Nearly.... But not quite

thirty-seven!? · Fri 10 Apr 2009 9:42pm

In reading some of these articles in the build up tomorrow's match, and how they talk about how close St.Kilda was to snagging Dean Cox a few years ago, it got me thinking.... What other players did the Saints nearly trade in, before pulling out (for one reason or another), before that player has then moved on to the elite player category??

Does anyone have any names?

Was Steve Johnson one?

rodgerfox · Post: # 721189Post **rodgerfox** » Fri 10 Apr 2009 9:50pm

Ben Cousins.

Post: # 721193Post **n1ck** » Fri 10 Apr 2009 9:53pm

Steve Johnson was a Saints supporter before being drafted by Geelong - IIRC.

I think we may have had a cheeky dig at him after one season... (maybe 2005?) but it was never really a serious possibility as far as I know. We were extremely, extremely close to giving up #9 to WCE for Ben Cousins before he was de-registered.

the shadow · Fri 10 Apr 2009 10:01pm

Dean Cox indeed. Almost got him for Heath Black. Gardiner injured his knee about that time and WCE kept Cox as insurance. The rest, as they say, is history. GT has told this story a number of times when defending his so-called lack of respect for the ruckman's role in the game. We had a fair crack at Brendon Lade as I recall, but coming off two broken legs, he was considered too much of a risk.

A blast from the past is Peter Carey. Champion ruckman in the 1970's in the SANFL (Glenelg?) All set to come over because his son had a disability which was best catered for in a specialist school in Melbourne. Never came. Played over 400 senior SANFL games and many interstate games against the big V. What is it about us and ruckmen?

onlooker · Post: # 721198Post **onlooker** » Fri 10 Apr 2009 10:11pm

If my memory is correct we did have a serious go at Gary Ablett snr. At the time he was srruggling to get some form as a mid field, half forward at Geelong and if the rumours were correct he was available and Saints were very interested in following up.
This goes back a long time because I was told about it (ie he was available) it was at a Saints home game at Linton St and Ablett had just been taken off the ground because he couldn't get into the game. Makes you laugh now.

thirty-seven!? · Fri 10 Apr 2009 10:16pm

onlooker wrote:If my memory is correct we did have a serious go at Gary Ablett snr. At the time he was srruggling to get some form as a mid field, half forward at Geelong and if the rumours were correct he was available and Saints were very interested in following up.
This goes back a long time because I was told about it (ie he was available) it was at a Saints home game at Linton St and Ablett had just been taken off the ground because he couldn't get into the game. Makes you laugh now.

Yes... laugh... and CRY! lol

Especially when you think that if he were to to have played with us, an equally talented midfielder called "junior" would have been eligible to the saints as a father/son...

rocksolid · Post: # 721200Post **rocksolid** » Fri 10 Apr 2009 10:35pm

I heard Brian Waldron on radio saying Cam Mooney went as far as going down to Moorabbin and meeting the playing group. They thought it was a done deal.

stinger · Post: # 721201Post **stinger** » Fri 10 Apr 2009 10:48pm

rocksolid wrote:I heard Brian Waldron on radio saying Cam Mooney went as far as going down to Moorabbin and meeting the playing group. They thought it was a done deal.

yep...i remember that.......fev might have gone close too...twice....

rocksolid · Post: # 721204Post **rocksolid** » Fri 10 Apr 2009 10:55pm

I played with Fevs dad and he was saints mad as a kid.

stinger · Post: # 721212Post **stinger** » Fri 10 Apr 2009 11:06pm

rocksolid wrote:I played with Fevs dad and he was saints mad as a kid.

fev was a saints cheer squad member.....

Animal Enclosure · Fri 10 Apr 2009 11:28pm

Jeff White was all but signed before Gutnick's money swayed the deal (despite Melbourne already being OVER the salary cap when they signed Shanahan).

Greg Williams was also a bees away from being a Saint (in exchange for David Grant & maybe Jack Daniels) before John Elliott bent the Swans over & gave them Simon Minton-Connell. Adding Diesel to that early 90's side would have delivered at least a few flags on a platter.

onlooker · Post: # 721226Post **onlooker** » Fri 10 Apr 2009 11:45pm

Greg Williams was also a bees away from being a Saint (in exchange for David Grant & maybe Jack Daniels) before John Elliott bent the Swans over & gave them Simon Minton-Connell. Adding Diesel to that early 90's side would have delivered at least a few flags on a platter.[/quote]

I had forgotten about this one. The info I had at the time (obviously earlier in the negotiations) was that he was coming to the Saints. It must have been very close until Minton Connell become part of the deal. I can still remember S Kernohan at a Carlton function I went to (a bet with my boss which I lost) pleading with Minton Connell not to go to Sydney as Carlton must have left it up to him to decide whrther to move or not. I remember thinking at the time I don't give a rats as we were getting Williams but stupidly I didn't realise that it was all part of the one deal to get Williams to the Swans.

Solar · Post: # 721227Post **Solar** » Fri 10 Apr 2009 11:47pm

Animal Enclosure wrote:Jeff White was all but signed before Gutnick's money swayed the deal (despite Melbourne already being OVER the salary cap when they signed Shanahan).

Greg Williams was also a bees away from being a Saint (in exchange for David Grant & maybe Jack Daniels) before John Elliott bent the Swans over & gave them Simon Minton-Connell. Adding Diesel to that early 90's side would have delivered at least a few flags on a platter.

The white one was a terrible decision by AFL house as the only ones punished through this was stkilda, yet freo got a compo draft pick (they were going to lose him anyway!)

maverick · Post: # 721228Post **maverick** » Fri 10 Apr 2009 11:50pm

Ahhh White, that would be another ruckman then...

We just have no luck with them...

stinger · Post: # 721229Post **stinger** » Fri 10 Apr 2009 11:52pm

barry mitchell....

SaintWodonga · Sat 11 Apr 2009 12:02pm

We almost re listed Tim Watson after his 1st retirement. The Eagles picked him to stop us claiming him.

He never went west, and re picked up by the bombers after that.

saint patrick · Sat 11 Apr 2009 12:16pm

A little twist on not getting players we might of ...I believe I have read in the past that if the recruiting zone [the old system] had stayed as it was for another year we would have snagged Leigh Matthews and Michael Tuck!!!

Talk about bad timing

mad saint guy · Sat 11 Apr 2009 6:08pm

GT stated we were very, very close to getting Cameron Mooney in '02 or '03.

Sainterone · Post: # 721570Post **Sainterone** » Sat 11 Apr 2009 6:49pm

a 100 point win - but not quite...

matrix · Post: # 721579Post **matrix** » Sat 11 Apr 2009 6:55pm

i was screaming at Grammy in those last few secs when he received that handball just outside of 50 in the last min...point lol
oh well...97 is good enough huh