2005 - AFL Home and Away Season
Round 14 - Pregame Articles
Round 14
AFL Family Round
Western Bulldogs vs St Kilda
M.C.G. Sun 3 July 2005, 2:10 PM AEST
TAB Sportsbet: Bulldogs $2.50 St Kilda $1.47
Centrebet: Bulldogs $2.40 St Kilda $1.55
Sunday's line-up
The Saints have made six changes for Sunday's clash against the Western Bulldogs at the MCG with veteran midfielder Andrew Thompson, big man Justin Koschitzke and Mark McGough making the final 22. Rugged pair Aaron Hamill and Brent Guerra and veteran Justin Peckett are the other three changes, while Aussie Jones, Leigh Montagna, Allan Murray, Aaron Fiora, Raphael Clarke and Andrew McQualter have all been omitted. McQualter, Jason Blake and Xavier Clarke have been named as emergencies.
The Article saints.com.au/01Jul05
Big names back for Saints
St Kilda has included eight players in its 25-man squad for Sunday's clash against the Western Bulldogs at the MCG while dropping five players. Coming back into the 18 are Aaron Hamill, Brent Guerra and Justin Peckett, while Andrew Thompson, Justin Koschitzke, Xavier Clarke, Mark McGough and Jason Blake have also been included on the seven-man bench. The Saints have sprung a major surprise, dropping Aussie Jones, who was last year named an All-Australian. Leigh Montagna, Allan Murray, Aaron Fiora and Raphael Clarke have also been omitted.
The Article saints.com.au/30Jun05
All Round 14 teams Michael Horan/HeraldSun/30Jun05
Teams: Hamill back, Aussie axed Michael Horan/HeraldSun/01Jul05
Will Grant's Saints make a charge?
The Saints' mid-season report.
. . . For all their deficiencies, surely a line-up with so much talent can build some momentum. If the Saints fail to make the finals, the season will be a massive waste. The club's best run this year has been three victories in a row from Rounds 4-6 (Melbourne, Richmond and Collingwood). The problem at the moment is that it's tough enough just winning one match, let alone jumping on a streak. With five games remaining at Telstra Dome, and just one interstate trip against Fremantle, the draw is challenging without being impossible to overcome.
The Article Mark Robinson/HeraldSun/02Jul05
Time for Saints to get tough
Brisbane's triple premiership rover Shaun Hart has questioned St Kilda's ability to withstand - and dish out - the physical and mental intimidation that goes with winning grand finals. Hart, who retired last year after 273 games with Brisbane, said he agreed with recent criticism of several St Kilda players for showing a distinct lack of physical presence. "There were three or four on that list that I knew, when I was playing against them, that unless they made the decision in that area they weren't going to be very valuable to their team," Hart said this week.
The Article Trevor Grant/HeraldSun/02Jul05
Hamill top chance to return
. . . "Now if we can do it before (that), it would be terrific, but we need to understand that it takes time and a lot of these guys - four of our six defenders are 21 and under - so we're trying to build something." The picture painted of St Kilda as a side in dire straits was inaccurate, Thomas said. "We've got the fifth-highest percentage in the competition," he said. "We're one game from fifth spot. We're two points behind eighth. We just need to re-group this week and make a statement game-day."
The Article Jane Holroyd/TheAge/01Jul05
Thomas doubters revel in his woes
. . . Thomas is perhaps the most 'potted' coach in recent football history. If he fails to reach the finals this year, the anti-Thomas league will be unable to contain its collective schadenfreude - the German word that describes the enjoyment of another's suffering. The death-riding isn't universal, nor is Thomas the only coach with enemies, but, in his fourth full year at the helm, the Thomas doubters are sharpening their weapons of mass ridicule. Even in a bitchy industry, in which people are quick to wag fingers and pinpoint the shortcomings of others, Thomas is subject to a remarkable level of hostility. From whence does this resentment come? The starting point was the manner in which Thomas ascended to the position he now occupies. In the eyes of many, Thomas tore down an icon in Malcolm Blight and then, with Rod Butterss' support, installed himself as coach without enduring the laborious apprenticeships and rites most others required before they became senior coaches. So there's a touch of resentment and tinge of envy, but that's hardly enough to explain the extent of the Thomas potting.
The Article Jake Niall/TheAge/01Jul05
St Kilda and NEC - new business partners form a winning team
The words to the club song of AFL side St Kilda are being sung loud and long throughout the corridors of Australia's leading ICT Solutions company NEC Business Solutions, following the announcement today of a major business partnership. The partnership, which has taken two months of extensive negotiations, sets a new precedence for corporations and sporting clubs and how they will work together in the future. Under the arrangement, the St Kilda Football Club will become a channel business partner of the ICT giant. The partnership will be an ongoing relationship.
The Article saints.com.au/01Jul05
Old failings, like smoking, stunt growth
Sometimes it is difficult to work out whether football is growing up or merely growing old. Born in 1897 and named the VFL, the country's indigenous game is more than 100 years old and now calls itself the AFL. It has taken root everywhere but Sydney. Perth and Adelaide can both boast two premierships, Brisbane three in a row. The money spent to grow the game in Sydney has been wasted. Scandalously so. The Swans-Collingwood game last Saturday was not just the only game in town, it was the only one played across the nation. It drew less than 45,000 people - the Swans were pulling crowds of 39,000 to the SCG in the mid-80s - and rated just eight in the local market.
The Article Patrick Smith/TheAustralian/02Jul05
Round 14
AFL Family Round
Western Bulldogs vs. St Kilda
M.C.G. Sun 3 July 2005, 2:10 PM AEST
Thomas evades Sam Newman ambush
St Kilda coach Grant Thomas coolly sidestepped a Sam Newman ambush at his weekly press conference yesterday. Armed with an array of loaded, needling questions, The Footy Show regular failed to rattle Thomas's composure. After copping his fair share of criticism this week following the defeat by Essendon last Friday, Thomas was too smart for his interrogator.
The Article Michael Horan/HeraldSun/01Jul05
Hamill toughens St Kilda 'softies'
St Kilda coach Grant Thomas yesterday conceded his team was soft and said that the inclusion of Aaron Hamill for Sunday's MCG match against the Western Bulldogs would increase the Saints' intensity. When asked if it was a myth that the Saints were soft, Thomas said: "No I don't think it's a myth. We've been definitely selective in our efforts and it's fair to say on a few occasions we haven't been any where near as hard at the footy. This year it's been inconsistent and when that happens you actually dilute that image, and when you dilute your image you lose a lot of your intimidation, and we've got to win that back."
The Article Greg Denham and Jenny McAsey/TheAustralian/01Jul05
Saints flag not yet: Thomas
. . . . Thomas pointed out his richly-talented list was still developing and called for patience. "Potentially, we do have the best list, but by the same token if every other team that's been very successful in the last two decades has been afforded three to five years of finals experience before they've won it - we've had one year - we should be afforded the same," he said. "We're trying to do it as quickly as we can, we're not out of the woods yet, the game is not over this year and we're still very confident of what we can achieve."
The Article AAP/FOXSports/30Jun05
Dogs have Saints agenda
Western Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade admits the heat being on this week's opponent St Kilda is not ideal. "I think you always hope the team that you are going to play is going to win (the week before)," he said. The focus of the football world is now well and truly on the Saints who continue to disappoint. They are now ninth on the same number of wins as the Bulldogs after starting the season as overwhelming premiership favourites. "They have copped a bit in the media and they are probably unfortunate in many ways that they were the only game in town (on the weekend) and people have to write about something," Eade said about the Saints' shock loss to Essendon on Friday night.
The Article Scott Gullan/TheAge/28Jun05
Bouncing Ball
St Kilda is in danger of shortening Luke Ball's career unless it finds a way of protecting him on the field. Ball has become the most targeted player in the Saints' team, each week being hunted by the opposition and dealt questionable treatment. The most glaring example was the incident involving Port Adelaide's Aaron Shattock in Tasmania on June 5. While only Shattock will know what was in his mind, it looked to me very much like a premeditated strike . . . While his teammates must love him, they must start to share the load before he buckles at the knees under the weight of the pressure, and physical contact, being heaped on him by opponents. Surely those around him feel the need to join and help.
The Article Tim Watson/TheAge/29Jun05
Blame us, not the coach: Baker
St Kilda tagger Steven Baker says the players and not coach Grant Thomas are to blame for the club under-achieving this year admitting the players were suffering under the burden of expectation. Baker, one of the Saints' toughest players, said the Saints also have to start playing harder football starting with Sunday's potentially season-defining game against the Western Bulldogs at the MCG.
The Article Paul Gough/saints.com.au/30Jun05
Aussie Jones Chat Transcript
SaintsBaBe: Hey Aussie! Is there anything wrong with your knee?
Aussie Jones: No.. nothing major. Its a bit sore, but nothing that hampers me on gameday.
Rach_4_Riewoldt: Where is your favourite place to play in the field?
Aussie Jones: I like playing across half-back - its been good for me over the past few years.
The Transcript Noddy/saints.com.au
Light at the end of the tunnel
The St Kilda Football Club is at the cross-roads in 2005. The same team that were moral favourites for premiership success have spiraled into self-oblivion, thanks largely to a combination of key injuries and poor performances. It is unfair to compare this team with that of last season given the circumstances. After such a promising campaign last season, the Saints have had some long-term injuries to key stars, most notably Aaron Hamill, Justin Koschitzke and Luke Penny. New skipper Nick Riewoldt was sidelined for over a month with a highly publicised shoulder injury while stars like Xavier Clarke and Robert Harvey have been in and out due to niggling injuries. Coach Grant Thomas states, "When we haven't got some key players, there have been some games when we have had up to eight or nine of our starting 18 out of the side. When that happens, you aren't able to perform as well."
The Article Luca Giacobello/saints.com.au/29Jun05
Saints keep punters guessing
St Kilda was not just the hot ticket for the flag in March, it was the only ticket. No fewer than 13 of 16 tipsters (including this one) selected the Saints to win the 2005 premiership in The Age's guide to this season. St Kilda was $5 for the flag then, and a "gimme" at $1.10 to make the eight. But any smarties with money to burn who took that latter price, investing a lot for a very small return, would be feeling decidedly uncomfortable now. Just half a game out of the eight, the Saints obviously can still make it. They have a favourable draw, with just one of their remaining nine games interstate, and the rest at either Telstra Dome or the MCG. Five are against sides at present even lower on the ladder. But the question marks now are large. Will St Kilda ever get its best 22 out on the ground this season? Can a team that has not won consecutive games since round six possibly find enough momentum to make a charge? And are we even still talking about the same team that played such stunning football between March and June last year?
The Article Rohan Connolly/TheAge/27Jun05
How your club ranks AAP/HeraldSun/27Jun05
League faces $1m deadline AAP/FoxSports/29Jun05
AFL rejects drug code Jim Wilson and Damian Barrett/HeraldSun/29Jun05
AFL admits error with a tribunal pleas explain Patrick Smith/TheAustralian/30Jun05
Bring on the second act Garry Lyon/HeraldSun/29Jun05
Saints in no doubt about Thomas
Grant Thomas will continue to coach in 2006, the Saints underperformed in 2005 and pre-season expectation has hurt the players. That was the blunt assessment from St Kilda president Rod Butterss yesterday as his club fends off mounting criticism in a season that has promised plenty and, as yet, delivered little. Buoyant, despite its gloomy ninth position and six wins from 13 games, Butterss said yesterday heads would not roll at the club in this time of underachievement. In the week the Saints expect to see the return of hard man Aaron Hamill, Butterss gave his strongest public support to his coach this year.
The Article Mark Robinson/HeraldSun/29Jun05
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