There's Been Worse

[Beno88]

Off the back of Satrurday night's embarrassing loss to the Gold Coast, I got thinking, morbidly, what have been our most disappointing home and away losses over the past 20 years, and where does the Gold Coast loss sit. As bad as it was, I think these five losses were harder to take than the one on Saturday night.

1994 Round 19 : STK 5.15.45 to BRIS 8.7.56
'94 wasn't a great year for us, but Round 19 against easy-beats Brisbane was pencilled in as a win. On a freezing, windy day at Waverley we lead the Bears 4.5 to 1.5 at half time. We then allowed them to pile on 7 goals to 1 in the third quarter and take an unlikely 17 point lead. Despite keeping them scoreless in the final term, we could only manage 6 behinds, leaving us an embarrassing 11 points short.

2002 Round 4 : STK 6.8.44 to GEEL 26.10.166
This was the worst performance from a St Kilda team I've seen since the 80s. Underdone injured players combined with rookies was an easy kill for Geelong who just rang rings around us all day. It was excruciating to sit through.

1999 Round 12 : STK 14.12.96 to HAW 17.7.109
We kicked 9 goals to 1 in the first quarter and led by 61 points midway through the second term, then we stopped. Hawthorn charged home to steal the win in one of the greatest comebacks ever. We'd won 38 of our last 61 prior to this match, we went on to win 14 of our next 77 games, this loss marked the end of an era.

2000 Round 9 : STK 16.8.104 to WB 16.9.105
Winless after 8 games in 2000, we came out and played inspired footy against the dogs and led by 31 points at 3/4 time. As the final quarter went on our lead evaporated and with just seconds remaining Chris Grant secured a one point win for the dogs. The image of Max Hudghton in tears will remain with me forever.

1995 Round 6 : STK 10.13.73 to FITZ 12.12.84
Thumped by 19 goals by Essendon the week before and winless for the season, we looked certain for some joy in Round 6 vs a Fitzroy side as bad as any in the modern era. Somehow we lost the unloseable. Easily our most embarrassing home and away loss in the last two decades.

[bergholt]

Good research, tough post to read though!

I don't remember the Geelong game or the Brissie game in 94. The Fitzroy one is burned into my memory though. Strange Fitzroy side that year, a real foreign legion with Simon Atkins and Dougie Hawkins, James Manson, Mark Zanotti, Martin Pike. A few solid players who went onto bigger and better things: John Barker, Brad Boyd, Chris Johnson, Jarrod Molloy, Pike.

For us that day, Spud, Timmy Pekin and David Grant were on the way out, but we were building our next Grand Final side. It was Tony Brown's debut, Aussie Jones, Stevie Sziller, Joel Smith and Darryl Wakelin all had less than 10 games under their belts. Stewie, Burkie and Nicky all played - Banger, Lazar and Rocket Rod Keogh injured? Frankie, Spider and Jamie Shanahan were starting to get a bit of experience. Two and a half years later we were playing in the big one, thanks mainly to the additions of Heater and Bazza.

Just goes to show, even the darkest of clouds can have a silver lining!

[SaintJohn1956]

I was there for that Hawthorn game at Waverly - still gives me nightmares.

From memory I think that was the beginning of the end for Tim Watson and when Everitt stopped trying. I think the next week we had a lead over Collingwood at half time and then lost to them in a similar way.

However the worst I saw was at Victoria Park in 1979. Round 4 31.21.207 to 3.11.29 and we had plugger playing!

[saint66au]

I was there for that Hawthorn game at Waverly - still gives me nightmares.

From memory I think that was the beginning of the end for Tim Watson and when Everitt stopped trying. I think the next week we had a lead over Collingwood at half time and then lost to them in a similar way.

However the worst I saw was at Victoria Park in 1979. Round 4 31.21.207 to 3.11.29 and we had plugger playing!

No we didnt

[saint66au]

I was there for that Hawthorn game at Waverly - still gives me nightmares.

From memory I think that was the beginning of the end for Tim Watson and when Everitt stopped trying. I think the next week we had a lead over Collingwood at half time and then lost to them in a similar way.

However the worst I saw was at Victoria Park in 1979. Round 4 31.21.207 to 3.11.29 and we had plugger playing!

No we didnt

[sainter27]

Yeah that Hawks game was the beginning of the end for Watson and for the next 2.5 years we had huge
issues with our 3rd quarters- an ingrained lack of confidence in the 2nd half of games.

I remember that Fitzroy game also, the reaction in the club members on the outer wing at Waverley
was incredible. As a 10 year-old that day I learnt a great many swear words I'd never hear again!

[SaintJohn1956]

Oops you are right saint66au - should have checked facts first my memory must be going - it wasn't a bad team we did have though, and we got 40 frees to 29!

[gringo]

I was there for that Hawthorn game at Waverly - still gives me nightmares.

From memory I think that was the beginning of the end for Tim Watson and when Everitt stopped trying. I think the next week we had a lead over Collingwood at half time and then lost to them in a similar way.

However the worst I saw was at Victoria Park in 1979. Round 4 31.21.207 to 3.11.29 and we had plugger playing!

me too- rubbing the head of my Hawks supporter mater while laughing at how s*** they were and Nathan Thompson decided to pretend he could play.

[st_Trav_ofWA]

ive seen some shockers in my time a few that stick out for me were ...

vs Freo in 2006 - the return bout after siren gate farce - the Dockers were strutting thier stuff as they were going to make the finals for only the second time and we were struggling a bit i think we kicked 2 goals in the first half as freo just punished us in the end we copped a 10 goal hiding with that turd Farmer booting 4 goals ... the only highlight for me was BJ roosting a big torp from outside 50 out of pure frustration for a great goal ..

vs Hawthorn in 2011 - we got of to a flyer holding the hawks goaless for the first qtr and leading by 5 goals only to give it up in the second term and trail by a goal at halftime after half time it became the usual Ross lyon slog with not much action and low scoring in the end we lost by 5 goals (this was also the first offical Western Saints telecast function )

[bigcarl]

1985 anyone.

Reamed by Sydney in Round 1 at Moorabbin, 8.18 (66) to the Swans' 26.20 (176). 110 points.

Then absolutely pummelled by Carlton in Round 2, also at Moorabbin 25.19 (169) to St Kilda 2.17 (29). 140 points.

Then, in Round 3, smashed by Richmond at the MCG, 31.25 (211) to St Kilda 14.14 (98). 113 points.

That was three 100 points plus floggings to start the season. I was at the first two. Might have missed the MCG one. Can't remember if Plugger played.

[spert]

I was there for that Hawthorn game at Waverly - still gives me nightmares.

From memory I think that was the beginning of the end for Tim Watson and when Everitt stopped trying. I think the next week we had a lead over Collingwood at half time and then lost to them in a similar way.

However the worst I saw was at Victoria Park in 1979. Round 4 31.21.207 to 3.11.29 and we had plugger playing!

I was there with my dad..it was terrible.. I remember Collingwood supporters actually showing genuine sympathy to us...some saying the Saints were their second team! I think Don Disher got rubbed out for belting a Collingwood player

[satchmo]

Capuano's last stand, anyone? The horror.

[noob]

The Hawthorn one was the worst. Everyone just lost complete confidence after that.

[BringBackMadDog]

I was there for that Hawthorn game at Waverly - still gives me nightmares.

From memory I think that was the beginning of the end for Tim Watson and when Everitt stopped trying. I think the next week we had a lead over Collingwood at half time and then lost to them in a similar way.

However the worst I saw was at Victoria Park in 1979. Round 4 31.21.207 to 3.11.29 and we had plugger playing!

I was there with my dad..it was terrible.. I remember Collingwood supporters actually showing genuine sympathy to us...some saying the Saints were their second team! I think Don Disher got rubbed out for belting a Collingwood player

I was there with my dad too, it was Peter Daicos' first game. It was horrible to watch, that was the record winning margin by any side for a few years.

[saint66au]

I was there for that Hawthorn game at Waverly - still gives me nightmares.

From memory I think that was the beginning of the end for Tim Watson and when Everitt stopped trying. I think the next week we had a lead over Collingwood at half time and then lost to them in a similar way.

However the worst I saw was at Victoria Park in 1979. Round 4 31.21.207 to 3.11.29 and we had plugger playing!

I was there with my dad..it was terrible.. I remember Collingwood supporters actually showing genuine sympathy to us...some saying the Saints were their second team! I think Don Disher got rubbed out for belting a Collingwood player

I was there with my dad too, it was Peter Daicos' first game. It was horrible to watch, that was the record winning margin by any side for a few years.

IIRC it was also Rod Owens first game?

[kosifantutti]

I was there with my dad..it was terrible.. I remember Collingwood supporters actually showing genuine sympathy to us...some saying the Saints were their second team! I think Don Disher got rubbed out for belting a Collingwood player

I was there with my dad too, it was Peter Daicos' first game. It was horrible to watch, that was the record winning margin by any side for a few years.

IIRC it was also Rod Owens first game?

One of the greatest 12 year olds ever to play the game.

[Waltzing St Kilda]

The Hawks were down by 63 points in that Waverley game ... I remember my mate saying he'd be severely disappointed if we didn't win by over 100 points.

Spider Everitt gave away a double 50m penalty -- or was it a triple? -- and got dragged by Watson. Came off the ground glaring at the coach's box. It's easy to say in retrospect, but that was the moment that the coach lost all authority and the team became an undisciplined rabble.

[OneEyedSainter77]

I'd like to raise one from an average year for us.

Round I think it was nine in 2003 versus Collingwood. If I recall, this was a terrible game. Collingwood hadn't really been too impressive at that stage having won the same amount of games as us. We were coming off a three match winning streak a couple of weeks prior before losing to freo. Then the smashed us eight goals to zip in the first quarter. We put up a fight in the second closing the gap to three goals at half time before they smashed is for the rest of the game, winning by sixty five points and Leon Davis had seventeen touches and three goals.

I felt we were a team on the rise but after that game I was deflated.

Two weeks later we beat Brisbane in an unbelievable match and started an incredible turnaround that would last almost eight years.

[OneEyedSainter77]

Capuano's last stand, anyone? The horror.

Oh wait. It was mentioned. I think he had four touches and three hot outs that night.

Absolutely disgusting.

[kosifantutti]

I was there for that Hawthorn game at Waverly - still gives me nightmares.

From memory I think that was the beginning of the end for Tim Watson and when Everitt stopped trying. I think the next week we had a lead over Collingwood at half time and then lost to them in a similar way.

However the worst I saw was at Victoria Park in 1979. Round 4 31.21.207 to 3.11.29 and we had plugger playing!

Not surprised we were smashed with a 12 year old and a 13 year old playing.

[skeptic]

Capuano's last stand, anyone? The horror.

Oh wait. It was mentioned. I think he had four touches and three hot outs that night.

Absolutely disgusting.

lol

the amount of vitriol directed at GT for sacking him shortly after... my goodness

especially when you remember that Josh Fraiser was the one that pulled his pants down and Matty Maguire in the ruck was the one that got us back into the game (for a while)

[mcadam05]

However the worst I saw was at Victoria Park in 1979. Round 4 31.21.207 to 3.11.29 and we had plugger playing!

I was there with my dad..it was terrible.. I remember Collingwood supporters actually showing genuine sympathy to us...some saying the Saints were their second team! I think Don Disher got rubbed out for belting a Collingwood player

I was there with my dad too, it was Peter Daicos' first game. It was horrible to watch, that was the record winning margin by any side for a few years.

IIRC it was also Rod Owens first game?[/quote]


you are sort of right Rod did play his first game for the club vs Collingwood as a 16yr old, but it was 4yrs later on March 12 1983 and it was a pre season game at Haywood. St Kilda was over run by Collingwood in the last 1/4 to go down by 13pts (127 - 114) with Owen kicking 7goals