A comment on Saints history.

[Phosphorous Saints]

I, today, have literally gone through St. Kilda's history season by season since 1897 and I just want to say, we've come a long way since the first three VFL seasons which accumulated a grand total of *gulp* zero wins. I'm glad to say, gone are the days of scorelines of 0.1 and 0.2. While it hasn't always been a glorious history, I still love this team. I sure hope it doesn't take another 70 years to win another Grand Final, but I'll still love the Saints even if they never win another one.

Let's beat the Bulldogs this weekend!

[saintspremiers]

Beating Footscray is about the margin. We are shoe ins. They are complete junk.

The big test is Collingwood the week after.

[Dave McNamara]

I, today, have literally gone through St. Kilda's history season by season since 1897 and I just want to say, we've come a long way since the first three VFL seasons which accumulated a grand total of *gulp* zero wins. I'm glad to say, gone are the days of scorelines of 0.1 and 0.2. While it hasn't always been a glorious history, I still love this team. I sure hope it doesn't take another 70 years to win another Grand Final, but I'll still love the Saints even if they never win another one.
Let's beat the Bulldogs this weekend!

Ah, but we have had some truly great players.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_McNamara




BTW, welcome Anthony!

Outta' interest, what made you choose the Saintas? Must have been because we hale from Melbourne's grooviest suburb, are the famous party-club, have the most passionate (and masochistic supporters), are the footy club of choice for artists, musos and creative people, and of course the tri-panel jumper is easily the best in the league... I could go on...

For me, it's all of the above. But the clincher... the first fine ever issued by the league (then the VFL) was to the Saintas... for turning up late to a match...

Gotta' love those Saintas!

[Dr Spaceman]

But the clincher... the first fine ever issued by the league (then the VFL) was to the Saintas... for turning up late to a match...

And they've had it in for us ever since!

[Phosphorous Saints]

Well, to be honest, it was because I remembered Nick Riewoldt's face. He just was very recognizable to me. I used to watch the matches on what was then ESPN360.com, but ESPN no longer broadcasts the AFL. Jerks. Also, the fans make it easy to like the team because of the passion I see from them.

Tony Lockett and Ian Stewart were OK from what I read, too

[saintspremiers]

Make sure you spread the gospel of St. Kilda to as many as you can!

[tony74]

And you do realise our first win was actually shown as a draw until the players complained and the goal umpires checked their scorecards!! We won by a point. And the time our senior players decided not to play in a game and go to the races at Flemington instead!! You just have to love the Saints and their history.

[desertsaint]

hmm.

[Beno88]

Looking at our history really makes you appreciate the present....

These 33 seasons - 1897-1902, 1904-05, 1910-11, 1921, 1924, 1932, 1941, 1943, 1945-49, 1952, 1954-56, 1977, 1979-80, 1982, 1985-86, 1988, 2000-01 saw St Kilda win just 80 games (2.4 a season).

In the last 10 seasons St Kilda have won 141 games (14.5 a season).

[mr six o'clock]

I, today, have literally gone through St. Kilda's history season by season since 1897 and I just want to say, we've come a long way since the first three VFL seasons which accumulated a grand total of *gulp* zero wins. I'm glad to say, gone are the days of scorelines of 0.1 and 0.2. While it hasn't always been a glorious history, I still love this team. I sure hope it doesn't take another 70 years to win another Grand Final, but I'll still love the Saints even if they never win another one.

Let's beat the Bulldogs this weekend!

St Kilda was invited to join the then VFL in 1897 basically because we had a good football ground !
But we've never had much money .
That's why we have a poor early history , the game was a reflection of what the current suburban league's are like . You have rich clubs and poor one's . The rich clubs are always fighting for the flag !
From around the thirties to the eighties the Vfl divided Victoria and also the suburbs of melbourne into zones from which Vfl teams had the opportunity to select players . thats why the saints have had allot of good players from the ballarat region of Victoria.
From the mid eighties we've had the draft and a salary cap , so the rich clubs carn't dominate .
However , the richer clubs are able to spend so much more in their development programs and on their coaching and administration staff , this extra money means they never seem to have two poor seasons in a row .
e.g. collingwood's altitude training in Arizona each pre-season , that must cost them heaps .
In comparison , the saints can hardly afford a week at mt buller !

[matrix]

hmm.

yeah... you and me both.

[HelenR]

I have friends in Portland, Oregon. Visited them in 2010 between 2009 and 2010 Grand Finals and gave them Saints scarves as gifts. They were wearing them with pride for both grand finals and were upset that we didn't win. Didn't like the draw. Wondered why the game wasn't decided then with extra time. Loved showing them the Eric Bana movie that has all the Saints stuff on the walls etc. and also his commentary of the game against Collingwood. Hopefully they will visit so we can take them to see the Sainters playing the best game in the world.

[ozrulestrace]

But the clincher... the first fine ever issued by the league (then the VFL) was to the Saintas... for turning up late to a match...

I'd never heard of the story of the team turning up late for a game.

Were they waiting for a Metro train?

[Dave McNamara]

But the clincher... the first fine ever issued by the league (then the VFL) was to the Saintas... for turning up late to a match...

I'd never heard of the story of the team turning up late for a game. Were they waiting for a Metro train?

Probably waiting for Happy Hour to finish...




Actually, I've heard that that wasn't far from the truth as to why we lost the 1913 'challenge' Grannie' to Fitzroy... over-confidence after a comfy win the week before, apparently the celebratory champers were opened before the game...

Once again..., just gotta' love those Saintas...

[plugger66]

Beating Footscray is about the margin. We are shoe ins. They are complete junk.

The big test is Collingwood the week after.

Have you been right just once this year when we play these sides that are crap. Matter of fact North have only lost once by less than a goal when you said it about them.

[ozrulestrace]

Can we please leave this thread in a somewhat light hearted tone rather than plunge into the usual darkness of personal attack?

[Selhurst Saint]

Can we please leave this thread in a somewhat light hearted tone rather than plunge into the usual darkness of personal attack?

Amen. The usual suspects destroy what was once a great forum.

[BigMart]

Here I come.....

This forum has been exactly the same for 10 years since I've been reading it....

SOL, Bungiton, Barks, Myself, JB, MM, P66, Stone Cold.... Many nasty threads... Back in the earlier 2000's

There were threats of violence, personal abuse.."....

History is always seen through rose colored glasses

[Sobraz]

Actually, I've heard that that wasn't far from the truth as to why we lost the 1913 'challenge' Grannie' to Fitzroy... :

This 'challenge' situation.

Am I right in thinking that we actually won the Grand Final, but the team that finishes top of the home and home ladder can challenge if they are the losers of the GF to a rematch?

Is this what happened here, and how many other times has it happened such that the top side has lost, challenged and won the rematch?...

Realistically, these challenges should be overturned, and the premiership awarded retrospectively to the original winner of the inital GF...

[saint1974]

Actually, I've heard that that wasn't far from the truth as to why we lost the 1913 'challenge' Grannie' to Fitzroy... :

This 'challenge' situation.

Am I right in thinking that we actually won the Grand Final, but the team that finishes top of the home and home ladder can challenge if they are the losers of the GF to a rematch?

Is this what happened here, and how many other times has it happened such that the top side has lost, challenged and won the rematch?...

Realistically, these challenges should be overturned, and the premiership awarded retrospectively to the original winner of the inital GF...

Yes that's true, my great grandfather played in that grandfinal wore number 18 and played down the back, my family have the original newspaper and record from this game, so sad to look back now on that result to realise my great grandfather was a priemership player for a short moment before the result was challenged and we lost on the challenge.
Nearly 100 years later we all still follow the Saints and it would have been great that at least we would have had 2 flags.

[tony74]

Anthony, I'm not sure where you got your info about the early days of the mighty Saints but the link below is from the official Saints website. Makes very interesting reading!

http://www.saints.com.au/a%20history%20 ... fault.aspx

[Dave McNamara]

Actually, I've heard that that wasn't far from the truth as to why we lost the 1913 'challenge' Grannie' to Fitzroy... :

This 'challenge' situation.

Am I right in thinking that we actually won the Grand Final, but the team that finishes top of the home and home ladder can challenge if they are the losers of the GF to a rematch?

Is this what happened here, and how many other times has it happened such that the top side has lost, challenged and won the rematch?...

Realistically, these challenges should be overturned, and the premiership awarded retrospectively to the original winner of the inital GF...

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1913_VFL_Grand_Final
  The 1913 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Fitzroy Football Club and St Kilda Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 27 September 1913. It was the 16th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine the premiers for the 1913 VFL season. The match, attended by 59,556 spectators, was won by Fitzroy by a margin of 13 points, marking that club's fifth premiership victory.
  It was St Kilda's first ever Grand Final appearance and they struggled early, not kicking a goal until the third quarter. A last quarter burst from St Kilda got them within a point when George Morrissey goaled. A mark to Des Baird in the goal square, on a slight angle, looked like giving the Saints the lead but he handpassed it to Morrissey who was covered by his opponent and he could only snap a behind. Two late goals to Fitzroy sealed the game.

What where you thinking Des!?!

Sounds familiar?

There were two knockout Semi Finals, leaving only us and Fitzroy standing to play in the 'Preliminary Final', which we won easily. However, as the top home and away team, they had the right to challenge, and managed to win the 'Grand Final' (above) - go figure... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1913_VFL_season

So the Saintas have made it to the final two teams AND won convincingly..., but no flag for it...

Interestingly, the Jailbirds record fourth in a row premeiership was achieved in the same way...

• Collingwood met Geelong in the Final, and, as minor premiers, they had a right to another game if defeated. They were required to exercise this right after Geelong won by 26 points.
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1930_VFL_Grand_Final
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1930_VFL_season

Probably the most bizarre of all was 1916, the only time a team (Fitzroy) 'won' the spoon (only 2 wins) AND the premiership in the one season... strange, but true... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1916_VFL_season

I reckon quite a few of those early premierships and ALL the wartime ones are dodgey, and not just coz we didn't get awarded any of them...

[Dave McNamara]

And as an aside, checkout how the Jailbirds 'won' the 1929 flag...

'Eliminated' in the semi final, yet straight into the Grand Final... go figure again...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1929_VFL_season