Archives

SEE ARCHIVES LINKS OR USE SEARCH FACILITY

Saints' Maguire eyes 2007 comeback
St Kilda defender Matt Maguire remains optimistic that his badly broken leg will recover in time for the start of the 2007 AFL season. The 22-year old was injured in a game against West Coast early last month and spent three weeks in hospital due to complications after surgery. Maguire can now walk for short distances, lift weights and cycle for up to 40 minutes at a time. Doctors are unsure when he will return to football, but Maguire said round one of 2007 was not out of the question.
The Article ABCSport/29Sep06

AFL stars in pub fight
. . . Lawyers for Gehrig, Lawrence and former Lion Craig McCrae told Channel 7 yesterday the players were drafting statements understood to be against the informant, her boyfriend and her brother. The lawyers said there was security camera footage from the Prince of Wales Hotel that clearly shows what happened. Witnesses said the players did not start the brawl. Dylan Brown, visiting Melbourne from Adelaide, told Seven the footballers were defending McCrae. " They were sticking up for their mates because Craig McCrae got hit - he didn't deserve it."
The Article Mark Buttler/HeraldSun/30Sep06

DRAFT & TRADING by 'saintbrat' Exchange Period Monday October 9 to to 2pm Friday October 13, 2006 List Lodgement One 2pm Tuesday October 31, 2006. Maximum of 35 players, Rookie Promotions, Father/Son selections, Retained (second-year) Rookies Draft Nominations Close 2pm Wednesday November 15 List Lodgement Two 2pm Friday November 17 Delisted Players Nominations Close 2pm Wednesday November 22 2006 NAB AFL Draft held at Victory Room, Telstra Dome -10am Saturday November 25 Uncontracted Listed Players Nominations Close 2pm Tuesday November 28 List Lodgement Three and TPP Estimates; International Rookie Player Nominations 2pm Friday December 1 Delisted Player Nominations Close 2pm Friday December 8 NAB AFL Pre-Season Draft 10am Tuesday December 12 Nomination of Eligible Rookie Players (Brisbane Lions and Sydney) 10.15am Tuesday December 12 NAB AFL Rookie Draft 10.30am Tuesday December 12 IMPORTANT DATES Trade Period Oct 9, Oct 13 List Lodgment One Oct 31 List Lodgment Two Nov 17 NAB AFL Draft Nov 25 List Lodgment Three Dec 1 NAB ALF Pre-Season Draft Dec 12 NAB AFL Rookie Draft Dec 12 Collective Bargaining Agreement afl.com.au 'saintbrat' - saintsational.com Delisted players to date 'saintbrat' - saintsational.com 2007 list better than 2006 list 'saintsRrising' et al/saintsational.com Trade possibles 'st.mart' et al/saintsational.com First one point Grand Final win since Saints beat Collingwood in 1966 "If Barry Hall had kicked one of those easy goals, we would have won it, and I wouldn't be walking home now," Sydney Supporter Bryce Doherty, 28 said. The Article Eamonn Duff - TheAge Eagles hold off Swans in thriller 12.13 (85) to 12.12 (84) West Coast won the third AFL title in the club's history with a thrilling one-point win over Sydney in this afternoon's grand final at the MCG. The Eagles exacted revenge on the Swans for last year's four-point loss in the decider, triumphing 12.13 (85) to 12.12 (84) in a thrilling encounter in front of 90,000 spectators. It is the first grand final to be decided by one point since St Kilda defeated Collingwood in 1966. The Article ABCSport/30Sept06 Fan offers kidney for ticket Jano Gibson/smh/30Sept06 One point turns failure to genius That's the slim margin between triumph and despair for a coach in an epic battle such as yesterday's grand final. In only his fifth season in charge, Worsfold now has joined an elite group of five to have captained then coached a VFL-AFL team to a flag, the first since David Parkin at Hawthorn in 1971 and 1978. In doing so, Worsfold has distanced himself from critics who say he lacks the tactical skill to oversee a successful grand final preparation. The Article Digby Beacham/CourierMail/01Oct06 Barry Hall shocker The crew-cut was there and so was the big No.1 on his back, but you'd swear the man struggling in Sydney's forward line in the Grand Final wasn't really Barry Hall. He suffered a bad dose of the fumbles and missed two shots for goal he would normally boot with his eyes closed. Hall twice missed from 20m with free kicks in the first and third quarters, having booted a combined 11.2 in the Swans' two earlier finals. The Article HeraldSun/01Oct06 Anger at foul words . . . Asked how he felt after the final siren, forward Quinten Lynch blurted out: "It's f---ing a boy's dream, this is, to play in a Grand Final and to get up by one point. We're just rapt to get away with a win. It's f---ing awesome." Minutes later Dean Cox said: " To the boys' credit, ah f---, we fought deep." The Article HeraldSun/01Oct06 Far-flung fans follow rules From New York to New Delhi, footy fans around the globe glued themselves to TV screens for that one Saturday afternoon in September - or Saturday morning, or Friday night, depending on the time zone. Take Tomaisin's Bar in tiny Lisselton, halfway between Listowel and Ballybunion in County Kerry, Ireland - a hotbed of Sydney Swans fervour. About 100 of player Tadhg Kennelly's family and friends dragged themselves from their warm beds in the wee hours of Saturday morning to watch the live broadcast. The Article John Mangan/TheAge RealFooty/01Oct06 Allan Jeans presents Jock McHale medal With so little fuss that you barely noticed it was happening amid the frenzied celebrations, Allan Jeans stepped from the shadows on the MCG to place the Jock McHale medal around the neck of John Worsfold. Actions much louder Trevor Grant/CourierMail/02Oct06 The last day in September Done and Dusted 2007 AFL premiership Odds TheAge/Sportal West Coast $4.50  Port Adel $15 Adelaide $6 Coll'wood $16 Sydney $6.50 Hawthorn $26 St Kilda $8 Richmond $35 Fremantle $10 Essendon $41 Geelong $12 Bris. Lions $51 West. Bulldogs $13 Kangaroos $101 Melbourne $13 Carlton $101 2007 'Year of the Saints' Believe or Burn A night like never before The 2006 Trevor Barker Award will be our biggest and brightest ever. Come and celebrate the achievements of the players who set their season alight. Date Tuesday October 3rd 2006 Time 5.30pm for 6.00pm Venue Vodaphone Arena MC's Peter Mitchell, Sandy Roberts & our Boundary Rider, Matthew Hardy Tickets Silver $235 per person Includes: Silverseating, champaigne on arrival, three course meal, beer,wine,soft drinks and after party. General Admission $55 per person (plus booking fee) Just like you're at the game, a General Admission ticket provides a fan's perspective of the night's proceedings and entertainment For more information or to book a Silver ticket please contact Wayne Jarred on (03) 9559 6624 or waynej@saints.com.au For all General Admission bookings, please contact Ticketek on 132 849 or visit www.ticketek.com.au

Archie Fraser Speaks
Archie Fraser, Chief Executive Officer of the St Kilda Football Club spoke about his 26 year background in Football and Soccer and his quest to make the St Kilda Football Club successful on and off the field. He affirmed his understanding of the supporters' importance to the club and that the club must not lose touch with 'us'. He said that he appreciated the value of the clubs' communication with its supporters and that he would take on board that the club should improve communications in this area. He said that although he couldn't promise doing this within the next day or so he will ensure better communication very soon. Archie explained that his current focus has been on setting up an appropriate process for signing up players and preparing for the draft and the trading period. He mentioned that the information from the key-coaching candidates would be used along with the knowledge of current coaching staff and the Sub-Committee to ensure that the holes are filled and the club is prudent in the upcoming trading phase and the draft. He also said that the feedback they received from supporters last year was that the 'Trevor Barker Best and Fairest Awards' were too expensive and exclusive. To rectify this they changed the system this year and went to great trouble in hiring out the Vodafone Arena so that all of the supporters could be part of the night and it will be a spectacular occasion. He said that they advertised it extensively through the website, emails and mail-outs and offered affordable prices, even considering junior concessions, and only 400 people have booked tickets so far and the club may lose a considerable amount of money on the initiative to include supporters in important club events.
The Post 'The Peanut' saintsational.com

Lyon must put hand up for Saints' job
Is Garry Lyon finally ready to pitch for a coaching job? It's a question he must address urgently if he wants to coach St Kilda. Lyon last week met St Kilda chief executive Archie Fraser for a coffee and general chat about the club's coaching vacancy. He is widely seen to be ``in the mix'', with an expectation he will be formally interviewed next week. Lyon wouldn't comment last night, but he is going to have to declare his intentions soon.
The Article Mike Sheahan/HeraldSun/29Sep06
Bell flags stepping down as captain Steve Butler/WestAustralian/29Sep06

Cox was nearly a Saint
. . . West Coast's gain since Gardiner's fall from grace has certainly been St Kilda's loss because a lengthy apprenticeship had Cox considering a switch to the Saints in 2003. "We got very warm about moving on when Dean was living in Gardiner's shadow. St Kilda spoke to me a number of times in 2003 and we were ready to throw the whole thing away with the Eagles and go to the Saints," Michalczyk said. "Here was a 22-year-old kid getting no game time and he wanted to play AFL footy. He was only getting five or 10 minutes a quarter and sometimes hardly getting a run at all."
Catch me if you can Steve Butler/TheWestAustralian/29Sep06

Don Pyke quits Crows
Adelaide assistant coach Don Pyke has quit the club. Pyke, who has worked with coach Neil Craig for the past two seasons, will return to his home town of Perth to pursue business and other interests. Pyke, 37, a dual West Coast premiership player in the 1990s, had been linked to the vacant St Kilda coaching job. But he said yesterday he hoped to remain involved in football only on a part-time basis in Perth.
The Article AAP/HeraldSun/30Sep06

No stopping the Juddernaut
. . . No one bags Chris Judd. As Leigh Matthews and Kevin Sheedy note, he hasn't done anything wrong, and he does plenty right. He is untouchable, in every sense. Can't be tackled, criticised or even resented. St Kilda president Rod Butterss, who coached Judd in the under 10s at East Sandringham and knows his family, calls him "the package" - the most appealing player and persona. Today, in another grand final without a Victorian team, Judd is the Vic who many will be barracking for, while they fantasise about him wearing their colours should he head home. AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou said this week that the "sky's the limit" in marketing dollars Judd would generate for a Victorian club. "People love to watch him play . . . he electrifies the fans," Demetriou said.
The Article Sasha Shtargot and Daniel Ziffer/TheAge RealFooty/30Sep06

Day for life
. . . Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett engaged in an occasionally tense and bitter exchange early in the season with Garry Lyon, questioning Lyon's credibility as a football commentator given he had never achieved football's ultimate success. St Kilda, currently searching for a new coach, have placed premiership experience as a top-order priority . . . Michael Green played off the bench in 1967 and went on to star in four Richmond premiership campaigns, making his reputation as a finals specialist. According to Green, the enduring friendships remain stronger for teams that enjoyed success. Barry Breen remembers watching enviously from the stands in '67 as his former junior contemporary Green celebrated amid the mayhem of that victory, just as he had the year before. But Breen knows he has little to regret. Yesterday he admitted to a customary annual fluttering of the heart as yet another grand final day approached, four full decades since he put St Kilda one point ahead of Collingwood in the dying moments of that famous encounter.
The Article Caroline Wilson/TheAge RealFooty/30Sep06

In a tight game, everyone counts
. . . Adelaide's 1997 grand final win over St Kilda was a classic example. Remembered chiefly for Darren Jarman's five-goal last quarter, even more remarkable was little-known former Bulldog Shane Ellen's five-goal haul, two as a surprise forward, then three running from defence. The Crows ran over the top of the Saints with big second halves from then unsung and inexperienced kids in Kane Johnson and Simon Goodwin, and low-profile midfielder Brett James. The Saints, in contrast, got very little out of the lower end of their 22, ruckman Brett Cook, Robert Neill, David Sierakowski and Jayson Daniels in particular.
The Article Rohan Connolly/TheAge RealFooty/29Sep06

From Saints to winner
It was late 2001 and Barry Hall, the talented and ill-disciplined St Kilda forward, had been invited to spend a few days at Tony Lockett's farm. As recruiting strategies go, it was an obvious ploy. Bring a troubled player to see a man who had conquered his own demons. Have Lockett extol the virtues of Sydney and how the club and city had turned his life around. But the way both Lockett and Hall talk now, their meeting seems less cynical than that. More like two country fellas having an honest chat, laying it on the line. "He was just talking about his experiences, how they were very similar," Hall says. "How he had wanted to get out of Melbourne, like I did. I was very keen to catch up with him and see how it all happened for him because he obviously played some good footy up here as well. He is a pretty honest bloke. He wouldn't pull the wool over your eyes just to get you to a footy club. And as it turns out, everything he said was true - and more."
The Article Richard Hinds & Jessica Halloran/SydneyMorningHerald/29Sep06
The patron saint of Barry Hall Richard Hinds & Jessica Halloran/TheAgeRealFooty/29Sep06

From Kelly Country fringe to footy's biggest stage
Reading the scrapbooks reminded me of just how negative Hall's image was. He was one of the game's outlaws. Scarcely a story does not begin with the words "Big, bad Barry Hall". Constantly, in words and in photos, he appears in the pose of a fighter. I remember his first grand final, with St Kilda in 1997. There was a time in the second quarter of that match when St Kilda did well and Hall did particularly well from a forward flank. I remember a senior journalist saying in my ear, "Barry Hall - cannot play!", and when he faded from the game, I thought he might be right. He looked more a fighter than a footballer to me; I've seen others of that type.
The Article Martin Flanagan/TheAge RealFooty/29Sep06

A tall order, but Crows are covered
Adelaide coach Neil Craig will seek out errant West Coast ruckman Michael Gardiner and displaced Hawthorn ruckman Peter Everitt. But he concedes it is "unlikely" either will be at West Lakes next season. First, trading for either Gardiner or Everitt will challenge his football department to strike a deal when it has limited bait to offer at trade week starting on Monday week. Second, seeking out a mature recruit contradicts Craig's long-stated policy to develop youth at West Lakes.
The Article Michelangelo Russi/Adealide Advertiser/29Sep06

Lions' doubtful list grows
Ashley McGrath is the latest Brisbane Lion to consider a future elsewhere. The pacy forward is out-of-contract and home in Perth weighing up his options. It is believed Fremantle is interested in the 23-year-old, who was a member of the 2003 Brisbane premiership side. McGrath was drafted from South Fremantle to the Lions in the 2000 national draft at pick No. 13. He has played 83 games for Brisbane, but had his season cut short in Round 12 when he tore his hamstring off the bone against the Bulldogs.
The Article Scott Gullan and Andrew Hamilton/HeraldSun/29Sep06

Winmar is back in Saints' colours
Former AFL star Nicky Winmar has signed with Wodonga Saints in a recruiting coup for the club. The St Kilda team of the century member will coach the reserve grade side and has also lured his highly rated cousin Lorrence Farmer to the Saints. Both joined Tallangatta league rival Rutherglen this year from Western Australia which had the district buzzing, but they will move to Wodonga in the coming weeks. Wodonga Saints president John De Witt said both signings had generated great excitement within the club and would help with further recruiting for season 2006. "It is exactly what the club needed and more," De Witt said.
The Article Mark Murray/BorderMail/29Sep06

AFL kicks around starting own footy channel
THE AFL could launch its own football channel next year to maintain a presence on pay-TV after the Fox Footy channel closes this weekend. AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou said the idea of starting the AFL's own pay-TV channel had "crossed our mind" because "the issue of keeping supporters informed through that media is very important to us". A new channel would not be able to broadcast AFL matches, with the Seven and Ten networks this year agreeing to pay $780 million for the AFL's free-to-air and pay-TV rights for the next five years. But the AFL could broadcast programs similar to those now on Fox Footy, such as the White Line Fever talk show.
The Article Jane Schulze/TheAustralian/29Sep06
Big bets on boys in blue Jon Anderson/HeraldSun/29Sep06
AFL pulls Victory ad John Salvado/TheAustralian/29Sep06
Sam Newman out of order HeraldSun/29Sep06

Bradshaw awaits upgrade
The Lions' ability to retain important utility Daniel Bradshaw will hinge on two meetings next week that will also determine the playing futures of skipper Michael Voss and premiership defender Mal Michael. Bradshaw is in demand and the Lions will not be able to keep him unless they can offer him more money. Voss has met Carlton and St Kilda about assistant coaching roles and will announce his decision next Friday on whether he will play on or take up an offer. Michael had hoped to have the discussion that would finalise his future yesterday, but with Lions coach Leigh Matthews in Melbourne for the grand final it will now take place early next week.
The Article Andrew Hamilton/CourierMail/29Sep06

Longmire all class in likely swan song
It could be John Longmire's last week as an assistant coach at the Swans. But if Longmire is the leader-in-waiting for St Kilda, that is not stopping him from doing all the little things to help Sydney get over the line in Saturday's grand final. Longmire left home early yesterday to be at the club's Moore Park headquarters before 8am. The all-important final match committee meeting of the year was scheduled for later, but Longmire wanted to squeeze in some extra touch work with ruckman Darren Jolly before he takes on West Coast's Dean Cox. Despite being touted as a frontrunner for the Saints' vacant job, Longmire, who on Tuesday was named assistant coach of the year by the AFL coaches association, has refused to discuss his future until the Swans' season is over. No-one at the club would expect anything less from the man they call 'Horse'. At 35, he is fit and strong, his build more draught horse than thoroughbred and he has a no-nonsense manner and solid work ethic to match.
The Article Jenny McAsey/TheAustralian/28Sep06

On the new slogan - 'Believe or Burn'
Archie Fraser, Chief Executive Officer of the St Kilda Football Club said that some of the rationale behind this slogan is to be more proactive and portray the club in a more aggressive and positive light. He told a story about when he was at a footy match with some businessmen who were passionate Saints supporters. We were a few goals up with about three minutes to go and the supporters were still expecting to lose, they didn't have a winning belief. It is this losing culture that he and 'The Marketing Team' want to eliminate from the club, as this culture also affects the playing field . . . Archie said that club wanted to develop a winning belief - a 'driving belief' and they have faith that the slogan will help us towards getting there.
The Thread 'The Peanut' saintsational.com

Kids are the goal for AFL
. . . Everything has been turned on its head. Not only that, but a Perth academic is so convinced of the robust growth of the West Australian economy, he believes there will be sufficient money and patronage to support a third West Australian footy club. It couldn't happen, could it? Well, no, because the AFL is not so much interested in the established football markets. It wants, instead, to expand its presence into the rugby states, NSW and Queensland. And if you were in any doubt about that, AFL boss Andrew Demetriou made it clear earlier this month when he committed $100 million from the lucrative broadcasting rights contract to developing footy in NSW and Queensland. The AFL strategy is fundamentally about winning the battle for young hearts and minds.
The Article Nick Richardson/HeraldSun/29Sep06

Pyke leaves Crows, heads home
Don Pyke is returning to Perth after two years as an assistant coach to Neil Craig at Adelaide. The dual West Coast premiership player (1992 and 1994) and former Eagles board member will pursue business and other interests. "It's a tough decision to leave the football club because I have loved my time here and have really enjoyed working with Neil, the other coaches and the playing group," Pyke told afc.com.au.
The Article Sportal/29Sep06

Nine Melbourne - Nine Kicks A Winner With Footy Show Grand Final Edition
Channel Nine Melbourne secured a massive 44.1% all-audience prime-time share and dominated every quarter hour from 6pm to midnight. Every program from 6pm onward ranked in the top 10 with THE FOOTY SHOW GRAND FINAL EDITION leading the way in top spot. Around the country, Nine secured the highest Thursday night All People share of any Australian television station for 2006 (outside Nine's exclusive broadcast of the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games). With 37.3%, Nine was 11.0 points ahead of its closest competitor (Seven, 26.3) and 18.1 points ahead of Ten (19.2).
The Article Nine Melbourne/enews/www.ebroadcast.com.au/29Sep06

AFL Coaches Association Conference
. . . The Program: Focuses on the roles, responsibilities and specific skills of modern coaching at the highest level including managing team coaching, developing individual skills, recruiting and team building and modern approaches to conditioning. Geelong CEO Brian Cook and AFL Coaching Ambassador David Parkin will present key components of the conference along with AFL club senior coaches Alistair Clarkson, Chris Connolly, Neale Daniher, Dean Laidley, Leigh Matthews and Kevin Sheedy and AFL General Manager of Football Operations, Adrian Anderson. The format includes presentations and panel discussions.
The Article afl.com.au/27Sep06

Voss in coaching talks
St Kilda and Carlton spoke to Michael Voss this week about a coaching job next year. The Brisbane Lions captain met Saints coaching sub-committee member Ken Sheldon and Blues director Stephen Kernahan . . . "I don't have any interest in a senior job whatsoever, and if they were offering it, I would politely decline," Voss said. "I need to learn the process first. I have, though, renewed my interest in coaching and I think I will pursue it now, and I don't necessarily see that as being at Brisbane. I need to experience that outside the four walls of the Lions, and that would make it a pretty big move if I decide to do that." Voss is contracted to the Lions for 2007 but is considering retirng.
The Article Damian Barrett/HeraldSun/28Sep06
Voss charges up boys David Hastie/HeraldSun/29Sep06

Cap spending on football departments: Barassi
AFL legend Ron Barassi has called for a salary cap to be introduced to stop clubs from "overspending" on their coaching staffs and football departments. But the 10-time premiership player and coach said the move was not aimed at simply making the struggling Victorian clubs more competitive but to give all 16 AFL sides a sporting chance. "In a sport aimed at making it fair for everyone, the AFL should do something about it," Barassi told AAP today. "It's not a Victorian thing at all. It's a fairness thing."
The Article AAP/TheAge RealFooty/29Sep06
Cap all salaries, says Barassi Greg Buckle/TheAustralian/28Sep06

GO BACK TO PREVIOUS PAGE