Saints stars no certainties
St Kilda is weighing up whether to bring back experienced defender Max Hudghton and key forward Justin Koschitzke for Saturday night's NAB Cup grand final in Adelaide. The star pair missed the Saints' thrilling semi-final victory over Essendon last Friday night, after coming off with leg muscle tightness during the previous week's quarter-final win over Geelong in Canberra. While both players are clearly in the Saints' best side and could do with another hit-out before the start of the season, the Saints also have to weigh up the risk of playing the injury-prone pair in what will be the highest-tempo game of the pre-season competition against the Crows when there will be a trophy at stake. "We have to assess them but they are in strong contention to play," St Kilda coach Ross Lyon said of Hudghton and Koschitzke. However Lyon has made it clear that he will not risk injuries to key players - ahead of the Saints' season opener against Sydney on March 22 - just for the opportunity of lifting the NAB Cup. "Our overriding objective is to come into round one fit and healthy and hopefully build some momentum into the season proper," he said.
NAB GF at AAMI despite AFL offer
Adelaide Football Club officials have rejected an AFL offer of financial compensation to move Saturday night's NAB Cup grand final from AAMI Stadium to Telstra Dome. The AFL last Monday asked the Crows to forfeit home-ground advantage, with the league fearing the match would be poorly attended. Adelaide chief executive Steven Trigg said yesterday his club would not consider the league's proposal, which was not quantified in dollar terms. "It is disappointing, and annoying, that there is a perception SA cannot get a crowd to big finals in Adelaide," Trigg said. "We now have to get 35,000-40,000 people to the game (against St Kilda) to send a message back to the AFL." AFL chief broadcasting and commercial officer Gillon McLachlan flagged the league's concern to Trigg last week that the NAB Cup final would face too much competition in Adelaide. There is the prospect of a third one-day cricket final between Australia and India at Adelaide Oval on Friday and the Festival and Fringe events. McLachlan told the Crows a sell-out was guaranteed in the 50,000-seat Telstra Dome, but not at 51,515-seat AAMI Stadium. The AFL -- not the clubs -- keeps gate receipts from the pre-season series.
NAB final part of Crows' early sprint
Crows defender Nathan Bassett has hit back at critics who doubt the worth of the pre-season NAB Cup, after Adelaide qualified for its second final in three years. Bassett said the Crows were hoping their early form will be a good barometer once premiership points are on offer. "I think that, from our perspective, it's got a pretty good show on how we go in the regular season," Bassett said yesterday. "In past years when we've performed well that tends to flow on." In 2006, the Crows made the pre-season grand final before losing to Geelong. In the regular season, they reached the preliminary final where they lost to eventual premiers West Coast. Last year, the Crows had a poor pre-season, and struggled for consistency before scraping into the eight, and losing to Hawthorn in the first week of the finals.
Surprise spot has Saints smiling
St Kilda co-captain Lenny Hayes has promised that if the Saints win next weekend's NAB Cup grand final against Adelaide, he will crack a smile on the dais — partly because the Saints did not expect to be there. Saints coach Ross Lyon admitted as much after Friday night's three-point victory, which marked the return to football of star trio Nick Riewoldt, Luke Ball and Hayes. "It certainly wasn't the objective when we started," Lyon said. "I think we have had a bit of luck. For whatever reason Richmond has a blow-out (in the first round) — they are clearly a better team than that. Geelong — it could have gone either way last week and (Friday night) it could have gone either way." Lyon said the players would play to win, but the focus would be shared on continuing the preparations for round one. "Clearly our players are competitive beasts, so we'll come and put on a good show next week, because we're two weeks away from round one," he said.
We want Cup: Gram
Coach Ross Lyon might have his eyes fixed on round one, but St Kilda defender Jason Gram has no doubt about his own approach to next week’s NAB Cup grand final – he wants to win it. Gram, 23, has played in only one regular-season final match, and he believes the host of young Saints will benefit from a taste of silverware ahead of the 2008 season. "I definitely want to win it. I'd love to have a medal around my neck, whether it be a NAB Cup or premiership season one," Gram told saints.com.au after the side's three-point semi-final win over Essendon on Friday night. "The coaches just wanted to manage guys and get some game time under them for round one, because there are a lot of guys coming back from injury. But now that we're in the grand final, we want to do everything we can to win it. I think there are a few guys to come back next week as well. The guys who played tonight played well, and it's going to be hard for these guys to come in. A lot of the guys have stepped up. Jonesy (Clinton Jones) and Dave Armitage and Jarryn Geary, he'll probably come back in next week," he said.
Hayes keen to make up for lost time
It is easy to still think of Lenny Hayes as one of St Kilda's emerging young guns, part of the group of talented young Saints who are ready to take on the competition. Yet his fresh-faced looks and midfield run belie the fact that the boy from Sydney is on the cusp of his 10th AFL season. When the 28-year-old arrived at the club with Steven Baker in 1999, the only other players there who still remain are dual Brownlow medallist Robert Harvey and defender Max Hudghton. Fraser Gehrig, Michael Gardiner or Steven King were playing for other clubs. In the decade since, Hayes has played under four coaches, six captains — including himself — and a host of administrators. There has been a wooden spoon, two heartbreaking preliminary finals and a knee reconstruction. In his decade in the game, Hayes has seen a lot. "I remember Stewie Loewe saying to me in my first year, 'Make the best of it because it goes by so quickly', and I just laughed at him because I just thought, 'I'm 18!'. Time flies, it just seems so quickly that time has gone by and now I am 28," Hayes said.
Lyon eyes the real stuff
but will 'put on a good show' next week
Ross Lyon is happy enough to be in the NAB Cup grand final, but he knows he won't be remembered for it. "I'm not going to keep my job winning a NAB Cup," Lyon said last night after St Kilda beat Essendon by three points at Telstra Dome. Lyon stressed that the over-rising objective was to go into Round 1 ready to snare four points. "NAB, wonderful sponsor, and it's good to play on good grounds, but it's still not the real thing yet," Lyon said. "We've got to keep in the back of our head Round 1 because no one really remembers the pre-season." Lyon said he went into the game with set plans for several players. Superstar Nick Riewoldt sat out the last quarter. "We always want to compete (but) there was a strong objective to manage the game time and the minutes," Lyon said. "It was all pre-ordained. We hardly wavered. We held our line and let our kids do the work." Lyon said the Saints never set out to win the NAB Cup and said luck had played its part. "For whatever reason, Richmond had a blow-out, they're clearly a better team than that," Lyon said. "Geelong, that could have gone either way ... tonight could've gone either way." But Lyon said the Saints would "put on a good show" next week in the grand final.
Jumping at shadows
With every passing summer, the pre-season becomes more of a silly season. Supporters are starving; months have passed with only meagre scraps of drafts, split times and community camps to sate them. Then suddenly there's football being played again, and shadows are jumped at like sweets tossed from carnival floats ... "It's only one game, guys." Ross Lyon put his droll spin on the theme a week later, after St Kilda had pipped the Cats in Canberra, a happening apparently so devastating the Saints have gone from ninth to premiership second favourites despite barely raising a sweat. Asked what he made of the win, Lyon dead-panned: "It means we're through to the third round."

... Meanwhile 12 months ago: • Seemingly everyone was up in arms over rule changes. • Neale Daniher was confident his Demons were in for a big year. • Rumours were rife that Nick Riewoldt had an injury. • Kevin Sheedy saw cause for optimism in his Bombers. • Nathan Buckley was talking of playing on in 2008. • Luke Ball reckoned his groin was great and he was raring to go. • Footballers were going down with season-ending knee injuries. Coaches were finding positives in NAB Cup defeat
Focus still on round one: Lyon
... "There's another competitive game to get through and there will be a strong focus on that, but we've got to keep in the back of our heads - round one," he said, after the thrilling three-point semi-final win over Essendon on Friday night. "Nobody really remembers pre-season, do they? ... Our overriding objective is to come into round one fit and healthy. I think we've shown that you can strike a balance ... our other priority has been to work on how we play and how we want to be perceived. We think we've struck a nice equilibrium between managing the players and practicing a game style that we think will stand up."
Saints through to grand final
... With both sides showing great intensity in the final minutes, the Bombers led by three points when midfielder Angus Monfries dived on a loose ball in his defensive goalsquare, was claimed by Armitage and failed to dispose of it. Armitage, who has played just three senior games for the club and was impressive tonight, kicked truly to snatch the win. Just as welcome for St Kilda was the successful return from injury of some of their biggest stars, Nick Riewoldt, Lenny Hayes and Luke Ball. All three had limited gametime, particularly Ball, who spent the entire first half on the bench. But they still had an impact, with Riewoldt booting three first-half goals and Hayes the highest possession-winner on the ground in the first half, while Ball looked solid. The Saints would also have been happy with the performance of ex-Sydney recruit Adam Schneider, who gathered plenty of touches running off half-back in his first game for the club. Young speedster Clinton Jones, who has just six senior matches to his name, showed he could also make an impact this season, giving the Saints plenty of run, while ex-Geelong premiership player Steven King was solid in the ruck.
Saints roll into final
St Kilda's rollercoaster pre-season took an upwards turn at Telstra Dome on Friday night, when it won through to the NAB Cup grand final with a thrilling three-point win over Essendon. With the game see-sawing all night it was the Saints, courtesy of a holding the ball decision against Angus Monfries, who got over the line after David Armitage slotted the winning goal with 51 seconds remaining. In scenes more akin to home and away football, Essendon fans were left to pick up the pieces as St Kilda stormed into its second pre-season final in five years. The first term was as uninspiring as any all pre-season, thanks to both sides' inability to convert possessions into scores and skill errors all over the field. The Saints scrounged three goals courtesy of Leigh Montagna, Nick Dal Santo and Nick Riewoldt to gain an early lead, while Brent Stanton did all he could to keep the Bombers in touch with 11 early touches. After an early goal drought the floodgates opened in the second term as both sides went on the attack.
NAB Cup not the priority: Lyon
... Lyon vowed to take a similar cautious approach against either Adelaide or Hawthorn in next Saturday night's grand final despite the fact there is a trophy at stake. "Obviously there is another competitive game to get through now and we will have a strong focus on that but we have got to keep in the back of our head round one," he said ... Lyon said he would consider bringing back Hudghton and Koschitzke, both rested against the Bombers, for next week's grand final but would not risk any player if they are not 100 per cent fit having lost Gehrig to a calf injury during the quarter-final win over Geelong. "It (losing Gehrig) heightens your awareness and we held our line tonight (in not giving senior players too much game time regardless of the scores) and we let the kids get some game time instead." Lyon was delighted with the way his youngsters stood up under pressure on Friday night, praising second-year player David Armitage for his coolness in converting the winning goal from a set shot in the last minute. "Armitage is a strong inside player who has got his fitness levels up and he is trying to create an opportunity for himself," he said.
Saints set for final push
St Kilda has defied its NAB Cup expectations, but midfielder Nick Dal Santo said now the club had reached the grand final it would go all out to win. After defeating Essendon in a three-point thriller on Friday night, Dal Santo welcomed the prospect of silverware for the first time since the pre-season of 2004. "It's great. We didn't make the finals last year so we can't be too fussy," he said after the match. "To get a few wins under our belt early on -- one in Canberra last week and a nice tight game -- it's good to get the ball rolling and for the young guys to get experience. We'd definitely love to win it. I think the NAB Cup gets a bit of a tough go in the media, just saying it's practice matches. Once you're out there you play to win and that's just the nature of the game. That's the way AFL matches are played. It's competitive and that's what you want to do. All I know is we're in a final and we'll go out there to win."
Saints bandwagon is ready to roll
St Kilda has become used to carrying the burden of big pre-season expectations these past few years, and the sense of deja vu at the moment is particularly striking. The reasons for that buzz are several: a strong finish to 2007 that yielded seven wins, a draw and three narrow losses from the last 11 games; the recruitment of four established senior players, three of them with premiership medallions; and now, two good wins and a spot in tonight's NAB Cup semi-final against Essendon. The first win came with a depleted team against a virtual full-strength Richmond line-up. Last week, still missing several senior hands, the Saints knocked over Geelong. With pundits currently compiling their 2008 ladders, more than a handful have St Kilda pencilled in as the Cats' most serious challenger. And with stars such as Nick Riewoldt, Lenny Hayes, Luke Ball and Robert Harvey returning for tonight's clash, you can expect the bandwagon to load up in the event of another win. Which is all par for the course and vaguely amusing to a club that is aware of the hype, but remains focused on getting appropriate game time into its guns and blooding some up-and-comers. "There's not much to say at the moment, because it's only the NAB Cup," said football manager Matthew Drain yesterday. "In 10 weeks' time, it might look a bit different."
Saints expect big things
Names such as Nick Riewoldt, Justin Koschitzke, Luke Ball, Lenny Hayes, Nick Dal Santo and Brendon Goddard are evidence that St Kilda's veteran recruiter rarely misses when he lands a first-round draft pick. Now, meet the quartet Beveridge and new head recruiter John Peake believe will show the Saints can do blue-collar as well as blue blood. Unheralded kids Jarryn Geary, Jack Steven and Robert Eddy, as well as top-10 pick David Armitage, are the new breed St Kilda hopes will extend a premiership window some think is not far from slamming shut. Geary is an elevated rookie who hasn't put a foot wrong in the first fortnight of the NAB Cup, and third-round pick Steven kicked the sealer against Geelong last Saturday. Rookie Eddy is an endurance specialist who rivals Robert Harvey as an athlete, and Armitage has this month silenced critics who wondered if he was worth his No. 9 selection in the 2006 national draft. Also pushing hard is former rookie Clint Jones, versatile tall Jarryd Allen, and rangy third-year utility Sam Gilbert, who played 18 games in a break-out season last year. These new kids might not win St Kilda the premiership this year, but it could be another story in 2010. St Kilda, which has not had a father-son pick since 1992 and lists only Steven Milne as a quality rookie elevation, might have more talented kids than we realised.
Montagna shows his influence off park
Dynamic St Kilda midfielder Leigh Montagna will shoulder a role far broader at Moorabbin this season than simply assisting the Saints to reassert themselves as a genuine premiership contender. The 24-year-old will be a leader of men - Saints even. No, Montagna has not usurped Luke Ball, Nick Riewoldt or Lenny Hayes for the still-to-be-decided role of club captain. Rather Montagna has been given the job of organising St Kilda's school-based programs as the Saints begin to shift their home base from suburban Moorabbin to Frankston, the gateway to the Mornington Peninsula. Normally the domain of a past player or club employee, the role is of great significance to St Kilda as it seeks to establish itself among the southern suburban community. Aside from Montagna's on-field duties, which are crucial to St Kilda's success given he gathered the ball more than any other team-mate last year, he will also organise school and community visits by team-mates. In recent weeks he has been instructing them on the key values and messages they should pass on. It is a multi-faceted program. At secondary school level Montagna's men will run a program dubbed "Choice and Consequence" aimed at assisting the transition from teen to adult, while a primary school program will focus on healthy eating and living.
Saints unveil stars
It is official. Nick Riewoldt will play for St Kilda tonight. And you can add Luke Ball, Lenny Hayes and Adam Schneider to the list of certainties as well. Saints football manager Matthew Drain last night ended speculation by confirming all four would make their 2008 debut in the NAB Cup semi-final against Essendon at Telstra Dome. "Nick is under control and ready to go," Drain said last night. "It will be good to have him back." Riewoldt has been the subject of rumours for almost three weeks, with suggestions he had partially torn the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. But the key forward has trained strongly all week behind closed doors and is ready to resume. Drain said Ball, Hayes and Schneider had always been pencilled in to play their first games this weekend. "There has been a lot of conjecture, but all along we had planned to play them in what we call week four," Drain said. Drain said Brendon Goddard, returning from a knee reconstruction, is on track to play next week. All players coming back for their first game of the campaign will play from 45 to 80 minutes in the clash with the Bombers.
Saints bandwagon is ready to roll
St Kilda has become used to carrying the burden of big pre-season expectations these past few years, and the sense of deja vu at the moment is particularly striking. The reasons for that buzz are several: a strong finish to 2007 that yielded seven wins, a draw and three narrow losses from the last 11 games; the recruitment of four established senior players, three of them with premiership medallions; and now, two good wins and a spot in tonight's NAB Cup semi-final against Essendon. The first win came with a depleted team against a virtual full-strength Richmond line-up. Last week, still missing several senior hands, the Saints knocked over Geelong. With pundits currently compiling their 2008 ladders, more than a handful have St Kilda pencilled in as the Cats' most serious challenger. And with stars such as Nick Riewoldt, Lenny Hayes, Luke Ball and Robert Harvey returning for tonight's clash, you can expect the bandwagon to load up in the event of another win. Which is all par for the course and vaguely amusing to a club that is aware of the hype, but remains focused on getting appropriate game time into its guns and blooding some up-and-comers. "There's not much to say at the moment, because it's only the NAB Cup," said football manager Matthew Drain yesterday. "In 10 weeks' time, it might look a bit different."
Nick will be out there for sure: Leigh Fisher
... "Max and Kossy are alright but they have played the last three games - a trial game and then the two NAB Cup games - so they are due for a registered week off," (Leigh) Fisher said on Thursday. "But they should be right for the following week." Fisher said the Saints were looking forward to the return of Riewoldt after constant speculation throughout the pre-season that the star centre half-forward was suffering from a serious knee injury. The Saints even went as far as releasing exclusive pictures on their own website of Riewoldt training strongly to prove he was on track for a senior return. "Nick will be out there for sure (on Friday night)," Fisher said. "He has been in full training for the last couple of weeks so he should be ready to go." Fisher said the Saints would also be boosted by the return of three of their best midfielders in Hayes, Ball and Harvey. A win on Friday night would give the Saints the chance of winning their second NAB Cup in five seasons, following on from 2004, but Fisher admits it will be tough against a young and exciting Essendon side that is thriving under new coach Matthew Knights. "Every game (in the NAB Cup) gets more important and it would be nice to get through this week and then have a grand final the following week but it will be a tough game to win tomorrow night," Fisher said. "Essendon are certainly up and running, they have got plenty of new players in and they have been doing quite well so we will have to watch out for them."
Star midfield trio back for St Kilda
St Kilda's midfield will be given an enormous boost for Friday night's AFL pre-season semi-final against Essendon, with star trio Lenny Hayes, Luke Ball and Robert Harvey set to return. For Hayes and Ball it will be their first matches for the year, with Hayes having overcome a calf injury and the latter recovering from groin soreness, while veteran Harvey was rested last weekend. Star forward Nick Riewoldt will also play his first match of the year after recovering from a knee complaint, meaning it will be the first hit-out for the Saints' three co-captains of last year. But St Kilda will lose key forwards Fraser Gehrig and Justin Koschitzke and key defender Max Hudghton, all injured in last weekend's win over Geelong.
Riewoldt to make return
Having allowed the pain of knee tendonitis to settle, Nick Riewoldt will play his first game of the year in tomorrow night's pre-season cup semi-final. The Saints will introduce a clutch of current and recent captains for the game, with Riewoldt joined by Lenny Hayes and Luke Ball in the squad for the side to take on Essendon. Essendon has been either less fortunate or more cautious with its team, leaving captain Matthew Lloyd and key defender Dustin Fletcher out of the match, compounding the difficulties the club faces with the Riewoldt return. Riewoldt has battled knee tendonitis throughout the summer, a problem that he is able to manage doing most things but which causes him pain when kicking long. Rest from this sort of kicking has helped calm the injury. The Saints have also brought ruckman Michael Gardiner into the side after he missed the last match due to soreness. Previously, he had performed well when playing in tandem with recruit Steven King. Essendon's Lloyd is still battling a hamstring problem while Fletcher is struggling with knee soreness.
Kosi's time is now
... Now in his eighth season at AFL level, Koschitzke has managed just 95 games, 39 less than teammate Nick Riewoldt who was drafted only seconds before him in 2000. But it hasn't all been frustration and undelivered promise from the 25-year-old - he has shown he can deliver on plenty of occasions. He burst on to the scene in 2001, winning the Rising Star Award while playing at centre half-back. But since then he has alternated between playing in the ruck and in the forward line, where he has shown he can tear a game apart. His finest patch of form came in 2005. The big man had been sidelined for half the season, but returned in 2005 to take on the improving Western Bulldogs. The Saints looked in trouble early in the match when Riewoldt reinjured his troublesome shoulder. But that just gave 'Kosi' his time to shine. Koschitzke booted three valuable goals to get the Saints over the line, beginning a purple patch that saw him clock up 11 Brownlow votes in four games while captaining the Saints in Riewoldt's absence. When Fraser Gehrig retired last year, it was assumed Koschitzke would be his replacement at full-forward. Even with Gehrig returning to the fold shortly afterwards, the No. 23 should still play a big role in attack if his 2008 NAB Cup campaign is any indication. After managing 19 games last year, 2008 could be the year the former Murray Bushranger and 2008 he stamps his authority on the AFL and cements himself as one of the true stars of the competition.
Saints play down injury list
St Kilda yesterday hosed down talk of an injury crisis before naming six of its stars to return against Essendon in Friday night's NAB Cup semi-final. Despite speculation that Max Hudghton had reinjured his troublesome hamstring and Justin Koschitzke's soft-tissue issues had returned, the club was yesterday adamant Fraser Gehrig (calf) was the only weekend casualty ... It means St Kilda will be as close to full strength as it has been in several years, with only Gehrig and Sean Dempster (knee) missing from the club's starting 22. Brendon Goddard is likely to return next week after making strong progress in his return from a knee reconstruction. Despite vision of injury-prone ruckman Koschitzke clutching his hamstring during Saturday's match against Geelong before leaving the ground, the Saints said yesterday he had only cramped, not torn the muscle. "Justin Koschitzke is fine. Max Hudghton is fine. We basically managed those players' game time. Both were a bit tight. They are fine," football manager Matthew Drain said. "There is no issue there. He played his allotted game time. (His hamstring) got a bit tight, but as Max said on Saturday night, he knows his body and hamstrings better than anyone so he wasn't fazed at all. He was fatigued and he cramped after four efforts in a row, but he was coming off anyway." Saints fans will be hoping Hudghton is fit to play Round 1, with the 31-year-old yet to prove he can overcome repeated muscle tears ... Riewoldt is back from knee soreness, Ball returns from adductor surgery and Harvey was rested last week. Raphael Clarke (sore ribs) and older brother Xavier (corked leg) also return.
Koschitzke to rest despite Gehrig injury
St Kilda are set to rest in-form Justin Koschitzke for their AFL pre-season semi-final despite spearhead Fraser Gehrig picking up an injury which will sideline him until the start of the home and away season. Scan results on Monday will determine the extent of a calf injury to Gehrig, who broke down during the second quarter of the Saints' five-point NAB Cup win over Geelong in Canberra on Saturday. The club Sunday confirmed Gehrig had a suspected calf strain which was likely to keep him out for at least three weeks - a time frame which would make him touch-and-go for the round one clash with Sydney on March 22. "It won't affect him you wouldn't think for round one. We've got to assess it," Saints coach Ross Lyon said after Saturday's match ... The absence of two of their star forwards could tempt the Saints to unleash skipper Nick Riewoldt for his first match of the season in Friday night's NAB Cup semi against Essendon at Telstra Dome ... The club also said midfielders Lenny Hayes and Luke Ball were slated to return against the Bombers ... Lyon said having their next match in Melbourne was ideal for his side, rather than a trip to the Gold Coast which would have been their penance had they lost to Geelong in Canberra. "It means we're through to the third week and we can build for round one a little bit more and we don't fly, so that's a win, because I think we would have been off to the Gold Coast," Lyon said. "We were exposing our list and our younger players stood up again. We got a little bit of luck and you move on to the semi-final."
Roo a chance in Nab 3
... St Kilda yesterday confirmed forward Fraser Gehrig would be sidelined for up to three weeks with a calf strain, putting him in doubt for a Round 1 return. Gehrig, who retired after Round 22 last year before changing his mind, was injured in the second term of Saturday's quarter-final win against Geelong in Canberra. Justin Koschitzke and Max Hudghton are set to be rested from Friday night's NAB Cup semi-final against Essendon under the Saints' pre-season rotation policy. Koschitzke, who starred with five goals against the Cats, and Hudghton both ended the game off the ground, but the club said they both pulled up well yesterday. Nick Riewoldt could be a chance to return in the absence of Gehrig and Koschitzke, after two weeks of speculation over his fitness.
Gehrig 'good for round one': Lyon
... "It looks like he's (Gehrig) maybe just strained a calf, so it's not ideal, but it won't affect him you wouldn't think for round one," Lyon said. "We've got to assess. It was a hot day [with] limited interchanges." Key forward Justin Koschitzke kicked five goals in an outstanding performance for the Saints, but left the ground with the game in balance in the final term. Lyon said Koschitzke had simply been rested. "We couldn't risk it," Lyon said. Lyon was also pleased for first year Saint Jack Steven, who booted the winning goal late in the match. "We all like kicking goals, so if you pick it up from 10 metres out, they're not too hard to kick those," Lyon said. "It's nice for the kid. He's training hard and he comes from a good family and he's doing his VCE, so he's happy." As for the prospect of a semi-final against Essendon at Telstra Dome next week, Lyon remained pragmatic about his side's pre-season campaign. "We were exposing our list and we preferred our younger players stood up again," Lyon said. "[Geelong] had a young group in again and it was really hard fought. At the end of the day you need a bit of luck. We got a little bit of luck and you move on to the semi-final. It means we're through to the third week and we can build for round one a little bit more and we don't fly, so that's a win, because I think [if we'd lost] we would have been off to the Gold Coast."
Saints win but not without a price
St Kilda has paid a heavy price for its thrilling NAB Cup quarter-final win over reigning AFL premiers Geelong in Canberra on Saturday with spearhead Fraser Gehrig and key defender Max Hudghton both in danger of missing the start of the home and away season after limping off with soft tissue injuries. The Saints' injury curse, particularly with soft tissue injuries, of recent years continued as first Gehrig suffered a calf injury and then Hudghton limped off with a hamstring injury - taking the gloss off their victory at Manuka Oval ... But it is the injuries to Gehrig and Hudghton which were the main talking points of what was otherwise the best match of the pre-season cup so far. Gehrig, the Saints' leading goalkicker for the past five seasons, limped off with a calf injury midway through the second term - an injury that is set to sideline him for at least a month. And with the Saints' official season opener against Sydney to be played on March 22 that means Gehrig, who turns 32 next month, faces a race against time to be fit for the start of the season. It is a cruel blow for the 2004 and 2005 Coleman Medalist, who retired at the end of last season only to return to the Saints months later. Hudghton, meanwhile, grabbed at his left hamstring in the final term, following a marking contest, and immediately went down to the rooms and did not return. The 31-year-old has a long history of hamstring problems and played just 10 games last season after suffering five separate leg injuries. The Saints also suffered another scare in the final term when the injury-prone Justin Koschitzke left the field but he was only suffering muscle tightness in his leg and should be fit to face the Bombers.
Saints home with late goal
St Kilda, the perennial contender, ensured it will be the team on early season lips once again this year by taking out the tallest of poppies by five points at Manuka Oval yesterday. In a robust encounter that belied the stereotype of the pre-season picnic match, the game looked headed for extra time, with scores tied for four minutes as the clock ticked into the red, before the Cats were effectively undone by one of their own. Jack Steven, a product of the fertile Geelong Falcons who played in a premiership for Lorne in the Colac and District league last September, sharked a pack and bounced through the winner from close range after a Ryan Gamble point at the other end seemed to have scuppered the Saints' chances. Not that his efforts overly moved coach Ross Lyon, who echoed the coaches' pre-season mantra that might as well have them turn up with "IT'S ONLY THE BLOODY NAB CUP" plastered across their foreheads. "We all like kicking goals, so if you pick it up 10 metres out they're not too hard to kick, are they?" Lyon said of the 17-year-old's winner. "It's nice for the kid." There were positives for both sides, not least the work in front of goal of Justin Koschitzke at one end - taking full advantage of a Cat back line missing Matthew Scarlett and Tom Harley - and Tom Hawkins the other.
Injuries mar bright afternoon for Saints
Injuries to several key players marred an otherwise bright afternoon for St Kilda in their NAB Cup quarter final against Geelong at Manuka Oval. The Saints hung on for a thrilling five-point win over the reigning premiers, with Justin Koschitzke imposing at centre half-forward and promising contributions from Nick Dal Santo, Leigh Montagna and Max Hudghton. But they lost Fraser Gehrig, who limped from the ground midway through the second quarter with what appeared to be a calf injury, and Hudghton, who hurt his hamstring in the final term. Koschitzke also left the ground in the last quarter. Lorne youngster Jack Steven kicked the match-winner after Geelong led by a point with a couple of minutes to play. The Saints won 3.9.10 (91) to 3.8.11 (86). Both sides fielded B-teams, with Geelong missing skipper Tom Harley and five of its nine All-Australians, including Gary Ablett and Brownlow Medallist Jimmy Bartel; and the Saints starting without co-captains Nick Riewoldt and Lenny Hayes, plus Matt Maguire, Luke Ball and Robert Harvey. But it was St Kilda's young side which seemed quicker and more determined, seizing control of the game in the second quarter and only failing to establish a winning lead because of a handful of missed chances late in the third term.
Saints win NAB Cup quarter final
St Kilda won a see-sawing NAB Cup quarter-final 3.9.10 (91) to 3.8.11 (86) against Geelong in Canberra on Saturday but they also suffered a major loss with strongman Fraser Gehrig coming off injured in the second quarter. Gehrig pulled out of a contest in the 33rd minute with what looked like a calf injury - he limped off the field immediately and played no further part in the game. The pre-season game was not without feeling, skirmishes regularly seeing umpires marching the sides 50 metres down the field. The 2007 premiers were dominant in the opening exchanges, Joel Corey and Mathew Stokes nabbing consecutive nine point goals inside the first ten minutes ... It looked like the game was St Kilda's to lose heading into the final quarter but Geelong finished strongly, stealing back the lead with Tom Hawkins' fourth goal of the afternoon. Deep into the final quarter Nick Dal Santo grabbed the ball in the late afternoon shadows of forward pocket and banged the ball 52 metres for nine points and the lead ... he see-sawing finished in the 22nd minute when St Kilda's young midfielder cum forward Jack Steven took his chance and scored a goal to give the Saints a five point win and a spot in the NAB Cup semi-final against Essendon next Friday night at Telstra Dome.
Saints defeat Cats in thriller
St Kilda will meet Essendon in next friday night's NAB Cup semi-final after defeating Geelong n a five-point thriller at Manuka Oval. The lead switched several times in a pulsating final quarter after St Kilda held a 10-point lead at the last break before former Geelong Falcons player and now Saints player Jack Steven kicked the winning goal in the dying minutes. Key forward Justin Koschitzke was a big difference up forward kicking five goals for the Saints, while Geelong youngster Tom Hawkins booted four goals. Saints midfielder Nick Dal Santo grabbed the momentum back for the Saints late in the final quarter with a running super goal. Just as the Cats had done in the opening term, the Saints slotted consecutive super goals at the start of the quarter to Justin Koschitzke and David Armitage. The first was gifted to Koschitzke after consecutive 50m penalties against Tom Lonergan, and then Darren Milburn. Koschitzke and Armitage added another goal each minutes later to edge St Kilda ahead. Goal sneak Strephen Milne contributed another after a spectacular mark to Saint Aaron Fiora at half-back. Ryan Campbell halted St Kilda's five-goal tear after converting a free kick 20m from goal. Geelong made a lightning start with two super goals in the opening term to lead St Kilda by 20 points at quarter time ... Gehrig and Koschitzke pulled goals back for the Saints (... but St Kilda's Geelong trade Jack Steven Kicked the sealer)