Round 21 Pre-Game Articles - Page 2
Leaving Lions' den unscathed
The last time St Kilda won at the Gabba there was a greyhound track surrounding the oval, Ken Sheldon was the Saints' coach, Tony Lockett kicked 10 goals and each team had two interchange players. Nick Riewoldt was a nine-year-old kid on the Gold Coast, Michael Voss was still more than 12 months away from his AFL debut, and Robert Harvey was a teenager who had played 42 games. Harvey is the sole surviving player from either of the sides that met that day. It was Sunday, May 12, 1991, the second of four experimental games at the Gabba that year involving the Carrara-based Brisbane Bears to test the water for AFL football in the state capital. Four weeks earlier, in the first Gabba trial, Geelong had thrashed the hapless Bears by 102 points, when Billy Brownless had kicked 11 goals. The Lockett-led Saints were almost as ruthless, winning 21.22 (148) to 12.7 (79).
The Article - Peter Blucher - TheAge - 18Aug04
Bring on big boys' battle
Brisbane Lions defender Justin Leppitsch is relishing Sunday's battle of the big men in the sold-out clash against St Kilda at the Gabba. Leppitsch said yesterday he was excited at the prospect of seeing both clubs roll out their star-studded forward lines, with Brisbane pairing veteran Alastair Lynch and Jonathan Brown up-front for just the seventh time this season. With percentage points becoming increasingly important as five teams vie for two spots, Leppitsch and giant defender Mal Michael have been handed the unenviable task of stopping Saints juggernauts Fraser Gehrig and Nick Riewoldt . . . "The most exciting part of this game is the big-men department," Leppitsch said. "I think it's been a pretty lean time over the last five or six years of good big men in the competition, and to have at both ends of the ground big men like Riewoldt, Gehrig, Lynch and Brown - and with the big defenders on the big forwards -- it's going to be a real exciting duel."
The Article - HeraldSun - 18Aug04
Young Saints outdo us: Leppa
Justin Leppitsch yesterday rated the young core of the St Kilda line-up - and particularly Nick Riewoldt - as superior players to himself and the corresponding Brisbane Lions group at the equivalent time in their careers. "He (Riewoldt) is much better than I was eight to 10 years ago," said Leppitsch, who at 28 is almost seven years older than the emerging superstar Saint. "That's been the amazing part of the younger players at St Kilda, the Riewoldts and Balls. In my time, we had (Michael) Voss, maybe, that was a great player at 20-21. The rest of us got better in our early 20s to late 20s."
The Article - Peter Blucher - TheAge - 18Aug04
Young aces hard to split
Not since Wayne Carey, Stephen Kernahan and Dermott Brereton strutted their stuff across the half-forward lines have we seen more dominant forwards than Nick Riewoldt and Jonathan Brown. While the exploits of champion midfielders draw our attention and admiration, none, with the possible exception of Chris Judd, move and excite us in the same manner as a top-flight key forward. They are the money men, paid the big dollars because they produce the big results. Their exploits draw people through the turnstiles and motivate major corporations to pay to have their name associated with them, either through endorsement deals or by becoming major sponsors of the club.
The Article - HeraldSun - 18Aug04
. . . (Brisbane's) weaknesses . . .
Jason Akermanis - annoying
Simon Black - plays alongside an annoying player
Jonathan Brown - sometimes starts to take it easy after his 20th mark
Shaun Hart - short
Nigel Lappin - isn't quite good enough to win a brownlow
Michael Voss - Injuries mean he may be forced to become a matchwinning forward instead of a matchwinning midfielder
Justin Leppitsch - can be provoked into undisciplined play by impressions of Heddie
Alastair Lynch - steroid-enhanced muscles are so big that his biceps sometimes get in the way when he's trying to mark.
Malcolm Michael - only big & strong enough to monster two forwards at once, not three.
Darryl White - wears stupid-looking gloves
Luke Power - often relaxes too much once the team's ten goals up.
Next weeks mountain - Zippy - Saintsational Fan Forum
Brett Moyle Chat Transcript
Tassie_Saints_Chick: Hey Brett, do you reckon Milney or Guerra will be back this week? Good luck for Sunday!
Brett Moyle: Not too sure about those guys this week. Thanks for wishing me well on Sunday.
Tassie_Saints_Chick: Hey Brett, how is Matty Ferguson going after his injury?
Brett Moyle: He's not too bad ... hopefully he'll get back on track quickly.
The Transcript - saints.com.au - 18Aug04
High stakes in grand final preview
. . . "He's such an athlete, it's a matter of keeping them to a good game - it's very hard to keep them to an average game, those sort of players," (Justin) Leppitsch said. "It's a matter of making sure he doesn't get the ball within goalscoring distance. That's generally the key. That's when they can really hurt the team on the scoreboard. "He's probably got two inches on me and when he runs and jumps he's hard to spoil. You've just got to play it smart and I'll try and use my experience more than anything." Leppitsch was enlisted to try to recruit Riewoldt to the Lions when the blonde flyer was playing in the AFLQ early in his career. "I did meet Nick when he came here (to the Gabba one day), trying hopefully to lure him here but it couldn't happen the way the draft system worked at that time," he said. "He's a fantastic kid and I've spoken to him a few times since."
The Article - Cath Hart - CourierMail - 18Aug04
Koschitzke set to return for Saints
. . . Koschitzke has not played since dislocating an elbow against Hawthorn in Round 13, but yesterday Aaron Hamill flagged the young star's return. "He's a real good chance, he was close last week. He'll play provided he pulls up well on the track," Hamill said at his team's recovery session. "He'll do some competitive work at training no doubt, and I'm sure he won't be far away."
The Article - Michael Horan - HeraldSun - 17Aug04
Persistence pays off
Leigh Montagna is one example of how persistence pays off. Taken in the 2001 National AFL Draft with the 37th pick, the kid affectionately known as 'Joey', came to the Club around the time it was building itself a nucleus for the future . . . He returned against Richmond the following week but it wasn't until the Essendon game in Round 17 that Leigh showed just how good he could be. He played the best game of his career thus far, notching up 19 touches, six marks and three goals in a wonderful display. Just to prove it wasn't a 'flash in the pan' display, he again was one of the standouts in the blockbuster game against Geelong at Skilled Stadium. Despite the narrow loss, 'Joey' again got 19 touches, seven marks and three goals. His form thus far justifies his spot in the side. Against Adelaide in Round 19, he was one of the best with 15 touches and a goal. With the array of talent on hand at St Kilda, it is difficult to maintain a regular spot, as Leigh states, "It's real tough. I mean we have a couple due back next week as well as a few more on the way back. With it being so close to finals, the level at training intensifies and it's a matter of trying to fit 28 blokes into the best 22." Leigh has certainly intensified his game in the past month, seeing a resurrection in his career and said, "Just knowing that I have to play hard every week and giving 100% of myself is motivation. My dream is to be a part of the finals."
The Article - Luca Giacobello - saints.com.au - 18Aug04
We need to earn respect: Hamill
St Kilda was a target for sniping opponents despite topping the AFL ladder because it had still achieved little to earn the respect of the other teams, Aaron Hamill said yesterday. Responding to Kangaroos coach Dean Laidley's comments that the Saints could not win the premiership on talent alone, Hamill said the players were aware that they still had it all to prove. "In the scheme of things, we have done very little in terms of history," Hamill said. "That's what it's all about. We've got to earn the respect from the footy world and we're going about it slowly and hopefully, in a couple of years' time, you get the accolades if you deserve them. We've all heard hundreds of stories where talent will get you only so far and he's probably right in that regard."
The Article - Stathi Paxinos - TheAge - 17Aug04
Lynch a likely starter against Saints
Team-mate and key defender Justin Leppitsch said with the anticipated return of Lynch, both teams will have imposing forward lines on display. "To have up both ends of the ground great big men in [Nick] Riewoldt, [Fraser] Gehrig and Lynch and [Jonathan] Brown and Mal [Michael] also, and the big defenders on the big forwards, it's going to be a really exciting duel," he said.
The Article - ABC Sport - 17Aug04
Matthews looking forward to clash with Saints - ABC Sport - 17Aug04
Nothing like a big challenge
The enormous challenge provided by 2004 glamour side St Kilda could bring out the best in the AAPT Brisbane Lions. So says key defender Justin Leppitsch, who said the intensity around the club had heightened a notch this week in the lead-up to what amounts to virtually a qualifying final at the Gabba on Sunday. "We've met all the big challenges over the last few seasons and I guess that's how most sides are judged - on big-time performances - and this is one this week," Leppitsch said. "We generally rise to these occasions and haven't failed too many. These are the ones you want to win more than any. Like anything in life, on the big days when the pressure's on, you want to come through and perform. That's what everyone respects."
The Article - lions.com.au - 17Aug04
Lions set to recall Lynch
Brisbane veteran Alastair Lynch will boost the Lions against St Kilda at the Gabba on Sunday after missing the past two games with a groin strain. Lynch has played only nine times this season, but the league's oldest player returns at just the right time as the Lions take on the league leader in a bid to secure a first-up home final. The forward's inclusion sets the scene for a goal-kicking showdown between Lynch and Jonathan Brown at one end, and Saints Fraser Gehrig and Nick Riewoldt at the other. St Kilda could welcome Justin Koschitzke back for the match. Koschitzke has missed seven games with a dislocated elbow, but Saints forward Aaron Hamill said yesterday he thought the key tall would play this week. "He was close last week and I think he'll play this week, providing he pulls up OK on the track this week," Hamill said. "He'll do some competitive work no doubt and I'm sure he won't be far away, if not this week (then the week after)." Hamill said Saints defender Matt Maguire, who has missed five rounds with osteitis pubis, was unlikely to play again before the finals.
The Article - Dan Oakes - TheAge - 17Aug04
Saints getting back to their best: Goddard
St Kilda's Brendon Goddard believes the team is starting to recapture some of its blistering early season form . . . "It was going to come through sooner or later so we just kept at it and kept plugging away and funny enough we've not hit our straps but over form has been better over the last few weeks." Sunday's clash will be played in the heat of the day and as a result, Goddard foreshadowed an early arrival in the Queensland capital to acclimatise. "It's a massive game this week against Brisbane. We might go up there early, just to get a feel for the heat which could be a factor."
The Article - Jordan Chong/Sportal - saints.com.au - 16Aug04
Big Eagle Cox was sought by Saints
Star West Coast ruckman Dean Cox might have been a St Kilda player if Michael Gardiner had not seriously injured his knee last season, Cox's manager said yesterday. Cox's manager, and uncle, George Michalczyk, said the Saints had been trying to persuade Cox, who re-signed with West Coast yesterday for two years, to leave the Eagles last season, and a move to Moorabbin would seriously have been considered if his game time hadn't increased. St Kilda had sacked experienced ruckman Matthew Capuano mid-season and, with only inexperienced big men on the list, was looking for someone to lead the ruck division.
The Article - Craig O'Donoghue/West Australian - TheAge - 17Aug04
Gardiner's misfortune keeps Cox in Perth - Craig O'Donoghue - West Australian - 17Aug04
Grant Thomas on Lions Challenge
"We have won the last two times playing against them, they've been down here, and now we play them on their home patch," Thomas said. "They're the benchmarks of the competition and it should be a cracking game." The fall-out from a loss, which means they could head interstate if they made the preliminary final weekend, had to be judged by the performance. "If we lose (to Brisbane), it's more about how we lose," Thomas said. "If we lose in a fashion that is unacceptable, well, it would be a good smack in the mouth at an appropriate time of the year to give us an adjustment in our thinking."
(Sour Grapes) Laidley queries Saints - Mark Robinson - HeraldSun - 16Aug04
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