Teams v Geelong

[Kildonan]

ST KILDA v GEELONG
Friday, 7:40pm AEST, MCG

ST KILDA
B: Baker, Hudghton, Voss
HB: Gram, Maguire, S.Fisher
C: Goddard, Ball, Fiora
HF: Hamill, Riewoldt, Harvey
F: Montagna, Gehrig, Murray
FOLL: Blake, Hayes, Dal Santo
I/C: Ackland, McQualter, Schwarze, Thompson
EMG: McGough, Milne, Peckett
IN: Ackland, McQualter
OUT: Koschitzke (head), Milne


GEELONG
B: Milburn, Scarlett, J.Hunt
HB: Rooke, Harley, Egan
C: Enright, Bartel, Tenace
HF: G.Ablett, Playfair, Kelly
F: Ottens, Kingsley, Chapman
FOLL: King, Corey, Ling
I/C: S.Johnson, Riccardi, D.Johnson, Gardiner
EMG: Wojcinski, Mackie, Byrnes
IN: King, Harley, S.Johnson
OUT: Mooney (suspended), Wojcinski, Slade


Field umpires: Chamberlain, Ryan, Goldspink

Two changes for Cats clash
11 May 2006
Exclusive to saints.com.au

St Kilda has added a ruck option and small midfielder to its team to take on Geelong this Friday night at Telstra Dome.

Cain Ackland and Andrew McQualter have both been included in the Saints' side to replace the injured Justin Koschitzke and the omitted Stephen Milne.

Koschitzke suffered the latest of a long string of injuries – a fractured skull – against the Bulldogs last week and could be sidelined for up to three months.

Milne joins Mark McGough and Justin Peckett as emergencies while Ackland and McQualter will start on the bench with Troy Schwarze and Andrew Thompson.

Meanwhile, the Cats look set to account for the suspended Cameron Mooney with another tall in the form of skipper Steven King.

King was a late withdrawal last week after failing to come up from the hamstring injury that has kept him from the game since round four.

Also coming into the side are Tom Harley and Steve Johnson – Harley playing his first game for the year after being plagued by hip and knee complaints in 2005.

David Wojcinski and Will Slade have both been omitted with Wojcinski joining Andrew Mackie and Shannon Byrnes as emergencies.

Steve Johnson, Peter Riccardi, David Johnson and Charlie Gardiner will start on the interchange bench.

 

[Kildonan]

Geelong are under immense pressure to win.
Early favourites for the flag after an impressive preseason campaign culminating in the preseason Cup and then two very impressive wins at the start of the home and away season, Geelongs season came unstuck with four consecutive losses. The president and the CEO attended training with the message to the players being that a win is imperative.

The Saints have had a mediocre season so far sitting on 3 wins and 3 losses and if they lose to Geelong they will both be 3 - 4.
The Saints losses have been interstate, and whilst that is no excuse, it does mean that they have a greater number of home city matches remaining in the season than most clubs. They have won all their home city matches so far.

Added to the intense desire to beat Geelong, St Kilda come into this match with the incentive to make Robert Harvey's club record breaking match one to remember. 324 matches for St Kilda caps Robert Harvey's legend status for the club. Whilst not the major incentive, the realisation that Harves may end his illustrious career this season must spur the St Kilda boys to take every step towards adding the Premiership Cup to his massive collection of trophies and awards. This match is a test towards that end. If they cannot overcome a desperate Geelong now, then they may be found wanting when the business end of the season calls for such an effort.

This is a cracker of a match. Match of the week for sure, maybe match of the season so far.

 

[bluejay]

Huh? Have I just read well? Milne out?

Is someone else as surprised as me with this? Or you just see it as normal?

 

[_Ron_]

lol hillarious.

They dropped McQualter for no reason then bring him back which is obviously correct but why drop him in the first place??

Then they bring in Ackland who has been quite clearly useless in the seniors AND in the reserves.

Does Thomas really think Ackland is going to power through the Ottens/King juggernaut or even help quell it??

Players such as Rix, Ferguson, McGough and Gilbert continue to be overlooked once again and gee suprise suprise GT's favourite son Maguire retains his spot, there's a gold pass if ever i saw one.

Murray retaining his spot deserves a thread of it's own but how he even got selected in the first place is the big mystery.

I hate our selectors more then GT.

Milne being dropped is another sensational move, i can really really see the upside to dropping a 70 goal a year forward pocket who has the ability to turn a game for us at any given moment. I guess his 2 goals last week was much worse then Maguires 3 possies?



*stomps off angry like*

 

[JackHawk]

The treatment and usage of Milne, the ignoring of Rix as a valid option, and GT's dismissive response of Spida returnin to the Saints are all vexations worth pondering....................how firmly entrenched is GT??????????????

 

[panthers]

Jack i believe that GT is firmly entrenched as the coach of the StKilda Football Club.

How safe is Alistair Clarkson?

 

[JackHawk]

I believe unfortunately for him, that Clarkson will in time be seen as having been a caretaker type coach. Uncle Jeff might be sipping tea with Lethal this weekend, even though the Lion's CEO confirms an existing contract until end 2008 with no get out clause............But you guys are a genuine GF contender NOW..........Coaching box decisions carry heavier ramifications when the Premiership clock is beckoning. I took my St.Kilda paid up member daughter to that unfortunate loss to the swans in the pre-lim. Great game, sad result, I hope 1966 is revisited, for the likes of Howell, Baldock, Neale, Smith and this household..........................Cheers

 

[_Ron_]

lol hillarious.

They dropped McQualter for no reason then bring him back which is obviously correct but why drop him in the first place??

Then they bring in Ackland who has been quite clearly useless in the seniors AND in the reserves.

Does Thomas really think Ackland is going to power through the Ottens/King juggernaut or even help quell it??

Players such as Rix, Ferguson, McGough and Gilbert continue to be overlooked once again and gee suprise suprise GT's favourite son Maguire retains his spot, there's a gold pass if ever i saw one.

Murray retaining his spot deserves a thread of it's own but how he even got selected in the first place is the big mystery.

I hate our selectors more then GT.

Milne being dropped is another sensational move, i can really really see the upside to dropping a 70 goal a year forward pocket who has the ability to turn a game for us at any given moment. I guess his 2 goals last week was much worse then Maguires 3 possies?



*stomps off angry like*

This was posted before the cats game.