By Jon Pierik
St Kilda chief executive Matt Finnis has admitted senior club figures debated whether Seb Ross and Tim Membrey should have been allowed to miss last week’s clash against Adelaide but the club ultimately opted to give its approval.
In a season gone wrong for the Saints, including an 111-point defeat to the Western Bulldogs, and conceding a six-goal lead in a loss to the Crows, the Saints have also been dealing with claims there had been a “significant level of disappointment” in Seb Ross’ decision to leave the team’s Sydney hub last week and return home to Victoria.
St Kilda’s Seb Ross did not play against the Crows for family reasons.Credit:Getty Images
Ross, a leadership group member, and key forward Membrey returned home for family reasons and missed the clash in Cairns. Ross’ wife Marnie gave birth to twins in May while Membrey’s wife Emily is expecting their first child in the coming days.
The Age columnist Caroline Wilson reported key figures at St Kilda “are really disappointed” in Ross’ decision, stressing there had been no medical reason for him to return.
Finnis said on Wednesday there had been “no misgivings” over the choice the players had made.
“What I will say is that like any organisation that’s in a highly competitive industry, we debate these decisions. But ultimately, once decisions are made, we get behind the players and we give them our support and we get on with our business,” Finnis said on SEN.
Asked specifically if was there a significant level of disappointment in Seb Ross at the club, Finnis replied: “No, I don’t think so. You can be disappointed, but you can be understanding. I don’t think emotions are mutually exclusive.
“As a CEO, I’d love to have our best players on the park, but I do that every week. But as a father, I also understand that we’ve got to prioritise what we know is important with our families. No one can know that except for the family themselves. I just feel like sometimes we can have a lack of empathy about that in the way in which these things are discussed.”
AFL Players Association chief Paul Marsh said through social media on Tuesday he had been “shocked” by “these outdated & ignorant views” when it came to players and family.
Wilson said senior personnel at the club had been frustrated by Ross’ decision in particular and didn’t view his reasons as sufficiently compelling to warrant an early return.
“I think senior people at the club, they were upset about that. They were definitely upset about that,” Wilson said on Tuesday’s Real Footy podcast.
“This is a business, yes it’s not as important as family, a footy game is not as important as family, even in professional sport, but the game is certainly changing isn’t it? The twins don’t have any health problem, his wife just needed him at home. I don’t think that is a usual thing that would happen in a workplace these days.
“I’m not going to hang Seb Ross but I am simply making the point, St Kilda people are really disappointed about this. Everybody’s tiptoeing around it publicly.”
Wilson had initially reported the issue on Monday night’s episode of Footy Classified, which airs on Nine, owner of this masthead.
Finnis added he had spoken with Ross on Tuesday, and Membrey had also returned to the club, with both players reassured they had the Saints’ full support.
The Saints had been touted as even a top-four contender this year after returning to the finals last year and edging the Western Bulldogs in an elimination final. But poor form, including goalkicking woes, injuries and an inability to apply pressure for four quarters has left Brett Ratten’s team with a miserable 5-8 win-loss record at the mid-season break and out of finals contention.
Their poor form is reflected in a range of statistics in which they have slipped from last year, including points for, scores per inside 50, goals per inside 50 and disposals per goal.
President Andrew Bassat had attempted to ease member and supporter frustration last month when he declared the Saints believed their “genuine [premiership] window would more likely start in 2022 than 2021”, this raising eyebrows after the Saints had recruited established players in recent seasons to fast-track a premiership tilt. These recruits included the often-injured Dan Hannebery, Paddy Ryder, Jack Higgins and Dan Butler.
Finnis, having overseen only one finals appearance in his seven years, said he believed supporters were not interested in a quick fix - but that is a contentious point for the Saints have been built to win now.
“I don’t think any of our Saints fans are looking for quick fixes. I think people want to know we are focused on the longer term here and we are not going to try and waver around the edges on that,” he said.
Finnis admitted there was “frustration and a level of exasperation” felt by supporters and said they had been “incredibly resilient”.
That resilience is likely to be tested even further after the bye, for the Saints face what shapes as a treacherous month for they open with Richmond, and then have Collingwood, Brisbane, Port Adelaide and West Coast.
“I also know there is a group of people here that are absolutely intent - they have seen what they are capable of - and they want to get back to that and go further. Every game we have in the back half of the year, and there will be some challenging ones, no doubt, but every game is an opportunity for us to get better,” Finnis said.
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Jon Pierik is a sports journalist at The Age. He covers AFL and has won awards for his cricket and basketball writing.