Invasion ruined Saints' momentum in 2004 prelim, says Thomas

[saintsRrising]

It not only stopped our momentum, and let Port Adelaide re-group , but it allowed Mark Williams time to get get instructions out to employ new tactics to stop our onslaught. For them , it was effectively a timeout to enforce tactical changes.
I have no doubt the ground invasion cost us.

I would have thought that Wanganeen's magic cost us.

The "winning goal" came from Wanganeen being alone in space at a ball up with Knoble at the ruck contest knocking it straight to him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[degruch]

It not only stopped our momentum, and let Port Adelaide re-group , but it allowed Mark Williams time to get get instructions out to employ new tactics to stop our onslaught. For them , it was effectively a timeout to enforce tactical changes.
I have no doubt the ground invasion cost us.

I would have thought that Wanganeen's magic cost us.

The "winning goal" came from Wanganeen being alone in space at a ball up with Knoble at the ruck contest knocking it straight to him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Did nothing for pretty much the entire match

Very frustrating.

I'm still up for shooting pitch invaders though.

[perfectionist]

Umpire 30 paid a "soft" free 25 out DIF! The replay shows it was there, like 20 others were in the last quarter of a cut throat final. Neither of the others umpires would have paid it, 10 and 11. But that's the advantage of home state games. In regular games it's worth 4 goals (when we walk out on to the ground at Subi this week, the players need to imagine that Freo have 4 on the board and tke it from there), in finals with better umpires, it's worth one or two. That's why position 1 and 2 was so crucial with so many interstate clubs in the mix. Which leads me back to Thomas's decision to drop Blake against Sydney and Footscray. Mistake, mistake, mistake.

[WayneJudson42]

Oh well... and if Stan had moved Shannahan off Jarmen...

All past. No point dwelling on it.

[SENsei]

What's with GT and his memoires lately? Must we trawl through every detail of his time at St Kilda whilst the actual team continues to try fight its way to form again? GT...I thought you were OK, but if you could just shut up now, that'd be really great. Thanks.

It's an issue because franklin is about to kick his 100th goal and there is a general discussion on whether the supporters should be allowed to run onto the ground.

GT is employed by media outlets as an AFL commentator. So he is using his experience of the crowd running on the ground to comment on the issue.

His holiday pay wasn't so much that he doesn't have to work anymore.

Yes, yes...I realise that. But last week it was Harv's making him cry, the week before it was umpiring annomolies with constant referrence to St kilda...for crying out loud, I know he played for us, he was assistant coach and eventually coach, but does every football experience need to involve St Kilda. Is it convenient that these issues and their St Kilda related content be raised at a time when the club is not travelling as well as it would like?

Grant's time at St Kilda is directly relevant as to why he is in the media in the first place. No coach of St Kilda, no media exposure.

I don't have a problem with comments when they relate to footy.

It's the behind the scenes brawling that I wish he and others would keep quiet about.

[degruch]

What's with GT and his memoires lately? Must we trawl through every detail of his time at St Kilda whilst the actual team continues to try fight its way to form again? GT...I thought you were OK, but if you could just shut up now, that'd be really great. Thanks.

It's an issue because franklin is about to kick his 100th goal and there is a general discussion on whether the supporters should be allowed to run onto the ground.

GT is employed by media outlets as an AFL commentator. So he is using his experience of the crowd running on the ground to comment on the issue.

His holiday pay wasn't so much that he doesn't have to work anymore.

Yes, yes...I realise that. But last week it was Harv's making him cry, the week before it was umpiring annomolies with constant referrence to St kilda...for crying out loud, I know he played for us, he was assistant coach and eventually coach, but does every football experience need to involve St Kilda. Is it convenient that these issues and their St Kilda related content be raised at a time when the club is not travelling as well as it would like?

Grant's time at St Kilda is directly relevant as to why he is in the media in the first place. No coach of St Kilda, no media exposure.

I don't have a problem with comments when they relate to footy.

It's the behind the scenes brawling that I wish he and others would keep quiet about.

It's your last point, compounded with his more recent comments, that lead me to think he should chose his references more carefully. Perhaps he can share some of his experiences as a player one day, or even as an observant...something that doesn't involve us for a change!?!

[perfectionist]

Oh well... and if Stan had moved Shannahan off Jarmen...

All past. No point dwelling on it.

True. The way Jarman played, only Cowboy would have "quietened" him! Maybe Lazar, if he hadn't done his knee, might have provided some body contact as well.

[WayneJudson42]

What's with GT and his memoires lately? Must we trawl through every detail of his time at St Kilda whilst the actual team continues to try fight its way to form again? GT...I thought you were OK, but if you could just shut up now, that'd be really great. Thanks.

It's an issue because franklin is about to kick his 100th goal and there is a general discussion on whether the supporters should be allowed to run onto the ground.

GT is employed by media outlets as an AFL commentator. So he is using his experience of the crowd running on the ground to comment on the issue.

His holiday pay wasn't so much that he doesn't have to work anymore.

Yes, yes...I realise that. But last week it was Harv's making him cry, the week before it was umpiring annomolies with constant referrence to St kilda...for crying out loud, I know he played for us, he was assistant coach and eventually coach, but does every football experience need to involve St Kilda. Is it convenient that these issues and their St Kilda related content be raised at a time when the club is not travelling as well as it would like?

Grant's time at St Kilda is directly relevant as to why he is in the media in the first place. No coach of St Kilda, no media exposure.

I don't have a problem with comments when they relate to footy.

It's the behind the scenes brawling that I wish he and others would keep quiet about.

It's your last point, compounded with his more recent comments, that lead me to think he should chose his references more carefully. Perhaps he can share some of his experiences as a player one day, or even as an observant...something that doesn't involve us for a change!?!

Sounds like he's starting to believe his own press.

Seriously though, the way he's going about it (and I could be wrong) is that he is taking ownership of the success we had, and at the same time, absolving himself of any blame for what went wrong.

Sounds like cheap publicity IMO. Why can't he gain some attention by talking about non-Saints related issues?

Every other journo does.

[WayneJudson42]

Oh well... and if Stan had moved Shannahan off Jarmen...

All past. No point dwelling on it.

True. The way Jarman played, only Cowboy would have "quietened" him! Maybe Lazar, if he hadn't done his knee, might have provided some body contact as well.

Rumour had it that Stan warned players to quickly settle, play footy, and not get involved in any physical stuff... or they'd be dragged.

We stood there (only could get standing room tickets) waiting for Hall to go berserk, but to no avail.

Yet they went straight to Harvey and ironed him out.

You'd think we would have targeted a few pre-game.

[RedWhiteBlack]

Will Grant Thomas just shut the f*ck up? The guy loves seeing his own name in the paper.

[JeffDunne]

Will Grant Thomas just shut the f*ck up? The guy loves seeing his own name in the paper.

I would too if I was getting paid for it.

[brown-coat]

Oh well... and if Stan had moved Shannahan off Jarmen...

All past. No point dwelling on it.

If we can learn a lesson from it, there's a point. Stkilda has 1 premiership in 4000 years, we had Port on the ropes.

We were firing in that first quarter, that game was ours to be eaten and gobbled up for a grand final appearance.

Who remembers that beautiful intensity we displayed? It was just unstoppable...almost.

The crowd run-on stopped the intensity.

So the next time we're in a once in a lifetime situation, don't run onto the ground. You will doom us to decades of more squabbling misery.

Well done Grant Thomas, i've been waiting for you to be publicize this disgraceful moment.

[bigcarl]

Sounds like cheap publicity IMO. Why can't he gain some attention by talking about non-Saints related issues?

he would have been responding to questions put to him about fans running on to the ground when a player kicks 100 goals, as buddy and fev are likely to do in the next few weeks.

[TimeToShineFellas]

His holiday pay wasn't so much that he doesn't have to work anymore.

Perhaps he can get a private investigator to get footage of all those who ran on the ground, get their names and addresses and then sue the lot of them for his woes

At least he is successful in winning Civil Cases

[St. Luke]

I also agree that it destroyed the run we had at the time! Port were on the ropes, the Saints were on-song! This game can practically bring me to tears when I think about the possibilities that could have been if we'd made it through that game

[bergsone]

I know that this has now turned into a love hate thread on GT AGAIN ,but FWIW,reckon he is right about pitch invasion that night.As for not winning GF anyway,well you wont win em if your not in em




Now hands up ,who on here was a pitch invader

[JeffDunne]

Hands up who is sick of thread after thread on Grant Thomas?

[bergsone]

Hands up who is sick of thread after thread on Grant Thomas?

And RB etc etc,comments become too childish after a while

[markinUSA]

part of the problem is that we get into so few grand finals; each mistake gets lived over and over again. With the teams we've had in the last 20-30 years, eg Lockett, Loewe, Harvey, Winmar, Burke... not to mention Riewoldt, Harves, Jones, etc - we should have made more Grand Finals. Gotta be in it to win it.

[Animal Enclosure]

Oh well... and if Stan had moved Shannahan off Jarmen...

All past. No point dwelling on it.

True. The way Jarman played, only Cowboy would have "quietened" him! Maybe Lazar, if he hadn't done his knee, might have provided some body contact as well.

Lazar has stated at a number of Sportsmen's nights that Jarman wouldn't have kicked a goal in the 97 GF if he had been playing... he would have been laying on a bed in Epworth Hospital.

[WayneJudson42]

part of the problem is that we get into so few grand finals; each mistake gets lived over and over again. With the teams we've had in the last 20-30 years, eg Lockett, Loewe, Harvey, Winmar, Burke... not to mention Riewoldt, Harves, Jones, etc - we should have made more Grand Finals. Gotta be in it to win it.

True. Now imagine how Colliingwood supporters must feel...

They've been in too many Grand Finals, but only one 1 in what, 50 years?

[markp]

If if if if if if..... if........

Who said if the dog hadn't stopped for a p1ss maybe it wouldn't have got hit by the car?

A million variables could have changed the result that night. Maybe momentum would've swung then anyway.

Yes they were knobs for running on the ground, yes GT is just trying to be provocative to keep his name in the paper..... it's money in the bank for him (and we know how much he loves that).

[Banger2Plugger]

Seriously I think we are all missing the one important point here.

It takes just 1 Moron, just 1 person who in their mind believe they can affect an outcome.

Too many forget the incident of Monica Seles and 1 Moron who wanted to influence a game.

Its close to the finals, a pack runs onto the ground - just 1 Moron, and a player could potentially be seriously hurt.

I hear - that will never happen here - but it just takes 1 Moron who justifies in their own mind they are doing a service. We do have those kind of Morons in Australia - we have a well known pest Peter Hore - we are so lucky that his knife was only pointed at a net.

The AFL MUST CRACK DOWN ON IT - THE STATE GOVERNMENTS AND STADIUM MANAGEMENTS MUST DISCOURAGE IT WITH HUGE FINES & IMPRISONMENT.

It only needs to happen ONCE and the very fabric of our sporting culture of viewing these events without cages or screens will be gone forever.

Finally no life is worth allowing 1 Moron the chance.

Wise up - society has changed - tradition means opportunity to a Moron

[degruch]

Seriously I think we are all missing the one important point here.

It takes just 1 Moron, just 1 person who in their mind believe they can affect an outcome.

Too many forget the incident of Monica Seles and 1 Moron who wanted to influence a game.

Its close to the finals, a pack runs onto the ground - just 1 Moron, and a player could potentially be seriously hurt.

I hear - that will never happen here - but it just takes 1 Moron who justifies in their own mind they are doing a service. We do have those kind of Morons in Australia - we have a well known pest Peter Hore - we are so lucky that his knife was only pointed at a net.

The AFL MUST CRACK DOWN ON IT - THE STATE GOVERNMENTS AND STADIUM MANAGEMENTS MUST DISCOURAGE IT WITH HUGE FINES & IMPRISONMENT.

It only needs to happen ONCE and the very fabric of our sporting culture of viewing these events without cages or screens will be gone forever.

Finally no life is worth allowing 1 Moron the chance.

Wise up - society has changed - tradition means opportunity to a Moron

The only way they'll stop it is to put up a fence. Or put Buddy at FB.

[perfectionist]

The only way they'll stop it is to put up a fence. Or put Buddy at FB.

And the occasional invasion is a lot better than a permanent fence!