Pre-season 2014/2015

[aussierulesrules]

The AFL presumably would have realised that there was every chance that Essendon's NAB Challenge could have been affected by suspensions or ASADA stuff and I dare say that's why they scheduled them to play 3 of last year's bottom 4 teams (so that they didn't interrupt the preparation of any teams that may end up in finals contention), but after what happened to us in Wangaratta a couple of years ago, surely they should have left us out of it and given them a game against one of the other bottom 4 or 5 teams instead, so that we wouldn't get stuffed around again? How hard would that have been to work out?

 

[Defacto]

The AFL presumably would have realised that there was every chance that Essendon's NAB Challenge could have been affected by suspensions or ASADA stuff and I dare say that's why they scheduled them to play 3 of last year's bottom 4 teams (so that they didn't interrupt the preparation of any teams that may end up in finals contention), but after what happened to us in Wangaratta a couple of years ago, surely they should have left us out of it and given them a game against one of the other bottom 4 or 5 teams instead, so that we wouldn't get stuffed around again? How hard would that have been to work out?

couldnt agree more. as soon as its official there will be a letter going to the club on this, not blaming them, but to let them know as a club i dont think we should be carrying the can on this and we should be letting the AFL know of our unhappiness

1 cancelled event, yeah sure accidents happen. but 2 in 3 years. thats simply not good enough. these events should be a 1 in 50 years type of thing

dont blame our mgmt at all though, i think they are doing a magnificent job

having said that we are getting a decent run from the AFL recently

 

[Periphery]

I'd tell the AFL it's ok for us to miss that Nab challenge game, but that as compensation we'll need an extra 100k for the Moorabbin redevelopment.

 

[Sunshine Saint]

Sorry to intrude but you guys should lobby the AFL to never play essendon in the pre season again. I was at wangaratta when the arrogant pricks didnt show and now they're screwing you over again. I'd be lobbying for some sort of compensation for all the farking around they have cause you.
End rant

Feel free to pop in any time you like to bag Essendon.

 

[Mindtraveller]

I'd tell the AFL it's ok for us to miss that Nab challenge game, but that as compensation we'll need an extra 1million for the Moorabbin redevelopment.

Fixed

 

[Tommy Wigs]

Sorry to intrude but you guys should lobby the AFL to never play essendon in the pre season again. I was at wangaratta when the arrogant pricks didnt show and now they're screwing you over again. I'd be lobbying for some sort of compensation for all the farking around they have cause you.
End rant

It really is an amazing psychology that they have built at that club. They've managed to build that into the attitudes of their supporters as well. My concern is that this whole episode actually makes them/it even worse. If the chip on the shoulder wasn't large enough, it's going to be a massive spud now.

 

[hayes]

Feel free to pop in any time you like to bag Essendon.

Any way we can make this our forum slogan?

 

[Sunshine Saint]

Any way we can make this our forum slogan?

Well at least it should be the one for the organised crime, ASADA thread on here.

 

[Persevering Saint]

And so, with only a week to go, how do we rate this pre-season, peoples? What grade would you give it?

Gotta tell ya, I give it an A+, an HD, and/or a gold star! Well done, Saints!

 

[Mowman]

Think its been really good on many fronts, lots of positive stuff. But I couldn't give it A+ with all the injuries we have had

 

[crasha301]

Injurys included 9.5/10 ABSOLUTELY LOVE how the club is managing things atm.

If ross was only a 4 weeker I'd give it 9.9/10

 

[Persevering Saint]

Well, let's just summarise this off/pre-season, shall we?

• Saints have 18 young players sign up in style during the future fest, and then sign up Mav to make it another.
• Saints come out of trade period with Rhys traded for a high pick they use for Goddard, and bring in Tim Membrey for nicks (the same player we could have got when we took TDL instead a few years back). Saints kept their nerve and didn't trade #1.
• In the draft, Saints went against the grain and picked Paddy over Tracs. Tracs ends up having an ACL.
• Also in the draft, Carlton does us a favour and we get Goddard! Also get McKenzie and Lonie, Lonie set to play round 1.
• In the rookie draft, we get Payne, but especially Sinclair who is a good mate of Billings and looks like a gun already.
• We also rookie draft Saad, in the best prodigal son story of the last two years. All initial reports suggest that he's actually fitter than when he was here the first time.
• At the same time, Saints go and do a great training camp in NZ, utilising it to further embed us as the Kiwi's own AFL club.
• Matt Finnis starts working his magic with the 25 by 25 campaign, that sees 25,000 members before Christmas, for the first time in the Club's history.
• Savage has a baby boy! Soon followed by Roo! And Murds announces he's got one coming, too.
• Nine Saints run personal best times in a hard slog pre-season training regime that sees them fitter than ever.
• Saints appoint a SWAT trained strength and conditioning assistant.
• Saints embrace the old guard, by telling the story of recently deceased club stalwart, Vale Ken Whiffen.
• Sexton is promoted to Director of Coaching. We also promote Trout to List Manager, hire Wayne Hughes as a professional scout. Hudson is promoted to Sandy Coach.
• Saints announce DARE Iced Coffee as a major sponsor, with a massive promotion on the St Kilda Beach. This drums up more members in our heartland, and gives the club much needed financial security.
• Club organises more players and staff to be involved in social media, including Finnis and Richo on Twitter. There are also a string of interviews on Facebook, etc.
• Ian McCloud steps down as Director of St Kilda Board, because of overseas commitments.
• Danny Frawley returns home as a defensive coach.
• Jamie Cox is announced as General Manager of Football Performance. Saints celebrate it with a charity cricket match.
• News of a string of long-injured players from last year, like Hickey, Dunstan, Roberton, Steven, Templeton, Fisher, etc emerges that they're now fit and firing. Gilbert sadly isn't one of them.
• Riewoldt is announced as captain for the 10th consecutive year.
• We announce a seven man leadership group, including Mav and Jill.
• Burke steps down from the board, after being appointed to the Match Review Panel and declaring conflict of interest.
• Intra-club at Seaford is a massive success, with over 1500 people attending.
• Nick Riewoldt's sister Maddie dies very young from cancer. Roo takes bereavement leave.
• Saints find out that the AFL, in their infinite wisdom, have decided not to televise our first NAB game in Brisbane - the Saints fight and fight until it's televised live for free off the website.
• Saints make the best of a bad situation against Essendon being douches at Morwell in NAB 2. Massive kudos from the Morwell community and the wider footy public.
• Saints announce a revamp of the gameday experience, including pushing the AFL to let kick to kick happen at the end of games. This comes with news that kids come into Sunday twilight games for free.
• Saints sign a third NZ scholarship player, Barclay Miller.
• A string of hamstring and related injuries hits players, including two quite seriously: Ray, Ross out for at least half a season, Billings, Montagna, Wright, Webster, Savage are all in danger for Round 1, though most of those seem likely now for Round 1 or Round 2. Markworth confirmed as the most luckless man in football today.
• In a further push for members, Finnis announces Saints Membership March, another promotion for the month of March - it nets over 5000 members, bringing us to over 30,000, and more than we had for the entirety of last year.
• Saints have another couple of promotions in St Kilda itself, including the Jumper Presentation.
• Saints send 41 players and some staff throughout five regional areas of Victoria for promotions there.
• Saints continue to voice a commitment to LGBT rights, including being in a march.
• Saints announce a discount to the digital membership, further enticing members.
• Saints announce more open training sessions, at Seaford, Moorabbin, Sandringham, etc, than can be remembered in a long, long, long time.
• Saints cut their losses going into a game against a full strength Hawks in NAB 3, and play kids. We get hammered by over 100 points.
• Montagna is elected to the AFLPA board.
• SEEK comes on as a sponsor as well.
• It's announced that the Saints how have the highest member retention rate in the AFL.
• Former Saint Dean Anderson joins the Board, coming with extensive background in international banking.
• Jack Steven announces a 5-year contract, ending all speculation around FA for the year, before it's even begun.

There you go.

 

[ike2112]

Absolutely amazing off-season, and off-field progress.

Pretty dire preseason - loads of injuries, a meaningless run out against a near VFL side, and a pointless humping off the fully-fit premiers. Our midfield depth is being exposed by the terrible injury run. We said last year it was bad luck, shouldn't happen again. But it has, and if anything missing Ross and Ray for a long period is worse.

 

[Ekomaira]

Well, let's just summarise this off/pre-season, shall we?

• Saints have 18 young players sign up in style during the future fest, and then sign up Mav to make it another.
• Saints come out of trade period with Rhys traded for a high pick they use for Goddard, and bring in Tim Membrey for nicks (the same player we could have got when we took TDL instead a few years back). Saints kept their nerve and didn't trade #1.
• In the draft, Saints went against the grain and picked Paddy over Tracs. Tracs ends up having an ACL.
• Also in the draft, Carlton does us a favour and we get Goddard! Also get McKenzie and Lonie, Lonie set to play round 1.
• In the rookie draft, we get Payne, but especially Sinclair who is a good mate of Billings and looks like a gun already.
• We also rookie draft Saad, in the best prodigal son story of the last two years. All initial reports suggest that he's actually fitter than when he was here the first time.
• At the same time, Saints go and do a great training camp in NZ, utilising it to further embed us as the Kiwi's own AFL club.
• Matt Finnis starts working his magic with the 25 by 25 campaign, that sees 25,000 members before Christmas, for the first time in the Club's history.
• Savage has a baby boy! Soon followed by Roo! And Murds announces he's got one coming, too.
• Nine Saints run personal best times in a hard slog pre-season training regime that sees them fitter than ever.
• Saints appoint a SWAT trained strength and conditioning assistant.
• Saints embrace the old guard, by telling the story of recently deceased club stalwart, Vale Ken Whiffen.
• Sexton is promoted to Director of Coaching. We also promote Trout to List Manager, hire Wayne Hughes as a professional scout. Hudson is promoted to Sandy Coach.
• Saints announce DARE Iced Coffee as a major sponsor, with a massive promotion on the St Kilda Beach. This drums up more members in our heartland, and gives the club much needed financial security.
• Club organises more players and staff to be involved in social media, including Finnis and Richo on Twitter. There are also a string of interviews on Facebook, etc.
• Ian McCloud steps down as Director of St Kilda Board, because of overseas commitments.
• Danny Frawley returns home as a defensive coach.
• Jamie Cox is announced as General Manager of Football Performance. Saints celebrate it with a charity cricket match.
• News of a string of long-injured players from last year, like Hickey, Dunstan, Roberton, Steven, Templeton, Fisher, etc emerges that they're now fit and firing. Gilbert sadly isn't one of them.
• Riewoldt is announced as captain for the 10th consecutive year.
• We announce a seven man leadership group, including Mav and Jill.
• Burke steps down from the board, after being appointed to the Match Review Panel and declaring conflict of interest.
• Intra-club at Seaford is a massive success, with over 1500 people attending.
• Nick Riewoldt's sister Maddie dies very young from cancer. Roo takes bereavement leave.
• Saints find out that the AFL, in their infinite wisdom, have decided not to televise our first NAB game in Brisbane - the Saints fight and fight until it's televised live for free off the website.
• Saints make the best of a bad situation against Essendon being douches at Morwell in NAB 2. Massive kudos from the Morwell community and the wider footy public.
• Saints announce a revamp of the gameday experience, including pushing the AFL to let kick to kick happen at the end of games. This comes with news that kids come into Sunday twilight games for free.
• Saints sign a third NZ scholarship player, Barclay Miller.
• A string of hamstring and related injuries hits players, including two quite seriously: Ray, Ross out for at least half a season, Billings, Montagna, Wright, Webster, Savage are all in danger for Round 1, though most of those seem likely now for Round 1 or Round 2. Markworth confirmed as the most luckless man in football today.
• In a further push for members, Finnis announces Saints Membership March, another promotion for the month of March - it nets over 5000 members, bringing us to over 30,000, and more than we had for the entirety of last year.
• Saints have another couple of promotions in St Kilda itself, including the Jumper Presentation.
• Saints send 41 players and some staff throughout five regional areas of Victoria for promotions there.
• Saints continue to voice a commitment to LGBT rights, including being in a march.
• Saints announce a discount to the digital membership, further enticing members.
• Saints announce more open training sessions, at Seaford, Moorabbin, Sandringham, etc, than can be remembered in a long, long, long time.
• Saints cut their losses going into a game against a full strength Hawks in NAB 3, and play kids. We get hammered by over 100 points.
• Montagna is elected to the AFLPA board.
• SEEK comes on as a sponsor as well.
• It's announced that the Saints how have the highest member retention rate in the AFL.
• Former Saint Dean Anderson joins the Board, coming with extensive background in international banking.
• Jack Steven announces a 5-year contract, ending all speculation around FA for the year, before it's even begun.

There you go.

Beautiful work mate!

 

[gringo2011]

the injury run seems to have moved from the backs to mids. Next year it will be forwards.

 

[sammm]

the injury run seems to have moved from the backs to mids. Next year it will be forwards.

God help us then

 

[Defacto]

Great work perse!!! Seriously good

 

[By a Point]

Persevere

Well, let's just summarise this off/pre-season, shall we?

• Saints have 18 young players sign up in style during the future fest, and then sign up Mav to make it another.
• Saints come out of trade period with Rhys traded for a high pick they use for Goddard, and bring in Tim Membrey for nicks (the same player we could have got when we took TDL instead a few years back). Saints kept their nerve and didn't trade #1.
• In the draft, Saints went against the grain and picked Paddy over Tracs. Tracs ends up having an ACL.
• Also in the draft, Carlton does us a favour and we get Goddard! Also get McKenzie and Lonie, Lonie set to play round 1.
• In the rookie draft, we get Payne, but especially Sinclair who is a good mate of Billings and looks like a gun already.
• We also rookie draft Saad, in the best prodigal son story of the last two years. All initial reports suggest that he's actually fitter than when he was here the first time.
• At the same time, Saints go and do a great training camp in NZ, utilising it to further embed us as the Kiwi's own AFL club.
• Matt Finnis starts working his magic with the 25 by 25 campaign, that sees 25,000 members before Christmas, for the first time in the Club's history.
• Savage has a baby boy! Soon followed by Roo! And Murds announces he's got one coming, too.
• Nine Saints run personal best times in a hard slog pre-season training regime that sees them fitter than ever.
• Saints appoint a SWAT trained strength and conditioning assistant.
• Saints embrace the old guard, by telling the story of recently deceased club stalwart, Vale Ken Whiffen.
• Sexton is promoted to Director of Coaching. We also promote Trout to List Manager, hire Wayne Hughes as a professional scout. Hudson is promoted to Sandy Coach.
• Saints announce DARE Iced Coffee as a major sponsor, with a massive promotion on the St Kilda Beach. This drums up more members in our heartland, and gives the club much needed financial security.
• Club organises more players and staff to be involved in social media, including Finnis and Richo on Twitter. There are also a string of interviews on Facebook, etc.
• Ian McCloud steps down as Director of St Kilda Board, because of overseas commitments.
• Danny Frawley returns home as a defensive coach.
• Jamie Cox is announced as General Manager of Football Performance. Saints celebrate it with a charity cricket match.
• News of a string of long-injured players from last year, like Hickey, Dunstan, Roberton, Steven, Templeton, Fisher, etc emerges that they're now fit and firing. Gilbert sadly isn't one of them.
• Riewoldt is announced as captain for the 10th consecutive year.
• We announce a seven man leadership group, including Mav and Jill.
• Burke steps down from the board, after being appointed to the Match Review Panel and declaring conflict of interest.
• Intra-club at Seaford is a massive success, with over 1500 people attending.
• Nick Riewoldt's sister Maddie dies very young from cancer. Roo takes bereavement leave.
• Saints find out that the AFL, in their infinite wisdom, have decided not to televise our first NAB game in Brisbane - the Saints fight and fight until it's televised live for free off the website.
• Saints make the best of a bad situation against Essendon being douches at Morwell in NAB 2. Massive kudos from the Morwell community and the wider footy public.
• Saints announce a revamp of the gameday experience, including pushing the AFL to let kick to kick happen at the end of games. This comes with news that kids come into Sunday twilight games for free.
• Saints sign a third NZ scholarship player, Barclay Miller.
• A string of hamstring and related injuries hits players, including two quite seriously: Ray, Ross out for at least half a season, Billings, Montagna, Wright, Webster, Savage are all in danger for Round 1, though most of those seem likely now for Round 1 or Round 2. Markworth confirmed as the most luckless man in football today.
• In a further push for members, Finnis announces Saints Membership March, another promotion for the month of March - it nets over 5000 members, bringing us to over 30,000, and more than we had for the entirety of last year.
• Saints have another couple of promotions in St Kilda itself, including the Jumper Presentation.
• Saints send 41 players and some staff throughout five regional areas of Victoria for promotions there.
• Saints continue to voice a commitment to LGBT rights, including being in a march.
• Saints announce a discount to the digital membership, further enticing members.
• Saints announce more open training sessions, at Seaford, Moorabbin, Sandringham, etc, than can be remembered in a long, long, long time.
• Saints cut their losses going into a game against a full strength Hawks in NAB 3, and play kids. We get hammered by over 100 points.
• Montagna is elected to the AFLPA board.
• SEEK comes on as a sponsor as well.
• It's announced that the Saints how have the highest member retention rate in the AFL.
• Former Saint Dean Anderson joins the Board, coming with extensive background in international banking.
• Jack Steven announces a 5-year contract, ending all speculation around FA for the year, before it's even begun.

There you go.

Persevere. Great work. It is good to be reminded of the positives. I thought our first two NAB games were OK as well.

 

[VDS66]

No off field scandals, so A++++++ from me.

 

[Barrels]

Bloody hell, has today (and tomorrow's spectre) ever made ME ecstatic about our preseason...

Injuries be damned; this has been one of the greats!

 

[Armitage2Riewoldt]

Great summation Perse. Off-field it's hard to argue against this being our best off-season in years.

On field, wish it could have gone a bit better - especially for my (new) man in Seb Ross, not to mention a number of other younger players getting injured.

No off field scandals, so A++++++ from me.

Looks even better 24 hous later!

 

[Big Mart]

If only they didn't have a pre season cup

 

[Ekomaira]

If only they didn't have a pre season cup

They don't. It's just a challenge now

 

[Barrels]

One for fun: Irish stand-up comic Jason Byrne was interviewed this morning on KIIS FM and told a story about recently getting a Saints player 'Cameron' up at one of his shows and doing a skit where he had the do push-ups with him on his back, and how it nearly killed him. Said he was a great bloke.

One can only assume it was Cam Shenton, but in any event it's a nice little story.

God it's been a grand off-season (off field).

 

[Big Mart]

Grand off season indeed.