ST.KILDA V WESTERN BULLDOGS-GAME REPORT

REPORT

With the first goal kicked by Dogs tagger Liam Picken, things started to look ugly. Cooney and Griffen kept bursting out of the pack and running right down the middle of the ground with 2 or 3 bounces. The Quarter Time score of 18-2 the Doggies way meant St.Kilda had been kept goal less for a whole quarter. A feat rarely achieved this season. Hayes and Riewoldt were keeping the Saints in the game. Riewoldt taking strong marks and Hayes hitting him up and crashing through people. St.Kilda gradually kicked their way into the game. Raph Clarke became an important player. Just as the Saints were clawing back into it, Mitch Hahn kicks 2 consecutive goals to blow the lead out to 15 points. At Half Time the lead was just 7 points. I wasn’t even at the game and I could feel the cheering of the crowd. After Half Time Dal Santo strangled the game having 12 touches in the 3rd quarter. The Dogs had 10 Inside 50 entries to the Saints 16 resulting in a 4 goal to 2 3rd term. Milne kicked a late goal and it turned out pivotal. The Dogs wasted chances and that left them 5 points up at the last break. Riewoldt had a scare with his knee but all was good. The last quarter started and the crowd lifted. The intensity was high and after a hard fought battle, St.Kilda managed to keep coming. Hayes had 13 amazing touches and Raph Calrke had 9 in the last term. Gilbert, Goddard and Fisher were all good off half back and in the forward 50 Kosi was taking strong marks. The lead was shared a few times and either team could have won. Riewoldt kicked a captain’s goal and Zac Dawson took some great marks down back. Raph Clarke kept on running though. Hitting targets as he went. Hayes and Riewoldt were the real shining lights. Riewoldt had 95 SC points and Hayes had 94 in the last term. With St.Kilda up by just 1 point and with a throw in, in the forward pocket and 2 minutes left, fans started to get nervous. The ball was loose on the ground after the throw in and the inspirational Nick Riewoldt managed to kick a very arguable goal off the ground. The Saints were up by 7 points and that was the final margin. As the ball was hoofed forward one last time for the Dogs and Callan Ward was flying high, the siren sounded. Dogs players fell to the ground and St.Kilda jumped around in joy. The Saints first Grand Final since 1997 and will have ago at their first premiership since 1966.

SUPERCOACH SCORES

Good Performances:

L.Hayes 171

N.Riewoldt 162

S.Fisher 143

R.Clarke 105

Z. Dawson 84

B.Lake 111

M.Hahn 104

MY VOTES

3. Lenny Hayes. 34 touches, 13 in the last quarter and managed to kick a very important goal.

2. Nick Riewoldt. 18 touches, 11 marks, 7 contested, 4 goals in the 2nd half. Really led the team well.

1. Raph Clarke. 21 touches. I thought he played a fantastic game after always being the whipping horse.

Have your say and thoughts below by clicking on Leave a Comment

Josh

THE All-Australian Team

The 2009 All Australian side

B: Corey Enright (Geelong), Matthew Scarlett (Geelong), Brian Lake (Western Bulldogs)

HB: Simon Goodwin (Adelaide), Craig Bolton (Sydney Swans), Nick Maxwell (Collingwood)

C: Leigh Montagna (St Kilda), Lenny Hayes (St Kilda), Joel Selwood (Geelong)

HF: Paul Chapman (Geelong), Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda – captain), Dane Swan (Collingwood)

F: Leon Davis (Collingwood), Brendan Fevola (Carlton), Jonathan Brown (Brisbane Lions)

R: Aaron Sandilands (Fremantle), Chris Judd (Carlton – vice-captain), Gary Ablett (Geelong)

I/C: Matthew Boyd (Western Bulldogs), Nick Dal Santo (St Kilda), Brendon Goddard (St Kilda), Adam Goodes (Sydney Swans)

 

Team by Team

Adelaide: 1

Brisbane: 1

Carlton: 2

Collingwood: 3

Fremantle: 1

Geelong: 5

St.Kilda: 5

Sydney: 2

Western Bulldogs: 2

 

A Few Stats

Saints  captain Nick Riewoldt was named with the (C) and Chris Judd (VC). It is the fifth time Cat defender Matthew Scarlett and Crow midfielder Simon Goodwin have been given the honours with both players being selected in the back half. The most talked about position was the full-back position which was taken by Matthew Scarlett and Brian Lake was named in the back pocket. The surprise was that Leon Davis was named in the side and West Coast forward Mark LeCras missed out after his outstanding year. Paul Chapman was surprisingly named at half-forward and Brendon Goddard was named on the BENCH for his first selection in the team. Nick Dal Santo, Matthew Boyd and Adam Goodes round up the bench. Dane Swan was named at half-forward as expected and Brendan Fevola was worthily selected at full-forward after winning the Coleman Medal. Simon Prestigiacomo, Mitch Clark and Sam Gilbert were unlucky not to be selected. Lance Franklin surely could have been selected in the forward pocket?

Josh

Jotter Hawks Top 50-2009

1. Gary Ablett

2. Dane Swan

3. Nick Riewoldt

4. Matthew Scarlett

5. Brian Lake

6. Brendon Goddard

7. Leigh Montagna

8. Chris Judd

9. Lenny Hayes

10. Corey Enright

11. Jonathan Brown

12. Nick Dal Santo

13. Luke Hodge

14. Brendan Fevola

15. Aaron Sandilands

16. Adam Cooney

17. Marc Murphy

18. Alan Didak

19. Simon Prestigiacomo

20. Lance Franklin

21. Joel Selwood

22. Mitch Clark

23. Simon Black

24. Sam Gilbert

25. Leon Davis

26. Bernie Vince

27. Daniel Cross

28. Simon Goodwin

29. Sam Mitchell

30. Jason Porplyzia

31. Adam Goodes

32. Joel Corey

33. Jimmy Bartel

34. Matthew Pavlich

35. Scott Pendlebury

36. Hamish McIntosh

37. Josh Drummond

38. Bryce Gibbs

39. Tarkyn Lockyer 

40. Matthew Pavlich

41. Paul Chapman

42. Dean Cox

43. Andrew Mackie

44. Sam Fisher

45. Drew Petrie

46. Kurt Tippett

47. Jobe Watson

48. Brent Harvey

49. Chris Kinghts

50. Farren Ray