The Saints started their premiership defence in outstanding form winning their first four games of the season by an average 80.5 points per game and the rest of the league thought they were seeing déjà vu because two of the teams were the Nomads and the Kangaroos.
But, just when we all thought the Saints were going to be unstoppable again in 2008 the Bulldogs pulled off the upset of the year, beating the Saints by just one point in a game cut short due to an injury to young Saint, Alex Dasey, that required the Westpac Rescue Helicopter. This game also saw Saint Bruce Wall suspended for 8 games for attempting to strike an umpire.
The Saints then got back on the winning track over their next three games with an average margin of 10 goals. Now the two best teams were matched up again but this time, though, the Kangaroos had the home ground advantage and even though the Kangaroos won the game by 3 points the Saints had their chances to win. They actually had 2 more scoring shots than the Kangaroos and it was their inaccuracy in front of goals that cost them.
They didn’t lose another game for the rest of the home and away season and finished the season as minor premiers for the second year in a row.
Onto the finals and the Saints had the luxury of again hosting the Major Semi Final trying to gain a second home Grand Final. But the Kangaroos were not going to give the game to the Saints and caused the second major upset of the season beating them by 39 points and handing the Saints their biggest losing margin in almost two years. The Saints bounced back in the Preliminary Final defeating the Nomads by 53 points and setting up the fifth game of the year between the them and the Kangaroos in the Grand Final.
The Grand Final was everything that everyone anticipated but, unfortunately for the Saints, after gaining the lead in the last quarter they couldn’t hold on to win. So, after finishing their fourth season in second spot, the Saints can be proud of the fact that they have played in the finals each season since they joined the TAFL.
Last Modified on 09/12/2010 18:26