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

Pre-Game Page 1 - Pre-Game Page 2
Results and Post-Match Articles

The G-Train speaks
. . . it would hardly come as a surprise to most footy fans that Gehrig was far from glued to the television on Sunday as Lloyd threatened to rob him of his first Coleman Medal with some late goals for the Bombers against the Bulldogs. "I actually watched a mate play in a local competition instead and I got a phone call about ten minutes after the game from my sister telling me I had won it," Gehrig said on Tuesday, in his first major interview for the entire 2004 season. "I guess it's a nice reward for a solid year and I guess it will be a nice thing to look back on when I finish my career but it was probably nicer for my family and friends than for me at this stage of my career." Gehrig has not only emerged as the AFL's leading goalkicker this season but a genuine cult figure as the Saints' fanatical and ever growing army of fans idolise his every lead, mark and goal with cries of "The G-Train" . . . And even this year things haven't gone all his own way and he was roundly criticised for kicking just six goals in four weeks as the Saints' slumped to three losses in four games between rounds 11 and 14, before he got himself rubbed out against Port in round 14 and missed a further two weeks. "I accept the good with the bad, it's all part of the game and you cop it on the chin and get on with it," he said adding the two match suspension actually helped him return to the game "refreshed." But despite Gehrig and Riewoldt having booted a massive 150 goals between them this year, Gehrig denies the pair carry the club's hopes of upsetting reigning triple premiers Brisbane in Friday night's qualifying final at the Gabba. "It's not just about Nick and myself, there are 20 other players involved as well and we will all have to play at our best to beat Brisbane," he said.
The Article - Paul Gough/Sportal - saints.com.au - 31Aug04

'G' stays low-key atop the goal tree
. . . He has rated his season so far as a little inconsistent, but not bad. "It's been an up-and-down year," he said. "There were a couple of bad weeks in the middle and the suspension. As I said before, it (the medal) is more of a reflection of the team. They're the ones who have to kick the ball in there for you to get it, otherwise nothing happens." The appearance that he sometimes plays angry is not necessarily untrue, he says. "It's frustration more than anything. Sometimes when you're full-forward, the ball doesn't come down as much as you'd like. I've got to be fired up to play my best footy. Sometimes I can cruise along and until you get a smack in the mouth it takes a while to get going."
The Article - Martin Blake - TheAge - 01Sept04
No big deal for no-fuss Fraser - Bruce Matthews - HeraldSun - 01Sept04

Saints, this is your time
. . . (Thomas) "We were definitely not hard enough against Brisbane last time for differing reasons. When they play that way, they're very difficult to combat. No doubt they will feel comfortable about their chances to beat us if they play similar." Tough crumbing forward Brent Guerra is tipped to return to share the ground-level work with Stephen Milne, feeding off key forwards Fraser Gehrig and Nick Riewoldt. Guerra could make classy Brisbane Lions backman Chris Johnson more accountable after the three-time premiership defender rebounded with telling effect in the 45-point Round 21 victory . . . Captain Lenny Hayes said the Lions' players had probably lost some respect for the Saints after the Round 21 thumping. "There's no doubt they may have. They beat us quite easily that day, especially in the second half when they ran all over us. Their perception of us may have gone down a bit, but that doesn't really affect us," Hayes said.
The Article - Bruce Matthews - HeraldSun - 31Aug04

Saints plead their innocence
. . . Some of the Saints' intimidation factor may be lost, with rugged forward Aaron Hamill rated a doubtful starter after suffering a jarred knee last Saturday. His loss could balance the ledger, given Brisbane will be without power forward Alastair Lynch, who strained a hamstring last weekend. Thomas expects St Kilda's dual Brownlow medallist Robert Harvey and midfielder Heath Black to play, even though the pair have suffered hamstring soreness. But despite conceding the Saints were out-muscled by Brisbane in their recent meeting, he declined to endorse an automatic recall for fiery goalkicker Brent Guerra, who was dropped after round 19. The buzz surrounding St Kilda's pursuit for a second premiership (the only previous success was in 1966) became louder with yesterday's news that Brendon Goddard - their talented No.1 draft pick from 2002 - had signed for a further two years with the club.
The Article - Andrew Ramsey - TheAustralian - 31Aug04

Goddard sticks with Saints
St Kilda youngster Brendon Goddard has re-signed with the club for two more years. Goddard was the No.1 selection at the 2002 National AFL Draft and played 18 matches in his debut season last year. In 2004, the 19-year-old has continued to be an integral part of the St Kilda line-up, missing only one game and ending the home-and-away rounds in the club's top 10 for marks, kicks, handballs and tackles. In a statement, coach Grant Thomas was delighted to have secured the talented Goddard for a further two seasons. "BJ is a quality individual with quality family support. He will notch up in excess of 40 games in his first two years of AFL football and potentially a couple of finals, which will hold him in good stead for his AFL career," Thomas
The Article - Jordan Chong/Sportal - saints.com.au - 30Aug04
Goddard signs new 2 year deal - Saintsational

Erratic Saints mix up form
St Kilda's magical mystery tour to its first finals series since 1998 made its last stop at Telstra Dome on Saturday night, and when it departed Fremantle was left behind. The Saints' 13th win for the season at Telstra Dome brought a mixed reward: third spot on the ladder and the double finals chance but a first-up final at the Gabba. On the form produced against the Dockers, St Kilda will need the double chance to survive deep into September. At times the Saints were irresistible, kicking three or four unanswered goals. Then they would falter, fiddle and fumble. Against the desperate Dockers they were guilty of trying to get too cute with the ball and turning it over far too often.
The Article - Michael Horan - HeraldSun - 30Aug04

Colless completes cycle
Football clubs do not have easy births and nor are they easily resurrected. They operate at their smoothest when dead. One administrator new to AFL football recently noted that football clubs are very suspicious places. They are that but mostly they are broke. If not this week, then next week. If the clubs are born with money they usually squander it and if they are to be reborn then millions must be mustered, old debts forgotten and goodwill to replace the squint of distrust. Richard Colless is one man who knows the crazy rhythms of football clubs better than most. He is a rare man in football. Silly enough to be the chairman of two football clubs.
The Article - Patrick Smith - TheAustralian - 31Aug04

Saints say prayers
. . . "Aaron has what we consider to be a jarred knee at the moment. He's seeing the specialist this evening, so we'll know more then," Thomas said. "It has improved today, but he will still be under the doubtful category and I'm sure our medical staff will let me know in 24 hours whether or not he's going to be OK." . . . "We will definitely take one extra, we may take the whole list. We haven't decided that yet, but we'll have some extra players up there," Thomas said. Dual Brownlow medallist Robert Harvey, among a group of 11 players with September experience, is still in doubt with hamstring soreness, but Heath Black (hamstring), Matt Maguire (osteitis pubis) and Justin Koschitzke (foot) are ready to play, the latter following a pre-game painkilling injection against Fremantle on Saturday. On Harvey, Thomas said: "I can't say definitely but I would be really, really surprised if he's not (available). In a lot of ways, he could have played on the weekend. We haven't trained yet, but I would be surprised if he's not fit and available, and the same with Heath Black." On Koschitzke, he said: "He has got plantar fasciitis (instep inflammation). It's something that's quite painful during the week which doesn't really affect game day when it has been injected."
The Article - HeraldSun - 31Aug04

Gehrig's Coleman Medal
St Kilda full-forward Fraser Gehrig has won his first Coleman Medal as the AFL's leading goalkicker for the season. Gehrig kicked four goals in Saturday's win over Fremantle to take his season tally to 90, but he had to wait until Essendon spearhead Matthew Lloyd played yesterday before calling the 2004 medal his own. Lloyd kicked six and had his chances to equal Gehrig, but the three-time Coleman medallist finished one goal behind. Saints coach Grant Thomas praised Gehrig. "It's a great effort. He's worked really hard and given a lot (of goals) away." Gehrig missed two games with a leg injury this year, and Thomas said he had shown "tremendous resilience". "He's played under some sort of physical duress for most of the weeks I've coached him," Thomas said. "Fraser is a very important player for us and this is a great recognition of the year he's had."
The Article - AAP - TheAge - 30Aug04
It's Gehrig's Coleman, just - Ashley Browne/Sportal - saints.com.au - 30Aug04
Gehrig clinches Coleman medal - ABC Sport - 30Aug04

Injured Saints destined for Lions
After setting a club record winning streak early in the year, the likely third place was scant reward for the Saints because with two non-Victorian teams finishing above them it means a schedule of interstate finals. St Kilda will go into the first week of the finals with some injury concerns. Dual Brownlow Medallist Robert Harvey (hamstring) was a late withdrawal, Leigh Montagna (hamstring) did not take any part in the second half tonight, while Aaron Hamill and Matt Maguire finished on the bench and also looked decidedly proppy after the match. The Saints remain unbeaten at Telstra Dome for the season, but were below their fluent best tonight.
The Article - Chris Lines - The Age RealFooty - 28Aug04
Injured Saints off to Brisbane - AAP - HeraldSun - 28Aug04

Mixed injury news, but Thomas still buzzing
St Kilda stuttered past Fremantle at Telstra Dome last night, beating the Dockers by 29 points to set up a mouth-watering qualifying final against either Brisbane Lions or Port Adelaide next week . . .
The Article - Dan Oakes - The Age RealFooty - 29Aug04

Saints have Finals Fever
. . . Saints midfielder Luke Ball said finals fever had already begun to grip the club. "I think we've only five or six blokes who actually have experienced finals footy, so for the majority of us it is the unknown, it's exciting, but having said that we understand it's another level up," he said. Fraser Gehrig continued his strong goalkicking form, landing four majors to take him to 90 for the season. His effort means Essendon spearhead Matthew Lloyd, who's had a virtual mortgage on the Coleman Medal in recent seasons, will have to kick eight goals against the Dogs to win the honour awarded to the AFL's top goalkicker.
Loss to Saints leaves Freo on knife's edge - ABC Sport - 29Aug04