St Kilda FC - AFL Premiers for season 2011?

[Sean]

Since being a Saints supporter since 2004 there have many highs and lows for me. The 6 points loss to Port in the '04 prelimianry final, the 8 point win in the qualifying final Adelaide, the narrow loss to Melbourne in the elimination final the year after. The brilliant 7 point win against the Bulldogs in the '09 preliminary final, the 4 point win against Geelong this year and of course our losses in the Grand Final in '09 and '10.

After seeing the amazing drawn final I was left to regret that we should have gone to extra time. Our boys tired bodies were just not up to it the next week. Gram , Del Santo, Roo, Kosi all had injuries and were playing and we didn't really stand a chance. We were outplayed from the beginning in GF2. The bigger the margin the more it hurt for me. I nearly cried for the first time in 10 years. But then I thought of Goddard, Hayes, Del Santo, Montagna and Riewoldt and the incredible efforts they put in over the years and that made me really proud to be Saints supporter. I could not bear the thought of them finishing their careers without a premiership medalian around their necks. But when I saw the look in their eyes after they were defeated it told me they were never going to give up and give it a red hot crack in 2011. My heart also went to the Saints supporters who have been supporting them for 50 years, I couldn't imagine the agony they have been through now witnessing 5 grand finals St Kilda have been involved in without a win since 1966.

That has what life has become as a St Kilda supporter. In fact its very simular to my life outside of footy. I put up with it and life goes on. I took this in as a positive insight looking at are heartbreaking defeats as stepping stones for season 2011. The 2011 season should be a telling one for some of the players to see if they are hungry enough for this premiership. I am confident they have the will to win. Season 2011 - Bring it on!

Post your thoughts on how St Kilda FC will fare in 2011 and what changes to the team they need to make to win the flag for next year.

[IluvHarvey]

Mate a good read but if you have only been a supporter since 2004 you know nothing about the "lows". Compared to the eighties 2004 onwards has been fantastic,

[aussierules0k]

[westy]

Hi Sean, welcome to the greatest club in the AFL competition. Around about 1959 my old man said to me: "Come on son your coming to the footy". After that I was hooked on the mighty saints. We weren't too mighty but every body was keen enough to watch the saints week after week through thick and thin. I got dragged along to the GF in 1966 and that was unbelievable. I hadn't really heard of tattoos then, but very, very, many years later I decided that when we win the flag again, I'm gettin' one. The only problem is that as I get older my ken arm is getting smaller but our emblem is still BIG

[maz1685]

Mate a good read but if you have only been a supporter since 2004 you know nothing about the "lows". Compared to the eighties 2004 onwards has been fantastic,

It's a bit rough to say "You know nothing about the "lows". Maybe he's a young supporter, so the pain he feels about the "lows" of 2004 onwards is probably the same pain you felt back in the 80's.
It's a bit unfair to lessen his pain based on different experiences.

[Sean]

One of the all time best first post/thread ever at SS.
Welcome aboard Sean!

Go Saints 2011!

Thanks haven't had compiments like that for along time!

[Sean]

Mate a good read but if you have only been a supporter since 2004 you know nothing about the "lows". Compared to the eighties 2004 onwards has been fantastic,

It's a bit rough to say "You know nothing about the "lows". Maybe he's a young supporter, so the pain he feels about the "lows" of 2004 onwards is probably the same pain you felt back in the 80's.
It's a bit unfair to lessen his pain based on different experiences.

Yeah I guess I am a young supporter. I just recently turned 18 so it would be fair to say that. Obviously I wasn't born in the 80's so I don't know what the painful experiences were like.

[MadSaintFan]

Good onya Sean. Stick with us mate - all the tough times will only make the Premiership success taste sweeter! It takes something special to be a Saints supporter - resilience is probably the key word. Sounds like you have it.

[Dr Spaceman]

Yeah I guess I am a young supporter. I just recently turned 18 so it would be fair to say that. Obviously I wasn't born in the 80's so I don't know what the painful experiences were like.

Think Chilean mines

[Stephen Theodore]

Sean wrote:
Obviously I wasn't born in the 80's so I don't know what the painful experiences were like.

Best way to describe the 80s is, each win was celebrated like a finals win. Enough said.

Hang in there Sean, the ultimate success is not far away.

[SainterK]

Hi Sean.

I too find the reactions of guys really hard. I can't watch those montages of guys like Lenny after the 2009 GF, it's just too tough.

You mentioned the look of determination in their eyes, if you haven't already, head over to saints.com.au and watch the B&F speeches as that will fill with the same kind of confidence.

[Dr Spaceman]

Sean wrote:
Obviously I wasn't born in the 80's so I don't know what the painful experiences were like.

Best way to describe the 80s is, each win was celebrated like a finals win. Enough said.

Or, if you can remember the 80s, you weren't really there

[stevie]

I well remember the late 70's and the 80's. Gloomy final=less seasons, punctuated by moments of brillaince from Barks.

Then the Plugger years in which we came improved but not consistently.

We've been spoiled the last few years. But 2000 is verty painful to me - i remember tears of frustration each week until we finally won in RD. 13.
mind you, we did have a crap team..

[stinger]

Since being a Saints supporter since 2004 there have many highs and lows for me. The 6 points loss to Port in the '04 prelimianry final, the 8 point win in the qualifying final Adelaide, the narrow loss to Melbourne in the elimination final the year after. The brilliant 7 point win against the Bulldogs in the '09 preliminary final, the 4 point win against Geelong this year and of course our losses in the Grand Final in '09 and '10.

After seeing the amazing drawn final I was left to regret that we should have gone to extra time. Our boys tired bodies were just not up to it the next week. Gram , Del Santo, Roo, Kosi all had injuries and were playing and we didn't really stand a chance. We were outplayed from the beginning in GF2. The bigger the margin the more it hurt for me. I nearly cried for the first time in 10 years. But then I thought of Goddard, Hayes, Del Santo, Montagna and Riewoldt and the incredible efforts they put in over the years and that made me really proud to be Saints supporter. I could not bear the thought of them finishing their careers without a premiership medalian around their necks. But when I saw the look in their eyes after they were defeated it told me they were never going to give up and give it a red hot crack in 2011. My heart also went to the Saints supporters who have been supporting them for 50 years, I couldn't imagine the agony they have been through now witnessing 5 grand finals St Kilda have been involved in without a win since 1966.

That has what life has become as a St Kilda supporter. In fact its very simular to my life outside of footy. I put up with it and life goes on. I took this in as a positive insight looking at are heartbreaking defeats as stepping stones for season 2011. The 2011 season should be a telling one for some of the players to see if they are hungry enough for this premiership. I am confident they have the will to win. Season 2011 - Bring it on!

Post your thoughts on how St Kilda FC will fare in 2011 and what changes to the team they need to make to win the flag for next year.

you have brightened my day...my outlook....life goes on...welcome to ss mate......

[saintbrat]

welcome Sean
and you don't have to go to the 90's for Saints Pain

try 2000,

I celebrate each Saints win still because we never know what will come next - for ourselves or the Team

the persistance of this group and their collective determination is visible

[Sean]

I see what you guys mean about the 1980's. I did some research and from 1980-89 we won 48 matches and lost 170. That gives us a win-loss ratio of 0.28:1 or a win % of 22%. Wow I feel sorry for you guys. I'm definitely thinking of the chilean miners. Thankfully they all got out safely. Stevie also made mention of the early 2000's. After making the grand final in 1997 we started to fall away again. From 1999-2003 we won 32 games and lost 76 giving us a win-loss ratio of 0.42:1 or a win % of 29.6%. But what I'm trying to say is it is a credit to those supporters who have put up with the Saints for along time. It is a testament of their character. 2004-2010 has been a very good period for us (if not our best in the clubs history) with 110 wins and 57 losses (win-loss ratio of 1.93:1 or win% of 65.8%). My research does not include draws of course. Don't worry I'm sure our time will come soon!

Source: afl.allthestats.com

[saintspremiers]

Sean wrote:
Obviously I wasn't born in the 80's so I don't know what the painful experiences were like.

Best way to describe the 80s is, each win was celebrated like a finals win. Enough said.

Hang in there Sean, the ultimate success is not far away.

exactly....it was like we won 5 Premierships each year back then!

Much better than now, when we only get excited when we win a Prelim plus one or two big H&A matches!

[joffaboy]

You say post your thoughts, well here goes.

We came close in 2009, closer in 2010, but lost both.

We have a very very good coach who decided that we would not trade during trade week.

This says to me that he believes that this team has a shot at a flag in the next couple of years.

Ross lyon is nobodies fool and I cant, for one second, believe that he would willfully just let the list fall to pieces and not trade if necessary (as we can see he has traded heavily over the past three years).

this to me is an optimistic sign.

We are still in the hunt. Get to a GF and see what happens. We were so close TWICE, get to another and we get another go.

[Sainternist]

Ross lyon is nobodies fool and I cant, for one second, believe that he would willfully just let the list fall to pieces and not trade if necessary (as we can see he has traded heavily over the past three years).

this to me is an optimistic sign.

We are still in the hunt. Get to a GF and see what happens. We were so close TWICE, get to another and we get another go.

i pretty much felt the same way after discovering all trades were off.

he obviously has a lot of faith in his men. i think it a very good sign.

hopefully he'll acquire some good talent in the draft.

contrary to the press and crystal ball gazers already writing us off,
we'll be a good show for 2011.

[bigred]

So hard to get to a GF.

[Mr Magic]

When the extent of Roo's hamstring injury after Rd 3 became known, did anybody truly believe we would make top 4, let alone play off in a GF, let alone be a point away from winning it this season?

If there's one thing this team has shown in the last 2 years it is that you 'write them off' at your own peril!

[saint patrick]

When the extent of Roo's hamstring injury after Rd 3 became known, did anybody truly believe we would make top 4, let alone play off in a GF, let alone be a point away from winning it this season?

If there's one thing this team has shown in the last 2 years it is that you 'write them off' at your own peril!

This..and welcome sean..great first up post

[Stephen Theodore]

joffaboy wrote:
You say post your thoughts, well here goes.

We came close in 2009, closer in 2010, but lost both.

We have a very very good coach who decided that we would not trade during trade week.

This says to me that he believes that this team has a shot at a flag in the next couple of years.

Ross lyon is nobodies fool and I cant, for one second, believe that he would willfully just let the list fall to pieces and not trade if necessary (as we can see he has traded heavily over the past three years).

this to me is an optimistic sign.

We are still in the hunt. Get to a GF and see what happens. We were so close TWICE, get to another and we get another go.

I love the optimism, JB.

It was getting a bit depresssing on here after the G.F, and understandby so, but as they say, life goes on. I am also looking forward to 2011.

[Nick - Saints Man]

Anything short of a premiership in 2011 would be abject failure. Let's put it out there. We want a flag and it's time the club delivered.

Ok, maybe the same thing could have been said at the end of last year as well. At least now we have the necessary experience of grand final pressure. Bring on 2011!

[Furphy]

I'm not as confident as I was this time last year