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2006 Elimination Final

ST KILDA: 5.4, 6.6, 9.8, 10.12 (72)
MELBOURNE: 2.2, 3.4, 8.5, 13.12 (90)

GOALS - St Kilda: Gehrig 3, Milne 2, Riewoldt 2, Koschitzke, Peckett, Baker
Melbourne: Neitz 4, McLean 2, Miller, McDonald, Bruce, Robertson, Pickett, Bate, Yze
BEST - St Kilda: Riewoldt, Harvey, Baker, S.Fisher, Milne, Ball, Gehrig
Melbourne: McLean, Neitz, Bruce, Green, McDonald, White, Carroll
INJURIES - St Kilda: R.Clarke (hamstring), Gehrig (ankle), X.Clarke (back), Harvey (hamstring)
Melbourne: Whelan (shoulder)
CHANGES: Nil
REPORTS - A.Thompson (StK) by umpire Goldspink for rough conduct against Bruce (Melb) in the second quarter
UMPIRES - Rosebury, Schmitt, Goldspink
CROWD - 67,528 at the MCG
FREE KICKS: For St Kilda 23, Against St Kilda 27
HITOUTS: St Kilda 39, Melbourne 22
GOALS: St Kilda - Free 4; Play 4; Mark 5, Melbourne Free 3; Play 1; Mark 6
DISTANCE OF GOALS: St Kilda - 0-15m 3; 15-30m 4; 30-40m 2; 40+m 4
Melbourne - 0-15m 1; 15-30m 2; 30-40m 2; 40+m 5
GT on 3AW (audio file)
Saints-Demons goal-by-goal Bren O'Brien/Sportal/AFL/saints.com.au/08Sept06
ELIMINATION FINAL - PLAYER STATS l ALL PRE GAME ARTICLES

Backward step will fire up St Kilda
Luke Ball believes St Kilda's best times are yet to come, defying the suggestion that his club should have enjoyed a better return from its talented list in the past three Septembers. But having bowed out after just one final this year, following successive preliminary-final berths the previous two seasons, the skipper conceded that the Saints had regressed. "When you look at the stats we've taken a step back from last year, haven't we?" Ball said after St Kilda's 18-point loss in Friday night's elimination final. "We've taken a small step back from last year so I take that quite personally, and I'll be stewing over that a bit over the break - when it all boils down to it, I haven't been able to lead the boys to where we wanted to be. We haven't been good enough to go all the way but hopefully we keep learning from these experiences, and it makes us pretty hungry for next year."
The Article Samantha Lane/TheAge RealFooty/08Sept06

Sainter surprise for White
Melbourne ruckman Jeff White admits he was surprised when St Kilda stuck with their selected side on Friday night and failed to include regular ruckmen Cain Ackland and Jason Blake. White was the dominant force in the centre square for the Demons, amassing 30 hitouts and 20 touches in a brilliant rucking display. He eclipsed the inexperienced Saint Michael Rix (13 hitouts, five possessions) and had an amazing 18 second-half hitouts. The Saints dropped Ackland, Blake and Barry Brooks from their clash against the Brisbane Lions and were made to pay a savage price. "I only found out 20 minutes before the game that Ackland wasn't playing, so I had done my homework on him, but I did my homework on (Justin) Koschitzke and Rix and Blake as well," White said. "I thought (Blake) was going to play as well."
The Article Jon Pierik and Ken Piesse/HeraldSun/10Sept06

Sainter surprise for White
Melbourne ruckman Jeff White admits he was surprised when St Kilda stuck with their selected side on Friday night and failed to include regular ruckmen Cain Ackland and Jason Blake. White was the dominant force in the centre square for the Demons, amassing 30 hitouts and 20 touches in a brilliant rucking display. He eclipsed the inexperienced Saint Michael Rix (13 hitouts, five possessions) and had an amazing 18 second-half hitouts. The Saints dropped Ackland, Blake and Barry Brooks from their clash against the Brisbane Lions and were made to pay a savage price. "I only found out 20 minutes before the game that Ackland wasn't playing, so I had done my homework on him, but I did my homework on (Justin) Koschitzke and Rix and Blake as well," White said. "I thought (Blake) was going to play as well."
The Article Jon Pierik and Ken Piesse/HeraldSun/10Sept06

McLean cleans up Saints
Brock McLean learns fast. Lured home to holiday with fellow draftee Colin Sylvia in Merbein after his first AFL season, he soon found the locals' diet of pies for breakfast and 10am tinnies wasn't going to get him fit for football. Coming up through the junior ranks with his father Ricky's reputation as a hard man, he found the recipe for football success -- burrow in hard, run the lines, clean hands in close and play to your strengths. All that McLean learnt in his brilliant junior career climaxed in one superb performance on Friday. To say he single-handedly won the match for Melbourne might be overstating it. But it is safe to say he changed the course of the match with one of the more complete midfield games you would see. Neale Daniher would call him "a beauty", and it's easy to see why. Ten minutes into the last quarter on Friday night, in a game where the momentum swung like a pendulum, the Demons were in serious strife. Their gut-busting comeback had been overturned by some Aaron Davey madness, as the Saints first levelled the scores, then pushed ahead by nine points. Enter McLean, already his team's best player. A ball hunter in the mould of Robert Harvey, he swoops on a St Kilda kick-in to intercept Steven Baker's marking attempt with a stretched fist. He follows up, deep in the pocket, collects the handball and straightens to drill the ball low and hard on the angle for a goal. A brief spell on the bench and he is back to deliver the knock-out blow. As St Kilda tries to escort the ball out of defence, Max Hudghton coathangers McLean at the 24-minute mark and he is paid the free.
The Article Jon Pierik and Ken Piesse/HeraldSun/10Sept06

Surging Demons sink Saints
. . . Big man Justin Koschitzke was sitting on the bench seeing double after yet another head clash - this time with Brock McLean - and would come back only midway through the third term. Xavier Clarke was battered from a hard hit to his back. Robert Harvey, having started like he had brought his own ball, was ironed out by Nathan Carroll and then hurt his hamstring, which could not be rested because St Kilda simply did not have enough fit players on the bench to cover him. Raphael Clarke also hurt his hamstring. This is not to mention Aaron Hamill, who clearly was hampered by his injured knee. When Gehrig went down with a twisted ankle just before half-time and was severely restricted for the rest of the match, the Saints were like a wounded animal in the sights of a hungry predator.
The Article Lyall Johnson/TheAge RealFooty/10Sept06
Drink-driving incident could cost Ottens his licence Mark Russell/TheAge RealFooty/10Sept06
Didak unhappy with media intrusion Samantha Lane/TheAge RealFooty/10Sept06
Dees stay upbeat despite Jamar, Whelan loss Lyall Johnson and Samantha Lane/TheAge RealFooty/10Sept06
Tough ruck as Dees lose Jamar Sam Lienert/SydneyMoringHerald/10Sept06

Melbourne's winning recipe
Open the Grant Thomas September Cookbook and you won't find a host of fancy recipes. Out of reach: flying Saint Aaron Hamill makes a despairing dive at Nathan Jones last night. The St Kilda coach told the press this week he couldn't recall too many finals being won by tactical genius. Forget the secret herbs and spices. When it really counts, it's more meat and potatoes. And on a rainy, windy night at the MCG it soon became clear that Thomas was spot on when he said finals were more about effort and commitment. Thomas's wounded warrior, Aaron Hamill, managed just one handball in the first half, but laid a mighty six tackles. Xavier Clarke was brave enough to go head on at Nathan Carroll and copped a bruised back for his trouble. Steven Baker, the ultimate meat and potatoes man, harrassed Aaron Davey with a withering chase in the opening minute and made the Demon's life hell from then on.
The Article Mark Stevens/HeraldSun/09Sept06

Harvey: Playing like a 22-year-old
. . . Harvey, the oldest man in the AFL, has reached his guernsey number in years at 35. All of which might be fine if he was a stay-at-home full-forward or some-such thing, not required to make searching runs through the midfield. Except that Harvey has remained a first-choice onball player, and Harvey still makes searching runs through the midfield. He was there in the square for the opening bounce last night, this man whom Thomas said last week was "playing like a 22-year-old". His first opponent was Colin Sylvia, who was barely two years old when Harvey made his debut in the red, white and black colours in 1988, but the arrangement did not last for long. Halfway through the first quarter, the rain was driving down on the MCG and Harvey's legs were pumping, the line on his statistics sheet was running off the scale. Those little 25-metre passes kept hitting their mark and Sylvia was shifted. At 27 minutes, Harvey trapped the ball at half-forward, pivoted and off a step found Milne in the corridor with the most sublime 40-metre kick, setting up another St Kilda goal.
Hell of a win TheAge RealFooty/09Sept06

Robert Harvey wait
Decisions on whether St Kilda's band of veterans, led by Robert Harvey, will play on next year won't be made for several weeks. Saints' coach Grant Thomas said he wanted to give Harvey, Andrew Thompson, Justin Peckett and Stephen Powell time to get over last night's elimination final defeat. "No decisions have been made on any player," Thomas said. "We will allow some time to pass and some thinking to be done. All of them have been ornaments to the game and we're really respectful of their situation and circumstances. When the time is right we will sit down and work out what is best for them and what is best for St Kilda Football Club, but what is best for the St Kilda Football Club is at the forefront of every decision we make." While Thompson, Peckett and Powell are expected to retire, the future of Harvey is intriguing.
The Article Scott Gullan/HeraldSun/09Sept06
Harvey waits on decision Scott Gullan/TheAustralian/09Sept06
Who should go? 'luckysaint' et al/saintsational.com

The Kamikaze Saints
In the end, Melbourne's repeated attempts to squander yet another finals campaign were no match for a kamikaze St Kilda. At their third attempt, the Demons finally made it past the first week of the finals but their 18-point triumph - while achieved in thrilling fashion - was scarcely emphatic. It was the extraordinary last-half heroics of ruckman Jeff White and midfielder Brock McLean that ultimately swung a game that appeared to be in St Kilda's keeping midway through the second term. But St Kilda's mounting injury toll, several of which were caused by self-inflicted wounds, enabled Melbourne to run over the top in a desperate final quarter that was characterised by as many howling gaffes as memorable moments. The Saints must face close scrutiny for their decision to axe ruckmen Cain Ackland and Jason Blake from a team that employed smaller running players in expectation of rain that only fell fleetingly.
Demons clear first hurdle as Saints implode Andrew Ramsey/TheAustralian/09Sept06
The courage of X Clarke !! 'Eastern' et al/saintsational.com

Demons persistent devils
. . . St Kilda was brave and lost no admirers despite being buried under an avalanche of Demon goals in the second half. The Saints simply ran out of legs, reduced to the bare minimum 18 fit players. Coach Grant Thomas had to operate with only one interchange player for most of the second half. Spearhead Fraser Gehrig was trying to continue on one leg with a damaged left ankle, the Clarke brothers, Xavier and Raphael, were immobilised by injuries on the bench and the gallant Robert Harvey (hamstring) had to listen to the final siren from the sidelines. Given the Saints' long medical list and the rough conduct report for onballer Andrew Thompson, Melbourne will be in better shape to fly the Victorian flag across the border next weekend. And yet Daniher isn't without his concerns, particularly a shoulder injury to defender Matthew Whelan and indifferent form by normally inspiring forward Aaron Davey.
The Article Bruce Matthews/HeraldSun/09Sept06

Demons surge past Saints
A five-goal performance in the fourth quarter saw Melbourne post an 18-point victory over St Kilda in the first AFL elimination final at the MCG on Friday night. The Demons' 13.12 (90) to 10.12 (72) victory was their first success in a finals encounter since 2002 and it subsequently knocked St Kilda out of premiership contention. The Saints had led for much of the match and were ahead by nine points at the last change, but the fact they could only manage one goal in the fourth term as opposed to the Demons' five, meant they were handed their earliest exit in three consecutive appearances in the finals series. Demons captain David Neitz impressed up forward with four majors while Brock McLean was his side's only other multiple goal kicker with a double for the match. Fraser Gehrig managed three goals for St Kilda with Stephen Milne and Nick Riewoldt kicking two each.
The Article ABCSport/08Sept06

Demons chase down Saint
Melbourne has won its first final since 2002 and is through to the second week of this year's finals series after producing a stunning comeback to overrun St Kilda in the final term and win the first elimination final by 18 points at the MCG on Friday night. The Demons 13.12 (90) defeated the Saints 10.12 (72) to end St Kilda's season and set up a semi-final clash against the loser of the Adelaide and Fremantle qualifier which will be played on Saturday afternoon. Melbourne will have to travel to either Adelaide or Perth for next week's encounter while St Kilda's 2006 campaign is over after promising much. Injuries again plagued its season as was the case against the Demons.
The Article Matt Burgan/Sportal/AFL/saints.com.au/08Sept06

Saints go marching out
. . . The victory was not without a cost for Melbourne, with defender Matthew Whelan injuring his right arm after being ridden into the ground by Baker in the second quarter and spending the rest of the match on the sidelines. Earlier, the Saints gained the ascendancy when full-forward Fraser Gehrig kicked three consecutive goals in a four-minute purple patch in the opening quarter. Those were his only majors for the match, with the big forward troubled by a leg injury which he sustained shortly before halftime, although he returned to the ground in the second half. After a tight second term, Melbourne charged to within two points early in the third quarter, but the Saints responded by stretching the lead back out to 22.
The Article Sam Lienert/CourierMail/09Sept06
Demons stun Saints Sam Lienert/Adelaide Advertiser/09Sept06

St Kilda's slog not enough to stop wizardry
St Kilda won them and wore them, and almost lived to fight another day. Whether it would have been fit to fight that day is a moot point, to be contemplated moodily for the next six months. For now, the tale of last night's epic but ultimately unequal battle is enough. Technically, it was early spring. In truth, it was the last night of winter at the MCG. Rain swirled constantly almost from the first siren. St Kilda was right at selection, but by only half-an-hour. It seemed a good omen then. The Saints were set on their way by moments of inspiration and its near cousin, desperation. Instinctive kicks off the ground, one by Nick Riewoldt, one by Stephen Milne, led to marks and goals. On such a night, these were few and precious enough. Fraser Gehrig's three goals in three minutes midway through the first quarter was from another realm, dry weather football realised in the wet. It was as purple as any patch this season. But he remains the most enigmatic of footballers, a mercurial beast. On the stroke of half-time, he made an amateurish attempt to run around the man on the mark and was haplessly caught by Nathan Carroll. Into the bargain, he rolled an ankle and was only a bit player in the second half. He did not kick another goal.
The Article Greg Baum/TheAge RealFooty/09Sept06

Daniher: Boys answer call for courage
. . . The Demons looked like they would be blown out of the water after St Kilda kicked 5.4 to 2.2 in the opening term, but they persisted and didn't hit the front until the 16-minute mark of the last quarter. Daniher described the win as more a grinding victory, than a miracle turning point that defined their ascendancy. Daniher said St Kilda almost won the game because of undisciplined 50m penalties and he spoke sternly to livewire forward Aaron Davey, whose indiscretion against Aaron Hamill in the last quarter led to a Steven Baker goal. "That was a critical error that he made and we spoke about initiating, not retaliating," Daniher said. "Aaron Davey's indiscretion was really costly for us. We got him off, he was disappointed, but didn't he respond in the right way."
The Article Mark Stevens/HeraldSun/09Sept06

Neitz back as Demons eliminate Saints
. . . Neitz, who had missed the finals series of the past two years with injuries, kicked four goals, including the major that put Melbourne in front 17 minutes into the final term, after they had trailed for all but five of the previous 104 minutes. Neitz outbodied St Kilda defender Max Hudghton in the goalsquare to mark and slot through his fourth major, which came in the middle of the Demons' last-quarter onslaught. The kick to Neitz game from pacy forward Aaron Davey, who had earlier in the quarter given away two 50m penalties, including one which set up his opponent Steven Baker for St Kilda's only goal of the term. Baker's goal, 10 minutes into the quarter, put the Saints up by 15 points, which seemed enough of a lead in a low-scoring, scrappy match to have them on the road to victory. But Melbourne showed tremendous character to dominate the midfield in the final stages and fight its way out of trouble. Midfielders Cameron Bruce, Brad Green and Brock McLean were all superb for the Demons, while Jeff White's tireless ruckwork was also a big factor in Melbourne's revival.
The Article AAP/TheAge/08Sept06

Neitz's heroic return keeps Dees alive
. . . The Saints were not helped by injuries to brothers Xavier and Raphael Clarke with Xavier going off in the opening quarter and Raphael in the third. Tonight's loss provided another disappointing finish to a season for the Saints, who have bowed out in a preliminary final in each of the past two years and again started this season among the leading premiership contenders.
The Article AAP/HeraldSun/08Sept06
Heroic Neitz leads the Demons' charge home SydneyMorning Herald/08Sept06

Ticketmaster Issues on Finals Tickets
. . . There have been quite a few complaints from people who have been having problems buying finals tickets through Ticketmaster. The system went down, it was slow, people couldn't get through - problems all round. I thought that sounded pretty poor, but then the guy from Ticketmaster explained to me (after I'd waited on the line for about 30 minutes, been cut off twice and almost accidentally booked tickets to a Janis Ian concert) that there was simply no way they could have known that so many people would want to watch the footy finals. He said there also seemed to have been an unexpected surge in demand from WA, which had thrown out their planning.
Our man at headquarters TheAge RealFooty/09Sept06

Clubs set for $6m dividend
The AFL is set to offer each club $6 million over the next five years as part of the financial distribution from the new $780 million media rights deal. The $1.2 million a year is an increase of $200,000 over the amount offered to clubs last month and an additional $1 million on what was originally offered, and rejected by clubs, earlier in the year. The Age has been told the AFL will begin meeting clubs next week to outline the deal, but it was unclear yesterday what the breakdown of the distribution would be. A number of club presidents and chief executives contacted yesterday said they would be pleased with such an amount but would reserve public comment and even acceptance until they saw a breakdown of the composition of the money. In principle, all agreed the revised amount would be a positive result for clubs, who told the AFL at last month's presidents' meeting that they would have significant extra costs next year as a result of the new collective bargaining agreement.
The Article Lyall Johnson/TheAge RealFooty/08Sept06

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