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Moorabbin Redevelopment St Kilda Football Club needs your help All Saints supporters are asked to complete the Proforma and post it to the City of Kingston. It will only take a few minutes and is postage paid, but needs to be done soon. If Council decides not to proceed with the land sale at Moorabbin, the redevelopment cannot go ahead, as the land sale is a critical component of St Kilda Football Club's and AFL's funding for the proposed redevelopment. Download, Sign and send Proforma (No postage stamp required) St Kilda FC Article saints.com.au Proforma (pdf file) Members and Non Members can assist the club by downloading, signing and sending the support letter MOORABBIN REDEVELOPMENT PLAN Including Background and Information Who will be our Number One? The legacy of Saints champion Trevor Barker will continue at St Kilda's Best and Fairest. Barker played 230 games for St Kilda and wore the famous number one guernsey. This year another Saint to wear number one, Justin Peckett, announced his retirement after 17 years with the Saints. As one champion exits the game, another will continue the number one honour. Who will it be? A current or new player? There is only one answer: be there at this year's Best and Fairest to find out, as this will be the first time in over ten years the number one jumper will change players. Your presence at this year's Best and Fairest sends an important message to everyone involved at the Club. We want our supporters to take us to the next level in 2007, and this starts by supporting the Club NOW. The Article St Kilda Foootball Club/saints.com.au/22Sep06 The No. 1 guernsey 'Go Sretnias Go' et al/saintsational.com

Moorabbin Redevelopment: Public Meeting
St Kilda Football Club invites all members and supporters to attend the Moorabbin Redevelopment Public Meeting, this Wednesday 20th September at Kingston City Hall, 979 Nepean Highway, Moorabbin at 7.30pm. Officers from the City of Kingston and representative from St Kilda Football Club will be in attendance, to give the public a clearer understanding of what the Moorabbin redevelopment will involve. The Club urges all members and supporters to be at the meeting, to gain an insight into how the redevelopment will affect and benefit the community . . . If Council decides not to proceed with the land sale, the redevelopment cannot go ahead, as the land sale is a critical component of St Kilda Football Club's and AFL's funding for the proposed redevelopment.
The Article St Kilda Football Club/saints.com.au/18Sep06

Shattock, Walsh among five axed by Port
AFL club Port Adelaide has axed five players, including former Brisbane premiership player Aaron Shattock. Shattock, Peter Walsh and Ben Eckermann have been told they won't be getting new contracts with Port. The Power has also delisted rookies Tim Looby and Tom Rischbieth. "The club has decided the time is right to continue on with the young players who we blooded this year," Port's football operations manager Peter Rohde said. Shattock, a member of Brisbane's 2002 premiership team, was recruited by Port in 2004.
The Article AAP/TheAge/22Sep06
Lions refuse to bite on Aker outburst AAP/TheAge/22Sep06

Spida spins wide web
Peter Everitt is refusing to rule out a return to St Kilda but says he is keeping his options open. While the sacking of Saints coach Grant Thomas has opened up the possibility of Everitt returning to Moorabbin, the former Hawthorn ruckman says he is prepared to go anywhere. "There are 15 clubs I would like to ring me up and I would have a choice from, but you have got to look at the system," Everitt said yesterday. "There are probably six or seven clubs that need a ruckman, probably three or four of those who wouldn't be able to fit me in the salary cap." Everitt fell out with Thomas in 2002 and switched to Hawthorn.
The Article Brett Stubbs/HeraldSun/22Sep06

Essendon still interested in Aka
Jason Akermanis is still being chased by Essendon despite the wayward Lion claiming he wants to stay in Brisbane if he is denied a trade to the Western Bulldogs next season. The triple-premiership player and Brownlow medallist said on Thursday night it was either the Western Bulldogs or back to the Lions to fulfil the last year of his contract - and he would not play for any other club. But veteran Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy was not scared off and was also still keen on discarded West Coast ruckman Michael Gardiner. "We will be interested in Akermanis because you never know what might happen," Sheedy said yesterday. "He is still on a contract though. If the Western Bulldogs don't offer Brisbane much at all then it is not very good for Akermanis. A person trying to make sure he gets where he wants to go is always going to be in that situation where he is trying to convince everybody, 'Please let me get there'."
The Article Brett Stubbs and wires/CourierMail/23Sep06

Akermanis warns Lyon
. . . Akermanis also warned Footy Show host Garry Lyon against showing any interest in the St Kilda coaching job. There is speculation Lyon might be a contender, but Akermanis warned he would suffer the same fate as former Saints coach Tim Watson. Like Lyon, Watson went from the media to the senior coaching role and only lasted two seasons. "If you're thinking of going down this track, I want to remind you of one man - Tim Watson," Akermanis said. "As good as you are as an observer, you cannot go from your seat to the hot seat and know exactly what is going on . . . you will be straight in, straight out." The failure of St Kilda's experiment with Watson means clubs now focus on experienced AFL head coaches or assistants with plenty of experience when recruiting for the role.
Aker says it's Dogs, or back to Lions AAP/TheAge/22Sep06
Akermanis: I'd be Lion again Michael Stevens/HeraldSun/22Sep06

AFL welcomes bump debate
AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou has welcomed public debate on the merits of outlawing the bump from the game and says the issue will be addressed when the league undertakes its annual review later this year. "It's helpful because we're getting varying views which are debated and discussed and analysed which I think is a positive," Demetriou said from Telstra Dome on Thursday. "When that's all said and done it will be brought to the management team with some recommendations and we'll do what we've always done - discuss them, thrash them out and if we think that there's a way that we can improve in that area, then we will." With some AFL coaches calling for clarification on what constitutes a legal bump and others happy to see it outlawed altogether, Demetriou applauded the way in which the debate had been approached and was confident the best outcome for all involved could be achieved.
The Article Jason Phelan/Sportal/AFL/saints.com.au/21Sep06
Demetriou sees bump debate taking months Chip Le Grand /TheAustralian/22Sep06

It's not footy that Victoria's clubs excel at
. . . Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs were, of course, the last local clubs standing. Given all the sombre talk in sports circles, it's worth remembering that, just seven days ago, a Dees v Doggies grand final was still on the cards. How romantic that would have been: one club chasing its first flag since 1964; the other trying to end a 52-year drought . . . St Kilda players barely had time to knock the dirt from their boots after their only final before learning that coach Grant Thomas had been sacked. Nobody saw that one coming: not the players, not the press, certainly not the coach himself. In Geelong, meanwhile, a never-ending review process has cast doubt over the long-term future of the coach, committee, president and those conducting the review.
The Article Alan Attwood/TheAge/22Sep06
Melbourne out of bounds Alan Attwood/CourierMail/21Sep06

Saints looking for "cool dude" as new coach
Saints' fans are still scratching their heads trying to work out why their club dumped coach Grant Thomas. Some say he was too close to the players. That he was too autocratic. Or maybe not tactically astute enough. But another, more bizarre, reason has emerged: Thommo wasn't "cool" enough to cut it in today's football.
The Article Michael Roberts/Crikey.com.au/21Sept06 (full article available to subscribers only)
Full article posted on Saintsational saintsational.com

Codes unite on anti-siphoning
. . . The anti-siphoning laws dictate that listed sports codes can only sell their television rights if they deal exclusively first with free-to-air networks, which stops sporting bodies from directly managing their own television broadcasting rights . . . The 'Use it or Lose it' scheme would see any sport not shown by the free-to-air networks fall off the anti-siphoning list, which would allow the sports codes to open those rights to competition from all broadcasters, including free and pay television. The result would be more live sport on television and a greater opportunity for sports codes to develop by being able to better manage their television rights. Demetriou, NRL CEO, David Gallop and FFA CEO, John O'Neill all agreed the existing laws should altered.
The Article Jen Witham/Sportal/AFL/saints.com.au/21Sep06
Football bosses unite on TV Sam Edmund and Ben Packham/HeraldSun/22Sep06

Football codes want anti-siphoning cuts
The chief executives of three major Australian football codes on Thursday issued a joint call for the federal government to cut back its anti-siphoning legislation. AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou, his NRL counterpart David Gallop and Football Federation Australia CEO John O'Neill said they were united in calling on the government to provide fewer limits on their ability to deal directly with pay television providers. Anti-siphoning legislation restricts certain sporting events to be only covered by free to air television rather than pay TV, but Demetriou said it should be up to the sporting bodies to decide how their product was distributed . . . Under current legislation the AFL must deal with free to air television networks when selling its rights, with the successful networks then able to on-sell part of those rights to a pay television operator.
The Article AAP/TheAge/21Sep06
Pies agree onstrip Jon Anderson/HeraldSun/22Sep06
Steven King abdicates Scott Gullan/HeraldSun/22Sep06
James Brayshaw's heartache Shannon McRae/HeraldSun/22Sep06

Matthews link to Saints 'nonsense'
Leigh Matthews will see out his contract at Brisbane and reports he would return to Melbourne to take over the vacant St Kilda coaching position are wishful thinking, according to Lions chairman Tony Kelly. Matthews has been repeatedly linked to the Saints job which became vacant when former coach Grant Thomas was sacked last week. He was mentioned as one of the targets to be pursued by the head-hunting firm hired by St KIlda to find a new coach and this week on Fox Footy's White Line Fever program, former Melbourne forward David Schwarz claimed the Saints were chasing the four-time premiership coach and tipped him to take the job.
The Article Andrew Hamilton/CourierMail/21Sep06

Judge hints at Seven own goal
The Federal Court judge hearing the $1.1 billion C7 lawsuit used yesterday's closing submissions to reveal that he remained "puzzled" about why Seven had not exercised its right to make the final bid for the AFL rights in 2000. Despite 105 days of evidence and hundreds of pages of submissions, Justice Ron Sackville said he did not understand why it had held back from the opportunity of beating the rival News consortium's bid. While he emphasised it was not his final view of the events, he wondered if C7, Seven's pay-TV arm, had brought failure upon itself. "Seven is essentially complaining that its failure to obtain both the AFL and the NRL rights doomed it, as of 14 December (2000)," Justice Sackville said. "It was finished. It was gone. Yet it declined to make a further bid for the AFL rights when it had the opportunity to do so."
The Article Vanda Carson/SydneyMorningHerald/21Sep06
News says AFL bid did not 'kill' C7 AAP/SydneyMorningHerald/22Sep06
Seven AFL bid too low' news.com.au/22Sep06
Seven seeks special treatment, says QC Elisabeth Sexton/SydneyMorningHerald/22Sep06
Judge puzzled Seven did not bid for AFL AAP/SydneyMorningHerald/22Sep06
Football chiefs' goal is to kick more games to pay TV Lisa Murray/SydneyMorningHerald/22Sep06

Let's talk the talk: bump the bump
Dean Laidley has said we must bump the bump. This will bring much thumping of tables. Supporters and commentators will jump up and down until their joints give out. We will be told the game will never be the same. As always, Wally from Warrandyte will ring talkback and tell us that he has torn up his membership ticket . . . Supporters of the bump say that it separates football from other codes - the men from the boys, if you like. They say to remove the bump is to alter the dynamics of the game. It is a position that does not withstand scrutiny . . . Footballers would require no less courage to play if the bump was removed. Every time a player flies for a mark or runs back into play he knows that somebody might be doing exactly the same thing but from every which way. To hold your nerve in such circumstances is to test every fibre in your body. It is beyond many talented players to take that risk.
The Article Patrick Smith/TheAustralian/21Sep06
G, it's the top venue Sam Edmund/HeraldSun/21Sep06

Hawks, Saints safe in Thailand
Both Hawthorn and St Kilda have confirmed that their players on end of season trips to Thailand are safe and not caught up in the dramas in Bangkok where the Thai army seized control and declared martial law on Tuesday . . . The 12 Saints are on Koh Samui, an island located in the Gulf of Thailand 400 km south of Bangkok, and are preparing to fly home this weekend as planned. A spokesperson for the Saints said the players would not cut their trip short at this stage and were unaware of the unrest in Bangkok until they spoke to the club on Tuesday night.
The Article Jen Witham/Sportal/saints.com.au/20Sep06

Players kick back despite coup
. . . The 13-man Saints crew didn't even know of the drama until they were contacted by media manager Georgie Fidge yesterday. The group was beginning a fishing trip from Koh Samui yesterday. "I've spoken to the boys and it's just a non-event," Ms Fidge said. "A few have to go to the Brownlow so they'll be back Sunday"
The Article Sam Edmund and Danny Buttler/news.com.au/HeraldSun/21Sep06
Footballers caught in Thai drama Matthew Schulz/HeraldSun/21Sep06

End-of-season trips out of vogue
The end-of-season footy trip is officially dead at AFL level. Not one club has organised a trip this year, leaving it to individuals and groups of players to make their own plans. Some Brisbane players opted for a trip to Cairns, small groups of Hawthorn and St Kilda players are in Thailand, but are safe and far away from the coup in Bangkok. Sydney spokesman Stephen Brassel said players preferred to go away with their wives or girlfriends. "Gone are the days of extended trips away," Mr Brassel said. "They're with each other seven days a week during the season."
The Article Sam Edmund/news.com.au/HeraldSun/21Sep06

Bush footy heroes
It sounds more like a movie script - but in June, 1960, the Murray League did the unthinkable and beat St Kilda. At Saturday's grand final the heroes will be honoured at a half-time tribute. For a brief period in the 1960s it was common for VFL clubs to play a practice game against a country representative side while the state-of-origin weekend took place. Despite missing their captain Neil Roberts and Verdon Howell to state commitments the Saints fielded a strong side that included Eric Guy, Lindsay Fox and Allan Jeans.
The Article Brad McGrath/CourierMail/21Sep06

Fans first to be doubting Thomas
St Kilda coach Grant Thomas was voted worst AFL coach by fans, in a case of public opinion preceding the official verdict by several months. Club president Rod Butterss sacked Thomas weeks ago, but the survey, carried out earlier in the season, showed that 22 per cent of respondents thought Thomas and Fremantle coach Chris Connolly were the worst of their breed. By contrast, Neil Craig's rise from battler to AFL mastermind is complete in the minds of fans. The Crows mentor has soared past his more celebrated peers to be voted best coach in the land as Adelaide sits on the verge of another Grand Final appearance.
The Article HeraldSun/21Sep06
Archie Fraser on Radio Sport 927 (Audio File)
Get rid of the bump altogether Laidley Greg Denham/TheAustralian/21Sep06
Brownlow's all-Australian team Geoff McClure/TheAge ReadFooty/21Sep06

Saints' coach interviews next week
St Kilda will next week begin formally interviewing potential candidates to replace axed senior coach Grant Thomas. Saints president Rod Butterss confirmed last night the first batch of interviews with candidates no longer involved in the finals would start on Monday. That may include frontrunner Sydney assistant John Longmire, depending on the result of the Swans' preliminary final on Friday night. Assistant coaches, including the Bulldogs' Chris Bond, Collingwood's Guy McKenna and St Kilda's Matt Rendell, are certain to be among those who will be formally spoken with next week. Former Melbourne champion Garry Lyon is also tipped to be interviewed . . . "We are extremely excited by what the sub-committee has already set in motion," Butterss said. "They are looking at everything and are really concentrating on the sports science side of things in looking at other clubs and sports around the world."
The Article Jim Wilson/HeraldSun/20Sep06
Saints' interviews start next week Jim Wilson/HeraldSun/20Sep06

Laws must change for sake of players, game
The AFL has set aside more than $200million to develop the nation's indigenous game. At least half of that will be used in NSW and Queensland to woo the locals off rugby league, union and soccer. Parents will be courted, children encouraged. Ovals will be built, clubs subsidised, schools lobbied. Today we ask you to become an ambassador for AFL football. You are charged to spread the word about the greatest code in the world. You are on the Gold Coast. Picture yourself at a meeting of coaches, parents and children. You can loosen your collar because the room is a little stuffy. One of the parents says this to you: "You want my child to play a game where it is legal to run some 30 metres, leap into the air and crash into a player who is neither prepared for contact nor expecting it. He doesn't even have the ball and is in no position to gather it in. He is utterly unaware that he is about to be crashed into. During the collision the players' heads clash and the player bumped ends up with a fractured skull. That type of collision is not only legal in the AFL but encouraged. It is praised as a good shepherd. Why would I suggest my child play your sport?"
The Article Patrick Smith/TheAustralian/19Sep06
Lions will have last laugh after Saturday night Patrick Smith/TheAustralian/18Sep06

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