What: St Kilda Football Club Practice Match
When: February 2010
When: February 2010
Where: Moorabbin, Melbourne
Photographer's comment:
Photographer's comment:
My telephoto lens is kit quality at best. This set of shots would not win any awards, but the elimination of confusion and colour through use of black and white photography has simplified the images and bought quite pleasing results. Taken mostly at ISO 800 due to low light, at maximum focal length 300mm and at only 6MP resolution, the shots are very legible and with hindsight, tell a the undertones of poignant story that was St Kilda's 2010 season.....
Coming off a heartbreaking loss in the 2009 grand final, Captain Nick Riewoldt (pictured individually) was in his prime and, kicking 6 goals straight in this practice match, was ready to lead the team towards the final frontier. The team's two ruckmen, Michael Gardiner (No.15) and Ben McEvoy (No.5), were playing well and, along with veteran Stephen King (not pictured), were the backbone of the best ruck combination St Kilda had seen for at least a decade. Unfortunately for Riewoldt, a torn hamstring off the bone left him out of the side for about 15 weeks, completely derailing his season. St Kilda rallied throughout the home and away season to courageously make the grand final. Gardiner, St Kilda's No.1 ruckman on grand final day, injured his hamstring just before half time and sat out the remainder of the game leaving the team one (important) player short. This was one of the reasons why the game ended up being a draw. In the replay McEvoy was selected as Gardiner's replacement but seemed overawed by the enormity of the day and was completely outplayed by the opposition ruckman Darren Jolly. Riewoldt, likely not at full fitness and struggling to recover from the drawn grand final, also had a shocker. Meanwhile, Gardiner sat in the stands as St Kilda proceeded to be thrashed.
Gardiner was to play only one more game for the club before retiring whilst King retired at seasons end. Riewoldt missed his opportunity at being a premiership player, although continues as St Kilda's 2013 captain. McEvoy, the younger of the four, has has since blossomed into the side's no.1 ruckman. As St Kilda legend coach Allan Jeans, musing over grand final losses, once commented, "I lost five grand finals as coach; and we got done in the ruck each time." So true.....
