Interesting story by Wilson

[saynta]

Don't know how much of it is true.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/sai ... 51fni.html

[Moods]

I don't agree with everything she writes but I enjoy her more than most - and most say she makes crap up because they don't like what she writes. I find her articles extremely interesting and she's far more connected than ppl give her credit.

Great article for mine.

[Cairnsman]

How much do you reckon Caro get's paid, when I die I'm coming back as a footy journo. Good on anyone for making a buck out of that.

[saynta]

For those who can't access the article.

"An intriguing personal history is building between St Kilda and Melbourne. The sizeable gulf that appeared to lie between the progress made by the two teams by the end of last season has narrowed ever so slightly after four rounds of football but it’s still a cavity marked by interclub turbulence.

Not only have the Saints' young players been stung by external and unflattering comparisons to their Demon counterparts - after both groups seemed on such promising paths at the start of 2017 -but also by the on-field taunts that have come their way from Melbourne.

The Demons ended a long losing streak against St Kilda in round one of that season two years ago, living up to their side of the build-up with a five-goal win in a devastating game for the Saints, during saw Nick Riewoldt was stretchered from the ground.

When the two teams met again in August that year the Melbourne players - wrongly believing themselves headed for the final eight — goaded the Saints about finals, along the lines of ‘‘enjoy your September’’.

Despite the opposing fortunes of the two clubs in 2018 the head-to-head ledger finished at one win apiece and heading into Easter Saturday it’s a far more intriguing match-up looming at the MCG than first appearances seemed just one month ago. St Kilda and their young guns headed by Jade Gresham, Jack Billings and Jack Lonie have defied expectations while Melbourne have done the opposite."




I have left a large chunk of the middle of the story out but here's the last bit.



"The players have fallen in love with Ratten and not only due to the intellectual property that has accompanied him from Hawthorn. And Lade, who returned to Melbourne from Port Adelaide for family reasons, has regenerated and refocused the coaches. Lethlean’s push for premiership experience, which also extended to Billy Slater and now Dermott Brereton as well as Allan, seems vindicated.

The long-term prospects for all St Kilda’s key off-field players remain uncertain but as the club prepares once again to measure its development against the Demons; the progress achieved from the Good Friday debacle of 2018 deserves recognition. And while it’s impossible to predict these things the ill-feeling of the recent past would suggest an extra spark as twilight falls on the MCG."

[Scollop]

She didn't miss a chance to look back on the politics and unrest in 2018;

"Although four games is an impossibly small sample it’s worth examining the Saints' progress since the discontent that took a grip on the club towards the end of last season and had its public genesis on Good Friday last year.

Inexplicably the AFL had taken the fledgling Easter game from the Western Bulldogs and was left to count the cost red-faced as the Saints put in a 43-point shocker, losing to North Melbourne by more than eight goals. The club had no chance of a Good Friday return bout as the season unravelled. The two-point win over the Demons in round 15 at the MCG was a rare high point.

By late winter, as the losses mounted, supporters turned away and the financial plight worsened, both coach Alan Richardson and chief executive Matt Finnis found themselves under increasing pressure — Richardson had disenchanted players and Finnis was being scrutinised by a critical AFL.

Club president Peter Summers had agreed to prematurely step aside, paving the way for a series of political manoeuvres that briefly involved both AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan and his predecessor Andrew Demetriou before Andrew Bassat ascended with the blessing of the commission.

The decision to recruit Dan Hannebery on a long-term deal currently haunts both Finnis and Simon Lethlean and raised eyebrows at the time.

But while his elevation to the leadership group with hindsight looks rushed, it’s too early to write off Hannebery who apart from his physical baggage arrived with a heavy emotional load, deeply wounded by the way in which Sydney moved him on.

And given the external heat towards the end of last season it’s little wonder the club felt committed to landing an experienced midfielder with premiership credentials. Lethlean came to the club on a second chance — like his new list management lieutenant Graeme Allan — and must be praying Hannebery does not become another in a long list of recruiting shockers that began in 2013 when the club traded Ben McEvoy to Hawthorn.

Bassat failed to end speculation regarding the coach’s future with his unconvincing first media conference in the job but since then has worked closely with Finnis in devising a blueprint for the future and simplifying the off-field strategy by focusing the club’s resources on its first home game in China and the potential benefits."

[Vazelos]

Interesting article it’s almost like a reverse of us 2003/4 when we were touted as the next super team and Geelong got their nose out of joint feeling they were not respected enough now it’s the other way around.. Melbourne is being told they are the most talented list destined for greatness and we are the team with the chip on our shoulder we are not getting enough respect.

[WellardSaint]

Hanners being deeply wounded by the way Sydney moved him on?

With our need for a marquee player, esp midfield, he knew he'd get big $$
and more games than Sydney could offer him.
He started training weeks before he was required. Had lunch in cafeteria with one young staffer at
RSEA Park; on his first day, shook the hand of everyone in the place.

Disaster of trading McEvoy?
We both did well, Hawks n us. Savage came in.
- the club is comparing itself to the Dees?
No, media is doing that.
Club is taking bits from all clubs- IP from Ratten, Lade, Hanners, Dermie, Slater even.

As usual, she's writing an opinion piece, not a journo, more of a gossip queen

[Yorkeys]

Agree with WellardSaint. Not much evidence for most of it and its selective. Prior to the 2017 (?) first round win we had an exceptional record against Melbourne and in that game were well ahead early then AR was outcoached and we got run over. The spark was the old trick of running multiple players off the half back line at bounces and Gawn was at his imperious best; our rucks were poor. The teasing inter team banter seems innocuous given what else goes on and the stuff at the end of 2017 actually made the Melbourne players look like gooses. Their finals performance in Perth last year is hardly an effort they would want to use in a pissing contest with our guys, is it Caro. The stuff about Hannebery, Lethlean, Board and AFL is stale old news (Caro's editor: did you review currency?). How long since CW actually broke something fresh and technical rather than inflict a Dear Abby column. Looking at the dismal stuff that comes from her and Barratt it is easy to conclude that AFL commentating in the press (it's neither journalism or analysis) is a terribly miserable business that attracts mediocre sad talent with clear biases. Caro should declare in all her articles that she is a staunch Tiger and a miserable piece of work on a good day. Barratt should acknowledge he sleeps in a Hawthorn beany (with pom pom) and has never got over Buddy leaving.

[Spinner]

Don't know how much of it is true.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/sai ... 51fni.html

Probably all of it I would say.

Don't think journalists, especially very good ones can get away with writing lies.

[Cairnsman]

Don't know how much of it is true.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/sai ... 51fni.html

Probably all of it I would say.

Don't think journalists, especially very good ones can get away with writing lies.

It's a shockingly boring and irrelevant cooky cutter corporate budget production. In past generations it would have been a journalistic creation considered beneath a first year under grad and is now the type of output created from basic research and writing skills developed in secondary schools.

[saynta]

Agree with WellardSaint. Not much evidence for most of it and its selective. Prior to the 2017 (?) first round win we had an exceptional record against Melbourne and in that game were well ahead early then AR was outcoached and we got run over. The spark was the old trick of running multiple players off the half back line at bounces and Gawn was at his imperious best; our rucks were poor. The teasing inter team banter seems innocuous given what else goes on and the stuff at the end of 2017 actually made the Melbourne players look like gooses. Their finals performance in Perth last year is hardly an effort they would want to use in a pissing contest with our guys, is it Caro. The stuff about Hannebery, Lethlean, Board and AFL is stale old news (Caro's editor: did you review currency?). How long since CW actually broke something fresh and technical rather than inflict a Dear Abby column. Looking at the dismal stuff that comes from her and Barratt it is easy to conclude that AFL commentating in the press (it's neither journalism or analysis) is a terribly miserable business that attracts mediocre sad talent with clear biases. Caro should declare in all her articles that she is a staunch Tiger and a miserable piece of work on a good day. Barratt should acknowledge he sleeps in a Hawthorn beany (with pom pom) and has never got over Buddy leaving.

[saynta]

Don't know how much of it is true.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/sai ... 51fni.html

Probably all of it I would say.

Don't think journalists, especially very good ones can get away with writing lies.

Arrh, but Kero Caro isn't a very good journalist. In my eyes, she is a very poor one.

[tedtheodorelogan2018]

Caz Caz Baby with her golden arrow or whatever it's called.

[bigcarl]

I don’t know how accurate Caro’s report is, but from this supporter’s point of view Saints v Dreamons is developing into a grudge match.

Few things would give me greater pleasure than to spank the sanctimonous cheeseboarders today. I can’t stand their fans.

Goe number 5. Goe Dees.

Hope we send them to Bulla when there isn’t any snow, pious, smug pricks that they are.

Go Saints


Ahhh, I feel better after that bit of hate mongering.

[asiu]

thats good ... isn’t it !!

promoting a little mongrel
... isn’t that what we are up to
in the bigger picture of things

no more of the butterboys shite

the next bit is to smash em onfield
AND on the scoreboard

go us.


looking forward to it , immensely.

[Scollop]

Yorkeys;

Barrett is a North supporter

[samuraisaint]

Hanners being deeply wounded by the way Sydney moved him on?

With our need for a marquee player, esp midfield, he knew he'd get big $$
and more games than Sydney could offer him.
He started training weeks before he was required. Had lunch in cafeteria with one young staffer at
RSEA Park; on his first day, shook the hand of everyone in the place.

Disaster of trading McEvoy?
We both did well, Hawks n us. Savage came in.

Spot on WS. I reckon we are evens with the Hawks in that trade. Savage is a very important player for us, and his game last week was extremely underrated.
He's becoming my favourite player at the moment. Unsung hero.
We also got Dunstan out of the trade and he is still very handy too.

[evertonfc]

Really good article.

A bit tired of people bagging her. She gets it right nearly always.

The only thing I can disagree with her on in 15 years would be her call on Peta Searle, claiming we demoted her. I didn't like that call; she make it a gender issue. Peta is now the coach of our AFLW team.

Apart from that, she's nailed everything on our club.

[SemperFidelis]

I have no difficulty with this article and some of the coaching related stuff is interesting.

Trading McEvoy was part of a strategy and there have been dividends but we were also gutted when he left and are only just now sorting the ruck scenario. Hammers is in the wait and see basket.

I frankly enjoyed her highlighting Melbourne getting ahead of itself. Made my day.

[saynta]

I have no difficulty with this article and some of the coaching related stuff is interesting.

Trading McEvoy was part of a strategy and there have been dividends but we were also gutted when he left and are only just now sorting the ruck scenario. Hammers is in the wait and see basket.

I frankly enjoyed her highlighting Melbourne getting ahead of itself. Made my day.

She's just s*** stirring them in the hope that they are stung enough to beat us.

[samuraisaint]

Modern day rivalry with the Dees? Not really. It's been mostly one way traffic bar a finals loss in 2006.

Since 2005 we have played them 23 times. We've beaten them in 18 of those 23 matches.

10 of those 18 wins came at their home ground the MCG.

Average winning margin for us over them in this time is over 35 points.

This includes our biggest ever win against them - 88 points in 2005, and our fourth largest win against them - 79 points in 2008.

It also includes our second highest ever score against them - 176 points in 2005, and our fourth highest ever score against them - 151 points - also in 2005.

We have now beaten them 93 times.

When our run against them in this modern era began we had barely won 39% of our games against them.

It now stands at an improving 43.5%

Another foundation club we are quickly improving our winning ratio against.

[degruch]

I've never had a massive issue with Caro, but agree that the article is an opinion piece presented as fact. Her comments in regard to our heated rivalry with the Dees and McEvoys trade 'disaster' are just popular media perception, I'd be surprised if the club saw it the same way.

I do love that the Dees are having their arse handed to them on and off the field though...if you ever need an example of a supporter base getting ahead of themselves, no need to look much further. Horrible, arrogant, cheating, AFL spoon-fed club too.

[Linton Lodger]

Interesting article it’s almost like a reverse of us 2003/4 when we were touted as the next super team and Geelong got their nose out of joint feeling they were not respected enough now it’s the other way around.. Melbourne is being told they are the most talented list destined for greatness and we are the team with the chip on our shoulder we are not getting enough respect.

In 2004, we had beaten Geelong in the Pre-season final and then smashed them Round 1. After which Paul Chapman declared "we're better than them" and I remember laughing. Last laugh was on him. A few years later they got us when it mattered.