Round 21 Results & Post-Game Articles
Brisbane: 2.2 10.3 15.8 20.10 (130)
St Kilda: 5.1 6.3 9.4 13.7 (85)
Goals: Brisbane: Akermanis 6, Lynch 4, Brown, Hadley, Lappin, Notting, Power, Black, Pike, Voss, Scott, Keating
St Kilda: Riewoldt 5, Gehrig 4, Ball, Blake, Penny
Best: Brisbane: Lappin, Johnson, Pike, Black, Akermanis, Lynch
St Kilda: Riewoldt, Gehrig, Ball, Hayes, Harvey
Injuries: Brisbane: None
St Kilda: None
Reports: None
Umpires: McBurney, James, McLaren
Crowd: 35, 823 at the Gabba
Hitouts: 49
50m Penalties: 0
Goals: Free 0; Play 7; Mark 6
Saints: Distance of goals - 0-15m 3; 15-30m 1; 30-40m 4; 40+m 5
Lions best, but we'll improve: Thomas
St Kilda coach Grant Thomas is adamant the Brisbane Lions are the number one side in the AFL, adding that they remain the clear cut favourites to win its fourth consecutive premiership. In the wake of the Saints 45-point loss at the Gabba on Sunday, Thomas said he was in no doubt of what he thought of the Lions and their chances come September. "They're the best side in the competition. History proves that and performances prove that, so they would be absolutely favourites to win the flag without any shadow of a doubt. The rest of us are just challengers and that's where we see it at the moment," Thomas said at a St Kilda recovery session on Monday morning. Thomas also added that his team has a greater opportunity to develop its side even further than the Lions. "Make no mistake, we've got much more improvement in us that they've got in them, but we've got to actually take advantage of that improvement," Thomas said.
The Article - Matt Burgan/Sportal - saints.aom.au - 23Aug04
Lions squash Saints' flag hopes
I think we are destined to see a Brisbane Lions, Port Adelaide grand final. St Kilda, if a lot went right, could be some chance to be there on that last Saturday in September. But the loss to Brisbane will have shaken the Saints' confidence. Melbourne has fallen completely away. Younger players such as Jared Rivers and Brad Miller have hit the wall. They're dog tired. The forward line is hopeless at locking the ball in and Jeff White's around-the-ground play has dropped off. Geelong has been fantastic, but doesn't have the class to go all the way. Sydney is similar to the Cats, while West Coast, Essendon or Fremantle will just make up the numbers . . . Thomas acknowledged he was out-coached on Sunday. That happens. What he has to realise is that an unhealthy reliance for goals is falling on Fraser Gehrig and Riewoldt. This pair kicked nine of 13 against Brisbane. Crumbers in Stephen Milne and Brent Guerra have to come back into the team. A quick look at the stats sheet would show that Brisbane had 12 goalkickers, the Saints just five. Time to burn the midnight oil, Thommo.
The Article - Robert Walls - TheAge - 24Aug04
I was out-coached: Thomas
St Kilda coach Grant Thomas conceded he had been out-coached after his side was "smashed" by the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba yesterday. In front of a capacity crowd, the Lions shrugged of an early challenge to post an emphatic 45-point win that put it four percentage points ahead of the Saints, one game behind Port Adelaide. "I've got to take account," Thomas said. "We lost tactically as well and I've got to take responsibility for that." After a bright opening term, the Saints were blown away in a second quarter that Thomas described as "a little bit frantic". "I could see it sort of coming across the guys and they got a bit despondent at losing some ball. I was really disappointed that they didn't regroup and fight out the second quarter," he said.
The Article - Peter Ker - TheAge - 23Aug04
Pike shows how to fight Saints' fire with fire - Peter Ker - TheAge - 23Aug04
Scott the spark as Lions burn Saints - Peter Blucher - TheAge - 22Aug04
Pike shows how to fight Saints' fire with fire
Martin Pike can see the irony in his growing reputation as a big-game player. "I didn't play in any big games when I was at Fitzroy so, once I got out and back into the AFL system where you are expected to win, I think that has helped my football," he said. Yesterday's heavyweight bout at the Gabba was like a final in every sense. The weather was warm, the atmosphere vibrant, the football intense and of a high standard early. So it was no surprise that Pike - the competition's only current four-time premiership player, with first the Kangaroos, then Brisbane - had his stamp all over it by the time the Lions had stormed away with an emphatic 45-point victory. The contest was won in an extraordinary 20-minute period of the second term, when the Brisbane midfield ran rampant and set up a stunning seven-goal burst.
The Article - Peter Ker - TheAge - 23Aug04
No excuses for Saints' loss at the Gabba
St Kilda coach Grant Thomas is refusing to use the heat as an excuse for yesterday's heavy loss to Brisbane at the Gabba. The temperature reached 26 degrees Celsius during the match. The two clubs are likely to meet in Brisbane in the first week of the finals but Thomas said it won't matter if the game is played during the day or at night. "That's a factor, we're not getting away from that, but it's absolutely not an excuse," he said. "They handled it much better, as they would. We handled Telstra [Dome] better but that's just a fact of life. I suppose what we're more interested in was the way that we succumbed to the pressure."
The Article - ABC Sport - 23Aug04
Saints face finals death
St Kilda is in danger of being strapped to the AFL's new equivalent of the death chair – third place on the ladder. With Port Adelaide and the Brisbane Lions almost certain to hold on to the top two spots, St Kilda faces the prospect of two finals road trips. If results fall as expected, the Saints will be forced to return to the Gabba in a fortnight for a qualifying final against the Lions – the mighty reigning premier that blitzed them by 45 points at the same venue yesterday.
The Article - Mark Stevens - HeraldSun - 23Aug04
Reality check for Saints - Darren Cartwright - HeraldSun - 23Aug04
Tidal wave hits frantic St Kilda
If you blind-folded Nick Dal Santo and spun him around for a minute, he would find a way to hit the target. That's why there was deep shock moments before halftime when he sloppily sprayed it off the side of the boot and out on the full. Sure, it was on his non-preferred right foot, but there was minimal pressure. Mr Smooth had cut up rough. When Dal Santo's committing clangers you know the Saints are in the deepest, darkest trouble. It was synonymous of a second quarter that went awfully wrong
The Article - Mark Stevens - HeraldSun - 23Aug04
Saints squander sizzling start
The Saints got away to a brilliant start but eventually wilted in the Brisbane heat as the Lions held sway by 45-points at the Gabba on Sunday. Jason Akermanis kicked six goals for the Lions who prevailed 20.10 (130) to 13.7 (85) giving the Saints plenty to think about in the lead up to the finals. Nick Riewoldt was brilliant in the early stages of the game for St Kilda but struggled to cope with the scorching conditions after the first change.
The Article - Dave Donaghy/Sportal - saints.aom.au - 22Aug04
Lions maul upstart Saints - Dave Donaghy/Sportal - afl.aom.au - 22Aug04
Lions roar back againts Saints
The Brisbane Lions have grabbed second spot on the AFL ladder with a 45-point win over St Kilda. In front of a capacity crowd on a warm day, the Lions shrugged of the Saints challenge to win 20.10 (130) to 13.7 (85). With the Lions now in front of St Kilda on percentage and one win behind Port Adelaide, the the stage is set for a crucial battle in the last round for a home final. The Saints had jumped the Lions and after booting the first goal in the second quarter were 23 points up. But the Lions split the game wide open in the second quarter booting eight goals to one.
The Article - AAP - HeraldSun - 22Aug04
Lions thump Saints to go second
. . . The win is yet another warning to the top sides that the Lions are more than capable of defending their premiership status. Jason Akermanis starred with six goals and veteran Alastair Lynch dominated the forward battle with four goals. Ahead of St Kilda on percentages, the Lions now play the Kangaroos at the Gabba in the final round, while the Saints play Fremantle at Docklands.
The Article - ABC Sport - 22Aug04
Lions roar back against Saints
The Saints started well and had a 17-point lead after the first quarter. Brownlow Medal fancy Nick Riewoldt led the scoring for the Saints with five goals after Daniel Bradshaw then Justin Leppitsch opposed him. The Saints other power forward Fraser Gehrig kicked four goals but Lions fullback Mal Michael had the better of him over the day. Austinn Jones, in his 200th game, did well across the halfback line, while Robert Harvey, Lenny Hayes and Steven Baker got plenty of possessions.
The Article - AAP - TheAge - 22Aug04
Lynch, Brown key to Lions' fortunes: Matthews
Brisbane Lions coach Leigh Matthews believes his side's chances of leapfrogging St Kilda into the AFL's top two rest in the hands of powerful forwards Alastair Lynch and Jonathan Brown. Matthews said the pairing of Lynch and Brown up front for only the seventh time this season would be pivotal in helping to arrest Brisbane's recent poor goalkicking.
The Article - AAP - TheAge - 22Aug04
Riewoldt ready for top job: Hayes
St Kilda's rising superstar Nick Riewoldt is ready to assume the captaincy next season, according to current captain Lenny Hayes. Hayes, who has the leadership responsibilities for 12 months under St Kilda's innovative policy of rotating captains, this week told The Sunday Age Riewoldt could become the Saints' next leader. "It's very tough to say at this stage but look, I've got no doubt that Nick could do it," Hayes said. He said he believed Riewoldt and last year's captain Aaron Hamill were the main contenders for the top job. "I haven't spoken to him (Riewoldt) about it. Whether he's ready or not next year is going to be something for him and the coaches to decide over the summer . . . I think that Aaron would be very good at doing it again. At this stage, I would say those two guys" . . . "There's a bit more pressure on you and you're more worried about the whole club and the rest of the team and how they're travelling, more so than in previous years. I've really enjoyed that . . . I would like to do it again."
Riewoldt the wunderkind
If teams are finding it hard enough to deal with the Riewoldt-Gehrig tandem, contemplate a forward line with Riewoldt and Jonathan Brown, with a decade or so ahead of them. Alastair Lynch might have retired by now, but even if Lynch soldiered on, Riewoldt could have played third forward or centre half-back for a team that would have kept its premiership 'window'open until . . . 2011? Whereas Hawthorn had Ablett but lost him, the Lions were never able to secure Riewoldt, via a Queensland recruiting zone, despite a concerted lobbying campaign to get the AFL rules changed in their favour. The teenage Riewoldt played for Southport, the powerful Gold Coast club. Brisbane's problem was that the blond wunderkind lived 70-80 kilometres from the city and, as the AFL rules then stood, the Lions were given first crack only at players who resided within 50 kilometres of the Brisbane GPO.
The Article - Jake Niall - TheAge - 19Aug04
Saints weapon of mass destruction
With the strength of the Incredible Hulk and the speed of an Olympic sprinter, the versatile Fraser Gehrig has evolved into one the most dangerous and feared players in the competition. Originally from Wodonga, Gehrig was taken by the West Coast Eagles in the 1993 National AFL Draft with the 16th pick overall and made his debut in 1995. It was out west where his amazing speed and strength made him an instant standout amongst the AFL’s young guns and was quickly touted as something special. Gehrig was known as a wingman early on under then coach Mick Malthouse but was also capable of playing up forward and in defence. He could quite easily burst out of packs with the ball tucked safely in his keeping and stream toward goal without even a shadow near him. Gehrig’s efforts during his time at the Eagles saw him gain 1997 All-Australian selection as well as being the leading goalkicker of 1998 and many finals appearances. With the poor season in 2000, Gehrig decided to move on and return to Victoria after 115 games and 159 goals. His decision created great interest and saw many Victorian clubs bid for his services.
The Article - Luca Giacobello - saints.aom.au - 24Aug04
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