Anzac Day is one of the most important days on the Australian calendar. It's the day we remember and give thanks to all of those brave men and women who have fought and died for us in wartime.

The sporting connection began some years back when the league decided to schedule Essendon and Collingwood every Anzac Day. Other teams wanted to get in on that the league has virtually organised the entire set of game around the day. This year St Kilda hosted Richmond at Telstra Dome in a twilight match on Anzac Eve. As it turned out given the Tigers recent good form and St Kilda's return to the winners list it was a keenly anticipated match and would show whether St Kilda were back in town and exactly how much last year's wooden spooners in Richmond had improved. The scheduling was something that many people liked and I would hope that it could become a regular fixture each year.

Another thing that distinguished this from other home and away matches was that it was defender Darren Gaspar's 200th league match, something that a great many Tiger supporters doubted they'd see after his dreadful 2004 season, or if they did see it he wouldn't play it in Richmond colours. It's a testament to the man that he was even playing this match and playing it for Richmond and that he has come back as a better and stronger defender than he was before the knee injury that nearly ended his career. I'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate Gas on making the milestone.

Unfortunately as so often seems to happen when the spotlight is turned on them Richmond got stagefright and were comprehensively outclassed in the midfield which resulted in an easy win to the Saints. Despite this there is a general perception that the side has improved and will improve further. While well beaten at no stage did they ever give up as in the Geelong match earlier in the season and they continued to stick to the game plan. Good sides do that and as the execution improves and the second tier players step up and those who really want to win show out from those who don't the wins will come. It will take a few years, but I can see the roles being reversed in that few years and at the end of the game the song being sung will be Tigerland, rather than Oh When The Saints Go Marching In. It would have been nice to win for Gaspar, but he has never yet played in a winning side for a milestone game.

One important thing is that the players cannot allow this loss to affect them to the extent that they lose sight of the bigger picture and let their season slip away as they did last year. I'm confident that they won't and that they will beat Port Adelaide next week to celebrate Matthew Richardson's 200th with a win over the reigning Premiers.

Player ratings:

2. Darren Gaspar: his 200th league match. Although his opponent Fraser Gehrig kicked 4 goals he did well and the big Saint would have kicked a lot more on a lesser defender.

3. Brett Deledio: made mistakes early, but took that on board to come back and use his incredible pace to his advantage, is also very skilled at disposing of the ball by foot.

4. Andrew Raines: I can see a bright future for this young man, so like his father it's scary.

5. Troy Simmonds: disappointed yet again. We need a lot more from him. Admittedly was misused in the first quarter, but his performances with the exception of Rd 4 have simply not been acceptable.

6. Mark Chaffey: tried hard and made life tough for his opponent, but just can't hurt a side, he's an effective stopper, but little more.

7. Nathan Brown: as always creative and clever, moves smoothly and if he'd been on target would have been more damaging.

9. Wayne Campbell: took a few good marks and kicked one goal, but he's lost pace and if hadn't already announced that he was retiring at the end of the season I think he'd be getting tapped on the shoulder.

10. Greg Stafford: our one winner on the forward line, Kicked four goals and earned every one of them. A valuable contributor

11. Joel Bowden: was a little quiet early, but had a good second half when he moved into the attack.

12. Matthew Richardson: not one of the big fella's best games. Whilst he led Hudghton a merry dance and never gave up or dropped his head, he was off target and did not add to his season's tally of 16 goals.

13. Trent Knobel: won in the ruck 90% of the time, but his team mates were unable to use that to their advantage.

15. Kayne Pettifer: took a while to work into the game, but did so and was a useful avenue to goal in the second half.

20. Ray Hall: had an interesting duel with Aaron Hamill, you'd give the points to Hamill, but it was pleasing to see that Ray wouldn't take any of Hamill's nonsense and gave as good as he got.

21. Shane Tuck: picked up plenty of ball, didn't always use it well, but he learned a lesson today and I'm betting next time he'll get as many possessions and hurt the Saints more with them.

23. Daniel Jackson: played mostly in the middle, made some dreadful errors early, but didn't stop trying and did improve as the game wore on, his pace became evident. With the right players around him this kid could be a superstar.

24: Mark Coughlan: far and away our best player. Beat the dangeous Luke Ball and was effective at the stoppages and clearances. The scary thing for everyone else in the competition is that he's not even close to his peak, yet.

27:Andrew Krakouer: did kick one freakish goal in the 3rd quarter, but really didn't do enough and is probably about due a holiday for Coburg to find his spark.

31. Chris Hyde: tough and hard, along with Tuck got a lot of the ball, unfortunately involved in a collision with the Saints Matt McGuire which resulted in both men being stretchered from the ground after their heads clashed when the two players were attacking the same ball. I'd be expecting at least a week out with concussion.

32. Greg Tivendale: he's starting to frustrate me. He can get the ball and he looks great when he runs with it, he's also got one of the best left foots in the game, but he's not hitting team mates with it or kicking goals.

34. Mark Graham: ran off and on from the bench, defended grimly and did what was expected of him

35. Chris Newman: had to mind the annoying and dangerous Steven Milne. The little rat Milne won the duel. Newman should be filthy on himself.

39. Andrew Kellaway: courageous and an example to everyone else. Took a lot of marks and rebounded back into attack in the first half. Things would have been a lot worse without his solid and reassuring presence back there.