Round 15, 2001 was one of those games which wasn’t remembered for its result, but which triggers memories for its place in history.
The Saints were well beaten by Adelaide on that Friday the 13th of July 2001, but the game featured three factors which left an indelible mark.
It was Nick Riewoldt’s debut as a player, and turned out to be Malcolm Blight’s 15th and last time as coach of the Saints.
And for Jason Cripps it marked a courageous, fairytale return after having missed three years of football through injury.
When the popular Cripps booted the first goal two minutes into the game, he was mobbed by teammates and the picture of that moment was used in St Kilda’s membership campaign the following year.
For Cripps, it was the beginning of a personal display which netted a team-high 28 disposals and seven clearances – an astonishing comeback after a terrible injury when his hamstring had been torn from the bone early in 1998. Doctors had likened it to injuries suffered by water skiers whose muscle had been wrenched from the bone.
“For me it was a long process over three years," Cripps recalled.
"We were aligned with Springvale and I came back through Springvale’s reserves and then a few weeks in Springvale seniors.
"For me personally it was a pretty special week and a special night. I had a lot of people, family and staff at the club and close friends who had supported me over those three years. Before the game family and friends were down there and it was pretty emotional.
"Funnily enough, leading up to it you have different dreams and so many times I dreamt of getting back and playing. I had one dream of kicking the first goal and it was back at Waverley against Carlton. It wasn’t exactly how it panned out, instead it was against Adelaide at Docklands.”
He was sharing a house with teammate Justin Peckett who said “It’s like you are an Olympic athlete preparing four years for this moment!”
The next morning, Cripps went out for breakfast in Camberwell.
“I didn’t have a profile at all as a player, but the amount of people, not even St Kilda fans, who came up and congratulated me was great,” he said.
The debut of Riewoldt, and Cripps’ return were the big talking points prior to the game. Riewoldt had been the No.1 draft selection nine months earlier, but a knee injury had delayed his debut.
The other pre-game discussion point was Malcolm Blight’s interview in which he had criticised the culture at St Kilda Football Club.
Chris Oliver was a fellow debutant in this game.
Ten years later he recalled: “Beforehand Nick and I didn’t talk much about it being our first games. All the hype was around him, and I was a bit of a nobody.
"There was a bit of excitement and high fives between the two of us when we found out that we were playing, I think, on the Wednesday afternoon before training.
“It was a strange week because Blighty had spoken out about the club’s culture in a South Australian newspaper. But at the start of the week Blighty had stood up and said it was a new beginning and we were all starting fresh and he went through his 10 footy commandments.
"It was like a start of the season, but seven days later Blighty was marched out of the door!”
The video of that game is interesting. The Cripps goal is inspiring, and even before he gets his first kick, Riewoldt shows signs of the style which would propel him through a great career.
The willingness to run hard, and the hallmark run with the flight of the ball in spite of possible danger. His first kick is a behind on his non-preferred left foot.
And the Blight-led coaching box contains a star-studded mix that includes Ken Hinkley, Mark Maclure, Grant Thomas, Damian Monkhorst and injured players Nathan Burke and Robert Harvey. At one stage Blight turns his back on the game to plot his strategy.
A memorable night all round.
