The lost Saints

[White Winmar]

I was just reflecting on the saints game against the filth at Vic Park back in 1993. One of the most enjoyable days of my football watching experiences. What struck me was how brilliant Gilbert McAdam was that day, yet he was gone at the end of that year. Why? Does anyone know or remember? It also made me think about all the great players we've lost over the years. What was sad was that it only took me a few minutes to come up with a ridiculously talented side, filled with players who, regrettably, finished their careers elsewhere. Can anyone come up with a side that would trump this one?

B: Rice Shanahan Grant
HB: Greene Perovic Goddard
C: McAdam Stewart Trott
HF: Winmar Hall Owen
F: O'Brien Lockett Everitt
R: Ditterich Dal Santo Ball
I/C. Lappin Black Guerra Sidebottom

[MC Gusto]

as far as i recall he went walkabout - literally. disappeared for awhile and then resurfaced and got picked up by the bears...

that was my recollection anyways...not sure if others remember it differently?

[bigcarl]

B: Rice Shanahan Grant
HB: Greene Perovic Goddard
C: McAdam Stewart Trott
HF: Winmar Hall Owen
F: O'Brien Lockett Everitt
R: Ditterich Dal Santo Ball
I/C. Lappin Black Guerra Sidebottom

Might be competitive with a team of the Saints who stayed. In Lockett and Stewart you have two of the game's greatest players and the backing cast of Ditterich, Winmar, Goddard, Dal Santo, Everitt, Hall, Greene, Perovic and others isn't bad either

[Sainternist]

I think Gilly was hamstrung towards the end of the 1993 season. It was in the days when you could only have two interchange players, there was a match against Hawthorn where we had two guys who could barely limp and had to be kept on the bench. Gilly also got hurt and could only walk, yet they left him on the field. So Hawthorn virtually had a free man on the field and took full advantage of it. Sickening.

I agree. We certainly have lost our fair share of great players over the years. That's St.Kilda FC for you.

[White Winmar]

Gil the skill, as he was known. I just watched the replay of the '93 win. It was on earlier today on NITV. What an exhibition he and Winmar turned on. We should've moved heaven and earth to keep him.

[mr six o'clock]

Gilly went to the bears so he could be closer to his family .
He's from the NT .

[Dave McNamara]

Hi WW, here's my attempt at answering, though I reckon other Saintsationalists will know way more...

B: Rice (we thought his knee was shot... it wasn't) Shanahan (more $$$ + maybe an element of being unfairly for D Jarman in the GF) Grant (injuries, we thought he was shot... he was ).
HB: Greene & Perovic (Moorabbin debt trauma when interest rates shot up... we had to sell these guys) Goddard (sad but very much correct move IMHO)
C: McAdam (I think his wife wanted to be closer to home? He said recently that he sees himself as a Sainter) Stewart Trott (?)
HF: Winmar (Was it Sting who posted recently that Nicky regretted that one year at the Poodles?) Hall (AFL ) Owen (His knee was shot. )
F: O'Brien (?) Lockett (AFL ) Everitt (Thank gawd!)
R: Ditterich ($$$) Dal Santo (Similar to tBJ) Ball (combination of our stuff up and the skunks getting away with draft manipulation )
I/C. Lappin ( ) Black (combination of his depression + wife wanting to go home... great player... occasionally ) Guerra (sniper... good riddance) Sidebottom (was a star, then lost all form)

[Enrico_Misso]

With Trott it was the chance for a shot at a premiership - he rolled the dice and won.
With Black if the stories are right his wife was certainly involved and so was the police.
I think Windscreens was a bit past his best, probably did his best work on the way home from the tribunal.
Woof's departure was the Caaaarlton paper bag lure.
Greene trained with us on Thursday, was named in our team, but a late night 2 for 1 trade and Russell played for Hawthorn on the Saturday - we got "Reserves" goal sneak Mark Scott and Tony King (Tony Who?). Greene went on to play 180 more games and 3 ...(stop - it's too painful)

[Darth Vader]

Would add Joel Smith also. $$$.

[White Winmar]

With Trott it was the chance for a shot at a premiership - he rolled the dice and won.
With Black if the stories are right his wife was certainly involved and so was the police.
I think Windscreens was a bit past his best, probably did his best work on the way home from the tribunal.
Woof's departure was the Caaaarlton paper bag lure.
Greene trained with us on Thursday, was named in our team, but a late night 2 for 1 trade and Russell played for Hawthorn on the Saturday - we got "Reserves" goal sneak Mark Scott and Tony King (Tony Who?). Greene went on to play 180 more games and 3 ...(stop - it's too painful)

Trott didn't play in a premiership at the hawks. He did play in the 1975 losing GF against North.

[White Winmar]

Forgot about Joel Smith. What a tragedy his knee injury was, not to mention his departure. Would easily slot into my best ever side of "lost saints".

[White Winmar]

Hi WW, here's my attempt at answering, though I reckon other Saintsationalists will know way more...

B: Rice (we thought his knee was shot... it wasn't) Shanahan (more $$$ + maybe an element of being unfairly for D Jarman in the GF) Grant (injuries, we thought he was shot... he was ).
HB: Greene & Perovic (Moorabbin debt trauma when interest rates shot up... we had to sell these guys) Goddard (sad but very much correct move IMHO)
C: McAdam (I think his wife wanted to be closer to home? He said recently that he sees himself as a Sainter) Stewart Trott (?)
HF: Winmar (Was it Sting who posted recently that Nicky regretted that one year at the Poodles?) Hall (AFL ) Owen (His knee was shot. )
F: O'Brien (?) Lockett (AFL ) Everitt (Thank gawd!)
R: Ditterich ($$$) Dal Santo (Similar to tBJ) Ball (combination of our stuff up and the skunks getting away with draft manipulation )
I/C. Lappin ( ) Black (combination of his depression + wife wanting to go home... great player... occasionally ) Guerra (sniper... good riddance) Sidebottom (was a star, then lost all form)

Appreciate your analysis, Dave, but I have to add that no one has cleared, or lost, top quality players and club champions like the saints. That side I've picked is a potential premiership winner, such is the quality that us evident.

[Animal Enclosure]

I think Gilly has mentioned that he was offered a very poor contract by St K management on the back of 2 brilliant seasons.

He didn't want to leave but was offered big $ by the Bears & his wife preferred QLD to Melb.

Still loves the Saints & we love him!

[White Winmar]

I think Gilly has mentioned that he was offered a very poor contract by St K management on the back of 2 brilliant seasons.

He didn't want to leave but was offered big $ by the Bears & his wife preferred QLD to Melb.

Still loves the Saints & we love him!

So we obviously didn't do enough to keep him. Quite typical, unfortunately.

[SaintPav]

I think Gilly has mentioned that he was offered a very poor contract by St K management on the back of 2 brilliant seasons.

He didn't want to leave but was offered big $ by the Bears & his wife preferred QLD to Melb.

Still loves the Saints & we love him!

So we obviously didn't do enough to keep him. Quite typical, unfortunately.

From memory didn't we get some compensation for him leaving?

His form fell away after he left us.

[White Winmar]

We did, but he did play some good footy for the bears. Would've been better at the saints with his great mate, cuz.

[BakesFan]

Darryl and Shane Wakelin could be selected in that team.

[Sainter_Dad]

But on the flip side - could you make up a team of 'found' Saints - like Grhrig and Schneider and Dempster etc. Possibly including Milne. Football is now a fluid idea - we lose some, we gain some. It is hoped that the nett return is positive.

[White Winmar]

But on the flip side - could you make up a team of 'found' Saints - like Grhrig and Schneider and Dempster etc. Possibly including Milne. Football is now a fluid idea - we lose some, we gain some. It is hoped that the nett return is positive.

A good point, SD, but that side still makes me shake my head in disappointment.

[SaintPav]

Matthew Carr is another one.

[Sainternist]

Forgot about Joel Smith. What a tragedy his knee injury was, not to mention his departure. Would easily slot into my best ever side of "lost saints".

Big Red and I mentioned him in another recent thread. In 1997 he was set to become a great star. It kills me to think what he may have been if it weren't for that fateful Sunday afternoon at the MCG against Collingwood. We may have won the match that day, but in the process we lost a potential champion.

[Enrico_Misso]

I think it was a sliding Richard Osbourne who slid in at speed and collected Smith whose boots were firmly planted in the Richmond Station flank. Something had to give and it was his knee. Apparently as bad a knee injury as any ever in footy.

Osbourne himself was the victim in another sickening collision a few years earlier when he bumped heads at speed with a teammate. It was so bad that the doctor got the ambulance to come on to the SCG.

[White Winmar]

Forgot about Joel Smith. What a tragedy his knee injury was, not to mention his departure. Would easily slot into my best ever side of "lost saints".

Big Red and I mentioned him in another recent thread. In 1997 he was set to become a great star. It kills me to think what he may have been if it weren't for that fateful Sunday afternoon at the MCG against Collingwood. We may have won the match that day, but in the process we lost a potential champion.

He had a decent career at Hawthorn, but I wonder what might have been for him, and us, if Osborne hadn't dived into Joel's knee.

[Old Mate]

Adrian Fletcher

[saintspremiers]

Sam Cranage. We had to give hin up to get that other Sammy..