heraldsun.com.au Herald Sun, Saturday, July 14, 2007 31 + FOOTY 2007 ST KILDA 11.16 (82) d ADELAIDE 12.8 (80) Million dollar man Riewoldt Saints shows still in his worth reach ABOUT of eight LAST NIGHT Michael Horan ST KILDA learnt a lesson from with MARK ROBINSON last week’s final-quarter fade- out, snatching victory from WAYNE Carey was asked Adelaide in a tug-of-war thriller earlier this week what at Telstra Dome last night. salary he thought St Run down by Collingwood in Round 14 after leading by 20 Kilda superstar Nick points in the final term, the Riewoldt deserved. Saints this time backed them- The King said $700,000 a selves to win and stay in reach season. of the top eight. Garry Lyon, another key Defeat would probably have forward and captain, squeezed left the Saints three wins shy it out to $750,000. of the top eight, but their nail- Riewoldt’s manager Ricky biting two-point win brought FB123 Nixon is in the middle of the win-loss status back to 7-8. securing Riewoldt a contract ‘‘We spoke about not saving worth more than $1 million a the game, but being bold. Try- year. ing to score. Maybe it was a The Saints swatted aside result of that,’’ Saints coach Nixon’s first offer in contempt. Ross Lyon said after the game. Nixon went back with a ‘‘I thought we learned some revised bid, still over the lessons out of last week in the million-dollar mark, and the last quarter. We tackled really Saints are thinking about it. well and under pressure we They’d want to think quick. went long through Nick For Nixon might just have a Riewoldt, whereas last week C new, improved, offer on Saints we went short and turned it chief executive Archie Fraser’s over. They played for them- M doorstep this morning. selves and got over the line.’’ Knowing Nixon’s enthusiasm Last night’s win came after for his clients, he probably being dominated by the Crows Y dropped it off on the way home in the first quarter and trailing Mark of a true star: St Kilda forward leads one of his opponents, Scott Stevens, to the ball last night, while teammate K from Telstra Dome last night. by 17 points at the first change. It might hav been accompa- Fraser Gehrig cannot believe he didn’t receive a free kick (below). Pictures: MICHAEL DODGE, MICHAEL KLEIN ‘‘Adelaide had it all over us nied by a DVD of last night’s would then send Justin Robert Harvey and Lenny in the first quarter. Inside 50s game. Koschitzke deep, which meant Hayes turned the tide with 14 were the same, but they And the stats. Craig had to send the taller and 13 touches in the third moved the ball pretty slickly. DHS 14-JUL-2007 PAGE And a copy of coach Ross Stevens to Koschitzke and quarter, Shane Birss possibly But we really worked our way Lyon’s comments. Massie back on to Riewoldt. played the best game of his back into the game against Fraser, of course, was there After Ben Rutten left the career doing all sorts of jobs in one of the hardest running to see Riewoldt do what so game with an ankle injury, the midfield, while Koschitzke teams,’’ Lyon said. many great players do in big Craig had to use Ken McGregor and Gehrig were superb as ‘‘For us to improve our games: stand tall. on full-forward Fraser Gehrig. Riewoldt’s wingmen. running against a quality running team on a fast surface The brilliant blond took 18 Those crucial contests all went Koschitzke was courageous was a positive sign for us.’’ marks, had 20 kicks and St Kilda’s way. yet again. His mark and goal at booted two goals. They are Riewoldt, of course, was not the 11th minute of the final Lyon said there was no point handsome stats. What the alone. term, where he charged at the challenging his men with the stats sheet doesn’t tell you is The Saints were outgunned ball from the goalsquare, was threat their season was on the how, when and where Rie- from the start, and if Hawks magnificent. line. woldt took the game apart. ‘‘I said to the group during coach Alastair Clarkson was Gerard Healy, All-Australian Always in close matches — the week you can’t focus on watching the first quarter, he selector, is a huge wrap for St Kilda won by two points — these season-defining games would have had some idea Sam Fisher. He is not alone. moments arrive where it because you tighten up. We about the panic in the Saints Fisher found the ball 30 times, seems the result hangs on the did that against the Kanga- coaching box. took 15 marks and propelled outcome of a contest. The Crows started as they roos, so all we are really focus- 31 Saints and still Riewoldt found Riewoldt was brilliant. the Saints forward from half- ing on is what we need to do to So many times last night finished against Hawthorn. back. He, too, is a star. Riewoldt was involved in those space and took a mark. Massie was beaten badly. They had runners everywhere play well as a team,’’ he said. contests, where he just had to Of his 18 marks, only two A journeyman footballer, and Tyson Edwards, Andrew You could make a case for a Lyon said winning three out mark the ball. And he did. He were considered contested. Massie deservedly got pats on McLeod and Simon Goodwin lot of Saints: Luke Ball was of the past four games was a SECOND took five marks in the gripping That is a joke. the back last week for Hawks shared 25 possessions in the better, Nick Dal Santo was a step in the right direction. last quarter when the game In the last 15 minutes Rie- star Lance Franklin’s lean first term. fighter rather than a flash in ‘‘It has been a solid month was won and lost and won woldt’s ability to burn off his night at Footy Park. To do it Unlike the Hawks, the the middle and Leigh Fisher and clearly we needed to again. opponent on the lead, run 30m again was beyond him. Saints met the challenge. was valuable as a stopper improve because we’re in the In that last term, Adelaide, and mark with either Kris Lyon also deserves credit. Lyon asked for and got coming off the bench. And business of trying to play good so clinical and classy early and Massie or Scott Stevens a Several times Adelaide coach greater accountability from there were others. football and have a product yet so unresponsive under metre behind was as much Neil Craig took Massie off his players after quarter-time But none like the million our supporters are happy to pressure after quarter-time, about winning the contested Riewoldt and handed the job as they tackled and made a dollar man. come and watch and see us made it harrowing for the footy as winning any hardball. to the taller Stevens. Lyon contest of the stoppages. He’s worth every cent. being competitive,’’ he said. Celebrate or commiserate with 20% off dining at Docklands Present your Telstra Dome ticket valid for that day’s game at the Vic Harbour Kitchen and Bar and Bhoj Docklands for 20% off total food bill. Conditions apply. 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