form continued with 21 possessions against Melbourne in Round 4 and 20 possessions against Richmond in Round 5 to make it three straight games with at least 20 possessions. Hayes well and truly established himself in the St Kilda side during the 2000 season, being one of only five Saints along with Nathan Burke, Tony Delaney, Max Hudghton and Steven Sziller to play all 22 games. In 2000 Hayes played 22 matches, averaging 9.1 kicks, 6.7 handballs and 2.2 marks per game and was ranked third at St Kilda for tackles, handballs and loose ball gets and equal sixth for goals. The profile for Hayes in AFL 2001 the official history of the AFL said “Played every game in 2000, mainly in a forward role, but is expected to push into the midfield because of his hardness at the ball.”4 Hayes received 2 Brownlow Medal votes in Round 7 2001 against Hawthorn at Docklands, the first votes of his AFL career. Lenny had four kicks, three marks, 13 handballs, and laid four tackles in the 11 point loss. In the 11 years since that game between St Kilda and Hawthorn several aspects of AFL Football have changed, with the increased focus on tackling and a rising possession count being two of the main changes.  Hayes four tackles in Round 7 2001 were a game-high for both sides with St Kilda losing the tackle count 26 to 27. In 2012 an AFL club would be disappointed with their work-rate if they laid 27 tackles in a half let alone a full game. During the 2001 season Hayes regularly played as a midfielder and at 21 years of age he played his 50th game in a 10 point victory over Fremantle in Round 12 at Docklands. Reinforcing the old adage that a week is a long time in football, the very next week Hayes injured his shoulder against Richmond in a 39 point loss at Docklands. The shoulder injury kept Hayes on the sidelines for the remainder of the season and the Saints did not win another game until their very last match of the 2001 season when a Barry Hall goal after the siren gave St Kilda a two point victory against Hawthorn at the MCG. In 2001 Hayes played 13 matches, averaging 7.2 kicks, 8.5 handballs and 2.8 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 82.8%. Although he missed nine games due to the shoulder injury Hayes was ranked fifth at St Kilda for handballs and tackles in 2001. In 2002 Hayes went from being a solid contributor to star midfielder and arguably would have won the St Kilda best and fairest if he didn’t suffer a broken hand in the Round 11 game against Brisbane at the Gabba which kept him out for two weeks. Hayes was runner-up in the best and fairest with 125 votes, only seven votes behind winner Nick Riewoldt who also won the Rising Star award in 2002 making it back to back Saints victories after Justin Koschitzke won the award in 2001. Lenny received Brownlow Medal votes in only one of his first 69 matches, however with a great finish to the 2002 season Hayes received Brownlow Medal votes in his final two games of the season, the 70th and 71st matches of his career.  Hayes has gone onto to become a regular vote-getter throughout his career, with his tally at the start of the 2012 season being 103 career Brownlow Medal votes. In Round 21 2002 Hayes received 3 Brownlow Medal votes for his performance in the 11 point loss against Collingwood at the MCG and the following week Hayes received one vote in the 18 point loss to Melbourne at the Docklands. Hayes had 13 kicks and 14 handballs against Collingwood and nine kicks and 16 handballs against Melbourne. Hayes was able to increase his average disposals per game from 15.8 in 2000 and 2001 to 20.2 in 2002. During 2002 Hayes was ranked first at St Kilda for tackles, hard ball gets and handballs, and fifth for kicks. In 2002 Hayes played 20 matches, averaging 10.0 kicks, 10.2 handballs and 3.3 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 82.7%.  Hayes signed a long term contract late in the 2002 season and was being touted as a future St Kilda captain. From 2000 to 2002 the Saints finished 16th, 15th and 15th and changed their coach twice, with Tim Watson resigning during his second year in 2000. During these three seasons the Saints only won a total of 11 games and also had one draw. Malcolm Blight was the coach for 2001 but only lasted 15 games before he was replaced by caretaker coach Grant Thomas. Thomas went on to be appointed as St Kilda’s senior coach for the 2002 season, Thomas remained St Kilda’s coach until the end of the 2006 season and his 123 games as coach has him ranked second on St Kilda’s all-time list, behind Allan Jeans (332) and just ahead of Ross Lyon (121) and Stan Alves (115). In 2003 St Kilda coach Grant Thomas implemented a rotational captaincy policy, whereby a St Kilda player could only be captain for one season, with a new captain being appointed for the following season.   Aaron Hamill, in his third season at St Kilda after spending six years at Carlton was appointed St Kilda captain for 2003. Hamill replaced Robert Harvey, who captained St Kilda for a total of only 19 games in 2001-2002 due to several injuries with the most severe being a knee injury in 2001 and a shoulder injury in 2002. Hamill missed the opening Round of the 2003 season and Lenny Hayes at 23 years of age captained St Kilda for the first time, getting a taste of what was to follow the next season. Hayes received 3 Brownlow Medal votes in Round 6 and Round 7 with 17 kicks, 10 handballs, six marks, two goals and seven tackles against the Western Bulldogs followed by 24 kicks, 10 handballs, 10 marks, two goals and six tackles against Carlton. Hayes exceptional performances in both matches contributed to the Saints recording narrow victories, defeating the Western Bulldogs and Carlton by15 and 12 points respectively. If he wasn’t already an elite midfielder during the 2002 season there was no doubt that during the 2003 season Lenny became one, averaging 25.8 possessions per game to be ranked fifth in the AFL, Hayes was also ranked fifth in the AFL for tackles per game. In 2003 Hayes played 22 matches, averaging 15.5 kicks, 10.3 handballs and 4.2 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 83.8%. Hayes was ranked first at St Kilda for tackles, handballs, inside 50s and loose-ball gets, second for kicks and hard-ball gets, fifth for marks and equal sixth for goals. At the end of the 2003 season Hayes represented Australia in the International Rules Team that toured Ireland. Whilst still playing as an inside midfielder Hayes proportion of contested possessions had steadily decreased from 42.9% in 2001 to 36.7% in 2003, however this was more due to Lenny having more endurance and improving his reading of the play which resulted in him having a greater number of uncontested possessions. Although his proportion of contested possessions had dropped Lenny’s contested possessions per game had actually increased from 6.8 per game to 9.5. In the same time Hayes uncontested possessions rose from 9.0 per game to 16.3, one of the biggest increases in the AFL during this two year period. Hayes was rewarded for his outstanding 2003 season with his first Trevor Barker Award as St Kilda best and fairest and he made his first All Australian team, being named on a wing, Hayes was joined in the side by St Kilda stalwart Robert Harvey. It is fitting that Hayes was selected in the All-Australian team for the first time in the same season that teammate and two-time Brownlow Medalist Harvey was selected for the eighth time which turned out to be his final All-Australian selection. Young current-day St Kilda players draw the same inspiration from the work-ethic, performance and example set by Hayes that Hayes drew from Harvey.  Hayes like Harvey before him is one of the most admired players in the AFL and even rival AFL footballers have mentioned that they draw inspiration from the manner in which Hayes plays his football, the courage that he shows, as well as his hardness and consistency. In his 2008 autobiography ‘Harves strength through loyalty’ Robert Harvey commented “Along with Nathan Burke, the toughest Saint I’ve seen in my time is Lenny Hayes. When I say ‘tough’, I mean running at the man and at the ball fairly. Continually and consistently, he and Burkey were the hardest players I played with. You never get anything different from them. To play with guys like that around you is pretty inspiring and I think Lenny inspires blokes because of that.” 5 St Kilda finished the 2003 season very strongly, winning four of their final five games of the season, with each winning margin being more than 10 goals. Another young emerging side Geelong defeated St Kilda by 19 points at a very blustery Skilled Stadium in Round 22. St Kilda split the season, winning 11 matches and losing 11 matches to finish 11th. Even with this record St Kilda still ended the season two wins behind West Coast and Essendon who finished 7th and 8th respectively. Elite midfielders Hayes and Harvey were the standouts at St Kilda and their outstanding performances together with the improvement of the younger players were the driving forces behind St Kilda’s rise up the ladder. Expectations were high at St Kilda for the 2004 season and beyond as the nucleus of a very good side had been built. Hayes was now the 10th most experienced Saint with 93 games and was one of the most respected players at the St Kilda Football Club due to his hardness, skills, leadership and ability to consistently perform at a high standard no matter what the circumstances were. Only five other players on St Kilda’s list had represented St Kilda in more senior games than Hayes being Harvey (277), Justin Peckett (204), Aussie Jones (179), Andrew Thompson (148), and Max Hudghton (137). Four other Saints with more AFL experience than Hayes had been recruited from other clubs being 2003 Captain Aaron Hamill (151), Fraser Gehrig (168), Craig Callaghan (124) and Heath Black (103). Due to Lenny’s experience and afore mentioned qualities on 9 February 2004 he was appointed St Kilda Captain for the 2004 season under Grant Thomas’s rotational policy. Hayes at only 24 years of age was one of the youngest captains in the AFL. Hayes year as captain got off to a brilliant start with the Saints winning the Wizard Cup after defeating Geelong in the Grand Final. St Kilda played Geelong again in Round 1 of the 2004 home and away season in which the Saints recorded the first win of a 10 match winning streak. St Kilda prospered during the 2004 season with new captain Lenny Hayes leading by example and setting the benchmark for his teammates to follow. Lenny missed two games in 2004, Round 7 and Round 8 after receiving a suspension for striking Brisbane’s Tim Notting in the one point Round 6 victory at the Telstra Dome. At the time of the suspension Hayes was equal second favourite for the Brownlow Medal. Hayes was in red-hot form and received three Brownlow Medal votes in back to back games in Round 5 against the Kangaroos and Round 6 against Brisbane. In his return from suspension in Round 9 against the West Coast Eagles, Hayes at 24 years of age played the 100th match of his career.  St Kilda put on a football clinic winning by 101 points with Lenny leading the way defensively, setting a new personal best with 13 tackles, seven more than the second ranked player on the ground. During 2004 Hayes averaged 11.6 kicks, 10.7 handballs and 4.0 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 79.8%.  Hayes led the AFL in tackles in 2004 and was ranked number 1 at St Kilda for handballs, second for long kicks and inside 50s, third for hardball gets and fifth for loose-ball gets.  Hayes played 23 of a possible 25 games during 2004 and finished third in St Kilda’s best and fairest behind Nick Riewoldt and Luke Ball. Hayes polled 10 votes in the Brownlow Medal to finish equal 22nd and be the fourth best Saint. The profile for Hayes in the AFL Record Guide to Season 2005 said “Relished his role as skipper in 2004, his leadership never better than in the Preliminary Final when he almost propelled the Saints into the Grand Final.”6 Hayes was outstanding in the six point Preliminary Final loss to Port Adelaide at Football Park having 22 kicks, 10 handballs, seven marks and laying nine tackles. St Kilda continued with the rotational captaincy policy for the next two seasons with Nick Riewoldt being appointed captain in 2005 and Luke Ball captaining the Saints in 2006. Whether you agree with the rotational captaincy policy or not it allowed Lenny Hayes the opportunity to captain his club earlier in his career than he would have if it had not been implemented and Hayes grew as a leader and a footballer due to his experience of captaining the St Kilda Football Club in 2004. Lenny led the Saints in disposals and was one of three St Kilda midfielders named in the 2005 All Australian team. Nick Dal Santo and Hayes were each named on a wing and Luke Ball was selected as Ruck Rover. Hayes yet again had a very consistent season including a stretch from Round 14 to Round 22 where he was named in St Kilda’s best players in eight out of nine games. Lenny’s sensational form was a major factor in the Saints jumping from ninth after 13 rounds to finish the home and away season in the top four for the second straight year. Hayes had 25 possessions and was named in the best during the Saints eight point Qualifying Final win over Adelaide at AAMI stadium. Champion Saints midfielder Robert Harvey kicked three goals and had 31 possessions to play arguably the greatest ever game of his illustrious career. The Saints had the week off before playing a Preliminary Final against the Sydney Swans at the MCG. After leading by seven points at three quarter the Saints were overrun by the Swans in the last quarter to lose by 31 points. To underline the consistency of Hayes during the 2005 season he had 20 or more disposals in 20 of his 24 games and Champion Data ranked him as the sixth most consistent player in the competition behind, Shane Tuck, Daniel Cross, Ben Cousins, Dean Cox and Kane Cornes. During the 2005 season Hayes played 24 matches, averaging 12.7 kicks, 10.9 handballs and 4.6 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 80.2%. Hayes led St Kilda in handballs and long kicks, was ranked second for tackles and hard-ball gets, third for loose-ball gets and fourth for marks and total minutes played. Hayes finished third in the best and fairest on 144 votes, only two votes behind joint winners, tagger Steven Baker and midfielder Luke Ball. Lenny received nine Brownlow Medal votes, comprised of four two’s and one single vote game to be ranked equal fourth at St Kilda behind Nick Dal Santo (18), Justin Koschitzke (11) and Fraser Gehrig (10). The profile for Hayes in the 2006 AFL Prospectus said “To highlight his consistency, in the past three seasons combined he ranks third in competition disposals, second in handball receives, 11th in hardball-gets, second in tackles, equal 14th in clearances, sixth for inside 50s and equal ninth in goal assists.”7 In the three seasons leading up to 2006 Hayes had been one of the best midfielders in the AFL and had missed only two of St Kilda's 71 matches, during this time St Kilda had gone from a promising young team to one of the strongest contenders for the premiership, however the fortunes of Hayes and St Kilda both changed dramatically during 2006. Hayes continued his outstanding form until he ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during Round 9 against the Kangaroos at Docklands. Hayes required a knee reconstruction which kept him on the sidelines for the remainder of the 2006 season. After nine Rounds Hayes was one of the form players of the competition, having already racked up eight Brownlow Medal votes including two best afield performances in Round 2 against Richmond and Round 3 against Brisbane. Hayes averaged 24.9 disposals, a career high 5.3 marks and an equal career high (to this point) 5.6 tackles. During the 2006 season Hayes was in arguably the best form of his career to this stage and averaged 120 Supercoach points per game, ranked fourth in the AFL behind Jonathan Brown, Chris Judd and Adam Goodes.   In nine matches during 2006 Hayes averaged 110 minutes, 14.8 kicks, 10.1 handballs and 5.3 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 82.1%. St Kilda were fourth after 19 rounds of the 2006 season and despite winning two of the last three games they slipped to sixth. In one of the tightest final ladders in AFL history only one win and percentage separated fourth and eighth. The Saints lost their Elimination Final to Melbourne by 18 points despite appearing to be in control at half time, leading by 20 points. With so little separating the top eight sides the loss of Hayes' hardness, experience, skills and leadership had been very telling. After promising so much at the start of the 2006 season the St Kilda Football Club reacted swiftly to a season that failed to live up to internal expectations and sacked coach Grant Thomas in the week after the finals loss to Melbourne. Thomas was replaced by Ross Lyon who had been an Assistant Coach for the Sydney Swans for the previous three seasons, during which time the Swans made two Grand Finals and won one premiership. Under Ross Lyon, the rotational captaincy policy was abolished and Hayes was named joint St Kilda captain along with Riewoldt and Ball for the 2007 season. Hayes returned to the St Kilda team in the Round 1 victory against previous season’s finals nemesis Melbourne. St Kilda, struggling to adapt to a far more defensive game style under Ross Lyon were languishing in 13th position with only four wins after 10 rounds of the 2007 season. In the first 10 rounds Hayes was unable to recapture the elite form that he had displayed during the previous four seasons and was only named in St Kilda’s best twice. Understandably it took Hayes close to half a season after his knee injury to regain his confidence and for his match conditioning to return to its best but over the final 12 rounds Hayes was named in the Saints best 10 times to again be a driving force behind a charge up the ladder during the second half of a season by St Kilda. The Saints performed significantly better in the second half of the season with Hayes back to his best, however they had lost too much ground in the first half of the season and could only manage ninth place with 11 wins, 10 losses and one draw, half a win and percentage behind eighth placed Adelaide. Despite missing three games with an injured cheekbone from Round 6 to Round 8 Hayes finished fifth in St Kilda’s best and fairest and led the Saints in hard-ball gets, tackles and handballs. Hayes numbers were slightly down on the previous couple of seasons but he still remained very effective in 19 matches during 2007, averaging 92 minutes, 12.1 kicks, 10.7 handballs and 4.4 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 76.0%.  Hayes was ranked fourth at St Kilda for Brownlow votes, with eight, behind Nick Dal Santo (16), Nick Riewoldt (14) and Leigh Montagna (9). All of Hayes votes came after Round 14, commencing with three votes against Adelaide in Round 15 after a brilliant game with 17 kicks, 15 handballs, eight marks and 10 tackles in the two point victory at Docklands. On 24th March 2008 Hayes signed a long-term contract to remain a Saint until the end of the 2011 season. Nick Riewoldt was appointed the sole St Kilda captain for 2008 with Hayes being named vice-captain. Hayes had another outstanding season in 2008 averaging a team-high 24.1 disposals and a career high six tackles per game to finish third in St Kilda’s best and fairest behind first time winner Sam Fisher, with key forward Nick Riewoldt finishing second. Hayes was back to his elite level best for the entire season and the Saints, albeit with a much different game style to 2005 returned to finishing in the top four. The Saints made their third Preliminary Final in five years, however were comprehensively beaten by eventual premiers Hawthorn. During the 2008 season Hayes was durable and missed only one match - Round 14 due to having a hamstring strain. In 2008 Hayes played 24 matches, averaging 92 minutes, 10.7 kicks, 13.4 handballs and 4.4 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 74.4%. Hayes led St Kilda for kicks, tackles and hard-ball gets and was ranked fourth for inside 50s.  “Lenny Hayes won a centre clearance from 14% of centre bounce attendances – ranked No. 1 in the competition.” 8 Hayes won the Robert Harvey best clubman award and polled 15 Brownlow Medal votes in 2008 to be the top ranked Saint and finish equal 12th overall. Hayes polled votes in seven games, with three of these being best afield performances – in Round 2 against Carlton and in both matches against Essendon, Round 5 and the 108 point Round 22 win that clinched fourth position at the conclusion of the home and away season. In a seven game stretch from Round 5 to Round 11 2009 Hayes was the form player of the entire AFL, being  best afield five times and also polling a single vote in another game to go from no votes after four rounds to 16 Brownlow Medal votes after 11 rounds to move into second place behind Gary Ablett on 19 votes.  To put into perspective how dominant Hayes was over this stretch of seven games Gary Ablett was ranked second during this period with 10 Brownlow votes followed by three players with nine votes, Adam Goodes, Joel Selwood and Brad Sewell with Chris Judd ranked sixth with eight votes, half the tally of Hayes during these seven rounds. In this seven game purple patch Hayes averaged 31.6 disposals and seven tackles per game. In the second half of the season Hayes polled four votes including his sixth best on ground for the season against the Western Bulldogs in Round 17. Hayes finished third in the 2009 Brownlow Medal on 20 votes, behind winner Gary Ablett on 30 votes, and runner-up Chris Judd on 22 votes. St Kilda were dominant during the 2009 home and away season, winning their first 19 games on their way to the minor premiership and a Grand Final birth. St Kilda still performed at a high level in the Grand Final, however they lost by 12 points to a Geelong outfit who’s experience of playing in the previous two Grand Finals proved extremely telling and resulted in the Cats being slightly more composed than the Saints throughout the Grand Final. In the first quarter of the 2009 Grand Final Lenny Hayes was clearly best on ground with seven kicks and four handballs. After quarter time, 2007 Brownlow Medalist Jimmy Bartel who had nine possessions himself to quarter time was given the tagging job on Hayes for the remainder of the match. Hayes and Bartel had a great duel with Hayes having 13 possessions after quarter time compared to Bartels 10. In the final three quarters of the match with Bartel and Hayes breaking even the other Geelong midfielders had slightly more impact on the match than their St Kilda counterparts. During  2009 Hayes had 16 goal assists, easily ahead of the following midfielders, Cooney 10, O’Keefe 12, Deledio 11 and Didak 13. Ablett and Pendlebury were level with Hayes on 16. Although Hayes is universally praised for his tenacity, consistency, leadership and courage he doesn’t seem to get as much credit as most of the players mentioned above for how effective and damaging his disposals are. In the 2009 season Hayes “had the equal-highest disposal efficiency of any of the top-10 ballwinners in the competition and he ranked fifth in the competition for disposals per minute.”9 One of my most vivid memories of St Kilda’s 2009 season doesn’t involve a kick, mark or handball but rather Hayes performing a one percenter and knocking the ball on to a teammates advantage. It was the Anzac Day eve match between St Kilda and Port Adelaide at AAMI stadium, the ball was loose between Lenny Hayes who at 186 cm and 85 kilograms dived full-length to knock the ball on to a teammate before the considerably larger Dean Brogan at 200cm and 100 kilograms could reach it. It was typical Hayes, whilst this play was not flashy it was brilliant, memorable and got the job done for his beloved St Kilda team with scant regard for his own well being. Lenny Hayes won the Peter Badcoe Medal that night for the player whose conduct and play during the game best exemplifies the Anzac spirit, displaying skill, courage in adversity, self sacrifice, teamwork and fair play. The medal was well deserved and very fitting because if you were going to war you would want Lenny Hayes at your side. In 2009 Hayes averaged 28 disposals per game despite only averaging 90 minutes per game. Hayes was at his best during the finals series averaging 30 disposals, 14 contested possessions and five inside 50s to be named one of the best three St Kilda players in each of the three finals. In 2009 Hayes played 22 matches, averaging 14.1 kicks, 13.9 handballs and 4.3 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 76.5%. Lenny finished fifth in an extremely close St Kilda best and fairest, led St Kilda in handballs and hard-ball gets, was ranked second in tackles and fourth for inside 50s. St Kilda started the 2010 season well winning their first three games, however they hit a massive hurdle during the Round 3 victory against Collingwood with captain Nick Riewoldt injuring his hamstring just before half-time and missing half the home and away season.  In his period as acting captain from Round 4 to Round 14 Hayes provided great leadership and was an inspiration for his club. In Round 6 the Western Bulldogs were in control for most of the match and led by 23 points late in the third quarter, however the inspirational Lenny Hayes played yet another brilliant, skilful and courageous game when the Saints most needed it. Hayes was instrumental in St Kilda’s hard fought comeback three point victory having 13 kicks, 22 handballs, seven clearances, laying seven tackles and used the ball magnificently to have a disposal efficiency of 89%. The West Coast Eagles led St Kilda by 17 points early in the third quarter of their Round 9 match at Subiaco Oval, the Saints had lost three of their last four matches and slipped to seventh on the ladder so another loss would have placed them in a precarious position. A prodigious 10 possession third quarter from Hayes including a brilliant goal along the ground from the left forward pocket was the catalyst for a massive improvement from St Kilda. The hard running and work ethic of Hayes was contagious amongst his St Kilda teammates during a quarter that ended up being the turning point of St Kilda’s 2010 season. Led by Hayes the entire St Kilda team lifted in the second half to play superb football for the remainder of the match and ran out 35 point winners. Hayes finished the match with 19 kicks, 16 handballs, six marks, seven tackles, two goal assists and 10 contested possessions. The victory against West Coast was the start of a seven match winning sequence for the Saints that got their season back on track and propelled them to yet another top four finish. During the 2010 home and away season Hayes played 21 matches averaging 77% game time, 13.6 kicks, 14.2 handballs and 4.0 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 70.7%. Hayes was ranked sixth in the AFL for clearances, equal fourth for tackles and 10th for handballs. Hayes polled 19 Brownlow Medal votes, to be the highest ranked St Kilda player and finish eighth overall. Hayes polled votes in seven games including five best on grounds, with two of these being the aforementioned Round 6 and Round 9 matches against the Western Bulldogs and the West Coast Eagles respectively. Hayes also received three votes for a 26 possession, 14 tackle performance against Geelong in Round 13 at the MCG and made it back to back best on grounds in the Round 19 and Round 20 comprehensive victories against Port Adelaide and North Melbourne. The profile for Hayes in the 2011 AFL Prospectus said “During the 2010 H & A season he was ranked second in the competition for disposals per minute, third in tackles, sixth in clearances, and eighth in centre clearances.”10 As well as winning the True Sainters 2010 Player of the Home and Away season with 25 votes, three ahead of utility Brendon Goddard with fellow midfielder Leigh Montagna third on 17 votes, Hayes also won the True Sainters Player of the Finals after being judged St Kilda’s best or second best player in three of the Saints four finals during 2010. During the home and away season Hayes had eight games in which he received the three votes from True Sainters members. The next highest number of three votes was Leigh Montagna and Nick Riewoldt with three each. In the 2010 Qualifying Final four point victory against Geelong Hayes had a significant impact on the game with his ball-use, unrelenting work-rate and his physical presence, laying a fierce legitimate bump on Paul Chapman on the wing in the first quarter. Straight after the bump Hayes kept on going and within seconds had won a free kick for a high tackle. Hayes was superb in close to have 12 contested possessions, nine clearances and nine tackles to lead St Kilda in all three categories. For much of the game Hayes played on Joel Selwood who had only four first half possessions and whilst Selwood improved in the second half to finish with 19 possessions he was soundly beaten by Hayes who’s influence on the match went beyond his 25 possessions. In the Preliminary Final against the Western Bulldogs, St Kilda started slowly to trail by six points at half-time. Lenny Hayes was St Kilda’s best player in the first half having 18 possessions and as usual was great around the stoppages to finish the game with six clearances. Hayes had 16 kicks and 10 handpasses for the match and led St Kilda in tackles and inside 50s with seven and six respectively. St Kilda gained the ascendancy in the second half to win by 22 points and progress to their second consecutive Grand Final. Collingwood controlled the first half of the Grand Final to lead by 24 points. In the opening minute of the second half Lenny Hayes set the standard for the rest of the match, laying a fierce tackle on Dane Swan who was penalised for holding the ball. Hayes had 18 kicks, 14 handballs, took five marks, had five inside 50s and the equal most score involvements. When his side needed it the most Lenny Hayes found a way to kick a crucial set shot goal from 53 metres out 13 minutes into the last quarter to reduce Collingwood's lead to seven points. The first time in his AFL career that Hayes had kicked a set-shot goal from beyond 50 metres, it was truly a phenomenal effort to do something he hadn’t done before on the biggest stage of all. Hayes was superb around the stoppages, consistently reading the hitouts well and propelling St Kilda forward, he had five clearances, 11 contested possessions and laid 12 tackles. Hayes was involved in another couple of critical plays in the last quarter, kicking the ball deep into St Kilda’s forward line, Brendon Goddard came in from the side, launched himself and produced magnificent elevation to have his knees land on Harry O’Brien’s shoulders, Goddard grabbed the ball cleanly to take a spectacular mark, he then kicked the goal from 20 metres out to put St Kilda six points in front with just under seven minutes to play. Collingwood were able to regain the lead, and with just under two minutes remaining Hayes gathered the ball and kicked from 60 metres out towards Stephen Milne and Ben Johnson. The ball landed a couple of metres away from them 15 metres out from goal and went slightly left to be on track for the goals, when it bounced a second time five metres out from goal Milne had got away from his opponent however the second bounce went at right angles a bit too quickly for Milne to gather and the ball crossed the line for a behind to level the scores with a minute and a half remaining. The Lenny Hayes behind to tie the match was remarkably similar to the behind kicked by Barry Breen in the 1966 Grand Final which led to a St Kilda one point victory. Hayes kicked from about 15 metres  further out in a similar area of the ground and both kicks changed direction on the bounce to go strongly to the right and through for a behind. Neither side was able to get a score in the final minute and a half, resulting in the first drawn Grand Final since 1977. St Kilda vice-captain Lenny Hayes and utility Brendon Goddard were clearly the best two players during the Grand Final, and without the heroics of Hayes and Goddard along with resilience shown by the St Kilda defense led by Sam Fisher the St Kilda Football Club would not have been able to get back in the match and finish with a draw to earn themselves an opportunity to win a premiership a week later. Hayes won the Norm Smith Medal with 13 votes, finishing ahead of teammate Goddard on seven votes with Collingwood’s Dale Thomas third on six votes. The first half of the Grand Final replay played out in a similar fashion to the game a week earlier with Collingwood leading by 27 points at half-time. In the Replay however, St Kilda were unable to fight back, Collingwood extended the lead in the second half to record a comprehensive 56 point victory. Lenny Hayes was controversially left out of the 2010 All-Australian team and the Norm Smith medal winning performance demonstrated exactly why Hayes should have been selected in the All-Australian side. Sure some of his rival midfielders may have had slightly better stats, however several times throughout 2010 Hayes almost single handedly changed the course of matches by performing at an exceptional level when St Kilda were struggling, he inspired his teammates to lift, run over their opposition in the second half and record a victory. Put simply when the stakes are at their highest few players in the AFL go close to matching the performances of champion midfielder Lenny Hayes. Hayes was a run-away winner of the Trevor Barker Award as St Kilda’s 2010 best and fairest, finishing with 528 votes. Midfielder Leigh Montagna finished second with 451 votes closely followed in equal third by utility Goddard and defender Sam Gilbert on 435 votes. In 2010 Hayes played 25 matches, averaging 94 minutes, 13.6 kicks, 13.8 handballs and 3.7 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 71.1%. Hayes led St Kilda in tackles, was ranked second in handballs, handballs received and loose-ball gets, third for hard-ball gets, fourth for inside 50s and fifth for kicks. Lenny Hayes commenced the 2011 season in the same sublime form he displayed throughout 2010,  having 17 kicks, 12 handballs and laying five tackles against Geelong in Round 1 to receive the 3 votes from True Sainters members. Hayes displayed great composure, operating at a disposal efficiency of 79% and kicking a brilliant goal at the 22 minute mark of the last quarter to put St Kilda five points in front. Hayes had a team-high 14 contested possessions, five clearances and also laid five tackles. The following week Hayes was playing well in a tight contest against Richmond at the MCG when he suffered a knee injury in the second minute of the third quarter during a clearance contest in the middle of the ground. It was immediately apparent that Hayes was in serious trouble and although he bravely got back to his feet two trainers were required to carry him off the ground. The day after the Round 2 match against Richmond the worst fears of the St Kilda Football Club were realised with the news that Hayes had ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament and partially torn his medial ligament, Lenny would require a reconstruction of his left knee, prematurely ending his 2011 season. When it was confirmed that Hayes would require a knee reconstruction Lenny said “obviously it’s really disappointing but I have been through this before and I know what to expect.” Hayes went on to say “This is just another challenge that I will tackle head on. This is not career ending, I still feel like I have a lot of footy left in me.”11 Lenny’s experience of coming back and the knowledge he had acquired during the rehabilitation process from his right knee reconstruction in 2006 made the recovery from his left knee reconstruction in 2011 easier to manage. Whilst Hayes was able to return from his first knee reconstruction in Round 1 2007 this was only 44 weeks after injuring his knee in Round 9 2006 and it took him a couple of months to build his form and match conditioning. A major advantage Lenny had second time around is that due to sustaining the injury in Round 2 2011 Hayes had almost a full year before the start of the 2012 season, giving him the opportunity to do most of the pre-season training with St Kilda and regain his confidence and build up his match conditioning before the 2012 season commenced. Whilst he was injured in 2011 Hayes did some media work and some more coaching with the Oakleigh Chargers under 18s. Hayes was one of several St Kilda players to get married in the off-season and had team-mate Stephen Milne as his MC. In Round 1 2012 against Port Adelaide Hayes had 16 possessions and laid a team-high 11 tackles, in every game since Round 1 Hayes has had at least 22 possessions. Lenny polled votes in the True Sainters Player of the Year Award in five consecutive matches from Round 2 onwards, including a hat-trick of three vote performances starting in Round 3. In Round 3 against the Western Bulldogs Hayes had 14 kicks, 16 handballs, seven marks, seven clearances, laid eight tackles and had a disposal efficiency of 77%. During the third quarter Easton Wood attempted a side-step on Hayes but was unsuccessful being met with a ferocious Hayes tackle that resulted in a turnover and a goal to Jack Steven. Throughout his career one of Lenny’s strengths has been his ability to sell candy and evade opponents  with his sidestep, and he has done this to great effect many times during 2012. The most important of these instances was in Round 5 against Melbourne, with eight minutes to go and the Saints having a slender five point lead, Lenny sold some candy brilliantly to evade two Melbourne players and kick a crucial goal.  As well as kicking the match winner Hayes had 18 kicks, seven handballs, 10 clearances and laid eight tackles. Hayes has played the first eight rounds of the 2012 season and is averaging 78% game-time, 12.3 kicks, 13.0 handballs and 3.6 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 70.8%.  Hayes is ranked sixth in the AFL for clearances and second for tackles behind Essendon midfielder Ben Howlett. At the time of winning the 2010 St Kilda best and fairest Lenny Hayes was 30 years and eight months making him the oldest Saints player to win the best and fairest for more than 30 years. Hayes was in career best form in 2010 and said that as a result of his knee injury at least the rest of his body was able to freshen up in 2011 without the rigours of AFL football. From 1981 to the present day Lenny Hayes is one of just seven VFL/AFL footballers to lay over 1,000 tackles. Hayes tally of 1,226 has him ranked fourth behind Jude Bolton, Brett Kirk and Tony Liberatore and just two tackles ahead of Simon Black. The other two players to lay over 1,000 tackles since 1981 are ex-teammate Luke Ball and James McDonald who reached the milestone earlier this season with his second club, the Greater Western Sydney Giants. Hayes has received Brownlow votes in 45 matches and has an excellent strike rate of three vote games, receiving the maximum votes 22 times, just under half of his vote-getting games. Lenny has received the two votes 14 times and a single vote on nine occasions. In 2009 and 2010 Hayes played 40 home and away games, polling 15 times including a remarkable 11 best on ground performances, representing 27.5% of his games, an extraordinary percentage. Throughout the career of Lenny Hayes, the fortunes of the St Kilda Football Club and Hayes have been very closely aligned. In 2003 just as Hayes was emerging as an elite midfielder a young St Kilda side improved rapidly to indicate that in the years ahead the Saints would challenge strongly for the premiership. From 2004 onwards the only seasons that St Kilda have not made at least the Preliminary Final are 2006 and 2011 when Hayes missed most of the seasons due to a knee reconstruction and 2007  when Hayes in his return from injury understandably  could not quite recapture his best form in the first half of the season. St Kilda has proven in recent seasons that they are able to remain one of the best teams in the AFL even when they are missing key players for prolonged stretches of the season, most notably five-time St Kilda best and fairest winner Nick Riewoldt in 2005 and 2010. In both seasons the Saints remained resilient and stuck to the team structures which contributed to St Kilda finishing in the top four and playing deep into the finals. The player that St Kilda have had the most difficulty replacing is Lenny Hayes, and it is no coincidence that the five seasons from 2004 onwards that St Kilda have finished in the top four and made at least the Preliminary Final are the seasons in which Hayes has not suffered a long-term injury or been hampered by the return from a long-term injury. The general expectation for AFL footballers is that once they are in their 30s their influence starts to wane and they wont be able to have the same impact on the game as they did during their 20s and in particular the period from the age of 25 to 28 when AFL footballers are generally considered to be at the peak of their powers. Whilst the above paragraph generally holds true there are exceptions to the rule such as inspirational St Kilda midfielder Lenny Hayes. As a 30 year old in 2010 Lenny proceeded to have an outstanding  season that many avid football followers consider to be the best of Lenny’s great career, although this camp obviously doesn’t include the All-Australian selectors who for some reason decided to leave Hayes out of their 2010 team. Many football observers thought that at the start of the 2012 season, Lenny Hayes 18 months older than he was at the end of 2010 and returning from a knee reconstruction would be a valuable addition to the Saints team this season, but surely it would take time for him to recapture match conditioning and form which would mean that his form would drop off from his 2010 performances. That all sounds perfectly reasonable given the circumstances,  however somehow Lenny has been able to will himself and has found a way to not just be a valuable contributor over the first eight rounds of the 2012 season but to clearly be St Kilda’s best player. Lenny has been outstanding in 2012 to lead St Kilda in disposals, handballs, clearances and tackles, be ranked second for contested possessions and fifth for kicks. From 2007 onwards Hayes’ game time has consistently been around 92 minutes per game, which is 18 minutes down on his 2005 and 2006 seasons. Despite the reduced game time Hayes has actually increased his average number of disposals per game from 24 in 2005-2006 to 25.6 in 2007-2012. Hayes plays predominantly as an inside midfielder and with the increased rotations in the modern game it would be impossible for him to sustain his immense pressure, workrate and intensity for 110 minutes each game now. The additional time Hayes spends recuperating on the bench together with the extra midfield support allows him to actually make a greater impact on the game in only 92 minutes on the ground than he previously made in 110 minutes. Since the end of the 2006 season, with the further development of players such as Leigh Montagna and Brendon Goddard together with the recruitment of Clinton Jones the St Kilda midfield has not been as reliant on Hayes as it used to be and can now operate effectively when Hayes is recuperating on the bench for just under 25% of the game. One of the few positives of Hayes missing most of the 2011 season is that the development of Jack Steven and David Armitage was enhanced by spending more time playing in the midfield. Armitage and Steven at 23 and 22 years of age respectively have both improved significantly over the past 15 months. Remarkably in 2012 at 32 years of age and returning from a left knee reconstruction Hayes hasn’t missed a beat and has maintained the same level of performance he has had in recent seasons. Whilst he is no longer part of the official leadership group Hayes continues to be the spiritual leader of the St Kilda Football Club. Lenny Hayes provides tremendous leadership and support to his teammates regardless of whether he has an official leadership title or not and it has been this way throughout his entire career. Former teammate Aussie Jones recalls  “When Lenny arrived at the club I was probably going through my most ordinary period of footy. But when I started to find a bit of form and started contributing positively it was Lenny Hayes who came up to me more than anyone and said” ‘That’s what we want, that’s the Aussie we know.’  Jones goes onto say “The kid was only 19 at the time and I still remember it. It’s something a lot of supporters don’t see, but his leadership is exceptional.”’12 Hayes has made a habit of playing milestone games in Round 9 whilst he has been in red hot form. In Round 9 2004 Hayes played his 100th match against West Coast, having been best afield in Round 7 and Round 8, he then polled a further two Brownlow Medal votes in Round 10 to make it eight votes from four matches. At the time of reaching 200 career matches exactly five years later, in Round 9 2009 Hayes was the form player of the AFL, being best afield in his 198th and 199th matches, receiving one Brownlow vote in his 200th,  and then having back to back three vote games in round 10 and 11 to poll 13 votes in this blistering five game period. On Saturday evening Lenny Hayes in fantastic form reaches another milestone in Round 9 to bring up 250 matches in sublime style, exactly three years after he played his 200th match. St Kilda coach Scott Watters said about Hayes “He’s a superstar on and off the field, and he’s got the will and drive to make something happen for the side when the side really needs it. He’s everything you want in a champion and he’s a great role model for our club.”13 Lenny’s 2011 knee injury did not signal the end but rather an unplanned intermission in a brilliant playing career that still has many great acts yet to come. Lenny Hayes is skilful, tough, a great leader, the ultimate team man, courageous and provides a great example to team-mates and supporters alike, both on and off the field. True Sainters would like to congratulate Lenny Hayes on playing 250 magnificent games for the St Kilda Football Club. We wish Lenny all the best for his 250th match and the rest of his outstanding career with the Saints. 1 Bas Publishing, The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers, 2005, page 340 2 Inside Football, The New Winmar! By Russell Holmesby, 1 March 2000 3 The Age, A shy Saint shows he has leadership qualities by Linda Pearce, 2 April 2003 4 Australian Football League, The Official statistical history of the AFL 2001, page 213 5 Pan Macmillian Australia Pty Limited, Harves Strength through loyalty by Robert Harvey, 2008, page 235 6 Australian Football League, AFL Record Guide to Season 2005, page 261. 7 Champion Data, AFL Prospectus – The essential number-cruncher for season 2006, 1st Edition, page 234 8 Champion Data, AFL Prospectus – The essential number-cruncher for season 2009, 4th Edition, page 238 9 Champion Data, AFL Prospectus – The essential number-cruncher for season 2010, 5th Edition, page 7 10 Champion Data, AFL Prospectus – The essential number-cruncher for season 2011, 6th Edition, page 251 11 St Kilda Football Club, Hayes stays positive by Vanessa Gigliotti, 2 April 2011, Saints.com.au 12 Herald Sun, Pack Man by Sam Edmund, 13 September 2010 13 Australian Football League, Praise for Hayes by Mark Macgugan, 1 May 2012, AFL.com.au
  • West Coast vs. St.Kilda Preview
    West Coast vs. St.Kilda Preview

    Round 8

    Paterson’s Stadium

    St.Kilda: St.Kilda comfortably defeated Carlton last Monday night at Etihad Stadium. The game was won by the Saints pressure at the footy and by their small forwards. Saad, Milne and Milera kicked 9 goals between them and the Saints seemed to be a much faster side. The holes of Sam Fisher and Ben McEvoy were filled, by the emerging Tom Simpkin and Rhys Stanley. The Saints face the Eagles away today on a much bigger ground and this will be a much bigger test. St.Kilda will need to play at that intensity again this week, as the Eagles are one of the best teams in the league. St.Kilda is ranked 3rd in the competition for tackles, whereas the Eagles are ranked last. This is a massive difference and if St.Kilda can keep up their tackling, they will go a long way towards victory. Rhys Stanley is again crucial to the team, as he will come up against Dean Cox and Nic Naitanui. Justin Koschitzke and Jason Blake will be able to help in the ruck, though Stanley will need to play at his best as both of the Eagles ruckmen can play very well around the ground. West Coast: Last week, West Coast got steam rolled by a strong Essendon outfit. West Coast was beaten in every aspect of the game. The Eagles today will benefit the return of Adam Selwood and Nic Naitanui. Both players are vital to the team’s structures. The Eagles have an extra two day break over the Saints and this will help the Eagles massively, as they are playing on a big ground. Darren Glass will have his hands full, as he could come up against an in form Justin Koschitzke. Naitanui will also be crucial for the Eagles team today. He was sorely missed after last weeks game, though today he will be pivotal as he will be coming up against an inexperienced ruck duo. Naitanui can play all over the ground and this will help the Eagles massively. Another player who is pivotal is the emerging Scott Selwood. Selwood is having a stand out year and is now seen as one of the Eagles best midfielders. He can kick a goal, tackles hard and has very good skills. Key Players: St.Kilda: Jason Blake, Stephen Milne, Tom Simpkin, Lenny Hayes, Rhys Stanley. West Coast: Nic Naitanui, Scott Selwood, Darren Glass, Shannon Hurn, Jack Darling. Who’s Missing: St.Kilda: Adam Schneider, Sam Fisher, Ben McEvoy, James Gwilt. West Coast: Josh Kennedy, Mark LeCras, Andrew Embley, Mark Nicoski, Ashton Hams. Key Match Ups: Scott Selwood vs. Clint Jones: Many predict Jones will go onto Daniel Kerr, though I wouldn’t be surprised if Jones is matched up on the young Selwood. Selwood is in career best form and is one of the reasons as to why the Eagles have been playing so well. Selwood is second at the club for clearances and contested possession and is also one of the Eagles leading goal kickers. Jack Darling vs. Jason Blake: Darling is second at the club for most goals kicked this year and can be seen as one of the go to men in the Eagles forward line. Jason Blake has stood up in the absence of Sam Fisher and James Gwilt. Blake is reliable and always gets his job done. Blake can also have a stint in the ruck, which will help relieve Stanley and Koschitzke of the pressures of coming up against Dean Cox and Nic Naitanui. Prediction: St.Kilda outplayed Carlton last week and West Coast got outplayed by Essendon. It was the Eagles first loss of the year, though they did have a few players out. They can’t use that as an excuse and I see no reason as to why they will not bounce back this week. Though, the Saints will not die easily and they showed it with some hard fought footy last week. The Saints tackling of old looked back and if they can continue that today, it will give them a much better chance of winning. The Eagles have an extra two days rest and this may see them run the game out better. St.Kilda has won their last 5 games at Paterson’s Stadium, so they will have confidence that they can win today. This will be one of the must watch games of the round and it should not be a let down. With that being said, the Eagles will be expected to bounce back after a poor showing last week, though it will go down to the wire. Eagles by 10 points.
  • Round 7 Match Preview: St.Kilda vs. Carlton
    Round 7 Match Preview: St.Kilda vs. Carlton

    Round 7.

    Monday at 7:40pm, Etihad Stadium.

    By Nick Ciantar.

    St.Kilda: St Kilda last week battled hard with Hawthorn for 3 quarters, until the Hawks dominated the last quarter. St Kilda was equal with the Hawks statistically, though the Hawks were simply just too strong. St Kilda this week will be without Sam Fisher and Ben McEvoy. These two players are big losses, though it is now time for others to step up. It is a prime time for Rhys Stanley to step up in the ruck and Tom Simpkin in the back line. Both of these players are now pivotal to the team’s structures. An area which St Kilda will need to improve on is the inside 50’s. They are ranked 11th in the league, compared to Carlton’s 5th. On the other hand, they are ranked 4th for marks inside 50. If St Kilda can get more inside 50’s, they will have more of a chance to have a shot at goal as they have genuine marking targets in Nick Riewoldt, Justin Koschitzke, Arryn Siposs and Rhys Stanley. Carlton: Carlton played GWS last week and won comfortably in the end. After a ‘poor’ start, Carlton will be looking at a much better start this week against a quality opponent. Chris Judd and Jarrad Waite come back into the side after a rest. A worrying sign out of last week’s game was the clearances. They lost that area (28-41) and will need to improve as Carlton and St Kilda are ranked 12th and 13th respectively in the competition. A player that will be pivotal tonight is Shaun Hampson. He has kicked 11 goals this year and has rejuvenated his career. Hampson will be hard to stop, as his experience will be pivotal against the younger body of Stanley.  Some areas that the Blues will have the advantage are the midfield and their small forwards. Hayes, Dal Santo, Goddard, Montagna may have passed their best, though Murphy, Gibbs, Judd and Simpson are all at their prime. Carlton’s small forwards in Garlett and Betts may be too quick for the Saints defense and have been playing some great footy. Key Players: St.Kilda: Rhys Stanley, Tom Simpkin, Nick Riewoldt, Lenny Hayes, Jack Steven. Carlton: Chris Judd, Marc Murphy, Shaun Hampson, Eddie Betts, Jarrad Waite. Who’s Missing: St.Kilda: Ben McEvoy, Sam Fisher, Raph Clarke, Adam Schneider, James Gwilt. Carlton: Andrew Carrazzo, Chris Yarran, Jeremy Laidler. Key Match Ups: Rhys Stanley/Justin Koschitzke vs. Shaun Hampson/Matthew Kreuzer: This is a pivotal match up. All four of these players will play in the ruck and this is where Hampson and Kreuzer will have the advantage. McEvoy is a big loss for St Kilda and Hampson will be expected to dominate against the lesser named ruckmen. If Hampson and Kreuzer can play well, the Carlton midfield will get the better of the clearances and will be able to move the ball quickly into their forward line. Jarryn Geary vs. Eddie Betts: Eddie Betts has had some great form and will come up against a player that has stood up this year. Geary has had some tagging jobs and if he gets the gig on Betts, he will need to play at his best to stop one of the in form goal sneaks. Prediction: St Kilda lost its last game and Carlton had a training run. Carlton is now touted as a top 4 team after a prominent start to the season. St Kilda will need to play extremely well, especially after the losses of McEvoy and Fisher to the team. Those holes will need to be filled for St Kilda to have a strong chance of beating Carlton. Both teams are ranked similarly in clearances and contested possession counts, so this game will go down to the better midfields. Carlton’s midfield seems to have the upper hand, though you can not dismiss Lenny Hayes and Nick Dal Santo from the Saints. The game will be a tight contest, though Carlton will be too strong in the end. Carlton by 20.
  • Round 4 Match Preview:St Kilda vs Fremantle
    Round 4 Match Preview:St Kilda vs Fremantle

    Round 4 Etihad Stadium, Friday 7:50pm

    It is here. The game we have all been waiting for. Ross Lyon and Zac Dawson against their old team St Kilda. This is one of the most anticipated games of the year, especially for the St Kilda supporters. Saint supporters have shed tears after the heartbreaking Grand Final losses, though will they now be looking for revenge? After one of the most dramatic coach changes in the history of the game, the St Kilda supporters will most certainly be looking at a win. Not to mention, a love hate relationship with former full-back, Zac Dawson. Expect a very vocal encounter for these two teams. St Kilda: The Saints are flying. Another great team performance on the weekend against the Dogs, the Saints will be looking at pretty much the same again tonight. Riewoldt had another terrific game, kicking 2 goals (2 behinds) and taking 6 marks. He showed his dominance and looks on top of the game again. Key youngsters Rhys Stanley and Tom Simpkin both played extremely well. Though, the player that had the biggest impact, was champ Lenny Hayes. He had 30 touches, 7 marks and laid 8 tackles, an equal game high. Lenny is one of the most important players at the Saints and he shows no sign of stopping. St Kilda had more of the ball, more tackles, though they had less inside 50’s against the Dogs. This is not a worry, as the Dogs only had 15 scoring shots (5 goals), from 50 inside 50’s. A great result for the Saints, as it showed that they were able to intercept passes from the Dogs. Fremantle: Fremantle had a solid win against the Lions, in what was a low scoring affair. Fremantle have had a solid start to the year, winning 2 out of 3 games and losing a close game away from home against the Swans. Last week, the aggregate score was 99, a familiar sight by a Ross Lyon team. Their only concern was an injury to star Nathan Fyfe, but he has been deemed fit to play tonight. Hayden Ballantyne comes back into the squad and will be a handy addition to the team. Half back flanker Paul Duffield is in career best form and if he is firing, the Dockers have a strong chance of winning. With Zac Clarke playing well as a second ruck, they have a strong combination with Aaron Sandilands as their main ruck. This is their focal point, as it gives the ball to the midfielders first and they can play up forward and kick goals. Who’s missing: St Kilda: Raph Clarke, Jason Gram, Farren Ray, Brett Peake, James Gwilt. Fremantle: Anthony Morabito, Kepler Bradley, Jack Anthony, Nick Lower. Key Players: St Kilda: Nick Riewoldt, Lenny Hayes, Brendon Goddard, Rhys Stanley, Jarryn Geary. Fremantle: Zac Dawson, Aaron Sandilands, Michael Barlow, Paul Duffield, Matt Pavlich, Zac Clarke. Key match ups: Zac Dawson vs Justin Koschitzke: This will be interesting. They would both know how each other play and I would not be surprised if Dawson is out muscled. ‘Kosi’ is in good form and has the strength to out muscle the former Saint. It is one of the must watch match ups on the ground, as it is pivotal to the contest. Jarryn Geary vs Hayden Ballantyne: I’m picking Geary to tag Ballantyne. Ballantyne can play in the midfield and had a terrific first game of the year. Geary has the pace to keep up with him and can also use the ball very well. It will be very interesting to see if Geary can keep Ballantyne quiet. Ross Lyon vs St Kilda and the Saint Supporters: No one knows more about St Kilda then Ross Lyon. He formulated the St Kilda defence that nearly got them a flag, or even 2 flags. Lyon knows how each player plays their role and how they cope under pressure. St Kilda has changed since Lyon left and he will not know how some of the kids play. Lyon may have the upper hand in who to stop, though the small tweaks made by Scott Watters are crucial. The home advantage for St Kilda is also imperative, as the Saint fans will give their all when Dawson gets the ball and when Lyon enters and leaves the arena. Prediction: This game will be a classic. It will not be slowed down, as it will immediately favour the Saints as they know the game plan off by heart. Lyon will need to be very tactical against his former club and I would not be surprised if some star Saints have a quiet game. The flexibility of having a third tall for the Saints in Stanley is pivotal to the contest, as Lyon did not use this much last year. The game will be filled with some fast paced action and ruck domination. It will be very interesting to see how McEvoy and Stanley come up against Fremantle’s Sandilands and Clarke, as they are both in good form. The game will be won around the stoppages. The return of Lenny Hayes, will add that extra star power that the Saints need. If Hayes and Co can read the ball well off Fremantle’s hit outs, it will go a long way to victory. Saints have the more experienced team and they also have the confidence. Fremantle have a poor record in Melbourne and this will continue again tonight. Saints by 25.
  • Round 3 Match Preview: Western Bulldogs vs St Kilda
    Round 3 Match Preview: Western Bulldogs vs St Kilda

    Round 3 Match Preview by Nick Ciantar Etihad Stadium, Saturday 7:40pm

    Western Bulldogs: The Dogs played well against the Crows, though they couldn’t get the four points. Brendan McCartney has had an ok start to the year. The Dogs battled hard for two and a half quarters against a strong Eagles team and they nearly got the chocolates against the Crows. With the impressive performances by Brian Lake and Ryan Hargrave, it has added some extra strength to their backline. An area that will hurt the Dogs, is not having a genuine tall forward. Liam Jones is still a youngster and he should not be expected to shoulder the load all by himself. They will need to find other avenues for goal, especially from their midfielders, to have a better chance at the Saints and for the year. Ayce Cordy or Jordan Roughead are strong possibilities, as they are both playing. St Kilda: After an impressive win against the Suns, St Kilda will be looking at making it two in a row against the Dogs. The majority of the team played well and they had 13 goal kickers, a great result. They would be looking at pretty much the same against the Dogs, though the Dogs are far more experienced. St Kilda will want to see a win in the contested possession count again. Tom Simpkin battled strong down back, Terry Milera showed some utter brilliance and Rhys Stanley played well again in the ruck and forward lines. Who’s missing: Western Bulldogs: Dale Morris, Lindsey Gilbee and Tom Williams. St Kilda: Raph Clarke, Jason Gram, Adam Schneider, James Gwilt, Dean Polo. Key Players: Western Bulldogs: Liam Jones, Matt Boyd, Daniel Cross, Lukas Markovic, Jordan Roughead. St Kilda: Nick Riewoldt, Rhys Stanley, Brendon Goddard, Sean Dempster, Lenny Hayes.   Key Match Ups: Matt Boyd vs Lenny Hayes: These are two stalwarts of the competition. They never say die and I wouldn’t be surprised if they are matched up against each other on Saturday night. Lenny is a ferocious tackler and Boyd just attacks the ball. Both are vital to their teams and they always get the ball. Whoever wins this contest, has the greater advantage of winning the game. Jordan Roughead vs Rhys Stanley: This may be a surprise to some, but they are both future stars, if they continue along this track. They will both be the second ruckmen for the game and they will play in their respected forward lines as well. Roughead can take the spectacular mark and Stanley can use his pace. If one of them plays down back, they could be lined up against each other. Both are exciting prospects and they will play on each other.   Prediction: Whilst the Saints ‘coasted’ past the Suns, the Dogs had a somewhat different game against the Crows. The Saints will have a major confidence boost from the Suns win, especially captain Nick Riewoldt, though the Dogs may be kicking themselves after letting a winning position slip. This game will all go down to who can play their roles right. Both teams have new coaches and both teams have kids. The Bulldogs also lack some goal kickers and this may be an area that will hurt them against a strong St Kilda defense. The Saints do have the more experience and the better record, so I do see the Saints being too strong in the end. This will be a classic game, by the two former powerhouses of the competition. Saints by 15.
  • At the start of his 13th season versatile Jason Blake became the 25th Saint to play 200 AFL matches
    At the start of his 13th season versatile Jason Blake became the 25th Saint to play 200 AFL matches
    In the 2012 Opening Round Sunday evening match against Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium St Kilda defender Jason Blake played his 200th match for St Kilda, becoming the 25th Saint to reach this milestone. At several points throughout his 13 seasons as an AFL footballer you would have received very long odds on Blake reaching this significant milestone.  To put into perspective how difficult it is for a player to reach this milestone, in the history of the VFL/AFL only “3.8% of players have played 200 games or more”.1 Blake joined four of his current team-mates, Lenny Hayes (242 matches), Stephen Milne (237), Nick Riewoldt (220) and Nick Dal Santo (217) in the St Kilda 200 game club. Whilst Blake’s afore mentioned teammates have been settled in the one position for the majority of their careers, namely Hayes and Dal Santo – midfield, Milne – small forward, Riewoldt – key position forward,  Jason has shown great versatility throughout his career to perform several very different roles including,  defender, ruckman and run with roles in the midfield. Blake holds the unwanted record  of playing the most VFL/AFL games without receiving a Brownlow Medal vote, however this shouldn’t diminish Jason’s achievements during his 200 matches for St Kilda. Brownlow Medal votes are largely the domain of midfielders, for players consistently performing a negating role such as Blake a more accurate indication of their performance can be derived from looking at best and fairest results.  To illustrate how different the views of the umpires and a club’s match committee can be, in 2009 defender Corey Enright was a joint winner of the Geelong best and fairest, 13 Cats received at least one vote on 2009 Brownlow Medal night, however Corey Enright wasn’t one of them. From 2007 onwards Jason Blake has spent most of his time playing in defense and relished this continuity in his role by having four consecutive top 10 finishes in St Kilda’s best and fairest from 2007 to 2010.  Over this four year period St Kilda won 64 of their 98 matches which equates to  65.3%, ranked second in the AFL from 2007 to 2010 behind Geelong.  To have four consecutive top 10 best and fairest finishes for a club with this outstanding  winning record Blake needed to be able to consistently perform the role that St Kilda Football Club asked him to do at an outstanding level week in and week out. Whilst Blake has still had stints in the ruck from 2007 onwards he has not been shuffled around to different positions as much as he was before 2007. At 189 centimetres Blake spent several seasons sharing ruck duties for the Saints, whilst he was giving away considerable height, his great leap  allowed him to be competitive when contesting the hit-outs and his athleticism allowed him to make an impact around the ground.  It was this athleticism that resulted in him performing run-with roles in the midfield. Whilst Blake hasn’t got the talent of high profile teammates Brendon Goddard and Nick Dal Santo he has been able to achieve some things on the football field that Goddard and Dal Santo haven’t, or indeed very few players have been able to do. Who else in the AFL has the versatility to play in the Ruck against Aaron Sandilands and also play a midfield run with role on Adam Goodes in a final and beat both Sandilands and Goodes in these very different and challenging roles.  Later in the article I will go into more detail on these superb Jason Blake performances in Round 5 2006 and the 2004 Semi-Final.   From 2004 onwards St Kilda have been regular finals participants, only missing the finals in 2007, Blake has  played 16 finals games to be equal fourth on St Kilda’s all time list, level with Kevin ‘Cowboy’ Neale and one game behind Robert Harvey, Riewoldt and Dal Santo. Playing 200 matches for the St Kilda Football Club is a testament to Jason’s resilience, adaptability and professionalism which has resulted in him always putting the team first and being a valuable contributor to the St Kilda football team in a variety of roles, often against much larger opponents. Jason Blake was picked by St Kilda with the No. 24 selection in the 1999 National Draft and was 189 centimetres tall and weighed 87 kilograms when he was drafted as an 18 year old from Beaumaris and the Prahran Under-18s.  Blake was recruited as a mobile defender, his strengths were his reading of the play and his leap. The profile for Blake in AFL 2000 said “Made the All-Australian team after the AFL National Under-18 Championships and was also named in the TAC Cup team of the year. Also played three games for Melbourne Reserves.”2 St Kilda selected a total of seven players at the 1999 National Draft and 2000 Pre-season Draft. Amazingly Blake has now played more than double the combined tally of 95 matches played for St Kilda by the other six selections  Cayden Beetham (37 matches), Tony Delaney (33), Damien Monkhorst (10), Sean Charles (8),Fred Campbell (7), and Murray Pitts (0).  Blake commenced the 2000 season in the VFL and made his AFL debut in Round 9 against the Western Bulldogs. Blake had 16 possessions, laid 4 tackles and kicked a goal, despite leading by 31 points at three quarter time St Kilda were outscored six goals to one in the last quarter and lost by a point. Blake remained in the St Kilda AFL side until he was dropped in Round 22 so he could qualify for the VFL finals.  In 2000 Blake had an impressive debut season being used primarily as a defender and played 13 matches averaging 4.8 kicks, 4.9 handballs and 2.7 marks per game. In the first 16 Rounds of the 2001 season Blake’s form was down on the previous season and he was dropped from the St Kilda AFL side three times, only playing six games and being named an emergency seven times.  Blake was recalled to the Saints AFL side in Round 17 in a new role as a run with player, he grew in confidence performing this role and retained his position in the side for the last six games of the season. In 2001 Blake played 12 matches averaging 4.3 kicks, 5.8 handballs and 3.7 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 77.5%. In Round 19 against Port Adelaide, Blake set new career highs for disposals and marks, having 10 kicks, 12 handballs and taking seven marks, he also laid a then equal career best four tackles. Blake started the 2002 season well, being named in the best players during the Round 1, 24 point victory against Carlton. Jason played the first five games of the AFL season mainly performing run with roles, however he then missed the next 10 weeks of football due to a groin injury. Blake returned through the VFL in Round 16 and although he didn’t play any more football for St Kilda in 2002 he was named as an emergency for three of the final four games of the season. During 2002 Blake played five matches, averaging 4.0 kicks, 3.6 handballs and 2.0 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 89.5%. Blake was dropped after playing for the Saints in Round 1 2003, after playing seven VFL games for Springvale and being named an emergency three times he was recalled to the St Kilda side in Round 12. Blake was again dropped in Round 13, however he returned in Round 15 to play the last eight games of the season. One of St Kilda’s ruckman Matthew Capuano was controversially delisted mid-season after the 65 point loss in Round 9 against Collingwood. Trent Knobel came into the side for Round 10 however after injuring his quad he missed the final eight games of the season. In Round 16 St Kilda split the ruck duties between Blake, 189 centimetres tall and Matt Maguire who was 190 centimetres.  Although Blake and Maguire gave away considerable height they competed hard and created a contest.  St Kilda were beaten in the hit-outs 43-28 however the Saints defeated North Melbourne by five points with full-forward Fraser Gehrig kicking nine goals. Blake was used in the ruck for four matches up until Round 19 and had 11 possessions and 17 hit outs in the 61 point Round 18 win over the West Coast Eagles at the Telstra Dome. Blake, Maguire and Justin Koschitzke shared the ruck duties to record 39 hit outs to West Coast's 44 which was led by Dean Cox with 22. In 2003 Blake played 10 matches averaging 68 minutes, 4.4 kicks, 5.8 handballs, 3.8 marks and 5.1 hit outs per game with a disposal efficiency of 90.2%. For most of the 2004 season Blake played as a ruckman, although he was considerably shorter than most opposition ruckman he was still able to finish the season with 183 hitouts, ranked 22nd in the AFL.  Trent Knobel was St Kilda’s No. 1 ruckman and at 204 centimetres he played a contrasting style to Blake, Knobel was a very good tap ruckman but made a limited impact around the ground.  Blake said that his strategy when playing in the ruck was “just to compete and to bash and crash, get in there and try it make it difficult for those taller guys, and try to hurt them on the spread.”3 Blake played the first three games of the 2004 season for St Kilda and then missed the next four matches after injuring his back in Round 3 against Richmond.  After recovering from his back injury Blake came straight back into the St Kilda side in Round 8 but was dropped back to the VFL for Round 11 and 12 as St Kilda used Justin Koschitzke in the ruck. Blake was recalled for Round 13 and played the remaining 13 games of the season for St Kilda  including three finals. In Blake’s first three seasons at St Kilda from 2000 to 2002 the Saints won a total of just 11 matches to  finish 16th once and 15th twice in a then 16 club AFL competition.  St Kilda were in a rebuilding phase and the group of players who made their AFL debut during this period would become key players  for the next decade, players that joined Blake in debuting for St Kilda during this time included: Nick Riewoldt, Nick Dal Santo, Leigh Montagna, Stephen Milne and Justin Koschitzke. In 2003 St Kilda started their climb up the ladder, improving throughout the season to finish 11th with 11 wins. In 2004 the progression of the young Saints outfit accelerated with 10 consecutive wins to start the home and away season setting up a top four finish and St Kilda’s first finals appearance in six years. St Kilda were overwhelmed in the Qualifying Final, losing by 80 points at the Gabba to the Brisbane Lions who were chasing their fourth straight AFL Premiership. By virtue of their top four finish, the Saints had a second chance and an opportunity to redeem themselves with a home final at the MCG against the Sydney Swans. Jason Blake was handed arguably the toughest assignment of any St Kilda player on that night – a run with role in the midfield on 2003 Brownlow Medalist Adam Goodes.  At 193 centimetres tall Goodes was (and still is) one of the most difficult players to match up on in the AFL due to his explosive speed and his size which means that very few players can match him at ground level and also in the air. Blake performed the run-with role superbly restricting Goodes to 12 possessions whilst having 13 possessions himself to play a pivotal role in the 51 point Semi Final victory against Sydney. In St Kilda’s first finals victory in seven years Official AFL Records list Blake as St Kilda’s third best player, behind Robert Harvey and Nick Riewoldt, who between them have won nine St Kilda best and fairests. In his fifth season of AFL football Blake set a new high for games played in a season with 19 – six more than his debut season, and in the Round 16 44 point victory against Richmond Blake played his 50th match. In his 19  games during 2004 Blake averaged 68 minutes, 4.5 kicks, 6.5 handballs, 4.1 marks and 10.4 hit outs per game with a disposal efficiency of 86.6%. After playing in Round 1, 2005 against Brisbane Blake was dropped and only played one of St Kilda’s next six matches – Round 4, he was on the cusp of selection being named an emergency for the other five games. Blake played three straight matches, commencing in Round 8 but in his third game back for the Saints he injured his leg. Blake missed two matches, was named an emergency for another two and was called up as a late replacement for the Round 15 80 point victory against Carlton at the Telstra Dome. St Kilda shared the ruck duties between, Cain Ackland, Justin Koschitzke and Blake, all three Saints had at least 13 hit-outs and 13 possessions each leading to St Kilda convincingly winning the hit-outs 47 to 30.  Blake retained his position in the St Kilda side for the final 10 games of the year. Blake continued to be used predominantly as a back-up ruckman during the 2005 season. Whilst Jason was the shortest ruckman in the AFL his great endurance allowed him to have more impact around the ground than most of his opponents. In 2005 Blake played 15 matches, averaging 70 minutes, 4.4 kicks, 6.3 handballs, 2.9 marks and 10.4 hit-ots per game with a disposal efficiency of 87.6%. Blake was ranked 27th in the AFL for total hit-outs with 156. Blake displayed good form over the first four Rounds of the 2006 season and in Round 4 against Port Adelaide he had 17 disposals and 15 hit-outs out of St Kilda’s total of 22. Whilst Blake was accustomed to giving away considerable height to his ruck opponents, it went to a whole new level in Round 5 against Fremantle at Aurora Stadium as Jason faced the monumental task of playing the entire game in the ruck against Aaron Sandilands who at 211 centimetres  and 125 kilograms was 22 centimetres taller and 36 kilograms heavier than Blake. Blake responded to the huge challenge set for him by playing one of the most complete games of his AFL career to have 14 kicks, 11 handballs, 10 marks and kick two goals.  Blake battled manfully in the ruck to have 20 hit-outs to Sandilands 29, however Jason’s impact around the ground, effectively playing as an extra midfielder resulted in him convincingly taking the honours on the day, winning the possession count 25 to 8, taking eight more marks and kicking two more goals than Sandilands. Despite Blake’s herculean effort St Kilda were not able to get the victory over Fremantle in the infamous siren-gate match. St Kilda hard-nut Steven Baker was awarded a free kick for a push in the back and given a shot after the siren with St Kilda trailing by a point. The siren had gone seconds before Baker was awarded the free kick however the umpires didn’t hear it. Baker’s shot went through for a behind which probably turned out to be a good thing. The match was declared as a draw however this result was overturned during a special Tribunal hearing which awarded the victory and 4 premiership points to the Fremantle Dockers as the match should been declared over before the free kick was awarded to Baker. Blake played the first 11 matches of the 2006 season to bring his consecutive games tally to a career-best 21, however he then missed Rounds 12 to 15 with a hamstring injury. Jason was brought straight back into the St Kilda side for the Round 16 four point victory against Port Adelaide at Aurora Stadium.  Blake played six of St Kilda’s last eight games of the season, missing Round 21 with injured ribs and being named an emergency for the Qualifying Final. In Round 20 and 22 he was a late replacement coming into the side for Cain Ackland (soreness) and Max Hudghton (ankle) respectively.    In 2006 Blake played 17 matches, averaging 74 minutes, 7.2 kicks, 6.5 handballs, 5.6 marks and 9.4 hit-outs per game with a disposal efficiency of 82.3%.  Blake “ranked fourth of all ruckmen in disposals per minute, however his contested possessions average dropped below four for the first time in his career.”4  Blake set a new career-best with 13.7 possessions a game and  ranked 23rd in the AFL for total hit-outs with 157. In Ross Lyon’s first season as coach in 2007 Blake spent most of his time playing in defense, he was given some run-with roles in the midfield including against tall midfielders such as Adam Goodes and Cameron Bruce, and was only used in the ruck sparingly. Blake had 79 hit-outs for the season, however most of these were from three games, Round 13 (12 hit-outs), Round 20 (15) and Round 22 with a career-best 21 hit-outs against Richmond. In 2007 Blake was ranked fifth at St Kilda for hard-ball gets and had his first top 10 finish in the best and fairest, with ninth place. Blake played 22 matches averaging 105 minutes, 5.7 kicks, 6.9 handballs and 4.1 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 82.0%. For the first time in his career Blake played every game of the season, to be one of four Saints to achieve this feat in 2007 along with Dal Santo, Aaron Fiora and Milne. Mindful of the task the St Kilda match committee were setting Blake each week by having him play in the ruck and give away considerable height and weight to his opponents Blake’s time on the ground was carefully managed during the period from 2003 to 2006. If Blake had been playing 100 minutes a game the risk of injury would have been severe. During Blake’s four seasons as an under-sized ruckmen, his average time on the ground per game in each season was between 68 and 74 minutes. In 2007 Blake, playing against similar sized opponents had a massive jump in playing time,  increasing by 32 minutes per game to 106 minutes, effectively he spent just over one entire quarter more per match on the ground.  Blake went from being St Kilda’s second most benched player in 2006 behind Cain Ackland to being ranked second at St Kilda for minutes played in 2007 behind Stephen Milne. After making consecutive Preliminary Finals in 2004 and 2005 St Kilda fell away in the next couple of years to be knocked out of the 2006 finals in the first week after an Elimination Final loss to Melbourne and in 2007 the Saints failed to make the finals at all, finishing ninth, half a game and percentage behind the eighth placed Adelaide Crows. After 15 rounds of the 2008 season St Kilda were precariously positioned, eighth on the ladder, inside the eight by half a game and percentage. In Round 16 St Kilda played Hawthorn, third on the ladder with 13 wins and just two losses. The match at the Telstra Dome followed the script during the first half to see Hawthorn enjoy a 28 point lead at half-time.    Jason Blake was thrown into the ruck during the third quarter against Hawthorn and turned the game, kicking three goals to be St Kilda's second highest goal scorer for the match behind Nick Riewoldt with six.  At the eight minute mark of the third quarter Hawthorn led by 22 points, Blake responded with two goals in the next four minutes to reduce the margin to 10 points, when Blake added his third goal at the 17 minute mark the Saints led by eight points and had all the momentum. After half-time St Kilda dominated, kicking 12 goals to Hawthorn’s three. Blake had 23 possessions and 11 hit-outs for the match to be a catalyst in the memorable 30 point victory that transformed St Kilda’s 2008 season. In the official AFL records Jason Blake is listed as the second best St Kilda player in the Round 16 victory against Hawthorn, behind Nick Riewoldt.  I agree with the AFL’s assessment that the Saints two best players in this match were 1. Riewoldt and 2. Blake, whilst Nick Riewoldt received the three Brownlow Medal votes and St Kilda players picked up the remaining votes from this game Blake was not amongst the vote getters – instead the minor votes went to Hayes (2) and Montagna (1).      Blake had at least 15 possessions in six of St Kilda’s last seven matches of the home and away season, playing some of the best football of his career. During this period St Kilda appeared a rejuvenated side and finished the season strongly to sneak into fourth position with a 108 point Round 22 victory against Essendon. In the 34 point Elimination Final victory against Collingwood Blake was one of St Kilda’s best players with 19 kicks, eight handballs and a game-high 18 marks. During 2008 Blake played 23 matches averaging 109 minutes, 6.6 kicks, 7.6 handballs and 5.4 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 87.6% and was ranked fifth at St Kilda for marks. Jason played most of the season in defense and after being a late withdrawal from the Round 1 match against Sydney due to an infection, he missed only one more match for the season, Round 7 when he was dropped to the VFL. Blake was the recipient of the 2008 Excellence in Education & Training award from the AFL in relation to his double degree in Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Construction Management specialization) and Bachelor of Business (Finance specialization).  During 2009 Blake was ranked first for minutes played at St Kilda and second for marks, playing as a defender he was able to perform roles on tall and small forwards. In 2009 Blake “had the flexibility to play on a number of different opponents including Drew Petrie, Tom Hawkins, Jason Porplyzia and Daniel Motlop. He conceded the fourth most-most goals at the club and kept nine clean sheets.”5 On seven occasions during his 200 match AFL career Jason Blake has had 25 possessions or more. In a purple patch from Round 14 to Round 17 2009 Blake averaged 25.5 possessions over his four games, comprised of 26 in Round 14 against Geelong, 20 in Round 15 against West Coast, 25 in Round 16 against Adelaide and culminating with a career best 31 in Round 17 against the Western Bulldogs comprised of 16 kicks and  15 handballs. Blake’s reading of the play was exceptional and he had at least 10 marks in all four of these matches. In 2009 Blake played 25 matches, averaging 115 minutes, 9.4 kicks, 8.5 handballs and 7.6 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 89.7%. Blake set new highs for minutes, kicks, handballs and marks per game as part of St Kilda’s miserly defense that conceded the least amount of points in a season since the home and away season increased to 22 rounds in 1970. Blake was one of only two Saints along with Farren Ray to play every game in 2009. Blake had 10 or more marks nine times in 2009 and he ranked sixth in the AFL for average marks with 7.6 per game, behind Nick Riewoldt 9.6, Jonathan Brown 8.5, Brian Lake 8.3, Brett Thornton 7.9 and Sam Fisher 7.7. During 2010 Blake “ranked No. 1 at St Kilda in spoils and fourth in marks from opposition kicks, winning the fourth-most possessions off the opposition. He also took the third-most marks among Saints and the fifth-most of any player during the H & A fixture.”6 In 2010 Blake played all 26 matches, averaging 110 minutes, 8.5 kicks, 7.7 handballs and 6.8 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 88.2%. Throughout the 2010 season Blake usually picked up an opposition key forward with his opponents including Jarryd Roughead, Cameron Mooney and Josh Kennedy, however he has also had stints on small forwards as well.  In the 24 point Round 13 victory against Geelong Blake had 15 possessions and held key forward Cameron Mooney goalless and to only three kicks and four handballs. From 2007 to 2010 Blake showed remarkable durability to play 96 of St Kilda’s 98 matches and at the end of the 2010 season Blake had played 69 consecutive games which was the longest current streak for St Kilda.  In this four year period no-one played more games of football for the St Kilda Football Club, and two-time All-Australian Leigh Montagna was the only player to equal Jason’s 96 games. In August 2010 Jon Anderson listed Jason Blake as one of the AFL’s six most under-rated players in his article in the Herald-Sun, and the AFL Record Season Guide 2010 even went as far to say “Underrate him at your peril” and “in his 11th season at the club, Blake has performed whatever role required of him (and there have been plenty along the journey) with the minimum of fuss.”7 In the 2011 pre-season continuing to play in defense where he had been settled for several years Jason Blake was unanimously voted best Saint afield by True Sainters members for his Quarter-Final NAB Cup performance against Geelong at Etihad Stadium.  Blake read the play brilliantly to take 12 marks and repel many of Geelong’s attacking forays. The ever-reliable Blake finished the match with 12 kicks, nine handballs and outplayed several Geelong forwards including Tom Hawkins. At the start of the 2011 season St Kilda were looking for tall marking options in the forward line to support captain Nick Riewoldt and allow the Saints to be  less predictable with how they delivered the ball inside the forward fifty.  It was a surprise to the majority of St Kilda supporters and in fact AFL followers in general to see Jason Blake lining up in the forward line for the Saints 2011 Round 1 match of the Home and Away season against Geelong, especially after four straight top 10 finishes in the Saints Best and Fairest playing as a defender and displaying sensational form as a defender in the NAB Cup match against the Cats weeks earlier. Over the first two rounds Blake played predominantly as a forward,  a move that was not successful as Jason had eight disposals and six marks against Geelong followed by nine disposals and two marks in Round 2 against Richmond. During these two matches Blake kicked a total of one goal, one behind. Rather then return Blake back to his customary role in defense the St Kilda match committee decided to drop Jason for the Round 3 clash with Essendon, ending a sequence of 71 straight matches for St Kilda. Blake was named an emergency for Round 5 and was recalled for St Kilda’s Round 6 match against Adelaide, he played four of the Saints next five matches, missing Round 8 after being dropped and named an emergency. With only a few minutes remaining in the 46 point Round 10 win against Fremantle Jason Blake going back with the flight of the ball, collected teammate Sean Dempster. Blake injured his knee and Dempster was knocked out which resulted in him being taken off the ground on a stretcher and then onto Charles Gairdner Hospital just like Goddard who was knocked out in friendly fire from Zac Dawson at the end of the first quarter.  Dempster and Goddard recovered well to be able to fly back to Melbourne with their St Kilda teammates late that night and both players took their place in the St Kilda side for Round 11 against Collingwood. Blake  didn’t fare so well and spent several weeks on the sidelines due to his knee injury. Blake returned through the VFL in Round 16 and was recalled to AFL level in Round 20 against Fremantle at Etihad Stadium. In his first game for St Kilda in ten weeks since injuring his knee against Fremantle at Patersons Stadium Jason Blake was superb in defense having 27 possessions and was very close to receiving a vote from True Sainters members. With Zac Dawson suspended Blake was given the opportunity to play at full-back and excelled to be ranked second at St Kilda for contested possessions with 10 and had a game high 10 spoils, five more than Raph Clarke ranked second.  Against the Dockers Blake had his 2011 season highs for handballs and marks with 14 and 10 respectively, he also had his second highest number of kicks for the year with 13, one less than his season high in the Elimination Final against Sydney. Blake retained his position in the St Kilda side for the last six matches of the 2011 season. Up until his knee injury in Round 10 Blake was consistently called upon to support Ben McEvoy in the ruck, and in his first six matches of the season Blake averaged 7 hit-outs per game with a season best of 16 in Round 9 against Melbourne when Ben McEvoy was dropped. After his return from the knee injury Blake was rarely used in the ruck and averaged 1.2 hit-outs in his last six games of the season. In 2011 Blake has played 12 matches, averaging 103 minutes, 6.1 kicks, 6.4 handballs and 4.2 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 87.0%. The only current day Saint that has been at St Kilda longer than Jason Blake is two time Saints Best and Fairest Lenny Hayes who was drafted by St Kilda one season before Blake. In 2011 St Kilda placed Blake on the veterans list, he was included on the Saints list of 38 whereas St Kilda’s other two veterans, Hayes and Steven Baker were outside St Kilda’s list of 38 players.  At the conclusion of the 2011 season St Kilda didn’t have much room in their salary cap and faced a battle to retain all of their required players. One measure to ease this pressure was a bit of list management which resulted in Jason Blake being delisted to allow Justin Koschitzke to be included as one of two  St Kilda veteran's. St Kilda were committed to re-drafting Blake with their final selection at the 2011 National Draft, pick 76, and this is exactly what happened, placing the then 30 year old (he turned 31 on March 15 this year) to the Saints Primary list.  With Steven Baker’s AFL career ending at the conclusion of the 2011 season St Kilda now have two veterans who are both outside the list of 38, Hayes and Koschitzke. During St Kilda’s 2012 Pre-Season Blake played in three Pre-Season games, but had limited game-time, playing a total of only 92 minutes across the three games. Blake was selected to play his 200th  AFL match in Round 1 of the 2012 season against Port Adelaide and on the eve of his milestone match Blake said “It’s very exciting to be a part of this great Club. It’s quite a humble feeling to play 200 games, and I’m very proud to be a part of St Kilda.”8 Blake had 12 kicks, 3 handballs and eight marks in game number 200, however the result was very similar to Blake’s first game, with the Saints suffering a narrow loss, this time by four points. Throughout his career Blake has shown great versatility to perform many roles for the St Kilda football club including, run with player in the midfield, ruckman and key defender.  The ability of Blake to perform several roles due to his endurance, leap and strength has afforded his coaches great flexibility allowing him to be used in the role that was best for St Kilda team balance at that point in time.   In an article for Saints.com.au in April 2010 Blake commented “The last couple of years have been good to be able to settle down into a position and have a niche in the team. You can really focus on the position and what it takes to play well in this role.”9 This afternoon Blake plays his 201st game against the Gold Coast Suns, in the twilight of his AFL career you can be certain that Blake will continue to be an understated role model for his younger teammates both on and off the field throughout the rest of his career with the St Kilda Football Club. Whilst Jason Blake doesn’t receive the same level of recognition from the wider football community that many of his teammates do he is highly admired and respected within the St Kilda Football Club for his decision making, reliability, durability and ability to perform his role well week in and week out with a minimum of fuss. Well done Jason on playing 200 tenacious games for the St Kilda Football Club.  1 AFL, AFL Record Season Guide 2012, page 661 2 AFL, AFL 2000 – The official statistical history of the AFL, page 212 3 St Kilda Football Club, Jason Blake: a Saint for all occasions by Luke Holmesby, 17 April 2008, Saint.com.au 4 Champion Data, AFL Prospectus the essential number-cruncher for season 2007, 2nd edition, page 250. 5 Champion Data, AFL Prospectus the essential number-cruncher for season 2010, 5th edition, page 223. 6 Champion Data, AFL Prospectus the essential number-cruncher for season 2011, 6th edition, page 246. 7 AFL, AFL Record Season Guide 2010, page 264 8 St Kilda Football Club, 200 games for a True Sainter by Breanna Gallagher, 30 March 2012, Saints.com.au 9 St Kilda Football Club, Blake finds his niche by Felicity George, 30 April 2010, Saint.com.au
  • Round 2 Match Preview: St Kilda vs Gold Coast
    Round 2 Match Preview: St Kilda vs Gold Coast
    Thanks to Nick Ciantar who has done this weeks Match Preview. St Kilda: After losing their first home and away game of the year to Port Adelaide, St Kilda will be looking to bounce back with a win. An area that hurt the Saints was the contested possession count, losing 127-154. St Kilda will be looking to improve in the contested possession count and forward 50 entries. With the inclusions of Tom Simpkin and Beau Wilkes (extended bench), this will help the St Kilda back line as they can play as a key defender against rising Suns talents Tom Lynch or Tom Hickey. Jack Newnes may be a surprise inclusion for some, though he could play a good game if he gets selected. In the past two VFL games, he has averaged 20 disposals and 7 marks, playing across the wing. The Saints will also be looking at their transitions from defence to attack against the Suns, as this is where the Gold Coast could take full advantage of their poor transitions. Gold Coast: A poor first game for the Gold Coast, which saw them get humiliated in front of their home crowd. Their midfield and defence was leaking goals and it did show on the scoreboard. Gold Coast will be looking at strengthening their defence. It is a young defence, with Jared Brennan being the most experienced. They will also be looking at getting better disposal efficiency. When they have clangers, teams produce heavily on a counter attack. This will be one aspect where the Suns will desperately want to improve on against the Saints. They get back Josh Fraser, which will dramatically help out their ruck and forward stocks. Especially seeing they have to come up against; McEvoy, Stanley and Koschitzke. Key Players: St Kilda: Riewoldt, Gilbert, Dal Santo, McEvoy, Dal Santo. Gold Coast: Ablett, C.Brown, Brennan, Fraser, May. Who’s missing: St Kilda: Clarke, Gram, Schneider, Polo, Gwilt. Gold Coast: Dixon, Bock, Stanley, Iles, Tape. Key Match Ups: Nick Riewoldt vs Steven May: Could be vital for both players. Riewoldt needs some form and he could produce the goods here. Whereas with May, a young defender who is trying to succeed at the top flight of football. If they play on each other, expect Riewoldt to be the stronger and he could kick a few goals. May will learn with experience, so don’t go writing him off as he could play a great game. Gary Ablett vs Clint Jones/Farren Ray/Sean Dempster: Will he be tagged? And if so, by whom? Jones is the recognized tagger at the Saints, but Dempster and Ray have been known to do the odd tag. Ablett effectively cannot be tagged, as he is that good. Though it is better him being tagged then not, as he can easily notch up over 35 effective disposals. If he plays forward for some parts of the game, which I expect, Dempster will get the nod. Prediction: This will all go down to experience. The Saints have much more experience and they should win. The Suns are still a young team and they will take time to get better consistency in their game. The game will have a lot of counter attacks, due to the Gold Coast’s poor efficiency and the Saints new game style. The young defenders of the Suns, will most likely see the Saints kick numerous goals. It will be hard for them to stop Riewoldt, Koschitzke, Stanley, Milne, Steven and Goddard, as some are elite players. With that being said, don’t be surprised if the Sun’s come closer then what everyone expects, as I am sure Guy McKenna gave them a roasting after last weeks defeat.  Saints by 40.   Follow Nick on twitter - @nick_saint13
  • Round 1 Match Preview: Port Adelaide vs St Kilda
    Round 1 Match Preview: Port Adelaide vs St Kilda
    ST KILDA PREVIEW - By Shaun Curnow Port Adelaide will play host to St Kilda in the opening round of the 2012 season. The Saints have a win percentage at AAMI Park of just 28%, with 18 losses from 25 games. Port had been one of the Saints' 'bogey' sides throughout their short rivalry, with the Saints winning just 1 game out of 12 between 2001 and 2008. However, despite a glitch in Round 5 2010, St Kilda have been comfortable victors in recent years, winning by an average of 42.8 points in their last 5 encounters, and including their record 94-point win, the last time the two sides met. Port Adelaide was one of the “form” sides of the NAB Cup, losing only 2 matches to both the eventual Grand Finalists, Adelaide & West Coast by 1 and 5 points respectively. On the other hand St Kilda has looked out of sorts, only managing to win 1 game and had an average losing margin of 32 points. One of the main questions marks hanging over St Kilda is how will they react to an entire new coaching panel and game plan under new coach Scott Watters. Watters has made it clear he won’t be reinventing an entire new game plan and will be making small adjustments and tweaks. One thing that was noticeable throughout the preseason was they tried to play on at every opportunity, which is something that was the style they played under the previous coaching panel. This allows Nick Riewoldt to be freed up somewhat and will not give opposition time to flood back and double or triple team him. It also allows for a freer flowing, faster game and breaks away from the stop start defensive style we have come to know the Saints to play. Outside runners are also given more opportunities to use their pace and move the ball into the forward line faster. This new style can come at a cost though, as opposition teams have been able to take advantage of the turnovers as the defensive structures have been more loose, breaking down and looking shaky. This results in being hit hard on the scoreboard. One area St Kilda has struggled so far is taming the key forwards due to lack of a key defender. Tom Simpkin and Beau Wilkes have been fighting for that position, and at this moment it appears Tom Simpkin will be given first shot. Wilkes made his name in WAFL last season as a defender who went forward half way through the season and kicked 45 goals in 10 games. At times during the preseason he has looked bit lost down back, but last two weeks playing in VFL he was thrown forward and kicked 6 goals and looked more at home. Whereas Simpkin, who is coming off back to back Top 5 finishes in Sandringham’s B&F has looked quite comfortable and at home holding down full back position. Which ever way Watters and co decides to go, they will need to rely on Fisher, Dempster, Gilbert and co to help out, as they did with Zac Dawson in previous seasons. KEY MATCHUPS Robbie Gray vs Sean Dempster – Gray is possibly Port’s most important players, he is extremely damaging up forward and has the ability to become an elite midfielder. No doubt he will rotate through both positions. Dempster was the best stopper in the game during 2011 and seems logical matchup for Gray as he has the tank and skills to follow him into midfield and can really hurt Gray going the opposite way. Travis Boak vs Clint Jones – Boak is the Powers best midfielder and if you can shut him out of the game it will go a long way to winning the match. Whilst Jones skills can be very average at times, he is still one of the best taggers and won’t give Boak any room to move. Troy Chaplin vs Nick Riewoldt – Roo has had field day against the Power throughout his career, kicking 32 goals in 14 games. In his last 4 games against them he has kicked 4, 4, 3 & 3 goals. If the Saints can move the ball quickly and allow Riewoldt to be one out against Chaplin then he should have a day out. Chaplin will need and will be looking at his team mates for support, especially with loss of Trengove for opening match. Watch for StKilda to try to stretch their backline by playing 3 talls, plus McEvoy. If they can do this then it will allow Roo to get one out majority of the time. Jarred Redden vs Ben McEvoy – Port Adelaide have a few injuries to their big man stocks, with Lobbe & Renouf both unlikely to play. Redden is a young up and coming ruckman who starred when given the chance in the NAB Cup. He has possibly become Ports first choice even if their other two rucks were available. McEvoy should be able to win the hitouts and hopefully give Hayes & co first crack. With Sandringham having their first game of season a week before the Saints opening fixture, we got a bit of insight into who is potentially in the 25 to take on Port. Jamie Cripps, Tom Ledger, Rhys Stanley and Arryn Siposs were all rested, and after extremely impressive preseason’s I wouldn’t be surprised to see all four in the team. David Armitage was given a run in the VFL and was the best Saints listed player on the ground, picking up 26 disposals, 4 tackles and kicking a goal to really put his hand up for selection against Port Adelaide. POTENTIAL TEAM B: Dempster, Simpkin, Geary HB: Gilbert, Fisher, Cripps C: Dal Santo, Goddard, Montagna HF: Schneider, Riewoldt, Siposs F: Stanley, Koschitzke, Milne R: McEvoy, Hayes, Jones INT: Steven, Ledger, Peake, Armitage EMG: Wilkes, Milera, Saad, Blake PREDICTION Most people seem to think this will be a walk in the park for the Saints, but I’m not that confident. Port Adelaide has played good football this preseason and St Kilda has played some average football. As usual the game will be won in the middle; if St Kilda get first hands on the footy and the midfield can get on top then they should run away with the game. But if Port Adelaide can get first hands on it, or at least break even in the midfield battle then I think with their defence they could hold the Saints to a manageable score. Saints by 24 points   PORT ADELAIDE PREVIEW - By Darrin Lia Following a disappointing campaign in 2011 which resulted in only 4 wins and narrow avoidance of the wooden spoon, Port has had a strong pre-season buoyed by the re-signings of a group of future stars everyone tipped to move to other clubs. On top of these key re-signings was the appointment of key assistant coaches Shaun Rehn, Josh Carr & Brad Gotch, along with the selective recruitment of a couple of key mid-fielders acquired during trade week. These appointments galvanised the playing group to the point where young leaders Travis Boak & Jackson Trengove led a select group of young up-coming players on a week-long intensive boot camp in mid-October when they were all still officially on leave. One thing many will notice with Port players in 2012 is that they have become stronger physically compared to 2011 and are prepared to use their strength in the contest. Throughout the pre-season there has been a strong emphasis on being harder at the ball, more accountability, quick ball movement and giving the ball off to the first option. As a result of the emphasis on harder, more contested footy, there has been a few stoushes ensue during game simulation drills at training – none more high-profile than the dust-up between Trengove & Schulz which received widespread publicity. Far from being frowned upon, this pleased the coaching staff because it demonstrated the players were serious about redeeming themselves in 2012. During the NAB Cup, Port demonstrated strong improvement in their game and finished the series as one of the form sides having won 3 of their 5 games and having a combined losing margin of 6 points in their 2 losses against Adelaide & West Coast. These 2 losses are notable for the fact that several of Port’s bigger name players were either rested or played limited minutes. Port boasts a great record against the Saints and at AAMI Stadium, although the Saints do have recent form on their side including a record margin in their most recent meeting in 2011. Despite recent results Port can go into the season opener with some confidence – key players are in form following strong NAB Cup performances, young players drafted over the past couple of seasons have gained valuable experience & game time, and fringe players are keeping the pressure on the selection panel. With the emphasis over summer on harder, more contested footy and quicker ball movement, Port will run an expanded mid-field rotation with upwards of a dozen players regularly rotating through the middle each week. Quicker ball movement from half-back and through the mid-field will result in an increase in forward 50 entries as demonstrated in the NAB Cup – this was one of Port’s major deficiencies in 2011, but could now become a major strength with key forwards Schulz, Butcher & Westhoff to feast on an increased supply up forward. Other changes to players roles that will be noticed throughout the season include Pearce predominately playing a sweeping role across half-back, Gray spending more time in the mid-field, O’Shea playing on a wing and through the mid-field, Brett Ebert joining cousin Brad in the mid-field rotations and Daniel Stewart playing more of a Westhoff style game roaming further up-field as well as pinch-hitting in the ruck. KEY MATCHUPS Troy Chaplin vs Nick Riewoldt – with Trengove missing round 1 with a fractured finger suffered in the final pre-season game against Melbourne, it will be up to Chappy to curtail the influence of Roo. Chappy has the experience and build to compete strongly with Riewoldt, and also has the ability to make Roo accountable with his impeccable reading of opposition forward entries where he is adept at cutting of the forward thrust with a timely mark. If Chappy can get on top of Roo early it can go a long way to helping Port take the points. Danyle Pearce vs Adam Schnieder/Arryn Siposs – Pearce’s new role as a sweeping half back will test either of the Saints half forwards. A hard runner and vital link man in the mid-field in the past, Pearce is really settling into his new role with relish and will take advantage of any freedom afforded to him by the Saints half forwards with dashing runs and precise delivery up field. Justin Westhoff vs Sam Gilbert – Westhoff could become a key barometer to Port’s chances against the Saints. If he can work up-field a bit early, take some strong grabs and deliver the ball to a target inside 50, he can force Gilbert away from his natural running link-up role from half back and make him more accountable. Conversely, if Gilbert can find a bit of ball early playing the link-up role, then this will result in the Hoff needing to be more accountable and take him from his natural style of play. This match-up could be a defining one in the outcome of the game. Jarred Redden/Brent Renouf/Daniel Stewart vs Ben McEvoy – With Lobbe injured and Renouf facing a fitness test, the final ruck match-up is still to be finalised. However the key battle will be between McEvoy & Redden who has been a revelation through the NAB Cup, including beating Cox in the ruck contests in their NAB round 2 match-up. Experience may be on McEvoy’s side, but if he gives the taller & heavier Redden any leeway he will find the inexperienced Port ruckman lowering his colours. If Renouf can’t prove his fitness, then Stewart will provide the support to Redden, a combination that almost lead a less experienced Port to an upset over the Eagles in WA. While Redden doesn’t get swags of possessions around the ground, he is a strong competitor who is willing to get down into the packs to win the ball and tackles ferociously. Stewart is a very mobile ruck forward who has strengthened up considerably over summer, and he has the capacity to run McEvoy ragged with his brief stints in the ruck. Travis Boak vs Clinton Jones – Arguably Port’s best mid-fielder, Boak cops the best tag every week and there’s no doubt Jones will have first crack at him. I know Shaun says that if Jones can shut Boak out of the game it will go a long way to winning the match for the Saints, however he discounted one important fact – Boak has finally completed a full pre-season for the first time in 4 seasons, and he is entering 2012 fitter & stronger than ever. With an increase in mid-field rotations in Port’s game plan in 2012, the reliance on Boak in the middle of the past isn’t as vital this season. Boak has shown in the NAB Cup that he can get the quick handball or tap-on out to a running team-mate that has led to goals. An important match-up, but for me it’s not the one that will make or break the game for either side. To be quite frank, it is still hard to read how selection will pan out for Port Thursday evening. There are still 28-30 players in with a realistic chance to make the final cut of 22. Weather conditions will play a key part in who the selectors go with. All I can be confident in is the following players will be amongst the final 22 – Cassisi, Boak, Gray, Redden, Schulz, Butcher, Carlile, Trengove, Brad Ebert, McCarthy, Paul Stewart, Broadbent, Pearce. PREDICTION This will make me an unpopular contributor, but there has been enough improvement in the Port squad to suggest they will enter the H&A season continuing to show their strong NAB Cup form. The quick ball movement and solid forward pressure Port has worked on over summer will hold them in good stead for the season opener at home. Port by 15 points   You might have noticed the change in our previews so far this season. We are hoping this will be a regular thing each week, where we get an opposition supporter to give us a bit of insight into their team and we will just specifically look at the Saints. Thanks to Darrin who wrote up the Power preview. Follow us on twitter. True Sainters - @truesainters Shaun Curnow - @stkildathunda
  • St Kilda 2012 Season Preview
    St Kilda 2012 Season Preview

    Finally, the Ross Lyon era is over. Five long seasons, stained by getting so close to AFL's holy grail. St Kilda supporters have been through more than any other club over the past five years. It's time to usher in a new era.

    It isn't easy to forget the grand finals, the defensive style of play and the scandals; all things that made our club look like a joke to outsiders. But we must move on and welcome in Scott Watters and a new PR philosophy.

    This season, the key is to keep expectations realistic. This doesn't mean that you can't dream. But the fact is, barring a miracle, we are not going to win the 2012 AFL premiership. Please understand that this isn't pessimism, it's realism. If our boys get over the line, I will let you dreamers designate a fair punishment.

    The first thing I have noticed over pre-season is the dramatic change in game style. We have gone from a playing stop-start, tempo football to moving the ball quickly, play on at all costs. This is definitely the direction that football is currently heading down. Scott has us in safe hands in the future.

    The problem is that the current group of players have too many deficiencies to ruthlessly execute this game plan. If a team is playing on at all costs, then the disposal must be absolutely pinpoint under pressure.

    Players such as Clinton Jones, Sam Gilbert and Jason Blake have been terrific players for the club. But their disposal has always been something that has let them down. With this new game style, kicking efficiency will be exposed like never before.

    In our first few pre-season games, it happened time and time again. The players, the ones above being the most guilty, would turn the ball over coming out of defence. Unfortunately, good teams are designed to punish you if the ball is turned over on transition.

    Over the past few years, the club has recruited players that dispose of the ball well. Players such as Sam Crocker, Arryn Siposs, Jamie Cripps and Terry Milera are all beautiful kicks. As this new generation comes through, they will be able to execute Watters game plan more efficiently.

    Now to some exciting things. There are some young players that are ready to explode this season. Cripps, Siposs, Tom Ledger and Tom Simpkin are all going to play significant amounts of senior football this season. There is a pretty big possibility that all three might start in Round 1.

    Another player who will be looking to make a big impression on the best 22 is Ahmed Saad. The former Northern Bullants goalsneak looks fit and ready to go this season. His defensive pressure was outstanding during the NAB Cup and I would be very surprised if he isn't in the Round 1 line-up.

    The Round 1 line-up should also feature the enigma known as Rhys Stanley. This guy is a serious athlete but does he have the desire and tenacity to make it at AFL level? In pre-season, he looked listless and presence-less when playing up forward. When in the ruck, he competed well against Nic Naitanui and Darren Jolly. This looks like the position he is suited to most. But because of Ben McEvoy holding down the No.1 ruck position, Stanley must contribute up forward to make his ruck cameos worth it.

    Some players are likely to be having their final chance to prove themselves as being part of the Saints future under Watters. Players like Stanley, Jones, David Armitage, Jason Gram, Raph Clarke, Jarryn Geary and Dean Polo will all need to improve their output's significantly to guarantee a spot on the list in 2013.

    Some of the Saints veterans had up and down years last season. Particularly Brendan Goddard, Nick Riewoldt and Justin Koschitzke. All three have looked to come through pre season successfully and will be looking to improve on their 2012's. Koschitzke, in particularly, looked impressive in the wet at Visy Park, taking a number of big marks despite the greasy conditions.

    Having spiritual leader Lenny Hayes back in the line-up is exciting for all Saints fans. You can expect Lenny to be in full flight by about Round 3-4 after he shakes out the cobwebs of 12 months on the sidelines. His experience in midfield will significantly help the development of Jack Steven, who should continue to develop into an elite midfielder this season.

    If there is one thing we can count on, it will be consistent seasons out of Nick Dal Santo, Leigh Montagna, Sam Fisher, Adam Schneider and Sean Dempster. These players have all been consistent St Kilda players and leaders for a number of years. It's the job of these players to hell bring through and nurture the young developing talent.

    It's going to be a long, tough year for the club this season. Essentially, it's a year of transition. If you cast your memory back to Ross Lyon's first year, we missed the finals and had significant issues adjusting to the game plan. Expect much of the same this season.

    If the boys hit the ground running, they could be have a positive win/loss record in the early part of the season. We start the season with very winnable games against Port Adelaide (away), Gold Coast, Western Bulldogs, Fremantle and Melbourne.

    I'm confident that the club has a plan in place to regenerate this squad over time. So relax, I don't think we are going to bottom out. The aim looks to be getting the squad back into premiership contention in a way that Sydney have done over the years. And that’s not by finishing on the bottom.

    The pass mark is definitely sneaking into the finals in my eyes. Any achievements above this will be extraordinary. The thing that should excite us as Saints fans this year, is all the young talent we are going to see over the year.

    We will see some players that will be a big part of our next premiership charge. This is what we should be excited about. And if you're prepared to focus on that this season, you're going to have a great year as a supporter.

    LADDER PREDICTION: 7th

    PLAYERS TO WATCH: Jamie Cripps, Tom Ledger, Arryn Siposs and Jack Steven

    LAST CHANCE: David Armitage, Raphael Clarke, Rhys Stanley, Jason Gram and Jarryn Geary

    Comments and feedback can also be sent to:

    Twitter: @kieran_francis

    Email: kewfrancis@gmail.com

  • During 2011 Sean consistently dempstered his opponents and was rewarded with third place in St Kilda’s best and fairest
    During 2011 Sean consistently dempstered his opponents and was rewarded with third place in St Kilda’s best and fairest
  • Nick Ciantar's AFL Dream Team Best Buys
    Nick Ciantar's AFL Dream Team Best Buys
    Nick Ciantar has sent us in a brilliant little article going over his 3 best picks from every team and a smokey to consider  for your AFL Dream Teams. Adelaide: Scott Thompson: avg: 108.9 $538500. MID An outright gun. Plays great footy week in, week out. Strongly consider him as I don’t see his DT average falling for a long time. Patrick Dangerfield: avg: 70.7, $349800. FWD/MID Played in the midfield during the Nab Cup and everyone is licking their lips. Could rise massively this year and he should have a break out year. A must have. Bernie Vince: avg: 80.9, $400100. MID Has averaged high 90’s - low 100’s before and he should get back to this in the near future. Has the skill, it is just a matter if he can be consistent. Cheap and a handy pick up. Smokey: Jason Porplyzia: avg: 16, $202500. FWD Has always been plagued by injuries, but has averaged in the high 70’s. Gets heaps of the ball, though it is up to his body if it can handle the tensions of AFL footy. Brisbane: Jed Adcock: avg: 84.5, $417700. DEF For his price and average, he can only push his DT average up about 5 more. A risky pick, as he does have an injury history. However, a classy player and does get the ball. Sam Docherty: $130200. DEF/MID A high pick in the draft and can get the ball. Will play this year, but the amount of games is the question. A bright prospect and he should be looked at. Tom Rockliff: avg: 112.1 $554200. MID A star. Each year he has improved and he has shown the ability to win the ball. In 2009 he averaged 23, 2010 he averaged 87 and last year he averaged 112. A stand out and expect the same this year. Smokey: Patrick Karneziz: avg: 47.6, $235200. FWD If he has a good start to the season, he could be the bargain of the year. Has the skill, has the ability to take that extra step and you must consider him for this year. (Notable mention to Mitch Golby) Carlton: Bryce Gibbs: avg: 107, $529000. MID Bryce can play anywhere and that is a big plus in DT land. He can kick goals, he can sweep out of defence, or he can win the ball in the middle. If I was you, I would have one of Murphy or Gibbs in your team. Marc Murphy: avg: 111.5, $551300. MID Marc has great disposal efficiency and he can get a lot of the ball as well. He is always in the right place at the right time and that is what you want in DT. As I said above, choose between Gibbs and Murphy, as come the bye round, your team may struggle with 2 Carlton stars out of your squad. Jarrad Waite: avg: 72, $356100. FWD After a year to forget in 2011, Waite is back and fully fit for 2012. A forward/defender, who knows how to use the ball well. His only query are injuries and suspensions, but there may be a light at the end of the tunnel for him. Has the potential to score much higher. Smokey: Kane Lucas: avg: 59.5, $206000. MID A lot of hype on young Lucas this pre-season. He has had a good pre-season and a lot of people think he is capable to take that extra step! He is a risk in my eyes, as there is a lot of talent ahead of him. Will struggle to get games, though he can have an impact if plays. 50/50 call. Collingwood: Dane Swan: avg: 121, $598300. MID Star is written all over him and probably tattooed as well. Played injured for the first half of last year, missing 1 game, but he still managed to win a Brownlow Medal. Don’t pick him, you’re missing out. Scott Pendlebury: avg: 116.6, $576900. MID One would think, with the caliber of Swan by his side, he wouldn’t get much of the ball, but that is wrong. ‘Pendles’ is only 24 and can still get better. This is the only case where I would recommend having both Collingwood stars in your team, but be wary come bye time. Heath Shaw: avg: 91.8, $428800. DEF Missed 8 games last year, due to a league imposed suspension. His run and carry wasn’t missed, as Leon Davis emerged, though ‘Neon Leon’ has departed and he will have his main role again. Expect a high quality year from this risk taker. Smokey: Alex Fasolo: avg: 60.7, $300400. FWD Could be a real bolter this year. With the emergence of Beams and Sidebottom, Fasolo could follow their paths and have a fantastic year. Could play more midfield and with a healthy Didak playing forward, he could be a real gem! Essendon: Jake Melksham: avg: 69.6, $344400. MID The Northern suburbs boy is ready to ignite. After a couple of years playing senior footy, he should be ready to take that extra step and set the DT world on fire. Gets the ball and can kick goals, the perfect DT ingredients for success. David Zaharakis: avg: 89.6, $443200. FWD/MID We all remember that ANZAC Day clash, when he kicked the winning goal, now you will remember me saying to pick him. He took that step last year and he will again this season. A must have selection for a winning team. Jobe Watson: avg: 99.6, $492500. MID The star of the club. Played injured last year, so do expect a much better performance this year. Is a great player and a great leader, so you will never be disappointed when he runs onto the field. He won’t be in many teams, so he will be a good selection. Smokey: Travis Colyer: avg: 47, $232500. MID A real smokey this year. He could push his averages into the late 80s, as he is as fast as Usain Bolt. Known as the ‘Sub Rocker’, he should get more time on the field this year, instead of on the bench. A unique pick, but has some risks. Fremantle: Paul Duffield: avg: 70.2, $347200. DEF The star from the West had a below average year last year. Is one of the premier DT players in the land and I do expect him to rise to his best again. Word is that Ross’ new game style, will have Duffield getting more of the ball. Nathan Fyfe: avg: 98.4, $339700. FWD/MID In a couple of years, he will be named a Brownlow medalist, has to be. Has the quality to take that extra step this year and you would be silly not to have him. A must for serious contention of overall prize. Aaron Sandilands: avg: 95, $469900. RUC The ‘Big Man’ played injured for the majority of last year and still averaged 95. Is arguably the best ruckmen in the land and at 211cm tall, you would have to be. Only query is injuries, though still showed he can be one of the best even with an injury interrupted season. A must, if going for the best ruckmen out there. Smokey: Hayden Ballantyne: avg: 72.1, $356700. FWD I think a lot of people will disagree here, but ‘Little Porplya’ could be able to set the DT world on fire. A player people love to hate, but a move to midfield could benefit his DT game. Can be up and down, though with a move into the midfield, we could see a better average this year. A risk, but could be worth it. Geelong: Jimmy Bartel: avg: 97.5, $482200. MID The Norm Smith medalist had an outstanding 2011. He may have only averaged 97.5, but he is worth it. Always attacks the ball and gets a few goals as well. You always know he will perform, and if you want to pick a player on sheer guts, he is your man. Steve Johnson: avg: 107.2, $530000. FWD ‘Stevie J, the forward Sensation!’ has more tricks in his bag, than a magician. He can kick a goal from anywhere and can gather the ball at any end of the field. One of the best forwards out there and hardly disappoints. He also loves the ‘Cattery’ Stadium. Joel Selwood: avg: 109.3, $540600. MID Selwood is only 23yrs old, and that is scary. He has already accomplished so much, in so little time. There is no reason as to why he cannot get any better. He always attacks the ball, like a piranha always attacks food. His average will rise again. Smokey: Trent West: avg: 76, $338300. RUC If Trent follows the path of Mumford, he could be a potential goldmine for DT’ers this year. Since Ottens has left, he is now the number one ruckmen at the club and I do expect him to improve. But with the emergence of Stephenson, he may lose some points here and there. However, his average will most likely increase. Gold Coast: Gary Ablett: avg: 112.2, $554700. MID The star of the competition. He showed that last year and this is all that needs to be said. Jarrod Harbrow: avg: 73.6, $363800. DEF Jarrod could be seen as one of the main men down back for the Gold Coast. His first year at GC, was down on his previous years, though that would be due to settling into a new environment and game style. He should improve and we should see his run and carry back again. Zac Smith: avg: 71.9, $355400. RUC Zac, is one of the best young ruckmen in the nation. He has the ability to be one of the best and I do expect this to happen. He should increase his averages this year and I would have him as your 2nd ruckmen. Smokey: Alex Sexton: $98700. FWD/MID Not a lot of people know about this kid, as he has been kept real quiet and I like this. Has been a brilliant under 18 player and the lively midfielder/forward should be given plenty of chances this year. Has speed and has a mature head and I would strongly consider him. (Notable mention to Aaron Hall) Greater Western Sydney: Jonathon Giles: $117800. RUC A lock. A mature body and will be the number 1 or 2 ruck this year for GWS. Will be one of the most picked players in the land. Curtly Hampton: $104200. FWD/MID Hampton can play either midfield or forward. Will most likely play straight away and is a little bit of an unknown player this year. A risk, but can be worth it. Sheedy loves him, so he will play. Devon Smith: $121200. FWD/MID Simply pick this player. Gets huge numbers of the ball and can kick goals. No risk at all with this selection. Smokey: Taylor Adams: $125700. FWD/MID Taylor has not played at all this pre-season and I am not to as to sure why. Last year he averaged 27.7 disposals a game at TAC level, a very handy return. If he plays later in the year, pick him up. (Notable mentions to Dylan Shiel, Stephen Coniglio, Adam Treloar, Matt Buntine and Tomas Bugg.) Hawthorn: Lance Franklin: avg: 101.7, $503000. FWD One of the stars of the competition. Even on off days he can still produce a high score. During the pre-season, he has averaged freakish results, as he has been playing more midfield. In 2 games, he averaged 104 and kicked 8 goals. He should be your first choice as a forward. Sam Mitchell: avg: 112, $554000. MID Sam had a stellar 2011, in which he almost won the Brownlow. He always gets the ball and you should defiantly consider him, as he will never, ever let you down. Cyril Rioli: avg: 86.9, $429700. FWD Cyril really is a star. We have seen him develop so much in the past couple of years, though we have also seen him get injured a fair few many times. Does not disappoint when he plays, however injury concerns is a real issue. A big risk. Smokey: Clinton Young: avg: 65.9, 326000. MID We all remember his form in 2007-08. He averaged 85 and 86, before he got injured in 2009. He could be capable of returning to that level, though I would like to see how his averages are for the first few games of this year. Melbourne: Mitch Clark: avg: 72, $356100. FWD Could be Melbourne’s main forward target this year, so I do expect him to get a lot of goals and DT points. Did average as high as 92 DT points in 2009, so he could return to those figures. Watch and see for him. Stefan Martin: avg: 82.7, $408900. RUC Had a stellar 2011 in the absence of Mark Jamar for parts of the year. May produce it again, though he does seem a bit too pricy and there are better players out there in my opinion. Jack Trengove: avg: 89.7, $443600. MID A star in the making. Taken very high in the draft, Jack has huge potential and will be one of the stars in the game. His game should improve this year, so get on the Trengove train before he leaves the station. Look for an average of about 88-94 this year. Smokey: Sam Blease: avg: 46.2, $228500. MID Sam was a high draft pick a couple of years ago and he could blossom now. A running half back and he will get heaps of game time this year. (Notable mentions to James Magner and Tom Couch). North Melbourne: Todd Goldstein: avg: 99.4, $491600. RUC Todd stood up in the absence of McIntosh and he did not let DT people down. A must again, but I would like to see how he goes with McIntosh by his side, as it may lower his scores a fraction. Andrew Swallow: avg: 99.4, $491500. MID The new captain of the club and what an honour it must be. He is a star and when it comes to DT, there are none better at the North Melbourne Football Club. If wanting to pick a North midfielder, he is your man. Hardly lets you down and I do suspect a lot of people will not pick him this year. Get on him, as he will be handy. Hamish McIntosh: avg: 79, $273500. RUC He really is a star of the competition, though are his days numbered? With the emergence of Goldstein, it will be hard to see him get back to his average of 90 (in 2009). A cheap option, though he may not get a lot of game time, which will hurt your DT. Watch closely to see how he goes early on this year. Smokey: Kieran Harper: avg: 50.2, $248400. FWD Harper has put on some weight and may be raring to go this year. Should improve this year, so he may be an option that could breakout for your team.  Port Adelaide: Travis Boak: avg: 86.2, $426300. MID The star of the Port midfield. With Brad Ebert coming over to Port, expect the weight to be lifted off Boak’s shoulders. Always plays well and expect an even better year this year. Jarrad Redden: $104200. RUC He has starred this pre season. Has averaged 68 DT points and has had 57 hit outs in three games. Just pick him. Chad Wingard: $157200. MID This is the player that Port wanted and they got him. In the years to come, he will be considered a star and this year we could get a small taste of that! A bargain and a must for a cheap midfielder. Smokey: Brad Ebert: avg: 62.3, $308100. MID He could be one of the real finds of 2012. The majority of the people think that they should stay away from Port players in DT, but this is one player I would not. Can average in the 80’s and I do see his numbers rising. A safe bet in my eyes to take. (Notable mention to Darren Pfeiffer) Richmond: Brett Deledio: avg: 91.4. DEF/MID Had succumbed to a hamstring injury during the pre-season, but played a game on the weekend, in which he scored a lazy 140 with 4 goals. Judging by that game, he hasn’t missed much and that suggests he will have a ripper of a year again. Trent Cotchin: avg: 93.7, $463400. MID Cotchin had a stand out 2011 and he will get better. Has had an uninterrupted pre-season and his averages will almost certainly rise again. He will not disappoint. Dustin Martin: avg: 89.5, $442500. FWD/MID Martin ‘the fend off kid’ will be one of the most improved this year. Has averaged 71 and 89 in his past 2 seasons and I do expect him to rise again. He wasn’t picked at number 3 draft pick for any reason, so get on him before he becomes a star. Smokey: Steven Morris: $104200. DEF As a 23 year old coming into the system, he is ready for AFL footy. In my eyes, he will play the majority of the year, so he should be locked in your team already. (Notable mentions to: Ivan Maric, Addam Maric and Brandon Ellis) St Kilda: Brendon Goddard: avg: 95.9, $474200. DEF/MID Goddard has been a star in the past. He has been the first selection in many teams, though last year, his form was down. I don’t expect this to last for long, so do pick him as you will not regret it. Lenny Hayes: avg: 86, $382800. MID Lenny went down to a serious knee injury last year and DTer’s all over the land went ‘nooo!’ Lenny so far has recovered well and will most likely play round one. Is severely underpriced so get on him before he rises in value! One risk is that he may not return to his best, but I would take it. Jack Steven: avg: 79.8, $394500. MID Steven is a unique pick this year. He came onto the scene last year in the absence of Lenny Hayes and he shined upon DT players. Is at a hefty price, but he should improve again. The return of Hayes will also help his numbers. Smokey: Jamie Cripps: avg: 35.3, $174400. FWD In honest opinion and as a Saints supporter, he will breakout this year. Played 4 games last year, all as a substitute and kicked 7 goals, impressive. Was injured later in the year, but I see a move down back for the young Saint this year. His kicking is excellent and I would jump on him as he is one of the most promising Saint youngsters. Sydney: Adam Goodes: avg: 99.3, $491000. FWD/MID Goodes is a star, no doubting that. The two time Brownlow medalist has not dropped his game yet. Has had a superb pre-season and is one of them dual position stars. A great selection, as he will help you out come bye time. Josh Kennedy: avg: 86.6, $428100. MID This will be a surprise selection for some, but this kid has got talent. He averaged 22 disposals a game and laid 5.6 tackles a game last year, and these statistics will improve. He is only 23 years old, so his peak will be coming soon. Shane Mumford: avg: 91.5, $452400. RUC This could be the year we see Mumford rise even higher. Has the potential to be the best ruckmen out there. Get on him before his price is too high. A must for a star ruck. Smokey: Tom Mitchell: $98700. MID His query will be if he can get game time, but if he does, he will dominate. He is the son of Barry and he has his talent, so it will only be a matter of time till we see it. The only thing against his name, is that we haven’t heard much of him this pre-season. West Coast Eagles: Dean Cox: avg: 107.6, $532000. RUC Cox is the ruck star of the competition. 2011 saw him rise to dominance again and the same with the West Coast Eagles. Will never let you down and if you are going with a star ruck, he is your choice. Beau Waters: avg: 68.4, $338200. DEF Waters is one of the architects of the West Coast Eagles backline. Uses the ball superbly and hardly lets you down. Could play more up forward this year and I do see his averages rising. He didn’t play much footy last year, due to injuries. Matt Priddis: avg: 105.4, $521400. MID Priddis is now the heart and soul of the Eagles midfield. After the glory days of Judd, Cousins, Kerr, Fletcher and Embley; Priddis is now the star of the midfield as Embley and Kerr have aged. He averaged 26.5 disposals and 7.7 tackles a game last year and I believe his game will reach a new level this year. One of my favourite underrated DT players out there. Smokey: Koby Stevens/Chris Masten: avg: 18/56.3, $104200/$278500. MID & MID I chose two players here. Firstly with Stevens; a few people have had him as the one to breakout this year. People do believe he will have a cracking year, but I would wait and see, as his pre-season numbers have not been so good. For Masten, he has averaged 76 in 3 games and laid 15 tackles. He will tempt you, but he is my pick for the year as the Eagles have already lost Lecras and Nicoski for parts of the season. So I do see a spot in the team for him. Both players do have huge chances to have major impacts this year. Western Bulldogs: Matt Boyd: avg: 116, $573800. The underrated champion of the DT world. Not too sure as to why people don’t pick him, but he is a star. Boyd has only missed one game in 5 years, outstanding. He is in the top 5 for a lot of statistics and he is another one of the star midfielders you must have. He will never, ever let you down. Brian Lake: avg: 51.6, $255200. After a year in the ‘doghouse’, Lake looks to be back in the AFL system. 2011 was a mixed year due to injury and numerous things, but that should not deter you. Has had a good pre-season and he could be back to his best, or even close to his averages in the high 70’s low 80’s. I can’t see why he won’t get game time this year. Robert Murphy: avg: 74.7, $369300. His averages were lower, DT wise last year, but he had a superb year by winning an All Australian spot. The forward turned defender, became one of the best running half backs in the game. Will be the man that will get the ball out of defence, which is perfect for DT players. Smokey: Clay Smith: $107700. Word on the street, is that this player is set to ignite. Gathers heaps of the ball and can kick some goals. There are that many kids out there that you can choose from for a midfield perspective, but this is one that you should strongly consider. The majority of teams should have 3-4 kids in there midfields, so I would make sure this is one of them. He is the lucky last and you should be lucky enough to have a spot for him. (Notable mention to Tory Dickson) Information compiled from AFL Prospectus 2012, AFL Nab Cup Record, dream-stats.com and Inside Football. All in my own view, but I have used them sites/books as a reference, as to why I decided to choose them players. You can follow Nick on Twitter - @nick_saint13
  • The Saints and Me - Saint66au
    The Saints and Me - Saint66au
    The Saints and Me are member written articles about life being a Saints supporter. This installement is from Forum member, Saint66au.  If you would like to send in your story own story, you can email me at shaun@truesainters.com   Hell on earth Well actually it’s Bay M57 at the MCG, but right now it’s Hell on Earth. It’s halfway through the last quarter of the 2011 GF Replay. I’m sitting here with the hideous wail of that chant echoing around me, enduring without doubt the worst 30mins of my football-watching life. Why am I still here when so many others have left…….what keeps me in my seat, what made me and my friends make a pact to stay to the bitter end..?? DISSOLVE TO OUT-OF-FOCUS VISION AND HARP MUSIC...SCENES FADES TO…… Round 2 1989: A first-round victory by the Saints has seen this game given Match Of The Day status, with the major drawcard being Lockett v Silvagni. The best full-forward in the VFL pitted against the then-best full back. A full house at Moorabbin saw the Saints lead all day until a last-quarter surge by the Blues left them in front with one minute to play courtesy of a Fraser Murphy snap goal. With the ball out of bounds on the wing and just 40 seconds to go all seemed lost. Enter Jayson Daniels. With a pinpoint 30 metre HANDPASS (bless his heart!!) to Nicky Winmar the ball headed forward carried along by a wave of noise from the Members Wing. Winmars kick seemed to favour Silvagni in front of Lockett, but with timing that he alone could manage, Lockett marks from behind! There is 19 seconds to play as he lines up, and I am unsure whether I can watch. Standing just in front of me is a well-known Saints fan with a penchant for music and wearing a hat. He cannot watch and crouches down with his hands over his eyes. No matter, Plugger kicks the gaol and the resultant madness keeps me going back week after week, when the consecutive wins prove to be a false dawn and we finish cellar dwellers yet again September 1997, Grand Final day.  The One Day in September. Football’s Ultimate Prize. No cliché can prepare the fans of a club like St Kilda for watching their team play in a Grand Final. For the Essendon’s and Carlton’s appearances are cheap, often expected as a given thing every few years, but for the Saints that can never be. This was OUR day. As I walked to the station to catch the train to the ‘G, people were wishing me luck like I was actually playing. We were representing Victoria against the evil Sth Australia and for me it was the high point of 30 years of the so few highs and so many lows of following the Saints. Yes it hurt like hell that we lost, but the memory that will live with me forever is the feeing of almost gut-busting pride when MY BOYS ran out onto the ground and they played OUR SONG. I am happy to admit I was fighting back tears, but the elderly chap sitting next to me wearing the Saints membership pin from the 50’s didn’t bother to fight them. When the team linked arms round shoulders as one during the national anthem, I sometimes wish I had done the same with that chap next to me.. You know what? I think he would have appreciated it.  SNAP BACK TO REALITY….. Suddenly I knew why I was still there as the blessed sound of the final siren rang out and we finally fled. Because I love the St Kilda Football Club. People who say, “It’s only a game” just don’t get it. It’s about emotion. It’s about hugging total strangers when you win and yelling at your friends when you lose. It’s about a natural high that could never be imitated by chemicals or a horse winning a race. It’s about watching the Saints lose week after week and still going without fail the next week. It’s about bragging on Fridays that the Saints are gonna “flog em” when you know they haven’t got a snowballs chance in hell.. I bloody love this club.. FORTIUS QUO FIDELIUS
  • The Saints and Me - Maxstar22
    The Saints and Me - Maxstar22
    The Saints and Me are member written articles about life being a Saints supporter. This installement is from Forum member, MaxStar22.  If you would like to send in your story own story, you can email me at shaun@truesainters.com   Nothing could keep me dry, not my trusty poncho, not the huge beach umbrella, not the borrowed plastic bags, nothing. The rain just kept on coming. I was drenched from head to toe and I’m sure the sight of me would have made anyone laugh. I wasn’t alone; there were thousands of us sitting in this torrential rain draped in anything that may keep the water at bay. As I gave up on all attempts to stay dry, I thought to myself “why the hell am I doing this”. I pondered, why am I sitting in this hideous weather with the river raging behind me with its banks about to burst? Why did I make the 3 hour trek up the highway on a day when I probably had more important things to do? Why? Well the answer is simple, I love the St Kilda Football Club! Hi, my name is Shae and I am an addict! I am addicted to MY footy club. Always have been, always will be and I don’t ever want a remedy for this addiction. It all started the day I was born (probably earlier with Mum singing the theme song to her pregnant belly) when I was presented with a Saints scarf. This scarf has become an integral part of my life. Even 35 years later, the scarf takes pride of place in my home, is worn to every game, has travelled the globe with me and will be the first thing I take if I ever need to evacuate. It’s more than a scarf though; it represents love, pride, family, history. It has been with me through all the highs and lows, it has been waved feverishly in victory, it has wiped away my tears in defeat. No one said being a Saints supporter was easy and nothing could be more true than growing up in the 80’s. St Kilda was terrible, cellar dwellers and the winner of more wooden spoons than we care to remember. On one cold winter’s day at a suburban primary school, hundreds of children made their way onto the oval to see their VFL heroes. Amongst a sea of brown and gold stood two blonde kids in Red, White and Black with number 1’s proudly on their backs and badges pinned to their chest like medals of honour. My friend and I were the only kids at school who supported St Kilda. Enduring years of taunts, we stuck together like our life depended on it. We weren’t embarrassed or ashamed of our support though, we were proud and passionate. Each Monday we would come to school after another thrashing, we had already grown a thick skin to let the cruel jibes roll off us and now we were becoming comedians with some great witty comebacks. The teasing only made us stronger and more determined to support the Club. To this day, the two blonde kids are still friends and even though thousands of miles separate them, the talk is always about the Saints. They say the bond between Mother and Daughter is strong and none more so than between my Mum and I. After all, it is her fault I am addicted! Footy has always been “our” thing. We have been going to games together since I could walk. I remember queuing at the gates of Linton St waiting for them to open at 10am. After running to get the best seats, we would enjoy our thermos and sandwiches and watch the reserves in anticipation for the big game. You never know, this week could be the week we crack it for a win. We both were forever saving our pennies to buy the latest duffle coat or the new poster of the next Saints hero. We have sat in the wind, hail and rain to watch our team, we have risked life and limb going to grounds like Victoria Park to watch our team, we have witnessed special and historical moments together watching our team and we have loved every minute of it. When that final siren sounded in the 2009 Prelim, we embraced like we never have before. Tears streamed down our faces and we looked at each other with not only a sense of relief but with a love that only and Mother and Daughter could share. St Kilda’s motto speaks to me in so many ways. I try to live my life by this mantra. If you are loyal you will become stronger in both mind and spirit. It certainly has helped me through many bad times. Stick fat with the Club through the scandals and losses and you will come out the other end better for it. Could this year be the year when we are rewarded? A permanent reminder now adorns my body with a tattoo of Fortius Quo Fidelius (and yes, it’s spelt correctly). People often ask me why I love St Kilda and footy so much and how I can be so obsessed. Surely there are more important things in life to worry about they say. It’s hard to find the right words to really describe the how’s and whys. It’s the air of expectation, will we win, who will kick the goals, who will stop the opposition’s best player. It’s the anxious times, biting your nails as you are a point in front with 30 seconds to go. It’s the thrill of a win no matter how big or small. It’s the pride when that final siren goes and your team of warriors have done all they can. It’s the joy of watching a skinny young kid turn into a champion. It’s the excitement of watching that specie being taken or that goal being kicked. It’s the frustration when the umpires make a bad decision. It’s the anger when the opposition do something you don’t like. It’s the sadness when you lose that important game. It’s the rollercoaster of emotions that you experience watching footy and supporting a team. You vest so much of yourself into it, it can be both emotionally and physically draining. And I love it! Fast forward to the present day and the addiction is stronger than ever. I read every little bit of news I can find about the Club, I am a member of a number of online fan forums and my social media pages are mainly used to discuss my addiction. Thanks to the World Wide Web, I am not alone and have been lucky enough to meet fellow addicts. Friends know that my life revolves around the footy. Social and work commitments are only met if it doesn’t clash with a Saints game. I scrimp and save every dollar to be able to afford memberships, sponsorship, merchandise and anything else relating to my beloved club. There isn’t a day that goes by where I am not thinking, talking or writing about the Saints. It’s been discussed at length the changes that have taken place throughout this pre-season and like a kid with a new toy the zip in my step has returned and I am ready for a massive 2012. Mum, my scarf and my addicted self will be there once again cheering on the team. GO SAINTS!
  • The Saints and Me - Matrix
    The Saints and Me - Matrix
    The Saints and Me are member written articles about being a Saints supporter. The first installement is from Forum member, Matrix. He originally posted it as part of a blog series but we've decided to post it all together as its that good and other members have sent in their own stories so we decided to make it into a mini-series type of thing. So anyway here is Matrix's story. If you would like to send your story own story, you can email me at shaun@truesainters.com Following this club kills me sometimes. I started following the Saints when I first got to high school. I had emigrated to SA from the UK and of course everyone was footy mad. I was still in 'real' football mode; you know...that game with the round ball. Kids at school would wear those duffle coat things with the badges all over them, SANFL footy was huge over here but there were still a lot of kids that followed the VFL league that was in Victoria. It was kind of confusing at first with each state having different leagues and some states even playing rugby! Kids at school all had their SANFL teams with the most popular being Port Adelaide and Glenelg. The most popular VFL teams were Hawthorn and Essendon. The kids I hung around with were for some reason VFL mad, sure they all had their SANFL teams they followed but apparently VFL was better and tougher. I had no idea what they were talking about. "You have to pick a team" was what I heard regularly, so I set about looking for someone to follow. Well the Hawks colours looked like crap to me, literally, and Essendon’s didn’t quite grab me. Now, I was of the opinion that you just don't go eenie meanie miney mo and pick a team, you need to at least know what the team looks like, where they play and what colours they are...I'm certainly not picking a team to follow just because some kids I hang around with say so. Aussie rules was fairly new to me, sure I had seen the odd game back in the UK on some channel I cant remember the name of but I didn't have a grasp on the rules or even how many teams there were in the then VFL. There was no Crows or Power to support seeing as we were in SA, in fact back in 1985 the only team outside of Victoria in the league was Sydney. I thought about Sydney for a while as it was where my grandparents first settled when they too emigrated back in the early 70s, but for some reason didn't choose them as my team to follow. Then I saw the St Kilda colours. They had 3 colours and I thought that looked good, wasn't many other teams that had three, so I thought or had seen. I saw some highlights while my grandfather was watching the news one night and decided I liked the look of those colours so I started 'following/supporting' St Kilda. I wasn't a fanatic or anything like that; I just basically needed a team to get mates off my back at school. "Picked a team yet?" I heard it for weeks at the start of 1985. "Yup...St Kilda" It was met with howls of laughter as apparently St Kilda were useless, always at the bottom, rubbish, ****, crap and plenty of other things...except winners. I didn't know, 2 months ago I hadn't even been in the country. It didn't bother me, I had picked a team and now they were off my back...yeah right. Every week I copped it as the Saints got another belting, and when we did win, I still copped it as apparently wins were few and far between and that was still a good enough reason to give me hell about it. Gee I didn't even really care, I was still a die hard 'real' football fan, I didn't really 'care' about St Kilda and how many points they got beaten by, thrashed by, again and again week in week out, I still hadn't even seen a whole game yet, just snippets on some sports show and clips from the news. I was still interested in 'real' football, you know, that game with the round ball. I was never going to get into Aussie Rules, it was too complicated, there was no rules, and they could use their hands for crying out loud, where's the skill in that I thought. The Saints won 3 games from 22 in 1985 and finished bottom of the ladder. The kids at school had great fun in letting me know about it but I didn't worry me. Of course I wanted to see them win, but I had other things on my mind, you know, 'real' football, the game with the round ball. I didn't think about Aussie Rules again until the 1986 season started. 1986 was statistically worse for the Saints...we won two games. Yet again kids at school found it funny each week to let me know how crap the Saints were, telling me to change sides and start following a team that at least wins more games. Blimey you cant just change sides I thought, once you've made a decision to follow that team you stay with it...don't you? Well the Hawks won the flag that year and a couple of Hawks supporters let me know about it at school...I was sure they only supported them because they were winning games. That year, 1986, I noticed something, someone and his name was Tony Lockett. In 1986 St Kilda won two games and lost 20. It’s a familiar story when you look back thru the records and most of us are familiar with and have even experienced an era when the saints were woeful. Kids at my high school were either Glenelg or Port Adelaide fanatics yet there was a small amount that was VFL followers. Looking back now I wonder why they liked the VFL so much. Maybe their parents were originally from Victoria? I don’t know and back then I really didn't care. It was all about the round ball game, not this stupid game with the oval ball that you could pass to a team mate with your hands...what a stupid rule. In 1986 Lockett kicked 60 goals for the saints, not much by his standards, yet I started to take notice of the big man mountain. I can remember seeing footage, again on news clips, and something stood out to me. How can a bloke that big, move that quick and kick a ball that wasn't round that far? I was still into 'real' football, yeah that's right, the round ball game, but I was starting to take a little interest in Aussie rules, not much, just a little...it was Tony Lockett that started it. 1986 came as quick as it went and before long the 1987 season was upon us and the usual crap was flung about in my direction every now and then about how rubbish the Saints would be this year. Mehhh, it never bothered me, I still wasn't a footy tragic yet, that was years away, but I would just make some lame comeback comment about how good Lockett was and that he would win us more games this year. Lockett had 169 shots at goal in 1987 and kicked 117 of them. I knew nothing about the bloke, no history, where he came from, nothing...but he was my only come back when I got taunted about the Saints at school. Even then it didn't matter as I got quickly told Lockett doesn't matter as one man can't win you a flag. A flag? What the hell is a flag? Lockett won the Brownlow that year. I had no idea what it really was, and I couldn't ask kids at school now could I, it would just open me up to more laughter. But, it was my one piece of statistical information that I had as a comeback. "At least Lockett won a Brownlow". Of course Platten won it that year for Hawthorn as well and the couple of Hawthorn kids that hung around in our group let me know about the 'greatest rover to play the game'. Rover? What the hell is a rover? Isn’t that something you call a dog when you have no idea of a decent name to call it? Seriously, these Aussie kids have some weird ass words that they use. Interestingly Platten had sold me a pair of sneakers years earlier when we had only been in the country a few weeks when we visited a sports store at our local shopping precinct that he owned. I had no idea who he was, but I remember the hair and that he was pretty short. In 1988 Lockett got a serious ankle injury. He cracked a bone in his right ankle against the Dogs and would be out for the rest of the season. Previous to this injury the man mountain was on fire kicking 19, 16, and 19 again in 3 rounds of football. The bloke was amazing and no one could stop him, sure he had a quiet couple of games prior to kicking 3 massive bags, but had also kicked 12 against Brisbane, even tho we lost that game. That year the Saints won one more game after the Lockett injury and it showed how important he was to the side. 1988 wasn't all doom and gloom thou, with the debut of a young kid from Seaford. The youngster only played the last four games of the season, but showed a bit of promise for the future of the hapless Saints. His name...was Robert Harvey. An interesting stat is that in 1988 (before his ankle injury) Lockett kicked 35 goals. Robert Harvey debuted in #52 that year, but would go on to make the #35 for St Kilda, one of the most famous numbers in the clubs history. 1989 rolled around and high school was getting serious, year 12 had crept up rather to quickly for my liking and Aussie Rules had taken a bit of a back seat for me. An after school job in a fast food restaurant was taking up all the time I had left over after school/study so football (yes I had resigned to now calling it football) was of little importance. The kids who would give me so much rubbish about St Kilda in our early years of high school had either moved on and left or just weren't in the same crowds I hung around with anymore. From memory most of the people in our crowd now weren't even interested in football, music and girls was the number one priority it seemed...you know how it is, when you're young. 1990 was another year of high school, yup that's right I went back. Nearly 40 of us did, most of us passed the first time around, yet some of us wanted to better our scores and with bugger all jobs around it seemed like the most logical explanation. I mean doing 3 subjects again and having free lessons for 3/4 of the year wasn't really that hard, it meant you could concentrate on boosting some scores on subjects that you had re-taken, plus the social side of it was appealing to a lot of us I think. I would check the football scores when I got a chance to see how the Saints were doing and noticed that yet again the man mountain seemed to be on fire. Robert Harvey had started to make his presence felt as well amassing a total of 453 possessions in the same year in 18 home and away rounds of football. In 1990 the Saints finished 9th on the ladder and maybe, slowly, things were actually looking up for the 'hapless' Saints. 1991 meant freedom, school was finished and 'freedom' had begun. St Kilda looked like they were on target to finish in the finals. By round 12 we were sitting in 3rd place on the ladder. Where's all those kids from year 8 and 9 now I thought, banging on about Hawthorn, who were lower than us on the ladder. Harvey was on fire gathering possession after possession and looking to be a future star of the club. Lockett didn't play until round 7 that year after injuring his back in a pre season game, yet he still managed to boot 127 goals in 17 games and had kicked 34 goals 11 points in his first three games back (rounds 7, 8 and 9). Amazing stuff, surely the man mountain and the new kid on the block Robert Harvey would lead us to a flag? (Yup I had figured out what a 'flag' was a few years earlier) 1991 saw the Saints in the Elimination Final against Geelong. Surely it was our time? Lockett booted 9 goals 5 in that Final and Harvey amassed 29 possessions. At half time the saints were up by 19 points and things were looking good and Ablett had been kept goalless. By 3/4 time the Cats were up by a point and by the end of the game had grasped the win, beating us by 7 points. Billy Brownless kicked 8 goals 3 that day and proved to be the difference. How on earth could Lockett kick 9 and we still manage to lose?? Well only another 4 Saints players chipped in with goals (for a total of 5), while 4 Cats players chipped in for a total of 7. Another year over...another chance gone begging. Oh well, at least there was next year (a St Kilda fans most used saying) 1992 saw us sitting 4th on the ladder after round 12 half way thru the season, it looked like the saints were still up there and were going to have another decent crack at it. At the end of round 10 Lockett had kicked 54 goals and had only played 9 games, the big fella was on fire and was leading us on another charge to play finals football and once again have a crack at getting our second Premiership. Robert Harvey was also on fire racking up possessions with a couple of games of 32 touches and a massive 44 possies against the Dogs in round 2. The bloke was becoming (if not already) a genuine superstar for the St Kilda Football Club and was fast becoming my favourite player along with Lockett. By round 24 we had sneaked into 6th position (top 6 that year) and would be playing finals again. We faced off against the Pies in the Elimination Final and got over the line by 8 points setting up a match against the Dogs in the Semi Final. Lockett bagged 5 goals 3 and Harvey had another 30+ possession game against the Pies that day. Harvey was 21 years old and surely had to be the best youngest player in the league. I still wasn’t hooked on 'footy' by this stage, sure I was taking a bit of an interest, more than I had in my younger years, but I still wasn't at that stage of watching every game and following the Saints like I do now. I was probably watching as much 'round ball' as I was 'oval ball' but 'real' football was still my first love. The love for the Saints was there, but there was never any heartbreak or depression if we lost. The semi final against the Dogs saw us once again bow out and not get to a Grand Final. Lockett managed only 4 goals 1 while a 19 year old for the Dogs bagged 5 goals 1, his name...Chris Grant. Lockett kicked 123 goals in the home and away season in 1992 and had a total of 132 after the Semi Finals loss to the Dogs. Harvey amassed a whopping 650+ possessions for the season (including the 2 finals) with 3 games over 40+ and 8 games in the 30's. From rounds 16 thru to 22 he picked up 31, 38, 37, 41, 27, 36 and another 41 possies respectfully. The bloke was an absolute gun and was surely, one day, going to lead St Kilda to a flag. This was the last true great year Lockett would have with the Saints. 1993 saw us drop to 12th on the ladder with 10 wins and 10 loses. Lockett only played 10 games kicking 53 goals and Harvey only managed 17 games but still racked up 434 touches at an average of 25.5 a game. Just pure consistency. 1994 was worse again for our Saints. We could only finish 13th on the ladder with 7 wins and 14 loses (and a draw against the Crows in round 14) Lockett again didn't play a whole season, only managing 10 games, but still managed to kick 56 goals Harvey just repeated the previous year’s effort averaging 26 touches a game. It seemed once again that the saints were on the slide and finals were once again looking out of reach in the future. If we could get Lockett on the park for a season and if Harvey could keep on firing then things might turn around. Yet what was to come, at the end of 1994, would bring the club and its supporters to their knees. Stats are obviously not in my head (who could remember all of them?!) and I am getting them from probably the best historical VFL/AFL stats site on the net: http://stats.rleague.com/afl/afl_index.html Most of us use it, or have seen it and its fantastic for jogging memories when trying to think of a game from the past (or for example remember what years it was that Lockett booted his 100's). Footy, it’s a funny game isn't it? We ride the wave every year, surfing towards September and the hope of a finals appearance. Urging and yelling our team on towards success. Sometimes I think 'why on earth do we do it? What is it about the game that most of us have grown to love, to follow fanatically? I have no idea why I do it, but there's something about the game isn't there...something magical. Let’s step back to 1994 again, round 7 against the swans. With something like 15 mins left saints are trailing by 8 goals. It’s all over bar the shouting pretty much... Enter one Tony Lockett [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o25je7me5BE] we’ve all seen it and marvelled at what Lockett did that day. He kicked 11 goals 2 and won the game for us in an amazing display of full forward magic. Yet sadly it was the last game he would kick double figures for us (who would've believed that back then), and who on earth would've thought that the team he would end up leaving St Kilda for was the very team he kicked his last bag of 10+ against...especially considering what happened in that game. Not only was it memorable for Locketts 11 goals, the game is also remembered for the day he rearranged Peter Cavens nose with a raised elbow knocking him into the middle of next week. Lockett was like that, he had a nasty streak in him sometimes. He got suspended for 8 weeks for that incident in round 7 and then would only go on to play, funny enough, and only another 7 games for the Saints. I've never found out the real reason Lockett left the saints. Some say he needed a change of scenery, with others saying he didn't like all the attention he was getting in Melbourne, yet is this actually true? I have heard that Richmond and Collingwood were the front runners to get his services and that Sydney was a distant third. Talk has it that Richmond couldn't get a deal together that the Saints liked, and that Lockett preferred to go to the Pies, yet the Pies board narrowly voted against having him at their club, leaving his only choice to be the Swans. Who knows and maybe someone can shed some more light on the situation. Lockett was born in 1966, the year the Saints won their only premiership, he kicked a goal with his first kick of VFL footy and was deputy vice-captain of the Saints in the late 80's getting promoted to vice-captain in 1992. He won the Colman Medal playing for the Saints in 1991 and 1996. He was inducted to the St Kilda Team of the Century in 2001; an in June 2006 was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame. One of the goal ends at Etihad Stadium was named after him, the Lockett End, with the other end being named after the man whose record he broke (for most goals ever kicked), Gordon Coventry. In 2003, he was inducted into the Saints Hall of Fame and in July 2010 was elevated to Legend status of the St Kilda Football Club Hall of Fame. He was one of the greatest, if not the greatest, full forward to ever play at St Kilda. How on earth were we ever going to replace someone of Locketts ability? We would find out soon enough as the 1995 season soon rolled around. 1995 started bad. With no wins from our first 6 games, supporters and the media were asking how the Saints can survive without Lockett. Sure, we had big Stewie 'Buckets' Lowe, but Locketts shoes were big to fill, and being a CHF it would've been a lot of pressure on Lowe. That year the Saints finished 14th out of 16 with only 8 wins. Things were once again looking grim. Harvey was still busting his guts in the centre playing 17 games that year and still getting over 450 touches with umpires starting to take notice as he polled 16 votes in that years Brownlow count. 1996 was a little better finishing 10th with 10 wins and 12 loses. Harvey had an even better year than the previous one, playing 21 games out of 22 and racking up nearly 600 possessions (597) which got him 17 Brownlow votes from the umpires. Lowe kicked 90 goals 58 points for us that year and looked to be a dominant player, things were looking ok, and we still had a big man kicking some goals for us. With players like Burke, Aussie Jones and the great Nicky Winmar all chipping in with good games, things didn't look that bad really and with a little bit of effort would could once again be up there, contending for that elusive second Premiership. 1997 didn't start that great. After 5 rounds of footy (yup, that’s right 'footy') the Saints were 1 win and 4 loses. Round 6 saw us give the Demons a hiding of 86 points with Everitt kicking 4 goals 3 but getting smashed in the ruck by Stynes, and Lowe had 9 shots at goal converting 5 of them. The following week another thrashing this time against Port Adelaide with once again Lowe kicking 5 and Brown, Burke and Harvey following up from the previous weeks great performances with A grade games once more. Things were looking good. By round 12 we were sitting in 6th place on the ladder, beating Carlton with Lowe kicking his 450 goal in that game. A 54 point win over North in round 14 saw us sitting 4th on the ladder, and a bloke by the name of Heatley had kicked 9 that week. I had started to get more serious in my love for footy, I was now at the stage where I was watching everything that was St Kilda on the TV, and of course with the crows now firmly entrenched in the competition it was good to support a side that wasn't from my home state...you NEVER change sides, everyone knows that, and even if you did, to me the crows were pretty boys and Port, well Port were just Port, over here in SA you either love them or hate them, they were the Collingwood of SANFL back in the day...and I hate them. It was a great year to really start following the Saints I thought, I tried to get as much information about them as I could, started wearing a Saints Jacket to work, much to the amusement of my workmates. Of course it was like high school all over again. Most of the people at work were Chardonnay Sipping Crows Supporters, with a few Power fans, and even less Vic team supporters. Pffft, what did I care, the Saints were on the up...we were going all the way, right? By Round 19 the top two sides in the comp were the Crows and the Saints, and it was 'on' at work. At the end of the home and away season we were sitting top, Minor Premiers and work was a fun place to be. The Crows had dropped to 4th by the end of the season and the Saints looked pretty good going into the finals and would surely go all the way this year. Harvey won the Brownlow in 1997 by gathering a whopping 756 disposals which at that time was the highest achieved tally in a home and away season. He also won our Best and Fairest that year and was voted the 1997 AFL Players Association Most Valuable Player. The bloke was a superstar. Like most of us I was wearing my Saints gear with pride in that week leading up to the GF in1997, I still wasn't a member yet, but was becoming passionate about the Saints, watching every game I could and listening to every bit of info I could find. People at work were still harping on about the Crows and how they would give the finals a shake up; yeah right I thought...even though they ended up finishing 4th I gave them no chance for a Premiership. The Saints were going all the way. We gave Brisbane a lesson in the Qualifying Final with Jones, Bourke, Harvey and Lowe all having good games, but disaster happened with Everitt going down, and didn't I hear about it at work. In the Prelim Heatley kicked a bag of 7 and we managed to get thru to the GF without Everitt. Then...the Crows scraped home over the Dogs by 2 points. St Kilda v Crows GF You could not imagine what it was like in SA let alone at work. Crows mayhem...everywhere. I can remember the week building up to it was pretty full on with insults and jokes flying everywhere don't get me wrong, I gave my fair share, letting everyone know I would be the only one happy come Monday morning after we knock off the Crows to claim our second Premiership. I flew the red, white and black colours proudly that week in the lead up to the GF even though I was outnumbered by about a million to one, I didn't care. But it's always there, in the back of your mind, you can't help it, those thoughts creep in..."What if we lost???" Saturday seemed like it took a hundred years to finally come around. I had the whole day mapped out. Quick few hours of work in the morning and then home to watch the Sainters spank the living crap out of the Crows in the Grannie. I camped myself in front of the TV as soon as I got home, loaded up with chips and a few drinks and settled in, this was it, the day had finally come...the day when we would finally taste glory once more. To say I wasn't nervous would be a lie, obviously I was quietly confident, but footy is a funny old game and anything can happen...look at that Round 7 game back in 1994 when Lockett brought us back from the brink of death in the last 15 minutes. This was different, we would need all our players firing, all needed to have good games because without the number one ruckman lining up for us the odds had dropped slightly. Everitt was in his prime and losing him a few weeks before was devastating for us, but still, we could do it...I was sure we could. I'm not going to go thru the game, whats the point? We all know how it ended up and I have never watched it again. I made a vow to myself that I would only watch it again AFTER we finally won a premiership. Who would think that 15 years later at the start of the 2012 season there would be 2 more added to that list??? Two words...Darren Jarman. ...and who the bloody hell is Shane Ellen????!!!! I didn't cry that day; I was angry and devastated, but nope, no tears. I couldn't believe we lost, yet come Monday I donned the Saints jacket and rolled into work expecting to be hit by comments left right and centre, my work mates didn't let me down... To Be Continued...
  • Sandringham Zebras Season Preview
    Sandringham Zebras Season Preview
    It’s been 4 long years since Sandringham have tasted finals football, but one senses that it’s all about to change in 2012. The Zebras have been on a recruiting rampage during the preseason, with no less then 17 new faces joining the club. Some of the key arrivals for 2012 include a host of Ex-AFL players, including former Eagle Adam Cockie, Docker Hamish Shepheard, Crow Myke Cook and Hawk Beau Dowler. When you add in the experienced players already at the club, Captain David Gallagher, former Bomber Marcus Marigliani, James Hallahan, Chris Irving, Michael Lourey and then the seasoned bodies from their AFL aligned club, St Kilda and one has a feeling Sandringham will be right in the mix at the pointy end of the season. Its been well documented that St Kilda and Sandringham have a much healthier relationship since the departure of Ross Lyon and one key differences that Zebra fans will see is a united game plan. New coach Simon McPhee is involved at both Clubs and with St Kilda players who aren't involved in the senior team that week will be training with Sandringham on the Thursday Night.  The new game plan will be easier to coach and implement. No longer will they be played out of position or having to learn on the run. Everyone will be on the same wave length. It is not only mature age players that have joined Sandringham, but a ton of young guns have also been recruited in the hope they become the future of the Zebras. St Kilda also have 21 players who have played less than 10 AFL games and most of them will see out the season at the Zebs as they learn the rigours of elite football. The future looks extremely exciting and in very good shape. I expect Sandringham to feature heavily in finals and top 4 berth isn’t out of the question.
  • NAB Cup Round 1 Preview: St Kilda vs Geelong vs Sydney
    NAB Cup Round 1 Preview: St Kilda vs Geelong vs Sydney
    In what could be seen as one of the toughest groups in the NAB Cup round robin competition, three of the most competitive and successful teams over the past 6-7 years will hit the field for their first hitout of the season. St Kilda, Geelong and Sydney have a history of tough, hard fought games and if history is to repeat itself, then all 3 games will be decided by under a kick. ST KILDA PREVIEW By Shaun Curnow St Kilda will head into Friday nights matches with almost a full list of players to choose from. Only, Raph Clarke (calf), James Gwilt (knee), Jay Lever (calf) & Jimmy Webster (shin) appear on clubs injury list and all are highly unlikely to take any part. In what has been described as a positive and exciting pre-season for the Saints, we will finally be able to see the new game plan under new coach Scott Watters. Word from those in the inner sanctum is that they will “take the game on” and will be playing an “exciting & explosive” brand of football. Something that will be relished by fans considering the style of play that Saints Footy has been known for in the past. Possibly the biggest question that will be asked all week is who will play at full back now that Zac Dawson is no longer at the club. It appears it’s down to two with Simpkin & Wilkes both impressing coach Scott Watters in the clubs recent Intra Club match. Given it’s still early days, it wouldn’t be surprising to see each guy given one game each to prove themselves and give the coaches more options for future planning. Jamie Cripps, Sebastian Ross, Tom Ledger have been the pick of the kids so far this preseason and by all accounts have been training well and have even come under the eye of captain Nick Riewoldt, who claims they have really impressed with their work ethic and talent. It will be a perfect opportunity for this three to play and show the coaching panel that they are making a serious push for Round 1 selection. Mature aged recruits Ahmed Saad & Terry Milera have also impressed so far and look lively around the goals and look to have the ability to step up to big league. Ben McEvoy will have his work cut out for himself again this season as the sole ruckman on the Saints list. He will need to rely heavily on Justin Koschitzke, Jason Blake & Rhys Stanley stepping up and giving him support, especially against the much bigger bodies such as Shane Mumford. So far in the NAB Cup, clubs have only been playing their stars in one game. One would suspect StKilda will follow similar line with Lenny Hayes, Nick Riewoldt & Brendon Goddard who are all recovering from various injuries and post season surgery.   GEELONG PREVIEW By Shaun Curnow Geelong is going through a similar type of “rebuild” as the Saints after losing a host of star players at the end of 2011. Brad Ottens, Cameron Ling, Cameron Mooney and Darren Milburn are just a few of players no longer at club since they won last seasons premiership. They also have a fair injury list, James Podsiadly, Travis Varcoe, David Wojcinski, Nathan Vardy, Daniel Menzel, Dawson Simpson all appear on their injury list (well technically have taken from BigFooty as couldn’t find list on official website). Geelong have a host of quality young kids ready to step up and fill the void left by the retirements and injuries. Expect the older guys like Paul Chapman, Mathew Scarlett, Corey Enright, Joel Corey to also play limited game time in week 1. Billie Smedts is getting some big wraps this preseason. The former first round draft pick has had a horrible run with injury but appears to have fully recovered and is aiming to put some solid performances on the board during the NAB Cup. Jonathon Simpkin, Simon Hogan, Orren Stephenson, Allen Christenson, Mitch Duncan, Tom Gillies are a handful of the kids to keep an eye on on Friday Night. EDIT: GEELONG PREVIEW By Cats fan Pure Ownage Fresh off a third flag in five years that owed a lot to player management and squad rotation, the Cats look set to go down that path again. Focus on the marathon not the sprint is paramount (as I’m sure the Saints will also look to do under new coach Scott Watters). Scott and co have already said that a lot of the older players will not play all of the NAB games and that the kids will be on show, which is what supporters like to see. Keep in mind the injury list too, promising forward Daniel Menzel will be out until mid year with an acl, Nathan Vardy and Dawson Simpson are long term injuries with hip and back surgery respectively. This means we have only two fit ruckmen in premiership ruckman Trent West and 29 year old draftee Orren Stephenson, so both are certain to play round 1 of the regular season, and will get a lot of gametime this week to test themselves against good young ruckmen in McEvoy and Mumford. The coach has also flagged the debut of 2010 first round draft pick Billie Smedts, who sat out the whole of 2011 after hip surgery, but is back and training well. Wojo is doubtful for round 1 with a foot ongoing issue, and Varcoe will definitely miss round 1 after surgery on a stress fracture in his foot. With that in mind the coach will no doubt be looking to trial all players with real legspeed as we go to Subi in round 1 and have to replace two of our quicker players. This probably means you will see a lot of dual premiership forward Shannon Byrnes (who missed most of last year with leg injuries) as well as Taylor Hunt and Steven Motlop in particular, as well as rookie Jonathan Simpkin (brother of Tom) who was impressive in the corresponding game against the Saints last year. Midfielder Simon Hogan, who missed much of last year as he battled depression, also has real speed and endurance and they’ve flagged him getting first crack at the tagging role, so he may well play on a Dal Santo/Montagna etc. Scott has said that Allen Christensen and Josh Cowan won’t play, but Cam Guthrie is likely to get a key role this week. I would expect several of the oldest Cats to be rested (Scarlett Chapman Corey etc). The forward line will also be an interesting mix as we look to see if Hawkins can continue where he left off, and who will slot into Menzel’s vacancy. Premiership forward James Podsiadly is likely to make it to Subi but miss this week as he continues getting back into full training following a shoulder reconstruction. It will be interesting therefore, to see who our other tall forwards are. Scott has said today that promising but injury plagued key forward Mitch Brown won’t play, and Shane Kersten is unlikely to debut. Therefore I expect there’s a chance either rookies Josh Walker or Ryan Bathie, both tall guys who have played defence but can go forward, will debut. Lappin commented a few weeks ago about the club training up some of the defenders to play forward in case Pods is a few weeks away, so this could also mean Tom Gillies getting an extended run on Riewoldt/Kosi etc and either Lonergan or Taylor going forward. Stephenson and West will also go forward when not rucking. I’m completely guessing but this is the squad you might see for Friday: B: Enright Lonergan Gillies HB: THunt Taylor Mackie C: Kelly Hogan Guthrie HF: SJ Hawkins Duncan F: Stokes West Byrnes R: Stephenson Bartel Selwood Int: Smedts Motlop Walker Simpkin Horlin-Smith Schroder Stringer   SYDNEY PREVIEW By BobLog IV While under Paul Roos, the Swans showed a lack of respect and competitiveness in the preseason fixtures throughout the noughties. However, John Longmire has won a couple of games and lost a nail-biter to St Kilda going down by a point in 2010. This year the teams meet again with last years premiers Geelong being the other team on show this Friday at Etihad. In one of Sydney’s better pre-seasons in recent years, Longmire has virtually a full list to choose from with Mumford and Goodes having superb summers. Spangher (hamstring), Armstrong (quad), Hannebery (knee),Mitchell (knee), Roberts-Thompson (hamstring) and Dennis-Lane (hamstring) will sit this week out while O’Keefe didn’t play in the clubs intra-club hit out last Friday due to a corked thigh but is expected to play in one of the games. Recruited from St Kilda, Tommy Walsh also sat out the intra-club match with a foot problem but ran laps and will play this week against his former club. Since recruiting Walsh, Sydney have moved Jessie White into defense to give the young Irishmen a chance playing with Reid up forward. Eyes from both sets of supporters will be interested in the recruits progress this season. The Swans have played two intra-club games this year and reports are that Goodes, Mumford, McVeigh, McGlynn and Moore have been standouts. Jordan Lockyer was surprisingly picked up at 43 in the draft has been very impressive playing on a wing showing great decision making under pressure. Jed Lamb has also been a livewire up forward and Kieren Jack has been brilliant in midfield. Mitch Morton is another player to keep your eye on this Friday after coming across from Richmond last year. The 25 year old will be eager to impress and cement his place in Sydney’s forward line for 2012. In terms of quality, this Friday night has the best 3 sides on show so it should be a cracker. The Swans being one of the few teams to knock off Geelong last year and eliminating the Saints in the finals will be confident they can 2012 off to a flying start. Follow Shaun Curnow on Twitter - @stkildathunda Follow BobLog IV on Twitter - @BobLogIV
  • St Kilda 2012 Intra Club Report
    St Kilda 2012 Intra Club Report
    On an overcast day about 400 Saints fans strolled down to Linen House Centre to watch the clubs first competitive hit out since last years disappointing finals loss to Sydney. It was a bit of a scrappy affair with few turnovers early on, before all the players started to find their groove in second half. Overall can’t say they were more attacking, but they did look to play on at every opportunity and hardly kicked backwards! Missing from action was Adam Schneider (club said was rested), Raph Clarke (calf), Jay Lever (calf), Jimmy Webster (looked like him in rehab group anyway) and also James Gwilt who is still recovering from his knee injury last season. He trained after the match, running laps and doing some sidestep drills. Looked to be the most freely ive seen him this preseason and wasn’t a visible limp this time. All the players were split up into two teams, not the usual possibles vs probables; it was an even spread of senior players amongst all the kids. Teams looked a bit like: Dark: Lenny, Riewoldt, Fisher, Stanley, Wilkes, Saad, Peake, Blake, Jones, Montagna, Winmar, Blake White: McEvoy, Milne, Cripps, Markworth, Geary, Simpkin, Goddard, Archer, Polo, Milera, Curren, Steven, Siposs, Gilbert, Kosi Few surprises at the opening bounce with Jason Blake taking the ruck duties for dark team, up against Ben McEvoy. Throughout first half it looked like Blake was playing the “Leigh Brown” role in ruck & defence. Sam Gilbert was manned up on Nick Riewoldt early on in game. Roo played out of true CHF for most of the half he played. Rhys Stanley started in goal square and spent majority of the match there. He floated up the ground every now and then to take the ruck duties around the ground. Tom Simpkin spent fair amount of the time taking Stanley and would have come out on top with Rhys having little affect on the game. Up the other end of the ground Beau Wilkes was the main full back, manning up on Justin Koschitzke and whilst not 100% convincing he kept Kosi relatively quiet. Sam Fisher was Sam Fisher, just started from where he began last season. Is Mr Reliable. Was best of the senior player. In the midfield first round draftee Sebastian Ross was given the big task of running with Brendon Goddard, and wasn’t overawed by the experience. Goddard had little affect on overall game, whilst Ross got fair bit of ball and kicked a very nice goal in final quarter. He was possibly the pick of the kids and received praise from Coach Scott Watters after the match. "He kicked a good goal at the end, I thought Seb was really solid," Watters said. "He's a really mature young kid. He has already probably got a body that can handle AFL football. He's really composed in a contest. He did his selection chances no harm at all today." Nicholas Winmar was looking alright until a collision of heads with Beau Wilkes saw him come off second best ended his morning early. "I don't think it's a facial injury, but he's dazed, maybe mild concussion, we’ll have an answer within 24 hours" Scott Watters said after the game. Lenny Hayes who had his first hitout since injuring his knee last year made it through the game unscathed. He played about 3 quarters and looked in good form. He looked like he was moving around quite freely and had no strapping on his knee at all. Was quite ironic that it was Dean Polo, who took his spot in team last year; was player who had the job of keeping him intact. Sam Gilbert appears likely to go back to his role from 2009/2010 when he was playing his best footy. Did spend a little bit of match playing on Riewoldt but seemed to be the main go to man out of defence for the white team. Got fair amount of touches aswell, and looked the player of old. Jamie Cripps was rumoured early in preseason to be moved to backline after spending his 4 games in 2011 up forward. During the game he was mainly used off the backline and through the midfield. He gathered a fair few possessions and “pressure acts” and even floated forward in 2nd half to kick a nice goal from about 45m on the boundry. Terry Milera was possibly the most surprising, had impact on the scoreboard with couple goals and gathered few possessions along the way. Had a few nice chase downs aswell. Is quick little fella, and appears to have some nice foot skills. Ahmed Saad looked alright, snapped a nice goal and few nice tackles. Might have found nice little replacement for Stephen Milne! Daniel Markworth looked promising with the limited touches he had. Kicked a goal and did some nice things around the ground. Might see some game time at some stage. Tom Ledger, well you can tell why Scott Watters loves this kid. Goes in hard at every contest and isn’t afraid to put body on the line. Has some decent foot skills aswell. Was easily in top bracket of the young guys today. Solid preseason form and he will find himself in the side round 1. Beau Wilkes did keep Kosi quiet but still don’t see him as a defender. (why play bloke that kicked 43 goals in 10 matches in backline?) Decided to go for few marks when best option was to spoil. But by looks of things it is Wilkes up against Tom Simpkin for the full back spot. Simpkin himself did a terrific job in keeping Stanley quiet. Continuing his good VFL form and appears to have fully recovered from his shin splints he suffered from early in preseason. At this stage think he has his nose in front for the FB spot. Rhys Stanley, is one friendlist blokes at the club. Spent about 20mins more then anyone else chatting to the fans. Spent about 5mins with each small group. He said he is stoked to have a full & uninterrupted preseason under his belt. Although as much preseason fitness you do and as ready as you think you are, your still struggling for breathe in first serious hitout. Daniel Archer has bulked up a lot this preseason but even before the game started he was shanking his kicks at goal each and every way. This also happened during the game and had little effect. Not going to go through all the senior players, they all probably did as you expect for this time of year. But if you feel like some info on how they went please feel free to ask and I will provide some thoughts! Lastely to highlight a few of the Sandringham guys that were playing. Peter Shakallis, Matt Stapleton & Michael Sikora. Did some very nice things and if you ever want to see someone dwarf Ben McEvoy then Michael Sikora is your man. He is an absolute monster of a man. We had a chat with McEvoy after the game and he said he was pretty impressed himself with Sikora. Said that he “beat” him up a couple times! For the record, I think the white team won by around 5 goals, but there weren’t any scoreboards at the ground and was busy taking photos and posting updates to keep track of them aswell.   You can view photos from the Intra Club here - http://www.truesainters.com/truesainters/album.php?albumid=6
  • True Zebras - Your Official Sandringham Zebras Forum
    True Zebras - Your Official Sandringham Zebras Forum

    True Sainters is proud to announce a brand new addition to our online community, True Zebras

    True Zebras is your official forum for the Sandringham Football Club. With the latest news and information, the forum will provide a one stop shop for fans to discuss all things Zebras. The Club will also have their own official account on the forum where you will be able to go straight to the source with any questions you may have.     “The Sandringham Football Club is pleased to be associated with True Sainters online forum and community.” explains Sandringham spokesman Lucas Blatman. “It is a fantastic place for Zebras and Saints Fans to chat about all things Sandringham and enables Saints supporters to connect with both Sandringham players and keep tabs on the young Saints representing the Zebras.” “We look forward to working closely with True Sainters and we hope the relationship brings an increased awareness of the Sandringham Football Club.” Both parties have worked together to bring this new initiative to you and it is another string to the True Sainters bow which as Shaun Curnow explains has been growing rapidly since its small and humble beginnings. “Since we first began in March 2010, True Sainters has grown in leaps and bounds, far exceeding our expectations. Following our inception, we've grown into a vibrant community via the forums, on Facebook/Twitter, through our competitions, meet-ups and club social events.” explains True Sainters Co-Founder Shaun Curnow. "True Sainters recognises the importance of the relationship between Sandringham and St Kilda and with the growth of our website we realised that our fans, who often attended Sandy games, would love to communicate directly with the club and other supporters.” “With over 400 forum members and nearly 1500 Facebook and Twitter users, we wanted to extend our relationship and services to the Sandringham community and we are excited and thrilled to offer True Zebras to both Sandy fans and the wider St Kilda fan base." True Zebras will officially launch at 5pm this afternoon. You will be able to access via the True Sainters website at www.truesainters.com or via http://www.truesainters.com/truesainters/forumdisplay.php?31-True-Zebras-Your-Official-Sandringham-Zebras-Forum You can also “like” True Zebras on Facebook to keep up to date with all the latest news - http://www.facebook.com/pages/True-Zebras/341143845907051
  • St Kilda and Sandringham: The Road To A New Beginning Part 2
    St Kilda and Sandringham: The Road To A New Beginning Part 2
    In part 2 of True Sainters exclusive two-part series into the alignment between the St Kilda and Sandringham Football Clubs we speak to Sandringham President, Gerry Ryan. Last Friday I had the privilege to sit down and have a chat with the President of the Sandringham Football Club, Gerry Ryan. He is passionate about the Club and one of his main objectives is to oversee the new alignment between St Kilda and Sandringham. The constant theme throughout our meeting was that the direction St Kilda is heading in has generated a renewed excitement and it is not limited to just those at the Linen House Centre. It has also filtered through to the Trevor Barker Beach Oval. The change of attitude is largely due to Chris Pelchen, who has taken a major role in facilitating the transition and changes necessary to make the alignment work. Staff at Sandringham can’t speak highly enough of the effort Chris has put in to ensure both clubs are on the same page and will work together to enable future success on and off the field. Players are also feeling a sense of change and are embracing this positive new era. Gerry hopes that the alignment brings an increased awareness of the Sandringham Football Club. Or as Gerry likes to say "spreading the Zebra word". While St Kilda supporters and locals are familiar with the club and its rich history, Gerry hopes to attract more fans, members and sponsors. While the alignment is set to end at the completion of the 2013 season, Gerry is confident that both clubs will seek to extend the contract in the near future. Gerry is proud when a Sandringham player finally gets his chance on an AFL list after spending their early years developing their game at the Zebras. It shows that all that hard work really pays off and he believes more VFL players will find themselves on AFL lists in the future. Mark Jamar and James Magner are two examples, who now both find themselves on Melbourne’s list after spending a number of years at Sandringham. Whilst disappointed Tommy Walsh isn’t in St Kilda colours anymore, Gerry says he will be something special and will cause headaches for opposition backlines. Numerous Sandringham supporters have noted how surprised they were when he never played at a senior level and could sense the disappointment the young Irishman felt each week when he was overlooked. Only time will tell if the Saints made the right decision. Sandringham will play in 3 practice matches in early March before their Peter Jackson VFL H&A season begins on Sunday March 25th. This is an excellent opportunity for Saints fans to not only get a footy fix but have a closer look at some of the new recruits drafted this pre-season. 2012 St Kilda Football Club Members will be admitted free to all Sandringham home games, as well as half price entry to Sandy away games on presentation of valid Membership card. 2012 Practice Match Series Saturday 3 March Sandringham v Box Hill at Sandringham Reserves: 08:30am Seniors: 10:50am Saturday 10 March Sandringham v Werribee at Sandringham Reserves: 10:00am Seniors: 1:00pm Saturday 17 March Sandringham v P. Melb at Sandringham Reserves: 11:00am Seniors: 2:00pm Make sure you follow the Zebras in social media! Facebook: www.facebook.com/SandyZebras Twitter: @sandyzebs Youtube: www.youtube.com/SandyZebs You can read Part 1 of St Kilda and Sandringham: The Road To A New Beginning here - http://tsjournal.net/2011/12/06/st-kilda-and-sandringham-the-road-to-a-new-beginning/
  • Official True Sainters Dream Team Group
    Official True Sainters Dream Team Group
    OFFICIAL TRUE SAINTERS DREAM TEAM GROUP With the 2012 Toyota AFL Dream Team competition now open it is our pleasure to invite you to join our True Sainters private Dream Team Group Competition. There is an UNLIMITED amount of space in this group so make sure you get all your family and  mates involved. But make sure they visit this page and click on link below, otherwise they wont be able to enter! HOW TO JOIN: 1. If you have ALREADY REGISTERED for the 2012 Toyota AFL Dream Team, simply click the following link and LOGIN: http://dreamteam.afl.com.au/?p=index&group_code=941960 Once logged in, simply confirm your invitation and you'll be automatically added. Private Groups are a separate feature to the five head-to head leagues, which you may continue to participate in as usual. 2. If you have NOT YET REGISTERED, simply click on the link below and fill in the registration form as usual: http://dreamteam.afl.com.au/?p=register&group_code=941960 On successful registration, you'll automatically be added to this Group - simply look for the "GROUP" tab in the nav of your Leagues page. You may still create and join up to five head-to-head leagues in the competition as usual.
  • Open Training Report 25/01/12
    Open Training Report 25/01/12
    St Kilda held their first open training session of 2012 on Wednesday and whilst we weren’t able to get along ourselves we had a few members that provided us with updates throughout the day.  It was a pretty thorough session and didn’t finish till well after midday. We are led to believe Justin Koschitzke has lost around 6kgs this preseason & is as fit as he has ever been. This is his first uninterrupted preseason since 2009, and is showing signs that 2012 could finally be his year. Lenny Hayes was training with the main group and trained really strong. He joined in all the activities and shows no signs of his knee injury at all. All looks good for him to be playing in NAB Cup and would be surprise if he wasn’t running out in Round 1. James Gwilt did most of his training away from main group. Was doing sprints and short runs. Whilst looks to be improving on last open training he still doesn’t look 100% when running. He did join the main group for a short period of time. He does maintain he should be ready to return by round 5 Brendon Goddard appeared to have his hamstring taped but was part of the main group throughout the session. Looked really good before he finished before everyone and had his knee iced which he later said was due to receiving a corky. Jack Steven was only running laps, lots of fitness drills and tackling drills. Nick Riewoldt was part of the main group early before moving to the rehab group to do some running and then worked on his goal kicking. He didn’t do a great deal during the session. Brett Peake was looking extremely fit and continually led the repeated sprints. Jamie Cripps was looking really good, not bad for a bloke that Herald Sun claimed tore his quad only a fortnight ago!! Was most impressive in the sprints drill. Ben McEvoy was back in main group and did bit of ruck work with Saints new ruck coach. Rhys Stanley says he's fit & really benefitting from full preseason & is raring to go. Expects to be used mainly as a forward
  • St Kilda to become power club despite posting a loss
    St Kilda to become power club despite posting a loss
    St Kilda, today released their Annual Report for the 2011 financial year with an operating loss before depreciation of $1,500,722. The club said the main areas of financial shortfall year on year have been in Stadium revenue and income from sponsorship and events. “The financial performance of our Club for 2011 was disappointing as our income was compromised by a number of factors including our stadium revenue and a decline in sponsorship support.” said President Greg Westaway. Stadium Revenue was down $971,333 in 2011 compared to 2010, membership numbers decreased 4% from 41,212 in 2010 to 39,547 in 2011. Prize money was down by $700k in 2011. ($750k was received in 2010 for the 2 Grand Finals. In 2011 it was $65k for 8th place.) Sponsorship and Events were also down by 17% on 2010, mainly due to not securing a joint major sponsor for the Club jumper. Despite a disappointing 2011 club President Greg Westaway has said they are actively looking at ways to keep growing the club into a ‘power club’. "2011 was a demanding year for the club both on and off the field and the financial outcome was disappointing. "We need to look to new ways to grow our revenue so that we can not only survive but thrive in a competitive environment that is changing at an unprecedented rate. Something we are actively planning for and pursuing with real purpose." Westaway explained. “Our vision and passion to build the St Kilda Football Club into a ‘power club’ is unwavering. We want to build a Club that attracts the best playing and commercial talent; also a Club that is highly regarded by its Members and the broader community for its competitive spirit, commercial standing, values and citizenship.” Throughout 2011 the St Kilda Board undertook a critical body of work on a formal working code for the Club that would become part of the Saints cultural platform for 2012 and beyond. “The Club’s primary purpose is to achieve success, instill pride and earn respect for Saints people through winning football and good citizenship.” revealed Westaway. Despite the overhaul of the Saints coaching panel & the transition period the playing list is undertaking, the club remains excited about the path the club is taking. “Many personnel and structural changes have already been made to our football activities and we are now seeing the positive effects of these changes. We are also excited by some of the emerging talent in the playing group and the professional approach of our more experienced players during this period of transition.” Westaway said. “We look forward to 2012 with great anticipation. We are well aware of the challenge and excited by the opportunity.” Click here to read St Kilda Football Club’s 2011 Annual Report.
  • St Kilda Supercoach/Dream Team Preview Part 2
    St Kilda Supercoach/Dream Team Preview Part 2
    The Saints have a great run early, facing Port, Gold Coast, Fremantle, Melbourne, Bulldogs in the first 5 rounds. Up until their round 13 bye they face only 3 teams that played finals in 2011, including Gold Coast twice inside 11 rounds.   Sam Gilbert Supercoach – $432,700 and Dream Team – $345,600 There’s no denying it, Sam Gilbert had an absolute stinker of a year in 2011. His average in both competitions dropped about 20 points, which does make him underpriced in 2012. There were a number of reasons why his average dropped last year, the main ones being. 1. James Gwilt, basically Gwilt took over his role as the playmaker out of the backline. This was the role that saw Gilbert rise into the premium status for previous 2 years. 2. Ross Lyon thought he was a forward when even though everyone knew he wasn’t. 3. The schoolgirl scandal seemed to weigh on his mind the entire year, he lost confidence in himself and this showed on the field. Needless to say these three reasons are no longer an issue in 2012. James Gwilt will miss games early in the season and Gilbert should see himself going back into that role he made his own previously. Scott Watters isn’t stupid and will know that Gilbert makes a much better defender then forward, and the school girl drama is well over a year old now and you would have to assume he is over it. Overall make sure he is on your watchlist during the preseason and monitor his form closely. If he shows signs of the Gilbert off old at all then jump onboard as you will have a premium defender for a very cheap price. JACK STEVEN Supercoach – $424,200 and Dream Team – $394,500 For some reason they have decided to make Steven a mid only in 2012, which probably takes him off the radar for most people. He had a mini breakout year in 2011, improving his average by 20 to 80 in both forms of the game. He has shown all the signs that 2012 will be his big breakout season, but he is priced awkwardly. What is interesting with Jack is the increase in his average before and after his move into the midfield from Round 10 onwards. Rounds 1-9 – Ave 58.8 (Supercoach) and 66.5 (Dream Team) Rounds 10-24 – 86.6 (Supercoach) and 85.4 (Dream Team) More impressive is that he only scored below 80 on 4 occasions after Round 10 in Supercoach and 6 in Dream Team. There’s no doubt that Scott Watters will want to play him in middle as much as possible in 2012, even with the return of Lenny Hayes his time shouldn’t drop at all. Will be a very unique pick in both forms of the game due to not being classified as dual position player. Nick Riewoldt is one of the top ranked “fallen premiums” but the biggest question is; has he recovered from his hamstring fully yet or will his knee hold up? That is the biggest question of the preseason. Roo has been training since the season finished, weeks ahead of the rest of the team. He will be cheap compared to his high standards and with the Saints great early season fixture he must come into calculations especially when looking at who he will be matched up on. Port have no one that can normally stop him, Gold Coast will be Bock-less, Bulldogs have Lake who is also in twilight of his career, Fremantle have Dawson.   Sebastian Ross 2011 Averages: U/18 Championship: 60 DT, 81 SC and TAC Cup: 93 DT, 106 SC Ross is the most likely of the new draftees (aside from Wilkes & Saad) that looks like playing a fair amount of footy this season. Watch his NAB Cup form closely. Arryn Siposs, is an ‘impact’ player and doesn’t get much of the ball to get those cheap points. Not fantasy relevant at this stage of his career, especially given he is more expensive then top ranked rookies. Tom Ledger is rookie priced in both forms due to being sub last year is one to keep eye on. Scott Watters loves him after having seen him play in his junior days over in the West. Is a ball magnet and tackling machine. Watch preseason to see if he can break into starting 21. Jay Lever, is a longer term project but if injuries strike the Saints big men then he might find himself thrown in deep end due to lack of ruck options. Not fantasy relevant in 2012. Terry Milera spent bit of the preseason in a moonboot after suffering some kind of foot injury. Might play games at some stage but cant see him being part of it early due to interrupted preseason. For Part 1 of our preview of the Saints click  here If you have any questions you can follow me on Twitter: @stkildathunda and also dont forget to follow @truesainters
  • St Kilda Supercoach/Dream Team Preview Part 1
    St Kilda Supercoach/Dream Team Preview Part 1
    St Kilda has gone through some major changes since their 2010 Grand Final loss to Collingwood, 21 players from their 2010 list are no longer at the club. That means nearly half the Saints list is first or second year players. The Saints have 23 players 22 years old or younger and 22 players that have played less than 20 games, 15 of those haven’t played a single game. Whilst they added so many young players they have managed to keep their core group together which is why heading into 2012 they are the oldest list in the AFL. But whilst they have maintained their core group the simple fact is there will be only about 10-15 players from that group that will automatically get selected each week as new coach Scott Watters keeps an eye on the future. This means at least half the spots in the team is up for grabs for the younger players to fight for and that in turn there is potentially some Dream Team & Supercoach gold out there. Gone are the days that you just wouldn’t bother looking at the Saints youth for your fantasy teams, that’s now Fremantle’s problem!!   Jarryn Geary (Def) Supercoach - $213K and Dream Team - $212K During 2011 he only averaged 43, down from 65 in 2010. The drop in “form” was mainly due to being sub on couple occasions. Geary is currently having his best preseason to date. He is as fit as ever and it’s showing in all the endurance running and sprint work. He adds some pace off the back line that StKilda desperately need and can break lines. Is my early tip to have a “breakout” year in 2012. Beau Wilkes – If this bloke isn’t an F/B then there is something terribly wrong with how the hand Dual Position out. He played half season as defender in WAFL and then went forward in second half season and averaged 3.8 goals a game. Will hold down full back and swing forward, but personally believe he will be used as Saints 3rd tall up forward. At basement price he is a lock. Will easily play 15+ games due to fact Saints lack key defenders/forwards. Ahmed Saad  (Fwd) – Is having impressive preseason to date. Having spoken to a few players and coaches I fully expect Saad to be a regular in 2012. Has speed and knows where the goals are. Fully expect him to play 15+ games. Is worth a spot on your bench. Nicholas Winmar (Def) Supercoach - $113K and Dream Team - $163K Has had few ankle problems and from what I gathered when I spoke to him before Christmas he is a bit off resuming full training. Probably wouldn’t expect to see him early in the season. Keep away from him this year. Jamie Cripps (Fwd) Supercoach - $162K and Dream Team - $174K Injured his quad at some stage early in preseason but seems to be running well and he reckons he’ll be in full training after the Christmas break. He finished 2nd in the Mornington Grand 1200-metre ocean swim. Has also been front-runner in few of time trials. Scott Watters has also hinted that Cripps could play a lot more off the back line in 2012, making him bit more tempting. He is basically priced as a rookie due to fact he played 4 games in 2011 as a sub. He averaged about 35-40 in 4 half games, where he also kicked 7 goals. Is definitely one to keep an eye on. Rhys Stanley (Fwd) Supercoach - $176K and Dream Team - $164K Has really impressing the new coach so far this preseason and has visibly bulked up a fair bit. Watters seems to rate him highly but not sure he is fantasy relevant at all. Personally don’t think he is a ruckman, doesn’t show anything as a forward either. Don’t pick him unless you want someone to average about 30 for you. James Gwilt, who is recovering from a serious knee injury hasn’t seemed comfortable whilst running on the few open training sessions we attended. Had a clear signs of a limp, and he never seemed to be able to bend his knee, runs with straight leg. At B&F he himself flagged a Round 5 return, but {keep in mind I’m no doctor} I wouldn’t be surprised if its more like Round 8-10 that he returns. One to keep an eye on for 2013. Justin Koschitzke is looking the fittest he ever has and is possibly going to have his first ever uninterrupted preseason of his career. Will play as 2nd ruck but still shouldn’t come into anyone’s fantasy calculations. Tom Simpkin (Def) Supercoach - $231K and Dream Team - $197K Simpkin played 2 games in 2011 and was subbed off at half time in both matches. But what was impressive is he was able to average 61 in supercoach & 50 in dream team in those matches. He has bulked up and is probably as big as Dawson ever was. Watters has hinted he will be given first crack at holding down full back. He is probably overpriced to come into calculations this year, but if your after a player around that $200K price you could give him a crack. Should play every game if his VFL form is anything to go by last couple years. Ben McEvoy, has just been running laps at the training sessions I’ve attended but the endurance on this guy has to be admired. It’s quite remarkable that he is consistently in Saints top 5-10 in time trials. Is St Kilda’s only ruckman, which means he will play every single game and will play 90% game time every single week. Has round 13 bye which is added bonus as no other big name ruckman shares it with him. Should be high up on everyone’s watch list. Lenny Hayes is back to full training and has been looking extremely fit and trains with no visible sign that he is coming off a serious knee injury. He seems to have full movement in his knee and hasn’t been afraid to twist and turn and put his body on-line in the tackling drills. Hayes will be very cheap for his standards in supercoach & dream team this year, BUT remember he will be 32 by time season starts, is coming off his second serious knee injury and before 2011 his average (particularly supercoach) were slowly in decline. Personally think he will be rested throughout the season to ensure he is in tip-top shape for finals. Is one to watch throughout the preseason but there is massive risk in picking him.
  • Pre Season Update
    Pre Season Update
    With the Saints on their Christmas/New Year break we thought we would take a bit of a look at how some of the players have been travelling  and some of the changes that have happened so far this preseason. Since the appointment of Scott Watters just over 2 months ago there have been widespread changes at the Saints. They have welcomed home a host of favourite sons, Max Hudghton, Aaron Hamill & Troy Schwarze as part-time specialist coaches and Tony Brown as match day runner. Former North Melbourne coach Dean Laidley has also joined Watters & co as midfield coach. They have also unveiled a Player Academy to help fast track the kids. The relationship with Sandringham has also taken a complete overhaul with Simon McPhee taking over the reigns. He will be joined by the yet to be named Saints Academy Director who will become his assistant coach on game day. Alongside them will be St Kilda’s skills acquisition coach Paul Hudson who takes up the forward coaching role, whilst leadership and development coach Jaymie Graham will be the defensive coach. But quite possibly the biggest change of all is the fact the St Kilda Football Club is now more open to its fans, members and media and allow them to attend training sessions on a weekly basis and have made it their goal to get out and about in the community. Whether this continues into the new year is yet to be seen but there is no doubt the change has given new lease of  life to all supporters. Jarryn Geary is currently having one of his best preseason to date. He looks as fit as ever and it’s showing in all the endurance running and sprint work where he consistently has been up the front end. Ahmed Saad – Is having impressive preseason to date. Scott Watters has mentioned on numerous occasions at how impressed he has been with him. I fully expect Saad to be a regular in 2012. Has really good speed and looks to have great set of hands and knows where the goals are. Lenny Hayes is back to full training and has been looking extremely fit and trains with no visible sign that he is coming off a knee injury. He seems to have full movement in his knee and hasn’t been afraid to twist and turn and put his body on-line in the tackling drills. Tom Simpkin has been recovering from shin splints which has seen him spend bulk of preseason to date in the rehab group, but the most noticeable thing with him is that he has really bulked up. Would nearly go as far to say he is probably as big as Dawson ever was whilst at the club. Watters keeps mentioning Simpkin in interviews so think he will be given first crack at holding down full back position. Sean Dempster has had some OP type stuff in his abs area but he has fully recovered and is set to resume full training in the New Year. It didn’t hold him back from coming 3rd in the Mornington Grand 1200-metre ocean swim though. He has basically been running lap after lap after lap at each of the training sessions we attended. Justin Koschitzke is looking the fittest he ever has and is possibly going to have his first ever uninterrupted preseason of his career. Nick Riewoldt is "flying" on the track according to Scott Watters. His post-season knee operation has barely interrupted his preparation for 2012. Ben McEvoy has just been running laps at the training sessions we’ve attended but the endurance on this guy has to be admired. It's quite remarkable that he is consistently in our top 5-10 in time trials. Jamie Cripps injured his quad at some stage but seems to be running well and he reckons he’ll be in full training after the Christmas break. He finished 2nd in the Mornington Grand 1200-metre ocean swim.. Nick Dal Santo has been recovering from a broken hand he suffered in his first session of the preseason. Whilst he hasn’t been able to take part in lot of ball work he has been able to maintain his fitness. Rhys Stanley is really impressing the new coach so far this preseason and has visibly bulked up a fair bit. Nicolas Winmar has had few ankle problems and from what I gathered when we spoke to him before Christmas is he is a bit off resuming full training. Probably wouldn’t expect to see him early in the season. James Gwilt, who is recovering from a serious knee injury hasn’t seemed comfortable whilst running on the few open training sessions we attended. Had a clear signs of a limp, and he never seemed to be able to bend his knee, runs with straight leg. At B&F he himself flagged a Round 5 return, but {keep in mind I’m no doctor} I wouldn’t be surprised if its more like Round 8-10 that he returns. Terry Milera did spend bit of preseason in a moonboot, not exactly sure what was up with his ankle but he mentioned at the time that it wasn't too bad and he might need minor surgery. That was on the 23/11 and by the 02/12 he was out of his moon boot and was doing a few skills but from what I noticed he wasn't running at that stage. Not sure if he has been running since the last training I attended on the 02/12.    
  • True Sainters Launch Podcast
    True Sainters Launch Podcast
    True Sainters is proud to announce our new podcast series! As of today, you can subscribe to and listen to the podcast, completely made and run by our members (but produced professionally). In episode 1, Huzz and Kendall discuss the 2011 off-season to date, covering the coaching changes, the trades, every draft pick individually, and just about everything else that has happened since the final siren. A long podcast, at just over 72 minutes, the boys tried to cover everything that has happened this off-season, which was a lot! Future podcasts will be far shorter, given they will be more regular. But that said, we hope you enjoy our review of the 2011 off-season, and our first look at season 2012. You can listen to and download the podcast via the True Sainters Soundcloud page. You can also add the podcast to iTunes. Either search 'True Sainters' in the iTunes store, or manually add the podcast by going to your iTunes, hitting ADVANCED (up the top), then SUBSCRIBE TO PODCAST and pasting the following URL into the pop up box: http://www.truesainters.com/Podcast/tspodcast.xml  Whola! You now have the TS podcast in iTunes (for mac and PC)!!! This will also automatically download new episodes to your iTunes account every time one is posted! Neat! We hope you enjoy episode 1, and stay tuned for more episodes in the new year. Go Saints!
  • A Tall Order - Saints Hose Down Ruck Concerns
    A Tall Order - Saints Hose Down Ruck Concerns
    There has been much speculation and debate surrounding the recruitment of an experienced tall to bolster the ruck stocks at St Kilda, however now that the drafting period is complete and lists have been finalised, the Club will enter 2012 with just the one, Ben McEvoy. Talking on SEN’s HarfTime this afternoon, St Kilda list manager Ameet Bains tried to play down the concerns surrounding the lack of depth that seems to appear in the Saints ruck-stocks. “It’s something we explored {recruiting an experienced ruckman} but from our perspective the opportunity didn’t quite present itself. In terms of a player we were really really fixed on. Having said that looking at the guys we have got we could do with bit more depth. “Guys like Justin Koschitzke and Rhys Stanley have been training pretty well and look to be ready to go for next year. They’ll obviously provide that support in first instance to Ben McEvoy and we’ve had couple other guys pinch hit in ruck over the journey {like a Jason Blake} “Whilst it’s clearly an area we’d like to provide a bit more depth in, I don’t think it’s as big a glaring need as is being portrayed” Bains said. After having a breakout season and holding the Saints ruck together in 2011 it’s safe to say Ben McEvoy has fast become one of St Kilda’s most important players. But the major concern too many Saints fans is if Ben McEvoy goes down with a serious injury, the only option appears to be the notoriously injury prone Justin Koschitzke and Rhys Stanley or the aging Jason Blake. Ameet Bains hinted that Rhys Stanley & Justin Koschitzke would be the guys forced to stand up if something was to happen to Ben McEvoy. “He {Rhys Stanley} would be in the mix, Justin Koschitzke has played a lot of ruck aswell as key forward so between those guys I think that’s where pool would come from” Bains said.   You can listen to entire interview on SEN by clicking HERE
  • 2011 Rookie Draft Selections
    2011 Rookie Draft Selections
      Pick 12: Sam Dunnell Sam Dunnell is 187cm roaming forward from Bendigo Bombers. He is as a versatile roaming forward with good hands and an ability to be equally at home flying for the mark or collecting ground balls.   Pick 30: Cameron Shenton Position: Forward Height: 186cm Weight: 80kg DOB: 27th September 1990 Nickname: Shents / Humphrey / The Panther Shenton is a 21yo medium foward. Aggressive type who has express pace. Very good hands above and below knees and is very creative around goals.  Another product of the Norwood FC junior development system. Shenton is a super quick forward who can play as a wingman. He is a very good kick for goal & an exceptional mark on a lead. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyKTYYrBlCs] [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbCgomxYoJc]   Pick 48: Jordan Staley Age: 18 Height: 194cm Weight: 90kg Recruited from Gippsland Power/ Foster FC where he played in the ruck. Is probably more a key position player at afl level. Athletic, kicks goals, gets more ball around the ground than most ruckmen. Represented Vic Country in three games at the Under 18 Championships averaging 12.3 hit outs a game in a ruckman/tall forward roll. Attacks the ball with vigour in the air. He is an excellent long and accurate kick at goal. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOveXq3WHI0]   Pick 65: Darren Minchington Height: 181 Weight: 76 Recruited: Dandenong Stingrays Came onto the scene late in the year for the Rays after having performed well at the local level. In fact he ended up playing 8 games for them and was named in the bests 5 times when he was predominantly used as a small fwd. He is absolutely electric to watch and has a knack for doing things that have a touch of class about them.        
  • The Circle of Zen
    The Circle of Zen
    It has been revealed the circle St Kilda players have been forming before and after training is called “The Circle of Zen”. Brett Peake explained to SEN’s Morning Glory on Thursday morning how they came about forming the circle and what the Circle of Zen is all about. “We have actually read a book by Phil Jackson called “Sacred Hoops”. It all has to do is all about positive energy and thinking {and all that.} It’s just something we do before and after training and just to look at each other in the eye and obviously what we got out off training and what we want to happen in the future. “Lenny Hayes took first training and each training thereon you pass it down to someone. Obviously {you talk} 45 seconds you have a little bit of word to the group, and then after training you finish it off and the next day it gets handed down. It’s been working and it’s not a bad thing.” Peake explained. New coach Scott Watters initiated the Circle of Zen and the reading of the book. “It came from Scotty {Watters} and obviously we had two and half weeks to go out and buy the book ourselves and source it and find it. We had to read it and we had to finish it by yesterday {Wednesday} morning and we will go through it on Friday. Obviously people will get up in front of the group and just see what they got out of the book and share it as a group and go forward” Peake said. “It’s actually a really good book {Sacred Hoops} and if you haven’t read it I suggest it very highly”
  • St Kilda and Sandringham: The Road To A New Beginning
    St Kilda and Sandringham: The Road To A New Beginning
    In an exclusive two-part series to True Sainters, we take an in-depth look at the alignment between the St Kilda and Sandringham Football Clubs. We speak with long time and die-hard fan John Lysaght, who has been supporting the Sandringham for around 50 years. John’s first memory of the Zebra’s was when he was only 7 years old watching them win the 1962 Premiership. John has watched Sandringham go through some interesting and somewhat difficult times. We will then speak with Sandringham President Gerry Ryan, who will take us through the workings of the Sandringham Football Club and also get a rare glimpse into his personal beliefs on the alignment between the two clubs. The alignment of the St Kilda and Sandringham Football Clubs has often been looked upon as a match made in heaven. The link with the late great Saint Trevor Barker, the Bayside location and a loyal supporter base who have followed both Clubs have made a strong case for the alignment to work and be successful. But as with any relationship, it has had its ups and downs and hasn't always been smooth sailing. The issues faced by both clubs have made for a strained and frustrating partnership and at times even becoming untenable. During Ross Lyon’s tenure at St Kilda, players were for most part, only allowed to train at Sandringham when playing interstate. Sandringham’s coach, Brett Lovett, had his own game plan, which meant St Kilda players had to learn it on the run.  This lead to many of the St Kilda players being played out of position, and as such, many of the younger brigade were not exposed to senior level football or able to gain the much-needed experience to develop and progress. “The alignment has been tricky so far, particularly when Ross Lyon was coach. He showed little or no interest in what was happening at Sandringham. Which I found really strange given that there were at least 12 St Kilda listed players playing each week” John Lysaght explains. As with all alignments between VFL and AFL clubs there will be supporters that don’t like it and would rather be a successful standalone club. “I speak to a lot of Sandy supporters on a regular basis. As with any alignment, some are quite happy with it and others not so happy. A few supporters are worried that Sandringham will change their jumper/theme song etc. I certainly hope that never happens. I don't want this club to end up like Box Hill where they have just bent over and are nothing more than Hawthorn reserves that happen to play at Box Hill. That’s' the worst case scenario in my opinion” “Personally I have no problem with St Kilda. We had a fantastic run premiership wise when we were aligned with Melbourne, but they chose to go down the Casey Fields route and it may be of some benefit to them at some time in the future. Time will tell if it was a good decision or otherwise.” But as the two clubs move into a new era after the shock departure of Ross Lyon from St Kilda and wholesale changes are made across the board there is no doubt a big sigh of relief went through all Sandringham fans. “I think the Sandringham hierarchy most probably shouted "YEEESSSS" when they heard Ross Lyon had gone. From what I can gather there was virtually zero communication between Ross Lyon and people at Sandringham, whereas Scott Watters has already spoken at Sandy.” John said. Behind the push to make this alignment work is St Kilda’s Head of Football, Chris Pelchan. He is on record as saying over the last couple of years alignment wise haven’t been very good and there was obvious conflict and it was mainly St Kilda’s doing. “Things have certainly changed since Ross Lyon left, it's almost like a giant broom has gone through St Kilda. With the new coach reporting to Chris Pelchan and not the board, I guess there was no way that Ross Lyon was going to stay at the Saints. From the outside he appeared to be a control freak and having to report to Pelchan would have been the last straw. “Chris {Pelchan} has gone to great lengths to improve the alignment. He spoke very well at Sandringham a few weeks ago. Sandringham will now have access to the elite Seaford training facility, Moorabbin for training and the most important part, the St Kilda listed players that will play at Sandringham will actually train with Sandringham once a week. It can only be beneficial to both sets of players to actually get to know each other at training rather than get introduced prior to a match.” “I am happy the way it is going. If everything happens that has been promised than that can only be beneficial for both clubs.” explained John. Amongst all the obvious angst between the two clubs one thing was for certain and that was the players never had any issues with playing down at Sandringham. “It's been good to meet up with some of the St Kilda listed players. I have had quite a few chats with Tom Simpkin. Will Johnston was always very friendly as was Tommy Walsh. Even Justin Koschitzke had a chat when he played a couple of games. “But the friendliest was most probably Steven King, a real professional who gave his all at Sandringham and really helped the younger St Kilda and Sandringham guys. I haven't seen one player from St Kilda who has cracked it because he has to play at Sandy. That wasn't the case with a couple of Melbourne players.” John said. The one question that we will possibly never find an answer to and most fans would love to know is of course if Ross Lyon was still coaching St Kilda in 2012, would the alignment have survived beyond 2011. John gave us his thoughts on this. “If he {Ross Lyon} had stayed it would have been very difficult, whether it would have continued beyond 2012 would have depended on what St Kilda wanted to do. If they {St Kilda} wanted to have their own reserves team then it was all finished. “But I'm thinking that the cost of doing that may have been a deciding factor in keeping the alignment going. No matter how bad relations could be between the hierarchies of each club” “I think Sandringham is in the same boat as St Kilda, we can't afford to go alone and neither can St Kilda. It's cheaper for St Kilda to be in an alignment than having their own reserves team. Mind you if they did pull the pin and go alone then I doubt that Sandy would be able to continue. If we did we would just end up getting flogged every week.” John explained. One thing that John will remember from the Ross Lyon era in the alignment is the development of Irish recruit, Tommy Walsh. “I saw every game Tommy Walsh played in bar one. In my opinion, which counts for zilch of course; I think he would have been more than capable of playing in the Saints team last season. But for reasons only Ross Lyon could explain, he chose not to select him.” explains John. “It was great watching him develop over the years. From being a fairly quiet and timid kid in his first season, to being a guy shouting encouragement {etc} in his second season. “He is a very good mark and a prodigious kick. I saw him kick a goal at Windy Hill in 2010 where he was at least 55-60 metres out and he slotted it home with the ball still around the top of the posts. But mind you in the same game he missed a goal from 20 metres out directly in front!” “We'll see if St Kilda has made the right decision next season, Sydney is not a mugs side. They're not a Melbourne or Richmond. If gets a regular games there, he'll certainly have earned it. It was great watching him develop over the years and I hope that Sandringham have played some part of that”
  • StKilda appoints two new coaches
    StKilda appoints two new coaches
    St Kilda has appointed Sorrento Premiership Coach and former player Troy Schwarze as Specialist Midfield Coach and Danny Sexton as Defensive Coach for 2012. Schwarze who played 71 games for the Saints (1999-2006) and has coached Sorrento to three premierships since joining the Sharks in 2007. He will join fellow former team mates Aaron Hamill (offensive) and Max Hudghton (defensive) in completing the newly-created specialist coaching roles. Schwarze told Melbourne radio station SEN that it wasn’t always the plan to go down to Sorrento and then get back into the AFL. “I guess it was a dream, initially when I moved down it was a lifestyle change and coaching was always going to be a bit of fun. The more I’ve coached the more I’ve loved it, the more I’ve sort of grown with it and I’m looking forward to next phase” Schwarze explained. Being involved with the midfield group he is looking forward to the return of Lenny Hayes. “Lenny is looking real good; we are probably holding him back a little bit more then he’d like. He’s a competitive beast and loves training and he is looking really fit. We are hoping we can get a really good season out of him and I think he’ll have some drive in him given he missed a lot of last season. He’s a quality player so we want him back out there” said Schwarze. New Saints coach Scott Watters has been quick to sing the praises of Schwarze. “Troy is a young, energetic and successful coach. He has a modern, holistic approach to coaching which complements our vision for the football department,” Watters explained to saints.com.au “Aaron, Max and Troy will play an important role in our restructured coaching team. Their knowledge and technical expertise will be invaluable to our Player List and provide additional mentoring for our younger players,” said Watters. The Saints continued their coaching appointments with Danny Sexton, opposition line coach for the past two years, now becoming the Saints Defensive Coach. "Danny is a very insightful coach and will play an important role in the coordination of our defensive strategies," Watters told saints.com.au "He has a strong background in player development and is well respected by the playing group." The Saints restructure of their coaching panel is almost complete with only two positions to be filled. “The Club hopes to appoint an Opposition Analyst in the coming weeks with the Academy Director to be named in due course. It’s important the right person is appointed and no timeframe has been set.” a clubs spokesman said.
  • Open Training Report 02/12/11
    Open Training Report 02/12/11
    Open Training under Scott Watters are definitely not just a token training that goes for about 30mins kicking around a ball like they have been under our previous coach. Open Training is now their normal training session that they allow members & fans to come along to watch. Today’s session went for about 3hrs and then they will be back out there this afternoon. It was a much “easier” session compared to last weeks with the empathies on ball skills and setting up set plays into the forward line. Ahmed Saad was possibly the most impressive forward in these drills. Has really good speed and looks to have great set of hands. All of the new guys were out there and they were starting to struggle near the end when they started running laps. After a couple they started to slowly drop off whilst the more senior guys kept going. But up until that they were quite impressive. The entire time James Magner was leading the way, he along with Marcus Marigliani are really impressive and with their shaved heads look like long lost twins! If they aren’t picked up in the rookie draft I would be extremely surprised, lets just hope it’s the Saints that select them. Beau Wilkes was interestingly training in the group of defenders alongside Raph Clarke, Jarryn Geary, Sam Fisher, Jackson Ferguson, Sam Gilbert and Jason Blake. This group also spent about 10-15mins goal kicking. At one stage we were starting to think we have employed too many coaches and wasn’t enough work for everyone as a group of 3 or 4 were just kicking goals for good 15mins. Only player missing was Nick Riewoldt who has apparently flown back from holidays in last day so should be back at the club next week. The most interesting drill was a handball drill that involved 2 hoops on stands. One player would stand in the middle and have balls tossed at him by one the coaches (Hudson it think). He would shout out as he threw ball to player which hoop they had to handpass it through the left or right hoop. One player that clearly struggles with his left & right is Stephen Milne who on couple occasions handballed the wrong way. (Some footage can be seen in video at bottom of page) One thing you can notice is the place is full of excitement and they all seem to really be enjoying being at the club. Scott Watters is really training them hard but not one player is complaining. They entire club also has all the time in the world for the fans that turn up. Watters himself made sure he walked over to thank us for coming along and stood around chatting for 5mins. Most of the playing group also came up and signed autographs and thanked the fans. The dempstered t-shirts were also a massive hit amongst the entire playing group, every single player made mention at how awesome it was and they loved it. Unfortunately it was looking like Dempster himself wasn’t going to come out and say hi or sign anything as was stuck in a meeting. But as we were going to leave Rebecca Trbojevich (Saints Media Manager) came up and said she would try and get Sean to come out to say hi and have a chat, which he did. He absolutely loves it and even posed for photos after he signed my t-shirt. He said today was his final day in the rehab group and he couldn’t be happier! Has had some OP type stuff in his abs area but has fully recovered and is looking forward to getting out in the middle. Unknown to us they were also going to present Nick Dal Santo his Player Of The Year trophy and we only found out as we noticed them holding it and said hey that’s from us!! Rebecca then organized to get Dal to come out (who was inside on the bike) and allowed me to present the trophy to him. He said he was absolutely honored and thanked everyone that voted for him throughout the year. He told us his hand is coming along well. Isn’t able to do great deal of ball work but does some one handed stuff. He said he didn’t come back in best shape and was one of 5 or 6 players that were over the required skin folds test. But in past week he has managed to lose 8 folds. Which he said is quite a large amount. Must be from being made to run 20+ laps every session!! Dean Polo – Had calf strapped and didn’t take part in great deal of training. Nicolas Winmar – Has had ankle problems and is a long way off full training. In two sessions I’ve been to he hasn’t gone faster then a slow canter. Don’t expect much from him it would seem. Tom Simpkin – Recovering from shin splints. Has two massive scars on his legs but he is progressing very well. He has really bulked up and I reckon he would be bigger then Dawson ever was. Jamie Cripps – Was running this week and at a fair pace. Ran about 5-6 laps. Has bulked up a fair bit already this preseason. Ben McEvoy is a freak. This bloke just runs & runs & runs. Spent fair amount time doing laps. He starts panting pretty quickly but he is doing it the same amount 8-10 laps later. Amazed at the endurance this guy has for such a big man. Terry Milera – Is out of his moon boot and did a few skills but no running from what I noticed. Lenny Hayes – No sign of injury at all. He was running at full speed. If I was to put a percentage on his fitness I would have to say 90-95% easily. Round 1 is a given I think. James Gwilt – Really seemed to not look comfortable running again, clear signs of a limp. He doesn’t seem to be able to bend his knee, runs with straight leg. Im no doctor or anything but seeing him past 2 weeks id say round 5 is a long shot, I think might be closer to round 10. Jack Steven – Seemed to be running like normal today, but think he might have extra couple kilos that he is carrying around! Rhys Stanley didn’t seem to do great deal again, did some kicking & handball drills but didn’t see him running much. Brett Peake might look like he is bit unfit but he hasn’t lost any of his pace, same can be said for Jason Gram. Tom Ledger will be wearing number 15 next year and Ahmed Saad number 21.   St Kilda will be holding another open training session next Friday 9th December at 9.30am. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-ODuriPFBc]
  • Wilkes Second Chance
    Wilkes Second Chance
    Former West Coast Eagle, Beau Wilkes has been provided with a second chance at AFL level after St Kilda selected him with pick 68 at the 2011 National Draft. The 25-year-old Wilkes played 23 games for the West Coast Eagles between 2008 and 2010 including 14 games in 2008 before being delisted at end of the 2010 season. Wilkes told Perth radio station 6PR it was a bit of a surprise that he was drafted but he couldn’t be happier with being given a second chance. “I couldn’t be happier, it’s a bit of a surprise I must be honest, but ill take the opportunity” “Two weeks ago I was contemplating whether to even go through with the draft nomination. I spoke to my partner and family, and thought whether it was worth going through it. Then all sudden St Kilda got in contact and ever since they have been first class.” Wilkes said. Wilkes will be reunited with his 2011 Claremont coach, Simon McPhee who is St Kilda’s new VFL Coach. The WA connections at St Kilda don’t end there after playing with new Development Coach, Jamie Graham at West Coast. But he says the strong connections don’t mean anything when it comes to the new club. “That {the connections with McPhee and Graham} means nothing in footy at end of the day, I’ve got to go over there and have an impact and that’s my main reason for getting over there {St Kilda}” Wilkes explained. Whilst he wasn’t given any guarantees from the Saints that he would be selected, it was hinted that if no-one picked him up before pick 68 that they were really strong on selecting him with that pick. “They {Ameet Baines & Tony Elshaug} were really honest, but didn’t guarantee when they told me couple days ago that they were really strong on pick 68 “I’ve never been as nervous as I was this afternoon, waiting for pick 68 to come up. It was pretty nerve-racking” Wilkes said. With several tall key position players including Zac Dawson, Tom Lynch and Tom Walsh all leaving the St Kilda Football Club at the end of the 2011 season there is plenty of opportunity for Beau Wilkes to play plenty of games next season. But he won’t be taking anything for granted. “There’s no guarantees, and ill just be going over there and whatever role Scott {Watters} and the coaching department want me to play im more than happy and willing to fit whatever role they want me to play.” Wilkes said. During 2011 Wilkes proved whilst playing for Claremont in the WAFL that he was much more than a defender and that he was a very versatile player, whether it was in defence or up forward and he believes playing up forward is his best position. “I was originally drafted as a forward at the end of the day, and when I attack the footy and when my soul focus is on the pill playing forward id like to back myself in most time, rather than not.” Wilkes explained. On the recruitment of Beau Wilkes, St Kilda list manager Ameet Baines explained "Beau had a number of years at West Coast and had a stellar season for Claremont as a key back before moving up forward. He has got the maturity and gives us options at either end of the ground. Given his background and body, he can play next year.” explained Baines. Time will tell if Wilkes can break into the St Kilda side, but he adds much-needed depth into their tall position stocks and his flexibility in being able to play at either end of the ground is definitely something the Saints have been lacking over the years.  
  • StKilda 2011 National Draft Selections
    StKilda 2011 National Draft Selections
    PICK 25 - SEBASTIAN ROSS (VIC – Mid/Fwd) Height: 187cm, Weight: 82kg, DOB: 07/05/1993 Recruited from: North Ballarat Rebels Style: Nick Dal Santo [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTAKvXydxtU] "Seb Ross is a very good stoppage midfielder, who runs hard and can take a strong mark." - Ameet Bains Ross is a lively  medium midfielder/forward. He has a high work rate and his foot skills are the standout feature of his game. He is one of those perfect left footers. Under pressure has no difficulty executing. Has great tackling pressure and for someone with his foot skills it’s a rare combination to have. Can play some midfield either inside or outside comfortably. Hard worker and has been a real improver over the past year.  Ross is the cousin of Jobe Watson. He represented Vic Country at the NAB AFL U18 Championships, averaging 14.5 possessions and four tackles a game.  His strengths are his work rate, contested footy, clean hands and ability to play many roles on the field. He had an outstanding TAC Cup year with the Rebels, averaging 24.8 disposals, 4.6 marks and 3.4 tackles. PICK 35 - Daniel Markworth (VIC – Mid/Fwd) Height: 189cm, Weight: 78kg, DOB: 03/04/1992 Recruited from: Calder Cannons Player comparison: Nat Fyfe [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qyg3hf-1VAs] "Medium forward with excellent pace and goal kicking ability" - Ameet Bains A speedy forward who represented Vic Metro in one game at the NAB AFL U18 Championships as a 19-year-old in his first year in the TAC Cup. He had an outstanding year with the Cannons, showing clean hands and goal sense as a forward and creativity in the midfield, averaging 15 disposals and two goals per game. Markworth has explosive pace which he showed at the Combine where put in a 2.89s 20m sprint which saw him ranked inside the top 10 per cent.  His repeat sprint time of 24.31s was amongst the best of those tested. High character. Very intelligent kid. Comes from a tennis and basketball background. Has played as leadup forward as well as a midfielder and brings really nice versatility. Very high level athlete with a super burst of speed. Not bad by foot and has a good 55m kick on him. Good ball user by both hand and foot. New to AFL but showing some big progress! Still learning the game. Project. But has made big progress in a very short space of time! Just keeps getting better with every game he plays and there seems to be allot of upside! Daniel is quick, agile, creative player with the ability to change a game with only a few touches. He is versatile and playshis best football when the team needs him to. Pick 37 ~ Jack Newnes Height: 183cm Weight: 73kg DOB: 24/02/93 Recruited from: Northern Knights, VIC [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9AQbBejjHY] [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0A54JrgqYk] "Newnes is a versatile midfielder with good endurance and is strong overhead." - Ameet Bains Jack is a medium midfielder who can also go back or forward. He is a very composed player who uses the ball efficiently and provides very good run. Averaged 19 disposals and kicked 10.4 in 14 matches for the Knights this year. He has a penetrating kick, is a good user inside and is a solid tackler. Strengths: Kicking, handballing, decision making, leading, finding space, running, agility. Weaknesses: Strength over the ball, taking contested marks, speed, winning contested ball, having the confidence to run and bounce. PICK 42 – Jimmy Webster (TAS - Mid) Height: 186cm, Weight: 71kg, DOB: 28/06/1993 Recruited from: Glenorchy [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8ZIa3nnSbA] "Athletic midfielder / forward with clean hands, competes well and has a good left foot kick" - Ameet Bains Represented Tasmania at the NAB AFL U18 championships. Really nice left footer. Has nice penetration on his kick. Great user of the ball. Good pace.  Really talented outside mid who can go forward and have an impact.  Has good, clean hands and doesn't fumble below his knees. Pick 60 ~ Jay Lever (Geelong Falcons, Vic) DOB: 15/06/93 Height: 200cm Weight: 86Kg "Athletic key forward / ruckman with good skills on both side and clean below the knees" - Ameet Bains Strengths include kicking, speed, agility, positioning and marking. Represented Vic Country at the NAB AFL U18 Championships, playing in all five games and averaging 10 hit-outs. Pick 68 ~ Beau Wilkes DOB: 20th March 1986 Debut: 2005 From: Albany - Railways/WCE Height: 194 Weight: 94 “Key forward/back who is strong in air and competitive.” - Ameet Bains Wilkes was rookie listed by the Eagles in 2004, 2006 and for the third time following the 2007 season and finally made his AFL debut in the Eagles' upset victory over Adelaide at Subiaco Oval in Round 9 of the 2008 AFL season. He was delisted at the end of 2010. In 2011, Wilkes played in Claremont's WAFL premiership side where he kicked 5 goals and was awarded the Simpson Medal as the best player on the ground. He was also runner up in Claremont’s 2011 Best & Fairest. Pick 76  - Jason Blake Re-Drafted as expected. 199 game veteran gets to finish his career at St Kilda.
  • St Kilda Open Training Report
    St Kilda Open Training Report
    The Saints had their first open training session under new coach Scott Watters and a crowd of about 80-100 turned up to watch the gruelling 2hr session. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to stay to the very end as had to rush off for work so didn’t get a chance to chat to any of the players. It was a full on training session, I don’t remember them having such a grueling open training session before. The entire list was certainly put through the ringer. The key word coming from the coaches was “spread”, and going by the full oval drill session we are going to be taking the game on and move the ball quickly. Nearing the end they were practicing their goal kicking, yes you heard right, they were practicing goal kicking. I nearly fell over as I thought that skill was never taught anymore at training! The entire training session all the guys were quite noisy, yelling out and supporting each other. They all seem to be in great spirits. Aaron Hamill was out there amongst it all, training with the boys. It looks like he could pull on a jumper and play for us again next week. Couldn’t see Max Hudghton out there at all, heard he has some other commitments and is due to start soon. The only players missing were Nick Riewoldt and Brendon Goddard who are both on their 2 week end of season holiday. Both Riewoldt & Goddard have been training non stop since post season surgery whilst everyone else were on their break. Both are expected back at club next week. [caption id="attachment_2304" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Lenny Hayes is back to full training. Photo: True Sainters"][/caption] Lenny Hayes was moving around with no visible signs of his knee injury. He is back to full training. He seems to have full movement in his knee and wasn’t afraid to twist and turn and put his body on line in some tackling drills. He also looked good in few 20m sprints that he was doing. Is a true professional and have no doubt he will be out there round 1. Jimmy Gwilt still has a very noticeable limp when running and got worse the longer he ran. Was doing some standing ball work and just ran laps for most of the session. New recruit Terry Milera was in a moon boot. Not sure on what happened to him. Jamie Cripps didn’t run at all and hardly raised a sweat except for walking some laps. Did some ball handling skills but that was about it. Clearly has some injury that is holding him back. Jack Steven seems to have some kind of issue. He didn’t look right at all, especially during their mini time trial. Was languishing at the very back of the pack and looked to be in pain. He must be carrying an injury or something. Although he does have a very funny running style, I’ve never seen him like that before. Sean Dempster and Ben McEvoy spent the entire 2hr session running laps, and sustained quite a fast pace. They easily did 20+ laps. [caption id="attachment_2305" align="alignleft" width="270" caption="Rhys Stanley running laps at Saints open training session. Photo: True Sainters"][/caption] Nicolas Winmar and Rhys Stanley also spent the entire session running laps. Winmar had his left calf strapped but didn’t show any signs of any discomfort. Must say he really could do with putting some muscle on, is a skinny looking lad. Rhys looks pretty fit, although still looks rather small and think he needs to bulk up more before we could consider throwing him in the ruck. Nick Dal Santo spent little while doing some one handed ball drills and then spent rest of his time running laps with the fitness coach. He had no splint or support on his broken hand. It looks like Dal has spent the offseason in the gym and keeping himself in tip top shape as it’s the fittest I think I’ve ever seen him. Jason Gram & Brett Peake look like they are carrying a few extra kilos around the stomach this preseason. Hopefully they will trim down a little bit before the season starts. Ahmed Saad really stood out at me today, very impressed with how he goes about it. Has a great kick on him, although he struggles when forced onto his left foot. During some goal kicking drills I think he only missed one shot. Early tip is that he will play a major role in 2012. Was very impressed with Marcus Marigliani, at one stage during the mini time trial Sam Fisher was looking like he was going to die and was struggling to reach the end, but Marcus was very vocal and was encouraging him that they were nearly at the end and he could make it. Is one beast of a man when you see him up close. Wouldn’t want to run into him on the footy field that’s for sure. [caption id="attachment_2311" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Entire playing group at todays open training session. Picture: True Sainters"][/caption] Jarryn Geary was the front runner in the mini time trial. Has great endurance on him, just watching him today I have a feeling he is going to have a big year. Raph Clarke looks super fit, although had strapping and taping on his right knee. Was training in defence so a change of role seems unlikely at this early stage. Although his run out of defence was looking good. I’ve got to say Justin Koschitzke is looking extremely fit and was one of the front runners during the mini time trial. Seems to have lost lot of excess weight this year. Wonder if this will finally be his year.   [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2-lZhpuhp4]
  • Saints march to Seaford
    Saints march to Seaford
    Please note that this is a re-post of an article "Saints march to Seaford" in the Nov/Dec issue of Turfcraft International. Published by Rural Press.  Official publication of Turf Producers Australia. TS|Journal have only re-posted this as we cant find online version to publish and we found it very interesting and thought people might find it interesting to read about the process that went into building Linen House Centre. Green keeper's Planner Name: Garry Woolard and Gavin Bock. Sportsfield: Belvedere Reserve, Seaford. In brief: Construction and maintenance of a new sportsfield complex to be used by the St Kilda Football Club THE development of a multi-million dollar training facility for the St Kilda Football Club in conjunction with the Frankston City Council came to fruition when it was opened earlier this year. The opening comes after the $10.4 million development was first mooted in 2007 when the St Kilda Football Club's then home centre at Moorabin was deemed unsuitable for a modern AFL club. [caption id="attachment_2189" align="alignleft" width="203" caption="An aerial photo of Belvedere Reserve at Seaford with the old hockey field (bottom right) in place and before construction of a new oval."][/caption] Initially the Frankston Oval, close CBD, was targeted as it had a good sur­face, was close transport and there was already a VFL team using the venue with the opportunity to align with the Saints. After some initial investigation of the Frankston Oval site it was decided that the ground's size and configuration were unsuitable and St Kilda wanted a flat "greenfields" site. Frankston City Council Parklands Services Manager Garry Woolard and Team Leader Active Reserves Gavin Bock, told the TGAA (Vic) annual Cricket Wicket seminar this year that the Belvedere Reserve at Seaford was chosen as the alternative site. Belvedere Reserve offered plenty of flat space for infrastructure and an existing hockey field that could make way for a new AFL standard oval. Mr Woolard said the existing field was underutilised. The council progressed with normal approval processes and sourcing fund­ing - the funding coming from the coun­cil, the Victorian Government, the AFL and the St Kilda Football Club. A project management group (pMG) was formed and once the design of the new field was agreed on tenders were let for the various components includ­ing sand profile materials, earthworks, drainage, irrigation, goal posts, back nets and fencing. [caption id="attachment_2190" align="alignright" width="223" caption="The new training complex at Belvedere Reserve at Seaford in Melbourne's south east with a new AFL oval (bottom) and new facilities."][/caption] Mr Woolard said the PMG held a number of public meetings with local residents, the nearby bowling club and primary school to inform residents of the plans. He said Belvedere Reserve was ideal with a total area of more than 10 hectares with the two ovals comprising a total of 3.Sha. The PMG developed relationships with the local school, bowling club, local sports clubs, environmental departments and the building contrac­tor. Construction of the new ground started in August 2009 with earthworks before the new United States Golf Association (USGA) specification sand was laid at a 300mm above a network of drains set at seven metre intervals and with a one in 80 cross fall. Some 14,000 tonnes of sand were delivered to the site. Mr Woolard said weather conditions had played havoc with early construction firstly on the exposed site with heavy rain at the start of excavation, followed by extreme heat and strong northerly winds in December through to January 2010. Irrigation was used to manage the sand and prevent it from blowing into nearby properties using a newly installed Hunter Decoder system. [caption id="attachment_2204" align="alignleft" width="262" caption="New fencing being constructed at Belvedere Reserve as part of the new training home of the St Kilda Football Club."][/caption] Fencing, goal post and back net foun­dations were installed and electricity supply provided to the pump shed. The first of 21,400 square metres of small rolls of Santa Ana couch was laid in February 2010. Mr Woolard said that with a handover aimed for May that year it was decided to go with the solid turfing rather than sprigging. The total area of turf was laid in three days. The new surface was allowed to grow in and the first cut was conducted in late February. Mr Bock said the couch was over­sown with ryegrass in around March­April and transitioned out with herbi­cide in late October.  Cutting height for the couch surface was lSmm. Mr Woolard said the council had sub­mitted a maintenance program to St Kilda Football Club for approval. Some of the components of the main­tenance schedule were mowing twice a week from March to September (when overs own) and three times a week from September to March. The field is scheduled to be Vertidrained every three weeks during winter and every six weeks in summer while the ground would be top dressed with 100 cubic metres in December­/January and a further 70m3 during win­ter and autumn. Other basic maintenance included rolling (in winter only), scarifying and vacuuming and coring. A comprehensive weed and pest control program was scheduled while fertiliser was applied as granular and liquid. Mr Woolard said the program also called for turf to be replaced in wear areas as needed. The ground was handed over on schedule in May 2010 and first used by St Kilda in January 2011.
  • Dal Santo suffers preseason setback
    Dal Santo suffers preseason setback
    Nick Dal Santo has suffered an early preseason setback after breaking two metacarpals in his hand during a preseason training drill last week. Dal Santo had minor surgery late last week but it hasn’t held him back from full training. He will have to miss certain ball drills over the next fortnight. Luckily for Dal Santo his injury comes at the beginning of preseason and gives him plenty of time to recover. In other preseason news Sandringham player James Magner ran a time of 6.28mins in St Kilda’s 2km time trial on Saturday. Magner who is one of five Sandringham players currently training at the club ahead of this months drafts and is certainly impressing a lot of people down at the Saints. James Magner is a 24 year old, tough inside midfielder, who averaged 30 disposals and 9 clearances a game in 2011. He also won Sandringham’s Best & Fairest award after finishing 3rd in 2010.
  • 2011 Draft Preview: St Kilda
    2011 Draft Preview: St Kilda
    When taking a look at St Kilda’s list there are three areas that are a concern, and that’s the lack of ruckman, tall defenders and tall forwards on their list. With the recent losses of Tom Lynch, Tommy Walsh & Zac Dawson who all walked out on the club during the recent trade period and the delisting of Paul Cahill and Will Johnson their key position stocks has taken a battering. RUCKS Ben McEvoy Rhys Stanley Justin Koschitzke (Forward/Ruck) Daniel Archer (Forward/Ruck) The main area of concern in the ruck department is if Ben McEvoy goes down. Whilst Rhys Stanley has some talent hidden away he rarely shows glimpses of it. Is he ready to step up to be a first choice ruckman in the AFL? Justin Koschitzke is a viable second ruck option, but there is always concern around his body holding up for entire year. TALL FORWARDS Nick Riewoldt Justin Koschitzke Daniel Archer (Rookie) In 2010 when Nick Riewoldt went down with major hamstring injury it highlighted St Kilda’s lack of tall options up forward, yet 2 years later they are yet to fix this issue. Tommy Walsh was coming along nicely and looked set to play a major role in 2012 but he walked out on the club during the trade period. Daniel Archer & Rhys Stanley who are also viable tall forward options really haven’t shown they are capable of holding key position post up forward. The Saints are in a good position in the mid-sized forward department with Arryn Siposs joined by recent additions Ahmed Saad and Terry Milera, not to mention Adam Schneider. TALL DEFENDERS Tom Simpkin Sam Fisher Jackson Ferguson (Rookie) The departure of Zac Dawson has left a gapping hole down back for the Saints. Whilst many fans are over the moon with his departure the fact is he held down one of the most important positions in the team and the Saints have no glaring replacements. Is Tom Simpkin ready to step up; Is Sam Fisher are viable option to play the full back role? Daniel Archer played a handful of games in VFL last season at full back, he along with Jackson Ferguson are more long term projects and more then likely not a option this season. Taking all that into consideration it gets us onto Thursday’s Nights National Draft and who St Kilda will select with their first selection (Pick 25). Do they go for needs or do they go for best available player? If they decide to go on needs then it would be hard to go past Michael Talia or Todd Elton if either of them are available. Michael Talia (VIC - KPD) Height: 192cm Weight: 88kg Recruited from: Calder Cannons Player comparison: Michael Hurley Profile: Talia is possibly the best key position defender in this draft. Hard-working key position player that can play at either end (back/forward).He is a capable of taking a big contested mark. Has a very good endurance base. Strengths: Marking, fitness, work rate, physicality, goal sense and strength. Areas for Improvement: Kicking, speed, core stability, ground balls [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8vqkobWrUY] Todd Elton (VIC – KPF/Ruck) Height: 197cm Weight: 90kg Recruited from: Dandenong Stingrays Player comparison: Drew Petrie Profile: A tall, hard-working, mobile player with excellent marking skills. Is athletic leading forward/ruckman with great skills below his knees. Very agile and moves really well for someone of his size. Todd tested very well in the vertical leap drills at this years draft combine, with his 89cm jump off his left foot putting him in the top 2 per cent. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cZ22ht5o70] As every year a good player will slip through to bottom end of the first round. Brad McKenzie, whilst expected to go around 10-18 is one of those players that we could see slip through to Pick 25 and it would be very hard to pass up on. Brad McKenzie (SA – Mid/Def) Height: 188cm Weight: 75kg, Recruited from: Sturt Player Comparison: Dyson Heppel/ Scott Pendlebury Profile: Possibly the best kick in this years draft. His left foot is an absolute weapon. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUFXBbf5IAk] Other candidates: Andrew Boseley (VIC - KPD) Height: 194cm, Weight: 80kg Recruited from: Geelong Falcons Style: Matthew Scarlett/ Dustin Fletcher Sam Frost (VIC – KPD/KPF) Height: 194cm, Weight: 87kg Recruited from: Sandringham Dragons Player comparison: Jarrad Waite Daniel Markworth (VIC – Mid/Fwd) Height: 189cm, Weight: 78kg, DOB: 03/04/1992 Recruited from: Calder Cannons Player comparison: Nat Fyfe Elliot Kavanagh (VIC - Mid) Height: 187cm, Weight: 78kg Recruited from: Western Jets Player comparison: David Mundy Whilst its difficult to predict the further you get into the draft we have narrowed it down to a handful of players that St Kilda might select with Picks 35 & 37 if they are available, some might go much earlier then predicted. Mitchell Grigg (SA - Mid) Height: 183cm, Weight: 85kg, DOB: 02/01/1993 Recruited from: Norwood Player comparison:Daniel Rich Shane Nelson (WA - Mid) Height: 179cm, Weight: 73kg Recruited from: West Perth Football Club Player comparison:Leigh Montagna Zyrus Waylen Manson (WA – KPF) Height: 195cm, Weight: 84kg, Recruited from: Claremont Player comparison: Zephaniah Skinner/Lance Franklin Jackson Merrett (VIC – Mid/Util) Height: 187cm, Weight: 70kg Recruited from: Geelong Falcons Player comparison: Jasper Pittard Jackson Paine (VIC – KPF/Mid) Height: 194cm, Weight: 87kg Recruited from: Sandringham Dragons Player comparison: Matthew Pavlich St Kilda are committed to re-drafting Jason Blake, more then likely with their last pick (76), that leaves 6 picks for new players but dont expect them to all be kids. “I wouldn’t lock in to saying that they are all going to be kids,” Chris Pelchen told SEN's Harf Time on November 10. “We will take the best players available, particularly referencing our structural needs. There’s no doubt there has been some changes off-season which means we need to look at the structure of our playing list and that’s what we are going to do in totality. “There will be a definite bent toward youth, no doubt about that. Like most clubs do traditionally through the national draft and we’ll be no different. But certainly to say there will only be young players would probably be misleading.” Pelchan said. Keeping that in mind and with de-listed Saints Paul Cahill, Ryan Gamble, Nick Heyne, Will Johnson, Andrew McQualter, Alistar Smith all nominating for the draft i wouldn't be surprised to see one  of them picked up by the Saints again. Out of the six i would think Will Johnson or Andrew McQualter would be in the mix.
    The 2011 AFL Draft will be broadcast on FOX SPORTS 1 from 7pm on Thursday Night. True Sainters will have extensive coverage on all our latest draftees including player profiles, photos & videos. For those without Foxtel AFL.com.au will have extensive live coverage of every pick as it happens
  • St Kilda welcomes home two favourite sons
    St Kilda welcomes home two favourite sons
    St Kilda has welcomed home two of their favourite sons, Max Hudghton and Aaron Hamill as part time specialist coaches. Max Hudghton, who played 234 games for St Kilda between 1997 & 2009, joins the Saints in a defensive coaching role. Working as the Magpies part-time defence coach for past 2 years, Hudghton comes to the Saints after helping plot against Saints in the 2010 Grand Finals. Max worked closely with Nathan Brown and Ben Reid, mentoring and teaching them how to stop Nick Riewoldt. At the Saints he will work closely with Tom Simpkin, Daniel Archer and the other up and coming defenders. Aaron Hamill who played 190 games for Carlton and St Kilda, joins as offensive coach. During his playing days he was renowned for his physical pressure and great leadership. He will work closely with the emerging forwards Rhys Stanley, Jack Steven, Ahmed Saad, Arryn Siposs. St Kilda also appointed Josh Low as their new strength and conditioning manager. Low who has been working at the club for past 3 months as part time fitness assistant will work closely with High Performance Manager, Peter Burge. New Saints coach, Scott Watters says he is excited with the recent appointments. “The appointment of Aaron and Max to these newly created roles will enable our List to receive high performance coaching to further develop specific aspects of their game.” “All three bring a high standard of technical knowledge in their area, but as men display exemplary character and values which reflects the culture we are creating at St Kilda,” said Watters St Kilda says a new specialist midfield coach will be appointed in coming weeks. An announcement on Director for the Saints Player Academy is also expected soon.
  • Ex-Saints nominate for Draft
    Ex-Saints nominate for Draft
      Ex-Saints Jason Blake, Paul Cahill, Ryan Gamble, Nick Heyne, Will Johnson, Andrew McQualter, Alistar Smith have all nominated for next weeks 2011 NAB AFL Draft. Missing from the nominations were Robert Eddy, Steven Baker and Zac Dawson, with the later expected to nominate for the preseason draft as he hopes to reunite with former coach Ross Lyon. St Kilda is committed to re-drafting veteran Jason Blake, who is stranded on 199 games. The move to delist him was part of the restructure of the clubs salary cap that has taken place over past couple months. Whilst Nick Heyne, who was delisted after managing only 3 games since being drafted at Pick 48 in the 2008 National Draft looks likely to be given a second chance after being permission to train at Carlton The career of former B&F winner and 203 game champion of the Saints, Steven Baker looks like it has come to a end. Whilst he can still nominate for the preseason draft it looks highly unlikely as he continues to expand his blossoming business. Full list of Delisted AFL players who have nominated for 2011 NAB AFL Draft Adelaide Crows: James Craig, Myke Cook, James Sellar, Will Young. Brisbane Lions: Matt Austin, Brendan Fevola. Carlton: Mark Austin, Setanta O’Hailpin. Collingwood: Brad Dick, Daniel Farmer. Essendon: Nil. Fremantle: Justin Bollenhagen, Clayton Hinkley, Joel Houghton. Geelong: Nil. Gold Coast: Nathan Ablett, Michael Coad, Joseph Daye, Marc Lock, Jack Stanlake. Hawthorn: Jarryd Morton, Jordan Williams. Melbourne: Addam Maric, Austin Wonaeamirri. North Melbourne: Ed Lower, Brayden Norris, Daniel Pratt, Ben Ross, Gavin Urquhart. Port Adelaide: Jason Davenport, Marlon Motlop. Richmond: Mitch Farmer, Ben Nason. St Kilda: Jason Blake, Paul Cahill, Ryan Gamble, Nick Heyne, Will Johnson, Andrew McQualter, Alistair Smith. Sydney Swans: Paul Bevan, Daniel Currie, Campbell Heath. West Coast: Jordan Jones, Callum Wilson. Western Bulldogs: Brennan Stack. Any player that hasn’t nominated before todays deadline now have until Tuesday, December 6 to nominate for the December 13 pre-season and rookie drafts, which will be their last chance to land a place on an AFL list before next season.
  • St Kilda finalises list ahead of National Draft
    St Kilda finalises list ahead of National Draft
    St Kilda has officially delisted Zac Dawson and Jason Blake before the second list lodgement is due on Wednesday.

    Dawson who walked out on the Saints last week is hoping to find his way to Fremantle via the National or Preseason Draft where he will reunite with Ross Lyon.

    St Kilda says Jason Blake, who is stranded on 199 games, will be re-drafted to the club and the move is just part of the restructure of the clubs salary cap that has taken place over past couple months.

    St Kilda now has 31 players on their Senior List, and 4 on the rookie list and will enter the November 24th National Draft with 7 picks inside Pick 78. With one reserved for the re-drafting of Jason Blake, and then 4 picks in the December 13th Rookie Draft. With the recent addition of Ahmed Saad and Terry Milera during the trade period the Saints will head into 2012 with 13 fresh faces.

    Meanwhile the entire playing list trained for the very first time under Scott Watters today. The only absentee was captain Nick Riewoldt who is currently overseas on his planned off season break. Raph Clarke was amongst a few players tweeting about their first day back

    “Was a good first day back at preseason! #excitingtimesahead”

    The players wont be able to ease themselves into preseason with time trials booked in for this Saturday.

  • Ex-Saint Nicholas Heyne granted permission to train at Carlton
    Ex-Saint Nicholas Heyne granted permission to train at Carlton
    Delisted Saint Nicholas Heyne has been granted permission to train at Carlton in the hope of resurrecting his AFL Career. Heyne, who was amongst 5 Saints delisted at end of 2011 after managing only 3 games since being drafted at Pick 48 in the 2008 National Draft. After 3 years in the system the club expected significant improvement and hoped he would build on his 3 games he played in 2010, but unfortunately he went the other way. Heyne suffered some knee soreness throughout 2011 and spent 2 games in the VFL reserves. Late in the season he recaptured his form that impressed many in 2010 but it were possibly too late as it wasn’t what the club was looking for from a bloke on the cusp of the senior team. There is no doubting Heyne has some talent and hopefully he can show the Blues some of it in the coming weeks and be given a second chance at making it in the AFL. Another delisted Saint, Steven Baker has emerged as a rough chance to play at Sorrento next year in the MPNFL. The former B&F winner and 203 game champion of the Saints has been in talks with former teammate & coach of the Sharks, Troy Schwarze. But the Sharks coach told Leader Newspaper last week it was far from a done deal. "I've spoken to him because he's one of my best mates, but who would know,'' Schwarze said. "I don't think he knows what he's doing himself yet. He could end up anywhere."
  • About TS|Journal
    About TS|Journal
    At True Sainters we are continually looking at ways to improve our website & to bring new ways of bringing Saints news & discussion to all the fans. We are lucky enough to have numerous members who are trying to get into journalism and they already write numerous articles every week for us, mostly match previews, reviews & player feature articles. With over 110 articles posted on our wordpress to date and with our love of the Saints we thought we would take it to the next level. So it’s with great pleasure to unveil: TS|Journal is our upgraded version of the wordpress site but have given it a more of a professional feel and made it feel more like an online newspaper. You can find it here on our brand new fancy domain name - www.tsjournal.net Our aim is to change it from just a basic site that posts articles into a proper news site. Changing from posting other media outlets articles, to writing own articles on the Saints. We hope to have someone attend every open training session to give a detailed report on how the guys are travelling. We will also dissect any radio interviews the club may do. Most of the “experts” only write what they want to write and don’t give the entire outlook of whats been said. We hope to change that and give everyone the most comprehensive news on the club we love. This is still a work in progress and we will unveil further plans soon but we thought we would give you all a sneak peek at our grand plan. Of course if anyone ever wants to write a article and have it published then you are more then welcome to. It can be on anything StKilda and we would love to get more of your work out there.
  • During 2011 Sean consistently dempstered his opponents and was rewarded with third place in St Kilda’s best and fairest
    During 2011 Sean consistently dempstered his opponents and was rewarded with third place in St Kilda’s best and fairest
    Entering the 2011 season Sean Demspter was four games shy of reaching his 100th game and had become accustomed to playing football deep into the finals. From the time of his debut in 2005 until the end of the 2010 season Dempster played in five of the seven AFL Grand Finals. Of the 797 players on an AFL list for the 2011 season the only two players who have participated in five Grand Finals are Sean Dempster and Adam Schneider, the pair having played in back to back Grand Finals with Sydney against West Coast in 2005 and 2006 and then three Grand Finals in 53 weeks for St Kilda with the 2009 Grand Final against Geelong, as well as the 2010 Grand Final and Grand Final Replay against Collingwood. In an astute piece of trading St Kilda received Sean Dempster and Adam Schneider from Sydney for a mid-second round selection in the 2007 NAB AFL Draft. In four seasons with St Kilda Dempster and Schneider have played 65 and 89 matches respectively from a possible 99,  with Sean’s games tally adversely affected by injury in the 2009 and 2010 seasons. Despite having had so much success throughout his career, in the closing stages of the 2010 season Sean was  taking nothing for granted including his position in the St Kilda side, and in September 2010 Sean commented “I’m never confident (of selection). I go into every Thursday crossing my fingers.”1 Whilst Dempster had played the final 14 games of the 2010 season with St Kilda he had reason to question his security in the Saints side having been dropped twice late in the season, Round 22 and the Qualifying Final only to get a reprieve as a late replacement for an injured teammate on both occasions. Dempster exceeded everyone’s expectations during a superb 2011 season in which he played every game for the first time of his career and was a model of consistency, amazingly receiving votes in the St Kilda best and fairest for each and every one of his 23 games this season.  After struggling to retain his position in the St Kilda side late in 2010 Dempster excelled during 2011 to become an integral member of the St Kilda team by performing his negating role week in and week out with distinction and arguably became the most effective tagger in the AFL. Dempster’s primary role is to negate his direct opponents influence on the game, however he still provides the St Kilda coaching staff with flexibility due to being able to play as a defender, a defensive forward or a run with role in the midfield.  Whilst Dempster is better known for his defensive work he can also be effective offensively, and he came to the fore half-way through the last quarter in Round 17 against West Coast, swooping on the ball at half-forward and kicking a classy snap goal to regain the lead for St Kilda.  The Saints went on to  win the critical match by 21 points with Dempster earning himself the match ball from St Kilda for his magnificent performance opposed to Andrew Embley. Throughout 2011 Dempster received much deserved recognition from his teammates, the St Kilda match committee and Saints supporters.  Dempster was recognised by his teammates for his outstanding performances during 2011 when he was one of three St Kilda players nominated for the Most Valuable Player award along with Sam Fisher and Nick Dal Santo. The St Kilda match committee concurred with the assessment of Saints players as the same three players filled the placings at St Kilda’s 2011 best and fairest with Dempster finishing third behind defender Sam Fisher and midfielder Nick Dal Santo. To show their appreciation of Dempster’s performances in consistently defeating his direct opponent and nullifying their impact on the game and also to increase the recognition of Sean Dempster in the wider football community a group of St Kilda supporters set up a facebook page “You’ve just been Dempstered”, the site was an instant hit and less than three months after being set-up is on the verge of reaching 400 followers.  Due to the success of the site t-shirts are now in production with DEMPSTERED written in bold across the front and a definition provided on the back. Refer below to pictures of the t-shirt. You can purchase your DEMPSTERED T-Shirt via the TrueSainters Store Many of Sean’s opponents were demsptered throughout 2011 including 2006 Norm Smith Medallist Andrew Embley, 2009 Sydney Best and Fairest Ryan O’Keefe, four time All-Australian Brent Harvey in rounds 15 and 23 and Fremantle’s Hayden Ballantyne in rounds 10 and 20. In 2012 True Sainters will continue sponsoring 2010 first round draft selction Jamie Cripps who impressed during his four AFL matches as a substitute in 2011. With the growth of the forum in the past 12 months True Sainters  will commence sponsoring a second player in 2012, it wasn't hard to decide that the second player would be superb tagger  Sean Dempster. At the end of the 2011 season Sean Dempster was out of contract with the St Kilda Football Club and whilst it appeared inevitable that Dempster would sign a new contract with the Saints contract negotiations were made more complicated by St Kilda's tight salary cap and having many players out of contract. On Thursday November 10 St Kilda announced that Sean Dempster, Farren Ray, Brett Peake, Dean Polo and Raph Clake had all re-signed with the St Kilda Football Club.  St Kilda's Head of Football Chris Pelchen  commented “We are extremely pleased to have finalised our Primary List ahead of the 2011 AFL National Draft, these players have indicated their commitment to the Saints, supporting the future direction of the St Kilda Football Club.”2 Dempster's fourth season at St Kilda, 2011 was the first in which injuries didn't have a significant impact on him. In his first season as a Saint 2008, Dempster suffered a serious knee injury in the final round of the home and away season against Essendon, a knee reconstruction was required and Sean did not return to the St Kilda side until Round 15 2009. The following season an achilles injury resulted in him missing the first half of the 2010 home and away season and not returning to the St Kilda side until Round 13. After re-signing with the Saints Dempster commented "St Kilda have been very good to me over the last couple of years. I have had a few injury problems and some bad form. I was working hard ... but I couldn't really get out on the park and I wasn't showing any real improvement, so it was good to have a year when you are improving and consistently getting a game. It's always good that you feel like you can contribute to the team."3 Dempster did more than just contribute in 2011, he was one of the Saints shining lights and in a season where many St Kilda players were unable to replicate their form from 2009 and 2010 Sean was able to elevate his performance to a new level. Whilst Dempster might not have to cross his fingers on a Thursday evening any more before the St Kilda side is selected he remains down to earth due to his nature but also his experiences since being drafted in 2002, including having to wait until his third season on an AFL list, 2005 before he made his AFL debut. To gain a greater understanding it is worthwhile looking back at Dempster's unorthodox journey as an AFL footballer. Whilst many young children play football for a club from a young age and dream of becoming AFL footballers,  as a junior Dempster focused on playing soccer and he didn't commence playing Australian Rules for a club until he was 15.  Making this even more unusual, Sean's dad Graham had played 64 games in the VFL (now AFL)  for South Melbourne in the 1970s. When he started playing Australian Rules for a club  Sean faced the added hurdle of  needing to travel one and a half hours to training from his home town of Mallacoota to his club the Snowy Rovers in Orbost. Sean was a natural at Australian Rules and a few short years after he started playing football for a club Sean Dempster was picked by Sydney under the father-son  rule with selection number 34 in the 2002 National  Draft, he was 191 centimetres tall and weighed 82 kilograms when drafted as an 18 year old. Dempster grew up in Mallacoota, close to the border of Victoria and New South Wales, he was recruited from Snowy Rovers and the Gippsland Under-18s. The profile in the AFL Record guide to season 2003 said Dempster “can play as a key forward but also possessed the mobility in junior ranks to play midfield.”4 Dempster played one match for Sydney in the 2003 Wizard Home Loans Cup and played every game for the Swans reserves during the home and away season. Whilst he played primarily in defense Dempster’s height together with his athleticism enabled him to play on opposition forwards of varying sizes. Dempster again played in Sydney’s only 2004 Wizard Cup match but was unable to break into the Sydney side during the regular season. Dempster had improved during his two seasons on Sydney’s list and was on the cusp of senior selection for a large part of the season, being named an emergency 12 times during 2004, he spent time playing as a key defender in the AFL Canberra league during 2004. Dempster was named an emergency for the first two rounds of the 2005 season and at 21 years of age he made his AFL debut in the six point Round 3 win against Brisbane, he played seven straight games before getting dropped for Round 10 and 11. Dempster was recalled for Round 12 and played the last 15 games of Sydney’s season. Dempster exceeded expectations in his first season playing AFL matches and was given several important run-with roles during the 2005 season including Andrew Embley, Nick Dal Santo and Ben Cousins during the finals. In 2005 Sydney won their first premiership in 72 years when they defeated the West Coast Eagles in the Grand Final by four points. After spending 2003 and 2004 on Sydney's list without playing a senior game, and wondering if he would be able to breakthrough to make his AFL debut Sean Dempster tasted the ultimate football success- playing in a premiership, in just his 22nd AFL match. During 2005 Dempster played 22 matches averaging 97 minutes, 4.1 kicks, 2.6 handballs and 1.9 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 77.7%.  Sydney played a very defensive game style and few players typified this more than Dempster who had more than 10 possessions in only four of his matches. Dempster performed his role of restricting the impact that his opponent had on the game well during the 2005 season. After playing the first two rounds of the 2006 season Dempster was dropped, he played only one game for Sydney in the next seven rounds, in Round 6 as a late replacement for Ben Matthews who missed with a hamstring injury, Dempster was named an emergency for the other six matches. Dempster was again a late replacement in Round 10, this time for Paul Williams who withdrew with a calf injury. Sean retained his position for Round 11, was dropped for Round 12 and then finished the season strongly to play Sydney’s last 13 matches for the season including three finals.  Sydney again met the West Coast Eagles in another gripping Grand Final, however the roles were reversed with West Coast winning the 2006 premiership by a solitary point. In 2006 Dempster played 18 matches averaging 100 minutes, 4.6 kicks, 2.2 handballs and 2.3 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 77.7%. The profile for Dempster in the AFL Record guide to season 2007 said “A tall midfielder who generally has a run-with role and is extremely disciplined. Has the height to develop into a key position player, probably in defence. Poised, but generally underrated he is a fine kick.”5 After playing the first three matches of the 2007 season for Sydney Dempster missed the next four games with a knee injury. Dempster was brought straight back into the Swans side for Round 8 and played nine consecutive matches. After having a career high for disposals in Round 16 against West Coast with 12 kicks, 10 handballs and also laying four tackles and taking 11 marks, Dempster was bizarrely dropped and did not return to the Sydney line-up until he came in as a late replacement in Round 22 for Barry Hall who missed with a hamstring injury. Dempster had 14 possessions and took five marks to retain his place for the Elimination Final against Collingwood. In the Elimination Final Collingwood convincingly outplayed Sydney to win by 38 points. During 2007 Dempster played 14 matches averaging 97 minutes, 6.5 kicks, 4.3 handballs and 3.7 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 74.8%. Sydney were aggressive during trade week, having lost considerable ground in 2007 after making successive Grand Finals in 2005 and 2006. Ross Lyon was appointed as St Kilda head coach at the end of the 2007 season and having been a Sydney assistant coach for three years he was keen to recruit one or two of Sydney’s players. Following Sydney’s best and fairest Dempster was holidaying on a tiny island in Fiji when he received a fax from his dad telling him to call his manager. In August 2010 Dempster said “When I called him they told me there was an offer (for the Saints) which I then discussed with Ross (Lyon). He explained why he wanted me to come down and what he thought I could offer to the Club so it seemed like a logical choice.”6 At the end of the 2007 season Sean Dempster and premiership teammate Adam Schneider were traded to St Kilda for the No. 26 selection at the 2007 National Draft which Sydney used to select Brett Meredith. Dempster missed the first three matches of the 2008 season with a knee injury but came straight into the St Kilda side for Round 4 and he played every game until he ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee during the Round 22 victory against Essendon, he required a knee reconstruction. Dempster had settled in well at St Kilda playing in defense and getting some tagging roles in the midfield, he had two 20 possession games during the season with 13 kicks and eight handballs against Collingwood in Round 8 and 11 kicks and 9 handballs against North Melbourne in Round 14. In 2008 Dempster played 19 matches averaging 102 minutes, 6.9 kicks, 5.4 handballs and 3.8 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 77.4%. Dempster returned from his knee injury through the VFL in Round 10 2009, after four games with the Casey Scorpions he made his AFL return in Round 15 against West Coast at Subiaco. Dempster played the last seven games of the 2009 home and away season but was then dropped, being named an emergency for St Kilda’s first two finals. Dempster came into the Grand Final side for Robert Eddy and kicked a goal in the 12 point loss to Geelong. Dempster was predominantly used as a tagger throughout 2009 with his opponents including Luke Hodge and Jarrad McVeigh, however at times he played as a negating forward, including the Grand Final when he played on Andrew Mackie.  In 2009 Dempster played 9 matches averaging 99 minutes, 6.1 kicks, 4.8 handballs and 4.1 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 68.4%. An achilles injury late in the 2010 Pre-season hampered Dempster’s preparation for the home and away season, after he recovered from his injury he returned through the VFL in Round 10 with Sandringham.  After three matches in the VFL Dempster was recalled to the St Kilda side in Round 13 2010 for the Grand Final rematch against Geelong and played all St Kilda’s final 14 matches of the season. Dempster had been dropped for Round 22 and the Qualifying final however in Round 22 against Adelaide he was a late replacement for Stephen Milne and in the Qualifying Final against Geelong he was a late replacement for Steven Baker who hadn’t recovered from a toe injury. Throughout the 2010 season Dempster primarily played as a defender performing tight checking roles across half-back and impressed during the finals with his performances on Daniel Giansiracusa, Steve Johnson and Alan Didak. In the Qualifying Final against Geelong whilst Dempster had only seven possessions Johnson was restricted to 10 possessions and two goals, well below his 2010 averages of 18.6 possessions and 2.9 goals. In the Preliminary Final against the Western Bulldogs Sean Dempster spent most of the night on Western Bulldogs vice-captain Daniel Giansiracusa and held him to only 12 possessions and one goal.  Dempster himself had five kicks, nine handballs, took eight marks and had a disposal efficiency of 93%, playing a great game in defense during the Saints 34 point victory. On occasions including Round 22 against Adelaide when he had 17 possessions, took eight marks and kicked a goal Dempster played as a defensive forward during 2010.  During 2010 Dempster played 14 matches averaging 98 minutes per game, 6.5 kicks, 5.9 handballs and 5.2 marks per game with a career high disposal efficiency of 81.5%. In his previous three seasons at St Kilda injuries had disrupted Dempster’s pre-seasons and meant that he had started every season with the Saints on the sidelines, with his earliest AFL match during this time being Round 4 in 2008.  It was a far different story in 2011, and with Dempster being fit and healthy at the start of the 2011 season he played in Round 1 against Geelong, and in the 13 point Round 5 victory against Brisbane at the Gabba Sean played his 100th AFL match. Sean Dempster received two votes from True Sainters members for his Round 8 performance against Hawthorn, having  10 kicks and eight handballs,  eight contested possessions, and was ranked third at St Kilda for one percenters  with six, behind Brendon Goddard with  eight. In the dying minutes of the game Dempster kicked a great goal on the run from 60 metres out. In Round 10 against Fremantle Dempster did an outstanding job restricting dangerous small forward Hayden Ballantyne to 13 possessions, no goals and no score assists. Dempster himself had eight kicks, eight handballs, laid eight tackles and received the game ball from the St Kilda Football Club for his great performance during St Kilda’s 46 point win that got the club’s season back on track. With only a few minutes remaining in the match against Fremantle Jason Blake going back with the flight of the ball collected teammate Sean Dempster. Blake injured his knee and Dempster was knocked out which resulted in him being taken off the ground on a stretcher and then onto Charles Gairdner Hospital just like fellow Saint Brendon Goddard who was also a victim of friendly fire at the end of the first quarter, being knocked out in a collision with teammate Zac Dawson.  Dempster and Goddard recovered well to be able to fly back to Melbourne with their St Kilda teammates late that night and both players recuperated during the week to take their positions in the Saints side against Collingwood in Round 11. In a pivotal match against West Coast at Etihad Stadium in Round 17 Sean Dempster was given the tight checking role on 2006 Norm Smith Medalist Andrew Embley who had been playing some of the best football of his career in 2011, averaging 23.7 possessions a game before the match against St Kilda. Dempster did a superb job in restricting Embley to 12 possessions and minimal influence on the game. Dempster had 17 possessions himself and kicked a critical goal half-way through the last quarter to regain the lead for St Kilda. In Round 20 Dempster shut-down Hayden Ballantyne for the second time in 2011, keeping him scoreless and restricting him to 11 disposals, Sean had 11 kicks, six marks and six handballs in the 41 point victory. Against Sydney in Round 22 Sean Dempster was voted the best Saint afield by True Sainters members, having 16 kicks and four handpasses, he used the ball superbly to have a disposal efficiency of 95%.  Sydney dominated the inside 50s throughout the match and playing in defense Dempster kept Ryan O’Keefe to 16 possessions and one goal whilst also leading the charge in repelling the Swans attacking forays by having 10 rebound 50s. For the second time interstate in 2011 Dempster was left worse for wear after copping a knock to the head late in the game and suffering from concussion. Dempster’s injuries against Sydney weren’t as severe as in Round 10 against Fremantle at Paterson’s Stadium. The courageous Dempster played the following week against North Melbourne on Saturday night at Etihad Stadium and showing no ill effects of his concussion the previous week Sean continued his career best form to comprehensively beat North Melbourne captain Brent Harvey. Dempster kept Harvey scoreless and restricted him to 16 disposals including five clangers. Dempster had 12 possessions, took five marks and laid four tackles before being substituted early in the last quarter of St Kilda’s 65 point win. It was the second time this season that Dempster had soundly beaten Harvey as in Round 15 the North Melbourne captain was restricted to 17 disposals and minimal influence on a critical match between two sides attempting to bridge the gap to the top eight sides. Dempster had 13 possessions and laid four tackles in the nine point win. In an Elimination Final against Sydney at Etihad Stadium  Dempster continued his outstanding form to have 13 kicks and nine handballs and performed the roles that were asked of him well, starting the match in the forward line and later being moved to defence. Surprisingly Dempster spent little time opposed to O’Keefe in the Elimination Final however he again featured in the True Sainters votes. In 2011 Dempster played 23 matches averaging 88% game time, 7.9 kicks, 6.1 handballs and 4.0 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 76.0%.  Dempster was ranked fifth at St Kilda for one percenters with 88, he also set a career best with 321 disposals, the only time he had in excess of 200 possessions previously was in his first season at St Kilda, 2008 with 234. At the 2011 St Kilda best and fairest Dempster won the Robert Harvey Most Professional Player Award. The award is judged by the Club's coaching and conditioning staff and considers a variety of factors including the players approach to training sessions, injuries and treatment and attitude to training, games and around the club. With over 100 AFL matches to his credit Dempster is yet to poll a Brownlow Medal vote however for much of his career Dempster’s primary focus has been on minimising the impact his direct opponent has on the game rather than racking up a high possession count himself. Taggers and run-with players always struggle to poll votes on Brownlow Medal night. To gain an accurate indication of how stoppers have performed throughout a season it is always better to look at how these negating players are rated by their own club. In 2011 St Kilda awarded a match ball to one Saints player after each match of the home and away season apart from the Round 8 loss to Hawthorn when a match ball was not awarded. The match balls were awarded based on the players performance throughout the match, with  players being assessed on the influence they had on the game and how well they performed their specific role for the St Kilda Football Club. During the 2011 home and away season Dempster was awarded the match ball on four occasions, the most of any player. To put Sean’s performance of being awarded four match balls into perspective only one other St Kilda player, Nick Dal Santo with three was awarded the match ball more than two times.  Dempster was presented with the match ball for his performances against Fremantle in Round 10, North Melbourne in Round 15, West Coast in Round 17 and Sydney in Round 22. In these matches Dempster was opposed to Hayden Ballantyne,  Brent Harvey, Andrew Embley and Ryan O’Keefe. Looking at the similarities and differences between these four players highlights two of Dempster’s greatest strengths, the ability to play on one opponent in a variety of positions and the capability to match up well against a variety of opponents with different strengths and weaknesees. All four players listed above can be very damaging playing in the midfield or the forward line. These types of players can cause many headaches for match committees as they determine whether to assign one player the negating role regardless of where the opposition star plays or to split the role between two players, a defender and a midfielder with the two players switching when the opposition player rotates between the forward line and the midfield. One of the problems with having two players share the duties is that the opposition gun can lose his opponent when he changes positions and a new opponent has the responsibility of marking him.  If a club decides to have one player follow an opposition star in the midfield as well as the forward line it is difficult to find a player that has the skillset as a defender and midfielder to keep his opponent under control in both areas of the ground. With his speed, endurance, discipline and defensive skills Sean Dempster has shown that he can play tight checking roles whether he is opposed to an opposition forward or midfielder however it is against opponents that can rotate between these two positions that Dempster comes into his own. As Dempster is equally adept playing in the midfield or defense the St Kilda match committee can be confident setting Sean the difficult tight checking role on an opposition match-winner who can play in a variety of positions. Dempster flourished with this responsibility in 2011 to consistently perform at an outstanding level. Fremantle’s Hayden Ballantyne and North Melbourne’s Brent Harvey are among the shortest players in the AFL, both being under 175 centimetres and cause problems for their opponents due to their speed and goal-sense. Ryan O’Keefe and Andrew Embley at 188 and 189 centimetres respectively are able to play as big bodied midfielders and are more likely to win contested ball in the midfield or be used as marking targets in forward line then Ballantyne and Harvey. At 191 centimetres Dempster has the size and strength to take on Embley and O’Keefe, however he also has the speed and savvy to counter Ballantyne and Harvey and whilst many players were dempstered throughout 2011 the Fremantle and North Melbourne speedsters were unlucky enough to be opposed to Sean on more than one occasion in 2011 and found themselves being dempstered twice in the one season. Dempster commented “I suppose throughout this year I had a better year because I was given a role each and every week and that kind of played towards my strengths.”7 Dempster grew in confidence throughout the 2011 season and after being in eighth place at the St Kilda best and fairest after Round 8 he improved to be second after Round 15. The battle for first place and third place went right down to the wire with Dempster finishing third on 490 votes, narrowly ahead of midfielder Leigh Montagna in fourth place on 487 votes and behind Sam Fisher and Nick Dal Santo with 557 and 554 votes respectively. We would like to congratulate Sean Dempster on finishing third in St Kilda’s 2011 best and fairest, great recognition for a superb season in which he consisitently took the honours against opposition stars. True Sainters are proud to be sponsoring Sean in 2012 and look forward to seeing more of his opponents get dempstered next season. 1Sydney Morning Herald, St Kilda’s Dempster vies for AFL GF spot by Greg Buckle, September 20, 2010 2 St Kilda Football Club, Saints Retain key players, November 10, 2011, Saints.com.au 3 The Age, Dempster fired up to go marching on by Jared Lynch, November 13, 2011, Sport page 13 4 AFL, AFL Record guide to Season 2003, page 272 5 AFL, AFL Record guide to Season 2007, page 282 6 St Kilda Football Club, Dempster not one to shy away by Felicity George, August 20, 2010, Saints.com.au 7 The Age, Dempster fired up to go marching on by Jared Lynch, November 13, 2011, Sport page 13
  • StKilda's "premiership window" isnt closed just yet
    StKilda's "premiership window" isnt closed just yet
    In an interview on Melbourne radio station, SEN, StKilda’s Head Of Football indicated that the Saints “premiership window” hasn't closed just yet, with the club not embarking on a youth policy just yet. The Saints will enter the Nov 24th National Draft with 7 picks inside Pick 78. With one reserved for the re-drafting of Jason Blake, Pelchan says don’t expect all the players to be young. "I wouldn't lock in to saying that they are all going to be kids," Pelchen said. "We would like Jason Blake to be one of those selections, but to say they will all be 18 year-olds would probably be incorrect. "We will take the best players available, particularly referencing our structural needs. There's no doubt there has been some changes off-season which means we need to look at the structure of our playing list and that's what we are going to do in totality. "There will be a definite bent toward youth, no doubt about that. Like most clubs do traditionally through the national draft and we’ll be no different. But certainly to say there will only be young players would probably be misleading." With so many significant changes to the club Pelchan said new coach Scott Watters has fitted in very well. “He is keen, and enthusiastic, and I don't think the first to third year players have ever had as much attention from a senior coach because they are back into it for their first week and Scott and his assistants are certainly applying strong focus on them this week.” He says with new coaching panel its really been a breath of fresh air and you can feel the excitement around the club. “There is quite a number of senior guys doing some rehab work, players Gwilty, Lenny Hayes & Nick Riewoldt been around the place, Clinton Jones. They have still been doing work despite their off season, so to speak. The feeling amongst the group has been outstanding. They were disappointed initially for Ross to move on, but the changes that have been been made in past month they have all bought into very very well. “Ive gotta say for all Saints supporters, that drawing that line in sand there is no doubt everyone is looking forward to next year”

    Sean Dempster, 3rd in last years B&F has re-signed with the Saints

    This comes on same day as StKilda announced that Sean Dempster, Farren Ray, Brett Peake, Dean Polo & Raph Clarke had committed to the direction the Saints were taking and had re-signed with the club.  Jason Blake has also indicated he is committed to staying at the Saints, despite having to be delisted as a Veteran listed player so he can return to the Club's Primary List for 2012. The Saints have indicated he will be re-drafted onto their list via either national or preseason draft. It’s a move rarely seen but it helps ease the Saints salary cap squeeze. The major casualty of the salary cap squeeze was Zac Dawson who quit the club. He has widely linked with former coach Ross Lyon at Fremantle, but will still have his work cut out to get there via the draft. Reports have indicated a handful of other clubs have started sniffing around in hope of luring him to their club. Whilst most Saints supporters will be happy to pack Zac’s bags and drive him to his new destination there is no doubting he leaves a huge hole in the Saints defense with no obvious replacement. The Saints key position stocks have taken a battering this post season with Dawson joining Tommy Walsh & Tom Lynch in walking away from the club. They don’t have many obvious replacements but Tom Simpkin seems the most logical one. He has clearly been StKilda’s best defender in VFL for past couple years, which has seen him finish top 5 of Sandringhams B&F twice.
  • New Beginning: Sandringham
    New Beginning: Sandringham
    2012 not only sees a new era for the StKilda Football Club, it also sees the beginning of a new era with their VFL aligned club, Sandringham. Behind the push to make this alignment work is StKilda’s Head Of Football, Chris Pelchan. He has said that over the last couple of years alignment wise have not been very good and there was obvious conflict and it was mainly StKilda’s doing. During Ross Lyon tenor at StKilda players were for most part only allowed to train at Sandringham during interstate trips. Sandringham had their own game plan under Brett Lovett and this meant the Saints players had to learn it on the run. Players were also played out of position which for most part quite possibly lead to the kids not getting more senior experience. You just have to look at Tom Lynch, who dominated off the backline down at Sandringham week in week out, yet was thrown to wolves at full forward for StKilda. But that is now history and everything is changing as Pelchan aims to make this alignment work and has been giving them unprecedented cooperation. The Saints have invited 5 Sandringham listed players to do preseason with them, with hope a few might be picked in the rookie draft. Sandringham will also get access to the first rate training facilities at Linen House Centre on a weekly basis. They will also be given access to Moorabbin for training. Quite possibly the biggest change to happen under the new relationship with Sandringham is that all StKilda players that aren’t playing seniors that week will be training down at Sandringham on the Thursday. This from what we understand means that team selection will happen on Wednesday night to allow those not involved to train at Sandy on the Thursday. One thing that can be counted on is that players will be played in their actual position, and the game plan will revolve around the Saints game plan. Sandringham will be coached by WAFL premiership-winning coach & StKilda’s new Development coach, Simon McPhee. West Coast had been chasing McPhee but the lure of coaching his own side saw him accept the job at StKilda. He will be joined by the yet to be named Saints Academy Director who will become his assistant coach on game day. Alongside them will be StKilda’s skills acquisition coach Paul Hudson who takes up the forward coaching role, whilst leadership and development coach Jaymie Graham will be the defensive coach. All in all it seems Sandringham fans are feeling quite positive about the change of direction both clubs have taken & hope this is just the beginning of a long and successful relationship.
  • Scott Watters – A New Era Begins
    Scott Watters – A New Era Begins
    Scott Watters has been named as the new coach of the StKilda Football Club for the next 3 years, filling the void left by Ross Lyon’s shock defection to Fremantle just over a month ago. Watters, 42, has spent the past two seasons as an assistant at Collingwood, taking charge of the Magpies’ defence. He takes over the reins at St Kilda after two years as an assistant to Mick Malthouse at Collingwood. He beat out fellow AFL assistants, Gold Coast’s Ken Hinkley and Carlton’s Alan Richardson, who also made the final stage of the Saints’ selection process. On Sunday Scott faced the media for the very first time as Saints coach, and boy was he impressive. His first order of business was to say that the Saints so called “Bubble” no longer existed. There will be no more isolating the players from the outside distractions & criticisms. “Looking forward, we want to build really strong relationships with our supporter base, we want to make sure our links with the community are really strong and vibrant, and we want to make sure our media relations are really open and transparent,” Watters said. “We want to be connected to the broader football industry and I think our players are looking forward to that opportunity. “We want to be a part of the bigger picture so does the bubble exist anymore? Did it ever exist? It’s not something that’s in my train of thought going forward. “We will be strong communicators, we want to play our part within a bigger industry, we think that will freshen our group and open us up, and I think that will help us play our best footy as well.” Watters addressed everything that we as supporters wanted to hear & he stated that he had he had admired the St Kilda playing group from afar for a long period of time. “I am absolutely thrilled to be appointed Senior Coach at the St Kilda Football Club.” “I have certainly admired the playing group from afar. This is a Club with great tradition, great spirit and I can’t wait to get involved.” Scott Watters echoed the thoughts of all Saints fans with the talent that has been hiding down at Sandringham. “We’ve got some really talented kids on our list, that will need to earn the opportunity to play, but you’ve got opportunities that are going to be there. “Siposs, Cripps, Ledger, they’re just some of the kids that are really exciting. “But we’ve also got a really strong group of core leaders who are outstanding players, lead the club particularly well, so we’ll blend both of those together. “I’m not going to make predictions on where and when and how, but our expectations both on and off the field, we’ll set really high benchmarks and hope to achieve that.” Watters was joined by Nick Riewoldt who just couldn’t keep the smile of his face. It really looks as if a big weight has been lifted off his shoulder and he is enjoying life again. Riewoldt has flagged that the Saints current situation is in similar mould to Geelongs position last year and that a rise could happen again. “I don’t see us too dissimilar to Geelong in a lot of respects. At the start of this year, not many people would have thought Geelong would be able to achieve what they did,” Riewoldt said. “A new coach, a fresh start, not wholesale changes, but some development and a bit of tinkering from a new coach and a reinvigorated playing group, I think we’re in a pretty similar position. “We’ve got a strong core of senior players, some exciting young talent we need to improve and push up and challenge for spots, and I think the combination of all those things is going to be thing that can take us to the next level. “It will reinvigorate the group I think and it all points to a really exciting and fun year ahead. “This can be whatever we want it to be.” So whats in store for the Saints much talked about game style? Watters hinted that he was prepared to tinker with it rather then overhaul Ross Lyon’s ‘Saints Footy’, the super-defensive game plan which took the Saints so close to the premiership in 2009 & 2010. “The defensive DNA of this footy club has been admired,” he said. “The game changes and moves so quickly that in a three-to-six-month period a game plan evolves and changes and we want to be at the forefront of that.” “We’ll take some of what’s been great and add some different layers to it as well.” With trade week ending Monday at 2pm and with upto 14 players still un-contracted including Walsh, Dempster, Ray, Dawson, Peake some tough decisions will need to be made and made quickly. If they cant sort out their contract situation they will need to find new homes for them via trades or risk losing them for nothing if they cant come to agreement before the National Draft. Tommy Walsh has been rumoured to be wanting a trade to Sydney where they seem to have given him assurances of more gametime, so first phone call Watters should be making is to Tommy and re-assure him that if he stays at the club that has taught him everything he knows in only 2 years that he will be a permanent fixture at senior level, and a integral part of our premiership campaign. Watters said there is always a place for Robert Harvey at StKilda, so expect him to be in contact and hopefully he can keep him at the club. Many fans believe Harvs would be a perfect fit for the Sandringham coaching position that opened up lately, which would give him great experience in coaching his own team for if he ever has the ambition to apply for a senior coaching job again. When you look at it, the Saints want a development coach down there for the kids (he would also be Saints development coach) and Harvey was a development coach at Carlton. The Saints want more control over what happens at Sandringham (playing wise) and hence the move to axe Lovett. It would give Harvey even more experience in the coaching ranks. Could really be a win-win situation that as we already have the best possible coach to coach the seniors and we give our club legend his own team to develop the kids and teach them all the things to be a champion. Imagine how many kids would love to play for Harvs at Sandringham. Recruited from South Fremantle at the end of 1988 by West Coast, Watters played 109 games of AFL from 1989-96; firstly for the Eagles (1989-92; 46 games), then Sydney (1993-94; 37 games) and Fremantle (1995-96; 26 games). Scott was vice-captain of Fremantle’s inaugural team in 1995, before retiring at the end of 1996. Post his football career, Watters spent time as a radio commentator with Perth radio station 6PR & Melbourne’s sports radio station SEN. Scott then moved into coaching Subiaco’s Under 19 WAFL team in 2006 and was soon promoted to the senior role in 2007. Watters coached Subiaco for three seasons, including Premierships in 2007 and 2008 and for the past two years has combined this role with coaching the WAFL state representative side to wins over Queensland and South Australia. Having forged a fine coaching career in Western Australian, Scott was highly sought after by a number of AFL clubs before deciding to join Collingwood as assistant coach in 2009. Replacing Blake Caracella, Scott was the defensive line coach and went to the Pies with fantastic grounding and experience. Scott was a integral part of Collingwoods successful 2010 Premiership campaign. Honors: 1991 Grand Final (West Coast) 1995 Vice-Captain (Fremantle) State of Origin (Western Australia) 2007 & 2008 Subiaco Premiership Coach 2009 Assistant Coach, Collingwood Football Club 2010 Assistant Coach, Collingwood Football Club (Premiership) 2011 Appointed senior coach of StKilda Football Club
  • On the verge of reaching 500 career goals Stephen Milne makes his first All-Australian team
    On the verge of reaching 500 career goals Stephen Milne makes his first All-Australian team
    On Monday night livewire St Kilda small forward Stephen Milne was named in the forward pocket of the 2011 All-Australian team.  Milne kicked 55 goals during the 2011 home and away season to finish equal fourth in the Coleman Medal with Barry Hall, behind key forwards Lance Franklin, Jack Riewoldt and Travis Cloke. Milne was one of nine players selected in their first All-Australian team and was joined in the team by St Kilda team-mate Nick Dal Santo who was selected in the team for the third time, having previously been chosen in 2005 and 2009. Milne was St Kilda’s best forward during 2011 and was consistently the player to kick-start the Saints into action, having the astronomical record of kicking the opening goal of the game 11 times from 23 matches, for a strike-rate of 47.8%, head and shoulders above the next best player in the AFL. Throughout his football career, even dating back to before he made his AFL debut Milne has had to fight hard to get the recognition and opportunities that have come much easier for many other players. Despite showing prowess around goal and the ability to get possessions up the ground as a junior, Milne had to bide his time and continue persevering before making his AFL debut for St Kilda as a mature age player in 2001. In all 11 years in the AFL Milne has kicked at least 26 goals, including 50 goals or more five times, 2002 -50, 2005 – 61, 2008 – 60, 2010 – 57 and 2011 – 56. On several occasions before 2011 Milne had been close to making the All-Australian team without being able to break through into the final team. In 2011 31 year-old Milne kicked more goals than any other small forward, and was also adept at setting up goals for his teammates, leading St Kilda in goal assists. This has led to Milne finally being rewarded with a berth in an All-Australian team. Of the 12,000 plus VFL/AFL players from 1897-2011 Stephen Milne is ranked 51st for career goals with 490, placing him in the top 0.5% of players in the history of the VFL/AFL.  At just 176 centimetres tall Milne is considerably shorter than many of the players surrounding him on the goalkicking list and whilst Milne gets many of his goals as a traditional small crumbing forward would, he also has another string to his bow, being an effective leading target when required which came to the fore during Nick Riewoldt’s abscence due to a hamstring injury for half of the 2010 season. In 2000 St Kilda picked Stephen Milne with selection number 23 in the AFL Rookie Draft after Milne had been overlooked by all 16 clubs in the National Draft. Milne had played in Essendon’s reserves premiership side in 1999 after being recruited by Essendon from Noble Park and Dandenong Under 18s. Of the 64 players selected in the 2000 Rookie Draft Milne was one of only seven players still on an AFL list in 2011, along with Michael Doughty (selection 4 – Adelaide), Tadhg Kennally (9-Sydney), Shane Tuck (23-Hawthorn), Dean Brogan (26-Port Adelaide), Dean Cox (28-West Coast) and James Podsiadly (58-Essendon).  Shane Tuck didn’t play any AFL games for Hawthorn, but has gone onto play more than 100 games for Richmond after they picked him with selection 73 at the 2003 National Draft. James Podsiadly had to wait even longer, only making his debut in 2010 as a 28 year old mature age Rookie for Geelong after they picked him with selection 50 at the 2010 Rookie Draft. In 1997 playing for the Dandenong Stingrays Milne led the TAC goalkicking with 49 goals. Only one other player from the top nine goalkickers went on to play AFL football, Cameron Ling who kicked 33 goals for the Geelong Falcons. Whilst current Geelong captain Ling still remains handy around goal he is now much better known for his exploits as a hard running midfielder than as a goalkicker. Milne was promoted off the St Kilda rookie list at 21 years of age to make his AFL debut in Round 4 2001 against Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium. Milne kicked two goals on debut, and went on to kick 27 goals for the season, ranked fourth at St Kilda behind Barry Hall, Peter Everitt and Aaron Hamill. Milne played 17 games in 2001, only missing two games after his debut, Round 15 and 16 when he was dropped to the VFL. Throughout his career Milne has shown that he can be very damaging despite not getting many possessions, one of the first times that this came to the fore was Round 12 against Fremantle at Subiaco,  although he was restricted to seven possessions for the match Milne was instrumental in the 10 point victory with three final quarter goals. In his debut season Milne averaged 7.8 kicks, 1.5 handballs and 2.9 marks per game with 78.5% disposal effectiveness. Milne kicked three goals or more four times with a season best of four goals in Round 19 against Port Adelaide at Colonial Stadium. The Saints had a turbulent 2001 season finishing second last and sacking Malcolm Blight as coach after only 15 Rounds. Grant Thomas was the caretaker coach for the remainder of the season and was appointed the permanent coach for the 2002 season. The profile for Milne in AFL 2002 The official statistical history of the AFL said “Always gives plenty of cheek on the field and expect him to consolidate.”1  In 2002 Milne played 21 matches, averaging 8.4 kicks, 2.3 handballs and 2.3 marks per game, with 80.9% disposal effectiveness.  Milne’s crumbing in the forward line was his strength with 2.8 groundball gets inside 50 per game placing him among the league leaders in this category. During the 2002 season Milne kicked 50 goals to  easily top the St Kilda goalkicking, finishing with more than twice as many goals as the next highest Saint, Aaron Hamill who kicked 22 goals. The only other Saint to kick 20 goals or more was 19 year old Nick Riewoldt, who in his second AFL season won St Kilda’s best and fairest and the AFL’s Rising Star award. Milne kicked three or more goals on nine occasions, with a seasons best of five goals in Round 10 against the West Coast Eagles at Colonial Stadium,  however his best game of the season was against Sydney in Round 5 at Colonial Stadium even though Milne kicked only one goal. In Round 4 Geelong had thrashed St Kilda by 122 points at Skilled Stadium, the Saints were severely undermanned against Sydney with Nathan Burke, Peter Everitt, Fraser Gerhig, Heath Black, Aaron Hamill, Robert Harvey, Justin Koschitzke and Stewart Loewe all missing due to injury. To prevent a repeat effort of the previous week St Kilda employed defensive tactics and flooded heavily against the Swans turning the game into a low scoring arm wrestle. Spending more time playing up the field than usual Stephen Milne stood out like a beacon, using his creativity to great effect in the congestion to bring his team-mates into the play with his superb ball-use. Milne amassed 18 possessions comprised of 17 kicks and one handball, he also took a season high six marks.  The brave Saints drew with Sydney eight goals, eight behinds apiece and Milne received the first Brownlow votes of his career, being judged best afield by the umpires. Milne polled in one other game during 2002, receiving two votes for his five goal, 15 possession game against West Coast in Round 10. Milne finished sixth in the 2002 Coleman Medal, and was remarkably accurate, kicking 50 goals and only 11 behinds. Milne’s greatest strengths were his accuracy and his unpredictability, enabling him to create goals seemingly from nothing. Milne was rewarded for his great 2002 season with selection in Australia’s International Rules team and seventh place in St Kilda’s best and fairest. Milne “began 2003 in slashing form with nine goals in the opening two rounds and 16 from the first five, but a two-game suspension for striking took the wind out of his sails.”2 Milne missed St Kilda’s Round 6 & 7 matches and returned to the St Kilda line-up for Round 8, however he was unable to recapture his brilliant early season form and was dropped for St Kilda’s Round 16 match. Milne returned to the St Kilda side in Round 17 kicking two goals, however he was suspended again, this time missing one week. Milne returned through the VFL and was unable to regain his place in the St Kilda side for the rest of the season.  In the final five games of the season Milne watched from the sidelines as St Kilda had four successive 10 goal plus victories from Round 18 to Round 21 before losing to Geelong by 19 points at Skilled Stadium in Round 22. The young St Kilda side showed significant improvement in the second half of the season and competition for spots in the side was hotting up. During 2003 Milne averaged 6.9 kicks, 1.4 handballs and 2.3 marks per game with 78.6% disposal effectiveness. Whilst Milne’s disposal effectiveness still remained very good for a small forward, his average disposals and the impact that he was making on the scoreboard had reduced.  Whereas his accuracy placed him in the absolute elite during 2002, in 2003 he was about average, kicking 26 goals 19 behinds from his 14 games to be ranked third for goals at St Kilda behind Fraser Gehrig and Riewoldt. Milne’s season had been de-railed by his two suspensions, and in order to remain an integral part of the St Kilda side he needed to be more disciplined in the future and avoid missing games due to suspension. Even though he had finished the season in the VFL Milne signed a three-year contract with St Kilda in October 2003. Milne played in St Kilda’s Pre-Season Wizard Cup premiership against Geelong and although he was having some off-field issues he was able to remain focussed and unaffected whilst representing St Kilda, playing very well during the first 16 rounds, kicking 41 goals and nine times kicked at least three goals. After kicking four goals in Round 16, Milne failed to kick a goal in Round 17 and 18 which resulted in him being dropped. Milne returned for the Round 22 match, kicking one goal and was left out of the Qualifying Final team to play Brisbane. It was the first final St Kilda had played in since 1998 and Brisbane comprehensively defeated the Saints by 80 points. In wet conditions in the Semi-Final against Sydney at the MCG, a recalled Milne was back to his opportunistic best, scoring four goals from just six kicks as the Saints recorded a 51 point victory and progressed to a Preliminary Final against Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium. In a great Preliminary Final, in which St Kilda full-forward Fraser Gehrig registered his 100th goal of the season, the Saints fell just short losing by only six points. Milne was held goalless as Gehrig, Nick Riewoldt and Luke Ball kicked 10 of St Kilda’s 13 goals between them. In 2004 Milne played 21 matches, averaging 5.9 kicks, 1.7 handballs and 2.7 marks per game with 78.6% disposal effectiveness. On 11 occasions Milne kicked at least three goals, with a season best of six goals and two bags of five. Milne finished third in St Kilda’s goalkicking with 46, behind Coleman Medalist Gehrig with 103 and Riewoldt with 67. During the 2005 season Milne’s “scoring accuracy was the best of any forward in the competition at 75%, which included 86% accuracy from set shots. Milne’s average of three groundball-gets inside 50 was the best in the competition, yet he also took 40 marks in the forward 50 and booted more of his goals from marks than from general play.”3 In Round 22 against Brisbane, Milne had a night out kicking the most goals in a match during the 2005 AFL season with 11 goals straight at the Telstra Dome and becoming just the eighth St Kilda player to kick 10 goals or more in a VFL/AFL match, joining Dave McNamara, Bill Mohr, Allan Davis, George Young, Mark Jackson, Tony Lockett and Fraser Gehrig. Milne had 15 kicks, one handball, took six marks and for just the second time in his career received the three Brownlow Medal votes. St Kilda defeated Brisbane 186 points to 47, registering their third highest score in club history and recording their greatest winning margin with 139 points, eight more than the previous best against Adelaide in Round 7 1991 at Moorabbin. In 2005 Milne was able to maintain very good form throughout the season, kicking 61 goals to finish equal seventh in the AFL goalkicking. Stephen played all 24 games, averaging 8.5 kicks, 2.7 handballs and 3.5 marks per game, with a disposal efficiency of 69.8%.  Milne kicked at least three goals 11 times, including five occasions with four goals or more. Milne finished seventh in St Kilda’s 2005 best and fairest, and second in the Saints goalkicking behind Fraser Gehrig who won his second Coleman Medal in a row. Milne was ranked fifth at St Kilda for loose-ball gets with 54, behind Nick Dal Santo, Ball, Lenny Hayes and Aussie Jones. While Milne predominantly played as a small forward he also spent some time in the midfield and recorded 17 goal assists and 25 score assists. In 2006 Milne played 22 of St Kilda’s 23 games, having been being dropped for the Round 7 game against Geelong at the Telstra Dome. Milne averaged 102 minutes, 9.8 kicks, 2.6 handballs and 3.7 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 63.4%. Milne’s accuracy which had been good throughout his AFL career, let him down during the 2006 season as he kicked 29 goals, 29 behinds. Milne was only able to kick three goals in a game on three occasions however he spent less time inside forward 50 than in previous seasons and set a new career best with 273 possessions for the season. St Kilda had a disappointing 2006 season and were defeated by Melbourne in the first week of the finals. The St Kilda board reacted swiftly, sacking head coach Grant Thomas and replacing him with Ross Lyon who had been an assistant coach at Sydney for the previous three seasons including the 2005 Premiership.  This decision by the St Kilda board had a direct impact on Milne as Thomas has gone on record as saying that if he had remained as St Kilda’s coach for the 2007 season Milne would not have been playing their as the Saints would have sought a trade for him.  With Thomas being sacked and Lyon becoming St Kilda’s coach, Milne got a reprieve and remained a Saint. Milne played all 22 games during the 2007 season and had a purple patch kicking 13 goals between Round 3 and 7, three times kicking three goals and twice kicking two goals, however Milne did not kick more than two goals in a game for the rest of the season and finished with 32 goals 22 behinds. In 2007 Milne played 109 minutes a game, averaging 10.1 kicks, 2.1 handballs and 4.5 marks,  Stephene was ranked number 1 at St Kilda for total minutes played and fifth for contested marks. “Milne’s scoreboard impact has been slashed in half in the past two seasons after booting a career-high 61 goals in 2005. He has totalled only 61 in the two years since and has been used up the ground more in a bid to increase his impact.”4 In the first 12 rounds of the 2008 season Milne kicked 27 goals at 2.3 goals per game which is slightly above his career average, and considerably above his output during the 2006 and 2007 seasons. However Stephen Milne and midfielder Nick Dal Santo were both dropped to the VFL for the Round 13 match against Fremantle.  St Kilda had a hard fought eight point win against Fremantle and Milne and Dal Santo returned the next week to both be named in St Kilda’s best players for the Round 14, 15 point victory over the Kangaroos. Milne had 11 possessions and kicked four influential goals against the Kangaroos, earning him two Brownlow Medal votes. Given that Dal Santo and Milne only spent one week in the VFL, it is likely that St Kilda dropped them both to send a message to the entire playing list, not just these two players, and encourage the entire team to focus more on the team aspects of their game including sacrificial acts to assist teammates. Whatever the reasons, the entire St Kilda football team looked rejuvenated and a different team after Dal Santo and Milne were dropped. That Milne took the feedback on board from the St Kilda coaches and has been able to adjust his game to become a better player is a credit to him and St Kilda, as some players aren’t prepared to adapt their game for the greater good of the team. Milne suffered a fractured cheekbone in Round 20 2008 against Fremantle at Subiaco. To reduce the risk of further damage he was driven back from Perth to Melbourne with St Kilda medical staff.   Milne showed great courage and mental toughness to play with a fractured cheekbone the very next week against Adelaide in Robert Harvey’s Tribute game at the Telstra Dome. Milne had 20 possessions and kicked two goals, making a valuable contribution in St Kilda’s 48 point victory. In 2008 Milne had his most accurate season since 2005 to kick 60 goals 32 behinds and finished second in St Kilda’s goalkicking, five goals behind Captain Nick Riewoldt. Milne played 106 minutes a game, averaging 10.6 kicks, 3.3 handballs and 4.3 marks a match with a disposal efficiency of 63.2%.  Milne kicked three goals or more eight times, including two bags of seven in Round 7 against Richmond and Round 22 against Essendon. In 2009 Milne averaged exactly two goals a game, kicking 46 goals from 23 matches.  Like many of his St Kilda teammates Milne increased the defensive pressure that he applied during the 2009 season which resulted in him almost doubling his tackles per game from 1.5 in 2008 to 2.7 in 2009.  In his first eight seasons Milne’s best had been 1.8 tackles per game during the 2006 season. Milne finished third in St Kilda’s goalkicking, behind Riewoldt with 78 goals and Justin Koschitzke with 48 goals. Milne kicked three or more goals ten times, with a season best five goals against the Western Bulldogs in Round 17.  The creative Milne was selected in the initial All-Australian squad of 40. In 2009 Milne averaged  9.3 kicks, 4.0 handballs and 4.7 marks, kicked 46 goals, 28 behinds, had 16 goal assists and 24 score assists.  “His conversion from set shots let him down, recording an accuracy of 56% – the third-lowest percentage of the top 20 goalkickers.”5 Set shot accuracy which had been such a strength of his game, especially during his magnificent 2005 season had now become a weakness. Milne kicked a total of two goals from three finals in 2009, and whilst he wasn’t as damaging on the scoreboard as he and St Kilda would have liked, his work-rate and defensive pressure was still there as he averaged 11.3 possessions and 3.7 tackles a game. At quarter time in Round 3 2010 Stephen Milne was involved in an altercation with several Collingwood people including their head coach Mick Malthouse. Many players after being involved in such an incident would have been distracted and found it difficult to perform at a high standard for the remaining three quarters. Exacerbating matters Nick Riewoldt seriously injured his hamstring in the final minute of the first half against Collingwood, it was imperative that the Saints found another leading target in the forward line for the second half. Milne was the Saint to step up and provide this target, although he kicked just one goal, he played a great team game, having nine kicks, nine handballs, seven marks and laying three tackles during St Kilda’s gutsy 28 point victory. In the 15 point Round 4 victory against Fremantle at Etihad Stadium Milne kicked five goals straight including the goal of the week when he used great body positioning to get away from Paul Duffield and proceeded to kick a sublime dribble goal from the right forward pocket at the Coventry end to put the Saints 20 points up in the last quarter. Milne received one vote from True Sainters members for his performance against the Dockers with 12 kicks, nine handballs, five marks including three inside 50, and a goal assist. Milne was at his lively best in Round 11 against Richmond, having 16 kicks, five handballs and kicking five goals, five behinds and received two Brownlow Medal votes. Milne was a great focal point in attack for St Kilda taking 11 marks including an incredible nine inside 50 and was as effective as ever gathering the loose-ball inside 50, with his 399th career goal he managed to kick another goal of the week contender. Shortly afterwards Milney brought up his 400th career goal with a set shot in the second quarter. In Round 12 against Fremantle at Subiaco, Stephen Milne became only the 21st player to reach 200 career games for St Kilda, Milne was the second player in St Kilda’s history to play 200 games and kick over 400 goals in their career joining Stewart Loewe who kicked 594 goals from 321 games. This certainly puts Milney’s fantastic career achievements in perspective. In his 200th game Stephen Milne gave St Kilda the perfect start when in true Milne style he managed to dodge three Dockers before snapping truly to register the first goal of the match, earning himself another goal of the week nomination.  Milne had a 200th game to celebrate, kicking four of St Kilda’s eight first half goals and was a major reason for St Kilda enjoying a 25 point lead at the main break which setup the 18 point victory. Milne’s fantastic goal against Fremantle was his fourth goal of the week nomination for 2010.  Given that approximately 200 goals are scored in each AFL round and that Stephen Milne averaged 2.5 goals a game during the first 12 rounds of 2010, for the average AFL player this would result in approximately a 3.75 % chance of being nominated for goal of the week in each round which would equate to one nomination every 27 weeks. As we all know Stephen Milne is not your average AFL footballer, but to be nominated for goal of the week four times in 12 rounds is absolutely extraordinary and underlines Milne’s freakish ability around goal. During captain Nick Riewoldt’s absence Stephen Milne led the St Kilda forward line admirably, to be St Kilda’s most effective marking option inside 50, and hurt the opposition on the scoreboard, several times kicking team-lifting goals when the Saints needed them most. Riewoldt returned to the St Kilda side in Round 15 against Brisbane at the Gabba. In the four point Qualifying Final victory against Geelong Stephen Milne was voted best Saint afield by True Sainters members for a brilliant performance both around goal and gaining possessions up the ground. Milne spent time playing in the midfield as well as his customary role as a small forward and was the only player in the match to have two goal assists, he also had 19 possessions, nine marks including four inside 50 and an equal game high three goals.  Milne made a significant contribution when he played in the midfield and laid seven tackles, ranked second at St Kilda behind Hayes with nine. During the second quarter Stephen Milne took centre stage kicking three consecutive goals in six minutes during the middle of the quarter, including the goal of the week when he outbodied his opponent Josh Hunt to mark and played on immediately to kick a dribbling goal from close to the boundary line in the right forward pocket.  During six minutes of Milne magic no other player on the ground scored and St Kilda’s lead extended from two points to 20 points, which ended up being the half-time margin. In 2010 Milne played 25 matches, averaging 106 minutes, 10.4 kicks, 4.6 handballs and 4.4 marks a game with a disposal efficiency of 59.7%. Milne finished ninth in St Kilda’s best and fairest and kicked 57 goals, ranked seventh in the AFL and first at St Kilda. Milne received three Brownlow Medal votes in 2010 comprised of two votes in Round 11 against Richmond and one vote a week later in his 200th match against Fremantle.  Milne kicked at least three goals ten times including four consecutive games from Round 9 to Round 12. The profile in the AFL Record Season Guide 2011 said Milne “was comfortably St Kilda’s leading goalkicker and became the go-to man in the absence of Nick Riewoldt for much of the season.”6 In the Round 2 2011 draw against Richmond at the MCG small forward Milne received two votes from True Sainters members for his performance with 24 possessions, five marks, 11 scoring shots and two score assists to comprehensively beat his opponent, 18 year old second gamer Reece Conca.   With straight kicking Milne would have been the match-winner and clearly best afield, however his accuracy let him down as he kicked four goals, seven behinds. Small forward dynamo Stephen Milne kicked the second biggest bag of his career, with eight goals against Adelaide in Round 18 and  more than doubled Adelaide’s score with 50 points to the Crows 24. As well as kicking crumbing goals in the traditional manner for a small forward Milne also proved to be very effective as a leading target, taking an equal game-high three marks inside 50. The modern small forward is expected to attack and make a contribution on the scoreboard whilst also working hard the other way and applying great defensive pressure. Milne was superb in both areas to take full advantage of his opportunities around goal to kick a very accurate eight goals two behinds and he also laid an equal career best seven tackles to be ranked equal third on the ground in this category behind teammates David Armitage and Clinton Jones. In Round 23 against North Melbourne Milne had 14 kicks, three handballs, seven inside 50s, seven marks, and had a significant impact on the scoreboard, kicking four goals and having four goal assists. In 2011 Milne played all 23 matches, averaging 88% game-time, 10.0 kicks, 3.3 handballs and 4.0 marks a game with a disposal efficiency of 61.36%. Milne led St Kilda for goals, goal assists and was ranked sixth for kicks, fifth for inside 50s and second for marks inside 50 with 48, five behind Riewoldt.  Milne kicked at least three goals 12 times during 2011 including six straight games from Round 15 to Round 20 when the Saints had a season best six game winning streak. Stephen Milne polarises opinion like few players in the AFL, St Kilda fans love him for his creativity and great goal sense as well as the enthusiasm he shows with his goalkicking celebrations, leading the way singing the St Kilda theme song and finding a way to get under the skin of his opponents. Opposition supporters don’t share the above view and Milne regularly features prominently on most hated player lists, having finished at number one several times. In order to get booed or feature on 'most hated'' lists you must be doing something right and making a valuable contribution for your team or else the opposition supporters wouldn't be concerned about you. Milne wouldn't be bothered in the slightest about featuring on these lists. Milne’s ranking of fourth on St Kilda’s all-time goalkicking list (behind Tony Lockett, Bill Mohr and Stewart Loewe) and in the top 55 players overall in the history of the AFL comes as a surprise to most. In Round 20 2011 against Collingwood Milne kicked his 300th career goal at Etihad Stadium,  breaking Matthew Lloyd's stadium record of 299 goals. At the end of the 2011 season Milne's Etihad Stadium tally had increased to 305 goals from 124 games at an average of 2.46 goals per game. The milestones that Milne has achieved in recent seasons of reaching 200 games, 450 goals and playing more than 10 seasons in the AFL has led to  many football followers and people within the football industry reassessing his career and realising that they had under-rated Milne throughout his career and he is now deservedly receiving greater recognition for his career achievements.  Milne has been one of the best small forwards in the AFL for many years now and it was much deserved that he received recognition with selection in the 2011 All-Australian team. Late in his career Milne has developed into a more consistent player and in each of his past four seasons he has kicked at least 45 goals and had at least 300 possessions. Milne is ranked 10th on St Kilda's all-time games list with 236 games and with a tally of 490 goals in his career he looks set early  in 2012 to reach the milestone of 500 goals further highlighting the fantastic career that Stephen Milne has had with the St Kilda Football Club.
    1. AFL, AFL 2002 the official statistical history, page 258.
    2. AFL, AFL 2004 the official statistical history, page 256.
    3. Champion Data, AFL Prospectus 2006 – The essential number cruncher for season 2006, 1st edition page 236.
    4. Champion Data, AFL Prospectus 2008 – The essential number cruncher guide for season 2008, 3rd edition, page 273.
    5. Champion Data, AFL Prospectus 2010 – The essential number cruncher guide for season 2010, 5th edition, page 233.
    6. AFL, AFL Record Season Guide 2011, page 283.
  • True Sainters 2011 Player of the Year – Nick Dal Santo
    True Sainters 2011 Player of the Year – Nick Dal Santo
    Sublimely skilled midfielder Nick Dal Santo has won the 2011 True Sainters Player of the Year Award in convincing fashion, polling 32 votes to finish an astonishing 18 votes ahead of Leigh Montagna, with 22 year old ruckman Ben McEvoy a further vote adrift in third place. True Sainters members voted Dal Santo best Saint afield for the first of seven times during 2011 in Round 3 against Essendon, a performance that moved him to five votes and the outright lead ahead of Lenny Hayes and David Armitage on three votes. After nine rounds Dal Santo led with 10 votes from Sam Fisher and David Armitage on seven and six votes respectively. From Round 10 to Round 20 Dal Santo played scintillating football week after week to feature in the votes in nine of St Kilda’s 10 games during this period in which St Kilda had eight wins and two losses to rise from 13th to sixth on the ladder. In Round 8 against Hawthorn Nick Dal Santo became just the 23rd player to reach the 200 game milestone with the St Kilda Football Club. At the conclusion of the 2011 season he had increased his tally to 216 games and at just 27 years of age Nick is a strong possibility to reach 300 games, a feat that only four players have achieved in St Kilda's history. Against Fremantle in Round 10 Dal Santo spent considerable time across half-back, providing composure and quality ball-use during the Saints 46 point victory that got their 2011 season back on track. Dal Santo had a game-high eight clearances and led St Kilda in disposals, having 20 kicks and 10 handballs including 12 contested possessions. In a critical match for St Kilda against North Melbourne in Round 15 Nick Dal Santo delivered the calibre of performance we came to expect from him during 2011, having 18 kicks and 13 handballs including 13 contested possessions and leading St Kilda in clearances and tackles with nine and six respectively. Due to winning so much contested ball Dal Santo was frequently under pressure from opposition players, but despite this he was able to retain his composure and use the ball superbly with a disposal efficiency of 84%. Against Port Adelaide in Round 16 left-footer Dal Santo had 20 possessions in the first half on his way to finishing the match with 14 kicks and 22 handballs including 15 contested possessions, six more than the second ranked Saint.  As well as winning plenty of the football including the hardball Dal Santo also made a significant impact with the quality of his ball use, kicking two goals, having three goal assists and an 83% disposal efficiency. Dal Santo gave a high quality consistent performance in the midfield against the Gold Coast Suns at Metricon Stadium in Round 19, having at least nine disposals in every quarter, the silky skilled midfielder had a disposal efficiency of 85%, 25 kicks, 14 handballs, 12 contested possessions and eight clearances to be voted St Kilda’s best player by True Sainters members for the seventh time this season. The brilliant performance took Dal Santo’s tally of votes during 2011 to 30, a lead of 19 over McEvoy to wrap up the 2011 True Sainters Player of the Year Award with five rounds still remaining. During the 2011 home and away season Dal Santo played all 22 matches averaging 86% game time, 14.5 kicks, 11.9 handballs and 3.4 marks per game with a disposal efficiency of 72.5%. Dal Santo was ranked in the top 22 of the AFL during the 2011 home and away season for total kicks, handballs, disposals, clearances, tackles and contested possessions. Highlighting Nick’s complete all-round game he was one of only three players along with Scott Pendlebury and Scott Thompson to be ranked in the top 22 of the AFL in all six categories. Dal Santo led St Kilda in five of these categories, the exception being tackles where he was ranked second behind Clinton Jones. In the 2011 Elimination Final against Sydney at Etihad Stadium Dal Santo and Nick Riewoldt played their 17th final for St Kilda, equalling the club record held by Robert Harvey. At 17 years of age Nick Dal Santo was drafted by St Kilda with the number 13 selection in the 2001 National Draft after the Saints had traded Barry Hall and draft pick 53 (used to select Daniel Hunt) to Sydney in exchange for the number 13 selection. Injuries to several of St Kilda’s senior players resulted in Dal Santo making his AFL debut ahead of schedule in Round 4 2002 against Geelong at Skilled Stadium. Nick gained valuable experience playing 18 of St Kilda’s last 19 games of the 2002 season. A nagging quad injury hampered Dal Santo during 2003, St Kilda took a conservative approach and eased him back with six games in the VFL before he returned to AFL level in Round 15. Upon his return Dal Santo was a revelation averaging 19 possessions a game playing predominantly on a wing and giving the football world an insight to the talent he possessed and the player he would develop into. In Round 20 2003 against Carlton, Dal Santo received three Brownlow Medal votes for a three goal, 26 possession game that St Kilda won by 91 points at Optus Oval, the young Saint backed it up the next week, receiving two votes for his performance in the 65 point win against the Western Bulldogs. At the same time that Dal Santo was blossoming so was the St Kilda team, having four successive wins by more than 10 goals from Round 18 to Round 21 2003. Dal Santo has realised his early potential to develop into an elite midfielder, making the All-Australian team twice, in 2005 and 2009, throughout his career Dal Santo has featured prominently at the Brownlow Medal having polled at least 10 votes in five seasons for a career tally of 88 votes with a best finish of third in 2005 on 18 votes. Nick is the only current AFL player to have a top three finish in the Brownlow Medal but not a top three finish in a club best and fairest – for now, this omission from Dal Santo’s impressive resume is sure to be rectified on October 8 at the 2011 St Kilda Best and Fairest where he will start an overwhelming favourite to take the 2011 Trevor Barker Award home. Since returning from injury in 2003 Dal Santo has been extremely durable, playing 198 out of 201 matches for the St Kilda Football Club and has consistently performed at a high standard to have six top five finishes in St Kilda’s best and fairest in the past seven years, the equal most of any Saint  along with 2010 True Sainters Player of the Year Lenny Hayes. Nick Dal Santo’s awareness and composure to never appear to be under pressure, create space and to evade tackles is in the absolute elite of the AFL. When Nick is asked after games how he had the poise and peripheral vision to create time and space seemingly from nothing, he himself has trouble explaining it and says “If you think about it too much and try to create it, time passes you by and you miss the chance to get through a gap or give the ball off.” From 2006 to 2011 Dal Santo has been ranked in the top two at St Kilda in hard-ball gets in five seasons out of six, an exceptional performance given the emphasis placed on winning the contested ball by the Saints and the quality of teammates he has played with during this time. With Lenny Hayes suffering a season ending knee injury in Round 2 and the Saints having only one win after eight rounds St Kilda faced a sizeable challenge to make the finals in 2011. During 2011 Dal Santo has excelled, predominantly playing in the midfield, but also spending periods across half-back and has been St Kilda’s standout performer to play an integral role in the Saints making the finals for the fourth consecutive year and the seventh time in eight seasons. With his  blend of exceptional balance, composure, awareness, silky skills and understated capacity to win the hard-ball, together with his ability to consistently deliver outstanding peformances this season Nick Dal Santo is a very worthy winner of the True Sainters 2011 Player of the Year Award. True Sainters 2011 Player of the Year votes 32 - Nick Dal Santo 14 - Leigh Montagna 13 - Ben McEvoy 9 - Sam Fisher 8 - Jack Steven 8 - Clinton Jones 8 - Sean Dempster 7 - Brendon Goddard 6 - David Armitage 5 - Nick Riewoldt 4 - Stephen Milne 3 - Lenny Hayes 3 - Farren Ray 3 - Adam Schneider 3 - Raph Clarke 2 - Brett Peake 2 - Jason Gram 1 - Zac Dawson 1 - James Gwilt 1 - Justin Koschitzke For a more detailed look at the outstanding career of Nick Dal Santo please click on the link below to the 2011 feature article published on the True Sainters WordPress after Nick's superb Round 6 performance against Adelaide: http://truesainters.wordpress.com/2011/05/08/the-skilful-and-durable-nick-dal-santo/
  • 2011 Elimination Final Match Review – St Kilda vs Sydney
    2011 Elimination Final Match Review – St Kilda vs Sydney
    St Kilda          1.3   3.4 7.7 8.9 (57) Sydney        2.4  7.6  8.9 12.10 (82) St Kilda finished the 2011 home and away season in sixth position, one place ahead of their Elimination Final opponent the Sydney Swans however the two clubs had contrasting paths to reach the finals. Sydney started the season well and after 12 rounds they were strongly placed in fifth position. The Swans then had a form slump, losing six of their next eight games to slip back to eighth position and be in jeopardy of missing the finals. Sydney rebounded superbly to win their final three games of the home and away season commencing with a 15 point victory in their Round 22 match against St Kilda at ANZ Stadium. St Kilda on the other hand had a horror start to the season to be languishing in 15th position with one win, a draw and five losses after Round 8. From Round 9 to Round 20 the Saints were a much improved outfit, recording nine wins and two losses during this period to rise to sixth on the ladder. Losses to Collingwood and Sydney in successive weeks meant that the Saints battle for a position in the top eight and a home final for the sixth placed team continued into the final fortnight of the home and away season. Both sides secured their finals berths with wins in Round 23, Sydney becoming the first team to defeat Geelong at Skilled Stadium since Port Adelaide in Round 21 2007, whilst the Saints recovered from a 20 point deficit in the second quarter to overpower North Melbourne and record a comfortable 65 point victory. Entering the final round it was guaranteed that St Kilda and Sydney would play each other in an Elimination Final, the only thing to be determined was which of the two clubs would finish sixth and get themselves a home final.  Sydney’s 52 point victory over Brisbane meant that St Kilda had to defeat Carlton at the MCG in their Round 24 match to finish sixth. The Saints trailed by 18 points early in the third quarter but finished full of running to kick nine of the last 12 goals of the match and win by 20 points,  this resulted in St Killda getting the home gorund advantage and playing their first ever final at Etihad Stadium. The opening stages of the Saturday night Elimination Final between St Kilda and Sydney saw more skill errors than you would expect from two finalists and it took 16 and a half minutes for the first goal to be registered, with St Kilda small forward Stephen Milne kicking accurately from a set-shot 40 metres out on a slight angle to kick the first goal of a match for the 11th time in 2011, a phenomenal achievement. Mumford and Goodes both goaled for Sydney in time on to give the visitors a nine point lead at quarter time. Sydney took control of the match in the second quarter with Ryan O’Keefe being the catalyst, having 10 disposals and being involved in four of the Swans five goals for the term, providing a goal assist to Adam Goodes and kicking three goals, all with set shots from at least 40 metres out. St Kilda could manage only two goals for the quarter, from Brendon Goddard and Adam Schneider and found themselves trailing by 26 points at half-time and facing a massive task to progress to the second week of the finals. St Kilda responded brilliantly in the third quarter, dominating general play with 116 possessions to 63 for the term, this advantage also translated to the scoreboard as they kicked  four goals themselves whilst keeping Sydney goalless to reduce the margin to eight points with a quarter to play. Sydney were able to steady at the seven minute mark of the final quarter through a set shot goal by Ben McGlynn to extend the lead to 15 points. The next goal was not scored until the 18 minute mark through Ryan O’Keefe with his fourth goal for the match. Sydney added two more in the next five minutes to seal the victory, ending St Kilda’s 2011 season. In the Round 22 match against Sydney Ben McEvoy suffering from illness was badly beaten by Shane Mumford in the ruck. McEvoy was voted best Saint afield in the Elimination Final by True Sainters members with five kicks, nine handballs and superb ball use to have a disposal efficiency of 93%. McEvoy had 20 hit-outs and took five contested marks, two more than the next ranked Saint Justin Koschitzke. As he has done consistently throughout 2011 Nick Dal Santo led St Kilda in disposals (33), contested possessions (16) and clearances (7) against Sydney. It was the 12th ocassion in 2011 that Dal Santo had at least 28 possessions, late in the match Dal Santo kicked a classy goal from 45 metres out, on an angle from the non-preferred side for a left footer. Against his old club Sean Dempster continued his outstanding form to have 13 kicks and nine handballs and performed the roles that were asked of him well, starting the match in the forward line and later being moved to defence. In the Round 22 match against Sydney Dempster received the maximum three votes from True Sainters members for a superb performance on Ryan O’Keefe , however surprisingly Dempster spent little time opposed to O’Keefe in the Elimination Final. Jason Gram provided run for the Saints, accumulating 17 kicks and nine handballs including 10 possessions in the third quarter to be a valuable contributor to the St Kilda revival during this term. Gram covered a lot of territory to take seven marks, have four rebound 50s and five inside 50s. Clinton Jones was ranked second at St Kilda for disposals and contested possessions with 31 and 14 respectively. Jones applied good defensive pressure to lay an equal team-high six tackles, he also took seven marks and had five clearances. On the Thursday night following the 25 point  Elimination Final loss to Sydney Ross Lyon shocked the St Kilda Football Club when he resigned as head-coach. On Friday Lyon was announced as coach of the Fremantle Dockers for four years, replacing Mark Harvey who had been controversially sacked the previous day. True Sainters votes 5  Ben McEvoy 4  Nick Dal Santo 3 Sean Dempster 2 Jason Gram 1 Clinton Jones
  • End Of Season Player Ratings
    End Of Season Player Ratings
    As i did in my Mid Season Player Ratings I have gone through and gave everyone a rating based on their overall performances this season. Ive posted their mid season rating. I know ill get slammed for couple these but hell thats what these opinion pieces are supposed to be about isnt it NICK DAL SANTO Mid Season - 9/10 – Reckon he along with Fisher is easily the best this year and my tip for the B&F. Reckon he would be leading at half way mark. Also leads the world famous True Sainters POTY by very large margin. End Of Season – 9/10 – Clearly our most consistent player this year and easily his best season of his career. Really stood up in the absence of Lenny. Clearly won the True Sainters Player Of The Year and should also take home the Saints B&F. Might even sneak into the All Australian team. One of few guys that can say he tried his butt off all year. SAM FISHER Mid Season – 9/10 – Goodness knows where we would be without Fisher down back. How many surges he has stopped by opposition is amazing. Would currently be 2nd in clubs B&F. End Of Season – 8/10 – Thought his first half season was exceptional but seemed to be bit down in 2nd half, hence losing a mark. Is vital in our backline going forward and should finish top 3 in B&F. Another great overall season. DAVID ARMITAGE Mid Season – 8/10 – Has been given a opportunity in the midfield with the early season loss of Lenny Hayes to season ending knee injury and has really stood up. A lot of people weren’t sure where his footy career was heading last season and probably during the preseason but has taken his opportunity with both hands and isn’t looking back. End Of Season – 6/10 – Very disappointing 2nd half of the year for Armo. Lost his midfield role to Jack Steven and was played more as a defensive forward but something seemed to be amiss with him. Looked tired at times & looked to me like might have been carrying a injury. BEN MCEVOY Mid Season – 8/10 – Has had to carry the entire ruckload all year and has really thrived on his opportunity to do so. Has taken his game to the next level and you could argue he is one the best ruckman in the AFL in the past month. Will be interesting to see what affect Gardiner has when he returns. End Of Season – 9/10 – I cant praise this kid enough for what he has had to do this year. Yes he isn’t the best tap ruckman in the competition but for a 22 year old to have to shoulder the entire ruckload all season is a remarkable effort. Was instrumental in getting us into finals and is fast becoming one top ruckman in the league. Has 2nd half of season was just remarkable. JAMES GWILT Mid Season - 8/10 – Super consistent down back this year. Seems to have taken over Gilberts role with the responsibility of kicking out of the backline. End Of Season – 8/10 – As Above, was one our best before suffering his knee injury. Not going to deduct points off him for that. STEPHEN MILNE Mid Season – 7/10 – Been our best forward all year and loving seeing him run through the middle. Marked at 7 due to fact he is probably fair bit off his best still and has gone missing in few games. End Of Season – 8/10 – Possibly his best season to date, cant imagine what would have happened to us without him. Was our leading goal kicker and should finally get that All Australian spot he so richly deserves. JACK STEVEN Mid Season – 7/10 – Lost some points for his early season mishap but has stepped up his game in past month and bit. Rising Star nomination along the way and looks like he will become a A-Grade midfielder End Of Season – 7/10 – Didn’t really improve from his mid season form. Had a ripping run of 7 games averaging 24 touches but then kinda went missing. Disposal is a worry with him, but as it is with nearly our entire team. But overall a massive “breakout” year and looks extremely promising for the future SEAN DEMPSTER Mid Season – 7/10 – Much maligned player Sean has been over the years. Most people didn’t think should be part of our team going into this year but has shown why Ross rates him. Murphy, Johnson, Jurrah, Swan are just some of the big names he has completely shut down this year. Is definantly part of our core group now. End Of Year – 8/10 – Has been our best player in the 2nd half of the season without a doubt. The “Dempstered” Files is a long list of A-Grade players that he has soundly beaten this year. CLINT JONES Mid Season – 7/10 – Tries 150% every game but his disposal really lets him down. Doesn’t go the hard tag these days as the game has changed so much but still been very serviceable End Of Season – 7/10 – Same As Above BRENDON GODDARD Mid Season – 6.5/10 – Will probably cop some slack over this but BJ is a long way off his best. Probably deserves a 7 but just that we rate him so highly and know what he can produce I have had to drop him down a rung. End Of Season – 6.5/10 – As Above, just never seemed to be able to get into it this season. Whilst many will probably say it’s a harsh call to rate him so lowly im sure most would agree that he has been a long way off his best, and that’s how ive rated him. LEIGH MONTAGNA Mid Season – 6.5/10 - See BJ’s comments End Of Season – 6/10 – Couple good games late in the piece but overall thought he was mighty disappointing this year. Same as BJ really. BRETT PEAKE Mid Season – 6.5/10 – His last 4 weeks has lifted him to a 6.5 otherwise would probably be at 4 or 5. Since returning to the team after being dropped he has really stepped it up and been amongst our best each week. Havent seen enough of him but must be close to career best form. End Of Season – 7/10 – Really lifted his game in 2nd half of season. Was part of the reasons we were able to reach finals. Some hard truths were told to him and he took it on board and really knuckled down. FARREN RAY Mid Season – 6/10 – Servicable again this year. Has shown why he was such a high pick but has also shown why he couldn’t get a game at the Dogs. End Of Season – 6.5/10 – As Above really. ZAC DAWSON Mid Season – 5/10 – Has been 50/50 for mine this year. Gets destroyed by the big forwards but dominates the medium guys. Does some silly mistakes but is nowhere near the form he was in during 09. End Of Season – 5/10 – Still a 50/50 season for me. Got monstered against the big forwards and makes some very silly mistakes. JASON BLAKE Mid Season – 5/10 – Early season was very average and looked like he had played his last game but got reprieve one week and was extremely handy in playing 2nd ruck to Macca. Unfortunately injury put end to that. Hopefully can get back to that form if he gets another chance. End Of Season – 5/10 – Does as expected really. Great servant of the club and gives his all every week. One standout match where was probably best afield. Be interesting to see what happens with Blakey. Sits on 199 games and wouldn’t mind seeing him stay around as backup, especially given lack of rucks. RAPH CLARKE Mid Season – 4/10 - Has his knockers but I think he has been serviceable. Lost points due to being sub a couple times and having a shockers when that’s the case. But lets be honest its gotta be the hardest thing in football to do these days. End Of Season – 4/10 – Has been in some decent form lately, including a best on ground performance in round 24, but had yet another shocker on the big stage in finals. Interesting few weeks coming up to see what Ross & co decide on his future at the club. STEVEN BAKER Mid Season – 4/10 – mmm really not sure how to mark Bakes so will give him 4. End Of Season – 1/10 – Writing was on the wall last year that this would happen for Bakes. Was always going to be a depth player and even considering all our injuries still couldn’t get a game. Has retired/delisted depending on who you listen to, has said he wants to go on but not sure which club would pick him up. Maybe GWS if he’s lucky. ADAM SCHNEIDER Mid Season - 3/10 -Seems horribly out of form. Has had couple OK games but compared to his high standards is long way off his best End Of Season – 6/10 – Really knuckled down in 2nd half of the year. Kicked 28 goals for year which was 3rd for the club. NICK RIEWOLDT Mid Season – 3/10 – Has had a horrid year and looks half the player he used to be. Cant kick for goal anymore, doesn’t seem to have faith in his hamstring. But he does give 150% every time and is working his backside off to get back into top flight. End Of Season – 3/10 – Still gives his all but has been massively out of sorts this season. Has been hampered by knee injury and what looks like the weight of the world on his shoulders. Well done on his high standards he has set himself in previous years. You cant keep champions down for too long so expect him to bounce back with a bang in 2012. JASON GRAM Mid Season - 2/10 - A shadow of his former self and just turns the ball over all the time. Back to the VFL to find some form, which is what he was supposed to do when he was originally dropped!!! End Of Season – 3/10 – Disposal is horrendous but does at least take the game on. Thought he was pretty good in 2nd half of season but is nowhere near his best. Could he be one to be finding a new home? SAM GILBERT Mid Season – 2/10 – Wanted to mark him less but he has played 2 good games so ill give him a point for those. But apart from that is a shadow of his former self. Whether it’s the off season troubling him, being played out position its painful to watch and you cringe every time he has the ball. End Of Season – 2/10 – Disposal is horrendous and I don’t actually recall him having a good game this year. Is a shadow of his former self and clearly the off field dramas of the preseason really took its toll on Mr Kodak. KOSI Mid Season – 2/10 – Really wanted to mark him worse as he has showed absolutely nothing expect last weekend. Im expecting to cop flack for this mark but that’s the way ive seen his season. End Of Season – 3/10 – Still will probably cop flack for this but the facts are he only kicked 14 goals in his 12 games, which for our full forward is nowhere near good enough. People will say he was our 2nd ruck and he breaks packs, but he is still in team to kick goals. He had 2 good games as 2nd ruck where he got 14 & 21 hitouts, but the rest of season he only averaged 5 hitouts. Clearly his 2nd half of season was better then first but taking overall look at things he was well below par of what we require in that role. No doubt ill get slammed for the rating though ANDREW MCQUALTER Mid Season – 2/10 – Where is he at? Had 1 good game and is amongst the best at Sandy but really gotta wonder if he has a future at this level End Of Season – 1/10 – Delisted as most expected. Only played handful games early. Was one of Sandringhams best this years but couldn’t turn that into performances in the big time. Lenny Hayes Mid Season – 1/10 – Due to fact he only got to play 1 game and is injured for the year End Of Season – As Above  RHYS STANLEY Mid Season – 1/10 – Biggest disappointment so far this year. We all thought he would be a regular in the team but ever since his mishap in NZ hasn’t been able to break into the side. Played 1 game and was probably made the scapegoat even though was horrendous conditions for a tall. End Of Season – 1/10 - Really don’t know where he is at. Just doenst look like a forward or even a ruck. Has struggled when he got on the park in VFL and even more so in AFL. Next year is a big year for Rhys. NEW RECRUITS As I did midseason Ive decided to rank the kids & new guys separately and rank them bit differently then all the senior guys. As they haven’t had a solid chance to show us what they really have. So basing the ranking on how they have influenced a game or what they’ve shown. Jamie Cripps – 9/10 – 7 goals in 4 matches, in which 4 he was a sub and only played half games, so basically 7 goals in 2 matches. Such a pity he got injured as was the ultimate super sub. Ryan Gamble – 7/10 – For what we paid for him and considering he was playing as our 2nd tall even though he is only a medium sized forward I thought he was pretty good. Got the ball fair bit and averaged a goal a game. Was definantly under rated by lot of Saints fans. Just a whipping boy cos he was a “reject” from another club. Tom Ledger – 7/10 – Played as sub both games and has immediate impact averaging 8 touches a game. Dunno why he was dropped. Arryn Siposs – 7/10 – Has shown signs of what he is capable off but for mine goes missing way too much (which has been his issue in VFL & coming through the ranks). Doesn’t get the ball enough for my liking. Averages 6 disposals, 3 marks, 2 tackles & goal each game. Tom Simpkin – 7/10 – Thought he was good for the 2 half games he has played. Once he gets his conditioning upto AFL standard will be good to see how he goes in full game. Dean Polo - 8/10 – Thought he was really good, especially given we basically got him for free. Adds good depth and really fought his way into our best 22. Disposal is a major worry but no doubt will work on that in his preseason Alistair Smith – 6/10 – Was OK in his games, well not bad for a dribbler anyway Tom Lynch – 4/10 – Plays as a backman in VFL and gets best on ground week in week out but for some reason Ross plays him forward in AFL. Daniel Archer – 2/10 – Played the one game and was OK. Missed a goal near the end to win us the game Nicholas Winmar – 1/10 – Looks out of his depth in AFL and doesn’t get the ball nearly enough. But then again never really seemed to do much a at Sandy. Will Johnston – 1/10 – Not his fault as was concussed very early on in the game so wasn’t given a chance.
  • True Sainters votes for Round 24 2011 – Carlton vs St Kilda
    True Sainters votes for Round 24 2011 – Carlton vs St Kilda
    Carlton       3.5  5.8  7.12  9.12 (66) St Kilda       1.2   4.3   9.6  13.8 (86) 3 Raphael Clarke With the Saints trailing Carlton by 11 points at half-time they needed to lift to get the all important win to qualify for home final, much maligned Raphael Clarke led the charge during the third quarter with his courage and reading of the play to have 10 disposals in the third quarter. Clarke had 13 kicks, eight handballs, six marks, and five spoils in 97% game-time. With fellow defender James Gwilt missing with a season ending knee injury the run that Clarke provides from defence has become critical. In his first seven games of the season Clarke was unable to reach 16 disposals in a game, however he has improved dramatically as the season has progressed and in seven of his last nine games he has had at least 16 possessions. 2 Leigh Montagna          With his speed, hard-running and 16 first half possessions Leigh Montagna was pivotal in St Kilda remaining within striking distance at half-time. At games end Montagna had 20 kicks, six handballs and led St Kilda in tackles and clearances with eight and five respectively. 1 Adam Schneider With his creativity and precision ball use against Carlton Adam Schneider was influential in St Kilda gaining the ascendancy with a team-high 15 second half possessions including two final quarter goals. Schneider finished the match with eight contested possessions, seven inside 50s, two goal assists and an 86% disposal efficiency. Overall Nick Dal Santo wrapped up the 2011 True Sainters Player of the Year Award weeks ago and finished the season with 32 votes after polling in 13 matches including seven in which he was voted St Kilda’s best player. With two votes in the final round midfielder Leigh Montagna secured second place, moving to 14 votes, overtaking Ben McEvoy who finished third on 13 votes. Whilst Montagna was unable to match the consistency of his 2009 and 2010 All-Australian seasons, his best was electrifying which resulted in him receiving the maximum votes in four matches. After being dropped for the Round 9 match against Melbourne ruckman Ben McEvoy was in career best form after his return in Round 10 including a four game  purple patch from Round 11 in which he polled a total of nine votes. Defender Sam Fisher finished fourth with nine votes and there was a three way tie for fifth between Jack Steven, Clinton Jones and Sean Dempster on eight votes. The leaderboard for the 2011 True Sainters Player of the Year Award was very different to the previous year with only three players finishing in the top nine in both seasons, Dal Santo, Mont