“We actually asked for Collingwood”: St Kilda president's cheeky jab ahead of 150th year celebration

The St Kilda Football Club will celebrate their 150th anniversary against Essendon on Saturday night at the MCG.

The Saints are hoping to draw their biggest home and away crowd ever this weekend in what is shaping up to be a great game between two unbeaten sides.

A club that isn’t known for drawing big crowds, their president Andrew Bassat joined Gerard Whateley on Tuesday and put it to his fans, saying if there’s one game you’re going to attend this year, make it this one.

So the challenge has been laid down.

Notwithstanding the AFL making the end decision, the Saints were allowed to put forward their preferred opponent and it turns out the Bombers weren’t that, despite their players trying to use this night as a bit of added motivation.

“The efforts by the Essendon players to build themselves up have been a bit misguided, we actually asked for Collingwood,” Bassat laughed.

“We wanted a big Victorian team because we want it to be a big night.

“We weren’t looking at someone we could beat, we were looking at someone that would attract a big crowd and Essendon fits that build nicely.”

The last time the two faced off it was the Bombers who came out on top, beating the Saints by 35 points at Marvel Stadium.

St Kilda's biggest home and away crowd was played against Collingwood at Waverley Park in 1978, where 72,669 fans atteneded.