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2005 - AFL Home and Away Season

Round 17 - Pregame Articles

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Round 17
St Kilda vs. Collingwood
Telstra Dome Fri 22 July 2005, 7:40 PM AEST
TV: Channel 9 (delayed)
Radio: 3AW, 3MMM, ABC News radio
TAB Sportsbet: St Kilda $1.18 Collingwood $4.25
Centrebet: St Kilda $1.15 Collingwood $5.25

HeraldSun Preview: After clawing its way out of a slump, St Kilda is set for its fourth win in succession - and needs to make sure of the four points with a tough run coming up against Melbourne, Geelong, the Kangaroos and Fremantle at Subiaco. Justin Koschitzke has revelled in the increased responsibility due to the absence of injured fellow forwards Nick Riewoldt and Aaron Hamill. No wonder there are reports financially-flattened Carlton want him. Lenny Hayes and Nick Dal Santo continue to perform at a high level in the midfield as the Saints settle into the top eight.
R17 Previews - Herald Sun
TEAMS & INTERACTIVE MATCH-UPS

Saints unchanged for Pies clash
St Kilda will enter Friday night's clash against Collingwood at Telstra Dome with the same line-up that thrashed Richmond by 69 points last round. The selectors opted to take a safety-first approach by holding back skipper Nick Riewoldt who had been keen to return after missing the past two matches with a collarbone. St Kilda will be looking to record four wins in a row, a feat it has not achieved this season. The Saints have named Leigh Montagna, Luke Penny and Mark McGough as their emergencies. Collingwood has included six new players for its round 17 fixture - including several key selections. The Magpies have named Heath Shaw, the younger brother of Rhyce and the son of former Collingwood skipper Ray, for his first AFL match. Shaw was a father/son selection at the 2003 NAB AFL Draft.
rticle & Teams saints.com.au/21Jul05
Magpies pick another first-gamer Emma Quayle/TheAge/22Jul05
Things go bitter with Cloke Grantlee Kieza/TheAustralian/22Jul05

Saint unleashes his mean streak
St Kilda legend Neil Roberts calls it an 'element of grunt'. Coach Grant Thomas says it's all about being 'cruel to be kind'. Getting to know you: Stephen Milne and Justin Koschitzke celebrate last week's win over Richmond at the MCG. They're talking about the mean streak in natural born leader Justin Koschitzke. As a country kid, Koschitzke loved shooting out the back of Brocklesby. Now he's brought both barrels to the back rooms of Moorabbin. Koschitzke has always led by his exemplary actions, but Thomas is happy to report he now boasts a young champion willing to verbally challenge his peers.
The Article Mark Stevens/HeraldSun/22Jul05

Saint back: Justin time
Nick Riewoldt and Justin Koschitzke came to AFL football as if in a three-legged race. They were a month apart in age, were roughly the same size and were taken first and second in same draft by the same club. They moved in together, and the St Kilda fans counted their blessings doubly. But in the five years since, it has proved almost impossible for each to put his best forward at the same time. In 2001, their first year, Koschitzke played all but three games, principally at centre half-back, and won the Rising Star award. Riewoldt, who did his knee early, played only the last six games. "People forget," said Brian Waldron, then chief executive. "I vividly remember Kosi's first year. He played centre-half back on Tredrea one night when we got absolutely towelled up, but he towelled Tredrea up."
The Article Greg Baum/TheAge/22Jul05

Koschitzke's pay won't soar
St Kilda coach Grant Thomas says Justin Koschitzke's price tag hasn't exploded in the past three weeks. "I don't subscribe to that . . . you expect players to perform at their best the whole time," Thomas said last night. "It would be silly of us to take a three-week stab of Kosi and do a contract according to that. It has to be taken over the long term" . . . "You can't take a three-week situation in isolation and say, 'Kabash, kaboom, away we go'" . . . "You take a very balanced view as to how a player's performing over a period of time and what his expected performance levels are. What comes out of that is a fair, reasonable situation for all parties given our unique situation."
The Article Mark Stevens/HeraldSun/22Jul05

Carlton likely to miss Saint
Carlton's ambitious bid to grab out-of-contract Saint Justin Koschitzke - reported exclusively in The Age yesterday - is almost certain to fail, with the acting captain now closer to signing a new deal with the Saints. Koschitzke has said on several occasions he will sign a new deal with the club that drafted him at No. 2 in the 2000 national draft. Last night, Koschitzke's manager, Liam Pickering, said his client was keen to concentrate on playing football but was "more than likely" to sign a new deal. Koschitzke would be able to earn about $200,000 a year more if he went to another club. The 22-year-old has played 67 games with the Saints and has been in rare form in recent weeks while captaining the club.
The Article Karen Lyon/TheAge/22Jul05

Eddie orders review of footy department
Even Eddie McGuire has lost patience with the Collingwood Football Club. The Pies' president and most passionate supporter has ordered a total review of the football department, the only section of the club not functioning productively. Red faced: Eddie McGuire was embarrassed by the Pies' loss to Essendon. McGuire was stung into action last Friday night during Collingwood's embarrassing loss to Essendon at the MCG. Immediately he completed his commitments with Channel 9, he went to the Collingwood rooms to register his dissatisfaction. He said last night his post-game appearance was "short and to the point". He admitted he was embarrassed by the 26-point loss, a margin that flattered the Magpies.
The Article Mike Sheahan/HeraldSun/22Jul05

Riewoldt likely to return against Melbourne
St Kilda star Nick Riewoldt has been cleared by his surgeon to resume playing but is likely to be rested for another week and miss tomorrow night's clash with Collingwood. Riewoldt has recovered from his shoulder injury, which doctors are now confident was damage to his A/C joint and not another break to his collarbone, as initially feared. The change in diagnosis means Riewoldt will miss three matches and not the eight that had been predicted. The St Kilda captain will return for next week's match against Melbourne at the MCG. In bad news for Melbourne fans, Riewoldt will be joined by two former captains, Aaron Hamill and Robert Harvey, and defender Luke Penny. Saints coach Grant Thomas said Riewoldt was likely to be rested again this week. "At this stage we think it doubtful he will play, but it's difficult until we train tomorrow to say," Thomas said.
The Article Michael Gleeson/TheAge/21Jul05

Round 17
St Kilda vs. Collingwood
Telstra Dome Fri 22 July 2005, 7:40 PM AEST
TV: Channel 9 (delayed)
Radio: 3AW, 3MMM, ABC News radio

Thomas sets paddock for primed beef
Grant Thomas is facing a dilemma every other AFL coach would love to have. Nick Riewoldt will return from injury either tomorrow night against Collingwood or next week against Melbourne. Aaron Hamill is also on the way back, perhaps as early as a week's time. Justin Koschitzke is injury free and in career-best form. Fraser Gehrig is in pursuit of another Coleman Medal, a freshly grown mullet flapping in the breeze. Put them together and you have 400kg of prime forward line cattle. The question for Thomas and his St Kilda match committee is whether there is room for them all to graze in the same paddock.
The Article Chip Le Grand/TheAustralian/21Jul05

Andrew Thompson Chat Transcript
GorgessSainter08: Hey Thommo . . . Thanks for coming . . . Great game on the weekend! . . . just wondering how did Roo pull up after yesterday? What are the chances of Roo and Aaron playing this week?
Andrew Thompson: Roo is fine - its up to the medical staff now. Aaron's chances this week - zero - he'll probably be back the week after.
LaUrEnCe: Hey Thommo, what is your opinion on the Telstra Dome surface?
Andrew Thompson: I think it is slippery. I haven't found it as hard as previous years, but it is hard to keep your footing, but it is great to play at because of the atmosphere.
The Transcript Noddy/saints.com.au/20Jul05

Fisher a catch for Saints
Sam Fisher has taken giant strides forward in his fledgling football career since the start of the season and he aims to continue to learn and improve as the year progresses. Drafted from West Adelaide with pick 55 in the 2003 national draft, the 23-year-old played seven games in his debut season and has managed to cement his spot in the Saints' back six this year - playing all 16 games so far. The 191-centimetre-tall defender hails from Barmera in South Australia's Riverland region, and recently signed a new contract that will see him in a Saints jumper until the end of 2008.
The Transcript Jason Phelan/afl/saints.com.au/21Jul05

Carlton makes bid for Koschitzke
Carlton has made a bid to lure out-of-contract St Kilda star Justin Koschitzke from Moorabbin as it continues its hard line in the face of contractual demands from Matthew Lappin, Scott Camporeale and Lance Whitnall. The 22-year-old Saints' acting captain has found himself at the top of the Blues' most-wanted list as he remains one of the last significant pieces in Grant Thomas' jigsaw of unsigned young stars. The Carlton administration, which yesterday announced that three of the club's more talented younger players had agreed to new deals, is understood to have approached Koschitzke's manager Liam Pickering last week with a massive unofficial offer.Pickering last night refused to confirm the Blues' approach - which followed an equally determined push from Sydney - but said that while he expected his client to remain at St Kilda he wanted to concentrate for now on continuing his solid form for the Saints.Koschitzke's market price has risen considerably over the past month as his form and on-field leadership role have helped lift the Saints back into top-four contention.
The Article Caroline Wilson and Karen Lyon/TheAge/21Jul05
Koschitzke talks healthy Mark Stevens/HeraldSun/19Jul05

Ball's thumbs up
A prominent St Kilda playmaker trained with a taped left thumb yesterday . . . and it wasn't Fraser Gehrig. Onballer Luke Ball is protecting what the club said was a jarred thumb rather than bone or tendon damage. The tape didn't affect the brilliant Saint's ball-handling during a solid 60-minute session that included body-contact drills at Moorabbin. But it's another mishap to a top player that the Saints don't need, particularly with Gehrig forced to see out the season with similar protection for damaged tendons in his left thumb. Assistant coach Matt Rendell said Ball didn't have a scan after medical staff decided after last Saturday's win against Richmond that the thumb was only bruised. Most of the focus was on forward Nick Riewoldt's right shoulder and full-back Luke Penny's right knee. And it seems Aaron Hamill is closer to a return. He worked strongly while avoiding the physical clashes.
The Article Bruce Matthews/HeraldSun/20Jul05

Riewoldt hopeful of making early return
St Kilda has not ruled out the shock early return of superstar Nick Riewoldt for Friday night's clash with Collingwood. In a stunning turnaround, the Saints are confident Riewoldt is suffering nothing more than a medium-grade AC joint injury. It was initially feared Riewoldt had suffered a cracked collarbone and would miss up to eight weeks. Now, if he can pass a test later in the week, Riewoldt's time on the sidelines could be slashed to two weeks. "He's a slight chance for this week," St Kilda coach Grant Thomas said last night.
The Article Mark Stevens/HeraldSun/19Jul05
Riewoldt ready to return AAP/FoxSports/19Jul05
Riewoldt to be considered for early return ABCSport/19Jul05
Who Are We Going To Drop? saintsational.com

Riewoldt looms likely
Saints' skipper Nick Riewoldt is one step closer to returning from a shoulder injury against Collingwood this Friday night after successfully completing a skills session at Moorabbin on Tuesday. The star forward was thought to have re-fractured the collarbone he broke in round one against the Bulldogs just over a fortnight ago, but is in line for the early return after further tests revealed a medium-grade AC joint strain. Club doctors will assess Riewoldt's recovery from the session on Wednesday and assistant coach Matt Rendell said the Saints saw no reason to use caution if he was passed fit. "It's not a risk if he trains and he's okay and they declare him fit to play - I can't see where the risk is," Rendell said from Moorabbin on Tuesday. "If there's any question mark he won't play - we've just got to wait and see how it is tomorrow. If it's not 100 per cent then he won't play."
The Article Jason Phelan/Sportal/saints.com.au/19Jul05
Riewoldt says he's fit to face PiesThe Article Michael Gleeson/TheAge/20Jul05

Koschitzke talks healthy
St Kilda coach Grant Thomas last night dismissed reports stand-in skipper Justin Koschitzke had postponed all contract talks until the end of the season. Thomas said he continued to have "very, very healthy" discussions with Koschitzke's management. He said he was confident an agreement was 'imminent'.
The Article Mark Stevens/HeraldSun/19Jul05

King of the Taggers
Steven Baker has made a name for himself in the AFL as being one of the best taggers. Although it is a role football purists cringe at, it is so important in nullifying the opposition's best on-baller and a role that Baker has mastered, "I love tagging opposition players. I usually get the job on guys like Juddy (Chris Judd) if we play West Coast and today it was Andrew Krakouer. Ultimately it depends on who we are playing on the week and which player is a real threat. Grant (Thomas) reminded me at three-quarter time to keep on him because he is a player capable of bobbing up and kicking a couple of quick goals so it was important to keep him quiet." Baker added another notch onto his belt against the Tigers, keeping the exciting small forward to only 10 touches and no scoring shots. Baker reinterated that this is a role he is well suited for and one he thinks that he is best served.
The Article Luca Giacobello/saints.com.au/17Jul05

Association concern over AFL deal
The AFL plans to continue its 44-week out-of-competition testing for illicit drugs, regardless of an accommodation with the World Anti-Doping Agency. The AFL today meets the Federal Sport Minister, Rod Kemp, in a bid to find a compromise over the issue of illicit drugs that could cost football millions of dollars in government funding. While it is the penalties for positive tests for illicit drugs, especially marijuana, that has caused the AFL to fall out of step with the WADA, chief executive Andrew Demetriou said last night that the league believed in its 44 weeks of testing.
The Article Jake Nyall/TheAge/19Jul05
AFL signs drugs code news.com.au/TheAustralian/19Jul05
Today's the day the AFL perfects its backflip Patrick Smith/TheAustralian/19Jul05

Body blow for Demetriou as AFL code goes up in smoke
This is not a compromise. This is a capitulation. These are the grimmest moments in Andrew Demetriou's reign as AFL chief executive. Dark times, too, for the AFL commissioners. The league yesterday informed federal Sports Minister Rod Kemp that the league would comply with the drug protocols of the World Anti-Doping Agency from November 1. The meeting went for some 40 minutes. The AFL released a three-paragraph statement. Afterwards an apparently rattled Demetriou left a news conference only to return about 30 seconds later, although he refused to answer questions. He then ignored the media as he made his way to his car. Last month Demetriou sat in line with his medical commissioner Peter Harcourt and general manager, football operations, Adrian Anderson to explain why the league would refuse to comply with the WADA code. In the room were Colin McLeod, the league's chief media spinner, and players' boss Brendon Gale. The league said there were three reasons why the AFL could not possibly sign on the dotted line come the government-set deadline of June 30.
The Article PatrickSmith/TheAustralian/20Jul05

Saints re-sign Clarkes
St Kilda has received a mid-season morale boost, with the double re-signing of brothers Xavier and Raphael Clarke for the next two years. The Clarkes committed to the Saints until the end of 2007 on Monday, and the club emphasised its delight at the re-contracting of its two young speedsters. "Both Xavier and Raphael have important parts to play to the future of the St Kilda Football Club and we are delighted that they have shown their dedication to the team, our members, and other stakeholders in committing for a further term," club chief executive Jim Watts said in a statement. Older brother Xavier has played 63 games for the club since making his debut in 2002, and was a NAB AFL Rising Star Nominee in the same year.
The Article Jennifer Witham/Sportal/saints.com.au/11Jul05
Both Clarkes have just re-signed for 2 years saintsational.com

Can Koschitzke arrive Just-in time?
When I sat down with SportsAustralia's newly assigned Chief Football writer Brett Collett at the start of the year to thrash out the AFL's top 50 players, the name Justin Koschitzke was thrown up - and duly rejected. Collett asserted that the list would lack credibility if Koschitzke - a 'one season wonder' - was included among the elites of the game. Despite my protests about the versatility, strength and ability of 'Kosi', he was right. Potential has become a dirty word in football circles, and Koschitzke is surely the biggest case in point. A stellar debut season in 2001 has been proceeded by years of injury-plagued cameos, yet some of us still have a burning belief that he is ready to break out and claim the mantle of the league's most effective big man.
The Article Sebastian Hassett/Sports Australia/12Jul05

Nine, Saints call truce
A two-hour meeting yesterday has resolved the dispute between St Kilda and Channel Nine. The meeting established a truce between the two warring parties a day after St Kilda president Rod Butterss called for a boycott of Nine's The Footy Show and described Sam Newman on radio as a terrorist for the manner in which he 'ambushed' a press conference with Saints coach Grant Thomas. A meeting was called early yesterday by Channel Nine's Melbourne managing director Paul Waldron. Waldron and The Footy Show host Eddie McGuire met with Butterss and Thomas at Nine's Richmond offices and thrashed out their differences. Butterss did not resile from his spirited defence of his club and coach but admitted he was ill-advised in talking of terrorism in reference to a football spat.
The Article Michael Gleeson/TheAge/12Jul05
Saints, Eddie make up Mark Robinson/HeraldSun/12Jul05
Saints call for Footy Show boycott over Newman Michael Gleeson and Lyall Johnson/TheAge/11Jul05
Saints boss attacks Packer, Eddie, Sam Mark Robinson/HeraldSun/11Jul05

Reefer Madness In The Spaceship
Don't do it, Collo! Don't invite those desperate outlaws into the tent. Now that it looks like the WADA laws will be used in the AFL, and all those addled footy stars will have to throw away their bongs or seek employment elsewhere, the big nobs at Docklands have decided to go with the world's biggest hydroponic set up to fix up the grass in the spaceship. Cheyenne immediately thinks of Dracula and the Bloodbank. Collo, I implore you. Lead them not into temptation, and stick with the weaker (but more slippery) stuff.
The Transcript Cheyenne Autumn/saints.com.au/18Jul05