2005 - AFL Home and Away Season
Round 8 - Results and Post-game Articles
West Coast: 4.3, 9.5, 11.7, 13.10 (88)
St Kilda: 1.3, 2.4, 4.7, 7.10 (52)
Goals - West Coast: Gardiner 4, Cousins 2, Fletcher 2, Sampi, Hansen, Embley, Cox, Jones
St Kilda:: Milne 3, Riewoldt, Ackland, McGough, Blake
Best - West Coast: Fletcher, Gardiner, Cox, Cousins, Braun, Glass
St Kilda: Ball, Fisher, Riewoldt, Hayes, Hudghton, Milne
Injuries - West Coast: Embley (concussion), Braun (ankle) St Kilda: Maguire (calf)
Changes - West Coast: Wirrpunda replaced in selected side by McConnell
Reports - ?
Umpires - McBurney, McLaren, McInerney
Crowd - 41,177 at Subiaco Oval
St Kilda Hitouts: 34
St Kilda 50m Penalties: 0
St Kilda Goals: Free 1; Play 3; Mark 3
St Kilda Distance of Goals: 0-15m 1; 15-30m 1; 30-40m 2; 40+m 3
Saints slip back to .500 Mic Cullen/saints.com.au/14May05
Saints down, Judd out?
An off-the-ball incident involving Brownlow medalist Chris Judd took some gloss off another sparkling West Coast performance against an undermanned St Kilda at Subiaco Oval today. West Coast stretched its unbeaten start to the AFL season to eight games 13.10 (88) to 7.10 (52) against a Saints team missing Aaron Hamill, Justin Koschitzke, Robert Harvey, Aussie Jones and Xavier Clarke. But most of the attention was on Judd, whose hopes of consecutive Brownlows were under serious threat after the 21-year-old subtly directed an elbow into Steven Baker's face early in the second term. The incident was missed by the umpires but will surely come under scrutiny by the match review committee. Judd's case wasn't helped when Baker came off the ground minutes later complaining of blurred vision. In a match labelled a potential grand final preview, West Coast kicked nine goals to two to halftime to set-up a match-winning 43-point lead.
The Article James Dampney/HeraldSun/15May05
Eagles pair could be charged Scott Gullan/HeraldSun/16May05
Judd tag tactics face AFL scrutiny Steve Butler/WestAustralian/16May05
Tribunal: Judd takes one-match ban AAP/HeraldSun/17May05
Judd's Brownlow chances receive tribunal blow
The chances of reigning Brownlow medallist Chris Judd winning back-to-back awards were dealt a severe blow last night when the champion midfielder was offered a one-match suspension for his elbow to the face of St Kilda tagger Steven Baker. The West Coast Eagles and Judd were last night considering whether to contest the one-match ban, which would rule the superstar out of Saturday's game against Collingwood, the Eagles' first venture into Victoria this season. If the Brownlow medallist accepts the deal before today's 10am deadline, or if the Eagles were to lose the case at the tribunal, the decision will be a boon for betting companies across Australia, with tens of thousands of dollars already wagered on Judd. Despite being fourth in betting, behind St Kilda's Nick Dal Santo, Fremantle's Matthew Pavlich and Eagles captain Ben Cousins, about 10 per cent of all money wagered on the Brownlow Medal has been in support of Judd. At TAB Sportsbet, Judd has attracted twice as much money as any other player in the league.
The Article Karen Lyon/TheAge/17May05
Judd's Brownlow bid is snuffed out Bruce Matthews/HeraldSun/17May05
Honouring a legend
Since 2003, when St Kilda plays West Coast at the Telstra Dome, they have played for the Nicky Winmar Cup, honouring of the former West Australian and Saint's legend. Despite the fact last week's game was in Perth, it is still fitting we honour the former champion. The story of Neil Elvis Winmar began in the farming district of Pingelly, more than 150 kilometres outside if Perth. From when he could first kick a football, many thought that he could potentially be the best aboriginal player the game has ever seen. The rumbles coming from this small town spread across the country like wildfire and it wasn't too long before he played - and starred - in the WAFL for South Fremantle. In no time at all, he became the most highly rated player in the competition. His emergence as a superstar coincided with the VFL introducing the West Coast Eagles to the competition for the start of 1987 and many assumed Winmar would be selected for the new team. Despite being included in their original squad, the Eagles overlooked him and it was St Kilda who wooed the young star to the premier league in the land. Winmar became a Saint by the end of 1986 and became part of a team starved of success.
The Article Luca Giacobello/saints.com.au/16May05
Nicky Winmar's Hall of Fame profile
Neil Elvis 'Nicky' Winmar saints.com.au
Tagger Baker not to blame, says Thomas
St Kilda coach Grant Thomas yesterday gave tagger Steven Baker his total support following Brownlow Medal favourite Chris Judd's controversial suspension, and then questioned the rules governing tagging. West Coast star Judd was offered a one-game suspension last night for elbowing Baker in the head during Saturday's game at Subiaco. Television footage showed Baker holding Judd's jumper moments before the Eagle threw his elbow at Baker. Despite Baker insisting "there was nothing in it" and Saints medical staff saying in a letter to the AFL that he did not suffer any injury, Judd did not escape punishment by the AFL match review panel.
The Article Mark Robinson/HeraldSun/17May05
Testing times for Saints
When St Kilda won the first 10 games of the 2004 season in such devastating fashion, it seemed only a matter of when rather than if the Saints would win a premiership. And even when the Saints were beaten by a kick by eventual premiers Port Adelaide in a memorable preliminary final in Adelaide last year, there were few willing to bet against Grant Thomas' side making it to at least the grand final in 2005. Such is the Saints' extraordinary list of talented players that it appeared impossible for the team not to be up there challenging for the flag in 2005 and for a few years beyond that. But football has never worked like that and it does not take long for a super side to come back to the field or for another side to jump up from the bottom and take the place of a top side from the previous year.
The Article Paul Gough/Sportal/saints.com.au/16May05
Fraser frustrates
A frustrated St Kilda coach Grant Thomas expressed his displeasure at the efforts of his gun full forward Fraser Gehrig after the Saints six goal loss to the West Coast Eagles at Subiaco Oval on Saturday. The Saints put in a lacklustre performance against the premiership favourites, going down 13.10 (88) to 7.10 (52), and Gehrig was a prime culprit. Last season's Coleman Medallist had a dog of a day at his former home ground, returning a meagre three kicks, three handballs, three marks and a behind. The big full forward was also guilty of giving away three free kicks and ended up spending the majority of the final term on the bench after leaving the ground outside of the interchange gates.
The Article Simon Moorecrouch/saints.com.au/14May05
Tribunal: Saints wait on G-train shunt
Fraser Gehrig received a one-match suspension for a soft punch two weeks ago, and today he will face match review focus on a similarly feeble push of a West Coast opponent on Saturday. There was little force behind the Saint's contact with Daniel Chick at Subiaco, but elevating the seriousness of his actions was that the stricken Eagle was being tended by two trainers. The Gehrig incident is just one of many controversial plays to emerge from Round 8, with most attention on the actions of last year's Brownlow medallist Chris Judd.
The Article Damian Barrett/HeraldSun/16May05
Aussie Back this week!!!! Saintsational Fan Forum
Smith: Skipper must lift his head
St Kilda thinks club captaincy is a joke. Not ludicrous silly but flippant funny. As in the most important thing the skipper does is flip the coin at the start of the match. It is a point often made by coach Grant Thomas and this season emphasised by assistant coach Matt Rendell. After new captain Nick Riewoldt was injured and unavailable following round one, Rendell was asked who would be Riewoldt's likely replacement for the next match in Launceston. He replied: "It probably wouldn't get appointed until we get down in Tassie, I would imagine," Rendell said. "Why is it a big deal? Why do you have to (have somebody lead you)? Why do we have to (appoint somebody)? Personally I don't rate the captain as the be-all, end-all. With our club, the leadership group is the important thing. Honestly, we have not even spoken about it yet." To Rendell, the colour of the jelly beans at game's end appeared a more important topic.
The Article Patrick Smith/TheAustralian/16May05
Saints down to West Coast
The West Coast Eagles have comprehensively beaten pre-season title favourites St Kilda, winning by 36 points at Subiaco Oval in Perth on Saturday afternoon. The 13.10 (88) to 7.10 (52) win leaves the firming favourites for this year's flag undefeated after eight rounds, while the undermanned Saints, who worked hard to the final siren, slip to 4-4. But West Coast faces a nervous couple of days after Chris Judd was involved in an incident that left Saints' tagger Steven Baker on the ground from what appeared to be an elbow from the Brownlow Medallist. West Coast led from the start, with West Coast forward Michael Gardiner kicking four goals in the first half as the hosts put it beyond doubt early, leading by 19 points at the first break and 43 at the half.
The Article Mic Cullen/saints.com.au/14May05
Goal power fires Eagles' flag hopes Digby Beacham/HeraldSun/15May05
Eagles ground Saints James Dampney/TheAge/15May05
Fletcher wreaks havoc
. . . The 25-year-old is now a veteran of 106 AFL matches, he was an All-Australian last year and finished second in his team's club champion award - behind only Brownlow medallist Chris Judd . . . St Kilda coach Grant Thomas is not the first coach to fall for the Fletcher trap, and if history is any guide he won't be the last. But if he didn't know about the dangers of leaving Fletcher unattended before yesterday, he does now. By the 20-minute mark of the first quarter, West Coast had established a 10-4 dominance around clearances. Fletcher had been the star. They had been inside 50 metres 11 times to four and had a four-goal lead. But week after week, opposition coaches choose to leave Fletcher as the West Coast midfielder they don't tag.
The Article Mark Duffield/TheAge/15May05
Gardiner lets his big boots do the talking
Judd sweats on video scrutiny
Chris Judd's Brownlow defence is in serious doubt and medal betting may be suspended after his first-half incident with St Kilda's Steven Baker at Subiaco Oval yesterday. Judd appeared to strike Baker in the face with his left elbow three minutes into the second quarter, an action that is almost certain to be scrutinised tomorrow by the match-review panel, headed by former Hawthorn coach Peter Schwab. Baker was forced off minutes later with what is believed to be blurred vision, but returned 15 minutes later to resume his battle with Judd.
The Article David Davutovic & Digby Beacham/WASundayTimes/14May05
Judd could be in hot water AAP/HeraldSun/14May05
Elbow could deny Judd medal double David Davutovic/HeraldSun/15May05
Judd clashes with tagger Mark Duffield/TheAge/15May05
Eagles ease to victory over Saints
. . . West Coast controlled the tempo of the match for the best part of the first term, kicking the opening four goals before the Saints held them goalless for the final 15 minutes of the quarter. Riewoldt clawed one back for the visitors deep in time on to restrict the margin to 19 points at the change. St Kilda took charge for the opening stages of the second but was unable to convert its dominance into scoreboard pressure. The home side punished the visitors, with Gardiner prolific in the forward 50. Playing out of the goal square the injury prone ruckman slotted three majors for the term as the Eagles skipped out to a 43-point advantage. The standard of the third quarter failed to reach great heights, the two sides splitting four goals between them. Cousins continued his goal-kicking form, kicking two, while Milne and Ackland nabbed the majors for the Saints.
The Article Sportal/14May05
Eagles down Saints ABCSport/14May05
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