We need a powerful Cheer Squad

[The Fireman]

I'll join the cheersquad if I get free beer and Police anonymity.

[whiskers3614]

St.Dools to FF
Kozi as boss of the cheer squad.

[whiskers3614]

St.Dools to FF
Kozi as boss of the cheer squad.

[BigMart]

So we need supporters to try harder... FFS

Home ground advantage can be the result of a number of things

Other team travel, which is a different routine
Home team probably train there
Comfortable in the surrounds
More belief that they can win

Having people cheer for you... If that's what you need to perform... Really

How do teams possibly win in Perth or Adelaide?? We won a final ther with 10% support... How could that possibly be??

[BigMart]

Players are generally that focused on the ball they can't even hear the umpire tell the to get back a metre or play on

[saintdooley]

the price has gone up so much its almost a joke. for the view we get of the game, they have got to rethink about the price they are charging.
the cheer squad is now a reserved bay. so if 60 of the 200 cant make it those seats will remain empty. I was in row 3 last night...with 5 other people, at one stage i got to have a little lie down, was great, but would be even better if all seats were full and we had younger people, new flags that didnt have coffee stains and god knows what from the 70's....the club has taken full controll and this is what its come to unfortunately.
im so angry about it i just want to start my own group...we can all wear orange hats so i can be seen.

[loris]

Are we that silly to believe that supporter presence at a game has ANY bearing on outcome?!

Disagree. Otherwise home ground advantage would matter naught. But it does, in all sports, all over the world.

Our fan group seems aging, lazy and scarcely creates real noise. Last night was a prime example.

looks like Collingwood's Question Lynch is influenced by crowds........................ interview in today's press

.............'Tomorrow is one for the believers and Lynch cannot wait. "These are the games that excite me." he said. "I mean obviously all footy excites me and I'm here to play for as long as I can but, over in the west you have the derby but that is 40,000 whereas there could be 85,000 or more there (tomorrow). That is exciting. It is something new for me and I just can't believe how lucky I am. I am like a new kid at a footy club."

[The Redeemer]

Does anyone really believe that the players actually get inspiration from a cheer squad?

Surely not...

[BigMart]

So Lynch will play better

Difference between being excited and playing better because some more people are cheering?

He's played in 2 grand finals FFS

[bobmurray]

Does anyone really believe that the players actually get inspiration from a cheer squad?

Surely not...

it's a pile of dung...a hangover from yesteryear...absolutely no relevance to the modern game.

Cheer squads are symbolic only...they make "no" contribution to performance...which is what counts

[Moods]

Yep. Completely agree. 56,000 people at the ground. And I reckon nearly 40,000 were supporting the tiges. If our supporters turned up (and we actually DO have a good following) that would have been a crowd of 70,000 people. And we would have got to see what it is like being a power club.

You are wrong BigMart. A home crowd lifts players and team spirit. We turn up to Etihad, Milney gets things going and the place occasionally rocks. I go to stacks of Collingwood games because my missus follows them - a big following helps, I can almost guarantee it. Any person who has played sport at any level LOVES playing in front of big crowds.

[saintsRrising]

Put the players aside......a vocal Cheers Squad is part of the fabric and color of the game.

We lack that.

Does the banner inspire the players? I doubt it, but I would miss it if it was not there.

[plugger66]

So Lynch will play better

Difference between being excited and playing better because some more people are cheering?

He's played in 2 grand finals FFS

Why would there be any advantage on a basketball court when both sides come from the same city but there is because the crowd helps. Ask any AFL player and 95% will say they would rather a big crowd rooting for them.

[noddy04]

Maybe its about time that our president?(do we even have one) and some of his cronies ie ceo etc go down (like othe presidents have done) and sit with the rank and file supporters including the Cheer squad so that they can provide some funds for new flags and floggers etc. When the cs come to Adelaide i love sitting with them and help to cheer our players on. The continual knocking of the Cheersquad p isses me off. Why dont the knockers go down to where the cs is and give them a hand. Hey you dont have to go there very game but once in a while on a bit of a rotating system wouldnt hurt...would it? I also think our first 3 games are pretty s hit for our membership drive. First game on the Gold Coast second at the MCG and 3rd at Manaka does no favours for us.

[Sainternist]

Someone should start a rebel cheer squad.

[milney044]

I have thought our supporters in general have been pathetic for a while now. I look around though and in all honesty, I don't see too many Saints fans between 18-30. This is the group that the noise generates from. Take a look at Richmond's Cheer squad, not to mention the Tigers group who stand behind our cheer squad and have their chants that i absolutely hate but would love if i was a tigers supporter. If i was at the club, i would strongly be targeting this age group, form a 'group' that supporters can join and meet up before the game and get something going, surely our marketing team can get creative?

Our poor history hasn't helped us, 1 Premiership doesn't attract kids. Kids in general don't want to support an unsuccessful team - if I'm around a group of kids and they are talking footy, the topic of discussion always heads down the 'how many flags has your team won?' path. No kid growing up likes admitting their team has won 1 flag in their history. Heck, my brother was a Saints supporter when he was 5 but got sick of us being thumped every week and changed to Essendon, not to mention the 1 flag factor. Funny he's 25 now - the very age group we are so severely lacking in supporters. My guess is he wasn't the only Saint to change ship and it's costing us now.

From my perspective, this 18-30 year old age group is also the most 'arrogant' group and therefore the group that is most likely going to make the most noise, rave and chant about how awesome Roo/Lenny is, while degrading opposition players as much as possible. We hate it when other teams do it to us, do we ever do it back? No. Why? Because of the age group! Majority of our supporters are 50+ (lets be honest) and don't make the noise any more. Oh, and if they do, i have witnessed them being told to shut up by their fellow supporters!!!! What a joke!

So, if I was at the club, I'd strongly be working towards trying to get this minority group - the 18-30 year olds together. I'm 22 and if the club invited me to a pre-game function with fellow fans the same age, I'd be extremely interested. We are a minority but we are out there and we do want to make noise! Secondly, we MUST find other ways to attract kids to our club. They are the future and it's this generation in the 80s-'90s that's costing us now. I do believe the club are going down this path to some extent but we are going to continue to be viewed as a lame, piss weak club unless we start getting kids on board. Yes, we still have the poor history, but as a kid growing up I might have hated being a bottom of the ladder club, but i was still chuffed that i had the chance to attend footy clinics with the players and get all their autographs. I know it's not always that simple, but it's the little things that can win kids over.

And lastly, anyone who thinks strong crowds don't influence games have surely got to be kidding? Or is this where our supporter base is seriously at, because that to me, that there, is the worry.

[jonesy]

That middle aged Stkilda supporter that used to dearly hold onto the 80's nightlife have now become civilised,they are now old. Growing up as a kid they were all around me, boisterous passionate blokes. Now they are into the 50's,have kids/grandkids,different priorities. It's a shame, the 30-35 year old sainters(the very few of us) are quite boisterous...we grew up only knowing one thing,defeat,and it hurt. We were bitter growing up being teased about our team, we grasped onto those mid 30 year old aussie blokes in the 90's,and our roars and celebrations were something else.

Now,I see our under 23 supporters as your happy spoilt types. Grew up watching the club being successful in the insular cocoon under the roof,being spoilt on most Saturday nights as we trounced sides.
So now we are left with a youthful group that lack passion, and older group who can't be bothered yelling anymore,and 55% females who jumped on when Dal Santo came through.

I worry where we are at as a supporter base in 10-20 years time. The club has removed itself from our spiritual home,now we merely exsist in the backblocks of a warehousing estate that has no relevance to the history of our club. I hate...I repeat I HATE how the club have failed dismally in keeping our culture/History, sure we have not been a successful club,but it's what we are. I love the memories of the late 80's/90's, the club had character. What does it have at the moment??? The club needs to evoke some passion from the supporter base, and stop playing everything so safely. We are bordering on irrelevant right now,hiding away in a nothing estate in Seaford

[plugger66]

That middle aged Stkilda supporter that used to dearly hold onto the 80's nightlife have now become civilised,they are now old. Growing up as a kid they were all around me, boisterous passionate blokes. Now they are into the 50's,have kids/grandkids,different priorities. It's a shame, the 30-35 year old sainters(the very few of us) are quite boisterous...we grew up only knowing one thing,defeat,and it hurt. We were bitter growing up being teased about our team, we grasped onto those mid 30 year old aussie blokes in the 90's,and our roars and celebrations were something else.

Now,I see our under 23 supporters as your happy spoilt types. Grew up watching the club being successful in the insular cocoon under the roof,being spoilt on most Saturday nights as we trounced sides.
So now we are left with a youthful group that lack passion, and older group who can't be bothered yelling anymore,and 55% females who jumped on when Dal Santo came through.

I worry where we are at as a supporter base in 10-20 years time. The club has removed itself from our spiritual home,now we merely exsist in the backblocks of a warehousing estate that has no relevance to the history of our club. I hate...I repeat I HATE how the club have failed dismally in keeping our culture/History, sure we have not been a successful club,but it's what we are. I love the memories of the late 80's/90's, the club had character. What does it have at the moment??? The club needs to evoke some passion from the supporter base, and stop playing everything so safely. We are bordering on irrelevant right now,hiding away in a nothing estate in Seaford

I dont get what you mean Jonesy regarding where we train. Most sessions are now closed so no one hardly goes to training so if were at Moorabbin what is the difference. They are both in a suburb sorrounded by houses.

[jonesy]

That middle aged Stkilda supporter that used to dearly hold onto the 80's nightlife have now become civilised,they are now old. Growing up as a kid they were all around me, boisterous passionate blokes. Now they are into the 50's,have kids/grandkids,different priorities. It's a shame, the 30-35 year old sainters(the very few of us) are quite boisterous...we grew up only knowing one thing,defeat,and it hurt. We were bitter growing up being teased about our team, we grasped onto those mid 30 year old aussie blokes in the 90's,and our roars and celebrations were something else.

Now,I see our under 23 supporters as your happy spoilt types. Grew up watching the club being successful in the insular cocoon under the roof,being spoilt on most Saturday nights as we trounced sides.
So now we are left with a youthful group that lack passion, and older group who can't be bothered yelling anymore,and 55% females who jumped on when Dal Santo came through.

I worry where we are at as a supporter base in 10-20 years time. The club has removed itself from our spiritual home,now we merely exsist in the backblocks of a warehousing estate that has no relevance to the history of our club. I hate...I repeat I HATE how the club have failed dismally in keeping our culture/History, sure we have not been a successful club,but it's what we are. I love the memories of the late 80's/90's, the club had character. What does it have at the moment??? The club needs to evoke some passion from the supporter base, and stop playing everything so safely. We are bordering on irrelevant right now,hiding away in a nothing estate in Seaford

I dont get what you mean Jonesy regarding where we train. Most sessions are now closed so no one hardly goes to training so if were at Moorabbin what is the difference. They are both in a suburb sorrounded by houses.

The vibe of Moorabbin...
Never underestimate history and retrospective feel.
What feel does a new kid get when he walks into the Linen House centre? What feel does the supporter get?

Clubs need an image,what is ours right now? That's what I am trying to say. If we are trying to create one down at Seaford then we might as well start practising the Haka as the Wellington saints

[plugger66]

That middle aged Stkilda supporter that used to dearly hold onto the 80's nightlife have now become civilised,they are now old. Growing up as a kid they were all around me, boisterous passionate blokes. Now they are into the 50's,have kids/grandkids,different priorities. It's a shame, the 30-35 year old sainters(the very few of us) are quite boisterous...we grew up only knowing one thing,defeat,and it hurt. We were bitter growing up being teased about our team, we grasped onto those mid 30 year old aussie blokes in the 90's,and our roars and celebrations were something else.

Now,I see our under 23 supporters as your happy spoilt types. Grew up watching the club being successful in the insular cocoon under the roof,being spoilt on most Saturday nights as we trounced sides.
So now we are left with a youthful group that lack passion, and older group who can't be bothered yelling anymore,and 55% females who jumped on when Dal Santo came through.

I worry where we are at as a supporter base in 10-20 years time. The club has removed itself from our spiritual home,now we merely exsist in the backblocks of a warehousing estate that has no relevance to the history of our club. I hate...I repeat I HATE how the club have failed dismally in keeping our culture/History, sure we have not been a successful club,but it's what we are. I love the memories of the late 80's/90's, the club had character. What does it have at the moment??? The club needs to evoke some passion from the supporter base, and stop playing everything so safely. We are bordering on irrelevant right now,hiding away in a nothing estate in Seaford

I dont get what you mean Jonesy regarding where we train. Most sessions are now closed so no one hardly goes to training so if were at Moorabbin what is the difference. They are both in a suburb sorrounded by houses.

The vibe of Moorabbin...
Never underestimate history and retrospective feel.
What feel does a new kid get when he walks into the Linen House centre? What feel does the supporter get?

Clubs need an image,what is ours right now? That's what I am trying to say. If we are trying to create one down at Seaford then we might as well start practising the Haka as the Wellington saints

Still dont get it. No one goes to training anymore. Why is where the Hawks train any better to where we train?

[BigMart]

If a player needs the crowd to lift him... He's the wrong sort of player.

Yes of course they prefer to play in front of big crowds or in big games... But it doesn't make players perform better...
If it does, the question would be asked is why?

Strip it back to the bare....
There is a ball, an opponent and a desire to beat the opponent...... That is conditioned in a competitive athlete.
Whether its in the VFL, an intra club or a AFL final.... I'd expect effort to be exactly the same ..... 100% can't be above, shouldn't be below. Again if it takes a cheer to lift a player, what sort of player is that?

On the basketball analogy
Away teams win, but... History says their is a HGA... Generally to do with being familiar and comfortable with surrounds.

Question
Do you think any StK player the other night either thought about or even made mention of the crowd... Before, during or even after the game? Do you think it effected their effort?

[Moods]

If a player needs the crowd to lift him... He's the wrong sort of player.

Yes of course they prefer to play in front of big crowds or in big games... But it doesn't make players perform better...
If it does, the question would be asked is why?

Strip it back to the bare....
There is a ball, an opponent and a desire to beat the opponent...... That is conditioned in a competitive athlete.
Whether its in the VFL, an intra club or a AFL final.... I'd expect effort to be exactly the same ..... 100% can't be above, shouldn't be below. Again if it takes a cheer to lift a player, what sort of player is that?
On the basketball analogy
Away teams win, but... History says their is a HGA... Generally to do with being familiar and comfortable with surrounds.

Question
Do you think any StK player the other night either thought about or even made mention of the crowd... Before, during or even after the game? Do you think it effected their effort?

Strip it back as much as you like, but I reckon you are being way too simplistic. Coaches love that rhetoric and of course it should be true. So why do teams get up for a blokes 200th or 300th game? Why are teams more dangerous after coming off a loss? Why are finals often played at a higher intensity? They should be robots who put in exactly the same effort week in week out regardless of their environment or surroundings or what's riding on the game. The reality is far different - otherwise we would still have 4 home games in Tassie.

No point saying what should happen. I reckon we deal in what does happen. Crowds motivate players. They lift them when they are tired. Like I said, anyone who has played sport knows this. To ignore it is sheer ignorance I believe. The players are human beings NOT robots.

[SainterK]

Question
Do you think any StK player the other night either thought about or even made mention of the crowd... Before, during or even after the game? Do you think it effected their effort?

No.

Can't lie and say I've never heard other players attribute the desire to lift on the crowd before though.

[matrix]

ive played in 6 GF's at a country level
one was at our home ground

i will say it once
a supporting crowd will lift you and get you over the line

but
when it now becomes big stadiums
thats all lost
crowds are 50/50 or 60/40

but never underestimate a chant, especially once you get a bit of momentum and the crowd gets behind you

anyone who disagrees obviously has never played the game and experienced the above
its quite powerful and promotes confidence in you

[Elementary]

Dont know about the Richmond cheer squad. I couldnt hear them due to the noise the 'non cheer squad' Richmond supporters were making in the GSS region. Wonder where our 'famous moorabbin wing' were. You know, those guys who always bag the cheer squad and say how loud they were at our winning games. I could at least see our cheer squad but the Moorabbin wing seemed missing in action. To be a good crowd, every supporter needs to be involved. At St Kilda it seems it is always the fault of the cheer squad. Didnt someone bring up the problems facing the cheer squad at the last AGM? Guess our club president and board isnt interested in a successful cheer squad. The cheer squad used to be suitable for people who had time but little money (15 - 30 year olds?) but the cost of it now restricts it to people who have the money (but not necessarily the time).