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1st Qualifying Final - Pre-Game
Lions vs Saints - Page 1

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Results and Post-Match Articles

Saints vow to fight back
"I think that they respected us (before Round 21)," Thomas said. "Whether or not it's still at the same level after a couple of weeks ago only they could really answer that, but one thing is absolutely, categorically for certain, they'll respect us by the end of Friday night."
The Article - Darren Cartwright in Brisbane - HeraldSun - 03Sept04

Match-ups the key, says Thomas
Coach Grant Thomas last night did his utmost to inspire confidence among St Kilda supporters that the club's first final since 1998 will be a winning one. He claimed the team that will meet Brisbane at the Gabba tonight would be much better equipped than the one thrashed in Brisbane 12 days ago. A confident and aggressive Thomas indicated that he had deliberately not exposed tactics and key match-ups in the 45-point, round-21 loss to the Lions. "We just came up here last time to have a red-hot crack and pretty much didn't do a lot in relation to match-ups and any of the match-ups you'll see tomorrow night," he said. "We've got some things that we'll do a little bit differently which will bring us closer together" . . . The mind games between Thomas and Brisbane counterpart Leigh Matthews continued before training last night when Matthews suggested that the forecast showers, if they eventuated, would marginally favour the home side. "Our whole game plan works OK in the wet. A wet game we're always pretty comfortable with. There's a couple of teams in the competition you think are pretty good in the wet (and) I don't think St Kilda is necessarily one of them," Matthews said. Thomas replied: "Far be it for me to go against what Leigh says. I've got no idea. What did he base that on? It does rain in Melbourne and we train in it very often. I don't think it's got much to do with anything. This game will be won in the head, nowhere else, and if we're as mentally tough as I expect us to be, that's where the game is going to be won."
The Article - Peter Blucher in Brisbane - TheAge - 03Sept04

Saints enter Lions' den with nothing to lose
Robert Walls: The Saints will have learnt plenty from their trip north two weeks ago. They have two field crumbers (Stephen Milne, Brent Guerra). They need more muscle (Andrew Thompson, Guerra, Matt Maguire) and they need to deny Brisbane the ball by playing keepings-off, if Brisbane gets a run on.
Dermott Brereton: The main aspect that stuck out was how poorly and panicked St Kilda's decision-making with the ball was when Brisbane put the blowtorch to it.
Tim Watson: The major lesson the Saints will have learnt is that as soon as the pressure is released, the Lions will maul you. In the first quarter, they out-muscled Brisbane in the critical midfield department. After the first break, they found it difficult to apply the same pressure. Can, or should, Grant Thomas rearrange the side that has served him so well this year, but that failed dramatically against the Lions in round 21? For instance, might Brett Voss be moved forward to close down Chris Johnson?
The Article - Dermott Brereton, Robert Walls, Tim Watson - TheAge - 03Sept04

Illness stalking Lions
The Brisbane Lions have quarantined No. 1 ruckman Clark Keating as a 24-hour stomach virus threatened to derail the start of the triple premiers' finals campaign. Keating was sent home just before training last night with the same ailment that kept Brad Scott from training on Tuesday and has run through the club in the lead-up to tonight's Gabba qualifying final against St Kilda . . . Thomas said creating the right team balance had been behind Milne's omission. "(It was) not so much form," Thomas said. "It had a little bit to do with that, but we just felt that with Guerra and Murray as options up forward we'd be better suited at this point in time." Thomas said Murray had been unlucky to be dropped after the game against Adelaide in Tasmania. "He was very unfortunate to go out of the side - we just had a few guys coming back. He has been playing well for Springvale and he gets his chance."
The Article - Martin Blake - TheAge - 03Sept04
Saints axe Milne - Jon Pierik - HeraldSun - 03Sept04

Still aiming high
Once a week or so, Nick Riewoldt puts aside his St Kilda commitments and heads into the city to work behind the bar at the pub he has bought with half a dozen other AFL players.For Riewoldt it provides an escape of sorts. "It's just keeping a bit of normality about things," he said. Not that too many 21-year-olds could claim ownership of a a spruced-up city hotel as being normal, let alone the historic Waterside Hotel that Riewoldt and his mates bought for about $4 million . . . Riewoldt has compartmentalised his life. At training and in games, he is 100 per cent on the job. Away from the madding crowds, he puts the game aside. "The best way to play good footy is to actually enjoy your time off the field so you're happy and motivated when you rock up to do your work," he said.
The Article - Peter Blucher in Brisbane - TheAge - 03Sept04

Thomas flags different approach
St Kilda coach Grant Thomas has hinted that he has some aces up his sleeve for when his side takes on the Brisbane Lions in Friday night's qualifying final at the Gabba. Speaking before his squad trained at the ground where it suffered a 45-point loss to the triple reigning premiers just 11 days ago, Thomas tipped that it would be a revamped St Kilda structure that would take to field in the first play off for a preliminary final berth. "We think we're much better prepared and organised and we've put a lot of work into some of the key match ups that we think will decide the outcome of the game. We just came up here last time to have a red hot crack and pretty much didn't do a lot in relation to match-ups and any of the match-ups you'll see tomorrow night. And it was pretty obvious that by half-time we were pretty well spent," Thomas said before a punchy training run at the Gabba on Thursday evening, after the team arrived in Brisbane earlier that day."
The Article - Samantha Lane in Brisbane - saints.com.au - 02Sept04

Harvey back to boost Saints
St Kilda has been boosted by the return of dynamic midfield duo Robert Harvey and Heath Black for Friday night's Qualifying Final against the Brisbane Lions. Harvey was a late withdrawal from last week's win over Fremantle due to a hamstring problem, while Black missed with the same injury. Also coming into the side are small forward Brent Guerra and the 22-year-old Allan Murray for only his second game of the year . . . The Brisbane Lions have made only one change, bringing back Brad Scott to replace the injured Alastair Lynch. The 28-year-old Scott has come through a couple of matches with the Suncoast Lions unscathed and will line up for his first game since straining his quadriceps muscle against Geelong in round 13.
Article & Teams - Jordan Chong/Sportal - saints.com.au - 02Sept04
All Teams - Finals Wk 1 - AAP - HeraldSun Footy - 02Sept04

From any angle, finals fodder not food for the mind
. . . For the coaches it is an opportunity to try to undermine their opposition. To turn negatives into positives. For example: Geelong, who have not won on the road since the Hume Highway got its first lick of asphalt, have won twice in Adelaide in their past 18 appearances . . . Grant Thomas has tried a more novel approach. He has likened the Saints' position - they've got nothing to fear - to that of a golfer. "The analogy I draw is that standing on the first tee at the National golf course, you make very different decisions the first few times you play there and after you've played more than 20 or 30 times, you make quite dramatic decisions because you've been there and played there and you start to worry" . . . We get the coach's point. St Kilda have few men or boys who have played substantial finals footy so they only have fear itself to fear. Plus the run of bunkers that guard the left-hand side of the Gabba.
The Article - Patrick Smith - TheAustralian - 01Sept04
All bets off in draft scramble - Patrick Smith - TheAustralian - 02Sept04

Keating in doubt for Gabba final
The Brisbane Lions face an anxious 24-hour wait before meeting St Kilda in Friday night's qualifying final with specialist ruckman Clark Keating in doubt to take his place. The big man, who has become something of a September specialist after propelling the Lions to their past three premierships, has fallen ill with what coach Leigh Matthews described on Thursday afternoon as a '24-hour virus'. Speaking ahead of training on Thursday, Matthews said the decision on Keating would be made after a last-minute assessment before Friday night's big match at the Gabba.
The Article - Samantha Lane in Brisbane - saints.com.au - 02Sept04

What fate awaits the Saints?
St Kilda faces contrasting paths through its first finals campaign for six years depending not only on the result of Friday night's qualifying final against Brisbane at the Gabba but also Sunday's other qualifying final between Port Adelaide and Geelong at AAMI Stadium. While it is frustrating for the Saints' army of fans that the club's first finals appearance since 1998 will come on interstate soil this week, the good news for Saints' fans is not only does the club have the double chance by finishing in the top four but its next final will be in Melbourne - regardless of the result of Friday night's match.
Saints' likely path through the finals . . .
The Article - Paul Gough/Sportal - saints.com.au - 01Sept04

Lions bank on finals edge
. . . (Lions vice-captain Chris Scott) "I'm sure they (St Kilda) would have a feeling of what it might be like and the difference between the two sides is that we know exactly what to expect and they probably think they know." Scott is not too sure what that might mean on the night, but he readily admits that finals are a different game and used the midfield as an example. "Finals football has a different tempo and the pressure does go up a little bit," he observed. "Do you say our midfielders are older, stronger bodied and more experienced or do you say their players are younger, fresher and more enthusiastic? We would like to think we have the players capable of doing the job, but I'm sure they feel the same way."
The Article - Andrew Browne/Sportal - saints.com.au - 30Aug04
Hadley could be star on rise - Darren Cartwright, Australian football - CourierMail - 02Sept04

Saints opt not to risk Hamill
St Kilda is banking on the finals double chance to slot former skipper Aaron Hamill back into the team next week.The Saints would obviously prefer to give him an extra week to recover from a strained knee ligament by winning Friday night's qualifying final at the Gabba. But coach Grant Thomas said Hamill would be ready to go if required the following weekend. "He has a very slightly strained posterior cruciate ligament, so he will be unavailable this week," Thomas said yesterday before training at Telstra Dome.
The Article - Bruce Matthews - HeraldSun Footy - 01Sept04
Hamill to miss at least one - Paul Gough/Sportal - saints.com.au - 31Aug04
Knee better than last year :Michael Voss - Peter Blucher/Brisbane - TheAge - 01Sept04
Lions sweat on Scott - Darren Cartwright in Brisbane - HeraldSun - 01Sept04

In the blood
Since arriving onto the AFL scene, Ball has set the football world on fire. Taking a year off due to his Year 12 commitments and a case of osteitis pubis, 2003 would see Luke have a fantastic season, earning a Rising Star nomination and cementing himself as one of the key midfielders for St Kilda. With the wave of success the Club is riding this season, many players have stepped up a notch. St Kilda are reaping the benefits of early draft picks in years gone by, leading to results enjoyed thus far, "With our form this year, it's exciting. I love playing footy with these guys and also spending time with them away from the game. We are all a young bunch of guys who get along great and it helps.
The Article - Luca Giacobello - saints.com.au - 31Aug04

Riewoldt has mark of a champion
St Kilda's Nick Riewoldt has underlined his extraordinary talent, taking the highest number of marks recorded in the home-and-away season in more than three decades. The 21-year-old finished the home-and-away season with 226 marks, 47 more than the next best of 179 grabbed by Sydney's Barry Hall. It is the best tally recorded since Footscray's champion ruckman Gary Dempsey took 230 marks in 1973. Melbourne's Greg Parke has the record with 238 in 1970. Neither Footscray nor Melbourne took part in finals in those years. Records on such statistics have been kept only since 1965 and Dempsey holds the overall record of 241 marks taken in the 1980 season, which included one final when he was playing for North Melbourne. With an average of 10 marks a game, Riewoldt is on target to claim the all-time record for a season, including finals . . . One record he already owns is the most marks by a St Kilda player in a season. His 226 surpasses Stewart Loewe's 225 marks in 1990.
The Article - Karen Lyon - TheAge - 01Sept04

Spiritual surge for the Saints
A "spiritually" renewed St Kilda will attack the Brisbane Lions in Friday night's qualifying final with the most intimidating football it can muster and a fresh batch of players, match-ups and tactics, according to coach Grant Thomas. While only a few members of his young team have finals experience to draw on for the game at the Gabba, where the Saints lost by 45 points to the Lions on August 22, Thomas hoped their naivety might also work in their favour. "It's very important to have played and performed in big games. It's a great confidence to have, but having said that, sometimes youthful enthusiasm when you don't have the fear can also be very good," Thomas said. "The analogy I draw is that standing on the first tee at the National golf course, you make very different decisions the first few times you play there and after you've played there 20 or 30 times, you make quite dramatic decisions because you've been there and played there and you start to worry."
The Article - Emma Quayle - TheAge - 31Aug04

Saints hopeful of Hamill recovery
St Kilda coach Grant Thomas said he was hopeful Hamill would be fit, but admitted there were doubts. "It's improved today," he said on Monday. "He'll still definitely be under the doubtful category but I'm sure he'll make every post a winner and I'm sure our medical staff will and they'll just let me know in 24 hours, whether or not he's going to be OK." Thomas said he hoped 'youthful enthusiasm' would make up for a lack of finals experience on Friday night, when the Saints will play their first finals fixture since 1998.
The Article - ABC Sport - 31Aug04

Thomas issues challenge
St Kilda coach Grant Thomas is undaunted by his team's lack of finals experience compared to reigning premiers Brisbane, challenging his players to make a name for themselves against the Lions at the Gabba on Friday night . . . "We have a strong focus on mental toughness and being able to deal with whatever circumstances are in front of you," Thomas said on Monday. "And we have spoken long and hard about being reputations being borne on our performances in big games and finals." . . . "Brisbane has earned their respect and their name (by performing in finals) and we have got a group of young players who are embarking on their first finals campaign," he said. "So the club, the players and I will be measured on our performance in the finals." But Thomas said his team's lack of finals experience could be an advantage. "It is very important to have played and performed in big games," he said. "But having said that sometimes having that youthful enthusiasm - when you don't have any fear - can also be good."
The Article - Paul Gough/Sportal - saints.com.au - 30Aug04

Thomas admits Hamill in doubt
St Kilda coach Grant Thomas has admitted his rugged former skipper Aaron Hamill is a doubtful starter for Friday night's qualifying final against reigning premiers Brisbane at the Gabba. Hamill suffered a jarred knee during Saturday night's last round win over Fremantle and is facing a race against time to be fit to face the Lions. His loss would be a huge blow to the Saints because he is one of the Saints' most physical players and would relish the confrontation against the league's hardest team and also because he is one of the few Saints' players with previous finals experience. Thomas said the Saints would know more about Hamill's fate on Tuesday morning after he has seen a specialist. "Aaron has got what we consider to be a jarred knee at the moment," Thomas said on Monday. "He has improved today but he would still definitely be under the doubtful category."
The Article - Paul Gough/Sportal - saints.com.au - 30Aug04