My 1st Saints final

[LENNY LEADS THE WAY]

So Excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Got my flights booked, accomodation sorted and tickets to the game.

Last year i went to Hawks vs Crows and Cats vs Kangas 1st week of the finals i thought it was absolutely fantastic so i can't even begin to imagine how sweet it's going to be watching the saints live in a final.

Is this going to be anybody elses 1st saints final?

Maybe people could share finals memories in this thread and how good it is.

[n1ck]

My first Saints final was in 1991

[True Blue Sainter]

My first Saints final was in 1992. The first one I remember was in 1997 (QF v Brisbane).

[my les foote]

1970 vs South Melbourne. What a day!

Enjoy

[perfectionist]

1961 v Footscray

[Ralphy]

2006 vs melbourne.

[evertonfc]

Like most people, 1991 vs Geelong was mine (well, there was nearly a wait of two decades in between, so it would have captured a fair few!).

The wait was so nearly worth it...

[mick13]

2005 vs Sydney.

Since, been to see Melbourne in 06.

I can see a trend here.

[LENNY LEADS THE WAY]

2005 vs Sydney.

Since, been to see Melbourne in 06.

I can see a trend here.

Please stay home on sunday

[stinger]

1961 v Footscray

yep....mine too....also went in 1963......and the grannie in 65.....

[Hurricane]

First was 2004 Semi vs Sydney, got rained on all bloody night but it was worth it

Since then ive been to 3: 05 vs Crows and then Swans and 06 vs Demons

But the stand out was 2005 Vs Adalaide. What a night! What a weekend!

Still the greatest experiance ive ever had as a follower of any sport

BANG BANG

[Armoooo]

My first final was against Melbourne in 1998, didn't go too well...
My next finals match was against Sydney in 2005, after that it was Melbourne in 2006....

Not going too well...

[dcstkfc]

Brisbane in 1997

[st_Trav_ofWA]

never been to one maybe if we make the g/f ill be able to con a week off work to fly over and see the boys train and catch the atmospher of the week (i would have zero chance of getting tickets so i would have to find a saints friendly pub !? then again i would prob end up helping Roger run the g/f event here in perth for the western sainters !!

[saintbart]

Rather than say what my first final was....too young to remember that, the last saints final I went to was '74 (I think) against the Tigers. We got done that day, but I do remember bits and pieces of that day. I was nine at the time, and I remember Travis Payze kicking very poorly on a couple of occassions.

I am lucky enough to be going this Sunday, so this will be my first Saints final in 34 years. Can't wait - sitting in M53 (Ground Level, Forward flank, Olympic stand), in Row B. I'm excited

[howlinwolf]

My first final was also the 1991 final Vs Geelong at Waverly.
I had followed the Saints since 1976 and grew up deep in enemy territory in Geelong.

We hadn't tasted much success in my time following the Saints up until that stage and the chance to beat the Cats and progress further was certainly a different feeling than what I was used to.

On the day of the match my wife showed me an article in the Sun by Tony deBolfo about a former Captain of the StKilda football club that was desperate to go to the football that day but didn't have a ticket.
There was a photo of a disappointed looking Ansell Clarke.

I had a spare ticket so rang the Sun and spoke to Tony deBolfo about how I could give Ansell the ticket. He arranged for me to meet Ansell at Waverly so I could get it to him. Tony is a Carlton supporter and his interest was that Ansell was also a Carlton Captain before he Captained the Saints.

At the ground I found Ansell. He was in his 80's and on his own. Had been waiting for me for a while and already had a ticket inbetween me contacting but being the true gentleman honoured our arrangement to meet.
He sat in front of us at the match behind the Geelong cheer squad and for the entire match we kept going down to see him and fed him salad rolls etc from what we had.
He was a gentleman.
The day was great. Plugger kicked 9. Andrew Rodgers the Geelong fullback was towed behind clinging to Plugger's shorts for the whole day.Gilbert Mcadam was burning up the wings. Nathan Burke copped a half a coat hanger from the professional hitman Gary Ablett. Ablett was very good at these. Nathan wore the bike helmet thereafter.
That early hit made a serious impact on the result at the end of the day. An 8 point loss to the Saints.

I was bitterly disappointed at the end of the match.
The payback has been long awaited ! Roll on Sunday.

Here's some info I found on Ansell Clarke

Ansell Clarke (Carlton & St Kilda)

AClarkeCarl.jpg (26513 bytes)


Clarke was blessed with three Christian names - Edward Augustus Ansell - but was invariably known by the last of these.

A fanatical Fitzroy supporter as a youngster, he ended up becoming one of the greatest small men in the history of the Carlton Football Club. After struggling to make his mark at first, and indeed asking for a clearance to Northcote at one point, Clarke broke into the Blues' senior line-up in 1929 and never looked back.

He could be devastating when resting in a forward pocket - in one reserves match, for instance, he booted 13 goals - and was one of the most adept foot passers in the game.

His 145 VFL games in nine seasons at Carlton yielded 242 goals, and included the losing grand final of 1932 against Richmond. Clarke won his club's best and fairest award in 1936, and was captain in his final season.

He crossed to St Kilda as captain-coach in 1938, which ironically meant that he missed the chance to participate in the Blues' first premiership win since 1915.

Nevertheless, he proved a success with the Saints, whom he steered as far as the preliminary final in the second of his three season stint at the helm. When he retired in 1940 he had added a further 26 VFL games and 47 goals to his respective tallies.
Ansell Clarke played carnival football for the victorious VFL interstate team at Sydney in 1933.

[Owen]

'91 here ..

[Launcestonsaint]

1991 for me too.

Flew over on Friday, went to training at Moorabbin on Saturday & game on Sunday.
Went to a club pre-game brunch at Waverley to enjoy the atmosphere.
It was a good day apart from losing & that Ablett thug knocking Burkey & Grant out which cost us the game.

[4ever_saint]

2004 against sydney. windy, wet but a great game.

[ozrulestrace]

1965 Grand Final,
1971 Grand Final
1997 Grand Final
all the finals games ever held at MCG, Waverley Park,
2005 final in Adelaide
and of course

the 1966 GRAND FINAL, sat in the forward pocket with my mother, near the players race

[Megamaguire]

It was a fantastic introduction to finals footy. An amazing game. I agree with Howlin that Abletts' elbows went a significant way to swinging the game geewrongward. Great piece of writing on Ansell. The atmosphere was fantastic that day - even geewrong fans commented on it at the end of the day - "Two good teams" one of them said at the end as the cats took the chocolates.
Stick it up those cattery dwellers Sainters. It's payback for 1991!

G O S A I N T S !

[Eastern]

So Excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Got my flights booked, accomodation sorted and tickets to the game.

Hold on !!

You still have to get through Customs !!

[LENNY LEADS THE WAY]

So Excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Got my flights booked, accomodation sorted and tickets to the game.

Hold on !!

You still have to get through Customs !!

Mate if they don't let me thru then there's no shout for u so fingers crossed hey bud

[Launcestonsaint]

So Excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Got my flights booked, accomodation sorted and tickets to the game.

Hold on !!

You still have to get through Customs !!

Mate if they don't let me thru then there's no shout for u so fingers crossed hey bud

It would be terrible if you had to pay the customs people all of the money that you saved to buy Eastern's drinks for the whole day wouldn't it

[bergsone]

First final..65


Seen 65,66,71,97 Grand Finals

Even my old man shed a tear in 66,remember EVERYONE sing when the saints come marching in,as we were leaving the G




Enjoy your big day