ST KILDA gun Brendon Goddard has hit back at those who doubted skipper Nick Riewoldt, midfielder Nick Dal Santo and forward Stephen Milne in the lead-up to Saturday night's 34-point semi-final win over Collingwood at the MCG.
Goddard took a swipe at the general football community for having a crack at Riewoldt, after he had a tough day at the office in the first week of the finals against Geelong.
"The media in general and the public – there's three guys they point the finger at when St Kilda isn't going well – and 'Milney' is one, 'Dal' has also had his fair share and then there is 'Rooey'," Goddard told saints.com.au.
"Again, he [Riewoldt] was written off during the week and it was all about how 'Nick Riewoldt hasn't fired for the Saints'.
"I'll put it bluntly, that's bullshit.
"For him to play well, the midfield has to play well."
Goddard insists his side deserve little or no negative press after their excellent finish to the season, which has now resulted in a preliminary final berth.
"The pressure was outstanding (against Collingwood). We got the ball down there and he was isolated and everyone played their role and that was the main thing," he said.
"You look back and there wasn't a time when anyone couldn't have gone harder and everyone played a selfless role.
"Consistently the media jumps on our back when things aren't going too well, but you look at the positives, we've won nine of our last 12 games for the season, so I don't know where it all came from.
"I think all of the boys learned a lot from last week. I think we got too wound-up emotionally and I reckon the occasion got to us a bit, to be honest.
"Everyone was really relaxed, positive and up-beat – it was a different feeling to last week."
Goddard said Milne's ability to bounce back from two fractured cheekbones and kick three goals against the Pies also silenced the critics.
"His [Milne's] efforts have been enormous and it shows the character the guy has and where he's come from. He cops it each week and to respond the way he has – he's done it," he said.
"The way he's done it, being very team orientated, has been [great]. By his own admission – and he wouldn't mind me saying it – he's had to change his attitude a little bit in the way he sees his role in the team, so that's been really good.
"We'll keep backing 'Milney' 100 per cent."
Goddard said Dal Santo's game-high 32 disposals and influence in the midfield was also telling against Collingwood.
"Great players respond really well and that's what he's done. Blokes were on the back of Nick Riewoldt last week and champions respond and Dal's responded really well," Goddard said.
"Going into the game, we thought we could really get him the footy and cover for him and free up 'Dal' and it worked really well. We learned a lot from Geelong last week and they're the yardstick."
Goddard also suggested defender Sam Fisher, who was also one of St Kilda's best against Collingwood, should be locked in for an All-Australian guernsey on Monday night when the team is announced.
"Sam has been outstanding and he's proved that for the last three or four years. It's a great story, coming from a golf background and getting drafted at an older age," Goddard said.
"The good thing about Sam is that you know the effort you're going to get out of him every week and that's been the key to his success. We never focus on possessions and this kind of thing, but we know what we're going to get out of Sam every week.
"He's held in high regard and respected throughout the footy club."
