Paradise lost for Saints

"DESERVE'S got nothin' to do with it."

So said Clint Eastwood's character in the classic, stripped-bare western Unforgiven.

It's a mantra that supporters everywhere can identify with, and one St Kilda fans will be mumbling into their breakfast on Sunday as tears mix with the cornflakes and milk.

We can argue the Saints have never been better than they were in 2009: two losses from 24 games ahead of the Toyota AFL Grand Final; the stingiest defence since Lou Richards was a rookie; a game plan that would shame African army ants.

But on a day only slightly drier than Guy Sebastian, the Saints were simply not good enough.

Over the last three seasons, Geelong has redefined how football is played and now has two flags as testament to its brilliance. It was St Kilda's misfortune to run into such a team on the last Saturday in September.

The Cats did it on the back of sublime performances from the maestro Gary Ablett and Norm Smith medallist Paul Chapman. Together, they busted open the Saints' famed pressure that, for much of the match, threatened to carry the day.

Harry Taylor and Max Rooke were also there for the ride, helping to deny St Kilda's stars and kicking goals that were as shiny and as rare as the late afternoon sunshine.

The sum of these efforts led to a second premiership in three years. The word dynasty will be bandied about but, in truth, football seasons exist in isolation from March to September. One is distinct from the other.

Dynasties in sport are a concept, removed from the 'now' in which quarters, games and seasons are decided.

In the week leading up to the game, the Cats matched this philosophy with rhetoric. "We'll play our best and let history decide our place," they seemed to be saying.

Well, history has arrived. It's dressed in blue and white hoops and dancing to a tune written by George Bizet.

To do it, Geelong had to overcome the minor premier, a team that won the inside 50s; a team that had more scoring shots; a team that stared down history and the pundits and gave it everything it had.

That it wasn't enough will cut deep into the already scarred souls of Saints fans and their heroes.

They have been outstanding this season. They will feel they deserved it. And so they did.

It's just that Geelong deserved it more.

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.