2005 - AFL Home and Away Season
Round 18 - Results and Post-game Articles
Melbourne: 5.3 7.6 11.6 13.10 (88)
St Kilda: 8.3 13.6 23.12 27.14 (176)
Goals - Melbourne: Robertson 6, Yze 3, Miller 2, Moloney, Wheatley
St Kilda: Gehrig 7, Dal Santo 5, Montagna 3, Guerra 2, Koschitzke 2, Ball, Hamill, Hayes, Maguire, Milne, Powell, Riewoldt, Voss
Best - Melbourne: Robertson, Wheatley, Moloney, Miller, White
St Kilda: Dal Santo, Gehrig, Hayes, Hudghton, Hamill, Riewoldt, Koschitzke, Harvey, Baker
Injuries - Melbourne: Bruce (Knee), Carroll (Concussion), Mcdonald (Shoulder), Neitz (Jarred Knee), Whelan (Hand)
St Kilda: Thompson (Broken Nose)
Changes - Melbourne: Nil
St Kilda: Ackland (Knee) Replaced In Selected Side By Montagna.
Reports - Melbourne Nil
St Kilda: Nil
Umpires - Vozzo, Davis, Mclaren
Crowd - 39,584 At The MCG
Contenders' run home
St Kilda 11 wins 126.2% 40
v Geelong TD
v Kangaroos TD
v Fremantle Subi
v Brisbane Lions TD
Saints have three games at Telstra Dome to come. Healthy percentage and still a chance for second spot if it keeps winning and Crows slip up.
All 2005 Contenders HeraldSun/01Aug05
NEW INJURIES
Lenny hayes is suffering from leather poisoning
Goose has chronic markers syndrome, he can't seem to not mark the ball
Kosi has suffering from bitchsmackitis and he put away jeff white to add recent bitches of Josh Fraser
Max has a sore foot from kicking neitzs @r$e all day long
Harvey is getting reverse magnetic treatment as the ball seems to follow him whereever he goes.
Ball has a sore shoulder from slamming bong boy and co to the ground all day long
Dal Santo is suffering from sun glare as he tried to find where Yze was hiding all day long
The Thread - Dan - saintsational.com
Saints thrash downhill skiers
. . . When Thomas sits to rate the team element of his benchmarks, he can consider that St Kilda's 27 goals came from 13 different players. When he considers effort, he will note that 12 players, across all parts of the ground, gathered 15 possessions or more. When he considers the relentlessness of the Saints' assault, he will see they kicked the last goal in each quarter. Thomas says the recent absence of Riewoldt and Hamill, in particular, has alerted the Saints to the dangers of focusing too heavily on personnel. It was a lesson the Demons learnt to their humiliation yesterday when they arrived on the ground with eyes only for Riewoldt - almost to the point of obsession - and Hamill, and made it their business to work them over, before the first bounce and beyond.
The Article Mark Fuller/TheAge/31Jul05
From bad to worse for wounded Melbourne Lyall Johnson/TheAge/31Jul05
Assault not planned: Daniher Lyall Johnson/TheAge/31Jul05
Saints hand out a humiliation
An awesome St Kilda has humiliated Melbourne by 88 points at the MCG, to make it five wins on the trot and a make top four berth increasingly likely come the finals. The loss leaves Melbourne fans contemplating yet another costly late season fade-out and the loss of key midfielder Cameron Bruce to a potentially season-ending knee injury, while long-suffering Saints' fans are entitled to be dreaming of premiership glory after this sensational display. The Saints 27.14 (176) to 13.10 (88) win means they have now won their past five games by an average of 11 goals as they look certain to finish in the top four and lead Victoria's premiership charge in 2005 against non-Victorian juggernauts West Coast and Adelaide.
The Article Paul Gough/saints.com.au/30Jul05
Merciless Saints demoralise Dees
With the season accelerating towards the finals, it was a "mess with us at your peril" edict by the Saints. They were not going to be intimidated and pushed around. From the moment the fired-up Melbourne players chested several red, white and black guernseys even as everyone wandered down the MCG to take up positions, no one in that St Kilda away strip took a backward step. Sure, it helped to have the aggression and strength of Aaron Hamill back on the forward line. And the Saints made sure they were not going to stand aside and watch skipper Nick Riewoldt be the target in the ferocious early tactics.
The Article Bruce Matthews/HeraldSun/31Jul05
Dees' crisis deepens with five injuries Jon Ralph/HeraldSun/31Jul05
Two fates sealed in three-act drama Jon Ralph/HeraldSun/31Jul05
Cats set for battle Jon Ralph/HeraldSun/31Jul05
No let-up for Saints: Thomas
. . . "There's no resting in this business - there's just no rest," Thomas said. "The moment you think about resting and the moment you think about taking an easy option, you'll get beaten and we're not over the line yet and we've just got to box this one and have a look at where we could've been better. There's enormous pressure on every guy playing in the AFL because there is nowhere to hide and the scrutiny is very heavy and we're relishing that, but the thing that I'm most proud of from a club perspective is that the guys are dealing with that adversity very well."
The Article Matt Burgan/saints.com.au/30Jul05
General Hamill marches back
. . . Dal Santo did not want his side to rely on Hamill for anything. But he appreciated having him back. "There's always a real boost when you get someone back, especially when they haven't been out there for a while," Dal Santo said. "It gives everyone a bit of a lift, but at the same time you can't focus on it too much because one player doesn't make the team. We couldn't expect his form to be what it was before he got injured and for his confidence to come back the same straight away, but he always gives a lot of encouragement to the boys with his work ethic and his aggression. He's probably one of the most competitive people I've ever come across and he was like that today, right from the start. He hates to lose. It's one of his greatest assets and that's something that just rubs off on people, even if you're trying not to rely on it. You always know he's out there."
The Article Emma Quayle:/TheAge/31Jul05
Saints march on, Dees sinking fast
. . . Full-forward Fraser Gehrig booted seven goals and midfielder Nick Dal Santo five as the Saints dominated every area of the ground. The Demons have now lost six straight matches, are set to tumble out of the eight by the end of the round, and will take a battered confidence into next Saturday's clash with second-placed Adelaide at AAMI Stadium. But possibly more concerning for Melbourne are Cameron Bruce and captain David Neitz, who both finished the game on the bench with knee injuries. The match had a finals-like feel early, with Melbourne players instigating plenty of scuffles before the bounce as they attempted to show their desire to save their sinking season.
The Article AAP/HeraldSun/30Jul05
Saints send Demons packing
Fraser Gehrig kicked seven goals as St Kilda thrashed Melbourne by 88 points in the round 18 AFL match at the MCG this afternoon . . . Melbourne's finals hopes now appear in tatters, with Russell Robertson (six goals) the only shining light in a poor team performance. The Saints, on the other hand, had numerous stars with Nick Dal Santo (5) and Leigh Montagna (3) also amongst the goals. Brent Guerra and Justin Koschitzke kicked doubles, while Lenny Hayes was busy for the Saints with 26 possessions and one goal.
The Article Katie Franklin/ABCSport/30Jul05
Saints hand out a humiliation
An awesome St Kilda has humiliated Melbourne by 88 points at the MCG, to make it five wins on the trot and a make top four berth increasingly likely come the finals. The loss leaves Melbourne fans contemplating yet another costly late season fade-out and the loss of key midfielder Cameron Bruce to a potentially season-ending knee injury, while long-suffering Saints' fans are entitled to be dreaming of premiership glory after this sensational display. The Saints 27.14 (176) to 13.10 (88) win means they have now won their past five games by an average of 11 goals as they look certain to finish in the top four and lead Victoria's premiership charge in 2005 against non-Victorian juggernauts West Coast and Adelaide.
The Article Paul Gough/saints.com.au/30Jul05
No let-up for Saints: Thomas
. . . "There's no resting in this business - there's just no rest," Thomas said. "The moment you think about resting and the moment you think about taking an easy option, you'll get beaten and we're not over the line yet and we've just got to box this one and have a look at where we could've been better. There's enormous pressure on every guy playing in the AFL because there is nowhere to hide and the scrutiny is very heavy and we're relishing that, but the thing that I'm most proud of from a club perspective is that the guys are dealing with that adversity very well."
The Article Matt Burgan/saints.com.au/30Jul05
Saints march on, Dees sinking fast
. . . Full-forward Fraser Gehrig booted seven goals and midfielder Nick Dal Santo five as the Saints dominated every area of the ground. The Demons have now lost six straight matches, are set to tumble out of the eight by the end of the round, and will take a battered confidence into next Saturday's clash with second-placed Adelaide at AAMI Stadium. But possibly more concerning for Melbourne are Cameron Bruce and captain David Neitz, who both finished the game on the bench with knee injuries. The match had a finals-like feel early, with Melbourne players instigating plenty of scuffles before the bounce as they attempted to show their desire to save their sinking season.
The Article AAP/HeraldSun/30Jul05
Saints send Demons packing
Fraser Gehrig kicked seven goals as St Kilda thrashed Melbourne by 88 points in the round 18 AFL match at the MCG this afternoon . . . Melbourne's finals hopes now appear in tatters, with Russell Robertson (six goals) the only shining light in a poor team performance. The Saints, on the other hand, had numerous stars with Nick Dal Santo (5) and Leigh Montagna (3) also amongst the goals. Brent Guerra and Justin Koschitzke kicked doubles, while Lenny Hayes was busy for the Saints with 26 possessions and one goal.
The Article Katie Franklin/ABCSport/30Jul05
Dees lose sight
. . . Certainly, several Demons were keen to put Riewoldt's heavily strapped right shoulder through another fitness test. But, generally, it was because the Saints' leader kept getting the footy, six kicks and two handballs in that defining first quarter. Melbourne's only mistake at the start is that, like Geelong in the 1989 Grand Final, it paid a heavy price for implementing the intimidation tactics to the detriment of the main task of getting the ball themselves. Four goals in the first nine minutes gave St Kilda the impetus, with the main contribution coming from an unlikely source. Onballer Nick Dal Santo is generally renowned for his ability to set up goals rather than score them and his four in the opening term emphasised the Saints' frightening adaptability.
The Article Bruce Matthews/HeraldSun/01Aug05
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