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Five changes for Sunday
Highly-regarded Saints' defender Leigh Fisher will play his first match since round nine of 2004 having recovered from a chronic hamstring complaint. Fisher is named on the bench in St Kilda's final 22 to play Carlton at the MCG as is goalsneak Stephen Milne who returns one week after being sent back to the VFL to regain some touch. The Saints will also be fielding a debutant with tall defender Sam Gilbert - who was drafted with pick 33 at last year's NAB AFL Draft - named on the bench for Sunday's match. The final two inclusions, Justin Peckett and Stephen Powell, will have been named in the starting 18. Going out of the side are Aaron Hamill (knee) and Max Hudghton (suspended), while Andrew McQualter, Aaron Fiora and Allan Murray were all omitted.
The Article Sportal/saints.com.au/19May06

Rix in the mix for Saints
St Kilda's selectors have swung the changes as the Saints look to get their season headed in the right direction against the Blues at the MCG on Sunday. Seven players - Stephen Milne, Leigh Fisher, Sam Gilbert, Mark McGough, Stephen Powell and Michael Rix - have been named in a 25-man squad with all but Powell and Peckett named on the extended bench. Out of the side that fell to Geelong by 18 points last week are Aaron Hamill (knee) and Max Hudghton, who will serve a one-match ban for striking, while Allan Murray and Aaron Fiora were both omitted. Gilbert and Rix will be making their AFL debuts if they remain in the side after the squad is trimmed back to 22 players on Friday evening, while the highly-regarded Leigh Fisher is looking to put his chronic hamstring problems behind him and play his first senior game since round nine of 2004.
The Article saints.com.au/18May06
Round 8 AFL teams Mark Robinson/HeraldSun/17May06

Jason Gram: Back from the brink
"Before the pre-season, I knew it was crunch time for me playing four years for only playing nine games. Having spoken to family and some good people, I figured out what it took and realised how important footy is in my life." Those outside the St Kilda inner circle don’t know much about Jason Gram. The former Gippsland U18 was selected by the Brisbane Lions with the 19th pick in the 2001 National Draft. However with a combination of injuries and starved chances in such a powerhouse side, Gram managed just two games in two seasons. "My attitude in Brisbane wasn’t all there at all. I found it hard and didn’t initially know what it took to play AFL." A Saints fan growing up, Gram’s dream came true when he was traded to Moorabbin in late 2003, coming into a side bursting with youth and talent.
The Article Luca Giacobello/saints.com.au/17May06

Rest Ball or lose him, Saints warned
Sports medicine expert Dr Peter Larkins has warned St Kilda its captain Luke Ball will not recover from lingering injury if he continues to play. Larkins said yesterday he had been distressed by vision of Ball struggling to get to his feet in the rooms after the Saints' loss to Geelong on Friday night. "That vision was quite dramatic," Larkins said. "It reminded me of a baby giraffe trying to take his first steps. He didn't know whether to put his left leg out or his right leg out."
The Article Mark Robinson/HeraldSun/17May06

Hudghton accepts one-match ban
St Kilda must plan to combat Carlton's ace goalkicker Brendan Fevola without key defender Max Hudghton at the MCG on Sunday. The Saints decided at a meeting yesterday not to challenge Hudghton's one-match ban from a match review panel charge of striking Geelong's Kent Kingsley on Friday night. Hudghton was the logical opponent for the in-form Fevola, who leads the AFL goalkicking. But the Saints decided against trying to convince a three-man tribunal jury last night that the action wasn't intentional, particularly after the review panel studied a previously unseen videotape angle of the behind play incident in the third term. Hudghton will return against the Kangaroos on Sunday week with two convictions this season after a previously unblemished record from 180 games.
The Article Bruce Matthews/HeraldSun/17May06

Saints may not make eight
Lacking lustre: injury hit and down on confidence, the Saints can no longer be considered certain finalists. More, there is a real possibility the Saints can miss the final eight. They have major injury concerns and a list that seems to have been overrated by many of us. After seven rounds, they are 10th, with three wins. This time last year, they had one more win and a much healthier percentage (plus 13 per cent). They also had a far healthier list. Luke Ball, for example, was St Kilda's best in the Round 7 game against Geelong in 2005, yet laboured through another 18-point loss to the Cats on Friday night . . .
CAIN ACKLAND
Eighth in the best-and-fairest last year, but started 2006 on a poor note in Perth and has laboured since.
STEVEN BAKER
Struggled against the tide early, but as committed to his task as ever. Super on Friday night on Gary Ablett.
LUKE BALL
Has been playing hurt since the first contest in the first round. Has lost his zip and the penetration in his kicking, and probably his confidence. Seems to be crying out for a rest.
JASON BLAKE
Has to be admired as the No. 1 ruckman at 189cm, but five or six times this year, the opposition rucks have been high in the best against the Saints.
XAVIER CLARKE
A critical omission. He proved against Port Adelaide how important his dash is. Sadly, his hamstrings aren't sympathetic.
NICK DAL SANTO
Stylish and efficient yet again. Occasionally seems to lack urgency.
The Article Mike Sheahan/HeraldSun/17May06

Ball plays down injury worries
St Kilda will continue to play captain Luke Ball as he recovers from an abdominal injury, dismissing calls for the key midfielder to be rested. The Saints say they would be open to the idea of resting Ball if his injury prevented him from performing, but maintain that he has not reached that point. Ball is not only keen to play, but has indicated privately that his abdominal problem - a partial tear, or strain to the muscle attached to the pubis - has stabilised and is not worsening. St Kilda coach Grant Thomas said the club intended to keep playing the skipper while monitoring his situation. "He's fit and available to play, so he plays," he said. "The fact that he's not in the same space he's been in in the past, that's OK, that happens. But, you know, he's not 100 per cent, but I suppose not many players have ever been 100 per cent. He's not 100 per cent, but we hope he's going to continue to improve."
The Article Jake Niall/TheAge/17May06
He didn't see me: Giansiracusa Michael Stevens/HeraldSun/18May06

Rules must be followed precisely
It used to be the norm. Indeed, it was encouraged. You could call an Aboriginal player a black prick and no one would flinch. Not even the abused player, so ingrained and acceptable had racism become in Australian football. Players were called much worse, of course. When indigenous footballers such as Michael Long, Nicky Winmar and Michael McLean began to resist and were joined by a vocal but small part of the media, the football world fought back.
The Article Patrick Smith/TheAustralian/18May06

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