For me, the curse reared its head in 1997. Prior to the 1990s the Saints were a joke, losing games with regularity and often finishing on the bottom of the ladder throughout the late 70s and 80s. In 1997 however, the stars had aligned and the Saints finished top of the ladder and were clearly the best team in the competition. In the week leading to the Grand Final the curse hit – two significant senior players had major personal issues which were not, and are still not, widely known. Despite that, the Saints looked in the box seat at half time against a Crows outfit that had finished 4th, with a 13pt lead. Enter Darren Jarman and in an instant the curse reappears – 5 goals to him in the last quarter and the Crows run out easy winners. Just like that.
Fast-forward to 2004 and again the Saints are serious challengers with a great lineup including spearhead Fraser Gehrig. In the Prelim Final against Port Adelaide the Saints were on fire early, then the G-Train kicked his 100th and the field was invaded by elated fans. By the time it was cleared, Port had collected themselves and got back into the game. Even still, with only minutes on the clock all Brent Guerra had to do was kick the ball off the ground in the goal square and the Saints looked home – no such luck. Port win by 6 pts, then take on an injury-ravaged Brisbane Lions team at the end of an era and win the flag.
Still, the Saints were thereabouts – surely a breakthrough would come soon? 2009 saw them dominate the competition, the outstanding team of the year, finishing on top, including winning perhaps the best home-and-away game in decades against Geelong in round 13. Grand Final day comes against the Cats and the curse hits again – it pours rain, severely hampering the effect of Saints weapon Nick Riewoldt. Nevertheless the Saints play all over the Cats in the first half but miss several gettable goals. To compound that, Cats forward Tom Hawkins gets credited a goal for a shot that clearly deflects off the goal post. Nice one, curse. In the dying seconds, with the game in the balance, a disputed ball in the centre of the ground leads to an unbelievably lucky Matthew Scarlett “toe-poke” to Gary Ablett, and a resulting goal to Paul Chapman. Cats win narrowly, Saints lose again.
2010 saw Collingwood emerge from the pack to be the best team, but after rolling Geelong in a titanic first final, the Saints see off the Bullies and again make the big day. No one gives them a chance against the rampaging Pies, and after a lacklustre first half the games looks headed toward a comfortable Collingwood win. However, a few personnel changes saw the Saints fire in the second half and, with one of the marks of the year, Brendan Goddard put them in front with under five minutes to play. Surely this was it? Oh no, don’t be so hasty. The footy gods were still watching, and they weren’t about to let the curse end just yet. The Pies scramble a goal in their goalsquare to regain the lead then, with only seconds to go, the ball bounces favorably for Stephen Milne before taking a heart-breaking right turn, tumbling though the points and rendering the game a draw.
The Saints returned the following week and barely fired a shot, their only chance to upset the cocky Pies being the previous week. Collingwood ran out Premiers comfortably, the Saints left to lament what could have been once again.
Now it seems 2011 will signal the end of the era for this group of players. Having already lost spiritual leader Lenny Hayes for the season and with “stars” Nick Riewoldt and Brendan Goddard performing well below standard, the Saints season is shot. They are a team without confidence, without desire, and sadly, without the skill to execute as required in this ever-improving game. With no leadership on or off the field, they are a team in a huge downward spiral – one that could take some time to recover from.
There will be no Premiership for Hayes, Riewoldt, Goddard and Co. They had their chance, came so close, but must realise that it has now gone forever for them – at least in the red, white and black.
Sadly, there will be no Premiership for the weary supporters either. It will be a long road back – one that we have experienced before, but didn’t think we would have to travel for a little while yet. That road may have been eased if we were walking it whilst tasting the spoils from a premiership Cup, but alas, that isn’t to be.
Footy hurts some times, even when you don’t run out on the field.