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Round 20 Pre-Game Articles

Round 20 Post-Game Results & Articles
Round 20 Pre Game Articles

Round 20
Kangaroos vs. St Kilda, Telstra Dome
Sunday 15th August, 2:10 PM AEST
Teams and Interactive Match-Ups

IN: Luke Penny, Max Hudghton, Trent Knobel, Xavier Clarke
OUT: Brent Guerra, Allan Murray, Justin Peckett, Nick Stone

Round 20 preview
KANGAROOS v ST KILDA, Telstra Dome, 2.10pm
Head to head: Kangaroos 68 St Kilda 67 Drawn 2
Last time: St Kilda 20.10 (130) bt Kangaroos 8.17 (65) (R5, 2004, Telstra Dome)
TAB Sportsbet: Kangaroos $3.30 St Kilda $1.28
Centrebet: Kangaroos $3.15 St Kilda $1.35
The Kangaroos staged the fifth-biggest final-quarter comeback in history to pip Sydney last week. Some teams can hit flat spots after such huge efforts, but Roos coach Dean Laidley has found two pieces of motivation to guard against such complacency. He will build the team up to honour captain Adam Simpson's 200th game and has also told them how much it will mean to be the first team to beat St Kilda at Telstra Dome this season. The Saints are slowly piecing together their best side as injured players gradually return - a critical re-generation as they battle for top spot. The team's reliance upon key forwards Fraser Gehrig and Nick Riewoldt can not be argued with as they keep producing.
All Teams - AAP - HeraldSun - 14Aug04

Knobel among four inclusions
Key St Kilda defenders Max Hudghton and Luke Penny are welcome additions for Sunday's match against the Kangaroos at Telstra Dome. Xavier Clarke has been rushed back into the side after he missed last round's win against Adelaide in Launceston with a knee injury, while ruckman Trent Knobel returns from a one-match stint with Springvale in the VFL. The Saints have dropped forwards Brent Guerra and Allan Murray, veteran Justin Peckett and versatile tall Nick Stone
The Article - Sportal - saints.com.au - 13Aug04
Key men to boost Saints - HeraldSun - 14Aug04
Saints' defence is stiffened - Sportal - saints.com.au - 12Aug04

Jones in for Brown
Kangaroos vice-captain Brent Harvey has been rushed back for Sunday's clash against St Kilda at Telstra Dome after he missed last Saturday night's epic win over Sydney with an ankle injury. He is one of two changes for the Roos, with key forward Chad Jones returning for his second AFL match after he made his debut against the Western Bulldogs in round six.
The Article - Sportal - kangaroosfc.com.au - 13Aug04

Koschitzke set for early return
St Kilda's first finals campaign in six years will be buoyed by the early return from injury of versatile tall Justin Koschitzke. "Season over" was the initial fear after Koschitzke dislocated his right elbow against Hawthorn on June 18 at Telstra Dome. Surgeons inserted two screws into his elbow to repair an avulsion fracture to the joint, caused by the muscle tearing away part of the bone as it was violently dislodged. The 21-year-old from Brocklesby, a wheatfarming area 50km north-west of Albury, was told by his surgeon after the operation that his season could be over. "If we weren't in line for finals, I would have packed the year in," Koschitzke said yesterday.
The Article - Jon Anderson - HeraldSun - 12Aug04

Saints give up on lost Guerra
St Kilda has dropped strongman Brent Guerra for the first time this season for tomorrow's match against the Kangaroos at Telstra Dome. Guerra has played every game since returning from suspension in Round 4, kicking 27 goals up until Round 14. However, the tough midfielder has recently slipped in form, managing just one goal in the past three weeks.
The Article - Emily Power - HeraldSun - 14Aug04

Thompson keen to play on
St Kilda veteran Andrew Thompson is keen to play on in 2005. The Saints 2000 best-and-fairest winner, who has played every match this season, said on Thursday at Moorabbin that he was looking to saddle-up for his ninth AFL season. "That's what I'm hoping. I certainly feel as good as I've ever felt body-wise. I don't have any injuries and I think just the reduction in the workload has really helped me be fresh for the finals part of the year," Thompson told sportal.
The Article - Matt Burgan/Sportal - saints.com.au - 12Aug04

Harvey welcomes reinforcements
St Kilda is likely to regain key defenders Max Hudghton and Luke Penny for Sunday's crucial clash against the Kangaroos at Telstra Dome, according to dual Brownlow Medallist Robert Harvey. Hudghton and Penny have missed the past four matches with finger and hamstring injuries respectively, but Harvey said at Moorabbin on Thursday that the club was confident of the pair returning. "We've obviously missed a lot of our (regular) backline in the second half of the season and especially our key players," Harvey said.
The Article - Matt Burgan/Sportal - saints.com.au - 12Aug04

Brief Training Report
saintcat: All completed full training today - including full ground match simulation. I am very surprised Powell was not picked, and Kosi must be close. Only players not involved were Gram (ran laps) and Maguire (handball drills). There may have been others not on the field but not that I noticed.
The Report - Saintsational Fan Forum

Leigh Montagna Chat Transcript
St_Kylez: What players are expected to return this weekend?
Leigh Montagna: Luke Penny and Max Hudghton will both probably play, and I think Xavier Clarke might be available as well - Kosi and Powelly are probably one week away.
The Transcript - saints.com.au - 11Aug04

Round 20
Kangaroos vs. St Kilda, Telstra Dome
Sunday 15th August, 2:10 PM AEST

Saints mourn the passing of Keith Drinan
The St Kilda Football Club are today mourning the passing of former player and captain Keith Drinan who passed away this week at age 79 after a long illness. Drinan played 134 games with the Saints from 1944 - 1957. He arrived at St Kilda from Balaclava CYMS and started as a half-back flanker and centre half-back. He developed into one of St Kilda's best ever full backs. A steady player with a big heart. He was appointed skipper of the Saints at the age of 26 and was the youngest captain in the VFL leading the Saints from 1951-53 and again in 1956-57.
The Article - St Kildfa FC - saints.com.au - 11Aug04
Keith Drinan Profile - Saints Inaugural Hall of Fame - saints.com.au

Past and present bid Saint adieu
The football community has mourned the death of former St Kilda captain Keith Drinan, who died after a long illness, aged 79. Drinan, who was the last returned Australian serviceman in the VFL, played 134 games with the Saints from 1944-1957. Close friend Rodney Eade and football great Paul Kelly offered their condolences at Drinan's funeral in Sydney yesterday.
The Article - Daniella Miletic - TheAge - 12Aug04

Suspended Brown to miss clash with Saints
The Kangaroos will be without adaptable big man Leigh Brown when they meet St Kilda in an important match this Sunday, after he received a one match ban from the AFL Tribunal for striking. Brown pleaded not guilty to the video report of striking Sydney's Brett Kirk during last Saturday night's tight encounter at the SCG, but Tribunal chairman Brian Collis deemed his contact to be reckless.
The Article - Samantha Lane/Sportal - kangaroosfc.com.au - 10Aug04
Roos appeal Brown suspension - Sportal - kangaroosfc.com.au - 11Aug04
Brown appeal rejected - Sportal - kangaroosfc.com.au - 12Aug04

Key Saints back in action
St Kilda's stocks are set to be boosted for this weekend's clash with the Kangaroos by the return of key defenders Luke Penny and Max Hudghton from injury. Both Hudghton and Penny have missed the Saints' past four games, the former with a finger injury and the latter with a hamstring strain, and although they will be tested during the week a club spokesperson said they were expected to play.
The Article - Dan Oakes - TheAge - 10Aug04
Injuries - Michael Horan and Emily Power - HeraldSun - 10Aug04

Koschitzke on track for Lions clash
St Kilda's hopes of finishing in the top two are set to receive a huge boost with Justin Koschitzke declaring he will be ready to return in time for the round 21 crunch encounter against reigning premiers Brisbane at the Gabba. That match is likely to decide whether the Saints can maintain the top two status they have held virtually all season, with just one game and one percent separating Grant Thomas' side from the Lions.
The Article - Paul Gough/Sportal - saints.com.au - 09Aug04
Picking a team for the first final - Saintsational fan Forum

Contenders' run home

The Article - HeraldSun - 09Aug04
The Run Home - Saintsational Fan Forum

The run home: three rounds left
St Kilda: Kangaroos (TD), Brisbane (Gabba), Fremantle (TD).
Predicted finish: 16-6. The Saints again have their hopes of a top two finish in their own hands after rising from third to first this weekend, following losses for Melbourne and Brisbane. But to ensure they stay there and earn two home finals in September, the Saints will have to beat the Lions at the Gabba in round 21. And while the Eagles showed this weekend the Lions are beatable on their own turf, the reigning premiers are likely to have both Jonathan Brown and Alastair Lynch back in their line-up by then and will still be favoured to win that game. But even if the Saints lost that game they could still finish second as long as they stay in front of the Lions on percentage, with just one per cent currently separating the sides.
The 10 Contending Teams - Paul Gough/Sportal - saints.com.au - 10Aug04

Brown appeal fails
The Kangaroos have failed to have Leigh Brown cleared for Sunday's game against St Kilda. Their appeal against a one-match striking ban was dismissed by the AFL Appeals Board last night. The Kangaroos had enhanced video footage for the 90-minute hearing. Chief executive Geoff Walsh said the club did not make frivolous appeals.
The Article - AAP - HeraldSun - 13Aug04
Why Penny left the Dogs - Saintsational Fan Forum

Pagan happy at Blues despite Hawthorn interest
The Carlton Football Club has confirmed Denis Pagan will continue as the senior coach next year despite confirmation he has spoken with Hawthorn. Hawthorn acting chief Jason Dunstall says the club has spoken to Pagan about the possibility of him coaching the Hawks next year despite still having a year to run on his Blues' contract. Dunstall says Pagan is one of six possible candidates.
The Article - ABC Sport - 12Aug04
Dogs close on Eade - Mark Stevens - TheAustralian - 13Aug04

Hawks take long and winding road in search for new coach
It was obvious that all sorts of things at Hawthorn were out of control when the club decided so fatally to draw a line in the sand against Essendon in round 11. The demand by club officials resulted in the Hawks losing four players for 16 games through suspension and players fined $36,700 for their involvement in melees that broke out all about the place after half-time. There was no line drawn in sand. Not at all. Rather a line was drawn through Hawthorn's name on the list of clubs that people could trust to go about matters sensibly and effectively. The consequent double sacking of Peter Schwab was just more proof. Decision-making at Glenferrie is a hit-and-miss affair.
The Article - Patrick Smith - TheAustralian - 14Aug04

Cats plea on reports
Geelong has pleaded for leniency from the AFL and the tribunal after James Bartel was reported twice and up to 15 players were involved in a lengthy last-quarter scuffle at Skilled Stadium yesterday . . . Geelong coach Mark Thompson said the AFL needed to take the abysmal, slippery conditions into consideration.
The Article - Sunday Herald Sun - 15Aug04

Leigh Montagna Chat Transcript
St_Kylez: What players are expected to return this weekend?
Leigh Montagna: Luke Penny and Max Hudghton will both probably play, and I think Xavier Clarke might be available as well - Kosi and Powelly are probably one week away.
The Transcript - saints.com.au - 11Aug04