50 Years of the Saints - Countdown to NAB 1, 2017.

[CALL ME SNAKE]

50 Years of the Saints - Countdown to NAB 1, 2017. (21 Days to go)​

​

Round 12, 1976
Date: 19th June, 1976.
Location: Princes Park
Crowd: 14,294

Sitting just outside the five at 5-6, the Saints were hoping today's travel to Princes Park to face Hawthorn would be a success. Hawthorn sat atop the VFL ladder at the conclusion of Round 11 in 1976, their only loss coming against rival top five side Carlton in Round 6.

St.Kilda started poorly and trailed 1.2.8 to Hawthorn's 5.5.35 at the end of the first term, and at half time the Hawks had a commanding 30 point lead. With the game all but lost, the Saints found inspiration through rover Bruce Duperouzel and ruckman Jeff Sarau in the third term to cut the margin to just two points entering the final stanza.

But the Saints weren't finished there. Their biggest scalp of 1976 came only 30 minutes later, and with the momentum from the start of the third term, St.Kilda weathered the five goal haul from Leigh Matthews and went on to beat the flag fancies by 25 points - and in doing so broke a 7 year hoodoo at the ground, winning for the first time at Princes Park since Round 3 of 1969.

​

GOALS:
St.Kilda: Bell 3, Duperouzel 2, Muir 2, Lofts 2, Theodore 2, Reynolds 2, Colling, Callery, Malthouse, Ditterich, Hunt
Hawthorn: Matthews 5, Moncrieff 3, Bennett 2, Hendrie, Goad, Ablett

DISPOSALS:
St.Kilda: Duperouzel 28, Bell 20, Muir 19, Baker 19, Sarau 19
Hawthorn: Matthews 25, Hendrie 25, Tuck 22, Bennett 21, Knights 21

Super Duper He was a great little player. Loved him as a kid.
I remember being so disappointed when he went to the doggies. But we got the best yrs of his career

 

[George]

50 Years of the Saints - Countdown to NAB 1, 2017. (18 Days to go)​

Round 16, 1984
Date: 21st July, 1984.
Location: Moorabbin Oval
Crowd: 17,182

The 10-5, 3rd placed Blues travelled to Moorabbin today to take on the 3-12, bottom of the table Saints. St.Kilda had not beaten Carlton since the 1978 season, and it would take something special to get the job done in today's game. Carlton would've been an absolute certainty to win today If not for the mud soaked Moorabbin terrain, which played in the Saints favour.

18 year old St.Kilda full forward Tony Lockett was only playing his 26th game of league football, but showed maturity beyond his years, leading the way in front of goal for the Saints today and for the rest of the year, finishing as the club's leading goal kicker for 1984 with 77 majors.

We resume play in the second quarter. Can the Saints break their 6 year Carlton hoodoo?
Or will the Blues prevail again?​

​

GOALS:
St.Kilda: Lockett 3, Burns 3, Sidebottom 3, Foschini 2, Narkle 2, Roberts, Sharp, Smith
Carlton: Blackwell 2, Maylin 2, MacLure 2, Ralph 2, Johnston, Glascott, Austin, Alvin, Madden

DISPOSALS:
St.Kilda: Roberts 28, Smith 22, Barker 22, Morwood 22, Kiel 21
Carlton: Johnston 23, Blackwell 20, Dean 20, Meldrum 19

 

[sunny3193]

50 Years of the Saints - Countdown to NAB 1, 2017. (19 Days to go)​

Round 17, 1983
Date: 23rd July, 1983.
Location: Junction Oval
Crowd: 15,335

Led by Bernie Quinlan, Fitzroy had been a game clear on top of the ladder after Round 14 but even after successive losses to the Swans in Sydney (R15) and Carlton at Waverley Park (R16) they were still expected to bounce back strongly against Trevor Barker & the lowly Saints at the Junction Oval

The match produced a VFL record aggregate score for a quarter when Fitzroy (12.6) and St.Kilda (7.1) added 121 points in the second quarter. The Saints took the lead again with the wind in the third quarter but the margin of 20 points looked well within the Lions reach in such a high scoring encounter.

We now take you to the 2nd quarter of today's game.​

​

GOALS:
St.Kilda: Barker 5, Crow 4, Cross 3, Cunningham 2, Packham 2, Brown 2, Odgers, Meehan, Sidebottom, Foschini
Fitzroy: Quinlan 6, Harris 3, Sidebottom 3, Conlan 2, Wilson, Lokan, Carlson, Parish, Roos, Irwin

DISPOSALS:
St.Kilda: Cunningham 29, Odgers 27, Elphinstone 22
Fitzroy: Wilson 24, Lokan 23, Coleman 21

I had forgotten John Favier and Greg Packham.
Jayson Daniel and Matthew Young are out other redheads.
Have I forgotten anyone?

 

[sunny3193]

50 Years of the Saints - Countdown to NAB 1, 2017. (19 Days to go)​

Round 17, 1983
Date: 23rd July, 1983.
Location: Junction Oval
Crowd: 15,335

Led by Bernie Quinlan, Fitzroy had been a game clear on top of the ladder after Round 14 but even after successive losses to the Swans in Sydney (R15) and Carlton at Waverley Park (R16) they were still expected to bounce back strongly against Trevor Barker & the lowly Saints at the Junction Oval

The match produced a VFL record aggregate score for a quarter when Fitzroy (12.6) and St.Kilda (7.1) added 121 points in the second quarter. The Saints took the lead again with the wind in the third quarter but the margin of 20 points looked well within the Lions reach in such a high scoring encounter.

We now take you to the 2nd quarter of today's game.​

​

GOALS:
St.Kilda: Barker 5, Crow 4, Cross 3, Cunningham 2, Packham 2, Brown 2, Odgers, Meehan, Sidebottom, Foschini
Fitzroy: Quinlan 6, Harris 3, Sidebottom 3, Conlan 2, Wilson, Lokan, Carlson, Parish, Roos, Irwin

DISPOSALS:
St.Kilda: Cunningham 29, Odgers 27, Elphinstone 22
Fitzroy: Wilson 24, Lokan 23, Coleman 21

The thing that struck me about this game are the number of players who would eventually end their careers at multiple clubs.

 

[George]

I had forgotten John Favier and Greg Packham.
Jayson Daniel and Matthew Young are out other redheads.
Have I forgotten anyone?

I think you're on the money mate! Plugger was playing his 26th game, Spud his 13th. Thought I'd see Wacko Jacko in some of the clips but not to be!

 

[PoppedCorn]

31 thou at Moorabbin when we were crap and still can't get a constant 40 at the dome when we have been half reasonable

 

[sunny3193]

50 Years of the Saints - Countdown to NAB 1, 2017. (18 Days to go)​

Round 16, 1984
Date: 21st July, 1984.
Location: Moorabbin Oval
Crowd: 17,182

The 10-5, 3rd placed Blues travelled to Moorabbin today to take on the 3-12, bottom of the table Saints. St.Kilda had not beaten Carlton since the 1978 season, and it would take something special to get the job done in today's game. Carlton would've been an absolute certainty to win today If not for the mud soaked Moorabbin terrain, which played in the Saints favour.

18 year old St.Kilda full forward Tony Lockett was only playing his 26th game of league football, but showed maturity beyond his years, leading the way in front of goal for the Saints today and for the rest of the year, finishing as the club's leading goal kicker for 1984 with 77 majors.

We resume play in the second quarter. Can the Saints break their 6 year Carlton hoodoo?
Or will the Blues prevail again?​

​

GOALS:
St.Kilda: Lockett 3, Burns 3, Sidebottom 3, Foschini 2, Narkle 2, Roberts, Sharp, Smith
Carlton: Blackwell 2, Maylin 2, MacLure 2, Ralph 2, Johnston, Glascott, Austin, Alvin, Madden

DISPOSALS:
St.Kilda: Roberts 28, Smith 22, Barker 22, Morwood 22, Kiel 21
Carlton: Johnston 23, Blackwell 20, Dean 20, Meldrum 19

Phil Cronan: St Kilda's Ivan Lendl lookalike.

I think this the era that had Stewie back at the club in a management role.
He always made sure the ground was well watered....
What a shocker that centre square was.
Anyone notice Frawley in #49?

But even though this team would rank close to our worst (the 80's were not memorable in more ways than one), we still had a number of great players.
Burns, Cunningham, Frawley and Lockett from Ballarat.
Barker of course.
And Alan Sidebottom. I always thought he was better than his brother.
He certainly was made of braver material.
He should have had a longer and more successful career.

 

[George]

50 Years of the Saints - Countdown to NAB 1, 2017. (17 Days to go)​

Round 7, 1992
Date: 2nd May, 1992.
Location: Moorabbin Oval
Crowd: 22,350

Fast forward 8 years to today's contest between the Saints (3-3) and the Crows (3-2). Plenty had happened at St.Kilda since 1984. Tony Lockett won the 1987 Brownlow Medal, the first full forward to ever win the award, and in 1991 the Saints advanced to their first finals series since 1973. After a tough time through the 80's, the Saints had begun to shift, and led by coach Ken Sheldon had blooded youngsters Brett Bowey, Nathan Burke, Frank Coghlan, Craig Devonport, Adrian Fletcher, David Grant, Robert Harvey, Stewart Loewe, Jamie Shanahan, Lazar Vidovic, and Nicky Winmar at stages throughout the last 8 seasons, rounding out a seriously strong side across all positions, ready to make some noise in September.

At the other end the Crows were into their second season of competition, finishing 9th in 1991 (10-12) and looking to go one better in '92. It would be however a tough ask to come to Moorabbin and get the four points as the Saints hadn't lost to the Crows yet and someone had to man 'Plugger' - who kicked 12 goals in their first encounter as the Saints went on to a 131 point thrashing of the Crows (R7, 91) and backed it up with another 10 goals in the final round of the same season.

With Adelaide posting an average losing margin of 94 points against the Saints, they'd need to turn it around drastically if they were to keep their finals hopes alive.

​

GOALS:
St.Kilda: Lockett 10, Winmar 4, Loewe 2, Bowey, Coghlan, Fletcher, Kickett, Newport
Adelaide: Liptak 2, McGuinness 2, Sanderson 2, Ingerson, Jameson, Klug

DISPOSALS:
St.Kilda: Fletcher 30, Morris 28, Pekin 27
Adelaide: McDermott 38, Liptak 25, Bickley 19, Fielke 19, A. Jarman 19

 

[St Neil]

I think you're on the money mate! Plugger was playing his 26th game, Spud his 13th. Thought I'd see Wacko Jacko in some of the clips but not to be!

Mark Jackson kicked 41 goals in 10 games with the Saints, including a bag of 10 against the Swans in Sydney.

Then after round 10 he was sacked. Tony Jewell had enough of him. Apparently he didn't follow instructions and was intimidating younger players.

 

[George]

50 Years of the Saints - Countdown to NAB 1, 2017. (16 Days to go)​

Round 5, 1996
Date: 28th April, 1996.
Location: Waverley Park
Crowd: 27,094

Trevor Barker was the St.Kilda boy who could fly.

He was gifted and brave. He fell from the top of packs and it could be hard for him to get back on his feet, but he always did.

Even in those days, he was a symbol of the club. During the late 1970's and early 1980's, a particularly bleak period in the club's history, all the kids who followed the Saints wore number one - Trevor Barker's number.

Barker grew up in Cheltenham and, from boyhood, the Saints were his team. In 1976, aged 19, he was club champion. He was captain from 1983 to 1986 and a Victorian representative on seven occasions. Although only 182 centimetres tall, he spent much of his career at full back, matched against taller, heavier men.

For at least half his playing career, Barker received only 22 cents in the dollar in match payments because of St.Kilda's financial woes. On one occasion, he forewent a car he had won because the club could no longer afford it. He was also wooed by other teams. Barker once recalled that the closest he came to leaving the Saints was in 1981, after he had won the club-champion award for the second time. His suitor was Melbourne. Knowing of his dilemma, club president Lindsay Fox asked that he attend the trophy night at the Moorabbin Town Hall. Then, when Barker was on the stage, rows of adoring faces fixed upon him, Fox said, "Now Trevor's going to tell us who he's playing with next year".

Barker, who returned to the Saints as assistant coach in 1995, having taken VFA club Sandringham to two premierships, coached St.Kilda reserves for the last time only two weeks ago. Barker, 39, died of liver failure after a prolonged battle with colon cancer on the 26th of April, 1996. Despite the seriousness of his illness, he never resigned his position and the club never asked him to.

St.Kilda would host Footscray two days later, with players visibly shaken during the warm up, for today's game would be a tribute to one of the greatest Saints of all time.​

​

 

[George]

​

GOALS:
St.Kilda: Loewe 8, Everitt 2, Smith 2, Traianidis 2, Burke, Vidovic
Footscray: Osborne 5, Watts 3, Curley 2, A. Jakovich, Johnson, Kellett

DISPOSALS:
St.Kilda: Burke 30, Smith 26, Harvey 22
Footscray: Liberatore 28, Wallis 23, Grant 22

 

[Brains Trust66]

50 Years of the Saints - Countdown to NAB 1, 2017. (18 Days to go)​

Round 16, 1984
Date: 21st July, 1984.
Location: Moorabbin Oval
Crowd: 17,182

The 10-5, 3rd placed Blues travelled to Moorabbin today to take on the 3-12, bottom of the table Saints. St.Kilda had not beaten Carlton since the 1978 season, and it would take something special to get the job done in today's game. Carlton would've been an absolute certainty to win today If not for the mud soaked Moorabbin terrain, which played in the Saints favour.

18 year old St.Kilda full forward Tony Lockett was only playing his 26th game of league football, but showed maturity beyond his years, leading the way in front of goal for the Saints today and for the rest of the year, finishing as the club's leading goal kicker for 1984 with 77 majors.

We resume play in the second quarter. Can the Saints break their 6 year Carlton hoodoo?
Or will the Blues prevail again?​

​

GOALS:
St.Kilda: Lockett 3, Burns 3, Sidebottom 3, Foschini 2, Narkle 2, Roberts, Sharp, Smith
Carlton: Blackwell 2, Maylin 2, MacLure 2, Ralph 2, Johnston, Glascott, Austin, Alvin, Madden

DISPOSALS:
St.Kilda: Roberts 28, Smith 22, Barker 22, Morwood 22, Kiel 21
Carlton: Johnston 23, Blackwell 20, Dean 20, Meldrum 19

Ahhh the local showers, those were the days lol


On iPad using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[George]

50 Years of the Saints - Countdown to NAB 1, 2017. (15 Days to go)​

Round 6, 1996
Date: 4th May, 1996.
Location: Waverley Park
Crowd: 30,225

The 1-1-3 Hawks played host to the 2-3 Saints this Saturday night at Waverley, with both sides out of the top 8 and looking to begin moving up the ladder. Sydney had beaten Hawthorn by 12 points the week before, whilst the Saints had run over the top of Footscray by 26 points, two days after the passing of St.Kilda legend Trevor Barker.

Emotions were high down at Moorabbin and with Barkers funeral only a few days ago, it was only a matter of if the Saints would use that emotion to their advantage.

​

GOALS:
St.Kilda: Loewe 6, Everitt 3, Burke, Beveridge, Vidovic, Jones
Hawthorn: Hudson 4, Salmon 2, Platten 2, Crawford

DISPOSALS:
St.Kilda: Harvey 30, Keogh 30, Daniels 27, Burke 26
Hawthorn: Crawford 26, Pritchard 20, Condon 19, Holland 19

 

[George]

50 Years of the Saints - Countdown to NAB 1, 2017. (14 Days to go)​

Round 7, 1996
Date: 10th May, 1996.
Location: Melbourne Cricket Ground
Crowd: 71,663

Collingwood sat 4-2 heading into the game, the Saints at 3-3, with the Saints winning three on the trot heading into tonight's heritage round encounter with the Magpies, celebrating 100 years of VFL/AFL football. A massive crowd packed the MCG for the contest between two of the biggest rivals of the 90's. Led by champion forward Stewart Loewe, the Saints were on the march in '96, and Stewie was in fine form himself having kicked 37 goals through 6 games, leading the AFL. He would finish with 90 on the season, a career best.

It was this game however that really solidified Stewart Loewe's standing in the game. He had kicked bigger bags in his career before, most notably his 9 goals back in Round 2 against Geelong. However this was a display of pure dominance rarely seen. Loewe finished with 7 goals 5, 23 possessions and 12 marks, ripping apart the Magpies defense from the outset.

For the hosts Nathan Buckley was dominant once again, kicking 5 goals.

But if you're watching St.Kilda v Collingwood in the 90's then throw away prior form. This one was a cracker.

​

GOALS:
St.Kilda: Loewe 7, Everitt 3, Beveridge 2, Jones 2, Traianidis 2, Keogh, Smith
Collingwood: Buckley 5, S. Rocca 3, Richardson 2, Crow, Curran, Schauble, Williams

DISPOSALS:
St.Kilda: Harvey 32, Burke 27, Loewe 23
Collingwood: Richardson 22, Williams 20, Crow 19

 

[George]

50 Years of the Saints - Countdown to NAB 1, 2017. (13 Days to go)​

Round 8, 1997
Date: 18th May, 1997.
Location: Melbourne Cricket Ground
Crowd: 51,928

Almost a crowd of 52,000 had filled the MCG for this Saturday afternoon encounter between the 4-3 Bombers and the 3-4 Saints.

St.Kilda got out of the blocks early, kicking 6 goals in the first to take a commanding 28 point lead at the first break. Essendon responded however, and on the back of some brilliant play by midfielders Joe Misiti and reigning Brownlow medalist James Hird, the Bombers clawed their way back into the contest with 7 goals of their own to lead St.Kilda 9.11.65 to 7.9.51.

We resume play at the start of the second half, St.Kilda trailing by 14 points.​

​

GOALS:
St.Kilda: Everitt 4, Brown 3, Hall 2, Healy 2, Jones 2, Lappin 2, Loewe 2, Burke
Essendon: Hird 4, Lloyd 2, Prior 2, O'Connor 2, Mercuri, C. Daniher, Berbakov, Bomford

DISPOSALS:
St.Kilda: Young 29, Brown 25, Harvey 21, Peckett 21
Essendon: Misiti 29, Morgan 24, Doolan 21, Hird 21

 

[George]

50 Years of the Saints - Countdown to NAB 1, 2017. (12 Days to go)​

Round 11, 1997
Date: 8th June, 1997.
Location: Subiaco Oval
Crowd: 29,390

Having won 4 of their last 5 games, the Saints traveled to Perth with plenty of confidence, sitting just inside the eight after 10 rounds at 5-5. West Coast were percentage out from the top four (6 wins 4 losses), and despite their good start to the year, they had just been beaten convincingly at Princes Park by North Melbourne the previous week to the tune of 45 points.

This wasn't just another game for the Saints, however. History showed that St.Kilda's record in Perth was one of the poorest in the league. Since the Eagles first season in 1987, the Saints had never won a game against them in Perth - and since the Dockers first season in 1995, the Saints had only beaten them in Perth once (Round 14, 1996). With a 1-9 Win/Loss record at the venue the Saints knew the mammoth task at hand.

And boy did they respond.​

From the outset the Saints swarmed the Eagles, wingers Matthew Lappin and Joel Smith providing a real contest at the fall of the ball and great run and carry into the forward line as the Saints posted their biggest ever first quarter score at the venue. Led by former Eagle and first year Saint Jason Heatley and the sublime skill of champion midfielder Robert Harvey, the Saints piled on 7 first quarter goals - 4 of which coming in the final four minutes, to lead the hosts at the first change. West Coast gained some ascendancy back in the 2nd and 3rd quarters, but it was all too little too late as St.Kilda broke an 11 year hoodoo at the ground to run away 16 point winners and move to 6th on the AFL ladder.

We relive the historic first quarter in its entirety here.​

​

GOALS:
St.Kilda: Heatley 4, Harvey 2, Smith 2, Lappin 2, Thompson 2, Everitt
West Coast: Heady 3, Morrison 2, Ph. Matera 2, Symmons, Lovell, Donnelly, Turnbull

DISPOSALS:
St.Kilda: Harvey 35, Burke 25, Everitt 21
West Coast: Kemp 28, Morrison 21, Pe. Matera 20, Wooden 20

 

[NarrowMind]

An immense game from Banger.
The goal from the deep pocket of Subiaco after he waltzed around Symmons was magic.

 

[George]

An immense game from Banger.
The goal from the deep pocket of Subiaco after he waltzed around Symmons was magic.

 

[NarrowMind]

What kind of sorcery is this?

 

[George]

What kind of sorcery is this?

What a legend he was!

 

[George]

50 Years of the Saints - Countdown to NAB 1, 2017. (11 Days to go)​

Round 14, 1997
Date: 5th July, 1997.
Location: Waverley Park
Crowd: 32,635

6th placed North Melbourne (7-6) traveled to Waverley today to take on the 7th placed Saints (7-6) in a game that would eventually be the precursor to a classic final weeks later.

Reigning premiers North got off to a shaky start, with the Saints piling on 5 unanswered goals in the first quarter to take a 31 point lead into the first break, and then kicking another 5 in the 2nd term to take a 47 point lead into the second half.

North stemmed the flow in the 3rd and 4th quarters, but it was all too little too late with St.Kilda running away with a 54 point win and moving them into the top four for the first time all year. Champion St.Kilda midfielder Robert Harvey was firming for his first Brownlow medal and didn't do anything to harm his chances with 32 possessions and 2 goals, but Jason Heatley was the standout today - kicking 9 goals and taking his tally to 35 for the season. 'Heater' would go on to kick 73 for the year.

Here are the match highlights;

​

GOALS:
St.Kilda: Heatley 9, Harvey 2, Smith 2, Loewe 2, Winmar 2, Burke, Lappin, Healy
North Melbourne: Carey 2, King 2, Allison, Archer, Bell, Harvey, McKernan, Scott, Sholl

DISPOSALS:
St.Kilda: Brown 34, Burke 33, Harvey 32
North Melbourne: Schwass 28, Rock 26, King 20

 

[Tommy Wigs]

50 Years of the Saints - Countdown to NAB 1, 2017. (11 Days to go)​

Round 14, 1997
Date: 5th July, 1997.
Location: Waverley Park
Crowd: 32,635

6th placed North Melbourne (7-6) traveled to Waverley today to take on the 7th placed Saints (7-6) in a game that would eventually be the precursor to a classic final weeks later.

Reigning premiers North got off to a shaky start, with the Saints piling on 5 unanswered goals in the first quarter to take a 31 point lead into the first break, and then kicking another 5 in the 2nd term to take a 47 point lead into the second half.

North stemmed the flow in the 3rd and 4th quarters, but it was all too little too late with St.Kilda running away with a 54 point win and moving them into the top four for the first time all year. Champion St.Kilda midfielder Robert Harvey was firming for his first Brownlow medal and didn't do anything to harm his chances with 32 possessions and 2 goals, but Jason Heatley was the standout today - kicking 9 goals and taking his tally to 35 for the season. 'Heater' would go on to kick 73 for the year.

Here are the match highlights;

​

GOALS:
St.Kilda: Heatley 9, Harvey 2, Smith 2, Loewe 2, Winmar 2, Burke, Lappin, Healy
North Melbourne: Carey 2, King 2, Allison, Archer, Bell, Harvey, McKernan, Scott, Sholl

DISPOSALS:
St.Kilda: Brown 34, Burke 33, Harvey 32
North Melbourne: Schwass 28, Rock 26, King 20

Oh, that was a fun fun day!! There was a bit of we've arrived about this one.

Any chance of the 131 point Crows thumping from 91-ish?

 

[George]

Oh, that was a fun fun day!! There was a bit of we've arrived about this one.

Any chance of the 131 point Crows thumping from 91-ish?

Hey mate don't have that one unfortunately! Couldn't find it last year when I did this same thread either. If it pops up I'll post it!

 

[sunny3193]

​

GOALS:
St.Kilda: Loewe 8, Everitt 2, Smith 2, Traianidis 2, Burke, Vidovic
Footscray: Osborne 5, Watts 3, Curley 2, A. Jakovich, Johnson, Kellett

DISPOSALS:
St.Kilda: Burke 30, Smith 26, Harvey 22
Footscray: Liberatore 28, Wallis 23, Grant 22

GJ:

Great game from Chris Grant but....
Joel Smith:
All the time in the world.
All poise.
All class.

Watching this, doesn't Joel Smith remind you of Jack Billings?

 

[George]

GJ:

Great game from Chris Grant but....
Joel Smith:
All the time in the world.
All poise.
All class.

Watching this, doesn't Joel Smith remind you of Jack Billings?

I was devastated when he left for Hawthorn - he won a best and fairest at the Hawks in 2001 and finished with about 220 games. Had he stayed on another year at Hawthorn he would've been part of their 08 premiership side too.