Discussion St Kilda and Their Special Games

[Ephemeral Hope]

Lots of discussion about the club's numerous special games throughout the year that are tied to various causes and whether they are partially responsible for our lack of success.

I think what we have is the Blue Ribbon Cup, Spuds Game, Maddies Match, TAC road safety game, there's the Indigenous Round, Pride Game.

Remind me if there's anymore I've missed.

Trying to think about what other clubs have. I know Freo have that star guernsey one for sick children, Carlton have that domestic violence awareness game, there's anzac day and dreamtime, good friday, easter.

How much do these types of games really affect the club and their onfield performance?

 

[Dard Ball Get]

How much do these types of games really affect the club and their onfield performance?

They don’t, we’re just shite

 

[Dr Spaceman]

Carlton have that domestic violence awareness game…

Interestingly Carlton lost their Domestic Violence Awareness Game…..







to us

 

[Hubnester]

Zero impact.

When I see people say "they should focus on football not on the cause" I wonder what they think actually happens.

"Sorry boys, no training this week - the coaches are busy ironing on the rainbow jumper numbers"

 

[Ephemeral Hope]

Interestingly Carlton lost their Domestic Violence Awareness Game…..







to us

Check mate!

 

[Ephemeral Hope]

Zero impact.

When I see people say "they should focus on football not on the cause" I wonder what they think actually happens.

"Sorry boys, no training this week - the coaches are busy ironing on the rainbow jumper numbers"

If we didn’t do any special games this year we’d likely still get pumped in all of them. I heard someone say they’re good practice for finals with all the added media attention

 

[L_W_P]

The one game I keep asking for is a Nicky Winmar Tribute game for Sir Doug Nicholls round.

St Kilda vs Fremantle.

Nicky played his pre VFL/AFL footy at South Freo so they have a natural connection.
We can rotate who hosts it each year, making a blockbuster in both VIC and WA.
Both teams are there abouts ATM.

Make it the opening game on Thursday/Friday night and tell his story about WHY we choose to celebrate the indigenous players rather than stay silent/give room to the loudmouth idiots.

 

[The Foolback]

I enjoy the fact that we're involved in so many of these games. Footy clubs are, after all, about community.

Bottom line is the current group doesn't have the mentality to stand up in 'big' games.

 

[Sully111]

I don't think Spud's game is handled well.

I think the way it's spoken about can be a bit like some of the bulls*t that goes on with Anzac round.

Like the player's owe Spud something.

Honour him, sure. Raise awareness for mental health issues, sure. But I don't think the way it's done is right. We don't need Gary Lyon etc lecturing the players. There's an unnecessary pressure and heaviness to it all imo.

 

[Dr Spaceman]

I enjoy the fact that we're involved in so many of these games. Footy clubs are, after all, about community.

Bottom line is the current group doesn't have the mentality to stand up in 'big' games.

Yes community.

That is why I always regretted the club not getting involved in this cause and dedicating a game to it

 

[AirWinmar]

I enjoy the fact that we're involved in so many of these games. Footy clubs are, after all, about community.

Bottom line is the current group doesn't have the mentality to stand up in 'big' games.

That's it, we should ditch all our prime time games as well. They nearly all end up in embarrassment. Maybe we can play our home games day time during the week so the boys and coaches can focus on the footy

 

[L_W_P]

I don't think Spud's game is handled well.

I think the way it's spoken about can be a bit like some of the bulls*t that goes on with Anzac round.

Like the player's owe Spud something.

Honour him, sure. Raise awareness for mental health issues, sure. But I don't think the way it's done is right. We don't need Gary Lyon etc lecturing the players. There's an unnecessary pressure and heaviness to it all imo.

I'd go so far as to say that it's actually counter productive for performance. Why am I gonna care about smashing my body in a game of footy when I could be dead tomorrow?

 

[AirWinmar]

I'd go so far as to say that it's actually counter productive for performance. Why am I gonna care about smashing my body in a game of footy when I could be dead tomorrow?

Or you could think, I'm going to play my absolute guts out - life is short. Footy careers are shorter.

 

[Sully111]

I'd go so far as to say that it's actually counter productive for performance. Why am I gonna care about smashing my body in a game of footy when I could be dead tomorrow?

What happened with Spud is a tragedy, no doubt. I don't see putting it on the players that they're somehow letting him down if they don't play a certain way as fair or productive. It's an unnecessary mind f*ck. They're not responsible for what happened to Spud. It's too heavy a deal.

I'm not saying don't have Spud's game. I just don't think we're getting it right yet.

 

[Saintos The ITK]

I think it’s great to have the causes but get the player involved emotionally charged stuff out of the way early in the week. Laying the heavy stuff on them prior to the game is too much when trying to focus on footy.
Maybe just my shallowness coming out?

 

[PoppedCorn]

 

[jwikked]

Win games of footy. Be a successful club. Then start looking to causes to champion. It’s a football club. Football has to come first from top to bottom.

 

[70s sainter]

The last few years have been pretty heavy as it is I’m sure we can all agree . I go to the footy to escape and take a mental break and release . I don’t go to get lectured for 10 mins about mental health that can lead to suicide etc .
Great cause but wrong place and time for me .

 

[XhazzafootyX]

I’d even include the cairns games aswell

 

[Tragic sainter]

Win games of footy. Be a successful club. Then start looking to causes to champion. It’s a football club. Football has to come first from top to bottom.

You can walk and chew gum at the same time. You want the marketing guys running laps or giving the boys rubdowns?

 

[jwikked]

You can walk and chew gum at the same time. You want the marketing guys running laps or giving the boys rubdowns?

The evidence suggests we can’t do that. And given that choice, I want the club to win games of football rather than look virtuous in the media.

 

[gringo2011]

Zero impact.

When I see people say "they should focus on football not on the cause" I wonder what they think actually happens.

"Sorry boys, no training this week - the coaches are busy ironing on the rainbow jumper numbers"

I have no issue with the games and don't believe that it should have any bearing on win loss apart from us being mentally soft and crumbling under the spotlight of public scrutiny. It's amazing how we played our best season when there were no crowds and other big clubs said that they found it hard to find the energy without the crowd to carry them forward.

The issue for me is that resources and staff are diverted to administer these things when we apparently struggle to pay our footy department staff. If this was a business that was making money you would get everyone focussed on improving of the main parts of the stalled business not doing the same s**t but handing out a few flyers and getting novelty T-shirts made up.

 

[Saintbloke]

Maybe there is a leadership vacuum from the very top, and it extends down to each layer of management, right onto the field?

 

[BrutThough]

I have no issue with the games and don't believe that it should have any bearing on win loss apart from us being mentally soft and crumbling under the spotlight of public scrutiny. It's amazing how we played our best season when there were no crowds and other big clubs said that they found it hard to find the energy without the crowd to carry them forward.

The issue for me is that resources and staff are diverted to administer these things when we apparently struggle to pay our footy department staff. If this was a business that was making money you would get everyone focussed on improving of the main parts of the stalled business not doing the same s**t but handing out a few flyers and getting novelty T-shirts made up.

The staff who would work on these events have nothing to do with the football department. Part of their jobs is to organise these things.

And if we fired them, it would have zero impact on the soft cap for the football department. Completely different parts of the business.

 

[gringo2011]

The staff who would work on these events have nothing to do with the football department. Part of their jobs is to organise these things.

And if we fired them, it would have zero impact on the soft cap for the football department. Completely different parts of the business.

Can guarantee upper management are doing stuff too. They aren't stacked with staff at footy clubs even outside the soft cap. It takes eneregy directed at it that could be invested elsewhere. It looks from the outside like the management let the footy department run their own training and spend their time on less footy related stuff.