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MELBOURNE: 4.4 10.9 12.10 15.13 (103)
ST KILDA: 2.2 5.3 10.8 13.12 (90)
GOALS - Melbourne: Neitz 8, McLean, Dunn, Robertson, Bruce, Whelan, Bate, Pickett
St Kilda: Dal Santo 3, Gehrig 2, Riewoldt 2, Schwarze 2, Montagna, Ball, Blake, Voss
BEST - Melbourne: Neitz, McLean, Yze, C Johnson, Carroll, Holland, McDonald, Bate, White
St Kilda: Dal Santo, Ball, Gram, Goddard, L Fisher, Voss
INJURIES - Melbourne: TBC
St Kilda: TBC
CHANGES - Melbourne: Moloney replaced in selected side by Godfrey.
St Kilda: Nil
UMPIRES: McLaren, Meredith, Wenn
REPORTS - Goddard (St Kilda) reported by field umpire McLaren for striking McDonald (Melbourne) in the second quarter
CROWD - 41,665 at the MCG

Playing group hunger
When we were on the rise in 2004 the playing group looked very hungry for success, we sent a message to the competition that we were a force to be reckoned with and it sent the spirits of us supporters into full blown optimism. Now just 2 seasons later we don't look as a team anywhere near as hungry for success. It's as if our 2 prelim appearance have sub-conciously sent a message to the playing group that it will happen because it happened before. Why is the morale of our players not as buoyant as before? Injuries to key players affect the continuity of team structures but what is really going on in the head of our players at the moment? The only players who are showing any real spark at the moment are the ones such as Gram, Goddard and Schwarze who realised that maybe they belong in the top league and are making the most of their opportunities. To me it seems a lot of the playing group are not really enjoying their footy at the moment. It's like we have got an inferiority complex, the body language of Gehrig, Milne and Maguire is not that of successful sportsmen.
The Article bussp mick/sainsational.com

" . . . as I said to the playing group, anyone can smack someone in the mouth after you've been smacked in the mouth. Sometimes you've just got to walk up and smack someone in the mouth first. Sometimes you've just got to do that - to state intentions - to let people know how important something is and to let people know that you're here for good and you're here to win." Grant Thomas

Thomas not afraid of task ahead
St Kilda coach Grant Thomas says he is ready for a challenging month. The Saints will play three of the top four sides - Sydney, Adelaide and Collingwood - in the next four rounds, and on the back of his side's 13-point loss to Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday, Thomas was philosophical about the testing period St Kilda faces. "It's a tough year. Life's tough, but so what. That's how it is. You've got to deal with it," Thomas said when asked of his thoughts of St Kilda's upcoming month of matches. "I love it. I love the competitiveness of it and I love the whole situation and I love waking up and having 40 young men to inspire and I love having our backs to the wall and I love chances to do things that no-one believes you can do."
The Article Matt Burgan/AFL/saints.com.au/04Jun06

"But that's what we are there to do, to coach, and to ensure that the players are at their best peak-performance mentally and physically at the start of a game and to that end, I failed. So I've got to look at how I'm preparing the playing group and hopefully I'll give them a better chance next week to start well, because we need to." Grant Thomas

Saints go down fighting
A spirited St Kilda side could not manage to complete what would have been a stunning comeback victory against Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday. Demons skipper David Neitz booted eight match-winning goals to help the Demons fend off the Saints by 13 points. Melbourne 15.13 (103) defeated the Saints 13.12 (90) to notch their sixth win of the season. Although Melbourne led from the four-minute mark of the first term and never gave up the lead, St Kilda fought back strongly in the second half to press the Demons hard. Yet Melbourne was strong enough before half-time to set up the win. But the story of the match was Neitz. Not only did he play his 273rd AFL match - now the most matches for Melbourne after overtaking the great Robbie Flower - he was also best-on-ground, as he had the better of Max Hudghton and Matt Maguire.
The Article Matt Burgan/AFL/saints.com.au/04Jun06

Neitz boots eight in record game
Melbourne captain David Neitz celebrated his AFL milestone game with eight goals to lead the Demons to a 13-point win over St Kilda at the MCG today. Neitz played his 273rd game to break Robert Flower's Melbourne club record and booted six first-half goals before he nullified the Saints' comeback with his eighth, in the last quarter. The Saints crept to within two goals midway through the final term, but Matthew Bate's long goal on the run sealed the win, 15.13 (103) to 13.12 (90).
The Article AAP/HeraldSun/04Jun06

Neitz leads Demons to win over Saints
. . . St Kilda kicked just two goals in the first quarter as it went to the first break trailing by 14 points, and let in six Melbourne goals in the next term to compound its woes. But the Saints fought back in the third term, kicking five goals to two to close the gap to 14 points at the final change. Neitz kicked the crucial opening goal of the final quarter to extend Melbourne's lead, before Brett Voss cancelled out Neitz's effort five minutes later with one of his own. Ultimately though the Demons proved too strong for the Saints, the two sides kicking two more goals each before the final siren.
The Article ABC Sport/04Jun06


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