There's nothing better than celebrating a win with family.
And in the wake of the Saints’ one-point triumph over Gold Coast, St Kilda’s rooms resembled more of a childcare centre than a traditional football change room.
The scene was abuzz with kids running amok, the likes of Poppy Bruce, Charlotte Ross, Harriet Geary, Jett Savage, Maggie Steven and Matty Parker Jr celebrating with their dads after the final siren.
“There’s something in the water down at Moorabbin,” joked new father Josh Bruce.
“It was pretty special to have Poppy here for our first game.
“It’s turning into a real family club. It’s a great place to be a part of for all the partners and kids.”
READ: Josh Bruce: Family, frustration and footy
In August of last year, Bruce and his partner Pip became parents to Poppy, who has since been the pride and joy of their lives.
The excitement and energy that a child brings is something Bruce is similarly keen on seeing from a football sense, with the Saint eager to nurture a positive atmosphere at RSEA Park.
“It’s really important the players are enjoying their football. I mean if you’re not enjoying your footy then you’re not going to go out every weekend and give it everything you’ve got,” Bruce said.
In what was a scrappy contest at Marvel Stadium, Bruce said the Saints had plenty to work on, but were happy to take the four points back to Linton St.
“We’ve got to keep building our brand and make sure we play the right way,” Bruce said.
“There are areas of our game that we weren’t happy with and can improve on, so we’ll work on those throughout the week.
