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2007 Round 16 Post-game Articles - St Kilda versus Hawthorn
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St Kilda key forward Aaron Hamill is set for more knee surgery this week, ending his AFL season and renewing speculation about his football future. Hamill will meet with surgeon Ian Henderson tomorrow after failing to pull up well from the weekend's training. "It clearly hasn't settled, he trained on the weekend, it's not perfect," said coach Ross Lyon. "He'll more than likely have investigative surgery and then (there's) a decision ... to be made." He is yet to play a senior game this season after ongoing knee problems, leading to concerns his career might be over. But earlier this month Lyon said the Saints were confident Hamill could play again. The Article Roger Vaughan/AAP/HeraldSun/24Jul07 Saints to decide on Hamill's season soon St Kilda could decide after next weekend to rest injury-plagued forward Aaron Hamill for the remainder of the AFL season. Hamill trained this weekend as he tries to regain full fitness, having not played senior football yet this year because of recurring knee trouble. Speaking after the 17-point win over Hawthorn on Saturday night, Saints coach Ross Lyon said the club would see how Hamill progressed through more training over the coming few days. But if he is unable to play in the VFL next weekend, it is becoming likely that the Saints will try to prepare Hamill for 2008 instead. The Saints have won four of their last five and are in finals contention, one of four mid-table teams with an 8-8 record. "If he doesn't train next weekend, we'll sit down and assess it," Lyon said. "He's really important to us and he's had a really tough time....it's frustrating for all concerned." The Article AAP/BrisbaneTimes/22Jul07 Lyon refuses to be drawn on finals talk . . . "It was always going to be a difficult game. You don't fluke being second on the ladder, they've been in good form and it was a real challenge for our group, so it was pleasing to get away with the four points," Lyon said. "The way we're going about it is we're not really looking at the ladder and our win-loss. Clearly we needed to improve as a team from where we were and we set ourselves some areas to work on over the break and, win or lose, we want to continue to try and deliver on them. We feel we're doing that and that's obviously created the potential for us to win some games. "You can talk the process, method, focus, KPIs, whatever, but we've got a couple of things we're focusing on and it's standing the team in really good stead under pressure." The Article Jason Phelan/saints.com.au/22Jul07 Shades of the Swans as Saints pick up the pace Ross Lyon brought with him many qualities when he left a three-year stint as an assistant coach with Sydney to take on the senior job at St Kilda. A sound tactical mind. An intimate involvement with one of the AFL's most astute coaching panels. And having played a big part in directing a playing group that consistently squeezed every last possible drop of ability from itself. The latter hasn't been something you would so far have associated with the St Kilda he has overseen. But Lyon's Saints are beginning to ape another characteristic of Sydney that has served the Swans so well in recent years - the capacity to peak at the critical moment. St Kilda might have left its run pretty late in 2007, but in a race for the final spot in the eight with as many as six contenders, the Saints are coming home harder and faster than any of their rivals. While injuries hadn't helped, there was a hesitancy and lack of confidence about St Kilda over the first half of this season that betrayed a team clearly struggling to come to grips with a new master's voice. The Article Rohan Connolly/RealFooty/23Jul07 Kosi accepts one-match ban St Kilda big man Justin Koschitzke will miss Saturday's clash with Carlton at Telstra Dome after accepting a one match penalty for striking. Koschitzke was offered a two-match ban by the match review panel for striking Hawthorn's Robert Campbell at Telstra Dome last Saturday night, reduced to one match with an early plea. St Kilda coach Ross Lyon said the decision to accept the ban was not his call. "The heart wanted to but it's not my decision. We get advised by a QC and there's always a risk," Lyon told his weekly press conference at Moorabbin on Tuesday afternoon. "There was some sort of arguing the impact from medium to low, but we decided to accept the discount and one week and move forward." The Article Sportal/24Jul07 Hamill unlikely to play this season Ben Broad/AFL/saints.com.au/24Jul07 Flying Fiora wins goal of the year nomination Aaron Fiora has been nominated for Goal of the Year for his brilliant play in the final minutes against Hawthorn. Fiora spun out of a tackle, managing to stay balanced while running hard to snap a sensational goal on his left foot. Saints fans can view and vote for Fiora's goal at www.afl.com.au/markgoal. The Article saints.com.au/24Jul07 Saint takes role to extreme . . . (Leigh) Fisher's capacity and commitment to run with Mitchell became a key component for the Saints to substitute that Saturday night defeat in mid-May with a craftily compiled 17-point victory this time. "It was a new experience. I haven't been in the midfield too much really, so it was a nice change," Fisher said. "He's a good runner, that's for sure. I had my work cut out keeping up. He didn't come off in the last quarter at all. I started to cramp near the end, so I was lucky the siren went." Aside from limiting Mitchell's damage to 20 possessions, Fisher collected 14 himself as the recipient of how the good players always take you to the action. "He gets around the back of packs and kind of releases and starts their play from the backline. You have to watch that a fair bit," Fisher said. "Last time I was playing halfback and their forwards pushed up the ground into the stoppages, so I just held my position and ended up a loose man for most of the game." Like that tedious previous meeting at the MCG, both teams assigned spare men in defence, Sam Fisher working unhindered in the Saints' defensive 50, while Stephen Gilham was similarly free to read the play in the Hawks' backline. The Article Bruce Matthews/HeraldSun/23Jul07 Hard work has turned our results around: Fisher The Saints made it four wins out of five matches when they upset the second-placed Hawks on Saturday, but don't tell the players that - because they're doing their best to ignore the ladder. And certainly don't mention the finals; it's all about the process down at Moorabbin, says Sam Fisher. "The key over the last four or five weeks is (that) we haven't really worried about the result," Fisher explains, "We've just been focusing on the process that is going to put us in a position where we can get a result. We're starting to get a bit of form together, and that's just been through hard work. We reset our thinking back before the West Coast game, and that seems to have worked. Monday to Friday is when all the work is done and if you tick off all the boxes there, going into the game you know you're going to be pretty right for it. But I just think during the games as well, we're playing a real good team-oriented brand of football." The Article Jason Phelan/saints.com.au/22Jul07 Saints home with wet sail . . . Finally, a slice of luck for the most unfortunate club of the past three to four years. The Saints' convincing win against Hawthorn at the weekend was complemented by losses for the four teams immediately above them on the ladder. Teams from 7-10 going into Round 16 - the Bulldogs, Sydney, Adelaide and Essendon - all went under, which means St Kilda is out of the eight only by percentage. The Saints looked to face a hopeless task when they slumped to 4-7 at the halfway mark. But as key players have returned, so, too, has confidence and form. They have won four of the past five and, with Carlton to come on Saturday, are ready to pounce. All of a sudden, 12 wins might be enough to earn a finals berth, as it so often is. St Kilda, though, may still need 13, given its poor percentage, yet it looks capable of doing so. Sydney and West Coast are the obvious hurdles: the Swans at Telstra Stadium and West Coast at Telstra Dome, where the Saints are nigh invincible. Any team that has so many talented players, so many of them in form, has to be a threat to any opposition. The Article Mike Sheahan/HeraldSun/23Jul07 Saints to decide on Hamill's season soon St Kilda could decide after next weekend to rest injury-plagued forward Aaron Hamill for the remainder of the AFL season. Hamill trained this weekend as he tries to regain full fitness, having not played senior football yet this year because of recurring knee trouble. Speaking after the 17-point win over Hawthorn on Saturday night, Saints coach Ross Lyon said the club would see how Hamill progressed through more training over the coming few days. But if he is unable to play in the VFL next weekend, it is becoming likely that the Saints will try to prepare Hamill for 2008 instead. The Saints have won four of their last five and are in finals contention, one of four mid-table teams with an 8-8 record. "If he doesn't train next weekend, we'll sit down and assess it," Lyon said. "He's really important to us and he's had a really tough time . . . it's frustrating for all concerned." The Article AAP/BrisbaneTimes/22Jul07 The Saints are marching in . . . There's still a long way to go but on form Geelong could win 20 in a row and produce its first flag since 1963. The Kangaroos have won 11 of their past 13 and sit outright second. As usual they've surprised everyone, but they are very even and have wonderful self-belief and although it's not an easy run home with Hawthorn, Brisbane at the Gabba, West Coast and Geelong to come, it wouldn't surprise if they won at least two if not three of those . . . St Kilda for mine is in tremendous shape and should make the eight from here. It has won four of its past five and is getting the majority of its injured players back. It has Carlton and a new coach and the Bulldogs in the next fortnight. It will be warm favourites to win those and that should it in the eight and good enough to stay there with two more matches at its beloved Telstra Dome and then the disappointing Richmond in the last round. The Saints have an excellent forward line that has the potential to cause damage and like Sydney will be a very dangerous proposition. The Article Dan Lonergan/ABCSport/24Jul07 Flying Fiora wins goal of the year nomination Aaron Fiora has been nominated for Goal of the Year for his brilliant play in the final minutes against Hawthorn. Fiora spun out of a tackle, managing to stay balanced while running hard to snap a sensational goal on his left foot. Saints fans can view and vote for Fiora's goal at www.afl.com.au/markgoal. The Article saints.com.au/24Jul07 Burgo's take: the outsiders . . . St Kilda's recent form in winning four of its past five matches is a fine turnaround after only four victories in the red, white and black's opening 11 rounds. So why are the Saints all of a sudden on the rise? Consider this. When St Kilda dropped the first of four matches in a row in round eight against Hawthorn, it had a total of 15 players on the sidelines. Again, injuries were a major problem at the club. This time around when the Saints played the Hawks on Saturday night, they had just three unavailable - Brendon Goddard and Aaron Hamill, both with knee injuries, and Michael Gardiner (foot). Makes a difference doesn't it? The Article Matt Burgan/AFL/saints.com.au/24Jul07 Team of the week: Round 16 CENTRES: Nick Dal Santo (St Kilda) Continued his excellent season with another polished midfield display, winning 31 disposals. He also chipped in with a goal and had three scoring assists for the Saints. The Article Matt Burgan/AFL/saints.com.au/24Jul07 Clinton Jones pushing - Lyon wary of sacked coach . . . (Ross Lyon) is prepared for Carlton to pose a far greater threat than most would expect at Telstra Dome on Saturday. "Obviously it's an emotional time for their football club. It (Denis Pagan's sacking) has been a big decision, clearly," Lyon said yesterday. "The spotlight now goes on their players and the new coach and they'll be looking for an improved performance . . . It's a game played by men of flesh and blood. Emotion and spirit goes a long way. If you start thinking we've got to win this one, you will tighten up and lose your focus," Lyons said. "It's a brutal industry and such a fierce competition. If you drop off, even for 15 minutes in a quarter, you're going to be disadvantaged heavily on the scoreboard. What we can do is treat it like we have the last five weeks," Lyon said. "There has been a clear focus on things that we need to do to play well. We feel we've been tackling well and attacking the ball well and running hard. Since the break, it has been about our process, what we need to do to play well." Promoted rookie Clinton Jones, among the best in the 43-point win against the Blues in Round 6, is pushing for selection after missing nearly two months with a broken collarbone. "He'll be having his third week at training and he'll be in contention," Lyon said. Saints fear change of coach Bruce Matthews/HeraldSun/25Jul07  Ross Lyon chats to media Sportal MultiMedia
Saints lose Kosi for one Sportal MultiMedia
St Kilda has won its first NAB AFL Rising Star nomination for 2007, with Sam Gilbert claiming the honours for round 16. Gilbert, 20, has a rugby background and didn't take up the game until he was 16. But he capped an impressive year with 22 possessions in the Saints' win over the Hawks at Telstra Dome on Saturday night. Originally from Queensland, Gilbert was recruited from Southport and was St Kilda's No.1 draft pick in 2005. He has played 12 games for an average of 13.2 possessions a match. "I was really surprised," he told afl.com.au of the nomination. "There are a lot of good players who've got nominated, so I was just pumped to be one of them." Gilbert has stood up in defence for the Saints this year, in the on-and-off absence of key defenders Max Hudghton, Matt Maguire and Sam Fisher. Jennifer Witham Jennifer Witham/saints.com.au/25Jul07 Saint Gilbert nominated for Rising Star AAP/TheAge/24Jul07 Saint a Rising Star chance HeraldSun/24Jul07 Love at first sight St Kilda's NAB AFL Rising Star Nominee Sam Gilbert hasn't always harboured ambitions of AFL stardom. Raised in Queensland, he was immersed in the world of rugby league until friends persuaded him to try his first game of Australian football at the age of 16. Having tried the indigenous game, he never looked back. "As soon as I played one game, I didn't want to play rugby league ever again," Gilbert said. "My mates always told me that I would be really suited to it and they've been right so far." Gilbert said even his rugby league-loving family had become enamoured of his new sporting love. "The whole family's converted over now. My parents come down to Melbourne to watch me all the time. Even my friends who would have only watched rugby league before are pumped for me. They watch all my games now," he said. The Article Catherine Murphy/saints.com.au/25Jul07 League boy a St Kilda star St Kilda defender Sam Gilbert hails from a strong rugby league background, but the lean youngster is making his mark in the AFL. Gilbert - whose grandfather and great-grandfather played for St George in the NRL - was named the round 16 Rising Star nominee on Tuesday. It marks another milestone in the 20-year-old New South Welshman's rapid rise. Gilbert debuted in round eight last year but managed just one more senior game in 2006, despite being named an emergency for the Saints no less than 12 times. He earned his spot in the injury-riddled St Kilda line-up in round five this season and has not looked back, playing every game since. In an important win against Hawthorn on Saturday night at Telstra Dome, Gilbert racked up 22 touches and hauled in 12 marks in an impressive display opposed to veteran Hawk Ben Dixon. The Article John Clark/Sportal/24Jul07 Kosi offered one week St Kilda's charge towards an unlikely finals berth suffered a setback on Monday night with big man Justin Koschitzke rubbed out for one week by the AFL's match review panel. Koschitzke was cited for a late hit on Hawthorn's Robert Campbell, where he slammed into the back of the Hawks ruckman in the second quarter of Saturday night's match at Telstra Dome. He was not reported on the night, but the late hit resulted in a 50-metre penalty. The panel said Koschitzke's actions were reckless and contact high. St Kilda, which plays an uncompetitive Carlton this week, risks also losing Koschitzke for its round-18 match against the Western Bulldogs if it unsuccessfully challenges the suspension at the AFL tribunal. But Koschitzke did escape further punishment for another incident involving a marking contest against Jordan Lewis. The panel said Koschitzke was moving forward to mark the football while Lewis was backing back and contact was "unavoidable in the circumstances". The Article Jordan Chong/Sportal/23Jul07 Saints weigh up Kosi challenge St Kilda is yet to decide whether to contest ruckman Justin Koschitzke's one-match suspension at the AFL Tribunal tonight. The Saints are weighing up the consequences of challenging the grading of Koschitzke's charge for striking Hawk Robert Campbell. The match review panel yesterday assessed the second-quarter incident as reckless conduct, medium impact and high contact, the six activation points drawing 225 demerit points and a two-game ban. An early plea would reduce the penalty by 25 per cent to 168.75 points and force him to miss only Saturday's game against Carlton at Telstra Dome. Koschitzke would escape with a reprimand if he pleaded guilty and convinced a three-man jury tonight that his action was negligent rather than reckless. Or that he made contact with Campbell's back, not his head, when he arrived late to a marking contest. St Kilda is expected to accept the penalty, banking it can do without Koschitzke against the Blues. The Article HeraldSun/24Jul07 Kosi could be under scrutiny . . . The game was not trouble-free for the Saints, with Shane Birss hit in the eye — not the one he seriously injured while with the Western Bulldogs in 2003 — and star Justin Koschitzke risking the attention of the match review panel. Birss came off late in the game with blurred vision after a hit in the face brought back memories of the incident four years ago that could have cost him his sight. "I was pretty keen to get him back on. It was reasonably significant in that it was both eyes, it was a heavy hit and there was a previous (injury). But I spoke to the doctor and he is OK," Lyon said. Koschitzke could come under scrutiny for a late, high collision with Hawthorn ruckman Robert Campbell early in the second quarter. It was an uncharacteristic bump by Koschitzke, who was immediately taken from the ground by Lyon after Campbell was awarded a 50-metre penalty. St Kilda's celebrated the 200th game of popular defender Max Hudghton and the 100th of Luke Ball, who produced his second strong game in succession with 31 touches and 11 marks after speculation that his body was keeping him from fulfilling his star quality. The Article Chloe Saltau/RealFooty/22Jul07 Saints have September on their radar St Kilda's slim chance of playing finals football this year under new coach Ross Lyon received a massive boost last night with a 17-point victory over Hawthorn at Telstra Dome. The second-placed Hawks struggled to stay in the contest and suffered from costly turnovers, a stagnant forward line for much of the game and a lack of pace through the middle of the ground. For supporters of both sides, thoughts might have flooded back to when these teams last met, in round eight this year. On that night at the MCG, just four goals had been kicked by half-time and both teams were criticised for trying to strangle the life out of the match. When Joel Smith joined other Hawks in chipping sideways and backward last night, sections of the crowd started booing, but fortunately their fears were shortlived. Lance Franklin, who was held for much of the first half by Jason Gram, threaded a magnificent goal from tight on the boundary line midway through the sluggish first term to put the Hawks in front by a point. Leigh Montagna, who had looked lively from the outset, answered immediately to pinch the lead back for the Saints. The Article Martin Boulton/RealFooty/22Jul07 OP, or not OP? . . . Lyon attracted criticism after Ball admitted publicly that the debilitating condition had been an ongoing issue for him this year, but after Saturday's match the Saints' coach was keen to set the record straight. "I put the facts on the table and it's how you want to interpret the facts, really," Lyon told reporters. "I'm not being disparaging and I know there is a view that I was hiding something, but I really wasn't. Sure, Luke's had OP in the past . . . so there is some ongoing [management of the condition]. You're always managing and looking at his loads and the amount of kicking he does very carefully. But what I said is, 'Is he injured with OP this year? No'. I hope that clears it up." Ball has rebounded strongly in the past fortnight after struggling for much of the season, and Lyon felt vindicated by the 31-possession, three-goal performance he turned in at Telstra Dome. "I think it helps . . . my case," he said, "because clearly he's capable of playing elite footy. Has his body changed in two weeks? I'm telling you, no. Do you believe me? I don't know. I wasn't hiding him [earlier in the season]. I put him on Daniel Kerr, arguably the best midfielder in the competition on the biggest ground in Australia. Do you think I'd do that if I didn't think he could run? Logic says no." The Article Jason Phelan/saints.com.au/22Jul07 Gwilt and M Clarke come under consideration: Lyon St Kilda coach Ross Lyon has again refused to utter the "F" word despite his team edging ever closer to a top eight berth after a workmanlike 17-point win over Hawthorn at Telstra Dome on Saturday night. With four wins from its past five games since the mid-season break, the Saints are now just outside the eight on percentage alongside Sydney, Adelaide and Essendon . . . St Kilda coach was not looking too far ahead, instead praising his team for the way they have fought back after a slow start to the season . . . Lyon said Matthew Clarke and James Gwilt would come under consideration for next week's clash against Carlton but could go into the match without Justin Koschitzke, whose late bump on Hawthorn ruckman Robert Campbell could come under scrutiny from the match review panel. The Article Brandon Cohen/Sportal/22Jul07 Clarko: We were wasteful Brandon Cohen/Sportal/22Jul07 Clarkson: Beware surging Saints St Kilda is the AFL sleeping giant and can genuinely challenge in September. That's the belief of Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson after his second-placed Hawks were beaten by 17 points in front of almost 38,000 fans at Telstra Dome last night. "St Kilda has been a very, very good side for five years," Clarkson said. "And they should be in a position to win the premiership. Their top-20 players are as good as any top 20 in the competition." In winning their fourth game out of the past five, the Saints are now out of eighth place only on percentage. But they face a worrying 48 hours with ruckman Justin Koschitzke likely to come under scrutiny for a big clash with Robert Campbell early in the second term. The Article Ken Piesse/HeraldSun/22Jul07 Birss eye seems OK - further tests . . . Better news for the Saints last night was that utility Shane Birss was cleared of eye damage after coming from the field complaining of blurred vision in the final term. Saints club doctor Nick Stone said a further assessment would be made this morning, but he expected Birss to be OK. The Article Ken Piesse/HeraldSun/22Jul07 Saints celebrate Ball's century Luke Ball celebrated his 100th game and continued his form resurgence by leading St Kilda to a potential season-salvaging 17-point win over Hawthorn at Telstra Dome last night. The booing may have started earlier (16 minutes into the first quarter), but the Saints and Hawks put on a much more enthralling contest than their "worst match ever" earlier in the season. Although the Saints finished with Fraser Gehrig playing hurt and Justin Koschitzke on video watch after charging Jarryd Roughead, they levelled their season at 8-8 and, with other results helping them, are out of the eight only on percentage. The skills on display were far more positive than the Round 8 encounter, which saw supporters from both sides booing at half-time. It didn't look good again early with Alastair Clarkson keen to restrict the path of Nick Riewoldt and other Saint forwards by flooding back. The Article HeraldSun/22Jul07 Hawks can learn from St Kilda Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson says his team must strive to emulate St Kilda in the wake of the Hawks 17-point loss to the Saints at Telstra Dome. Clarkson rated the Saints a premiership contender despite entering last night's match in 11th place on the ladder. "St Kilda should be in positions to be wining premierships. That's the quality of their list," the Hawk coach said. "Their top 20 players are as good as any top 20 players in the competition. We need to ensure over the next few weeks, and next year, that the quality of our list becomes as strong, if not stronger, than the St Kilda list and those of the other sides that we consider to be in the top bracket." Clarkson said his side would learn valuable lessons from a match in which he blamed missed opportunities for the loss. The Hawks kicked 3.7 from set shots inside 50 in the opening three quarters and gave away goals with silly mistakes inside their defensive 50. He said all the indicators showed the team's intensity was at a required level. "We played some okay footy tonight," Clarkson said. "It was a tough contest and we missed some crucial opportunities and St Kilda capitalised on theirs." The Article Ben Casanelia/AFL/saints.com.au/21Jul07 Saints alive after 17-point win Both sides got numbers behind the ball in a tight opening term, but the match opened up after that, easing fears of a repeat of their last meeting that proved such a talking point around the league. Luke Ball was everywhere for the Saints with 31 possessions and three goals and his fellow club captains Nick Riewoldt (16 disposals and three goals) and Lenny Hayes (31 touches) were also key players in the win. Brad Sewell went to Nick Dal Santo at the start of the match as expected, but the Saint had the better of the Hawthorn tagger to be high amongst his side's best with 31 possessions. Ross Lyon opted for a couple of unexpected match-ups with Leigh Fisher coming out of the back six to mind Sam Mitchell and the run out of defence of Jason Gram was sacrificed as he was tasked with shutting down Lance Franklin. Both moves worked for the most part with Mitchell (20 disposals) unable to have his usual influence and Franklin limited to two goals in the first three quarters before slotting a further three when the match was lost. The Article Jason Phelan/saints.com.au/22Jul07 Saints survive Hawks late burst AAP/HeraldSun/21Jul07 Burgo's take: the outsiders . . . St Kilda's recent form in winning four of its past five matches is a fine turnaround after only four victories in the red, white and black's opening 11 rounds. So why are the Saints all of a sudden on the rise? Consider this. When St Kilda dropped the first of four matches in a row in round eight against Hawthorn, it had a total of 15 players on the sidelines. Again, injuries were a major problem at the club. This time around when the Saints played the Hawks on Saturday night, they had just three unavailable - Brendon Goddard and Aaron Hamill, both with knee injuries, and Michael Gardiner (foot). Makes a difference doesn't it? The Article Matt Burgan/AFL/saints.com.au/24Jul07 Team of the week: Round 16 CENTRES: Nick Dal Santo (St Kilda) Continued his excellent season with another polished midfield display, winning 31 disposals. He also chipped in with a goal and had three scoring assists for the Saints. HALF FORWARDS: Luke Ball (St Kilda) The St Kilda co-captain produced one of his greatest matches for the club playing up forward rather than rotating through the middle. His best-on-ground performance resulted in 31 disposals and three goals. He also laid five tackles. The Article Matt Burgan/AFL/saints.com.au/24Jul07 Saints too good for Hawks St Kilda's late-season resurgence has continued after hounding Hawthorn into submission to record a 17-point win at Telstra Dome on Saturday night. The Saints strangled Hawthorn's usually relentless run and carry through the middle, and although they made plenty of mistakes in an error-riddled game, sealed a 14.11 (95) to 11.12 (78) victory for their eighth win of the year. St Kilda has now won four of five matches since the mid-season break and is hitting its straps at the right time. No doubt the teams currently in the eight - the Saints sit just outside on percentage - will be looking over their shoulders as the business end of the season approaches. For the Hawks - who were looking to cement a spot in the top four - this will be a game they would rather forget after being frustrated by the hard-working Saints into making too many uncharacteristic turnovers. Nick Riewoldt (16 possessions and three goals) and Nick Dal Santo (31 disposals), who both re-signed during the week for a further three years, proved again why they were so highly sought after by other clubs, while Luke Ball - playing his 100th AFL match - was instrumental in the win with 31 touches and three goals. The Article Brandon Cohen/Sportal/21Jul07 Saints surge to shock win St Kilda held on to a narrow half-time advantage to hand second-placed Hawthorn a shock 17-point defeat in their round 16 AFL encounter at the Telstra Dome in Melbourne on Saturday evening. Buoyed by a thrilling win over the Crows last weekend, the Saints outscored the Hawks by three majors to clinch the match 14.11 (95) to 11.12 (78) and register their eighth win of their premiership campaign. St Kilda ruckman Luke Ball starred with three goals, 31 touches and 11 marks, while Nick Riewoldt also contributed a hat-trick of majors for the Saints. Tireless duo Nick Dal Santo and Leigh Montagna combined to put on two goals and 60 possessions between them. Despite kicking three majors in the final term to contribute to an overall tally of 5.5, enigmatic full-forward Lance Franklin was unable to lift the Hawks to victory over a resurgent Saints outfit. The Article ABCNews/21Jul07 Koschitzke to come under AFL scrutiny St Kilda ruck-forward Justin Koschitzke will on Monday come under scrutiny for a late bump on an opponent when the AFL match review panel assesses the round 16 games. Koschitzke slammed into the back of Hawthorn ruckman Robert Campbell early in the second quarter of Saturday night's game at Telstra Dome, after the Hawk had marked. Koschitzke was not reported for the incident, but conceded a 50-metre penalty because the contact was late. Koschitzke has been one of the major influences in the Saints' mid-season revival, which has coach Ross Lyon's hunt still alive in the race for the finals. The Article AAP/TheAge/22Jul07 Hamill faces another setback The season - and career - of inspirational St Kilda forward Aaron Hamill could be over. The former captain will meet with specialists on Wednesday and may undergo further surgery on his troublesome knee before the end of the week. St Kilda coach Ross Lyon told his weekly media conference at Moorabbin on Tuesday afternoon that the ongoing injury had flared since the weekend. "It clearly hasn't settled. He trained on the weekend. It's not perfect, he is speaking to the surgeon and more than likely having investigative surgery," a to-the-point Lyon revealed. It will then be decided if Hamill is put in cotton wool for the remainder of 2007 or attempts yet another comeback. "There's a decision - once we know the facts - to be made," Lyon said. "I think it is highly unlikely (Hamill will play in 2007). We have been very transparent on that . . . we understand the interest so I think we just go forward the way we have been; report it and respect his privacy." The Article Sportal/24Jul07 Saints still in the finals mix . . . The midfield trio of Luke Ball (three goals), Nick Dal Santo and Lenny Hayes were the catalysts in what proved to be a crucial four premiership points for St Kilda, each collecting over 30 disposals in a strong display. Nick Riewoldt also booted three majors from nine marks while Stephen Milne kicked two for the Saints. Meanwhile, Hawks' revelation Lance Franklin headed all scorers on the ground with five goals, though, was particularly wasteful with five behinds. Luke Hodge put in a committed effort with 29 touches and worked well around the stoppages. Fraser Gehrig put the Saints on the board with the first major of the match inside four minutes, though, it took Hawthorn four opportunities to respond before Franklin made up for a miss moments earlier to kick their opening goal nearing time-on. After both teams combined for one major score in the first 16 minutes of play, the match generated into a more free flowing contest, with the next seven scores resulting in goals either side of quarter time. The Article Scott Smith/SportsAustralia/21Jul07 Saints dam surging Franklin St Kilda survived a late burst from Hawthorn star Lance Franklin to win the AFL match at Telstra Dome by 17 points. The victory is the fourth win in five matches for the Sinats, who are now well in finals contention. St Kilda has eight wins to stand equal eighth on the premiership ladder alongside Adelaide and Essendon. Luke Ball kicked three goals for the Saints, and was best afield, while Nick Riewoldt also put through three. Franklin made up for his earlier inaccuracy with the last three goals of the game, giving him 5.5 for the night. The Saints' winning surge followed a four-game losing streak, sparked by their round-eight loss to the Hawks at Melbourne Cricket Ground. That match remains probably the worst game of the season. Saints utility Shane Birss left the field in distress during the final term, with his hands on his eyes. Birss suffered retina damage to his right eye in a freak accident early in the 2003 season, while playing for Western Bulldogs. St Kilda kicked the opening two goals of the final term to claim a match-breaking 34-point lead. The Article Roger Vaughan/FoxSports/21Jul07 AFL ditches Gold Coast draft plans The AFL has abandoned plans to stage this year's national draft on the Gold Coast, but will consider moving it north in future seasons. The league will also look to hold other events - such as the annual draft camp - on the Gold Coast as part of its continued push into southern Queensland. AFL football operations manager Adrian Anderson said while the league had been keen to shift this year's draft, there had not been enough time to organise it. More than 250 people attend each year's draft, an official meeting of all 16 clubs that was last held outside Melbourne in 1997, when Adelaide hosted it. The Article Emma Quayle/RealFooty/22Jul07 Mini fans flock to AFL Junior members make up about one-fifth of all AFL club members across Australia, according to official AFL statistics. But what the young fans get for the membership fees varies greatly from club to club. A Herald Sun survey of the 16 AFL clubs has found some disparity in the cost and inclusions of junior memberships, which are generally reserved for children under the age of 15. For example at Collingwood a Buckley's Brigade membership for kids aged four to 14 includes entry to 18 matches in Melbourne, a backpack, an inflatable hand, a dog-tag, a watch, birthday card, a member's cap, a tattoo sheet, a McDonald's voucher, an Intencity voucher and discounts, a cheer squad membership card, a season guide and sticker and a chance to be team mascot -- for $105. For $80 the Junior Roos at North Melbourne get entry to all roo games, the club magazine, weekly emails, a boot bag, a tattoo sheet, an inflatable hand, match-day face crayons, a mouse mat, a drink bottle, a digital watch, a birthday card and an invitation to a footy clinic with players. And at Hawthorn, a junior membership costs $50 for under-15s and includes entry to Hawthorn games in Melbourne, as well as a loyalty scarf, a lanyard, a bumper sticker, a discount voucher for Hawks merchandise, a magazine subscription, a Hawks pencil case, an inflatable hand, a bag tag, a tattoo sheet and a player hero card set. Last week AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou announced the 16 clubs had posted a record final tally of 532,412 club members at June 30 -- and 102,282 were junior members. The Article Holly Ife/HeraldSun/21Jul07 Dome writes off $1.5m loan to Roos The Seven Network-owned Telstra Dome rescued the Kangaroos from near-insolvency with an interest-free $1.5 million loan in 2002 as part of an arrangement that had the club transfer its social club facility and administration to the stadium. And The Age understands that the loan, which came close to saving the club from being swamped by debt, has now been written off by Telstra Dome's new owners. It is believed that Kangaroos chairman Graham Duff and stadium chief executive Ian Collins have agreed in principle to erase the debt, which has been on the North Melbourne Social Club's balance sheet for more than five years. The Article Caroline Wilson/RealFooty/25Jul07 New WA stadium - Subiaco or East Perth The (WA State) Government's stadium taskforce has identified the East Perth power station and Kitchener Park in Subiaco as the best options for the development. The taskforce has dismissed two other options - Burswood Peninsula and Subiaco Oval - as expensive and risky. The Article ABCSport/04Jul07 GO BACK TO PREVIOUS PAGE
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