Mid Season Report: St Kilda

happy_eagle

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Win-loss: 4-7 (WLWLLWWLLLL)

B

The run home:
Round 12 – West Coast at Subiaco
Round 13 – Richmond at Telstra Dome
Round 14 – Collingwood at MCG
Round 15 – Adelaide at Telstra Dome
Round 16 – Hawthorn at Telstra Dome
Round 17 – Carlton at Telstra Dome
Round 18 – Western Bulldogs at Telstra Dome
Round 19 – Sydney at Telstra Stadium
Round 20 – Fremantle at Telstra Dome
Round 21 – West Coast at Telstra Dome
Round 22 – Richmond at MCG


Ladder position: 14th


Leading possession winner: Leigh Montagna (238 disposals)


Leading goalkicker: Fraser Gehrig (22 goals)


Season so far
Ross Lyon's career as St Kilda coach started promisingly enough with an impressive 31-point victory over Melbourne at the MCG in the opening match of season.
The Saints sat second on the ladder and the optimism was alive and well for red, white and black fans.
But inconsistency soon crept into its game.
After seven rounds, St Kilda was on the cusp of the eight (ninth) with a 4-3 record, but fast forward to the split round and the situation has worsened.
The Saints are still sitting on four wins, but four straight losses have now seen them slide to 14th.
Player unavailability has rocked the club – in round eight when the losing streak started the Saints had 15 players sidelined.
Off-field distractions including the future of the club's training base, plus the spat between president Rod Butterss and St Kilda's former coach Grant Thomas have also been negative influences.


Best win
Round three – St Kilda 17.14 (116) d Western Bulldogs 9.12 (66) at Telstra Dome.
St Kilda entered round three having copped a drubbing at the hands of the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba by 52 points, yet the Saints returned to Telstra Dome and dismissed the Western Bulldogs in similar fashion.
In the process, they recorded their best win of the season thus far.
Nick Riewoldt returned from a back injury to play his first match of the season.
He started with a super first-up match, booting four goals in a commanding display.
The St Kilda co-captain slotted two goals in the opening quarter to help his side gain an early jump and a 25-point advantage. By the end of the match, St Kilda had recorded a 50-point win.
Six players accumulated 20 disposals or more – Brendon Goddard (26), Steven Baker (26), Robert Harvey (24), Jason Gram (24), Nick Dal Santo (21) and Leigh Montagna (20) – while the Saints had 11 individual goalkickers.


Best goal so far
St Kilda has been unable to land a contender in this year's Toyota Goal of the Year competition, yet Fraser Gehrig's set-shot from the boundary line against Sydney was a beauty – simply for the preamble.
The ‘G-Train’ needed as much room as possible on the tight angle, yet the trainer’s plastic chair – which was sitting along the fence – was simply in the way.
What was his answer? A tumble-punt, end-over-end, kick of the chair to create space did the trick.
This was followed immediately afterwards by a beautiful kick with the disposal that counted.


Best and Fairest leader
Nick Dal Santo came under much scrutiny when Geelong's Cameron Ling shut him down in round 10.
What wasn't highlighted as closely was the fact Dal Santo had enjoyed an outstanding individual season up until that point.
The fact Ling was able to close down the St Kilda playmaker was a genuine feather in his cap.
Dal Santo has been in cracking form all season for the Saints.
Only twice has he not recorded 100 player ranking points or more from Champion Data – an excellent indication of his performances so far.
This season looms as his best bet yet to secure a first Trevor Barker Trophy.
But we mustn't discount Riewoldt, who continues to shine under the immense spotlight at St Kilda, while the ever-improving Leigh Montagna is another who is not without a chance of securing his first club champion honour.
And if the icon that is Robert Harvey can return successfully from a hamstring injury, he will also be a strong contender to win his fifth best and fairest.


Surprise packet
Jayden Attard's AFL career was at the crossroads when he was delisted by the Brisbane Lions after just five matches in two seasons (2005-06) at the club.
Then after 61 selections in last December's NAB AFL Rookie Draft, he appeared destined not to be an AFL-listed player in 2007.
But St Kilda threw the 21-year-old a lifeline with its final selection at No.62 – the third last pick in the draft (only Beau Wilkes was redrafted by West Coast at No.65 after Sydney opted not to utilise No.64).
The mid-sized Attard has since played every match this season as a defensive option capable or playing on smaller and taller options – a fine effort from the unheralded Saint.


Coaches’ award (one-percenter player)
Entering his eighth AFL season in 2007, Jason Blake had averaged 13 appearances each year.
Although he played 19 matches in 2004 – his best effort in one season – he has never quite cemented a place in St Kilda's best 22, but has regularly been in its top 25.
He may not be the most fashionable Saint, but he is one the club’s most versatile and continues to give his all each week.
He can either pinch-hit in the ruck at just 189cm – easily the shortest ruckman in the AFL – play a role down back, in the midfield or up forward.
He is the jack-of-all-trades in the St Kilda side – a handy asset to have.
This season Blake has played every game and he now enters the second half of the season on target to play 22 matches for the first time in career.


Second-half story lines
How much more of the Rod Butterss and Grant Thomas fall-out will become public knowledge?
Will the club be able to land new deals for its superstar Nicks – Riewoldt and Dal Santo?
How many veterans and injury-plagued St Kilda stars will announce their retirement?
 

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I agree.

We don't deserve a "B"

I think that the selection of the "selectors" of our new coach was a decision made in order to improve the club's relationship with the media. This was a constant failing of Grant Thomas - and one more area that we have attempted to improve upon.

Ross Lyon will be almost untouchable for some time yet, and maybe that untouchableness has also temporarily covered the performance of the club under his early guidance.

I rate us closer to a "D"
 

clobba

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what other sports?
#9
I agree.

We don't deserve a "B"

I think that the selection of the "selectors" of our new coach was a decision made in order to improve the club's relationship with the media. This was a constant failing of Grant Thomas - and one more area that we have attempted to improve upon.

Ross Lyon will be almost untouchable for some time yet, and maybe that untouchableness has also temporarily covered the performance of the club under his early guidance.

I rate us closer to a "D"
yeah not a B but maybe a C- for me, got to admit I am happy with Attard so far though.
 
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