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Tribunal comes out swinging
Players are on notice - step inside the new AFL Tribunal and expect a lengthy holiday. That was the clear message sent to the football world at last night's first sitting with the league's new hard-line procedures burying Byron Pickett for six matches. If an offence is deemed severe enough to go straight to the tribunal by Peter Schwab's match review panel, it spells serious trouble for the player concerned. Pickett must rely on Port Adelaide making the Wizard Cup grand final to give him an earliest return of Round 4. The shattered Norm Smith medallist left without comment, but Port's general manager of football operations Peter Rohde said the club would consider an appeal. "We are extremely angry about the decision," he said. "We agree that it was a negligent act, but certainly dispute the fact it was intentional. We feel there was significant public pressure on the tribunal to make an example of Byron, and that Byron has been victimised for the way he plays. Byron plays the game very hard and tough, but we certainly strongly disagree with the fact that he intended to hurt anyone or hit anyone high."
The Article Scott Gullan/TheAustralian/22Feb05
Don't ban shirtfront: Krummel Lyall Johnson/TheAge/22Feb05
Port appeals Pickett penalty Sportal/saints.com.au/23Feb05
'Misled' Power to contest long ban Greg Denham/TheAustralian/24Feb05
Welcome to a brutal new world ABCSport/23Feb05
Pickett appeal held over until next week Gerard Whateley/ABCSport/23Feb05

Fiora, Ackland fit right in
At least two of St Kilda's off-season recruits appear poised to become senior regulars for their new club, with former Port Adelaide big man Cain Ackland and ex-Tiger Aaron Fiora enjoying standout performances in the Saints' intra-club match on Friday night.Fiora could be set to realise the promise he has shown since being taken by the Tigers with the third pick of the 1999 national draft. The 23-year-old has put on seven kilos since joining St Kilda . He was an impressive wingman on Friday night and kicked two majors. "He's trying to improve all aspects of his game, but we've been really thrilled with the way he's worked. His skill work and the running. The first time the ball came his way he backed into the pack and took a very courageous mark under pressure," Saints coach Grant Thomas said.
The Article Samantha Lane/Sportal/saints.com.au/14Feb05

Saints Membership Day - SEN
Tune into SEN 1116 on the am dial all day on Tuesday, 1st March, 7.00am - 7.00pm for the Saints Membership Day.
Morning Glory, 7.15am - Fraser Gehrig
Hungry for Sport - 9.30am Matt Rendell, Nathan Burke.
Afternoons with Francis Leach - 12.30pm Stephen Milne, 3.30pm Brendon Goddard
Run Home - 4.00pm Grant Thomas 5.00pm Justin Koschitzke, 6.15pm David Friend
All Saints supporters who sign up go into the draw to win one of four team signed guernseys.
The Article saints.com.au/28Feb05

Injuries:
Nathan Burke: "Fraser (Gehrig) is just getting better all the time (and) Barry (Brooks) just needs to keep off his foot for a couple of days and he'll be fine."
All Club Updates Jordon Chong/HeraldSun/12Feb05
Saints Injury List
No Smith, Crawford, Jacobs or Hay hawthornfc.com.au

Riewoldt keen to be Hird
Newly appointed St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt will scour the football world to find what it takes to lead an AFL side. With just 41 days between his appointment last Friday and Round 1 of the home-and-away season, the 22-year-old is keen to canvass the opinions of some of the game's best leaders. He told SEN radio yesterday Essendon skipper James Hird was top of his list. "I actually sent James Hird a text message yesterday," Riewoldt said.
The Article Jordan Chong/HeraldSun/15Feb05

Joe Riewoldt SEN Interview
For those who missed the SEN Interview with Nick Riewoldt's father on Monday evening - here is a copy.
Windows Media Player or similar

Saturday Afternoon Fever
After going to almost every St.Kilda game from 1978 to 1992, I then lived and worked throughout West End comedy scene in London until the year 2000. Aside from the videos sent over by my family (and my ill-fated flight back to see the 1997 Grand Final), I got my footy fix by boring any visiting Australian friend to death, for hours on end with all my homesick memories. From my first kiss, my first fight, my first car, my first drink; it occurred to my friends that almost all my life's major moments took place before, during or after the footy.
The Article Matthew Hardy/saints.com.au/14Feb05

Hamill's unfinished business
"Unfinished business", rather than his own frustrating end to last year, has heightened Aaron Hamill's motivation ahead of this AFL season. The former St Kilda captain looks extremely fit ahead of Saturday night's Wizard Cup opener against Hawthorn at Telstra Dome. Hamill has changed his pre-season training to ease the wear and tear on his legs, after a knee injury forced him out of last year's finals series. One of the league's toughest competitors could do nothing as his side lost to eventual premier Port Adelaide by six points in their preliminary final. When asked if there was more motivation ahead of this season, Hamill said: "probably from a playing group, I'd say (yes) - personally, no - but from a playing group (point of view) we've certainly got some unfinished business."
The Article AAP/TheAge/15Feb05

Barry Brooks Chat Transcript
SaintsBaBe: Which players do you admire these days?
Barry Brooks: Lenny Hayes for his work rate, Steven Baker for his intensity and Stephen Powell for his leadership.
saintbrat: Barry has Stewie Loewe been down to the club much?
Barry Brooks: He was there earlier in the pre-season for a few sessions, but not lately. He's on the tribunal board now.
The Transcript Noddy/saints.com.au

Seven sins in Talking Footy demise
The groundbreaking football discussion program Talking Footy seems to have met a slow and painful death. Channel 7's Ian Johnson said as much last night. "The probability is it won't go on," he told the Herald Sun. "Tuesday nights starting at quarter-to-11 is just not the right time," he said. You could have knocked me over with a flat Sherrin. Fancy a football panel show failing in the prime timeslot of 10.45 Tuesday night. Johnson, a genuine football lover, inherited the program in its graveyard slot, but Seven's treatment of the show, the concept, over its 10-year history has been disgraceful.
The Article Mike Sheahan/HeraldSun/16Feb05

Channel Seven to axe Talking Footy
Channel Seven will enter the 2005 AFL season without a program dedicated to football for only the second time in more than four decades, with the network due to axe its long-running program Talking Footy. Seven's Melbourne chief executive Ian Johnson confirmed last night that Talking Footy was "not likely" to return this year but denied that the absence of a program exclusively about football would harm the network's chances of playing a meaningful part in the forthcoming broadcast rights negotiations . . . "I'm not saying Talking Footy is going for ever. We are shelving it for a year. The title will be secured for use in the future," Johnson said.
The Article Caroline Wilson/TheAge/16Feb05

Ban no bar on Brownlow
A player rubbed out at the tribunal this year could still be eligible to win the Brownlow medal. The AFL executive is poised to meet within days to seriously ponder a shift away from the 80-year tradition of any suspension automatically ending a player's Brownlow hopes. On the back of a revamped tribunal format, the league is leaning towards using its new points system - and not suspension - to decide eligibility for the game's most coveted individual prize. A player could commit a low-level striking offence worth 125 points and be suspended because of a poor record, but still be eligible for the medal . . . Brownlow medallist, St Kilda legend Neil Roberts, believes anybody found guilty of striking should be ineligible.
The Article TheAustralian/17Feb05

Saints recruits strut their stuff
If you thought 2004 was a good vintage for the Saints, the 2005 crop looked even stronger last night thanks to a couple of new faces. The usual suspects such as new skipper Nick Riewoldt, Lenny Hayes and Nick Dal Santo shone in an intra-club match at Moorabbin. But it was new ruckman Cain Ackland (ex-Port Adelaide) and midfielder Aaron Fiora (Richmond) who impressed most in the first competitive hitout for the club. Ackland worked hard and went forward at every opportunity, while a stronger Fiora picked up plenty of the ball through the middle. "Cain was really impressive, he was probably the best player on the ground," coach Grant Thomas said. "Aaron's put on about six or seven kilograms. We've been really thrilled with the way he's worked."
The Article Jordon Chong/HeraldSun/12Feb05

Desperate to impress
Judging by the intensity of Friday night's intra-club match at Moorabbin Oval, it seems every player on the St Kilda list is desperate to prove to coach Grant Thomas that they're worthy of a spot in the Saints' senior team. In a fast and ferocious hit-out, a suspected cracked collarbone to Jason Gram was the only injury concern for the Saints as a healthy crowd of more than 4000 fans watched on. Gram came off second best after a collision with a team mate in the third quarter. Despite it being a game played among themselves, the Saints didn't waste any time in staking their claims for a spot in the team to play Hawthorn in next Saturday's opening Wizard Home Loans Cup match at Telstra Dome.
The Article Damian Glass/Sporal/saints.com.au/11Feb05

Nick's chairman of the board
It only takes one pair of hands to lift a premiership cup. But this duty notwithstanding, Nick Riewoldt and the Saintsational Seven will captain by committee in the coming AFL season. St Kilda are not alone in their emphasis on group leadership. Much was made of the Power empowerment that went on at Alberton last year. Every club in the league operates with a formal leadership group. But through their annual rotation of the club captaincy and strict adherence to the Maoist rhetoric of Chairman Thomas, St Kilda have given the notion of a footballing collective another kick along. Perhaps this helps explain why Riewoldt, though "honoured and humbled" to accept his turn at captaincy, was reluctant to be drawn on his individual leadership style or ambitions.
The Article Chip Le Grand/TheAustralian/12Feb05
I want to be like Carey HeraldSun/12Feb05

Riewoldt keen to lead by example
At 22 and with 75 games to his name, Riewoldt, the two-time club champion and an All-Australian, is already following Carey's example, with the Roo legend only 21 when he was named captain at North Melbourne in 1993. Riewoldt said he preferred to lead by example. "(It's) probably hard to go past someone like Michael Voss or even Wayne Carey. He was a hero of mine growing up, the way he could stand up and be counted when it was needed the most. I'd certainly like to have an on-field presence like that, as would the rest of us;" Riewoldt said "I think captains are always judged on their performance on the field, so I think first and foremost that's the number one responsibility of the leadership group, to perform well and set the example by our actions."
The Article Melissa Ryan/TheAge/12Feb05

Riewoldt "humbled" to lead the Saints
Nick Riewoldt will captain St Kilda in 2005. Riewoldt was unanimously ratified by the club's board on Thursday following the recommendation of the club's match committee. "Nick is a young man with immense talent, strong values, and a commitment to excellence. He has been fortunate to be in an environment over the past four years where he has had the opportunity to learn from some outstanding leaders and develop his own unique leadership style," said Saints chief executive Jim Watts.
The Article Ashley Browne/Sportal/saints.com.au/11Feb05

No doubt Nick is a born leader
Joe Riewoldt said from the Gold Coast yesterday he and his son had discussed the self-doubts when the family got together at Christmas time. "I remember reading in the Herald Sun (December) where Nick said he didn't know if he was ready for the captaincy," Riewoldt Sr said . . . "In a football sense, nobody knows a player better than his coach. I told Nick, 'If Grant didn't think you were ready to be captain, he wouldn't want you to be captain'," Riewoldt Sr said. Riewoldt Sr has seen leadership in his son since he was a young boy. " I've always thought he was a kid that had the potential to be a leader. He just liked to set the example," he said. "After just one full year at (Robina) primary school, he was elected school vice-captain."
The Article Mike Sheahan/HeraldSun/12Feb05

We're all leaders: Riewoldt
Whatever reservations Nick Riewoldt had about assuming the St Kilda captaincy in 2005 were allayed by the 22-year-old's teammates, coaches and closest confidants in the off-season. And so, after another summer of speculation over the candidates for the third skipper rotation at Moorabbin, the favourite was officially installed on Friday. Riewoldt, who was flanked by former captains Lenny Hayes (2004) and Aaron Hamill (2003), and the remaining members of the club's 2005 leadership group - Stephen Powell, Justin Koschitzke, Luke Ball and Max Hudghton - said his feelings of pride were matched by his sense of being supported. "The leadership of the club isn't determined by one person . . . it's determined by the leadership group and the 40 players that make up the side," Riewoldt, who becomes the Saints' youngest captain in history, said.
The Article Samantha Lane/Sportal/saints.com.au/11Feb05
At 22, Riewoldt is to lead Saints ABCSport/11Feb05