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Hawthorn adorn the top of the ladder, St Kilda are rubbish again and the normal order of AFL has been restored.
My father first gave me an interest in AFL in the mid-1980s, and being a Hawthorn Hawks supporter, the 1980s were a great time to follow AFL.
But up until the late 1990s, St Kilda were not a good side, which was hard for my great-Auntie who lived her entire life in Moorabbin.
Even during the late 1990s, when they were losing the 1997 grand final to the Crows, you just knew that St Kilda were a team that couldn’t take a trick.
I remember the footage of a visibly distraught Max Hudghton earlier this century, weeping as he left he field after another loss during a season where a win seemed an impossibility.
But then St Kilda started to win. Not only did they win, you started to expect them to win.
They won preseason cups (though nobody really cared), they won minor premierships.
They didn’t win grand finals, but it was a surprise that they didn’t win either of those grand finals in 2009 and 2010. Nick Reiwoldt shed a couple of tears in defeat in 2009 and you genuinely felt for him.
My dear departed great auntie would have been devastated.
However, something significant happened after that loss, which I maintain set the St Kilda club back years after the massive strides they had made from the dour times of the early 2000s.
Ross Lyon is nothing if not professional. Perhaps to a fault.
In the aftermath of that 2009 grand final loss, one that the ever under-stated Caroline Wilson called one of the greatest grand finals in history, Lyon was not hanging around to lament the loss, reflect on a season of success and drown his sorrows. No, there was another competition to win next season.
“Whoever doesn’t want to work hard at the club next year, let me know and I will move you on.”
That’s right. In the throws of sorrow, hurt and defeat, Lyon decided rather than inspire, he would intimidate. ‘If you are going to dwell on this loss, there’s the door.” I don’t blame Luke Ball for asking where the nearest exit was.
Now, I’m not partial to the inner workings of the Saints club, and keeping in mind in 2009 I was coming to terms with supporting a Hawks team that had been the first premiers to miss the following season’s finals series since the Crows, but I remember at the time thinking Lyon had mis-read the situation.
They’d won a minor premiership and come within a whisker of winning against a team that time will recall is one of the all-time great AFL sides (the Geelong Cats ’07-’11).
The Saints lost another grand final to the Pies in 2010, this time after having tied a grand final a week earlier. That’s right, St Kilda had played in three grand finals in the space of 12 months and come up empty.
Doesn’t matter what sport you follow, anyone will tell you that cannot be easy.
The twist in the tail is Lyon’s departure at the end of 2011.
The ultimate professional triggered a clause in his contract (what club in their right mind gave a coach that kind of option?) and walked out on a club he had taken on the task of re-building. Apparently Lyon was recalling his own ‘call to arms’ after the 2009 season about ‘moving on’.
I also remember at the time that Lyon was very, very hasty to point out that he had never promoted the idea of loyalty to his players during his entire reign as coach.
Something never felt right about his departure, particularly in the context of those cold days after the 2009 season. No, Lyon had never specifically talked to his players about loyalty. He was careful. However, he still intimated the idea of character, commitment, belief, drive and the mental strength to see the job through to the end. He didn’t need to talk about loyalty.
And while Lyon can hold his head high knowing he never broke any promises regarding his loyalty, sometimes sport is beyond professionalism, and I do wonder if Lyon should have sold the St Kilda football club the mirage of premiership glory, of staying in place and ‘working hard’.
Lyon’s departure has come to mind as the Saints wallow near the bottom of the AFL. The Saints must be thankful that the AFL decided to expand to GWS and keep the Dees in the competition, otherwise the Saints would be bottom again.
An ageing squad, a coach who looks out of his depth. It doesn’t look good at all, reminiscent of those dark days when St Kilda truly were terrible.
There is no joy to be had from St Kilda’s current predicament. Two wins, halfway through the season, the Hawks flying high – it feels like a throwback to better times.
Well, almost a throwback. No, you have to feel sorry for St Kilda. Sorry that they believed the empty promises of a coach who never pretended to be loyal, but pretended to be a whole lot more. The time it will take to re-build is anyone’s guess. And keep in mind: it took a few decades last time.
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