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GEELONG: 2.5, 6.7, 8.11, 11.14 (80)
ST KILDA: 3.1, 7.5, 12.7, 15.13 (103)
GOALS – Geelong: Ling 2, S. Johnson 2, Mackie 2, Hunt, Mooney, Byrnes, Ottens, Enright
St Kilda: Gehrig 3, Koschitzke 2, Riewoldt 2, Fiora, Voss, Peckett, Dal Santo, S. Fisher, Montagna, R. Clarke, Milne
BEST – Geelong: Mackie, Ling, Byrnes, Wojcinski, Corey
St Kilda: Dal Santo, Montagna, Riewoldt, S. Fisher, Gram, Goddard, Hudghton
INJURIES – Geelong: Riccardi (hamstring)
St Kilda: nil
CHANGES – Geelong: nil
St Kilda: nil
REPORTS - nil
UMPIRES - McBurney, Quigley, Schmitt
CROWD - 40,986 at Telstra Dome
FREE KICKS: St Kilda - 15, Geelong - 15
HITOUTS: St Kilda - 22, Geelong - 34
50m PENALTIES: St Kilda - 1, Geelong - 0
GOALS: St Kilda - Free 1; Play 8; Mark 6, Geelong - Free 0; Play 2; Mark 9.
DISTANCE OF GOALS: St Kilda - 0-15m 2; 15-30m 4; 30-40m 4; 40+m 5, Geelong - 0-15m 1; 15-30m 2; 30-40m 3; 40+m 5.

Top four the goal
. . . Xavier Clarke said the Saints were hoping the Dockers – who are also emerging as top four contenders – had expended plenty of energy in their win over the Crows and were looking forward to a tough contest given the recent history between the two sides. "They had a good win in Adelaide and hopefully they ran themselves into the ground and they're a bit tired as well from their flight back home," he said. "We've beaten Freo over there in the past, unfortunately last year they beat us with a kick on the siren, so we've had great games with them over there, and if we play the way we played last night with everyone having a crack, there's no doubt we can beat them over there and seal top four".
The Article Jennifer Witham/saints.com.au/14Aug06

What's up, Dockers?
. . . The top four teams of 2005 again fill the top four positions on the ladder after St Kilda edged up to fourth yesterday. If the positions remain the same after the remaining three weeks of the home-and-away series, the first week of finals again will see West Coast play Sydney in Perth, with Adelaide hosting St Kilda . . . St Kilda, which ended Geelong's hopes, must beat the all-conquering Fremantle in Perth on Saturday night to hold its ground. A loss will see it fall behind Freo and probably Melbourne, which plays the Kangaroos on Sunday. If Freo ends up pinching St Kilda's spot in the top four, Melbourne will not host a final in the second and third week of finals for the first time in history.
The Article HeraldSun/14Aug06

Saints bank on Kosi for September
By the time Justin Koschitzke got to play again, he was well and truly over it. Not the game; just the gumph. Like his father Greg, whose sense of humour is as dry as a 10-year drought, Koschitzke is a country bloke with no time for carry on. He understands his lot as an AFL footballer but could not understand the national obsession over one man's noggin . . . "There is no doubt that Kosi lifts our spirits when he plays," Thomas said. "We didn't expect much from him today but he was really significant the way he went about it. He kicked a couple of crucial goals and having him in the ruck and around the ground was a really important factor. He's a very good leader and he inspires his team-mates with his performances. He is a very heavy barometer of our team and that's why he is such a significant player. A bit like Aaron Hamill, who has the same effect on the team. So does Lenny Hayes and Matt Maguire."
The Article Chip Le Grand/TheAustralian/14Aug06

The cry was 'Kosi, Kosi, Kosi! Joy, joy, joy!'
Justin Koschitzke took to the field wearing a custom-built helmet yesterday and left 2½ hours later without an injury. He didn't get cleaned up, hurt his quad or receive concussion after running into an umpire. To survive yesterday's game without any further dents to that collision-prone body was the major achievement for a player who, a fortnight ago, was prepared for the grim prospect of sitting out the remainder of St Kilda's season. "They weren't confident enough yet that the (fracture) probably hadn't healed up enough and a few other things were going wrong and they told me it was a possibility I wouldn't play for the rest of the year," Koschitzke recalled. "I was prepared to accept that because I wouldn't have put myself at risk." But Koschitzke did considerably better than merely avoid another accident. He competed, taking six marks and booting two goals. He did some ruck work. His presence enhanced the productivity of Fraser Gehrig and Nick Riewoldt.
The Article Jake Niall/TheAge/14Aug06
Cats left to lick wounds in disappointing year Lyall Johnson/TheAge/14Aug06

Saints work hard as finals elude pussy Cats
. . . The Saints already had taken a handy 21-point lead with the first three goals of the third quarter, but were by no means sure things. Geelong's Cameron Mooney squandered a chance to pull the gap to just a couple of kicks, when along came Sam Fisher. Having already earned his keep, the St Kilda key defender found another gear at the perfect moment. Darren Milburn pumped the ball long to Cats forward Henry Playfair, who looked set to take a mark and give his team another scoring chance. But Fisher wasn't about to let that happen. Starting well behind, he gave everything not only to make the contest, but spoil Playfair brilliantly. Then he kept running, hard enough to receive a handball from teammate Brendon Goddard, who'd been in position to seize the crumb Fisher had created. Then he ran some more before letting fly from outside 50 metres - his kick surely one of the best goals of this season. It was inspirational in both effort and execution.
The Article Rohan Connolly/TheAge/14Aug06

Saints show how it's done
. . . It is hard to gauge just what the Saints are capable of in September given the players missing but there is enough there to give hope, particularly when Riewoldt and Gehrig are travelling like they are. Dal Santo (28 disposals), Robert Harvey (23) and captain Luke Ball (22) were all brilliant in tight yesterday. Peckett (16 kicks) kept Ablett goalless while another veteran Andrew Thompson kept Geelong playmaker Joel Corey relatively subdued. Jason Gram continued his audacious running off half-back while one of the best moves of the game was the use of ruckman Michael Rix at centre half-back on Cameron Mooney. While Rix only had one kick and one handball for the day, he at least kept Mooney (19 disposals and 1.2 goals) from igniting his team which is so often his responsibility.
The Article Scott Gullan/HeraldSun/14Aug06
Cats urged to fight on for pride Scott Gullan/HeraldSun/14Aug06

Nervous Koschitzke no longer in horrors
In his own laid-back country way, Justin Koschitzke last night announced it felt like "beer o'clock". There were no thoughts of going on a bender, but Koschitzke was looking forward to relaxing on the balcony at home with a quiet one. With his parents Greg and Julie in town, he was expecting a full debrief with the old man on a memorable day. After the events of the past 14 weeks, who could begrudge Koschitzke enjoying a "frothy" or two?
The Article Mark Stevens/HeraldSun/14Aug06

Saints carry Big V flag
St Kilda has risen ominously above the rubble left after a disastrous weekend for Victorian contenders. Only a week after seemingly headed for the scrap yard themselves, the Saints yesterday all but killed off Geelong's finals hopes and celebrated a string of positives. Justin Koschitzke made a triumphant return with two goals in the 23-point victory and the long-awaited comebacks of Xavier and Raphael Clarke added timely zip and pizzazz. With Collingwood, Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs all stumbling towards the finish line, St Kilda is suddenly back in fourth spot and looming as Victoria's best hope. The Saints confront a rampant Fremantle at Subiaco on Saturday night in what looms as a playoff for the double chance. St Kilda coach Grant Thomas last night talked up the significance of the road trip. "This week it's basically two men enter, one man leaves," Thomas said. "It's Freo vying for top four and hopefully we're vying for top four. We've obviously made things hard for Geelong to make the finals."
The Article Mark Stevens/HeraldSun/14Aug06

Saints send Cats packing
. . . St Kilda's will to win was best summed up by a superb piece of play by underrated defender Sam Fisher in the third quarter as he produced a candidate for goal of the year. Fisher made a superb spoil from seemingly nowhere to rob Steve Johnson of what appeared a certain mark and then quickly followed up play to receive a handball as the Saints' gathered the crumbs. But Fisher then kept running and capped off a magnificent piece of play with a superb goal on the run from 55 metres. His effort typified why the Saints have remained so competitive despite constant injuries over the past three years and once again they appear Victoria's leading premiership hope in 2006.
The Article Paul Gough/saints.com.au/13Aug06
No finals this year for Cats Paul Gough/AFL/saints.com.au/13Aug06
AFL wrap: Saints fly flag AAP/HeraldSun/13Aug06
Contenders' run home HeraldSun/13Aug06
Dockers eclipse Crows AAP/HeraldSun/13Aug06
Sorry mate, game over Jay Clark/Geelong Advertiser/geelonginfo.com.au/14Aug06
Heart-breaking end for Riccardi Sarah Bieske/Geelong Advertiser/geelonginfo.com.au/14Aug06
Geelong announce internal review ABCSport/17Aug06
Ominous signs for changes at Geelong FootyGoss/16Aug06

Hard knocks harden Saints
. . . "You can either compound or you can galvanise, and I think very definitely our playing group has learnt to deal with adversity," (Grant) Thomas said, after the side's 23-point win over the Cats. "I don't think they necessarily get the credit they deserve, or have deserved over the past couple of years through the adversities they have been through but I think they are much more mature for the experiences they have had. I think they are a much more resilient and mentally tough group of players. I think last week was a good learning curve for them as well against West Coast, in the game for three quarters and then compounded a bit in the last quarter."
The Article Jennifer Witham/saints.com.au/13Aug06

Kosi puts circus behind him
. . . Koschitzke, who had a successful return to the game with two goals and six marks, was rapt he was able to contribute to the Saints' win despite feeling nerves before the first bounce . . . "I had no pressure, the coach and the boys put no pressure on me today, they just wanted me to compete and just be competitive pretty much, and a couple of goals are a bonus. It was a great result," he said, after the 23-point win over the Cats. "I knew I could still be competitive, but I was as nervous as I've been before the game. It was great to get out there and touch the footy and get amongst it again. There was some sort of doubt, but you just can't wait for it to get underway. The build up, and all the crap that has gone with it, I was over it all. So just to get back and play footy and be a part of something was great. (The lead-up) was just unwarranted, all the attention was embarrassing and pretty foolish I thought."
The Article Jennifer Witham/saints.com.au/13Aug06

Saints just about end Cats' hopes
St Kilda moved into the AFL top four with a 23-point win over Geelong today which might have ended the Cats' finals hopes. Full-forward Fraser Gehrig booted three goals and ruckman Justin Koschitzke got through his comeback match unscathed as the Saints won 15.13 (103) to 11.14 (80). Outplayed in the opening 45 minutes, the Saints were in big trouble when Brad Ottens' goal put Geelong 14 points up and Saints fullback Max Hudghton went off with what appeared to be a leg injury. But a Brett Voss snap sparked a comeback and was the first of four goals for the quarter. By the time Hudghton returned, the Saints had turned things around.
The Article AAP/HeraldSun/13Aug06

Saints jump into top four
St Kilda moved into the top four on the AFL ladder following a 23-point victory over Geelong at Docklands this afternoon . . . The Cats are two wins behind the eighth-placed Western Bulldogs with just three rounds remaining beyond this weekend. They gave themselves a serious chance of upsetting St Kilda in the first half when they trailed by just four points at the main break, but a dominant third-quarter performance from the home side where they kicked five goals to two ensured the Cats would leave Docklands empty-handed. St Kilda's goal-kicking was shared around with Fraser Gehrig leading the way with three majors, while comeback kid Justin Koschitzke celebrated his first senior match since fracturing his skull in round six with a double. Nick Riewoldt also managed two goals and eight Saints players added single majors.
The Article AAP/ABCSport/13Aug06

Saints down Cats to reach top four
St Kilda's win was its 12th and moved it into fourth position, while Geelong's loss left the Cats two games out of the eight with only three rounds left. Koschitzke played a good game in his first AFL match since he suffered a fractured skull in round six, and booted two goals alongside some lengthy time in the ruck. The 23-year-old, who wore a helmet, kicked his first goal from a good pass from Nick Dal Santo and then booted another in the opening minutes of the third. When Gehrig and Nick Riewoldt also kicked goals in the third it became painfully obvious the Cats badly lacked marking targets in attack. Riewoldt played all over the ground and finished with two goals, Dal Santo was also prolific in the midfield and veteran Justin Peckett did a good job on Cats star Gary Ablett. Winger Andrew Mackie was Geelong's best, while Cameron Ling and Darren Milburn worked hard through the middle of the ground.
The Article AAP/TheAge/13Aug06

Fremantle lurking as wild-card
. . . Victoria's challenge for the flag has faltered, with Melbourne, Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs falling down the ladder after unexpected losses. Only St Kilda kept pace with the leaders, breaking into the top four with a win over Geelong yesterday. The once "unbeatable" Adelaide was made to look ordinary in front of its home crowd, Sydney continued to travel quietly in low gear and West Coast went calmly on its way to take over favouritism for the premiership. But craziest of all, the forgotten men from the West, the Fremantle Dockers, are showing they can do more than just be a spoiler in the finals. Next week Fremantle plays the Saints at Subiaco, with a chance to enter the top four, followed by a derby clash against the Eagles.
The Article Andrew McGarry/TheAustralian/14Aug06

Why cry for change when system works?
There is a little-known fact that says more than a little about the AFL draft, its quirks and effects. The fact is 14 of the 16 clubs have contested preliminary finals, i.e. finished in the top four, in the period 2000-05. It is feasible one or both of the other two -- the Western Bulldogs and Fremantle -- will join the list this year. For the sake of the exercise, let's presume both the Doggies and the Dockers reach preliminary final weekend this year. It would mean every club in the competition would have finished top four at least once in a seven-year period. Isn't that what the draft was designed to do? No one likes an idea more than I do, but I simply cannot understand why people, including Garry Lyon, want yet another overhaul of the draft.
The Article Mike Sheahan/HeraldSun/14Aug06

Worth the wait
Jason Gram's success this year is having far-reaching reverberations. After four seasons of producing next to nothing, Gram himself feels as relieved as he does rapt to have finally come good. The feeling's mutual among his St Kilda coaches and teammates who, until recently, saw him spend the best part of two years on their injury list. Up north, the Brisbane folk that let go their fi rst pick of the 2001 draft after just two seasons would have also observed Gram's giant strides, and inevitable bounces, with more than passing interest, if not a hint of regret. And in the rural Victorian city of Sale, Roddy Gram's menswear business is bustling . . . Injury had been his greatest impediment, but Gram felt ashamed of the record. "When I'd go back home people would say 'when are you going to get a game? Are you going to be on the list next year?', and that's pretty embarrassing" . . . On field Gram's objective is uncomplicated. Once he gets the ball, he carries it as far as he can and then tries to kick long to a forward.
The Article Samantha Lane/TheAge/12Aug06

Maguire sets return date
Matt Maguire, who had a third and final operation on his broken leg yesterday, hopes he will be back for Round 1 next year. The St Kilda back man was expected to leave hospital yesterday and return to his hometown Warrnambool for a week. Speaking for the first time since breaking his leg against West Coast eight days ago, Maguire said he was in good spirits. It was a different story to Tuesday, when Maguire needed urgent attention to release pressure in the muscle around the broken tibia and fibula bones in his left leg. They were symptoms of compartment syndrome. He had had a titanium rod inserted in his leg on Saturday.
The Article Mark Robinson/HeraldSun/12Aug06
Sister: I was caught in Spida's web Kelvin Healey/HeraldSun/12Aug06

Dockers scrape past the Crows
Despite trailing at three-quarter time, the Fremantle Dockers have held on to defeat the Adelaide Crows by 15 points at AAMI Stadium, 13.17 (95) to 10.20 (80). The Dockers got off to a good start in the first quarter with the wind firmly backing them but they failed to convert from some of their early opportunities . . . Fremantle seemed tired in the third term and Adelaide surprised them with their physicality . . . At the last change the Crows held a three-point lead over the Dockers . . . In the final term the Dockers came out blazing, booting three unanswered goals from Ryan Murphy, Pavlich and Matthew Carr.
The Article Angie Raphael/FootyGoss/14Aug06
Word for Word - Connolly - Interview after win in Adelaide - WestAustralian/14Aug06
What's changed with Freo in the last 6 weeks Discussion Board/Dockerland.com

Internet snares victims
It started with false rumours about a certain AFL coach's private life, printed first on an unofficial AFL website, being aired on Melbourne radio. Then on Thursday, certain people within the footballing media received an email saying that former Sydney ruckman Ricky Mott was going to be drafted by Essendon. The story, under the byline of West Australian football journalist Ray Wilson, said Mott would be drafted to replace "out-of-favour youngster Tristan Cartledge". There were even quotes from Mott saying "I have been in talks with the Bombers for a while now and hopefully they will give me another opportunity to restart my career". Wilson's stories are often published in The Age, so it wasn't surprising to see The Age run the Mott story on Friday. Problem was, however, the whole story had been made up and had first appeared on the popular website bigfooty.
The Article Steve Perkin/HeraldSun/15Aug06
Media Watch Transcript abc.net.au

Brownlow Medal night again may lack its star
This year's Brownlow Medal count again could be held without its biggest name after medal favourite Chris Judd ruled out flying to Melbourne if the Eagles are in the grand final. The West Coast captain is a clear favourite to win the coveted award after another brilliant performance against the Kangaroos on Saturday resulted in his price being cut from $3 to $2.85 with TAB Sportsbet. The Eagles are three games clear of third-placed Sydney and will wrap up the right to host two finals if they defeat the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba on Sunday. Last year, the AFL was prepared to charter a private jet to have West Coast's Ben Cousins in Melbourne after he entered the count a short-priced favourite. He declined, stayed in Perth to prepare for the grand final and won a thriller by one vote from his teammate Daniel Kerr.
The Article Craig O'donoghue/TheAge/17Aug06
Judd: Count me out AAP/WestAustralian/16Aug06

Tough on scalpers
The AFL has begun a widespread crackdown on ticket scalpers ahead of the finals series and already fans have been turned away and their tickets cancelled. Twenty-five fans had their tickets cancelled at the turnstile when West Coast hosted Adelaide in Perth a fortnight ago and the AFL has warned similar action will be taken in the next six weeks. It is understood tickets for the Round 17 clash at Subiaco were advertised in Perth newspapers and on internet auction site eBay. "We are in constant discussions with eBay throughout the season and we monitor ticket scalpers who charge the football community inflated prices," an AFL spokesman said. "Tickets were cancelled at the gate at Subiaco and the fans weren't allowed into the ground."
The Article Mark Stevens/HeraldSun/15Aug06

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