Round 9 Post-Game Articles Go to Pre-Game Articles

Lions maul slow, timid and defenceless Saints
The Lions of old bared their teeth at the Gabba yesterday, breaking St Kilda's spirit before turning their gaze to the Kangaroos next week and the chance to improve on the kill. For 3½ quarters the Lions produced the Leigh Matthews mantra of "three-phase football" - they won the ball, used it well and hunted the Saints in packs when not in possession. The victory did little to sate Matthews's hunger, because the four-time premiership coach knows his side must eradicate its late fade-outs if he is going to claim a fifth ... St Kilda has one major problem: its best player and the only one willing to do the hard work under the Gabba sunshine was a 36-year-old, Robert Harvey. Coach Ross Lyon admitted his side was in crisis and changes would have to be made to find players who weren't "mentally and physically weak" ... The goal-front yips were contagious and not confined to the Lions in the opening quarter. Saints bigman Justin Koschitzke missed a bread and butter shot from 35m and more poor kicking followed to open the second, when Nick Riewoldt ruined a brave mark in front of goal with a shanked set shot that was lucky to scrape in for a behind. At that point it looked like the side that could finetune its radar first could win the game, but accuracy soon became a non-issue. Brisbane blew the game open in the latter half of the second quarter - the uncertainty bringing the ball into attack disappeared as the defenders and midfielders started to run with the ball and pump it long into attack.
Leigh Matthews rants over fade-outs by Lions
The blistering spray Leigh Matthews gave his players after yesterday's 46-point victory over St Kilda meant one thing: the Lions coach believes his side has the potential to be premiership contenders. Matthews ignored the 110 minutes of finals-quality football his side produced to focus on the final 10 minutes, in which St Kilda kicked five goals. Co-captain Jonathan Brown, who starred with six goals in a powerhouse display, revealed there had been no celebrations in the Gabba changerooms. "He gave us a serve. He has been disappointed with the way we have finished our last four games and asked the group whether it was a physical or mental thing," he said. Matthews was pleased with the attack on the ball and how his side negotiated St Kilda's ultra-defensive game plan, but was concerned about what the late fade-outs could mean in the run to September.
Lazy Saints outclassed at Gabba
Maybe it's not what you do, nor even so much the way that you do it, but when. Ask St Kilda, which kicked eight goals in the final quarter against the Brisbane Lions yesterday - six in the last 12 minutes - all too little and much too late to spare it humiliation. At halfway through that final term, however, the Lions' lead was out to 75 points. Jonathan Brown and Daniel Bradshaw had six goals each, while the home side's key ball winners Simon Black and Jed Adcock had run amok. The damage was long since done. The Saints, as Tim Lane pointed out in this paper on the weekend, are a long way short of their own pre-season press. Apart from Lenny Hayes, Robert Harvey and Luke Ball yesterday, they simply don't work hard enough, for each other or even themselves. Justin Koschitzke kicked four goals, while Shane Birss and Leigh Montagna were good in bursts. The rest were poor, Nick Riewoldt in particular horribly out of sorts and Stephen Milne, in his 150th game, unsighted until late. But he wasn't the only one. The Lions were out of the blocks early - Rhan Hooper and Anthony Corrie had the first three goals before you could say "Indigenous Round" - and although the first quarter then deteriorated into an error-strewn mess, their superiority had been established. Koschitzke was involved in both of St Kilda's first-quarter goals, the first from a misdirected Josh Drummond pass, then setting up Brendan Goddard while trapped in the forward pocket. Otherwise, the Saints looked lost up forward.
Soft-centred Saints start to melt
St Kilda coach Ross Lyon has slammed his underachieving squad, labelling the players both physically and mentally soft following their crushing 46-point loss to Brisbane at the Gabba yesterday. In a blistering post-match assessment of the credentials of his Saints squad, which many tipped could challenge for the flag, the normally laidback Lyon said several careers would be decided by performances in the second half of the season. "Our top end leadership is outstanding. But the weight of numbers beneath ... footy is about everyone contributing. It is too hard against good teams to leave it to so few," Lyon lamented. "My job is, for the supporters of the club, to set us in a direction with a group of players that aren't mentally soft and physically soft. We have a few that are and opposition clubs know that." When asked how many of his squad he would list in that category, Lyon replied: "Based on the 18 months I have been here, too many" ... "We struggled to handle their key forwards but that had a lot to do with the supply," he said. "Whether we had one-on-one or one extra back, they continually found space. That's about our forward pressure, which was pitiful" ... On a weekend which saluted the contribution of Australia's indigenous people to football, it was exciting young Aboriginal stars Anthony Corrie and Rhan Hooper who got the ball rolling for their side, kicking the first three goals of the game to give the Lions a lead which was never genuinely threatened. In all the Lions finished with 10 individual goal kickers. While there were few winners for St Kilda anywhere on the ground, veteran Robert Harvey and tough midfield duo Lenny Hayes and Luke Ball battled hard all day. However, while acknowledging the trio's effort, Lyon said it merely reinforced the enormous problem facing St Kilda.
We're soft and everybody knows it
With the exception of Lenny Hayes (32 possessions), Robert Harvey (27), Luke Ball (25), and Justin Koschitzke who booted four goals, the Saints were ordinary. Lyon said it was unfair so much of the responsibility was resting on his oldest player. "(It is a) massive concern and champions deliver under pressure in any environment under any conditions against any opposition and that's what Robert Harvey continues to do," Lyon said. "The season is not over but we're not talking about finals and we have to find some consistency of effort and form. Too much left to too few and that's it in a nutshell. Our forward pressure was pitiful and too much left to Ball and Hayes and the rest - bits and pieces." Lyon refused to concede Nick Riewoldt was underdone on his return from a knee injury. Riewoldt collected 13 possessions and eight marks, booting one goal. "He's physically fit and we took him off at the end to look after him but he said he wanted to go back on and he's OK," Lyon said.
Lions savage poor Saints
The Brisbane Lions have confirmed their status as genuine finals contenders with an emphatic 46-point victory over a disappointing St Kilda outfit at the Gabba on Sunday. The margin blew out to as much as 75 points 10 minutes into the final quarter but the Saints managed to score seven of the last nine goals before losing the match 14.12 (96) to 21.15 (141). The contest was all but over by half-time thanks to a six-goal-to-one second quarter with the likes of Josh Drummond, Simon Black and Tim Notting instrumental in ensuring the Lions' decisive 40-point lead at the main break ... The Lions midfield, led by Black, Jed Adcock (30 touches) and Luke Power (23), covered for Travis Johnstone who was held to only 14 disposals after racking up 32 and three goals last week. Brisbane's engine room used the ball much better than St Kilda's throughout the afternoon and found itself under much less pressure for the majority of the match. Despite the best efforts of Lenny Hayes (33), Robert Harvey (27) and Luke Ball (26), the Saints simply couldn't get any fluency into their game ... Brisbane's application of pressure across every line on the field was a telling factor in the victory and the home team showed why it is the No.1 tackling team in the business as it racked up almost double the amount of tackles as St Kilda, 58-32. St Kilda's key forwards Justin Koschitzke and Nick Riewoldt weren't done any favours by the delivery that they were receiving and must have looked on with envy as they witnessed the amount of quality supply that their opposing attacking options, Daniel Bradshaw and Jonathan Brown, were enjoying.
Lyon slams 'soft' Saints
In a stinging appraisal of the Saints, Lyon said a number of changes would be made ahead of next week's match against Melbourne after the inept performance. He said too much was being left to too few and the buck had to stop now. With St Kilda's record at four wins and five losses and sitting just a game outside the eight, the Saints coach was not writing the season off, but said it was time for change. Lyon did not mince words in his assessment ... Lyon said it was a "massive concern" that 36-year-old Harvey was still the player willing to work the hardest and he described his team's forward pressure as "pitiful". "Champions deliver under pressure in any environment under any conditions against any opposition and that's what Rob Harvey continues to do," he said. Lyon defended his team's leadership, saying Hayes, Ball and Nick Riewoldt were superb around the club, and was certainly not writing the team off for 2008.
Lyon blames the players for their softness
St Kilda coach Ross Lyon branded many of his players mentally and physically weak and warned of a major cull in the wake of today's 46-point drubbing by Brisbane ... "There was too much left to too few in a nutshell," he said as the Saints lurched into a mid-season crisis with their fifth loss in the last seven rounds. "My job is for the supporters and the club to set us in a direction with a group of players that aren't mentally soft and physically soft. At the minute we've got a few who are and opposition clubs know that so let's put it on the table. Based on the 18 months that I've been there there are too many (mentally soft players)." Lyon spared his leadership group of Lenny Hayes, Luke Ball and the unfit Nick Riewoldt and veterans Robert Harvey and Max Hudghton from the scathing attack but lamented a lack of heart from the bulk of the rest. "Leadership is about everyone contributing," he said. "We're not hard and tough enough often enough which is my responsibility to fix. I have an opportunity in the next 13 weeks to correct that and then if we can't do that then it's time to assess" ... St Kilda's eight goals in the final term added some respectability but Hayes (game-high 33 disposals), Harvey, Ball and Justin Koschitzke (four goals) were among few who could hold their heads high ... Saints skipper Riewoldt looked no better than 80 per cent fit after rushing back early on his dodgy left knee and took until the dying minutes to post a major.
Saints coast into issue
St Kilda has filled the breach left by the Kangaroos' abandonment of the Gold Coast to offer helping the GC17 bid committee with football development. The Saints will arrive on the Coast early ahead of their round-14 clash with the Roos at Carrara and will also stay on for an extra day conducting coaching clinics and school visits - a move sure to gain them local crowd support. They have offered to help with football development within the Gold Coast region. The cross-club insults about relocation between Hawthorn and Melbourne this week might spark some passionate debate, but it will have no bearing on the AFL's determination to build a new Gold Coast side from scratch. AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou last night restated the league's commitment to giving the Gold Coast the 17th licence and said there was no plans to relocate any existing Melbourne clubs. " We have a bid team up there already, we have people on the ground working hard on this and the Gold Coast community want a side built from the bottom up," he said. " 'We are not interested in a team moving, to be truthful."

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Saints coast into issue
St Kilda has filled the breach left by the Kangaroos' abandonment of the Gold Coast to offer helping the GC17 bid committee with football development. The Saints will arrive on the Coast early ahead of their round-14 clash with the Roos at Carrara and will also stay on for an extra day conducting coaching clinics and school visits - a move sure to gain them local crowd support. They have offered to help with football development within the Gold Coast region. The cross-club insults about relocation between Hawthorn and Melbourne this week might spark some passionate debate, but it will have no bearing on the AFL's determination to build a new Gold Coast side from scratch. AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou last night restated the league's commitment to giving the Gold Coast the 17th licence and said there was no plans to relocate any existing Melbourne clubs. " We have a bid team up there already, we have people on the ground working hard on this and the Gold Coast community want a side built from the bottom up," he said. " 'We are not interested in a team moving, to be truthful."
The G-Train talks about immediate future
(Fraser:) ... "With my age and the amount of time I've been playing, it all came to a head on Friday (the loss to Collingwood), I've decided to go on the long-term injury list and try to get everything up and running for possibly down the track," he told the Saints Central website. "I've got a pretty good relationship with the coach, it was pretty obvious to him with a few things with my hands that I couldn't do out on the ground. I'm not too sure whether they're going to get any better or not, but it gives me an opportunity to have a bit of a break." Gehrig added he was undergoing "a lot of scans" and seeking medical advice on his ailments. During his absence, he plans to keep training as much as his body will let him and also to work with the St Kilda forwards. Apart from scotching any suggestions of immediate retirement, Gehrig again stressed he had no regrets about his comeback. "If you don't buy a ticket, you're not going to win Tattslotto," he said. "Obviously the goal was to come back and play finals footy and hopefully (win) a premiership, which I've never been involved with. That's probably a fair way off at this stage, but you never know what is around the corner."
Saints must get physical against Lions
St Kilda must arrive in Brisbane willing to get physical or risk getting monstered by a Lions outfit building a reputation for uncompromising attack on the man and the ball ... Statistics show Lions coach Leigh Matthews has moulded a side in his likeness, with Brisbane leading AFL stats for hard, contested football ... The Saints are in for a torrid encounter at a venue where they have been routinely bashed in recent years. The Lions lead the league in tackles and sit second for hard-ball gets and fourth in contested possessions ... St Kilda ranks among the bottom quarter in both hard-ball gets and contested possessions and is mid-table in tackles, worrying stats against a side that makes opponents earn every possession. One area where Saints do possess a clear advantage is effective disposals. In that respect, Brisbane is the least efficient team in the competition, and turnovers have been an area Matthews has worked hard at remedying.
Lyon not fazed by Saints' slow start
St Kilda coach Ross Lyon has shrugged off criticism of his side's lacklustre performance this season ... Lyon admits his team must perform better but says he is not concerned by media reports condemning his team's style of play. "When we're losing you'll terrorise us and when we're winning you'll pump us up pretty quick," he said. "And that's fine, that's AFL footy in Melbourne. That's why players get really well paid and that's why thousands of people go through the gates, because there is strong interest, and that is why I get well paid." The ninth-placed Saints tackle the Lions on Sunday afternoon knowing a win will put them in the top eight and Lyon says there is still time for his side to improve. "Look, it's 4-4, there's 14 games to go," he said. "[In the] fullness of time, I'll be judged. And I'm really comfortable with that. We were in a lot worse hole last year, with 4-7. But if you have a look at the history books there's a lot of teams that have been 4-4."
Wary Lions on alert to stop Stephen Milne's magic
... On recent form finding the right match-up for the Saints' smallest player, 150-game milestone man Stephen Milne, looms as the most critical decision for Sunday's match. Riewoldt moved well at training yesterday and the Saints say he is a chance of resuming from a knee injury against the eighth-placed Lions. Coach Ross Lyon was also adamant that midfielder Luke Ball will be available despite an ankle injury restricting him to light duties. But Riewoldt must still be considered a doubtful starter and even if he does play he will hardly be 100 per cent fit. The Lions' tall defenders, Daniel Merrett, Joel Patfull and Jason Roe, are in good form and would back themselves against the Saints' big men. Justin Koschitzke is struggling for form and Fraser Gehrig has almost certainly played his last game after being placed on the long-term injury list this week because of chronic arthritis in his hands. With the Lions' midfield pressure among the best in the business, the Saints' talls can't expect gift-wrapped service from their midfield. The goals must come from an alternative lead or from ground level, and the obvious threat is Milne.
Milney despised and loves it
Stephen Milne accepts he might be the most despised player in the AFL, but the cheeky St Kilda forward has a message for his detractors: "I love it. I do, I love it," he said. "I say to the boys at the club, you don't hate every player, but once you cross the line you hate every other player who plays for the opposition. When I hear other teams say things about me, I just laugh, the boys laugh, and I really thrive on it." Opposition supporters, he said, also inspire him. "You should go and sit in the opposition cheer squad one day and listen to a few of things they say, not just to me, but to the G-Train as well," he said. "Some of it's funny, some of it's OK, and some of it, well, you wouldn't want your mum and nanna to hear it. That's OK, the fans love it, they pay their membership and they want their team to win, but it's good when one of the boys is having a shot and kicks a goal, you turn around and give them (the fans) a smile or a kiss and that gets them even more fired up. It's all good fun." Love him or hate him, Milne is a survivor and on Sunday against the Brisbane Lions he plays his 150th game for the Saints. One of the most popular players at Moorabbin, he conceded his journey was dotted with highs and lows, both on and off the field, but the thrill of reaching 150 games with his beloved Saints was a proud achievement ... Milne, who stressed the influence of Lyon on himself and his game, is out of contract at the end of the season and has begun contract negotiations.
Saints set to rush Riewoldt back into action
St Kilda skipper Nick Riewoldt has flown to Brisbane and is expected to make a stunning AFL return from injury at the Gabba today. The Saints confirmed yesterday that Riewoldt was set to test his injured knee against the Lions' unheralded but hard-nosed defensive line ... But Leppitsch backed his improving defenders to do the job on a Saints outfit which had thumped the Lions by an average 76 points in three matches before last season's 52-point upset at the Gabba. "We've got a defence of no-names who are starting to get names about them," said the 2001-2003 triple premiership defender. "Obviously our defence from the premiership years — which I was a part of — have all retired or left." The changing era has seen Daniel Merrett replace Mal Michael as Brisbane's cornerstone and team with the five J's — Joel Patfull, 50th-gamer Joel MacDonald, Josh Drummond, Jared Brennan and Jason Roe. "We literally had to revamp six players," Leppitsch said. "We've got a really good mix of players with the defensive aspect and also the offensive part." The Lions only injury concern, Jed Adcock, is set to shrug off a thigh injury as full-strength Brisbane is favourite to win back-to-back for the first time this season.
Saints prove the believers wrong
If Geelong is the classy reigning champion and Hawthorn the glamorous contender, the Western Bulldogs sentimental favourites and Collingwood Collingwood, why is it that St Kilda continues to be so talked and written about? It is the team about which everyone has a theory or diagnosis. Actually, the question is rhetorical and the answer obvious: the media got it wrong and must explain it away. The Saints' prospects this year were vastly over-rated. Rather than being a premiership prospect, they are going to struggle to avoid a second consecutive season without an involvement in the finals. This is not how it was meant to be ... As a first-time coach, Ross Lyon is in the hottest seat in town. He took over a team whose reversing fortunes were not yet clearly established. Expectation remained high. It was assumed he would add a missing dimension to transform a contender into a champion. Not only has that not happened, but Lyon's attempt to stiffen St Kilda's defensive side has produced a less-attractive style. It is erroneous and unfair, however, to judge Lyon on the basis that he inherited a premiership team-in-waiting. Perhaps, in opting to tackle the St Kilda job, he misjudged the potential of his cattle, but, gulp, he's not alone in that. To assess St Kilda's current on-field circumstances, it's worth re-visiting that preliminary final night in September 2004 when, even amid the momentary heartbreak of a six-point loss to Port Adelaide, the future appeared to belong to the Saints. "Their time's going to come and I mean the big time," said Mick Malthouse on Channel Ten. Of those who played that night, nine are no longer at the club. Neither is Aaron Hamill, who missed the match through injury. Among the other nine departed are grunt-men Andrew Thompson, Brent Guerra, Brett Voss and Stephen Powell, runners Heath Black and Aussie Jones, and tall defender Luke Penny. Grunt, run, and a tall defender: couldn't the 2008 Saints use some of that now?
Can't shut down Brisbane Lions
The Brisbane Lions are preparing for St Kilda to be ultra-defensive when the sides meet at the Gabba tomorrow. But the Lions are determined to stick with the slick ball movement that destroyed Carlton in the opening quarter last week. The Lions' bogy side in recent years has been the Swans and St Kilda coach Ross Lyon is set to draw heavily on the tactics that were so successful in the years he spent as an assistant to Paul Roos in Sydney. How Brisbane copes with the Saints' ploy of positioning a loose man in defence to block Jonathan Brown's leading space will have a major bearing on the outcome. The Lions say they are happy for the Saints to play with numbers behind the ball and plenty of stoppages because it plays into their hands. Defensive coach Justin Leppitsch said Brisbane believed St Kilda was a tougher opponent when it produced a more attacking game plan. "They are a chance of going ultra defensive," he said.
Retirement plays out in the mind before body surrenders
Fraser Gehrig is a magnificent forward and a man I admire a lot, but I am not surprised he and St Kilda have not had a happy time of it this year. I think you will find that a player who retires is a retired player and remains one even if he finds himself, for whatever reason, playing out another season. The whole situation with Fraser was curious from the beginning. I noticed there wasn't a lot of angst from the club when he announced his retirement last year. It was strange for a player who had topped its goal kicking and had such a massive bearing on its results in the past few years. It occurred to me then that, in St Kilda's eyes, he was ready for retirement. Then he indicated he was thinking about returning and the response from St Kilda was a little underwhelming. It was cautious and said it would consider him in the draft but choosing younger players came first. That made me think there must be something wrong with Fraser and the decision was right to let him retire. He has struggled this year. Gehrig is a tough player who carried plenty of injuries when I coached him, but I never once heard him complain about them then and I don't think you will find him complaining now. Still, I think that in 2008 Fraser Gehrig is a retired player playing and that is never good. It is a concept that I feel qualified to comment on as I went through similar circumstances. I retired in 1982 and was talked back into playing in 1983.
St Kilda rush back Nick Riewoldt to tackle Brisbane Lions
St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt has made a quicker-than-expected recovery from a knee injury and was last night named to play against the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba on Sunday. Riewoldt strained the medial ligament in his left knee against Richmond in round seven. The Saints finally lost patience with Raphael Clarke and he was omitted, along with Charlie Gardiner and Fraser Gehrig.
Lyon trumpets positive tune
St Kilda sits outside the top eight, star forward Nick Riewoldt faces a fitness test and Fraser Gehrig is on the long-term injury list, but coach Ross Lyon still found reason to smile yesterday. No doubt the sight of Luke Ball at training on Monday with a protective "moon boot" on his foot raised eyebrows, but the coach shrugged off any concerns surrounding the All-Australian midfielder. "I almost fell over," Lyon admitted. "I was at Fraser's place having a chat and came back and saw the moon boot, but he's fine, if he was in any risk he wouldn't be out there at an open session with a moon boot on." Ball left the track early after some light handball work on the sidelines, while Riewoldt joined the main session for the first time since straining a medial ligament against Richmond in round seven. "He's a really good opportunity to play (against the Brisbane Lions), we're really optimistic he'll play, but he's got two sessions to get through," Lyon said. Likewise, tagger Steven Baker will be given every opportunity to show he's overcome a jarred knee ahead of the Saints' crucial match at the Gabba on Sunday ... "Clearly, the remaining 14 games are important, none more than the one we've got this week. At some point we'll string a few together and we're keen to start that string this week interstate. Good teams win interstate, we believe we're a good team, so it's a wonderful opportunity for us."
One too many changes for game's character
... Gehrig, in the first season of his reinvention as permanent full-forward, kicks nine goals, a match-winning performance in a game decided by less than a kick. Still, he refuses to talk to reporters about the performance, maintaining his reclusive stance. Oh yes, he is reported and suspended for a week, too. Gehrig has been a man of many faces, few of which were understood by the football public since he was so loath to reveal them. The easy one to grasp was his football, which was explosive, match-changing and brilliant. The rest, we will have to ponder. Here was a paradoxical man. For instance, as a young, hard-running winger and half-forward at West Coast in the 1990s he developed a reputation for being soft. Yet people who know these things say he had a great ability to carry debilitating injuries. He often looked sullen or uninterested on the football field, yet his friends insisted that if anything, he was too intense. Even as a player he had various strands: the dynamically quick half-forward and winger for West Coast in the mid-1990s, the strong full-back when he came to St Kilda in 2001, and finally, the stay-at-home full-forward from 2003 on. The ballad of the G-Train had many verses. In the end, arthritis of the hands looked like it had got him. That and his own doubts about the changing style of game. Expected to be a lead-up forward, Gehrig's 32-year-old legs were not the pistons they once were. "Fraser talks about the changes and why it's difficult for him to go on," coach Ross Lyon said recently. "He said, 'In 2004 I used to stand at full-forward, Nick Riewoldt used to lead up just outside 50, turn around and kick it to me one-on-one. That hasn't been the case for a few years now. I wish it was, but it's not'."
Not all doom and Gloom re G-Train: Lyon
Lyon said there was no need to go over Gehrig's injury problems in "minute detail" but did say he was also being troubled by groin soreness as well as his troublesome hands - which are unlikely to improve in just an eight week period. "There was an opportunity for eight weeks to rehabilitate his (Gehrig's) body and we will take it from there," Lyon said. "That is the decision we made and we think it is in the best interests of both parties. We are really pleased Fraser has got the opportunity to heal his body and work with our young forwards and he will help in that aspect for the next eight weeks because he has got a lot of knowledge to pass on." Lyon said Gehrig's much-documented hand problems were preventing him from tackling and picking up the ball at ground level. But he still said Gehrig had something to offer the team if his hands could improve over the next eight weeks. "He has still got his speed and his power and he is still a nice kick so it's not all doom and gloom," Lyon said of Gehrig.
Saints match at the Gold Coast remains
The AFL has decided to release North Melbourne from the final three matches of its Gold Coast contract ... North Melbourne matches scheduled on the Gold Coast this season against St Kilda (Round 14) and Brisbane Lions (Round 18) will remain. Demetriou indicated intense negotiations with the Roos lay ahead as the Gold Coast contract is renegotiated.
Saints playing funeral songs
The appointment of Ross Lyon to the St Kilda coaching job two years ago was a fashion statement as much as anything else. Suddenly it was "de rigueur" to snatch an untried assistant from under the protective wing of a successful senior coach and turn him into the big banana ... It meant, of course, that, for all the high-powered research of the modern-day coaching recruitment process, a club didn't really know what it was getting when the new man arrived. Today, almost a season and a half into Lyon's tenure, I would suggest St Kilda still doesn't know. At the end of the 2006 season St Kilda was convinced it was in need of an antidote to what it perceived as the limited, blinkered approach of the supremely confident Grant Thomas. It wanted a solid, stable, cautious hand on the tiller, a man steeped in the ever-evolving game strategies and tactics and a product of a successful club. Step forward Sydney assistant Lyon, courtesy of a bunk-up from his friend and former coach Robert Walls, who was part of the selection panel and now, in his job as a commentator, is trying to shepherd him from the growing discontent among the St Kilda faithful. Lyon was seen as the man to complete the development of a team rich in natural ability, but supposedly lacking the strategic edge needed to go all the way these days. Thomas forecast in 2003 that his young group of players had the capacity to play finals for a decade and in that time should win at least two premierships. It was not considered an outrageous prediction, given it had a depth of burgeoning talent considered superior to most other teams, including the other emerging outfit at the time, Geelong. Lyon's tactical nous was meant to be the missing link.
Gehrig's future rests on recovery
... Gehrig's inability to play as he once did was reinforced last Friday night against Collingwood at Telstra Dome when, in the absence of Nick Riewoldt, there was opportunity and desire for him to fill the breach. But he was unable to have a meaningful impact on the game and spent much of the second half on the bench. Oddly, the arthritis does not stop Gehrig marking the ball but he struggles most with tackling and holding the ball in play when the tight grip in his hands is affected ... St Kilda is unlikely to promote a rookie for Gehrig in the short term, as Andrew McQualter was promoted following the injury to Matt Maguire and the other rookies are either unfit or too raw for senior football. The player most likely to be promoted would be Robert Eddy, a quick midfielder, but he has a calf injury and will not be fit to play for several weeks. Within St Kilda, Gehrig is considered the most misunderstood person by those outside the club. He is extremely popular and regarded as one of the role models for training and preparation. As a consequence, the coaches are extremely pleased to have him remain in training with the group and around the club for the rest of the year before he retires.
Gehrig needs a miracle to return
St Kilda yesterday placed the full-forward on the long-term injury list, but it will be the Miracle of Moorabbin if he returns. Under AFL rules, Gehrig must remain on the long-term injury list for a minimum of eight weeks. Given there is another mid-season break to come, the earliest Gehrig can play again is Round 16 ... Gehrig, in his 13th season, would need significant improvement in his finger joints for him to play again, and a St Kilda media release last night was more in the tone of a retirement notice than along-term injury announcement. The Saints even included Gehrig's long list of honours ... Rules stipulate that a club must provide medical evidence to the AFL, verifying the complaint is "long term". The Saints' submission was given the OK by the league yesterday. Luke Ball has ankle soreness, but will train at Moorabbin today and is certain to line up against the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba on Sunday. The former skipper was wearing a moon boot to protect the injury yesterday.
St Kilda look to life after Fraser Gehrig
... removing Gehrig and replacing him with a player or a strategy that will improve the team are different things; the latter being an infinitely harder problem to remedy. One that club and player are understood to have discussed at length yesterday when coach Ross Lyon and members of his staff visited Gehrig at his home. It may be as simple as a swift return for captain Nick Riewoldt, who could play against Brisbane on Sunday after missing only one match with a knee injury that was initially thought likely to keep him out for a month. He plays forward, like Gehrig, and adds a bristling potency to the team. Other options, though, are less obvious. It might be that forward Jarryd Allen, 20, or ruckman Ben McEvoy, 18, play now rather than later. It is certain that the Saints will use some of Gehrig's period of recovery to test both, to look into the post-G-Train future. When that happens is likely to depend on how quickly Riewoldt does return and the continuing good health of injury-prone ruckmen Steven King and Michael Gardiner. If one or the other becomes hurt, either Allen comes into the attack to allow Justin Koschitzke to help out in the centre square or McEvoy makes his debut to enable Koschitzke to remain forward. Lyon won't want to think about both of his ruckmen going down. If they do, the push for more goals from the mid-field corps will become a screaming demand. Then there is Koschitzke to consider. The Saints cannot escape their reliance on him, be it in Gehrig's absence or not. At 25 years of age, he ought to be the player around which the St Kilda attack is built, at least until Riewoldt returns. He is one of the club's highest paid players, at something like $450,000 to $500,000 a season, who cuts an imposing figure supposedly blessed with the ability to play as a marking forward or ruckman.
G-Train derailed for eight weeks
St Kilda has placed veteran spearhead Fraser Gehrig on the long-term injury list, while Luke Ball is in doubt for this weekend's match. Gehrig has struggled with form and chronic arthritis in recent weeks, leading to speculation that he may retire this week. However, the club announced today that it had decided to put the former Coleman Medallist on the long-term injury list while it decided how best to treat the condition, meaning he will be unavailable for at least eight weeks. Ball arrived at the Saints' training base with his left foot in a moon boot and did not train. St Kilda has not announced what the injury is ... Gehrig, who also missed training today, said he had not been able to cope with the arthritis this season.
Jason Gram puts weight behind Saints cause
St Kilda defender Jason Gram says the club's window of opportunity still lies ahead despite the Saints' wavering form this year. Gram has signed a two-year extension to keep him under contract until the end of 2010 and he believes the club has a bright future. Like his team, Gram has not been able to replicate his excellent finish to the 2007 season, but he said the list was still laden with talent. Some commentators say coach Ross Lyon might need to overhaul the list if it is to compete with Geelong and Hawthorn. But former Brisbane Lion Gram yesterday said he was happy to be at a club with a bright future. "I barracked for the club as a kid, so to be here for another two years, and hopefully the rest of my career if it all turns out, it's all good," he said. "Our average core age is probably 23 or 24, and I was in Brisbane when they won their premierships, and the core group was all 26 or 27. I still think we have plenty of time. We don't want to take our time getting there, and only have a chance for one year, we want to be a force for a few years." Gram said the players knew they were capable of elite football, after taking time early last year to become accustomed to the game plan.
G-Train playing to help out club: Buckley
Fraser Gehrig's future will be decided as early as today. The St Kilda full-forward is due to meet with coach Ross Lyon for further discussions in the next 48 hours. Gehrig was not on the agenda yesterday as the Saints adhered to their usual procedure of using Monday strictly as a game review day. The Saints do not want to play out the Gehrig saga in the media, but have denied speculation the veteran decided to retire in the rooms after the Collingwood loss. Gehrig met Lyon for a heart-to-heart about his future soon after the siren, but the club is adamant no decision was made. It is still likely Gehrig has played his last game, but it is not yet set in stone. Nick Riewoldt is a chance to return from a knee injury against the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba on Sunday, leaving Gehrig precariously placed. Even if Riewoldt does not get up, the Saints would struggle to justify the selection of Gehrig, particularly given it is a tough road trip. Former Collingwood skipper Nathan Buckley added to the intrigue last night, indicating that if Gehrig played on it would be only to help out the club. "I had a conversation with a friend of mine who knows the guy and one of the reasons for him (Gehrig) continuing is the club needs him with (Nick) Riewoldt down," Buckley said on radio 3AW.
Saints still need Gehrig: Thomas
Former St Kilda coach Grant Thomas says Fraser Gehrig should be encouraged to play out the season. The future of the veteran full-forward could be decided today when he meets coach Ross Lyon. "It's difficult to make a comment on list management issues unless you are involved in the day-to-day running of the footy club," Thomas said. "The one thing I can say is that Fraser, even if it is just a stop-gap, should be kept for the rest of this year. Even if he only plays four to six games between now and the end of the year, they could be the most important four to six games in the club's recent history. There is no guarantees that St Kilda won't lose another key forward, and if (Nick) Riewoldt and (Justin) Koschitzke go down and Gehrig is retired, it would leave them somewhat short" ... The Saints will hold their normal match review today, although football manager Matthew Drain was not certain a decision on Gehrig would come from that. "We're not going to set any time frames on it," Drain said. "We do a full-day review on Mondays and we'll see what happens after that." ... Lyon has been adamant that Gehrig will be the one to decide his own fate.
Saints captain hopeful of early return
Just two weeks after injuring a knee, St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt expects to be sidelined for only one more week. Riewoldt, originally expected to miss up to eight weeks with a medial ligament injury, said he was already running well and hoped to miss just three games in total, taking into account the Hall of Fame weekend break. The forward, who believes his side is being let down by poor skill execution, was injured in round seven against Richmond as he was slung in a tackle by Tiger defender Luke McGuane. "I'm hoping to miss only one more game and I'm sure that's what will happen. It's a much better prognosis than was first thought," Riewoldt said. "I'm yet to really test it with change of direction stuff, and that will be the challenge with an injury like this, but so far so good and I'm on track. Provided I can increase the workload this week, I should be back really soon." Riewoldt said he was satisfied with how the team fought against Collingwood on Friday - the game was tight throughout, and the Saints could have pinched the lead late had Stephen Milne not missed a long set shot - but added that skill errors at crucial times let it down.
Andrew McQualter elevated
The Saints have elevated Andrew McQualter from the rookie list to replace Matt Maguire, who was placed on the long-term injury list after suffering a serious foot injury (Source: RealFooty). There is speculation that Robert Eddy will be elevated to replace Eljay Connors who is believed to have a season ending shoulder injury (Source: SS). Nick Riewoldt and Steven Baker are expected to line up next Sunday at the Gabba. Although Nick Riewoldt wasn't expected to return this soon Football Manager Matthew Drain said he is recovering faster from his minor knee injury than was previously thought. (Source: SEN). Jayden Attard is now doing agility training, which is the last step before he can resume one-on-one contest work (Source: saints.com.au).

Tired Gehrig says he is not quitting yet
St Kilda forward Fraser Gehrig has admitted his body is tired and not working as well as he would like it, but says he will not retire yet. "I won't lie, it's been a battle," he said on Channel Ten's Before The Game, five matches into a "new" career with the Saints after retiring last season and being picked up in the pre-season draft. "The body probably hasn't responded as well as I would like to have. The club knew, and I knew, when I came back that I would need a lot of things to go right for me and that's why they took the punt. I've played five games and they haven't been my greatest games, to be honest." Asked whether he would play on this season, he said: "It's always dependent on the team, injuries, stuff like that; how my body has held up, and to be honest, my body hasn't held up great ... It comes down to list management; whether I think I can actually get myself through a game or consecutive games." He said he realised the game had changed between his retirement and his return and had become "quicker and harder". The reason for his return, he said, was to play in a premiership-winning side. He added there were young players at the club, playing in VFL side Casey Scorpions, who were "flying and probably deserve their chance, at some stage".