Sunday tackle. Did Saints sell off September

[saynta]

From herald sun.com.au

"St Kilda’s cash grab could cost it a finals spot, in a decision that must surely leave club members miffed. LIKES and DISLIKES from Round 7 of the AFL.
Sam Landsberger

DISLIKES
1. Saints’ cash grab comes at a cost

Selling games must infuriate football departments even if it’s commercially smart, particularly coming out of a pandemic. Melbourne missed out on $800,000 from the NT government when Covid cost it last year’s Alice Springs fixture. But St Kilda missed out on four premiership points from a home match in Cairns.

The Saints are 0-2 at Cazaly’s Stadium. Last year they were also overrun, that time by 17th-placed Adelaide. The members must be miffed. Similar story for the Western Bulldogs, too, who were strangled by Adelaide in Ballarat last week. Would the Saints and Dogs have banked those wins at Marvel Stadium? What if it costs them a spot in September – how would that affect the bottom line?


The Saturday night fixture was bizarre. Why play in Cairns in April? And at night? While we’re at it, why routinely cannibalise the Saturday night TV product by starting two matches at the same time? Can’t imagine Channel 7 would be happy about the tropical conditions, either.
Tim Membrey looks dejected during St Kilda’s loss to Port Adelaide..

Clubs in Gold Coast hubs dunked Sherrins in soapy water and lubricated them with a mixture of baby oil and water before training on the Gold Coast in 2020. That was to mimic the dew for slippery night matches and it would’ve made sense to play this one in August and in the afternoon.

The combined score was 9.31. St Kilda’s last 16 scores generated 1.15. Outside of the frantic finish as Connor Rozee and Robbie Gray sunk the Saints it was a poor spectacle. So was Port’s itinerary, which detoured via Sydney for a night. The AFL chartered planes around the country last year – almost turning around a Demons’ flight mid-air – yet wouldn’t let the Power fly direct on Jetstar because of its Virgin sponsorship deal. Please.

[shanegrambeau]

They are going for easy pickings - as usual, but it is a fair point.

[saynta]

They are going for easy pickings - as usual, but it is a fair point.

Yes it is.