Milne, Blake and Kosi

[mysainters]

@WLudbey: #AFLSaintsDockers , Stephen Milne, Jason Blake and Justin Koschitzke, walk down the saints race for the last time, http://t.co/7BZvGD20t9

Check out this guys photos, they're all amazing...just look at his recent tweets

 

[sauce_head]

I wonder what Goddard is thinking knowing he won't play finals and the he will never get a send off like that? It was such a club day, an element of celebrating the old school players and the success they had. Not just the three that retired but also the passing of an era. What a great day, done with fantastic humour and a real sense of the club. What a proud moment for Sainters everywhere.

 

[hayes]

I wonder what Goddard is thinking knowing he won't play finals and the he will never get a send off like that? It was such a club day, an element of celebrating the old school players and the success they had. Not just the three that retired but also the passing of an era. What a great day, done with fantastic humour and a real sense of the club. What a proud moment for Sainters everywhere.

Great call. Games like that are what you get when you're a one club player.

 

[Tarkyn_24]

Awesome to see them bow out with a win over the purple muppets.

Don't have a lot of time for St Kilda, but respect massively what these three achieved. Milne was an incredible athlete, a freak, Koschitzke was a tremendous figure but just couldn't get out there and show his talents off consistently enough, and Blake was Mr Fix It. Loved Blake, he was your nearly KPP equivalent to Lockyer and I was thrilled to see him get some recognition, polling in last year's Brownlow, about ten years too late.

Well done to the three.

 

[VDS66]

Watching the celebration of the last quarter was very emotional. Well done to all 3.

And I reckon whatever people think of Lyon, good on him for not exactly going out of his way to make life hell for us. I am sure that he enjoyed it just as much. Lucky it was a dead rubber.

 

[Plugger35]

All three are going to be sorely missed but it was terrific to see them get the send off they deserved.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

My thoughts were that Milne and Blake were still playing very well. If we were still in contention we'd be crazy to let them go.

 

[Persevering Saint]

Especially Blake. I thought his form, coupled with our lack of tall LOSs, meant he should play on. I suspect he pulled the plug, not the club. If the fires gone, then fair enough.

 

[VDS66]

I reckon it is great that they chose when to go out, rather than try and go on for another year. Kosi is shot, pure and simple. But for Blake and Milne, it's great that they go out with dignity and some sort of good form, rather than go around again only to become permanent fixtures at Sandy.

Kudos to club, players and supporters for making it a great day for all.

Kosi was one of those players who could have been anything except for crippling injuries. Still a true Warrior. Was totally butchered and mismanaged early in his career. Would have made an awesome CHF.

Milne has easily established himself in the top 5 of all time small forwards... if not the greatest ever.

Blake has been the most under rated player in our club. He just got on with it and always gives 100% on the park. There isn't much glory or public accolades for players like himself, but he can retire with pride and knowing that he left everything he had on the park and to the club. A very special and rare ability.

Thank you gentlemen for so many highlights and enjoyable moments. All deserving of a flag IMO. Us mere mortals can only wonder how devastating it must have been to come so close given all that hard work you put in. I think at times we underestimate just how much sacrifice players make to play at the highest level.

 

[okeydoke7]

For a club that has got a little bit wrong, it sure as hell got everything right this time.

What an incredible day at the football. I've been to all of the big games we have played in the last decade (in Melbourne at least). Memorable wins against the Lions in 2004, Cats in 2009 and all of our amazing performances during finals. The complete and utter joy of winning a prelim. Particularly the tight one in 2009 against the Doggies where Riewoldt was incredible. The amazing scene of him absolutely spent on the bench with 20 seconds to go. Walking with the cup in his hand. And the joy on his face as he threw the cup in the air on the final siren. Then the following year when we had a comfortable win over the dogs and ended with 5 champs on the bench and 17 on the field (and us Saints supporters rose as one to applaud each of our guys as they came off for the last time for the game). The close final against the Cats where we won courtesy of a Mooney push in the back. Agonising defeat in the 2009 GF in which we outplayed the cats in every area except the scoreboard. A courageous comeback to draw the 2010 Grand Final. The noise when Goddard marked, goaled and beat his chest. When Lenny kicked a set shot from 55. The noise at the pre-GF training sessions whenever Riewoldt would run by on a lap.

We have been lucky enough to have some great times over the last decade. But what I loved about this game was it felt like the right way to end it. To move on from the half-success we had for so long. To one so close yet not get the reward they were fighting for.

Honestly, it was the most enjoyable game of football I have ever been to.

It has been a long season. The result wasn't the reason it was so good. We all know Freo rested half a team. It was the party atmosphere. The spirit that the team showed. The incredible supporter base that made it so special. It honestly felt like, in this game more than I can ever remember, us supporters were as much part of the game as the players.

The club got it right from the start. They sought special approval from the AFL for Koschitzke to enter the arena without the Green sub vest on. He doesn't need all of the photos and videos of this moment ruined by a green vest. The retiring players lead the team out with some family members and the Saints fans unanimously stood and clapped. It may not have been the biggest crowd number wise but all the members were there in the level 1/2 member section so the atmosphere was incredible. At 1/4 time, after we kept Freo goalless, us fans again delivered a standing ovation. These things don't just happen. And when they do it sends chills down your spine. This is what footy is all about.

The noise whenever Milney, Blakey and later Kosi got the ball was incredible.

The last quarter was brilliant. Freo were halfway home and we were living the moment. Kick it to Kosi was the mantra. Tom Lee even passed off a mark inside 50 to Kosi who had 2 players on him (needless to say, this didn't work too well). Kosi may have had his goal taken away (in such a strange reflection of his career), but nothing stole the moment. Every teammate had already jumped on him. There was elation in the stands and Kos was soaking in it.

When Blake kicked a goal and for the first time in his career allowed himself a celebration (Milne like) it was fitting. What a workhorse. Deserved every bit of that game (he played sensationally). Milney played a standard Milney game. A couple of goals, some dangerous chances and boy did he entertain the crowd. We all love him but perhaps you don't realise just how good somebody is until they are gone. We almost took it for granted that when Milney swooped on a pack 40M out and wheeled around to snap on his right...It would be a goal. Boy has he given us some incredible moments.

If only the ball bounced the right way...A lot of people think that when they think of Milney. Imagine Milney being the GF hero against the pies. For whatever reason, this game seemed to finally be a full stop on that era. Although heartbreaking, what happened happened. These three players were all adamant that they had given it their absolute all, and we know that to be true. And this game was what it needed to be...An absolute celebration.

It was great to see every player, young and old, with massive smiles on their faces after a tough season. It was great to see them all genuinely engage the crowd and soak up the atmosphere. It meant a lot to all of these supporters who have struggled through the season and it looked like it meant a lot to the players.

The send offs and interviews were perfect. Everyone stuck around. Most even waited to watch Milney lead the song on the screen after the game. The players, when out on the ground, all seemed to look up to the second level and wave and laugh and smile with some people on the second level. Steven Baker and Brendon Goddard were in a box up there watching on with pure enjoyment (Goddard had a game a few hours later). It was good to see. Both had strange endings to their time at the Saints. But they embraced this.

It felt comfortable. Everything, finally, seemed to feel alright. It felt like exactly what we needed to except that one era was ending and a new one was beginning. That although there may be a tough road ahead, these young players have seen how bloody hard the blokes before them have worked and how much they mean to the saints supporters. That even after such a tough season, the supporters and players could end it in such joy.

It wasn't the result that mattered, but the spirit. Supporters and players (past and present) were embraced. Who knew 22,000 could make such noise. Signing members up for next year may prove a hard task but I think that every saints fan at the game on Saturday will be signing up when the time comes.

The club got it right. The players and the supporters loved it. A pure celebration. Fun. 22 mates enjoying themselves on the field and sharing it with adoring fans. Emotion, inspiration, hope. Even Ross Lyon is back in our good books.

Thanks to these three warriors and to the club for such a marvellous day. Strangely, a meaningless Rd23 game against a glorified WAFL team was the best day at the footy I think I have ever had.

 

[Sainttony]

For a club that has got a little bit wrong, it sure as hell got everything right this time.

What an incredible day at the football.

Great post

 

[Baldur]

Even Kosi getting his goal disallowed, as much as it annoyed me. It was kind of fitting as well.

 

[sauce_head]

For a club that has got a little bit wrong, it sure as hell got everything right this time.

Thanks to these three warriors and to the club for such a marvellous day. Strangely, a meaningless Rd23 game against a glorified WAFL team was the best day at the footy I think I have ever had.

Best post I have ever read - congratulations on post of the century. I am off to dry my eyes now.

God I love the Saints.

 

[Sunshine Saint]

Okeydoke a sensational post. Well done. Relived the game again reading your post. Thanks

 

[Manimal_Dunstan]

Milne to miss tribute to retiring players tomorrow. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/a...retiring-players/story-fni5f9q3-1226728799176