TAR St Kilda Saints - Searching for an elusive premiership

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After finishing 11th in 2007, the St Kilda board decided it was time for a change, bringing in fresh faced coach Peter Williams who they decided to be the one to rebuild and take them forward. He made an immediate impact in his first press conference stating they would be very active in the off-season.

"It's easy for a team that falls down to try and build the blocks up piece by piece. I want to develop this team for success. Not just for a year or two years, but sustained success which is something this club hasn't experienced. We will be bold in the trade period and off-season in a bid to improve the list and put it in a place where we believe we can go forward and be a force for a number of years."

It didn't take long for the change to occur with Fraser Gehrig, Robert Harvey, Max Hudghton and Andrew Thompson all retiring and Barry Brooks, Aaron Fiora, Mark McGough, Justin Peckett and Troy Schwarze being told their contracts would not be renewed. Nine changes before trade week and that was only the beginning...
 
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2007 Trade Week:

IN: Steve Johnson (Geelong), Leigh Brown (North Melbourne), Heath Grundy (Sydney), Mark Nicoski (West Coast), Dom Cassisi (Port Adelaide), Kane Cornes (Port Adelaide), Brad Ottens (Geelong), Matthew Pavlich (Fremantle)

OUT: Fergus Watts, Michael Rix, Philip Raymond, Justin Sweeney, Brett Voss, Jason Blake, Aaron Hamill, Picks 6, 38, 54

In one of the most active trade periods by any team ever, St Kilda brought in a number of top line players, headlined by Matthew Pavlich who was traded for pick 6. Brown and Grundy were added for key back strength while Cornes and Cassisi for the midfield. Johnson and Nicoski add class up both ends while Brad Ottens slots in as the number one ruck.
 
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2007 National Draft:

#22 - Connor Armitage (OB) 69/4
Strengths: Offence, Skills, Endurance
Weaknesses: Strength, Marking, Speed

2007 Pre-Season Draft:

Jared Brennan (Brisbane)
Jason Winderlich (Essendon)
Michael Warren (North Melbourne)
Aaron Rashleigh (Coburg)
Brett Jones (West Coast)
Adam Ramanauskas (Essendon)
Jarrad McVeigh (Sydney)
 
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2008 Team List:

Ackland, Cain (R) 68/0 - 25 196 96
Armitage, Conner (OB) 69/4 - 18 181 81
Baker, Steven (OB) 74/0 - 27 179 83
Ball, Luke (OB) 80/0 - 23 183 84
Brennan, Jared (TF) 75/5 - 22 192 92
Brown, Leigh (TB) 75/0 - 25 194 100
Cassisi, Domenic (OB) 75/0 - 24 184 85
Clarke, Raphael (SB) 73/5 - 21 188 84
Clarke, Xavier (SB) 76/0 - 23 - 182 82
Cornes, Kane (OB) 78/0 - 24 182 84
Dal Santo, Nick (OB) 81/0 - 23 185 85
Ferguson, Matthew (TB) 71/3 - 22 188 88
Fisher, Leigh (SB) 75/0 - 23 184 90
Fisher, Sam (TB) 75/0 - 24 191 89
Gilbert, Sam (TB) 75/4 - 20 194 88
Goddard, Brendon (OB) 76/2 - 22 188 95
Gram, Jason (SB) 75/0 - 23 186 86
Grundy, Heath (TB) 67/13 - 20 192 99
Gwilt, James (OB) 71/7 - 20 188 88
Hayes, Lenny (OB) 80/0 - 27 186 84
Johnson, Steve (SF) 77/0 23 188 89
Jones, Brett (SB) 71/0 - 24 189 92
Koschitzke, Justin (TF) 79/0 - 24 199 96
Maguire, Matt (TB) 77/0 - 23 190 95
McQualter, Andrew (OB) 70/3 - 20 179 81
McVeigh, Jarrad (OB) 73/5 - 22 184 81
Milne, Stephen (SF) 75/0 - 27 176 80
Montagna, Leigh (OB) 74/0 - 23 178 78
Murray, Alan (SF) 71/0 - 25 180 82
Nicoski, Mark (SB) 78/0 - 23 187 85
Ottens, Brad (R) 76/0 - 26 201 104
Pavlich, Matthew (TF) 80/0 - 25 191 99
Powell, Stephen (OB) 73/0 - 30 181 84
Ramanauskas, Adam (OB) 71/0 - 26 182 82
Rashleigh, Aaron (SF) 67/4 - 18 181 81
Riewoldt, Nick (TF) 83/0 - 24 193 95
Warren, Max (R) 66/0 - 25 195 96
Winderlich, Jason (OB) 74/2 - 22 186 79

Captain: Lenny Hayes
Vice Captain: Luke Ball
Vice Captain: Nick Riewoldt
Deputy Vice: Brendon Goddard
 
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2008 NAB Cup:

The opening hitout for the Saints turned into a disastrous 78-point loss with new coach Peter Williams experiencing the highs and lows of being a young side. After drawing withing three points at the main break, Saints fans were excited to see what they could produce in the second half, but it was ugly as their side booted three goals in a half while conceeding an embarrassing 15 in the same time period.

Despite the loss, the form of a couple of recruits particularly impressed, mainly Matthew Pavlich who booted seven goals from 13 disposals and Steve Johnson who collected 27 disposals but had an inaccurate day booting 0.4. They broke even in most stats but were totally destroyed in the contested possessions, trailing 61-90. The side was bundled out of the NAB Cup with three practice games to go.

Fremantle 8.1---12.3---19.7---27.11 (173)
St Kilda 5.5---11.6---12.8---14.11 (95)

Goals: Pavlich 7, Riewoldt 2, Hayes 2, Goddard, Ball, Montagna.
High Disposals: Johnson 27, Hayes 26, Ball 22
Injuries: Nil.
Reports: Nil.
 
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2008 Premiership Season: Round 1 vs Carlton @ Etihad

B: Jason Gram - Leigh Brown - Sam Fisher
HB: Xavier Clarke - Matt Maguire - Mark Nicoski
C: Kane Cornes - Lenny Hayes - Brendon Goddard
HF: Jared Brennan - Nick Riewoldt - Steve Johnson
F: Stephen Milne - Matthew Pavlich - Justin Koschitzke
R: Brad Ottens - Nick Dal Santo - Luke Ball
INT: Jarred McVeigh - Domenic Cassisi - Raphael Clarke - Aaron Rashleigh

NEW: Leigh Brown (NM), Mark Nicoski (WC), Kane Cornes (PA), Jared Brennan (BL), Steve Johnson (GC), Matthew Pavlich (FD), Brad Ottens (GC), Jarrad McVeigh (SS), Domenic Cassisi (PA), Aaron Rashleigh (Coburg)

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Despite kicking against a moderate breeze in the first quarter, St Kilda found themselves 19 points up hanks to two goals by Nick Riewoldt and a combined 19 disposals from Lenny Hayes and Brendon Goddard, the latter was playing loose in defence. Remarkably they also led the inside 50s 16-8 and clearances 10-4. The second quarter even up with the Blues booting six goals to three and trailed by just one point.

The second half turned ugly when the Blues tried to lock down the match and neither side could make the most of their chances. Goddard was held accountable and with the exception of Nick Riewoldt and Matthew Pavlich, the Saints forward line was non-existent. A report for Justin Koschitzke made things worst when he whacked Brendan Fevola off the ball. Carlton ran out winners by 15 points in a disappointing first match for the Saints.

St Kilda 5.8---8.11---12.12---15.15 (105)
Carlton 3.1---9.4---14.10---17.18 (120)

Goals: Riewoldt 4, Pavlich 3, Koschitzke 2, Milne, Brown, Ottens, Dal Santo, Ball, Cassisi.
High Disposals: Maguire 25, Hayes 24, Ball 23, Riewoldt 21
Injuries: Nil.
Reports: Justin Koschitzke - Striking (4)

Who's Hot: Nick Riewoldt - 21 disposals, 9 marks, 4.2
Who's Not: Jared Brennan - 8 disposals, 0 marks, 0.1
 
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