Week after week, year after year we repeat the cycle of hope and despair as Saints supporters, and as a club, we consistently fall to the St Kilda Curse.
I often wonder every now and then over the years as to why we are so success starved.
Is it the culture?
I mean take a historical look at our inception and track record. We were never a serious football club to start with, the usage of Junction Oval maybe the reason we even exist as a football club to this point. With such mediocrity belying our inclusion into the VFL, we managed to after 85 odd years as a football club, win a premiership.. by a point (not including the format that lost us the 1913 GF).
Or is it a curse?
Multiple brownlow and coleman medalists. Even dual and what would be triple brownlow medalists.. Champions.
Greatest goal kicker of all time. Brownlow medalist. Champions.
The 1997 GF. Favourites, form, Lazar, Everitt, Winmar, Harvey, Ellen, Jarman...
2009. The goal post. Later the goal review system comes into play.
2010. The bounce. The draw. Later there would be no more GF replays.
Inept adminstations. Coaches. Off-field indiscretions...
The Saints Disco, the Animal Cage... the party culture... If you can't beat em... eff it..
But so much pressure...
We used to say and make fun of those with the 3 teeth who had the 'colliwobbles' (i.e. constantly making and losing GF's), but you've at least got to give yourself consistent opportunities to win rather than live in the hope of winning that one game once you've made it. The pressure it creates inevitably creates so much pressure it must be unbearable to players and staff coaching in that environment. I as a supporter remember curling up in a ball in bed after losing the 2009 GF. Day to day i eat pressure for breakfast, but how much $$ would you and i give up to see the saints win a premiership in our lifetime?
Just one premiership, that's all i/we ask? How much? Where do i sign?
But what if?
We aimed to throw off the shackles of wanting/needing to win the next premiership and just aimed to be successful. Give the fans opportunities most week to go and watch their club play exciting good football more than not as a vehicle of entertainment.
I mean you can argue black and blue what is the measure of success one way or another, but would you really choose one certain premiership every 60-80 odd years filled with mediocrity, pressure and pain for sustained yearly 'success' that begets constant opportunities to play on the big stage and by pure numbers, we statistically draw closer and closer and closer to winning....??
First Steps First.
Watching and reading this forum only perpetuates the commonality that is seen from those externally looking into the club. There is a constant malaise here amongst the supporters. So many people throwing their hands in the air calling for blood, saying they have the answers and that even blind freddy could do better, threatening to walk, denigrating our own inner sanctum and players alike.
As much as you want us to succeed, you and I do not have all the answers, we do not have all the information and we are not part of the inner sanctum.
There is no magic wand, Rome wasn't built in a day, we've had a bit go against us this year and out list is still pretty young and inexperienced with a lot of upside still. Out club is a business and it's looking a lot better off field already for this upcoming season.
I often wonder every now and then over the years as to why we are so success starved.
Is it the culture?
I mean take a historical look at our inception and track record. We were never a serious football club to start with, the usage of Junction Oval maybe the reason we even exist as a football club to this point. With such mediocrity belying our inclusion into the VFL, we managed to after 85 odd years as a football club, win a premiership.. by a point (not including the format that lost us the 1913 GF).
Or is it a curse?
Multiple brownlow and coleman medalists. Even dual and what would be triple brownlow medalists.. Champions.
Greatest goal kicker of all time. Brownlow medalist. Champions.
The 1997 GF. Favourites, form, Lazar, Everitt, Winmar, Harvey, Ellen, Jarman...
2009. The goal post. Later the goal review system comes into play.
2010. The bounce. The draw. Later there would be no more GF replays.
Inept adminstations. Coaches. Off-field indiscretions...
The Saints Disco, the Animal Cage... the party culture... If you can't beat em... eff it..
But so much pressure...
We used to say and make fun of those with the 3 teeth who had the 'colliwobbles' (i.e. constantly making and losing GF's), but you've at least got to give yourself consistent opportunities to win rather than live in the hope of winning that one game once you've made it. The pressure it creates inevitably creates so much pressure it must be unbearable to players and staff coaching in that environment. I as a supporter remember curling up in a ball in bed after losing the 2009 GF. Day to day i eat pressure for breakfast, but how much $$ would you and i give up to see the saints win a premiership in our lifetime?
Just one premiership, that's all i/we ask? How much? Where do i sign?
But what if?
We aimed to throw off the shackles of wanting/needing to win the next premiership and just aimed to be successful. Give the fans opportunities most week to go and watch their club play exciting good football more than not as a vehicle of entertainment.
I mean you can argue black and blue what is the measure of success one way or another, but would you really choose one certain premiership every 60-80 odd years filled with mediocrity, pressure and pain for sustained yearly 'success' that begets constant opportunities to play on the big stage and by pure numbers, we statistically draw closer and closer and closer to winning....??
First Steps First.
Watching and reading this forum only perpetuates the commonality that is seen from those externally looking into the club. There is a constant malaise here amongst the supporters. So many people throwing their hands in the air calling for blood, saying they have the answers and that even blind freddy could do better, threatening to walk, denigrating our own inner sanctum and players alike.
As much as you want us to succeed, you and I do not have all the answers, we do not have all the information and we are not part of the inner sanctum.
There is no magic wand, Rome wasn't built in a day, we've had a bit go against us this year and out list is still pretty young and inexperienced with a lot of upside still. Out club is a business and it's looking a lot better off field already for this upcoming season.
If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.
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