Six news stories about game (update #3)

[markinUSA]

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,865 ... 11,00.html


February 23, 2008 ST Kilda won a see-sawing NAB Cup quarter-final 3.9.10 (91) to 3.8.11 (86) against Geelong in Canberra but they also suffered a major loss with strongman Fraser Gehrig coming off injured in the second quarter.

Gehrig pulled out of a contest in the 33rd minute with what looked like a calf injury – he limped off the field immediately and played no further part in the game.

The pre-season game was not without feeling, skirmishes regularly seeing umpires marching the sides 50 metres down the field.

The 2007 premiers were dominant in the opening exchanges, Joel Corey and Mathew Stokes nabbing consecutive nine point goals inside the first ten minutes.

St Kilda didn't help themselves, shanking three behinds before Gehrig marked just outside the goal square. He played on and gave the Saints some first quarter respect.

The second quarter was a much different affair with the Saints handed two 50 metre penalties in succession thanks to repeated backchat from the Cats.

The penalties found David Armitage in front of the sticks for an easy nine points. He claimed another goal moments later after a subtle assist from Aaron Fiora.

Ryan Gamble grabbed the Cats' only goal of the second quarter and the Saints went to the main break looking in control.

The third quarter opened with feeling and a series of scraps. Geelong played without intellect for much of the 20 minutes, failing to push the ball beyond the centre circle on repeated occasions.

It looked like the game was St Kilda's to lose heading into the final quarter but Geelong finished strongly, stealing back the lead with Tom Hawkins' fourth goal of the afternoon.

Deep into the final quarter Nick Dal Santo grabbed the ball in the late afternoon shadows of forward pocket and banged the ball 52 metres for nine points and the lead.

Five minutes later, at the other end of the field, Cameron Mooney snapped over his shoulder and levelled the score.

The deadlock was broken by Gamble who took one point from 48 metres out.

The see-sawing finished in the 22nd minute when St Kilda's young midfielder cum forward Jack Steven took his chance and scored a goal to give the Saints a five-point win and a spot in the NAB Cup semi-final against Essendon next Friday night at Telstra Dome.

AAP

[saintbrat]

unlike the AFL writer who was predicitive check the time at top/.

http://afl.com.au/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsid=55548
Injuries mar bright afternoon for Saints

3:40 PM Sat 23 February, 2008

INJURIES to several key players marred an otherwise bright afternoon for St Kilda in their NAB Cup quarter final against Geelong at Manuka Oval.

The Saints hung on for a thrilling five-point win over the reigning premiers, with Justin Koschitzke imposing at centre half-forward and promising contributions from Nick Dal Santo, Leigh Montagna and Max Hudghton.

But they lost Fraser Gehrig, who limped from the ground midway through the second quarter with what appeared to be a calf injury, and Hudghton, who hurt his hamstring in the final term. Koschitzke also left the ground in the last quarter.

Lorne youngster Jack Steven kicked the match-winner after Geelong led by a point with a couple of minutes to play. The Saints won 3.9.10 (91) to 3.8.11 (86).

Both sides fielded B-teams, with Geelong missing skipper Tom Harley and five of its nine All-Australians, including Gary Ablett and Brownlow Medallist Jimmy Bartel; and the Saints starting without co-captains Nick Riewoldt and Lenny Hayes, plus Matt Maguire, Luke Ball and Robert Harvey.

But it was St Kilda’s young side which seemed quicker and more determined, seizing control of the game in the second quarter and only failing to establish a winning lead because of a handful of missed chances late in the third term.

Eaglehawk recruit Jarryn Geary was terrific in the midfield, with Steven Baker and Geelong trade Charlie Gardiner also seeing plenty of the ball.

Small forward Stephen Milne showed touch at times, crumbing a goal in the second term but missing chances later in that quarter and in the third.

This match was technically a St Kilda home game and, perhaps appropriately, church bells rang throughout much of the first quarter.

The ecclesiastical atmosphere didn’t stop Joel Corey and Mathew Stokes landing supergoals and Cam Mooney a goal before the Saints had a goal on the board.

Geelong looked comfortable in taking a 20-point lead into quarter time, but the Saints’ second quarter tipped the game on his head. Koschitzke and David Armitage kicked supergoals in a 10-minute burst that turned three-goal deficit into a three-goal lead.

The clash between Mark Blake and his former teammate Steven King had been one of the talking points ahead of this game, but with the Saints resting King and Blake starting off the ground, the ruck duel fell to untested pair Trent West and Luke Van Rheenen.

The Saints will play Essendon in next Friday’s NAB Cup semi-final.

St Kilda 0.2.4 2.6.5 2.8.6 3.9.10 (91)
Geelong 2.2.6 2.3.7 3.5.8 3.8.11 (86)

GOALS
St Kilda: Supergoals: Armitage, Dal Santo, Koschitzke. Goals: Koschitzke 4, Allen, Armitage, Gehrig, Milne, Steven
Geelong: Supergoals: Corey, Selwood, Stokes. Goals: Hawkins 4, Mooney 2, Gamble, Stokes

[markinUSA]

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/ ... 42,00.html

Saints defeat Cats in thriller

February 23, 2008 06:05pm

ST KILDA (3.9.10.91) will meet Essendon in next friday night's NAB Cup semi-final after defeating Geelong (3.8.11.86) in a five-point thriller at Manuka Oval. The lead switched several times in a pulsating final quarter after St Kilda held a 10-point lead at the last break before former Geelong Falcons player and now Saints player Jack Steven kicked the winning goal in the dying minutes.

Key forward Justin Koschitzke was a big difference up forward kicking five goals for the Saints, while Geelong youngster Tom Hawkins booted four goals.

Saints midfielder Nick Dal Santo grabbed the momentum back for the Saints late in the final quarter with a running super goal.

Just as the Cats had done in the opening term, the Saints slotted consecutive super goals at the start of the quarter to Justin Koschitzke and David Armitage.

The first was gifted to Koschitzke after consecutive 50m penalties against Tom Lonergan, and then Darren Milburn.

Koschitzke and Armitage added another goal each minutes later to edge St Kilda ahead.

Goal sneak Strephen Milne contributed another after a spectacular mark to Saint Aaron Fiora at half-back.

Ryan Campbell halted St Kilda's five-goal tear after converting a free kick 20m from goal.

Geelong made a lightning start with two super goals in the opening term to lead St Kilda by 20 points at quarter time.

Joel Corey and Matthew Stokes notched the first two goals of the match from beyond the 50m arc to boot the premiers clear.

Power forward Cam Mooney nailed the Cats' third from outside 50 but could ony claim six points because he'd marked inside the arc.

Gehrig and Koschitzke pulled goals back for the Saints.

[saintbrat]

this one seems more expansive in detail
http://sportal.com.au/afl-news-display/ ... tory-43701
Saints count cost of victory
23/02/2008 6:27:15 PM
Sportal
St Kilda has paid a heavy price for its thrilling NAB Cup quarter-final win over reigning AFL premiers Geelong in Canberra on Saturday with spearhead Fraser Gehrig and key defender Max Hudghton both in danger of missing the start of the home and away season after limping off with soft tissue injuries.

The Saints' injury curse, particularly with soft tissue injuries, of recent years continued as first Gehrig suffered a calf injury and then Hudghton limped off with a hamstring injury - taking the gloss off their 3.9.10 (91) to 3.8.11 (86) victory at Manuka Oval.

St Kilda will now meet Essendon in the first semi-final at Telstra Dome next Friday night after first-year draftee Jack Steven's goal with 90 seconds remaining proved enough for the Saints to win a wildly fluctuating match.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

quite detailed report.

[markinUSA]

GEELONG'S NAB Cup campaign is over after going down to St Kilda in a thriller in Canberra today.

The Saints won a see-sawing quarter-final 3.9.10 (91) to 3.8.11 (86) but they also suffered a major loss with strongman Fraser Gehrig coming off injured in the second quarter.

Check out the photo gallery here
http://tools.geelongadvertiser.com.au// ... 5&offset=8


Gehrig pulled out of a contest in the 33rd minute with what looked like a calf injury - he limped off the field immediately and played no further part in the game.

The pre-season game was not without feeling, skirmishes regularly seeing umpires marching the sides 50 metres down the field.

The 2007 premiers were dominant in the opening exchanges, Joel Corey and Mathew Stokes nabbing consecutive nine point goals inside the first ten minutes.

St Kilda didn't help themselves, shanking three behinds before Gehrig marked just outside the goal square. He played on and gave the Saints some first quarter respect.

The second quarter was a much different affair with the Saints handed two 50 metre penalties in succession thanks to repeated backchat from the Cats.

The penalties found David Armitage in front of the sticks for an easy nine points. He claimed another goal moments later after a subtle assist from Aaron Fiora.

Ryan Gamble grabbed the Cats' only goal of the second quarter and the Saints went to the main break looking in control.

The third quarter opened with feeling and a series of scraps. Geelong played without intellect for much of the 20 minutes, failing to push the ball beyond the centre circle on repeated occasions.

It looked like the game was St Kilda's to lose heading into the final quarter but Geelong finished strongly, stealing back the lead with Tom Hawkins' fourth goal of the afternoon.

Deep into the final quarter Nick Dal Santo grabbed the ball in the late afternoon shadows of forward pocket and banged the ball 52 metres for nine points and the lead.

Five minutes later, at the other end of the field, Cameron Mooney snapped over his shoulder and levelled the score.
The deadlock was broken by Gamble who took one point from 48 metres out.

The see-sawing finished in the 22nd minute when St Kilda's young midfielder cum forward Jack Steven took his chance and scored a goal to give the Saints a five point win and a spot in the NAB Cup semi-final against Essendon next Friday night at Telstra Dome.

The Cats will play the Brisbane Lions in a practice match at Carrara on the Gold Coast on Friday night.

Details:

ST KILDA 0.2.4 2.6.5 2.8.9 3.9.10 (91)

GEELONG 2.2.6 2.3.7 3.5.8 3.8.11 (86)

Goals: St Kilda: Nine-point goals: J Koschitzke D Armitage N Dal Santo. Goals: F Gehrig 4 J Koschitzke D Armitage S Milne J Allen J Steven. Geelong: Nine-point goals: J Corey M Stokes J Selwood. Goals: T Hawkins 4 C Mooney 2 R Gamble M Stokes.

Best: St Kilda: J Koschitzke L Montagna J Geary. Geelong: C Ling T Hawkins H Taylor.

Injuries: St Kilda: F Gehrig (calf). Geelong: Nil. Reports: Nil.
Umpires: C Donlon S Ryan S Meredith. Crowd: 6,825 at Manuka Oval.

[saintbrat]

aflphotos have about 28 pics- but as with last week focus is on our opposition
http://www.gspimages.com.au/photography ... b_code=all

although nice one of max doing his best

[saintbrat]

I like the optimism of the heading for this article,
has the writer caugh Ross's upbeat attitude

http://saints.com.au/tabid/208/Default. ... wsid=55556
Gehrig ‘good for Rd 1’
Author: Matt Burgan
8:25 PM Sat 23 February, 2008


ST KILDA is confident full-forward Fraser Gehrig will be ready for round one, after Gehrig injured his calf during Saturday's five-point NAB Cup win over Geelong at Manuka Oval.

Gehrig appeared hurt after setting himself for a marking contest, before pulling out at the last minute.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.
Ross pleased not to be travelling

"It means we're through to the third week and we can build for round one a little bit more and we don't fly, so that's a win, because I think [if we’d lost] we would have been off to the Gold Coast."

[StSteven]

Calm down! It is nothing in AFL terms........

[saintbrat]

hehehe ohh ststeven enjoy: your right though- it's just a game