St Kilda Football Club - 2007 Post-season articles

Still not as good as the filth though ...

It was good to see our players have a crack this week and beat the bottom side that is crushed with injuries on our own turf - but unfortunately it still wasn't all that convincing when you stop to think that we started the year believing we were in with a show this year.

There are no excuses - I am sick of excuses - 'we have had too many injuries', 'blooding a new coach', 'learning the new game plan', 'not using the younger pacey players' - the list is endless. We have an excellent team with some depth - 'if' they consistently played as good as we know they are capable of.

I refuse to celebrate that our players turn up to play just once in a blue moon - it should be happening every week and without all the errors.

I have just been reading some of the positive post-game posts on 'Saintsational' and not all that long ago I would have grabbed my fiddle and jumped up on the stage to join them in their merry tune, but something has moved within me lately and I was left a little flat and thoughtful after the match.

I don't want to put too much of a dampener on all of the hard work, endeavour and tackles etc but we still have some fundamental problems that I can't put a finger on and the basic skill errors by some have not improved much, if at all.

The poor kicking and decision making from some of the youngsters was acceptable to a degree because at least they had a crack, but the errors were just as bad and as consistent that some of the replaced players were making in past weeks.

The goal kicking by our revered tall timbers was absolutely atrocious and the nineteen goals fifteen points looks bad but the real tally is much worse when considering the easy kicks that went out of bounds of the full etc.

Surely we must be the worst goal-kicking team in the history of the AFL - every game I go home shaking my head at what might have been if those easy shots went through.

Roo is a shocking kick for goal, yes he is a very athletic player, takes some excellent grabs and keeps the oppositions best defensive players busy - but his Yips are absolutely unreal.

Kosi doesn't look interested, in fact he almost looks like he is sulking. We know how he can play but since Roo was made Captain it seems like he wishes he were somewhere else.

Grant Thomas said on SEN a week or two ago that Kosi is a very proud bloke and explained that (Kosi) knows he's good player and because of this he thinks he should be the Captain.

Surely many of our issues are physiological and assistance from professionals can eliminate these, and looking outside the square in 2008 should be mandatory. There are plenty of effective therapy methods that are used these days including clinical hypnosis and BSFF that work with the unconscious mind, with no possibility of adverse side effects.

Geelong made use of Yoga in their successful season and my understanding is that the Doggies are experimenting in various methods and products to improve their results. Sydney and others have probably moved on too, but they would know better than blasting it all over the newspapers.

- - - - -

Thanks for the win guys and there were plenty of contributors that were not mentioned in the 'best' list but easily could have been - keep it up and use this match as a catalyst for future matches.

I want to see this sort of tackling and pressure 'every' week - it's my right as a supporter.

... and what's this business about slowing the game down in the last few minutes of the match when we are twelve goals in front - deplorable Ross Lyon, I am not convinced.

We need a whole lot more for our money than a stolen Sydney game plan, a poached fitness manager and good ruck stocks.

By just another media hack - The Peanut

What if I'm right?

Yesterday I was pointing the finger at Ross Lyon and saying the buck stops there, but through my dismay and the general confusion over the last couple of days I just couldn't see anything more than 'pointing the finger' at RL. I was thinking that we do have many great players and they do bleed Red, White and Black, they are adequately prepared for matches and we do have a better run with injuries ... so what the hell is wrong?

But what if I am right by pointing the finger? What if Ross Lyon is totally to blame? ... and what if he knows he has caused the problem but doesn't know what to do about it?

After I read the Saintsational post by 'Loris' in Perth and had good sleep on it, things started to make sense to me. In the post Loris did her best to pen the Aussie Jones comments of the Stan Alves ABC radio post-match summary in Perth. I know Loris and am well aware of how articulate she is in reporting and her long term understanding of the St Kilda footy club ...
Loris wrote:
" (Aussie said) ... under Thomas players were encouraged to attack, attack at all costs - move on quickly to so Roo, Frase & Milney can't be double tagged ... don't worry about the skills get ball in there fast and let it be man on man contest, back themselves ... onballers were to hang back around centre line for any turnovers to mop up (mistakes/rebounds). "

" (Sydney game plan) ... Aussie said the precise skills for such a game plan hadn't been drilled into that team over the years to hold onto the ball to play precision, possession football. He said players have the skills, but it wasn't in their psyche to do this which was just as important. "

" ... (Aussie) feels that RL has realised that his original game plan is no longer relevant nearly eighteen months down the track and not suited to the personnel at the Saints and now thinks the team is lost between the two styles. "

Somehow the words of Aussie slowly started to fit neatly into the empty places of the Peanut's grey matter

Following a good sleep and on my walk this morning our predicaments started to make some sense to me at last ... and I started to feel for Ross Lyon and his quandary. Yes, the buck does stop with him but ...

What if:
Ross Lyon arrived at St Kilda as a very confident rookie senior coach with the total belief that he could win Grand-Finals and believed that by topping up the current St Kilda squad with a competent ruck division, improved our injury toll and implemented a defensive strategy (a la Sydney) we could easily go all the way.

What if:
Ross and his staff went to great lengths to ensure the squad could slow a game down at the drop of a hat but eventually, once the penny had finally dropped with the players and they could do it comfortably, there would be some serious side effects emerging.

What if:
The side effects of changing the players automatic thought patterns in the heat of game effected their overall confidence and self-belief, causing serious skill errors and general disorientation when trying to move the ball quickly forward.

What if:
Ross Lyon has opened up a can of worms in good faith but doesn't have the tools to rectify the situation - after all, the situation we have found ourselves in has probably never occurred in AFL before?

I could be well off the mark - but the above makes a lot more sense to me than all the many 'reasons' that have been bantered around by the media, fellow supporters and myself throughout the season.

By 'just another media hack' - The Peanut

The complete post by 'Loris' saintsational.com/26May08

The Melbourne Footy Pie

SaintsCentral Website

I suspect that the club will be outsourcing the physical site development elements and I hope that the designers are directed to consider members that are still forced to use a slow dial-up service and at least be able to easily source the real footy elements, unlike the AFL/Bigpond production. Nevertheless I am expecting it to be slick and from the information we have already heard it should fill the gaps left by the current online resources.

The Essendon club stand-alone website doesn't appear to provide much original content for their supporters on day-to-day player information and they probably get basically the same information in the 'Border-Mail' newspaper. I often go to the Essendon club site around the times of the season when we play them and come away with nothing that hasn't already be told in the press, perhaps a sentence or two more from the press conferences.

I am quite looking forward to SaintsCentral and I will be very impressed if they provide all the bells and whistles for our younger fans and a slick interface that represents our club in an impressive fashion - and some real hard-core interviews and inside information.

Some of the expected features:

• Blogs
Supporters Blogs are a great idea and I can't wait to see 'Rogerwa's Blog'.

• Breaking News
Good but we usually get that through the press anyway.

• Social networking
I don't know exactly what they mean with this one but however its structured it should be popular and provide the fans with further input or outlets.

• Behind the scenes footage
Great - you can never have too much.

• Media library
Audio and Video clips - Great

• Online chats
(Returned) - Great

I guess the site will evolve into something substantial over a period of time if managed properly and I won't be too critical in its first year as things are sorted out by a single staff member. IMHO - if 'SaintsCentral' puts 'SS' and 'WoM' out of business it will have to be bloody good - but it can still be great as another resource for our hunger when working side by side with all Saints sites including that dreaded AFL/Bipond official website, which certainly has its uses too.

I would hope that the new site initially concentrates on the gaps rather than duplicating existing resources but in the long term the club should at least consider duplication, especially if they can do a better job.

by The Peanut (WoM Ed)
... in the year 2050

Mobile phones as we know them only ever appeared in science fiction books forty-three years ago and watching live high-resolution telecasts on wide screens in the comfort of your living room would surpass most fans imagination. When the AFL started paying players every man and his dog said that was the end of footy, now players can earn half a million dollars or more in one year - forty three years ago it was pounds, shillings and pence.
We all know which clubs have the strongest supporter base in Melbourne - but will financial stability and family inherited allegiances maintain their position of power over a long period of time - if the current AFL salary cap and drafting structure remains and they don't win a Grand Final or two they may start to look a little sick.

Essendon have traditionally held the North/North West suburbs and that situation should remain in the short term, but much of their region is contaminated with a general mix of supporters from other clubs that all other regions assimilate. Nevertheless it would be difficult to see them knocked out in around fifty years - but it's a long period of time when you consider general city developments, changing cultural and living trends, the aging population and all the other factors.

I often wonder what percentage of our members come from St Kilda. There must be more in Moorabbin as it's been our home for some time and it's further away from the inner city where families live - or should I say where families used to live. I would think that a very small number of our members actually live in the traditional region.

Let's face it - through television, the internet and the general media - each club's supporter bases are virtually global. I met more Kangaroos fans when living in Perth than since I moved back to Melbourne, and surely there isn't anywhere in Australia where you don't run into a bloody Collingwood fan.

As we all know the inner suburbs, conventionally the habitat of all the AFL clubs, do not have the same sub-cultural populations they had in the past and as with all other Capital cities, the inner suburbs have changed dramatically over the past thirty years. The old people have died off and their children have sold up and built in the outer suburbs where there is sufficient room for families and the required infrastructure to support them. The terraced homes of North Melbourne, Collingwood, Carlton, Richmond and indeed St Kilda were either restored and sold to singles and childless couples or pulled down and rebuilt as apartments.

I would expect that about 50% of people who now live in the Richmond region could provide you with a name of a footy team they follow if you ask them, but very few will be members and they probably find out the scores of the most recent match on the evening news or the Monday morning newspaper - to check the results against their tipping competition. The other 50% who live in this area are a mixture of immigrants, or on endless trips abroad, living on the country property, or are interstate or overseas students. Most of them are more interested in the Arts and chatting in cafes than keeping up-to-date with the local Richmond footy team ... Melbourne is also their local team ... and Carlton ... and Collingwood, even North Melbourne is virtually within walking distance.

From someone who has only recently returned to Melbourne I can't see a substantial supporter base in the future for any of the inner city teams. Richmond principally represents a fairly recent migrant population, North Melbourne, what there is of it, is a conglomeration of hospitals, parks, apartments, hotels and commercial buildings. Carlton and Collingwood are basically a mixture of alternative eateries, apartments, townhouse's and commercial premises, pretty well the same as their Fitzroy neighbour's, who were virtually just squeezed out of town.

You could argue that the kids with parents who emigrated from Asia are learning about footy at school and are potential supporters in the future but all those whose parents show little interest will probably pick a top of the ladder team, which from my experience is quite normal, and one needs to be very persistent to get your children to follow your team if they are a bottom side. Not only that, many people from the inner suburbs with or without Asian backgrounds head to the outer suburbs when their family expands because the environment is more children friendly.

Richmond through the necessity of survival understands that they need to spread out a bit and capture a new supporter base. They have chosen Craigieburn for their new training facility and they should eventually capture a fair helping of the North - North Eastern suburbs in their wake. With considerable help from the AFL drafting system they may have a chance to contest the flag in the next decade and together with their move, have the opportunity to slowly build a new base to counter the changes of the redeveloping inner suburbs. If everything goes their way and they can hang around the top of the ladder for a few years there will be heaps of kids throughout the wider Northern region heading off to the footy wearing Tigers guernsey's.

From my understanding Essendon has been an ageing white-collar area for some time, hence Dame Edna Everage's claim to come from an adjacent 'blue-rinse' suburb. They now have the Western Bulldogs pushing gently from the South West, Carlton and Collingwood pushing strongly from the city side and they will soon have Richmond pushing towards them from the North - North East.

Melbourne is Melbourne, a pathetic club who will always have a hand-full of supporters with a pocket full of money, who don't know more than three players names and most of them will continue to play pocket billiards until the final hour of the club's demise.

I guess there must be stronghold suburbs for Carlton and Collingwood fans but after two years living in Melbourne I can't see where they are. I do note that there is supporters for both clubs well entrenched in the overall Melbourne region but I just can't put my finger on a specific suburban location. Even the Northcote and Preston region appears to be an extension of Fitzroy in every way possible. You can go through Carlton as slow as you like and all you will see is a sign on the most lonely corner informing passers by that it's the home of the 'Blues' - and just as well it's there or some of the locals probably wouldn't know.

The Carlton Football Club seems to think that money and success comes in brown paper bags and the Collingwood Football Club appears to believe that their current financial stability and Premiership history is their long-term security, but in the current climate its becoming more about the outcome of continual success to maintain your supporter base and financial security follows, not the other way round as it was in the past. If the rich clubs don't get a premiership in the next ten years surely they must start losing their supporters as the oldies die off and the youngsters are influenced by their peers to support a more successful team.

St Kilda's 'City of Port Phillip' council has demonstrated no interest in supporting the St Kilda Football Club apart from decorating the Town Hall when we make the Grand Final and we all know how important the club is for the City of Kingston - and although I hate to see my team move further away from our traditional territory - and me, it makes sense for the future of our club to spread out to where the families are and away from the townhouse's, café strips, art galleries and street theatres. The kids of the South Eastern suburbs will see the mighty Saints as their team, especially if we start winning Premierships.

The Peanut (alias WoM Ed)

Image The Melbourne Footy Pie

The Bully

... and the devil in the blue suit

There are a few schools of thought regarding Grant Thomas as an AFL coach when comparing his effectiveness with other coaches and the current St Kilda model. Some supporters believe him to be a prophet of the modern game and there are others who believe that he wasted the clubs chances of going all the way.

The variations of the these generalisations include myself, who was pleased with his doggedness, people management skills and the new ideas that he bought to the club but am not happy that he overlooked the importance of ruckmen, that he wasn't serious enough in sorting the injury problems and his controlling nature.

I respected Grant Thomas when he first became the coach because the Saints had been repeatedly stepped-on by the AFL, other clubs and the media for so long it was refreshing that someone of his stature was unwavering in supporting the club and not at all afraid to speak his mind - he was fearless in his approach.

His apparent vision of using corporate principles and his determination to bring his beloved club out of the dungeons was the breath of fresh air. He wasn't well known in AFL circles and was persecuted by the press for the path he took to obtain the job, his limited coaching credentials at the top level and his obvious contempt of the hallowed media writers.

GT inherited a wild mixture of prospective superstars, great experienced players and a lower to middle tier bunch. It wasn't really 'a team' as we know it because it was put together by a variety of coaches and mixed with a cluster of low draft picks, which we inherited because we were the bottom side. He followed a coach that was so disinterested in manufacturing success for the club that he took his assistants to the Gold Coast to play golf, and this was the coach that GT had a strong hand in selecting.

Lucky for us Grant Thomas and Rod Butterss realised that their decision was 'a shocker' and did something about it. They threw a million dollars out the back door with Malcolm Blight and GT dressed himself in the coach's clobber and said 'I can do better than that myself'. It wasn't a real bad call at the time because in a short period of time we could see that he could do better than a disinterested coach, but unfortunately he later forgot that he also inferred that he would stand aside when he had given all he could.

His people skills in developing a solid close-knit team were apparent and he amazed his peers and the press by keeping all of our young emerging stars, which was nothing short of a 'miracle' when other clubs were offering them so much more money. Probably one of the side effects of his methods was that he appeared to become far too close to the young impressionable players, which was problematic when shown the door.

GT's initiatives in elite AFL football that include his immoderate pre-season camps and his corporate speak and analyses have now become the norm at other clubs. His understanding of developing the maturity of individual players though the camps, their geographic locations, the player's introductions to world leading sportsmen and his general professional expectations of each player are now evident in the overall culture at the club.

His limited respect for ruckmen, the lack of positively developing rookies and second tier players and the decision making throughout the draft process was inept when compared to some of the other clubs. Our ineffective ruck work did teach our midfielders how to find their own ball but one only muses on what might have been if they received an occasional ball in their arms before the opposition backline were prepared for a quick forward entry. In hindsight I see our inadequate development of rookies as an outright disgrace and almost vulnerable to legal action by young players who were picked up in the draft and virtually left to their own means in the VFL and consequently delisted as 'hacks'.

I and many other supporters loved the way GT wore his heart on his sleave and demonstrated his love for the club and his desire for success, but this probably masked the scrutiny that hindsight now provides.

Grant Thomas and Rod Butterss aired their private indifferences in the media to the detriment of the club. The journalists, who originally held them in contempt, eventually embraced them for providing easy pathways to a headline story. The club is now expected to pay GT out of his contract twelve months after he was sacked. The current club management is honouring a hazy contractual provision that Rod Butterss put to Grant Thomas without notice as he was publicly pushed out the door.

Ross Lyon inherited a squad and a club that was generally developed and improved by the RB/GT period and although he is proving to be a professional AFL coach, he would neither have the necessary finances or the core group of first-class players at his fingertips if it weren't for his predecessors.

I am not from the 'anti' or 'pro' school of thought regarding Grant Thomas and Rod Butterss, they were a particular part of our history and this is the present time, which will also be judged in hindsight, but one thing is certain - we won't forget them in a hurry.

by The Peanut (WoM Ed) 02Nov07

You can have your club back ...

... over my dead body

It is obvious that Rod Butterss thinks he owns St Kilda. I remember reading years ago that it was originally Grant Thomas's dream to lift the club out of its doldrums. Following regular business lunches and game attendance's of the two, mostly instigated by GT, he talked RB into helping him take control of the board to actively push St Kilda footy club forward to success. I remember reading at the time that GT said to RB after a game where the Saints got smashed, 'we can do better that this,' or something very similar.

Although Rod played for the 2's in his younger days, it is my understanding that he had let his interest in St Kilda drift a little while building a business empire. GT, originally a happy larrikin at the club and whom I believe married a cheer squad member, kept a strong interest in footy and St Kilda. It was probably RB's business acumen and the fact they had rekindled their mateship that tempted him to invite RB to help him with his dream of the Saints becoming successful.

They both had the heart for 'big' jobs, so it's not surprising that once RB signed up for a membership and they played the necessary behind the scenes politics, they ended up in the boardroom. I believe that it was definitely what the club needed at the time.

Sometimes there is just too many political issues and allegiances involved in well established clubs to make the required moves to provide the new ideas without standing on the toes of the 'overworked', 'ineffectual', 'well meaning' and the 'comfortable' board members. Probably the only way we were going to move forward was for a couple of bullies to push the board aside and just take over the club.

We did already have a hardworking board that were making moderate transformations to improve performances both on and off the field but the club really needed to be brought forward in leaps and bounds by new blood with great skills and a passion for success. The new age of professional footy was upon us and we not only needed to compete with the big Melbourne clubs but also the emerging interstate powerhouses, and we really needed a decent kick up the butt - at the top end.

We all know the failures and successes of both GT and RB individually and collectively, but time has demonstrated that you can't have one of these two power-people without the other. Time also tells us that they independently too became complacent after giving everything they could and as RB said to GT 'come on Grant, you've had your go, just move on' - well Rod, it's now your turn.

After achieving an enormous amount for our great club, in the end the strong mindedness, and the general persona of these two individuals demands that you are forced to physically detach them from the club when they have done their job. Rod Butterss told us that GT had done all he could and demanded him to cut his ties by giving him the sack, and now the majority of members are trying to pry Rod from his seat but he is holding on with both hands. In the end both GT and RB found themselves embroiled in their positions and found themselves quite comfortable in their powerful roles thanks very much.

GT, along with many supporters, was shocked with his sacking and would have certainly resisted if he had a choice, and it is still believed by some supporters that he is waiting for the right time to move back in, albeit in a different role. I am sure that he realises now that although he has an incredible insight on footy generally and does his homework, someone with the credentials of Ross Lyon is probably much better placed to take the team further than he could. Grant almost made it into the world of 'the immortals' and it is arguable whether it was poor management or just bad luck that he didn't make it. GT has more than proved his passion for the club to members like me that didn't know him before he entered the boardroom, it will be interesting to see whether RB will remain a passionate supporter when he is been let off the leash.

Grant seemed to have forgotten completely that he inferred that he would just stay as long as he could contribute significantly when he was criticised by journo's regarding his lack of 'AFL apprenticeship' credentials when he first took over the senior coaching role. Didn't you say something similar a few years back Rod?

GT kept a group of 'top pick' players together at our club on less money than they could get at another club because he developed a close relationship with them and taught them a team oriented philosophy. He also helped in the promotion of a 'clean' off-field culture while he was coach, but there was problems when he left because he had taken his 'business' relationship with the group beyond the boundaries of 'good practice', and had become personal friends of some. RB did plenty of good things too but ended up spending his time looking over his shoulder and not keeping his eyes on the ball.

Rod appears to have been backing himself into a corner ever since he dismissed Grant Thomas and possibly before. All of the major development plans and new initiatives at the club appear to be at least one year old except for the recent injury management announcements and I am still yet to be convinced that the board wasn't pressured by Ross Lyon and others around the football department to spend the money to urgently improve this area. Ross Lyon doesn't come from a culture that thinks player injuries is just a footy club routine that continually needs addressing with the professionals and the media. But I'm forgetting, Rod and Co gave us Ross Lyon - thanks Rod.

RB seems to have been inviting anyone and everyone to his pre-game functions to ensure he kept his seat on the board ever since the 'Bedwell' scare. The issues surrounding staff morale has not been resolved and in-fact appears to have degenerated if you read between the lines of his sparse media comments. Rod doesn't seem to understand that there is many subtle differences in a staff portfolio of a very public footy club than of the general business world.

The Moorabbin redevelopment plan has gone to the wind since he lampooned Archie Fraser's extensive work on the club's negotiations with the City of Kingston and it appears now that only new blood will have any credibility in re-opening the negotiations with them. Surely even the alternative councils will have scratched their heads when Archie said one thing and Rod makes a statement out of the blue that we 'will be staying at Moorabbin'. The subtle politics that Archie Fraser was carrying out at the time on behalf of the board were put to the firing squad with one thoughtless and egocentric knee-jerk statement.

By far the biggest mistake Rod has made since he learned that he and his board would be challenged when the season finished, was to turn his back on the rank-and-file members. He has been busy having lunch with many of his corporate mates that have some influence in that particular sector but he can't seem to understand, has forgotten or just holds the average member in contempt by not communicating with them at all. Many members refused to accept the 'St Kilda Footy First' ticket until they heard Rod's response to criticisms, but it has not been forthcoming. One thing I am certain about is that Grant Thomas must be sitting on the sideline laughing at this massive oversight and lack of respect of the members he represents.

Many of these members were extremely offended by their treatment of the incumbent board and have since turned to St Kilda Footy First because they believe that at least the challenging ticket can't be any worse than that. Considering all of what has happened and how they were treated by Rod, there is still a small band of members supporting him to the end. They must have their reasons and certainly have every right to do so. To me the only risk of sending my proxy off to 'St Kilda Footy First' is that they may not be as good as RB in counting every penny, but as 'saving your pennies will bring you pounds' there is also the saying 'penny wise, pound foolish'. Only time will tell if our small risk of changing guard will be of great advantage to our club.

It is my view that poor old Rod wouldn't even know about any wrong-doings, as he appears to be only there for the glory. During our dark years he was busy making money with his spare change whilst the passionate supporters were passing their spare bucks over to their beloved club to support its survival. Rod had every right to do his own thing and build his business but I think he may have overlooked some of the pain and passion that we supporters have endured over the years to indeed keep the club in existence. He has forgotten that although the club is a business it's owned by the members and not just a play thing for rich kids.

Once upon a time I was celebrating the fact that someone with such business expertise was leading our club, but although saving money and keeping a tight ship is a very important component, there are many other very important things that are required to run a footy club successfully. Ensuring the staff are happy and well resourced and providing value to our 'middle range' sponsors are just a couple of things that are 'just' as important as pulling the purse strings tightly. Keeping in touch with all of the members and creating relevant and exciting events that actually make money wouldn't go astray either, and that's not even mentioning the football department (the reason why we exist) or providing the best service possible to the larger 'branding' sponsors.

by The Peanut (WoM Ed) 26Sept07

'The ride of our lives'

Grant Thomas and Rod Butterss

When Rod Butterss first joined the board I can remember his interest in meeting supporters and discussing their issues. I remember Rod approached me outside a pre-game function in Perth and there were other occasions in his early days where his body language made it obvious that he was available to talk with anyone about the club that approached him.

That was a long time ago, it was a positive period when Rod and Grant Thomas offered enthusiasm and a willingness to try new ideas. Leaning on their passion and business acumen they boldly began to push the club forward. Their modern football club model developed standards of the corporate business 'speak', 'practices' and 'protocols' of the time. I am not saying the club was a rabble before they arrived as the previous board worked very hard to keep our heads above water - sort of above water - but we did survive.

Survival is not good enough they said; they had a dream and together with other board members in their team they methodically went about pushing the club forward. They made some decisions earlier that in hindsight were dreadful at least and also expensive. But they were on a mission, so they didn't bat an eye and stayed on a positive path and as it turned out, achieved some excellent results for our club. They inherited some wonderful players due to our poor performances before and early in their reign but there was plenty to thank them for all the same.

I erred when Grant Thomas took the boys to the pictures when we had an important game at the weekend but I had faith in GT and decided that he knows what he is doing and even though we lost our first game for the year on the next week-end - I let it go.

My first real wake-up call was when I read a feature article on Grant Thomas in a newspaper where GT appeared to allude to the fact that he was comfortable with his effort of getting us into the finals each year during his coaching stretch. I can still hear myself saying 'but we want a Grand Final', 'why aren't you saying it's not good enough' and 'we have to do more about our injury problems'. There were also other things in that article that hit me the same way as when I turned the TV on during day-time a few years earlier. I was surprised to see Stan Alves being interviewed on a 'today show' and was discussing his personal issues. I had assumed that he would be running around a paddock organising our team for next Saturday or sitting down with the match committee watching opposition games, or discussing tactics. I also have some shocking memories from the Malcolm Blight period . . .

I pushed those pessimistic thoughts about Grant to the back of my mind as I know that he loves the club and was doing his best. I mindlessly followed him week in and week out; attacking anyone that said anything negative about him and always looked for reasons to support his tactics and injury management (or lack thereof). I kept telling myself that St Kilda just has lots of bad luck.

Somewhere during this time I heard a rumour that Rod Butterss had split with his wife or partner and he had a new lady in his life. I heard that there was a settlement to be undertaken and a lady left disenfranchised and hurt. My rumour source told me that Grant Thomas and his wife sided with Rod's wife/partner and Rod was very bitter that his mate had abandoned him. This story may be completely untrue but nevertheless it comforted me and provided logical reasoning, especially when the media informed us that Rod and Grant weren't talking unless it was absolutely necessary - and there was never any other explanation given.

I was shocked when our red faced and blundering President ruthlessly invited Grant Thomas into the boardroom and sacked him on the spot. I was like many other supporters who were stunned that our saviour was so viciously treated when only a week before we were heralding him and expecting him to lead us to the Promised Land.

It took a few days to take on board what I was told by Rod and various other sources regarding the happenings around the football department, and that GT was perceived to be a law-unto-himself. Hesitantly at first, I moved with the excitement of having a new professional coach that could lead us forward. Sydney doesn't have injuries I told myself - they must have the answer.

I am very happy with Ross Lyon as our coach and have a lot of faith in his experience and professionalism, although I was very disheartened and back-tracking a little after watching the first match against Hawthorn. This match may have been the beginning of the end for Rod Butterss because everyone was looking to blame someone for our hurt and disenchantment. I secretly blamed Ross Lyon for the negative game plan and my memory started to go back to the days of GT when we always gave it a crack and although we were the walking injured, we as supporters were entertained by our troops foolishly throwing themselves at the opposition at any cost. In hindsight we spent much of our time nervously waiting for doctor's reports.

During the 2007 season the spats with GT and RB continued . . . and continued. There was always a story in the press that we didn't want to know about. RB chasing GT for money, GT chasing the club for money and just about everything else in between. 'Thomas stalking Saints through sponsor' and hundreds of other headlines have been instigated by those two - who once shared a dream. We have become accustomed to justifying all sorts of nonsense and are continually trying to ignore other things.

Steve Bedwell was just one of 30,000 supporters who was frustrated when opening the newspapers day after day and having our great club's dirty linen splattered over the back pages and sometimes even the front. Surely there isn't a person in the country that doesn't know something negative about the Saints that we as supporters could do well without. Bedwell's poorly planned and half-hearted attempt at challenging the board didn't go far, apart from bringing up more negative and non football related issues regarding our beloved club onto centre stage, but he may have alerted some other supporters of the idea to challenge the board professionally, at a better time and with a credible ticket.

Since the Bedwell period there have been strong rumour's and the current board knew that there was a challenging ticket gathering steam, but instead of doing something constructive they just went into 'damage control' mode and continued to trim expenses so they could boast a good profit. They also took an initiative and did something constructive to try and improve our injuries as their trump card. It was a pity they left this so long and didn't respond to considerable pressure from supporters and the press much earlier - we may have had another Premiership cup in the cupboard by now if they did.

Not good enough Rod and Co and if you think that you can just find a loophole in the some company law or whatever to push this challenging ticket aside then you will have the majority of the members coming down on you big time. The people involved in the new ticket have the same passion and enthusiasm for the future of our club that you once had. If they too become complacent or get embroiled with issues that are detrimental to the growth of our great club then the members will vote for them to move on too.

Thanks for everything positive you did for the club, some things were great. Nevertheless, I believe that an apology to our players, coaches, staff and supporters is in order for all the negative press we were forced to endure, especially throughout the 2007 season. Grant Thomas gets off just a 'little' bit lighter in my eyes because he is 'one of us' - Red, White and Black.

by The Peanut (WoM Ed)

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