St Kilda Football Club

Infobox australian football club
clubname = St Kilda Football Club


fullname = St Kilda Football Club
nicknames = The Saints, Sainters, Mighty Saints
motto =
season = 2008
position = 4th overall
4th after home & away rounds
National Cup winners
topgoalkicker = Nick Riewoldt
bestandfairest = Sam Fisher
founded = 1873
colours = Red color box|Red, Whitecolor box|White and Blackcolor box|Black
league = Australian Football League
coach = Ross Lyon
captain = Nick Riewoldt
President = Greg Westaway-Elected
ground = Telstra Dome, Melbourne
ground2 = Melbourne Cricket Ground
capacity =
capacity2 =
url = [http://www.saints.com.au www.saints.com.au] The St Kilda Football Club, nicknamed The Saints, is an Australian Football League club based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

The club was established in 1873 and its name originates from the Melbourne suburb of St Kilda. They were admitted as a foundation team of the Victorian Football Association (VFA) in 1877 and then into the Victorian Football League (VFL) in 1897.

In 2008 the AFL celebrated the [http://150years.com.au 150th anniversary] of the first official game of the sport now known as Australian Football.

Victorian Football Association 1877 to 1896

The St Kilda Football Club was a foundation member of the VFA in 1877.

According the official website of the [http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?c=1-118-0-0-0 Victorian Football League] , the St Kilda Football Club competed as a senior club in the VFA from 1877 to 1879, 1881 to 1882 and 1886 to 1896 before competing in the Victorian Football League (VFL) from 1897 onwards. St Kilda did not compete as a senior club in the VFA in 1880 and from 1883 to 1885.

The Victorian Football Association was renamed the Victorian Football League from the start of the 1996 season.

Victorian Football League 1897 to 1989

Early years in the VFL 1897 to 1915

St Kilda's early years in the VFL were not successful. The club joined the new breakaway VFL competition and struggled to establish itself and finished last in nine of the first 14 seasons of the VFL competition.

In 1899, St Kilda scored the lowest score ever recorded in a VFL/AFL match, 1 point against Geelong (who scored 162). [Jim Main, "Aussie Rules for dummies" (2nd edition, 2008) p 45.]

Six successive wins to start 1907 saw the club make the finals for the first time, finishing third with 9 wins and 8 losses. St Kilda was beaten by Carlton in the club's first VFL final by 56 points.

1907 Finals Series

St Kilda was defeated in the VFL Grand Final by Fitzroy.

Resuming after recess

St Kilda Football Club was in recess in 1916 and 1917.The club resumed in 1918 and fared well, making the finals in fourth position, but was eliminated by Collingwood in the semi-final by nine points, 58 to 49.

1918 Finals Series

St Kilda was eliminated by Collingwood in the Preliminary Final.

1940s and 1950s

The breakthrough win in the finals of 1939 did not herald a period of success for the club. The club won three of the first four games early in the 1940 season and was on top of the ladder after Round 4, before finishing second last. Though there was some high-class players like Harold Bray, Keith Drinan, Peter Bennett and later Neil Roberts, St Kilda were rarely competitive. The 1950 season saw the club win the first five games – before fading to finish with 8 wins and a draw in ninth place.

The club finished last 7 times in 13 years between 1943 and 1955.

After one of the club's worst seasons in 1955, Alan Killigrew was appointed coach. His first action was one of the most massive clean-out of players in the history of any VFL club. It is believed that only 17 St Kilda players from 1955 played for St Kilda again in 1956, while 11 new players appeared in the club's opening match for 1956. The appointment of Alan Killigrew as coach eliminated the defeat-accepting attitude of St Kilda and soon made the team more competitive. In the late 1950's St Kilda vied for finals berths without making the finals. St Kilda had three consecutive Brownlow Medal Winners Brian Gleeson in 1957, Neil Roberts in 1958, Verdun Howell in 1959.

In 1958 St Kilda won the Consolation Night Series competition, a competition played at night at the end of the home and away rounds between the 8 teams that finished between 5th and 12th and failed to qualify for the VFL Premiership Season Finals Series. St Kilda defeated Carlton 16.13 (109) to 15.11 (101) in the Final.

1960 to 1973

In 1961 after finishing sixth in 1960, Allan Jeans was appointed coach and St Kilda made the four for the first time since 1939, finishing third with 11 wins and 7 losses. However with star full-back Verdun Howell unfit, the club lost to Footscray in the first semi-final.

1961 Finals Series

1965 Finals Series
In 1967 Ross Smith won the leagues highest individual award, the Brownlow Medal.
The 1968 season saw the Saints qualify fourth with 14 wins, 5 losses and a draw.

1968 Finals Series

St Kilda was defeated in the VFL Grand Final by Hawthorn.
The club qualified for the finals series again in 1972 fourth wins 14 wins and 8 losses.

1972 Finals Series

Membership:

Year Members

2008 30,655 2007 30,850
2006 32,327
2005 32,043
2004 30,533

2008

In a very competitive 2008 Premiership season St Kilda Football Club qualified for the 2008 Premiership Season Finals Series finishing the home and away rounds in the top four in fourth position with 13 wins.
2008 Finals Series

St Kilda was eliminated by Melbourne in the Elimination Final.
On 11 October 2006, Ross Lyon was appointed as the new coach for the Saints for 2007 to 2009.

2005

In a consistent and very competitive 2005 Premiership season, the Saints finished the home and away rounds in the top four in fourth position, qualifying for the Finals Series with 14 wins and 8 losses. Full-forward Fraser Gehrig won the Coleman Medal for the most goals kicked in the 2005 home and away season (74).
2005 Finals Series

2000

In 2000 the St Kilda Football Club moved to a new playing home at Docklands, Melbourne, now called Telstra Dome, whilst maintaining training and administration headquarters at Moorabbin.

1998

In a competitive 1998 Premiership season, St Kilda again qualified for the Finals Series finishing sixth. Robert Harvey won his second successive Brownlow Medal.

1998 Finals Series

1997 Finals Series
St Kilda was eliminated by Footscray in the Semi-Finals.

1991

A very competitive 1991 Premiership season saw St Kilda qualify for the Finals Series for the first time since 1973, finishing fourth at the end of the home and away rounds. Tony Lockett won the Coleman Medal for leading goalkicker in the home and away season with 118 goals.

1991 Finals Series

Record crowd figures and MCG information is correct as far as the source of it knows. If any record crowd figures or MCG information is incorrect it is unintentional.

Current squad

enior List

* 1. Jason Gram
* 2. Steven King
* 3. Xavier Clarke
* 5. Ben McEvoy
* 6. Leigh Fisher
* 7. Lenny Hayes (Vice-captain)
* 8. Max Hudghton
* 10. Steven Baker
* 11. Leigh Montagna
* 12. Nick Riewoldt (Captain)
* 13. Adam Schneider
* 14. Luke Ball
* 15. Michael Gardiner
* 16. Raphael Clarke
* 17. Aaron Fiora
* 18. Brendon Goddard
* 19. Sam Gilbert
* 20. David Armitage
* 21. Matthew J. Ferguson
* 22. Shane Birss
* 23. Justin Koschitzke
* 24. Sean Dempster
* 25. Sam Fisher
* 26. Nick Dal Santo
* 27. Jason Blake
* 28. Charlie Gardiner
* 29. Michael Rix
* 30. Brad Howard
* 31. Matt Maguire
* 33. James Gwilt
* 34. Jack Steven
* 36. Jarryd Allen
* 37. Eljay Conners
* 38. Clinton Jones
* 42. Jarryn Geary
* 44. Stephen Milne

Rookie listed players

* 43. Jayden Attard
* 41. Glenn Chivers
* 40. Robert Eddy
* 32. Andrew McQualter
* 45. Luke Miles
* 39. Luke van Rheenen

Team of the 20th Century

St Kilda's [http://westofmoorabbin.com/saints_history.html Team of the 20th Century] . (2003)

Aussie rules team | title = St Kilda Team of the 20th Century
backpocket1 = Kevin (Cowboy) Neale (1965–77)
fullback = Verdun Howell (1958–68)
backpocket2 = Nathan Burke(1987–2003)
halfbackflank1 = Daryl Griffiths(1963–70)
centrehalfback = Neil Roberts(1952–62)
halfbackflank2 = Trevor Barker(1975–89)
wing1 = Colin Watson(1920,22,25,33–35)
centre = Ian Stewart(1963–70)
wing2 = Nicky Winmar (1987–98)
halfforwardflank1 = Darrel Baldock (Captain)(1962–68)
centrehalfforward = Dave McNamara(1905–09,14–15,18–19,21–23)
halfforwardflank2 = Bill Mohr(1929–41)
forwardpocket1 = Ross G. Smith(1961–71,1975)
fullforward = Tony Lockett(1983–94)
forwardpocket2 = Alan Morrow(1957–66)
ruck = Carl Ditterich(1963–72, 1976–78)
ruckrover = Robert Harvey(1988–2008 )
rover = Harold Bray(1941–43, 1945–52)
interchange1 = Stewart Loewe(1988– 2002)
interchange2 = Lance Oswald(1957–63)
interchange3 = Barry Lawrence(1968–78)
interchange4 = Jim A. Ross(1948–54)
interchange5 =
interchange6 =
coach = Allan Jeans(1961–76)

Australian Football Hall of Fame players

* Roy Cazaly -legend
* Ian Stewart -legend
* Darrel Baldock -legend
* Vic Cumberland
* Carl Ditterich
* Wels Eicke
* Les Foote
* Alex Jesaulenko
* Dave McNamara
* Bill Mohr
* Colin Watson

t Kilda FC [http://saints.com.au/Saints/TheClub/History/HallofFame/tabid/5391/Default.aspx Hall of Fame]

2007 Inductees
* Ian Stewart – "Club Legend"
* Harold Bray
* Barry Breen
* Jack Davis
* Keith Drinan
* Wels Eicke
* Danny Frawley
* Graham Huggins
* Stewart Loewe
* Alan Morrow
* Bob Murray
* Kevin Neale
* Travis Payze2003 Inductees
* Darrel Baldock
* Ian Stewart
* Tony Lockett
* Trevor Barker
* Carl Ditterich
* Verdun Howell
* Nicky Winmar
* Ross Smith
* Neil Roberts
* Bill Mohr
* Dave McNamara
* Allan Jeans
* Ian Drake
* James Dean

ee also

* List of St Kilda Football Club coaches
* List of Australian Football League premiers
* Australian Football League National Cup Winners
* List of Australian Football League night premiers

Please note:- the term National Cup refers to what is also known as the Pre-Season Cup.

External links

* [http://www.saints.com.au/ Official website of the St Kilda Football Club]
* [http://www.afl.com.au Official website of the Australian Football League]
* [http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=22 St Kilda Saints Discussion Board] on BigFooty.
* [http://www.saintscentral.com.au/ Saints Central website]
* [http://www.saintsational.com/ Saintsational.com – Unofficial St Kilda FC fan forum]
* [http://www.fullpointsfooty.net/St_Kilda_part_1.htm Full Points Footy History of the St Kilda Football Club]
* [http://www.sainters.com/ St Kilda Football Club supporter web portal]
* [http://footystats.freeservers.com/Footystats/StK%2D05.html St Kilda statistics and honour roll] at Footystats
* [http://www.esaint.com.au/ e-saint – St Kilda FC web-site with original short films about supporters]
* [http://www.aroundthegrounds.bellestorie.com/junction/junction.html "Around the Grounds" – Web Documentary – Junction Street]
* [http://150years.com.au www.150years.com.au 150th anniversary of the first official game of the sport that is now known as Australian Football]
* [http://stats.rleague.com/afl/afl_index.html AFL Tables]
*Victorian Football Association/Victorian Football League History (1877-2008)