Grand Final Dinner Report

[BackFromUSA]

Westaway key message - proud and will re-double efforts

Riewoldt key message - thanked everyone especially the fans that inspire the playing group and talked about how brilliant a coach Lyon is and that they will all push on to achieve their goals

Lyon - sums it up with "Never never never never give up" W. Churchill but also a special note re media reports of a "walkout" of key staff at Saints ... his answer is that working at the Saints while we chase our Flag is demanding and challenging on everyone and this can be difficult.

MORE NEWS:

Armitage - was offered 2 years with club and has signed for 1 year in a wait and see decision ... bottomline is if he is injury free in 2011 and not getting a regular game I believe he will move on ... reading between the lines

Gardiner - will play for 1 more year

Ray - is only unsigned senior player according to 1 player and never left his dinner table seat all night (but neither did Kosi and a few others)

Baker - says his body isn't recovering well after games - in his own words - "it's shutting down"

SOS - has not officially signed with GWS ... or so he says

INJURIES:

Gram - concussion and AC joint from the tunneling (has no memory of it)

Eddy - broken arm in 1st quarter from his attempt at decapitating Maxwell

Fisher - hamstring

OBSERVATIONS:

Lyon - had not really moved on mentally despite his great speech - did say that that '09 was really the one we missed as the best side of the year ... my response was that 2011 was ours ... I saw a glint in the eye

Directors of the club - absolutely shattered

Riewoldt has a very very special relationship with his mother and was comforting her with hugs at the table and calming her as she cried.

Gilbert is a very very positive person (by the way for all those that ridiculed me that this kid should be playing forward when Riewoldt was injured .... I thought he was our best forward in both Grand Finals)

Stanely is a quality young man (as stated 2 years agoi from the season launch) and is only missing belief in himself as a future superstar of the game. Also had a long chat with his parents and his parents agree with his father saying as his junior footy coach he kept "knocking him back a peg or two" which kept Rhys humble but now he is trying to pump him up.

Playing group that did not play GF - hit the turps (but what do you expect?)

PREDICTIONS:

Club will throw everything into 2011-13 and try to recruit quality role specialist players that near the end of their career from lower ranked clubs e.g. Cox (WCE) and various others AND may even give McDonald from Melbourne a good look in an attempt to improve our bottom 6 despite it impacting on the playing list in 2014 and beyond BUT at that stage the limited free agency will be in place

Stanley, Simpkin, A. Smith, Geary, Armitage, Miles - all ready to step up and need game time in 2011 to make them the core of the club 2013 +

[PJ]

Nice summary BFUSA thanks for the effort.

[saint75]

Thank you for that. Great news about Armo.

This actually made me feel a bit better hearing some of those responses from key role players at our club. We are NOT finished, not by a long shot. Trade week is going to be a good one.

[bigred]

Thanks for that mate.

[Enrico_Misso]

Gardiner - will play for 1 more year

A shred of good news!

[dcstkfc]

Great wrap BFUSA.

Out of interest who told you that Armo had re-signed?

[saintnick12]

Great wrap BFUSA.

Out of interest who told you that Armo had re-signed?

Agree. And if Ray is the ony senior player still unsigned, does this mean Jones has re-signed, as I last heard he was still to sign

[saintsRrising]

Riewoldt has a very very special relationship with his mother +

He does and I know why. But I not publish this on a forum.

However rest assured that it attests to what great character Roo has.

[borderbarry]

Predictions.. Were these made during speeches, or are they your predictions backfromtheUSA? Particularly the part about more game time for the youngsters.

[saintsRrising]

Great news on Armo...and Gardi..perhaps add to title of this thread as it is IMPORTANT news.

[Zed]

Gardiner - will play for 1 more year

A shred of good news!

Is it good news ? .. yes he's been great for us over the last 2 seasons, but its time to fast track Big Ben. If Gardi plays in front of big Ben then thats not a good result.

Also time to fast track Stanley, Armo & Steven. They MUST play senior games next year and not get dropped after 1 bad performance.

[saintkid]

Gardiner - will play for 1 more year

A shred of good news!

Is it good news ? .. yes he's been great for us over the last 2 seasons, but its time to fast track Big Ben. If Gardi plays in front of big Ben then thats not a good result.

Also time to fast track Stanley, Armo & Steven. They MUST play senior games next year and not get dropped after 1 bad performance.

As great as Gardy has been for us, he will be very vulnerable to a soft tissue injury in 2011 as he was this year. He is an optimistic band aid fix now with his injury proned body.

[BackFromUSA]

Armitage told me himself (face to face) that he signed for 1 year and rejected the 2 year offer to keep his options open.

Gardiner also told me he was going around for 1 more year.


I am not certain if Jones had signed but I was told that only Ray had not signed yet. I find that very strange and let's not forget his connection with the Gold Coast recruiting manager ... and he sat at his atble all night not mixing HOWEVER sometimes 1 + 1 + 1 can equal less than 3 if they are actual HALF truths.
Playing the kids is my call rather than from a speech. My prediction.

I would not be surprised if Baker retired, but I dont think he should.

[matrix]

nice work mate

news that looks good

now, armo straight into the middle as of next year
gardi=good knees

rhys, top lad apparently...SA boy

[plugger66]

nice work mate

news that looks good

now, armo straight into the middle as of next year
gardi=good knees

rhys, top lad apparently...SA boy

Rhys is a great guy. Parents are nice people to.

[BackFromUSA]

plugger66 ... finally something we agree on. Rhys is a great guy and the apple doesn't fall far from the tree with his parents also wonderful people.

[plugger66]

plugger66 ... finally something we agree on. Rhys is a great guy and the apple doesn't fall far from the tree with his parents also wonderful people.

How did you enjoy the night? I actually thought it was OK considering the result. Was better at the after party though.

[BackFromUSA]

Loved the way they handled the night. Everyone deserves a pat on the back. It was like a "wake" in so many ways but by the end I felt that 2011 had become a focus. I thought both bands were perfect for the night. Seymour and Reyne were very good and Phil Ceberano and Russell Robertson set a good mood. We were invited by two players and one staff member to meet them at the Palace after party but my date and I decided a few quiet ones at La La Land in Chapel Street was more worthy an end for us (we needed something up beat and non footy related) and less intrusive on the playing group. We left at the same time as the bus and it nearly ran me over! Were you driving that bus?

[plugger66]

Loved the way they handled the night. Everyone deserves a pat on the back. It was like a "wake" in so many ways but by the end I felt that 2011 had become a focus. I thought both bands were perfect for the night. Seymour and Reyne were very good and Phil Ceberano and Russell Robertson set a good mood. We were invited by two players and one staff member to meet them at the Palace after party but my date and I decided a few quiet ones at La La Land in Chapel Street was more worthy an end for us (we needed something up beat and non footy related) and less intrusive on the playing group. We left at the same time as the bus and it nearly ran me over! Were you driving that bus?

I could have been. Cant remember though. We actually missed the first bus and got on the second one. The bands were good. Robbo can actually sing OK.

[BackFromUSA]

Seriously that bus driver had attitude. Couldn't even wait for me to cross the road. Hope the after party was good but really felt I had spoken to everyone I wanted to and said everything I wanted to ... I guess it had helped me get over the disappointment and start thinking about 2011.

Only one thing disappointed me - Westaway mentioning that next year we shall have even better coaching resources and felt that was a small slap in the face to the current assistant coaches at their final official function.

I hope that we have learnt a lesson from Collingwood and steal their IP by nabbing one of their inner sanctum. Max comes to mind.

[saintbrat]

Seriously that bus driver had attitude. Couldn't even wait for me to cross the road. 2011.

.

Wasn't Zac driving was it- he was first on and checking out the drivers seat...

[iwantmeseats]

Well, reading that certainly made me feel a bit better. thanks!

[saint66au]

Honest question...what is the eligibility or criteria to be on the guest list for this night. Whilst i fully understand its not designed for tne rank and file fan im just curious. Media? Sponsors? Friends of friends?
Were the grand final 22 mingling with supporters? If so it does seem a little dissapointing that they couldnt give more than ten hungover minutes to the average fans the next day
Bfusa, great report by the way...many thanks

[jonesy]

I had a ticket last week,but didn't attend,went home and sulked instead.

In hindsight I should of went and celebrated the draw in comparison to yesterdays capitulation

[sasaint]

Stanley, Simpkin, A. Smith, Geary, Armitage, Miles - all ready to step up and need game time in 2011 to make them the core of the club 2013 +

Great report BFUSA. Any feedback on Tommy Walsh as you left him out of your prospective list. I thought he was coming on nicely in the magoos.