2005 Post-Season Articles
Page 2
"Same with bloody Guerra...3rd qtr prelim final game up for grabs, whats he do . . . bloody turtle flop over the ball, just too bloody lazy and soft . . . for christs sake show some guts, get ya head over the ball and if ya cant gain possession knock it on at all costs". rogerwa
What Adelaide want for Fergus Watts
. . . St Kilda is likely to give up its first draft choice, No. 17 overall, for Fergus Watts, the son of chief executive Jim Watts, should it finalise a trade with Adelaide. The Crows want a pick inside the top 10 for Watts, who was pick No. 14 two years ago.
Tigers take a nibble at Fevola Jake Niall/TheAge/03Oct05
Saints to rip up surface (at Moorabbin)
St Kilda is poised to replace the turf at Moorabbin after a study found it was unsafe for elite training. The move will cost the Saints up to $250,000 and force the players off the ground until at least late January. Tests found a weed had infiltrated the surface over the past 10-15 years, making it too soft for AFL training. St Kilda chief executive Jim Watts yesterday described the surface as "extremely spongy" . . . "We'd rather not do it, but we can't leave it any longer. It has become unsafe to train on at the elite level," Watts said. "It would be irresponsible of us not to act." St Kilda has for several months suspected a link between its extraordinary run of soft tissue injuries and the softness of the ground.
The Article Mark Stevens/HeraldSun/30Sept05
Clubs chase Aussie Jones
Newly retired St Kilda midfielder Aussie Jones is coming to a suburban football ground near you. Jones, who cited a loss of passion for the game at the top level as the reason for calling it quits, is believed to be fielding offers from two teams in a local league to play and coach in 2006. Jones, who turned 29 on Wednesday, said yesterday it was a difficult decision to make, but the correct one . . . Meanwhile, Fraser Gehrig looks set to play on and new deals are now likely to be offered to Andrew Thompson and Justin Peckett.
The Article Jordan Chong/HeraldSun/01Oct05
Saints' window still open: Burke
Burke does not subscribe to the theory that the Saints' "window of opportunity" to win a flag might have closed with Jones now gone, Gehrig's future in doubt, Harvey now 34 and Andrew Thompson and Justin Peckett both set to turn 33 next month. "I really don't think the team is at its peak yet," Burke told Sportal. "There is a lot of improvement and a lot of growth still to come for the players, particularly mentally." Burke believes the disappointments of the past two preliminary final losses to eventual premiers Port Adelaide (2004) and Sydney (2005) will only make the Saints' players mentally tougher and he sees no reason the club can't challenge for its first premiership since 1966 for years to come.
The Article Paul Gough/Sportal/saints.com.au/30Sept05
Saint Jones: I can't go on
Austinn Jones has abandoned his dream of playing in a St Kilda premiership, citing an inability to 'fake' dedication to football for his stunning decision to retire with a year remaining on his contract. The day after his 29th birthday, the 2004 All-Australian defender revealed to The Age that he would be cheating his teammates and club by playing in 2006. The half-back also conceded that, for all the Saints' promise, he had only just scraped through his 11th season, such was his evaporating passion for competing at the top level. Although fully fit, Jones has grappled with the decision over several months, but has resolved to relinquish up to $250,000 by terminating his contract prematurely. He now intends to become a playing coach at suburban level.
The Article Samantha Lane/TheAge/30Sept05
Aussie walks away from big dollars
Austinn Jones has walked away from football, forfeiting a pay packet of about $250,000. Pulling the pin: Austinn Jones informed his manager Ricky Nixon and coach Grant Thomas yesterday that he could not get his mind or body up for another season. The St Kilda defender informed his manager Ricky Nixon and coach Grant Thomas yesterday that he could not get his mind or body up for another season. Jones, who turned 29 on Wednesday, still has one year of a lucrative deal to run.
The Article Mark Stevens/HeraldSun/30Sept05
Saints star announces retirement TheAustralian/30Sept05
Saint Jones: I can't go on
Austinn Jones has abandoned his dream of playing in a St Kilda premiership, citing an inability to 'fake' dedication to football for his stunning decision to retire with a year remaining on his contract. The day after his 29th birthday, the 2004 All-Australian defender revealed to The Age that he would be cheating his teammates and club by playing in 2006. The half-back also conceded that, for all the Saints' promise, he had only just scraped through his 11th season, such was his evaporating passion for competing at the top level. Although fully fit, Jones has grappled with the decision over several months, but has resolved to relinquish up to $250,000 by terminating his contract prematurely. He now intends to become a playing coach at suburban level.
The Article Samantha Lane/TheAge/30Sept05
Aussie walks away from big dollars
Austinn Jones has walked away from football, forfeiting a pay packet of about $250,000. Pulling the pin: Austinn Jones informed his manager Ricky Nixon and coach Grant Thomas yesterday that he could not get his mind or body up for another season. The St Kilda defender informed his manager Ricky Nixon and coach Grant Thomas yesterday that he could not get his mind or body up for another season. Jones, who turned 29 on Wednesday, still has one year of a lucrative deal to run.
The Article Mark Stevens/HeraldSun/30Sept05
Saints star announces retirement TheAustralian/30Sept05
Saints to rip up surface (at Moorabbin)
St Kilda is poised to replace the turf at Moorabbin after a study found it was unsafe for elite training. The move will cost the Saints up to $250,000 and force the players off the ground until at least late January. Tests found a weed had infiltrated the surface over the past 10-15 years, making it too soft for AFL training. St Kilda chief executive Jim Watts yesterday described the surface as "extremely spongy" . . . "We'd rather not do it, but we can't leave it any longer. It has become unsafe to train on at the elite level," Watts said. "It would be irresponsible of us not to act." St Kilda has for several months suspected a link between its extraordinary run of soft tissue injuries and the softness of the ground.
The Article Mark Stevens/HeraldSun/30Sept05
'Burkey' moving on
Nathan Burke has ended his 20 year association with St Kilda by declaring he "will always be a member of the St Kilda family" adding he believes the club is on verge of sustained success. Burke denied his decision to leave Moorabbin, where he is the club's games record holder before having served as an assistant coach in the past two years, was due to a falling out with senior coach Grant Thomas. Instead Burke, who will remain with the club until the end of October, has decided to pursue a career outside of football. "I have been in discussions with Grant for several weeks about my future outside of football and he has been extremely supportive of my decision to try and expand my career," Burke told saints.com.au on Thursday. "After 20 years at Moorabbin, I feel that it is time to see whether the skills I have learnt as a footballer and coach translate to other areas."
The Article Paul Gough/Sportal/saints.com.au/29Sept05
Burke to tackle life Jim Wilson/HeraldSun/30Sept05
Loyal Saint for 19 years
Burke's departure has hollow ring to it
It is a sad one, though. Nathan Burke has stepped down as an assistant coach at St Kilda and walked away from the club. This season just gone AFL clubs employed 71 assistant coaches. That one quits is not shattering. They are mostly anonymous. At Adelaide, it might be only Neil Craig who knows who his left and right arm men are. Burke is different. He is a legend at St Kilda. He started there in 1987, a 17-year-old kid from Frankston. He played his last game in round 19 in 2003. It was his 323rd game. No other St Kilda footballer has played more. In his playing time the club performed poorly. It was no fault of his. Burke finished third in the Brownlow Medal, won three best and fairest awards, was named All-Australian four times and co-skippered the side for three seasons and captained it for two. He was captain in his one grand final appearance. After leading by 13 points at half-time the Saints lost to Adelaide by 31 points. As just about always, he was named among the best.
The Article Patrick Smith/TheAustralian/30Sept05
Burke quits Saints Jim Wilson/HeraldSun/29Sept05
2005 TRADING and DRAFT
Potential first-rounders TheAge/02Oct05
Furgus Watts saintsational.com
Mock Draft 2005 footydraft.com
2005 NAB AFL Draft Camp - 73 Invited saintsational.com
Aurora boost in 2006
A record five AFL matches will be played in Tasmania during the 2006 season including a round 12 blockbuster between Hawthorn and Richmond, the AFL announced on Thursday. It is the most number of games ever staged in a season in the Apple Isle with all the games to be played at Launceston's Aurora Stadium, formerly York Park. In recent seasons Hawthorn and St Kilda have each staged two home matches in Tasmania but the Hawks will play an additional home match at the ground this season - in round one against Fremantle - because its home ground the MCG will be unavailable early in the season due to the Commonwealth Games.
Saints Tassy Games 2006
Round 5, Sun 30 April: St. Kilda vs. Fremantle
Round 16, Sun 23 July: St. Kilda vs. Port Adelaide
The Article Paul Gough/Sportal/saints.com.au/29Sept05
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