Editing St Kilda Football Club (section)

===2000–2011: wooden spoon to premiership contender===

During the early part of the decade, St Kilda struggled, winning only two matches and drawing one to finish with the [[wooden spoon (award)|wooden spoon]] in [[2000 AFL season|2000]].<ref name=Resurgence>{{cite web |title=2000-2009: The Resurgence |url=https://www.saints.com.au/club/history/history-by-decade/2000-2009 |website=saints.com.au |access-date=22 October 2021 |language=en}}</ref> The following two years were similar, finishing second-last in both seasons. During this period, St Kilda recruited players such as [[Justin Koschitzke]], [[Nick Riewoldt]], [[Nick Dal Santo]] and [[Brendon Goddard]] who were mainstays of the team over the following decade.<ref name=Resurgence/>

In [[2004 AFL season|2004]], St Kilda won a club record of 10 consecutive matches from round 1 to round 10.<ref name=Resurgence/> The club returned to finals, eventually being defeated by eventual premiers Port Adelaide in a preliminary final.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Founten |first1=Loukas |title=Footy Flashback: Preliminary Final, 2004 |url=https://www.portadelaidefc.com.au/news/45353/footy-flashback-preliminary-final-2004 |website=portadelaidefc.com.au |date=6 July 2018 |access-date=27 May 2021 |language=en}}</ref> The following year saw a similar result, with the club being defeated in a preliminary final by Sydney.<ref>{{cite web |title=Preliminary Final 2005 St Kilda v Sydney - FinalSiren.com |url=https://finalsiren.com/MatchDetails.asp?GameID=4315&Code=2347591d70243bf1e5aa04ed3e626d0b |website=finalsiren.com |access-date=27 May 2021}}</ref>

St Kilda's [[2006 St Kilda Football Club season|2006 AFL season]] saw the club finish in sixth position at the end of the home and away rounds and qualify for a third successive finals series. St Kilda were eliminated by Melbourne in the elimination finals.<ref>{{cite web|last=Burgan|first=Matt|url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/32181/default.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010012509/http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/32181/default.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 October 2012|title=Saints bow out to Demons|work=afl.com.au|date=8 September 2006|access-date=6 July 2011}}</ref> During this season, Robert Harvey broke the all-time games record for St Kilda when he played in his 324th premiership season match in Round 7. On 11 October 2006, [[Ross Lyon]] was appointed as the new head coach for St Kilda, replacing [[Grant Thomas (footballer)|Grant Thomas]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/Sport/Ross-Lyon-signs-deal-to-coach-St-Kilda/2006/10/11/1160246158255.html|work=The Age|title=Ross Lyon signs deal to coach St Kilda|date=11 October 2006|access-date=4 July 2011}}</ref>

After missing finals in [[2007 St Kilda Football Club season|2007]], St Kilda again qualified for the finals in [[2008 St Kilda Football Club season|2008]]. A 108-point win over Essendon in the final home-and-away round saw the club take fourth position for the finals series.<ref>{{cite web|last=Broad|first=Ben|url=http://www.afl.com.au/News/NEWSARTICLE/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=66463|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080901195249/http://www.afl.com.au/News/NEWSARTICLE/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=66463|url-status=dead|archive-date=1 September 2008|title=Saints soar into top four|work=afl.com.au|date=31 August 2008|access-date=4 July 2011}}</ref> St Kilda were defeated by Geelong in the qualifying finals,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Clayton |first1=Matthew |title=Cats cruise to big win |url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/104986/cats-cruise-to-big-win |website=afl.com.au |date=7 September 2008 |access-date=24 October 2021 |language=en}}</ref> defeated Collingwood in the semi-finals<ref>{{cite web|last=Walsh|first=Gary|url=http://www.afl.com.au/News/NEWSARTICLE/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=67425|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080915225730/http://www.afl.com.au/News/NEWSARTICLE/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=67425|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 September 2008|title=St Kilda soar to prelim|work=afl.com.au|date=13 September 2008|access-date=4 July 2011}}</ref> and were eliminated by the eventual premiers, Hawthorn, in the preliminary final.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Price |first1=Matthew |title=Storming Hawks set up '89 GF rematch |url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/78573/storming-hawks-set-up-89-gf-rematch |website=afl.com.au |date=20 September 2008 |access-date=24 October 2021 |language=en}}</ref>

[[2009 St Kilda Football Club season|St Kilda's 2009 season]] is considered one of the most dominant home-and-away seasons in AFL history.<ref>{{cite web |title=The unluckiest: We rank the clubs who got close without winning a flag |url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/392554/the-unluckiest-we-rank-the-clubs-who-got-close-without-winning-a-flag |website=afl.com.au |date=2 May 2020 |access-date=29 June 2021 |language=en}}</ref> The club won 20 games—the best-ever home and away record for the club—as well as winning 19 games in a row before being defeated by Essendon.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bombers end Saints' winning streak |url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/bombers-end-saints-winning-streak-20090817-ge81nz.html |access-date=24 October 2021 |work=The Age |date=16 August 2009 |language=en}}</ref> In Round 14, [[St Kilda vs Geelong (2009 AFL season)|St Kilda defeated Geelong by six points]], with both teams being undefeated prior to the match.<ref name="Round14 2009">{{cite web |last1=Price |first1=Matthew |last2=Holmesby |first2=Luke |title=Saints edge Cats |url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/538252/saints-edge-cats |website=afl.com.au |date=5 July 2009 |access-date=24 October 2021 |language=en}}</ref> The game broke multiple records, including highest-ever crowd for an AFL match at [[Docklands Stadium]] (54,444).<ref name="Round14 2009"/> The game was sold out two weeks in advance,<ref name="SaintsCatsSoldOut">{{cite web|last=Holmesby|first=Luke|url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/79127/default.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090623235149/http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/79127/default.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-date=23 June 2009|title=Clash between Saints and Cats already sold out|work=AFL.com.au|date=22 June 2009|access-date=4 July 2011}}</ref> causing a change in timeslot (moving from 2:10 pm to 3:10 pm) so that the [[Seven Network]] could broadcast the game live in Victoria.<ref name="SaintsCatsSoldOut"/>
St Kilda eventually progressed to [[2009 AFL Grand Final|that year's grand final]], when they were defeated by Geelong by 12 points.<ref>{{cite news |title=Cats crowned 2009 AFL premiers |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2009-09-26/cats-crowned-2009-afl-premiers/1443354 |access-date=27 May 2021 |work=ABC News |date=26 September 2009 |language=en-AU}}</ref> Following the grand final, Ross Lyon signed a three-year extension to his coaching contract until the end of the [[2012 St Kilda Football Club season|2012 season]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Lyon extends Saints deal |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2009-12-04/lyon-extends-saints-deal/1168916 |access-date=24 October 2021 |work=ABC News |date=4 December 2009 |language=en-AU}}</ref>

The following year, St Kilda experienced a similar level of success, qualifying for the finals in third position. The club recorded their first win against Geelong in a finals match in the 2nd qualifying final and eventually qualified for the [[2010 AFL Grand Final|Grand Final]] against Collingwood. The match ended in a draw – the third drawn grand final in VFL/AFL history.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Zander |first1=Joel |title=Pies and Saints in stunning GF draw |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-09-25/pies-and-saints-in-stunning-gf-draw/2273872 |access-date=24 October 2021 |work=ABC News |date=25 September 2010 |language=en-AU}}</ref> St Kilda midfielder [[Lenny Hayes]] won the [[Norm Smith Medal]] for the player judged best on ground in the match, making him the first St Kilda player to ever win the medal.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hand |first1=Guy |title=Hayes wins Norm Smith Medal |url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/hayes-wins-norm-smith-medal-20100925-15rmw.html |access-date=24 October 2021 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=25 September 2010 |language=en}}</ref> Owing to the draw, a second grand final match was played the following week. In the grand final replay, Collingwood won by 56 points.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Phelan |first1=Jason |title=Saints shattered by perfect Magpies storm |url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/107290/saints-shattered-by-perfect-magpies-storm |website=afl.com.au |date=2 October 2010 |access-date=24 October 2021 |language=en}}</ref>

In December 2010, the club was granted ownership of the Linen House Centre, a new training and administration property in the [[City of Frankston]] at [[Seaford, Victoria|Seaford]] valued at approximate $11 million.<ref>{{cite web|last=George|first=Felicity|url=http://www.saints.com.au/tabid/5315/default.aspx?newsid=106072|title=Saints receive keys for Linen House Centre at Frankston|publisher=Official St Kilda Website|date=9 December 2010|access-date=2 July 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320014846/http://www.saints.com.au/tabid/5315/default.aspx?newsid=106072 |archive-date= 20 March 2012}}</ref><ref name=Development>{{cite web |last1=Burgan |first1=Matt |title=Saints to move training base to Seaford in 2010 |url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/80585/saints-to-move-training-base-to-seaford-in-2010 |website=afl.com.au |date=17 September 2008 |access-date=22 October 2021 |language=en}}</ref> Following the season, the club announced a record net profit of $7.467 million for season 2010.<ref name=Profit>{{cite web |title=Record membership boosts St Kilda's profit |url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/record-membership-boosts-st-kildas-profit-20101217-190gf.html |website=The Age |access-date=27 May 2021 |language=en |date=2010-12-17}}</ref> St Kilda also achieved a new record membership for a single season and were the 2nd-most-watched team on television, rating 22,777,092 viewers across the season.<ref name=Profit/>

Following a loss in their 2011 elimination final, Ross Lyon left the club, despite one year remaining on his contract, to coach {{AFL Fre}}.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Nial|first1=Jake|last2=Gleeson|first2=Michael|url=http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/lyons-freo-shocker-20110915-1kc0u.html |date=16 September 2011|title=Lyon's Freo shocker |work=The Age|access-date=7 May 2012}}</ref> Former Sydney, Fremantle and West Coast player and Collingwood assistant coach [[Scott Watters]] was announced as Lyon's replacement in October 2011.<ref>{{cite web |agency=Australian Associated Press|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-10-15/watters-to-coach-st-kilda/3573110 |date=11 October 2011|title=Watters to coach St Kilda |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=7 May 2012}}</ref>