survey

[SinCitySainter]

We have just come through the equalisation years and are now heading back to a time for the rich to get stronger and the poor to get to weaker.
Free agency will ensure that clubs like us, doggies, melbourne and the roos all stay at the bottom of the pack.
While the Essendons and Collingwoods run their eyes over our best talent and say wait a couple of years we will have him.
The future looks very bleak for my beloved sainters.
I was born in 67 so have seen the worst and have had very little joy in that time but have seen the advantage that money can give your club.

That is a pretty bleak outlook SinCity.

If we are smart about it we can get around free agency. Not everyone will leave for money. It needs leadership a la GT to bring a young group together and to dare to dream.

Whether the incumbent can do it remains to be seen, but he deserves this season and next to prove that he can.

I don't agree that we can get around free agency. We had a group of players that all committed to staying together to win the big one.
We haven't won it yet and two, perhaps three if you include Dawson, have left for cash.
Money is and always will be a big motivator we cannot offer the equivilant money and opportunities as the big clubs.
Sydney have an extra Million, Collingwood have channel 9 and Essendon have Toll what do we have to offer Seaford and a company that makes LED lighting.
The AFL has committed to 18 teams because it means 9 games a week which maximises television revenue.
It wants Block buster games between big clubs who are at the top of the ladder.
The perfect model for the AFL would be one division with all the big clubs at the top and the smaller clubs at the bottom.
They still want 9 games each week, the big clubs playing each other twice each season and playing each of the small clubs once.
Then the top eight could fight out a finals series for the premiership and the rest can have an early holiday.
The same teams fight it out at the top every year and everyone else is just an also ran.
And before anyone says that would be boring and it would kill the game, it is very much what the premier league is and that is not exactly struggling.

[The Craw]

My mates dad is 77 years old, if you asked him in 2004 if he would see his team win a premiership in his life time he would have said no ..... he has now seen 2 .... supports the swans.

Have faith my brothers and sisters, have faith !

[bigred]

We will. It will be the hard way, but we will.

[BigMart]

It's pretty common knowledge when looking at human performance and behaviours.....

I am not claiming credit for making that up, a fairly prominent academic has that honour...

[gringo]

The old world order where the rich teams could go and buy up every decent player the poor teams found were where all the Carlton, Collingwood and Essenon premierships came from. The 1970s and 1980s saw the Hawks, North and Tiges go hard on spending while we went partying. With salary caps and drafting we have ben surprisingly successful.

I don't take the past as any reason why we can't. I think every team has made a prelim in the modern era. That says equalisation works- even with extra equalisation for some.

We will see one and it will be good. I hope we have some of our current list holding up the cup. High standards have been set and are now expected.

[BigMart]

If we could of, we would of.... But we didn't?

We had a good opportunity with what we were able to assemble.... Will be able to assemble that sort of list again??

[sendmehomehappy]

We will see that kind of list assembled again, with the determination to win, and next time, we will have a more humble and wise coach who can bring it all together and get them to get the job done.

[Toy Saint]

I almost had a heart attack when Goddard marked and goaled in the drawn grand final. When I should have been jumping with excitement, I was slumped in a state of complete emotional exhaustion.

As a 10 year old in 1966 and living in the country, I watched the grand final on 3KZ, and it was the most exciting day of my life. And I clearly remember thinking what a fantastic feeling this is, and that as a Saints fan, I could look forward to this buzz every few years for the rest of my life.

In 1971, I was with the cheer squad on the fence at the Richmond end, all was looking good, but bloody Keddie ruined everything. Then in 1997 is was bloody Jarman...

I'll be in my mid 80's in 25 years, possibly alive, probably with mild dementure. Lets hope we get lucky in the next few years.

[Bernard Shakey]

Yep! 1966 did the job, not sure about another one though.

[Greg T]

I am 72. What hope have I got? Still, I was there in 66.

Good on you BB, what was it like and were you there?

I was there, but only just. My dad had a seat but I could only get a standing room ticket which would have meant I saw nothing (I was still 14). But with bench seats, the guy next to dad was OK with me squeezing in. At the time, the most memorable thing about the match was the noise in the last quarter. It was the loudest I can ever remember - and continual. And three quarters of the crowd were barracking for us! We were on the outer side and after Bob Murray's famous mark, he kicked it to Alan Morrow who was not that far from us. He held the ball in the air and I can remember thinking, why is doing that, he should kick it. Of course, the siren had gone, but no-one around me had heard it. We soon realised. My dad embraced people all around us. I had never seen him embrace anybody - not even my mother.

The aftermath was quite bizarre. We went to my uncle's place in East St Kilda and watched the replay (no live TV then). I lost count of the number of elderly people who said that they could now die happy. My parents bought me a record of the 3KZ call (with the big H) of the game for my birthday (no videotapes or DVDs then). I reckon it was played about a million times. The Footy Record (the first time it was in the large format) was thumbed through many a time with every statistic committed to memory. The advertisements in those days were for British Paints, Shell, Ross Faulkner's footballs, AWA, 3DB, Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation, Ansett ANA, St Moritz ice skating, Leyland trucks, Remy Martin Brandy and Rothmans ciggies. And of course, the Pink - the Sporting Globe - was put away - to be revisited on days when the result was not quite so good. What was to be the first of many, remains the first.

There have been a few games over the years that have gone some way to matching the feeling. I can remember a game in 1997 in Sydney when we came back from about 6 goals down to win in the last. Then there was the 2004 clash with Brisbane and Troy's goal. And the 2009 game against Geelong at the dome. We could not have played better that day, nor could have Geelong and we won with Michael's mark and goal.

Thanks for a great post mate

I too remember that wonderful game at the dome against Geelong .Just had it all.
Gardner was brilliant and I thought if we beat them that day , we'd go all the way that year.
Of course there are many great memories from the Tony Lockett ,era, also a final against Geelong.
I loved that last 4 mins in 66',elbows bumps had it all,they were tough then,you had to earn it.
Hang in there.....

[skeptic]

I'm in my late 20s and seen 3 GFs + the draw as well as 3 years where we at least had the right to be considered premiership favoritesa at one point or another (98, 04, 05).

History tells me that in my life time the saints will have another few serious cracks at it

[Hurricane]

At 31 I bloody hope we win one in my lifetime. I dont plan on shuffling off this mortal coil for a few years

I truly thought 09 was our year. We had taken the comp by storm and lost only 2 games by a combined margin of something like 4 points. After the emotion and steel of the prelim against the Dos (which I was lucky enough to attend) I just couldn't see us losing it. Sadly a few factors such as inacurate kicking, Geelong's so called "revenge" for 08, the puzzling decision to keep Ball on the bench, inability to put them away and yes some bizarre umpiring made it not to be. I had that feeling again in teh last few minutes in 2010 when Goddard took that mark and I thought we were home. Again it was not to be.

I think we have the puzzle almost complete to challenge again. We have a raft of talented kids, some experienced heads, a good external structure, a recruiter with a proven track record and with free agency looming coupled with money in the bank and a clear view of what we need I am hopeful we can win one in the next decade.

From a totally selfish point of view I hope its not within teh next 5 years so it gives me that chance to get myself sorted with residency here in the US so I can come back and see it in person.

BANG BANG

[bergholt]

It's pretty common knowledge when looking at human performance and behaviours.....

I am not claiming credit for making that up, a fairly prominent academic has that honour...

Which prominent academic?

How many of the people involved with St Kilda in the 80s are still involved now?

[fugazi]

I am 72. What hope have I got? Still, I was there in 66.

Good on you BB, what was it like and were you there?

I was there, but only just. My dad had a seat but I could only get a standing room ticket which would have meant I saw nothing (I was still 14). But with bench seats, the guy next to dad was OK with me squeezing in. At the time, the most memorable thing about the match was the noise in the last quarter. It was the loudest I can ever remember - and continual. And three quarters of the crowd were barracking for us! We were on the outer side and after Bob Murray's famous mark, he kicked it to Alan Morrow who was not that far from us. He held the ball in the air and I can remember thinking, why is doing that, he should kick it. Of course, the siren had gone, but no-one around me had heard it. We soon realised. My dad embraced people all around us. I had never seen him embrace anybody - not even my mother.

The aftermath was quite bizarre. We went to my uncle's place in East St Kilda and watched the replay (no live TV then). I lost count of the number of elderly people who said that they could now die happy. My parents bought me a record of the 3KZ call (with the big H) of the game for my birthday (no videotapes or DVDs then). I reckon it was played about a million times. The Footy Record (the first time it was in the large format) was thumbed through many a time with every statistic committed to memory. The advertisements in those days were for British Paints, Shell, Ross Faulkner's footballs, AWA, 3DB, Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation, Ansett ANA, St Moritz ice skating, Leyland trucks, Remy Martin Brandy and Rothmans ciggies. And of course, the Pink - the Sporting Globe - was put away - to be revisited on days when the result was not quite so good. What was to be the first of many, remains the first.

There have been a few games over the years that have gone some way to matching the feeling. I can remember a game in 1997 in Sydney when we came back from about 6 goals down to win in the last. Then there was the 2004 clash with Brisbane and Troy's goal. And the 2009 game against Geelong at the dome. We could not have played better that day, nor could have Geelong and we won with Michael's mark and goal.

Great post Pefectionist...you post like a younger man, but ripping memories, thanks for sharing them.

[Scollop]

I'm in my late 20s and seen 3 GFs + the draw as well as 3 years where we at least had the right to be considered premiership favoritesa at one point or another (98, 04, 05).

History tells me that in my life time the saints will have another few serious cracks at it

I totally agree.

How the hell can anyone predict what might happen?? As Leigh Matthews said when asked about Brisbane's chances - the first thing he made clear is that they may never win another flag and secondly - with 17 other clubs in the competition - there's more chance of not winning.

No surprises with some of the responses I must admit from some of the regular pessimists...Next thing you know they'll be telling us we should get rid of Bourkey and Thomo and Sammy and all the other past players that are currently working at the club. Imho, current legends of St Kilda and current and past players that love this footy club will be a key part of the next successful period.

I want our club to get the basics right and have a board and footy department and development academy that demands excellence.

I reckon the last ten years and even going back to the 90's under Kenny and Stan, we have had some quality leaders and people including administrators and most importantly quality players that will drive this club to create the best structures and foundations for the future. It'll be damn hard...but I vote YES!! I will see more GF appearances and I will see a second flag.

[plugger66]

Been 40 years now .... 4 grandfinal.... No cup

Best indicator of future performance, is past performance....

Put it this way,

Do you think Collingwood, Essendon or Carlton will?!

Works well in AFL footy. Geelong won so many in the 30 years leading up to the last 3 flags. Collingwood won 1 in 50 years before their last. Brisbane didnt even exist. Sydney hadnt won one in 70 years before they have now started dominating.