Who feels sorry for St Kilda - the only drought remaining!

[Jack Green]

Ah St Kilda, the club i was a hairs breadth away from supporting as a child.

My dad is an absolute mad St Kilda supporter. Saw their sole flag in 66 and was absolutely convinced the glory days were just around the corner and that Plugger was the best AFL player on earth (to be fair, at the time he might have been!)

All that changed when the great Ross Glendenning did something that changed my life one afternoon. We ran into him in a hotel lobby in Melbourne. Now me being 4 years of age I had no idea who he was, but my parents certainly did. Subsequently, they got talking with him.

At the end of the talk, he looked at me and said:
"Who do you follow in the footy mate?"
"Um.....I don't really follow anyone"
"Well then why don't we sign you up as a west coast supporter!?"

So he took our details and a few weeks later a little jumper and a little footy came across from Perth, and I can say I have followed the eagles since day one.

So to Ross, wherever you are thank you for saving me from a lifetime of pain. Had that not happened I almost certainly would have been a Saints supporter and at 40 years of age, I still wouldn't have seen them win a flag

Hard to argue it hasn't been painful but no -one can ever take away those great victories the true supporter feels at the game. The WC/Saints game this year at Docklands winning from 5 goals down to storm home , being such an example. Only 14,000 there but the stands by the end of the game were rocking!!
I've personally witnessed 4 Saints grannies without victory in my lifetime like a lot of passionate Sainters my vintage. But no- one can ever take those famous victories away and the joy and euphoria of seeing the team you love have a great win against the odds!! And I suppose if supporters of the successful clubs question how people passionately support a non-successful club, therein lies some of your answer!

 

[g_TRAIN]

Ah St Kilda, the club i was a hairs breadth away from supporting as a child.

My dad is an absolute mad St Kilda supporter. Saw their sole flag in 66 and was absolutely convinced the glory days were just around the corner and that Plugger was the best AFL player on earth (to be fair, at the time he might have been!)

All that changed when the great Ross Glendenning did something that changed my life one afternoon. We ran into him in a hotel lobby in Melbourne. Now me being 4 years of age I had no idea who he was, but my parents certainly did. Subsequently, they got talking with him.

At the end of the talk, he looked at me and said:
"Who do you follow in the footy mate?"
"Um.....I don't really follow anyone"
"Well then why don't we sign you up as a west coast supporter!?"

So he took our details and a few weeks later a little jumper and a little footy came across from Perth, and I can say I have followed the eagles since day one.

So to Ross, wherever you are thank you for saving me from a lifetime of pain. Had that not happened I almost certainly would have been a Saints supporter and at 40 years of age, I still wouldn't have seen them win a flag

You lucky bastard. And what a great story too!

Obviously being a Saints supporter has been very tough but I wouldn't have it any other way. I hold out hope that one day I'll see a premiership and when that day comes it will be even sweeter because of all the heartache

 

[Mat Mann]

Salem has been a super talent and consistently solid player for a long time though, he improved a lot in 2020 then went to a new level this year. Clark and Gresham are the types of player who could do that, maybe at a pinch Billings but it's probably too late now. I don't think just any random player can rise like that.

Agree on Higgins' potential. Unfortunately that 1.6 game also showed the bad part of Higgins. He made some truly horrific decisions with shots on goal. Playing on, rushing a set shot routine in to about 5 seconds flat. It was a great performance of talent to get the ball but a really bad failure from him but also the Saints senior players, coaches, even the runner to not settle him down and be professional to finish his work. I don't worry about his talent, but I do worry a bit about a guy who cuts and runs from Richmond when their development record has been so strong. He'll need a fair bit of coaching to be the player he should become.

Just part of a bigger team issue going on at that point in time. The misses were out of character.

It's an issue nobody has mentioned but this StKlda team is mentally fragile, those big losses, even some of the smaller ones (Sydney/Adelaide). IMO a hangover from the " Draft only good blokes policy". Something the club went at length to let members know about during the mid-season break. If the club can get on top of it then that's where a lot of improvement will come from. I'm hopeful on this team, their best can be very good.

 

[Engimal v3]

I feel sorry for St Kilda.

 

[Atomboy]

Once we get Xavier Cherry as a ruckman in 2023 we will be unstoppable.

 

[Dangerousfield]

David King has the Saints as eternal rebuilders, doesn't see enough upside in this list to ever contend - ouch

 

[Plugger35]

David King has the Saints as eternal rebuilders, doesn't see enough upside in this list to ever contend - ouch

With how often he's wrong that's actually a good thing to hear, we'll probably be contenders for the next 10 years now.

 

[Kilroy]

David King has the Saints as eternal rebuilders, doesn't see enough upside in this list to ever contend - ouch

Unfortunately he just doesn’t have the capacity to see how it can be done and I don’t have the power to influence much, but nevertheless it can be done.

And in hindsight we’ll say “of course”! Just like we do with the Dogs and the Dees now.

 

[Seedsfan]

The only drought remaining!
Swans
Geelong
Bulldogs
Richmond
Melbourne

Saints came so so close! Just feel short.

You forgot Carlton. A whole generation has never seen them win

 

[master bate]

David King has the Saints as eternal rebuilders, doesn't see enough upside in this list to ever contend - ouch

Contend is an interesting word.

North under Brad Scott made prelims but they came from outside the top 4 and got smashed in them. I didn't think they were contenders.

Geelong under Chris Scott have at times been labelled fake contenders despite top 4 finishes, including this year. But 3 goals up at half time in a grand final they were absolutely contending in 2020 and a lot of other years too.

The Saints had an amazing top line team in 09/10 (and earlier) and didn't win due to lack of depth. Clearly they were contending.

They are now short 1 A grade midfielder IMO. The gap from Steele back to Crouch, Jones and the young guys is too much for what you'd like as a great list.

But in every other part of the game they have the talent. Especially if Max King makes the leap.

I really think the Saints have the talent to finish top 4. If they make it that far then get beat because they're short on midfield polish have they been contending?

 

[g_TRAIN]

Contend is an interesting word.

North under Brad Scott made prelims but they came from outside the top 4 and got smashed in them. I didn't think they were contenders.

Geelong under Chris Scott have at times been labelled fake contenders despite top 4 finishes, including this year. But 3 goals up at half time in a grand final they were absolutely contending in 2020 and a lot of other years too.

The Saints had an amazing top line team in 09/10 (and earlier) and didn't win due to lack of depth. Clearly they were contending.

They are now short 1 A grade midfielder IMO. The gap from Steele back to Crouch, Jones and the young guys is too much for what you'd like as a great list.

But in every other part of the game they have the talent. Especially if Max King makes the leap.

I really think the Saints have the talent to finish top 4. If they make it that far then get beat because they're short on midfield polish have they been contending?

Now or never for a number of our guys to show improvement. A good injury run for us next year will be critical for a number of guys.

Clark and Gresh are two that I could see becoming A-grade players that can support Steele through the middle.

Max King is going to be immense and pretty bloody scary for opposition teams.

 

[Lemma]

I do think we haven't seen the best of Gresham, he's had some bad luck with injury. I want to see what he can do with a good run at it

 

[NewMelbournian]

You forgot Carlton. A whole generation has never seen them win

Freo has gone longer without winning. 1996-2021 is not a drought.

 

[Seedsfan]

Freo has gone longer without winning. 1996-2021 is not a drought.

There are parents in Melbourne that weren’t alive when you won. The streak is 27 years now

 

[lumpinee]

Do i feel for them ? NEVER,EVER
same could be said for the Blooz,god bless they get to have theyre 1979 premiership reunion to celebrate every season,i here its up to twice a year now
i know it aint theyre last but youd be forgiven into thinkin it was theyre only one ... what a burden the current players must feel every single
f***n year

 

[JPetro83]

Anything over 20 years is a drought.. So St Kilda, Carlton, Adelaide, North, Essendon and you can chuck Freo in there who havent won one yet. I think out of the clubs mentioned here Carlton or the Bombers are next.

 

[JPetro83]

Freo has gone longer without winning. 1996-2021 is not a drought.

Yes it is. 20+ years is a drought

 

[Jack Green]

Yes it is. 20+ years is a drought

Agreed - though with 18 clubs , 20 years is about the mean average to expect one.

 

[JPetro83]

Agreed - though with 18 clubs , 20 years is about the mean average to expect one.

Teams also blow chances. Saints in 97 (thought they just had to rock up), 2009 was a golden chance too.. not to mention the bounce of the ball in 2010.
Crows blew in in 05/06 and in 17. I can see the Crows holding the biggest drought one day

 

[Jack Green]

Teams also blow chances. Saints in 97 (thought they just had to rock up), 2009 was a golden chance too.. not to mention the bounce of the ball in 2010.
Crows blew in in 05/06 and in 17. I can see the Crows holding the biggest drought one day

Yep, if you get a chance you don't want to spill it. Can be a long time in the wilderness if you take advantage. I think Collingwood in 2018 will prove to be a classic example of missed opportunity.

 

[jwint43]

If we don't get the next couple of years right, we are in serious trouble. As mediocre as it sounds, pinching one in the next couple of years will do wonders for the club just to have that relief that it's happened. Many saints fans have been dead inside since the 09/10 heartbreak.

 

[Toump Ass]

Yep, if you get a chance you don't want to spill it. Can be a long time in the wilderness if you take advantage. I think Collingwood in 2018 will prove to be a classic example of missed opportunity.

2019 was an all-time choke from the Pies imo. Should have smashed a depleted GWS but didn’t turn up until the last quarter. Would have been a ripper grand final too.

 

[jwint43]

We also had Cunnington at a similar age to Steele and Ben Brown in his 3rd season kicking 40+ goals.

So not an outrageous comparison.

I agree in principle you probably have a bit more depth in the younger brigade.

However we'd just drafted McDonald who was highly rated, as well as Durdin and McKay. Dumont was a 3rd year mid getting it around 18 times a game also. Simpkin was drafted at the end of that year. Mason Wood was doing OK and Ryan Clarke picked up a rising star nom and averaged 18 touches a game in his first season.

It's easy to say it in hindsight with some of these types, but in the moment we looked like we had a decent mix also.


When you look back, it pales in comparison to the group of young players, particularly mids, we've currently amassed. It's only going to get more and more stronger in the next couple of seasons. We haven't really had a busted R1 pick in a while 5-6 drafts, which helps immensely.


I'm sure they don't like reminding, but St Kilda would look a whole lot different at the moment with Petracca in the side, even just a half decent #1 like Scully or Swallow.

Crazy to think that the Patton, Boyd and McCartin all went #1 within 4 years of each other. I don't think I've ever been more wrong on an 18 year old as I was with Tom Boyd, he looked like a multiple Coleman medalist as a 17 year old for the Ranges.

I think Boyd could've been great in a low pressure environment, the $1mil price tag combined with being Bullied by the Bulldogs cool group did damage to his confidence

 

[Jack Green]

I feel sorry for no teams, nor do I expect anyone to ever feel sorry for my own. If they get there (like the Dees tonight) then well done, if they don’t, well it’s how it is, nothing in AFL footy is given....

Agree nothing is a given , And that's so true of life isn't it . I don't feel sorry for the teams. I feel sorry for their supporters which IMO is different. 2007 I was overjoyed for my Cat mates who had never seen a flag in their lifetime . I remember Billy Brownless crying on the boundary line in the last quarter. I try and never forget what it means to people - and for me personally it's always been the passion and love supporters have for their club, which makes our game. My read of this thread [ and I might have got this wrong?] is I feel sorry for the supporters who love their club and haven't seen them win a flag in their lifetime .

 

[Jack Green]

Sucks being so irrelevant we don't even get fake pity.

Got my genuine support , not pity. Your only quarter of a century not a half century like us, but would love Freo to salute real soon. Would be great for their passionate supporters and great for the game!