The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: or another day in the life of a Saints supporter…

Just when my next article this week was going to start with “I write with no pain and suffering”, in the way of the footy world, this has completely changed on Thursday night 15th September 2011.

The GOOD was being with nine other Almanackers (or family members) and meeting at the Marngrook Footy Show, in Elsternwick at the ABC studios, getting great seats near the front and potentially being in the shot as Rick Kane was going to talk about Almanac….but the show ran out of time and he didn’t get his Hawks jumper or his friendly face on the show to talk to Shelly, nor talk about our work at the Almanac.  The show was great as usual, I was thanked by Leon Davis for giving up my seat for him and other guests, I got to stretch my legs getting up and down.  The feeling of being part of the show, especially being near the stars as they came and went, well, it added another dimension.  It’s a blast anyway, seeing how a great footy show is made.  I’ve only been watching for this year, and now I am hooked on what I think is a show full of style, humour and fun, as well as having brilliant guests who get time to really discuss topics and show their personality.  I am also a little in love with Gilly….

Then, in the middle of the show, we are told, Mark Harvey has been sacked by Fremantle Footy Club.  Still later, we’re told that Ross Lyon has resigned as the St.Kilda coach and is going to Fremantle for, as being reported on SEN as I write, $7.5 million.  That’s the BAD news (but who knows in footy world, maybe it’s more GOOD news), Rina and I could only look at each other in shock, as the show went on but our hearts and minds were still with this latest news.  (See DD, I did predict this last article when I thought he might go.  I hope I’m not also right about Goddard and Riewoldt.)

As I am writing this, I am listening to SEN reporting on it all.  The UGLY is how it’s all unfolded, that the management of Ross Lyon (ESP – Elite Sports Property) were negotiating with the Saints for his to stay for four years, while Ross himself was negotiating with Fremantle.  The management has come out with a short statement that Ross has been sacked from their books.  Intrigue and adventure.  SEN has opened the lines to talk back at the time of The Footy Show starting, and I know I’m recording it so I’m pinned to the radio listening to the pain of Finey and other St.Kilda members as they ring and talk.

And I thought I’d be writing about something other than St.Kilda this week.  Footy life is a world of  its own.

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. Andrew Fithall says

    Yvette,

    He may not have had a chance to speak, but R Kane definitely got his head on the TV – a rueful shake of the head as one of the panel said “no Buddy; no Hawthorn”.

    It was an extraordinary evening in the larger football world.

    AF

  2. Rueful? I was going for the “Bullsh*t Barnes, you don’t know what yer talkin about”. Damn, I’ve gotta work on my to camera expressions.

    Good write up Yvette, and great to meet you and hang out last night. It must be very dispiriting for a dyed in the wool Sainter. You’ve had a tough year.

    As to how and why R Lyon did what he did, the one thing that strikes me about it is what we don’t know. The behind the scenes going ons. Or rather, the actual going ons. He is either a mercenary of the tallest order (which I don’t think is the case) or there is a lot of bad blood between Lyon and influential Mgmt and Board members. That is the story I would love to hear but that is the story that will be (mostly) covered up and denied.

  3. Hi Rick,

    ditto. It was fun going in all together, and I scored 7 shots of me on camera (but who’s counting). I love how you stand out a treat in Saints colours. I have been rivetted to the news and to SEN and to this website, and I actually feel quite hopeful today. We’re going to have something different next year and I think Ross picked it perfectly – it’s been a tough couple of years for all involved, and perhaps we all need freshening up. I prefer to be graceful and leave my passion for when I’m at the football. He really has given us a near perfect ride, and the players and the club need to take some responsibility for what also has happened on the field and off.

    I also think that Ross Lyon is a good, honest guy, and anyone changing jobs (or leaving a marriage or making a drastic change) does sometimes have to keep some of the details to themselves until the right time. It wasn’t a fait compli until it was.

    As for Marngrook, I am happy to go any time. It’s such a great atmosphere and I’m a total tragic, so it’s a perfect match.

    Yvette

  4. Stephanie Holt says

    So jealous of you going on the show! But what a day in footy. Impossible to digest. Feeling all your pain Yvette!

Leave a Comment

*