In one of the all-time great home and away AFL matches, St Kilda and Geelong delivered in every single way possible when they met in round 14, 2009.
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Someone's ‘0’ had to go; each side entered the game 13-0 and the Etihad Stadium was heaving throughout a match you could simply not look away from.
Summed up quickly, this was the Michael Gardiner Game — the one where the Saints’ ruckman booted four goals, including the last of the game from a heroic pack mark St Kilda fans will never forget.
While the season was punctuated by the Cats getting the job done in a similarly-anticipated grand final between the sides, this was the Saints’ day.
Alex caught up with his old mate and lifelong St Kilda fan Robbie to rewatch the ripping contest.
Overall thoughts?
Alex: This was one of the few super-hyped games that delivered in every possible way. This was the biggest Docklands crowd for an AFL game ever (54 444) — I remember watching this the first time and thinking “what am I watching”, and it still feels like that.
In a statement game, the powerful Saints kicked the first five goals of the game, but Gary Ablett Jr — complete with hair — got the Cats on the board late in the first.
The teams traded blows in the second and Geelong found its footing in the contest, with a Joel Corey banger late in the term having it hit half-time down 17 points.
Gardiner kicked the second half's opener, but the champion Cats — on a revenge tour after their 2008 grand final loss — got rolling with three straight, controlling the contest and getting within three points before Nick Riewoldt's third goal of the game pinched the Saints a 10-point three-quarter time break.
What followed was pulsating, gripping — pick your favourite adjective, and the final quarter was that.
The Saints struck first through Justin Koschitzke, before Gardiner slotted his third for a 23-point break.
But you could never write off these Cats; in just more than six minutes, Geelong went bang, bang, bang through Max Rooke, Paul Chapman and Cameron Mooney, and after Stephen Milne broke that streak, Darren Milburn boomed one home and Matthew Stokes snuck another to tie the scores up.
But Gardiner would have the final say, with a Leo Barry-esque leap and grab creating a footballing memory for which he will never be forgotten.
Robbie: What a match. It just didn't let up all game, not a single lull. With 12 minutes left the Cats were down by 23 points, but you just can't count a champion team out.
Alex: And the crowd — which was predominantly a St Kilda one — made this contest unforgettable.
Robbie: We have a lot of bandwagoners like all teams, but there is a really passionate inner core. You have to be to watch us every week. St Kilda fans were notoriously feral at Moorabbin, but I think it's been a bit forgotten, when you're irrelevant for 10 years no-one cares.
Best moments?
Alex: There is one answer for this — Gardiner's mark, of course. You can genuinely make an argument it's a better pack grab than Leo Barry's, although when one occurs in the last 10 seconds of a grand final it will never be remembered like that.
And he slotted home the goal with ease that defied the situation; scores tied, three minutes to go in the most anticipated home and away match ever. Thirteen disposals, seven marks, 20 hit-outs and four goals — a game you will never forget.
Robbie: Riewoldt ran back with the flight twice in the first five minutes and that sort of set the tone for the entire match, with how fired up the Saints were.
Alex: Certainly did and, while it eventually didn't amount to a win, Geelong's repeated flurries of goals made this game. Three straight in the third, and five goals to one in a 12-minute span in the last turned this game into an all-timer.
What aged well?
Alex: The AFL, notoriously stubborn in terms of altering its fixture mid-season, made the decision to move the game from 2 pm to 3 pm, so it could be broadcast live. It's weird it isn't flexible more often as it could create a fixture so much better for television viewers. Now, no games are shown on delay, and Sunday afternoon games are live at 3 pm. But this summed up how anticipated this game was — nothing screams anticipation like the AFL actually moving a game.
Robbie: And just the key match-ups. You had Riewoldt on Harry Taylor which is absurd, the midfield battle is stupid. Taylor is the closest in the game to having the tank to go with Riewoldt and he had the athleticism. In the midfield you had Lenny Hayes, Nick Dal Santo, Brendon Goddard, Luke Ball and Leigh Montagna taking on Jimmy Bartel, Ablett, Corey Enright, Selwood, Joel Corey and more. Champions taking on champions.
What aged badly?
Alex: Unfortunately for you Rob, St Kilda as a whole. This was the time to strike, time to break the drought. What was it like?
Robbie: Being a Saints fan these couple of years was pretty great. You went into every game expecting to win — especially 2009, we were far and away the best side in the competition. Losing multiple grand finals was obviously devastating, again, especially 2009. There’s so much build up and then after you just don’t know what to do. I miss being a relevant football club.
Heroes and villains?
Alex: I reckon the memorable key forwards are the heroes of this one. At one end, Gardiner pushing forward kicked four, but you had the truly exceptional player that was Riewoldt, as well as the great Justin Koschitzke.
Robbie: I think Kosi had the physical talent, he was just a bit of a moron. I feel like if a player kept getting knocked out, and passing out when interviewed in 2020, we'd be thinking “what on earth?”.
Alex: At the other end you had Mooney, who with his long hair just looked like a true animal. Young Tom Hawkins did little in this match, but the Cats’ smalls got the job done, with Chapman, Stokes and Ablett all chipping in nicely.
Senior journalist