Triple treat for sports fans

Because everyone involved with either of these clubs would take any sort of premiership, be it in March or September.

A quick look at the history books tells us why both these clubs should be desperate to win this week.

Each has only tasted the ultimate honour once, the Bulldogs in 1954 and St Kilda in 1966.

They are also equal when it comes to pre-season/night series titles with four (the Dogs in 1963, 1964, 1967 and 1970 and the Saints in 1958, 1996, 2004 and 2008).

So that's five premierships in total each, a very low figure when you consider St Kilda has been in the competition since 1897 and the Western Bulldogs since 1925.

In comparison, Essendon has won six premierships (day and night) since 1990, the 1990, 1993, 1994 and 2000 pre-season titles going with its 1993 and 2000 flags.

Even though the clubs may put on a stony face and tone down both anticipation and celebration of the cup if they happen to get their hands on it, for those who bleed their colours it will be better than Christmas if they win.

Even if they don't like to admit it.

Apart from the fact that two of the competition's most unsuccessful clubs will get their hands on some silverware, there are several other factors to consider before Saturday's game.

The first is mental advantage that the winner will gain by beating a fellow premiership hopeful in a pressure situation.

Both St Kilda and the Western Bulldogs are expected to be big players in September, and any advantage, no matter how small, they can get over each other might be priceless.

And for the Dogs, statistics show you they might need all the help they can get.

Since 2000 the Saints have won 10 and drawn one of the 16 clashes between the two sides, including last year's preliminary final by seven points.

The last time the Western Bulldogs sung the song after a St Kilda contest was in round 11, 2008.

The Dogs will know that if they want an elusive premiership at the end of this year, the Saints will be one of the teams they will need to dispose of.

So, as crazy as this might sound, a win this week could go a long way towards deciding who's the champion at the end of the year.

The second factor is revenge.

Both teams suffered heartbreaking ends to 2009.

The Dogs' loss in the preliminary final seemed certain to be the hard-luck story of the year, but that title was quickly taken by St Kilda the next week.

They dominated the majority of the grand final and in many ways were the better team, but failed to walk away with the trophy as Geelong claimed a 12-point win.

On the other side of the equation, when the Western Bulldogs enter the arena on Saturday, they will see the team that ended their season, so denying them any sort of joy must be a priority.

That alone should be motivation for bigger things, and history has shown that a pre-season premiership can be used as a launching pad to inspire successful home and away seasons.

In 2000 Essendon used the pain of its '99 preliminary final loss to steamroll

all in front of it, including the Ansett Cup, while Geelong last year destroyed Collingwood in the NAB Cup final, the year after losing the day flag to Hawthorn.

Other success stories from pre-season premiers include the Hawks in 1991,

who managed the premiership double, the Kangaroos, who finished 1998 second after winning the Ansett Cup, Port Adelaide, which finished third in 2001 and 2002 and the Saints, who finished third in 2004 and fourth in 2008.

The other factor is round 1.

The line from both teams, whether they win or lose, is that all the focus is on round one, but there's no better way to prepare for that than the NAB Cup final.

Both teams involved would prefer to be playing at Etihad Stadium than at

Southport, Visy Park, Narrandera, Casey Fields, Morwell or Mount Gambier where the NAB Regional Challenge matches will be staged this weekend.

Playing on the the more traditional grounds in front of bigger crowds under a roof is far better, and safer, than playing on regional grounds.

Also there will be the big-game, serious, atmosphere about Saturday night that you can't recreate on those other grounds.

Saturday night is not a glorified practice match in any way, shape or form, despite what some may think.

It's a grand final and they are the games you never want to lose.

Because, as supporters of both St Kilda and the Western Bulldogs will tell you, premierships don't come around everyday.

On another topic entirely, it was fantastic to see the form of Tasmanian captain George Bailey rewarded with Australian selection yesterday.

His form this summer with the bat, with 538 runs at an average 59.78 in one-day cricket and 692 at 43.25 in first-class cricket, justifies his selection, even though it has come about due to Michael Clarke's personal issues.

But questions have to be asked as to why the boy from Longford was overlooked for the Test squad announced today in favour of NSW's Steven Smith and Phil Hughes.

A lot of the argument to why Bailey should have been named has to do with the poor form of Marcus North.

He has struggled in both Test matches and for WA, his spot at number six is under threat and only a big score in this week's clash with Queensland will stop the vultures circling.

An effort of only eight today against the Bulls won't help.

Smith has been pigeon-holed as Australia's next spin hope, but his recent form with the bat in first-class cricket suddenly has people thinking that he could do the job in the middle order.

Sure he's been able to score some big runs for the Blues, but it would be doubtful he could do the job at number five or six in the Test arena.

If he has been picked as a back-up to Nathan Hauritz, this is a massive worry considering his first-class bowling average of 62.26.

The selectors should decide whether they are going to play him as a bowling or a batting all-rounder, rather than this chopping and changing they seem to be doing.

The selection of Hughes is also an intriguing one.

Last time I checked, Hughes was an opener, and it would be doubtful that either Simon Katich or Shane Watson are going to lose their place at the top of the order in this short tour, indicating that Hughes is another candidate

for North's spot.

That's in front of Bailey, WHO BATS IN THE MIDDLE ORDER.

There's a strong argument that the Tasmanian skipper is more like North than Smith or Hughes, and he would also add an element of leadership and stability to the team in comparison to his younger teammates.

Hopefully for North's, and Australia's, sake, the selections are a sign that his place in the team is safe.

Hopefully, Bailey can get an opportunity in the last two one-day internationals and give the selectors something to think about it.

His selection also continues Tasmania's strong period in domestic cricket.

On the back of its three one-day trophies and Sheffield Shield title in the last six years, Bailey has joined Ricky Ponting (Test, ODI, T20) Ben Hilfenhaus (Test, ODI, Twenty20), Brett Geeves (ODI, Twenty20), Tim Paine

(ODI, Twenty20), Jason Krejza (Test) and Travis Birt (Twenty20) in Australian colours.

On current form, Hauritz had better keep his form up, as

there is a certain spinner from George Town that is eyeing his spot in the national line-up.

thAnd speaking of Tasmania, congratulations must go to Dan Marsh on his wonderful first-class career.

Marsh, who announced his retirement yesterday, is a true stalwart of Tasmanian sport, he will always be remembered as the man that guided the state to its first Sheffield Shield.

He was a solid and reliable batsman, his left-arm spin was always more than useful and his leadership was dynamic.

He will be missed.