Round 16 – St Kilda v Carlton: Bodies on the Line Part 1

 

Friday 13th 7.50pm

Docklands

 

Footy is about people. It’s about connections. It’s about family. Going to the footy sans any extra mates this week, left the original four. Uncle Bob, Aunty Betty, Gary and I met at the Glasshouse at Caulfield Racecourse for a meal before heading into the home game. After a good lamb roast, and an easy trip into Flinders, we were lucky enough to be able to stay on the train headed to Werribee (and therefore dismount at the Southern Cross Station). We arrived at the game with ease and pleasure.

 

These days, I always say hello to Almanac editor Kasey Symons who works in the AFL office on the concourse. I haven’t seen her since her return from her overseas jaunt, and it was lovely having a few moments to chat before she had to return to actual work.

 

It was nice to be at our home ground. In our usual seats. Even with some interlopers who had come so early there were no staff at the top of the stairs to check their tickets. We sit in a reserved members area, they were sitting in the wrong seats in front of us, and I advised them to shift up to our left, where members haven’t sat for ages. They listened to me later when people came to sit in their regular seats.

 

Plenty of the usual Saints supporting neighbours were missing. The people behind, the ladies to my right. Yet there were numbers building. I realised I missed these people cos they also kept the cool breeze away. When you are sitting snuggly together, we keep each other warm.

 

Thus seated, and thus sated, we waited. The Blues came out wearing their greyish outfits, which reminds me of the Qantas pyjamas. It’s strange not seeing them in blue. Even the baby blue. Before the Saints entered the ground, we had Dare Ice Coffee sponsor a brass band and marching through playing a commercialised version of the Saints song, just about coffee. It was a total fail. The song didn’t even make sense, and thankfully, the real Saints came out soon after and the real Saints song rang out and I recorded it to send on WhatsApp to my son overseas. After all, I’d sent him the Blues one moments before.  It’s amazing I have two Blues supporting kids who don’t give a crap about footy.

 

While the teams warmed up, we contemplated whether the Blues would choose this game to play great footy. Seb Ross was removed from the team list with illness just before the game. Bailey Rice replaced him. And then the game.

 

Even though the ball headed Carltons way first, they couldn’t take the opportunity, and that was really their game all night. Saints had a party at their expense. St Kilda fans needed a good party. And we found our voice in song.

 

Jade Gresham spins and accurately passes to Rowan Marshall who kicked the first in what was to be the tightest quarter of the match. Jack Billings snaps a beautiful kick to Tim Membrey, who took a great mark and scored the second. Future Carlton stars stepped up, Ed Curnow, good all night, passed to Patrick Cripps who pulled one back before Jack Newnes goals. Dale Thomas gets one from out of 50 after Saints turn over the ball at the wrong end for us. We have missed plenty of shots in between. Matthew Kennedy brings his game before Jack Lonie snaps one around.  It seemed we had a game on our hands.

 

At the beginning of the second, there is a scuffle as Jed Lamb is on top of Jade Gresham, and he is pushing his face into the ground (and kneeing him in the side.) (He has been offered a 1 match ban for making contact with Gresham’s face post-match.) Blues lost Matt Kreuzer early in the game and the commentators said that an ambulance was called.  He was having heart problems that will now be investigated. (St Kilda player Dylan Roberton, has been rules out of the rest of the season because of his heart issues.)

 

The Saints are on fire, and the fans along with them. Membrey marks and goals. I notice Ed Phillips is tough and into everything all around the ground. Jack Sinclair takes advantage with another. Simpson steps out of the goal square when kicking out after a behind and from the resulting ball up, Billings snags another for the Saints. After these three Saints goals, Curnow again shows class and cleanly hits up Zac Fisher. Goal. I like the way the Saints are running and passing and hitting targets and Jack Steele goals. We are now 30 points ahead. The closeness of the first quarter has disappeared, not to be seen again for the suffering Blues.

 

There is great work for the Blues – Cripps to Jarrod Garlett to Fisher who almost let’s the ball go to the opposition, but Cripps is in there scrapping and Curnow goals from their team’s effort. Blues are showing some spirit.

 

For once, Saints supporters couldn’t wait for the second half to begin.  Welcome ‘pressure’ Saints.  Once we had it in our forward, we’d do good things.  Billings goals again, as if it is the natural order of things at St Kilda. Newnes from a stoppage, goals again. Curnow keeps pushing, misses a goal but Jarrod Pickett doesn’t moments later. Membrey marks from 15 metres out, and straight through the big sticks it goes. Jack Steven, from a free for a high tackle, gets the next. Ed Phillips marks on the next Saints entry and misses everything. But Steven doesn’t in his second goal within minutes. The Saints are just doing what they feel like on the ground.  The Blues have vanished.

 

Rowan Marshall finishes the quarter with a fine goal and we can now relax.  There is a 54-point lead to the Saints and fans can enjoy the rest of the evening, though only if you are of the red, white and black variety.

 

Mav Weller puts the Saints up to a 100-point lead.  When has that last happened? Everyone looks tired and sore, and there are misses and mistakes all round. Blues fans are leaving the ground as Jack Newnes gets the Saints the last. Kade Simpson, strong all night, finishes the Blues 7 goal tally for the game.

 

The Saints celebrate and sing.

 

Carlton, as expected, were the conversation of doom all week. Had St Kilda lost that game, it would have been us.

 

ST KILDA   4.5   8.10  14.14  16.20 (116)
CARLTON   3.3    5.5     6.8     7.10 (52) 

GOALS
St Kilda: Membrey 3, Newnes 3, Marshall 2, Billings 2, Steven 2, Lonie, Sinclair, Steele, Weller
Carlton: Cripps, C.Curnow, Fisher, Kennedy, Pickett, Thomas, Simpson 

BEST
St Kilda: Steven, Steele, Billings, Sinclair, Newnes, Membrey, Armitage, Dunstan
Carlton:
Cripps, Fisher, Murphy, E.Curnow 

INJURIES
St Kilda: Ross (illness) replaced in selected side by Rice, Webster (groin)
Carlton: Kreuzer (elevated heartbeat) 

Umpires: Dalgleish, Stevic, Gianfagna

Official crowd: 33,780 at Etihad Stadium

 

 

About Yvette Wroby

Yvette Wroby writes, cartoons, paints through life and gets most pleasure when it's about football, and more specifically the Saints. Believes in following dreams and having a go.

Comments

  1. Kasey Symons says

    Great report Yvette! Always love working at Saints games because I get to see your lovely face :) Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow night xo

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