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Harvey, West bridge the generation gap
West described Harvey and Carlton's games record-holder Craig Bradley as the most tireless runners he had confronted. "He's someone I've watched a lot of video on," he said of Harvey. "The way he carries the ball, where he goes, how he moves with it. I think he'll forever go down as the guy who was probably one of the hardest ever to tackle. Those are the little things you admire about a player". Those little things have rubbed off on the likes of Luke Ball, Nick Dal Santo and Lenny Hayes even though it is not Harvey's style to impose himself on his teammates.
The Article Chloe Saltau/TheAge/06May06

Dogs ready for deluge
Western Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade has warned his players to prepare for an onslaught today from a St Kilda team primed to take on the world after losing the points to Fremantle at AFL House this week."Make no mistake, after all the controversy this week, they'll be using the `us-and-them' mentality," Eade told his players at a meeting on the eve of today's Telstra Dome clash. "They'll be telling the players the world is against them. It'll be be on for young and old. You've got to get your mind right for this."
The Article Chloe Saltau/HeraldSun/06May06

Selection boost for Saints
The Saints have named key players Aaron Hamill and Justin Koschitzke to make their returns to the game this week in the club's clash with the Bulldogs at Telstra Dome on Saturday. Hamill was a late withdrawal from the match against the Dockers last week with a back injury while Koschitzke has played only one game this season after battling a string of complaints. His latest - a tight quad muscle obtained in round four - was set to rule him out for two weeks but the tall forward has been named to take his place in the side in the Rivalry Round showdown with the Dogs. Xavier Clarke (hip injury) and Andrew McQualter (omitted) are out while McQualter, Sam Gilbert and ruck option Michael Rix have been named as emergencies.
The Article saints.com.au/04May06
Bulldogs unchanged saints.com.au/04May06
All Round 6 teams: Herald Sun - AFL


Saints to draw on old bravado
. . . Throughout the 2005 season, St Kilda was the best team in the AFL at winning contested possession. On average, it won 12.4 more than its opposition. After five games this year, it ranks 12th. This year it is winning 6.2 fewer. St Kilda has used the furore over the chaotic finish in Launceston to draw the shutters around its team. This week, every training session has been closed to the public. The Bulldogs have also been left largely alone to regroup after last Saturday's drubbing by Adelaide at AAMI Stadium. Their emphasis all week has been on winning the ball in tight. On Wednesday, the players were subjected to a physically draining series of drills intended to renew their competitive instincts. Coach Rodney Eade was pleased with what he saw.
The Article Chip Le Grand/TheAustralian/05May06

Josh arrives at Saints
The St Kilda Football Club is pleased to advise that Joshua Duncan has been signed to a three-year contract under the new AFL (NSW/ACT) Scholarship Program. Joshua, who turns 15 years of age next month, is from Pennant Hills Football Club in Sydney (Lenny Hayes’ former club) is 180cm and has big hands and feet, with his height projection indicating that he may get to 185cm -188cm.
The Article saints.com.au/05May06

"The minute the AFL decided to take it the commission, it was out of our hands. As players, we just shifted our focus to the following week. There was nothing more we could do about the game in Launceston . . . To be honest, it hasn't affected me either way" Andrew Thompson
Saint backs club decision Mark Rasmussen/Sportal/saints.com.au/05May06
Thommo's topsy-turvy 200 Mark Rasmussen/Sportal/saints.com.au/05May06

Full credit to St Kilda for deciding not to take the soft-siren debacle to court in what could well have been a vain attempt to regain the two premiership points. In theory, the Saints players can now focus fully on living up to their star billing on-field after a poor start to the season. The Bulldogs are coming off a 13-goal drubbing from Adelaide.
Herald Sun R6 Previews

Saints turn to experience
. . . St Kilda regained former skipper Hamill, who was a late withdrawal with a back injury from last weekend's controversial clash with Fremantle. But the Saints appear to have taken a big selection punt on Koschitzke, who has played just one senior game this season, a fortnight ago against Port Adelaide, when he injured a quad muscle. Earlier this week, the key big man was still listed as being two weeks away from a return. Should he take the field, he will have to share ruck duties with Jason Blake, with genuine ruckman Cain Ackland still on the selection outer.
The Article Rohan Connolly/TheAge/05May06

Clarke hip is next hurdle for Saints
St Kilda has moved on from the shock of last Sunday's final siren fiasco, but is still coming to grips with another major injury blow to defender Xavier Clarke. Trying times: Saints coach Grant Thomas is caught up in last Sunday's final siren debacle. Clarke, an explosive rebounder, will miss up to eight weeks with a hip injury. The 22-year-old, who has endured a cruel run with soft-tissue injuries, has been booked in for arthroscopic surgery on Monday.
The Article Mark Stevens/HeraldSun/04May06

Sore Grant to take on Saints
Chris Grant is sore but expected to play against St Kilda on Saturday, although Western Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade has not ruled out resting him later in the season after the physical pummelling he has absorbed in the past fortnight. Grant, who was kneed in the small of his back by Adelaide's Rhett Biglands last weekend, trained only lightly yesterday but has recovered well enough from his second blow in two weeks for Eade to consider him a certain starter. Still, he said the 33-year-old might sit out the occasional game as the year wore on.
The Article Chloe Saltau/TheAge/04May06

"They're obviously a quality side, but they're obviously a very, very tough team, physically and we're expecting a pretty tough torrid game . . . They've got some extremely talented players and if we're not on our game, there's no doubt that they'll absolutely belt us". Rodney Eade on St Kilda

Dogs guard against belting
Western Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade says the Dogs must be on their game against St Kilda at Telstra Dome this Saturday or otherwise they will face some serious consequences. Eade is adamant St Kilda has the ability to 'belt' the Bulldogs, if his team is not on its game.
The Article Matt Burgan/Sportal/saints.com.au/03May06
Eade tips Saints to be just as strong AAP/HeraldSun/04May06

Clarke's Grandmother passed away
Xavier and Raphael Clarke's Grandmother died yesterday, she was a keen Saints suppoter and an inspiration to her Grandsons.
Great read in the Age today.
Saint Sheila Emma Quayle/HeraldSun/05May06

A Saintly contribution
St Kilda players Luke Ball and Stephen Milne have participated in the World's Greatest Shave, which is one of the nation's biggest fundraising events that involves 100,000 Australians shaving or colouring their hair. Leukaemia Foundation World's Greatest Shave is being held between 4 - 6 May 2006, and on Wednesday Stephen Milne took charge of the clippers and shaved St Kilda Captain Luke Ball's hair.
The Article saints.com.au/04May06

"I think it's great that St Kilda have looked at it as quickly as what they have. They've made the call (not to challenge) and now it's out of the road. The whole club can now settle down." Cameron Schwab

Saints rule out appeal
St Kilda will not take legal action now that it has officially lost the round six clash against Fremantle, which was played last Sunday at Aurora Stadium in Launceston. On Thursday morning, the club released a statement, confirming it would not pursue legal action. The St Kilda board and executive met early on Thursday morning to decide the matter. "The main item on the agenda was to consider whether the interests of the club were best served by pursuing further legal action in search of the two points or to focus all energy on our remaining 2006 campaign," the statement said. "The unanimous decision was not to proceed with further legal action".
The Article Matt Burgan/Sportal/saints.com.au/04May06
Letter from Jim Watts saints.com.au/04May06
Saints cop it sweet AAP/HeraldSun/04May06
Justice served: Schwab Sportal/04May06
Sporting Saints decline legal action John Salvado and Tim Clarke/TheAge/05May06
Saints wanted fight Mark Stevens/HeraldSun/05May06

Doggies Match
The Saints' best 22 is as good as any in the competition, but do they have the depth required to get them through rocky periods like the one they're experiencing now? If they're to get up, Gehrig must lift, Nick Riewoldt needs to reaffirm his superstar status, and the rest need raise their intensity significantly. The Saints will go in hard, but the Bulldogs, despite last week's hiccup, have the firepower to win. AFL Match Review

Presidents at war
St Kilda president Rod Butterss will go one out against the big two - Eddie McGuire and Jeff Kennett - and demand the AFL does not give more money to clubs. McGuire, Kennett, Western Bulldogs president David Smorgon and Melbourne president Paul Gardner have joined forces to pressure the AFL to give clubs a greater slice of the TV rights money, worth $780 million from 2007-2011. The presidential showdown will come tomorrow when the club presidents meet the AFL where chief executive Andrew Demetriou will outline how the extra finances will be budgeted.
The Article Mark Robinson/HeraldSun/04May06

Dockers' win creates betting quandary
Victoria's biggest betting agency, TAB Sportsbet has confirmed it will not pay out on a Fremantle win in last Sunday's Launceston clash against St Kilda following the league's decision to change the result of the game on Wednesday night.TAB Sportsbet had already paid out on a drawn result after being given the all-clear by the AFL to do so on Sunday night, about 30 minutes after the completion of the game.
The Article Paul Gough/Sportal/saints.com.au/03May06

Tribunal
Hayes clear, Farmer gets one
Injury-hit St Kilda has received a significant boost at the AFL Tribunal after classy midfielder Lenny Hayes was cleared of a charge of attempting to strike. In an earlier hearing on Tuesday night, Fremantle's Jeff Farmer was suspended for one match for striking Saint, Robert Harvey. The tribunal took just seconds to determine Hayes was not guilty of attempting to strike Fremantle's Steven Dodd during the match in Launceston last Sunday. St Kilda has a host of players hit by injury and in doubt for Saturday's crunch match against the Western Bulldogs at Telstra Dome, and they could ill-afford to lose Hayes for such a vital match. Hayes admitted he had used a clenched fist to try to break Dodd's grasp during the match at Aurora Stadium but said he was only attempting to hit the Docker's arms to break free and go after the football.
The Article Jennifer Witham/Sportal/saints.com.au/02May06

Gehrig cleared of striking
St Kilda has received mixed news from the AFL's match review panel after star forward Fraser Gehrig was cleared of striking but key midfielder Lenny Hayes faces suspension for attempting to strike charge. Hayes has been charged with a level three attempting to strike offence against Docker Steven Dodd during the first quarter at Aurora Stadium. The former Saints skipper drew a total of six activation points, equating to 125 demerit points and a one-match suspension.
The Article Jennifer Witham/Sportal/saints.com.au/01May06

St Kilda woes heightened by bans, injuries
St Kilda is facing crises on two fronts, with its battle to retain premiership points compounded by the familiar and potentially more serious problem of injuries and suspensions to key players. The club's growing number of missing or severely restricted players includes the key duo of Xavier Clarke and skipper Luke Ball, with the club to determine this week how it manages Clarke's groin injury, which sources suggest could be a case of osteitis pubis.
The Article Jake Niall/TheAge/02May06

"The AFL commission has determined that the correct interpretation of the relevant rules and regulation is that the match concluded immediately after the siren sounded to end the match in the final quarter. Effective of this interpretation is that the Fremantle Football Club won the match". AFL chairman Ron Evans

Dockers win Round 5
The AFL has awarded Fremantle the win over St Kilda, with the league's commission deciding after a special meeting on Wednesday that fairness must prevail. The AFL Commission met for more than four hours on Wednesday afternoon, hearing submissions from both the Saints and the Dockers, before AFL chairman Ron Evans announced the decision.
The Article Matt Burgan/Sportal/saints.com.au/03May06
Dockers awarded win ABCSport/03May06
Fremantle wins HeraldSun/03May06
Saints weigh-up options Sportal/saints.com.au/03May06
Could this happen again? Paul Gough/Sportal/saints.com.au/03May06
Spirit of sport trumps rules of the game Patrick Smith/The Australian/04May06
AFL Ladder Updated after AFL Ruling

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