2005 - AFL Home and Away Season
Round 9 - Pregame Articles
Round 9 - Community Weekend
St Kilda vs. Adelaide - Telstra Dome
Fri 20 May 2005, 7:40 PM AEST
TV Delays - Melb 1 hr, Adel live
Perth 3hrs, Bris. & Syd. 3hr 45min.
TAB Sportsbet: St Kilda $1.26, Adelaide $3.50
Centrebet: St Kilda $1.28, Adelaide $3.65
Teams and Interactive Match-ups
All Teams R9 HeraldSun
Jones heads key inclusions
St Kilda has added some key personnel for Friday night's clash against Adelaide at Telstra Dome on Friday night. Running defender Austinn Jones returns after a one-week absence with a calf injury, while key backman Luke Penny is back in the side, after playing just two matches this season due to a knee injury. He has missed the past five matches. The Saints have also added duo Stephen Powell and Jason Gram, who will both play their first AFL match for the season. Powell and Gram missed the start of the season due to injuries, but have since gained match fitness via the Scorpions in the VFL. Powell battled a back injury and Gram was hindered by a shoulder problem.
The Article Matt Burgan/saints.com.au/19May05
Saints poised to get their three wishes
Three of St Kilda's best players - Nick Dal Santo, Lenny Hayes and Justin Koschitzke - will re-sign with the club within a month, according to coach Grant Thomas. With Dal Santo and Koschitzke major targets for rival clubs, Thomas announced talks on new contracts were nearing completion.
The Article Mark Robinson/HeraldSun/20May05
High noon approaches for Saints
Four years ago, the Brisbane Lions were 4-5 when they confronted Essendon at the Gabba in what since has become known as the 'if it bleeds, you can kill it' game. Leigh Matthews borrowed his motto from the Arnie Schwarzenegger movie Predator and, once his boys made the Bombers bleed, the Lions replaced Essendon as the competition predator. The game is viewed, retrospectively, as the beginning of the Brisbane hegemony. At 4-4 in a season beset with injuries and Fraser Gehrig's volatility, the Saints seemingly are approaching a similar high noon to the Lions of 2001. If they're to win the premiership, the St Kilda surge should begin tonight. The Saints are not facing a foe the calibre of Essendon circa 2001; it's their situation, rather than the opponent, that requires urgency.
The Article Jake Niall/TheAge/20May05
McLeod reinvented as a tagger Ashley Porter /TheAge/20May05
Winmar: This is it
Nicky Winmar has finally found his footy jumper. The Aboriginal AFL legend was reunited with the guernsey, one of the most famous in football history, for the first time in 12 years yesterday. Winmar jetted in to Melbourne from Perth late on Wednesday after close mate Darkie Shore paid for his flight. The jumper, believed to be worth as much as $80,000, had been sitting in Winmar's uncle's home all the time. It was tracked down by Mr Shore.
The Article Sam Edmund/HeraldSun/20May05
It's time top Saints hit the scoresheet
Luke Ball is an absolute gem of a player. He runs as hard as Shane Crawford but has more grunt. He's the Saints' best in-and-under player and tackles like a man possessed. His 50 clearances is the second-highest tally in the AFL this season. Nick Dal Santo has silky skills and makes the game look easy; time seems to slow when he has possession. He has a lethal left foot when kicking to position, plays the sweeper role exceptionally, has had the third-most disposals in the AFL this year and is third favourite for the Brownlow.
The Article Wayne Schwass/HeraldSun/20May05
Grant Thomas the psychoanalyst Mark Robinson/HeraldSun/20May05
Saints coach invites Rugby coach into the box
Friday night football will possess a Rugby League flavour when St Kilda hosts the Adelaide Crows at Telstra Dome. In what is believed to be a first, Grant Thomas in conjunction with major sponsor Bill Express has invited NRL Bulldogs Senior Coach, Steve Folkes to experience the action in the Saints coaches box. Thomas has leveraged his major sponsors relationship with Bulldogs Rugby League coach Steve Folkes. Bill Express is major sponsor of St Kilda Football Club and is also a major supporting sponsor of the Bulldogs Rugby League Club. "I'm delighted to have received an invitation from Grant to observe the activity in the St Kilda coaches box on Friday night. I'm sure it will be a learning experience for me and who knows I might be able to provide Grant with some perspective of how I do things in the NRL" said Bulldogs Rugby League Coach Steve Folkes. Grant Thomas said, "I was aware that our major sponsor Bill Express had a relationship with the Bulldogs Rugby League Club, a club that has a proud and successful on field program. I'm hoping Steve will enjoy the experience and I'm sure we will catch up at some stage after the game as I'll be interested in his view of our setup".
The Article FootyGoss/19May05
Preliminary final peace closer
A series of private and regular talks between the two most senior men at the AFL and the MCC now looks certain to resolve their preliminary final stand-off , which last year placed Brisbane at a major disadvantage. AFL chairman Ron Evans and his MCC counterpart David Jones have resolved to fix the problem in time for the 2005 finals series following years of bad blood between the two parties. And an early morning meeting last week involving chief executives Andrew Demetriou (AFL) and Stephen Gough (MCC) along with MCG Trust chairman John Wylie saw the stadium put in writing a list of demands in return for relinquishing its contractual right to a preliminary final each year. Demetriou confirmed yesterday that the AFL was considering its position following the MCG proposal, which has requested an increase in its home-and-away fixtures from 41 to 45 games each season. The stadium's original request last year was 47.
The Article Caroline Wilson/TheAge/17May05
AFL is clubbed into submission Patrick Smith/TheAustralian/17May05
Herald Sun Preview
. . . Goals are the problem for the Crows and despite their ability to shut down games and play them on their terms, they have lost the past two. Neil Craig's team simply doesn't have the firepower to match it with St Kilda, so expect another attempt at negating. The Saints still can't get their best side out, but Fraser Gehrig and Nick Riewoldt are the key forwards to trouble Adelaide. Even with Robert Harvey out, St Kilda's midfield looks too sharp.
Key: Steven Baker. The Saints tagger was in all the news this week for his close-checking on West Coast star Chris Judd. Tomorrow night Adelaide's Andrew McLeod could get the Baker clamp and if the Saint slows him like he did Judd (seven disposals) a lot of the Crows' drive will diminish.
Tip: St Kilda by 29 points.
Preview: All games Adam Cooper/AAP/HeraldSun/19May05
AFL Preview
. . . The much-maligned small forward Stephen Milne has proved to be a breath of fresh air for the Saints up forward, kicking 19 goals this season - an important factor in the absence of Nick Riewoldt for the first six weeks. With Gehrig's dubious form and possible absence for this match, Milne - coupled with Riewoldt - will have to be on-song for the Saints if they want to boot a winning score. Back in Melbourne this week, it is a known fact the Saints are hard to roll under the Telstra Dome roof, and will be fired up after their lacklustre performance against the premiership favourites. For the Crows, a talking point has been their inability to find the goals. Forwards Trent Hentschel and Ian Perrie seem to be down on confidence, and the Crows won't win a game until their forwards work together to get a good score on the board. This sentiment was echoed in the Brisbane match - Adelaide having more of the ball than the Lions, but consistently failing to capitalise on these possessions. To compensate for their lack of firepower up forward, the Crows' defence has been quite good, but they will continue to be without defender Graham Johncock, who has been very strong along the backline, for six more weeks . . . Both teams are currently struggling to challenge higher-placed teams on the ladder. The Saints are limping into each round, and it is tough to value them given they have not yet produced a fully-fit side. The Crows need to sort out their problems on the forward line, and unless their forwards decide to get reacquainted with the goals, they will struggle to record winning scores. The bottom line is this: the Saints are tough to beat at the Dome, with or without their wounded list and will defeat the Crows on their fourth trip to Melbourne for the season.
St Kilda by 19 points.
The Article Jennifer Witham/afl
Jones a chance to bolster Saints
The Saints are likely to have to make do without a host of first-choice players for another week at least, with Aussie Jones the only senior member of the club's long injury list a chance to take the field against Adelaide at Telstra Dome on Friday night. While Robert Harvey ran laps at Moorabbin on Tuesday and Aaron Hamill (ankle/shin) was confined to stationary ball work, Jones, who strained a calf against Geelong in round seven, appeared to move freely in training with the senior squad. Coach Grant Thomas said Jones would be selected if he pulls up without any soreness, though Matthew Maguire, who strained a calf against West Coast at Subiaco last Saturday, has little hope of proving his fitness.
The Article Angus Morgan/Sportal/saints.com.au/17May05
Thomas takes it on the chin Angus Morgan/Sportal/saints.com.au/17May05
I feel sorry for Judd, says Baker
"If the umpires see it, call it and I'm happy with that," said Baker of West Coast's criticisms of his style. "I reckon I play within the rules. Just because I'm being annoying and whatnot, I don't think I take my eyes off the ball. If the ball's there, I'll get it myself" . . . "It's just another part of the game and people have got to learn to live with it. I think some games I get carved up and get 30 possessions on me and I've had a bad game. But I don't go around sookin' saying 'the midfielders are too good, the taggers are poorly done by, we're getting blocked off the ball and getting belted around' like we do every week." Baker and his coach Grant Thomas pointed out that he had spent all of 2004 and 2005 to date playing almost exclusively in defence, rather than the midfield tagging role that has drawn strong criticism. Thomas said Baker had been assigned a midfield tagging role only once - on Judd.
The Article Jake Niall/Sportal/TheAge/19May05
Baker's critics 'precious', says Thomas
St Kilda coach Grant Thomas made a spirited defence of Steven Baker yesterday, accusing West Coast and other critics of being 'precious'. Baker tagged Brownlow medallist Chris Judd in last Saturday's game, restricting the star Eagle to only seven possessions. Judd yesterday accepted a one-match suspension for striking Baker. In a bitter aftermath, West Coast complained to the AFL umpiring department about Baker's negative tactics, but in a feisty exchange with reporters, Thomas effectively accused the Eagles of being over-sensitive and ignoring other taggers, such as their own Tyson Stenglein.
The Article Len Johnson/TheAge/18May05
AFL to target EPO cheats Jake Niall/TheAge/18May05
Drug-taking claimed rife in the AFL Dan Oakes/TheAge/18May05
Why umps dud Judd
. . . A quick look at the stats would suggest Baker's job on Judd was flawless. He kept the superstar to seven possessions and, according to the three umpires, did so without once overstepping the mark. Baker did not concede a free kick, nor did he win one. An extraordinary performance given the ultra-defensive job he did. Had it been Everitt and White who spent the whole of the game running around side by side, it may well have ended up 22 frees apiece. And while it is tempting to point the finger at Baker and his single-minded allies, that would be loading the gun and firing at the wrong target. He does, and will, play to the limit of the rules in his endeavours to get the job done for his coach and team. If that means he turns his back on the play and denies Judd a run at the ball, so be it.
The Article Garry Lyon/HeraldSun/17May05
Saints fined $40,000 for salary cap breaches
The AFL has fined St Kilda $40,000 for technical breaches of the salary cap rules. The league's general manager of football operations, Adrian Anderson, last night said the Saints had been fined for late lodgement of documents after the club voluntarily disclosed its breaches from the 2004 season. St Kilda last night explained that the fines occurred after the club's chief operating officer discovered that it had not lodged paperwork for some variations to player contracts last year. St Kilda chief executive Jim Watts said last night that, under the rules, clubs had to lodge documents for varied contracts within seven days of the renegotiation with the player. He said when the Saints recognised that the documents had not been lodged, they immediately went to the AFL. "The AFL's investigations manager Ken Wood found that the club had failed to lodge arrangements with players within the required time frames," the AFL said in last night's statement.
The Article Jake Niall/TheAge/17May05
Hefty Saint fine Mark Robinson/HeraldSun/17May05
Injuries
. . . St Kilda defender Matt Maguire had scans yesterday on a right calf injury he suffered early in the loss to West Coast. The club said last night the results of the scans would be available today. Aaron Hamill (ankle), Austinn Jones (calf) and Luke Penny (knee) will have to prove their fitness for Friday night's clash with the Crows.
The Article Jordan Chong/HeraldSun/17May05
Crows: Hope for Goodwin, McGregor
Adelaide hopes to have Simon Goodwin and Ken McGregor available for Friday night's clash with St Kilda at Telstra Dome. A calf injury kept Goodwin out of the second half of last Saturday night's match against the Brisbane Lions, and McGregor was a late withdrawal with a hamstring strain. They will be tested at training this week, as will Matthew Clarke (hand), who has not played for the Crows since round one, and Scott Stevens (hand), who has not appeared in an AFL match this season. Scott Thompson's badly dislocated right little finger will not prevent him from playing against the Saints, as he proved with a strong second-half performance against the Lions.
The Article Alan Shiell/Sportal/saints.com.au/16May05
Nine tries to deal itself into football rights
Kerry Packer's Nine Network is scrambling to put together a knockout blow in the AFL media rights battle, with the league finally agreeing to begin negotiations with the controversial Seven and Ten alliance. Under the terms of Seven's first and last rights agreement - which it allowed Ten to join in March for a sum of $10 million - the AFL will now put forward its opening offer to the alliance. This will include a starting price and its desired level of free-to-air TV coverage from 2007 to 2011. "If the AFL put a cash offer to us and we put one to them and then we agree, it's game over," a network source said yesterday. "No matter what Nine stump up, it will be game over." But The Age has learnt that a team within Nine is in advanced talks with a number of potential international partners about a much bigger cash offer for the AFL and an adjoining bid for the separate pay TV, mobile phone, internet and newspaper rights. Among those dealing with Nine is sports marketing giant IMG. Nine has also held talks with a European mobile phone company. If Nine can convince AFL boss Andrew Demetriou it has a better offer waiting, the league may force its asking price beyond the levels Seven and Ten are prepared to offer.
The Article Christian Catalano/Sportal/TheAge/18May05
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