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Two changes for Saints
St Kilda has made two changes for Thursday night's round three clash against the Brisbane Lions at Telstra Dome. The versatile Troy Schwarze gets his chance along with youngster Andrew McQualter who made seven senior appearances in his first season at Moorabbin last year. Making way are veteran Justin Peckett who has strained a hip flexor, and midfielder Stephen Powell who has been dropped. Promoted from the Brisbane Lions rookie list only on Tuesday, youngster Cheynee Stiller has been selected to make his senior debut against the Saints. The 19 year-old who stands 186cm and weighs-in at 76kg, was named on the bench and replaces Jayden Attard, who's been omitted.
The Article AFL/saints.com.au/12Apr08

Saints turn to stats to back ruck duo
The Saints have a message for Jason Akermanis: Check your facts before you mouth off. The colourful Brisbane onballer added fuel to tonight's clash against St Kilda at Telstra Dome by claiming the Saints had made a huge mistake when they let ruckman Trent Knobel go to Richmond last year. Saints ruckmen Cain Ackland and Jason Blake have been in indifferent form this season, and face a difficult task tonight against Lion Jamie Charman. While that may be the case, Saints assistant coach Matt Rendell brushed off Akermanis's statements in yesterday's Herald Sun. "It's Aker, I suppose. He has got to write something in the media every week," he said. "I think like a lot of the media he might make statements that aren't backed up by facts . . . If he looked at the facts, he might see we were the best team clearance-wise in the competition last year . . . That was with Ackland and Blake doing most of it, Kosi (Justin Koschitzke) a little bit in the middle there."
The Article Jon Pierik/HeraldSun/13Apr06
Spida's hair apparent Rebecca Williams/HeraldSun/13Apr06

On the sixth day, Saints must rise again and again
It was soft tissues, not mental softness or any other frailty, that was largely responsible for the failure of St Kilda to win the 2005 flag. ,Contrary to the old stereotype of pretty boys and hedonists, these Saints are a hardy bunch whose top-10 players are as courageous and resilient as any club's. While the character of Ball, Riewoldt, Maguire and co enabled them to surmount myriad setbacks in 2005, they couldn't scale the mountain of injuries that finally brought their preliminary final Swansong. Unsurprisingly, Grant Thomas' response to the plague of hamstrings and groins was to clean out his training services department and hire former Brisbane fitness man and ex-Pies premiership player Craig Starcevich, whom Leigh Matthews had dispensed with in his own ruthless culling of the Lions football department.
The Article Jake Niall/TheAge/13Apr06
Michael Voss: A face in the crowd Jake Niall/TheAge/13Apr06

Saints slow to shake hangover
If there is a master plan at Moorabbin to ensure St Kilda's stars reach peak form and fitness once the AFL season nears its business end, it is news to Craig Starcevich. Throughout Brisbane's premiership reign, Starcevich was the man behind the muscle. As the Lions' resident fitness and conditioning guru, he mapped each campaign from its pre-season origins and prepared every player for the rigours to come. But unless Starcevich has missed something in his new job, St Kilda's sluggishness out of the blocks has less to do with grand design than the perennial difficulty of easing finals-weary bodies into a new football year. "We are not that clever," Starcevich said to the suggestion St Kilda was deliberately timing its run for the latter stages of the season. "All the teams that finish in the bottom eight get a month's jump on all the teams that finished in the top four. They are further down the preparation path and everyone is a good chance to win rounds one to four. After that, the dust settles and teams work out where they sit in the pecking order . . . Particularly with off-season surgery, the difference between getting the guys who need fixing into surgery by late August-early September, compared with late September-early October, is massive."
The Article Chip Le Grand/TheAustralian/13Apr06

Lions find cub to stop Riewoldt
The former mentors of Brisbane Lions rookie Wayde Mills have backed his selection to mark St Kilda ace and fellow Southport product Nick Riewoldt in tonight's match at Telstra Dome. Mills, who was the Lions' second-round pick in last year's draft, turned in an impressive debut at the Gabba last Saturday night, blanketing Essendon's Scott Lucas in a disciplined display at centre half-back. Lions coach Leigh Matthews said Mills' initiation would continue against the Saints, claiming he was one of the few players in Brisbane's squad capable of physically matching the Saints superstar. It is a theory backed by Southport Sharks football manager Jason Cotter and AFL Queensland talent manager and former Sydney Swans captain Mark Browning, who both worked with Riewoldt and Mills in their junior years.
The Article Dan Koch/TheAustralian/13Apr06

Riewoldt will be tougher, says Michael
Brisbane Lions full-back Mal Michael yesterday suggested that his assault on an injured Nick Riewoldt at the Gabba 12 months ago would make the Saint superstar a tougher and better footballer. Michael said the incident, in which he and Chris Scott deliberately bumped Riewoldt in round one 2005, also would improve the centre half-forward as a leader. In perhaps the most debated on-field incident last season, Michael and Scott charged at and bumped Riewoldt's shoulder soon after he had shrugged off a trainer with what turned out to be broken collarbone. "I think it will make him a tougher player," Michael said yesterday. "I just don't think young guys these days - get put through the physical initiation like they used to . . . I think that incident will make him a better player - a better leader in future." Michael said he did not regret the incident, which caused a nationwide debate about whether his and Scott's actions were unsportsmanlike and if any action should have been taken against the pair. The AFL did not take any punitive action against Michael or Scott.
The Article AAP/TheAge/13Apr06

Teenager joins Lions squad
Coach Leigh Matthews has taken a radical selection gamble with untried Lions rookie Cheynee Stiller for tomorrow night's third-round AFL clash with St Kilda at Telstra Dome. Stiller is under consideration by Brisbane's match committee as a run-with opponent for St Kilda's All-Australian Nick Dal Santo - among the Saints' best in Friday night's win against Richmond. Matthews confirmed last night Stiller would travel to Melbourne with the squad today - the make-up of the final 22 to be decided tomorrow. The Queensland-bred rookie from the Zillmere Eagles, is considered one of the best endurance athletes at the club. The 19-year-old trained yesterday with the main group that defeated Essendon by 18 points - along with veteran ruckman Clark Keating and utility Joel McDonald.
The Article Andrew Hamilton/thecouriermail.news.com.au/12Apr06

Saints better placed, says Rendell
St Kilda assistant coach Matt Rendell rates the team as well advanced on this time last AFL season, even though injuries keep plaguing the Saints. Captain Luke Ball and Justin Koschitzke will miss tomorrow night's Telstra Dome match against Brisbane, while Justin Peckett is out of the team with a hip problem. Like last season, the Saints go into a round three with a 1-1 record and Rendell feels there is a sense of "deja vu" about the team's early form. But he feels the players are generally in much better shape than last year, when injuries hurt St Kilda throughout the season. "We're well in advance of where we were this time last year," Rendell said. The Saints overhauled their training services department in the off-season, recruiting former Collingwood player Craig Starcevich from Brisbane's coaching staff to be in charge of fitness at Moorabbin.
The Article Roger Vaughan/TheAustralian/12Apr06

More Saints injuries
St Kilda has been dealt yet another injury blow with emerging Saint Raphael Clarke reinjuring a hamstring, while skipper Luke Ball and key tall Justin Koschitzke will again be missing for Thursday night's clash against the Brisbane Lions at Telstra Dome. On top of that, the Saints will also be without veterans Justin Peckett and Stephen Powell against the Lions. Peckett has a hip flexor problem, while Powell has been omitted in order to gain greater match-time with Casey Scorpions in the VFL. Coming into the side is underrated young midfielder Andrew McQualter and defender Troy Schwarze. Clarke, who has yet to play a home-and-away match this season, reinjured his hamstring at training on Tuesday and will also be unavailable for the round three fixture against the Lions. Ball was a late withdrawal from last Friday night's 11-point win over Richmond at Telstra Dome, due to an abdominal strain, which means he will have led the club in just one premiership match, since being appointed skipper earlier in the season.
The Article Scott Spits/sportal/saints.com.au/12Apr06

AFL Match Review
While St Kilda trounced Brisbane the last time they met, the Saints-Lions encounter everybody still remembers from last year is the season-opening clash at the Gabba when Mal Michael and Chris Scott put Nick Riewoldt's wounded wing to the test. Given the 139-point hiding the Saints dished out to Brisbane in round 22 last year, it will be no surprise to see Leigh Matthews' men come out breathing fire this Thursday. However, Matthews fielded 10 players last week who were not part of the Brisbane's all-conquering premiership years, so the Lions' huff and puff will not have the same intimidation factor in 2006 as it did in years gone by. Even if it did, the Saints, now veterans of two finals campaigns, should have the mettle to deal with it. Of more concern for Thomas are his ruck stocks. Cain Ackland and Jason Blake could not get on top of Tiger Troy Simmonds, who had to shoulder the bulk of Richmond's big man duties last week, and the pair will this week have to deal with Jamie Charman and Mitchell Clark. While the midfield will be where the game is won, the battle between monsters Mal Michael and Fraser Gehrig will be far more entertaining.
The Article AFL/saints.com.au

Saints ahead of 2005: Rendell
Despite a remarkably similar start to the season compared to this time last year, St Kilda assistant coach Matt Rendell is convinced the Saints are much more advanced with their preparation in 2006. Like their round one loss to the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba in 2005, the Saints also traveled interstate first-up - a daunting assignment against the West Coast Eagles at Subiaco - and came back with an opening round defeat. Furthermore, the Saints were off the pace in round two last year, scraping through for a one-point victory over Fremantle in Launceston. And they hardly hit their straps with an 11-point win over Richmond at Telstra Dome last Friday night. Rendell says the Saints will benefit from more of their top-level players having better pre-season campaigns this time around.
The Article Scott Spits/sportal/saints.com.au/12Apr06

Diet won't cramp Charman's style
Brisbane Lions ruckman Jamie Charman has been given a new diet plan to ensure he does not again cramp as severely as he did on Saturday. Charman said he had never cramped as badly as he did during his gut-busting effort in the frenetic 18-point win against Essendon on a humid night at the Gabba. Team dietician Greg Shaw this week advised Charman to consume sachets of carbohydrate gel and down electrolyte drink to help him run out the important clash with St Kilda at Telstra Dome tomorrow night. AFL statistics clocked Charman as having played 72 minutes and rookie Mitchell Clark, the back-up ruckman under coach Leigh Matthews's quest for greater team speed, was on the field for 67 minutes.
The Article Paul Malone/thecouriermail.news.com.au/12Apr06

Ak attack on St Kilda
Brisbane's loudest Lion Jason Akermanis has taken a swipe at St Kilda in a salvo bound to add spice to tomorrow night's encounter at Telstra Dome. Risking raising the eyebrows of Lions coach Leigh Matthews yet again, Akermanis said the Saints made a huge mistake when they let ruckman Trent Knobel go to Richmond. He said Knobel would be St Kilda's No. 1 ruckman if he had stayed at Moorabbin. And the Brisbane onballer further needled the Saints by reopening the Nick Riewoldt wounds. He said he was not about to apologise to those who had criticised the Lions for their attack on the injured Saint in last year's controversial Round 1 match . . . Knobel, a cousin of Akermanis's wife Megan, left Moorabbin at the end of 2004.
The Article Jim Wilson/HeraldSun/12Apr06

Lions aim to kick on against Saints
An improved showing delivered a win against Essendon on the weekend, but dashing defender Chris Johnson says the onus is firmly on playing well on Thursday night against St Kilda - the side that beat the Lions by 139 points in Round 22 of last year. "Round 22 at Telstra Dome was a very ugly night for us all - as the players out there and as a club," Johnson said. "Certainly we haven't forgotten that and we've got to go out there on Thursday night and show we've improved from last year. In Round 1 we weren't great, on Saturday night we were a lot better and we've got to take it up that notch further on Thursday night." The Lions had a light-ish training session at the Gabba this afternoon, in a week in which the squad will be focussed on recovery. Five-day breaks ahead of the annual Easter Thursday fixture have been common in recent years and the Lions are now 'old-hat' at dealing with the shortened preparation.
The Article lions.com.au/saints.com.au/12Apr06

Hamill incident again has mothers blowing the whistle
Here we go again - another damaging incident in an AFL match leading to mothers calling talkback radio to voice their displeasure about their sons playing such a rough game. Maybe these mothers should try to look at the game through their sons' eyes. The cause of their alarm was Aaron Hamill's pile-driving tackle on Richmond defender Jay Schulz in last Friday night's game at Telstra Dome. Schulz injured the AC joint in his right shoulder and requires surgery. One mother rang Jon Faine's show on 774 ABC on Monday to say that she wasn't sure about her son playing football if such incidents were to be repeated. The mother can be assured: as long as football is played, such incidents will be repeated. No man, or boy, likes to be injured by a bigger, more physical opponent, but it must be accepted that one of the main reasons men and boys play Australian football is because of the game's physical component. Yes, we actually like it. We mightn't like having shoulders wrecked by an opponent who amounts to the playground bully, which was the role that Hamill played last Friday, but we like the clash of bodies and the sense of danger in the game. To emerge from a physical clash with your body and pride intact - to explore your limits of courage - is one way that sportsmen come to feel they're truly alive.
The Article Paul Daffey/TheAge/12Apr06

Showing them how it's done
When it was announced at last year's Trevor Barker Medal that Robert Harvey was continuing on in 2006, the Crown Palladium erupted with cheers and clapping that went for a while and justifiably so. It showed the admiration and respect that everyone who knows anything about our great game had for the dual Brownlow Medalist. It was also the best news the Club had hoped for after such a disappointing end to the season. Harvey has done it all since his debut in 1988 including four times Club champion, eight times All-Australian as well as state and international honours. However the one thing that drives this man is that elusive premiership that he deserves so much. It is amazing that Harvey is able to continue his game style at an age where most vary it, allowing them to still play in an era where the game has become so fast, but the veteran is still able to out-run and out-play his younger opponents and at times even his own teammates.
The Article Luca Giacobello/saints.com.au/10Apr06

"You've just got to hang tough and win the early ones, and try to build momentum . . . Try to build confidence and everything else, and I think sides start to build more fitness after games three, four or five . . . You've just got to make sure you win those early ones when you're a bit vulnerable." Grant Thomas

Key Saints face fitness tests
St Kilda could have two key players and one almost-forgotten defender return to its line-up for Thursday night's clash against the Brisbane Lions, with fitness tests set to determine the availability of a couple of high-profile Saints. Captain Luke Ball could return from an abdominal strain that kept him out of round two while key big man Justin Koschitzke could play his first game for the season after suffering from patella tendonitis. Luckless defender Leigh Fisher is available to play his first match since round nine, 2004, after battling a range of injuries including shoulder, back, and most recently, hamstring. Fisher was selected with the No.46 pick in the 2002 NAB AFL Draft and has played only ten matches for the club. Also facing fitness tests are Raphael Clarke, Barry Brooks, and Matthew Ferguson (all hamstring tightness). Mark McGough is also available for selection after overcoming an adductor injury
The Article Jennifer Witham/Sportal/saints.com.au/10Apr06
Injury List Updated

Thomas: Ball to play
St Kilda coach Grant Thomas has laughed off rumours new skipper Luke Ball has been struck down by a fresh bout of osteitis pubis. "The OP is all clear. Best it's ever been, in his words," Thomas said yesterday. Thomas said Ball was recovering from a simple stomach strain and he had "every expectancy" the midfielder would line up against the Brisbane Lions on Thursday night. If Ball is not risked against the Lions, he will definitely return for Round 4. Thomas said Ball had wanted to play against Richmond on Friday night and would have played if it had been a final. "He wanted to play and he thought he was right, but training services just thought a stomach strain could get worse and stay with you," Thomas said. "He could only go 90 per cent and we ruled him out. There's every expectancy he'll play this week. But if he can't go 100 per cent, he won't play either."
The Article Mark Stevens/HeraldSun/11Apr06

Increased burden on defenders
As the 16 AFL clubs continue to acclimatise to new rules and interpretations, AAPT Brisbane Lions coach Leigh Matthews says defenders are running further than ever. When the new laws were introduced - particularly the quicker kick-ins from full-back - it was speculated that midfielders would be hit with an increased running workload. But, as Matthews told local media this morning, it's the defenders and some forwards who are facing an upgraded endurance test. "We did some interesting GPS readings on players - and defenders are running almost as much your midfielders used to. The movement in the game has certainly kicked up a fair bit, I would have thought, even over the summer," Matthews said. "Therefore players, I think, in general are going to be a little bit more distressed late in games than they have been previously. Frankly that's what the rule-makers are trying to achieve."
The Article lions.com.au/saints.com.au/10Apr06
Data finds players pressed to limit Andrew Hamilton/thecouriermail.news.com.au/11Apr06

Cats Chase Winmar
Legendary AFL player Nicky Winmar is on track to make a surprise comeback to the game after Tallangatta District league club Rutherglen confirmed last night it was in negotiations with the former St Kilda star. Winmar, who turns 41 in September, trained with the Cats on Saturday morning and has expressed interest in returning to football with the club this season. Winmar played 251 games with the Saints and the Western Bulldogs from 1987 to 1999. "We had the bye at the weekend and he trained with us and puffed and panted a bit because he hasn't played for a while, but he looks in good shape," Rutherglen president Wayne Milthorpe said. "He's no certainly at the moment and we've still got a couple of things to work out there."
The Article Rob Harris/bordermail.com.au/10Apr06

Riewoldt's reality check
Neighbours star Stephanie McIntosh will use a reality TV show to launch her music career. Boyfriend and St Kilda player Nick Riewoldt will appear in the warts-and-all documentary series that follows the recording of McIntosh's debut album Tightrope. "It'll show my day-to-day life, Nick, my friends, my family, as well as the journey behind making this record," McIntosh said yesterday . . . "Nick's been so supportive. I can go home to him and say `What do you think of these songs'? He's a 23-year-old guy so he's got different tastes to me. He can be honest and tell me what he thinks. He's rapt it's all happening for me."
The Article Cameron Adams/HeraldSun/11Apr06

"Hopefully, he'll come up this week, but no chances will be taken" Grant Thomas on Luke Ball.

Ball and Kos for Thursday
. . . St Kilda captain Luke Ball missed the game because of an abdominal strain but is expected to play against the Brisbane Lions on Thursday. "He did (it) last week chasing Chris Judd and I think that could happen to any of us, with the speed of that fellow, so he'll be back this week," (Matt) Maguire said. There had been speculation Ball still had the osteitis pubis that wrecked his football in 2002. But coach Grant Thomas said Ball told him a few days ago that the condition was "basically gone". "Hopefully, he'll come up this week, but no chances will be taken," Thomas said. The Saints might also welcome back ruckman and forward Justin Koschitzke from a knee injury.
Saints need to improve: Maguire Reko Rennie/TheAge/09Apr06
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