Saints, Pies prepare for battle

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ON Saturday afternoon, the St Kilda Saints and the Collingwood Magpies will do battle for a place in the footy annals and the stage is set for a belter.

The last time the sides met in a grand final, St Kilda won its only flag in 1966 by a solitary point.

History aside, Collingwood has clearly been the best side in 2010, winning the minor premiership and trouncing 2009 champs Geelong in a preliminary final last week — a game that had all the hallmarks of a passing of the dynastic torch. But the Saints have been among the top sides in the competition for the past few years and were within two kicks of a flag last season.

In 2010, St Kilda showed its mettle after challenges in the form of an injury to Nick Reiwoldt — which saw the inspirational skipper sidelined for 12 weeks — and some patchy form, to again emerge as a genuine threat for the flag.

As they did last year, against a rampaging Geelong, Ross Lyon’s men will go into the season decider as marked underdogs and recent history on the last Saturday in September will also be against them.

Losses to Adelaide and the Cats in 1997 and 2009 saw chances to add to the proud club’s solitary flag, which it won 44 years ago, go begging.

But St Kilda director John Gdanski told The AJN he believes recent history will help, rather than hinder, his side on the weekend.
“We’ve worked all year to try and get to another grand final and we’ve done that,” Gdanski said.

“I think Sam Fisher decided before the [preliminary final] against the [Western Bulldogs] to watch last year’s grand final and that motivated him. The motivational factor is fabulous.”

Gdanski said that while the Pies deserve flag favouritism, the challenge facing his Saints is far from insurmountable.

“They’re [Collingwood] in scintillating form and they’ve been the best team all year, but that means nothing. We were clearly the best team last year.

“How they turn up on the day and whether it’s dry or raining, all those things can make a big difference.”

Something that could work against the Saints is the side’s lack of game time at the MCG this season.

“It’s a huge disadvantage to us. [The grand final will be] our fourth game at the ‘G’, most of which have been finals. You can’t underestimate what an impact that has, it’s enormous.”

As for the young Pies, most of the current crop of players were in nappies when the late, great Darren Millane threw the ball in the air to celebrate the last Collingwood flag in 1990. But no matter the average age of the list, there’s no escaping the legend of the Collywobbles.

The Pies have lost a bewildering 17 of their last 20 grand finals, and while it boasts 14 cups in the cabinet, it has lost more grand finals than any other VFL/AFL club.

Like Gdanski, Collingwood vice-president Alex Waislitz is dismissive of historical portents.

“It’s the final battle,” Waislitz said.

“It’s been a commendable season, but it all means nothing if we don’t get over the line this week. The objective at the start of the year was to win the flag. The playing group put themselves on the line, with the objective not just to get into the [final] eight or the [top] four, but to win the big one.”

Waislitz said that his club’s atrocious record in grand finals won’t be a factor come Saturday.

“Ancient history as far as we’re concerned. Most of the players here don’t even know what you’re talking about when you talk about ‘collywobbles’. They’re fresh, enthusiastic and focused on this year, not what happened in the past.”

Waislitz added that there will be no surprises from the Collingwood coaching staff on the weekend, but rather a focus on implementing the structures that saw the Pies emerge as a powerhouse in 2010.

“The message from Mick has been to concentrate on what they’ve built over the last couple of years. The structures, tackling intensity, offensive pressure, movement of the ball, that’s what’s going to get them through.

ADAM KAMIEN