ST KILDA 11.16 (82) d ADELAIDE 12.8 (80) Million dollar manmp3.news.com.au/hwt/learn/Sports pages -...
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heraldsun.com.au Herald Sun, Saturday, July 14, 2007 31 + + FB123 C M Y K DHS 14-JUL-2007 PAGE 31 SECOND FOOTY 2007 ST KILDA 11.16 (82) d ADELAIDE 12.8 (80) Million dollar man Mark of a true star: St Kilda forward leads one of his opponents, Scott Stevens, to the ball last night, while teammate Fraser Gehrig cannot believe he didn’t receive a free kick (below). Pictures: MICHAEL DODGE, MICHAEL KLEIN Riewoldt shows his worth WAYNE Carey was asked earlier this week what salary he thought St Kilda superstar Nick Riewoldt deserved. The King said $700,000 a season. Garry Lyon, another key forward and captain, squeezed it out to $750,000. Riewoldt’s manager Ricky Nixon is in the middle of securing Riewoldt a contract worth more than $1 million a year. The Saints swatted aside Nixon’s first offer in contempt. Nixon went back with a revised bid, still over the million-dollar mark, and the Saints are thinking about it. They’d want to think quick. For Nixon might just have a new, improved, offer on Saints chief executive Archie Fraser’s doorstep this morning. Knowing Nixon’s enthusiasm for his clients, he probably dropped it off on the way home from Telstra Dome last night. It might hav been accompa- nied by a DVD of last night’s game. And the stats. And a copy of coach Ross Lyon’s comments. Fraser, of course, was there to see Riewoldt do what so many great players do in big games: stand tall. The brilliant blond took 18 marks, had 20 kicks and booted two goals. They are handsome stats. What the stats sheet doesn’t tell you is how, when and where Rie- woldt took the game apart. Always in close matches — St Kilda won by two points — moments arrive where it seems the result hangs on the outcome of a contest. So many times last night Riewoldt was involved in those contests, where he just had to mark the ball. And he did. He took five marks in the gripping last quarter when the game was won and lost and won again. In that last term, Adelaide, so clinical and classy early and yet so unresponsive under pressure after quarter-time, made it harrowing for the Saints and still Riewoldt found space and took a mark. Of his 18 marks, only two were considered contested. That is a joke. In the last 15 minutes Rie- woldt’s ability to burn off his opponent on the lead, run 30m and mark with either Kris Massie or Scott Stevens a metre behind was as much about winning the contested footy as winning any hardball. Riewoldt was brilliant. Massie was beaten badly. A journeyman footballer, Massie deservedly got pats on the back last week for Hawks star Lance Franklin’s lean night at Footy Park. To do it again was beyond him. Lyon also deserves credit. Several times Adelaide coach Neil Craig took Massie off Riewoldt and handed the job to the taller Stevens. Lyon would then send Justin Koschitzke deep, which meant Craig had to send the taller Stevens to Koschitzke and Massie back on to Riewoldt. After Ben Rutten left the game with an ankle injury, Craig had to use Ken McGregor on full-forward Fraser Gehrig. Those crucial contests all went St Kilda’s way. Riewoldt, of course, was not alone. The Saints were outgunned from the start, and if Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson was watching the first quarter, he would have had some idea about the panic in the Saints coaching box. The Crows started as they finished against Hawthorn. They had runners everywhere and Tyson Edwards, Andrew McLeod and Simon Goodwin shared 25 possessions in the first term. Unlike the Hawks, the Saints met the challenge. Lyon asked for and got greater accountability from his players after quarter-time as they tackled and made a contest of the stoppages. Robert Harvey and Lenny Hayes turned the tide with 14 and 13 touches in the third quarter, Shane Birss possibly played the best game of his career doing all sorts of jobs in the midfield, while Koschitzke and Gehrig were superb as Riewoldt’s wingmen. Koschitzke was courageous yet again. His mark and goal at the 11th minute of the final term, where he charged at the ball from the goalsquare, was magnificent. Gerard Healy, All-Australian selector, is a huge wrap for Sam Fisher. He is not alone. Fisher found the ball 30 times, took 15 marks and propelled the Saints forward from half- back. He, too, is a star. You could make a case for a lot of Saints: Luke Ball was better, Nick Dal Santo was a fighter rather than a flash in the middle and Leigh Fisher was valuable as a stopper coming off the bench. And there were others. But none like the million dollar man. He’s worth every cent. ABOUT LAST NIGHT with MARK ROBINSON Saints still in reach of eight Michael Horan ST KILDA learnt a lesson from last week’s final-quarter fade- out, snatching victory from Adelaide in a tug-of-war thriller at Telstra Dome last night. Run down by Collingwood in Round 14 after leading by 20 points in the final term, the Saints this time backed them- selves to win and stay in reach of the top eight. Defeat would probably have left the Saints three wins shy of the top eight, but their nail- biting two-point win brought the win-loss status back to 7-8. ‘‘We spoke about not saving the game, but being bold. Try- ing to score. Maybe it was a result of that,’’ Saints coach Ross Lyon said after the game. ‘‘I thought we learned some lessons out of last week in the last quarter. We tackled really well and under pressure we went long through Nick Riewoldt, whereas last week we went short and turned it over. They played for them- selves and got over the line.’’ Last night’s win came after being dominated by the Crows in the first quarter and trailing by 17 points at the first change. ‘‘Adelaide had it all over us in the first quarter. Inside 50s were the same, but they moved the ball pretty slickly. But we really worked our way back into the game against one of the hardest running teams,’’ Lyon said. ‘‘For us to improve our running against a quality running team on a fast surface was a positive sign for us.’’ Lyon said there was no point challenging his men with the threat their season was on the line. ‘‘I said to the group during the week you can’t focus on these season-defining games because you tighten up. We did that against the Kanga- roos, so all we are really focus- ing on is what we need to do to play well as a team,’’ he said. Lyon said winning three out of the past four games was a step in the right direction. ‘‘It has been a solid month and clearly we needed to improve because we’re in the business of trying to play good football and have a product our supporters are happy to come and watch and see us being competitive,’’ he said. Celebrate or commiserate with 20% off dining at Docklands Present your Telstra Dome ticket valid for that day’s game at the Vic Harbour Kitchen and Bar and Bhoj Docklands for 20% off total food bill. Conditions apply. And visit www.thatsmelbourne.com.au for more great drink and dining deals at Docklands throughout the football season. ADCAS-070713
Transcript of ST KILDA 11.16 (82) d ADELAIDE 12.8 (80) Million dollar manmp3.news.com.au/hwt/learn/Sports pages -...
heraldsun.com.au Herald Sun, Saturday, July 14, 2007 31+
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14-JUL-2007
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FOOTY 2007
ST KILDA 11.16 (82) d ADELAIDE 12.8 (80)
Million dollar man
Mark of a true star: St Kilda forward leads one of his opponents, Scott Stevens, to the ball last night, while teammateFraser Gehrig cannot believe he didn’t receive a free kick (below). Pictures: MICHAEL DODGE, MICHAEL KLEIN
Riewoldtshowshis worth
WAYNE Carey was askedearlier this week whatsalary he thought StKilda superstar NickRiewoldt deserved.
The King said $700,000 aseason.
Garry Lyon, another keyforward and captain, squeezedit out to $750,000.
Riewoldt’s manager RickyNixon is in the middle ofsecuring Riewoldt a contractworth more than $1 million ayear.
The Saints swatted asideNixon’s first offer in contempt.
Nixon went back with arevised bid, still over themillion-dollar mark, and theSaints are thinking about it.
They’d want to think quick.For Nixon might just have a
new, improved, offer on Saintschief executive Archie Fraser’sdoorstep this morning.
Knowing Nixon’s enthusiasmfor his clients, he probablydropped it off on the way homefrom Telstra Dome last night.
It might hav been accompa-nied by a DVD of last night’sgame.
And the stats.And a copy of coach Ross
Lyon’s comments.Fraser, of course, was there
to see Riewoldt do what somany great players do in biggames: stand tall.
The brilliant blond took 18marks, had 20 kicks andbooted two goals. They arehandsome stats. What thestats sheet doesn’t tell you ishow, when and where Rie-woldt took the game apart.
Always in close matches —St Kilda won by two points —moments arrive where itseems the result hangs on theoutcome of a contest.
So many times last nightRiewoldt was involved in thosecontests, where he just had tomark the ball. And he did. Hetook five marks in the grippinglast quarter when the gamewas won and lost and wonagain.
In that last term, Adelaide,so clinical and classy early andyet so unresponsive underpressure after quarter-time,made it harrowing for the
Saints and still Riewoldt foundspace and took a mark.
Of his 18 marks, only twowere considered contested.That is a joke.
In the last 15 minutes Rie-woldt’s ability to burn off hisopponent on the lead, run 30mand mark with either KrisMassie or Scott Stevens ametre behind was as muchabout winning the contestedfooty as winning any hardball.
Riewoldt was brilliant.Massie was beaten badly.
A journeyman footballer,Massie deservedly got pats onthe back last week for Hawksstar Lance Franklin’s leannight at Footy Park. To do itagain was beyond him.
Lyon also deserves credit.Several times Adelaide coachNeil Craig took Massie offRiewoldt and handed the jobto the taller Stevens. Lyon
would then send JustinKoschitzke deep, which meantCraig had to send the tallerStevens to Koschitzke andMassie back on to Riewoldt.
After Ben Rutten left thegame with an ankle injury,Craig had to use Ken McGregoron full-forward Fraser Gehrig.Those crucial contests all wentSt Kilda’s way.
Riewoldt, of course, was notalone.
The Saints were outgunnedfrom the start, and if Hawkscoach Alastair Clarkson waswatching the first quarter, hewould have had some ideaabout the panic in the Saintscoaching box.
The Crows started as theyfinished against Hawthorn.They had runners everywhereand Tyson Edwards, AndrewMcLeod and Simon Goodwinshared 25 possessions in thefirst term.
Unlike the Hawks, theSaints met the challenge.
Lyon asked for and gotgreater accountability fromhis players after quarter-timeas they tackled and made acontest of the stoppages.
Robert Harvey and LennyHayes turned the tide with 14and 13 touches in the thirdquarter, Shane Birss possiblyplayed the best game of hiscareer doing all sorts of jobs inthe midfield, while Koschitzkeand Gehrig were superb asRiewoldt’s wingmen.
Koschitzke was courageousyet again. His mark and goal atthe 11th minute of the finalterm, where he charged at theball from the goalsquare, wasmagnificent.
Gerard Healy, All-Australianselector, is a huge wrap forSam Fisher. He is not alone.Fisher found the ball 30 times,took 15 marks and propelledthe Saints forward from half-back. He, too, is a star.
You could make a case for alot of Saints: Luke Ball wasbetter, Nick Dal Santo was afighter rather than a flash inthe middle and Leigh Fisherwas valuable as a stoppercoming off the bench. Andthere were others.
But none like the milliondollar man.
He’s worth every cent.
ABOUTLASTNIGHTwith MARK ROBINSON
Saintsstill inreachof eightMichael Horan
ST KILDA learnt a lesson fromlast week’s final-quarter fade-out, snatching victory fromAdelaide in a tug-of-war thrillerat Telstra Dome last night.
Run down by Collingwood inRound 14 after leading by 20points in the final term, theSaints this time backed them-selves to win and stay in reachof the top eight.
Defeat would probably haveleft the Saints three wins shyof the top eight, but their nail-biting two-point win broughtthe win-loss status back to 7-8.
‘‘We spoke about not savingthe game, but being bold. Try-ing to score. Maybe it was aresult of that,’’ Saints coachRoss Lyon said after the game.
‘‘I thought we learned somelessons out of last week in thelast quarter. We tackled reallywell and under pressure wewent long through NickRiewoldt, whereas last weekwe went short and turned itover. They played for them-selves and got over the line.’’
Last night’s win came afterbeing dominated by the Crowsin the first quarter and trailingby 17 points at the first change.
‘‘Adelaide had it all over usin the first quarter. Inside 50swere the same, but theymoved the ball pretty slickly.But we really worked our wayback into the game againstone of the hardest runningteams,’’ Lyon said.
‘‘For us to improve ourrunning against a qualityrunning team on a fast surfacewas a positive sign for us.’’
Lyon said there was no pointchallenging his men with thethreat their season was on theline.
‘‘I said to the group duringthe week you can’t focus onthese season-defining gamesbecause you tighten up. Wedid that against the Kanga-roos, so all we are really focus-ing on is what we need to do toplay well as a team,’’ he said.
Lyon said winning three outof the past four games was astep in the right direction.
‘‘It has been a solid monthand clearly we needed toimprove because we’re in thebusiness of trying to play goodfootball and have a productour supporters are happy tocome and watch and see usbeing competitive,’’ he said.
Celebrate or commiserate with 20% off dining at Docklands
Present your Telstra Dome ticket valid for that day’s game atthe Vic Harbour Kitchen and Bar and Bhoj Docklands for 20% off total food bill.Conditions apply.
And visit www.thatsmelbourne.com.au for more great drinkand dining deals at Docklands throughout the football season.
ADCAS-070713
