2005 - AFL Home and Away Season
Round 7 - Pregame Articles
Round 7
Geelong vs. St Kilda
Telstra Dome
Saturday 7th May, 2:10AEST
TEAMS & INTERACTIVE MATCH-UPS
TV: CH10 Melb. 3.30pm, Adel. 1.30pm
Perth 12pm, sydney & Brisbane 2pm
Radio (Melb): ABC, K-Rock & 3MMM
AFL Online: 3AW Audio & Live scores & stats
TAB Sportsbet: Geelong $2.10 St Kilda $1.65
Centrebet: Geelong $1.95 St Kilda $1.85
R7 All teams HeraldSun
The contenders
So this is the New World Order. When Geelong and St Kilda face off at Docklands this afternoon, they will do so as Victorian powers of the national competition, albeit still chasing the ultimate prize, but powers nonetheless. What's unmistakeable about it is that it's unfamiliar. Geelong and St Kilda have no history of uncommon enmity in football, having never played in a grand final or even a preliminary final. They haven't even met in a final since 1991, when Gary Ablett snr ironed out a couple of Saints and the Cats sneaked home in a memorable match at Waverley Park. But the old Victorian powers - Collingwood, Carlton and Essendon - are struggling in the bottom half of the ladder, so this is what it has come to . . .
The Article Martin Blake/TheAge/07May05
Riewoldt braces for physical Cats
St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt is bracing himself for a physical assault today when he returns from injury against Geelong at Telstra Dome. However, he is unconcerned by the prospect of close attention from the Cats in his comeback game, having been sidelined for six games with a broken collarbone. "I think I have to expect that. Obviously nothing outside the rules but that's part and parcel of footy," Riewoldt said at a Brighton primary school where he was promoting the walk safely to school program.
The Article Jordan Chong/HeraldSun/07May05
Riewoldt braces for physical Cats Jordan Chong/TheAustralian/07May05
Absent Milburn to play Grantley Bernard/HeraldSun/07May05
Riewoldt keen to start
. . . "It would be nice to have Fraser playing and obviously, you know, there's been a fair bit said about that this week, it's disappointing not to have him out there, but I won't change the way I play because Fraser's in or out. I thought he was probably a little bit unlucky, but I'm probably biased because I'm his teammate." Riewoldt said he expected the Geelong players would test his collarbone with a few solid tackles, saying: "I think I'd expect that. Obviously nothing outside the rules, but it's part and parcel of footy." Silky Saints midfielder Nick Dal Santo was tight-lipped about speculation linking him with a move to Essendon or Collingwood. The Brownlow Medal favourite is out of contract soon and the two AFL powerhouses have allegedly come calling with offers the Saints would find hard to match. "(There is) a lot of speculation at this stage. Obviously it hasn't meant a great deal; I think it's a lot more media-related than there being a lot of truth behind it," Dal Santo said. "(You) can't read too much into it, it's round six and I've got football to play each week, so that's how I'm approaching it." Dal Santo did say he was happy at St Kilda and had 'no reason to leave at this stage'.
The Article Dan Oakes/TheAge/07May05
Bench for Riewoldt?
St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt has confirmed he will be returning to face Geelong this Saturday at Telstra Dome, but he may be starting the game on the interchange bench. The superstar Saint has not played since breaking his collarbone against Brisbane in round one, but said he had completed full training and passed all the tests. "I wouldn't be playing if I hadn't, so (I'm) confident that my collarbone's OK and just looking forward to getting out there and " Riewoldt said on Friday morning at St Joan of Arc Primary School in Brighton, where the Saints were promoting national Walk Safely to School Day." While expecting to play close to a full game, Riewoldt hinted coach Grant Thomas could be starting him on the bench.
The Article Andrew Wu/Sportal/saints.com.au/06May05
Riewoldt in for Gehrig
The Saints have made just the one change as expected for Saturday's match against Geelong at Telstra Dome. Fraser Gehrig will miss the match of the round as he serves a one-match ban for striking and he's replaced by Nick Riewoldt. The Saints' captain has done everything asked of him by club doctors and has been passed fit to resume after breaking his collarbone in round one. Geelong has made one unforced change to the side that rolled the Bulldogs by 35 points last week at Skilled Stadium.
Article & teams saints.com.au/05May05
The Santo cause
When Nick Dal Santo extricates himself from a milling pack with all his usual sublime understatement, it is an expression of his personality as much as his football skill. Even as a child who loved and admired Essendon, he would never overstate his case. He was as passionate as any youngster about the Bombers, but he did not convey it too loudly. Indeed, rather than plaster his bedroom walls with posters of his hero, Tim Watson, he bought a pet canary and called it Timmy. "He was not one of those overly expressive kids with banners and that sort of stuff," explained his father, Peter.
The Article Trevor Grant/HeraldSun/07May05
Hands up if you've had a gutful of hearing how good St Kilda is Scott Gullan/HeraldSun/07May05
Thomas wants Tribunal clarity
St. Kilda coach Grant Thomas has called for consistency and clarity from the Tribunal in the wake of Fraser Gehrig's one-match suspension for striking. Thomas admitted to being frustrated by Gehrig's ban, but said the club chose not to appeal the decision because it was "rushed for time with the deadline and getting through 33 pages of transcript for a tummy tap". Thomas felt the Saints had mounted a solid defence and didn't mince his words when pressed further on his reaction to the ban.
The Article Jason Phelan/Sportal/saints.com.au/04May05
Cats exceed Thompson's expectations
. . . Thompson, who has constantly stood up for his team's talents when they have been compared unfavourably with St Kilda in the past, says he no longer believed his team had a point to prove against the Saints in the battle between Victoria's two rising teams. And he is not daunted about having to play the Saints at their home ground Telstra Dome - where they have won 18 of their past 19 matches including a ten goal win over the Cats in round one of last season - even though the match is a Geelong home game. "I know they play well there but we play well there too," he said of his team, which has won its past seven matches at Docklands."
The Article Paul Gough/Sportal/saints.com.au/04May05
Riewoldt to play, Hamill in doubt Jason Phelan/Sportal/saints.com.au/04May05
Saint back in nick of time
St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt rose gingerly after being tackled by teammate Jason Blake during training at Moorabbin yesterday, but Saints coach Grant Thomas says his star forward is fit to return against Geelong on Saturday after the six-week rehabilitation of his cracked right collarbone . . . Riewoldt, though, is likely to re-enter a savagely depleted St Kilda forward line after Thomas indicated that Aaron Hamill's injured ankle would cause him to join suspended full-forward Fraser Gehrig on the sidelines this week. "He's under a cloud, Aaron. He'd probably be 50-50 at the moment. I reckon he's a low chance - whatever low is," said Thomas.
The Article Mark Fuller/TheAge/04May05
Saints to gamble on star's shoulder Jay Clark/Geelonginfo/04May05
Return in the Nick of time Bruce Matthews/HeraldSun/04May05
Hamill under injury cloud Brent Diamond/Geelonginfo/05May05
Pies and Dons set sights on Dal Santo
Both the Bombers and Magpies have told Dal Santo's management group Flying Start not to let the young Saint star commit to St Kilda until they have at least made an offer. The Saints have moved swiftly in recent days to start negotiations for a new contract. It's believed St Kilda could offer as much as $350,000 a year, while the bottom-of-the-table Bombers and Pies could blow that out of the water with a $550,000-plus carrot.
The Article Mark Robinson/HeraldSun/04May05
Saints stars will stay: Thomas
St. Kilda will not lose any of its uncontracted stars at year's end despite the commercial reality of the AFL's salary cap, according to senior coach Grant Thomas. Players of the calibre of Nick Dal Santo, Fraser Gehrig and Lenny Hayes fall out of contract with the Saints at the end of the season, but Thomas is confident his core group will remain intact. The Saints' coach admitted the club would struggle to match some of the huge sums likely to be dangled in front of his gun players, but maintained there are more important things in life. "We won't be letting anyone go," Thomas said on Wednesday.
The Article Jason Phelan/Sportal/saints.com.au/04May05
Brendon Goddard Chat Transcript saints.com.au/03May05
AFL Players' Association to look after past players Matt Brown/ABD Sport/05May05
Thomas reviews tribunal
St Kilda coach Grant Thomas yesterday said he had been surprised that Fraser Gehrig's striking charge was referred to the AFL Tribunal after viewing video footage of similar incidents that were cleared by the league's review panel this week. Thomas said the footage, which was presented by St Kilda at the tribunal on Tuesday night as part of Gehrig's defence, left him confused as to why the Saints' full-forward was charged and subsequently had his penalty reduced from two weeks to one week after the charge was downgraded. He said the club received a transcript from the AFL every Monday that refers to incidents scrutinised by the review panel and indicates instances in which "as a result of minimal or negligible" contact the panel found there was no case to answer.
The Article Mark Fuller/TheAge/05May05
Gehrig's one-week discount HeraldSun/04May05
Gehrig case a low blow
. . . "Where you can have low, medium and high, well, low can be anything," Thomas said. "With that, it becomes ambiguous and it becomes frustrating and I think we just need some more clarity. "We actually haven't got a definition of what low is. We have been asking for one and the AFL haven't been able to supply us with one. Low could mean a lot of things" . . . "He is extremely disappointed, as he would be," Thomas said. "He got pulled out for a wrestling thing earlier in the year and I think Fraser, unfortunately, gets a fair bit of scrutiny in that area. There are a few players in the AFL that come under that category."
The Article Chip Le Grand/TheArticle/05May05
The Santo cause
When Nick Dal Santo extricates himself from a milling pack with all his usual sublime understatement, it is an expression of his personality as much as his football skill. Even as a child who loved and admired Essendon, he would never overstate his case. He was as passionate as any youngster about the Bombers, but he did not convey it too loudly. Indeed, rather than plaster his bedroom walls with posters of his hero, Tim Watson, he bought a pet canary and called it Timmy. "He was not one of those overly expressive kids with banners and that sort of stuff," explained his father, Peter.
The Article Trevor Grant/HeraldSun/07May05
Hands up if you've had a gutful of hearing how good St Kilda is Scott Gullan/HeraldSun/07May05
Gehrig faces two-match ban
The expected return of Nick Riewoldt for the blockbuster against Geelong could not come at a better time for St Kilda, with power forwards Fraser Gehrig and Aaron Hamill in doubt for Saturday's game. Gehrig was cited by the match review panel for striking Jason Cloke in last weekend's 38-point win over Collingwood. The burly spearhead, who booted eight against the Magpies, appeared to punch Cloke in the stomach and can either accept a two-match ban or contest the charge at the tribunal. If he contests the charge and loses he still faces a two-match ban, but would have more points left over on his record. Hamill limped from the ground in the third quarter after receiving a knock to the lower leg. St Kilda said yesterday he had a corked shin, after X-rays ruled out a broken leg, but he will be tested during the week.
The Article Dan Oakes/TheAge/03May05
Round 7 Full forward? Saintsational Fan Forum Thread
Umpires bounce Riewoldt
. . . Riewoldt, who as a club captain will be invited to attend the Brownlow, said on his weekly radio program that umpires held grudges against players and should not judge the best-afield in a match. AFLUA chief executive Bill Deller said he hoped Riewoldt did not still hold with the comments. "My view would be he probably didn't mean to say what he did and if he did mean it then he would be a hypocrite to attend and if he did set out to say that and devalue the medal and those that vote in it and those that won it then he would be a hypocrite if he attended," Deller said. "But if he didn't mean it to come out that way but if it was one of those things that was an aberration or said in the heat or excitement of the moment that he regretted later then obviously Nick should say that and set the ledger straight before this year's event. But if they are his views he would be a hypocrite if he attended, and equally hypocritical to accept the award if he were to win it this year or whenever."
The Article Michael Gleeson/TheAge/04May05
Scott attacks 'moral grandstanders' Dan Oakes/TheAge/04May05
Gehrig to miss one
. . . Gehrig had his original two match penalty for striking Collingwood's Jason Cloke downgraded to a one match penalty after the three man jury of Richard Loveridge, Stewart Loewe and Wayne Schimmelbusch ruled his actions in striking Cloke were reckless rather than intentional. This meant that while Gehrig will still miss Saturday's clash against the Cats - which pits together Victoria's two in-form teams - it does mean he will at least now be available for the following week's even bigger clash against the unbeaten league leaders West Coast in Perth. However Gehrig, who had two previous suspensions (one of one match and one of two matches) for striking in the past two years, was still deeply disappointed at the outcome and left the hearing without comment. The jury took around 20 minutes to find Gehrig guilty of striking after his advocate Iain Findlay had argued that the man known as "The G-Train" had not struck Cloke with sufficient force for his act to be constituted as a strike. "This is nothing more than a love tap," he said before describing the case "as the most trivial incident that has come before this tribunal."
The Article Paul Gough/Sportal/saints.com.au/03May05
Gehrig rocked by ban for 'tap'
St Kilda will be missing full-forward Fraser Gehrig for Saturday's match against Geelong after he was suspended for what he labelled a "tummy tap" on Collingwood's Jason Cloke at the MCG on Sunday. The only good news for the Saints to come from last night's tribunal hearing was that Gehrig will be able to face his former team, West Coast Eagles, in Perth in a fortnight after having his original offer of a two-match ban reduced to a one-game suspension by the panel. Gehrig was visibly upset by the jury's decision, shaking his head when told he was found guilty of striking. But rather than keep the 225 activation points handed to him, he was hit with only 125, which carried a one-match suspension.
The Article Peter Krupka/TheAustralian/04May05
Gehrig out of Cats clash
. . . The Coleman medallist had briefly been looking at the possibility of walking free, albeit with 97.5 demerit points, just below the 100 required for a one-match ban. The chairman, retired judge David Jones, had said the jury could reach the view that the actual contact was negligible and return a verdict of guilty of attempted striking instead. Under the guidelines, this would have resulted in 75 demerit points plus a 30 per cent add-on for Gehrig's record, just short of the 100 required for a suspension. Instead, Loveridge said the jury had come to the view that "there was more than negligible contact, but (it was) by virtue of a reckless act". St Kilda also succeeded in introducing a video of similar acts that had not been cited by the match review panel. These included other incidents from Sunday's game and one involving Michael Voss and Chris Judd from the previous week's Brisbane-West Coast match.
The Article Len Johnson/TheAge/04May05
Reduction makes sense Martin Blake/TheAge/04May05
Gehrig suspended for one match ABC Sport/04May05
Saints Hearts launched
In a fittingly glamorous way, the official women's network of the St Kilda football club, the Saints Hearts, was launched on Thursday night. It was a case of strong women existing behind strong men, when 200 women of the Saints enjoyed a cocktail party in enchanting surroundings - the purpose of the evening being to unite the women involved in the club in their own exclusive network. Held at club president Rod Butterss' residence, the network was launched in fine style with the bubbly freely flowing and exemplary catering capping off an elegant evening. The new Saints Hearts brings together a group of women who all have one thing in common - the red, white and black - and enables support to be offered to all the women involved in the club.
The Article Jen Witham/saints.com.au/06May05
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