▁in ▁the ▁Sain ts ' ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁N AB ▁Cup ▁winning ▁side , ▁only ▁the ▁third ▁time ▁St ▁K ilda ▁had ▁won ▁a ▁pre - season ▁cup . ▁During ▁the ▁A FL ▁season ▁Gard iner , ▁ham per ed ▁by ▁injury , ▁only ▁managed ▁to ▁play ▁ 8 ▁games . ▁However , ▁his ▁attitude ▁and ▁effort ▁in ▁training , ▁combined ▁with ▁the ▁g lim ps es ▁of ▁form ▁and ▁class ▁he ▁showed ▁in ▁his ▁hand ful ▁of ▁games ▁war r anted ▁playing ▁on ▁again ▁the ▁next ▁season . ▁▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁season ▁ ▁The ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁season ▁saw ▁Gard iner ▁return ▁to ▁some ▁of ▁his ▁best ▁football ▁form . ▁Gard iner ▁played ▁in ▁ 1 6 ▁of ▁ 2 2 ▁matches ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁home ▁and ▁away ▁season ▁in ▁which ▁St ▁K ilda ▁finished ▁top ▁of ▁the ▁lad der , ▁winning ▁the ▁club ’ s ▁third ▁minor ▁premi ership . ▁He ▁aver aged ▁ 1 0 ▁dispos als ▁and ▁ 2 0 . 5 ▁hit ▁out s ▁per ▁game , ▁while ▁prov ing ▁a ▁threat ▁up ▁forward , ▁kick ing ▁ 1 2 ▁goals ▁for ▁the ▁season . ▁Though ▁un fortun ate ▁to ▁narrow ly ▁miss ▁out ▁on ▁selection , ▁Gard iner ’ s ▁return ▁to ▁form ▁and ▁value ▁to ▁the ▁St ▁K ilda ▁side ▁saw ▁him ▁tout ed ▁as ▁a ▁potential ▁All - Austral ian ▁selection . ▁ ▁Gard iner ▁played ▁his ▁ 1 5 0 th ▁game ▁of ▁A