What Is 2005 St Kilda Football Club season

Overview

The 2005 season marked the 109th year of the St Kilda Football Club’s participation in the Australian Football League (AFL). Coached by Grant Thomas and captained by Nathan Burke, the team struggled to find consistency throughout the home-and-away season.

Despite flashes of strong performances, St Kilda finished 11th on the ladder with a 9–13 record, missing the finals for the fifth consecutive year. The season ended with significant off-field changes, including the dismissal of head coach Grant Thomas despite a mid-season contract extension.

• Final ladder position: St Kilda finished 11th out of 16 teams with 9 wins and 13 losses, failing to qualify for the finals series.
• Home ground: The club played all home games at Docklands Stadium, averaging 32,343 fans per match, ranking seventh in league attendance.
• Coach:Grant Thomas was dismissed after the season despite receiving a two-year contract extension in July; his overall record was 35 wins and 45 losses.
• Captain:Nathan Burke led the team in his final AFL season before retiring, ending a 278-game career with the Saints.
• Best & Fairest:Robert Harvey won his sixth Trevor Barker Award, also playing his 300th AFL game during the season.

How It Works

The structure of an AFL season involves a 22-round home-and-away fixture followed by a finals series for the top eight teams. St Kilda’s 2005 campaign reflected challenges in team cohesion, leadership transitions, and coaching decisions.

• Regular Season Format: Each team plays 22 matches from March to September; St Kilda’s 9–13 record placed them well outside finals contention.
• Coaching Leadership:Grant Thomas coached 80 games from 2001–2005; his dismissal followed a boardroom dispute and inconsistent player development.
• Player Milestones:Robert Harvey reached 300 games in Round 15 against Carlton, becoming only the third Saint to achieve the feat.
• Recruitment Impact: Rookie draft pick Jason Blake emerged as a key young talent, playing all 22 games and averaging 18 disposals per game.
• Financial Context: The club reported a surplus of $290,000 for 2005, helping stabilize operations amid on-field underperformance.
• Season-Ending Changes: After Thomas’s sacking, assistant Mark Riley served as caretaker, leading to the hiring of Grant Thomas’s replacement, Ross Lyon, in 2006.

Comparison at a Glance

St Kilda’s 2005 performance is best understood in context of recent seasons and league standards. The table below compares key metrics from 2001 to 2005:

The data shows marginal improvement in 2005 compared to the previous two seasons, but St Kilda remained stuck outside the top eight. Despite a slight rebound in wins from 2004’s 7–15 record, the club’s inability to secure consistent victories led to a loss of confidence from the board and fanbase. The decision to sack Thomas, despite a contract extension, signaled a shift toward prioritizing long-term rebuilds over short-term stability.

Why It Matters

The 2005 season was a turning point in St Kilda’s modern history, highlighting the consequences of prolonged underperformance and leadership instability. It set the stage for a major organizational overhaul that eventually led to improved results in later years.

• Coaching Transition: The sacking of Grant Thomas marked the end of an era and opened the door for a new strategic direction under future coaches.
• Player Development: Young players like Jason Blake and Justin Koschitzke gained vital experience, forming the core of future competitive teams.
• Boardroom Influence: The club’s decision to change coaches mid-contract reflected increasing pressure from administrators to deliver on-field success.
• Supporter Sentiment: Despite missing finals, average attendance remained strong, showing resilient fan loyalty even during lean years.
• Historical Context: The fifth consecutive finals absence intensified calls for structural reform, which eventually led to the hiring of Ross Lyon in 2006.
• Legacy Impact: The 2005 season is remembered as a low point before a gradual rebuild that culminated in a Grand Final appearance in 2009.

Ultimately, the 2005 St Kilda season exemplifies how sustained mediocrity can trigger organizational change. While on-field results were underwhelming, the off-season decisions laid the groundwork for a more competitive era in the late 2000s.