Courageous Saints

[BigMart]

The three loyal servants bowing out this week have on trait I love in a football.... Great courage

It got me thinking.... Who are some of the saints of the past decade who displayed unnerving courage

Some names I put forward are

Blake.... Never flinched floating back
Max.... Sometimes was ridiculous, kamikaze
Baker... 179cm Animal... Tough as boots
Voss.... Ariel courage for 181cm
Dempster.... Disliked courage
Hamill.... ANIMAL
Raph Clarke.... Extremely courageous cut of marking
Maguire .... Good attack on the ball
Luke Ball.... His courage was inspiring
Armitage.... Wrecking ball, fierce
Kosi.... Eyes mere deviate from the ball
Lenny...... As tough as any player ever
CJ...... Mental and physical courage, amazing mark running back one year
McEvoy.... Stands under the footy
Geary,...... Relentless attack, brave player
Tom Simpkin.... Really tough

Lastly, my vote goes to

Nick Riewoldt

His courage to push himself to the limit, take constant punishment a go again, present and compete outnumbered, to run back into traffic, never once have I seen him take a short step, even when it was obvious he was going to get smashed.. in fact, if he thinks he can effect a contest, he wills himself to it.......some of the marks he takes are simply awesome,,,, inspirational... Obviously the one vs Sydney taking the cake.... The single most extraordinary mark I've ever seen

But the main reason why is this
This year, at 30, at Casey Fields vs Melbourne in a practise match.... StK won a centre clearance with a high kick to an open fwd line.... And there was Riewoldt running back from CHF into a pack at full speed... Whilst the ball was in the air, I thought... Please don't Nick... He did, and marked it, and got crunched....

No need to do it, he didn't even think... Not about the situation of the game or importance of the game
He just went on instinct.... And he'd do it again next pre season

[rexy]

Great post

[cwrcyn]

You forgot Jason Gram

[PADDLEPOP1001]

Banger!

[Little Dozer]

You forgot Jason Gram

Gram's basketball background didn't help him out too much in this department. He played some tough, hard games though, like the 09 GF. Really should have won the Norm Smith medal.

[perfectionist]

Good post BigMart. The only other one I might add would be Stephen Powell. But on Nick Riewoldt, you are 100% correct.

[BringBackMadDog]

One of the things I like about our new breed is that they all seem to be super courageous. Newnes, Saunders, Wright, Webster, Ross, Murdoch all run in straight lines and stand under packs. Its a fabulous trait to have and cannot be taught.

[SainterK]

Nice sentiment.

Kosi wins for mine.

Regular visits to the neurosurgeon, he plays with a huge amount of courage every time he takes the field.

[mr six o'clock]

What about Powell and Guerra !
They fractured a few bones during their time for us .

[CURLY]

What about Powell and Guerra !
They fractured a few bones during their time for us .

Hardly makes them couragous.

[whiskers3614]

What about Powell and Guerra !
They fractured a few bones during their time for us .

Hardly makes them couragous.

I wouldn't count Baker's thuggishness as courageous either.
But I'm in the minority on here!

[perfectionist]

Both Stephen Powell and Steven Baker made unfair contact to an number of players, and were rubbed out accordingly. However, that does not diminish their courage in going for the ball on the vast majority of contested occasions. The number of times they left the ground due to the blood rule (with gashes to their heads) is evidence enough of that. Brent Guerra was a cheap hitter, not well known for putting his own body on the line. Had he done so in the dying moments of the 2004 PF, things might have been a lot more rosy.

[BigMart]

Baker a 179cm 80kg thug was he?

He never shirked and was often fighting out of his weight division.... Eg, he was 11cm and 10kg off Stevie J and

Yes he crossed the line, but did he ever whinge when he copped it, No... and he new he was going to be a target.....nHe put his body on the line heaps of times and

Guerra hit hard, far from courageous.... Powell was indeed a tough nut... Put his head over the pill

Andrew Thompson was courageous.... Mini was too....

Josh Saunders comes across as a very courageous kid, great attack on the footy from what I've seen...

Courage is not about inflicting damage, it's willingness to put you body on the line to win the footy, or allow a team mate to do so....

[whiskers3614]

All courage Baker!
Just ask Farmer.

[Sobraz]

As much as Nick is the current benchmark, Trevor Barker for mine cannot be surpassed...

[borderbarry]

You people are very young are'nt you!

Eric "Tough" Guy would be hard to beat. That time when he had his eyebrow split open, went to the boundary and the doc stitched it up, back straight into the game. No jabs or anything.

[gringo]

Wrighty was pretty tough when he came back from his broken jaw and then tried to remove his spinal column out of his mouth.

[PADDLEPOP1001]

Greg Burns

[howlinwolf]

How about Nathan Burke ?
Tough as nails,loyal club man and a good media performer.
Love the guy !!

[Beekay]

Harvs & Riewoldt.


Physical tough guy stuff. Hamill. Was just awesome to watch when he was on. I'd go as far as saying, aside from Milne, Hamill was the most entertaining to watch when he could play 4 qts.

[saintbob]

David Grant

[Bernard Shakey]

You people are very young are'nt you!

Eric "Tough" Guy would be hard to beat. That time when he had his eyebrow split open, went to the boundary and the doc stitched it up, back straight into the game. No jabs or anything.

Number 19 is one of the biggest thugs to ever play the game. Wouldn't last 5 minutes today. Intentional, severe, head, straight to the tribunal every time. nothing courageous there!

Trevor Barker and Nick Riewoldt for me.

[samuraisaint]

Rod Owen - the toughest St Kilda Player ever.

[samuraisaint]

You people are very young are'nt you!

Eric "Tough" Guy would be hard to beat. That time when he had his eyebrow split open, went to the boundary and the doc stitched it up, back straight into the game. No jabs or anything.

Number 19 is one of the biggest thugs to ever play the game. Wouldn't last 5 minutes today. Intentional, severe, head, straight to the tribunal every time. nothing courageous there!

Trevor Barker and Nick Riewoldt for me.

My old man would agree with Bernard here on #19. Owen was tougher.

[borderbarry]

Number 19 is one of the biggest thugs to ever play the game. Wouldn't last 5 minutes today. Intentional, severe, head, straight to the tribunal every time. nothing courageous there!

Who did you barrack for in those days? It certainly was not St.Kilda if you think that.