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 Super Coach All-Australian Team 2009

This is the team you have all been vying to see. The real deal, THE SUPERCOACH ALL-AUSTRALIAN TEAM. A team of superstars, a team of the best the very best. Supercoach has the most realistic scoring out of all the fantasy games and awards points not just for a kick but for its effectiveness. This team has been put together with all the best players in there positions. Obviously no player can be named in 2 positions. Here’s the team you have been waiting for:

DEFENDERS: Brendon GODDARD, Corey ENRIGHT, Chris NEWMAN, Tarkyn LOCKYER, Shannon HURN, Paul DUFFIELD and Scott MCMAHON.

Goddard was an obvious selection, he scored 300 more than the next best. Enright. Goddard just had a fantastic year, playing in a great team. Why he didn’t get in the Back 6 of the real deal All-Australian Team. Goddard averaged a huge 116 points a game and still managed to drop 3,000 during the H&A season. Enright averaged 98 during the season and has carried his side into September. Enright has played every game in 09′ and could be a good premium buy in 2010. Tarkyn Lockyer. Well what can I say. Dropped to a very low price and could be THE buy of next year. Providing no injury. The other 4 thoroughly deserved their spot in the SC All-Australian Team and should all be vying for a spot next year.

MIDFIELD: Dane SWAN, Gary ABLETT, Leigh MONTAGNA, Adam GOODES, Marc MURPHY and  Chris JUDD.

Swan and Ablett. Both dreaming about the 2009 Brownlow and yet again get named in a very special team. Swan averaged 123 which sounds big but Lil’ Gazza managed to average *drumroll* 140. After a great start out of the blocks Gazza seemed to slow towards the end of the season. Not Much. But a bit. Ablett played just 19 games and still managed to be the 2nd highest scorer in the AFL. Gazza deserves the Brownlow but it may be taken off him by Swanny. Ablett’s 3 games out MAY cost him. Montagna jumped almost 100,000 during the season and Murphy was a big surprise to be named in the SC All-Australian. Selwood and Dal Santo were unlucky to be left out of the side but that’s just the way things are sometimes.

RUCKS: Mitch CLARK and Darren JOLLY

To different rucks to last year deserved their spot in the team. It was close as the top 5 rucks for the year were separated by just 55 points and Big Sandilands was only just nudged out by Jolly. In Fact overtaken in the last round by Jolly and Clark and then almost McIntosh. Clark rose 210,000 and averaged 93 in the season 1 more than Jolly who averaged 92. Sandilands averaged 101 but missed 2 games leaving him just short of the final 22. Sandilands got what he deserved by being named All-Australian the other night. All though I thought Mitch Clark could have found his spot on the bench.

FORWARDS: Ryan O’KEEFE, Nick RIEWOLDT, Brett DELEDIO, Leon DAVIS, Jonathan BROWN, Aaron DAVEY and Brendan FEVOLA.

Mitch Clark could have been named in the forward line but decided to put him in the ruck and let Fev take the final spot. O’Keefe dropped 65,000 in 09′ and still averaged 109. O’Keefe could be a good buy next year as his price will rise near the start of the season. Riewoldt and Deledio both had outstanding years and lived up to the reputation they were set at the start of the year. They averaged 113 and 103 respectively with Riewoldt missing one match due to injury. Davis was claimed to be over priced at the start of the year but managed to live up to his price. Davis averaged 111 and was outstanding when Collingwood needed him most. Davey had an amazing start to 09′ and then tailed away a bit. Melbourne’ go to man down back played a good role playing off half back for the young Dee’s. Fev had an outstanding year booting 86 goals but SuperCoach does not exactly favour his game style. Fev had a fantastic season and deserved his spot at Full-Forward in the All-Australian Team. Fev averaged 93 and jumped over the 500,000 mark on price.

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

MVP-2009

Best Player of the Year-MVP

Defender– 1st Brendon Goddard 11 votes 61%

Midfieder– 1st Gary Ablett 7 votes 37%

Ruck– 1st Aaron Sandilands 9 votes 47%

Forward– 1st Nick Riewoldt 13 votes 72%

 

MVP–

1st Nick Riewoldt 13 votes 72%

2nd Brendon Goddard 11 votes 61%

3rd Aaron Sandilands 9 votes 47%

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