Round 17 Pre-Game Articles - Page 1
Round 17
St Kilda vs. Essendon
Telstra Dome Fri 23 July 2004, 7:40 PM AEST
Interactive Match-Ups - The Teams
All Teams R17 - Sportal - afl.com.au - 22Jul04
Round 17 Tips - HeraldSun
Grant Thomas on Gehrig: "We'll definitely start him up forward and see how it goes from there."
Clarkes, Gehrig in for Dons clash
Raphael Clarke has been selected to make his senior debut for the Saints against Essendon at Telstra Dome on Friday night. He'll have his brother Xavier for company after Xavier was recalled to the line-up after a week with Springvale in the VFL. The Clarke brothers will be joined by a third inclusion - Fraser Gehrig - who has completed a two match suspension arising from the Saints' round 14 match against Port Adelaide in Launceston.
The Article and Teams - Sportal - saints.com.au - 22Jul04
Where we can win the game - Saintsational Fan Forum
Xavier Clark keeps secret
After Xavier and Raphael Clarke impressed with VFL affiliate Springvale last weekend, St Kilda coach Grant Thomas approached the elder of the brothers the following morning. "I spoke to Thommo briefly on the Monday, and he mentioned to me that we both might be a chance of playing (tonight)," Xavier said at the brothers' Highett home yesterday. "He told me not to say anything." Like any good clubman, Xavier was true to his word and not so much as hinted to Raphael that he was a good bet to make his senior debut against Essendon at Telstra Dome tonight . . . The news came in time for the boys' parents, Xavier Sr and Pam, and their sister Frances to travel from their hometown of Berry Springs, 40 minutes south of Darwin, to Melbourne to watch their sons play together. Raphael described it as "every kid's dream".
The Article - Jon Pierik - HeraldSun - 23Jul04
Raph Clarke to debut alongside Xavier
Raphael Clarke will make his senior debut alongside his brother Xavier this Friday night when St Kilda takes on Essendon in a crucial round 17 match. The agile, medium-sized forward has earned his promotion after being drafted by the Saints in the off-season and playing for VFL side Springvale this year. His elder brother has played 50 senior matches and has also been called up to the team this week after spending last week in the VFL. "It's really exciting for Raph, and Xavier's come back into the side as well. It's tremendous for the Clarke family," St Kilda coach Grant Thomas said on Thursday after it was announced to the team that the younger Clarke brother would play.
The Article - Samantha Lane/Sportal - saints.com.au - 22Jul04
Hamill warning for young Saints
Injured St Kilda forward Aaron Hamill has predicted Essendon will 'hunt' the Saints younger players in what looms as a fiery contest on Friday night. The round 17 clash is a potentially season-defining match for the Bombers, who are clinging to their position in the top eight, and the Saints who would relinquish top position should they be defeated . . . "I have no doubt they will hunt a few of the younger blokes. They('ve) had a crack at a fair few over the journey, but our younger guys are more than capable of standing up to that. That's just part and parcel of footy now. When you're on top of the ladder, teams are looking at every angle to get at you," Hamill said. "The quality of not only the players, but the younger blokes, they (are) a pretty determined bunch and they will give it back just as well as they take it I think." . . . Despite Hamill's warnings, Saints coach Grant Thomas denied on Thursday that there was any feeling between the teams. "We've got a lot of respect for them. They're a professional outfit. They've commanded great respect for their performances over a long period of time and what they do they'll do they'll do. It's more a point of what we're going to do."
The Article - Samantha Lane/Sportal - saints.com.au - 22Jul04
Bombers to target young Saints, says Hamill - ABC Sport - 22Jul04
Hamill: Dons ready to hunt - Sportal - 23Jul04
St Kilda expects rough Bombers
The pre-game manoeuvring between St Kilda and Essendon livened up yesterday, with Aaron Hamill believing his young teammates will be roughed up by the Bombers in tonight's clash at the Telstra Dome. While the Saints are trying to re-establish their premiership credentials, Essendon's finals credibility is on the line and the Bombers held nothing back last night - naming injured skipper James Hird on the half-forward flank . . . "The quality of not only the players, but the younger blokes, they (are) a pretty determined bunch and they will give it back just as well as they take it I think."
The Article - Melissa Ryan - TheAge - 23Jul04
Hamill: Dons will hunt our young - Jon Pierik - HeraldSun - 23Jul04
Sheedy cagey on Hird's role
James Hird as a half-back flanker. That's what Essendon fans can look forward to, but whether it is tomorrow night against St Kilda at Telstra Dome is still a mystery. While the Saints believe Hird will risk his sore ribs, Bombers coach Kevin Sheedy was sitting on the fence last night having a bet each way. Sheedy offered several different takes on whether his captain would play against the Saints. "Look, I doubt if he would be in," Sheedy said. It was then followed by: "If he's not right to play, he shouldn't play. It's as simple as that." And then finally: "We'll pick him and we'll see if he is right."
The Article - Scott Gullan - HeraldSun - 22Jul04
Hird returns to take on Saints - Ashley Browne/Sportal - afl.com.au - 22Jul04
Gehrig on Lloyd shows up Dons' lack of options
. . . It's an intriguing sub-plot to an intriguing game, the Saints versus the Bombers clearly the match-of-the-round, yet one between officially the two most out-of-form sides in the eight, St Kilda having lost four of its past six games, Essendon four of five. Yet the Saints can still take comfort from how far their wheel has turned in general this season. When the Saints tackled the Bombers in round two, it was they who were supposedly being tested, Essendon boasting an amazing 31 wins from the clubs' previous 36 meetings . . . But at least St Kilda, even in the midst of an injury plague, can consider a move out of left field. Could you imagine Essendon these days even dreaming of playing Lloyd at full-back?
The Article - Rohan Connolly - TheAge - 23Jul04
Bombers' pride on the line - essendonfc.com.au - 23Jul04
Hird returns - essendonfc.com.au - 23Jul04
Saints finally find home comforts
. . . Paupers no more, the Saints are atop the AFL ladder and tonight, against an Essendon team that once ruled the turf there, they are kings of the realm. The search for success has led St Kilda to leave its original home at the Junction Oval to fight from the fringe: three decades at the soggy surrounds of Moorabbin, another 10 years in the eastern suburban rain belt heart at Waverley before, with initial reluctance, coming to the city to ultimately take over and rule in the dry confines of the Dome. In 2000 the Sainters won just two of 13 games there and the following season it was two of 12 while Essendon, the co-tenant, went 89 and 100 per cent of its 18 games played there in the same period. A year later the Saints improved to four wins and a draw from 13 starts, and last season the trend continued when they won eight of 11 for a 73 per cent success rate. Now the Saints rule. They will surge on to the Telstra surface tonight with 10 straight wins there this season -- 13 if you count their unbeaten pre-season Wizard Cup success -- while the once mighty Bombers limp into battle with a 3-4 win-loss record in 2004.
The Article - Michael Horan - HeraldSun - 23Jul04
Hamill and tongs at the contest
Aaron Hamill discusses his playing style, the injury that will keep him out of tonight's match and St Kilda's chances . . .
DB: What is it about the real physical contest that attracts you?
AH: I'm just big, you know... I guess people call it white-line fever, but I think it's just the real want to compete. I think a lot of that you're probably born with... Growing up, I used to play rugby union and rugby league in Canberra and probably having a bigger brother to sort of slap me around a fair bit... it helps your drive... I hate losing with a passion, so it's probably the real want to compete.
The Article - Dermott Brereton - TheAge - 23Jul04
Thomas: Professionals don't blame their tools
Telstra Dome boss Ian Collins yesterday lashed out at critics of the stadium's surface. He also received the support of the AFL Players' Association and St Kilda coach Grant Thomas, who believes the modern game is to blame for players slipping since new turf was laid a few weeks ago . . . Thomas, whose club is a tenant of the Dome, said "professionals don't blame their tools" when it came to explaining why some players were slipping over. "Guys are running really, really quick. They are trying to stop really quick, they are trying to change direction really quick," he said. Thomas said the surface was the best in the competition.
Collins slams Dome critics - Jon Pierik - TheAustalian - 23Jul04
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