▁ever ▁played ▁in ▁a ▁single ▁season , ▁during ▁which ▁he ▁aver aged ▁ 1 0 . 5 ▁dispos als , ▁ 1 7 ▁hit - outs ▁a ▁game ▁and ▁k icked ▁ 1 0 ▁goals ▁for ▁the ▁year . ▁He ▁combined ▁his ▁ag gression ▁and ▁mob ility ▁around ▁the ▁ground ▁with ▁master ful ▁r uck ▁performances , ▁recording ▁a ▁top ▁three ▁finish ▁in ▁the ▁competition ▁for ▁hit - outs ▁to ▁advantage . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁season , ▁Gard iner ▁hit ▁the ▁head lines ▁for ▁a ▁late ▁night ▁alter cation ▁with ▁Carl ton ▁Football ▁Club ' s ▁Mitch ▁Robinson . ▁ ▁However , ▁Gard iner ' s ▁on field ▁performances ▁helped ▁the ▁Sain ts ▁reach ▁the ▁Grand ▁Final , ▁particularly ▁his ▁critical ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁Sain ts ' ▁Pre lim inary ▁Final ▁victory ▁over ▁the ▁Bul ld ogs ▁which ▁included ▁his ▁kick ing ▁the ▁first ▁goal ▁of ▁the ▁game . ▁However , ▁during ▁the ▁first ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁Grand ▁Final , ▁Gard iner ▁sust ained ▁a ▁ham string ▁injury ▁which ▁prevent ed ▁him ▁from ▁playing ▁on , ▁his ▁absence ▁being ▁notable ▁in ▁a ▁tight ly ▁cont ested ▁drawn ▁match . ▁This ▁injury ▁led ▁to ▁his ▁om ission ▁from ▁the ▁Grand ▁Final ▁Re play ▁which ▁the ▁Sain ts ▁would ▁go ▁on ▁to ▁lose . ▁▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁season ▁Ham per ed ▁by ▁persistent ▁inj uries ▁throughout ▁the ▁season , ▁Gard iner ▁was ▁only ▁able ▁to ▁play ▁in ▁one ▁match ▁– ▁the ▁round ▁ 2 4 ▁victory ▁against ▁Carl ton ▁which ▁secured ▁final s